Li Guolou inspected a circle of Western-style buildings and was very satisfied with Smiley's work. He also wanted to see the two steamships in Fuhai. He looked at his pocket watch and found that it was already past four o'clock in the afternoon and the sky was getting dark, so he gave up the idea of patrolling. .There are two routes, Qichun Garden and Wanchun Garden. Li Guolou is hesitant about which way to go?
"Go to Wanchun Garden!" Li Guolou boarded the carriage and went straight to Wanchun Garden. Empress Dowager Cixi was cautious and went to greet Empress Dowager Cixi first.
Li Guolou's motorcade did not go through the main entrance, but passed through a tree-lined path to Wanchun Garden, where Xiaode Zhang was eagerly looking forward to it. When he saw Li Guolou's carriage, he hurried forward and complained: "I said big brother. !Why did you come here? The two Queen Mothers are waiting for you."
Li Guolou jumped off the carriage and said solemnly: "Xiao Dezhang, I'm going to inspect the work. The time is just right." He also said: "I brought a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager Cixi. Send someone to move it quickly. Be careful, it's very valuable."
Xiao Dezhang took a banknote and his eyes instantly narrowed. Xiao Dezhang stretched his neck to look at the jade watermelon in the carriage, and shouted arrogantly: "What a good thing! Come on, guys, hurry up." If you move it, Mr. Li will give you a heavy reward."[
"Hey! Mr. Li, don't let your men move it. The slaves will move it." The four eunuchs moved the shelves quickly, walking like ducks and carrying the shelves steadily.
Li Guolou took off his official hat and strode across the threshold. Here he was the emperor, and the two queen mothers would sing hymns in his praise...
The next morning, the light rain was pouring, and Li Guolou stood alone under the pavilion, doing Tai Chi slowly, waiting for the two empress dowagers to go out. Dressing up is a big thing for a woman, nothing should be rushed, just take care of it when you come to the Old Summer Palace. You should cultivate your "nature".
When Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an traveled, they wore linen clothes with round collars and plackets. The collar, sleeves, and edges of the placket were all decorated with wide lace, and the cuffs were wide. They also added waistcoats, but the patterns were different. They wore their hair in a flag-style bun. Wearing flowerpot-soled flag shoes. The two held large floral silks and smiled at each other. They both thought they were extremely beautiful, as if they were back in the past when they were competing for favor.
The two of them were actually dressed up, but they did not leave the dressing room on the second floor, but looked at Li Guolou through the glass.
Empress Dowager Cixi smiled foolishly and said: "Sister, look at the small building. It looks like the characters in the New Year paintings, it is not real at all."
Empress Dowager Ci'an squinted and said, "Sister, don't be greedy. Times have changed. We need to leave a clear name and give people room for imagination without leaving any traces behind."
The Empress Dowager Cixi opened the glass, letting the raindrops drift in, and the cool autumn breeze blew in. Only Li Guolou's figure was in her eyes, and she praised: "Xiaolou is so capable, I think I have a good taste."
"Sister, I was the one who made the first move. It's my turn to make the first move tonight." Empress Dowager Ci'an smiled happily and stepped out of the dressing room.
"Xiaolou, does this palace look good?" Empress Dowager Ci'an looked like an eighteen-year-old Princess, twisting her hips and turning her waist.
"Beautiful! The most beautiful woman in the Qing Dynasty is like a hibiscus emerging from the water, standing gracefully and gracefully." Li Guolou lovingly held the hand of Empress Dowager Ci'an, and was the best at flattering her.
"What about me?" Empress Dowager Cixi's almond-shaped eyes shone sharply, as if she could see through Li Guolou's heart.
Li Guolou naturally held the hand of Empress Dowager Cixi, and the three of them walked slowly in the corridor and recited:
"The apricot leaves are as green and as pure as jade,
The yellow hibiscus flowers welcome the autumn wind.
Stay together and look after each other,
It’s so emotional to shake your limbs while drunk.”
