More than a year after the "fall" of Anqing, Cixi finally received news of En Ming. Ever since Anhui formally entered Cixi's political vision, the Manchu Qing court had sent a large number of spies to Anhui. The "female bandit chieftain of the Manchu Qing bandit gang, Cixi", as the People's Party called her, once fantasized about obtaining accurate news of the People's Party through these spies. However, for every major piece of news, Cixi's source of intelligence was the notices posted by the People's Party inside Beijing city. After entering Anhui, the spies were like clay oxen entering the sea, vanishing without a trace. This couldn't help but make Cixi feel extremely dissatisfied.

In April, the People's Party claimed in a notice that because En Ming massacred the masses in the anti-foreign religion movement in Huoshan, Anhui, he owed a massive blood debt to the people. Therefore, the Anhui People's Government held a public trial for the "Huoshan Massacre Case" in Yingshan City. The result of the trial was sentencing the intentional murderer En Ming to death. And it was executed in public after the trial ended. At the end of the announcement, the People's Party informed En Ming's family that they could send people to Anhui to claim En Ming's body.

The arrogance displayed by the People's Party in the announcement left people dumbfounded. The dignified Governor of Anhui of the Great Qing, just for killing a few unruly commoners, paid with his own life. And he was publicly executed by the rebels after a public trial. That is to say, in this trial presided over by the rebels, En Ming was not treated as a court official, nor as a captive, but as a criminal. Quoting the content of the People's Party announcement, En Ming's identity during the trial was "criminal suspect".

Not only Cixi, but the entire Beijing court was frightened by this arrogant style of the People's Party. In the struggle between the two political forces of the Manchu Qing court and the rebel People's Party, if Manchu Qing officials refused to surrender to the People's Party after being captured and were killed as a result, they could still be counted as "martyred" loyal ministers. But because En Ming killed common people, he was executed after a public trial; this meant the People's Party was executing court officials in the name of the common people. The implication within this was vastly different. An official's life had to pay for a commoner's life; the government and the gentry cultural class absolutely could not accept this concept.

"Rites do not extend to commoners, punishments do not apply to officials." After obtaining an academic degree, one's status and position became that of a scholar-official, possessing various privileges granted by law. As for scholars becoming officials, officials possessed the power to dispose of common people arbitrarily. If a commoner wanted to sue an official, they first had to "roll on the nail board"—the whole person had to lie prone on a board covered with sharp steel nails, letting the steel nails pierce into the flesh. In such a painful and desperate situation, the commoner suing the official also needed to "recite the complaint without missing a word"; if one word was wrong, the lawsuit would not be accepted. After reciting the complaint, they still had to accept questioning while suffering from thousands of nails piercing their flesh. Even if successful, regardless of the final result of the lawsuit, the plaintiff would be exiled three thousand li after the trial ended. The "Case of Yang Naiwu and Little Cabbage", which had ended not long ago, was called a strange case partly because Yang Naiwu's sister dared to roll on the nail board.

En Ming killing "unruly commoners opposing foreign religions" was a completely reasonable and lawful practice in the Manchu Qing official circles. Even if not commended with great fanfare, it was something officials would nod and praise as "acceptable". But the People's Party didn't care about anything else; since En Ming killed common people, he had to pay with his life. If things were done according to the People's Party's way, what was the point of being an official? If the various factions within the Manchu Qing court originally had many attitudes towards the People's Party based on their own interests, after En Ming was publicly tried and executed, the court's attitude towards the People's Party only had two kinds left: fear and opposition from the bottom of their hearts.

If Cixi had some slight praise for Chen Ke before, after En Ming was publicly tried and executed, Cixi already understood that the Great Qing she controlled had encountered an opponent with whom compromise was absolutely impossible. The only choice left for the People's Party was thorough annihilation.

At this time, Cixi recalled Zhang Zhidong's suggestion a few months ago: "Destroy the People's Party first, then sweep away other rebel parties." An old minister was an old minister after all; the term "experienced and prudent in governing the country" could indeed be applied to Zhang Zhidong. So when the five ministers of the Grand Council knelt in unison before Cixi to pay respects, Cixi first let them rise, then ordered someone to bring a stool for Zhang Zhidong.

"What plans does the Grand Council have for extinguishing the Anhui rebels?" Cixi asked.

"Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, this slave has discussed with the Grand Council ministers, and we all believe we must exterminate the Anhui rebels first," Zaifeng replied. This royal youth already had an assignment walking in the Grand Council, and it looked like he might serve as a Grand Council Minister. Which of the other Grand Council ministers wasn't a shrewd person? So before being summoned by Cixi this time, they all actively let Zaifeng speak.

"Zhang Zhidong, what do you think?" Cixi didn't respond to Zaifeng's words but asked the minister she favored.

"Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, your subject believes that exterminating the Anhui rebels allows no delay." Zhang Zhidong's answer completely followed the general trend.

"Yuan Shikai, what do you think?" Seeing Zhang Zhidong's firm attitude, Cixi turned to ask the minister in the Grand Council who was most knowledgeable about military affairs.

"Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, your subject also believes we should immediately exterminate the Anhui rebels." Yuan Shikai answered the same way.

Cixi wasn't satisfied with such answers; she already knew the Grand Council's thoughts. She had made up her mind to exterminate the Anhui rebels, and this matter was immediately known by the court. The People's Party's attitude towards the gentry needed no embellishment; as long as the execution of En Ming was explained in depth, she believed gentry all over the country would understand what kind of stuff the People's Party was. And which Governor or Viceroy didn't have some human lives on their hands? By the People's Party's standard of executing En Ming, every one of these people could be killed. Before Cixi personally inquired about the ministers' stance and attitude, memorials requesting to thoroughly smash the Anhui rebels had already flown onto Cixi's desk like snowflakes. Just looking at the enthusiasm, the Manchu Qing court had achieved an unprecedented unity, which was extremely rare.

But what one wanted to do and what one could do were two completely different things. Not only was the Beiyang Army defeated, but the Nanyang New Army, with over ten thousand men besieging a hill guarded by over five hundred bandit troops of the People's Party, suffered three or four thousand casualties after a day of fierce attacks. In the end, not only did they fail to take the hill, but the People's Party eventually retreated unscathed. Cixi had already investigated this matter clearly. This wasn't because Cixi had magical powers to get such news. Duanfang, Zhang Xun, and Wang Youhong organizing the Zhejiang Assembly had offended many people. A large number of memorials unfavorable to the three of them stated their various "incompetence and dereliction of duty" very clearly.

After experiencing the Boxer Rebellion, Cixi's cognition of military affairs was much higher. The Great Qing's army was not good at fighting; Cixi knew this clearly in her heart. But why was the People's Party so brave and skillful in battle? Cixi felt full of anger just thinking about it.

"What do the gentlemen of the Grand Council plan to do?" Cixi asked coldly.

Neither Zhang Zhidong nor Yuan Shikai answered. It was Zaifeng who was young; he said excitedly, "Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, this slave thinks we should offer a high bounty for the heads of the rebel chieftains of the People's Party. The court should also send capable death soldiers; it will surely make the People's Party rebel chieftains live in constant fear."

Even though Cixi tried her best to cultivate Zaifeng, hearing such an absurd suggestion, Cixi couldn't help frowning slightly. Cixi had long lost confidence in the Great Qing royal clan, but she didn't expect this bunch to come up with such a trick. Assassination was easy to say, but was the court the only one who could conduct assassinations? The People's Party posting notices in provincial capitals, prefectural cities, and even the capital city everywhere was in a sense warning local governments that the People's Party had the ability to act in these places. The People's Party wasn't doing this now because the People's Party had a military advantage.

Revolutionaries everywhere had planned many assassination incidents against princes and nobles in the capital; it was only because these people had poor ability that they didn't succeed. Even so, the travel of court princes and high officials was already heavily guarded. If the court set a precedent for assassination, and the People's Party openly retaliated with assassination... Did Zaifeng think the capital wasn't chaotic enough!

Even so, Cixi couldn't criticize Zaifeng directly. Zaifeng was the person Cixi wanted to prop up, so she must save face for Zaifeng. Cixi said lightly, "There is no need for a bounty. A group of rebels is not worthy of our court personally offering a bounty. Naturally, people in the local areas will do such things."

The Grand Council ministers had all experienced the sea of officialdom; hearing Cixi's words, they knew what was going on. Yuan Shikai lowered his head, not daring to make a sound. Since Cixi couldn't accept Zaifeng's suggestion anymore, the next person to be questioned would inevitably be himself.

"Yuan Xiangcheng, can Beiyang really not defeat the People's Party's bandit army?" Just this form of address, Cixi's words could completely be described as ill-intentioned.

Yuan Shikai almost subconsciously wanted to kneel on the ground, but his legs only swayed slightly back and forth centered on the knee joints, and he steadied his figure. "Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, your subject has failed the Empress Dowager's expectations. The Anhui New Army was completely wiped out, the Hubei New Army was defeated again and again. The Anhui bandit army uses Hanyang-made weapons. The armaments made by the various Hanyang factories are all top quality, so the defeat of the Beiyang New Army is really due to insufficient troop strength compared to the bandit army. Ordinary equipment is similar to the bandit army. Moreover, the New Army was stationed by the Wo River; the Anhui rebels' troop ships captured from the Anhui Water Force and Hubei Water Force passed through unimpeded. There were large armies besieging the city on the outside, combined with fierce bombardment from gunboats on the water. Beiyang's troop strength and armaments were both inferior to the enemy, hence the great defeat."

Zhang Zhidong never expected Yuan Shikai to respond like this. Although analyzing the defeat of the Beiyang Third Division, the focus was actually on the Hubei New Army. But what Yuan Shikai said were all facts; even if it was somewhat twisting logic, it wasn't unreasonable pestering. Zhang Zhidong even somewhat admired Yuan Shikai's eloquence.

