So I think everyone were knows who Empress Dowager Cixi is but you all might be unsure about Empress Ci'an. Ci'an was the Xiafeng Emperor's senior wife and, with Cixi, co-ruler of China from 1861 until her (Ci'ans) sudden death in 1881, of a sudden stroke. At the time Cixi herself had be very ill, to the point were unable to serve her functions at court. So what if, instead of Ci'an, Cixi died in 1881? Would this death be enough to allow true reforms to take shape in China? Would the Qing Dynasty survive? Would they be able to modernize? Would Prince Gong become formal Regent? Or would this do nothing to change the Qing Dynasties fate?