Blimey, the Emperor's decree has arrived! Prince Duan Zaiyi is in charge of the Zongli Yamen (the agency handling foreign affairs), with Rites Minister Qixiu, Deputy Works Minister Puxing, and Cabinet Scholar and Rites Minister Natong as his assistants. Things are looking pretty grim now, Prince and ministers; you’ve got to take this seriously! This is the Emperor's will!
In short, the decree means the Emperor has appointed Zaiyi as the head of the Zongli Yamen, and Qixiu, Puxing, and Natong need to pitch in to handle diplomatic affairs. The Emperor has stressed that "times are tough," which means the international situation is complicated, and there are many challenges at home. So these ministers need to work hard and not mess things up. This is the Emperor's order; failure is not an option!
