Australian Storm 1876

   Chapter 689

  "Why did Master Gu teach me?" Li Hongzhang gave a deep salute.

  You must tie the bell. Li Hongzhang is one of the best Han ministers in the Manchu and Qing Dynasty. He is a talented person. He has figured out the ins and outs in a short time, and he does not hesitate to pay homage to worship in order to earn money.

  It is not the person in front of him who pays homage to him, but the noble majesty behind him.

  Gu Zhixue accepted the gift frankly, and felt as comfortable as if he had eaten ginseng fruit. The 36,000 pores all revealed the word “cool”. He was secretly surprised that his brother-in-law did not expect it, and his admiration was like a surging river...

  Not everyone can receive the respect of Li Hongzhang, the prime minister of Beiyang, who is extremely powerful at the time. You must know that this extremely human minister in front of you is extremely trusted by the Western Queen, and even Emperor Guangxu is not in the eyes.

  Minions, you can’t half-hearted.

  "Please don’t be too polite, I want to know how the court treats the Sino-Japanese peace talks now?"

"Oh, the prime minister's office has already made a statement. It is proposed to send the household minister Zhang Yinhuan and Hunan governor Shao Youlian as plenipotentiary ministers, and hire US Secretary of State Kosta as consultants to go to Japan to seek peace. The relevant matters are in preparation. The purpose is fulfilled."

"In this case, the original arrangement does not need to be changed, and the trip will be done as soon as possible. I expect that the imperial envoy will return without success. The Japanese will definitely be humiliated. The Fusang people will never give up unless they come to peace talks. Well... it's more helpful to see the true face of Fusang people."

fair enough?

  Hearing this light and fluttering sentence from Gu Zhixue, Li Hongzhang was speechless. His heart was enveloped by a huge sense of fear and crisis, and he even wanted to beg for bones from the imperial court and return home to raise him.

  People in this life seek a name behind them. The emperors and court ministers all over the world have attached great importance to post-death overflow, so there are too many scruples to act during their tenure.

  Seriously, he was scared.

  Because he knew the pros and cons, and thought out the key points, Li Hongzhang became more and more frightened.

  The governor of Beizhili in front of him does not represent the Gu family, but represents the great man who built an emerging kingdom in the depths of the South Seas that is not inferior to the Manchu and Qing Dynasty, an admirable existence.

   "Master Gu, please be sure to pull a hand of Li, I am polite." Li Hongzhang left the seat again and gave a deep salute.

  This ceremony is to worship Gu Zhixue with eight sutras.

  Gu Zhixue got up with joy, straightened his clothes, and replied politely; "Master Li, please sit down and talk."

   "I am in a mess at the moment, how can I sit down?"

   "Master Li, please sit down and listen to me one by one."

   "So...respect is worse than fate."

  The two sides sat down again, and Gu Zhixue said sternly;

  "Now the battle situation is erosive, and the minds of the court soldiers and horses have changed. They can't resist the rush of the elite Fusang army. The defeat is a foregone conclusion, and non-human resources can be restored.

  The plan now is to put it to death and live thereafter.

  The key battlefield is the battle of Weihaiwei and even Liugong Island. The next step of the Japanese army will be directed at the Beiyang Navy, and it must be wiped out quickly.

  Neither, nor can it give the court a strong shock, nor can it strip the court’s backbone of coastal defense and allow it to act recklessly.

  Not so, the lion could not get enough chips to open the mouth, and then seek to cede the three eastern provinces and Taiwan, and seek a huge compensation of 300 million taels of silver.

   Therefore, the key to everything lies in the Beiyang Navy and the battle of Liugong Island.

The prince must mobilize the elites of the Huai army to fight a desperate and **** battle. In this battle, the coffin must be pressed, hemorrhagic and vigorous, and the Fusang people who fight are in pain, in order to win a good for the next contract and war compensation. s inception.

  There are dozens of forts and hundreds of artillery on Liugong Island. As long as there are enough troops to defend tenaciously, there will be enough Fusang people to drink a pot.

  This is the first step and the second step...When the defenders on Liugong Island are no longer supported, the Beiyang Navy must fight to the death with all its members, and strive to inflict severe damage on the enemy, creating conditions for the next intervention of various countries.

  This matter is only difficult, but the Beiyang Navy is a new type of army built by the prince. Admiral Ding Ruchang has a deep sense of righteousness and is not afraid of death. He will inevitably execute orders without compromise, which is very gratifying. "

After listening to Gu Zhixue’s words, Li Hongzhang solemnly asked after a moment of indulgence; "Master Gu, I can do these two points, but the Beiyang Navy has insufficient ammunition and the ships have suffered heavy damage. Now many artillery pieces have been damaged and their combat effectiveness has been greatly reduced, even if they go to sea. I'm afraid it is also..."

