Travel through the Qing Dynasty and become emperor

Chapter 44

The decision of the Military Aircraft Department was not written and sent to the whole country.Since the emperor's jade seal was needed to mobilize troops, Li Hongzhang did not submit it to the emperor after writing the memorial.The emperor didn't even take the initiative to ask.Everyone tacitly stopped mentioning it, and everyone thought that what the emperor said on the spur of the moment was irrelevant.Wait until tomorrow morning to discuss again.

It was already late at night, and the editorial office of Daqing Daily was still brightly lit.A group of editors are talking happily at this time.There are three meat and three vegetarian side dishes on the table, as well as two pots of good Moutai.However, no one cares about these excellent side dishes, and everyone is immersed in the topic of discussion.Anyone with a discerning eye can see that this newspaper is the place where the emperor cultivates the future pillars of the court.Although these people have no real power, they have the right to speak with the emperor's special approval, and they can speak out boldly.Opinions held by everyone express their own opinions, no matter what is right or wrong, they are all innocent!Guan Xuqing also often looked at the newspaper, facing the editor's name.Who is forward-thinking and dares to accept new things.In a few days, he was transferred to be an official!
That night, everyone in the editorial office was discussing France's initiative to seek peace.

Among this group of people, Zheng Guanying, the person in charge of the newspaper handpicked by the emperor, is the oldest.At this time, he was slightly drunk, and said in a daze.

"My Great Qingshui Division won a complete victory in the East China Sea battle. The French army will have nothing to do with us for a while, and the French minister also proposed peace talks. The question now is how we decide to recognize the rule of the legal person in Annan through the peace talks. Or continue to fight and completely defeat the French. If we continue to fight, what chances will we have of winning the Qing Dynasty, how much loss will we pay, and how will the reaction in France be? And what benefits will the Qing Dynasty have? But I think The emperor's mind seems to be that he doesn't want to fight the French anymore, and if we want to fight, we will wait until our national strength is stronger."

His words immediately won the approval of most people. Among them, Kang Youwei, who was directly appointed by Guan Xuqing to enter the newspaper office recently, was in high spirits, and said with his hands: "I agree with the emperor's thoughts. These days I read foreign newspapers. It already has 38 ironclad ships, 9 coastal defense ironclad ships, 50 cruisers, gunboats and 80 torpedo ships. The total tonnage has reached 50 tons. The world navy ranks second, only after the United Kingdom. If you continue to fight We can occasionally win two battles, and we will inevitably lose one in the end. Only winning peace is the right way. Now that the legal person is actively asking for peace, I am afraid it will be difficult to mention the terms of land cession and compensation. As for some people worry that the legal person will take over Vietnam. I think it’s unfounded to worry about Qing’s failure. In the past, the British, French, and Russians all wanted to take a share of my fortune. That’s because we are not strong enough. When the Qing becomes stronger, if the French want to offend the Qing, they will surely bring shame on themselves.”

Everyone nodded in agreement when they heard the words, although they didn't want to admit it.But in fact, people of their generation have a natural fear of foreigners, and the more they know about foreigners, the more they fear.Because in their opinion, whether it is the political system, military strength, national quality, or cultural level, it is much worse.The Qing Dynasty cannot be the opponent of the foreigners!

Only those warriors who don't understand anything will kill foreigners like monkeys in battle!He doesn't understand, so he is not afraid!
Seeing this, Zheng Guanying said: "Then Brother Lao Kang wrote this article about war and non-war! It will be sent to the whole country tomorrow, so that people in the world can see that my current forbearance in the Qing Dynasty is for the future to take off."

At this time, a black and thin young man wearing a pair of black-rimmed eyes and sitting in the corner stood up.Said to everyone: "I want to share my humble opinion. I always think that my Qing Dynasty is not without chance. Now that the French Far East Fleet has been newly defeated and the warships are in disarray. As long as our Qing Navy Division goes south to the South China Sea, we can control the sea and cut off France's control over Annan. Supply, at this time the army will make a massive counterattack, and control the whole of Vietnam as quickly as possible before the French fleet comes to help, so that even if the reinforcements from France arrive, they will be rootless and will not last long."

This black and thin young man is Yan Fu, and he is a talented student of Weihai Shipbuilding Academy.Recently, it was recommended by Peng Yulin and put into the newspaper office by Guan Xuqing.

As soon as Yan Fu finished speaking, before everyone had time to think deeply, Kang Youwei questioned from the side: "Brother Yan, is it too idealistic? After controlling Vietnam for so long, domestic supplies of food and grass have long been unnecessary. As for weapons and ammunition, in fact, I am even more short of weapons and ammunition. China and France have been at war for half a year. The treasury has bottomed out. The problem is broken. How can the French army occupying Vietnam be wiped out in an instant? Besides, the French army still has an Indian Ocean fleet in the Far East. A hundred miles of wasteland? Or the indemnity of the French? Even if the French lose the war, that is, withdraw to Europe, can we still go to Europe? Getting indemnity from the French is purely a dream. At that time, everyone in the country will not have enough to eat. Orphans and widows are everywhere, and the national treasury is clinking, that is not worth the loss. In my opinion, even if the French ask for compensation this time, as long as the amount is not excessive, they can accept it. But it is really possible after I endured it for 20 years Go to Europe and let them return all the money to us with interest."

