Instalment 35 (1906)
Scene 1: In the Forbidden City
In the Forbidden City, Li Lianying is angrily caning two eunuchs who are stripped of their official attire. Finally, Cixi arrives because she wants to take him to task for not coming and combing her hair. It turns out that the two eunuchs, after learning that they were to be dismissed from office, stole valued items from the Palace in order to secure their future livelihood. They mention that Yuan Shikai plans to dismiss all eunuchs, a plan which also worries Li Lianying. But Cixi is unmoved and instead orders Li to accompany her into the Palace.
Scene 2: In the Forbidden City
Li Lianying takes a boy to an old eunuch to have the boy castrated. After the castration Li accompanies the boy back. On the way, Li tries to cheer him up by telling him of all the allegedly glorious prospects life as a eunuch bears!
Scene 3: In the Forbidden City
A meeting for the introduction of the new administrational system is taking place in in the Forbidden City. The high court officials, who all fear the loss of their positions, strictly reject the introduction of the new system. Only Yuan Shi-kai supports it. The discussion becomes increasingly vigorous. Finally, Zaifeng personally affronts Yuan. When Yuan replies sharply, Zaifeng pulls out his pistol but is prevented from shooting at Yuan by others. Nevertheless, a shot still goes off. At that moment, Cixi arrives. The situation immediately calms down and Cixi rebukes Zaifeng sharply. Moreover, she explicitly voices support for the new system.
The court officials, who fear to lose their living, come to call on Qu Hongji and ask him for advice. Qu is just in the middle of some joinery project. Since he is compelled to silence, he replies to the officials’ questions only by the way he behaves. The manner in which the officials report their problems becomes increasingly vehement. Finally, Qu loses his temper and starts smashing his joinery work in order to signalise the situation’s desperation to the officials. The officials retire confounded. Finally, only Qu sits in the courtyard all alone.
Cixi is looking at the photo of her newly-born grand-nephew Puyi. She congratulates her sister who is also Puyi’s grandmother (and whose son, Zaifeng, is Puyi’s father), but the sister hesitates to respond. Finally, she begs Cixi to have her son Zaifeng sent back to his home since her first son, the emperor, already resides far from her. But Cixi denies her request. Then Cixi’s sister begs her son Zaifeng, who has entered the room, to return together with her. But Zaifeng also denies for he hopes to keep his and his newborn’s career options at Court open.
Sheng Xuanhuai is informed that his bank-books have gone missing. He is in very low spirits. When he is then also informed about Zhu Baokui’s disappearance, he can finally put together the scattered scraps of information. Then, one sees Zaizhen and Zhu Baokui sitting together. Zhu hands Zaizhen Sheng’s bank-books and a large sum of money, whereupon Zaizhen promises Zhu a high official position.
Once again, there is a meeting on the new administrational system. Some of the officials have already asked for leave. Zaizhen has his father, the Qing Prince, also called away on the pretext that his mother is gravely ill. The remaining officials thereupon propose to have the meeting postponed. But Yuan Shikai refuses to do so and instead gives a highly emotional speech in support of the new system. Meanwhile, Cixi, accompanied by Li Lianying, secretly follows the meeting from outside. Finally, another fight erupts, but this time it is a proper fist fight. All the officials attack Yuan; only Qu Hongji keeps out of the fight and instead sneaks away from the “battle ground” unnoticed.
Several officials have gathered together to purchase birthday presents for the Qing Prince. One sees how a poorer official is sent on a humiliating trip from stall to stall. Finally, the Qing Prince arrives and dissolves the event. Zaizhen then bids the other officials farewell. Only the Qing Prince and Tang Qingchang, Vice Minister of Revenue, remain. Tang offers the prince a huge sum of money and asks the prince to assure him of a high position at Court in return. The prince initially hesitates. But he finally accepts the money.
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