Chapter Fifty Conspiracy

  After a while, Longyu slowly came to, looked at the ministers and princes still kneeling on the ground, and wailed loudly: "Regent King, you just read this telegram aloud, so that everyone knows how the Emperor passed away!"

  When they heard this, everyone was shocked. The death of the Guangxu Emperor had been suspicious, and people had already been speculating about it in their hearts. Now that Longyu spoke like this, wasn't she saying that the death of Guangxu was indeed a shocking conspiracy? At this time, everyone's heart was racing with anxiety, not knowing who sent the telegram or what its contents were.

  "I dare not read it!" Zai Yu didn't pick up the telegram draft either, and just kept kowtowing.

  "You..." Longyu pointed at Zaiyuan, her face pale. Zaiyuan's concerns she was not unaware of, but really did not think that Zaiyuan would dare to disobey her edict.

  "Your Majesty, I beg for your decree. I am willing to read this telegram on behalf of the Regent King." Little Gong Prince Puwei knocked his head and said.

  "Then you read it." Longyu waved his hand and dismissed the eunuchs and palace maids by his side.

  Yu Wei picked up the telegram, hung his head and quickly scanned it, shocked in his heart, but a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. When he raised his head, the cold smile had disappeared, replaced by an expression of pain and sorrow, and he read out the contents of the telegram loudly:

  "I, Duan Jin, respectfully wish the Emperor's safety. The Taohua Army mutinied, and I, along with my brother Duan Fang, were captured by the rebels. My brother was killed, and I almost lost my life as well. Fortunately, thanks to the protection of Heaven and the spirit of the late Emperor, I managed to escape from the rebel camp and boarded a Japanese warship to Shanghai, where I sent this telegram from the Shanghai Circuit Intendant's office.

  It has been discovered that Yuan Shikai colluded with the revolutionary party, plotting evil deeds. He conspired with Li Lianying, the manager of the Imperial Household Department, to murder the late Emperor and then made a pact with the revolutionaries to create chaos. I was able to uncover Yuan's scheme thanks to Heaven's blessing.

  Yuan Shikai has received great favors from the country but does not think of repaying them. Instead, he conspired with the revolutionary party to commit high treason, murdering the Emperor and deceiving the ruler. What can be tolerated? Although Yuan is my relative by marriage, this was a move by the imperial court to win people's hearts when it lifted the ban on intermarriage between Manchu and Han Chinese. It was not because I sought to curry favor with him.

  My private feelings are secondary to public justice in my heart. I am the first to report this crime, and I hope that the imperial court will understand my loyalty and quickly execute Yuan Shikai to ensure the eternal stability of the Qing dynasty!

  I, Duan Jin, kneel."

  Everyone was shocked, and this telegram was indeed of great importance. No wonder Zaizhen didn't dare to read it out loud. Duanjin is the younger brother of Duanfang, one of whose daughters had been adopted by Duanfang and later married off to Yuan Shikai's son. Therefore, not only were Duanfang and Yuan Shikai relatives by marriage, but so was Duanjin. A relative informing another relative may seem improper, but if Duanjin didn't inform them, that would be "knowing the situation without reporting it", an even greater crime.

  However, the contents of this telegram were too shocking to hear. Although Yuan Shikai was a powerful minister and a hero, did he really have the guts to poison the Emperor? Since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, there had never been a case where a minister poisoned an emperor.

  "Is this telegram really from the Regent, Prince Chun?" Prince Qing Yi first spoke out, while also breaking into a cold sweat. It seemed that Yuan Shikai could no longer be protected; if he continued to protect him, even he himself would have to be dragged down. "A commoner is not guilty, but one who holds jade will be punished." Who made Yuan Shikai's power so great and his prestige so high? If only he were a Manchu, it wouldn't matter, but he was actually a Han Chinese. Once this telegram came out, who knows how many people would want to kick him while he was down?

  Zai Yun hummed and said, "This is a Shanghai Dao Dai play, using a special password, it's impossible to mistake. Shanghai Dao also said that besides Zhang Biao, several other banner officials who fled to Shanghai with Duan Jin all testified in unison that it was Yuan Shikai who poisoned the Emperor, they personally heard the rebels say so."

  "Could it be that what the rebels said is not a plot to sow discord?" Yi Xue asked, his mind still undecided. Would Yuan Shikai protect him or not? If he did, it would probably be a waste of effort; if he didn't, it seemed as though he had fallen into the revolutionaries' trap.

