The young and untimely Emperor Aisin Kyora Zaixiang
Emperor Dezong of the Qing Dynasty (14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908) was the eleventh emperor of the Qing Dynasty and the ninth emperor after the capital was Beijing. His father was Yizhen the Prince of Alcohol, and his biological mother, Yehenara Wanzhen, was the sister of Empress Dowager Cixi. He reigned for thirty-four years.
On June 28, 1871, in the tenth year of Tongzhi (1871), Zai Xiang was born in the Taiping Lake Palace in Xuanwumen, Beijing. He was the grandson of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, and his father was Yizhen the Prince of Daoxian, the seventh son of Emperor Daoguang. Her mother was Empress Dowager Cixi's younger sister, Yehenara Wanzhen. Soon after Wanzhen married Prince Shuo, she gave birth to Yi Zhen's eldest son, Aisin Kyora Zaihan. The mother was noble, and Wanzhen soon gained a high status in the prince's palace, and Yizhen also loved this concubine Fujin even more. Ke Zaihan died prematurely when he was two years old. In the tenth year of Tongzhi (1871), she gave birth to Yizhen's second son, Zai Xiang.
In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi (1874), Zai Xiang died when he was four years old, and the Tongzhi Emperor left no children. Moreover, the Tongzhi Emperor was the only son of the Xianfeng Emperor, and after his death, the Xianfeng lineage also disappeared. Just two hours after the death of the Tongzhi Emperor, an emergency meeting concerning the national fortunes of the Qing Dynasty was held on time in the Yangxin Hall Xinuan Pavilion. Present at the meeting were the Tongzhi Emperor's fifth uncle YiXuan the Prince of Yixuan, the sixth uncle Gong Prince Yixuan, the Seventh Uncle Shuo Prince Yizhen, the eighth uncle Zhongjun Wang Yixuan, the Ninth Uncle Fu County Wang Yizhen, as well as Yi Li, JingShou and other ministers. First of all, someone asked for the heir of the Tongzhi Emperor, and mentioned the two candidates, Pu Kan and Pu Lun. Prince Yixi objected, saying four words: "Alienation is not allowed." Cixi wasted no time in expressing her approval and said, "Pu Zi is not a person who should stand up. At this time, the military minister and Empress Dowager Cixi had a dispute. Empress Dowager Cixi said, "How about the curtain hanging after that?" Some of the ministers of the military plane said: "The clan is important, please choose the meritocracy, and then plead for the curtain." After that, the military chancellor fought for the opportunity for Yi Chen's son Zai Li, but cixi, in order to be able to control the government in a just manner, personally designated the second son of Yi Zhen the Prince of Alcohol, who was also the biological son of his sister, to succeed the Xianfeng Emperor and ascend the throne as emperor. As soon as Cixi's voice fell, Prince Yizhen of Alcohol cried out and collapsed to the ground, crying incessantly. The relatives and nobles reached out to each other, but no one could pull them. At the age of four, Zai Xiang was chosen to inherit the throne, and the following year he changed his era name to "Guangxu".
In the middle of the night, all the main gates of the Forbidden City were opened, and Wang Yichen of Fu Commandery led the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Palace of alcohol on the east bank of Taiping Lake inside Xuanwu Gate to welcome the new monarch Zai Xiang into the palace. On the sixth day of the first month, the day after Empress Dowager Cixi announced that Zai Xiang would inherit the throne, Zai Xiang took a sedan from the residence of Prince Shuo to the palace, entered the noon gate, and went to the Yangxin Hall. After asking the empress dowager of the two palaces for peace, and after paying tribute to the Emperor Daxing and the Emperor Tongzhi Emperor Ling, he "cut his hair into a costume" and became emperor. On the seventh day of the first month, Empress Dowager Zaifeng Ci'an lived in the Zhong Pu Palace of the Eastern Sixth Palace, commonly known as the "Eastern Empress"; Empress Dowager Feng Cixi lived in the Changchun Palace of the Western Sixth Palace, commonly known as the "Western Empress". Zai Xiang lived in the Yangxin Hall. Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi practiced curtain-raising. The emperor's edict called "edict", and the empress dowager's edict called "Yi will". The prince's palace was originally located in Taiping Lake in Xicheng, and after Zai Xiang ascended the throne, the palace became the emperor's hidden residence (later known as Nanfu). Therefore, the Qing court also gave the Prince of Alcohol palace, located in the northern edge of Houhai (also known as the Northern Province).
