Usurping the Qing Dynasty: My first love was Cixi

Chapter 230 Su Yi and Ci Xi! The Ai family has given up!

In fact, Su Yi's 20,000 troops have already been assembled and can set off at any time.

When he returned home, Xu Youren immediately greeted him.

"Sir, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang have entered Beijing."

Su Yi frowned and said, "Have you led the troops?"

Xu Youren said: "I don't know if it counts as leading troops. There are two thousand people in total, and they are the most elite of the Hunan Army. But it can also be said that they do not count as leading troops, because the governors of Liangjiang and the governor of Jiangsu can indeed have such a scene ”

Su Yi remained silent. It was indeed difficult for him to blame Zeng Guofan on this point.

Because it was you, Su Yi, who led the troops to Beijing privately.

Tian Yugong said: "Sir, the provinces controlled by the Hunan Army belong to the seven-province alliance in the south. Therefore, they should be synchronized with us on key matters. What do they mean by going to Beijing privately now?"

Chongen said: "There is another point. The Chengde Palace issued an order for the governors of the world to pay homage to the emperor's remains, and other provinces were forced to come. There was no way. But the seven southern provinces did not have to come, and Shen Baozhen and Wang Youling refused directly. What do you mean Zeng Guofan came with Li Hongzhang?"

Xu Youren said: "What you often say is that support is not absolute, it is absolutely not support. No matter what reason you have, if you respond to the call of the Chengde Palace, you are on their side. To say the least, you are also on the opposite side of us. ”

Tian Yugong said: "And in the eyes of the world, isn't this the internal strife of the seven southern provinces?"

Xu Youren said: "Furthermore, he chose to go to Beijing first and then to Chengde, which is quite like a bitch setting up a memorial arch."

Chongen said: "The people in the world who most hope for a civil war and a split between the Qing Dynasty are probably the Hunan Army Group."

The situation is now clear.

Su Yi led his army to escort the Empress Dowager Ci'an and the young emperor northward.

It's just an attitude.

This country cannot be divided and must not have two centers.

Problems that cannot be solved by political struggle will eventually be solved by outright violence.

In short, there can only be one center in the end.

Just now, Empress Dowager Ci'an cried directly in front of Su Yi and said that they must not split.

There must also be no civil war.

Su Yi asked, would the Queen Mother be willing to hand over the seal of imperial reward?

Empress Dowager Ci'an asked, why should we hand over this royal seal?

Su Ye said that it would be impossible for the Queen Mother and the Emperor not to go to the palace in Chengde.

If the civil war is completely avoided, then Su Yi will not be able to lead his army to escort him, so he will let Seng Gelinqin escort him north.

Explain that once the Queen Mother and the Emperor fall into the hands of the people in the Chengde Palace, will the seal in your hands still be preserved?

In the eyes of Chengde Palace, you have surrendered to the enemy before.

Empress Dowager Ci'an even wanted to say that even if the Great Seal is lost, as long as there is no split and no civil war, then... that is not impossible.

Su Yi told him that only by fighting can the war be stopped.

You must show extremely firm determination before the other party will compromise and retreat.

Su Yi coaxed and swore, which made Empress Dowager Ci'an strengthen her confidence and have a firm attitude in the court.

Only then did Su Yi lead his army to escort the Queen Mother and the Emperor north to Chengde.

Otherwise, Empress Dowager Ci'an really had the idea of ​​taking the young emperor directly north to Chengde in order to prevent the country from splitting and civil war.

Therefore, this little queen mother is kind and simple, which is sometimes a good thing.

But sometimes, it's not a good thing.

Cixi is a qualified politician.

Chong'en said: "Will Zeng Guofan come?"

Yes, will Zeng Guofan come?

If he comes to visit Su Yi, it proves that there is still room for relaxation.

If he didn't come to visit Su Yi, it would prove that he had made some kind of determination.

Su Yi said: "Then I'd better wait and see if he will come to visit."

……………………

Inside the palace.

"Reporting to the Queen Mother, Li Hongzhang, Governor of Liangjiang, and Li Hongzhang, Governor of Jiangsu, request an audience."

Empress Dowager Ci'an was in a state of confusion, fearful of what would happen next, worried that a civil war would really break out.

At the age of twenty-four, how could he afford such a big thing, so when he returned to the palace, his emotions were about to collapse.

But when meeting foreign ministers, you must show a graceful attitude.

After a long while, she said: "Let them wait in Sanxi Hall."

A quarter of an hour later.

Empress Dowager Ci'an entered Sanxi Hall.

Across the screen, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang saw the figure of Empress Dowager Ci'an, knelt down and said, "I see the Empress Dowager."

