Zhang Yi heard Cixi's words, and hurriedly replied: "The words of Lafayette are mostly false praise from colleagues, and Zhang Yi is ashamed." ”

Cixi said with a smile: "Jianzhi, there is a good way to train the troops, that is, to train the troops in a good way, above the court, in front of the mourning family, the emperor and all the ministers, there is no need to pretend to be modest, how much ability you have, just say it, if you have the ability, you don't show it, and the court doesn't know how to use it, right?" ”

Zhang Yi was covered in a cold sweat when he heard this, what do you mean by this, it seems that this girl really likes me? No matter what, if you want to make a career, you can't do without the support of the actual person in power in Daqing for the time being, and you can't hide it.

Zhang Yi replied: "Wechen is really ashamed, or Lafayette is well-versed in his eyes, Wechen is not boasting, if it is said that the governance of one side, but also the peace of the people, the minister may still be inexperienced, but the matter of military training, Weichen admits that he is the second, and no one can call it the first." Since childhood, the minister has traveled to various countries with his mentor, and has dabbled in the military training and new tactics of the great powers, and has also been instructed by the mentor for the livelihood of the great powers. ”

Cixi said with a smile: "Okay, ambitious, this is what I want to see Zhang Jianzhi, courageous, dare to take responsibility, don't think about those sixty or seventy-year-old old men to learn, dull, corpse vegetarian meal." Since you are famous for knowing the soldiers, there is no mistake in calling you back to recruit soldiers this time, back then, the Qing Dynasty iron cavalry was unparalleled in the world, and the children of the Eight Banners were invincible wherever they went, but now they can't. It's really declining, the Qing Dynasty is now relying on the Hunan army and the Huai army, without the support of Wen Zhenggong and Li Hongzhang, the Qing Dynasty will be even more difficult, and the emperor and I are really ashamed of our ancestors. Therefore, in addition to letting you recruit soldiers, the mourning family also wants you to form eight battalions of new flag armies to reorganize the prestige of my Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty, I know that you have trained the troops well, such a major matter, except for you, the mourning family really doesn't know which one else can do such a thing, are you willing? ”

Zhang Yi was shocked, he hadn't heard any news about this matter, even if Prince Gong was Wang Yi? Didn't mention it to him.

Zhang Yi pondered a little and said: "Lafayette, the emperor, this time Weichen was called to return to the country to recruit troops, can not be delayed for a long time, a month, now the situation in North Korea is tense, I don't know when, the Japanese army will attack again, before the minister returned to China, Admiral Nie had instructed Weichen, at most forty days, the minister must rush back to North Korea, if the time is delayed any longer, I am afraid that there will be something wrong with the Korean war situation, therefore, I am afraid that the formation of the new flag army, in the short term, it is difficult to really start. ”

Emperor Guangxu said with a smile: "It's okay, I and the Queen Mother also know that you are now lacking in skills, this matter is just to tell you in advance, as for the real start, I'm afraid it will be after the end of the Sino-Japanese war, you just need to tell me and the Queen Mother, the New Banner Army, are you sure to train into an iron-blooded hero like the Blue Wolf Battalion?" ”

Zhang Yi smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager Lafayette has already said that more than two hundred years ago, when the Qing Dynasty was prosperous, the soldiers of the Eight Banners were invincible, but now they are dull and have become stragglers. Why? The key is that people have changed, at the beginning of Taizu's army, the banner people were united, and they only wanted to lay a piece of land for their future children and grandchildren. Now, after two hundred years of peace and prosperity, the children of the Eight Banners are living with the flag in their hands, even if they have nothing to do, they will not starve to death, and more nobles are clinging to the titles left by their ancestors, living in chaos, and even walking dogs, fighting cocks and smoking opium. ”

After listening to Zhang Yi's words, Emperor Guangxu's mind gradually cooled, if the current Emperor Guangxu is really not worried about the power of the Han people to overthrow the Manchu rule with the power in their hands, it is nonsense. He was extremely worried, because of this, he and Cixi wanted to let Zhang Yi train a Eight Banners elite soldiers, in the future, once there is a change, there is also something to rely on under his hands, but he also knows that the situation of the children of the Eight Banners is not only a plate of scattered sand, but also various forces are intertwined and shelter each other, which has become a hot potato in the Qing Dynasty. If you want to turn these people back into elite soldiers in a hundred battles two hundred years ago, ordinary people don't have such great ability.

Emperor Guangxu asked unwillingly: "Jianzhi, isn't there a way?" ”

Zhang Yi calmed down and said: "There is no way, but the selection, establishment, and training of the personnel of the Eight Banners Army must be decided by Wei Chen, and no one is allowed to interfere, and the minister will train a Eight Banner elite soldier for the emperor if he works hard, but if all parties are restricted, the minister is only a second-grade general soldier, and he can't resist the pressure on Wei Chen from all sides no matter what." ”

Emperor Guangxu was stunned, he didn't expect Zhang Yi to say such a thing, he was slightly unhappy in his heart, and asked, "Jianzhi, where did you start talking about this?" ”

Zhang Yi smiled bitterly, and said in his heart, this Guangxu Emperor has no blood, but he doesn't understand bullshit, and he doesn't understand the world or the tricks of scheming in his heart, how can he be in such a complicated situation in the future? Zhang Yi replied: "Your Majesty, it's actually very simple, now the children of the Eight Banners, although they have a flag to support, but because they have nothing to do, there are really not a few people who are living in difficulty, and now they hear that the imperial court is going to form a new flag army, why don't they try their best to sharpen their heads and squeeze in?" The training of the new flag army is a serious matter, it must not be sloppy at all, and the selection of personnel needs to be strictly controlled, so as to ensure that the soldiers of the new flag army are all manufacturable materials and can become real warriors. At the same time, the reason why the wolf battalion trained by the minister won all battles and won a great prestige was that it had gone through hellish training to have today's achievements, and now most of the children of the Eight Banners are idle and accustomed, unrestrained, and can't bear the slightest hardship. ”

Emperor Guangxu listened, his heart was gloomy, he also knew that what Zhang Yi said was the truth, and the current children of the Eight Banners really gave him a headache, according to the virtue of the current group of people, what Zhang Yi was worried about was definitely likely to become a real farce in the future.

Emperor Guangxu turned his head and looked at Cixi, meaning Mom, it's time for you to come forward, such a thing, Erchen is not capable of handling it, those lawless bastards are making trouble, I really can't hold it down at that time.

At this time, Cixi showed a cold light in her eyes, and said slowly: "Jianzhi, since the mourning family and the emperor have entrusted you to form a new flag army, then naturally let it be fully responsible for this matter. ”