Man! The Dowager Empress pulled the strings three times, from the power grab in August of 1898 to her escape in July of 1900, lasting less than two and a half years. Though this time was short, it was a whirlwind of plots and dangers! That's the whole story, right there! During this period, there were over a dozen Manchu and Han officials assisting the court and overseeing military affairs. These people seemed glorious at the time, but afterwards, they all ended up in the gutter, which is too bad!
Now I will briefly summarize these individuals: Duan Di (referring to Zaiyi) is a minor royal plotting to seize the throne. He is arrogant, domineering, and ruthless. It is said that he is as brutal as a notorious figure from the past, and Emperor Guangxu despised him. Therefore, he was stuck in a meaningless position. Some say that his father, Prince Dun, was favored by the Empress Dowager, which is why she was closer to him. During the political upheaval of 1898, Zaiyi, along with his brothers Zailian and Zailan, informed the Empress Dowager, earning her favor and putting him in charge of the elite guard. Trouble began from that point on. After Emperor Guangxu ascended the throne, he sought to grab power quickly, facing opposition from many. Some say that Duan Di's exclusion of outsiders was not due to public anger, but a personal grudge. This argument is quite reasonable.
Zaitao, also known as Qingdi, rose to power because of Guixiang, the younger brother of the Empress Dowager. Qingdi was originally the son of a criminal minister and only became the heir of the Qing Prince after being adopted twice. Initially a beile, he married into Guixiang's family, later inheriting the title of Qing Prince. His son, Zaizhen, also had ulterior motives but gave up due to their distant relationship. Both Qingdi and Duandi were originally trusted confidants of the Empress Dowager, but Qingdi began to harbor discontent after the Crown Prince ascended the throne. The murder of the German envoy was carried out by the army under Qingdi's command. The Japanese caught the culprit and firmly claimed it was at Qingdi's instigation. The Japanese suggested Qingdi, fearing Duandi, had reluctantly participated; it wasn't his doing.
Ronglu was a man of iron will who relied on ingratiating himself with the powerful to rise to prominence. He became a high-ranking official and frequently entered the palace, with Prince Gong being particularly close to him, allowing him to serve as the commander of the army for several years. He was far less capable than Guixiang in handling affairs of state. When he finally gained real power, he wanted to confront the Emperor, which is why Empress Dowager Cixi promoted him; his influence grew in proportion to his accomplishments. In general, Ronglu was cunning and treacherous, while Guixiang was obstinate and self-righteous. Whenever there was a major event, Ronglu would plan in secret, while Guixiang would openly promote it in court. Ronglu rose to power out of ambition, while Guixiang became an official because of his resentment, which is their biggest difference. Both ended up as traitors, harming the country together, but it is difficult to distinguish the things they jointly planned even now.
Now that Guixiang's dead, everyone's piling on. But Ronglu's still around, so they're trying to tear him down, then build him back up again. It's a real mess!
Xu Tong came from the Hanjun banner, starting from the Hanlin Academy and climbing the ranks to become a high-ranking official. He usually regarded composing official pronouncements as his scholarship and writing imperial edicts as his literary talent. In his later years, he studied Daoism and read the "Taishang Ganying Pian" every day. With these, he curried favor with the common folk and gained a good reputation. However, despite coming from a family of poetry, books, and propriety, he deceived the world with morality and, in his old age, was complicit in the abolition of Emperor Guangxu. Even at over eighty years old, he followed others in wrongdoing, ruining his reputation and virtue, and ultimately did not live to a hundred. Too bad!
Qi Xiu and Zhao Shu Qiao both entered the Grand Council (the highest decision-making body in the Qing government) after the coup. Qi Xiu was promoted by Xu Tong, while Zhao Shu Qiao was promoted by Gang Yi. Their wickedness combined, and the consequences were predictable. Zhao Shu Qiao came from a poor background, and once in power, he betrayed his teacher. While serving as the Governor of Jiangsu, he was known for being ruthless and unappreciative; later, when he entered the central government, he participated in many intrigues. Although Qi Xiu's promotion was due to Xu Tong, he also relied on Gang Yi, who held significant power at the time. Qi Xiu's brother, Yan Xiu, while serving as the Prefect of Suzhou, was determined to get rid of Weng Tonghe, which led to the Southeast Great Prison incident. This year, the edict to kill Yuan Shikai and Xu Jingcheng was penned by Qi Xiu, his proudest moment. After the deaths of Yuan Shikai and Xu Jingcheng, Qi Xiu was still cocky, boasting about his contributions everywhere.
Clearly, Qi Xiu was far guiltier than Zhao Shu Qiao!
Chongli served as the commander of the foot guards, actually in charge of the Imperial Guards. After the Empress Dowager Cixi took control, this position was only held by relatives of the Empress Dowager, first Ronglu, then Yikuin, and after Yikuin's death, Ronglu took over again. It was only when Ronglu was sent away that it was Chongli's turn. Several years ago during the regency, when the ministers were arrested, there were secret agents everywhere, and Chongli contributed the most, thus his influence soared. He was involved in conspiracies, responsible for important matters, acting as the emperor's eyes and ears.
