Usurping the Qing Dynasty: My first love was Cixi

Chapter 300: Great Purge, Heads Rolling

After the naval battle, the Chinese navy immediately began to attack the Ryukyu Kingdom.

In recent years, Japan has successively increased its garrison in the Ryukyu Kingdom, much more than in history. At this time, it has reached nearly ten thousand.

But the failure of the naval battle basically means the failure of the land battle.

With the cooperation of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Chinese marines successfully landed and in the ensuing battle, they easily defeated the Japanese troops stationed in the Ryukyu Kingdom.

In less than five days, Ryukyu was liberated.

Ryukyu King Shotai and Crown Prince Shonori came to kneel to pick up the angel of the kingdom.

Lin Shigong and others burst into tears. Historically, the Ryukyu Kingdom sent several scholars to study in the Qing Dynasty, but in this world, there were even more, hundreds of them.

After these people returned to Ryukyu, they were almost all pro-China.

"Thank you God for your grace."

"Thank you, Regent Tianen."

"If it weren't for the regent, Ryukyu would have been destroyed."

"From now on, I, the Shang clan of the Ryukyu Kingdom, will be the regent's ministers for generations to come, and I am willing to guard the gate to the East for China."

"Even if your body is shattered to pieces, there is no way you can repay such a huge favor."

King Shangtai of Ryukyu held Xu Youren's hand and said, "I heard that Xu Tiantian is the humerus minister of the regent?"

Xu Youren said: "I don't dare to be a minister of humerus. The regent doesn't think I'm vulgar, so he tried his best to cultivate me. I'm not very capable, but I'm somewhat loyal."

"This is really a great blessing. I have long heard that the regent is like a god descending from heaven to save China from collapse." The King of Ryukyu said: "The little king can't wait to enter the sacred capital and meet the regent. From now on It is better to serve him as a slave than to be a king in this desolate land.”

Xu Youren said: "The regent is currently fighting the Russians in the north. After the victory, he will probably make sacrifices to heaven and earth, and then invite the prince to Beijing."

Shang Tai bowed and said, "Then Xiao Wang, I would like to thank Mr. Xu."

……………………

After annihilating the Japanese navy and capturing Ryukyu, they basically gained control of this sea area.

Next, a steady stream of troop transport ships and military supplies docked at the Ryukyu Kingdom.

There is no doubt that this war is not over, it has just begun.

The number of troops gathered in Ryukyu increased, eventually exceeding 50,000.

The Ryukyu Kingdom also mobilized three thousand troops.

In addition, there is an army from the Kingdom of Korea, with nearly ten thousand soldiers.

Let’s fight against Japan together.

The Kingdom of Korea has been really happy recently, and it completely feels the protection of the suzerain.

The last time the French invaded, with Su Yi's strong support, the French were defeated and returned.

Korea has had a feud with Japan since its history. During the Wanli period, Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Korea and almost caused the kingdom of Korea to fall.

They never dreamed that there would be a day when they could fight back to Japan.

Therefore, it seems extremely positive.

In the past, wars cost money, even astronomical amounts of money.

For this war against Japan, it is conservatively estimated that the military expenditure will cost tens of millions of taels.

But...Su Yi didn't need to ask for almost a penny of this money.

Many businessmen, especially many British consortiums in China, provide interest-free loans or even subsidized loans.

Nothing but huge benefits.

First of all, Japan has plenty of silver. If it wins, it will definitely have to pay huge compensation.

In addition, Su Yi was asked to completely crack down on Japan's related industries so that these businessmen's industries in China could complete Asia's monopoly.

The best thing is to let Japan become a source of raw materials and a dumping ground for goods again.

After the army has completed its assembly.

The navy set out again, heading directly towards Japan, began to attack several important Japanese ports, and blocked Tokyo Bay. (formerly known as Edo Bay, changed its name two years ago)

At this point, all maritime trade in Japan was blocked.

Immediately, diplomats from the United States, France, Russia, and Britain issued strong protests and representations to Xu Youren.

This blockade will harm their interests.

Xu Youren and others can ignore the United States, France, and Russia, but there are still British interests involved, so they must be very cautious.

As a result, Xu Youren and Jurgen negotiated with British diplomats in Japan and relevant consortiums.

Negotiate the bottom line of this war and ensure the interests of the British consortium.

Even...invite the British consortium to make a fortune together.

To put it more directly, it means harming the interests of the United States, France and other countries and leaving it to the British side.

Soon after.