On the twentieth day of the first month of the first year of Guangxu (1875), empress dowager Yi Yi of the two palaces held a ceremony to take the throne at the Taihe Hall and offered sacrifices to heaven, earth, temple, and society. After Zai Xiang succeeded to the throne, he went to the Qianqing Palace to pay homage to the Tongzhi Emperor Yurong (portrait), then to the Zhong Pu Palace to salute Empress Dowager Ci'an, then to the Changchun Palace to salute Empress Dowager Cixi, and to the Chuxiu Palace to pay homage to Empress Xiaozheyi (Empress Tongzhi). At this time, Zai Xiang was only five years old, and his actual age was only three and a half years old. In February, Empress Jiashun of the Tongzhi Emperor died. The Margaret case occurred, and British forces began to invade Tibet. The British used the Ma Jiali case to force the Qing government to sign the Yantai Treaty. Zai Xiang passed through the title of emperor and formed a "mother-son" relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi. Originally, Zai Xiang's dual identity as the nephew of the Xianfeng Emperor and the nephew of Empress Dowager Cixi was already close to Empress Dowager Cixi, and Empress Dowager Cixi's choice of Zai Xiang as emperor was not only her intention to seize power, she also considered that it was the most appropriate choice for her sister's son to take over the throne. After the little emperor entered the palace, he left his biological parents, and Empress Dowager Cixi naturally wanted to care for this young child, according to her own words to her subordinates: Zai Xiang "often lies on my bed, when it is cold and warm, adding or subtracting clothes", "I write and read the emperor in japanese books and paper classes, and dictate the four books and poems, I love pity but I am afraid that I will not come."
On April 21, 1876, the second year of Guangxu (1876), Zai Xiang began to study at Yuqing Palace. Yuqing Palace is located between the East Sixth Palace and the Fengxian Hall on the east side. The masters are Shu Lang, Cabinet Scholar Weng Tonggong and Shilang Xia Tongshan. Weng Tonggong and Xia Tongshan are the same list of jinshi. Weng Tonggong mainly taught Zai Xiang to read, and Xia Tongshan mainly taught Zai Xiang to write imitation grids (writing). The former chancellor taught Manchu, Mongolian, and archery. Zai Xiang studied very hard, and Empress Dowager Cixi praised him: "I love learning very much, sitting, standing, and lying down reading poetry books." "He associated reading with being a monarch. Zai Xiang has his father Yi Zhen in Yuqing Palace to take care of his own study, but the courtesy of the monarch replaces the love of father and son. Zai Xiang studied at Yuqing Palace for more than ten years.
In the first month of the third year of Guangxu (1877), Zuo Du Yushi Jinglian was promoted to military minister. Before the Dalai Lama was born, he was in charge of local affairs and was given the name "Dashan". In April, Liu Jintang conquered the seven grams of tengmu and opened up the exhibition, and regained the two cities of Turpanman and Han. He then conquered the fortresses of Dasaka and Toxon, and the rebel Pasha of Andijan committed suicide. In February of the fourth year of Guangxu (1878), the bandit plague in Xinjiang was quelled, and the bandit leader Bai Yanhu fled to Russia. Zuo Zongtang was awarded the title of Marquis of the Second Rank, and Liu Jintang was made a Second Class Male. In June, Li Hongzhang opened the Luanzhou Kaiping Mining Bureau.
In April of the fifth year of Guangxu (1879), Japan invaded the Ryukyu Islands, renamed okinawa, and sentenced the last Ryukyu king, Shang Tai, to be exiled to Tokyo. In the first month of the sixth year of Guangxu (1880), He appointed Tsang Kizawa as a minister to Russia and changed the treaty. In March, Zuo Zongtang guarded Hami. In March of the seventh year of Guangxu (1881), Empress Dowager Ci'an died in Zhong pu Palace, and she was honored as Empress Xiaozhen. In the eighth year of Guangxu (1882), when Zai Xiang was 11 years old, he added teaching content and explained the "Compilation of Imperial Dynastic Scriptures" compiled by He Changling and Wei Yuan.
