Qing Dynasty Secret History

Chapter 117: Empress Dowager Yurong Deling Fights for Northeast Japan to Challenge Russia
It is said that in the early morning of the next day, King Qing said that Admiral Evans of the US Navy, his wife and others, wanted to see the Queen Mother.The U.S. envoy invited the meeting to be divided into two sessions, and said that the fact that Mrs. Chen Kangge invited her for a private audience yesterday was a rumor error.The Empress Dowager retreated, smiled and said to the family members: "Didn't I tell you yesterday that there must be a reason for the pilgrimage? I would like to meet the American admiral and his wife."

Then ordered De Ling: "You lead the people and tidy up all the things. Everything in my room has been replaced. We don't want them to know about our living conditions."

So the people in the palace suddenly became flustered, and all the treasures and playthings were replaced.The Empress Dowager asked the eunuchs to lay down carpets in the hall, and they were busy all night, rough and ready.

The next day, the admiral of the US Navy accompanied the minister to the audience.The next day, Mrs. Evans entered the audience with the minister's wife and others.They all left food, led them around and went away happily.

However, when Mrs. Conger came to the audience, she brought a female painter, a girl from Sike.But Miss Ke is busy, so she wants to draw a portrait with the Queen Mother and send it to the Saint-Louis Exposition.However, the queen mother has never been out of the palace, so she doesn't know about photography and portraits.Following the old Manchurian rule, the portraits of emperors and empresses can only be painted after the dragon is in charge of the guests.Hearing Miss Ke's request, I was taken aback.

And because Miss Ke is a foreigner, it is not convenient to say no to her, so she is vague, and she agrees to discuss it with the minister.After the female guests left, the queen mother said to Deling: "It's very strange, how did Mrs. Kanger initiate this thought? Why is it called a portrait, do you know?"

Deling said: "That's also very convenient, the old ancestor only needs to sit up for a few hours every day."

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager was surprised and asked urgently what to do sitting upright?De Ling said: "Only when you sit upright can a painter be able to paint."

The Empress Dowager said: "As it is, when she finishes the painting, I'm going to be old, who will be impatient?"

Deling said: "When I was in Paris, I asked Ms. Ke to draw one."

When the queen mother heard about it, she hurriedly asked someone to fetch it.Asking Deling: "Why do I have to sit, can't others take the place?"

Deling said: "This is the portrait of our ancestors, how can others get it?"

The Empress Dowager said: "When you sit, do you dress differently every time?"

Deling said: "It must be the same."

The Empress Dowager said: "Chinese painters seem to be able to make them with just one brushstroke after meeting them. It's very easy. Foreign talented painters always do this."

De Ling explained in detail why Chinese and Western painting methods are different.The queen mother said: "How is the temperament of the female painter? Can she speak Chinese?"

Deling said: "Ms. Ke is very upright, but she doesn't speak Chinese."

The queen mother said: "It's great if you don't know Chinese, I'm afraid she can speak Chinese. Most of the palace people like to chat, so keep her in the palace, or tell her things I don't want others to know."

Deling said: "That is inevitable.

Since Ms. Ke can't speak Chinese, there is no one in the palace who understands foreign languages ​​except our three mothers, so there seems to be no need to worry about this. "

The queen mother said: "It may not be reliable. She has lived in the palace for a long time, and I am afraid she will learn a few words! That is not a lot to worry about. Let's discuss how to arrange it now. There are no foreign women living in the palace. Always ask someone to guard her. Who should I call? You can. Who should I call to sleep with her at night?"

While talking, he walked around the room, pondered for a while, and suddenly smiled: "Come on, I will imprison her like a prisoner, and she will not feel it at all. It is all up to your three mothers to handle it carefully for me. I want her to live in Prince Jin's mansion, you come with her in the morning and sleep with her at night, it will be absolutely safe."

