In the summer of 1900, China's fortunes were at a major turning point.
The outbreak of the Gengzi Incident put the rule of the Qing Dynasty in jeopardy. On 16 August, Beijing fell, and the Eight-Nation Coalition army wantonly burned and killed inside and outside the city.
The Empress Dowager Cixi realized the gravity of the situation and decided to take the final measure to flee the capital. She hurriedly packed some belongings in the Forbidden City, took Emperor Guangxu, eldest brother and other royal relatives, as well as a group of palace maids, eunuchs and cronies, quietly left the palace symbolizing the power of the empire, and began her long and difficult journey to the west.
Cixi's westward flight.
Cixi's first stop was Changping, today's Changping District, Beijing. Cixi, who was accustomed to court life, was tired in less than half a day. She originally planned to rest in Changping Prefecture, but due to the illness of the local governor, the second-in-command in the city resolutely did not open the door out of prudence. Cixi had no choice but to move on.
Halfway through, it rained heavily, and Cixi and her entourage had to take shelter from the rain in a nearby township. That night, Cixi ate only half a piece of bread, and the rest of her retinue were hungry.
On August 17, Cixi and her entourage finally came to Huailai County, Hebei Province. Cixi issued an edict in advance asking the magistrate to prepare delicious dishes. Unfortunately, there were frequent wars and drought and locust plagues to ensure basic food. The magistrate was a little frightened and told Cixi: "There are only a few pots of millet porridge, so as not to be careless and dare not make progress." ”
However, Cixi was very happy when she heard this: "Very good, very good, there is very little hot food. ”
That night, the magistrate of Huailai County received a lot of meat from the local squire and offered it to Cixi. Cixi was very happy, and this move also became a legendary story of Huailaizhi County**.
After spending three days in Huailai County, Cixi and her entourage went to Shanxi. They planned to go to Taiyuan, but at that time Taiyuan was suffering from constant natural disasters and was unable to provide Cixi with luxury enjoyment. So they changed their route and went to Qi County.
In Qi County, the Qiao family, a local large enterprise, ushered in their opportunity. Qiao Zhiyong, the owner of the Qiao family, is a person who is both good at business and has a keen political sense. Hearing that Cixi was going to pass through Qi County, Qiao Zhiyong wanted to win Cixi, so he specially prepared a luxurious temporary palace for her.
After Cixi stayed in the Qiao family compound, she was very satisfied. Her food, clothing, housing and transportation are well arranged, which makes her have a lot of good feelings for the Qiao family.
The luxury and comfort of the Qiao family's compound temporarily made Cixi forget the bitterness and despair on the way to escape.
However, in the dead of night, Cixi's mood could not be calmed. She pondered anxiously about her future and how she would maintain the luxurious life she was accustomed to.
After a long thought in the middle of the night, Cixi decided to take action. She plans to seek help from large local corporations in the name of "raising funds for repatriation".
Cixi knew that this was not only to maintain her life, but also to maintain her prestige as the empress dowager. Her eyes fell on the Qiao family in Qi County and the Cao family in Taigu in neighboring county.
As local business magnates, the Qiao family and the Cao family naturally knew Cixi's request.
They all knew that the so-called "fundraising" was actually a help to Cixi's current embarrassing situation, but at the same time, they also saw this rare opportunity. Helping the Empress Dowager Cixi was undoubtedly a good opportunity for them to improve their family's reputation.
Therefore, both the Qiao family and the Cao family agreed to Cixi's request. According to historical records, the Qiao family borrowed at least 100,000 taels of silver, and the Cao family also had a lot of loans.
This money was not only Cixi's financial support, but also a glimmer of hope when she was discouraged.
Cixi accepted the grant, but she did not relax. She knows that borrowing money is easy to repay, especially in times of national turmoil and uncertainty about personal fate. However, in order to maintain her dignity and status, she had to make such a choice.
Upon learning that both families had agreed to borrow money, Cixi asked, "What do you ask in return?" ”
The Cao family hesitated, but finally said: "It all depends on the queen mother's will." Cixi thought about it and rewarded them with a golden bell, which looked like a locomotive, but was actually very valuable.
As for the Qiao family, Qiao Zhiyong said wittily, as long as "Lafayette's words".
Qiao Zhiyong's deal with Cixi.
Qiao Zhiyong, a dominant large enterprise, is a typical pragmatist. His keen sense of power and accurate judgment of the times made him stand out in turbulent times.
When Empress Dowager Cixi's motorcade drove into Qi County, Qiao Zhiyong was fully prepared.
Although the Empress Dowager Cixi was down, as the actual ruler of the late Qing Dynasty, her influence should not be underestimated.
Qiao Zhiyong is well aware that although the value of the words given by Cixi is limited in itself, its added value is immeasurable. He came up with a great idea - to ask Cixi to give the word.
Cixi asked at a banquet in the Qiao family's compound: "Master Qiao, you have provided me with so much help, what do you ask for?" ”
Qiao Zhiyong replied humbly: "Lafayette, the Qiao family does not dare to ask for anything, if I can get your gift, it will be a great honor." ”
Cixi smiled and nodded in agreement. Behind this seemingly simple request was Qiao Zhiyong's deliberate strategy. On the one hand, this can be used as the name of the "Queen Mother" to expand the market and pull the flag; On the other hand, it is also a subtle flattery to Cixi.
In fact, in the original book and in the play "Qiao's Courtyard", it is recorded that Cixi allowed them to interfere in official banking transactions as a thank you for the Qiao family's funding. This business was previously forbidden for businessmen to intervene, apparently because of the high profits.
Cixi lived a very comfortable life in Qiao's house. She saw that Qiao Zhiyong not only provided material support, but also gave great respect mentally. Qiao Zhiyong's actions are obviously more meaningful than the story of Huailai Zhixian.
Before leaving, Cixi said to Qiao Zhiyong: "Master Qiao, I have received your heart. When this difficulty is over, I will definitely be rewarded. ”
Qiao Zhiyong replied cautiously: "The safety of Lafayette is the greatest wish of the Qiao family. ”
After Cixi left, the Qiao family really shined in the business world with the name of "the Empress Dowager's words".
Qiao Zhiyong knew Cixi's reputation and influence, so his choice was not only a support for Cixi, but also an investment in future opportunities.
Epilogue. The four words "Fu Chong Langya" not only have a beautiful meaning, but also a symbol of the wisdom of the Qiao family. Cixi lived in Qiao's house, and Qiao's family became a "fairyland on earth", which was not only a flattery to Cixi, but also an improvement of the status of the Qiao family.
In that era, the competition for power and social change were often incompatible. The handling of the Qiao family is particularly important. They not only fulfilled Cixi's demands, but also protected their own interests. This "demanding" method of dealing with it not only protected Cixi's face, but also ensured that the Qiao family would not suffer losses.
This history is not only a description of Cixi's personal fate, but also a profound reflection on Chinese society at that time. The transaction between Cixi and Qiao Zhiyong is not only a competition of power and wisdom, but also an interweaving of opportunities and challenges.
Every decision can change the fate of a family, and the choice of the Qiao family is one of the most wonderful footnotes of this era.