Chapter 37

Late at night, the Forbidden City was silent.Guan Xuqing woke up from the dream, covered in cold sweat.It feels vaguely wrong, but I don't know what's wrong.I just received a telegram from Guangxi that outside Shanxi City, Wang Lin and his troops cooperated with the Black Banner Army to fight and severely injure the French army.The [-] landing troops of the retreating French army completely destroyed the plan of the French army to encircle Shanxi City in two detours by sea.But why is the right eye jumping all the time, as if there is some ominous omen?
Guan Xuqing was annoyed that he hadn't learned history well before, even though the Sino-French war was won by the Qing army in Vietnam.But in the naval battle, he was completely defeated, but he didn't remember how he lost.Now that Zuo Zongtang is sent to Fujian, there should be no big problem.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Wang Shang, the personal eunuch, asked.

After Guan Xuqing got out of bed, Wang Shang quickly put a cloak on Guan Xuqing's body.

Guan Xuqing shook his head and said, "Hold the lamp, and bring me the map of the coast of Fujian."

Wang Shang frowned and begged, "Your Majesty, it's already three o'clock. In two hours, you will go to court. You should sleep for a while."

Why doesn't Guan Xuqing want to have a good night's sleep, but now that the government is changing day by day, internal and external troubles, from top to bottom, it's a playful style. At this moment, he feels that since he traveled here, especially after becoming this shitty emperor.Every day is like walking on thin ice and sitting on pins and needles.If you haven't lived a comfortable day, it's like time travel, why don't you put yourself on Qianlong's body.Let me also be a carefree and happy emperor for decades.Why worry about these endless state affairs!
But now the only thing we can do is to govern the country well, hoping to pass more than ten years of reforms.Let the country be more stable, and enjoy being an emperor again.

Guan Xuqing did not answer Wang Shang, but walked to the map by himself.Looking anxiously at the strait.

There is an undercurrent on the coast of Fujian, the bay is in a mist, and the horizon cannot be seen. A flower boat stranded by the sea is particularly eye-catching.Put on the hanging red lanterns to emit ambiguous lights.There are several tables of wine and food in the cabin, and several women with heavy makeup are playing the piano and singing.

Zhang Peilun and a few colleagues were drinking and having fun inside, the sea breeze was blowing, and the little fishing lights by the sea could be seen faintly.

At this time, a soldier hastily pushed open the cabin and reported: "My lord, Zhang Guandai is begging to see you."

"What's the matter with him?" Zhang Peilun was putting a piece of meat into his mouth.

"Zhang Guandai said that there is an important matter, and he should report it to the adults in person." Said the soldier.

"I'm drinking, so I'll tell him tomorrow if I have anything to say." Zhang Peilun said impatiently.

At this time, the anxious Zhang Desheng strode in.Kneeling on the ground: "Guan leads Zhang Desheng to meet Commander Zhang."

Zhang Peilun is the commander of the Fujian Navy, and Zuo Zongtang ordered him to keep an eye on the French warships in the strait.Don't go into battle easily, stick to Mawei Port.

"Zhang Guandai, what is your urgent matter?" Zhang Peilun said dissatisfied.

"The legal person warship is coming to our Mawei naval port. Our army should prepare for the battle. Please show your subordinates clearly." Zhang Desheng asked anxiously.

"The legal person is just a bluff. Zuo Shuai has solemnly confessed that he is not allowed to go to war without authorization. Those who violate the order will engage in military law." Zhang Peilun said nonchalantly.

Zhang Desheng was in a hurry, staring at Zhang Peilun anxiously and said: "The corporate fleet is brightly lit, as if it is about to start a war! Sir, please go down and have a look."

"Zhang Desheng, do I need you to teach me how to do things? I have an appointment with a friend to talk again, and I can't leave at will." Zhang Peilun was a little annoyed.

