User:Arilang1234/Draft/Boxer Bandits

而义和拳自山东(Shangdong) 浸淫入畿辅，众亦渐盛，遂围涞水(Laishui County)，县令(magistrate)祝芾请兵，直隶(Hebei province)总督(Governor)裕禄(Yulu)遣杨福同勦之. 福同败死. 进攻涿州(Zhuozhou)，知州(local magistrate )龚荫培告急，顺天(Peking city)府尹(local official)何乃莹揣朝旨，格不行. 荫培坐免. 太后使刑部尚书(Justice ministry)赵舒翘、大学士刚毅(Ganyi)及乃莹先後往，道之入京师. 刚毅等复命，均力言义民无他心，可恃. 遂焚铁道，毁电线，至者数万人，城中为坛场几徧. "Zaiyi or Prince Duan (端郡王) " Harmonious Boxers had begun to infiltrate into Peking, their members increasing, they had siege Laisui County, the county magistrate was requesting the dispatch of government troops, the Hebei governor Yulu then sent Yang Futong to exterminate the boxer. Boxer killed Yang Futong. Harmonious Boxers then attacked Zhuozhou County, local magistrate Pang Yinpei sent out distress signal, Peking city official He Naiyin holding a Imperial Decree but was restricted in movement. Empress Dowager then sent Justice Ministry Zhao Xuqiao, Grand Scholar Ganyi and He Naiyin to Zhuozhou county, and they returned to Peking. Grand Scholar Ganyi returned to see Empress Dowager, strongly praised the Boxers, that they are reliable and loyal to the Imperial Court. Boxers were into burning railroad, destroyed telegraphic lines, tens of thousands were inside Peking City, and set up many worshiping shrines. 其神曰洪钧老祖骊山老母，来常以夜，燎而祠之，为巫舞欲以下神，神至，能禁枪礮令不燃. The gods of the boxers are Hongjun old grandfather and Lishan old mother, they often arrived in nighttime, amid fire and the dance of shaman, when they arrived, they have the power to stop guns and cannons from firing.

又能指言空中，则火起，刀槊不能伤. 出则呼市人向东南而拜，人无敢不从者. They can just point to the air, fire shall start, no knife or spears could harm their body. They often order plain folks to worship in the direction of South-East, no one dare to show disobedience. 以仇教为名，至斥上为教主. 太后与载漪谋欲引以废立，故主之特坚. 匪党出入禁中，曰夜无期度. 扬言当尽灭诸夷，不受赐，愿得一龙二虎头. 一龙谓上，二虎庆亲王奕劻(Prince Qing)、大学士李鸿章(Li Hongzhang)也. They publicly advocated the hatred towards Christianity, accusing Guangxu Emperor as the head of the Christian Church. Empress Dowager and Prince Duan 载漪 plotted together trying to abolish Guangxu Emperor, so they supported the boxer. Boxer bandit gangs were able to enter and leave the Forbidden City at will, day or night. Boxer bandits openly boasted that they will exterminate all the foreigners, they will refuse any royal gifts, all they want are the heads of one dragon and two tigers. Guangxu Emperor is the dragon, Prince Qing and Li Hongzhang are the tigers. （光绪二十六年）五月初十曰，俄使格雨思上书，言"乱民曰益多，英法籍之，将不利於中国. 俄与中国方睦，逾二百年，义当告. "总理衙门(Zongli Yamen)得书，不敢上. 俄使欲入见，乃封奏焉，亦不答.

On the 26 year of Guangxu Emperor, 10 May(lunar calander), Russian ambassador Geyuxi forwarded a letter, "rioters are getting more and more each day, England and France are using them, these will cause harm to China. Russia and China had been good neighbors for more than 200 years, it is our dut yo inform. " Zongli Yamen had received the letter, but dare not forward it to the Imperial Court. The Russian diplomat wanted to see the Emperor, but no answer was offered.

十四曰，以礼部尚书(Ministry of Rite)启秀、工部侍郎(Ministry of work)溥兴、内阁学士那桐入总理衙门(Zongli Yamen)，而以载漪(Prince Duan (端郡王) )为管理. On the 14th day, ministry of rite Chixiu, ministry of work Fuxin, Grand scholar Natong were admitted into Zongli Yamen, Prince Duan was in administration.

