THE JOINT REGENCY 6i

Li Hung-chang had started on that career of ser-
vice to his country and its rulers in which he was to
continue until the end of his days. He was not yet,
however, brought in direct contact with her whose
appreciation of his abilities later gave him so many
opportunities of devoting them to the cause of China.
Apart from the fact that Court etiquette still pre-
vented a meeting between Empress and official, Li,
having obtained so much success against the Taipings,
was called upon to tackle the next serious outbreak,
that of the Nienfei or " twisted-turban " rebels in
Shantung and Honan provinces, and it was not until
1870 that he came into touch with Peking, sum-
moned north to extricate his country from a most
threatening position. If Tze-hi had been an Em-
press and Li Hung-chang a great subject in an Euro-
pean country, we should perhaps have been able to
tell at what point in her career she fixed upon him as
the man most fitted to aid her in her ambitious plan
of effectively ruling an Empire without ousting from
the throne the nominal sovereign. As it is, we only
know for certain that she had Li Hung-chang as an
instrument ready to hand when she required him.
Information as to the steps by which she won him to
her side is totally lacking. During her son's minority
she strengthened her position in many respects ; as,
for instance, when she induced her brother-in-law.
