The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 225 Happiness comes too suddenly

Although the eunuch's voice was very soft, it was like a thunderclap out of nowhere. The huge shock immediately stunned everyone in the hall, from Empress Dowager Cixi, the actual supreme ruler of the Qing Dynasty, to the eunuchs of all ranks who were serving on her left and right.

Zai Yi and Gang Yi were racking their brains to figure out how to deal with the sharp-toothed foreigners, how to continue to win Cixi's trust, and how to maintain their status as the eldest prince. They were trying to get Cixi to maintain her confidence and determination to continue fighting the foreigners. The two important officials in charge of the Grand Council, who were spending all their energy on this, were also dumbfounded, with changing expressions on their faces.

Teng Yuzhao sent his students to the capital to deliver memorials, which meant that Teng Xingfu, who was currently the most capable fighter against foreigners, was still alive. This was tantamount to giving them a ray of hope in this war with foreigners, which had almost made them completely discouraged. Or it could be said that a life-saving straw appeared before the eyes of these two "drowning" people.

No, this is not a straw, it is a thick and long tree trunk that can carry all their hopes!
The two wanted to cheer loudly, to express their inner excitement and to vent their long-pent-up resentment, anxiety and disappointment, but this happiness came too suddenly, and the two could only open their mouths but could not utter a word.

Now they all knew that with Teng Yuzhao and his vanguard troops around, Cixi was determined to continue fighting the foreigners. Given Cixi's character, she would not easily change her course, at least for the time being.

Unless the foreigners make it clear now that they will continue to accept Cixi's behind-the-scenes rule, or even her status as the de facto supreme ruler of the Qing Dynasty behind the scenes, and accept the eldest prince to replace Guangxu and continue to be another puppet emperor.

Ronglu was also in extreme shock.

It goes without saying that he had deep conflicts with Zai Yi and others, but even if the eldest prince replaced Guangxu, Cixi still had the final say.

In other words, as long as Cixi was not dead, Ronglu would remain safe.

Especially this new and invincible president of the Vanguard Army, Teng Yuzhao, who suddenly emerged. This new figure was the person that Ronglu had tried every means to win over in order to form the Wuwei Army as soon as possible.

In fact, the fact that Teng Yuzhao is where he is today is closely related to the fact that Ronglu recommended him to Yulu, the successor to the Governor-General of Zhili.

In a word, Teng Yuzao, the president of the Vanguard Army who could beat the foreigners without much temper, had a close connection with Ronglu.

With this brave general standing by his side, Zai Yi dared not do anything to him. Even in this rash war with foreigners, the Qing court would be able to save more face in the end because of the vanguard army and Teng Yuzhao.

With a "whoosh", Ronglu jumped up from his seat.

Ronglu's sudden and swift movements did not seem like those of a man in his sixties, but more like those of a strong young man.

Ronglu was the first to jump up from the brocade cushion. He rushed in a few steps to the young eunuch who came in to report the news. With his eyes wide open and a ferocious look on his face, he pointed at the eunuch with a trembling finger and shouted hoarsely.

"You, you, what did you say? Say it again!"

It was not just Ronglu, Zaiyi, Gangyi, even Cixi and the chief eunuch Li Lianying, all had changing expressions on their faces, and they all stared at him nervously, which frightened the eunuch so much that his knees softened and he fell to the ground with a plop, kowtowed to Cixi repeatedly, his whole body shaking like a sieve, and he could not speak.

Ronglu was so angry at the eunuch's behavior that he kicked the eunuch, causing him to roll on the ground. However, this action not only failed to calm the eunuch down and make him speak, but on the contrary, it frightened him even more.

The messenger eunuch rolled on the ground and got up. He still lay on the ground and kowtowed to Cixi repeatedly, making the gold bricks on the floor of the flower hall bang. In just a short while, the eunuch's forehead was already black and blue, and even blood was seeping out.

"Xiao Dezi, don't panic."

Li Lianying shouted in a shrill voice, then slowed down his tone and said gently, "Say what you just said again so that the old Buddha can listen carefully."

Although Li Lianying's tone was neither hurried nor slow, it seemed to have some kind of magic, especially because he only emphasized that Cixi wanted to listen and did not mention Ronglu, Zai Yi and others. This made the young eunuch who was in charge of communicating the message feel at ease immediately.

Although the eunuch was still lying on the ground, he dared to raise his head and reported to Cixi again in a tearful voice.

