In this chaotic era, food is also a strategic resource and is under surveillance by the court.

If the court knew that the Liaodong Army had hoarded food on a large scale, even if the Liaodong Army had no intention of rebelling, it would have been suspicious of the court.

Therefore, in the grain transaction with several governors in Jiangnan, the Liaodong Army did not come forward directly, but rented German cargo ships and hired several Germans to come forward. After transporting the grain to the sea, avoiding the court, he turned north and sent it to Yingkou Wharf controlled by the Liaodong Army.

Therefore, except for a few people in the entire Qing Dynasty, no one else, including the imperial court, knew about this transaction.

Even those who know some things think that the Jiangnan governors will trade grain with Germany again, rather than thinking of the Liaodong army.

So, as soon as the staff member put forward this opinion, Yuan Shikai agreed.

At the beginning of the second day of the dynasty meeting, a censor instructed by Yuan Shikai stood up and told the facts of how the Liaodong army deceived the emperor and how the imperial court was blackmailed.

After that, he said with a look of righteous indignation: "The Queen Mother, I think that the Liaodong Army's intention to do this is already very obvious. They want to accumulate strength and plan to rebel. The court should immediately announce that the Liaodong Army is a rebel, and all the elite officials will be recruited to the outside world to get out of the pass and eliminate the rebels."

"Chen's comment!"

"I also agree, hoping that the court will set up a large army and go on a war to eliminate the Liaodong army to serve as a warning!" Several important officials stood up and agreed to the censor's proposal.

Of course, there are some ministers who are hesitant and unspeakable.

They recognized the Liaodong Army from the bottom of their hearts. After all, the Liaodong Army has defeated the Japanese and Russian troops more than once. Such a strong combative army is unique to all the imperial government troops.

If the Qing Dynasty had such an army, then the great powers would want to invade the Qing Dynasty again in the future, then they would have to think about it carefully.

But when Yuan Shikai announced the evidence of the Liaodong army's deceiving the emperor and imprisoning the emperor in the court, and Cixi's face became gloomy little by little, they immediately realized that the Liaodong army could no longer be saved.

As a ruler, Cixi was a very conceited person.

She would rather treason and watch the foreign enemies invade the Qing Dynasty than allow her subordinates to betray her or betray her Qing Dynasty.

So, when she heard that she had been fooled by the Liaodong Army for more than a month and that the Liaodong Army had the idea of ​​rebelling, Cixi's first idea was anger, and then she thought of sending troops immediately to destroy the Liaodong Army.

Similarly, as a ruler and a ruler who has been in charge of the government for decades, Cixi's psychological endurance is definitely stronger than that of most people in the court.

In less than half a minute, Cixi slowly calmed down and began to think about the price of sending troops to Liaodong.

I don't want to know, I'm shocked when I think about it.

Although Cixi had never fought a war, Cixi knew that the imperial government army would be weaker before the battle started before the two major Japanese and Russian powers were started, let alone fight.

However, the Liaodong Army defeated more than 100,000 Russian troops and 100,000 Japanese troops.

To deal with an army with such strong combat power, how many troops do the official army have to dispatch to destroy the Liaodong Army?

One hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, or even half a hundred thousand?

How much military expenditure will be spent on the court for so many troops going out of seclusion and fighting? One hundred thousand taels, five hundred thousand taels, or even one million taels, or more...

Thinking of this, Cixi, who regarded money as important as face, immediately rejected the idea of ​​sending troops to Liaodong and destroying the Liaodong army in her heart.

Since that's the case, if you want to solve the rebels of the Liaodong Army, Cixi could only think of other ways.

After a pair of clever eyes swept through the court, Cixi, who was not confused, immediately discovered that the first group of court officials who proposed to eliminate the Liaodong Army were many of Yuan Shikai's gangs.

From this we can judge that what happened in the court today must have been organized by Yuan Shikai.

Since it was proposed by Yuan Shikai, with Yuan Shikai's character of never fighting and not being sure of fighting, there must be a solution.

"Yuan Aiqing, do you think the court should deal with the rebels of the Liaodong Army. First of all, the Ai family must tell everyone that the road will definitely not work when dispatching heavy troops to encircle and suppress the Liaodong Army. The Liaodong Army is strong in combat, and the court has no strength or money for the time being to launch a large-scale encirclement and suppression battle."

After Yuan Shikai bowed to Cixi, he immediately told him what he had discussed with his staff.

"The blockade of Liaodong and let the Liaodong army collapse without fighting due to food shortage. This is a good method," Cixi said with a happy face.

After finishing, he praised Yuan Shikai with an admiration: "Yuan Aiqing, if this method is successful, you will be the first contribution. The Ai family will definitely reward you highly!"

Yuan Shikai quickly shook his head and replied: "I don't need to give you a heavy reward, I just hope that the Queen Mother can promise me a little early bed."

"Once the Liaodong army fails without fighting, I beg the Empress Dowager to agree, and I will personally lead the Beiyang New Army from the two towns to go out of the pass and enter Liaodong, and personally cut off Yang Xingguo's head and give it to the Empress Dowager!"

As long as Cixi was not allowed to spend money, Cixi could agree to anything. So, Cixi was happy and agreed without thinking.

At this time, many important officials of the court who did not deal with Yuan Shikai were scolding Yuan Shikai for being cunning in their hearts.

If the Liaodong Army is trapped, if it is really defeated without fighting, the Liaodong Army's excellent equipment will definitely fall into the first imperial army to enter Liaodong. Yuan Shikai has made this request now, obviously because Yuan Shikai is interested in the Liaodong Army's excellent equipment.

As expected, Yuan Shikai was still serious on the surface and had an attitude of sharing his worries for the king. But his heart was already full of joy at this moment.

According to his understanding of the Liaodong Army, in addition to the various weapons equipped by the Beiyang New Army, the Liaodong Army also equipped more than 100 heavy artillery pieces that the Beiyang New Army had never seen before, plus a large number of mountain cannons, field cannons, and light and heavy machine guns that could not be bought for money.

If all these weapons could fall into his own hands, the Beiyang New Army, which Yuan Shikai had pulled up, would definitely double the troops by using the weapons and equipment seized from the Liaodong Army.

Of course Yuan Shikai would not let go of such a good thing and such a good opportunity, so the conversation just now came into being.

At this time, Yang Xingguo had no idea that he had been listed as the most important wanted criminal of the court. The entire Liaodong Army was identified as a rebel by the court, and began to dispatch troops and eliminate the Liaodong Army.

With the increasing amount of grain stored in the Liaodong Army and the necessary food for millions of immigrants, the Liaodong Army can use millions of immigrants who have almost nothing to do except reclamation of wasteland to develop the infrastructure of Liaodong.
Chapter completed!