Real Histories
This latest conflict with foreign countries started due to clashes between locals and missionaries, and further escalated after the occupation of Dagu Fort. The imperial court prioritized international relations and was loath to sever relations. Clear orders have been issued multiple times to protect foreign embassies and missionaries. The war is not over yet, and many foreigners and Chinese citizens are in China, all of whom must be protected equally. All regional governors and military commanders are instructed to carefully identify all foreign nationals and missionaries in trading ports and counties, and protect them according to treaties without fail.
Last month, Japanese Secretary Sugiyama was killed, which shocked us greatly. Soon after, the German envoy was also killed, a most unfortunate event. It is necessary to order the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and thoroughly investigate the matter. Following the Tianjin conflict, in addition to war-related losses, the deaths of foreigners and missionaries, as well as their property losses due to chaos, must be carefully investigated by the Shuntian Prefecture and the Governor of Zhili, and then reported for handling. Recently, there has been widespread arson, murder, and pillage, causing harm to the common people. This state of affairs is intolerable! Regional governors and military commanders are to investigate the situation, seize the opportunity to eliminate them, and restore order. Let this be known throughout the land.
There's a war going on up north, and provinces are swamped with military stuff. Pushing back the Enke exams a few months wouldn't be the end of the world. But it'll get colder and colder, making things tough on those poor guys taking the exams, and getting the results out late means a real hassle for travel. So, we're pushing the township exams to March 8th and the imperial exams to August 8th to give those guys a break. All those chief and deputy examiners out in the provinces—get back to Beijing! And the Gengzi year exams and the ones after that? Same deal—push 'em back. The Ministry of Rites knows. That's it.
The meaning of this imperial decree is that because of the war in the north, everyone's too busy fighting the war to worry about the exams. But we also gotta think about the poor students—the cold and the long trips are gonna be rough. So the Emperor's giving everyone more time to get ready for the exams. And we're calling back all the examiners so the war doesn't mess with the exams. Future exams will be pushed back accordingly. The Ministry of Rites will get the word out.
We're having a bit of a dust-up with some foreign powers. There's been some crossed wires, and our local officials haven't exactly covered themselves in glory. This war's messing things up royally, wrecking what goodwill we had, and doing nobody any good. So, let's send Li Hongzhang – make it snappy – to tell those foreign offices to call a truce. We can hash out the details later. Your Majesty, give us the go-ahead.
Look, Your Majesty, we're at odds with some foreign powers. There's been some misunderstandings, and we haven't handled things perfectly. This war's getting us nowhere and trashing our relationships. So, get Li Hongzhang on it, tell those countries to stand down. We'll work out the rest later. What do you say, Your Majesty? Let's get this done!
Due to recent unrest among the common people in the Beijing area, which has led to conflicts both internally and externally, all foreign envoys in Beijing should be kept safe. Minister Wang from the Prime Minister's Office has sent multiple letters expressing concern to them. Considering the current unrest in the capital and the difficulty of maintaining order, it has been decided to consult with the foreign envoys and plan to send troops to escort them to Tianjin temporarily to avoid any danger. Ronglu is tasked with selecting reliable officials and soldiers to protect the envoys. Any banditry or trouble will be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Before the foreign envoys leave Beijing, any communication with their respective countries using the telegraph must be promptly handled by the Prime Minister's Office for Foreign Affairs, to show our good faith and build trust. This is the decree!
Basically, the Emperor's saying that to ensure the safety of foreign envoys during the recent unrest in Beijing, the government has decided to send troops to escort them to Tianjin for refuge. Ronglu is responsible for arranging personnel to ensure the envoys' safe journey. At the same time, the government will make every effort to ensure communication between the envoys and their home countries, allowing them to feel the friendliness of China. In short, the goal is to reassure foreign diplomats and avoid any impact on diplomatic relations due to domestic unrest.
Li Hongzhang and his colleagues memorialized the Emperor, requesting a temporary suspension of foreign debt repayments to allow for a thorough accounting. Their memorial argued that halting debt repayments would cripple inland tax revenue, impacting the populace, and leaving the military unpaid, thus leaving Beijing and the northern armies without pay. The initial suspension was to free up funds for military exigencies. Continued customs revenue would offset any shortfall in inland taxes. Therefore, to maintain our credit, we should resume timely repayments as originally planned. Inform the Ministry of Revenue, and dispatch an urgent message to Yuan Shikai, instructing him to telegraph Li Hongzhang and Liu Kunyi. Forward a copy of the memorial. Thus concluded.
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