Beiyang Dream

Chapter 95: A Neck Strikes, the New Flag Army Goes to Korea, and Gets Trouble

What? How come the imperial edict that was supposed to be controlling Beiyang's neck is just being withheld from being issued?

Emperor Guangxu was stunned.

This was something his own father brought up indirectly; he and Master Weng were just the first to stick their necks out and offend the Beiyang clique. Why is his own father backing down now?

Emperor Guangxu was still somewhat unwilling to give up, his eyes widening: "No, not issue it? But Father, the Ministry of Revenue really has too much money..." "I know about the money issue," Empress Dowager Cixi interrupted him, her face full of displeasure, tapping her fingers on the armrest, "But right now, this imperial edict... cannot be issued."

Empress Dowager Cixi's dissatisfaction was naturally directed at Guangxu, her adopted son... How decisive was her biological son, Tongzhi? He dismissed the sixth prince without hesitation, driving him to depression. Although the two empress dowagers later intervened and restored his title of prince.

But with this setback, Gong Laoliu's prestige vanished. He used to seem like "the second Duama," but after this ordeal, the whole world knew he was just a paper tiger.

And his adopted son, despite having an imperial edict to warn the Beiyang government, couldn't get it out for so many days... ...Now the government has already taken countermeasures!

"Why?" Guangxu was still unwilling to give up, his voice rising a half-octave, "Could it be...could it be that Li Hongzhang dares to..."

He didn't finish his sentence. But the meaning was clear: Was Li Hongzhang so arrogant that he dared to obstruct even the imperial decree? Wasn't this tantamount to rebellion?

Empress Dowager Cixi didn't respond to this question, nor could she. She simply sighed softly and turned her gaze back to the photograph of Wilhelm II.

"Your Majesty, look at this German Emperor," she pointed to the photograph, "so majestic, with money and soldiers at his disposal. Today, he sent someone to deliver a gift to me... and also a message."

Emperor Guangxu followed her gaze. The Wilhelm II in the photograph certainly looked imposing, but he himself didn't seem any less so!

"He said Germany was willing to help our Great Qing Dynasty set up factories, train a new army, and build warships." Cixi's voice revealed no emotion, only disappointment (towards Guangxu). "The Beiyang Fleet has already made contact with them, and the contracts they've signed are piled up. Three new ironclad warships, the Tangshan Ironworks, the railway outside the Great Wall... each one a major industry!"

Emperor Guangxu was terrified.

He certainly knew what this meant. The Beiyang government was already at its zenith; if it were to receive further assistance from Germany…

"Then we must stop them from spending any more money!" Emperor Guangxu exclaimed anxiously, "Otherwise, they'll become even more powerful..."

"It's not stopping!"

Empress Dowager Cixi was so disappointed!

This emperor is not only physically... but also a bit slow! Can't he think straight? Ah, if he could control it, would I have asked you to suppress that edict? I asked you to suppress it precisely because you can't control it... If this edict were issued, it would have no effect whatsoever, and people would just think you're a paper tiger. "Someone is preventing it," Cixi said calmly.

"Who?" Emperor Guangxu pressed. "Li Hongzhang? He... he really dares to..."

Empress Dowager Cixi was silenced again.

If Li Hongzhang had dared to stand up to her, she wouldn't have allowed Emperor Guangxu and Weng Tonghe to cause all this trouble. They truly had a knife in their hands!

After a long while, Empress Dowager Cixi slowly spoke again:

"Not Li Hongzhang."

"It's those rich guys from Southeast Asia! The imperial court isn't as wealthy as them!"

Looking into Emperor Guangxu's clear, seemingly oblivious eyes, she continued, "How much can we really withhold from Li Hongzhang? The Beiyang Army's annual maintenance costs are over two million taels; can we really refuse to pay? Are those tens of thousands of soldiers with foreign rifles so easy to talk to?"

"The only money the court can cut is the silver from the Beiyang Fleet's purchase of new warships and cannons, which is at most a few hundred thousand taels a year... Now the Beiyang Fleet wants to open mines, build factories, and construct railways with the wealthy merchants of the South Seas... and banks too! The South Seas Bank! They want to earn those hundreds of thousands of taels!" Emperor Guangxu opened his mouth, completely at a loss for what to do.

