How long can the Qing Dynasty last without Cixi?

Yu Deling, 1886 was born in Wuchang, and has lived in France and Japan with his diplomat father since childhood. Because of this experience, Yu Deling is not only proficient in eight foreign languages, but also familiar with western national conditions. 1On March 2, 903, Yu Deling and his sister Yu Rongling were summoned by Cixi in the Summer Palace and decided to leave the two sisters as private translators.

After Yu Deling entered the palace, he worked as an accompanying translator when dealing with the foreign minister, and gradually learned something about Empress Dowager Cixi. What surprised her most was that the decision-makers of the Qing Dynasty relied on fortune-telling as an absurd way to deal with national diplomacy. However, Yu Deling did not show a trace of disgust, but privately tried to persuade Cixi to abandon feudal superstition and accept western advanced things, the most representative of which was taking pictures.

As early as11940s, photography technology was introduced to China. However, conservatives headed by Cixi regard this technology as witchcraft. In Cixi's view, photography is an ominous thing that takes away people's soul and damages people's life. Therefore, before Yu Deling entered the palace, Cixi did not leave a photo. After Yu Deling entered the palace, in order to let Cixi take pictures, she asked her brother to take a lot of photos for herself and show them to Cixi. Cixi saw it and thought it was beautiful, so she accepted the technique of taking pictures. Later, it was discovered that Cixi also liked taking photos, leaving many photos in her later years.

In addition to being the translator of Cixi, Yu Deling was also in charge of Cixi's daily life, and she gradually became the only woman in the Forbidden City who could talk about state affairs and gossip about her parents' shortcomings. As a female official and personal attendant of Cixi, Yu Deling saw the lonely and desolate side of Cixi, and also saw the loving and gentle side of Cixi. However, just as the relationship between the two people is getting closer and closer, there is one thing that puts this relationship in crisis.

1903, Cixi lost her temper with Yu Deling. It turns out that Rong Lu, the confidant minister of Cixi, died. In order to praise Rong Lu, Cixi wanted Yu Deling to marry Baron, the son of Rong Lu. However, Yu Deling could not accept such a decision. Yu Deling made excuses to shirk the matter in front of everyone. Cixi felt very embarrassed, and finally the matter went away in Li's whisper.

After experiencing this crisis, Yu Deling felt that the rules and regulations in the palace were doomed to go their separate ways. Yu Deling was not only the female official's attendant of Empress Dowager Cixi, but also the English teacher of Emperor Guangxu. Having been with Guangxu for a long time, Yu Deling found that Guangxu was a thoughtful emperor. He always kept the future of the country in mind and wanted to save the Qing Dynasty through political reform and reform. Cixi locked him up, but Yu Deling was puzzled by Cixi's practice, and Cixi often reminded her to keep her distance from Guangxu.

Two years after Yu Deling's sisters entered the palace, her father fell ill and wanted his daughters to come back to him. After all, he is like a tiger. But Cixi didn't agree, Yu Deling begged, and finally Cixi gave in. However, Cixi was very reluctant to give up Yu Deling. She found various reasons to delay Yu Deling's leaving the palace, but when Yu Deling left the palace, Cixi personally went to the door to see her off.