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Volume 1: Fierce Battle in Changsha Chapter 583: Sinister Intentions

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    In the spring rain that day, Peng Yulin walked out of the Qianqing Palace in despair. Empress Dowager Cixi did not make any decision. Peng Yulin could hear that she seemed hesitant, and her life and death depended on her thoughts.

    After stepping out of the Qianqing Palace, Peng Yulin and Li Mengqun were taken to the prison by several guards. Li Mengqun's face was ashen. Originally, the Empress Dowager Cixi had pardoned the two, but Peng Yulin's shocking remarks hurt the two.  As a result, the two escaped from the prison of the Taiping Army and fell into the prison of the Qing court.

    After Guiliang and others left, Xingzhen did not object to Guiliang's suggestion of temporarily imprisoning the two. Instead, she stared at the two secret letters in a daze. After a long while, she told Li Lianying: "Xiao Lizi,  I need to be quiet for a while, no one is allowed to disturb me, no matter what the emergency is, let them wait outside!"

    Li Lianying was very puzzled. His master had always been decisive and resolute since he followed him. What happened today?  Such indecision made "nothing wrong". Although she was puzzled, Li Lianying still acted according to the order and blocked all the princes and ministers who asked for an audience from the Qianqing Palace.

    Xingzhen stayed in the Xinuang Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace for a whole day and a night. The ministers of the Military Aircraft Department were very anxious. There were many things that needed to be resolved everywhere. If Xingzhen could not be seen, no one would make decisions.  Xingzhen and Yi? were controlled by the same party, and no one thought of going to find the empress dowager.

    Prince Gong Yi?, Minister of War Guiliang and other ministers waited anxiously outside the Qianqing Palace for a whole day, but every time Li Lianying went in to see him, the answer he received was that no one was there yet.

    Yi? has asked Guiliang repeatedly.  Guiliang told Peng Yulin and Li Mengqun that they had sent a letter from the fake King of the West. After thinking for a moment, Yi? said, "I should ask Peng Yulin about this in detail. I will go to the prison." After that, he rushed to the prison.

    After arriving at the prison.  Yi? met Peng Yulin alone. Peng Yulin was also slightly surprised. He did not expect that the first person to interrogate him would be Prince Gong Yi?  For Peng Yulin, this was also the first time he met Yi? Before that, he had only heard of him by name.

    In a dark single room in the prison, Yi? frowned and looked at the haggard middle-aged man in front of him. It was difficult to connect him with the famous Meihua Xueshuai from Xiangdi.  After grabbing a stool and sitting down, he sighed softly and said, "Master Peng must have reached the governor's position by relying on his military exploits with Chang Mao."

    Peng Yulin slowly shook his head and said, "I am able to achieve what I am today by protecting the people from the war."

    Yi? Oh, nodded and said: "That's right, in the 30th year of Daoguang's reign. You participated in the suppression of Li Ruanfa's rebellion, and also had military exploits. Later, you were awarded the title of blue-collar worker, but you resigned. Mr. Peng, you are not a person.  He who stains his crown with blood."

    Peng Yulin didn¡¯t expect Yi? He only talked about his past affairs.  Wei Wei was a little surprised, and then continued: "Mr. Peng, the Qing Dynasty is now under domestic and foreign pressure. After reading the letter sent by you and Li Mengqun, the Queen Mother closed the door to thank the guests. I know that the Queen Mother is undecided. But in my opinion, the Queen Mother is indecisive.  The Qing Dynasty has been established for more than two hundred years, and has a solid foundation. The British and French invaded from outside. It is a disease of scabies. As long as war is used to promote peace, it can be safe for a while. However, the long-haired bandits are coming from inside, and they are threatening to overthrow the country.  Since ancient times, Xiang's external situation must be settled internally first. This is a simple principle. In Master Peng's opinion, what does this king say?"

    Peng Yulin said slowly: "Your Majesty, although this is the first time I have met the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother has quietly got rid of Sushun and other sycophants since the death of the late emperor, established Westernization, organized and trained the new army, and organized the army."  Wu, with this kind of insight and magnanimity, she is not something ordinary women can possess. It is just a simple matter of supporting the outside world and having to settle down the inside first. If I think about it, I will not let the Queen Mother be so indecisive."

    Yi? nodded slightly and said: "Yes, the Queen Mother has always acted decisively. She has never been so indecisive as today. Please give me some analysis, Mr. Peng."

    Peng Yulin said a little strangely: "Your Majesty, there are many people in the court who are far more talented than me, Peng Yulin. Why does Your Majesty look for me alone?"

    Yi? said slowly: "Actually, before this letter from the Puppet King of the West was sent, the Queen Mother had already noticed that someone in the court was secretly colluding with foreigners, and the Queen Mother personally gave instructions to the Monk King about the wars in Beitang, Dagukou and other places. Unexpectedly,  The foreigners will not do anything more for a while. There is nothing new about what the fake King of the West mentioned in his letter. On the contrary, it was only after the Queen Mother had a conversation with you that she became confused."

    Peng Yulin was slightly surprised and said: "The Queen Mother has already made arrangements?"

    Yi? nodded slowly and said: "The Empress Dowager knows things well. She predicted that the foreigners would choose Beitang to land, and the foreign fleet was beyond the control of our navy, so she deliberately showed weakness, lured the enemy ashore, and looked for opportunities to destroy them.  "

    Peng Yulin said with an oh, "The Queen Mother has the legacy of Empress Wu." Hearing this, Yi? changed slightly, but then his expression recovered and said, "I heard Lord Guiliang say that you and the Queen Mother?In the conversation, it seems that Mr. Peng is tired of fighting Changmao, and only hopes to atone for his sins and fight against the foreigners?  "

    Peng Yulin nodded and said, "That's right."

