Chapter 124: The Regent of the Qing Dynasty (Part 1)

Baimixie Street is located next to Shichahai, and the residence of Zhang Zhidong, the prince's prince, is located in Baimixie Street. The front door of the Zhang family's mansion is close to the street, and behind it is next to Shichahai. The mansion is lined with three buildings. There is a garden, rockery, pavilion, pool, etc. on the east side, which is quite beautiful, with a garden. In addition, a two-story viewing building is built in the garden, which can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery of Shichahai and the various market conditions of Di'anmen.

Although Zhang Zhidong is almost at home and has only received the idle position of Prince Taibao, this does not mean that his power has declined. In the current Qing court, he is still the most powerful person. If Zaifeng had not secretly helped him a few years ago, he would never be able to suppress Yuan Shikai's power in the court, nor would he be able to let Yuan Shikai go to Zhangde to fish. However, since he resolved Yuan Shikai, a person who they thought was a disaster to the Qing Dynasty, Zaifeng and Zhang Zhidong had a great dispute over personnel appointments and political affairs, especially in the appointment of Beiyang Army officers, Zhang Zhidong had even greater differences.

Zhang Zhidong believed that he should take advantage of Yuan Shikai's resignation and try his best to win over the generals of the Beiyang New Army. Even if he could not win over, he should immediately replace and reorganize grassroots officers and soldiers, undermining the rights of senior generals such as Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui, and eventually completely accept the Beiyang New Army as state-owned. However, Zaifeng felt that this matter could be slowed down. In his opinion, the most important thing was to establish a good relationship with foreign countries. As long as he received the support of foreigners, he could hold his position as regent.

So Zaifeng rejected Zhang Zhidong's memorial to the grounds that it was not appropriate to adjust grassroots officers and soldiers, which caused chaos in the morale of the army. However, in order to calm Zhang Zhidong's resentment, he replaced a small number of the upper-level officers of the Beiyang Army with the Eight Banners Generals, but at the same time, he also transferred Feng Guozhang back to the capital, while Duan Qirui transferred to the south to suppress the revolutionary party. Zhang Zhidong felt heartbroken and cursed Zaifeng at home for a fool and missed the opportunity to recruit the Beiyang Army.

Later, the conflict between Zaifeng and Zhang Zhidong became even more superficial. He ignored Zhang Zhidong's opposition and reused the Beiyang faction, such as Xu Shichang and Feng Guozhang, causing Zhang Zhidong to fall ill. It happened that Zaifeng forced him out of the government on the grounds of recuperation. If Zhang Zhidong had not been concerned about the safety of the Qing Dynasty and did not want others to benefit from civil strife, otherwise, Zaifeng's power in the court would have easily opened up his shortcomings.

Since Zhang Zhidong ignored the government, his mansion has never opened to see guests again. All the students and officials who visited were turned away, and the people on Baimixie Street seemed to have become accustomed to the tranquility of the Zhang family. However, on this day, the family of Zhang's family actually went out to sweep the streets to welcome guests, attracting people from nearby to see who is so arrogant and can make Zhang Zhidong so cautious.

The surroundings of the Zhang Mansion's garden had long been cleared. Many masters sent from the imperial city looked around vigilantly, guarding the garden like an iron bucket, and even the Zhang Mansion's family could not enter at will. At this time, a large apricot yellow sedan chair carried by sixteen people came over from the street. Although there was no gong to open the way, there was a team of thirty-six people leading the way. Moreover, when they arrived at the gate of Zhang Mansion, the people in the sedan chair did not get out of the sedan chair. They were extremely arrogant and carried in directly from the Zhuhong gate of the Zhang Mansion, which made everyone shocked.

At this time, a person who might have just come from another place asked curiously: "Who is this? Such a big air seems to be deliberately sacrificing Mr. Zhang's face."

A scholar living nearby looked at the man with his eyes squinted, and sneered: "Now, who else is so arrogant in the entire Beijing city except the regent? He must have come to ask Mr. Zhang for advice for the sake of these two days. But he couldn't pull this face, so he carried the sedan chair in like this."

As the literati said, Zaifeng was indeed here to ask for advice as he said, and he really couldn't stand it and got out of sedan chair outside. After all, the conflict between him and Zhang Zhidong was already known to everyone. Getting out of sedan chair at the door was equivalent to showing weakness. As the Qing Dynasty now had the highest power, at least nominally the highest power person, this little face is still needed.

After entering Zhang's mansion, Zaifeng got out of the sedan chair and the people from Zhang's mansion came forward to greet him. However, Zaifeng found that Zhang Zhidong was not seen among the crowd, and his face became gloomy. At this time, Zhang Zhidong's son walked up and explained: "Your Majesty, my father is waiting for you in the small building in the garden on the east side, so I will lead you."

As he said that, he led the way forward and led Zaifeng, who looked unhappy, to the garden. After arriving at the small garden building, he opened the door and let Zaifeng enter alone. Then he stopped the followers behind him and brought the door with him, and guarded the door without disturbing others.

After Zaifeng entered the small building, he looked around. The decorations in the building were very simple. Some mahogany tables and chairs, and a few bonsais were hung on the walls. It was elegant and simple.

"Have you arrived in the thousand years?" Zhang Zhidong's old voice suddenly came up from the upstairs, saying, "I am sick and unable to come out to greet me. I hope the prince will forgive me. Please come up by myself from the stairs next to the room."

When Zaifeng heard Zhang Zhidong's disdainful tone, his face became a little gloomy again, and he was secretly annoyed. If he had not been helpless now, he would not have been angry at all. The ghost and gods that had already caused a lot of trouble in the city last night had not yet been completed. This morning, the morning newspaper of the capital suddenly reported that the Beiyang Army intends to rebel, and the most hateful thing was the vague editorial under the newspaper, which vaguely stated that the rebellion was his deliberate design and wanted to swallow the Beiyang New Army.

Since the newspaper was run by foreigners and without name, he had no excuse to seal it off like other newspapers, and could only allow such newspapers that were not good for him to continue to be distributed. Although most of the things said in it were true, and some of them were even planned by him, he pointed all the finger at himself, and he could not bear the responsibility no matter what.
Chapter completed!