NFBE Chapter 110 Escape
Chapter 110 Escape
Shen Lian naturally had to suppress the news of the fall of the capital, lest his father-in-law rush him to the capital to defend the emperor.
There's still time, so Shen Lian isn't in a hurry. He needs to prevent Empress Dowager Cixi and the Qing court officials from escaping; arriving too early would be a huge problem.
On the night of the 15th, after occupying the outer city, the allied forces launched a night attack on the inner city. The booming cannon fire terrified the palace eunuchs and maids, who scattered in all directions to hide.
Inside the Chuxiu Palace, Empress Dowager Cixi tried to appear calm, but her body couldn't help but tremble slightly.
"Little Li, is there really no way to hold on?" Empress Dowager Cixi asked, her lips trembling and pale.
"Your Majesty, you should make a decision soon! Li Bingheng's army is not even as good as the Vanguard and Rear Guards, they absolutely cannot hold out!" Li Lianying said anxiously.
"Alright! Let's go, hurry and bring the Emperor and Empress here. They absolutely cannot fall into the hands of foreigners," Cixi said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, sir!" Li Lianying hurriedly led her people out.
"Alright! Let's do it!" Empress Dowager Cixi lovingly touched her nails, then reached up and closed her eyes. Two palace maids picked up scissors and snipped away Cixi's long nails, which she had cultivated for many years.
Then they started to mess up Cixi's hair and restyle it in a Han Chinese style.
On the island in the South China Sea near the Forbidden City, the frail Emperor Guangxu stood with a flushed face.
"Good, well done! Quickly break in!" Emperor Guangxu paced excitedly in the empty room, while Consort Zhen beside him also looked excited.
"Your Majesty, by imperial decree of the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty is requested to proceed to Chuxiu Palace!" Li Lianying, accompanied by a large group of eunuchs, suddenly burst in.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'll stay here!" Emperor Guangxu screamed.
"Please, Your Majesty, don't make things difficult for us! Come, Your Majesty, please get ready!" Li Lianying was too lazy to say anything more and told the eunuchs to help Emperor Guangxu and Consort Zhen away.
The two were soon taken to the Chuxiu Palace. Upon seeing Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Guangxu, who had been struggling, trembled with fear and dared not utter a word.
"Quickly help the Emperor change his clothes!" Empress Dowager Cixi waved her hand dismissively.
"Where does the Empress Dowager intend to take His Majesty?" Consort Zhen asked, forcing herself to sit up as she saw that Emperor Guangxu was still behaving meekly.
"Of course it's an inspection tour! Can't you hear the cannon fire outside?" Empress Dowager Cixi said calmly.
"Your Majesty, the Western powers have only come to arrest the Boxers and protect the embassy. Please allow His Majesty to stay and negotiate with the Western countries!" Consort Zhen said, kneeling on the ground.
You little wretch, you wish! If the Emperor stays, then I might really become the Empress Dowager! Cixi gave a cold laugh.
"How dare she put the Emperor in such a dangerous situation! This is utterly rebellious! Guards, drag this little wretch out and drown her!"
Empress Dowager Cixi has wanted to kill Consort Zhen for quite some time now, and this little vile woman has jumped out again today. It's the perfect opportunity to get rid of her!
"No, Empress Dowager! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, save me!" Two burly eunuchs came up and dragged Consort Zhen away.
Consort Zhen struggled to beg Emperor Guangxu for help, but when Emperor Guangxu looked up and saw the vicious look in Empress Dowager Cixi's eyes, he trembled all over and dared not say a word.
Seeing that Consort Zhen was struggling fiercely, Li Lianying shook his head and sent two more eunuchs. The four of them carried Consort Zhen to the next courtyard, where there happened to be a deep well.
The four men lifted Consort Zhen upside down and threw her into the well. The beautiful imperial concubine, barely in her twenties, tragically died in the well.
After Consort Zhen was executed, no one in the room dared to utter a sound. Emperor Guangxu, with the help of eunuchs, changed into the clothes of a Han Chinese commoner.
