Master Yuan, start!

But it is not easy to refuse now, I can only think of a solution later.

Within just a few dozen minutes of contact, Yuan Xiangcheng understood Prince Li's temperament. Although he was a powerful Manchu noble, he did not rely on his status as a prince to bully others. He just enjoyed all the benefits of being a prince and did not transcend the limitations of his class.

Although he has a straightforward personality and a bad temper, he will do everything he can to protect the people he has chosen.

Yuan Jiasan was only his Confucian classics teacher for a few years, but he remembered him for the rest of his life and even asked Yuan Xiangcheng to show him favor.

People like this are very nice when they are in a good mood, but if you make them angry, they will suffer.

"Okay, Shiduo, isn't it just that when you were young, people said a few things about you being unlearned and unmotivated? They were just some of the Dukes of Zhenguo and Fuguo. You are a prince, and you still remember it after decades?" Yi X took a puff of his pipe and scolded with a smile, then said to Yuan Xiangcheng:

"Now that Shiduo has finished speaking, it's my turn to talk to you."

Chapter 24 The decision is yours

"Weiting, don't be so reserved. Come here. This is the tea that the Ministry of Internal Affairs shipped from Fujian. You can try it too." Yi X was very clever and as a prince he did not feel embarrassed at all to be with a Han military officer.

Now, in order to get close to Yuan Xiangcheng, he even calls him by his courtesy name instead of his real name.

It was precisely this kind of character that enabled him to confer the title of hereditary king on his son after he became emperor.

This was certainly because Prince Chun's wife, Yehenara, was Cixi's younger sister, but his flexible and adaptable character also earned him a lot of points in front of Cixi.

After Prince Li Shiduo finished giving his instructions, he did not stay in the study for long. Now, only Yuan Xiangcheng and Prince Chun were left in the room.

Yuan Xiangcheng sat halfway on the chair, said, "Thank you, Your Highness," and waited for Yi X's next words.

Yi X was not in a hurry. He first asked Yuan Xiangcheng whether he was married, how many people were in his family, and whether he was used to living in the capital.

It is also said that the news of Yuan Shikai suppressing the Seoul Rebellion had already spread throughout the capital, and many people regarded Yuan Shikai as a role model.

I attach great importance to the power of public opinion, Yuan Xiangcheng thought.

After suppressing the Seoul Rebellion, he put Yuan Xiangcheng's name on the front page of the Dong-A Ilbo, praising him as the first person to suppress the Seoul Rebellion.

He also sent someone to Shanghai to contact the reporter who reported the incident to report it in detail. He originally wanted to repeat the same trick in Beijing.

That is, there were no newspapers targeting Chinese people in Beijing, so he could only bribe beggars to spread his "great achievements" everywhere.

Yuan Xiangcheng thought of this and glanced at Prince Chun in front of him. "Judging from Yi X's reaction, my plan was quite successful? Your Highness has heard of my deeds."

In fact, Yuan Shikai underestimated the impact of his suppression of the Korean rebellion. Since the First Opium War, the Qing Dynasty had been defeated repeatedly in foreign wars and had almost no victory.

The commanding general who won a few victories was not only valued by the court, but also admired by the people.

The first was the Second Battle of Dagukou, where Senggelinqin defended his forts and inflicted heavy losses on the British and French forces. Although he was unable to stop the Allied forces' advance northward, he was dismissed from his post. However, his dismissal was based on standard practice for defeat in battle; only his authority to command troops was removed, while his position as Imperial Commissioner remained.

The following year, he found an excuse to reinstate his post.

Another time was when Zuo Zongtang recovered Xinjiang.

The two were called "Monk King" and "Zuo Gong" by their contemporaries.

Speaking of which, Yuan Shikai's suppression of the Seoul Rebellion can be regarded as the third foreign war victory since the late Qing Dynasty. Naturally, it became known to everyone with the help of those in the court who had ulterior motives.

Yuan Xiangcheng didn't have to blow the horn himself, someone else did it for him.

Yi X also praised Yuan Shikai's move to Seoul to enhance the prestige of the Qing Dynasty. He rambled on and on, sounding like a neighborhood committee auntie.

"I can still vividly remember you gesturing at the map yesterday in my palace," Yi X said with a sigh. "Once upon a time, I too dreamed of deciding the fate of a nation with ease. But times have changed, and such dreams are ultimately fleeting."

"Your Highness, it's not too late now. You are still in the prime of your life." Yuan Xiangyi...LingU Lu A-Si,! Liuzhuang ZHuaUn: Cheng clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "Bismarck, the Chancellor of the German Empire, ascended to the throne at your age. He assisted the King in unifying the entire empire and transformed the Kingdom of Prussia into the German Empire."

