Speaking of the garden repair, Weng Tong and Gu Zuo talked about him. I hated his attitude and looked stern, but Weng seemed to be very hit and became even more stammered.

I realized that he should have something to tell me alone, but I couldn't expose his thoughts here, so I pretended to be angry: "No need to say it, let's talk about it later in the Palace of Peaceful Hearts! The Ministry of Revenue is under your control, and you have to come up with a solution!"

"I received the order." Weng Tonghe saw that I understood his meaning, and winked at me and stepped back.

Ele and Bu stood up and reported, "There was a memorial in Korea that their old concubine Zhao died of illness. This matter is very important, and the emperor must not underestimate it."

"Oh?", is it that serious that an old woman died in North Korea? I showed a puzzled look.

"Emperor, the Concubine Zhao has always been close to us in the Qing Dynasty. She has always had a reputation among the Korean people. Now that she dies, the king of the court will be foolish, and the government will definitely fall into the hands of the Min clan. The Min clan has a different ambition, but the slave is not worried about North Korea. What the slave is worried about is that the Japanese will take advantage of the situation." Ele and Bu said this very insightful, and I couldn't help but nod in secret. Suddenly I remembered someone, was it Yuan Shikai's memorial?

"Ele and Bu, you have a good idea. I haven't seen it before." I was determined to test Ele and preach.

Ele Hebu preached: "Slaves dare not be greedy for merit. This is what the memorial was said by Yuan Shikai, a Taoist resident in the North. The officer also asserted that there will be major events in North Korea within several years. Please pay attention to the court."

I was ignorant and saw Yuan Shikai's memorial, and secretly sighed that Yuan Shikai was indeed a capable minister at this time. This memorial fully demonstrated his talent and vision.

"I understand. I will draw an order to Yuan Shikai, asking him to be careful of the troubles of the Japanese. You can make a decision when encountering problems. I will support him." I made up my mind that the shame of Sino-Japanese War was not far away, and I will start preparing now. Otherwise, what's the point of being an emperor?

"Okay, you can handle other matters of big and small. Prince Li as appropriate, so I won't ask about them one by one. Remember to send a copy to the Empress Dowager. Master Weng will follow me." After I explained the matter, I took Weng Tonghe to my bedroom and office in the Yangxin Hall.

As soon as he entered the study of Yangxin Palace, he stepped back and left. After Weng Tonghe finished his salute, he replied: "Your Majesty, the old minister is rude, please forgive me."

I shook my hand and said, "Forget it, Master Weng is my teacher. If you have any words of your confidant, just say it here. I don't blame you. There are too many people in the Military Affairs Office, so it's right to be careful."

"Thank you, the emperor, this move is actually to raise money, and I must guard against Li Hongzhang's eyes and ears. Long live my life. The Beiyang Navy has been a barrier to our dynasty. However, the size of the Beiyang Navy is not enough to be in the enemy of Western countries. It is more than enough to deal with a small country like Japan. Since this is the case, why bother to spend money on silver? First of all, the emperor and the construction of the garden were actually the first major event of the Guangxu Dynasty. Although the emperor has been in power for three years, the Empress Dowager still has the intention to ask about politics, and also the fact that it is to ask about politics..."

"Bold!" I was afraid that he would test me. In addition, his superficial view of Japan just now, I couldn't help but feel angry. I used his story to scold Cixi, "The Empress Dowager to me be kind to the heavens, and I will also rule the world with filial piety. Master Weng, don't forget the duty of a minister!"

Weng Tonghe trembled all over and knelt down quickly and said, "I dare not forget the emperor's kindness even though I die. Since I entered the court, I have been repeatedly given favors to Montejian. Two dynasties have been imperial teachers. How dare I let down the holy grace in everything? It is precisely because I dare not let down the emperor's kindness for a moment, so I risked my death to say this. Please listen to me!"

Seeing that he was speaking solemnly, and because of lack of information, I wanted to listen to him talk more. So I changed my expression and said, "Get up and talk."

"Your Majesty, your changes today really make the old minister ecstatic..." Weng Tonghe stood up and said, with a complex expression, mixed with joy and awe. Seeing that I didn't say anything, he continued: "The emperor is so elegant and the old minister is deeply relieved."

Haha, it seems that everyone will flatter. But even though I knew it was a flatterer, I still enjoyed the compliment and his expression after hearing this, so I smiled and listened to him.

"Since the 13th year of Guangxu, the emperor took power, I have been thinking about strengthening our Qing Dynasty and strengthening our imperial power. However, for three years, the Empress Dowager has not completely delegated power to the emperor. First-rank officials have to be appointed and removed, so the Empress Dowager must nod. Every time I think about this, I am always anxious. Now the Empress Dowager's birthday is approaching, and the repair of the garden is for celebration, but there is another wonderful use. The Emperor is wise and should know it. The Emperor has attached great importance to this matter recently, which shows that the Emperor is wise. The old minister is deeply pleased."