"It's okay. Dayang Kingdom has already prepared sufficient ammunition in the British Concession of Weihaiwei, as well as twelve new 152mm Krupp rapid-fire guns, 5,000 rifles, and 40 Maxine heavy machine guns. They can be sent as long as they receive an order. Enter Liugong Island to help the fleet recover its combat effectiveness and assist the defenders in a **** defensive battle."

  "This is great." Li Hongzhang blurted out excitedly, but after thinking about it, he asked with a slightly puzzled expression; "Why did you prepare so many guns and ammunition in advance?"

  "The pivot is a fan of the authorities. The Fusang people have carefully prepared for this national war for more than 10 years. The surrounding powers are very clear from the sidelines that the Ocean Kingdom has just made a small layout in advance, which is not a major event." Gu Zhixue explained indifferently.

   "Oh, I'm old, I'm so dizzy!" Li Hongzhang shook his head with a wry smile, and then looked at Gu Zhixue and said; "Surely Gu must have something to ask for?"

"Yes, the hustle and bustle of the world is for the benefit, and I can't avoid the vulgarity." Gu Zhixue didn't have the slightest embarrassment on his face. Now when it comes to drama meat, I will naturally have to get what I want. Otherwise, wouldn't it be useless? ?

  "First of all, my father is very old, so I want to seek the position of governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. After all, the Gu clan has been in business for many years, and there is no shortage of contacts."

  The first requirement is to be a heavyweight. Gu Yanchuan has served as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi for more than ten years, and then he will be replaced by his son Gu Zhixue. This is the rhythm of building the Guangxi and Guangxi region into the stronghold of the Gu family!

  Faced with the crisis of his family and country, Li Hongzhang had no choice at all. He just hesitated and nodded with a wry smile; "But, I will start the Queen Mother of the West, and I will try my best to recommend Master Gu as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi."

  "Secondly, at a certain time early next year, the Viet Nam Admiral Gu Zhiwen will announce the founding of the country, covering the current northern part of the Kingdom of Vietnam. I hope that the court will give it a default and canonize it after the list is listed."

   "Yes, the Kingdom of Vietnam has always been a vassal of the Qing Dynasty, and now it has been in the hands of the French. The court can't help it. If a new country can request asylum, it will not be difficult for the court to pass."

   "Article 3, Ocean Kingdom requires all localities not to obstruct Guangjitang's opening of schools, to provide relief to orphaned children, and not to obstruct immigration to Ocean Kingdom."

   "Yes, the old man will do his best to maintain it."

   "Article 4, if Taiwan is successfully secured, the Ocean Kingdom requires the opening of two commercial ports in Taipei and Kaohsiung, and the establishment of concession garrisons. The conditions are equivalent to the British concession Weihaiwei."

  "This...I will report this matter to the Empress Dowager Mingxi, detail its greatness, and try to make it happen."

"Well, let's talk about the follow-up negotiations of the Sino-Japanese War of Sino-Japanese War..." Gu Zhixue lowered his voice and said mysteriously to Li Hongzhang. After a long time, the other party stood relieved. I got up and paid respect and said, "If this is the case, all the people under the earth will be fortunate!"

  "This matter must be out of my mouth and in your ears. If it is not secret, it may be impossible to make it happen!"

"This...Prince Gong of the Prime Minister's Office is a silly bag. It is not difficult to conceal from him, but Mr. Gu's request is extremely important. The current Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 is related to national honor and disgrace. The Empress Dowager Mingxi decided that this is impossible to get around."

"The only way to ask Master Li to present to the Queen Mother of the West, I don’t need to say more about it. The imperial court has leaked like a sieve. As long as the news leaks out, the Fusang people will know it. Then our major events will be extremely difficult to implement. I I am afraid that the eunuchs and maids in the palace are unreliable. I hope Master Li can do it for himself."

   "Please rest assured, Master Gu, I have been in the palace recently, but I will not let the news leak out and cause major events."

   "If it can, of course it would be better."

  Vietnam Saigon Governor’s Mansion

When the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 was going on in the north, the great powers of Britain, France, Germany, the United States, and Russia did not sit idle. Prepare.

  Now the situation on the battlefield is very clear. The Qing Dynasty was a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

  In the Governor's Mansion, the French Governor-General of Saigon, Montapello, is reading a secret letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Anotto. The secret letter says:

  "According to the information provided by my envoy in Tokyo, Taiwan will become the target of the Japanese attack from Hiroshima, and the Penghu Islands will also be the destination of this expedition...

  This area has special interests for France, especially the Penghu Islands...

You can say that

  This area marks the northern boundary of an area closely related to our Indochina territories. We especially hope to maintain the status quo of this area. "

  The current situation in the north affects the hearts of the French. In the correspondence between Saigon Governor Montapello and the French Minister in Japan, Harman, Harman once said bluntly:

   “If the Fusang country demands the ceding of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands as a condition of peace, France will protest its infringement of interests.”

