and where she remained for some weeks. The travelling lodges and other arrangements for her comfort and con- venience along the whole line of her route were in striking contrast to the squalor and privation which the Court had endured in the flight from Peking.
It was during her stay at K’ai-féng that the Peace Pro- tocol was signed at Peking. It was also before her departure from that city, at the end of the 9th Moon, that Li Hung-chang died. His knowledge of foreign affairs and remarkable ability in negotiations had been of the greatest service to his Imperial mistress, and there is no doubt that the liberal terms granted to China by the victorious Allies were very largely due to his efforts. Her Majesty, while fully appreciating his ability, had never treated him with marked favour, and had always refused to appoint him to the Grand Council, giving as her excuse that she could not understand his dialect. Upon his death, however, she conferred upon him an honour which had never before been granted to any Chinese subject under the Dynasty, namely, that of having a shrine built to his memory at the capital itself, in addition to those erected in the provinces where he had borne office.
It was significant of her impartial and intelligent ruler- ship that, although she had blamed him as originally responsible far the Japanese War and its disastrous results, she had never approved of the Emperor's hasty and vin- dictive action in removing him from the Viceroyalty of Chihli. Upon the signing of the Peace Protocol she con- ferred additional posthumous honours upon him, taking occasion at the same time, in an Imperial Decree, to con- gratulate and thank Prince Ch’ing, Ytian Shih-k’ai and others, who assisted in bringing about the settlement of peace terms, In particular she praised the loyalty of Jung Lu, “who had earnestly advised the annihilation of the Boxers, and who, in addition to other meritorious services an the Grand Council, had been chiefly instrumental in protecting the Legations.”
Afier a series of magnificent theatrical entertainments in honour of her birthday, the Court left K’ai-féng and