"Quickly send word to the people on the list to assemble outside Deshengmen!" Empress Dowager Cixi was well-prepared and had already drawn up a list of who to bring.
"Your Majesty, to prevent the allied forces from pursuing us, the procession should not be too large. However, the Shenji Battalion soldiers are all from the capital, and I'm afraid they will be unable to protect you once you leave the capital!" Li Lianying said in a low voice.
"How could I not know that? But in this haste, this is all we can do. Let's talk about it again once we leave the capital!" Empress Dowager Cixi sighed.
"Your Majesty, I know that Lord Shen, the Circuit Intendant of Taiwu, still has a group of guards in the capital. These are all well-trained elite soldiers who are used to traveling all over the country. Could you please summon them to protect Your Majesty?"
"Good! It seems that Minister Shen is the most loyal man in the land! I wonder where he is now, having come to the capital to serve the emperor? Sigh! Quickly send someone to summon them to wait at the Desheng Gate!" Empress Dowager Cixi sighed and gave the order.
In a courtyard house in the inner city, Tan Ya paced anxiously on the ground, occasionally taking out his pocket watch to check it.
"Sit down! All this turning around is making my head spin. We've done what we were supposed to do; whether it succeeds or not is up to fate!" Laifu took a sip of tea and shook his head.
"That's true, but I'm still worried! Sigh!" Tan Ya plopped down in a chair and lit another cigarette. The floor was already littered with cigarette butts.
"Knock, knock, knock." Suddenly, a dull knocking sound rang out. Tan Ya's cigarette butt fell to the ground with a snap.
"Keep calm!" Laifu patted Tanya on the shoulder.
Tan Ya nodded, took a deep breath, and then slowly walked out.
"Who is it?"
"Shopkeeper, open the door quickly! It's me, Shi Tou!" A familiar voice came from outside, and Tan Ya's heart settled down.
Tan Ya opened the door and saw Shi Tou standing outside with Xiao De Zhang and another eunuch.
"Eunuch Zhang, what are you doing in the middle of the night?"
"Are you Tan Ya?" the unfamiliar eunuch asked.
"It is indeed I!" Tan Ya bowed.
"Kneel down and receive the imperial decree!"
Tan Ya was stunned for a moment. "Oh dear, Manager Tan, you should hurry up and accept the imperial decree!" Xiao De Zhang urged.
"This humble subject, Tan Ya, accepts the imperial decree!" Tan Ya bowed his head and knelt down.
"By order of the Empress Dowager, the guards of the Shen family are to accompany and protect the imperial procession!" the eunuch announced in a shrill voice.
"Manager Tan, get up and get ready!" Xiao Dezhang reached out and pulled Tan Ya up.
"Eunuch Zhang, what's going on?" Tan Ya asked, feigning confusion.
"Oh my! This is wonderful news! The Emperor is on a procession, and my godfather has recommended you as guards. Go and get ready! I'll go with you."
"Okay, okay!" Tan Ya nodded and welcomed the group into the room. He then went inside and called to Lai Fu, "Get up!"
Soon, twenty or thirty guards came out of the courtyard. Seeing these strong men, the eunuch who arrived later nodded in satisfaction.
"Xiao Dezi, you stay here and take them to Desheng Gate. I'll head back to the palace to report first!"
"Alright! I'll see Eunuch Cui off!" Xiao De Zhang and Tan Ya escorted the eunuch to the door.
"Brother Zhang, what's going on? Didn't we agree to escort you and Steward Li out of the city? Why are we being asked to protect you?"
After Eunuch Cui had gone some distance, Tan Ya pulled Xiao De Zhang aside and asked him a question.
"Brother Tan, you should be happy for Lord Shen! Not everyone can earn the honor of accompanying the king." Xiao De Zhang chuckled and pulled Tan Ya inside.
Tan Ya gave Lai Fu a wink, and the latter nodded slightly!