But The
Conspirators Could Not Keep The Young Emperor At Jehol Indefinitely, And
When, At The End Of October, It Became Known That He Was On The Point Of
Returning To Pekin, It Was Clear That The Hour Of Conflict Had Arrived.
At
Jehol the Board of Regency could do little harm; but once its pretensions
and legality were admitted at the capital, all the ministers would have to
take their orders from it, and to resign the functions which they had
retained.
The main issue was whether Prince Kung or Prince Tsai was to be
supreme. On November 1 the young emperor entered his capital in state. A
large number of soldiers, still dressed in their white mourning,
accompanied their sovereign from Jehol; but Shengpao's garrison was
infinitely more numerous, and thoroughly loyal to the cause of Prince
Kung. The majority of the regents had arrived with the reigning prince;
those who had not yet come were on the road, escorting the dead body of
Hienfung toward its resting-place. If a blow was to be struck at all now
was the time to strike it. The regents had not merely placed themselves in
the power of their opponent, but they had actually brought with them the
young emperor, without whose person Prince Kung could have accomplished
little. Prince Kung had spared no effort to secure, and had fortunately
succeeded in obtaining, the assistance and co-operation of the Empress
Dowager, Hienfung's principal widow, named Tsi An. Her assent had been
obtained to the proposed plot before the arrival in Pekin, and it now only
remained to carry it out.
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