It's just that as soon as the words came out, Xianfeng already regretted it, why can't he borrow Russian soldiers, where is the land of Longxing in the Qing Dynasty, isn't this thing obvious!

Therefore, he changed his mouth and asked again: "Although Russia is a problem for the heart, and England and France are for the body, but with the help of the division to suppress it, Russia is the most active, saying that the country has a million elite soldiers, and can recruit millions in wartime, and before sending troops, it can receive tens of thousands of foreign guns and cannons, how can King Gong do?" ”

Prince Gong immediately said something: "Has Your Majesty forgotten the golden and jade words before the death of Duke Lin Zexu?" ”

"Russia will be a disaster for China!" It's just that Xianfeng said meaningfully: "I am not only the emperor of China, but also the emperor of our Manchus......"

……

"What a wolf ambition!" Liu Chang soon got this clear news from Shanghai: "France has already sent two battalions of infantry to Shanghai, and Russia is also preparing to send one battalion or one ......company to Shanghai."

The British Governor of Hong Kong expressed his personal wishes to Liu Chang: "I hope to maintain good relations with your army, and I hope that your army can also respect the neutrality of Shanghai." ”

If the British don't intervene, France and Russia alone won't be able to make much trouble, although these two countries are both army powers, but they have more than enough strength to invest tens of thousands of troops thousands of miles away from their homeland, not to mention that the Crimean War will make both countries devastated their vitality.

To Liu Chang's surprise, it was the threat of war between Russia and France that made the Westerners in Shanghai more inclined to the Hongjun, saying that they could supply the Hongjun with unlimited amounts of weapons, ammunition and all the materials they needed, and the only reward was to ask Liu Chang to allow them to open factories and explore minerals in the area controlled by the Hongjun, as for monopolistic industries such as railways. They only asked a few tentative questions.

Clearly, these Westerners are more focused on business opportunities. And not what the unanimity of the Western powers. This also made Liu Chang see the hope of victory, and Xu Yuegui on the side was a little nervous: "Check, are we transferring the first division back to Jiangxi!" ”

As the No. 1 trump card main force of the Rainbow Army, the First Division has just carried out a week's security operation near Huzhou. Annihilated more than 4,000 Qing troops and swept away the Qing troops near Guangdening Kingdom. Then he went south and prepared to leap to Jiangxi.

"Zeng Guofan's upstream is the trouble of his henchmen, and Russia and France are not just physical problems!" Liu Chang saw it very clearly: "Our Hongjun is thriving now, and it is just a soldier. Not in my eyes yet. ”

"But you should be prepared!" Xu Xianggui felt that her little husband didn't take foreign soldiers too seriously: "Before Daoguang Ye and Yingyi went to war. It's so contemptuous......"

Liu Chang was the person who knew the most about the great powers in this time and space, and he said: "Although the French have increased their troops in Shanghai, it will take at least three months to start a war with me......

In fact, three months is already a very optimistic estimate, if one takes into account the mobilization of troops from another hemisphere. I am afraid that it will take half a year to complete the assembly of troops, after all, France is not like England. An attack on China could easily bring Indian troops over.

"But it's only three months!" Xu Xianggui said: "It's only three months! ”

"What do you think I can do in three months?" Liu Chang said very easily: "In three months, I can take a complete Jiangxi, and even half of Anhui......"

Xu Xianggui disagreed with Liu Chang's opinion: "But in Zhejiang Province, there are too few strong divisions, and they are all concentrated in Huzhou!" ”

"That's enough, Huzhou alone is enough to make France a country daunted........."..., of course, Liu Chang was also determined to make some preparations.

……

The news that the French and Russians could intervene in the Chinese civil war with arms only caused some small waves, but it only intensified the pace of the Huzhou Coal and Iron War.

In any case, Huzhou is a good place to be a new industrial base, with the only downside being that there is not enough food – much of the land is occupied by silk, tea, and other economic roles that are more rewarding.

But around the shores of Taihu Lake, which is home to China's most productive grain producing region, the entire Hongjun has been building the industrial zone with astonishing enthusiasm, and the first results have finally come under the sunshine of June.

Zhu Jiumei pulled Zhu Hailan and said, "Sister...... Not bad, the ship we built ......."

Compared with the Taiping military and civilian ships and Qing army warships that Zhu Hailan has seen, this is indeed a big ship, although there is no fluid design, but on the whole, the appearance design of this warship is beautiful and elegant, which is proportional to the money he spent.

"Is there a name?"

Zhu Hailan asked, "Can this ship be driven without sails?" ”

She knew that the Hongjun had several steamships before, and the origin of these ships was complex, and the efficiency of the voyage was average, but it was to completely suppress the Qing army's sailors and pirate ships along the coast of Zhejiang, and there was even a saying that a steam warship of the Hongjun army was equivalent to a hundred wooden ships in terms of efficiency.

