Qing Dynasty Secret History

Chapter 77

It is said that the officials and gentry of Hecheng went to Duyuan to see him, and the inspector took the post and went there, but he didn't come out for half a day.Everyone was in the official hall, and when they got impatient, Fantai Jiang Guolin said: "The situation is so critical that you still put on airs like this."

Before the words were finished, the inspector came out with a pleasant smile and said to the officials and gentry: "Masters, please meet at the Xihua Hall in the middle hall."

Immediately hold the post to guide, and all the officials and gentry follow in file.Walking into the West Flower Hall, before I sat down, I heard a sound of boots, the servants opened the soft curtain, Ming Chen came in, and all the officials and gentry greeted him.A gentleman suddenly said: "The catastrophe is here, does Zhongtang know?
" When Mingchen looked at it, it was Huang Lezhi, the Chief Secretary of the Register, who spoke, and replied with a smile, "I don't know, what's the matter?" "

All the people talked about the foreign boat breaking into the provincial river, landing on the shore and seizing the house.Mingchen laughed and said: "What am I supposed to be? Please come here, everyone. It turns out that it's just because of this trivial matter. I don't think it's wrong to be so frightened like this.

Fantai Jiang Guolin and Gaotai Zhou Qibin said in unison: "The foreign soldiers are surging, and the disaster of war is imminent; I implore Zhongtang to try to resist it quickly." "

Mingchen sneered and said: "You guys are too timid, I don't have that much effort to play with them. What foreigners can do is nothing more than bluffing and bluffing. I can't be fooled by him."

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, in disbelief.Mingchen said: "If you don't believe me, I can't blame you, because I never talked about foreigners. I sent a spy there. His surname is Zhang, and his name is Tongyun. He is smart and meticulous. You can rely on him, he knows every move of the foreigner, and he will report it to me immediately. Now the foreigner is bluffing on the outside, but poor on the inside, so I said it doesn’t matter.”

Jiang Guolin said: "Zhongtang clearly sees that there is absolutely no mistake. But the common people are ignorant. Seeing the foreigner's momentum, they are panicked and confused. I see that there is nothing wrong with it, and it seems that we can't be too careless in defense."

Mingchen said: "No need."

The people helped Jiang Guolin, repeatedly blaspheming, Mingchen couldn't help getting angry, and said in a daze: "If you don't believe me, you can do it. Whoever increases the troops and who pays the salary, I don't care about your business."

Fan and Nie said in unison: "Why should Zhongtang be in such a hurry? We are just for the sake of the overall situation. After all, Zhongtang is the boss and we are subordinates. What the hell, we dare not argue with Zhongtang.

Zhongtang said that there is no need to fortify, of course he can't be wrong. "

Mingchen said: "If you don't believe me, just look at it. After fifteen days, you will be fine."

Everyone had no choice but to leave.On the night of the [-]th, at the fourth watch, the military spies reported that the foreigners had set up artillery positions and planned to attack the city on the same day.Mingchen didn't care, and continued to chant scriptures and talk.The next day, Xu Wen went to see him in depth and reported: "The provincial gentry, now that the two armies are at a stalemate, it seems advisable to send gentry merchants to go to the ship for inspection, and specially call the humble staff to come in, please show me in the middle hall."

Ming Chen felt very uncomfortable when he heard this, and asked who came up with the idea.Xu Wenshen said: "Wu Chongyao said it."

Ming Chen sneered and said, "What a gentleman, you actually want to do business with foreign countries."

Then he said to the errand: "My lord, Chuanliang Daowang, hurry up and see me."

The servant promised and ran away.When necessary, the patrol officer sent in the manuscript of Liang Dao Wang Zenglian.Mingchen said: "Tell him to see me."

Wang Zenglian saw the ceremony, and seeing that Mingchen's complexion was not good, he stood with his hands down, not daring to ask.I saw Mingchen said: "No wonder foreigners want to disturb us. We put iron nails in sacks and beat them out. The officials and gentry of this city have to go to the foreign ships to deliver the good news first. Is it easy to handle?"

Wang Zenglian dared not answer.Ming Chen then said to Zeng Lian: "Brother, trouble you, tell the officials, gentry, and concubine for me that whoever gets on the foreign ship will be dealt with according to the military law."

Zeng Lian responded and went to deliver the order.

With this order, all the officials and gentry in the city will not obey and fear the future.At lunch time, Britain and France sent a note, which listed five official titles, including governor, governor, and general. The army fired artillery to attack the city, and the officials, gentry, soldiers and civilians, etc., quickly moved away for ninety miles. This time, our army will definitely destroy the city of Guangzhou.