His mind was in turmoil. Originally, the only thing the imperial court could control in Beiyang was money. Now that Beiyang could find its own money, how could the imperial court still control Beiyang?

"Then... then we're just going to watch?" Guangxu's voice trembled slightly.

"Just watching?" Empress Dowager Cixi sneered. "Of course we can't just watch."

She leaned forward slightly, looked at Emperor Guangxu, and said, word by word:

"If the Beiyang government could find wealthy businessmen in Southeast Asia, why can't we? If the Beiyang government could ally with Germany, why can't we?"

"Zhang Zhidong in Hubei and Liu Kunyi in Jiangnan, aren't they both involved in Western affairs? Why can't Huguang and Liangjiang also train some new troops and develop some industries?" "Li Hongzhang found money in Southeast Asia, so let's have Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi also go and negotiate cooperation with the Germans. They already have the Hanyang Ironworks, the Jiangnan Arsenal, and the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau; they can all import German technology and machinery! Li Hongzhang has the Beiyang Army, and Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi can also train a few battalions... Their governors-general are in charge of military affairs!"

Emperor Guangxu's heart warmed at the thought, but then he realized something was amiss: "But...but how much silver would that cost? The Ministry of Revenue..."

"The Ministry of Revenue should try to squeeze out a little money for them, and let Zhang Zhidong and his team figure out the rest themselves," Empress Dowager Cixi said calmly. "Just like the Beiyang government, it was government-supervised and privately-run, with merchants as shareholders. Not all the merchants in the South Seas followed Li Hongzhang."

She paused, her tone softening slightly: "Your Majesty, you are the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty. You cannot only focus on the small territory of the Beiyang Army. The world is vast, and there are many capable people. The important thing is... to ensure that they check and balance each other, preventing any one from becoming too powerful."

Emperor Guangxu nodded as if he understood, and the feeling of being "bullied" by the Beiyang Army dissipated slightly, but then he felt another kind of powerlessness.

It turns out that even a biological father can't just block whoever he wants.

It turns out that the Qing Dynasty was no longer entirely under the control of the Aisin Gioro family.

"That...that imperial decree?" Emperor Guangxu thought for a moment and then asked.

"Suppress it for now." Empress Dowager Cixi waved her hand. "Wait until Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi have made contact with the Germans and have some progress before we talk about it." "Yes, Your Majesty understands." Emperor Guangxu bowed his head.

"There's something else." Empress Dowager Cixi changed the subject again, her voice becoming deeper and more serious.

Knowing that Empress Dowager Cixi was about to issue her "supreme instruction," Emperor Guangxu quickly sat up straighter: "Dear Father, please speak."

"Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi, no matter how capable they are, are still Han officials." Cixi looked at Guangxu, her gaze sharpening. "The Xiang Army and the Huai Army... ultimately belong to others. They are ungrateful wretches. Once they are fed, they will turn around and bite their master."

Emperor Guangxu was terrified.

Although everyone in Beijing knew that the Beiyang Army was unreliable and too powerful to be controlled, Empress Dowager Cixi had never said this so bluntly to his face.

"The Qing Dynasty ultimately belongs to us Manchus." Empress Dowager Cixi said, emphasizing each word. "This empire can only be firmly held and passed down if we rely on our own people."

Emperor Guangxu seemed to understand something and tentatively asked, "Does Father mean... that we Manchus also need to train a new army? And use foreign guns and cannons?" "At least you're not completely confused," Empress Dowager Cixi glanced at him. "The Xiang and Huai armies are unreliable, and the Green Standard Army and the Eight Banners are utterly incompetent. If we don't train some real weapons ourselves, what will we use to keep Han officials in check if they start to take advantage of us?"

She paused, then began to give specific instructions: "The Nine Gates Commander Ronglu is quite capable. Go see him later. Have him select five hundred young, strong men from the soldiers directly under the Infantry Commandery. They must come from respectable families and be honest and obedient. Don't look for those rich young masters who keep birdcages; I need men who can endure hardship and are willing to work hard. If there aren't any within the pass, go outside the pass, go to Shengjing."

