Master Yuan, start!

Although the south had not yet been unified, Guangxu believed that the Qing Dynasty would be unified again one day, and this route exploration was his advance preparation.

Moreover, at least it can be repaired north of Xuzhou.

However, as luck would have it, something went wrong when the railway survey team arrived in Qufu, Shandong.

When the locals learned that the railway would pass through their area, they quickly reported it to the Confucius Mansion. Duke Yansheng Kong Lingyi immediately petitioned the court to change the route on the grounds that it would "destroy the holy veins" and "vibrate the holy tomb."

img src="

In the end, the Jinpu Railway Line made a nearly 90-degree turn and passed through Yanzhou in the west instead of passing through Qufu.

This has really angered Emperor Guangxu. I have ordered people to build a railway on the Qing Dynasty's dragon vein in Shengjing, so why can't I do the same in Qufu?

The holy vein is greater than the dragon vein, and the holy tomb is greater than the imperial tomb?

However, although Guangxu was angry, the military officials persuaded him to stop on the grounds that "Qufu is related to the holy religion, the matter is of great importance and should not be taken lightly."

In the eyes of these ministers, if the railway had to take a detour, then so be it. It would only be a hundred miles more, and as long as it could stabilize the Duke of Yansheng, it would be fine.

After all, this Duke Yansheng was not very honest during the battle of Yuan Shao and Xiang Yu's entry into the Pass. He once vowed to Cixi to express his support for the court at that time.

But as soon as Yuan Shikai's army entered the capital, he submitted a memorial welcoming the emperor to resume the throne.

Although the ministers were used to this kind of rapid change of expression, the young Guangxu could not stand it.

Just when he was worrying about having no reason to deal with Kong Lingyi and the Kong Mansion, Yuan Shikai just gave him a perfect excuse.

The expression on Guangxu's face seemed to indicate that he was not going to blame Yuan Shikai, and several ministers in the Grand Council saw it clearly.

"Your Majesty, the Confucius Mansion incident involves the safety of foreigners and the Holy Church. It is a matter of great importance," Weng Tong led the dissuasion, continuing earnestly, "We must not ignore the impact."

Weng Tong knew that Guangxu disliked Kong Lingyi, not only because this person had submitted a memorial to agree with the Empress Dowager, but also because it had not been long since the railway was rerouted.

"That's right. Duke Yansheng was beaten to death. This is unheard of. Your Majesty needs to give an explanation to the scholars of the world." Pan Zuyin also felt that being beaten to death was too outrageous.

However, Weng Tong and Pan Zuyin were still inexperienced and did not know how rebellious young people would be when they were free from the high-pressure control of their parents.

2 Especially when this young man still holds great power.

"Influence, explanation, everything depends on the influence!" Guangxu flicked his sleeves, put his hands behind his back and asked angrily, "Master Weng, can the emperor ask the one from the south to take over? I don't have to endure this humiliation anymore!"

"Old minister is guilty!"

The several military officials in the room naturally confessed their crimes one after another, and at the same time they couldn't help complaining in their hearts.

The current emperor is really like the late emperor. It's no wonder that they were both taught by the empress dowager. Li Hongzao, who was also a minister of military affairs but did not speak, sighed in his heart.

3. Because Emperor Tongzhi also said angrily, "I don't want to be the emperor anymore, let someone else be the emperor."

At that time, Emperor Tongzhi had just taken power and wanted to renovate the garden to celebrate for Empress Arutai.

However, a group of Manchu and Han ministers led by Prince Gong and Li Hongzao disagreed on the grounds that national treasury was precious.

Because at the time of his wedding, Tongzhi had a conflict with his ministers over whether to make Arut or Fucha the empress. When it came to building the garden, Tongzhi thought they were still targeting him.

He was so angry that he said to Prince Gong in the Grand Council, "How about I give the throne to you?"

At that time, Li Hongzao, who happened to be the teacher of Emperor Tongzhi, was also choked by this remark and was unable to retort.

Having said that, seeing all the Grand Councillors kneeling down, Guangxu realized that he had spoken without thinking just now.

"Master Weng, we have to think of a way." Guangxu was still somewhat rational. After realizing that he had said something wrong, he spoke to ease the situation: "Things have come to this point, we can't just sit there and do nothing.