"I, I can't walk anymore. I don't want to see a big train with a ghost head. Xiaolou, I have written down all your poems. Don't forget to write this one to Xing'er." Empress Dowager Cixi hugged Li Guolou. , refused to move, with tears flashing in his eyes.
"Be good! I must be like a mother of the country and love you at night." Li Guolou dragged the two and got it done. He is willing to make every effort for the prosperity of the country.[
"Hey!" The two empress dowagers stepped onto the chariot with sweet laughter, and still stared at Li Guo Tower reluctantly.
The Empress Dowager Cixi and the Empress Dowager Ci'an each had their own special cars, and it was rare for them to sit together hand in hand. The carriage drove towards the Western-style Building. Along the way were newly built buildings, such as the Qiong Tower, showing their enchanting figures in the rain. These buildings were renovated with the people's care. Cixi The Queen Mother looked at the scene outside and felt comfortable. She said with a smile: "It's better to have a small building! Don't worry about us, just let the Wanshou Mountain project be fully started. It will not disturb the people, and the craftsmen and servants can still have money to support the whole family. The craftsmen in the capital all rely on us to support themselves."
"Hmph! Of course my sister said that the small building is good. Jade jade watermelon, if I move into your house, my sister will have everything." Empress Dowager Ci'an sneered jealously.
Empress Dowager Cixi rolled her eyes and said: "Sister, what are you in a hurry for? I want to be one year older. When you celebrate your birthday, there will naturally be treasures moved into Qichun Garden. Xiaolou said that the exquisite jade stone will raise clouds and mist, which I can't even imagine. What will the show be like?”
Empress Dowager Ci'an gritted her silver teeth and said: "I don't believe that exquisite jade can rise into the clouds and mist! How dare Xiaolou deceive me? Let's see how I deal with him."
"Hmph! According to my opinion, it is Xiaolou who is responsible for taking care of my sister, who is still a little less capable." Empress Dowager Cixi glanced at the two maids next to her and replied shamelessly.
"Hehehehehe!" Empress Dowager Ci'an and the two maids covered their mouths and smiled coquettishly. The Empress Dowager is a woman and cannot speak without men.
Li Guolou was sitting alone in another chariot. This was a hairpin crossing, which was beyond the duties of a minister. But Li Guolou sat in the chariot with peace of mind. He had come to this point and could not look back in life. When was the emperor beheading him? He deserved it. He didn't believe that Emperor Tongzhi, Mu Zhimujue, had been a puppet emperor for more than ten years. Emperor Tongzhi was in charge of the government personally and did not dare to show his dissatisfaction with the empress dowagers of the two palaces. There was also Emperor Tongzhi who was a different kind of emperor and didn't care what he did. With the empress dowagers of the two palaces hidden, the secret family affairs of the Manchu royal family were not known to anyone. Everyone pretended to be deaf and dumb and just pretended that it had happened.
Along the way, sergeants stood in line in the rain, eunuchs knelt to greet them, and Western-style buildings stood among the green pines and cypresses.
Li Guolou jumped off the chariot and stood in the rain with his back straight. He was the only one here who dared to stand tall and be a human being, without having to grovel and be a slave.
The smiling duck voice said: "Welcome the Empress Dowagers of the two palaces to come, let's play drums!"
The music sounded, and the two mothers of the country entered the Western-style building under two Hua Luo umbrellas. The second team of eunuchs and maids followed in turn. Everyone's movements, positions, and order were all in order, and they moved forward step by step.
Li Guolou behaved well at first, standing at the front of the team to lead the way. But for a while Empress Dowager Ci'an asked him a question, and for a while Empress Dowager Cixi called him over. After a while, Li Guolou was standing between the two empress dowagers. The three of them stood there. Under the cover of a Hua Luo umbrella, take a stroll and admire the Western-style buildings in the rain.
Li Guolou pointed to the big train covered in red and colorful decorations, and said with a smile: "Two Queen Mothers, this locomotive was given by the Prussian Emperor William I, symbolizing the friendship between the two countries, and costing the national treasury one tael of silver. The 'Songhe' number on the front of the locomotive is three "The Queen Mother, guess who wrote it?"
