After Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang returned to Beijing, they first reported the results of their talks with Qin Zheng to the Military Aircraft Department. In fact, the result had already been sent back to Beijing by telegram. After reading it, several ministers of military aircraft were also very happy, because according to the proposal of overseas Chinese, the risks taken by the Qing court in this battle were extremely low, and most of the risks were borne by overseas Chinese, so the life of the imperial court would be better, and the life of the imperial court would be better, and the life of the ministers of military aircraft would of course be better.

However, while they were happy, everyone didn't dare to believe too much, when did the overseas Chinese become so talkative, take the initiative to help the imperial court untie the trap, and take the risk themselves? Is there anything else going on, so the Military Aircraft Department did not rush to report to Cixi and Guangxu, but waited for Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang to come back from Qingdao and ask for details.

Of course, the situation reported by Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang was similar to what was said in the telegram, but it was more detailed, so after they finished speaking, Prince Qing said: "What do you say this overseas Chinese are trying to do?"

Or Li Hongzhang broke through the goal of overseas Chinese in one sentence, and said: "What else can you do, isn't it just aiming at the three eastern provinces?"

When everyone heard this, it suddenly dawned on them that if the overseas Chinese really defeated Japan and Russia, would the three eastern provinces really be theirs? They would certainly not return the three eastern provinces to the imperial court, and at most, like Shandong, they would be restrained by the imperial court on the surface, and even find a few people to come out to take up posts, but in the three eastern provinces, they would do something different.

The others didn't do much, Tie Liang suddenly became anxious, and said: "The Northeast is the land of Longxing in my Qing Dynasty, how can we let the overseas Chinese invade it, ladies and gentlemen, we can't let the overseas Chinese turn the Northeast into a second Shandong." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he found that Li Hongzhang, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, and Zhao Shuqiao were all looking at him with strange eyes, and there were five points of disdain in their eyes, three points of mockery, and two points of annoyance.

Tie conscience can't help but be a little annoyed, although now the ministers in the military aircraft department Manchu and Han occupy 4 seats, but because Rong Lu is recuperating at home, the Manchu military aircraft has lost its backbone, although the 4 Han military aircraft are not monolithic, but they are all old drivers, there is no need to discuss many things at all, a few words and a few eyes can reach a tacit understanding of interest exchange; , Tie Liang is a newcomer, whether it is qualifications, knowledge, or experience, it is not as good as the 4 Han military aircraft, so he is often played around by the 4 Han military aircraft.

Now Tie Liang doesn't know that he said the wrong thing and provoked them to look at him like this. Therefore, he couldn't help but say: "Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think of me like this, is it difficult for me to say it wrong?"

Wang Wenshao said: "Tie Zhongtang, the Northeast is still occupied by the Russians, right? Overseas Chinese have not occupied the Northeast yet, right?"

Tie Liang nodded and said, "Yes!"

Wang Wenshao said: "Isn't that enough? Can we now drive out the Russians and retake the three eastern provinces?"

Tie Liang was stunned for a moment, and finally shook his head, and said in frustration: "No." ”

Wang Wenshao said with a smile: "Now that the Northeast is not in the hands of overseas Chinese, and we are not capable of driving out the Russians, why are we still worried about the overseas Chinese occupying the Northeast? Instead of worrying about this, we should think about how we can drive out the Russians and retake the Northeast, then there will be nothing to do?"

In fact, Li Hongzhang, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, and Zhao Shuqiao all know that now Russia, Japan, and overseas Chinese are competing for the Northeast region, and the Qing court is not qualified to go to the table at all. Only Tie Liang stupidly pierced this layer of window paper.

