Master Yuan, start!

One reason was that several of the original military ministers, such as Yili, fled together, so it was impossible to gather so many people.

Secondly, Guangxu wanted to examine the conduct and ability of all officials, so he gathered Yuan Xiangcheng, Weng Tong, Li Hongzao, Shi Duo, Pan Zuyin, Xu Gengshen and others together, regardless of their official positions, so that he could consult with them.

"Master Weng, why won't you let me meet with the foreign envoys?" Guangxu was puzzled. "I'm not a demon queen who hides behind a curtain all day and refuses to see anyone."

"Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to. It's just that you alone are responsible for the safety of the country and we can't act rashly." Weng Tong spoke up and he had his own reasons.

"The Emperor has not yet taken charge of government, and has not received foreign envoys in over ten years. The location and etiquette of the audience now require detailed consultation with officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple before a decision is made."

Weng Tongming's reasons were sufficient. According to convention, from 1871 when Guangxu ascended the throne to 1890, he had never received any foreign envoys because he had not yet taken power.

Now that we have made contact, we must first set some rules in terms of etiquette and regulations, otherwise there will be unpleasantness.

Before Emperor Xianfeng, the Qing emperors did not have many opportunities to receive foreign envoys. It was only during the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong periods that they met with foreign envoys more often. However, at that time, it was still the "Heavenly Kingdom" stage. The Qing Dynasty felt that it was powerful and was not so particular about etiquette.

After Xianfeng, the country became weaker and was beaten several times by foreigners. It was embarrassing, so people began to pay attention to etiquette.

This is why the Qing Dynasty had a rule that it would not easily receive foreign heads of state. To put it bluntly, they were afraid of being bullied and were too embarrassed to meet them.

Even if foreign envoys wanted to see the emperor, they had to have credentials. Otherwise, it would be considered a "private meeting" and was not allowed by etiquette.

Of course, these are the things that the more stable group of Manchu officials insisted on, and Guangxu naturally would not agree with them.

Because he had already met with the German ambassador in Seoul.

"When the Demon Queen was still here, I was under strict surveillance. When the Demon Queen left, I was still under strict surveillance.

Didn’t the witch queen leave in vain?!” Guangxu was also young and hot-tempered, and when no one tried to stop him, he blurted out these words without hesitation.

All the ministers in the hall were old foxes. Their expressions did not change after hearing these words, but they were thinking differently.

As soon as you took power, you acted like this. Others would make three big moves as a new official, but I think you want to make three big moves as a new emperor. You are so anxious, and it seems that you want to use someone to establish your authority.

Under the influence of Cixi, these people had already formed the habit of seeking stability in everything, not seeking achievement but avoiding mistakes. Their ability to accept new things was far less than that of Guangxu.

The reason why they stayed in Beijing and did not go south with Cixi was because the classics and history books they had learned throughout their lives taught them to be "loyal to the emperor".

The inertia of thinking made them choose Guangxu between Cixi and Guangxu, but also made them choose conservatism between radicalism and conservatism.

"Your Majesty, the matter of receiving an audience is indeed of great importance. I have no objection," Li Hongzao, who had also briefly been Guangxu's teacher, said, "but when the late emperor was alive, the envoys of the five countries of Britain, France, Russia, the United States, and the Netherlands came together to meet the late emperor.

The late emperor wanted to give a generous feast to all the envoys in the Purple Light Pavilion, and the Imperial Household Department had been working on this matter for a long time. However, the British envoy Sir Thomas Wade was dissatisfied because the Purple Light Pavilion was the place where the Qing Dynasty received vassal states. Later, due to the death of the late emperor, this matter came to an end.

Now that the British envoy has returned, he may bring up the dispute from the Tongzhi era again."

What Li Hongzao said does make sense. Back then, the British felt that meeting in the Purple Light Pavilion was against etiquette. So if they were to meet again now, where would they meet?

Seeing both masters explaining, Guangxu listened carefully at first, but later he felt a little angry because they did not solve the problem but instead threw the problem to him.

Foreign envoys are unwilling to meet in the Ziguang Pavilion. You, the ministers, should come up with a solution. You are talking about this and that, neither opposing nor supporting, and you are really slippery.

It is true that Guangxu was right to think so, but people always act for their own interests. After Guangxu came to Beijing, he did not judge their previous behavior of joining forces to fight against Yuan Shikai. Instead, he seemed to support them. Naturally, they wanted to teach the new emperor a good lesson.

