Книга только для ознакомления
. Exactly on the hour Li and his picked guard were
admitted, and in dead silence they marched into the Forbidden
City. Every man had in his mouth a wooden bit to prevent talking,
while the metal trappings of the horses were muffled to deaden
all sound. When they arrived at the forbidden precincts, the
Manchu Bannermen on guard at the various city gates were replaced
by Li's Anhui braves, and as the Empress Dowager had sent eunuchs
to point out the palace troops which were doubtful or that had
openly declared for the conspirators, these were at once
disarmed, bound and sent to prison. The artillery were ordered to
guard the gates of the Forbidden City, the cavalry to patrol the
grounds, and the foot-soldiers to pick up any stray conspirators
that could be found. A strong detachment was stationed so as to
surround the Empress Dowager and the child whom she had selected
as a successor to her son, and when the morning sun rose bright
and clear over the Forbidden City the surprise of the
conspirators who had slept the night away was complete. Of the
disaffected that remained, some were put in prison and others
sent into perpetual exile to the Amoor beyond their native
borders, and when the Empress Dowager announced the death of her
son, she proclaimed the son of her sister, Kuang Hsu, as his
successor, with herself and the Empress as regents during his
minority. When everything was settled, Li folded his tent like
the Arab, and stole away as silently as he had come
|