  "Although there are suspicions of separation, but thinking carefully, Yuan Shikai may not be completely innocent." Xiao Gong Wang hurriedly said. "The telegram clearly states that Yuan Shikai was afraid of the Emperor's return to power, which would be unfavorable to him, so he poisoned the Emperor. You all should think about it carefully, before and after the Emperor's death, didn't Yuan Shikai look like two different people? First, he was depressed and sorrowful, then he became cheerful and triumphant? Qing Wang, you are closest to Yuan Shikai, you must have seen more clearly. In my opinion, Yuan Shikai and Li Lianying may not have the ability to cover up the whole sky by themselves, I'm afraid there are other people involved in the conspiracy!"

  "Xiao Gongzi, what do you mean by this?" Yi Xie's face turned red with rage, and he almost stood up to scold loudly.

  What does it mean? Of course, it refers to the insult of Yuan Shikai. Most people present understood that Pu Wei meant that whoever protected Yuan Shikai at this time was an accomplice in the murder of Guangxu!

  The Guangxu Emperor died under suspicious circumstances, and in the past few days, there have been rumors circulating in the capital. Not only did the common people suspect something was amiss, but even high-ranking officials were discussing it heatedly. The emperor's death was followed by that of the Empress Dowager, a strange coincidence that would be worth investigating in any dynasty or era.

  However, officials are not ordinary people, ordinary people can discuss privately, but they cannot, and can only hold it in their hearts.

  Yu Wei did not pick up the conversation, but instead knocked his head on the ground and said to Empress Longyu: "Your humble servant implores Your Majesty's wise decree to dispatch troops to capture Yuan Shikai. Regardless of whether this telegram is true or false, first take Yuan Shikai into custody and then investigate further. He has held high office for many years, with eyes and ears all over the imperial court. If news of the telegram leaks out, even if the imperial court does not take action, it's likely that Yuan Shikai will not wait to be captured. Even if this is a treacherous plot by the rebels, it is an extremely vicious one. Even if the imperial court says nothing, once this matter spreads, it's likely that the lower-ranking banner people will also lose confidence. What if some loyal and dedicated bannerman goes to settle accounts with Yuan Shikai on behalf of the late emperor? Will Yuan Shikai not fight back? If Yuan Shikai mistakenly believes that the imperial court sent someone to harm him, the consequences are too terrible to contemplate! As the saying goes, 'a cornered dog will jump over a wall, and a desperate man will climb up a house.' When one should act decisively but fails to do so, they will inevitably be thrown into chaos. Your Majesty, please make a wise decision!"

  "Empress Dowager! I guarantee with my life that the late Emperor was not poisoned by Yuan Shikai. This telegram is a slanderous fabrication, I humbly request Your Majesty's decree to immediately order the Shanghai authorities to arrest and execute on the spot those who sent this telegram, to comfort loyal officials and stop false rumors." Yiku said loudly.

  He was afraid, although he was supervising the construction of the mausoleum in Badachu, but the news was well-informed, and the rumors from Beijing had already reached his ears. Officials and civilians all said that Guangxu died under unclear circumstances, one day he was still eating, the next day he passed away, and the cause of death was very suspicious, it was likely that he was poisoned to death. Moreover, when the officials from the Imperial Household Department rushed to handle the aftermath for the emperor, Guangxu's body had already been put into a coffin by the eunuchs. This matter is not normal, in other words, even the members of the imperial family and the Aisin Gioro clan did not see Guangxu's last face, but the coffin was closed, and it was impossible to take out Guangxu's body again to take a look. As a result, people naturally became suspicious. Now that this telegram has been sent, it is even more nailed down by rumors. Don't think that the imperial court can keep the contents of this telegram secret, don't think that those who are strict with their words can't let out the contents of this telegram? He Yihe was the backstage supporter of Yuan Shikai, and Yuan Shikai's rise to his current position was all thanks to Yihe's protection. Yuan Shikai also returned favors for the celebration of the king's faction, and the two were like ants on a rope. If Yuan Shikai was really killed because he poisoned Guangxu, then Yihe's crime of "protecting bandits" would not be able to escape either. Even if Longyu didn't calculate with Yihe, Puwei and his men wouldn't let go of this opportunity to overthrow him?

  Since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, the struggle for power has always been a matter of life and death. From Dorgon to Suo Ertu, from Nian Gengyao to Sushun, which powerful minister did not die because of being framed by his political enemies? If Yihe Qisishan does not clear himself in this matter, the next powerful minister to fall will be King Cheng.

  Did Zaifeng and his cohorts really believe that Yuan Shikai had poisoned Guangxu? I'm afraid not. Their true purpose was to take advantage of the situation to overthrow the power of the Qing royal family. In fact, the rumor of poisoning could have been verified if only they had handed over Guangxu's body to a Western military doctor for autopsy, but who dared to suggest that?

  To put it bluntly, this divisive plot is really too sinister. The person who planned it clearly understands the intrigue and struggle for power among several forces in the imperial court, and there's no need to worry that no one will "fall for it".

  Jiang Taigong fishes, and those who are willing come onto the hook.