This can be regarded as a tacit joint move by all the ministers in the capital. After the emperor took power, he naturally had to establish his own team.

However, important officials who served as imperial tutors or were not loyal to Cixi suddenly found that they seemed to be marginalized.

How can this be? When you were not yet in power, we spared no effort to teach you and secretly support you. Now that you are in power, how can you kick me out?

Therefore, they first excluded Yuan Shikai openly and secretly, and secondly, they deliberately threw difficult problems to Guangxu, wanting Guangxu to know that without them, the court could not function.

This is also a common problem in the bureaucratic system. When they find that their existence is in jeopardy, they are no longer a place to solve problems, but instead become an institution that creates problems.

Guangxu was less than 20 years old, a young man with no experience in martial arts. How could he be a match for these old foxes? So he could only turn to Yuan Shikai for help.

Of course, Yuan Xiangcheng saw the intention of these old foxes to bully Guangxu, and he also caught a loophole in their words.

When Emperor Tongzhi met with the five Western countries, it was a normal diplomatic meeting and there was no important military intelligence, so they could bargain on etiquette issues.

Now the envoys from France, Britain and Germany are "asking to see" the emperor. Why would they care about so many etiquette things when asking others for help?

But it was obvious that Guangxu was confused by the two masters' unanimous advice and was completely unaware of the essence of the problem.

However, this is exactly the effect Yuan Shikai wanted. If there is harmony in the capital, how can he develop peacefully in the future?

"Your Majesty, I have something to say," Yuan Xiangcheng said, bowing. "Whether this etiquette is in accordance with the rules is not up to us to decide. It depends on whether the foreigners are willing. If the foreigners are willing, then why not use the imperial kitchen?"

Meeting in the kitchen, how can you say that? Talking about state affairs while eating mutton hotpot, how can that be allowed?

Some of the ministers in the field were amused by Yuan Xiangcheng, while some glared at him angrily.

However, Guangxu's eyes lit up, because he heard something else in Yuan Xiangcheng's words.

Yes, it was the foreigners who begged me, not me begging the foreigners, or Yuan Qing was sincere to me. This group of important officials of the country usually talk very well, but when it comes to working, they are more timid than each other.

It’s Ziguang Pavilion, you can visit it if you want!

"What Mr. Yuan said is very true," Guangxu was delighted. Mr. Yuan was indeed a loyal minister. "According to your advice, send the imperial censor to ask the foreigners. If they are willing to see me, then I can see them. If not, then I can save time and have dinner with you all in the imperial kitchen!"

"!"

The young eunuch took the eight oral orders and went out of the palace to look for the censor on the land. He was very fast because the Sixth Division was just south of the Forbidden City, across Chang'an Avenue.

Soon, the opinions of the French, German and British envoys came.

"I will be happy to meet you anywhere, but I only hope to see the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty as soon as possible."

"Let's go, my lords?" Guangxu smiled widely. It was the first time he made his own decision.

Although Weng Tong, Li Hongzao and others were helpless, they could only follow the imperial carriage to the Ziguang Pavilion.

The emperor's carriage was in front, and Guangxu specifically called Yuan Xiangcheng to the side to ride a horse, and asked him some questions from time to time.

As for the other important ministers, even if some of them were already in their seventies or eighties, they could only follow the imperial carriage and walk step by step on foot.

The treatment was high and low, and even the palace maids and eunuchs who had no sensitivity to political affairs could see it.

Lord Yuan, you are so favored!

Seeing such a harmonious situation between the emperor and his subjects, the young eunuch following behind recalled the old palace news passed down by word of mouth by the old eunuchs.

Emperor Yongzheng once went out of the palace to personally welcome Nian Gengyao back to Beijing, and he was given special permission to enter the palace without dismounting and ride into the Forbidden City.

Today, Emperor Guangxu treats Yuan Shikai as wholeheartedly as Emperor Yongzheng treats Nian Gengyao.

But immediately, they thought of Nian Gengyao's tragic experience.

Bah, bah, bah, that's not right. How could he say that about Nian Gengyao? It should be Emperor Qianlong talking about Fu Kang'an.

That’s not right. Fukang’an died at the age of 40. Isn’t this a curse for Yuan Shikai to die early?

The young eunuch racked his brains but couldn't think of any other examples. He simply stopped thinking about it and concentrated on walking forward with the Nine Dragon Umbrella in his hand.

Entering the Purple Light Pavilion, Guangxu sat on the imperial throne, with several military ministers standing on his left and right, as well as one interpreter each for French, German, English and other languages.

