third chance

Yishui is rustling, the west wind is cold, and his clothes are like snow. He is a strong man, and his elegy is not yet finished.

……

Lin Guangyu was the only one left in Fuchang Palace, full of worries, although he had already dealt with all the ministers, he did not dare to slack off at all.Just now there was another mourning, another arrangement, and I had to deal with the two old foxes Yuan Shikai and Zhang Zhidong. I felt physically and mentally exhausted and overwhelmed.Needless to say, he has never experienced such a difficult scene, how could the real Guangxu have seen it?With no confidant around him, no one in front of him to discuss with, barely relying on the majesty of the emperor and his political comprehension to survive, the body and mind were even more tired.

Politics is really a good way to torture people, but right now it's not about playing tricks and manipulating the leisure time of the officials, but it's really a desperate struggle for the sake of wealth, life, future and national destiny, which is really overwhelming.What is a lonely family, this is a lonely family!

Finally, he is completely pro-government, but how this government is pro-French is a headache. "One dynasty, one courtier", Emperor Guangxu has been doing it for more than 30 years, but how many courtiers still obey his orders now?The relatives and nobles of the Manchu Dynasty were all trusted and trusted by Cixi, and there was no fuel-efficient lamp, let alone a community of interests such as Yuan Shikai-Yikuang-Natong.

what to do?If you want to regain power and control the center, you can't do it without competent people. Who should you turn to for help?

Longyu is the first candidate, she has a respected status and is a member of the Queen Mother family, but she is a female, and the authority to manage the harem is enough, but her political influence is not great, but Lin Guangyu has no influence on the daily affairs of the palace. It feels that having someone to help preside over is enough to stabilize the overall situation in the harem.

Zaifeng is the emperor's younger brother. He has both the title of Prince Jin and the Minister of Military Affairs. He was recently awarded the title of Regent. He should be very popular, but he is an empty-handed minister. Although he has a high status, he has no real power. Coupled with a cowardly character, it is doomed to fail, Lin Guangyu thought about it and denied it.

Thinking about it further, he found sadly that he could not find a loyal, reliable and outstanding confidant.There used to be an imperial party, but with the death of the Six Gentlemen and the change of the Gengzi Kingdom, the old ones, the dead ones, and the scattered ones are not a thing at all; the royalists of Kang and Liang are good, they have both He is powerful and popular, but the journey is far away, and he is far away in Japan, so he can't quench his near thirst.Moreover, they are still criminals, although they can be released by the emperor's edict, but after all, too many past events are involved, which is easy to say but difficult to do.The deeper reason is that Lin Guangyu is not optimistic about Kang Youwei's political talent. This standard-bearer of the reform movement is top-notch in instigating power and inspiration, but his ruling experience can be ranked from bottom to bottom. Cixi's words before his death are very correct—" Kang Youwei is a rebellious person, exaggerating the truth, and should not be used to great effect."

Temporarily unable to find a decisive strength to rely on, Lin Guangyu sat up straight, shook his head and only sighed. He had no strength to compete with the Beiyang Department!Yuan Shikai was placed under house arrest today by means of means, but if there is no follow-up action, there is no way to keep him locked up like this. Sooner or later he will have to be released—but is he sure about releasing him before taking it back? He has no confidence...

"Report to the emperor, Lord Tie Liang, please see me." Today, the eunuchs in Fuchang Palace are unlucky, they can't sleep after tossing so late - the emperor doesn't sleep, how dare a slave dare to sleep?Lose your mind?

"Xuan..."

Tie Liang originally followed Cixi's will to carry out a major mobilization of the capital's guard forces.Speaking of it was a mistake, he should have waited until dawn before entering the palace to take his fate, but on the way he ran into the eunuch Gao Haichang who was galloping on a fast horse.Running a horse in the middle of the night was enough to attract attention, and coupled with the fact that the two knew each other well, Tie Liang couldn't care less about sleeping after learning about such a big change, so he flattered his horse and ran towards the palace.

"Lafayette, the servant is late..." Tie Liang knelt down on the ground and wept loudly, wearing plain military attire, with a sad look on his face.

"Tie Liang, get up."

Gao Haichang only told him that the Empress Dowager had passed away, but he didn't dare to say that the emperor was already healthy. When he saw the emperor Guangxu sitting in the hall, he was immediately dumbfounded. It never occurred to me that such an earth-shaking change would happen just by going out on a business trip.If Lafayette said no, he would be gone. Legend has it that the emperor, who was seriously ill and could not live for four days, sat in front of him in good condition, and even held power.

