When Chen Ke set off, he didn't make a big fanfare. The People's Party still had the most basic concept of confidentiality up to now. Lu'an was theoretically one of the base areas of the People's Party, but this thing was just a theory. After occupying Lu'an county town, revolutionary work had been hovering on the "edge of mobilization." The People's Party only completed the construction of many strongholds, and these strongholds were also built to protect Anqing and inland transportation.

Before leaving, Chen Ke unexpectedly received news from Beijing. Sun Yat-sen led the Tongmenghui to occupy Zhennanguan in Guangxi and seized three forts in Zhennanguan. The Qing court was terrified upon hearing the news, urgently wiring Guangxi Governor Zhang Mingqi, Border Defense Supervisor Long Jiguang, Commander Lu Rongting, and others, ordering them to retake the Youfushan Fort within a week, otherwise they would be dismissed from office and sent to Beijing for punishment.

Chen Ke looked at the map; from Shandong to Anhui, then to Zhejiang, and now Zhennanguan on the Sino-Vietnamese border. This route of armed uprisings by revolutionaries stretched for thousands of *li*, like a long sword piercing through the essence area of southeast China. The Manchu Qing's days were really not easy. Chen Ke was very curious about what moves Cixi would adopt. Thinking was thinking; Chen Ke didn't comment on this. After bidding a simple farewell to the comrades seeing him off, he led the troops onto the troop carrier.

Cixi's mood at this time could only be described as heart-burning anxiety. In front of her was also a map, far less detailed than the map in Chen Ke's hands. But Cixi herself obtained more rebellion intelligence than Chen Ke. Not only had Anhui and Zhejiang fallen into the hands of the revolutionary party, but before the Zhennanguan Uprising broke out in Guangxi, an uprising also broke out in Changde, Hunan, and the rebel army had already occupied Changde city. As for the "bandit trouble" in Shandong, in Cixi's view, it counted for nothing at all.

Scanning the chaos on the map, Cixi's gaze couldn't help falling back on Anhui. Anhui was undoubtedly the earliest among all uprisings. But Anhui made Cixi feel a great confusion. Once other revolutionary parties occupied territory, the first thing was to announce their existence to the outside world. Only Anhui never did this. The more information collected about Chen Ke and the People's Party, the more uneasy Cixi, as a politician, felt.

Cixi once thought the Yue Wang Hui was the earliest chaotic party in Anhui. The more intelligence she collected, the more Cixi could see the clue of the matter. Chen Ke openly and aboveboard forced the Yue Wang Hui to a dead end. Cixi was very familiar with this kind of political trick; she did things the same way. The biggest rebel of the Great Qing now was such a person; Cixi couldn't help feeling a chill on her back.

Now two documents were placed in front of Cixi. One was the People's Party's "Constitution of the Anhui People's Government." Although Cixi had read it many times, she couldn't help flipping through it again.

Article 1: The Anhui People's Government is a people's democratic government led by the Communist Party of China and based on the alliance of workers and peasants.

Article 2: All power of the Anhui People's Government belongs to the people. The organs through which the people exercise power are the Anhui Provincial People's Congress and local people's congresses at all levels. Democratic centralism is practiced in the Anhui Provincial People's Congress, local people's congresses at all levels, and other state organs.

Article 3: The Anhui People's Government is a unified multi-ethnic government. All ethnic groups are equal. Discrimination and oppression against any ethnic group are prohibited; acts that undermine the unity of various ethnic groups are prohibited.

Article 4: The Anhui People's Government relies on state organs and social forces to ensure the gradual elimination of the exploitation system and the establishment of a socialist society through socialist industrialization and socialist transformation.

These clichés of the revolutionary party jumped into her eyes, and Cixi only felt a burst of extreme disgust. She opened the carefully determined "Outline of Constitution by Imperial Order." Her originally stern expression also showed signs of softening.

1. The Emperor of the Great Qing rules the Great Qing Empire, for ten thousand generations in one line, forever respected.