In May of the ninth year of Guangxu (1883), the French army attacked the paper bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam, provoking the Sino-French War. Li Hongzhang returned to Beiyang to deploy for coastal defense. In June, Liu Yongfu, a general of the Black Flag Army in Vietnam, fought with the French army in Hanoi and Paper Bridge, winning a great victory at Paper Bridge and defeating the French invasion. In March of the tenth year of Guangxu (1884), Empress Dowager Cixi dismissed the military chancellor by mistake as Prince Gong and nursed illness at home. The history is called "Jiashen Yishu". In August, French ships shelled the Mawei Shipyard in Fujian to provoke the Battle of Mawei.
In February of the eleventh year of Guangxu (1885), the Sino-French War ended. In May, Yi zhi surveyed and repaired the South and North Sea projects. In September, Taiwan Was renamed a province, and Liu Mingchuan was made the first governor of Taiwan. The Prime Minister's Naval Affairs Gate was set up, the Prince of Alcohol was appointed as Prime Minister, and the coastal sailors were dispatched in moderation.
In the twelfth year of Guangxu (1886), when Zai Xiang was 16 years old, that is, when traditional Chinese concepts believed to be adults, it was said that he already had the ability to "read chapters, judge ancient and modern, and dissect right and wrong".
When the empress dowager of the two palaces made Zai Xiang emperor and once again bowed the curtain to listen to the government, she once interpreted listening to the government as an act of "temporary expediency" to ensure that "once the emperor has succeeded in his studies, he will return to the government." On the tenth day of the first month of June in the twelfth year of Guangxu (1886), Empress Dowager Cixi reiterated what she had said in her "Yi Will" and announced that "the Qin Tianjian chose an auspicious period and held a pro-government ceremony next year." On the surface, Empress Dowager Cixi was keeping her promise, but in fact, sooner or later the young emperor would have to face the problem of pro-government when he grew up, and Empress Dowager Cixi had already made a premeditation, in order to find a new way to manipulate the power of the Qing court after helplessly letting the Guangxu Emperor pro-government. For this intention of hers, Prince Yizhen of Alcohol understood it in his heart. Yi Zhen replaced Prince Gong's position in the imperial court in the "Jiashen Yishu" two years ago and became Empress Dowager Cixi's confidant. Only five days after Empress Dowager Cixi was ready to promulgate the "Yi Decree" of the Guangxu Emperor's pro-government, he went up to the court to judge the situation with the princes and ministers, and jointly pleaded with Empress Dowager Cixi to "discipline the government" and said that the emperor "will be on the scale of all ceremonies in the future after the big wedding, and Xian Lai will be admonished." The model of discipline he proposed was: "We must always regulate according to the present, and all events must be first asked for advice, and then heard before the emperor." Empress Dowager Cixi pushed the boat along the water and said that she accepted Yi Zhen's request for political training. In October of that year, Prince Shi Duo of Li reported to Empress Dowager Cixi for permission to approve the details of the training of the government, among which the article "When summoned to see and introduce, the empress dowager will be promoted to the throne and disciplined the government", which is essentially no different from listening to the government.
In the first month of the thirteenth year of Guangxu (1887), Zai Xiang began to govern. This was not so much the beginning of the Guangxu Emperor's pro-government, but rather that Empress Dowager Cixi paved a channel for her future return to the Guangxu Emperor through the way of government training to control the emperor for a long time. In order to control Zai Xiang more effectively after returning to power, Empress Dowager Cixi made her niece Empress Dowager Guixiang's daughter Yehenara, later Empress Longyu.