"Tie Liang, I'm looking for you on something." Lin Guangyu's words were actually insincere - he just came out of Yingtai, even if he has the big picture of future generations, how can he fully grasp the intricate political wrestling right from the start?It's just that Tie Liang's appearance is an opportunity, which made Lin Guangyu, who had been stunned, suddenly wake up like a enlightenment-the fundamental task at this stage is not reform or reform, but to maintain power and control the center.Only by retaining a useful body and supreme power can we talk about the next move.If you want to take power, you have to oppose Yuan.Therefore, it doesn't matter what someone's attitude towards the reformation is now, as long as they have something in common in anti-Yuan, it is a role that can be used at this stage.

Politically, Yuan Shikai inherited Li Hongzhang's mantle and formed a huge network of relationships inside and outside the court. Yikuang and his sons, Natong, Xu Shichang, Li Lianying, etc. were all his wings. In terms of military affairs, Yuan Shikai took advantage of the opportunity of military training at the small station to gain control over the six towns of Beiyang.

No matter how you look at it, Tie Liang is the right candidate - he is a relative of the Manchu family, and his anti-Yuan position is self-evident.He participated in the formation and training of the new army. Like Yuan Shikai, he was the assistant minister. He had both experience and methods for military training, and he also had influence on various ministries. He was really a key figure in the next step.Of course, there are certain hidden dangers in using Tieliang—he is a character brought up by Yikuang, who has cultivated him, and there is a danger of colluding with Yikuang. Lin Guangyu decided to think again.

"Your Majesty, this slave went out to the palace to handle errands according to the Queen Mother's order, and now I just rushed back to answer my orders, I didn't expect... I didn't expect..." As he spoke, his words choked up again.

"Unfortunate things happen...I didn't expect that either." Lin Guangyu continued to ask, "What kind of errand do you have?"

"The queen mother asked the servants to transfer Duan Qirui's sixth town back to Laishui, and change the minister's direct subordinate No. [-] town into the city to defend."

"Is it done?"

"It's done, the servant has spent a lot of effort, and promised to give him two taels of silver, two pairs of new shoes, and a new set of clothes...Duan Qirui then agreed to leave. In the afternoon, the vanguard of the sixth town had already boarded the train. I left, and the rest should be finished by tomorrow." Tie Liang added, "The things that were rewarded to him were also given along with the car."

"Okay, very good... You did a good job with this job." Lin Guangyu nodded, "After Duan Qirui left, who else has troops in the capital?"

"Only the first town is left." Tie Liang explained, "According to the queen mother's order, the first town should also be rewarded in the same way, but in order to get rid of Duan Qirui, the servant first gave the first town the things, the first town The town’s share hasn’t settled yet.”

Lin Guangyu was overjoyed, what does this mean?This means that only the first town is left in the armed forces of the capital. This is an armed force developed from the standing army of the Beijing Banner. The Beiyang brand is not so deep. If you control it well, you can completely obey your orders and use it effectively. Don't worry about it, let's ask again.

"Is the first town reliable? Who is the commander? Can you command Ruyi? Don't listen to Yuan Shikai again then."

"Please rest assured, the emperor, the commander of the first town is He Zonglian, and most of the soldiers and horses are from our bannermen. They are all loyal to the emperor. How can they listen to Yuan Shikai?"

"That's good! That's good! Tieliang, the empress dowager has passed away, the capital is in turmoil, and the people are restless. In order to prevent small troubles at night, I ordered He Zonglian to bring reliable troops into the city overnight to defend the capital. The reward is increased to 5 taels per person, clothes and shoes Post it later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness! Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will handle this errand right away!" Tie Liang frowned when he heard that, the capital will undergo major changes?The emperor is in charge, so he wants to take Yuan Shikai under the knife?

"Do you have guards?"

"Bring it, there are a total of 20 people waiting outside the palace, what does the emperor mean?"

"Are you armed?"

"Bring them all." Tie Liang suddenly realized that something was wrong, and quickly knelt down and kowtowed, "It's not because I overstepped, but in fact, today I am announcing the needs of the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Town. In order to carry out the decree, how could I meet Eunuch Gao on the way, so I was so shocked that I didn't have time to dismiss everyone, so I went to Da Nei, please Your Majesty, please pay attention."