At this time, Yuan Shikai said: "Ladies and gentlemen, now I have a great power outside the Qing Dynasty, and there are strong vassals on the side of the couch, and the only way to survive is now, the imperial court can only set up a training office, so that all provinces can follow the law of the new army in Beiyang, and train the army in a unified way to strengthen the military preparation. ”

Tie Liang "snorted" and did not speak, in fact, about the establishment of the military training office, Yuan Shikai has blown the wind several times in the court, and Tie Liang is the most resolute opposition minister, the reason is also very simple, once the military training office is established, it must be Yuan Shikai as the minister of the conference, isn't it in charge of the military power of the whole country, the imperial court finally disbanded the Hunan army, and disintegrated the Huai army, but can not produce another "Yuan army".

However, Prince Qing said: "Since the excerpt has been written, I will first present it to the Military Aircraft Department, and after the Military Aircraft Department has read it, I will forward it to the Queen Mother and the Emperor." ”

After a day's government affairs, Li Hongzhang returned to his home, and after dinner, Li Hongzhang called Li Jingfang to the front and said, "You immediately prepare 500,000 taels of silver, immediately remit it to Shanghai, and hand it over to Xingsun (Sheng Xuanhuai)." ”

Li Jingfang was stunned for a moment and said, "Father, what are you doing with so much silver all of a sudden?"

Li Hongzhang glanced at him and said: "Then send a telegram to Nanjing to Youqiao (Zhang Peilun), let him take 300,000 taels of silver, go to Qingdao to set up a factory, and it is best to buy a property in Qingdao, As for what the factory operates, you can discuss with Xingsun, and the management affairs are handed over to Xingsun, so he will go to Qingdao to meet with overseas Chinese, just put a name in the factory, and there is no need to live in Qingdao, and in the future, the shares of the factory, Youqiao and chrysanthemum (Li Hongzhang's daughter, the name Jingxuan, the word chrysanthemum) each account for 3 percent, You account for 4 percent, The remaining 200,000 yuan, after the overseas Chinese participated in the war, asked him to donate to the overseas Chinese to fund the military. ”

Li Jingfang not only shook his body, he was not stupid, and immediately understood what Li Hongzhang meant, this was obviously a show of goodwill to overseas Chinese, and it could even be said that he had already stood up to support overseas Chinese, because he also participated in the factory. To put it bluntly, once Li Hongzhang dies, then Li Jingfang, Zhang Peilun, and Li Jurong can directly join overseas Chinese.

Although Li Jingfang also has a certain good impression of overseas Chinese, Li Hongzhang's completely one-sided approach still surprised Li Jingfang, although Li Jingfang knew that his father would never do anything reckless, but he still couldn't help but say: "Father, I don't think I need to participate in the shares, just let Youqiao and the chrysanthemum come forward, and that's it." ”

Li Jingfang is not participating in the factory, the meaning is completely different, because the son-in-law is still an outsider after all, if only Zhang Peilun and Li Jurong participate in the shares, then it can only be regarded as Li Hongzhang's overtures to overseas Chinese, and Li Jingfang's participation in the shares means that Li Hongzhang is officially on the side.

Li Hongzhang glared at him and said, "What do you know? Let me ask you, if overseas Chinese and Japan join forces against Russia, who will win and who will lose?"

Li Jingfang thought for a while and said, "It should be that overseas Chinese and Japan are stronger." ”

Li Hongzhang said again: "What if overseas Chinese fight Japan?"

Li Jingfang thought for a while before saying: "It should be that overseas Chinese should have a little sex." ”

Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "This is the wishful thinking of overseas Chinese, first unite with Japan to defeat Russia, and then defeat Japan alone, and finally monopolize the northeast." ”

Li Jingfang said: "Even if overseas Chinese occupy the northeast, what should they do? Could it be that they are really going to establish themselves as kings?"

