The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 444: Courtesy
Teng Yuzao went on to say, "Uncle, other banks can also participate, but the Governor's Office will not guarantee it, and the gold and silver they collect must be transported away as soon as they are collected, otherwise they will be driven away."

When Teng Yuzhao returned to his residence, Yang Shixiang had already gotten up and was pacing in the yard waiting for Teng Yuzhao.

As time was tight, Teng Yuzao didn't even have time to tell Zhou Fu that he had just met, and hurried off to wash up.

It was not until the two of them were having breakfast that Teng Yuzhao had time to tell Yang Shixiang about his meeting with Zhou Fu today and the matters regarding Zhili that they had agreed upon.

Just as the two of them exchanged a few words, Zai Yi came hurriedly, full of interest.

Teng Yuzao and Yang Shixiang had no choice but to put down their bowls and chopsticks and go to greet Zai Yi.

After greeting Zai Yi, Zai Yi hurriedly pulled the two of them to sit at the dining table and told the guards in a casual manner to serve him another breakfast.

Only then did Teng Yuzhao realize that Zai Yi had left his breakfast alone and had come to see him impatiently. It was obvious that Zai Yi had something to tell him.

Sure enough, after breakfast was served, Zai Yi ignored the fact that Yang Shixiang was right next to him and kept winking at Teng Yuzhao.

Yang Shixiang naturally noticed Zai Yi's little action. In fact, he had guessed from the situations when the two met in the past two days that Zai Yi and Teng Yuzhao had a close relationship, and he admired Teng Yuzhao even more in his heart.

Seeing Zai Yi's little action, he naturally guessed that Zai Yi had something to say to Teng Yuzhao alone, so he couldn't help but speed up his eating, finished his breakfast in a hurry, and found a reason to leave the two of them.

Seeing Yang Shixiang leaving, Zai Yi immediately pulled Teng Yuzhao into Teng Yuzhao's temporary study here.

As soon as the door of the study was closed, Zai Yi stopped Teng Yuzhao, who was about to prepare tea for him, and said impatiently.

"Xingfu, Yang Shixiang must have told you that the Queen Mother has not yet made a decision on your expansion of the army, and Rong Zhonghua's attitude is also quite ambiguous. Is it necessary to expand the army?"

"If you must do it, what is your charter?"

"You need to tell me all these first, so I can think of a solution."

Zai Yi has been worried about the military expansion these days.

Although Zai Yi has always been thinking about his son, he is unwilling and unable to ruin his relationship with Cixi now, otherwise the interests of his son and his family will be subversively affected.

In Zai Yi's view, before Teng Yuzao could gain a firm foothold, he had to get along well with Cixi.

Teng Yuzao sighed and said, "Your Majesty, doesn't the Queen Mother want to drive the foreigners away?"

"Or at least we should take some initiative and not let the foreigners do whatever they want during the peace talks!"

When it came to the issue of peace talks, Zai Yi couldn't help but shudder in his heart.

The peace terms proposed by the foreigners were not just to identify him as the culprit, but also to allow Guangxu to return to power.

If Guangxu returned to power, his son would have to give up the title of eldest prince, which he did not want to happen at all.

Zai Yi hurriedly shook his head and said, "Xingfu, stop joking. How could this be possible?"

"I guess what she's thinking. She's probably worried that the imperial court won't be able to come up with such a large amount of military funds for your vanguard army in the future."

"As for Rong Zhonghua, he should have the same thoughts."

Zai Yi sighed and said, "The Wuwei Army was founded by Rong Zhonghua himself, and the annual military expenditure is 40 million taels."

"Just these 40 million taels have stretched the imperial court to its limits."

Zai Yi grinned and said, "The number of the Wuwei Army is only half of the current Vanguard Army. The military expenses can't always be paid by Zhili!"

"They are just worried that Zhili will not be able to bear it in the future, and the court will not be able to afford it." Although Zai Yi said so, Teng Yuzhao knew very well that military expenditure was only one aspect, and there was actually something else Zai Yi did not say.

That is, Cixi and many ministers were worried that as the number of vanguard troops increased, they would become too powerful to be eliminated.

As for smoothly expanding the army, Tong Zai Yi said that it would not be of much use.

The only person who could play a decisive role was Cixi.

However, Teng Yuzao sighed and said, thinking about getting another helper to help him promote the expansion of the army.

"In my opinion, the coalition forces will continue to increase their troops, and the vanguard army has been through many battles, and the casualties can be described as heavy."

"If we want to stop or force the foreigners to negotiate peace, or even drive away the coalition forces of the great powers, it will be impossible if our vanguard army continues to expand its military strength and is at least equal to that of the coalition forces of the great powers."

"As for military spending."

Teng Yuzhao gritted his teeth and seemed to have made a firm decision.

"As long as the imperial court does not want taxes from Zhili, the military expenses of the vanguard army will be completely borne by Zhili alone."

"it is good!"

Zai Yi didn't care whether the vanguard army would become stronger. What he cared about was whether he could save his life now and how to keep his son's position in the future.

Teng Yuzhao promised that Zhili would be fully responsible for the military expenses, which made Zai Yi feel more at ease. With Teng Yuzhao's promise, Cixi would almost certainly agree.

"Xingfu, let's go now. After we meet the Queen Mother, we will fight him with all our might."

At exactly eight o'clock in the morning, escorted by several personal guards led by Xu Ting, Teng Yuzhao, Zai Yi and Yang Shixiang arrived at the gate of Qiao's compound on time.

Zhou Fu had already been waiting in front of the gate, just waiting for Teng Yuzhao to arrive and meet the emperor together.

According to Zai Yi, Cixi specifically instructed him to bring Teng Yuzhao to the audience in person.

The guards in front of the gate were the palace guards and the battalion that Wu Peifu left behind last time.

The commander of this battalion was rescued by Teng Yuzhao in the Beiyang Military Academy. He was a very smart man.

I had already met Teng Yuzao last night and reported to him everything I had seen and heard recently.

In front of the gate, Teng Yuzhao took the initiative to leave all the guards behind, and took Xu Ting, Zhou Fu, Yang Shixiang, and followed Zai Yi into the main gate of the Qiao family compound.

As Zai Yi was the chief military minister and a prince, he personally went to meet Teng Yuzhao and treated him with the utmost courtesy, which was rare.

What surprised Teng Yuzhao even more was that as soon as he entered the Qiao family compound, he was greeted by the eunuch Xiao Dezhang from the harem.

Xiao Dezhang's attitude towards Teng Yuzao was extremely respectful, which finally made Zai Yi feel at ease.

Xiao Dezhang was Cixi's trusted eunuch, second only to Li Lianying in front of Cixi. Cixi arranged Xiao Dezhang to come and welcome Teng Yuzhao, which was enough to show that Cixi relied on Teng Yuzhao.

After following Xiao Dezhang through the narrow courtyards and alleys of the Qiao family compound for several minutes, Zai Yi told Teng Yuzhao that Cixi's temporary bedroom was ahead.

However, today Cixi will not meet Teng Yuzhao in her bedroom, but will meet Teng Yuzhao in the main hall of Qiao Zhiyong, the head of the Qiao family.

After turning a corner in the alley, Qiao Zhiyong's residence was in front of him. However, in front of the door of Qiao Zhiyong's mansion, a scene that surprised Teng Yuzhao came into his eyes.

Teng Yuzao didn't care about Zai Yi standing beside him, and hurriedly stepped out of the crowd and walked forward quickly.
(End of this chapter)