Kang Youwei spoke eloquently, and most of the people agreed with his point of view.Although Yan Fu felt that something was always missing, he still couldn't tell.According to what Kang Youwei said, why did the emperor launch the Sino-French war?After fighting for half a year, I didn’t get anything from the Qing Dynasty, Vietnam didn’t get anything, and I even took advantage of the Fujian Navy, Mawei Naval Port, and most of the Nanyang Navy, and even had to pay compensation?
The next morning, outside the Meridian Gate.Most of the officials waiting to go to court are exchanging peace talks!
"These days are really scary. I knew the Nanyang navy didn't come to Tianjin and went to the East China Sea to fight with the French. I quickly sold the pawn shop in the capital and sent my wife back to her mother's house. I thought this time Foreigners are coming to the capital again. I really don’t think so.”

"Hey, you! It's not a good thing to know too much news. You see, you sold the pawnshop in a hurry. You must have lost a lot. Look, is the emperor willing to negotiate peace this time?"

"It goes without saying that the emperor wants to fight, but who else is willing to fight? The Nanyang Navy has only ten ships left. Although the army did not have too many losses, I heard that the ammunition can no longer keep up. The national treasury is out of money. The black flag army in Vietnam never used guns. Last month, the emperor ordered them to provide them with relief equipment. As a result, the consumption of ammunition was astonishingly terrifying. Thousands of people shot down bullets and released cannons Our Qing Dynasty had more than 5 troops.”

"Oh, those bandits. The guns are all fired upwards."

Everyone entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony and saw that the dragon chair was empty.After waiting for a long time, the emperor did not come out, and they started talking about it.Some people said that the emperor was ill, and some said that the emperor was also worried about whether to fight or not, so he might as well think about it for another day.Even more wretched people guessed that the emperor had someone in the harem, and let the palace maid go to bed yesterday.Today I am nostalgic for tenderness, and I don't want to get up.

Just as everyone was guessing wildly, Zhang Yu, the fourth-rank guard with a knife and the commander of the Imperial Forest Army, appeared on the stage and said loudly: "The emperor has a decree, and I will not go to court today!"

Now there are many more unbelievable conjectures.

"It's not a court lady, I've heard. It's with Concubine Yi of Emperor Tongzhi."

"No, the prince said that he was with the maid last night."

"I heard that she was ill. Smallpox."

"What do you all know? Don't make random guesses. Yesterday the emperor left the palace in micro-clothes and spent the night in Lihuayuan."

Just as everyone was discussing, Zhang Yu shouted again: "The emperor has a decree, and all the ministers kneel to listen."

Everyone knelt down to listen to the decree.

"Since my hair was tied up and I was taught, I have often lamented that the shame of China is the highest in the past and the present. Looking at China and foreign countries, I have never seen anyone who became rich and powerful by ceding land and indemnity. However, since the Daoguang Dynasty, against foreigners, our soldiers in the Qing Dynasty did not think about protecting the country. They have no intention of killing the enemy and defending the country. But they hope to cede land and pay compensation, and ask for peace. Daoguang ceded Hong Kong in the 1000th year, Ross and Jiangdong in the second year of Tongzhi, and Ryukyu in the [-]th year of Tongzhi. Therefore, since I took office, I have reorganized the new army, opened factories, established banks, set up schools, purchased warships, and reorganized the army and armed forces only for the sake of my Chinese being bullied by foreigners. Thanks to the blessings of the sailors and soldiers, The Great Victory in the East China Sea World War I made our country proud! However, more than [-] heroes were buried in the sea, and I am deeply saddened. I swear to the heroes today that one day, the Qing Dynasty will no longer cut an inch of land and pay a tael of silver. The French today I want to split my Vietnam and divide my silver. I will fight to the end with it! Either I defeat the legal person, or the legal person destroys my Qing Dynasty. However, I can tell the people of the world and all the ministers and workers. I will win! The legal person will lose! Heaven and man Learn from the ancestors, learn from the billions of Chinese people."

As soon as this edict came out, the court immediately exploded, and the sound of chattering filled the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony.Many ministers stepped forward to ask where the emperor was, and wanted to enter the palace to ask for an audience, but were stopped by Wang Yu's Imperial Forest Army.

At this time, Guan Xuqing was personally decreing to mobilize the troops of the whole country!

He pondered over the map for a moment and then hurriedly started to write.

After this edict was sent to the whole country, the turbulent waves caused by the great victory in the East China Sea had reached an unimaginable height, but this edict raised the turbulent waves to a new height.Countless young people put down their private schools to apply for military academies. In the barracks, where the strong men could not be caught, someone came to ask to be a soldier on his own initiative!The whole country is united, and the anti-law sentiment is high!

A new war is about to begin.

(End of this chapter)