Furthermore, the child trafficking incident was indeed a smear campaign against the Duke of Yansheng, so even if he was beaten to death, which was a bit more serious, it is not incomprehensible. "

Guangxu set the tone for this matter: Kong Lingyi was dead anyway, and the matter had to be resolved.

"How about removing Kong Lingyi from his position as Duke of Yansheng?" Li Hongzao offered a sound suggestion: "Choose another person to inherit the title, and at the same time, severely reprimand Yuan Xiangcheng."

Strictly reprimand?

Weng Tong couldn't help rolling his eyes. There wasn't even a salary deduction, so who was he trying to fool?

"This is inappropriate," said Pan Zuyin, the Minister of Works and a member of the Military Affairs Council. "The current Duke of Yansheng has no offspring. If he is dismissed, who will be the new Duke of Yansheng?"

Throughout the ages, the succession of the title of Duke of Yansheng was not based on talent, but was strictly in accordance with the patriarchal system, and was inherited by the eldest son or eldest grandson.

However, theory is theory and practice is practice. If Kong Lingyi has no son, his brother's son can inherit the title and ascend the throne.

Thinking of this, Weng Tong said, "Just pick a young boy from the Kong family's closest branch."

"Sir Weng, you may not know that Kong Lingyi is an only son and grandson, and he has no close relatives." Yang Shenxiu had read the memorial in advance at Guangxu's place and had already done his homework, so he introduced the Kong family lineage.

Kong Lingyi's grandfather, the 74th generation Yanshenggong Kong Fanhao, was extremely "unlucky in marriage"

He was married three times in his life. His two wives were Fang from Tongcheng and Li from Taihu, but both of them died during childbirth.

The former left no offspring, and the latter died after leaving behind a daughter.

It was not until his third wife, Ms. Bi, that Kong Fanhao successfully had three sons: Kong Xiangke, Kong Xiangpu, and Kong Xiangji.

Among them, Kong Xiangke is the 75th Duke of Yansheng and the father of Kong Lingyi.

However, Kong Fanhao and Bi were actually cousins ​​from their uncle's family. They married as close relatives, and the three brothers Kong Xiangke were born to them, each one weaker than the other.

All three sons were short, hunchbacked and weak.

The two younger brothers died before their eldest brother. The eldest brother, Kong Xiangke, the 75th generation Yansheng Duke, also died at the age of 29, leaving behind only one son, Kong Lingyi, the 76th generation and current Yansheng Duke.

Yang Shenxiu gave a detailed introduction to the Kong family lineage, which broadened the horizons of Weng, Li and Pan.

After all, who would care about how many children other families have?

...

"In other words, Kong Lingyi has no descendants, and no uncles or other relatives two generations ago?"

"That's right. For nearly three generations, Kong family has only had Kong Lingyi as its only son." Yang Shenxiu nodded.

After hearing what Yang Shenxiu said, Weng, Li and Pan were a little undecided. Yansheng Gong had little presence in daily life, but they couldn't do without him.

If we are selecting someone to inherit the throne of Duke Yansheng, what will be the criteria? If we don’t consider the closeness of blood relationship, will we look at who is more virtuous?

In fact, if the world is unified, this may not be impossible, but the bad thing is that the world is now divided into two, and this matter can easily be used by the South to make a fuss.

After all, the Duke of Yansheng in the south is doing well now.

How can we prove that the newly selected Duke of Yansheng is wise? We have to convince the public.

If the south takes advantage of the opportunity to stir up trouble, problems are bound to arise.

"How about we follow Master Si Yuan's suggestion?" Guang Sixu said when he saw Yang Shenxiu leading the three people into a dead end.

"I wonder what Yuan Shikai's opinion is?" Hearing this, Weng Tong and others turned to look at Guangxu.

Only then did they realize that they had been led into a ditch by Yang Shenxiu, and they were afraid that the following words were specially designed for this situation.