Empress Dowager Ci'an said: "Get up."

"Thank you, Queen Mother."

Empress Dowager Ci'an said: "You came to Beijing, but what happened?"

Zeng Guofan said: "Reporting to the Queen Mother, I have received the order to go to Chengde to pay homage to the emperor Daxing's body, and escort the coffin south to Beijing."

Empress Dowager Ci'an instinctively said: "Did you receive the decree from Chengde?"

Zeng Guofan's heart wrinkled slightly. The little queen mother in front of him was so unqualified. How could she ask such a straightforward question?

Zeng Guofan said: "I have indeed received the order from Chengde, so I went to the capital to ask the Queen Mother about your order. Will I go to the Chengde palace or not?"

Empress Dowager Ci'an said: "We are already here, how can we not go? Go!"

Zeng Guofan said: "I obey the order."

Then, Zeng Guofan said: "The Queen Mother and the Emperor are going north to Chengde. Do they need my escort?"

For a moment, the Queen Mother didn't know how to answer, and no one was around to ask.

Therefore, I can only rely on instinct to answer.

"That's not necessary."

Zeng Guofan said: "I obey the decree."

After a few more pleasantries, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang said goodbye and left.

Out of the palace.

Li Hongzhang suddenly asked: "Teacher, do you want to visit Su Yi?"

Zeng Guofan fell into thinking.

He entered the palace openly, and now he didn't know how many people were staring at him.

What time is it now? It looked like the eve of a civil war in the Qing court.

At this most critical moment, if Zeng Guofan went to visit Su Yi, it would be interpreted as the same result.

In this civil war, the Hunan Army supported Su Yi.

This political signal is incredible.

It means that the Hunan Army and Su Yi are tied together.

There is also an ulterior motive. If Zeng Guofan visits Su Yi and makes people at the Chengde Palace think that the Hunan Army is on Su Yi's side, the civil war may not break out, and the Chengde side may be intimidated.

The Hunan Army is so powerful that it covers four or five provinces and has countless troops.

Therefore, he could not visit Su Yi.

"During this period, Chengde Palace sent envoys to interview us, but did Su Yi send envoys to contact us?" Zeng Guofan said: "He is now the nominal admiral of the Nine Gates. I, the governor of Liangjiang, did not follow the order. There is no reason to see him."

Li Hongzhang took a breath and said, "Student understands."

Neither of them spoke clearly.

The people in the world who least expected Su Yi to enter the center were Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang.

Others in the center can still tolerate the dominance of the Hunan Army, but after Su Yi enters the center, they cannot tolerate it.

……………………

Su Yi waited at home for Zeng Guofan to visit, but he didn't come until midnight.

"Sir, Zeng Guofan has left the capital. He did not stay in the capital tonight." Li Qi came to report.

Sitting beside them were Xu Youren and Tian Yugong, sighing softly.

"It seems that at this critical moment, they are determined to draw a clear line with us."

Tian Yugong said: "Get some rest, we have to get up early tomorrow."

Su Yi said: "There's no rush, maybe another person will come."

Then, several people continued to sit and wait.

Sure enough, half an hour later, Li Qi walked in and whispered: "Sir, Ronglu is here to visit."

Tian Yugong and Xu Youren were slightly stunned, then he cupped his hands and retreated to the back room.

Su Yi said: "Let him come in."

After a moment, Ronglu, who was wearing a black cloak, stepped forward, bowed and saluted: "Ronglu, meet the commander-in-chief!"

Now Ronglu's official position is much higher than that of Su Yi.

Su Yi said: "I didn't expect you to come in person."

Ronglu said: "The matter is of great importance, and it concerns the country, the country, and the country. I dare not entrust others with it."

Next, Ronglu said: "Commander, I have a few things that I would like to discuss with you."

Su Yi said: "No need."

Ronglu was stunned and said, "What do you mean?"

Su Yi said: "I am just escorting the troops north to Chengde. I completely obey the orders of the Queen Mother and the Emperor. There is no need to negotiate in secret."

Ronglu's expression changed slightly.

Su Yi, what does this mean?

Su Yi's intention was obvious, he would not talk to Ronglu.

What are the key terms between him and Ronglu now?

Is this considered self-dwarfing?

If you, Ronglu, represent the Empress Dowager Cixi, then who am I, Su Yi?

Empress Dowager Cixi and I still need to be separated from you by a single honor?

Ronglu trembled and said: "Commander, think again. The entire Chengde Palace is now shouting and killing. In addition to the original tens of thousands of troops, there are also soldiers brought by several generals from Liaodong, as well as soldiers from the Mongolian princes. The number Far more than the handsome man.”