The foreign envoys also arrived soon, but since they were requesting a temporary audience, they did not bring any credentials.

As soon as the French Minister Badno finished kneeling on one knee to pay his respects to the European heads of state in front of Emperor Guangxu, he could not wait to threaten him.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, France is deeply sorry to see this kind of palace treason and coup d'état happening in the East, with one emperor sending troops to attack another and driving him out of the capital."

Badno was full of energy and seemed to think that what he said was very just.

However, the translation was terrible, but he had no choice but to translate it, and he still tried his best to polish it.

"Your Majesty, the Great Qing Emperor, the French envoy respectfully asks why Your Majesty sent troops to attack the false Emperor Baoqing and even invaded the capital."

As soon as the translation was finished, everyone in the Zi Guang Pavilion's expressions changed drastically, especially Weng Tong, who regretted letting Guangxu meet the envoy. Now, he knew something was wrong as soon as they met.

Guangxu clenched his fists and tried hard not to get angry, but all the ministers could see from a glance up that his expression was unwavering. Just as Weng Tong was considering how to respond.

Yuan Xiangcheng directly questioned: "Have the French forgotten their experience here five years ago?

Or does General Courbet think the navy fleet can sail onto land?"

Yuan Qing is very tough, he speaks in a tough way!

He is worthy of being the man who captured the French general alive.

Guangxu breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed his hands, looked at Yuan Xiangcheng, and his eyes were full of his shape.

Chapter 154 Two emperors rule together, it’s Rome!

This Badno, who relied on his arrogance and unreasonableness to trick Li Hongzhang into taking Taiwan, brought so many benefits to France in the Far East, and he had been promoted long ago.

"The French government believes that the warring parties should properly handle their disputes rather than resort to war," Badno said, raising his chin arrogantly. "Otherwise, this would be a major blow to China's international image."

Badno should not have been so direct, after all, Guangxu never claimed to abolish the Sino-French-Vietnamese Treaty.

However, his country and the Qing Dynasty had always been at odds and there was no good communication channel. In addition, Badno, who had just been promoted, wanted to use this opportunity to demonstrate his power, so he was a little anxious.

"From what I understand, this civil war was entirely initiated by General Yuan, your troops." Badno pointed at Yuan Xiangcheng. "I have reason to suspect this is a power struggle within the royal family, and it will have an impact on the economic interests of various countries in China."

The immediate accusation of undermining the interests of all countries was put on him, but Badno remained calm and collected.

The German and British ministers had no intention of refuting and just watched silently.

After all, if the French could make the Qing government surrender and give up greater interests, they would also benefit, right?

"Oh, so what?" Yuan Xiangcheng didn't even raise his eyelids.

Badno was still repeating his wishful thinking: "Therefore, in order to protect the interests of France and other European countries in China, the customs duties, lijin, and salt taxes from all over the south will need to be deposited in the Banque de l'Indochine branch in Xiamen.

In addition, in order to prevent similar incidents from happening again, a railway from Tianjin to Beijing needs to be built under French supervision.”

Cut tariffs and build railways!

After hearing this from the translator, Weng Tongxin thought it was bad. If the foreigners were allowed to do this, the Qing Dynasty might no longer be a country.

He immediately blamed Yuan Xiangcheng in his heart, accusing him of being too tough and not leaving enough room for compromise.

However, Yuan Xiangcheng didn't pay any attention to Weng Tong's expression. He was concentrating on the Frenchman Badno.

Sure enough, the French did not come for Cixi at all, but came to blackmail her.

Yuan Xiangcheng looked up at Badno, wondering where he got his confidence from. Did the French not care about Britain's opinion?

Yuan Shikai did not know that because of the occupation of Taiwan and Xiamen, France had established the "Far East Colonial Government" in East Asia in advance and appointed Badnot, who had made great contributions, as the deputy governor of the colonial government.

This power is much greater than that of a mere minister, and Badno is actually ready to step down as minister to China, but is just waiting for the arrival of the new minister.

However, Yuan Xiangcheng glanced at the British Minister Eugene, who did not show any objection. It seemed that he wanted the French to charge in the front and he would also drink a sip of soup.

It seems that my search Qu: Jiusi $ Kou Cishan)? Wu chips are still not enough, or the benefits provided to the British are not enough, so they acquiesce to the French actions.

Instead of helping the Chinese who have cooperated with them in North Korea.

In that case, let’s offer more benefits to lure the British into taking the bait!