Zhu Jiumei said very meaningfully: "Of course it can be opened, and even the operator of the steam engine is our own person, as for the name, it has been decided, Zhenze ......"

Zhenze is the old name of Taihu Lake, which means that the purpose of the construction of this steam warship is not to compete for sea control, but for the right to control the water of inland rivers and inland lakes, and Zhu Jiumei continued to woo her sister: "Sister...... Come to my side, it's easier than the Army! ”

"But I finally opened up the situation, and I want to ...... again" Zhu Hailan was still a little hesitant: "Let me think about it again!" ”

"Don't think about it!" Zhu Jiumei told Zhu Hailan a bombshell: "If you want to lead the infantry team, it is better to come to our navy, our navy is ready to form the first marine brigade, if you come over, it is just right." ”

"Marines?" Zhu Hailan was shocked by the news: "I remember that the infantry of your navy is less than three battalions combined?" ”

In the past years, although the Rainbow Army Naval Division was equipped with a large number of warships, most of the time it did not actively participate in land warfare, and the naval infantry had no presence most of the time, and the total number was also limited.

However, the reason why it was reorganized into a marine brigade was also to prepare for the possible intervention of the foreign powers in the future, and Liu Chang did not intend to use this marine brigade as a landing force at all, but intended to use it as a pure army force, but the scope of activities was limited to the coastal areas of Zhejiang, where the French and Russian troops might land.

Zhu Jiumei replied: "The inspection has a plan, and it is also an opportunity for our navy to make the Marine Corps independent, Zhang Sigui is very interested in this position?" ”

"He does it himself?"

"No, his people!" Zhu Jiumei replied: "But Ye Niangniang's side is also interested, and the specific candidate has not yet been decided." ”

Zhu Hailan's heart beat violently, and she said, "Ninth sister, what do you think of me?" I'm the one who was the commander of the main infantry regiment, so it's okay to take a group of cadres to the Marine Brigade, right? ”

"This?" Zhu Jiumei didn't think that Zhu Hailan's train of thought jumped so much: "That's the Marine Brigade!" ”

"It's just because it's a Marine Brigade, that's why I want you to help me!" Zhu Hailan's answer was very direct: "This opportunity is not easy!" ”

When the two sisters were talking about this issue, someone behind them replied: "Miss Zhu, I suggest that you give up this plan, because I have already chosen this brigade commander!" "...,"Check! ”

Zhu Hailan was a little disappointed, but hurriedly greeted her: "Why did you come here without even bringing a guard, who has such luck?" ”

"Keep it a secret for now!" Liu Chang replied: "Ninth sister, is the coal for today's trial voyage purchased or self-mined?" ”

Zhu Jiumei replied: "Purchased from outside, but when it is usually running, it can only be used by self-mining, but the self-mining coal is not enough......

"The production is so small?" Liu Chang was a little surprised: "Haven't you started a lot of coal mining?" ”

"But the factory also uses coal!" Zhu Jiumei replied: "Next, the Taihu base is going to continue to build five steam warships, and the coal to be used every month is a large number, and if the quantity is insufficient, it will affect the combat effectiveness of the troops......

The entire Taihu base is preparing to form this inland river fleet at the rate of launching one steam warship every two months, which seems to be a large number, but considering the efficiency of an average of three steam warships can only be put into operation at any time, the actual number is not much.

Liu Chang nodded: "I'll help you ask, but is the quality of the coal for your own use?" ”

In fact, the requirements for boiler coal are extremely high, and it is often the best coal that can be used, but Zhu Jiumei's requirements are very low: "It's good to have coal now, how dare you pick three or four, check, you are the master for me." Since my sister has no chance to be the commander of the Marine Brigade, it is better to come over and help me. ”

Liu Chang asked: "Hailan, how does it feel to leave the sixty-third regiment temporarily?" ”

"Mixed feelings!" Zhu Hailan replied: "I have mixed feelings." ”

Although the relationship with the 63rd Regiment only lasted for two months, Zhu Hailan was full of feelings for the infantry regiment she had led, and she said: "The inspection point is preparing to let me go back to the 63rd Regiment? ”

She knew that the 63rd Regiment was only designated as the acting commander, and if she could return to the 63rd Regiment, it would be a surprise, but Liu Chang said: "The reason why I forcibly left you in Huzhou is, of course, because there are other arrangements......

"Another arrangement?" Zhu Hailan didn't know what Liu Chang's other arrangements meant: "Check, what do you mean?" ”

Liu Chang just wanted to answer, but Zhu Jiumei said: "Check, Zhenze is starting to fire......

Liu Chang nodded, but said one more sentence: "But I'm afraid I'm going to wronged Hailan, you go back to Hangzhou with me." ”

"Hangzhou?"