Ci Xi, Yi Xin and others all rolled their eyes at Ci Xi's boastfulness, saying to themselves that you know nothing about the telegraph business. Isn't it because of the wild men Fu Qing Ai Wu and Wu Cai that you keep praising the telegraph office?
Who doesn’t know about your bad things?
I was thinking about it but no one dared to say it. Everyone was waiting with their ears to hear the call back from Emperor Tongzhi!
Zhang Jing and Li Tuo from the Military Aircraft Department carefully walked into the Yangxin Hall holding the telegraph newspaper. He looked around and didn't know who he wanted to give it to. Zeng Guofan glanced at him and said, "Just read it!"
"Huh..." Li Tuo responded and walked forward a few steps quickly, standing on the right side of the curtain of the Queen Mother of the two palaces, facing the ministers sideways.
Although his rank is small, he is now delivering decrees from heaven, so he should be in the position where the Queen Mother can take action, but he is in front of the ministers.
"I am deeply disturbed to hear that the DPRK and China are at odds over the issue of returning home. I have never been in charge personally and have no kindness to the people. I am terrified and uneasy in my heart..."
"But my mother's orders cannot be violated, and filial piety is greater than heaven. I decided to enter Beijing through Deshengmen!"
As soon as she said this, Cixi's expression immediately softened a lot, with a winner's smile on her face, and she breathed a deep sigh of relief behind the curtain.
And the ministers below were all winking and looking around!
Li Tuo then read, "But the people must not be disturbed, and the court's money and food must not be wasted on trivial matters. The expenses for the welcoming ceremony should be reduced immediately. There is no need to pave the road with loess, and there is no need to build colorful sheds, memorial arches and other wasteful things!"
"When I traveled to Europe for study, I realized that the majesty of this imperial authority was not based on complicated etiquette. Even the royal family of the British Empire, as powerful as the Empire on which the Sun Never Sets, has never had to travel so hard and mobilize so many people!"
"To put it bluntly, the loess road paving is just a cover-up for the incompetence of local officials in infrastructure construction. The colorful sheds, memorial arches and other colorful things are just corruption opportunities to enrich one's own pockets!"
"What's the use of a crowd of people forced out of a stick to welcome you? A ceremony like that in Europe where all the people sincerely welcome you is real!"
"I have been traveling for five years, and all I have learned is the word 'true'. Dear friends, please don't let me down!"
After saying these words, Cixi's smile disappeared. The sixth-ranking Japanese ministers were also dumbfounded. Even Zeng Guofan, who had always been in trance like a monk, also opened his eyes wide.
No one expected that Emperor Tongzhi would resolve the conflict in this way. He would rather take the detour to Deshengmen to save his mother's face. However, he also took care of the difficulties of the court and voluntarily gave up the clean water splashing street and the loess paved road.
Even the colorful sheds, archways, silk flowers, dragon and lion dances, people kneeling down to welcome them, etc. were all abolished!
This greatly reduced the workload of Yixin and the others. In two days, they only had to smooth the potholes on the road and clean up the garbage.
You can even spread a thin layer of loess, and you’ll have enough time!
What else is there to say? Yi Xin was the first to kowtow and praise "Long live the Holy Ming!" The ministers who were worried about not being able to pass the test also knelt down and shouted to the Emperor Sheng Ming.
Cixi was not happy about this. The route was up to her, but the rules for greeting drivers were lowered. How could this reflect the nobility of her son?
But just when he was about to have an attack, Ci'an spoke at the side, "It's so easy for Master Long Live to make a decree, and we, as mothers, have to support him!"
This is a clever statement, but the subtext is, didn't Cixi always want the emperor to take over the power smoothly? Now that your son has made a decree, you, the mother-in-law, can't be the first to oppose it, right?
If you don't give Zaichun face, who among the officials will listen in the future?
Disgusting, Cixi felt as disgusted as eating a fly, but there was nothing he could do. He gritted his teeth and said to Li Tuo, "Is this really a call back from His Majesty? You are also an old man from the Military Aircraft Department. Tell me what happened to this Long Live Lord." Thought?"
Cixi already regarded Li Tuo as one of her own, and asked Li Tuo to say a few words, maybe there would be a new breakthrough.
It doesn't matter if there is no new breakthrough, at least our own people will give us a step down.
Li Tuo's dream is to be a small official in the military aircraft department forever, and he never wants to get involved in high-level struggles, but now he is riding a tiger and it is difficult to get off, and Cixi has forced him into this position.
"The Queen Mother, Your Majesty... Your Excellencies... It's just my random thoughts... Haha, I guess it's because I'm used to riding carriages and trains in Europa, and I don't like riding horses and sedans anymore... "
"The young one is just talking nonsense. Don't blame me, the Queen Mother. Don't blame me..." After saying that, he leaned back and slid back. He really didn't dare to stay in the core area of Yangxin Palace.
Cixi sneered and said, "Yes, I am used to eating bread and milk from foreigners, so the Manchu-Han banquet in the Qing Dynasty is probably not interesting anymore... The child has no control over his mother, so let him be!"
At the critical moment, Cixi still had to give face to her son. He nodded and everyone present felt relieved. The quarrel that had been going on for almost four hours in Yangxin Hall finally stopped.
Yixin turned around and left with a dark face without saying hello to anyone. He would soon join the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works, the Admirals of the Nine Gates, Shuntian Mansion and other yamen to start preparations for the arrival.
Although Emperor Tongzhi lowered the standard, and it seemed that two days was enough, the welcoming ceremony was something that all people wanted to see, so he had to put on a layer of pastel on his face.
Yixin was chasing officials from the Ministry of Works while chasing him. Guiziliu's scolding could still be heard even after he left the Yangxin Gate!
"It is inevitable to pave the road with loess. Even if it is only an inch long, it must be paved!"
"The people in the surrounding villages have to organize a group to some extent. Since Long Live doesn't want to kneel down and ask for Western style, let the people stand and watch!"
"This is a good day to return home, and it's not a shameful day. What's the point if there are no people walking around to welcome you?"
"It's only been the past two days. No one is allowed to sleep. First, I have to clean up all the stinky dog poop on the floor!"
Yixin walked south and Cixi walked north. Guiziliu's words about Xianjie reached Cixi's ears, which made Cixi angry.
Who are you calling shit? This Guiziliu is really serious. When Long live the Lord takes charge, you will be the first to do it!
Ci'an left Zeng Guofan behind in Dongnuan Pavilion. The two of them smiled bitterly while listening to the chaotic footsteps outside. Ci'an sighed and asked through the curtain.
"Commander...what do you think they are fighting for? They are just going through this before they take office. What will happen if they take office in the future?"
Zeng Guofan cupped his hands and said, "Just say whatever you have to say! The Queen Mother actually sees this matter very clearly. Why does the Queen Mother of the West Palace have to go through Desheng Gate?"
"Aren't you demonstrating against the tens of thousands of soldiers in Xishan?"
Ci'an stopped talking for a moment. Yes, there are soldiers trained by Guizi Liuyi in Xishan. They are nominally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, but they are trained by Guizi Liuyi. Can they not be mixed with sand?
It is estimated that the subordinate servants in Prince Gong's palace have already emptied the military power of that army. The orders of the Ministry of War are nonsense in Xishan!
"Could it be that... Cixi is determined to fight?"
"I don't dare to say that I can't beat him, but knocking on the mountain will definitely shock the tiger! This is to scare Prince Gong and show her determination to dare to fight!"
"Deshengmen, Deshengmen! That's the gate that only the victorious armies go through!"
