Master Yuan, start!

But after Shuntian Prefecture took over this morning, they didn't hear them cry out for justice. They just dragged the people to the place and kept them under strict guard, not caring about anything else. They even placed Du Shun's body aside and just hastily covered it with a mat.

Although the wood would not rot in the cold winter, this way of handling it made them realize that the fight might not be that simple, so after the initial shouting, they began to get scared.

It was not until Yuan Xiangcheng and Gong Baotun led their men to Shuntian Prefecture where the group was imprisoned that they thought their saviors had arrived and stood up.

When the officials from Shuntian Prefecture saw more than a dozen fully-armed infantrymen approaching, they panicked, thinking that someone was coming to rob the camp. When they saw that the leader, Gong Baotun, was an acquaintance, a manager quickly came out and asked them questions.

"Master Gong, what are you doing? Didn't I show you the official document from Da Jingzhao this morning? Are you worried that it's fake?" Zhang Wei, the manager of Shuntian Prefecture, was only a ninth-rank Zhaomo. He was a cautious person and could only bow and ask.

"There is no problem with the official documents, but today I am here to assist in the defense on the orders of Lord Ronglu Rong, the governor of the Nine Gates." Gong Baotun waved his hand, and after saying this, he asked his men to surround the rooms.

Seeing his troops already in place, Gong Baotun pointed to Yuan Xiangcheng beside him and bowed to Zhang Wei, saying, "This is Lord Yuan Xiangcheng, the great hero who pacified Hancheng in three days. He is a fellow townsman of the imprisoned scholar, and I have come to visit him. Lord Zhang, would you allow me to go?"

"Well...well, if Lord Yuan wants to visit old friends, there is naturally no problem, as long as he doesn't bring anyone out. It's just that I haven't reported the matter of assisting in defense to Lord Zhou yet. Isn't it a bit..." Zhang Wei was a little embarrassed when he saw this. If Gong Baotun came alone with his troops, he could still stop him, but there was a third-rank official beside him, which made him very embarrassed.

"Sir Zhang, may I go in and visit my friend?" Yuan Xiangcheng asked.

"I don't deserve it, Master Yuan, you can just call me Zhang Wei." Zhang Wei waved his hands quickly, and said to Yuan Xiangcheng hesitantly: "Master Yuan, of course I can go in, but this assisting defense is really a bit difficult..."

"What's the problem, Lord Gong? Did you hand over the person after seeing the official document from Lord Zhou of Shuntian Prefecture?"

"Yes," Gong Baotun replied.

"Then bring out the official document in which Lord Ronglu requests for defense assistance. Everyone uses official documents. If you give Lord Zhang a favor, Lord Zhang will naturally give you one as well. Isn't that right, Lord Zhang?" When he said the last sentence, Yuan Xiangcheng turned around and looked at Zhang Wei with a smile.

Knowing that he could not stop the two from forcing the defense, Zhang Wei had no choice but to give up and let his men vacate their position. The soldiers under Gong Baotun also rushed forward to surround the place where the group of bannermen were.

Seeing that the defense had arrived, Yuan Xiangcheng thanked Zhang Wei and said, "Master Zhang, I won't bother you to lead the way."

"Mr. Yuan, please do as you please." After watching Yuan Xiangcheng walk into the house, Zhang Wei hurriedly asked someone to pass the message to Zhou Jiamei.

Chapter 32: Bannermen also have difficulties

Kang Youwei and his group were not imprisoned in a cell, but in a remote house with only a small window and a solid wooden door.

There was no ordinary furniture in the house. A group of people sat on beds covered with straw mats, wearing only some cotton clothes and cloth shoes. It was already the coldest time of the year, and these clothes were not enough to protect them from the cold. Most of them looked pale.

There was a dim lamp hanging on the wall inside the room, emitting a faint light, adding a touch of warmth to this cold space.

He sent someone to guard the door to prevent the Shuntian Prefecture's yamen runners from approaching, and Yuan Xiangcheng walked into the house.

Seeing Yuan Xiangcheng coming in, everyone stood up and prepared to salute, and Kang Youwei also dragged his tired body forward.

"No need, no need. You are all scholars. It is hard for Xiangcheng to see you in such a miserable state. I have come to comfort you." He asked the soldiers accompanying him to distribute the dried fruits and cakes they brought to the group of candidates, and also distributed cotton-padded clothes and quilts to everyone.

"Guangxia Kang Youwei, I'm so sorry. I didn't expect that you were taken away when I went to look for someone to help, and you are still being held here."

"What are you talking about, Master Yuan? The fact that you can come to see us has already exceeded Zu Yizhi's imagination."

