On the second day of September in the 25th year of Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor summoned Sheng Xuanhuai, the minister of the Sipin Jingtang Alternate Superintendent railway company.
Sheng Xuanhuai ( Sheng Xuanhuai ) was a native of Wujin County , Changzhou ( present-day Changzhou , Jiangsu Province ) , born in 1844. Sheng Xuanhuai had no connection with the imperial examination in his life, and he did not even pass the examination, and only one show was able to make a name. He joined the shogunate of Li Hongzhang at the age of 26, assisted Li Hongzhang in handling foreign affairs, and was appreciated by Li Hongzhang for his shrewd and capable style of doing things, and since then he has been prosperous in his official fortunes and become a red-top businessman.
As a cadre of foreign affairs, Sheng Xuanhuai participated in the creation of 11 Chinese firsts: the first civilian joint-stock enterprise (Steamship Merchants Bureau), the first telegraph bureau (China Telegraph Administration), the first inland small steamship company (Shandong Inland River Small Steamship Company), the first bank (China Commerce and Commerce Bank), the first railway trunk line (Beijing-Han Railway), the first steel joint venture (Hanyeping Company), the first higher normal school (Nanyang Public School), the first mining company (China Mining and Mineral General Corporation) The first public library (Huagong Shulin); the first modern university (Beiyang University Hall); the first social assistance organization (Red Cross Society of China).
This was the second time Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Sheng Xuanhuai. In the 22nd year of Guangxu, Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, and Wang Wenshao, the governor directly under him, together sent a message to the imperial court, requesting the construction of the Luhan Railway (the predecessor of the Beijing-HanKou Railway), the establishment of a railway company, and the recommendation of Sheng Xuanhuai as the minister of supervision. The construction of the Luhan Railway was a major event, and the selection of the chancellor was particularly crucial, and Empress Dowager Cixi was very cautious and specially summoned Sheng Xuanhuai once. This was the first time Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Sheng Xuanhuai. After being summoned, Empress Dowager Cixi was very satisfied with Sheng Xuanhuai. Soon, the Qing Dynasty set up the Railway Corporation, and appointed Sheng Xuanhuai as an alternate of sipin jingtang to supervise the affairs of the company, and had the right to perform special work.
Sheng Xuanhuai, who had previously served as a member of the Tianjin Customs Road, had now leapt to become a Jingtang as a local Daoist, had the right to perform things in a special way, and was satisfied with his ambitions, and telephoned Wang Wenshao saying: "Yesterday I summoned the title of the will, and today I offer an edict to open vacancies, and I will supervise the affairs of the Railway Corporation as a substitute of the Sipin Jingtang, and I will have a heavy responsibility, and it is easy to talk about the two words of competence, this matter can be achieved or defeated, and it is not yet visible as an adventure."
It was this summons that made Sheng Xuanhuai leave a deep impression on Empress Dowager Cixi's heart. Thus there was a second summons after 3 years.
At 9:01 a.m. on the second day of the first month of September, Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor summoned Sheng Xuanhuai at the East Pavilion of the Yangxin Hall of the Forbidden City. Since Empress Dowager Cixi had a certain understanding of Sheng Xuanhuai, their conversation was not polite, and they went straight to the subject as soon as they met. Empress Dowager Cixi was very concerned about the construction of the Luhan Railway and the financing of funds. Next, Empress Dowager Cixi "complained" to Sheng Xuan with hatred: "Current affairs are difficult, foreigners deceive me too much, how is it good... Now the foreign countries are deceiving me too much, so I am very anxious. ”
Why did Empress Dowager Cixi say this?
It turned out that around the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi's life was not good.
In the 20 years of Guangxu, a Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War destroyed the entire Beiyang Marine Division, and the Qing court was forced to "Treaty of Maguan", paying 230 million taels of silver and ceding land. After that, the Western powers heard the wind and launched armed threats against the Qing court one after another, running away from the horse and taking the ground. Even the Italians followed suit and rushed to Sanmen Bay, located in eastern Zhejiang.
Sheng Xuanhuai was a red-top businessman who integrated officials and businessmen, and indeed had unique features in setting up foreign affairs and establishing industries, and achieved a series of successes, but he had no experience in handling major military and state affairs, so would he answer Empress Dowager Cixi's inquiries in this way?
Sheng Xuanhuai replied, "I have also heard outside that the empress dowager is in a hurry, but we must not be too anxious." Although the situation today is more difficult than before, China is rich in land, smart people, and more goods. If the small people of Japan are poor and can still strengthen themselves, there is no reason why China cannot strengthen itself! During the Tongzhi period, when the empress dowager was hanging the curtain, she cut through the great difficulties, and Zhongxing was able to use Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, that is, Yan Jingming, Li Hanzhang, Shen Baozhen, etc., although they could not lead troops, they also had their own strengths. Now, in order to train troops and raise salaries, we must always pay attention to people before we can do things. ”
Obviously, Sheng Xuanhuai still had confidence in "China's self-improvement" under the difficult situation at that time. In his view, if China wants to tide over the difficulties, it must rely on talents. For example, relying on Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, Yan Jingming, Li Hanzhang, Shen Baozhen and other people in that year, Tongzhi ZTE was created.
Sheng Xuanhuai's view still has a certain truth.
During this summons, Empress Dowager Cixi also inquired to Sheng Xuanhuai on matters such as military training and salary, agricultural and industrial commerce, mining, military industry, and teaching plans.
Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Sheng Xuanhuai twice and trusted him. In 1900, when the Eight-Power Alliance invaded China, Sheng Xuanhuai took the lead in signing the "Southeast Mutual Protection Charter" with the Eight-Power Alliance. In 1901, when Empress Dowager Cixi returned to the capital, she said to Rong Lu: "Today, it seems that Sheng Xuanhuai is an indispensable person. Therefore, Sheng Xuanhuai not only did not receive punishment, but was promoted to the position of Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Works of Zheng Erpin.