In the fifteenth year of Guangxu (1889), she was crowned empress on the 26th day of the first month, and married on the 27th. On February 3, Empress Dowager Cixi returned to power. At this time, Empress Dowager Cixi did not break the ancestral law that the young emperor should personally manage the government as soon as he was married, so she had to move out of the imperial palace to the Summer Palace to "raise the heavenly year". However, this did not mean that she was willing to let the Guangxu Emperor exercise imperial power, but engaged in a series of activities before and after her return to power in order to control the pro-government Guangxu Emperor and continue to manipulate the power of the Qing court. In order to strengthen her control over the imperial court, she used many people loyal to her in the arrangement and appointment of civil and military officials, so that when the Guangxu Emperor was pro-government, she faced almost all the important ministers during the empress dowager's administration and training. In order to grasp the movements of the Guangxu Emperor, she decided to change the study where the Guangxu Emperor studied from yuqing Palace to the Xiyuan garden near the Summer Palace, and asked the Guangxu Emperor to come to the Summer Palace every day to ask her for peace, and the guangxu emperor after the pro-government must "confess and then go" to her about the important affairs of the dynasty. Apparently, Empress Dowager Cixi set up numerous roadblocks for the Guangxu Emperor's pro-government. The pro-government process of the Guangxu Emperor took more than two and a half years from conception to the beginning, and it was full of twists and turns. However, once the Guangxu Emperor, who had grown up and was gradually maturing, formally came to power, what Empress Dowager Cixi did not expect. Although Empress Dowager Cixi continued to restrain him in various ways, as a young emperor, he always had to exert his political ambitions, and contradictions and conflicts between him and Empress Dowager Cixi were inevitable.
In the sixteenth year of Guangxu (1890), Zhang Yinhuan, minister to the United States, returned from the United States. Zai Xiang was eagerly summoned to inquire about the situation abroad. Later, Zai Xiang asked for the "Chronicle of the Nation of Japan" by Huang Zunxian, counselor of the Minister in Japan, and the Meiji Restoration in Japan left a deep impression on Zai Xiang's heart. Zai Xiang also read Feng Guifen's "Protests at the School Of Lu", which germinated to change The situation of poverty and weakness in China.
In the twentieth year of Guangxu (1894), the Sino-Japanese Peasants' War broke out, and Japan deliberately provoked the Sino-Japanese War under the pretext of protecting the overseas Chinese and increasing its troops in Korea. Proceeding from the interests of the Chinese nation, the Guangxu Emperor and the members of the imperial party realized the seriousness of Japan's war provocations, lamented that "our Country will never have a restful day," actively prepared for the War of Resistance, and expressed their desire to fight the main war. The Guangxu Emperor repeatedly issued edicts ordering Li Hongzhang, the governor and minister of Beiyang, to prepare for the defense of the war, and ordered the governors of Nanyang to make preparations in advance, opposing Li Hongzhang's imploring the great powers to mediate. On June 13, the Guangxu Emperor ordered Weng Tonggong and Li Hongzao of the Rebbe Shangshu to participate in the affairs of the Military Aircraft Department and to discuss the Sino-Japanese Korean dispute with the ministers of military aircraft. At the meeting, Weng and Li put forward a strategy for preparing for the enemy, which was recognized. The day after the meeting, the ministers attending the meeting jointly handed the Guangxu Emperor the "Fold on Korean Affairs of the Fuchen Conference", and adopted Weng and Li's views on the main battle in the compromise. In response, the Guangxu Emperor again issued an edict on June 16 ordering Li Hongzhang to step up military deployment. However, before that, Japan was already ready to launch a war, and just as the gaosheng steamship was transporting troops to the surface of Toshima on June 23 under the escort of the Beiyang Navy's "Jiyuan" and "Guangyi" ships, the Japanese Navy, which had been planning for a long time, suddenly launched an attack, sinking the "Gaosheng" steamship, that is, the Gaosheng incident, and brazenly provoking the Battle of Toshima. On the first day of July in the twentieth year of Guangxu, the Qing court issued an "edict" declaring war on Japan. Zai Xiang believes: "Japan first provoked the incident and invaded and blackmailed Korea, and if it makes it difficult to end the matter, then naturally we should send troops to fight it." On July 24, he also instructed Li Hongzhang not to miss the military plane. He directly ordered Ye Zhichao of the South Asan Road in Korea to attack the invading Japanese army with the Qing army entering northern Korea. He repeatedly ordered the increase of troops to raise salaries and stop Empress Dowager Cixi from embezzling naval funds to build the Summer Palace, but Li Hongzhang did not listen to Zai Xiang's edicts. In later battles, China lost the Battle of Asan and then defeated at the Battle of Pyongyang. After losing the Battle of yalu River Defense, Japan took advantage of the situation to launch the Liaodong Campaign, trapping the Ninth Company and the Phoenix Cities. Dalian and Lushun were lost one after another. Re-established Weihaiwei and Liugong Island. In the Battle of Weihaiwei, the Japanese army captured Chinese warships, and the Chinese navy was destroyed. This year, China organized and trained the new army at the Tianjin Station.