Tokugawa Yoshiki, the shogun who had returned to power, appeared in the Ryukyu Kingdom, claiming that a group of rebels had kidnapped the emperor's will and dragged the country into the abyss of destruction. He implored people with lofty ideals in the country to stand up and resist the illegal government of Japan today. .

But this actually did not meet Su Yi's conditions.

Su Yi asked Tokugawa Qingxi to establish a shogunate in exile in China and voluntarily become a vassal state of China. He invited China to send troops to Japan to help him regain power.

However, Tokugawa Kexi was unwilling to do this.

………………

Ryukyu Royal Palace.

Bai Feifei talks with Tokugawa Qingxi.

"Your performance is very far from our expectations." Bai Feifei said: "When do you plan to go to the capital of our country to meet the regent and the queen mothers of the two palaces."

Tokugawa said happily: "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Bai, I'm not feeling well and I really can't travel far."

This last general also had close contacts with foreigners. Under the urging of the French envoy, he was also willing to carry out reforms, and he had a good relationship with the previous Emperor Komei.

After Emperor Meiji came to power, Tokugawa Yoshinobu's political propositions completely failed, the war failed, and he lost power.

But the former Japanese lord was completely unwilling from the bottom of his heart for the Chinese army to enter Japan and interfere in internal affairs, and he did not want China to dominate the fate of Japan.

On the other hand, he was young and strong, and he was unwilling to lose power.

So it seemed very contradictory.

Bai Feifei said: "I know what you are waiting for, waiting for the result of the Sino-French War in Vietnam, waiting for the result of the Sino-Russian War in the north."

"You think our country underestimates the enemy and is arrogant, and actually challenges two world powers at once, so you don't want to stand on the side of the loser."

In the current situation, Su Ye really needs a sufficient reason to let the army land in Japan.

And the invitation of the last general in front of him is the best reason.

"We have enough patience, we are not in a hurry at all." Bai Feifei said slowly: "But I also want to warn you that the Regent is a leader full of absolute charm, but this is also a double-edged sword. If you delay for one day, he will doubt your sincerity more, and the treatment of you and your country will be lower in the future."

"The coalition forces of China, North Korea and Ryukyu are ready and can land in Japan at any time to help you regain power."

"And we have enough military funds, we can wait as long as we want. I don't know how many merchants are lining up to send us military funds."

………………………………

Vietnamese Royal Palace.

King Nguyen Phuc Thi of Vietnam was overjoyed.

The army of the Celestial Empire finally arrived, and there were more than 50,000 troops.

"Thank you for the great grace of the Celestial Empire, and thank you for the great grace of the Regent." Nguyen Phuc Thi bowed to Bao Yun, the minister stationed in Vietnam.

Bao Yun said: "If you want to thank the regent, there is a best opportunity."

Nguyen Phuc said: "I would like to hear the details."

Bao Yun said: "On behalf of Vietnam, formally declare war on Japan and send an army to join the coalition."

Now Vietnam is fighting the French, how can it send troops?

But Nguyen Phuc said: "The little king is willing to send the prince to lead the army to join the coalition to attack Japan."

A few days later, the Kingdom of Vietnam, which was facing a war, assembled an army of 3,000 people, led by the prince of Vietnam, went north to the Ryukyu Kingdom and joined the anti-Japanese coalition.

So far.

All major countries in East Asia have joined the coalition, completing the prototype of East Asian order.

……………………

Generals such as Chen Yucheng, Feng Zicai, and Liu Yongfu led more than 50,000 troops all the way south.

A few days later, they killed to the city of Hanoi.

More than 30,000 French troops defended the city.

But the home court here is more like that of the Chinese and Vietnamese armies.

Because Hanoi had just fallen, the French had not yet implemented real rule here. Even if they occupied the city, countless rebels in the city secretly sabotaged it.

When the Chinese army built the defense line, more than 100,000 Vietnamese soldiers and civilians came to help.

After several years of experience, Chen Yucheng's temperament has become more stable, instead of rushing to attack the city immediately.

Instead, he built layers of defense lines.

Su Ye's original words, don't rush for success, but pursue the greatest results.

Not only to recapture Hanoi, but more importantly to teach the French a lesson, causing huge casualties.

Similarly, the military expenses of this war do not need to be paid by themselves.

All basic supplies such as food are provided by the Kingdom of Vietnam.

And ammunition, military expenses, etc. are also paid by the King of Yue. It's just that he doesn't have much money now, so he borrows from China first and returns it slowly later.

……………………

The war outside is in full swing.

