I will introduce some political affairs of Li Hongzhang in future articles. However, few people know Li Hongzhang's private affairs. Li Hongzhang had four wives in his life. Although there were many wives, Li Hongzhang had no children until he was forty. In ancient folk, people may have no children all their lives. According to the folk tradition, "nothing is great after", Li Hongzhang adopted a son. This son is Li, the youngest son of his sixth brother, and he is the eldest son. In the future, Li Hongzhang's family business will be inherited by Li Fangjing. But three years later, Li Hongzhang and his wife Zhao gave birth to their son, and in 1876, Li Hongzhang and the side room Mo gave birth to their son Li Jingmai. Unexpectedly, after adopting his son, Li Hongzhang's fertility improved. But how should Li Hongzhang treat his adopted son Li Fangjing when he has his own son?
Just pretend it's already out.
After Li Hongzhang gave birth to his son, he did not cancel Li's adopted son status, but announced that he would continue to take Li as his eldest son. After all, he is my brother's child. Even if he has a son, he can't send it back after adoption. Therefore, Li Hongzhang regarded this adopted son as his own son, and trained him from an early age, invited a famous teacher to teach him personally, and hired English, French and Russian language teachers to train Li Fangjing. This training method, even now, is of high standard.
Under the cultivation of Li Hongzhang, Li Fangjing was proficient in five languages, especially English, and was specially educated by Zhu Jingshan, especially proficient. Later, Li Jingshu, Li Hongzhang's second son, grew up and studied with Li. Soon, Li took part in the imperial examination and was admitted as a juren. He gave up the opportunity to alternate in other provinces and handled some foreign affairs for Li Hongzhang together. Practice has proved that this is also a fast road to promotion, which is a hundred times stronger than waiting for vacancies for ordinary people.
As a minister and diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty, Li Hongzhang took his son Li to participate in foreign affairs, which obviously means that he will take his place in the future and continue to engage in foreign affairs for the Qing Dynasty. At that time, no one in the Qing Dynasty wanted to do diplomacy. Many people want to be westernization officials, but diplomats are the closest to the royal family. Li Hongzhang certainly saw it clearly.
Li Hongzhang is very strict with his adopted son. Now that Li has established himself as the eldest son, Li Hongzhang will certainly try to train his son.
However, Li Fangjing lived in Li Hongzhang's world all his life. Although I often give advice to Li Hongzhang when I grow up, I still act according to Li Hongzhang's ideas. When Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, Li Hongzhang's aides advised him to support himself and seize the Han Dynasty. Li also has this idea. He has repeatedly hinted at this with Li Hongzhang in secret. Therefore, after Eight-Nation Alliance, there is a saying that "Li Gongzi is bolder than the sky".
However, Li Hongzhang doesn't agree with the idea of supporting troops and standing on their own feet. Li Hongzhang still played for the Qing Dynasty according to his own style of play. There is nothing Li can do about Li Hongzhang's mentality of seeking stability. Since then, Li has lost confidence in the Qing dynasty.
When the Qing Dynasty reused Li Hongzhang, he was sent to Beijing to negotiate with foreigners. At this time, Li Fang Jing was left in Shanghai by Li Hongzhang to negotiate with Russian emissaries. Li Hongzhang wants to use Russian power to restrict other countries. As a representative of Li Hongzhang, Li suggested that Russian envoys bribe Li Rang Cixi to return to Beijing. But his proposal was rejected by Russian Li. After that, Li was no longer useful.
Take the fall for my father.
Judging from Li's life, he has been listening to Li Hongzhang, but his talent is useless. Li Hongzhang took his son to the diplomatic road and did not give Li Fangjing a chance to display his talents. He bound Li with his own thoughts. When Shimonoseki made peace, Li tried to argue with Ito Bowen in an aggressive manner, but Li Hongzhang stopped him. Li is very reluctant. He wanted to interfere with Li Hongzhang's thinking, so he asked his entourage to write their own suggestions and provide them to Li Hongzhang. These suggestions made Li Hongzhang use tactics in negotiations with Japan and never give in. But Li Hongzhang's last article was not adopted.
Before the Sino-Japanese War broke out, Li served as an envoy in Japan for three years. He knows the situation in Japan and is familiar with Japanese officials. He has his own strategy on how to deal with Japan. But Li Hongzhang didn't listen to him at all, and the final result was to draw a bet on the "cutting table". After Shimonoseki signed the contract, the people all over the country were angry and pointed the finger at Lee and his son. At this time, the "cutting table" has not been completely completed, and Taiwan Province Province still needs to draw a commitment letter. However, Li Hongzhang couldn't go because of injury, so he fell on Li's head. According to records, Li Hongzhang didn't want his son to go because Li Fangjing was ill, but the court didn't want to. Emperor Guangxu ordered that "Li Hongzhang must not shirk!" Finally, Li pulled out his dagger and took the blame for his father.
Desolate in old age
After the outbreak of the Revolution of 1911, Li's career as an honest official came to an end. In the early years of the Republic of China, he was forced to Dalian by his son Li Guoshu. However, in the Japanese concession in Dalian, he was able to observe the festival and refused to serve Japan. I don't worship Puyi's Manchukuo either.
In his later years, Li basically supported the elderly and never participated in major events in the world. During the restoration, many ministers of the Qing Dynasty joined in, but Li did not join in the fun. 1934, Li died in Dalian.
Although Li Hongzhang made his adopted son Li Fangjing his eldest son, he also took his son to engage in diplomatic work. Li Fangjing also became a court official because of Li Hongzhang. It stands to reason that the adoptive father is also loved by himself. However, Li Fangjing never realized his ambition and always served as Li Hongzhang's assistant. I didn't go to the battlefield to kill the enemy like my parents did, and I didn't get a fat job. Just doing an embarrassing diplomatic job behind my father's back. Therefore, Li Yisheng was unhappy.