Saying that, the eunuch has brought the portrait of De Ling here.The Empress Dowager took a closer look and said with a big laugh, "The painting is really interesting, it looks like an oil painting. I have never seen such a painting before, and it is very resemblance. Chinese painters can't paint such an expression. It's just that the clothes on the painting are strange." Why are your arms and neck bare? I’ve heard that foreign women’s clothes are sleeveless and collarless, but I didn’t expect such a bad picture! Why do you wear this too? I know you’re always ashamed Well, don’t wear this in the future. I was very surprised when I saw it. It’s really weird to call this kind of civilization! Do you wear it once in a while, or do you wear it often?
Do you also wear this in front of men? "

Deling said: "This is an ordinary evening gown, it's only worn at banquets and dances."

The queen mother smiled and said: "This is even worse! Foreign countries are not as good as China. Chinese women are not willing to show their wrists in front of men, but foreign countries are so bare-chested and bare-armed! The emperor always said reform. From this point of view, it is not as good as I am conservative. Much better!

The next day, Prince Qing played in person, and Miss Ke asked for instructions on the date of painting.The queen mother asked to take the calendar to choose the auspicious day, and picked the [-]th day of the leap month to start painting at Xushi.De Ling knew that Miss Ke would not start drawing in the evening.So I politely informed the Queen Mother of this intention, and after several discussions, I changed it to ten o'clock in the morning.A day later, the Empress Dowager went to Deling's room and saw her photographed portrait, she was very envious, and said: "It's a pity that you can't invite people who take pictures in the market to take pictures in the palace.

Mrs. Yu then reported that Yu Geng's son is now a servant in the palace, and he has studied the matter of taking pictures. It is unknown if the ancestors asked him to take pictures, or they would be satisfied. It turned out that Yu Geng's two sons were in the palace One is in charge of the electric lights of the Summer Palace, and the other is in charge of the small steamer used by the Empress Dowager. It turns out that there is a dock in the Summer Palace, which is made of carved stone. Famous stone boat.

In Guangxu, in Kunming Lake, two small steamers were built.In the southeast corner outside the garden, an electrical room is set up to deal with the electric lights in the garden.So later there is a poem sighing: the dock in the west of the hall is facing Sanjiao, and the painted flywheel is like Yubiao.

Tens of thousands of torches are bright and bright, and the electricity is transmitted, and the spring waves are shining on the Xiuyi Bridge.

The Empress Dowager called Yu Geng's son in and asked him when he could take pictures?Huizuo waited for the house to pick up the camera guy, and he could take pictures at any time.I got it the next day and took a lot of photos, including court clothes and plain clothes, and at the end I took a photo of a fisherman in a boat in costume.

Later generations have poems praising:

The Xiangluan airship fell off the lake waves, and there were many entertainments in the sky.

I don't like expensive makeup at home, but rain hats and smoked capes.

On the [-]th day, the Empress Dowager came to court early, and Ms. Ke had already entered the palace with her painting tools.

Retreating back to the palace, Ms. Ke saw the Empress Dowager, and hurriedly stepped forward to kiss her hand according to the European etiquette for audiences with empresses.The queen mother only said that she was going to bite her finger, and she was taken aback.At the moment, I perfunctory a few words of entertainment, changed my clothes, and started painting.In the first few days, I was also happy.Later, I gradually became lazy, and I had to rest after sitting for less than 10 minutes.Ms. Ke had no choice but to paint the throne and screen first.This was originally an act of accommodating from the upper body, but the Queen Mother was whimsical, and said to Deling: "I think Ms. Ke can paint thrones and screens, as well as my clothes, she can always paint, so I don't need to come in person."De Ling said: "I'm afraid it can't be done. Clothes and jewelry must be worn by someone before painting."

The queen mother said: "This is very easy, you can wear my clothes and sit for me."

De Ling said: "I'm afraid the artist won't agree!"

The Empress Dowager said: "It doesn't matter, let's draw the face, I will just sit by myself."

So De Ling took the place of the queen mother every day and sat silently for four o'clock until the painting was completed.Later generations have a poem saying: Zhu Dan embroiders big Qin makeup, and people from the anchovy come to the sea banquet hall.

Sitting high in the Xuan Palace, giving a banquet in person, and calling the girl for a photo.

The Sea Banquet Hall was rebuilt from the Yiluan Hall. The whole hall is in Western style, and the furnishings in the hall are all Western utensils. It is specially prepared for summoning foreign guests. This is also Yi Zan of Deling.After the portrait of Ms. Ke was painted, His Majesty left.The Queen Mother asked De Ling, "Did Miss Ke ever ask about the Boxers?"