  French Foreign Minister Anotto also issued a similar warning in a public occasion in Paris: “If Fusang touches Taiwan, it will provoke us. France will never allow this to happen.”

  The current process of the war is very clear. The defeat of the Qing Dynasty is almost a certainty. France has been paying close attention to the negotiation process and content of the two sides. The focus that affects its nerves is whether or not the conditions of peace are cede to Taiwan and Penghu.

  French Minister to Japan Harman bluntly said: “If Fusang asks for the ceding of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands as a condition of peace, France will protest against infringement of its interests.”

  French Foreign Minister Anotto recently issued a similar warning in a public occasion in Paris: “If Fusang touches Taiwan, then it will provoke us!”

  During the period when the Qing Dynasty sent envoys to negotiate, France has been watching whether Taiwan and Pengzhou will be occupied by Fusang. It is more concerned than the Qing government, and my mother is as worried.

  The reason is very simple. Western powers have long regarded the territory of the Qing Dynasty as a big piece of fat in the plate. If the Fusang people want to take it, it depends on whether the French and Germans agree.

  What are the Germans here?

  In fact, many people don’t know that the Germans have always had ambitions for Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, and they deliberately occupy them. Perhaps this is the sorrow of a declining empire.

  In 1860 and 1871, there were two calls within the Prussian (Germany) government to occupy Taiwan in order to establish a stronghold in the Far East similar to Hong Kong or Macau, but they were finally put on hold due to opposition from Bismarck and other political figures.

  November 2, 1894

Kaiser Wilhelm II asked Prime Minister Horen Roche to pay attention to the situation in the Far East at all times and to intervene in the Sino-Japanese War in a timely manner in order to obtain compensation from Taiwan as a mediator. This is different from the policy of the predecessor of the German Emperor Wilhelm I. The latest efforts made by the colonies.

  On November 7th, Kaiser Wilhelm II also sent a telegram to Prime Minister Horen Luoxi:

  "We also need to obtain a permanent base in China...

  For this purpose, I suggest considering Formosa (Taiwan). Therefore, it is necessary to secretly reach an agreement with Fusang and order our fleet to be equipped quickly. "

  After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 broke out

  Germany is neutral in name but pro-Japanese in reality. "Secretly reached an agreement with Fusang" in order to mediate the Sino-Japanese war on the premise of partiality and satisfaction with Fusang, and then use this to invite credit to the Manchus and include Taiwan as its sphere of influence.

However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Marshall sees more clearly. He believes that Fuso is determined to gain Taiwan. If Germany insists on acquiring Taiwan, it will not be possible to reach an agreement with Fuso, and it will not be conducive to the neutral and friendly policy pursued by the government towards Fuso, and it will have a bad relationship with Japan. It is also not conducive to its long-term benefits in the Far East.

  Finally, Kaiser Wilhelm II accepted the advice of the Foreign Minister Marshall and gave up the idea of ​​getting involved in Taiwan.

Taiwan is not an ideal target for Germany. As early as 1861, Earl Earlenberg pointed out in a report; "Taiwan is not suitable for European immigration, and its ports are not good. None of them are suitable for use in the territorial waters of the Qing Dynasty. stronghold."

  The German ambassador to China and the navy and diplomatic departments are more inclined to Zhoushan, Jiaozhou Bay and other places, and it is more appropriate to move the colonial target base north to Zhoushan, Jiaozhou Bay and other places.

Considering that Taiwan is still an important transit point for the trade between Fusang and the Kingdom of Oceans, North Korea and the Manchus and the South Seas, after the Fusang country occupies Taiwan and Peng, it will control the maritime route of the Far East, and its trade with China, the Kingdom of the Oceans and Southeast Asia. The scale of China will also expand rapidly, and the commercial interests of the foreign powers in Taiwan and even in the Far East will undoubtedly be impacted.

   Therefore, although Germany abandons its plan to colonize Taiwan, it does not want Fusang to occupy the area. On this point, Germany and France coincide.

It can be seen from this that, although on the surface it was the Qing dynasty who sent people to seek peace with Fusang, in fact, European and American countries were bothered. Tsarist Russia stared at the developments like donkey eggs, and the United States enthusiastically mediated. , U.S. Secretary of State Costa is dispatched, can you say that he is just for world peace?

  This kind of thing is said to a fool and he does not believe it, and the attempt to seek profit is obvious.

  Kstar’s feelings for Daqing have not been so deep, and he himself is not so enthusiastic about public welfare. It is just for profit.

Of course, the Ocean Kingdom is not a good bird either. It is doing the small action of taking chestnuts out of the fire. In other words, don’t look at the life of the Qing Dynasty that was almost beaten and can’t take care of itself. The feared Fusang Kingdom is going to die. The Ocean Kingdom is not afraid at all. The ability to hate is one-of-a-kind strong.

  (End of this chapter)