The Empress Dowager Cixi was the most knowledgeable about fonts. She walked to the locomotive, looked at the "Songhe", and said with a charming smile: "Xiaolou wants to confuse me, is I so easy to fool? Is this a new technology?"
It was written by Zhuangyuan Gong, his name is Lu Runxiang, and there are also scriptures he copied for me in my room."
"Xing'er is so smart." Li Guolou praised in a low voice. Thinking of Lu Runxiang, the number one scholar, he felt funny. Lu Runxiang's job was to copy Buddhist scriptures for the Empress Dowager Cixi.
In the Qing Dynasty, only those who were over forty years old were considered to have truly entered the official career, and those over fifty years old could hold high positions of power. At the age of forty-eight, Li Hongzhang was awarded the Bachelor of Wuying Palace and became the first Han official. He had broken the century-old tradition of the Qing Dynasty.
The officialdom tradition of the Qing Dynasty. And he even overturned the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty. At the age of twenty-three, he had already entered the Military Aircraft Department and had more official titles than anyone else. Seven points depended on hard work and three points depended on appearance. Li Guolou accepted the two emperors calmly.
The Queen Mother's favor towards him.
The eunuchs and palace maids next to them had originally looked serious, but now they couldn't help but laugh.
Empress Dowager Ci'an turned her head and looked at it, then scolded: "Be serious about me. You can't smile when taking photos. It's against royal etiquette. Xiaolou, help me get on the Songhe. I'm a little scared."
"Hey!" Li Guolou agreed quickly, but his eyes were directed at the two female photographers holding tripods. Don't look around, or you might be silenced by him.
There were several steps to get on the train. A young eunuch was lying on the bottom of the steps making a meat mat. Li Guolou almost wanted to kick him, but he still held it back. He leaned over the little eunuch and stuffed a banknote into his hands.
, said: "Get aside for me."
"Tie!" The little eunuch didn't even raise his head. His job from morning to night was to be stepped on.[
Li Guolou took the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Empress Dowager Ci'an to visit each carriage. They were already scrupulous in the carriages, and the movements were intimate, and everything they saw was new.
The train carriages are divided into twelve sections and are luxuriously and gorgeously decorated with strong Western ethnic characteristics.
Li Guolou pulled a handle and said: "Miao'er, Xing'er, cover your ears quickly. I have already given the signal to start the train. When the driver of the locomotive sees the signal, he will start the train. He will blow the whistle at the beginning. The sound is a bit loud.
.”
"Xiaolou, please sit next to me. I'm still a little scared." Empress Dowager Ci'an covered her ears and didn't let Li Guolou go. The three of them sat on the sofa.
The train blew its whistle, the sharp sound was deafening, the wheels rolled, and the history of the Qing Dynasty took a big step forward.
The eunuchs and maids could not sit still. If there was any danger in the carriage, they all ran to the exit to see the scenery.
"Oh! This is what the train looks like! It is indeed much faster than a roller train, and it is easier to walk." Empress Dowager Cixi could no longer sit still and began to walk around in the carriage.
Li Guolou said: "The industrial revolution in the West relied on trains to drive social progress. The trains in the Qing Dynasty had only one disadvantage. As a decision-maker of national policy, we must seize the opportunity."
Empress Dowager Cixi asked: "Which harm? Xiaolou can tell you."
Li Guolou smiled sweetly and said: "Xing'er, smart people know that as soon as the train starts running, water transportation will be abolished. So some officials strongly oppose the construction of trains, saying that trains will kill people. In fact, it is the interests of the country. But the country
With the train, our country’s national strength will grow at the speed of the train. What do you think the Qing Dynasty will be like in the future?"
Empress Dowager Cixi said: "Xiaolou, have you seen the collection of Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang?"
Li Guolou shook his head and said: "Myolie, I've only been back for two days. Yesterday I heard Li Hongzhang talk about this brochure at the Prime Minister's Yamen. I've seen the content, but according to Li Hongzhang, he supports the construction of the Beijing-Hankow Railway."