On March 23, the twenty-first year of Guangxu (1895), Li Hongzhang initialed the "Maguan Treaty" with the Japanese side with the purpose of "putting the clan society first and the border is light" in Japan. Due to the harsh content of the treaty, the Guangxu Emperor expressed that he was "not allowed" to the treaty on the grounds that there were too many land cuts, and refused to sign the treasure. At this time, patriotic officials' advice and petitioning activities were in full swing, and the Guangxu Emperor went to the Summer Palace with the idea of moving the capital and negotiating with Japan to ask Empress Dowager Cixi to accept this only feasible strategy, but was rejected. On the eighth day of the first month of April, Sun Yuwen, the minister of military aircraft, took the draft peace treaty sent by Li Hongzhang from Tianjin and yixun and others to force the Guangxu Emperor to sign it, and Empress Dowager Cixi also ordered that the peace treaty must be approved. In April, Kang Youwei joined forces with 1,300 people who participated in the examination in Beijing, and wrote to the Metropolitan Inspection Bureau to refuse peace, move the capital, and change the law. Subsequently, Kang Youwei wrote the third book of the Shangqing Emperor and submitted it to the Duchayuan. On May 11, the letter was delivered to the Guangxu Emperor. At this time, the Guangxu Emperor, who was feeling uneasy about the loss of the master and deeply guilty about signing the contract with the treasure, urgently needed how to shame and strengthen himself, and Kang Youwei's specific contents of the implementation of the reform law such as "rich country", "raising the people", "teaching the people", and "training soldiers" detailed in this book, stated that it was necessary to "change the law in time", "seek talent and be cautious, try to strengthen oneself through the situation, shame on the snow country, and protect the frontier", which aroused his sympathy, and immediately ordered that 4 copies be copied again. 1 piece was presented to Empress Dowager Cixi, 1 piece was kept for military aircraft to be sent to the governors of various provinces for discussion in the future, 1 piece was stored in the small basket of the south window of the Qianqing Palace, and 1 piece was stored in the Qinzheng Palace for "viewing" at any time. In June, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao organized the "Strong Society" in Beijing. In October, Russia, Germany, and France intervened, forcing Japan to abandon its claim to China's Liaodong Peninsula. This is "three-state intervention and return to Liao".
In April of the twenty-second year of Guangxu (1896), Tsarist Russia seduced the Sino-Russian Secret Treaty.
Seize the right to railways in the Middle East and extend the invading forces into the three northeastern provinces. In May, Zai Xiang visited the residence of the King of Alcohol, Fu Jin (i.e., Zai Xiang's biological mother), several times with Empress Dowager Cixi. After the death of The Alcohol King Fujin Yehenara, Zai Xiang did not ascend to the throne on the eleventh day. Empress Dowager Cixi decreed that fu jin the prince of alcohol had died of illness and should be called the emperor's own mother. In June, Zai Xiang personally went to send the coffin of Prince Fujin out of the funeral. The Guangxu Emperor's ability to further deepen his understanding of Kang Youwei and other reformers and gradually establish confidence in changing the law was inseparable from the role of the imperial party officials in linking them. When he first exhibited Kang Youwei's book, Weng Tonggong was present to introduce kang Youwei's talent to him. Subsequently, "prepare for the emperor with Kang's words, and then for the sake of all nations, the goodness of the West" to counsel the emperor, so that the Guangxu Emperor's vision was wide open. In October of the twenty-third year of Guangxu (1897), the Juye Teaching Case occurred, and Germany forcibly occupied Jiaozhou Bay, triggering a frenzy of imperialist partition of China.