"Bismarck of Germany? I've heard of him before, but even if I'm willing to be the Bismarck of the Qing Dynasty, who can be as good as the German Emperor William I?" Yi X took an unusually long puff of cigarette, letting it settle in his chest for a moment before he slowly exhaled the smoke in his lungs through his nose.

"The meat of the show is coming"

Yuan Xiangcheng finally understood why Yi X asked him to come. It is said that no one comes to the temple for no reason. For someone like Prince Li to ask him to come, it can be said that it is due to his personality and it is purely the concern of an elder.

But Prince Chun Yix didn't look like a generous person, so why did he join in the fun?

After a moment's thought, Yuan Xiangcheng came to his senses, and Li Hongzhang's rebuke from yesterday also became clear to him.

When Li Hongzhang reprimanded me yesterday, you, Prince Chun, were quite defensive. But just when he was about to break off relations with me yesterday, you summoned me to your residence today for a conversation. That's a bit too quick.

"Who can be the German Emperor Wilhelm I? Your hint is too obvious." Yuan Xiangcheng silently complained in his heart, but he must not say this out loud, so he could only play Tai Chi for the time being.

"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty is in power, the Emperor is in charge, and the regents oversee the government. Even without figures like the Kaiser, the Qing Dynasty is still a first-class power."

"You, Weiting, I'm telling you what's in my heart. There's no one else here, so why are you saying so many polite words to me?" Yi X glared at Yuan Xiangcheng, exhaled a puff of smoke in front of Yuan Xiangcheng, and said:

"Ever since Emperor Wenzong passed away, the Qing Empire has been on a downward spiral. The British and French have invaded the capital, the Russians have ceded our land, the Japanese have seized our vassal state of Ryukyu, and now the French are bombarding Taiwan. Weiting, how can the Qing Empire be considered a powerful nation now?"

Good guy, you are quite knowledgeable. Why don't we see you doing anything in history? Instead, you were the most active in building a garden for Cixi.

However, since Yi X had already mentioned this, Yuan Xiangcheng had to express his opinion: "Then, sir, what do you think is the crux of the problem of the Qing Dynasty now?"

"A hen crowing at dawn means the family is poor, is that acceptable?" Yi X exhaled a heavy puff of smoke and stared straight at Yuan Xiangcheng.

This is directed at Cixi. Yuan Xiangcheng didn't know whether this was a test or a sincere statement, so he could only bite the bullet and reply: Qi

"Your Majesty, I have heard in Korea that His Majesty is diligent and studious. Such a diligent and hardworking emperor will definitely take power in two years. The old Buddha will not be able to stay for long and will have to leave."

"Draw the curtain? She couldn't even give up power to her own son, so how could she be willing to draw the curtain on my son?"

"Your Highness, your words are too serious. If anyone else hears this, it will be a capital crime!"

"Are you not telling me because you're afraid of being beheaded? Yuan Xiangcheng, do you think she's willing to hand over the power and authority of the world to my son?"

"Your Majesty, be careful with your words!"

"It is not right for a woman to be in charge of a country. If the name is not right, the government orders will not be carried out. If the government orders are not carried out, the country will be in disharmony." Yi X took a few more puffs, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion and madness.

"Weiting, the Qing Empire cannot be brought to ruin by a woman. Since Emperor Wenzong, has the country ever experienced a single day without humiliation?"

"The prince's intention is clear about Xiangcheng, but now the court is fighting fiercely on the border, and now is not a good time." I didn't expect Prince Chun to want to play so big. I don't know if it's because he smoked too much opium.

"Your Highness, now is the time to cooperate sincerely. We must not let the French take advantage. After all, the Qing Empire still belongs to the current emperor!"

One sentence made Yi X wake up.

That was quite true. After hearing this, Yi X suddenly realized that he had developed evil thoughts that he shouldn't have had. He actually wanted to overthrow Cixi when the Sino-French War was lost.

Not to mention whether it can be overthrown, even if it is overthrown, how to face the French? Is the first thing he wants his own son Guangxu to do after taking power to take the blame?

"Weiting, good. With such a heart that cares for the country, His Majesty will not have to worry about having no one to use in the future."

Yi X nodded in praise, very satisfied with Yuan Xiangcheng's performance. He put away his pipe and pulled out a piece of silk cloth he had prepared in advance from his sleeve.

"This is..." Yuan Xiangcheng did not move, his eyes fixed on the silk cloth.

It's a letter of appointment.

"Yuan Xiangcheng is hereby appointed as an additional secretary to the Zongli Yamen to assist with the affairs of the French and Russian sections. I hope you will be diligent and conscientious in your duties, live up to the Emperor's grace, and refrain from abusing your power for personal gain."

