Open an aircraft carrier to fight against Japan

The first article of the British Minister’s document reads impressively: “The British Empire leased the area north of Boundary Street on the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong and 262 nearby islands to the Qing government for a period of 99 years.”

Historically, the British occupation of Hong Kong was not completed at one time, but three times. This request was originally put forward in the 1898 treaty, because the passage of the Beijing ship was brought forward to the present.

The second article reads: "All banks established by the Qing government in the future must be jointly run by China and Britain, and the British side's shares must not be less than 51%."

Lin Yuan became angry when he saw it. Banks control the financial lifeline of a country. Finance has always been called the blood of a country's development. No matter what a country does, whether it builds large-scale arsenals or builds roads and railways, it needs banks to provide it. funds.Once the bank is seized by foreigners, the whole country will be insecure!

Lin Yuan sneered and said, "We can't agree to any of these requests! In the words of you British people, no way!"

Seeing that Lin Yuan refused so simply, the British minister wanted to threaten with force, so he said: "You know, our fleet is anchored in Hong Kong. We have just defeated your Beiyang Fleet. If you don't agree, we will You can go north at any time, take down your Beijing, take down the Forbidden City!"

Lin Yuan thought: "With our aircraft carrier here, your fleet still wants to come to Beijing."

So Lin Yuan sneered and said, "You can come if you want, but I want to ask you a question."

The British envoy said, "What's the problem?"

Lin Yuan said, "I wonder if Mr. Minister has studied the marine life in the East China Sea?"

The British envoy said angrily: "I don't want to discuss such a boring topic!"

Lin Yuan said: "I want to warn the Minister that there is a sea monster that can explode in the East China Sea. I hope your fleet will be careful not to encounter it when sailing in the East China Sea."

The British envoy was startled. Few people knew about the explosion and sinking of the Sovereign-class battleship Resolute. Could it be that the Qing people were implying that the Resolute explosion had something to do with them?

The British Minister thought to himself: "It seems that we need to go back and discuss this matter more." So he said: "If we don't agree to our conditions, just wait for our British Empire to conquer Beijing." After that, the British Minister walked away.

Fade Chen saw that the British envoy had gone out, so he entered the room, saw some snacks on the table, picked up a few to taste, and said with a smile: "I said Captain, our Chinese food is really well-deserved, In the future, we must vigorously develop the food industry and use these things to make money from foreign devils."

Lin Yuan's heart moved, and he thought: "Yes, this is really a good way to make money. After all, future development needs a large amount of financial support."

At this moment, Li Jingfang came in and said, "Mr. Lin, my father is here to invite you."

Lin Yuan and Chen Fei followed Li Jingfang to a warm pavilion in the backyard. Li Hongzhang was sitting on the kang, not wearing official uniform, with a blanket covering his legs. When he saw Lin Yuan, he said, "Please sit down."

Then he pointed to Fade Chen and asked, "This is?"

Lin Yuan said: "He is my sworn brother, surnamed Chen Mingfei."

Li Hongzhang nodded slightly, and said: "When I was in Japan, I saw Mr. Lin's diplomatic skills. Now my Qing Dynasty is negotiating peace with other countries, and it is time for Mr. Lin to show his skills."

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Master Zhongtang, I am not here to help with the peace talks."

Li Hongzhang frowned, Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Lord Zhongtang, I came here this time to send troops for the Qing Dynasty and recover the lost land in the Northeast."

Hearing this, Li Hongzhang coughed several times, obviously frightened by Lin Yuan's bold idea.

Li Hongzhang shook his head again and again, and said: "This can't be done, and peace talks are still the main thing now, which is also what the Holy One and Lafayette mean."

Lin Yuan said: "Master Zhongtang, now Japan and Russia are attacking the Northeast, and Shanhaiguan is in danger. If Japan and Russia invade Bohai Bay again and their troops reach Beijing, what should we do?"

Li Hongzhang said: "The imperial court has ordered that all the soldiers and horses who retreated from Fengtian be incorporated into the troops defending Beijing, and at the same time, elite forces will be drawn from various places to defend against the enemy."

Lin Yuan smiled and said: "In order to save themselves, the local officials will inevitably make excuses. When they come, the war may be over."

Li Hongzhang has been in the officialdom for a long time, and naturally he is clear about these methods of prevarication. He sighed helplessly, and Lin Yuan said: "The best defense is to attack. Instead of sitting on the sidelines and seeking peace and signing an alliance under the city, it is better for us to go out directly. , regain lost ground!"

Li Hongzhang said: "This matter depends on the Holy Majesty and Lafayette to decide."

Lin Yuan said: "Can you bother Master Zhongtang to let me meet the Holy Majesty and Lafayette, I will naturally have a way to get them to agree to send troops."

Li Hongzhang was dumbfounded when he heard this. This Lin Yuan actually dared to make such a request, but when Li Hongzhang thought about it, this Lin Yuan might really be capable. When he was in Japan, even Ito Hirobumi and Mutsu Munemitsu did not dare to make such a request. Putting it in his eyes, Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Okay, I will send a telegram to the Holy One tonight. You should go to Beijing to prepare."

The Beiyang Commercial Office is located in Tianjin, and Lin Yuan took Li Hongzhang's autographed letter. With this, he could go to the Ministry of Rites to study the rituals. To meet Emperor Guangxu and Cixi, he needed to prepare a very complicated set of etiquette, and then rushed to Beijing with Chen Fei non-stop.

Lin Yuan said to Fade Chen: "Go to the embassy in Ryukyu first, find Zhang Hua and the others, and I will meet someone."

Chen Fei asked: "Who are you going to see?"

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "The leader of the Qing rumor officials, Weng Tonghe."

Chen Fei asked: "What do you want to do with him?"

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Of course we want to shut the mouths of those rumor officials!"

Lin Yuan knew very well that what the generals who lead the army are most afraid of is the emperor's distrust, and around the emperor, the most talked are the group of officials. Chinese courtiers have always had the lofty ideal of "Wen dies to remonstrate, and Wu dies to fight" , so the officials dare to say anything, but they often do not understand the actual situation, let alone have practical experience, and often think things too ideally. If you want to lead the troops to regain the lost ground, it is absolutely impossible not to control their mouths.

When Lin Yuan arrived at Weng Tonghe's mansion, it was already time for dinner, and there was snowflakes in the sky at this time. Weng Tonghe was the master of Emperor Guangxu, an important minister of the court, and the leader of the rumor officials in the Qing Dynasty. Naturally, it was very uncomfortable for Lin Yuan to want to see him. easy.

From a distance, Lin saw many people waiting at the gate of Weng Tonghe's mansion, and knew that these people were all people who wanted to see Weng Tonghe but could not.He knew that Weng Tonghe and Li Hongzhang were at odds, so he didn't dare to take out Li Hongzhang's letter. Instead, he borrowed a pen and paper from a roadside shop, wrote a letter, and handed it to Menzi, asking him to pass it on to Weng Tonghe.

After Menzi went back, he came out quickly and said with a smile: "My lord, our adults are here to invite you."

(Next issue preview: What did Lin Yuan write in his letter? He saw Weng Tonghe all at once. What method did Lin Yuan use to seal the mouth of the speech officer? When Lin Yuan saw Emperor Guangxu and Cixi, what method did Lin Yuan use to get them to agree to send troops ?)