Early on the next morning, the Empress Dowager Cixi was almost ready, and then summoned all the military ministers in Cining Palace.
In fact, these people didn't sleep all night last night, either notifying their relatives and friends to leave the capital as soon as possible, or packing up their belongings.
In this way, they didn't tidy up everything overnight, because these people had too much furniture, and in the end, except for some important items, they didn't need anything else.
Empress Dowager Cixi was sitting in the middle of Cining Palace, "How are you packing? Can you leave today?"
"When we return to the Queen Mother, everything is in order. All the officials in the court are already waiting for the Queen Mother outside the palace."
"Just finish packing and we'll set off this afternoon. However, the Ai family has one more thing to discuss with you."
"Please give me the instructions from the Holy Mother Queen Mother."
"After all, this capital is the resting place of our ancestors, and it is also the prosperous place of the world. It cannot be abandoned once, so the Ai family is planning to appoint a capital to stay and guard it. Do you have a suitable candidate?"
The several military and aircraft ministers below looked at each other and began to drum in their hearts. The old queen mother must not let herself stay in the capital.
When the Empress Dowager Cixi saw that the people below had not spoken for a long time, she knew that none of them wanted to stay in the capital.
But this is human nature, no one wants to stay and die, so Empress Dowager Cixi does not blame them for this incident.
But no matter what, there must be someone left in the capital, right?
"At least I need to recommend someone to come forward. Otherwise, who will be left to deal with such a huge problem in the capital?"
Finally, Yu Lu, a Manchu, spoke up, "Returning to the Queen Mother Lao Fo, the situation is critical now. The only person who can take charge of the overall situation, I think only Prince Gong Yixin."
After Yulu said this, he returned to the class.
The Empress Dowager Cixi narrowed her eyes when she heard this. She loved and hated Prince Gong Yixin.
However, Prince Gong Yixin was not in good health some time ago, so he quit the Military Aircraft Service and is now recuperating at home. I heard that his condition is very serious.
"Can Prince Gong's body hold up?"
After hearing the Empress Dowager Cixi's question, Prince Li Shiduo hurriedly came out to report back, "If I return to the Empress Dowager, although Prince Gong is seriously ill, his life is not in danger for the time being."
After hearing this, the Empress Dowager Cixi nodded, thinking that his body might not be able to endure the long journey from Beijing to Xi'an, so she might as well let him stay in the capital. On the one hand, he could use his prestige to calm the chaos in the capital.
On the other hand, it also saved him the pain of trekking.
"Then it's settled. Prince Gong Yixin will stay in the capital and take charge of all affairs in the capital."
At this time, Li Hongzhang also stood up from the class.
"I would like to inform the Empress Dowager that Wei Chen is old and may not be able to withstand the journey. It is better for Wei Chen to stay in the capital and assist Prince Gong Yixin."
When the Empress Dowager Cixi saw Li Hongzhang, she immediately put a smile on her face and said, "Old Ai Qing, I think you should come with me to Xi'an. The capital is so fierce and dangerous that it may not be safe for you, an old minister, to stay here."
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I am already old. Even if I go to Xi'an, I can no longer help the Empress Dowager. It is better to stay in the capital and fight the enemy to the death."
The Empress Dowager Cixi is now much less suspicious of Li Hongzhang, because both his daughter and son-in-law died in Liu Hai's hands, and the two people can now be said to be incompatible with each other.
Cixi finally thought about it, it would be good if Li Hongzhang stayed. Although Prince Gong Yixin was said to be staying in the capital, he could not last long in his body. With Li Hongzhang helping him, the situation could be stabilized.
"Well, since you love Qing so much, then you can stay and assist Prince Gong."
After saying this, the Empress Dowager Cixi said to the ministers below: "Nothing is going on. Everyone is preparing to meet in front of the palace gate at noon and then patrol west to Xi'an."
Next, all the military ministers exited the Cining Palace one by one, and went back to prepare for their departure.
Only Li Hongzhang did not go home after leaving the palace, but took a car to Prince Gong's Mansion.
What was Li Hongzhang's identity? As soon as he arrived at Prince Gong's Mansion and signed up, the servants on duty outside quickly saluted him and sent people in to inform their master.
After a while, a man who looked like a eunuch in charge came out in a hurry and came to Li Hongzhang's car. He gave Li Hongzhang a thousand dollars and said, "I have seen Master Li."
Only then did Li Hongzhang realize that someone had opened the car curtain and supported the car as he got off.
After Li Hongzhang got out of the car, he looked up at the front door of the magnificent Prince Gong's Palace, thinking that this palace could be said to be half of the Qing Dynasty, and after so many years, he was already very old.
"How is the prince doing now?"
"As far as Mr. Li is concerned, our prince is fine now. He has invited Mr. Li to go to the inner courtyard."
"In that case, let's go."
Then the eunuch led the way, and Li Hongzhang followed all the way to the inner courtyard of Prince Gong's Mansion.