Guangxu opened the memorial with a smile and read to the crowd:

"I am reporting to Your Majesty that the Confucius Mansion Incident is of great importance. The people of Shandong are disgusted with him. His conduct is so bad that he is no longer fit to be the Duke of Yansheng. Now that he has left, the Confucius family is without a leader. The holy teachings will inevitably be in turmoil, and the balance of the holy worship between the north and the south will be unbalanced. I only hope that Your Majesty will choose someone to succeed him as the Duke of Yansheng.

"According to what I have heard, the Kong family has been a single-line family for three generations since the Daoguang era. Choosing a distant branch as successor would cause public gossip and destabilize the court."

Hearing this, Weng, Li, Pan and others nodded secretly. Yuan Xiangcheng thought that they were similar to him and others.

However, what came next was somewhat beyond their expectations.

"I request Your Majesty to order the three other distant branches of the Kong clan to leave Qufu and travel throughout the world.

As the saying goes, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles." Confucius traveled extensively to promote Confucianism. As descendants of Confucius, we must emulate our ancestors' footsteps to live up to their reputation.

This will also clear the Yanshenggong Mansion of its misdeeds in the Confucius Mansion Incident, letting the world know that it was Kong Lingyi, not the Yanshenggong, who strayed from the holy teachings and abducted children."

This was the idea that Yuan Xiangcheng came up with. He asked the three existing branches of the Kong clan with the closest bloodlines to each choose one person to travel around the world and spread his reputation.

Finally, we will return to the Confucius Mansion and decide who will be the next Yansheng Duke based on the reputation of people all over the world.

The key to fighting for the right to speak is to ensure that the current person in charge cannot speak.

Yuan Xiangcheng also heard in the Northeast that Guangxu was dissatisfied with Kong Lingyi and was short of money, so he came up with a plan.

Killing Kong Lingyi was just the first step.

After his death, the Qing court would definitely find a way to establish a new Yansheng Duke.

By then, the Confucius Mansion will still be the same, and Confucianism will still be the same. If Yuan Shikai wants to promote the Red Confucian theory in the future, opponents will inevitably gather under the banner of the Confucius Mansion to express their opposition.

After all, what he needed was the support of Confucianism, not the Duke of Yansheng.

So how can we make the position of Duke Yansheng temporarily vacant? The best way is to let them fight for it themselves.

If the Kong family is split up from within, they will be busy fighting among themselves and naturally have no energy to care about outsiders.

"This is not appropriate." Pan Zuyin had no prejudice against Yuan Xiangcheng, but he instinctively felt that this method was inappropriate.

"Why not?" Guangxu asked, "I think it's the most suitable one."

"Master Weng, Li Qing, what are your opinions?"

The two remained silent, but judging from their expressions, they disagreed.

In Guangxu's view, Duke Yansheng was beaten to death because of his virtue. The next Duke Yansheng would of course have to show the people of the world that he was a person of both virtue and integrity.

"What about this?

Master Yuan reported that the Confucius Mansion has nearly 200 million taels of silver in deposit. Even without counting the 500 million mu of land owned by the Confucius Mansion and the floating assets such as the shops, the total amount is no less than million taels.

Seeing that the three people had some reservations, Guangxu looked at Yuan Xiangcheng's memorial and finally said the most core words.

Money, the most important thing is money.

The imperial court was short of money recently because something went wrong with the customs tax issue previously discussed with foreigners.

The customs silver that should have been transported to the capital long ago has been delayed in its journey north.

In addition to several northern customs offices that all handed over the money to the capital, the French proposed that the governors give priority to the remaining customs silver from the Jiang Customs, Fujian Customs, Guangdong Customs and other places as a guarantee for repayment of the indemnity, and only after repayment could they be handed over to the court in the capital.

This delay lasted for half a year.

They also found various reasons and excuses, and some even proposed to send some money to the court in Wuchang.

This made the ministers in the capital very angry, and they kept scolding the foreigners for being despicable and shameless.

However, the foreigners did not feel ashamed, but instead took advantage of the situation. After knowing that the imperial court was currently in trouble, they proposed to the military ministers several times that they could "loan" a sum of money to the imperial court.

The interest rate is not high, and you can exchange it with the railway rights or port rights in a certain place.

Although he was far away in the Northeast, Yuan Shikai naturally heard about these troubles. He was still counting on Guangxu to build a railway for him. How could he pick peaches in the future if the railway was not built?