On the third day of the first lunar month of the twenty-fourth year of Guangxu (1898), Kang Youwei was invited to the Prime Minister's Yamen Xihua Hall for questioning. After Weng Tonggong, who participated in the interrogation, reported to the Guangxu Emperor the importance, content, and steps of the changes that Kang Youwei had stated during the interrogation, the Guangxu Emperor ordered his subordinates to submit the articles submitted to Kang Youwei in the future, and not to obstruct or backlog them. Therefore, on the fifth day after the questioning, Kang Youwei submitted to the Guangxu Emperor the sixth book, and put forward the request to issue an edict to determine the state of the country, emphasizing that China's reform of the law "is better to learn from Japan's restoration", and the main meaning is three points: "The first is to take the oath of the masses to reform the old and restore the new", "the second is to open the system bureau in the palace", and "the third is to set up a place for the edict". After reading this letter, the Guangxu Emperor was quite satisfied and strengthened his determination to change the law. On February 20, Kang Youwei wrote to the Guangxu Emperor for the seventh time, asking the Guangxu Emperor to follow the example of Peter the Great of Russia and use the monarchy to strictly implement the change of law. On March 27, Kang Youwei and others organized the Baohui, led by Yushi Li Shengduo. The conservative ministers attacked the society for "defending the country in name, which is bound to cause chaos in the country", and even wanted to pursue those who joined the association. The Guangxu Emperor pointed out: "Wouldn't it be very good to protect the country!" It effectively dealt a blow to the arrogance of the stubborn forces and supported the reformists.
In April, the princes of the clan were sent to travel abroad; Zai Xiang personally elected the prince and Belle, and the idle people below the duke were sponsored by the clan government. Summoned Kang Youwei, he was appointed prime minister of state affairs Yamen Zhangjing. The "Decree on the Determination of the Kingdom" was promulgated and the Hundred Days Restoration began. In May, Zai Xiangzhao established the Beijing Normal University Hall; the army changed to foreign exercises; since the beginning of the lower section, the townships, associations, and years have each tried and tried to plan; and the battalions on both wings of the Eight Banners of the Zhao Dynasty have all learned foreign guns with their semi-modifications. In June, the edict revised the new chapter of the Imperial Examination. In July, he ordered the temples of Zhan Shifu, TongzhengSi, Dali, Guanglu, Taibu, and Hongxu to be merged into the cabinet, and the ministries of ceremonies, soldiers, and punishment were also managed. Yang Rui, Zhongshu Lin Xu, chief of the Punishment Department, and Tan Sitong, the governor of Jiangsu, joined the New Deal. Yuan Shikai came to Beijing. The Reformers founded the Shi Ji Bao in Shanghai, with Wang Kangnian as the premier and Liang Qichao as the chief writer.
Although these reform measures have certain limitations, the new political edicts issued one after another from the Forbidden City in Beijing are, after all, the embodiment of the Guangxu Emperor's determination to reform the old and the new, after all, the desire of the reformists to change the law has been partially realized, which has cracked down on the old schools in culture and education, advocated new studies, is economically conducive to the modernization of capitalism, and politically gives people certain rights of speech, publication, and association, thus having a progressive effect. However, the New Deal edict was resisted and opposed by the feudal conservative forces, and many stubborn ministers cited Empress Dowager Cixi as a supporter, but the "Yi Will" was to be respected, not to take the Guangxu Emperor in his eyes, and even blatantly obstructed the New Deal, resulting in most of the Guangxu Emperor's edicts on changing the law becoming a blank piece of paper.
From the beginning of the promulgation of the New Deal Edict, the stubborn conservative forces headed by Empress Dowager Cixi had premeditated control over the political situation. On the day of weng Tonggong's edict to return home, Empress Dowager Cixi coerced the Guangxu Emperor to announce that all officials of erpin or above who were appointed to new posts in the future would have to go to the Summer Palace to thank her. On the same day, Empress Dowager Cixi's trusted minister Rong Lu was appointed as the acting viceroy to control the military power around Beijing and Tianjin. The Guangxu Emperor did not blindly show weakness, and on July 19, he ordered that all 6 people, including Libu Shangshu Huaitabu, who had obstructed the chief of the Ceremonial Department, should be dismissed from their posts and rewarded Wang Zhao. The next day, he appointed Tan Sitong, Liu Guangdi, Yang Rui, and Lin Xu as military aircraft Zhang Jing, awarded the title of SipinQing, and participated in the New Deal.
This act angered Cixi. On July 20, Zai Xiang also appointed Tan Sitong, the alternate prefect of Jiangsu, an important figure of the restoration faction, Liu Guangdi, the alternate chief of the Criminal Department, Yang Rui, an alternate attendant of the cabinet, and Lin Xu, the alternate secretary of the cabinet, as the four pin titles of Zhang Jing to handle the affairs of the new policy. Later, the reformists tried to hire former Japanese Prime Minister Itō Hirobumi, who was already in the field at that time, as advisers, but this was not achieved under the intervention of Cixi. At the same time, many stubborn forces whose interests had been violated gathered around Cixi and asked her to intervene to stop the change. On July 22, Li Hongzhang, who obstructed the New Deal, was expelled from the Prime Minister's Office. These counterattack measures of the Guangxu Emperor further aroused the envy of Empress Dowager Cixi, who constantly sent people to Tianjin to conspire with RongLu, and there were also rumors in the Beijing-Tianjin area that Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu would depose the Guangxu Emperor when she went to Tianjin for a military parade in the autumn.