No wonder, no wonder I said Yan Jingming was ready to go. He didn't leave yet. It turned out that he was waiting for the Empress Dowager's imperial edict! It was not that Yan Jingming was disrespectful to me! But this emperor really did not have that power!

"Now the holy orders the old minister to be the Ministry of Revenue. I think of it. Since the navy is short and difficult to become a great weapon, it is better to transfer the navy's military funds to build the Qingyi Garden. After the garden is well, the empress dowager will have a place to live in her old age, and the emperor can truly take charge of the rule and do arbitrary decision. This is the comfort of the old minister, and it is also a great blessing for the Qing Dynasty! The old minister's thoughts are to solve the problem of the silver for the garden. Please ask the emperor to sage the emperor."

After saying this, Weng Tonghe looked quite tired. I smiled and asked him to have tea. But I was thinking about his words. From a certain perspective, his words were indeed very reasonable. The Beiyang Navy was unable to fight against the European and American powers for several million taels of silver, but to deal with Japan's provocation. From the perspective of later generations, although there was indeed a lack of funding, as long as everyone uses their lives, it is not impossible to defeat Japan. Moreover, he pointed out to me the benefit of doing this, that is, Cixi might stay in Qingyi Garden to support her old age, and I could truly hold power and no longer be controlled by that old witch.

Can I do this? Actually, I knew it would be like this for a long time. This... is history. I hesitated and paced back and forth in the study. At this time, a figure suddenly flashed outside the door, and my heart was shaking. If this conversation reached Cixi's ears, it would be amazing. Weng Tonghe might be fine, but Cixi's precautions for me would be deeper. So I hurriedly shouted, "Who is sneaking in, come in!"

"Zhe——" accompanied by a crisp promise, a young eunuch walked in. Judging from his appearance, he did not look at any vulgar, and it seemed that there was no ghost in his heart.

"What are your name? Which father-in-law is under? What are you doing outside? Don't you know the rules in the palace?" I asked with a stern face.

The little eunuch knelt down and kowtowed quickly. Although his face was a little scared, he still spoke in a stern manner and he was not panicked: "My servant Kou Liancai, naturally, knows the rules. Mr. Li Lianying should take care of me when he works in the empress dowager's hair combing room. Although Mr. Li has not been in the palace for a long time, he never dared to forget the rules. Just now, the slave came to visit the emperor under the order of Mr. Li..."

I saw that he spoke honestly and didn't look like a bad guy, so I waved my hand and wanted him to go.

"Slow down!" Weng Tonghe shouted sternly, and approached Kou Lian with a stern face and asked, "What did Eunuch Li ask you to do?"

I was afraid that he would scare the child, so I said, "Master Weng, this is still a child, don't scare him."

Weng Tonghe nodded, but continued to shout, "Say, what did Eunuch Li ask you to do?"

"I'm not wrong with my elders."

"That's right?" Weng Tonghe turned around, looked decisive, and made a gesture of waving the knife, indicating that this person should not be kept. I smiled and said, "Master Weng is too worried. This child doesn't look like a heartless person."

After saying a few words, I planned to let the little eunuch go. I really don’t have time to worry about this matter and have to think about many things. Besides, even if this guy has a problem, what can I do? Kill him? Wouldn’t it be even more alarming?

I shook my hand and said, "Forget it, you go back."

Kou Liancai was stunned for a moment, his face moved, and suddenly moved his knees and crawled in front of me and cried, "I deserve to die. I actually came to find out who the emperor was talking to and what he said."

I was stunned. Li Lianying was so brave! Maybe it was because my face was full of fierceness, Kou Liancai was a child after all, and his tears were flowing down and his whole body was trembling.

I replied, ordered him to get up, and comforted him, "I don't blame you. You confess to me, it's great. I won't blame you, but how do you reply this time?"

"The heart of a slave is to the emperor. Long live the master to understand it! The slave doesn't want to come at first, but Eunuch Li always says he can't come, so he drives me out. I have to come." Kou Liancai cried.

I suddenly remembered someone, felt refreshed, and asked him again, "What did you say you are called?"

"Slave Ko Liancai."

Kou Liancai, Kou Liancai, yes, the patriotic eunuch in the late Qing Dynasty was executed by Cixi for writing to Cixi to return to power by Emperor Guangxu. However, he did not expect to see him here. I hope he would not change his original intention.

I nodded and said to him with a kind look: "Okay, I said I will not be guilty of you, and I believe you. However, I want you to go back and say that I am talking to Master Weng and discussing the funding for the garden. Do you know? Moreover, you must come often in the future. If Eunuch Li asks you to come, you will come. What should I say that I will teach you? Do you know?"

Kou Liancai stopped crying and nodded, "I know, I swear to be loyal to the emperor!"

After Kou Lian left, Weng Tonghe looked at his back for a long time before turning back to me and said, "I wish God bless the Emperor. If this person is really loyal, the Emperor will be more safe and less worried!"

I laughed and said, "God will bless me! I am the emperor! Who will I bless you if God does not bless me?"

Weng Tonghe looked at me, his eyes full of awe.
Chapter completed!