Yuan Xiangcheng chatted briefly with him, then instructed him, "Guangsha, if anyone asks you what caused this incident, you must insist that it was a dispute over drinking, and never mention it was a dispute over archery or guns."

"Yes..." Kang Youwei bowed his head, but he didn't quite understand. Could it be that Lord Yuan was afraid that the incident would become a big deal and would drag him down? After all, if you were to talk about it, it all started because of what Yuan Xiangcheng said. "I will definitely not bring this matter down on Lord Yuan."

Yuan Xiangcheng knew that he had misunderstood, so he could only shake his head and say with a smile: "That's not the case, Brother Guangsha. After Shuntian Prefecture intervened, this matter is no longer a simple brawl. I hope Brother Guangsha can understand."

Yuan Xiangcheng smiled slightly upon seeing this, without further explanation, but emphasized once again to everyone that they should regard it as just an ordinary quarrel and not drag it into the direction of Westernization and foreigners. This way they could be kept worry-free and their honors would definitely not be stripped away.

After hearing Yuan Xiangcheng's guarantee, a group of scholars naturally agreed repeatedly under the leadership of Kang Youwei to ensure a unified voice.

After saying this, Yuan Xiangcheng walked out of the room under the gaze of a scholar and paced towards the room where the bannermen were imprisoned.

The houses of the bannermen were better than those of the juren. I don't know if it was because of connections or because of the bannermen's status, but the yamen runners of Shuntian Prefecture gave some linen to a group of bannermen to wrap themselves in.

Du Liu was naturally not among them. Although they were all playmates under his command, anyone would be scared to stay in the same room with a dead person.

This group of bannermen were not as worried as the candidates. After all, they were the ones who suffered losses, and they still had the identity of bannermen and no achievements to be changed. They were like those who were barefoot and were not afraid of wearing shoes.

Therefore, when they saw Yuan Xiangcheng coming in, they didn't make much movement. They just took a few glances and continued to squat in the corner to huddle together for warmth.

This is a bit difficult, Yuan Xiangcheng thought.

There was nothing he could do to control these Bannermen, so getting them to collude would be a real challenge. If he tried to coerce them, he didn't have the ability to hold their wives and children in his hands; if he tried to bribe them, he couldn't guarantee they wouldn't spill the beans without some leverage.

Just when he was in a dilemma, Gong Baotun walked in and made eye contact with Yuan Xiangcheng. Guessing Yuan Xiangcheng's dilemma, he greeted him and asked someone to bring in some food: "Come on, brothers, you've been hungry all day. I'm bringing you some food. Don't mind if it's cold. Shuntian Prefecture is under strict control right now. Lord Yuan and I can only bring you some cold food."

When they saw their acquaintance Gong Baotun coming in, some of the bannermen stood up and took something to eat, and soon everyone started to eat voraciously.

After all, they had been hungry for a whole day, and they were not as particular about their appearance as the scholars. Some of them took two bites at a time, and ate so much that the whites of their eyes rolled out.

Seeing that everyone had finished eating and the atmosphere was not as tense as it had been at the beginning, Yuan Xiangcheng went straight to the point and said to everyone: "You are all brothers of the Bannermen. I, Yuan, am currently lobbying for Lord Ronglu. We are all one family."

Yuan Shikai was quite shameless in calling himself a Han Chinese and a group of bannermen his own people, which really made them feel a little disdainful.

However, when they heard that Yuan Xiangcheng came for Ronglu, the group of people who had been cursing and swearing in the Liuli Pavilion before no longer had the energy to point fingers at the heavens and the earth, and instead began to behave themselves. Ronglu rose from the bottom and usually helped these bannermen a lot.

Seeing this, Yuan Xiangcheng came up with a plan. Instead of speaking directly about the matter, he asked something else first:

"Does Du Liu still have a wife, children, or elders at home?"

An older man in the crowd replied, "Xiao Liu'er is alone. His father was a gambler and lost all the family fortune. In the end, he couldn't pay off his debts and jumped into the Yongding River.

He's so old and still hasn't found a wife. He only has his mother at home, but her eyesight is failing and she can't work. The monthly allowance from the imperial court isn't enough to buy medicine, so he has to earn some money by working as a hanger-on in the city to make ends meet.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiangcheng felt a little sympathetic. He didn't expect that Du Liu was not as carefree as he seemed. He had a miserable childhood and had to support his elderly mother alone.

However, now that things have come to this, it is impossible for him to kill Kang Youwei to avenge Du Liu, so he can only rely on money to make up for it.