As the date of the Tianjin military parade approached, the Guangxu Emperor panicked and gave Yang Rui a secret edict on July 28, saying: "The situation in the Degeneration is difficult, and it is not enough to save China without changing the law, and it is not enough to keep the old and decaying ministers, but to use heroic people who are mastered, and it is impossible to change the law." The empress dowager did not think so, and after several times, the empress dowager was even angrier. Now that the throne is almost unsafe, Ru Kang Youwei, Yang Rui, Lin Xu, Tan Sitong, Liu Guangdi, etc., can make proper and meticulous plans, try to save each other, and Ru Kang is very anxious, and it is not enough to hope. The Guangxu Emperor's spirit of putting his own fate aside greatly touched Kang Youwei and others, but after they cried bitterly, they were helpless, and finally had to pin their hopes on the legation in Dongjiaomin Lane and Yuan Shikai, who had participated in the Strong Society and held the new army. Ministers only expressed "sympathy" and were unwilling to intervene. Kang Youwei and others then planned the action of besieging the Summer Palace to hunt down Empress Dowager Cixi; on the one hand, they urged the Guangxu Emperor to summon Yuan Shikai on the first day of August and reward the waiters in a special way; on the other hand, they sought out Bi Yongnian, the leader of the Hunan Hui Party, as the candidate to hunt down Empress Dowager Cixi; on the other hand, Tan Sitong visited Yuan Shikai on the night of the third night of the first month of August, encouraging Yuan Shikai to first attack Ronglu and then besiege the Summer Palace. Bi Yongnian went to Beijing to talk with Kang Youwei, believing that Yuan Shikai was unreliable and that the matter could not be taken seriously, so he went to Japan. Yuan Shikai ostensibly agreed to Tan Sitong, but after being summoned again by the Guangxu Emperor on the fifth day of August, he rushed to Tianjin on the same day to inform Rong Lu. Rong Lu rushed to the capital overnight to report secretly to Empress Dowager Cixi.
Empress Dowager Cixi heard the news and returned to the palace from the Summer Palace late at night. On the morning of the sixth day of the first month of August, Empress Dowager Cixi announced the retraining of the government and ordered the arrest of Kang Youwei and other reformists, and a coup d'état took place. Kang Youwei fled Beijing the day before the coup, and Tan Sitong, Yang Rui, Lin Xu, Liu Guangdi, Kang Guangren, and Yang Shenxiu, the "Six Gentlemen," were killed at Caishikou, Beijing, on August 13. After Empress Dowager Cixi held a ceremony on the eighth day of the first month of August, the Guangxu Emperor imprisoned the Hanyuan Hall in Yingtai, Zhongnanhai. The sensational "Hundred Days Restoration" was stifled by the stubborn conservative forces represented by Empress Dowager Cixi. After the failure of the Wushu reform, Empress Dowager Cixi's son Zaiyi of Liduan Commandery was made the "Great Elder Brother" to replace Zai Xiang, who was known in history as Jihai Jianchu. The attempt failed because it did not have the support of the Great Powers.
