Chapter 17

Early summer, twilight

In the magnificent Forbidden City, the palace buildings stretched out in a continuous line, always solemn and majestic, resplendent and splendid. On the blue stone road leading from the Hall of Supreme Harmony to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, a 16-palanquin carriage was slowly moving along the straight path; under the bright purple and gold canopy, a young figure could be faintly seen sitting inside. On both sides of the palanquin, more than ten eunuchs in blue uniforms ran alongside. It was May, and the capital was sweltering with heat, which was even more tormenting for these physically weak individuals. Although they were drenched in sweat, none of them dared to reach out to wipe the sweat from their foreheads.

The young man was of medium build, with slightly sunken cheeks. Although his features were still quite regular, his complexion was somewhat pale and sickly. He adjusted the brocade crown that had become skewed due to the jostling and asked, "Is there anything unusual in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?"

Hearing the young man speak, an old eunuch with embroidered auspicious beasts on his clothing, clearly different from the others, immediately stepped forward. Without any pretense, his deeply wrinkled face already showed a most sincere and fawning smile: "Your Majesty, Mr. Weng is already waiting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, just for you." His voice, sharp and high-pitched like a duck's, instantly made all the eunuch actors of the Heavenly Dynasty feel ashamed.

"Hmm?" The young man was taken aback, his brows gradually knitting together, and he fell silent. It was nearly sunset, and he had not expected that a senior minister would be waiting for him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. His previous question was just a prelude to his plan to sow the seeds of mites. Seeing the young man's displeased expression, the old eunuch realized that his response had touched a sore spot. After a moment of unease, he finally heard the young man's voice slowly echo in his ear: "Mr. Weng must have come to discuss important matters. I am determined to emulate the Sage Ancestor; how can I neglect the fate of our Great Qing due to personal feelings? Issue the edict, proceed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and let the Empress Zhen wait for now."

The old eunuch felt a great weight lifted from his heart and called out, "Your Majesty is always cautious and resolute, wise and enlightened, like the Sage Ancestor reborn, truly a blessing for the world!"

The young man slightly shook his head, indicating that he did not think he had reached the level described by the old eunuch. However, his face, which was more radiant than a chrysanthemum, and his flushed cheeks clearly showed that he was very pleased with the flattery: "This old man, having lived so long, truly has a keen eye, ahaha, ahahaha..." The young man was elated inside.

Just as he was daydreaming about the Great Qing regaining its former glory under his wise rule, punching England and kicking France, the palanquin had already arrived at the front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Emperor Guangxu, reluctantly ending his pleasant daydream, got up and walked down from the palanquin. Not far away, inside the palace gate, an old man with a white beard, dressed in a first-rank official's attire, stood quietly on a plush carpet in front of the dragon desk. Seeing Guangxu enter the highest seat of power in the Great Qing, the spirited Mr. Weng knelt on both knees and paid his respects to the highest ruler of the Great Qing.

"Mr. Weng, please rise. Someone, get Mr. Weng a seat." As Guangxu's slightly hoarse voice echoed through the palace, a young eunuch placed a brocade stool in front of the old man with the white beard. The old man thanked him and sat down, placing half of his buttocks on the stool, and said, "Your Majesty, Xue Fucheng, who is in the West, has sent back a message."

For some reason, upon hearing the word "West," Guangxu's neck involuntarily retracted slightly. His face showed a complex mix of emotions: envy, fear, tension, and anticipation. After a long while, he straightened his back, leaned forward, and asked in a low voice, "What is the stance of the Western powers on Japan's provocation in Korea?"

Weng Tonghe had seen Guangxu in this state more than once. As the emperor of the Great Qing, Guangxu lacked confidence in his own country and instead admired and feared the Western powers like lions and tigers. However, this xenophilic and xenophobic character of Guangxu was shaped by his upbringing and the decline of the country. Although Weng Tonghe felt very uncomfortable, he could only accept it silently. In response to Guangxu's question, Weng Tonghe said solemnly, "According to the message from Xue Fucheng, France, Italy, Russia, and America have only verbally condemned Japan's ambitions. Britain has not even commented, directly finding an excuse to send our envoy out the door. In my view, these barbarians are mostly just spectators, with no intention of intervening or mediating."

Although he had already guessed that this might be the result, hearing it from his teacher's mouth, Guangxu's pale face could not hide his disappointment and anger. After a long silence, Guangxu suddenly noticed that Weng Tonghe had left out a country in his words and asked with some doubt, "Isn't Xue Fucheng in Germany? Why didn't he mention Germany's stance in the telegram?"

Xue Fucheng was a capable minister under Li Hongzhang and thus a mortal enemy of Mr. Weng. The reason for leaving Germany last was to give Guangxu a taste of the situation, making his anger take precedence. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Mr. Weng immediately put on a look of sudden realization and bowed, saying, "I am old and forgetful, having forgotten this part. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Although Germany, like the other barbarians, only said a few insincere words, they have sent a new large warship to visit our Great Qing, accompanied by their prince."