Deling said: "Never mentioned it. She was in Paris at that time, and probably didn't know the whole story of the chaos."

The queen mother said: "I don't want to mention this matter, and I don't want outsiders to ask my subjects about it. Sometimes I think to myself, I am the wisest among women, and few others can match me! Queen Victoria, I have also read the translated version of her history, and I feel that her relationship is important and the sorrows she has experienced are less than half of mine. My career is in the ascendant, and no one can guess what will happen in the future. I Or it might go against the grain and make strange moves to wake up outsiders. England is the first country among the great powers, but Victoria is not alone.

The Yingjie in their Congress often helps her, doing everything she can, and always chooses the good to do, and the queen is nothing more than a promise.We Chinese people have up to [-] trillion, all rely on me.

Although military planes are available for my consultation, they are just monitoring.All important matters have to be decided by me alone, the emperor has no knowledge at all.I have never failed in my work in my life, but I have never dreamed that the boxer's murder would be so powerful!All things considered in my life, but this one is a big fallacy.In the early chaos, I should have issued a strict decree to forbid him from spreading.Helplessly, Zaiyi and Zailan insisted that the boxers descended from the sky, in order to clear up the national humiliation, and cut off the outsiders.What they call outsiders are priests.What I hate most in my life is the priest, so at this time, I don't say yes or no, but I just sit and watch the success or failure.Unexpectedly, their actions were too violent, Zaiyi led the leader of the boxers into the Summer Palace, gathered all the eunuchs, and checked to see if there was a cross on his head.The head said: "You won't see this cross. Only I can find it and know that it is Christianity." Zaiyi came to see me in the palace, the head of the Boxer was waiting at the gate of the palace, checking two eunuchs who believed in religion, and asked me how to deal with it?I was very annoyed when I heard this, and immediately told Zaiyi, how could I allow the boxers to enter the palace without my consent?Zai Yi said that this leader has great spells, can kill all outsiders, and is protected by the gods, not afraid of Western artillery fire.He also said that he saw a bandit shooting another bandit with a pistol, and he had already been hit without any damage.Then please give the two eunuchs who joined the religion to Bandit Kui, and I agreed to him.Later I heard that the two eunuchs were beheaded not far from here.The next day, the leader of the bandit followed Zaiyi and Zailan into the palace again, and asked the eunuchs to burn incense and kneel to greet him, showing that they had never believed in Christianity, and asked the eunuchs to practice boxing.After a while, all the eunuchs abandoned their official uniforms and wore the clothes of boxers, red shirts and yellow trousers, red cloth wrapped around their heads, and Zai Lan offered me a set.At this time, Rong Lu, the leader of the military aircraft, just asked for leave, and I always send eunuchs to visit him every day.On this day, the eunuch came back and told me that Rong Lu had healed and that he was going to see you in the palace tomorrow. I was very happy to hear that.The next day, Rong Lu came to see him, and when he played the match, he looked worried. He said that the boxers were traitors, but asking the common people to help him kill outsiders would not be a blessing to the court.I asked him how to deal with it?He said that after discussing with Zai Yi, there is always a solution.The next day, Zaiyi came to see him, and said that because of the boxers, he had a big conflict with Ronglu, and said that there was no one in Beijing who was not a boxer. If it was to be banned, all Beijingers must be slaughtered. The court was not exempt either.He also said that the Boxers had chosen a date to kill all the envoys from various countries. Dong Fuxiang also agreed to lead his troops to help and set fire to the embassy.I was very anxious when I heard this, and knew that the chaos was imminent, so I immediately called Rong Lu to discuss it.Rong Lu asked me to issue an edict immediately, declaring the crimes of the boxers, and telling the people not to believe them.He also ordered the nine admirals to drive out the bandits.Zaiyi was furious when he heard this, and said that if the decree came out, the boxers would definitely enter the palace and rebel.I lost my mind at the time, so I had to let them do it.One day, Zai Yi and Zai Lan asked me to order the boxing bandits to kill all the people in the embassy.I didn't agree, but he acted in a pretentious manner, causing foreign soldiers to approach the capital, and our mother went hunting in a hurry.It's all because of my indecision that caused such a big mess. "

As he spoke, he couldn't help crying.Seeing the Empress Dowager was sad, all the court officials wept along with her.It was a very unhappy night.

