Li Hongzhang in history books is a controversial figure. Although, he vigorously developed industry and tried his best to maintain the crumbling royal foundation of the Qing Dynasty. However, more often than not, people remember him as the Chinese representative who signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which was humiliating and humiliating to the country. As an important minister of the imperial court, it was his mission to serve the king, but it was undeniable that this was a major stain in his life and even after his death.
Li Hongzhang, a famous official in the late Qing Dynasty and one of the founders of the Westernization Movement. In 1845, Li Hongzhang met Zeng Guopan and was deeply loved by Zeng. From then on, he entered the official career and became an official in the Qing court. In 1861, the Empress Dowager Cixi listened to the government behind the curtain. As an important minister, Li Hongzhang obeyed Cixi and began his disgraceful official career.
Those who are officials must not disobey the emperor's orders. In 1895, the Qing court was facing external and internal troubles, and the empress dowager Cixi, who was greedy for enjoyment, decided to buy the country in order to seek glory. Li Hongzhang and others knew that the emperor's orders were more powerful than heaven, so they had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which was humiliating and humiliating the country. Since then, China has entered into a years-long process of ceding territories and paying indemnities. For Li Hongzhang, who has been engaged in business all his life and has excellent diplomatic skills, this move went astray. From then on, the history books were meticulous, humiliating the country and buying the country followed him.
Destiny is reincarnated, and life and death are determined. In 1901, Li Hongzhang passed away. This return may be too sad for the precarious Qing court. The Qing court lost an important minister who worked hard for it. To express its deep condolences, the Qing government allocated thousands of taels of silver to bury this important minister in the late Qing Dynasty.
According to records, after Li Hongzhang's death, his cemetery was chosen to be a geomantic treasure - Daxing Town, Hefei. At the same time, in order to express the Qing court's condolences, it took a year and a half to prepare his tomb. Four months. As the saying goes, the dead are great and the dead are safe in the grave. Sixteen months after his death, Li Hongzhang was finally buried next to his wife Yang Xiaolian. This is extremely unlucky in the eyes of the world.
However, fate is unpredictable, this is unlucky, and there are even worse things. Li Hongzhang never expected that he would not be able to find peace even 50 years after his death. Everyone knows that Li Hongzhang served as an official all his life and was valued by the court. Naturally, his family had a lot of wealth, and the funeral objects after his death must be frighteningly rich. So, this attracted the attention of tomb robbers.
These tomb robbers seem to be no ordinary people. They know that the tombs of wealthy people must be well repaired. Moreover, it took more than a year to repair Li Hongzhang's tomb. So, these tomb robbers decided to use explosives. 20 kilograms of explosives exploded instantly, and Li Hongzhang's tomb was barely opened. This disaster has begun.
Li Hongzhang’s tomb is thus presented to the world. There is nothing else but two coffins. Next to Li Hongzhang, who had turned into rotten bones, lay Zhao Xiaolian, whose body was intact. The couple never expected that they would be humiliated like this after their death. However, more insults came quietly.
The tomb robbers dragged Li Hongzhang’s remains into the street and paraded them. After the parade, no one was cleaning up the bones scattered everywhere, and no one was willing to bend down on the busy street. It was so desolate.
After the desolation, people came to Li Hongzhang's tomb again. Only this time, people made a big discovery. Hidden in Zhao Xiaolian's coffin were two gold bricks weighing 29 kilograms. People lamented the richness of Li Hongzhang's burial objects, but what the experts said surprised everyone again. After identification, the gold bricks were nothing but brass castings.
In an instant, people’s brains were filled with questions. How could Li Hongzhang, a famous official in the late Qing Dynasty and wealthy man, bury his beloved wife with brass? Some people say that it was a subcontracting scheme by the first batch of tomb robbers. Some people say that Li Hongzhang, who has been traveling in Vanity Fair all his life, is very thoughtful, and this may have been intentional on his part. Exactly what it is, we have no way of knowing.
Li Hongzhang would never have imagined that his fate would be so miserable. It’s just that these 29 pounds of fake gold bricks are really puzzling!