Shi Xu said: "Mr. Zhang, aren't there any other countries in Britain and France supporting us? Britain and France are the world's most powerful and second-most powerful. No matter how strong the overseas Chinese are, they are still not as strong as Britain and France. Why should we be afraid of overseas Chinese?"

Zhang Zhidong sighed, thinking that he had such experience and was still the minister of military affairs. However, Shi Xu was always stronger than Tieliang and Liangbi, and he would not go against Han ministers in everything. Therefore, he explained patiently: "All Western countries cannot be trusted. Britain, Japan, France and Russia have an alliance agreement. This move is clearly to help our allies, and let our Qing Dynasty be enemies with overseas Chinese. If we don't have a good intention, how can we be fooled?"

Liang Bi was a little dissatisfied and said, "Mr. Zhang's words are clearly fearing that overseas Chinese are like tigers. Such concessions will only increase the arrogance of overseas Chinese. All the current situation of overseas Chinese is that the court was too indulged in the past. The Empress Dowager, the Emperor must not believe his greedy words."

Zhang Zhidong also said angrily: "According to your intentions, you are going to take the imperial court's utmost. How can you play the major national affairs like this?"

Liangbi was about to speak, but only a eunuch came in to report: "Report to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, there is Yuan Shikai and Yuan waiting for the order outside. If there is important military information, you must report to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor."

Guangxu was also a little surprised, because Yuan Shikai should have been able to return to Beijing tomorrow, so why did he come back today? Is it really important that there is an important military situation? Guangxu looked at Cixi, saw Cixi, and said, "See Yuan Shikai in."

Not long after, Yuan Shikai came out of the hall and said after the ceremony: "Report to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, I received an emergency in Hebei yesterday, and a civil rebellion occurred. Handan, Jizhou and Daming were lost. I dare not hide it, so I hurried back to Beijing to report to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor."

After hearing Yuan Shikai's words, the ministers in the court were shocked. Although Handan, Jizhou and Daming were all in the south of Hebei Province and far from Beijing, Bi Jing was still in Hebei Province, and it was the first civil rebellion that occurred in Hebei after the Boxer Yuzhong, such as Jingtingbin and Zhao Sanduo in Hebei.

In fact, everyone now knows that the bandits in Henan and Hubei are actually a branch of the East China government. However, they did not expand into Hebei, and they mainly operated between rural areas and rarely captured county towns. They did not seem to be too threatening, so they all pretended not to see it. In fact, the actual area controlled by river and lake bases has reached Henan, and nearly half of the two provinces in Hubei have surpassed Shandong in terms of the controlled territorial areas.

Now this group of bandits finally attacked Hebei. At this time, most people also understood that this was the East China government sending the strictest warning to the Qing court. If the Qing court insisted on sending troops to the Northeast, the East China government would expand in Hebei.

Zhang Zhidong immediately said: "Empress Dowager, the emperor, you must first settle the internal affairs when fighting foreign countries. Now that the people in Hebei are in trouble, you must not sit idly by. If you send troops outside the pass, please give up the matter for a while."

At this time, Cixi said, "Okay, let's put things outside the pass aside. Let's talk about what should we do about the civil war in Hebei? Zhang Zhidong, what do you think should be done?"

Zhang Zhidong hesitated for a moment and said, "I think someone should be sent to negotiate with overseas Chinese, or they may be able to persuade overseas Chinese to withdraw." Zhang Zhidong understood very well that the East China government did this just to warn the Qing court and would not turn against the Qing court. After all, the focus of the East China government is in Liaodong now. Therefore, as long as the Qing court guarantees to send troops to the Northeast, the East China government will stop, and even give up the three prefectures it has seized, Zhang Zhidong still has considerable confidence.

Cixi snorted and said, "Yuan Shikai, what do you think?"

Yuan Shikai said: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, it is tolerant to the view of the ministers. Who is tolerant? Overseas Chinese are so rampant that the court cannot swallow their anger. We should raise troops to conquer the civil unrest and recover the three states."

Even though Cixi remained calm, she couldn't help but be surprised at this time. In fact, Cixi was quite annoyed. She could tolerate the East China government several years ago, but she didn't expect that the East China government would become more and more arrogant. This time she threatened herself with blatant force. However, Cixi also knew that Zhang Zhidong's suggestion was indeed the most feasible method, but she always felt a little uncomfortable. But Yuan Shikai's attitude towards overseas Chinese has always been tolerant, but she didn't expect that she would make such radical suggestions this time.

Before Cixi could speak, Guangxu said, "Yuan Shikai, is it feasible for the imperial court to send troops to quell the rebellion?"