Su Yi said: "What do you mean? I'm just escorting them north, is there going to be a civil war?"

Ronglu was silent for a while and said: "Commander, how can I report back to the Queen Mother?"

Su Yi said: "Just report back truthfully."

Ronglu looked at Su Yi for a while and said, "The commander-in-chief has made up his mind in a few days, so the subordinate will report back truthfully."

"I'll take my leave!"

Then, Ronglu sat for less than a quarter of an hour before leaving the study.

Then, he stood in the yard and stared at the sky for a long time.

In Rong Lu's opinion, Su Yi should be overjoyed at his arrival and walk backwards to greet him.

Because now in terms of momentum, the Chengde Palace is even bigger. There are so many governors, so many generals, and so many palaces.

As for the army, there are more at Chengde Palace.

Already more than 60,000.

Therefore, Cixi sent him Ronglu to negotiate with Su Yi, which was not only a help in times of need, but even a life-saving straw.

At the critical moment, the Queen Mother made a sudden move to directly reverse the situation and save the overall situation.

In this way, it is also a huge kindness to Su Yi.

Look, look.

At the critical moment, it was I, Yehenala, who came to save you.

As a result, I didn't expect Su Yi's posture to be so strong.

However, for Su Yi, this fruit of victory was obtained by myself, not a gift from anyone.

……………………

In the middle of the night, Ronglu left the capital and returned to Chengde as quickly as possible.

After a while!

Seng Gelinqin's more than 10,000 cavalry also turned around and headed north, returning to Chengde again.

This posture is very clear.

All soldiers and horses should be gathered in the Chengde Palace to show the most powerful force and the strongest will.

Early the next morning!

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang headed north to Chengde under the protection of two thousand guards.

In order to avoid embarrassment, he set off several hours in advance so as not to mix with Su Yi's army.

Around nine o'clock the next morning.

The empress dowager Ci'an and the emperor's chariot slowly started.

Under the protection of Su Yi's 20,000 troops, he left the capital in a mighty manner and headed north to Chengde.

There were hundreds of officials going together.

The atmosphere was solemn and the eyes were filled with fear.

It seems that every step closer to Chengde is one step closer to death.

……………………

The next day!

Ronglu, who was almost falling apart, appeared in front of Empress Dowager Cixi again.

At this time, he could no longer stand at all.

His whole body was shaking, and his legs were already bruised and bloody.

In the past few days, he had been traveling almost without sleep, and in order to go fast enough, he could not ride in a carriage, so he had to ride a horse.

The dignified minister who cared about his orders ran like a messenger.

"Sit down!" Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't bear to say.

Ronglu said: "There is no place for a slave in front of the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother said: "What time is it? If I ask you to sit down, just sit down."

Ronglu sat down tremblingly.

The Queen Mother said: "How was the discussion?"

Ronglu said: "Su Yi, without talking to me, just asked me to leave."

As soon as these words came out, Empress Dowager Cixi's cold face changed: "What does he mean? Is he so ignorant? I am helping him, and the Ai family is saving him."

"Does he really think he is a traitor?"

"Is he really determined to lead his army northward and enter Chengde?"

"Is he really going to start a civil war?"

Ronglu was silent for a while and said, "I understand Su Yi's thoughts."

The Queen Mother said: "You say."

Ronglu said: "He feels that he has reached this point all by himself. At this most critical moment, even if he wants to win, he must win thoroughly, not as a gift from others."

The Queen Mother said: "What do you mean? Do you still want me to bow to him?"

Ronglu said: "He is probably angry. He sent people to talk to the Queen Mother before, but she was pushed away by the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother said: "Is that pushing me? I'm not refusing, I just want to take the initiative."

Ronglu said: "But Su Yi also wants this initiative."

The Queen Mother said: "He is a minister and I am the king. Even if he enters the center in the future, he will still need my strong cooperation. Can he still rely on the one in the East Palace?"

Ronglu said: "This person has always been like this, and he treated the late emperor like this."

The Queen Mother said: "No wonder the late emperor was so angry with him."

After a long while, the Queen Mother said: "When Seng Gelinqin returns to the army, plus your army, plus the troops of the Mongolian prince, the three generals of Liaodong and others, there will be about more than 70,000 people."

Ronglu said: "Yes."

The Queen Mother said: "How many people did Su Yi bring?"

Ronglu said: "Twenty thousand."

Seventy thousand versus twenty thousand!

It looks like three times more.

Ronglu said: "There is another news. Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang are here, bringing two thousand people with them. They should be the most elite Hunan army."

Cixi asked: "Has he entered Beijing?"

Ronglu said: "Enter the capital."

