wormyguy
Banned
A More Machiavellian Guangxu Emperor
Resident China experts! What do you think of this little scenario of mine? Does it make some amount of sense? What happens after? (I'm a bit loath to make it into a full TL just yet, without gauging plausibility).
June 11, 1898
Emperor Guangxu surveyed the council. For the first time, the Empress Dowager had allowed him to rule in his own right, though he knew she thought him to be only a weakling puppet. He would soon prove her wrong.
He began to speak:
"We have displeased Heaven with our toleration of the barbarian and the foreigner. The barbarians ravage China with their abominable customs, heathenistic religions, and the black stench of opium. We must drive the foreigner from the shores of China back into the sea from which he came. The Japanese barbarian right now squats on Chinese territory throughout Our great Kingdom. He has leased territory in the city of Tientsin from Us. He has not ever paid Our lease we have granted him on that land. We shall not allow this to continue. The Empress Dowager has wisely ordered the fearless Kansu army to guard Our Forbidden City. They shall march to Tientsin and force the Japanese barbarian either to pay Us the full lease or remove them by force of arms. Let it be done."
4 hours later:
The Empress Dowager could not believe what the eunuch was telling her. Guangxu had always been a dull boy, not given to his own thoughts or ideas. She was not one to be unprepared, however, so she had ordered General Dong to Peking to keep a close eye on the young emperor should he do anything rash under his "independent" rule. Somehow he had gotten wind of her scheme and dispatched her ace-in-the-hole to Tientsin. What's more, it was to attack the Japanese barbarians, something which her anti-foreigner conservative faction was strongly in support of. To call off the attack would be to greatly diminish her position in their eyes. She knew that Guangxu was feeble-minded. She would allow the attack to take place, and simply execute whatever eunuchs had betrayed her later on. Nevertheless, she could not allow Guangxu to gain the trust of the council...
June 20, 1898
The eunuch was shaking as he read the telegram to the Emperor. "The Kansu army is no more... General Dong is dead. The Japanese barbarians had a force twice as large... They desecrated the tomb of Qianlong Emperor!"
The Emperor wordlessly motioned for the eunuch to leave, as shouting and commotion rarely heard in the Forbidden City burst out. The Beiyang Army soldiers charged through the gates and within minutes the Empress Dowager was dragged kicking and screaming from the Summer Palace and thrown at the Emperor's feet. A sobbing eunuch was produced by the soldiers. The Emperor's father, Prince Chun, began to question the eunuch.
"Did you send a telegram?"
"Y-yes, honorable Prince."
"What did the telegram say?"
"T-t-that the Kansu Army was to attack the Japanese in Tianjin, most revered and honorable Prince."
"Who did you send it to?"
"T-t-the Japanese Consulate in Tientsin, o merciful, glorious Prince!"
"Who told you to send this telegram?"
"I-I-I sent it myself, auspiciously crowned in Heaven Prince, may you live nine thousand of nine thousand years!"
"Do not lie. Who told you to send the telegram?"
"T-t-the Empress Dowager!" cried the eunuch, fainting.
The Emperor now spoke:
"We have been most treacherously betrayed. It," he said, pointing at the Empress Dowager, "has conspired with the Japanese barbarians against the Great Qing and China herself. It has committed treason, for which the punishment is death."
"Please, great Emperor, be merciful!" pleaded Cixi. "I have been your most faithful servant since you were a small baby! Please, my son, show compassion to this old woman, who is your most steadfast companion since your birth!"
"We pardon the despicable hag," said Guangxu.
"Oh, greatest, most merciful, wisest of Emperors," said Cixi, "divine ruler of ten thousand cities, o Heavenly-inspired, glorious Emperor! May you rule ten thousand of ten thousand of ten thousand years, my son!"
"We are not its son," said Guangxu, "and it is no longer an Empress. It is banned from the Forbidden City. It shall go out into the mud and live among the pigs and goats, as a peasant."
The old woman staggered to her feet, tripping and falling over as she attempted to walk without her attendants and while eunuchs and soldiers kicked and spat at her.
"Let it be known," said Guangxu, "We shall countenance no deception in Our court."