Yulu, being a relative of the Empress Dowager Cixi, long held important border defense posts. In the summer of the year of the Wuxu Reform, he briefly entered the Grand Council. Later, because Ronglu returned to Beijing for a new position, a reliable person was needed to take charge of military affairs in the north, so Yulu was appointed to this position. However, with Yuan Shikai, Nie Shicheng, Song Qing, Ma Yukun, and other troops previously under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Zhili, Beiyang's power waned after its troops were reassigned to the Imperial Guard. During the Boxer Rebellion in the summer of this year, which initially occurred in the Beijing-Tianjin area, Ronglu and Gangyi, two ministers, were misled by the Boxers' lies, while Yulu, his brother Yuchang, and the Governor of Henan also joined the fray, even falsely reporting victories to curry favor with the treacherous faction, disrupting the court and ultimately harming themselves and their families, truly unfortunate! However, compared to the complacent courtiers, they were still slightly better!
Li Bingheng started as a small official, originally not very talented, but known for his integrity and harshness, seeking a quick path to advancement. During the Jiaozhou Incident, Li Bingheng was dismissed from office due to a scandal related to his teaching, returned home to teach, and thought he would never have a chance to return to office. However, after the political upheaval, his reinstatement was as unexpected as a reunion in a familiar place, eventually joining that faction and serving them faithfully.
After the fall of Beicang, General Yangcun also fell. Yangcun had always taken it upon himself to expel foreign influence and oppose Christianity. However, when he led the northern army and personally went into battle, he was utterly crushed. On the day the army collapsed, he had no face to return to the capital and ultimately took his own life by poison.
Tragic!
Yuan Shikai initially served as a provincial governor, where he killed many local tyrants who were quite overbearing. When Zhang Yao was the governor of Shandong, he really depended on Yuan Shikai and even promoted him, spoiling him. Later, when Li Bingheng took over, Yuan Shikai served as an official under him, which began to reveal his ambitions. Initially, when the Boxer Rebellion began in Shandong, Grand Councilor Li Bingheng actually turned a blind eye to them. When Yuan Shikai replaced Li Bingheng as governor, he used his past connections to gain support while also favoring the Boxers, resulting in their increasing power. Later, when he resigned and returned to the capital, he actively promoted himself to government officials, claiming he could be of use. Coincidentally, Ronglu was facing difficulties due to the transfer of imperial power and was looking for ways to deal with foreigners, so he was very pleased to hear Yuan Shikai's words. Therefore, the troubles caused by the Boxers were initially condoned by Li Bingheng and were a result of the government, while the person who orchestrated it all was Yuan Shikai. Could it be said that he is not traitorous?
Dong Fuxiang was originally a bandit from the Liangzhou area of Gansu. He lived near Jinjibao and made a living by robbing local residents and Hui people. Zuo Zongtang greatly admired his bravery and devised a plan to trick his family into coming, subsequently persuading him to surrender. In a moment of desperation, Dong Fuxiang gave in. He quickly climbed the ranks, eventually serving for many years as the military governor of Kashgar, later reassigned as the military governor of Gansu. Ronglu and Dong Fuxiang were previously acquainted and became sworn brothers. Ronglu noticed that Empress Dowager Cixi intended to take action, so he suggested to Prince Gong that Dong Fuxiang be summoned to Beijing without delay. In September of the Year of Wuxu, Dong Fuxiang's troops attacked and humiliated railway engineers, and Ronglu even covered for him.
Since then, Dong Fuxiang became increasingly arrogant and sought to confront foreigners every chance he got. Following the death of a Japanese secretary this year, Dong Fuxiang claimed he'd been ordered to kill foreigners, showing that he was not afraid at all. In fact, Dong Fuxiang was originally just a thug and a bandit, and it was hardly surprising. However, because he had gained the government's trust and foreigners had publicly criticized him, I have included him here so that political commentators may gain some insight.
The reporter said: In the autumn of the Year of Wuxu, during August, the new reform laws were promulgated, and various ministers were successively appointed, all attending court and taking office. They were whooping and hollering in the court, saying, "From now on, we hold the power, and we can almost achieve thirty years of peace and prosperity!" The people across the country also praised them, oh! Truly a time of riding high!
However, they wanted to accomplish great things but could not find suitable opportunities; their conspiracy failed, which instead incited a wave of xenophobia. As a result, they even employed those violent mobs, leading their loyalists to fight against the armies of eight powerful nations in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Unfortunately, Beijing fell, and Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fled; the ancestral temple was defiled, and the imperial tombs were violated, officials fled, barefoot and panicked, and the common people suffered calamities.
And these ten-odd ministers, amid the chaos, some were killed, others driven to suicide, and others simply died. There are not many left alive. Crikey, what a mess! Their fates were inextricably linked to power and survival, and they are put together for discussion as a cautionary tale for posterity. As for those who exploited the situation, brown-nosed their way to the top, and chased after wealth and power, there are even more of them, too many to count. Most of these people are just sycophants and treacherous low-lives, not worth mentioning!