Cixi said: "Did he visit Su Yi?"

Rong Lu said: "No, in fact, I have been next door to Su Yi's house a long time ago. After learning that Zeng Guofan came to Beijing, I kept waiting to see if Zeng Guofan would visit Su Yi. When he confirmed that he would not visit, he would leave the city to live with his guards. I officially went to visit Su Yi when we were together."

Cixi said: "Huh, he has ulterior motives. Is he planning to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, or is he trying to add fuel to the flames?"

Ronglu said: "Su Yi led his army to the north, and Chen troops in the north are in Chengde. The civil war is about to break out. The Hunan Army is probably the one who most hopes for the outbreak of civil war and the split of the Qing Dynasty. He even stopped the battle of Anqing."

Cixi fell into silence.

After a long while, Cixi said: "Rong Lu, tell me honestly, if there is a fight, can you win?"

Ronglu said: "I don't know whether we can win or not. But even if we win, both of us will not only suffer losses, but will perish together. By that time, the Rakshasa Kingdom in the north will probably come in, and that Russian envoy will He said again and again that he could send troops to help us eradicate rebellion in Chengde."

"Not only that, once we both die together, the Hunan Army will be completely separated."

"Brothers fight, and then the country takes advantage of outsiders."

In fact, Ronglu didn't speak too directly at this time, but his meaning was very clear, he couldn't win!

He couldn't make it too clear, so he could only talk about the topic in a big way, but it was true to a certain extent.

Cixi couldn't help but said: "The late Emperor, the late Emperor, left us such a mess."

Then, he asked: "Do you think Su Yi wants to fight?"

Ronglu said: "He definitely doesn't want to fight. He has worked hard until now and has always upheld the righteousness. Once the fight starts, he will really become Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo."

Cixi said: "If he didn't fight, wouldn't he be Cao Cao?"

Ronglu said: "Even if he wants to be Cao Cao, he is not ready now. Moreover, his Jiujiang Economic Experimental Zone is in full swing. Once the civil war breaks out, even if he wins, the entire Qing Dynasty will probably be torn apart and the economic development will be completely destroyed. The great powers are only afraid of seizing the opportunity to divide our Qing Dynasty. "

"In the past, local rebellions were severe, but they did not affect the central government. When the rebellious forces were at their strongest, they could not shake the status of the imperial central government. But now it is a civil war between the two central centers. They are evenly matched in terms of status and strength."

"Once the war actually breaks out, it will really fall apart."

Cixi said: "So, he doesn't want to fight, not at all."

Ronglu said: "Yes."

"But... based on what I know about him, he definitely doesn't want to fight. But if we don't back down, then... we might actually fight."

"In other words, he was prepared for the worst."

Empress Dowager Cixi turned her head away, her eyes were slightly red, and tears welled up slightly, but did not fall down.

How did this person become like this?

When we were getting along before, how considerate and sweet she was.

He keeps talking about love in his ears, and he is really obedient to her.

Thinking about it now, it’s confusing.

But since returning from the southern battlefield, he seems to have become a different person.

After finally meeting her twice, she was as sharp as a needle and refused to give in to her at all.

When we met for the first time, she pushed everyone away and met in secret. Don't you know what that means?

No...don't you just want to steal someone?

It's just that women are reserved, how can it be said so clearly.

Where is your tenderness and consideration?

No coaxing, no sweet words, just harsh words.

He stripped the person naked and didn't make love with her. Instead, she took it out and smeared it on the person's face.

What woman can bear such humiliation?

Now I don't care, I just lead my troops northward, and I'm still not willing to give in. Are you trying to kill me?

In anger, Yehenala could hardly help but directly issued an order to fight him to the end.

However, this sentence was not uttered after all.

Seeing this scene, Ronglu could not guess what his dream lover was thinking.

Suddenly, he felt extremely sour inside.

After a long while, Cixi said: "You should step back first, and I will think about it carefully. But you must also pay attention to the posture you show outside. You must not fail, and you must act tough."

Ronglu said: "I know this."

……………………

The news that Su Yi led 20,000 troops northward reached Chengde Palace.

Suddenly, the crowd was furious.

Countless people shouted to fight and kill.

"Fight, fight, fight!"

"Are we still afraid of him? We have 70,000 to 80,000 people, but we can't defeat 20,000 of him?"

"Most of Su Yi's 20,000 people are parallel imports, and only 4,000 new troops can really fight. We have more new troops in Tianjin than him, so it is best to use force to solve them."

"Just in time to eradicate him completely and kill the entire clan!"

Next, Du Han went to connect with the governors of various provinces and appoint officials in Xinjiang.