"It's okay, it's normal for the Minister of the Army to have 20 guards accompanying him. I know how loyal you are." Lin Guangyu comforted him, "I will leave you with 2 guards, and the remaining 18 will all be under my command. Six people will be watched by me." Anyone who dares to go in or out of the palace gate will be shot to death. There are 6 people on guard in the palace, especially in the area of ​​Dongchang Corridor where Yuan Shikai is. I have specially sent 12 people to watch over him. He must not be allowed to escape...well, You pass people in immediately."

"Cha!" There was no need for Tie Liang to go there himself, the little eunuch at the side took the handbook and went to the palace gate to let him go.

Not long after, a handsome and vigorous young officer led the men and horses in a file. His riding boots were shiny, and although the armed belt and saber around his waist had been removed, his waist was particularly straight. The woolen military uniform on his upper body was spotless, even a little wrinkled. No, with piercing eyes, a serious and serious expression.When everyone saw the emperor, they immediately knelt down and kowtowed, shouting "Long live", orderly and prohibited.

"Your Majesty, his name is Liangbi. He is a member of the clan with a red belt and a man with a yellow banner. He is the grandson of the great scholar Yiribu. He graduated from the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer Academy and is proficient in military affairs. He is currently the director of the Department of Military Studies of the Ministry of the Army and a councilor. He and the slaves did the errand together." Tie Liang estimated that the emperor didn't know Liangbi, so he quickly introduced him.But how did he know that this Guangxu was no longer that Guangxu, and he knew Liang Bi well-he was a military talent who had repeatedly rejected Lao Yuan's every possible woo, and he was a hard-core anti-Yuan faction who was more radical than Tie Liang, wonderful... …

"Du Pingshen, stay Liang Bi, the others wait outside the hall first."

"Slave complies with the order." When they came in, they were orderly, and when they went out, they were also orderly. Seeing Lin Guangyu's heart itch, it would be great if all the troops of the Qing Dynasty were like this.

"Tie Liang, hurry up and do the errand that I told you, Liang Bi, I have something else to say."

"Going back to the emperor, the slaves don't need guards in Da Nei, so they all stay and wait for orders. The slaves will immediately go to the first town."

Only Liangbi was left in the hall, Lin Guangyu looked him up and down, and was not in a hurry to speak for a moment.Liangbi first met the emperor's eyes, and lowered his eyebrows for a moment, with a very respectful expression, which was a natural and spontaneous respect, but his demeanor was still that of a soldier, standing upright, without bowing his knees at all, It is worthy of being the five outstanding Manchus in the late Qing Dynasty.

Not bad, this is the one I want to use.

"The state is full of treachery and evil, what should I do as a minister?"

Liangbi was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't expect the emperor to say this right away.

"I think that the emperor should be asked to punish him."

"If the thief deceives the king, holds great power, and blocks the way of speech, what should I do?"

"I would like to carry the three-foot sword to kill this thief with my own hands, to honor the country's reputation, and to comfort the people's livelihood."

"Who do you think is the most treacherous and evil?"

"Yuan Shikai!" The answer was resounding.

"Yuan Shikai?" Although he didn't doubt Liangbi's anti-Yuan stance, Lin Guangyu decided to test it out again, "Although I have been in Yingtai for a long time, I also heard that Yuan Shikai valued Qing very much, and he hired you for important positions time and again. With such appreciation, why do you say that he is a big treacherous and evil?"

"The emperor is holy. This is the old thief's attempt to hide evil intentions and hide his wings. In the Qing Dynasty, there were quite a few graduates from the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer Academy. After returning to China, even if they were reused, they would at most serve as supervisors (battalion level). This is the first time that the old thief came to hire , I asked someone to be the Biaotong (regiment level), and after being declined, I invited a certain person to be the Xietong (Brigade level). It has become Yuan Shikai's private army. The officers and soldiers know that there is Yuan Gongbao, but they don't know that there is a Qing Dynasty. There is also a story about the troops enshrining the longevity tablet of the old thief and offering incense every day. Based on this, I concluded that Yuan Shikai had a heart of disobedience. The so-called solicitation Reusing ministers is nothing more than an attempt to take advantage of the status of the ministers when they usurp power and seize the throne in the future. The status of the clan may be on the back of the saddle, or wave the flag for it... Although the minister is dull, he still remembers that he is the empress of Aixinjueluo, and he wants to protect his ancestors. How can you hand over to others? The old thief can confuse others, but he can't fool me, Liang Bi."

Lin Guangyu slapped the table, stood up and yelled: "Yuan Shikai is lawless! What's your plan?"

Liangbi took a step forward, knelt down and kowtowed again: "I ask the emperor to do extraordinary things with a thunderbolt."

