Because the newspapers in the southeastern provinces continued to follow and report on the civil war in the United States, the whole court and the opposition paid great attention to this war, and even triggered an American fever.

It's not just about the war, everything in the United States has become a hot topic, and the number of international students sent by Yuanqi has always been the largest in the United States, in addition, in the past ten years, Yuanqi has opened a lot of factories in the United States, and every year many young men and women are sent from the Qing Dynasty to the factories in the United States, in addition, Yuanqi Bank has successively opened more than a dozen semicolons in the United States over the years.

Because of the war, Yuan Qi withdrew all the students in the United States, closed all the factories and more than a dozen Yuan Qi bank branches, after these people returned to China one after another, Yuan Qi was given three months to half a year of vacation according to the distance of the road, these people can be said to be all over the country, and when they return to their hometown, they will naturally spread the news of the United States.

There was also a group of people who disseminated the news of the United States, the officials of the imperial court, who were aware of the members of the missions who had visited Western countries, and who had stayed in the United States for the longest time and were more familiar with the situation in the United States.

Coupled with the newspaper's follow-up report on the American Civil War, it naturally triggered an American fever in the imperial court.

Jingshi, supervising the administrative office, supervising the minister's signature room.

Prince Gong put down the newspaper in his hand and sighed lightly, he led the mission to visit Western countries in those years, and the only country with courtesy and warm attitude to the mission was the United States, and the mission stayed in the United States for the longest time.

Although the United States was in the midst of a severe economic and currency crisis at that time, he could still feel the vitality and vigor of the United States, and in his heart, he did not want the United States to break out into a civil war and divide it in two, after all, the constitutional reform he advocated was borrowed from the American system in many places.

"Sixth." Prince Hui Mianyu walked in slowly, and handed over the telegram in his hand, "Shanghai, Yi Guocheng called, hoping that the emperor would issue a holy decree to declare that the war that broke out in the United States was an internal affair of the country, and the Qing Dynasty would not interfere. ”

After taking the telegram and looking at it, Yi Xun couldn't help frowning, "What does Yi Guocheng mean by this?" Fighting the British and French? ”

"Fight in the ring?" Mianyu was a little puzzled, he didn't understand at all.

"Fifth Uncle doesn't read the newspaper?" Yixun handed over the newspaper on the table, "England declares neutrality and recognizes the Confederate Confederate with the United States. The provinces are equal in status, belong to the belligerent countries, and have belligerent rights. If we regard it as an internal affair of the United States, we will not recognize the Southern regime, and if we are working against England! ”

Hearing this, Mianyu said disapprerovitously: "What about what to do?" Is it possible for England to dare to invade again? ”

"That's not true, but it's not conducive to the diplomacy of the Qing Dynasty and Western countries." Yi Xun said slowly, now that the imperial court has close contacts with Britain and France, this edict will obviously offend Britain and France and affect the future cooperative relationship between the two sides.

Mianyu naturally understood the reason behind this, and said with a wry smile: "Yi Guocheng did not publish it in the newspaper first, but pleaded with the emperor to make an order, this is enough gesture, if the emperor does not allow it, he may make a statement in the newspaper himself........" ”

"This matter is the Emperor of Freedom." Yi Xun said and stood up and said, "The fifth uncle will go with me to meet him." ”

Yixun and Mianyu entered the Old Summer Palace, and handed over the sign outside Qingyan in Jiuzhou, but they didn't call in for a long time, and both of them felt a little strange in their hearts, but they didn't dare to ask more, so they could only wait in a sullen voice.

After a long time, the eunuch came to him, bowed carefully and said, "Two princes, the emperor called in." ”

The two entered the same hall, Mianyu took the opportunity to ask for peace, and quickly glanced at Xianfeng, seeing that he was getting thinner and thinner, and his face was pale, he faintly guessed that it was the dragon's physical discomfort, but he didn't think much about it.

Xianfeng read the telegram and pondered for a moment before he said, "What does the sixth think?" ”

"Back to the emperor." Yixun hurriedly said: "Brother Yi secretly thinks that the United States is far away on the other side of the ocean, although the two countries have close business and trade, but there is no entanglement of interests, and the war between the United States, the imperial court does not need to express its position, so as not to erect enemies for no reason." ”

"Where's the fifth uncle?" Xianfeng has a weak way.