And at home, Li Hongzhang and others also began their journey to behead.

According to Li Hongzhang's opinion, local reforms should not be rushed. First, create a big case, kill a group of people, exile a group, and dismiss a group.

It is necessary to make the Han people panic and make the Han officials afraid.

Your power and your official position are not so stable.

What the regent gives you is yours.

If the regent does not give it, your family business and your life will not be saved.

Therefore, it is necessary to create a big case.

In order to strike the power of the Hunan Army, Cixi expanded the Yang Naiwu Xiaobaicai case and dealt with more than 100 officials.

But for Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang, this level of case is too small.

What case involves the most?

What case can strike the foundation of the local big families?

Of course, it is the imperial examination fraud case.

It should be said that the Qing Dynasty was strict in the imperial examination.

But Su Ye had a characteristic when he came to power, which was relatively indulgent in the imperial examination.

Other powers were tightly grasped, but he was relatively cold and did not interfere much in the imperial examination.

During the Xianfeng Dynasty, the chief examiners of the imperial examination and the palace examination were also dominated by bannermen.

But after Su Ye came to power, he seemed to trust the Han officials very much and let them go completely.

At the beginning, many Han officials were still cautious. But seeing that Su Ye really let them go, they became more and more bold.

So there were a lot of cheating in the imperial examinations in the past six years.

It can even be called rampant.

With deliberate indulgence, the speed of this corruption is extremely fast.

The scope of corruption in the imperial examinations is so wide that it is completely unbelievable.

What's even more ridiculous is that after Su Ye let go, many Han officials and local clans really thought that the imperial examination was their sphere of influence, and they actually began to enclose their territory, and suppressed the scholars who excluded the new-style schools and suppressed the Westernization faction.

After six years of fishing, it's finally time to reap the harvest.

Su Ye was not in the capital, on an ordinary day, at an ordinary court meeting.

A dozen censors from the Censorate suddenly uncovered the imperial examination fraud case in the Jiangnan County Examination.

Then, thousands of failed scholars jointly submitted a memorial to report the imperial examination fraud in the Jiangnan County Examination.

The two Empress Dowagers were furious and ordered Zuo Zongtang and Ma Xinyi to go to Nanjing as imperial envoys to thoroughly investigate the Jiangnan County Examination fraud case.

Only one day later, Zuo Zongtang and Ma Xinyi went south with hundreds of officials and thousands of garrison divisions to thoroughly investigate the imperial examination fraud case.

This momentum really scared people.

And then...

The more the investigation of this imperial examination fraud case, the bigger it got.

The more they investigated, the more shocking it was.

It was not just Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, etc.

The more they investigated, the wider the scope became.

The officials and local clans involved were increasing.

The people arrested were increasing.

It was about to become the biggest case of the dynasty.

Many local officials also realized that this... this was not aimed at the imperial examination fraud case at all, but was for a big purge.

This was for future local reforms.

Or to put it more directly, this was aimed at the emperor's personal rule.

……………………

The Imperial Palace in Beijing!

"Empress Dowager, among the candidates who signed their names to Beijing this time, there were also dozens of candidates involved in the imperial examination fraud case."

These candidates who came to Beijing were the advocacy force for the emperor's personal rule.

Ten thousand people signed their names.

It caused a huge momentum at the time. If it weren't for the outbreak of the three wars, it would still be under discussion.

Empress Dowager Cixi took the list and looked at the fraud case on it.

"Kill those who should be killed, arrest those who should be arrested, and exile those who should be exiled!"

Then, Empress Dowager Ci'an looked at Cixi and said, "Sister, what do you think?"

Cixi's face was a little unnatural and she said, "I, I think so too."

Ci'an said, "Then kill them!"

She picked up the brush and fiercely drew a cross on the list of these people.

This is definitely too heavy a sentence, but I am a woman, I don't need to think so much, even if I make mistakes, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter if my reputation is a little worse.

As Empress Dowager Ci'an drew the red pen.

The soldiers entered the various guild halls like wolves and tigers to arrest people.

The Censorate and the Dali Temple immediately tried the case.

A few days later, more than a dozen scholars who cheated in the imperial examination were taken to Caishikou.

"Kill!"

With an order, more than a dozen heads rolled down.

The whole capital was shocked.

And it was not only the capital that was beheaded.

People were killing people all over the country.

Kill cheaters from local big families, and kill examiners at all levels.

A large number of candidates were dismissed from their official positions, and a large number of officials were dismissed.

The whole country was undergoing a purge.