Resident China experts! What do you think of this little scenario of mine? Does it make some amount of sense? What happens after? (I'm a bit loath to make it into a full TL just yet, without gauging plausibility).
June 11, 1898
Emperor Guangxu surveyed the council. For the first time, the Empress Dowager had allowed him to rule in his own right, though he knew she thought him to be only a weakling puppet. He would soon prove her wrong.
He began to speak:
"We have displeased Heaven with our toleration of the barbarian and the foreigner. The barbarians ravage China with their abominable customs, heathenistic religions, and the black stench of opium. We must drive the foreigner from the shores of China back into the sea from which he came. The Japanese barbarian right now squats on Chinese territory throughout Our great Kingdom. He has leased territory in the city of Tientsin from Us. He has not ever paid Our lease we have granted him on that land. We shall not allow this to continue. The Empress Dowager has wisely ordered the fearless Kansu army to guard Our Forbidden City. They shall march to Tientsin and force the Japanese barbarian either to pay Us the full lease or remove them by force of arms. Let it be done."
4 hours later:
The Empress Dowager could not believe what the eunuch was telling her. Guangxu had always been a dull boy, not given to his own thoughts or ideas. She was not one to be unprepared, however, so she had ordered General Dong to Peking to keep a close eye on the young emperor should he do anything rash under his "independent" rule. Somehow he had gotten wind of her scheme and dispatched her ace-in-the-hole to Tientsin. What's more, it was to attack the Japanese barbarians, something which her anti-foreigner conservative faction was strongly in support of. To call off the attack would be to greatly diminish her position in their eyes. She knew that Guangxu was feeble-minded. She would allow the attack to take place, and simply execute whatever eunuchs had betrayed her later on. Nevertheless, she could not allow Guangxu to gain the trust of the council...
June 20, 1898
The eunuch was shaking as he read the telegram to the Emperor. "The Kansu army is no more... General Dong is dead. The Japanese barbarians had a force twice as large... They desecrated the tomb of Qianlong Emperor!"
The Emperor wordlessly motioned for the eunuch to leave, as shouting and commotion rarely heard in the Forbidden City burst out. The Beiyang Army soldiers charged through the gates and within minutes the Empress Dowager was dragged kicking and screaming from the Summer Palace and thrown at the Emperor's feet. A sobbing eunuch was produced by the soldiers. The Emperor's father, Prince Chun, began to question the eunuch.
"Did you send a telegram?"
"Y-yes, honorable Prince."
"What did the telegram say?"
"T-t-that the Kansu Army was to attack the Japanese in Tianjin, most revered and honorable Prince."
"Who did you send it to?"
"T-t-the Japanese Consulate in Tientsin, o merciful, glorious Prince!"
"Who told you to send this telegram?"
"I-I-I sent it myself, auspiciously crowned in Heaven Prince, may you live nine thousand of nine thousand years!"
"Do not lie. Who told you to send the telegram?"
"T-t-the Empress Dowager!" cried the eunuch, fainting.
The Emperor now spoke:
"We have been most treacherously betrayed. It," he said, pointing at the Empress Dowager, "has conspired with the Japanese barbarians against the Great Qing and China herself. It has committed treason, for which the punishment is death."
"Please, great Emperor, be merciful!" pleaded Cixi. "I have been your most faithful servant since you were a small baby! Please, my son, show compassion to this old woman, who is your most steadfast companion since your birth!"
"We pardon the despicable hag," said Guangxu.
"Oh, greatest, most merciful, wisest of Emperors," said Cixi, "divine ruler of ten thousand cities, o Heavenly-inspired, glorious Emperor! May you rule ten thousand of ten thousand of ten thousand years, my son!"
"We are not its son," said Guangxu, "and it is no longer an Empress. It is banned from the Forbidden City. It shall go out into the mud and live among the pigs and goats, as a peasant."
The old woman staggered to her feet, tripping and falling over as she attempted to walk without her attendants and while eunuchs and soldiers kicked and spat at her.
"Let it be known," said Guangxu, "We shall countenance no deception in Our court."
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