Unexpectedly, when he went to court the next day, he received another very sad news, which was that Japan and Russia had declared war.It turns out that Japan and Russia have had a long-standing suspicion.In the battle between China and Japan in the Sino-Japanese War in the Jiawu Year, Li Boxiang went to Japan to discuss peace, and the original proposal was to sever the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan.At that time, the Russians made an appointment with the two powerful countries of Germany and France for their own interests in the Far East, and claimed Liaodong.Sure enough, good intentions are rewarded. In the year of Bingshen, when the Russian Emperor was crowned, Li Boxiang of China went to celebrate. He made several secret treaties in Russia, giving all the rights to the three eastern provinces to Russia, including Jiaozhou Bay in Shandong.Unfortunately, a lesson plan came out in Shandong Province, killing two German priests, and the Germans sent troops to occupy Jiaozhou Bay.Because I broke the secret agreement, the Russians forcibly leased Dalian Bay in Lushun to resist. They also agreed that the Manchuria Railway could be built straight to Lushun.During the Yihequan Rebellion in the Year of Gengzi, Russia took the opportunity to enter the army, occupied the three eastern provinces and left Beijing to negotiate a treaty, and the Russians proposed another negotiation for the three eastern provinces.Overwhelm the guests, year after year.On March [-]th of the Guimao year, it was originally the second withdrawal period of the "Xin Chou Contract". Instead of withdrawing, the Russians added countless soldiers and horses, built barracks, and cut down trees for a long-term stay.Our country’s writing asked, and the Russians insisted on seven things: [-]. Manchuria does not open commercial ports; [-]. The Russians occupy all of Manchuria’s best mines; Sixth, China and Russia jointly set up commercial offices; Seventh, the Russians completely occupied the Manchuria Railway.

In order to rush to recover the land, our government intends to agree to one or two clauses.Unexpectedly, the officials, gentry, and concubine of various provinces have expressed their interests and interests, and they cannot hold on to it.Britain, the United States and Japan also advised our government not to grant the request of the Russians.However, the Russians made an inch of progress, recruited the bandits, sent troops into Longyanpu, occupied the Fengtian official office, and ordered the Chinese people to unveil the Russian flag on the Russian National Day.In August, the Russians demanded that Fengtian General Zengqi report the land rent in Manchuria in detail, and transfer the Niuzhuang Tax Customs and Lijin Bureau to the Russians for management.The Russian Emperor also specially appointed Aleksev as the governor of the Far East, and ordered to directly negotiate with the governor for all matters in the Far East.The government was shocked when they heard this, and asked the imperial envoys stationed in Russia to inquire about the outside world of Russia.The Russian said coldly: "This is Russia's policy, why bother your country to ask?"

Since then, the government has always shelved all calls to Russia's external affairs regarding matters in the Far East, and always refused to answer them.At this time, the Russians occupied the heads of three rivers again, so they started from Dalian Bay in Lushun in the west, followed the upper reaches of the Yalu River in the east, and crossed Changbai Mountain to reach Hunchun, which is close to the upper reaches of the Tuman River. Cut off to prevent the invasion of Japanese forces.A government office was also set up in Fengtian to handle roads, mines and industries in Manchuria.

Niuzhuang streets and alleys have been renamed.Six thousand Cossack soldiers were sent to Shengjing, and troops were stationed in various parts of Iraq and Li, and they were forced to settle here.The Chinese soldiers are small and few, but he can't do it.

Neighboring Japan to the east, seeing this situation, they were so indignant that they disagreed with the Russians, so Japan and Russia negotiated.First in the capital of Russia, and then in Japan, after several meetings, Mr. Komura, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, met with Baron Luosheng, the Russian envoy, and set out the terms of negotiation, a total of five conditions: [-]. Mutual agreement on the sovereignty of China's Koryo , fully preserved; [-], each other agreed to share the interests of all countries in China's Koryo industry and commerce; [-], Japan's sole right in Koryo, and Russia's railway rights in the three eastern provinces must be clearly recognized by each other.They also affirmed to each other that Russia and Japan have the right to protect the above-mentioned rights and interests, but they must not violate the purpose stated in the first paragraph; [-]. Russia must clearly recognize that Japan has a special right to persuade and help Korea, so that Restoration of the other country, improvement of the government; [-]. Russia must allow or not prevent the expansion of the Koryo Railway to the south of the three northeastern provinces, in order to connect with China's Kaiwai Railway.