"Back to the emperor." Mianyu said: "Yuanqi has always been friendly with the United States, and two Xiyi invasions, the United States has stayed out of the matter, has not been involved, this time the United States broke out of the civil war, the imperial court should return the favor, and besides, Yi Zhixin has always had a penchant for publishing articles in newspapers....... ”

After pondering for a while, Xianfeng said: "Call back to Yi Zhicontent, more things are better than less." As he spoke, he said softly, "Kneel down." ”

Yixun and Mianyu bowed down and retreated out of the room, and they heard a heart-rending cough sound in the room, both of them were shocked, listening to this cough, the emperor seemed to be not lightly ill, Mianyu suddenly thought of Yi Zhi's deathbed poem with him in Shanghai, and his face turned pale in an instant, could it be that it was really fulfilled?

In the same hall, Xianfeng stopped coughing, glanced at the bloody sputum coughed up on the handkerchief, his face became more and more pale, he slowly leaned back on the chair, panting heavily, and looked at the top of the algae in a daze.

Outside Jiuzhou Qingyan, Yi, who had been silent all the way, slowly spoke: "It's been less than two months since the Wanshou Festival, why haven't I heard anything ......." ”

Wanshou Festival is the emperor's birthday, it is a very important festival, Xianfeng's birthday is the ninth day of June, it is indeed less than two months, Yixin suddenly mentioned this thing without a head or brain, what does it mean? Mianyu didn't have the heart to think about it, he was full of thoughts about whether it was necessary to tell Yixun about He Shen's dying poem.

In the year of the birth of the emperor's eldest son, Zaichun, Yi Zhishu told him about it, and now in five or six years, Xianfeng has a son of Zaichun, if there is anything unexpected in Xianfeng, there is no choice but to succeed Zaichun, and for Zaichun's biological mother Yi Guifei, there have been many criticisms in and outside the palace over the years.

This Yi Guifei is extremely intelligent, not only coarse and fluent in writing and ink but also proficient in Manchu, plus she is the biological mother of the emperor's eldest son, she is deeply favored by Xianfeng, and even ordered her to assist in sorting out the chapters, ghostwriting, it is rumored that this Yi Guifei has also repeatedly participated in decision-making and political affairs.

If Xianfeng dies early and Zaichun succeeds to the throne at a young age, this concubine Yi's mother is more expensive than her son, and she will inevitably become the queen mother.

This is no small feat! After thinking about it, he hesitated all the way, and when he returned to the administrative office, he couldn't help it after all, and entered the signing room with Yixun, and after the next person served tea, he stepped back and got up and closed the door, and then lowered his voice and said Yi Zhi's words back then.

After hearing these words, Yixun was stunned at the time, and only said after a while: "Fifth uncle, Yi Zhi's words must have been said in the year of Zaichun's birth?" ”

"Absolutely." Mianyu said in a deep voice: "Such a big event, how can I remember wrong, Fifth Uncle?" Although it has been six years, the situation at that time is still vivid, and I am still looking for Heshen's dying poem. ”

"It's incredible!" Yi Xun muttered.

"It's incredible." Mianyu said softly: "The top priority is to quickly investigate the emperor's condition. ”

Yixun nodded slightly and said, "I'll arrange this." ”

That night, Zhang Jing and Cao Yuying, the foreman of the Military Aircraft Department, hurriedly entered Prince Gong's Mansion, and Yixun met him in the study. ”

Cao Yuying hurriedly lowered her voice and said, "Go back to the prince, see you." After a pause, he said softly: "Fever, cough, chest pain, weight loss, phlegm, hemoptysis, are tuberculosis and need to be meditated and cultivated, but the foundation is too poor and it is extremely difficult to heal." ”

Tuberculosis? Extremely difficult to heal? Yixun's heart sank, this Cao Yuying is his confidant, and he is close friends with Imperial Doctor Luan, and the relationship is close, the news will not be wrong, he really didn't expect Xianfeng to suffer from tuberculosis, which itself is an incurable disease, plus Xianfeng Yuan himself is weak, and he doesn't know how to check, and indulges in cigarettes and alcohol, this foundation is not ordinary.

After a slight sigh, he said: "Don't have too close contact with Imperial Doctor Luan, but at the critical moment, this king must know in time." ”

"Xia Guan understands." Cao Yuying hurriedly said.

"Let's go down." Yixun said softly, Cao Yuying retreated, he looked at the candlelight in a daze, Xianfeng is afraid that he will not last for two years, this is not a good thing for him, he knows very well that Xianfeng originally had a great wariness of him, if he knew that he would die soon, he would definitely deal with him before he died, in case the six-year-old Zaichun succeeded to the throne and fell into power.

