Qin Zheng's place of stay was arranged by Zhang Zhidong on the shore of Ziyang Lake in Wuchang, which is a lake in the city, known as Ziyang Lake in ancient times, because the lotus flowers in the lake are purple every summer, and the morning glow and sunset reflect the purple lotus, so it is called Ziyang Lake. Eight?? 1 Chinese.com ≈ is one of the famous scenic spots in Wuchang City. Zhang Zhidong often entertains guests here, inscribes inscriptions, and enjoys the beautiful scenery of the lake.

On the evening of the same day, Zhao Fengchang and Rong Junye came to visit Qin Zheng together, and they actually represented Zhang Zhidong to negotiate with Qin Zheng.

Since the two sides had already known each other at the banquet, there were not so many kind words at this time, Zhao Fengchang said: "Political Commissar Qin, Xiang Shuai said at the banquet that he would fully support your resistance to the Russian army, but I don't know how many weapons you need to buy?"

Qin Zheng smiled slightly, took out a piece of note, handed it to Zhao Fengchang, and said, "Mr. Zhao, this is the list of weapons we want to buy." ”

Zhao Fengchang took it and took a look, only to see that it read: 15,000 rifles, 6oo shells, 10000 imitation Makqin machine guns, 30,000 machine gun bullets, 6o imitation 47 mm Haqikaisi guns, 10,000 shells, 10,000 75/77 mm field guns, 20,000 shells, 3o 1oo/1o5 mm howitzers, 5ooo shells, 22/125 mm howitzers, 3oo shells. and the corresponding accessories.

After reading Qin Zheng's list, Zhao Fengchang was also taken aback, because the amount of weapons and ammunition needed by overseas Chinese was much greater than he expected, it turned out that Zhao Fengchang thought that overseas Chinese would buy thousands of rifles at most, and dozens of artillery pieces would be enough, but he didn't expect that it would be so much. Do overseas Chinese need so many weapons and ammunition just to resist the Russian army? To put it mildly, it is enough for rebellion. And to buy so many weapons and ammunition, it will cost at least 1 or 2oo taels of silver, can overseas Chinese get this money?

Zhao Fengchang frowned and said, "Isn't there too much weapons and ammunition you need, and now Xiangshuai doesn't have so many weapons and ammunition." ”

Qin Zheng smiled slightly, and said: "If it is just to deal with the Russian army that invades Shanhaiguan, naturally we don't need so many weapons and ammunition, but even if we defeat the Russian army, it is difficult to guarantee that the Russian army will not send a second batch of attacking troops, and maybe other countries, such as Japan, may also send troops to attack our China, so we should take precautions and buy more weapons and ammunition before it is burned, and be prepared." ”

Zhao Fengchang nodded, Qin Zheng's explanation was reasonable.

Qin Zheng said again: "As for the fact that Xiang Shuai can't take out so many weapons and ammunition for a while, it doesn't matter if it arrives, it can be delivered in installments, and now Xiang Shuai can provide as much as we can, we will buy as much as we want, and it is paid in cash, and the rest of the weapons and ammunition can be produced according to the delivery date later." ”

It turned out that the traverser really only wanted to buy a few thousand rifles and dozens of artillery pieces, so that they could assemble two or three regiments, and it would be enough, at least they could cope with the situation in front of them. But after hearing Rong Junye hint that Zhang Zhidong now intends to make friends with the crossing group, and lacks funds, Qin Zheng also changed his mind and decided to buy enough weapons and ammunition to assemble all the weapons and ammunition of the 12 regiments just planned to be formed, so that before the Qingdao Arsenal can produce all kinds of weapons and ammunition in large quantities, the crossing group will have enough weapons and ammunition to deal with 2-3 wars.

Zhao Fengchang said: "Okay, the purchase list you issued will be truthfully reported to Xiang Shuai in the next meeting, and Xiang Shuai will decide." After a pause, Zhao Fengchang's words changed, and he said: "With your courage and good fighting, if you have Xiangshuai to support weapons and ammunition, it is not difficult to defeat the Russian army, but if you defeat the Russian army, what will your people do?" ”

Qin Zheng said: "Mr. Zhao, we only want to return to our homeland this time, but it coincides with the change of China in the Geng, only to protect the country and defend the people, so we have to punish and fight with various countries, so far, the war is still going well, if this battle defeats the Russian army, and all countries do not want to send troops to China again, then we should immediately negotiate with all countries, sign an armistice agreement with all countries, and restore the peaceful situation in China, and we just want to have a place to stay, so that we can live and work in peace and contentment in our homeland." ”

Zhao Fengchang said with a smile: "The requirements of the nobles are too low, with the merits of the nobles for the imperial court, even weighing and supporting the society, and then casting the country, the merit is high and the world, still above Zeng Wenzhenggong back then, how can he only be a local official, but should be in charge of the military aircraft, in charge of the government, and help the two palaces, so that I can prosper in the Qing Dynasty, so that I can use the materials of the nobles." ”

Qin Zheng also laughed and said: "Mr. Zhao is too awarded, I said at the banquet just now that we can fight, but we are not good at governing the country, and we have just returned to our homeland, and we are not good at it. Mr. Zhao is an understanding person, should know that Zeng Gong also made a powerful contribution to the Qing court to turn the tide, and everything was cautious, but also inevitably for the court suspicion, once the success of the fame, he immediately disbanded the Hunan army, in order to eliminate the court's jealousy, and we were the remnants of the previous dynasty, and after the return of the power of the urgency, but also did a lot of things that did not conform to the law, and even made the court suspicious, how could the court let us take charge of the government, Mr. Zhao's proposal, but put us on the fire to roast ah. ”

Zhao Fengchang couldn't help but be a little embarrassed, but although the other party's words were straightforward, it showed that overseas Chinese decision-makers were sober-minded, focused on the overall situation, and were not greedy for unprofitable gains, so dealing with such people was not easy to fool, but it was also very easy.