"The dispute was indeed caused by Du Liu, but his crime was not punishable by death, and his death was an accident. I, Yuan Xiangcheng, will personally pay for his funeral. Lord Ronglu gave me 300 taels, and I will personally pay another 200 taels. I will also give 500 taels of silver to Du Liu's mother, asking her to find another person in the family to adopt as her son and take care of her in her old age."

A group of bannermen were also moved when they heard this. They didn't expect Ronglu to care so much about them.

In fact, the lower-class bannermen were no different from the Han people. If they failed to fill the military shortage, they would not even be able to receive the crops guaranteed by the court.

Seeing how much they were interested, Yuan Xiangcheng struck while the iron was hot and offered another move: "I also know that we Han army bannermen have a hard time in our daily lives. How about this, if you don't mind, I have a trading company in Tianjin that I co-founded with others. We mainly sell Korean mountain and sea products. I will personally give each of you 20 taels of silver for travel expenses. You can go to Tianjin and find a job under the trading company. You can stay away from the capital and no one will blame you."

The imperial court kept strict control over the bannermen, and they were not allowed to farm, do business, or work. Although the control was slightly relaxed in the late Qing Dynasty, the bannermen, who had been supported for hundreds of years, had long been spoiled. They did not know how to do business or farm, and could only do odd jobs to support themselves.

Sometimes, rather than saying that the lower-class bannermen resented the Han people for stealing their jobs, it would be better to say that they resented the court for not giving them a way out, but they dared not say it openly and could only vent their anger on the Han people. Yuan Shikai also intended to cure the problem at its root and win the hearts of these bannermen from the bottom up.

When the bannermen in the room heard that Yuan Xiangcheng cared about them so much, their expressions became more complicated, and they didn't know what to say.

Yuan Xiangcheng also took the opportunity to tell the purpose of his visit, pretending that it was Ronglu's request, and also let everyone insist that it was just an ordinary quarrel and had nothing to do with other things, let alone the Westernization Movement.

Gong Baotun chimed in, glancing at the crowd as he spoke: "Master Yuan has conveyed what Master Rong said. Now that we've explained the benefits, let me tell you what will happen if anyone disobeys."

Chapter 33: Empress Dowager Cixi's Changing Face

Enough of the sweet dates, now it’s time to use the big stick.

Gong Baotun said from the side: "We are all bannermen. You have to listen to what Lord Ronglurong says, understand?"

The bannermen in the room were still immersed in the bright prospects that Yuan Xiangcheng had described, and were stunned for a moment.

Gong Baotun thought they still didn't understand the situation. He paused and then said something harsh: "Lord Rong was once the head of the Imperial Household Department. Although he has resigned now, his connections are still there. If you guys don't accept my toast, don't blame me for sending you to the Shangsiyuan Daligangai*1 to graze!"

Now, no matter whether they were sober or not, everyone quickly replied: "I know, I know!" After all, no one wanted to go to the bitter cold land of Outer Mongolia to eat sand.

"Thank you so much. If everything goes according to plan, this case will be concluded soon. You can all just wait for a few days." Yuan Xiangcheng said with satisfaction. He then said to Gong Baotun beside him, "Master Gong, don't let our bannermen go hungry or get cold these days. Make sure they have enough food every day."

"Of course. I'll bring people to deliver it here every day."

After winning the hearts of a group of bannermen, Yuan Xiangcheng and Gong Baotun walked out of the place of imprisonment one after the other. As soon as they walked out, they saw Kang Rui, the magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture, whom they had met in the barracks of the Infantry Commander-in-Chief's Office that day.

"Sir Yuan, nice to meet you again. I didn't expect that Sir Yuan was so concerned about this case that he followed me all the way from the Infantry Commander's Office to Shuntian Prefecture." Kang Rui was obviously asked for help by Zhang Wei. He was waiting for Yuan and Xiangcheng at the door, and said a few sarcastic words to them.

"Sir Kang is truly a good official who cares about the people. Even after the criminals are detained, he never forgets to come for inspections. The people of Shuntian Prefecture are truly blessed to have an official like you." Yuan Xiangcheng was not to be outdone, implying that you had no good intentions either. Is a fight with casualties worth your repeated inspections?

"Then I'll trouble you, Lord Yuan. I wonder if you have any new discoveries about the case during this visit?" Kang Rui was not angry when he was confronted with this question. He said to Yuan Xiangcheng with a smile.

Yuan Xiangcheng didn't respond. He looked around at the simple surroundings and said, "I found nothing. I just felt that the two gangs were wearing thin clothes and eating little in the cold winter, so I sent them some winter clothes so that they wouldn't die this winter."

Yuan Xiangcheng not only came alone, but also brought Ronglu's handwritten order and soldiers from the Infantry Commander's Office. Naturally, he came for something. Kang Rui knew what was going on, so he simply stopped asking.

