“Convey My Imperial Decree, order all provincial Governors and Provincial Intendants throughout the Empire to assemble their provincial armies, and establish local militia, and dispatch a massive army to the Shandong Province to assist the Imperial Court in putting down the rebellion of the Li father and son!” Cixi, the Empress Dowager, issued the order.
“Yes! We (Your servants) shall obey the Decree!” All the high officials of the Qing court responded in unison.
“Your Majesty, the performance of the various camps in the capital on the battlefield has been utterly deplorable, a disgrace to our ancestors. Your servant begs Your Majesty to issue an order to recruit sturdy men from among our bannermen, equip them with foreign guns and cannons, and train them into a crack force.
Only then can our Qing Dynasty's Empire truly endure for millennia!”
Wula Xi Chong’a, the Manchu Minister of War, proposed.
Cixi, the Empress Dowager, nodded repeatedly, this was also what she agreed with.
Naturally, it would be best if the military remained under her control.
This way, she could truly rest assured.
Otherwise, if all the Governors and Intendants throughout the land held great armies, wouldn't that lead to the fragmentation of the Empire into warlord domains like in the late Tang Dynasty?
Furthermore, the rebellion of Li Hongzhang and his son was a stark warning, something Cixi, the Empress Dowager, had to take to heart.
For the Qing Dynasty, their true people were only those bannermen.
Especially the Manchu Eight Banners and the Mongol Eight Banners, they were their true people.
“Wula Xi Chong’a, this matter is entrusted to you. I believe that among my many bannermen, there will surely be many valiant spirits willing to contribute their strength for the everlasting stability of our Qing Empire.
We must purchase the most advanced weapons from the foreigners and train a top-notch army!”
Cixi, the Empress Dowager, ordered.
She was brimming with anticipation for these troops.
“Yes, Your servant shall obey the Decree!” Wula Xi Chong’a was overjoyed.
If he could complete this task successfully, then entering the Grand Council would be a matter of time!
Moreover, by overseeing the establishment of the Qing Dynasty's new banner force, he would undoubtedly gain greater influence within the military, solidifying his position further.
Cixi, the Empress Dowager's order soon reached the Governors and Intendants in various parts of the Qing Empire.
One after another, the Governors and Intendants responded.
The armies of each province began to assemble, led by their commanders, preparing to march to Shandong Province to assist the Qing court in suppressing the rebellion.
At the same time, the provincial Governors and Intendants also began to establish local militia.
To this end, they even actively contacted the foreigners, purchasing large quantities of foreign guns and cannons from them.
This caused a sharp rise in the export of weapons and equipment from the Western powers to the Qing Empire, greatly enriching these foreign devils.
From the perspective of these Western powers, they couldn't have been happier to see the Qing Dynasty's civil war drag on, the more disastrous the better.
This way, they could not only profit handsomely by selling arms.
But the civil war would also drain the Qing Dynasty's strength.
The Qing Dynasty's power continued to decline, which was highly beneficial to them.
In this way, they could easily invade the Qing Dynasty, occupy this vast and prosperous land, and enslave the hardworking and kind people here.
Meanwhile, the Qing court also called upon the people of the entire Empire to support the Qing Dynasty in suppressing the rebellion and contribute their strength.
Especially the people within Shandong Province, they were urged to resist the rule of the Li father and son.
Once the rebellion of the Li father and son was put down, they would be greatly rewarded.
For a time, the entire Empire was abuzz with condemnation and accusations against Li Hongzhang and his son Li Jingyuan for their rebellion, especially those who considered themselves scholars, they saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After all, these scholars were all eager to pass the imperial examinations, for only then could they become officials.
And only after becoming officials could they become wealthy.
However, the Qing Dynasty's annual imperial examinations had a very limited number of successful candidates, leaving many scholars unable to realize their ambitions.
Even Li Hongzhang had been in the same situation when he was young.
Fortunately, he seized the opportunity during the Taiping Rebellion, first serving as a staff officer under Zeng Guofan, and later establishing the Huai Army to work independently, step by step rising to the highest position, reaching the pinnacle of his life.
This undoubtedly made him a model for many talented scholars who had encountered setbacks.
Since Li Hongzhang could rise to prominence, then they could completely replicate his path!
However, now they were facing Li Hongzhang, the man they had taken as a model, and his son Li Jingyuan.
A large number of scholars, chanting slogans of "throwing away their pens and joining the army," "defending the Qing Dynasty's Empire," and "restoring peace to the world," flocked to join the army.
And the provincial Governors and Intendants, following Cixi, the Empress Dowager's order, were actively establishing local militia, which provided these scholars with opportunities.
It can be said that for a time, throughout the Qing Empire, Li Hongzhang and his son Li Jingyuan had become public enemies, condemned by all.
Countless people viewed the heads of Li Hongzhang and his son as stepping stones to advancement, hoping to present their heads to the Qing court to gain merit.
This made Li Hongzhang and his son Li Jingyuan completely at odds with the entire Empire.
Even the common people, through the propaganda of the court and the local officials, had come to regard Li Hongzhang and his son Li Jingyuan as heinous traitors.