There are countless words, categorical, very powerful.

Bo Futai was so excited that he took a sedan chair to visit Du Yuan. After the conversation, Ming Chen still seemed to be fine.Bai Gui said: "Foreigners' note, Zhongtang didn't receive it?"

Mingchen said: "Threatening with empty words, what are you afraid of?"

Bai Gui said: "Isn't it like a false statement? The detailed report said that false notices were posted all over the city, saying that once twelve hours had passed, the cannons would be fired and the people were told to move away."

Mingchen said: "Don't bother with him. I know that foreigners are not so capable.

Bai Gui said: "There is also a very true news. I heard that Britain and France have made a final bet of 40 gold with the four countries, saying that if they don't break through the city of Guangzhou within 24 hours, they will have no face to go to China."If they enter the city as limited, the countries should pay 40 yuan in military expenses. "

Mingchen listened, just amused.Bai Gui said: "Don't Zhongtang remember last year, brother, when he left the capital, he got a letter of harassment from foreigners on the road, traveled day and night, and rushed to the province, it was the end of September, and saw that things were out of control. That morning, Zhongtang moved to our yamen, and at noon foreign soldiers searched your office, how can you say that he is making false threats for such a dangerous thing?"

Ming Chen said: "You and I are all mortals, Lu Xian has never been wrong. An edict from the Qitai said that it will be fine after fifteen. Today is twelve."

Speaking of this, he swiped his fingers and said: "Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, three days later, everything will be fine."

Bo Futai had no choice but to leave.

Guangzhou officials and citizens, this nightclub is still considered a peaceful time, one to thirteen is not good.

At dawn, the sound of cannons exploded suddenly, shaking the sky and the earth, like a million thunderbolts, all at the same time, filled with smoke and flames.The cannons passed by, destroyed the walls and collapsed the buildings, and the tall buildings were instantly reduced to ashes.But the cannonballs also made trouble, as if they had eyeballs, and they only hit the Zaotai Yamen.In a flash, there were three or five fires early, and the Changchun Immortal Pavilion was also in the calamity, the flames were blazing, and it was not to be seen.At this time, Ming Chen was also in a hurry, snatched the statues of Lu and Li Erxian, and ran out in a panic, the smoke was so thick that he couldn't tell east, west, north, south, and the yamen was on fire all around.When he was desperate, he suddenly saw a person coming in with smoke and fire. When he saw Mingchen, he said, "Don't panic in the middle hall. There is no fire in the northwest corner. I will carry you out."

Ming Chen asked, "Who are you?"

The man said: "The bid is General Lan Xun, the military inspector of this department."

Mingchen said: "Alright, just carry me out."

Lan Xuan lowered her body, put Ming Chen on her back, let go of her steps, and ran backwards, suddenly heard a thunderbolt, and the upper room burst into flames, crackling, and the sound of beams and pillars bursting was shocking.It turned out that he was hit by another flowering shell, but thanks to Lan Xuan's quick feet, he left the office with thirty or fifty houses.

After running for a long time, it seemed that the sound of the guns was getting farther and farther away. When he saw the first tall house, Ming Chen asked, "What is this?"

Lan Yuhui is Yuehua Academy.Mingchen said: "Just hide here."

Walking into the academy, I was still panting, and the alarm came again, saying that the foreign soldiers had landed on the shore and rushed to the city, and the double-door Gongbei building was on fire.Mingchen stumbled and said, "Unfortunately, there are book plates and a copper leak in the Gongbei Tower. This copper leak is still something from the Yuan Dynasty."

Suddenly, I saw Xu Qing and Hu Shun, the family members, rushing to them in panic.Ming Chen asked what happened outside?Xu Qingdao: "Chief Qian Deng Anbang leads Dongyong Qianmen, and they are fighting bloody battles with foreign soldiers."

While talking, Hua Tingjie from Nanhai County and Li Futai from Panyu County all arrived one after another.Then, the two departments of government and road came to condolences.Suddenly it was reported that Deng Anbang was defeated, and the Donggu Fort had been taken by foreigners.Mingchen said: "Why are our generals useless!"

Jiang Fantai said: "Deng Anbang put in a lot of effort in the war. He killed many foreign soldiers, many, many. They were defeated because they were alone and had no support."

Ming Chen was speechless.

