A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 15 Empress Dowager Cixi
Xiyuan Yiluan Hall.

Lafayette Cixi was playing cards at the moment, sitting at a square table with Empress Longyu, Xiao Dezhang and Si Gege.

What they play is mahjong, but it's just cards, and it costs 100 taels per shot.

When Rong Lu, Yikuang, and Yuan Shikai arrived, the prophet met the young eunuch, and the young eunuch informed Li Lianying, the chief supervisor.

Li Lianying saw that Cixi was very powerful, so she didn't bother Cixi immediately.

He sneaked a glance, Cixi had already drawn the cards, and was waiting for a [-] draw, so he blinked his left eye twice at Xiao Dezhang.

Xiao Dezhang immediately understood, anyway, in order to cater to Cixi and the queen, the cards in his hand had been torn apart, and there were exactly [-] cards.

"Queen Mother, I play this card very well! The servant just calculated that two cards of [-], two cards of [-], one card of [-] and two cards of [-] have been taken away. I don't believe you will wait for this card." Zhang [-]!"

Xiao Dezhang's acting skills are very good. When he first entered the palace, he joined an opera troupe. He has practiced Peking Opera for several years, and his voice is also very pleasant.

As soon as the cards in his hand fell, Cixi said happily: "Nonsense! I didn't expect it, I just figured it out, and you will definitely not ask for another ten thousand cards!"

Longyu and Si Gege also put down the cards in their hands, and couldn't help praising Lafayette for his ability to predict things.

"Today, Lafayette has really turned into the God of Wealth, no matter how he fights."

"You say this card is also the same, so just recognize Lafayette."

Cixi was very happy: "Hurry up, take the silver and take the silver!"

Xiao Dezhang handed over a bank note on the table, and kept saying, "This slave, why do you always give cards to Lafayette."

——As long as it can make Cixi happy, this little money is nothing.

Of course, it is even more unlikely that Cixi is short of money, they are really just playing.

Only then did Li Lianying mention in Cixi's ears that the three adults were outside the Hall of Yiluan.

Cixi is in a good mood now: "Oh, how can I make them wait, come in, come in."

Li Lianying gave a chirp, and immediately shouted loudly: "Chuan Ronglu, Yikuang, and Yuan Shikai entered the palace."

After the three entered, they immediately saluted.Xiao Dezhang, Longyu and Si Gege left their seats and stood aside a long time ago, they dare not accept their kneeling.

Cixi sat peacefully in her seat: "Excuse me, tell me, what's the matter?"

Rong Lu held the box and said: "Queen Mother, this is the memorial of the governors of several provinces, please read it."

"No, you can just talk about it." Cixi wrote lightly, she can say that she has absolute trust in Ronglu.

Rong Lu also understood very well, and immediately said: "Back to the queen mother, the governor of Sichuan said that the local brother elders will make trouble, please allocate 200 million taels of money to suppress bandits."

Cixi clicked her tongue lightly: "Let the Ministry of Household Affairs investigate this matter, how can a elder brother need so much money?"

"Abiding by Yi's decree. In addition, the governor of Shandong reported that the local Red Lantern Society formed an association and raised the banner of 'The Reborn Madonna of the Yellow Lotus'."

Cixi looked at Yuan Shikai and said, "Isn't this your business in Tianjin? Why did you go to Shandong?"

Yuan Shikai immediately said: "I have mobilized new troops from many towns in Beiyang, and have already driven out this force."

Ci Xi turned to Rong Lu and said: "Look, this matter is not difficult to handle, let Yuan Shikai teach them more."

"Empress Dowager Shengming. And..."

"Okay, okay, isn't there anything to make people happy?" Cixi asked.

Rong Lu originally wanted to continue to report on other things, but Cixi didn't seem to want to hear it, so he immediately talked about Yuan Shikai: "Of course, under the mediation of Zhili Governor Yuan Shikai, Tianjin Customs Road has returned to normal. The tax money can be escorted to the capital as normal."

"Well, not bad." Cixi said, "It would be much better if everyone handled things like Yuan Xiangcheng."

Xiangcheng, Henan is Yuan Shikai's hometown, and Cixi is very close to him when he calls him that.

Yuan Shikai immediately said in fear and trepidation: "I do my best, but I hope that the queen mother will be blessed."

They talked for a long time, but Yikuang didn't say a word since he came in. His personal ability is indeed inferior to that of Yuan Shikai and Rong Lu, and they can naturally handle government affairs well.Yikuang is in a good mood, anyway, with the Empress Dowager Cixi as his backer, it would be better for him to have someone to take care of things and let him relax.

Cixi said to him at this time: "Prince Qing, why have you been silent?"

Yikuang was thinking about why the earth and the sun don't collide, when he suddenly heard the queen mother calling him, he said quickly: "Back to the queen mother, this slave is thinking about some astronomical issues."

Cixi burst out laughing: "Astronomy? You didn't sleep well, what astronomy do you want?"

"The slave is really thinking about this... this gravitational force, and this... this earth and the operation of the sun."

Hearing what he said, Cixi laughed from ear to ear: "Si Gege, quickly see if this is still your father?"

Si Gege and Queen Mother Longyu are standing sideways. Compared with Longyu, they are really incomparably beautiful.Later generations have always called her the number one beauty in the late Qing Dynasty, and her reputation is indeed well-deserved.She is featured in many pictures of Empress Dowager Cixi in later generations. Compared with other court women, she really feels like a hibiscus emerging from mud but not stained.

Even in the current aesthetics, she is still a beautiful woman.

She is in charge of the Yikuang family with the beauty of the Qing Dynasty, and is Yikuang's fourth daughter. Cixi likes her very much, and has always asked her to be by her side as an imperial court lady.

Of course, Yikuang was also happy.

Si Gege said softly: "Queen Mother, maybe Ama is really learning Western learning."

"You can really speak for your father!" Cixi laughed, "Yikuang, of course I am not joking at you. It would be a good thing if you can learn more about Western learning. After all, you still have the job of the prime minister's office. Actually, I also I want to learn it, but it’s too inconvenient, it would be great if I could have a female officer like Si Gege by my side.”

Yikuang rolled his eyes and immediately said, "If the Empress Dowager wants to find a female official who understands Western learning, the servant has a good recommendation."

Cixi became interested: "Let's listen to it."

"The term of the ambassador to France, Yu Geng, has expired. His two daughters are fourteen and seventeen. They have lived with Yu Geng in Japan and France for seven years. They know the West very well, so they can be recalled as empress dowagers." The female officer next to me."

"Yu Geng, I almost forgot about him. Fortunately, you have a good memory, so you can go and do this."

Yikuang said: "There is also..."

Cixi saw him hesitating, and asked, "What else?"

"The slave wants to borrow a few tools sent by the British envoy to go back and study."

"It's the globe, and the telescope?"

"Yes."

Cixi acted like she was protecting a treasure: "You can take the globe, but I will keep the telescope for myself. You know so many envoys, just ask them to give you one. Besides, do you know how to use it!"

"The servant does not understand, but the servant now has a little gentleman who is proficient in Western learning in the mansion, and he can tell me how to use it."

Cixi said: "Well, Yikuang, it's no wonder you're learning from foreigners now, so hurry up and call Yu Geng back, I can't lose to you!"

(End of this chapter)