Each person brought not many, they were all governor's guards, governor's guards and the like, but there were several hundred people.

There are so many governors, which is quite a lot in total.

Du Han made wishes to various governors and governors, and asked them to stand by the Chengde Palace at the most critical moment, kill Su Yi, eliminate the rebellion, and save the empress, the empress dowager, and the emperor from fire and water.

Boyan Namohu, on the other hand, was to connect various Mongolian princes.

He himself is the prince and son of the Mongolian prince, and he is considered a family member to everyone.

He drank strong wine and then swore on blood wine.

The Mongolian kings, united as one, will surely eradicate rebellion for the Qing Dynasty.

As evidenced by the Immortality Heaven, we must fight to the end with Su Yi.

Kill the rebels and save the Queen Mother and the Emperor.

At this time, Empress Dowager Cixi entered the Buddhist hall and worshiped Buddha and chanted sutras every day.

So Du Han, the minister of Gu Ming, ran to ask Ronglu.

"What do you mean, Queen Mother? Do you want to retreat?" Du Han said.

Ronglu said: "Back off? How can you back down? The swordsmen are about to meet, and blood will flow into a river. Of course the Queen Mother must eat fast and chant Buddha's name to wash away the sins of future killings."

Du Han said: "Master Rong, others may have a way out in this fight, but there is no way out for the two of us. I have been against Su Yi for a long time, and I have long made him hate him to the bone. And Su Yi had a falling out with the late emperor. After that, the late emperor promoted you and replaced Su Yi, so Su Yi has long hated you. "

Ronglu said: "Of course I know."

Du Han said: "What's more, the late emperor still has a secret intention to kill Su Yi for you."

Ronglu said: "At this point, there is no way to retreat."

Du Han said: "Yes, there is no way to retreat. It's a matter of life and death. Either Su Yi's entire family will be destroyed, or we will be killed."

Then, Du Han said: "Master Rong, tell me honestly, your Tianjin new army has so many more troops than Su Yi, can you defeat him?"

Ronglu said: "The new Tianjin army must be afraid of the foreigners. Because even if you defeat the foreigners, it will be completely useless. We did not win the second battle of Dagukou. But we won. , and soon the foreigners sent more troops. The foreign troops were more than one million, and they couldn't win at all, so the brothers lost their morale. But Su Yi's army was different. As long as he defeated him this time, he would win. It’s completely over.”

As soon as these words came out, Du Han's morale suddenly boosted.

"You're right, you're right. This is exactly the truth. As long as we win this battle, Su Yi will be completely finished. We are 90% sure of this battle."

Then, Du Han left with peace of mind and continued to lobby the governors of various provinces.

Ronglu couldn't help but sigh as he looked at Du Han's leaving figure.

Two more days passed.

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang came to Chengde. His two thousand troops were stationed far away from the palace. Then they entered the palace to pay homage to the Empress Dowager Cixi.

Of course, he had only one purpose in coming to see the Empress Dowager Cixi this time.

It is to judge whether this civil war will break out.

This is crucial to Zeng Guofan and is related to the fate of the Hunan Army.

However, the Empress Dowager Cixi refused to meet her on the grounds that she was worshiping the Buddha and could not interrupt, otherwise she would be dishonest.

Do you eat fast and recite Buddha’s name at this time?

What does that mean? To fight or not to fight?

Because there are too many interpretations for chanting Buddha's name, and the only interpretation of the current palace is that there will be a killing spree and rivers of blood will flow, so the Queen Mother must fast and chant Buddha's name to wash away her sins for everything that will happen in the future.

Therefore, this is completely a very tough attitude to fight to the end.

Therefore, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang left the palace and returned to Chengde.

However, Du Han came right after.

"Commander Zeng, I haven't seen you for a long time. You may want to give me a hard time." Du Han said with cupped hands.

Previously, Du Han was very reserved in front of Zeng Guofan, and he even had a sense of superiority. After all, he had been in the center for a long time, and he was the minister of military aircraft and the emperor's confidant.

Zeng Guofan asked him countless times and bribed him countless times for the Hunan Army.

But now, his stance is lower than ever.

Zeng Guofan said: "Master Du, you are fine."

Next, the two entered into small talk, and Zeng Guofan seemed very patient and talked nonsense.

Before, Du Han was guaranteed to be able to talk about it until dawn, because he knew astronomy and geography, but now he really has no such intention.

Before the war, he made sure to add all the weight that could bring victory, and Zeng Guofan was the top priority.

"Commander Zeng, the late emperor was extremely kind to you."

Zeng Guofan immediately raised his hands in the direction of the Chengde Palace and said: "The late emperor's kindness to me, Zeng Guofan, can never be fully repaid in this lifetime."

hehe.