"Oh! Li Hongzhang supports the construction of the Beijing-Hankow Railway! Originally he said that the money would have to wait three to five years, but did he say where the money would come from?" Empress Dowager Cixi was smart in state affairs and looked at Li Guolou smiling.
"Myolie, aren't you asking questions knowingly? I, Li Guolou, serve the country and the people. Even if the Beijing-Hankow Railway is built from the national treasury, I will try my best to raise funds. However, many people will die when building the railway, and some people will fall on the tracks."
"Suicide", not allowing trains to pass, and building a Beijing-Hankong Railway, at least hundreds, or even thousands, of people will die. Then you must support me! The rise of the Qing Dynasty for a century began with the construction of the Beijing-Hankow Railway."
Empress Dowager Ci'an was quite surprised and asked: "Xiaolou, why would someone commit suicide by lying on the train?"
Li Guolou smiled bitterly and said: "People don't understand new things. When they see a road, they jump over the fence and take a shortcut. This kind of thing is also common in Western societies, and it is forbidden repeatedly. The state cannot densely post sentries along the railway line, and people and animals will die there.
It's a normal thing on the railway track. If the censor hits a train and kills someone, it's just a black crow croaking, so ignore it."
"Oh! Hundreds of people died, no big deal, I will take the responsibility for you." Empress Dowager Ci'an didn't even think about it, so she protected Li Guolou.
Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly said: "Xiaolou, I want to take a train to Rehe to play. Can you do it?"
Li Guolou's face turned pale and he said anxiously: "The Empress Dowager must not do it. Rehe is an important military town, and only risks can ensure safety. The Empress Dowager took the Old Summer Palace as a starting point and first searched for a few interesting places within a hundred miles.
Where is the place? How about going to Tianjin Wei?"
"Tianjin Guard?" Empress Dowager Cixi turned to look at Empress Dowager Ci'an, a little unhappy. Tianjin was the territory of foreigners and she didn't want to go.
"Then let's go to Xiangshan! Within a hundred miles, let Xiaolou save some money. Sister, your appetite is too big." Empress Dowager Ci'an made it final that the railway tracks of Xiyanglou should be extended to Xiangshan.
"Well, I'll study the map later and don't let the small building fool me." Empress Dowager Cixi's eyes were filled with spring color, and she thought of a bedroom car. She had never tasted the feeling of being slept with in the bumpy train.
After that, go and give it a try after you have eaten and drank enough.
The first time they took a train, Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi fell in love with the sound of the train. The scene outside seemed to be flying. This feeling was amazing.
Eating Western food in a swaying Western restaurant feels fresh and exciting. A sumptuous lunch gave Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an a new understanding of Western society.
Empress Dowager Ci'an drank tea with satisfaction and said: "Xiaolou is still good at it. It is both efficient and concerned about people's livelihood. A case that was originally not supported by the court has been revealed. I am very pleased that the rise of the Qing Dynasty is expected.
Keep up with the times and be worthy of our ancestors. But the place where we sit cannot be used by the royal family. Xiaolou, how do you arrange it for the emperor?"
Li Guolou's hand holding the tea cup shook. Empress Dowager Ci'an was lucky enough to regard the Old Summer Palace as her own private territory. Not even the Queen Mother was allowed to touch the objects on the Songhe No. 1. He had considered this issue when he was building the Old Summer Palace.
The place where the two empresses spent their old age. In the final analysis, this is the territory of the two empresses. The empress’s territory.
In the Forbidden City. But for the construction of the Qing Dynasty Railway, Li Guolou risked his life and hurriedly expressed his position: "I'm sorry Miao'er, I have thought carefully about it. I will immediately ask the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau to rebuild twenty-four carriages, so that the emperor
, the carriages used by the queen and the royal relatives are slightly different, and the royal dignity is the most important."
