Upright scholar Xia Fu was falsely framed as a partisan by corrupt eunuchs. To spare others from disaster, he cut his beard, disguised himself and labored as a metalworker in mountains. Even after amnesty, he stayed in exile until the governor fetched him after three attempts.
This article covers the Qing’s final collapse. Cixi launched hollow “New Policies” to fake reform. Revolutionist Wu Yue bombed a royal mission to study Western systems. In 1908, the poisoned Guangxu Emperor died; Cixi died the next day. She installed infant Puyi as emperor. The dynasty’s fate was sealed.