2. The Emperor is sacred and inviolable.

3. The power to imperially order the promulgation of laws and dispatch bills. Laws, although resolved by the parliament, cannot be implemented without the imperial mandate approving and promulgating them.

...

5. The power to set official positions, determine salaries, and promote or demote all officials. The power of employment is held by the Emperor, assisted by ministers; the parliament shall not interfere.

6. The power to command the army and navy and determine the military system. The Emperor deploys the national army and determines the standing army quota, executing with full authority. All military affairs are not for the parliament to interfere.

7. The power to declare war, make peace, conclude treaties, dispatch envoys, and accept envoys. Diplomatic affairs are decided by the Emperor personally, not submitted to the parliament for resolution.

8. The power to declare martial law. In times of emergency, the freedom of subjects can be restricted by imperial order.

9. The power of conferring titles and granting pardons. Grace comes from the Emperor, not for subjects to arrogate.

...

13. Royal expenses shall be determined by the Emperor as a fixed amount, drawn from the national treasury; the parliament shall not discuss it.

14. Royal ceremonies shall be decided by the Emperor supervising the royal family and special ministers; the parliament shall not interfere.

Looking at these constitutional articles determining the Emperor's power one by one, Cixi carefully confirmed there were no loopholes. Although these contents just turned the supremacy of imperial power into a constitution, Cixi still felt it was very insufficient. Actually, what she hated most was the matter of having to establish a constitution. The sovereign had to rely on laws to guarantee his power; this matter itself meant the sovereign no longer possessed absolute power. For Cixi, this was a true failure. But she couldn't help accepting this concession.

Those opposing the Great Qing were not those officials; the true opponents were the gentry. Cixi regretted a bit that she abolished the imperial examination hastily for a moment. After abolishing the imperial examination, the channel for scholars to enter the official career through the imperial examination was blocked for a while. The court required newly recruited officials to understand Western science and technology, but the Great Qing didn't have so many schools. The result was that a large number of people went to study abroad. Revolutionaries incited revolution among these students. Those young students went abroad without parental discipline; they were originally like runaway wild horses, how could they withstand the nonsense of chaotic parties? Cixi knew too well what bastard things young people could do. Her biological son Tongzhi and her nephew Guangxu both acted recklessly. Even born in the imperial family and ascending to the supreme throne of the Emperor, these two young people didn't listen to advice at all.

Although the older generation of gentry didn't make trouble like young people, they had their own reasons for dissatisfaction. The invasion of foreigners made the livelihood of gentry deteriorate day by day. Conservative gentry naturally were full of resentment towards the court, while those gentry who didn't recognize their ancestors simply became compradors and followed foreigners.

Cixi was very clear that for most officials, choosing between the court and the gentry, officials would definitely choose the gentry. Officials came from the gentry; what they represented was the interest of the gentry. So this "Outline of Constitution by Imperial Order" was actually not for officials to see at all, but used to appease the gentry. Establishing a parliament, the purpose was to provide gentry with more opportunities to intervene in central politics. So there was no need to be polite with the "Outline of Constitution by Imperial Order"; since the gentry were given the opportunity to interfere in politics, they had to know that the sovereign was the biggest.

Thinking of this, Cixi suddenly thought of the People's Party led by Chen Ke. Chen Ke and Cixi were the same; both knew very well the importance of gentry to politics. But Cixi chose the whip to discipline the gentry. While Chen Ke simply eradicated the gentry drastically. From the "Constitution of the Anhui People's Government" promulgated by the People's Party, Chen Ke completely wrote relying on common people to rebel into the constitution. In terms of implementation means, the People's Party broke the fortified villages of Anhui gentry, plus implemented the policy of equal distribution of land. Now the entire Anhui only had the People's Party and the Anhui common people left. Cixi appreciated Chen Ke's ruthlessness at such a young age. Once deciding to do something, don't leave any backhand. Cutting grass without removing the roots only leaves future trouble. Chen Ke, who had such ruthless means, standing on the opposite side of Cixi, was a very terrible thing.