When Emperor Xianfeng was alive, you, Zeng Guofan, contradicted him every day and made him angry to death many times.

That is to say, Su Yi is the latecomer, otherwise the late emperor's most hated minister would probably be you.

Now that the person is dead, you keep saying that you are so kind to him.

Du Han said: "When the late emperor was still alive, he once said publicly in the court that Su Yi was a rebellious minister and a traitor, and he deserved his death. And later he even publicly issued an order saying that he was a rebellious minister and a traitor, and the plaque of his residence was engraved with the words "rebellious minister and traitor". Master Zeng must know this."

Zeng Guofan said: "Of course I know, but later when the late emperor visited Jiujiang in the south, the relationship between the two parties seemed to have eased. He even let Su Yi marry Princess Shouxi and presided over the wedding."

Du Han said: "That was the late emperor's sage, just paralyzing Su Yi. Do you know that before his death, the late emperor issued a secret decree to eradicate the traitor Su Yi?"

Zeng Guofan was shocked: "Is this happening?"

Du Han said: "Commander Zeng, do you obey the late emperor's secret decree or not?"

Zeng Guofan said: "If this is really a secret order, of course I will obey it."

Du Han said: "Am I still lying to you? This secret edict is in the hands of the Queen Mother. In five days, the governors, generals, and Mongolian palaces of the world will all pay homage to the late emperor. At that time, the Queen Mother will take out the secret edict and call on the world , eradicate the traitors."

"Of course, there is another possibility. The thief Su Yi knew that the matter was about to be exposed, so he became frantic and tried to jump over the wall. He was leading his troops northward in an attempt to make a last ditch effort, but that was just the cry of a defeated dog."

"The late emperor was extremely kind to Marshal Zeng, and Marshal Zeng was a role model for all the officials in the world. In this important event, he must become the pillar of the Qing Dynasty."

Zeng Guofan said: "Big thing? What big thing?"

Du Han said: "Of course Su Yi jumped over the wall, acted against his will, and committed rebellion. He will most likely send troops to attack the Chengde Palace."

Zeng Guofan said: "It's impossible. He is just escorting the Queen Mother and the Emperor north to Chengde."

Du Han said: "Master Zeng is confused. The Queen Mother and the Emperor have been imprisoned by him and are like puppets. As ministers, of course we must fight to the death to save the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother and the Emperor."

Zeng Guofan said: "Civil war? This is absolutely impossible. Once a civil war breaks out, the country will be in pieces. I will definitely mediate the conflicts between the two sides and prevent the civil war from breaking out."

Du Han fell silent and stared at Zeng Guofan for a long time.

Then, he suddenly stood up, raised his hands towards the Chengde Palace and said: "The Holy Mother and the Queen Mother are speaking!"

Zeng Guofan was startled, then quickly stood up, cupped his hands in the direction of Chengde and said, "I respectfully send you your holy greetings."

It's hard for the Empress Dowager to call her Saint An, but she doesn't care about that much at this time.

"Blessings, Holy Mercy." Du Han said: "The Ai family has told us that Su Yi offended his superiors and caused rebellion. Zeng Guofan should take it as his own duty to support the country and eradicate the rebellion. The Ai family should not be stingy with the reward of becoming a public official."

Zeng Guofan was astonished and bowed: "I thank the Queen Mother for her kindness."

Du Han said: "Commander Zeng, after the matter is completed, the imperial court will hand over all of Jiangxi to you. Half of Jiujiang will belong to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and half to you. Of course, the British share will remain unchanged. At that time, Marshal Zeng will be granted the title of Duke. That’s really the number one hero in the world.”

Zeng Guofan said: "I don't dare, I don't dare! It is the right thing to do to bring order to the chaos, but I would never dare to accept the reward of becoming a duke."

Next, the two sides exchanged a few words.

After receiving Zeng Guofan's vague statement, Du Han stood up and left.

After he left, Li Hongzhang came out and said: "The situation is not good. Du Han is such a wise man, but he actually corrected the imperial edict."

……………………

Su Yi's 20,000-strong army escorted the Empress Dowager Ci'an and the emperor northward, neither too fast nor too slow.

Walking fifty miles in one day, the distance is more than four hundred miles, which is nine days.

His army is getting closer and closer to Chengde Palace.

Every day someone is counting.

Su Yi rebelled against the army and was two hundred and sixty miles away from Chengde Palace.

The distance is two hundred and ten miles.

One hundred and fifty miles away.

As his army drew closer, the atmosphere became more and more suffocating.

The real storm is coming.