The Russian envoy rushed to Lushun to make an agreement with the Governor of the Far East, Ashi.At that time, Japan and Russia were negotiating. In St. Petersburg, there was a meeting between the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Earl Landersdorf, and the Japanese envoy Kurino; in Tokyo, there was a meeting between Mr. Komura and the Russian envoy, Baron Rosson.October [-]th was the third time for the Russians to withdraw their troops, and they still refused to withdraw.Negotiations have been held five times, but still nowhere.

The Russians' reply never mentioned Manchuria, but they made a slight concession on the Korean side.The Japanese foreign minister visited the Russian envoy face-to-face, claiming that Russia's reply was not satisfactory to the Japanese government, so please repeat the reply.So the Russians announced to all countries: "Japan is called negotiation, but it is really a challenge.

When the Japanese government heard about it, it was busy distributing the telegrams to discriminate the falsehoods. The Russian Emperor specially opened the Far East Committee, and the Russian Emperor himself acted as the speaker to discuss the answer to Japan's demands. Please reply. The Japanese government declares that Japan is waiting for Russia’s reply, which will be on the [-]rd of January in the Western calendar. If it does not arrive on schedule, it will be extended for another seven days. If it does not answer, Japan will act freely in the Qing Dynasty. At this time, the two countries will recruit Paying wages, preparing for war, extremely busy, so the empress dowager was very depressed.

On this day, after the morning court was over, the Empress Dowager told the palace family and others: "Russia and Japan are afraid that they will start a war sooner or later, and they are very worried. Although the affairs of the two countries have nothing to do with China, the concern is to start a war in China. No matter who wins and who loses, there will be disadvantages for China in the end!
"The palace family listened, but they didn't pay much attention. Unexpectedly, the next day, the chief eunuch reported that 50 eunuchs were lost today."

When everyone heard this, they were very surprised.A day later, another hundred eunuchs were reported missing.The queen mother suddenly said: "I know, they must have listened to my words, thought that there would be war between Russia and Japan, and feared that the Boxers would be chaotic again, so they took the lead in running away!"

As usual, if a eunuch escapes, he must send out his cavalry to arrest him, and if he is caught, he must be punished according to the law.This time, the queen mother ordered that there is no need to arrest him.Two days later, a certain eunuch whom the Empress Dowager Su had trusted was missing again.The Queen Mother said angrily: "Unexpectedly, this slave is so heartless! How generous I treat him, and how rewarding he is!
The chaos is just cute, throw me away. "

Said, very frustrated.From that day on, eunuchs escaped almost every day.The queen mother decided to move to the Forbidden City, and she will make plans again in the coming spring.

At this time, Russia and Japan are in shock, and they are getting worse day by day.All the people in the palace gradually became terrified.One day, the Empress Dowager summoned the palace people and ordered: "Don't disturb yourself, there really is a change, it has nothing to do with us, and it will definitely not affect us. We have the protection of our ancestors, and there will never be any accidents.

From now on, I don't want anyone to mention Russia and Japan. "

He also asked the family members of the palace to pray devoutly in front of the ancestor's spleen and kowtow for blessings.Although the Empress Dowager said that she didn't want anyone to bring up this matter again, she really wanted to know the news from the outside world.One day, I accidentally talked with Deling and others, Deling said. "

This is very easy, you only need to buy a few copies of Western newspapers and a special report on disclosure, and you can know the things outside every day. "

The queen mother was overjoyed, so she asked Yu Geng to come forward, bought several western newspapers and disclosed them, and sent them to the palace every day, and they were translated by De Ling for imperial reading.One day, De Ling translated a piece of news, but it turned out to be a broken letter.I don't know what the Queen Mother will discuss after seeing it, and let's listen to the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)