Chapter 90 The first meeting is a forgetful year

After seven days of wandering on the sea, Zhang Yi and others finally arrived at Tianjin Port on the evening of the seventh day. On the port, there were two or three hundred people who came to greet them, led by two middle-aged people, waiting patiently.

One of them said softly: "Brother Xingsun, has it been too long for us to greet young people in such a big battle?" Lao Zhongtang seems to think too much of him. ”

Another chuckled and said, "Youqiao, your high temper has been committed again." This young man is in North Korea, without him, Nie Gongting's life in North Korea is definitely not so comfortable, even Lao Zhongtang's life is a lot more comfortable because of it. Lao Zhongtang also said a few days ago that the future of the Huai system will all depend on him, maybe, in the future, we will have to rely on his prestige to live. ”

It was Li Hongzhang's right-hand man, the most important staff, Sheng Xuanhuai and Zhang Peilun, who came to greet Zhang Yi and his party on Li Hongzhang's orders.

Gradually, the warships of the Beiyang approached the harbor, anchored and stopped, and Zhang Yi led the soldiers who returned home to get off the ship.

Zhang Peilun said loudly: "It's Mr. Zhang Yi in front? Perron has been waiting here for a long time. ”

Zhang Yi's heart was shocked, Zhang Peilun, this is Li Hongzhang's henchman in his later years, his right-hand man, he actually came to greet him in person, thinking of this, he hurriedly bowed down and said: "There are Mr. Lao Youqiao and other masters, Zhang Yi is really ashamed, apologize, apologize!" ”

When Zhang Yi came to the front of everyone, Zhang Peilun and Sheng Xuanhuai walked a few steps, held Zhang Yi's hands, and said again and again: "Mr. Zhang Yi has worked hard all the way, and Lord Zhongtang has been waiting for Mr. for a long time. ”

Zhang Peilun then introduced Sheng Xuanhuai and others to Zhang Yi, and Zhang Yi saw them one by one.

Sheng Xuanhuai said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang Yi, please come with me to the old Zhongtang mansion and go to meet you." ”

Zhang Yi replied: "There are many people, Zhang Yi is about to go to visit the Lord in the middle hall." ”

Zhang Peilun and Sheng Xuanhuai accompanied Zhang Yi to come straight to the Yamen of the Governor's Office, the capital of Zhili was originally in Baoding, but Li Hongzhang concurrently served as the Minister of Beiyang, and the government was indeed in Tianjin, and at the same time, in order to better command the Beiyang Naval Division, Li Hongzhang moved the Yamen of the Governor's Office to Tianjin, a later northern town.

Zhang Yi came to Li Hongzhang's living room, Li Hongzhang was half-lying on the soft couch, with two maids waiting next to him, and a general in his fifties standing next to him, accompanying him. Today's Li Hongzhang is also nearly seventy years old, with gray hair, but his spirit is strong, and his eyes are full of essence, revealing the vicissitudes of life and sophistication.

This is the most important figure of the late Qing Dynasty, who had a mixed reputation, and spent his whole life on the Westernization Movement, plugging holes and pasting windows for the dilapidated house of the Qing Dynasty. After a hard life, he finally coughed up blood and died under the persecution of the Russian minister, how sad and desolate. Zhang Yi can be said to be full of admiration and sympathy for Li Hongzhang, a generation of great talents, unfortunately, born at the wrong time!

Zhang Yi walked a few steps, half-knelt in front of Li Hongzhang, and asked for peace: "Humble as the military affairs counselor of the Korean army, the blue wolf battalion manager takes Zhang Yi, see Lord Zhongtang, and ask Lord Zhongtang for peace." ”

Li Hongzhang sat up from the soft couch, walked two steps quickly, helped Zhang Yi up with his own hands, and laughed: "Haha, Zhang Yi, it's all your own family, so don't be polite." You are a rising star in my Beiyang series, my ears have already grinded out cocoons, come and sit down and have tea! ”

Zhang Yi thanked him again and sat down on the side, and Zhang Peilun and Sheng Xuanhuai also sat down on the side.

