Chapter 271: Four Princes Control the Huai Army

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

The little emperor sat on the throne, with the two empress dowagers behind him behind a curtain, and all officials above the third rank in Beijing were present.

"Announce the envoys from Spain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, the Ottoman Empire, Greece, Austria, Prussia, Italy, Konbaung (Myanmar), Siam, Lanfang, Annan, the Ly Dynasty, Ryukyu, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador to enter the palace!"

Twenty-four envoys filed into the hall and, under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rites, knelt down and kowtowed to the young Emperor Tongzhi.

Yes, it was a kneeling ceremony. However, most of the envoys knelt on one knee, performing the Western noble etiquette.

Only the envoys from Konbaung, Siam, Lanfang, Annan, the Joseon Dynasty, and Ryukyu, which were vassal states of the Qing Dynasty or self-proclaimed vassal states of the Qing Dynasty, knelt on both knees to perform the ceremony.

The little emperor was not sleepy at all during this grand court meeting. Envoys from various countries presented their credentials, made congratulatory speeches and offered tributes in turn. The foreign gadgets from all over the world made the little emperor dazzled and he was in an extremely good mood.

Today is not the Emperor's birthday festival, nor is it even the time for a grand court meeting, but tribute envoys from various countries have arrived, so a collective audience ceremony was organized.

Historically, this was the first time that Emperor Tongzhi received foreign envoys after he took power. He met them in the Zi Mou Pavilion of the Leopard House.

Now the little emperor was not grown up yet and did not have the ability to go out independently, so he brought the envoy into the palace for an audience.

The ceremony lasted for a long time, and when the court was adjourned, the two Empress Dowagers were still excited.

"Sister, I didn't expect there are so many foreign countries in the world. I heard there are still some that haven't come yet."

An Dehai chimed in, "I have inquired, and only Cuba, Paraguay, and Japan have not come. There are also the vassal states of Gorkha (Nepal), Bhutan, Kanjuti, Bukhara, Khiva, and Kazakhstan in the interior. They are too far to reach, and we don't know the situation there."

The Empress Dowager Cixi snorted. Why didn’t Japan send anyone to pay tribute when it was so close?
"Replying to Master Xifo, the people who support the Emperor and the shogunate are fighting in their country. Both sides are gathering troops to fight, so I can't come."

"Then forget it. Don't blame them. Sister, if Shao Quanzhong defeated the Russians in one battle, we would be a great power. These small countries have come to pay tribute, haven't we truly restored the country under the Tongzhi Emperor? Prince Gong said that even the envoys from Britain, France and the United States are now much more polite when they meet him. Sister now feels that giving Shao Quanzhong a third-class duke is a bit too low."

He turned around and ordered, "Xiao Anzi, prepare generous gifts for the return gift, so as not to disappoint the foreign nations who have come to pay tribute."

Ci'an suddenly stopped her, "I don't think so. In the past, we couldn't defeat them, so we pretended to be powerful and gave them more gifts. Now they have to sneak around. Just give them some Xiang embroidery or something, which is beautiful but not valuable. They will have to offer it when they go back. There is no need to be so polite to them. We should be nicer to loyal vassal states like Kazakhstan and the Li Dynasty."

"Sister, you are right. I will do as you say. Only those who are sincere to us can win our protection. We cannot treat those who flatter us when we are strong enough."

"Master, those tributary states have all requested that the Celestial Empire set up embassies and send people to visit them to appease their deep admiration. Do you think you should go? If so, who should you send?"

"Let the Military Affairs Council discuss this matter."

The next day, there was a morning meeting in the East Warm Pavilion.

Prince Gong reported, "Our Tongwenguan has been open for six years, but the interpreters it has trained are too low-level and unqualified to represent the country on diplomatic missions. We can't send envoys to other countries for the time being. It's even harder to find people to return visits. In the Zongli Yamen, only Yung Wing can communicate with other countries, but he just left to hand over British Columbia to the British."

Because of the same name as Columbia, British Columbia was renamed British Columbia after it was purchased, and the Governor-General Nie Shicheng, who was still on his way back to Beijing with Shao Quanzhong, also became the Governor-General of British Columbia. Prince Gong paused, "How about, the American envoy Burlingame has always been submissive, we can give him an official position in the Qing Dynasty and let him represent us..."

"no!"

The Empress Dowager Cixi rejected Prince Gong's suggestion with just one word.

"It would be fine if it was that way before, but now that we are a great power, and we still send foreigners to visit on our behalf, wouldn't that make people laugh at our Qing Dynasty for having no people? I think Shao Quanzhong is pretty good at interacting with foreigners, so we can send him when he comes back."

Wenxiang stood up. He was dismissed as foreman because of his "narrow-mindedness", but the new foreman, Mr. Qiao, had not yet completed the handover of the post of Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and he was still serving as foreman.

"Master Dong Fo, speaking of Shao Quanzhong, he is not a loyal minister. He wants to lead his troops back to the capital despite the opposition of the Military Affairs Council. In my opinion, an imperial decree should be issued to forbid him to lead his troops into the capital."

Prince Gong objected, "If he disobeys the imperial edict and brings his troops here, would you still dare to attack him? The Huai Army will not rebel? Besides, if we do not allow him to lead his troops into Beijing, wouldn't it be obvious that we are afraid of the Huai Army?"

Wen Xiang said in a resentful tone, "This warlord is definitely the second Nian Gengyao. The emperor should issue an order to send him to guard the city gate."

Ci'an said, "The Huai Army's request for review must be handled properly. So many days have passed. Have you come up with a solution?"

Baojun bowed and said, "The Huai Army is arrogant. Since we cannot stop them from returning to Beijing, we might as well take advantage of the envoys from various countries to hold a military review. Bring the Hunan Army, Shanghai Army, Chu Army, and Ziqiang Army to Beijing for review. With these four princes restraining them, the Huai Army will certainly not dare to rebel. After the review is over, the armies will go back, and Shao Quanzhong will be the only one left in the central government. We can do whatever we want to him. At that time, we must force Shao Quanzhong to disband the Huai Army."

"It's the only way. When the time comes, let Qiao Songnian take care of his adopted son. I don't think he will dare to rebel."

Telegrams from the Grand Council rang, court letters were sent out everywhere, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong responded to the orders, and armies from various routes began to converge on the capital.

A month later, Zhang Zhidong, who was closest, arrived first with 3,000 Self-Strengthening Army. The two Empress Dowagers received him in the East Warm Pavilion.

After Zhang Zhidong finished his salute, the Empress Dowager Cixi's voice came from behind the curtain, "Zhang Xiaoda, you are the third place in the imperial examination selected by me personally, but you have also been Shao Quanzhong's strategist Zhuge Liang. Are you now a minister of the Qing Dynasty? Or are you a subordinate of Shao Quanzhong?"

Zhang Zhidong fell to his knees and said, "Of course I am a subject of the Qing Dynasty."

"You are still somewhat loyal. I want to ask you, the Huai Army is now the only powerful army, which makes me feel uneasy. The old guys in the Grand Council don't have any reliable ideas. As a third place winner, do you have any strategies to help the court feel at ease?"

this--

Zhang Zhidong could never have imagined that Cixi would come to him for advice. Isn't this putting things in difficult positions for me?

"What? You are unwilling to contribute to the court. Are you planning to just sit there and watch?"

Zhang Zhidong sweated all of a sudden, "Reporting to Master Xifo, I have a plan."

(End of this chapter)

previouscatalognext