Li Hongzhang sighed and said: "Overseas Chinese have long been subservient to the imperial court, but only superficially maintained, and if they really occupy the northeast, they will definitely not seek such superficial maintenance, and they will inevitably stand on their own openly, not to mention that the imperial court has also given overseas Chinese such an opportunity." ”

This sentence made Li Jingfang a little confused, and said: "How did the imperial court give overseas Chinese a chance." ”

Li Hongzhang snorted and said: "Japan and Russia are at war in order to compete for the land of the Northeast, but the imperial court has done nothing about it, staying out of the matter, if it is in the past, it may be okay, but now overseas Chinese are sending troops to the Northeast to fight against Japan and Russia, how do you ask the people of the world to view the imperial court?" How to look at the overseas Chinese, over the years, the imperial court has repeatedly lost the land of reparations, has already lost the hearts of the people, Gengzi country changes, but even more immoral in the world, and the overseas Chinese have just arrived, but the ability to resist the Eight-Nation Alliance, to protect China from dying, if you can defeat Japan and Russia, take back the Northeast, the prestige is high enough to overwhelm the imperial court, at that time how can the overseas Chinese still maintain this superficial submission, will be self-reliant, and point to the court is immoral, not to mention that they are good at agitating people's hearts, and they are the remnants of the previous dynasty, not the people under the rule of the Qing Dynasty, and they are not for rebellion, as long as they hold high the banner of restoring Han unification, are they still afraid that the people's hearts will not be attachedMoreover, the overseas Chinese advocated land reform in Shandong, although this move offended the local heroes, but it could buy the hearts of the people of the world, so as long as the overseas Chinese took back the prestige of the Northeast and raised their banners and raised their arms, the crowd would gather. ”

After Li Jingfang heard this, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and even his voice trembled a little, and said, "Father, it's hard for overseas Chinese to behave like this, it's for the future?"

Li Hongzhang nodded and said, "That's natural, it's a pity that none of the Manchu ministers can see through the intentions of overseas Chinese." ”

Li Jingfang hesitated for a moment and said, "Why didn't my father remind the imperial court?"

Li Hongzhang glanced at him again and said, "What's the use of reminding me, does the imperial court still dare to send troops to the northeast? You can't even see this layer, you have really followed me in vain for so many years?"

Li Jingfang couldn't help but be a little embarrassed, in fact, he knew very well that the current imperial court simply did not have the courage to send troops to the northeast, and it was useless for Li Hongzhang to remind him, on the contrary, he offended overseas Chinese.

At this time, Li Hongzhang said: "So when the overseas Chinese defeated Japan and Russia and recovered the Northeast, that is, the day when they were completely self-reliant. As he spoke, he sighed softly and said, "Da Chun can't be saved, if I'm old, I don't have a few days to live, but I want to leave a way back for you, as well as the children and grandchildren of the Li family, do you understand?"

Li Jingfang is also an understanding person in the end, although he still has a certain loyalty to the Qing court, but he will not accompany the Chun court to be martyred, on the contrary, he also has a good impression of overseas Chinese, and even very respectful, and his official positions in the Qing court are all fictitious titles, and there is no actual mission, so there is no psychological burden for switching to the banner of overseas Chinese.

The next day, the Minister of Military Aircraft entered the palace and met Cixi and Guangxu in person, explaining the attitude of overseas Chinese. After listening to the advice of overseas Chinese, Cixi couldn't help but be overjoyed, and decided to "do so" on the spot. The current Cixi not only does not have the courage to go to war, but also doesn't want to do much at all, that is, if she can live a day in peace, even if it is a day, Cixi also knows very well that she is almost 70 years old, and she can live for a few days, as long as she can survive a stable life until she closes her eyes, she doesn't care about what happens behind her. And Guangxu was still a little unwilling in his heart, but thinking of the combat effectiveness of the Chun army now, he was not qualified to participate in this gamble at all, so he finally did not speak.

At this time, Prince Qing presented Yuan Shikai's proposal to set up a military training office, Cixi just said: "This soldier is to be trained, but how to practice, the military aircraft department must also have a quasi-idea, put down the excerpt first, and wait for the military aircraft department to discuss it." ”