Might as well let the gentry and Chen Ke have a decisive battle; Cixi had already made such a plan. The land policy of the People's Party was to be the enemy of the gentry of the whole world. Even not just gentry; as long as there were self-cultivating farmers with a dozen *mu* of land, they couldn't accept Chen Ke's land reform policy. As long as good propaganda could be made, Chen Ke would be the public enemy of the world. And Cixi could guide the public opinion of the world.

"The revolutionary party is a group of robbers! They want to snatch all the land!" Cixi could fully imagine what kind of panic the gentry would be in after recognizing the true face of the People's Party. And at this time, only by uniting under the banner of the court could the gentry avoid the fate of having their land taken by the People's Party. The fear of the People's Party could also easily implicate all revolutionary parties.

This plan had taken shape in Cixi's mind for several days. What troubled Cixi was who exactly to let take the lead in propagandizing this matter. Cixi had three people in mind. The first was Cen Chunxuan who was "recuperating." Although Cen Chuanxuan ruined things and was forced to "recuperate," this hypocrite had the ability to deceive people, and many people believed him.

The second candidate was Yuan Shikai. Yuan Shikai's appeal was above Zeng Chunxuan. Although the *Qingliu* (Pure Stream) were dissatisfied with Yuan Shikai, regarding...

The third candidate was Zhang Zhidong. Zhang Zhidong had quite some appeal among the Westernization Reformists. And he was also a veteran of the Zeng Guofan Xiang Army Nanyang faction. With revolutionary parties rebelling everywhere, the first to bear the brunt was the Jiangnan region. If Zhang Zhidong came forward, the persuasiveness would naturally be extremely strong.

Once the gentry could be made to panic, whether letting gentry contribute money to build new armies, or letting gentry organize *Tuanlian* (militia) spontaneously. Or simply frightening the gentry a bit, letting them gather on the court's side again. The court could have various means available.

However, this must be based on the court being able to extinguish Chen Ke's rebellion in Anhui. Thinking of this, Cixi's face became ugly again. Looking at it now, the court didn't have such a person. Could it be like the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom time, asking foreigners to send troops to help?

Just as Cixi was calculating how to arrange the next step, she saw Li Lianying coming in with a face full of joy. Li Lianying wasn't afraid of disturbing Cixi this time either; as soon as he entered the hall, he knelt on the ground. "Old Buddha. Tie Liang of the Ministry of Army asks for an audience."

"What is it?" Cixi knew Tie Liang must have told Li Lianying something; otherwise, Li Lianying wouldn't show such an expression.

"The Jiangning garrison repelled the chaotic party of the Guangfu Society. Jiangnan Provincial Commander Zhang Xun has already begun to pursue the chaotic party." Li Lianying knew this was rare good news; his joy came from the bottom of his heart.

"Summon Tie Liang in." As Li Lianying thought, Cixi indeed looked happy. It had been so long; this was a true piece of good news.

Regardless of how excitedly Tie Liang reported the good news to Cixi. The Manchu Qing maintained the consistent style of exaggerating facts; the active retreat of the Guangfu Society turned into Jiangning actively repelling the Guangfu Society. But the pursuit matter was finally told truthfully. Wang Youhong had been on the front line these days. He cleverly didn't interfere with the combat command of the Ninth Town of the New Army, but participated in military operations with an identity similar to an army supervisor.

Wang Youhong truly exercised the function of an army supervisor. In the fierce battle in the valley south of Nanjing city, he didn't hide in the rear at all times. His observation of combat merits during the battle was reasonable and in place. After the battle, he suggested various rewards to Zhang Xun, which were basically fair and just. The phenomenon of unfair rewards and punishments originally worried about by the Ninth Town of the New Army actually didn't happen, which really drummed up the fighting will of the Ninth Town of the New Army.

On the third day after the Battle of the Valley, the Ninth Town of the New Army attacked actively, launching an offensive against the Guangfu Society. From the start to entering fierce fighting, the battle didn't last too long.