On railway matters someone whom I trusted fooled me, and thus public opinion was opposed.
When I urged reform, the officials and gentry seized the opportunity to embezzle.

When old laws are abolished, high officials serve their own ends.

Much of the people's money has been taken, but nothing to benefit the people has been achieved.

On several occasions edicts have promulgated laws, but none of them have been obeyed.

People are grumbling, yet I do not know; disasters loom ahead, but I do not see.
"The Ss{u}ch`uan trouble first occurred; the Wu-ch`ang rebellion followed; now alarming reports come from Shansi and Hunan.