Zhang Desheng slammed his head on the ground, wanting to cry very much, and said in a pleading voice: "My lord, the military situation is urgent. In Vietnam, our army has already opened fire with the French army. The French army is obviously attacking for revenge. My lord, you must not despise"

"Is it wrong? Do you dare to teach me?? Someone, take Zhang Desheng down for me." Zhang Peilun roared angrily.

Two personal soldiers rushed over, picked up Zhang Desheng, whose head was bleeding a lot, and dragged him outside.

Zhang Peilun picked up the wine glass and persuaded the colleagues around him to drink.

Zhang Desheng cried bitterly in despair: "My lord, the war is about to start. If you drink alcohol today, you will drink blood tomorrow."

Zhang Peilun didn't pay any attention to it, and hugged a woman next to him in his arms, and said, "Drinking blood is good. A strong man eats Hulu meat when he is hungry, and he talks about drinking the blood of Xiongnu when he is thirsty."

The woman with heavy makeup said with a smile: "Your Excellency is really wise and powerful, and the little girl admires it."

On the unsettled sea of ​​Fujian, seagulls screamed in the night.At this time, a dark crowd of French warships approached Mawei Port.The moonlight shone on the sea, and under the bright moonlight, the soldiers on the French ship were busy playing semaphore and loading shells.

At this time, there were no lights on the warship stationed in Mawei Port, and the soldiers had already entered their dreams.The French warship sailed into the naval port silently, and then, following the command of the commander on the French ship, "fired", more than a dozen French warships fired intensively at the Fujian navy in the Mawei military port.

With a long tongue of flame, the cannonball accurately landed on the warship in the military port, and exploded in an instant, causing a sea of ​​flames on the warship.

"Fire, fire, fire!" The French ship kept firing shells.

In an instant, the Fujian navy carefully built by Li Hongzhang was wiped out.A total of nineteen gunboats and three cruisers.These include two armored gunboats just launched by the Jiangnan Shipyard.

At this time, Zhang Peilun, who was still in Wenrou Township, heard the sound of cannons.I thought Zhang Desheng didn't listen to the advice and took the initiative to fire.He yelled: "You Zhang Desheng, you dare to shoot without permission! See if I don't cut off your head."

"My lord, it's not good. The French fired at us." A soldier ran in and said.

At this time, Zhang Peilun still didn't believe it.He opened his eyes wide and asked, "What? The French fired at us?"

"Yes, my lord."

Zhang Peilun just woke up like a dream, and jumped up in fright. "Hurry up, pass my order, all ships are in their positions, and counterattack immediately."

The soldier said with tears: "My lord, it's too late. When the French army opened fire, all our ships were parked in the naval port, unable to turn around and fire. Eight gunboats including Feiyun, Zhenwei, and Jiwei have been sunk. Some of the other ships sank, and some tried to sail out of the military port, but were interrupted by the fence on the way. The Fujian Navy was completely destroyed."

Zhang Peilun's face turned pale, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, making him dizzy for a while.He sat down on the ground decadently, and murmured to himself in a trance: "The Zuo Shuai misunderstood me, the Zuo Shuai misunderstood me. I, Zhang Peilun, was wise and destroyed here." After a while, Zhang Peilun beat his chest in pain.

At this time, the sound of rumbling guns came from the sea again, and the roof seemed to be about to collapse.The soldier hurriedly said: "My lord, run away. The French are coming."

Zhang Peilun's face was ashen, he moved his lips blankly, and said weakly: "Run? Where are you going? You can escape the French, but you can't escape the officials of the Qing Daily, the royal historians of the imperial court, and the people of the world. Shuai Zuo won't kill me. The emperor won't spare me either... Woo"

Zhang Peilun cried sadly, regretting not listening to Zhang Desheng's words.If he had been actively preparing for the war at that time, even if he fought with the French fleet and then wiped out the entire army, then he would not be as dereliction of duty, dereliction of duty, and unforgivable as he is now.

(End of this chapter)

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