As Emperor Guangxu took notes, he mentally calculated: Five hundred men… that's only a battalion. Where will the money for training them come from?

Empress Dowager Cixi seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "The money will be squeezed from the Imperial Household Department's budget first. If that's not enough, let Ronglu find a way himself; he has many connections. Guns, cannons, instructors... they're readily available. Aren't there many instructors from the Tongwen Guan at the Beiyang Military Academy? Some of them are Manchus; they'll all be transferred back to Beijing to work in the Imperial Army."

As she said this, she suddenly remembered something: "That Chang Desheng, didn't everyone say he learned real skills in Germany? Among the Manchus, are there not many 'Chang Deshengs'?"

Emperor Guangxu felt a chill run down his spine. This meant following the Beiyang Army's path... no, learning from the Beiyang Army, and using the Manchus to learn! But could the Manchu sons truly endure that hardship and master those strange and ingenious skills? He had no idea.

Ignoring the hesitation on his face, Cixi continued, clearly having been considering this matter for some time: "Relying on others to teach us won't work. Our own people need to go out and see for themselves, to experience things firsthand. Have Yinchang prepare to go to Berlin in a few days under the pretext of congratulating Emperor Wilhelm on his birthday. Bring a painting of the Emperor on horseback archery; it's a matter of courtesy."

Emperor Guangxu nodded. He also thought it was a good idea; he wanted to show the German Emperor the might of the Qing Dynasty. Thinking of this, he even puffed out his chest.

"This trip is a long way off, and it's not just about bringing gifts," Cixi emphasized. "Have him select ten... no, twenty clever, young Manchu sons from the Tongwen Guan (a school for learning about literature), with priority given to those from good families, to go with him. Once in Germany, don't just let them sightsee; send them to military academies to learn real military skills, how to lead troops, fight, and manufacture weapons. The Imperial Household Department will cover the costs. Tell Yinchang that he must bring them out safely and bring them back intact. In the future, these people will be the seeds of our new Manchu army!"

Emperor Guangxu was deeply moved. His father was determined to establish a new Manchu army!

"My dear father is very farsighted." Guangxu paused, then carefully reminded him, "However... most of the students of the Tongwen Guan were born into wealth and privilege, and I fear they may not be able to withstand the hardships of military life. Moreover, studying abroad is extremely expensive, and the country is currently facing financial difficulties..."

"Difficult?" Empress Dowager Cixi sneered. "No matter how difficult, this money must be spent! If you're unwilling to pay this tuition fee today, how much money will you spend to save your life when others have guns and cannons pointed at your head tomorrow?"

She looked at Emperor Guangxu: "Your Majesty, remember this. When Han Chinese governors and viceroys fight amongst themselves, it's like dogs biting dogs, and the court is happy to see it happen. But ultimately, the leash must be in our own hands. Zhang Zhidong, Liu Kunyi, and even Li Hongzhang—their troops and factories are, in the end, dogs raised by the court. They can be let out to bite people, but they can't turn around and bite their masters. Our own 'New Army' is the leash that holds the dogs, and it's also the trump card that protects our Aisin Gioro family's empire."

At the same moment, at the east gate of the Summer Palace, the black carriage was still standing in the same spot. The driver was dozing off against the shaft. When he saw Yuan Shikai and Chang Desheng come out, he quickly jumped down and started pedaling.

The two of them climbed in one after the other. The car door slammed shut, and the wheels started rolling on the bluestone pavement outside the Summer Palace. Chang Desheng plopped down on the soft cushion, first letting out a long, stale breath, then grimacing and rubbing his knees. He'd been kneeling for a good hour, hadn't he? Even with the cushion, his kneecaps still felt like they'd been hammered; they were killing him.

"Damn it..." he muttered, "Brother Weiting, do you think those old men in the Grand Council have knees of iron, kneeling like that every day?" Yuan Shikai didn't respond to his question. This "big pancake" leaned against the other side of the carriage wall, squinting, seemingly lost in thought.