    Yi? slapped his thigh and said: "It's no wonder. The Queen Mother once told this king that the revival of this dynasty will depend on several capable ministers. Zeng Guofan is one, Li Hongzhang is another, Hu Linyi is another, and the other one is you.  Peng Yulin."

    Peng Yulin didn't expect that the Empress Dowager Cixi would speak so highly of him, and was speechless for a moment. Yi? sighed softly and said: "The Empress Dowager must have never imagined that even you, a person she was extremely optimistic about, would lose his fighting spirit.  That¡¯s why I¡¯m so hesitant.¡±

    Peng Yulin shook his head and said: "Before I left, I heard the Empress Dowager read: She would rather be with outsiders than domestic slaves. I think it means that the Empress Dowager has huge worries in her heart. The prince should ask the Empress Dowager about her worries."  matter, instead of just listening to the officials¡¯ wild guesses here.¡±

    Yi? glanced at Peng Yulin and murmured: "Yes, even Master Peng's belief has begun to waver. Changes in people's hearts are inevitable. Do we really want to be with outsiders rather than domestic slaves? I see, that's it.  ¡­¡±

    While he was talking, a prison guard hurried in to report that several eunuchs and guards had come from the palace to convey the Queen Mother's order to take Peng Yulin for questioning.  After hearing this, Yi? had to stand up and said: "Mr. Peng, go ahead. It seems that the Queen Mother will not investigate you anymore, and maybe you will continue to be reused. I don't know." Peng Yulin slightly tilted his jaw, stood up and bowed to Yi?  , and followed the guards.

    When I returned to Qianqing Palace after a day, the spring rain gradually stopped. It was early in the morning, and the warm sun showed its warm side, which made people feel indescribably comfortable.  Peng Yulin had no time to enjoy the sunshine and quickly arrived inside the house.

    Outside the screen of Xinuang Pavilion, Peng Yulin was kneeling on the ground and did not dare to raise his head. Xingzhen's voice came from behind the screen, but there was an indescribable tiredness, "Peng Yulin, there are only you and me here today.  I want to ask you, do you think there is still hope for the Qing Dynasty?"

    Peng Yulin broke out in cold sweat on his forehead, but he still gritted his teeth and said: "Queen Mother, it is not a pity that the guilty minister should die, but the guilty minister also has something to say and is unhappy with."

    Xingzhen hummed and said, "Say it!"

    Peng Yulin raised his head and clasped his fists and said: "Queen Mother, for more than two hundred years since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, the division between the Manchu and Han Dynasties has not faded away. The imperial court has used troops internally every year. In every dynasty and every generation, people have rebelled against the Qing Dynasty. Now the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has become a general trend.  People's minds change, and there may be no room for change. The imperial court has always regarded the Han people in the world as domestic slaves, and the question is how can domestic slaves have a true sense of belonging to the country?"

    Xingzhen sighed softly and said: "I know what you mean. Jiangnan has been able to survive the crisis on his own until now. I know that it is only because of Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi and other Han ministers. But if even you don't have a relationship with Changmao,  With a fighting heart, the Qing Dynasty is really in danger."

    After seeing Peng Yulin yesterday, Xingzhen was originally very happy. It was indeed joyful that a capable minister and general did not die or surrender. She planned to let him continue to lead the army, but she did not expect that Peng Yulin said that he was tired of the civil war.  Xingzhen's heart suddenly went cold when she heard the words.

    Although Xingzhen also knew that Peng Yulin had repeatedly advised Zeng Guofan to proclaim himself emperor of the Han Dynasty after the fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in history, Xingzhen believed that as long as she controlled it properly, it would not be difficult to change the minds of Peng Yulin and others. After all, historically  Zeng Guofan and other powerful Han officials did not rebel in the end.  Unexpectedly, Peng Yulin had already changed his mind. In addition, the Hunan Army had long listened to propaganda but not listened to instructions. When the Taiping Army captured Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places, a large number of Qing court and Han officials surrendered. Xingzhen began to realize that this change had already occurred.  It is a quantitative change that has reached a qualitative change.

    So for the first time, Xingzhen began to feel discouraged and felt that all her hard work over the years was in vain. That's why Xingzhen locked herself in the house alone without seeing anyone.

    The suggestions in Xiao Yungui's secret letter are worthless, whether it is a partial ceasefire or a temporary truce. In any case, the Qing officials will not agree to transfer the Qing troops on Huanghuai back to reinforce Jintang, because Xiao Yungui  Both Xingzhen and Xingzhen understood that the Qing government was wary of the Han people because they were worried that the Han people would one day regain control of the world. This policy had always been throughout the Qing Dynasty's more than two hundred years of history.

    Xiao Yungui's intention was extremely sinister. His suggestion was to force the Qing court and Xingzhen to make a choice, so that the Qing court's ruling class would show its uglier face in the end. They would rather leave the foreigners alone than send out a single soldier for reinforcements.  Jintang.  Xingzhen believed that when she received the secret letter, Xiao Yungui would intentionally or unintentionally publicize the news that the Taiping Army was willing to temporarily cease fire with the Qing army, so that the Qing army could concentrate on fighting against the British and French invasion.  After rejecting the Taiping Army's suggestion, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will launch a massive propaganda campaign, and by then the last remaining illusions the Han people in the world will have about the Qing Dynasty will be shattered.  The words "I would rather be with outsiders than domestic slaves" will really chill the hearts of people all over the world. Without people's hearts, Xingzhen will not be able to survive.If you keep holding on, this is where Xiao Yungui¡¯s truly sinister intentions (To be continued)
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