"Even if it is as Yuan Xiangcheng said, the rebels have good weapons. But the New Army has been prepared and trained for many years and is well-trained. Chen Ke and other rebels have only raised troops for a little over a year. Why do the various New Armies collapse at the first touch?" Cixi had no expression on her face, just asking indifferently.

"Reporting to Empress Dowager, Old Buddha. Chen Ke returned from overseas; as far as your subject knows, this person is very proficient in military affairs. As for the Anhui Yan-Chen bandit gang, Yan Fu was the chief instructor of the Beiyang Naval Academy and has unparalleled talent in naval affairs. The bandit gang's capable general Hua Xiongmao comes from a Military Graduate background. There is also Pu Guanshui, a traitor general who studied in Germany, assisting them. The court perhaps can afford to lose, but if the Anhui rebels lose once, they are doomed to destruction. Therefore, the Anhui rebels all fight for their lives. Thus, the morale of the rebels is better than the government troops, only because they live in a place of death. The Beiyang Third Division had never encountered an opponent and has always been proud and underestimated the enemy. As the saying goes, an arrogant army is bound to lose. So it is not strange that the encirclement and suppression failed." Although Yuan Shikai's words this time were shirking responsibility, what he spoke was entirely reasonable. Even if Chen Ke heard it, he would probably praise Yuan Shikai for indeed having some insight. Cixi was also a shrewd person; hearing these words, she could accept them.

"Yuan Shikai, do you have any solution?" Cixi finally dropped the mocking address "Yuan Xiangcheng".

Yuan Shikai immediately stood at attention, his body straightening perfectly. Not only was his military bearing strict, but his eyes stared straight at Cixi, "Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, your subject is willing to personally lead troops to exterminate the Anhui bandit gang. Beiyang will dispatch three divisions, joining forces with the Henan New Army, advancing separately from Henan and Jiangsu to attack together. The Jiangnan New Army has fought the rebels many times; with them dispatching troops this time, as long as they use troops cautiously and don't advance rashly, they can certainly hold their ground. While the Beiyang three divisions advance to suppress, even if we cannot win quickly, we can heavily damage the morale of the Anhui bandit army. Since the Anhui bandit army raised troops, they haven't tasted a single defeat. So now their arrogance is extremely heavy. The Beiyang New Army has just been defeated; if they fight the rebels again, they will certainly place themselves in the position of an army burning with righteous indignation. As the saying goes, an army burning with indignation is bound to win. As long as the Anhui rebels experience a few defeats, the bandit area will lose confidence in the rebels. At that time, mobilizing government troops from all places to suppress together, Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, can rest assured that the Anhui rebels will certainly be exterminated then."

Cixi listened seriously, pondered for a while but didn't give Yuan Shikai a reply. She turned her head to ask the other few people, "What thoughts do the Grand Council ministers have?"

Hearing that Yuan Shikai wanted to lead troops again, Zaifeng was already anxious. He hurriedly said, "Empress Dowager, mobilizing three divisions of Beiyang New Army is a major event; I still ask Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, to think thrice. Why not ask Minister of the Army Tie Liang first."

Cixi understood that Zaifeng and the Manchu Qing imperial clan behind him were absolutely unwilling to let Yuan Shikai hold military power again. She disapproved very much of Zaifeng's uncomposed behavior in her heart. Cixi's gaze skipped over Zaifeng and fell on Zhang Zhidong again. "Zhang Zhidong, what do you think?"

"Replying to Empress Dowager, Old Buddha, if Yuan Shikai is willing to lead troops, he is indeed an excellent candidate for commander." Zhang Zhidong replied.

"If Yuan Shikai leads the troops, it won't be in vain that he redeemed the two New Army units from Anhui." Cixi replied seemingly blandly.

"Empress Dowager, Old Buddha!" Yuan Shikai could no longer stand; he hurriedly knelt down. "Empress Dowager, your subject was also forced to do it."

"Yuan Shikai, you have done a favor for Chen Ke. He extorted you a bit and returned the people to you; this counts as repaying your favor. However, if I let you lead the troops, whether the officers and soldiers of the Third Division feel that the favor hasn't been fully repaid, that's not certain, right?" Having said this, a trace of a smile hung on the corner of Cixi's mouth.

"Empress Dowager, the reason your subject redeemed the people, firstly, is that the New Army officers and soldiers are indeed the elite of Beiyang. Secondly, these officers and soldiers absolutely have no thought of surrendering to the rebels. So once released, the officers and soldiers all came back. Your subject also ordered Duan Qirui and Wang Shizhen to investigate strictly. Among them, anyone who had involvement with the People's Party has been arrested and interrogated strictly..." There was uncontrollable fear in Yuan Shikai's voice.

Cixi interrupted Yuan Shikai's confession, "Wang Shizhen and Duan Qirui, these two people, I still trust. Yuan Shikai, you don't need to speak good words for them anymore. I know what you all mean. You may withdraw. Zaifeng, after you go out, summon Tie Liang to come in."