Yesterday I briefed Li Hongzhang, Li Bingheng, Liu Kunyi, and Zhang Zhidong on the situation of the Boxer Rebellion, the thorny issue of whether to suppress them or appease them, and the fact that the foreign powers were already stirring up trouble. You governors must assess the situation and act accordingly; do not easily provoke external conflicts, as this is the way of governing a country with maturity and prudence. However, this Boxer Rebellion has spread throughout the capital in just a few months, numbering in the tens of thousands, from commoners to nobles; they're everywhere, all vehemently opposed to foreigners and their religion. Suppressing them would invite immediate disaster, and the people would suffer; we must find a solution gradually. Their memorials claim supernatural protection, seemingly oblivious to the court's predicament. You're undoubtedly exhausted, constantly on the go, aren't you? Surely you can't stand idly by? This is a perfect storm of circumstance that has led to the current situation. You governors must act now, without further delay; immediately muster troops and funds to defend our borders! Any failure will be your responsibility! Dispatch this telegram to all governors. End.
Yesterday, I informed Li Hongzhang, Li Bingheng, Liu Kunyi, and Zhang Zhidong about the Boxer Rebellion, the bind of whether to crack down or appease them, and the situation of foreign powers already striking first. You guys, the local bigwigs, size up the situation and don't go picking fights with foreigners – that's the safest bet. However, the Boxer Rebellion has caused such a huge disturbance this time; in just a few months, Beijing's gone completely bonkers, with at least tens of thousands of people involved. From street sweepers to mandarins, everyone's at each other's throats over the foreign religions, and there's no way to make peace. If we crack down, we'll have a full-blown civil war on our hands, and the common folk will be the ones to suffer. We'll have to tread carefully. Their petitions claim they've got magic on their side to protect the country, like they don't get the mess we're in. You guys, knowing what a mess this is, must be losing sleep over this, right? You can't just sit on your hands! It's a perfect storm – right time, right place, and enough people to make it happen. Don't dilly-dally, get the money and troops together, and defend our turf! If anything goes wrong, you're on the hook! Get this telegram to every local official. Over and out.