Yuan Shikai said: "Of course it is feasible. Overseas Chinese send troops outside the pass can also be said to be regaining the territory, or can be deceived for a while. The court will inevitably have some complaints when sending troops outside the pass. However, if overseas Chinese condonate their subordinates to cause chaos in the pass, it is unforgivable. The court sends troops to fight it, which is legitimate. Moreover, overseas Chinese are fighting against Japan and Russia in Liaodong, so naturally they are worried about the pass. The court sends troops to quell the rebellion. It should be unstoppable. Moreover, the court has been practicing troops for several years and is used for this time. I am unworthy of being willing to lead the army to fight to quell the rebellion, so as to boost the power of the Qing Dynasty, and repay the court's kindness."

Guangxu was also quite excited when he heard this. It turned out that when the time traveler first came ashore, Guangxu once regarded the time traveler as his hope, fantasizing with the help of the time traveler, regaining power, taking charge of the government, and then reshaping the chaos, appointing talents to use their abilities, working hard to govern, and revitalizing the Qing Dynasty. However, the time traveler's later actions completely broke Guangxu's fantasy, and then realized that overseas Chinese wanted to change the dynasty and completely replace the Qing court. Therefore, Guangxu's attitude towards the East China government changed drastically. After all, he was still the emperor of the Qing court and could not allow the Qing court to be subverted.

However, Guangxu also knew that the Qing government could not completely offend the East China government. He should be careful when dealing with relations with the East China government and be tolerant, which was quite consistent with Cixi. However, after hearing Yuan Shikai's words, Guangxu was also a little moved, because what Yuan Shikai said was indeed reasonable. Taking advantage of the fierce battle between the East China government and Japan and Russia on the battlefield in Liaodong, he would not over-anger overseas Chinese, and he could show the achievements of the imperial court's military training over the past few years and also to slash the arrogance of overseas Chinese. However, although Guangxu is more free than before the Gengzi Kingdom, he could not make any decisions. Therefore, he turned to Cixi and said, "What does the Empress Dowager think?"

At this time, Tieliang said: "Empress Dowager, Emperor, Nu Cai thinks that Lord Yuan's words are reasonable. This is a great opportunity to attack overseas Chinese. Nu Cai is willing to lead the army to fight and do his best for the country."

Generally speaking, Tie Liang would object to anything that Yuan Shikai agreed to. It was the first time to agree with Yuan Shikai's suggestion this time. After hearing Yuan Shikai's words, Tie Liang also realized this great opportunity. Although the bandits in Henan and Hubei were also fellow Chinese overseas, they were all bandits and were of course much easier to deal with than the People's Army of the regular army. If he led his army to fight, he could not only make meritorious contributions, but also take the opportunity to seize military power from Yuan Shikai. As Yuan Shikai asked Cixi for battle, Tie Liang even believed that Yuan Shikai must not rob this job, otherwise it would be difficult to seize military power from Yuan Shikai. Therefore, Tie Liang hurried out to lead the army to fight.

Cixi hesitated. Yuan Shikai's words also made Cixi quite moved. It would be better to have a chance to teach overseas Chinese a lesson. However, Cixi should be much more cautious now, because although Cixi was very good at playing political power, she was not very proficient in military affairs. Therefore, she could not judge whether Yuan Shikai's words were certain, and she could not make up for the moment.

After a while, Cixi said, "Zhang Zhidong, what do you think?"

Zhang Zhidong said: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I also think this proposal is feasible."

Cixi frowned and said, "Although it is an urgent task for the imperial court to send troops to quell the rebellion, how should overseas Chinese take this opportunity to defeat the Japanese and Russian troops and occupy the land of Liaodong?"

Zhang Zhidong said: "Both Japan and Russia are not weak. Even if overseas Chinese want to defeat Japan and Russia, it is not easy. Even if they defeat Japan and Russia, their casualties will be severe. Then Liaodong will be repeatedly warned and the local area is destroyed. It will take some time to restore peace. Therefore, I hope that overseas Chinese will defeat Japan and Russia and restore Liaodong. At least five years, or at most 10 years, you cannot use any more weapons. At that time, the new army of the court has been established and the national strength has been restored. You should not be afraid of overseas Chinese. What's more, Japan and Russia may not be willing to fail, and their resting forces have come back. Overseas Chinese are not flawed, so how can they have the strength to take care of others?"

In fact, after Yuan Shikai finished speaking, Zhang Zhidong was also measuring the success or failure of the conquest if he sent troops to conquer. Although he had no close friendship with Yuan Shikai, he also knew that Yuan Shikai would not be joking about such things. Since he said that, he was naturally somewhat sure, or he had reached some agreement with overseas Chinese, which was completely possible, because the current goal of the East China government is not in Hebei, but on the battlefield in Liaodong. Therefore, their troops were just acting as a siege to save Zhao Erji. As long as they could delay the court for a few months, it would be enough. Although Zhang Zhidong had never fought a war, he had trained soldiers and experienced the Sino-French and Sino-French wars, he had some practical understanding of the war, which was much better than those who were purely talking about wars like Tieliang and Liangbi.
Chapter completed!