"Large warship? Visit?" Guangxu repeated several times, suddenly remembering the painful history of the Anglo-French Allied Forces burning the Summer Palace, and asked subconsciously, "They are not here to take advantage of our weakness, are they?"

To find fault in the telegram and bring down Li Hongzhang's capable assistant, Weng Tonghe had scrutinized the telegram and discussed it with his staff countless times. Now, as Guangxu asked, Weng Tonghe recalled the words in the telegram and said slowly, "It should not be. Accompanying the large warship is only a medical supply ship, which is not the composition of a wartime fleet. Additionally, their prince is on board, which is a sign of a peaceful visit!"

Guangxu patted his chest with lingering fear and nodded repeatedly, "It's good that they are not here to take advantage of our weakness, it's good that they are not here to take advantage of our weakness. I am truly afraid of those Western powers joining Japan against our Great Qing. Even though the Beiyang Fleet has two ironclad warships, they are still far inferior to the powers!" He carefully examined Weng Tonghe from head to toe and praised, "Mr. Weng, based on a few words in the telegram, you can predict the enemy from a thousand miles away. You are truly a pillar of our Great Qing!"

"If I had not discussed it with my staff, how could I be here in front of you?" Weng Tonghe was secretly pleased, showing a look of calm and composed dignity, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty is too kind. As a minister, how can I not do my utmost to help the emperor?"

Guangxu was moved. Compared to Li Hongzhang, who colluded with Empress Dowager Cixi, his teacher was indeed more reliable. He sighed softly, "Is it really necessary for our Great Qing to go to war with Japan this time? I just don't understand where Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, got the nerve to challenge our Great Qing?"

Although Weng Tonghe did not get along with Li Hongzhang, as the leader of the national reformists, he shared a similar hatred for Japan. Hearing Guangxu's low voice, he could not help but hum and said with disdain and contempt, "The Japanese barbarians are only trying to take advantage of the Empress Dowager's 60th birthday and the nationwide celebration to extort a large sum from our Great Qing. Their ambitions are clear. But how can we let them get away with it?"

Guangxu tentatively asked, "What do you think, Mr. Weng?"

"Fight!" Weng Tonghe answered resolutely, "A fish in a river does not know the vastness of the sea. Even if our Great Qing is inferior to the British and French in technology, it is not a small country like Japan that can threaten us! When the Sage Ancestor faced Russian aggression and the rebellion of the Zunghar, he crushed them with overwhelming force. For these wolves and dogs, the roar of cannons is the best way to communicate!"

In his heart, Guangxu actually wanted to fight. Weng Tonghe's reference to his most admired Kangxi greatly touched him. However, thinking of the Empress Dowager in the Cining Palace, the fighting spirit that had just ignited in Guangxu's heart was instantly extinguished like a spark doused by the sea. Seeing Weng Tonghe still talking non-stop, he weakly asked, "What about the Empress Dowager's birthday?"

His words were like arrows, piercing the heart.

Looking at the Great Qing's imperial teacher and Minister of Revenue, who looked like a frost-bitten eggplant, Guangxu smiled bitterly and was about to comfort his young and passionate teacher when he suddenly thought of a question and said, "Mr. Weng, what is the purpose of the Germans sending a warship to visit? Is there any possibility of them mediating this imminent conflict?"

Regarding this, Weng Tonghe had also made preparations. After a moment of hesitation, he said slowly, "The Germans' ultimate goal in this visit is to sell equipment to our Great Qing. Since the establishment of the Beiyang Fleet in the 14th year of Guangxu, we have not purchased any more ships from the Germans. The purchase of daily ammunition is clearly not enough to satisfy the Germans. Therefore, they have sent their best warship to show us the real thing and get us to pay for it. If the Germans really wanted to mediate, they would have sent a fleet, not just one warship!"

Guangxu painfully rubbed his temples, his already pale face losing even more color, and said weakly, "These Germans are really overthinking it. I am so poor, where do I have the money to buy their warships? At present, the Empress Dowager's birthday is the top priority of our Great Qing. The Ministry of Revenue must ensure the supply and not let the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration have any flaws. Let Li Hongzhang do his best to stabilize the Japanese and deal with them after the Empress Dowager's birthday."

Weng Tonghe understood clearly. Japan's provocations at this time when the Great Qing was at its weakest were already like an arrow that could not be recalled. How could they retreat? However, he did not point this out to Guangxu. Why not take this opportunity to strike a blow against Li Hongzhang?

"By the way, what about the German prince?" Guangxü picked up the jade water cup on the table and took a sip, "Even if Germany has no intention of intervening in the conflict between the Great Qing and Japan, we can still use him as a breakthrough to improve relations with Germany and deter the small nations. That is a country that has defeated France on the battlefield! What specific methods should be used, Mr. Weng should know better than I do, right?"

"I understand, Your Majesty, please rest assured. This kind of thing is best handled by Li Hongzhang. Let him take care of it," Weng Tonghe nodded in agreement, already having a rough idea in his mind.

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Yesterday, I came back from school and was on the road all day, so I couldn't update. I apologize. We are about to reach the naval battle, so please give some recommendations and favorites!~~~

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