At this time, there was an endless stream of military newspapers, and more than ten spies, flying horses to report, kept coming and going.At one time, it was reported that the foreign soldiers were on the Donggu Fort, moving their cannons towards the city, bombarding the city in a row, and the people had nowhere to flee, creating a commotion.After a while, it was reported that the foreign general, Mr. Bei, had led his troops to attack the North Gate Fort, and was ordered to store it. He fired three shots with an 300-jin cannon. More than [-] foreign soldiers died, and Mr. Bei was also arrested. kill.Mingchen was overjoyed.Suddenly I saw two spies running in panic, reporting that something was wrong, that the foreign soldiers had entered the small north gate, on the top of Guanyin mountain, and there were three red flags.Mingchen said angrily: "Who let him in, you bastard!"

When everyone saw it, they couldn't help laughing.Mingchen ordered Geshha to take the command arrow and go to the outside of the new city to mobilize Chaoyong to capture Guanyin Mountain.After Geshha sent the order to go, the alarm came again just after dinner time, and it was reported that Chao Yongzun had transferred into the city, and the foreign soldiers were already near Lianyong, and Chao bravely faced the enemy bravely.The foreign soldiers did not take up the battle, but retreated up the mountain, moved the cannons on the earth fort inward, and reused the cannons to block the mountain path.Chao Yong turned his back on the attack, suffered a great loss, and the general situation collapsed.When Ming Chen came here, he had no choice but to raise his eyebrows and stamp his feet.It's easy to pass the night, and it's the Ming Dynasty again.On this day, foreigners have set up a flying bridge over the city to look out and see, and the defense is very solid.Governor Bai saw that something was wrong, so he hurriedly called on the gentry merchants Wu Chongyao and Liang Lunshu to discuss peace with foreigners, and debated back and forth, to no avail.On the fifteenth day, General Mukdena issued an order to plant a white flag on the northwest city, open the west gate, and let the residents move.Generals and governors will also show their titles to inform the army and the people, and discuss matters of peace and security.

There is no governor's title on the notice, so I know foreigners hate the governor very much.Mingchen heard that the gentry and merchants were going back and forth to negotiate a peace, so he hurriedly sent a message to Wu Shen: "It's fine to negotiate a peace, but no matter what, foreigners will never allow him to enter the city."

Bo Futai shook his head and said: "This old man is so stubborn, he still refuses to change his mind at this moment, I really admire him."

Wu Chongyao said: "Ye Zhongtang really doesn't know anything, he blindly talks about good things, and he is too busy to help the spirits and ask the immortals. In fact, the immortals don't care about the important affairs of the country. We are suffering like this, but he still wants to talk about that. talk.

Even in the morning and evening at Guanyin Mountain, the foreign soldiers said that the envoy was on board and rushed to the ship, but the envoy refused to see him.After meeting Wade and Pachari, they debated back and forth until they were exhausted, and when they talked, their tongues were dry and their lips were burning, but they still couldn't get the point. "

Bo Futai said: "It doesn't matter anything else, now it's very difficult for foreigners to ask for the governor. An dignified government is related to the dignity of the country, don't you think?"

Wu Chongyao said: "Look at what foreigners mean, I'm afraid they will send troops to search for them?"

Bo Futai said: "Let him go elsewhere to avoid the limelight.

"Wu Chongyao said: "Ye Zhongtang's temper may not be persuaded to change. "

Bo Futai said: "We can only see his luck, we will always do our best."

On the eighteenth day, people from the prefecture and county met Mingchen and asked him to move.Mingchen agreed to move into the Zuodu Administration.The prefectural and county capitals said: "The yamen of Zuodu is in the same city. It's better to move to a remote place."

Mingchen said: "It doesn't matter."

After 25 days, nothing happened.

The prefectures and counties reported back to Bofutai, and Bofutai just shook his head and sighed.

On the 21st, foreign soldiers broke into the yamen of Fantai and moved all the money from the fan treasury, totaling more than [-] taels.Then he went to the Yamen of Nanhai County, opened the prison, released the prisoners, and asked them to lead the way, looking for the Yamen of General Ye Mingmao's ancestors, robbed General Mukdena, and went to see the governor together.When Xianggui came out to see him, he was also robbed by foreign soldiers and went to Guanyin Mountain.

When Zhang Shufan was arrested on patrol, he was robbed together.Then I went to Zuodutong Yamen, Dutong Qingling was sick in bed, and four foreign soldiers forced him out.Ye Mingchen hid under the banana tree and was finally not searched by them.The two servants secretly rejoiced.Xu Qing said: "Master Qing was searched by foreigners, our master is lucky that they didn't know, otherwise it would be too bad."

Hu Shun said: "Foreigners are all bad things, maybe they will come back and search."

Xu Qing said: "Let's advise Master to hide somewhere else."