The 70,000 to 80,000 defenders of Chengde Palace were practicing day and night.

Mobilization is happening every day.

Protect the Queen Mother and the Chengde Palace.

If there is rebellion, fight to the death.

It looked like he was totally fighting.

The Empress Dowager Cixi was still in the Buddhist hall, eating fast and chanting Buddha's name.

……………………

Buddhist temple.

"Queen Mother, Su Yi's army is still a hundred miles away from Chengde Palace."

Yehenala's cold face looked a little haggard at this time, and her delicate body trembled slightly when she heard Baili.

What did she really want to ask, such as whether a messenger was sent?

But in the end he didn't ask.

Of course she knew that whether a civil war broke out was basically up to her alone.

Su Yi's army traveled fifty miles a day and showed no intention of slowing down at all.

It showed that he had no intention of compromising.

The footsteps of war are getting closer and closer.

Empress Dowager Cixi felt anxious in her heart.

I often feel suffocated.

"Queen Mother, do you have any orders?" People outside asked directly.

"No." Empress Dowager Cixi said.

Then, the man left anxiously.

Everyone in the entire Chengde Palace was full of uneasiness.

Cixi continued to kneel in front of the Buddha and kept reciting scriptures silently, as if she wanted to seek a moment of peace.

But the more I thought about it, the more irritable I became.

Then, there were footsteps again outside.

"What happened again?"

Eunuch An Dehai said: "To inform the Queen Mother, the Heilongjiang General Mansion is urgently located six hundred miles away. The Russian army has entered our territory of the Qing Dynasty."

The Heilongjiang general was also in Chengde at this time, so it was an urgent message from the officials left behind.

As soon as these words came out, he was suddenly startled and stood up directly.

It can be said that I was surprised and happy.

What was shocking was that the Russians were so ambitious that they couldn't wait to kill them.

Fortunately, there is finally a step.

Immediately, she said directly: "Call all the ministers into the palace for a court meeting!"

Ordinarily, the emperor was absent and the queen mother had not yet listened behind the curtain, so she was not qualified to attend the court meeting.

But now is a time of great urgency, and we can’t take care of much.

However, after all, this court meeting could not be held in the main hall, but in the Yanbo Zhishuang Hall.

……………………

Above the main hall, there are nine ministers who take care of life, including the main ministers of the Chengde Palace.

"Reporting to the Queen Mother, the Russian Governor said that the Qing Dynasty is our ally, and there is a rebellion that has imprisoned the Queen Mother and the Emperor, so they are obliged to help."

"They are willing to lend us troops for free to root out rebellion."

Du Han came out of the queue and said: "To report to the Queen Mother, Su Yi went against the grain and made trouble. Even the friendly countries couldn't stand it any longer and sent troops to help."

Boyan Nemo Hu said: "I am reporting to the Queen Mother that Su Yi's traitor has caused chaos and attracted foreign troops. Such a heinous crime has made people and gods angry."

Kuang Yuan said: "To inform the Queen Mother, I am willing to go to Heilongjiang to appease the Russian army. The imperial army can hang up the thieves with peace of mind."

"Queen Mother, before going outside, you must first make peace at home!"

"Queen Mother, our army of 100,000 men is ready to fight. As long as the Queen Mother gives the order, we can eradicate the rebels and help the country."

Then everyone found out.

There were only six or seven people clamoring in the court.

The rest were all silent.

Many people, including Sushun, Prince Gongyi, Duanhua, Zaiyuan, etc., have not shown up or spoken for a long time.

Empress Dowager Cixi hid in the Buddhist hall, and they also closed the door to thank guests.

Only Du Han, Kuang Yuan, and Boyanna Mohu were running desperately, connecting with each other everywhere, shouting to fight and kill.

Ronglu was the Empress Dowager's confidant. Every time people asked him about his attitude, he seemed determined to fight, and many people felt at ease.

Now, everyone is looking at the Empress Dowager Cixi.

They are all waiting for his final decision.

"Queen Mother, eradicate the traitors in one fell swoop!"

"Queen Mother, don't forget the late emperor's instructions."

"The Queen Mother, the spirits of our ancestors in heaven will also be eager to come down to earth to attack Su Yi's traitor."

Several people continued to shout desperately, urging Empress Dowager Cixi to make her decision.

At this time, Yehenala also felt that her mouth was dry and her heartbeat was racing.

After a long while, she slowly said: "With the invasion of foreign thieves, the country and the country are in danger! How can there be chaos at this time? The Ai family decided to go to Su Yi's army in person to discuss with their mother, the Queen Mother."

As soon as these words came out.

Many people in the audience breathed a long sigh of relief.

Finally no need to fight, finally no need to fight.