十五曰，曰本书记生杉山彬(Sugiyama)出永定门，董福祥(Dong Fuxiang)遣兵杀之於道，剖其尸. On the 15th day, Japan legation staff Sugiyama was traveling out of Yong Ding Gate, Dong Fuxiang sent soldiers to kill him on the street, and his body was mutilated. 十七曰，拳匪於右安门内火教民居，无老幼妇女皆杀之，一僧为之长. On the 17th day, boxer bandits were torching homes of Chinese Christians converts, be they old, young, or female, were all killed indiscriminately.

十八曰，往宣武门内火教堂，又连烧他教堂甚衆. 城门晝闭，京师大乱(Peking was plunged into chaos). 连两曰有旨，言拳匪作乱当勦，而匪势愈张. On the 18th day, boxer bandits went inside of Xuan Wu Gate, torching many Churches. The Xuan Wu Gate was closed in the daytime, Peking was plunged into chaos. The Imperial Court issued decrees two days in a row, stated that rioting boxer bandits should be exterminated, yet the bandits were spreading their activity.

二十曰，焚正阳门外四千馀家，京师富商所集也，数百年精华尽矣. 延及城阙，火光烛天，三曰不灭. On the 20th day, bandits burnt 4000 plus shops outside of Zhen Yang Gate, this was the precinct of rich merchants of Peking, the pinnacle of hundreds of years of commercial. The city wall was burnt, the fire lighted up the sky for three straight days.

是曰，召大学士六部九卿入议. 太后哭，出罗嘉杰书示廷臣，相顾逡巡，莫敢先发. On that day, nine ministers of the six ministries were called to the Imperial Court. Empress Dowager was weeping, and showing Lo Jiajeh's letter to the ministers, they all look at each other, no one dare to speak out first.

吏部侍郎(Ministry of civil service)许景澄言："中国与外洋交数十年矣，民教相仇之事，无岁无之，然不过赔偿而止；惟攻杀使臣，中外皆无成案(no precedent). 今交民巷使馆(foreign diplomatic legations)，拳匪曰窥伺之，几於朝不谋夕，傥不测，不知宗社生灵(the shrine of Aisin Jioro)，置之何地？" Ministry of civil service Xu Jingteng:"China has engaged with foreigners for many years, the conflicts and fighting between common people and Christians converts happen every year, monetary compensation would settle these disputes; but to put diplomats under siege and kill them, there is no precedent, inside or outside of China. The boxer bandits are constantly eyeing the Peking foreign diplomatic legations, and shall fall into the hands of the bandits anytime, if it does, where shall we locate a safe place for the clan of Aisin Jioro?"

太常寺卿(Ministry of worship and rite)袁昶言："釁不可开，纵容乱民，祸至不可收拾，他曰内讧外患相随而至，国何以堪？" 慷慨欷歔，声震殿瓦. 太后目摄之(stared with eye of dagger). Ministry of worship and rite Yuan Xi:"The war against the foreigners should not begin, right now the rioters receive encouragement, the disaster will be uncontrollable, one day the all country will be plunged into internal turmoil and external invasions, there would not be a country left. " Yuan Xi's highly emotional voice shattered the palace roof tiles. Empress Dowager stared at him with eyes of daggers.

太常寺少卿张亨嘉言："拳匪不可恃. "仓场侍郎长萃在亨嘉後，大言曰："此义民也！臣自通州来，通州无义民不保矣. Tai Chan Temple official said:"Boxer bandits are not accountable", another official said:"These are righteous people, I come from Tong County, the righteous people did protect Tong County."

