Instalment 42 (1908)

Scene 1: At Zaifeng’s residence; at night-time

Meanwhile, Xiao Dezi arrives to take the new emperor Puyi to the Forbidden City. The entire household led by Zaifeng’s mother, tries to prohibit Xiao Dezi from doing so. Only Zaifeng supports the matter. With a dramatic gesture, his mother reminds him of his father’s death and the oath made then that the family was never to supply an emperor again. In an apparent fight with himself, Zaifeng ultimately resolves to have Puyi taken away nonetheless.

Scene 2: The last audience at Cixi’s deathbed

Cixi, who is on the verge of dying, discusses the emperor’s posthumous honour name with Zhang Zhidong and other officials. She makes the officials promise to return to the old tradition of not allowing any women in politics after her death! However, she makes one restriction: that the Empress Dowager should still be consulted in matters of great importance. Finally, she decides that the posthumous honour name of the emperor should contain a “de” (virtue) even though she thinks he lacked virtue during his lifetime.

Scene 3: In the Forbidden City

In the great courtyard of the Imperial Palace, the aged Li Lianying, who is now without any “master”, wants to halt the delegation which is bringing Puyi to the Imperial Palace. Xiao Dezi, who is enraged by this conduct (and as a revenge for the previous maltreatment he received from his former superior Li) pushes Li to the ground so that the delegation can continue its way. A speaker states the successive deaths of the emperor and Cixi in the year 1908, and the enthronisation of Puyi.

At the immigration authorities, Sun Yatsen’s passport is retained shortly after his arrival. He is very annoyed but a leading member of the local Chinese community tries to calm him down and has him lodged in an expensive hotel as a gesture of reconciliation. The moment his host has departed, Sun goes to the reception and wishes to return the room to get the money that was paid by the host, because he is short in cash. When the assistant insists on retaining the fees for the first day, Sun and he begin to argue. The verbal fight is only resolved with the help of the managing director who gives in to Sun’s protest. Later, one sees Sun checking into a cheap Chinese hotel. The owner recognises Sun immediately and demands that he should cash in the Republican bonds she once purchased from him. Once again, a fight erupts. Huang Xing, who happens to be present, tries to mediate between the two. The owner wants to call the police, but Sun is able to escape in the dark and rain with the help of his friend. Later, Huang Xing follows him and they celebrate their reunion in the pouring rain. Fireworks remind them that it is the spring festival season.

Zhang Zhidong complains to Yuan Shikai saying that all the central state official positions are in the hands of the princes of the Imperial clan now. But they are only unscrupulously enriching themselves without taking on the responsibility that comes with the office. Yuan thereupon calls the empire a mere “toy” of the princes.

Xiao Dezi assists the new Empress Dowager, Longyu, during her toilette, when Zaifeng arrives. The Empress Dowager complains about Cixi’s commands that women should be kept out of politics in future. Zaifeng, though, has come to tells her that he now wants to have his arch enemy Yuan Shikai killed.

Zaifeng calls on Yuan Shikai and Zhang Zhidong to inform them that, for financial reasons, the Beiyang and Nanyang Fleet, which are under their command, will be abolished. Zhang and Yuan point to the fleets’ importance and suggest that Zaifeng reconsider his decision.

Yuan Shikai has retired to spend an evening relaxing. One of his sons talks to him about the plans to set up a constitution. He demands that the constitution should be promulgated as soon as possible.

Policemen who are demonstrating for the establishment of a constitution, halt Zaifeng’s sedan chair in the middle of a street. The prince is upset and the situation escalates into a fight.

A meeting is held. Zaifeng reports about the incident with the policemen and demands that measures be taken. He confronts Yuan Shikai with a quotation from a classical poem to which the rather uneducated Yuan cannot find a reply. Zaifeng then ridicules him, but highly cultured Zhang Zhidong comes to Yuan’s aid. Then the new Empress Dowager arrives. Both Zhang as well as Yuan are aware that the meeting points to a death sentence for Yuan. Zhang risks his life for Yuan and emphasises Yuan’s importance for the country’s stability. Finally, Zhang manages to turn matters such that Yuan is permitted to retire. But on his way, Yuan stumbles over a door balk and is ridiculed. After Yuan has retired, Zhang accuses the others present. He emphasises Yuan’s importance and accuses the high officials present of incompetence. He even personally attacks Zaifeng. Finally, he states that he himself, despite his long military experience, could not measure up to Yuan in questions of military expertise. In the end, Zaifeng and the Empress Dowager withdraw from their plans to execute Yuan, but continue to demand his disposal. Zhang proposes that Yuan should be dismissed from office on the pretext of “health problems”.

Yuan Shikai is surrounded by his sons who demand that he should flee abroad to guarantee his own safety. But he refuses to do so. Then they advise him to at least leave Beijing and go to Tianjin. Finally, Yuan can be persuaded to leave for Tianjin. Preparations for transferring the entire household to Tianjin are hastily made.

After Yuan and his large family have arrived in Tianjin, they check into a foreign hotel. However, Yuan demands a telephone as a connection to the outside world.

Xiao Dezi arrives to read out an Imperial edict. Since nobody opens the door, he enters himself and wanders through the empty chambers in search of the landlord. All chambers show signs of a hasty departure. Since Xiao Dezi does not find anyone, he finally reads out the edict which proclaims Yuan’s dismissal from office, and places it on the ground in the courtyard.

Together with one of his sons, Yuan is waiting restlessly for news from Beijing. Suddenly, the telephone rings. Initially, nobody dares to answer. But finally, Yuan’s son answers, hands the phone to his father and Zhao Bingjun reports that the situation has calmed down and that Yuan can now securely return to Beijing. Yuan’s sons are delighted, but Yuan remains sceptical. After he has learnt that this news was transmitted by personal order of Zhang Zhidong, he realises what Zhang has sacrificed for him and states that Zhang will probably also have to face difficult days from now on.

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