After walking three times and two times, we arrived at a luxurious courtyard.
Here, Prince Gong Yixin's grandson Pu Wei, who is only in his teens, is waiting respectfully for Li Hongzhang under the eaves.
When Li Hongzhang saw him, he quickly stepped forward and saluted Pu Wei, "How can I, my old minister, do anything to welcome the young prince here?"
"Master Li is the pillar of the country. My grandfather often taught me that I should be close to Master Li. Besides, it is only right that I, a junior, can welcome Master Li here."
Li Hongzhang listened to what the young prince said and nodded in his mind, this heir is not bad.
You must know that Prince Gong Yixin himself was in a very miserable state. He originally had four sons, but two of them died young.
The remaining eldest son and second son both lived and drank. As a result, the eldest son died early due to excessive drinking and debauchery, and his second son was adopted by Prince Gong Yixin to Prince Rui.
As a result, in the end, Prince Gong Yixin had no heirs to inherit the throne. In the end, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an imperial edict to let Prince Gong's second son Zaiying, and adopt the eldest son to Prince Gong, who is now Puwei.
The two of them exchanged a few words in front of the door, and then Pu Wei took Li Hongzhang into Prince Gong's bedroom.
As soon as Li Hongzhang entered the bedroom, the first thing he smelled was the pungent smell of medicine, and the next thing he felt was that he was very bored in this room.
But Li Hongzhang couldn't care about that now. He came to Prince Gong's bed in two or three steps. When he saw Prince Gong lying there with sunken eyes, he was thin and withered.
At this time, Prince Gong Yixin, who was on the bed, reluctantly raised his head to look at Li Hongzhang, and then asked anxiously: "Did something big happen in the court?"
No wonder Prince Gong Yixin asked this question. Firstly, the capital is already in turmoil and rumors are spreading everywhere. Secondly, Li Hongzhang is not an ordinary person. He can be said to be the only pillar of the Qing Dynasty. Such a person comes to his palace.
, there must be something important to discuss.
At this time, Pu Wei moved a chair, placed it in front of Prince Gong's bed, and asked Li Hongzhang to sit down.
After Li Hongzhang sat down, he said to Prince Gong Yixin: "Nothing has happened yet, but there will be a storm next."
Prince Gong Yixin breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that everything was okay for the time being. Then he lay limply on the bed and began to breathe heavily.
Li Hongzhang sat next to him and looked at this Japanese man who was suave and talented back then. Now he could only lie on the bed, breathing heavily, and felt a burst of heartache.
Although Li Hongzhang felt sorry for Prince Gong Yixin, but now that the imperial court had been corrupted to such an extent, he still had to say something to him.
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has issued an order for you to stay in the capital."
Prince Gong Yixin coughed, and then I nodded and said, "This arrangement by the Queen Mother is quite good. Now I am the only one in the court who can hold this position."
Li Hongzhang then said: "I have asked the Queen Mother for permission to stay in the capital with you."
Prince Gong Yi Xin was a little surprised at first, then lowered his head and thought for a moment, "That's good. If the two of us can continue our destiny for the Qing Dynasty for several more decades, even if we die, we will be worthy of our ancestors."
After hearing what Prince Gong said, Li Hongzhang was completely noncommittal.
When Prince Gong Yixin saw that Li Hongzhang did not say anything, he turned to look at him, then forced a smile and asked: "What do you think, Mr. Li?"
After hearing this, Li Hongzhang felt a little resentful at first, then his expression began to soften, and finally he said: "This important matter has become irresistible. Now we can only use clever tricks to temporarily extend the fate of the Qing Dynasty."
"Sure enough, you are thinking the same thing as me. The two of us staying in the capital can still ensure the safety of the Qing Dynasty. If we let others stay in the capital, I am afraid that we will all be destroyed and the dynasty will change."
"That's what the prince said."
Although these two people did not express it clearly in front of the bed, they had secretly reached an agreement that they would make a last-ditch effort for the Qing Dynasty. Although this time was very dangerous and might even plunge the Qing Dynasty into a greater crisis, once
Success would not only continue the momentum of the Qing Dynasty for decades, but it might even be able to turn the tide a few decades later, if possible.
At noon that day, the Empress Dowager Cixi left the palace, took large and small vehicles out of the Forbidden City, and then met with the princes and nobles. A large group of them left the capital in a mighty manner, and were escorted by the Eight Banners troops outside the capital, all the way to
Went west.
The news of Empress Dowager Cixi's departure spread quickly in the capital, and chaos immediately broke out in the capital.
Everyone knows in their hearts that even the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Emperor have escaped, so the capital must not be able to defend itself.
Therefore, those who had some wealth in the capital began to pack up their belongings and wanted to leave Xincheng and temporarily escape to the countryside for a while to avoid being exposed to military disasters.
However, those poor people have no way to leave the capital for their own livelihood. They can only grit their teeth and continue to live in the capital. They hope that Liu Hai's army will not harm the people after arriving in the capital.