The carriage was quiet for a while.

Chang Desheng was still rubbing his knee, but he still managed to say, "Brother Weiting, the old lady's performance today... was quite flashy! Even 'Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors' wasn't as ruthless as hers."

Yuan Shikai raised his eyelids slightly: "Oh? Tell me, what did you figure out?"

"This is quite a scheme!" Chang Desheng leaned closer to him, his voice low. "The first move was to send Zhang Xiangshuai and Liu Xianshuai to seduce the Germans, set up factories, and train troops. Isn't that obvious? Using Han people to control Han people! Giving our Beiyang Army two rivals, preferably to fight each other, while she sits in the Summer Palace watching the dogs fight." Then Chang Desheng chuckled again: "The second move was to send Lord Yin with people to Germany, ostensibly to celebrate his birthday, but in reality... I'm sure it was to send people to German military academies to learn skills. They think the Xiang Army and Huai Army are unreliable and want to train a new Manchu army from scratch. The old lady is quite shrewd; she knows the reins must be in her own hands."

Yuan Shikai listened without showing any expression.

"The last resort, hey," Chang Desheng pointed to his own nose again, then gave Yuan Shikai a half-hearted nod, "is to include us two in the scheme. Let us 'go all out' in Korea and start some businesses... It sounds like a favor, but it's actually just adding sand to the pot of Beiyang."

After he finished speaking, he looked expectantly at Yuan Shikai, waiting to hear the man's opinion.

Yuan Shikai remained silent for a few moments before looking at Chang Desheng: "Zhenbang, not bad. Your trip to the palace has certainly sharpened your judgment." He pondered for a while longer before slowly asking, "Then... do you think there's any potential in Korea?"

At this point, Chang Desheng perked up.

"A real opportunity? Brother Weiting, this is a huge opportunity!" He started calculating on his fingers. "Those foreigners have a field of study called 'geology,' which is about studying the ins and outs of the earth. According to their theory, places with many mountains usually have minerals! Korea has many mountains, so how could it not have minerals?"

Yuan Shikai nodded: "I actually know a little about this old man. During my years stationed in Korea, I heard from my subordinates that there's a gold mine in Pyongan Province called Unsan, which is said to be quite good. They secretly mined it during the Goryeo Dynasty, and people are still mining it now. There's a copper mine in Hamgyong Province called Gapsan… they're mining there now. The copper coins of Korea are all made from copper produced there!"

Chang Desheng was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Excellent! Gold and copper mines are great! They bring in money quickly, without the hassle of years before they even open. Besides, I have connections to bring in capital and mining engineers from Southeast Asia, buy some foreign machinery, and hire some laborers from Zhili. We can start operating on a large scale right away! This old lady is setting a trap for us, trying to make us struggle in this quagmire of Korea. But if we manage it well, this quagmire can become a goldmine for us! We can even use the mines to support our army and expand the military headquarters under the Korean Military Affairs Office. Then..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but he conveyed his meaning, looking eagerly at Yuan Shikai, waiting for his "good elder brother" to make the final decision.

Yuan Shikai listened quietly, his gaze fixed on Chang Desheng for a long while before he finally spoke softly:

"Zhenbang..."

"Yes, brother, what are your orders?" Chang Desheng quickly replied.

"The mine is a good mine. The soldiers should be trained too." Yuan Shikai's tone was as flat as a stagnant pool. "But have you considered... what others will think if we do these things in Korea?"

"A stranger?" Chang Desheng was taken aback.

"The Japanese in the east, the Russians in the north..." Yuan Shikai sighed, then said, "How many people are eyeing Korea? And they're also fighting amongst themselves. If we try to mine there, we'll be digging for gold, but we'll also be stirring up a hornet's nest."

He paused, looked at Chang Desheng's face, and lowered his voice:

"That old lady didn't send us there to make us rich. She sent us... to cause trouble for the Grand Secretary!"

Chang Desheng asked, enunciating each word clearly, "So, Brother Weiting, what do you think? Should we... avoid this trouble?"