Gong Baotun waved his hand at the door, calling his personal guards over and ordered, "Keep an eye on these two gangs of troublemakers. Don't let them get into trouble. Otherwise, Lord Rong will hold me accountable, and I'll make sure you don't get into trouble!"

Although Gong Baotun's words were meant to warn his men to guard the place carefully, more importantly, they were also meant for Kang Rui who was standing next to him to hear.

The people from the Infantry Commander's Office are watching right next to you. Don't try to force a confession from them. At most, they will just hear the news.

Kang Rui naturally heard the hidden meaning in Gong Baotun's words. He snorted, turned his sleeves and walked into the house, leaving Yuan Xiangcheng no time to say goodbye.

After leaving Shuntian Prefecture's headquarters, Gong Baotun had a doubt in his mind, and finally couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Master Yuan, I understand you gave Du Liu'e Niang 200 taels, but when did Master Rong also have to give 300 taels?"

"Of course it's mine. Without Lord Rong's name, can Du Liu's mother hold on to these 500 taels? How can these bannermen, who are used to being idle on weekdays, accept our proposal so readily?"

"Hey, it's true!" Gong Baotun gave Yuan Xiangcheng a thumbs up.

The two walked and talked, and when they reached the middle of the street, they separated. Gong Baotun was going to report the situation to Ronglu, and then he had to go back to Shuntian Prefecture where he was imprisoned to maintain order. Yuan Xiangcheng also had to go back to his room to prepare memorials for the next two days.

...

Just as Yuan Xiangcheng was staying in his room pondering how to write a memorial, in the heart of Beijing, in the Forbidden City.

Empress Dowager Cixi was discussing the current situation in the court with Prince Chun Yixun and Prince Li Shiduo, two military ministers.

In October, Liu Mingchuan, the Minister in charge of Taiwan's military affairs, reported to the court that the French army was too powerful to be stopped, and that they planned to abandon Keelung and defend Tamsui. Cixi, preoccupied with the aftermath of the Jiashen Change of Government, had no energy to pay attention and could only let the situation unfold.

Now, more than a month has passed. She heard that the French have established a foothold in Keelung, are invading southward step by step, and have also blockaded the Fujian coast. She is also anxious and wants to discuss a countermeasure with the two princes.

But no matter how anxious I was, there was no good solution.

The Nanyang Navy was completely wiped out and now relies entirely on civilian merchant ships along the coast of Quanzhou and Fuzhou to transport supplies, and they also have to bear the risk of being sunk at any time.

Although Liu Mingchuan abandoned Keelung, he had no choice. He also fought hard against the French, reporting that he had beheaded 25 French soldiers, shot over 300, and captured 14 French soldiers, whose heads were displayed to the public.

Therefore, Liu Mingchuan should not be punished for losing land. Instead, he should be affirmed and commended.

After all, Taiwan is isolated overseas, unlike the inland areas. If Liu Mingchuan is arbitrarily dismissed and investigated, it will be difficult to find anyone to replace him in a short time. The current situation still depends on Liu Mingchuan to maintain.

"Can't Li Hongzhang's Beiyang Navy be dispatched to support the war in Fujian?" asked Prince Li Shiduo.

"The Chaowei and Yangwei ships have already rushed to Shanghai, but the remaining warships have to garrison ports near Dengzhou and Jinzhou to guard against the French suddenly heading north, so they cannot be transferred." Prince Chun Yix explained.

It seemed that no one could save Liu Mingchuan. Cixi could not help but feel a little desperate, so she asked the two people in front of her tentatively: "If we ask for peace, what are the conditions for the French and the barbarians?"

"Empress Dowager, you absolutely cannot do that." Yi X became anxious upon seeing this. They hadn't even fought a proper war with the French yet, so how could they ask for peace? Is this how you would sell out my son's Qing Dynasty?

Although Shiduo didn't know what Yi X was thinking, he was unwilling to ask for peace. Moreover, the voices of the pro-war faction in the court were getting louder and louder. It would be embarrassing for the court to ask for peace without fighting a decent battle.

Emperor Xianfeng was anxious to seek peace because the French had already reached Beijing. Now the French have only reached Fujian, and you are anxious to seek peace. It's embarrassing for you, but it's embarrassing for us.

So after thinking for a while, Shi Duo also said: "Queen Dowager, now is not a good time to seek peace. Many officials also want to fight. It is difficult to go against the public opinion."

Seeing that the two were firmly opposed to her peace talks, Cixi immediately came to her senses, put away the anxiety of a middle-aged woman, and became the expressionless Empress Dowager again.

"If what you two princes said is true, can we just watch France wreak havoc in the southeast?"