Why was I given the position of an additional secretary in the Zongli Yamen? What was Yi X planning?

Yuan Xiangcheng was a little confused for a moment, but he still accepted the letter of appointment as usual.

"Yilin is a Minister of Foreign Affairs. Yesterday, I saw that you are eloquent and familiar with the customs of the Korean people. I thought of giving you an additional position as a minister to help with the French and Russian shares."

"With this identity, it will be easier for you to get things done in North Korea."

In addition to a minister, the Qing Dynasty's Zongli Yamen also had dozens of general secretaries, assistant secretaries, secretaries, and additional secretaries.

It has several institutions including British stocks, French stocks, Russian stocks, etc.

Among them, the Russian section is responsible for negotiating affairs with Russia and Japan, and is also responsible for land trade and border affairs.

It does match Yuan Shikai's affairs in Korea.

"Your Majesty, I have the position of Prime Minister for Korean Affairs, which is enough for me. Why do you want to give me an additional position as a Minister of State?"

"The Empress Dowager is concerned about the war in the southwest and frequently summons representatives from various departments within the Zongli Yamen to inquire about state affairs. This position will facilitate your contact with the Empress Dowager," Yi X said slowly, wiping his pipe. "Although you've lived in Korea for a long time, you're quite proficient in Western affairs and will undoubtedly be appreciated by the Empress Dowager."

"Oh, in today's world, only those who are favored by the old Buddha are real talents. The others don't count." When saying the three words "old Buddha", Yi X emphasized the tone.

Wow, it turns out they wanted me to be a double agent, to attract the attention of Cixi and be promoted.

But aren't you afraid that I'll tell Empress Dowager Cixi about this? After all, Yuan had done this kind of thing in his previous life.

"What are you still standing there for, Weiting? We've already said what we wanted to say, let's go."

"Your Highness, there is one thing I don't understand." Yuan Xiangcheng really had a question that he had to ask.

"You say." Yi X straightened his python robe.

"Why did His Majesty single out me, of all the officials? And isn't Your Majesty afraid that I will report you?"

"Why did you get picked? Yuan Xiangcheng, in my opinion, the Qing Empire will be inseparable from foreigners from now on. Among the ministers in the court, who knows foreigners better than you?"

"What's more, if you had shown even the slightest disrespect towards the current emperor, I would have immediately locked you up and put you in jail."

"Hahaha, one is my wife's biological sister, and the other is an unrelated Han military officer. If you were the Queen Mother, which one would you believe?"

Yi Xu put the pipe into his sleeve, opened the door and walked out of the house.

20. North Korea at that time

Yuan Xiangcheng felt relieved after walking out of the palace. It was really difficult to hide his true purpose in front of the Manchu prince.

Yuan Xiangcheng felt that if he was not careful, he would be exposed. If Cixi found out that he was Yixuan's man in the future, he would be dead. If Yixuan found out that he was leaning towards the Han people, he would also be dead.

"My situation is even more difficult than the traitor in the Three Kingdoms. I have to help the imperial party headed by Yi X deceive the empress party headed by Ci Xi, and in the end I must also kill the imperial party."

There is no time to worry about your future, you should focus on your current situation now.

Just two days after returning to Beijing, Yuan Xiangcheng was given another official position. Although it was a minor official of the seventh rank, it was a Beijing official.

No wonder all officials want to be officials in Beijing. Being close to the bigwigs in the court, the opportunities to get an official position and be promoted are extremely numerous.

Yuan Xiangcheng thought for a while and it seemed that he would not be able to return to Korea in a short time. He had to let Ming Ye and Duan Qirui train the troops as soon as possible and open a new military school in Tianjin, which would be of great use in the future.

He also had to find a way to prevent the Sino-French War from ending in the short term, otherwise it would be difficult for him to make his presence felt in front of Cixi.

Especially during times like this, we should use all available resources.

"Oh right! And Li Hongzhang. He criticized me so much in the palace that day. There must be something hidden. I have to find a chance to meet him."

Thinking of this, Yuan Xiangcheng found that after he returned to the capital, he first went to Prince Chun's Mansion, slept for a day, and was then invited to Prince Qing's Mansion.

He hasn't reported to the Ministry of War yet!

However, even though he had the appointment letter from the Zongli Yamen in his pocket, Yuan Xiangcheng did not have much desire to go home. He felt that since he had been given the position of an additional secretary, he had to visit his workplace anyway.

Walking and looking along the way, we arrived at the gate of the Zongli Yamen in Dongcheng District.

The full name of the Zongli Yamen is "Zongli Yamen", which was established after the end of the Second Opium War by a joint memorial submitted by the then Sixth Prince Gong Yi and others.