Qin Zheng said again: "What's more, the Chun court suffered a great chaos, after the end of the war, the top priority is to calm the people's hearts, the selection of military aircraft officers is very important, when the people are high in morality, and the old people are good to serve, so once the war is over, we will also negotiate with the Qing court, only if we can divide one place, we can accommodate the garrison, once the negotiation is successful, we will withdraw from Beijing, to the fiefdom station." ”

Zhao Fengchang nodded, Qin Zheng's words couldn't be more obvious, it seems that overseas Chinese just want to divide one side in China, of course, the power is much greater than that of ordinary feudal officials, it is estimated that it is to follow the story of the establishment of the three feudatories at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. Of course, judging from the merits and strength of overseas Chinese, it is not too much for them to make such a request. As a man of material and wisdom, and having done a serious investigation into the deeds of overseas Chinese, he certainly would not believe that the so-called propaganda of overseas Chinese is to fight for the interests of the Chinese nation, sovereignty, and the integrity of the leaders. It seems that the timing of the return of overseas Chinese to China this time was very ingenious, and it was quite far-sighted at the time when the Gengzi Kingdom was changing and the power of the Qing court was at its lowest.

Not to mention the merits made by overseas Chinese, which have never been made since the founding of the Qing Dynasty more than 25o years ago, even Zeng Guofan can't compare, after all, although Zeng Guofan is known as the first minister of Zhongxing, his greatest credit is only to suppress the Taiping Rebellion, and he has no achievements for foreigners. And now the overseas Chinese still occupy Beijing, which is also their biggest bargaining chip, that is, to use Beijing to make a deal with the Qing court, if the Qing court agrees, they will give up Beijing, if the Qing court does not agree, they will occupy Beijing, and the Qing court can not always return to Beijing, so Zhao Fengchang can also foresee that the court will definitely agree to the conditions of overseas Chinese.

However, Zhao Fengchang didn't think there was anything wrong with overseas Chinese making such a request, after all, the Qing court was able to survive this time, and it was indeed thanks to the overseas Chinese, otherwise the Qing court might really be finished now. Moreover, it is much better for overseas Chinese to demand secession than to control the central government, not to mention what capital is there in the current Chunting Dynasty and the overseas Chinese? Of course, in this battle between the overseas Chinese and the imperial court, it is possible to find ways to maximize their own interests.

So Zhao Fengchang said: "So what do you think of the nobles, who among the officials of my Qing Dynasty is suitable to enter the military plane and take charge of the government?"

Qin Zheng looked at Zhao Fengchang, smiled, and said, "Only Li Zhongtang and Zhang Xiang are handsome." ”

After Zhao Fengchang heard this, he couldn't help laughing, what he was waiting for was Qin Zheng's words, although Qin Zheng put Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong side by side, and also put Li Hongzhang in front, but Zhao Fengchang didn't feel anything wrong, after all, Li Hongzhang's qualifications and prestige were there, and he would overwhelm Zhang Zhidong in either aspect, so if Li Hongzhang was not qualified to enter the Military Aircraft Department, then no one would be qualified to enter the Military Aircraft Department, including Zhang Zhidong.

Of course, the officials of the Military Aircraft Department are also large and small, but in addition to the end of the head, although there is a difference in the ranking of the military aircraft ministers in the middle, they are equal in terms of authority, and since the Xinyou coup, the leaders of the Military Aircraft Department are all held by a prince, and sometimes the prince will be in charge of the real power of the Military Aircraft Department, such as Prince Gong Yi, Prince Yi Xun, and before the Gengzi State Change, the Minister of Military Aircraft was Prince Li Shiduo, which was a vain man, and the real power of the Military Aircraft Department was in the hands of Rong Lu, who ranked second.

And this time, after the two palaces return to Beijing, it is estimated that there will be no change in this rule, so if Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong enter the military aircraft at the same time, they will not serve as the minister of Xi Junji, Li Hongzhang may be ranked in front of Zhang Zhidong, but the status is equal, of course, the prince who serves as the minister of Xi Junji must be a vain, and the real power is still in the hands of Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong.

As Zhang Zhidong's staff, Zhao Fengchang naturally has to consider the interests of his own master, but at the same time, for his own interests, if Bi Jing is Zhang Zhidong into the military aircraft, then he will definitely recommend himself as an official, and Zhang Zhidong's official position recommended to the court to himself must not be small, at least he should be a governor, and with Zhang Zhidong's qualifications and prestige, the court will definitely sell him this face.

He is only 45 years old now, it is the prime of life, and now he can be appointed as the governor and become a member of the party, which can be regarded as a success, if he has worked hard in office for a few years, and has done a few good political achievements, and has Zhang Zhidong in the middle of the court to support, then it is not impossible for him to be promoted to governor in the future, and even to become the master of the military aircraft. Then the current Guan Jian is to push Zhang Zhidong into the military aircraft department. By exchanging interests with overseas Chinese, Zhang Zhidong could buy weapons and ammunition for overseas Chinese, and even supported overseas Chinese to occupy a place, while overseas Chinese supported Zhang Zhidong to become the main military aircraft.