So the two families went to the study to persuade Mingmao and Mingchen, and said with a smile: "I have the silent protection of Lu and Li Erxian, I'm afraid what will happen to them."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard the sound of leather boots outside the door, Hu Shun said: "It's not good, foreigners are here."

Mingchen is busy avoiding.Where the door curtain was lifted, a dozen or so blue-eyed and purple-bearded foreign soldiers charged straight in with their guns in their hands, majestic and murderous, like King Kong in a Buddhist temple, or a Taoist general.A traitor had already stepped forward, held Mingchen by his arm, and said with a smile, "Ye Zhongtang, Mr. Yang is here to welcome you, please go to Guanyin Mountain for a few days."

After finishing speaking, I will leave now.Mingchen said: "I am the Prime Minister of the Qing Dynasty, and the system cannot be lost."

The traitor returned to the foreigner, and the foreigner agreed.So he still used the big green sedan chair to carry Mingchen up the mountain, and sent him to the warship that night.Wu Xun arrested Lan Xuan, Jia Ding Xu Qing, and Hu Shun, but they all followed him.The foreigner took Mingchen with him, spread out his wheels and drummed waves, and drove the warship straight to the white goose pool.Here the gentlemen went up the mountain hand in hand, and the foreigner was sent back to the general and governor, and the manager took care of everything.The foreigner replied that this matter can always be discussed, but at this moment, it cannot be discussed.

On this day, the general, the governor, and the metropolitan council impeached Ye Mingchen. As soon as the participation was delivered, the inspector of Fuyuan went down the mountain to tell Si Daofu and the county to prepare more sedan chairs and horses to meet him on the mountain.

The military constitution and Fuxian are scheduled to accompany the foreign officials down the mountain to return to the office tomorrow, and the local officials have to do so.

On this day, the foreign general led the team down the mountain, leading the drums and music, the foreign general's shoulders were in front, and the military commander and the capital commander were behind.As soon as he arrived in Fuyuan, General Yang went inside first, and when the sedan chair in Fuyuan arrived, General Yang stepped down to greet him, and invited him to sit up, making it look like he was mainly against customers.The Fuyuan lived in the office, and foreigners sent troops to defend it. When the subordinates came to visit, they were all interrogated, news was blocked, and their actions were not free.At this time, inside and outside the city square, notices were posted all over the place, which listed the titles of a certain palace in the Qing Dynasty, a certain official in the Great Britain, a certain official in the Great France, or a combination of prefectures and counties.The governor's decree was stamped and hung on a sheet, showing the main purpose of the Chinese government, such as "Chinese and foreign families are reconciled, and the common people are not allowed to make troubles, and they are not allowed to call devils afterward. If foreigners go to the countryside, the officials and the people should treat them with courtesy" and other words , There are a lot of strange things, and it's hard to describe them all.

Cai Zhenwu, an alternate Taoist, who worked with Westernization, had great insights. He was appointed by the Fuyuan Committee to handle peace affairs, and the foreigners were very happy.One day, the foreigners wanted to choose to garrison troops in the city. Zhenwu hurriedly said that it would be easy, and that the two counties of Yunan and Fan were the leaders of the noble army. They patrolled all over the city for a week. It's time to camp in one place.The foreigner said happily: "My army is very grateful for your kindness. The people of your country are as smooth as yours. There will never be any disharmony between China and foreign countries."

Zhenwu received these compliments from the foreigners, he was really like a hozen with gold on his head, he felt that the ground was as soft as cotton, his body was as light as a swallow, with all joints and limbs, he was indescribably happy.Li Chuan Hua Tingjie from Nanhai County and Li Futai from Panyu County came to the mansion and told him what the foreigners meant and asked them to be the guides.The two of them silently responded, Zhenwu couldn't help but bemoaned.Li Futai said: "Forgive me, my lord. Futai doesn't have the ability to curry favor with foreigners. Please appoint someone else."

Zhenwu said: "Who should I appoint? You two are local officials."

Futai said: "Your Excellency also knew that Futai was a magistrate. How many times have you seen a magistrate guiding foreign soldiers to camp? Do the magistrates have the face to see the people after doing such a thing?"

Zhenwu smiled and said: "What is the current situation, and you are still so turbaned, are you afraid that your name will be included in Qing history?"

At this time, Ting Jie couldn't bear it anymore, and said angrily: "The love history of celebrities is not public, let alone us?"

Zhenwu's expression changed immediately, and the matter of bringing tea to the guests and guiding the tour of the city had to be delegated to another state or county.