"Empress Dowager, someone from the Military Affairs Office came outside and said that the Vanguard Army President Teng Xingfu sent his student Wu Ziyu to the capital to deliver a memorial. The person from the Military Affairs Office said that he wanted to ask Prince Duan if he wanted to see this person."

"Yes, of course! I have to see you!"

Zai Yi had also recovered at this time. With almost no warning, he jumped up on the spot as if his legs were equipped with springs, and then ran quickly out of the flower hall. However, he had just taken two steps when Cixi coughed lightly and stopped abruptly.

Zai Yi realized that he had lost his manners in front of Cixi, and turned around and bowed deeply to her. "Empress Dowager, I will go to meet the visitor, and then come back immediately to report to the Empress Dowager on the latest situation of the vanguard army and Teng Xingfu."

"No need to bother. I also want to meet this student of Teng Xingfu."

Although Cixi's face was also glowing with excitement, her tone was still very calm.

"Also, Teng Xingfu will not let his students come to the capital alone. There must be someone to escort them. Bring them along. I also want to see what kind of army Teng Xingfu's troops are. They can fight the foreigners. Go tell the people in the Grand Council to bring them all here."

"No."

Li Lianying rushed to Cixi in a few steps and said with a bow, "Old Buddha, I just heard from Prince Duan and Lord Gang that Teng Xingfu's army has recently recruited many people. I am afraid that the good and the bad are not distinguished. Moreover, they all have foreign guns. If too many people come, I am afraid it will be inconvenient."

Although Li Lianying did not specify that the vanguard army had recruited members of the Boxers, everyone understood that Li Lianying was referring to these people, among whom there might be some Boxers who came from the countryside.

Cixi smiled and said, "Lianying, you can rest assured. These people have fought with foreigners on the battlefield and are naturally loyal to our Qing Dynasty. Let them come to Xiyuan."

"If you are still worried, only Teng Xingfu's student, Wu Ziyu, can come in to investigate. The rest of the soldiers can wait outside."

Seeing that Cixi would not listen to his advice, Li Lianying did not say anything more, but said to Cixi, "Old Buddha, I will go over and arrange it right away."

After saying this, Li Lianying turned around and said to the eunuch who was still lying on the ground, "Xiao Dezi, why don't you go out with me to arrange the task assigned by the old Buddha."

The eunuch named Xiao Dezi looked at Li Lianying with gratitude, got up and trotted out of the flower hall with Li Lianying.

Although Cixi knew very well that Li Lianying would definitely not go out to do as he said and just arrange the things Cixi told him to do, Cixi did not stop him.

She absolutely trusted Li Lianying, who was the most understanding, especially to her thoughts. It was she who gave him the name Li Lianying.

Since it was Li Lianying who was the first person inside and outside the palace to call her "Old Buddha", Cixi even jokingly gave Li Lianying the nickname "Buddha Sees Joy", which shows how deeply Li Lianying won her favor.

Cixi glanced at the eunuchs standing by and said, "Open the middle door."

Although it is now the beginning of August, the hottest time of the year in the capital, there is not a trace of heat in the flower hall with closed doors and windows.

This is because there are several large copper basins filled with crushed ice placed in the four corners of the flower hall, and the cool air emitted is cooling down the green flower hall.

Several eunuchs in attendance hurried over and carefully opened the several large doors inside and outside the hall.

Although the windows and doors of all the palace houses in the palace had been replaced with glass windows, the lighting effect was much better than paper-pasted windows or even windows covered with gauze, but the lighting effect in the palace was still poor.

The reason for this situation is that all the palaces are too deep, and the lighting near the windows is poor, and it gets darker and darker as you go inward. At this time, when the door is opened, the flower hall is suddenly brightened.

Through several doors, from the position where Cixi was sitting in the middle of the flower hall, she could not only see the wide open space in front of the flower hall clearly, but also just happen to see the gate of the Yiluan Hall.

Cixi even saw dozens of guards with swords running in from the palace gate, and then quickly disappeared outside the flower hall. She couldn't help but smile slightly.

Just as Li Lianying tiptoed back to the flower hall and stood behind Cixi again, he heard the guards' questions outside the palace gate.

Then, a military official led a small group of soldiers in gray uniforms, fully armed, each leading a tall and majestic golden warhorse. Led by a young officer in the lead, they marched in an orderly manner and entered the palace gate with great dignity.
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(End of this chapter)