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Zhang Yi, the old man will introduce you to an elder first, Yu Ting, and I can't come yet." ”

The general on the side walked over, and Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Zhang Yi, this is the famous Admiral of my Beiyang Naval Division, Ding Ruchang, Lord Ding." ”

"Ding Ruchang!" Zhang Yi's heart was shocked, and he looked at this naval commander who was famous in the late Qing Dynasty, only to see that Ding Ruchang was slightly thin, with thick eyebrows and angry eyes, not angry and arrogant, he was really majestic, and he deserved to be the number one general of the Huai Army.

Zhang Yi hurriedly bowed down and said: "Zhang Yi has seen Lord Ding in the future, and I will ask you to give me advice in the future, and mention more!" ”

Ding Ruchang also looked at Zhang Yi intently, it was this young man who was no more than twenty years old, and made several suggestions, which made the Sino-Japanese war situation change dramatically, and even caused the Beiyang Navy Division to inflict heavy losses on the Japanese Navy, retreat from the Yellow Sea, and even more clouds and rain in the Korean battlefield, assisting Nie Gongting to defeat the Japanese army.

Look at this young man, he is not very tall, and he has a killing aura all over his body, revealing a determination to kill, and he is worthy of being a tiger general who has come down from the battlefield.

Ding Ruchang hurriedly replied: "Hehe, Zhang Yi Guandao, politely and politely, the Governor would have thanked Zhang Guandao a lot, if it weren't for your reminder, on the Yellow Sea, the battle between the Governor and the Japanese Navy would be unpredictable." ”

Everyone was polite in the hall, and they all took their seats.

Li Hongzhang said: "Zhang Yi, the will of the imperial court, the old man already knows. Returning to China to recruit soldiers was Master Weng's suggestion, and His Majesty personally decreed it. What do you think about this recruitment? ”

Zhang Yi replied: "Lord Zhongtang, now that the war in Korea is urgent, Admiral Nie has given an order to the lowly post to complete the recruitment and preliminary training as soon as possible and return to North Korea to help the war. He believed that it was best to recruit troops on the spot, and set up the recruiting sites in Baoding and Tianjin, two cities with dense populations, sufficient soldiers, close proximity, and convenient communication. The lowly position plans to recruit the loyal department and the Yi department in Tianjin, and the lowly position will sit in Tianjin in person, so that the lord of Zhongtang can ask for advice at any time. As for Baoding, Zhao Shixiao is going to be responsible for recruiting the Hao Department and the Dang Department, and within 10 days, the four departments will be fully recruited with 10,000 people, and then they will be divided into battalions for half a month of training, and then they will set off for North Korea as soon as possible. ”

Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "Zhang Yi, first, the matter of recruitment, you and leave it to them to deal with, now the first priority is to respond to the call of Lafayette and the emperor, rush to the capital, meet the holy driver, then I will arrange for Youqiao to go with you, meet the Holy Driver, the matter is very important, the old man is afraid that you lack experience, Youqiao will be with me for a long time, and all the important ministers of the court in the capital are familiar with it, and can help you one or two." Second, after meeting the saint and returning to Tianjin, he will stay in the old man's house for a few more days, and now that the Sino-Japanese war is deadlocked, the old man still has a lot of things to rely on your help. ”

Zhang Yi hurriedly replied: "Humble duty and abide by the teachings of Lord Zhongtang. ”

Li Hongzhang asked: "If there is nothing to do tonight, let's dine here with me, just right, let's have a good chat together, and tell me to go down and let the banquet be prepared below, I will feast the Qing heroes who have returned from Korea." ”

Zhang Yi hurriedly thanked him.

Li Hongzhang changed the topic and suddenly asked: "Zhang Yi, what do you think about the current situation between China and Japan, don't shy away from it, even if you speak freely, let us old men have a long insight." ”