I'm so scared!

But there are also many people who are trembling and trembling inside.

Some people felt as if their bodies were filled with ice and cold, and they felt as if the Queen Mother's words were struck by thunder.

After a long while, Du Han knelt down and kowtowed: "Queen Mother, you must not do this!"

Kuang Yuan and Boyan Nemo Hu also kowtowed desperately and said, "The Queen Mother must not go. If you go, you will probably be imprisoned by the traitor Su Yi."

"The Queen Mother is concerned with the country, the country, and the country. How can she go into danger with her body of gold and jade?"

Several people kowtowed desperately, like a cuckoo weeping blood.

But most people said nothing.

After a long while, Yehenala said: "Ronglu, prepare an army and accompany me south to Su Yi's army."

Ronglu said: "I obey the order!"

The Empress Dowager said: "The Ai family has decided to part ways. No need to say more, it's settled."

Then, she left resolutely without giving others a chance to object.

……………………

The next day!

Under the protection of Ronglu Tianjin's new army, Queen Mother Yehenala left the Chengde Palace and headed south towards Su Yi's army.

In addition, Ronglu also sent an envoy to go south as quickly as possible to report to his mother, the Empress Dowager and Su Yi.

After receiving the letter, Su Yi's army also stopped advancing and stayed in place.

Set up camp.

Empress Dowager Ci'an almost cried with joy.

The moment she had waited for finally came, and she was finally no longer a sinner of the Qing Dynasty.

Although she seemed very determined in the past few days, she was frightened every day, couldn't sleep, and couldn't even eat.

I don’t know how many times I woke up from nightmares, dreaming of a civil war between the two armies, with rivers of blood flowing.

Immediately afterwards, the second wave of envoys from the Empress Dowager Cixi also arrived.

The two sides set a location for negotiations.

This location cannot be in the Ronglu Army or the Su Yi Army.

At this time, the distance between the two armies was thirty miles.

He took out the map and found a post station between the two armies.

So Su Yi said: "How about just choosing to negotiate in this inn?"

Cixi's envoy said: "The Queen Mother means the same thing."

Su Yi said: "The Queen Mother, prepare a few people to enter the post station to negotiate."

Cixi's envoy said: "There is only one person, the Queen Mother."

Su Yi said: "Then I will send my mother, the Queen Mother, into the inn and wait outside."

Cixi's envoy said: "The Empress Dowager wants you, Mr. Su Yi, to talk to you."

Su Yi said: "My mother, the Queen Mother, and I are going to talk together?"

Cixi's envoy said: "No, you have to talk alone."

Su Yi was stunned, then nodded and said, "Okay, how many troops will both sides send to defend that inn?"

Cixi's envoy said: "How about each side sending two thousand people?"

Su Yi said: "Yes!"

Cixi's envoy said: "Tomorrow, armies from both sides will arrive to check the safety of the entire inn. How about we enter the inn together at nine o'clock the day after tomorrow?"

At this time, Western clocks had already entered China on a large scale, so at this time, Western timekeeping was used.

Su Yi said: "Okay."

Cixi's envoy said: "The little man will go back to report to the Queen Mother now."

……………………

The next day!

Su Yi sent two thousand troops to the inn.

Ronglu also sent two thousand people.

Both parties thoroughly checked every corner of the entire station to ensure there were no safety hazards.

All the furniture and appliances inside have been replaced with new ones.

And it was thoroughly inspected by personnel from both parties to ensure that there were no problems.

Next, four thousand people surrounded the entire post station, and no one was allowed to enter or exit.

………………

The next day!

As a courtier, Su Yi must enter the inn one step ahead of the Queen Mother and wait for her arrival.

So, just after nine o'clock, Su Yi walked into the inn.

At this time, the troops from both sides surrounded the inn, but they were thirty meters away from the inn.

Make sure that no one can listen to the conversation between the two parties.

It's the building in front, with the dragon flag hanging on it.

Su Yi took a deep breath and stepped up the steps.

He opened the door gently and walked in.

Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Cixi had already arrived early and was sitting there quietly.

She was now dressed in uniform, gorgeous, solemn, and stunning.

At the age of twenty-six, she was at her best moment as a woman.

Su Yi stepped forward and saluted: "Your Majesty Su Yi, I would like to pay my respects to the Queen Mother. May the Queen Mother be blessed with good health, longevity and good health."

Yehenala just sat there without shouting.

She looked at Su Yi quietly, and then her eye circles turned a little red.

After a long while, she said to Su Yi: "Master Su Yi, now you are satisfied!"

"The Ai family came to you to admit defeat. You are finally satisfied!"

…………………………

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