If Xianfeng dealt with him, it would not be as simple as the last time he went back to the study to study, which would inevitably affect the implementation of the new policy.

What to do? How can I help myself? Yi Xun wrinkled his brows and thought hard, as for what kind of woman was causing trouble to the country, he didn't have the heart to think about it at all, after all, in his opinion, Yi Guifei was not worth mentioning at all.

Three days later, Zeng Guofan appeared at the Shanghai Railway Station in a micro-suit, and as soon as he left the station, he called a carriage and rushed to the Zhenhai Mansion.

Zhenhai Mansion, Changle Book House.

"So far, 11 of the 15 slave states in the South have joined the South, and only four slave states – Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri – remain in the Union." Zhao Liewen reported softly: "In addition, the Southern Army captured the fortress of Sumter, occupied the naval base Norfolk, occupied the railway hub Manassas, and advanced to Washington.

The Northern Army hastily responded to the battle and entered Virginia, and a major battle could break out between the two sides at Manassas, and judging from the current situation, the Northern Army was in a very bad situation. ”

Yi Zhi said disapprehantly: "This is a large-scale civil war, the gains and losses of one city and one place cannot affect the final result, there is no need to care too much, this war has just begun, and the final competition is the war potential of both sides." ”

"The big shopkeeper, Lord Zeng is out asking to see you." Lin Meilian walked in quickly and reported softly, and then presented a famous post.

After taking the name card and looking at it, Yi Zhizhi ordered: "Let him in." "But in my heart, I was wondering, what did Zeng Guofan do in Shanghai? Was it because he asked Xianfengming to issue an edict in support of the American Civil War?

He and Zeng Guofan are also old acquaintances, and immediately got up and stood on the steps to greet him, and as soon as they met, he smiled and said, "What kind of wind blew Brother Disheng to Shanghai." ”

Hearing this, Zeng Guofan smiled: "It's the southwest wind." ”

The two greeted each other and then entered the house and sat down, Zeng Guofan understood the other party's temperament, so he said straight to the point: "This time I went to Shanghai, I was ordered by Prince Gong, about the American Civil War, the emperor and Prince Gong both think that more is better than less." ”

Let a sleeping dog lie? Yi Zhishu shook his head slightly, and said: "The Qing Dynasty always needs a few friends in the world, and this United States is also a great power in the West. ”

Zeng Guofan said bluntly: "The imperial court does not want to deal with Britain and France. ”

With a slight groan, Yi Zhizhi said: "Since this is the case, then that's it." ”

Seeing that he was so easy to speak, Zeng Guofan was a little surprised, and estimated that the other party might publish an article in the newspaper to support the United States, but the imperial court could not interfere in this matter at all, and he simply didn't bother to test it, he came to Shanghai this time, mainly for this matter, and immediately glanced at Zhao Liewen who was sitting on the side, intentionally or unintentionally.

Yi Zhixin said disapprehantly: "Brother Disheng has something to say, but it doesn't hurt to say it." ”

Zhao Liewen smiled, stood up and arched his hand: "Big shopkeeper, the student still has a few documents to deal with, so he will retire for the time being." With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

Zeng Guofan lowered his voice and said: "The emperor is seriously ill, and he is suffering from tuberculosis. ”

Xianfeng was seriously ill, Yi Zhishu was not surprised at all, he knew very well that Xianfeng died in Xianfeng's eleventh year, even if it changed a little now, it was estimated that it would only delay the rest of the year, but what he didn't expect was that Xianfeng actually suffered from tuberculosis, tuberculosis, a highly contagious chronic wasting disease, which was a terminal illness in this year.

Tuberculosis is a typical disease of poverty, and people with poor nutrition and poor sanitation are more likely to suffer from tuberculosis.

Xianfeng is terminally ill, this news can be described as earth-shattering, but Yi Zhishu was not shocked after hearing about it, Zeng Guofan was secretly surprised in his heart, and said tentatively: "Grandpa seems to have known for a long time? ”

Yi Zhishu didn't answer and asked, "This is what Prince Gong told him about his brother?" ”

Zeng Guofan nodded, "The emperor is seriously ill, the emperor's eldest son is young, the situation is not conducive to Prince Gong, and it is bound to affect the implementation of the new ......." ”

Devil Six: Is this asking him for help? Yi Zhisuff opened the folding fan and fanned it unhurriedly, Yixun's judgment was very correct, Xianfeng appointed the eight ministers of Gu Ming before his death, which was indeed to exclude Yixun, so there was the 'Xinyou Coup' conspired by his uncle and sister-in-law, and Yixun also became the king of the council.