"Well, it's not your fault. It's a new thing. I don't know that trains can be used as entertainment tools. This is a good idea. If the emperor and queen want to play, let them play once or twice. Others can wait." Empress Dowager Cixi thought of the emperor.
He is her biological son. She lent her son a big train to play with for a second time, leaving no other members of the royal family involved.
To fall in love with the two empress dowagers who are used to this kind of enjoyment, they have to pay a huge amount of money, but the reward is a hundred times, a thousand times, or even ten thousand times. Li Guolou got a hundred times the reward from the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Empress Dowager Ci'an, and then he let
His business made more than 30 million taels of silver a year. Although this figure is a bit exaggerated, the real estate in the concession was
Xie Liya Real Estate Company's hype was artificially high, but it far exceeded expectations. The source of motivation for him was the support of Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an. So building two luxury trains for Li Guolou was a piece of cake. But it requires
He was careful to make the two empress dowagers think that he had spent all his money and tried his best to consider the two empress dowagers.
Empress Dowager Cixi swayed the red wine in the goblet, following the movement of the car, and said drunkenly: "Xiaolou, you can do things, and I can rest assured. Don't worry when you do things. The Westernization Movement is a new thing. If something goes wrong, I will take care of you."
Don’t worry, if you still have any difficulties, just tell me.”
Li Guolou hugged each other, without using his hands. The wine was in his mouth, and he smiled and said: "Don't worry, Xing'er, no one dares to wear small shoes for me. Only Chongqi, the number one scholar, fanned the flames in the court and said bad things about us. Xing'er
, Miao'er, don't be angry, there's no point in arguing with such an old-fashioned person."
"This old boy!" Empress Dowager Cixi stood up angrily, her almond-shaped eyes glaring, as if she wanted to kill someone. She sat down again and said in a low voice: "Well, I know who is behind this. The country is in turmoil.
Over the past few years, I have maintained my family business in the ups and downs. Now I and my sister have only enjoyed happiness for a few days, and some people are making irresponsible remarks. Hey, hey, hey!"
There was a sneer, and the eyes of Empress Dowager Ci'an showed murderous intent, and women's hearts felt like wasps. The two empress dowagers have been in charge of the power of the country for more than ten years, and they are good at using tactics. Men are played by them in the applause, and the courtiers crawl at their feet.
How can they be willing to suffer a loss? They only have one precious baby, how can they let Li Guolou suffer a loss? Queen Alut seldom greets them, thinking that they are being used. This family that repays kindness with hatred has been hated by the two empress dowagers.
.
Li Lianying stood aside with her head bowed and looked at Zhang Satisfied. The two eunuchs did not dare to look at Li Guolou. They both knew that Li Guolou was a vicious scorpion. If he offended Li Guolou, his death would not be far away.
Later, Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an used revenge methods that were vicious and cruel, far beyond people's imagination. Li Guolou played a disgraceful role in them. It can be said that he planted the root of the disaster. Anyone who knows this
There are only two eunuchs...Li Lianying and Zhang Yiyi.
These two eunuchs had been tight-lipped all their lives, and even until their death they would have said nothing. But one person heard about this from Li Lianying, and that was Xiao De Zhang. Li Guolou thought that this was the brother he recognized, and finally
After betraying him, Xiao Dezhang wrote a memoir about everything in the palace. Li Guolou's sinister methods and how he came to power were recorded in the book by Xiao Dezhang.
The world is so big that there are no wonders. Li Guolou only thought that the photos were loopholes. He was extremely careful about the photos he took in the Western Building. There was one photo in which he and the two empress dowagers appeared together. He thought that there was another person in the world.
A book called a "memoir" would betray his words and deeds.
At this time, Fei Li Guolou was very happy. He raised his wine glass and said: "Miao'er, Xing'er, let's drink to the smooth opening of the first train in the Qing Dynasty. This is a day worth celebrating. The resurgence of the Qing Dynasty will start from this moment.
start."
"Yes! Cheers!" Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an were swaying, confused and intoxicated. They got drunk and went crazy with alcohol. They pounced on Li Guolou like a wolf and a tiger.