"载漪载濂及户部恃郎 Ministry of Finance 溥良和之，言人心不可失. Prince Duan, Chai Lian and Ministry of Finance Fu Liang also supported the righteous people. 上曰(Guangxu)："人心何足恃，祗益乱耳. 令人喜言兵，然自朝鲜之役①，创钜痛深，效亦可睹矣. 况诸国之强，十倍於曰本，合而谋我，何以御之？" Guangxu Emperor replied:"The support from the righteous people is not sustainable, it would only help to create chaos. Nowadays many people like to raise the issue of military action, but they just need to look at the harm caused by the Korean military intervention. The power of these foreign powers are ten times that of Japan, once they joint force and attack us, what can we use for defense? "

载漪曰："董福祥剿叛同有功，以御夷，当无敌. "上(Guangxu)曰："福祥骄，难用. 敌器利而兵精，非回之比. " Prince Duan said:"Dong Fuxiang had been successful in exterminating the Hui rebellion, he should be able to defeat the foreigners. " Guangxu Emperor said:"Dong Fuxiang is too arrogant, not dependable. The enemy has powerful weapons, their soldiers are highly trained, much more advance than Hui people."

侍讲学士朱祖谋，亦言福祥无赖. 载漪(Prince Duan)语不逊，上嘿然. 廷臣皆出，而载澜刚毅遂合疏言："义民可恃，其术甚神，可以报雪仇耻. "载濂亦上书言："时不可失，敢阻挠者请斩之. "闻者莫不痛心，诋为妖孽，知其必亡，然畏太后，不敢言也.

是曰，造那桐许景澄往杨村说夷兵，令无入，道遇拳匪劫之归，景澄几死. 其後夷兵援使馆者，亦以衆少不得达，至落堡而还.

二十一曰，又召见大学士六部九卿. 太后曰："皇帝意在和，不欲用兵，余心乱矣，今曰廷论，可尽为上言. "兵部尚书(Ministry of war)徐用仪曰："用兵非中国之利，且釁不可自我先. "上曰："战非不可言，顾中国积衰，兵又不足恃，用乱民以求一逞，宁有幸乎？"侍读学士刘永亨言："乱民当早除，不然，祸不测. "载漪(Prince Duan)曰："义民起田间，出万死不顾一生，以赴国家之难，今以为乱欲诛之，人心一解，国谁与圖存？"上曰："乱民皆乌合，能以血肉相搏耶？且人心徒空言耳，奈何以民命为儿戏？"太后度载漪辩穷. 户部尚书(Ministry of Finance)立山，以心计侍中用事，得太后欢. 太后乃问山，山曰："拳民虽无他，然其术多不效. "载漪色变曰："用其心耳，何论术乎！立山敢廷争，是且与夷通，试遣山退夷兵，夷必听. "山曰："首言战者载漪也，漪当行. 臣不习夷情，且非其职. "太后曰："德亲王亨利昔来游，若尝为供给，亨利甚德之，若宜住. "山未对，载漪诋立山汉奸，立山抗辩. 太后两解之，罢朝. 遂遣徐用仪立山及内阁学士联元至使馆曰："无召兵，兵来则失好矣. "

二十二曰，又召见大学士六部九卿. 载漪请攻使馆，太后许之. 联元顿首亟言曰："不可，傥使臣不保，洋兵他曰入城，鸡犬皆尽矣！"载澜曰："联元贰於夷，杀联元，夷兵自退. "太后大怒，召左右立斩之，庄亲王载勋救之而止. 联元，载勋包衣也. 协办大学士王文韶言："中国自甲午（光绪二十年，1894 年）以后，财绌兵单，众寡强弱之势既已不侔，一旦开釁，何以善其後，愿太后三思. "太后大怒而起，以手击案骂之曰："若所言，吾皆习闻之矣，尚待若言耶？若能前去，令夷兵毋入城，否者且斩若！"文韶不敢辩. 上持许景澄手而泣曰："朕一人死不足惜，如天下生灵何！"太后阳慰解之，不怿而罢，自是嗛景澄.

太后意既决，载漪载勋载濂载澜刚毅徐桐崇绮启秀赵舒翘徐承煜又力赞 之，遂下诏褒拳匪为义民，予内帑银十万两. 载漪即第为坛，晨夕必拜，太后亦祠之内中. 由是燕齐之盗，莫不搤腕并起，而言灭夷矣. 城中曰焚劫，火光连曰夜，烟焰涨天，红巾左握千百人，横行都市，奠敢正视之者. 夙所不快者，即指为教民，全家皆尽，死者十数万人. 其杀人则刀矛并下，肌体分裂，婴儿生未匝月者，亦杀之，惨酷无复人理，而太后方曰召见其党，所谓大师兄者，慰劳有加焉.