"How difficult is it to kill? But what about after killing?" Lin Guangyu's cheeks were reddish, his breath was short of breath, he was obviously agitated, but in fact he was nervous, "Why did you teach me?"

The empress dowager passed away, and the emperor had only been in power for a few hours, and the murderous intent was already there, so it was his intention to keep me here.Liangbi's impression of the emperor has completely changed. This is not a cowardly and incompetent emperor, but an emperor who is far-sighted and decisive.Fortunately for our ancestors, I have such an emperor in Qing Dynasty.

Liangbi gritted his teeth: "I think that Yuan thief has a secret alliance with foreign aid, internal cliques, wide wings, and military power. He secretly has the heart of disobedience. His wolfish ambitions are clearly on the paper. You will suffer from it. Although the empress dowager praised him for his heavy use in Japan, according to the observation of the ministers, the empress dowager also took precautions against him in many ways, and ordered Master Tieliang to take over the military power of his four towns. However, the climate of the Yuan thief has been established, and the roots have been established. Deep, such a beating did not hurt its root. Although the whole court knew that he was a traitor and evil, but his power was left behind and he was unable to eradicate it. Yuan thief was clever and good at turning clouds and rains, and he escaped investigation many times. Originally, he should have been punished and handed over to a judge. The punishment will be announced to the world, but I secretly think that the Yuan thief has many wings and foreign aid, such as procrastinating the time and being upright, but he cannot be put to death. It is better to choose a loyal and brave man, affirm the righteousness, and be considerate. He killed this beast with his hands. After Yuan Thief died, even if the crowd was raging, His Majesty just let the person with lofty ideals come forward to take the blame. Although he can't reveal his treachery and evil, he even needs to be compensated, but as long as Yuan Thief is killed, the situation will be fine Stability. Your Majesty can cut their wings one by one in the next few years, and when the overall situation is turned to safety, he can avenge the grievances of the people with lofty ideals."

"Yuan Shikai has long harbored wild and reckless ambitions, and his intentions are wrong. I have known it for a long time. Now that the empress dowager has passed away unfortunately, there are many internal and external incidents, and we must guard against it. However, the relationship is very important and the entanglement is extensive. How to deal with it remains to be considered." Yuan Shikai was too important, and Lin Guangyu had to be cautious.

"I thought Yuan was alone in Da Nei, if he could do extraordinary things with extraordinary means, why worry about it?"

Fortunately, I didn't miss it!Lin Guangyu sighed in his heart: This is a real iron-blooded man! "Qing, do you want me to follow the example of the holy ancestor Kangxi to capture Oboi? It is a pity that I don't have the means and ability of Kangxi, so it took a lot of thinking... If I had made up my mind, it would not have ended like this 10 years ago. However, Yuan Shikai has been ignored by me. Shi Xiaoji is trapped in Da Nei, only considering that he has many eyes and ears, and there are hidden threads in Da Nei, so I am quite hesitant."

After some questions and answers just now, Liangbi’s impression of the emperor has changed a lot—the emperor is no longer the rash young man who used to be frizzy and reckless in doing things, but killing Yuan is too important, and he should constantly reflect on it. Suffer the chaos.

"How does your Majesty compare to Lord Kangxi? I ​​dare not comment on it. However, I think that even though Yuan has great power, he is still not comparable to Oboi. How difficult is it to kill him? Besides, your majesty's current actions are in the same water as Yuan's. It’s a showdown, the night is full of dreams, it’s better to hurry up!” Liangbi suddenly touched the floor tiles with his forehead to make a “thumping” sound, “I have just realized my heart, and I am willing to die for the emperor! Your majesty, your majesty, make a decision soon!”

After a moment of silence, Lin Guangyu made up his mind, and spoke slowly and firmly: "Liangbi, I want to entrust you with a big matter, I wonder if you dare?"

"I am willing to do my best." Liangbi said with emotion, "I will go through fire and water to become the emperor's life, so why use excuses." His words and demeanor were as firm as a mountain.

"You get up, I know Qing's loyalty very well. I also agree with Qing's suggestion, and I can do it tonight. May the spirit of the ancestors in heaven bless you. It's just this way?..." Lin Guangyu had a headache, how should he do it?It is difficult to be clean and neat and seamless!

"Your Majesty, don't worry, I have made a decision to send the old thief to the west..." Liang Bi wrote a word in the air with his fingers with a serious face!

"Use this strategy!"

"Since that's the case, you can do it quickly!"

Liangbi kowtowed three times respectfully, and then left with a firm demeanor...