Chapter 831 833 [The tree wants to be quiet but the wind doesn't stop]

  Tian Kui became the censor of patrolling the city. In a short period of time, it was a good thing for Xiang Nan.

  Because Tian Kui knew that Xiang Nan was highly valued by the prince and was a celebrity in front of the prince, so he was happy to flatter him.

  Not only did they often take soldiers to patrol in front of Yixiaotang and Shiweitianmen, but they also told all the hooligans and gangsters in the capital not to fight against Yixiaotang and Shiweitian.

  He is the censor who patrols the city, and has the power to arrest bandits, suppress the ground, and hear lawsuits. To the big officials in the capital, maybe they are just a small official.

  But for those hooligans and rascals, Tian Kui happened to be their nemesis. Because of this, they are all obedient. It also made the hooligans and gangsters who were active around Yixiaotang and Shiweitian hide away, lest they be killed by Tian Kui as an example.

  Xiang Nan couldn't help feeling a little bit emotional when he knew what he had done.

  If he is not familiar with Tian Kui, he may be introduced to him as a confidant after receiving this little favor from him, and speak good words for him in front of the prince. However, he had already seen Tian Kui clearly.

  Although he is a scholar on the surface, he reads the books of sages and sages, and does benevolent and righteous deeds. But in fact, it is unkind, despicable and shameless. So no matter how much he pretended to be human, Xiang Nan could still smell his scum.

  …

   Two months later, the bad news came that the Qing court had completely lost the war with Japan, and the entire Beiyang Fleet was wiped out. Lushun, Haicheng, Gongkou, Weihai and many other cities fell one after another.

  The majestic Celestial Kingdom, facing the invasion of Japan, has no power to fight back, which makes it difficult for the ruling and opposition parties to accept. What is even more unacceptable is that the imperial court still wants to send people to negotiate peace, which can be said to have completely humiliated the old face.

   Therefore, many people of insight hope that the imperial court can learn from Japan's reform and reform, so as to strengthen the national strength and defeat foreign enemies.

   Therefore, for a while, the reputation of the reformers increased greatly.

Especially in April, Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong and others contacted the eighteen provinces, nearly 1,200 people, and jointly signed the "Shang Jin Shang Emperor Letter", urging the reform to strengthen and reject peace The idea of ​​military training was gathered in front of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Zuodu Yushi was invited to play on his behalf.

   At that time, about ten thousand candidates from various provinces and enthusiastic citizens gathered there. It can be said that there is a sea of ​​people, and there is no way to get through. Although Zuodu Yushi was so frightened that he didn't show up, the joint letter was not handed in in the end. But it also made the reputation of the reformers reach its peak.

  However, Xiang Nan knew that the more violent the reformists were, the stronger the conservatives' counterattack would be.

   At that time, these naive reformers will be wiped out.

   Therefore, on the one hand, he actively prepared to leave the capital, and on the other hand, he took the initiative to distance himself from politics.

  For example, posting slogans on Food is the Sky saying don’t talk about state affairs, such as minimizing the number of times you go to the prince’s mansion, etc.

  …

   Unexpectedly, Xiang Nan didn't look for trouble, but the trouble came to him.

  After the bus was written, Lu Zhengming came to the door within a few days.

   "Hey, Lord Lu, you haven't been here for a long time." Hu Suhua smiled, "What have you been up to lately?"

   "Hey, didn't you go to the bus a while ago? Prince Jing was busy, so I was busy too, so I didn't have time to visit my sister-in-law." Lu Zhengming explained with a smile, "Please forgive me in person."

   "I know there are Ministers of the Ministry of War, Ministers of the Ministry of Officials, and Ministers of the Ministry of Households. When will there be another bus to write the letter?" Hu Suhua asked suspiciously.

   "It's all important for the court, why are you asking so much?" Xiang Nan was afraid that she would ask around, so he quickly interrupted her, "Hurry up and get a couple of cups of tea."

"Hey, sister-in-law, the letter is not from an official minister, but from hundreds of candidates to the emperor, demanding reform and reform." Lu Zhengming explained with a smile, "Actually, this is also closely related to your common people, and you should know about it. "

   "Look, isn't it?" Hu Suhua said proudly when she heard it, "Old man, why don't I ask more, I'm afraid you don't know yet."

  Xiang Nan smiled awkwardly, he just knew, so he didn't let Hu Suhua ask nonsense, "Go and make some tea."

  "Happy man, everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world." Seeing that Xiang Nan had no interest in state affairs, Lu Zhengming said excitedly, "Now, our Qing Dynasty is exhausted, the country is poor and the people are weak, and even Dongying dares to bully us.

   Do you know how much we have to pay for this peace talks? It's really embarrassing to say it. Baodao, Penghu, Liaodong Peninsula, and North Korea were all given over to Dongying, and they had to compensate them with 200 million taels of silver. Do you say that it is okay to change the law? If the law does not change, our Qing Dynasty will perish. "

   "What, paying so much?" Hu Suhua was surprised when she heard this.

  Treasure Island, Penghu, North Korea, she doesn't know where it is.

  But she knows about Liaodong, where ginseng, velvet antler, and pearls grow... But now they are occupied by people, what a huge piece of land it must be.

   Not to mention paying 200 million taels of silver. Even if their family doesn't eat or drink, they have to earn more than 10,000 years to make so much money.

"Yeah, originally there was no need to pay that much. Dongying's national power is weak, and although they won the battle, their losses were not small." Lu Zhengming sighed, "But so many old-fashioned old ministers in the imperial court want peace, even if the emperor There is no way to disagree."

   "Why are you so ashamed? Isn't this already Qin Hui!" Hu Suhua said angrily when she heard this.

  Although she cannot read, she usually likes to listen to operas and storytelling, so he still knows about Yue Fei and Qin Hui.

   "Who says it's not, so we must reform, so that we can save the nation and survive, and strengthen the country and the species." Lu Zhengming said excitedly.

   "Yes, Lord Lu, I support you." Hu Suhua was also moved by his words, and immediately said excitedly.

   "Okay, go and pour some tea." Xiang Nan scolded, "You are also able to understand these important family and country affairs!"

  Hu Suhua gave him a blank look, and left resentfully.

   "Xi Langzhong, don't say that." Lu Zhengming persuaded, "As soon as the emperor agrees to the reform, we will get rid of our arms and do it. When the time comes, just wait and see."

  Xiang Nan couldn't help feeling sad when he saw him so confident and high-spirited.

  Lu Zhengming is full of enthusiasm, and his idea of ​​saving the country and the people is worthy of respect, but his mind is too simple.

   Regarding the reform, don't say that the emperor is just a puppet, even if he agrees, he is powerless to support it. Even if the Empress Dowager Cixi, who is in power and aloof, fully supports the reform, it will be difficult to succeed.

   After all, vested interest groups are too powerful. Not to mention the millions of scholars in the world, there will be no ladder for promotion after the imperial examination is gone, how much they will object.

   It is said that millions of bannermen in the capital will not give up if they lose their hard-core crops and source of livelihood. When the time comes, there will be troubles, and that will be a big deal.

   Once the reform fails, with Lu Zhengming's upright character, rather than bending, he is likely to die again.

  So when Xiang Nan thought of this, he felt a little uncomfortable.

  (end of this chapter)