One day, when Ting sent it to Guangdong, foreigners forced Bai Futai to read and explain.Bo Futai had no choice but to read it to foreigners: Ye Mingchen used imperial envoys to handle foreign affairs, and if the foreigners asked for indecent and unreasonable demands and could not be granted, he should try to enlighten him.On the one hand, together with generals and governors, etc., they will make proper arrangements for care and control.

It was the foreigner who delivered two notes to the general, governor, and deputy commander of the capital, but did not negotiate and handle them. Even if the details in the note were not announced, they were delayed for a long time.As a result, foreigners were so angry that they broke into the provincial capital, which was really headstrong, perverted management, and a big responsibility.Ye Mingchen was dismissed immediately after writing.

This is it.After reading at Bai Futai, he said to the foreigners: "Look at the emperor of this country, is he holy or not?

The foreigner replied: "The Son of Heaven is wise, and he should be punished for his crime."It's a pity that in China, only the Son of Heaven is a sage, and none of the governors and officials can uphold the sage's will.Just like the priests in this province, who live outside the city, even though the people make things difficult for us, the Guifu Yuan pretends to be deaf and dumb, and never prohibits them with a single word. "

Bo Futai quickly apologized.The next day, inside and outside of Guangcheng, notices of the Council of the Fubuyuan were posted all over the place, prohibiting residents from cutting off roads and beating foreigners. Among them were words such as "If you dare to borrow words to practice in groups, you should be punished as treason", the words were very strict.

This year, the foreign soldiers celebrated the New Year in Guangzhou.The British also came up with a strategy, dating France, the United States, and Russia, each sending an official to Jiangsu to ask Liangjiang to make Taiwan, and begging him to inform the prime ministers of China and North Korea to discuss suspicious matters.On the one hand, he ordered Ye Mingchen to be escorted overseas.On the fourth day of the first lunar month, Wu Xun arrested Lan Lang and went to the city of Guangzhou. He kowtowed at the Fuyuan and presented Ming Chen's handwritten letter, claiming that he would go overseas and order him to prepare clothes and food. Ten stones and 1000 taels of silver.The Bofu Court ordered the officials and gentry to do so.On the ninth day of the first lunar month, the foreign ship sailed to Hong Kong, arrived in Singapore on the fifteenth day, arrived in Bangladesh on the seventeenth day, landed on the first day of February, and lived in a fort by the river.On March 25, moved to the local garden of Darien Temple and lived upstairs.So the stubborn and unyielding Ye Xiangguo became Napoleon exiled on a deserted island.Fortunately, Ming Chen is a person who has read books for ten years and raised his spirits for ten years. Even though he is a prisoner of Chu, he still paints and recites poems, enjoying himself.The painting is signed by Su Wu from Haihai, and there are only two poems handed down in the poems: "The moon is cold on the top of the tower in Zhenhai, turn the stars into a list of fearful guests."

There is Zongyun Yi Fan in the army, and all the armies of Zhengnai are watching from the wall.

Why should Xiang Xu beg to be spared from death? Su Qing advised him to have extra meals.

It is difficult to paint Danqing in the future, but it is difficult to write with a sad expression.

Alone, wandering and sighing about being homeless, Yanzha still spreads the word of Jieduya.

It's hard to find Gao Shimi outside the door, and the envoys are far away from the fight.

The heart is startled, the tiger's voice is anxious, and the sight of Ciwu is slanted.

Only spring still returns, and the partition wall is red with kapok.

Mingchen lived in Mengkawe for more than a year, and died of illness.The British took iron coffins and pine coffins and sent them back to Guangdong.The Cantonese said: "If you don't fight, you won't make peace. If you don't defend, you won't die. If you don't surrender, you won't go. The ministers measure, the ambitions of the border ministers, what there was nothing in the past, what we have today."

This is all for later.

However, officials from the four countries of Britain, France, the United States and Russia arrived in Shanghai by sea. After hearing that He Guiqing, who made Taiwan in Liangjiang, was stationed in Changzhou, they changed to Suzhou by boat and asked to see Zhao Dezhe, Futai, and explain their intentions.Zhao Futai consulted and sent it to Chang, and He Zhitai made a report based on it.Wen Zongli called Manxiang Yucheng to discuss how to deal with it.Yucheng said: "Russia, as a country, has never been allowed to do business in Guangdong. If there is a business event, you can ask him to go to Heilongjiang according to the daily routine, and wait for the ministers in charge there to discuss. Britain, France, and the United States, now Since Guangdong has sent new imperial envoys to deal with foreign affairs, and there are already commissioners, it is advisable to call them back to Guangdong and wait for investigation. I will see you, my servant, to see if they are worthy, and I will beg for a judge."

If you want to know whether Wen Zong is allowed to play or not, let's listen to the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)