In the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), when the Eight-Power Alliance invaded China, the Qing court had to make a choice on the issue of peace and war. From May 20 to May 23, Empress Dowager Cixi convened four imperial councils in four consecutive days to discuss peace and war issues. The Guangxu Emperor attended the meeting, and he did not approve of declaring war on the outside world, believing that the stubborn ministers claimed that "the righteous people are shameful, and their skills are even more gods" are unreliable, pointing out that "the strength of the countries is ten times that of Japan, and they conspire with me, so why should they resist them?" "Why take the lives of the people as a child's play?" Zai Yi, Zai Lian, Gang Yi, and other stubborn ministers not only repeatedly stated that they would rely on the "magic" of the Boxers to "avenge the snow and shame," but also instructed people to fabricate a so-called "diplomatic mission note" that "asked the empress dowager to return to power and abolish the eldest brother," which greatly annoyed Empress Dowager Cixi, declaring: "Outsiders have no reason to go so far, and they will swear to repay it." After repeated secret consultations between Empress Dowager Cixi and the conservative xenophobic ministers, the "Edict" declaring war was issued on May 25. However, just four days after the declaration of war, Empress Dowager Cixi told the powers that "the imperial court is cautious about diplomatic relations and will never take it lightly than provocation." After another 4 days, he said that "this kind of disorderly people will try to punish themselves." Empress Dowager Cixi hastily decided to declare war, and Zai Xiang couldn't help but ask Xu Jingcheng: "Xu Qing has been on a foreign mission for many years, and he is on an errand in the General Administration, and the foreign situation qing knows best, and qing thinks that daqing has the strength to fight a war with foreign countries?" Xu Jingcheng said excitedly, "Saint Shang asked, according to the facts, according to the current strength of the Great Qing, it seems that it is difficult to oppose one of these countries, let alone the combined forces of several countries." The subjects thought that peace was the best policy, and the best policy was to protect the embassy and suppress the fists and bandits. When Cixi heard this, she was immediately enraged, and announced the execution of Xu Jingcheng, the official attendant of the lord and the lord, Xu Yongyi, the secretary of the Taichang Temple, Shangshu Lishan of The Hubu, and the cabinet scholar Lianyuan. There is no hope for peace. The coalition forces attacked Beijing on August 14, zai xiang fled to Xi'an on August 15 under the leadership of Empress Dowager Cixi, and returned to Beijing after the signing of the Treaty of Xinugu.
On October 20, the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu (1901), Pu Yan was removed from the title of Great Brother. Zai Xiang's throne was preserved, but like a puppet, the courtiers played correctly and did not say a word. Sometimes Empress Dowager Cixi motioned for him to take a stand, but it was only a sentence or two.
In the last decade (1898-1908) of the secluded life, Zai Xiang still persevered in studying the law and carefully read the legal books of the world.
After the Guangxu Emperor returned to Beijing, he was no longer imprisoned in Yingtai, but often came to the dynasty and returned to his previous imperial life, but Empress Dowager Cixi still strictly controlled him. At this time, although the Qing court was still implementing the New Deal that had been implemented since the first ten days of December 1901 (January 29, 1901), which began to implement the Edict of Change, it seemed that the New Deal measures during the Penghu Reform Period were gradually restored, but the Guangxu Emperor was promulgating the New Deal. When the Guangxu Emperor was buried, he had to obey Empress Dowager Cixi's will to "curse himself twice first", saying that "Kang has changed the law for it, not for changing the law, but for the chaos of the law.". In his confession to Princess Deling, he expressed bitterness: "I intend to revitalize China, but you know that I cannot be the master, and I cannot be as I want." ”
In October of the thirty-fourth year of Guangxu (1908), Guangxu fell ill and was bedridden. At this time, Cixi was also ill. Guangxu wrote in his diary: "I was very ill, but I felt in my heart that Lafayette (referring to Cixi) would die before me. If so, I will order the beheading of Yuan Shikai and Li Lianying. Unexpectedly, this diary was learned by Li Lianying, who immediately reported cixi, saying: "The emperor wants to die after Lafayette!" Cixi listened and said hatefully, "I can't die before him!" ” 。
In the winter of the thirty-fourth year of Guangxu (1908), Zai Xiang became seriously ill, and Empress Dowager Cixi ordered Puyi to be raised in the palace. Puyi was the grandson of YiZhen the Prince of Shuoxian and the son of the regent Zaifeng. Puyi's nursing mother, Wang Jiaoshi, carried Puyi into the palace together. On November 14, at the age of 38, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered Puyi to inherit the imperial throne, inherit the Tongzhi Emperor Zaichun, and at the same time inherit the Guangxu Emperor's ancestry, one person and two rooms. The temple number Dezong, 谥 "Tongtian Chongyun Dazhong to Zhengjing Wenwei Wuren Xiaorui Duan Jian Jian Jian Qin Jing Emperor", referred to as Emperor Jing. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), he was buried in the Chongling Tomb in the Qingxi Mausoleum in Yi County, Hebei Province.