"Boom—"

A flash of lightning followed, and a rolling thunderstorm swept over the blackened clouds, pouring down a large and even more violent rain. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

Jinmen, Zhili Governor Xingtai Yamen.

The Earl of the Qing Dynasty, the last important minister of Xiantong Zhongxing, the first governor in the world, the governor of Zhili and other places, the commander of military affairs, the management of the river, the governor's affairs, and the minister of Beiyang trade, Li Hongzhang Li Zhongtang, who co-organized the university scholar, sat quietly on the Ruyi moire Huanghuali Taishi chair in the signing room of the official residence, and slowly drank the warm 'George' brand milk from the British ship.

It had been raining for a whole day, which made the governor's office yamen, which had been running at high speed these days, suddenly relaxed, and Li Hongzhang could finally sit in the third hall leisurely and clean his ears that had been noisy for the past few days.

In the past few days, because the Gaosheng was sunk by the Oriental Navy on the 25th, Li Hongzhang was heartbroken and excited, but more of it was buried deep in his heart, but he didn't dare to show a trace of doubt:

Are Orientals crazy?

How dare they shell the foreigners of the British Empire and sink the big steamers of the British Empire!

They have eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, so they are not afraid of provoking the war provocation of the Taixi powers?

Moreover, there was such a major foreign-related incident, and the Orientals dared to attack Asan aggressively in Korea, and dared to declare war on our Qing Dynasty in a bullish manner?

Where is their confidence, why are they so bold?

On the 23rd day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, the Oriental raided the palace of Seoul, supported the king Li Xi to ascend the throne, supported his father Xingxuan Dayuan Jun Li Yuying as regent, expelled the Qing army stationed in the court, and announced the severance of all subordinate relations with the Qing state.

Then Ye Zhichao lived up to the trust, he and Nie Shicheng's five thousand elite soldiers and horses, resolutely took the initiative on the 29th, and fought a vicious battle with the Orientals who invaded Chenghuan.

The battle was fought well, and the 'Asan Victory' made the Oriental soldiers 'panic and don't know how many heavenly soldiers there were in the night, and they rushed to be the first to flee', and taught a hard lesson to those little neighbors who didn't know the height of the sky, and they were worthy of being the Huai Army that they brought out single-handedly.

What is especially satisfying to Li Zhongtang is that Ye Zhichao, a tiger general, understands the overall situation, knows how to advance and retreat, and can not be blinded by a momentary victory, but stands in the position of the commander of one side and thinks about the problem as a whole.

He clearly realized that Asan was too close to Seoul and Dongyang, and too far from the Yalu River, and it was too difficult to supply food, ammunition, and troops in the logistics.

In addition, Asan is limited by the terrain and cannot carry out large-scale castle joint defense.

Therefore, Ye Zhichao resolutely decided to 'retain his strength first, in order to inflict a heavy blow on the invading Oriental clown in the future, so that he would know the prestige of our Qing Huai Army', and immediately retreated directly north to Pyongyang.

On the 26th, Li Hongzhang learned that Jiyuan was defeated and retreated in the Battle of Fengzhou, Guangyi ran aground and burned, the iron-boned and wood-hulled gunboat Caojiang was forced to surrender, and thousands of Huai army children in the Gaosheng were buried in the sea.

Li Hongzhang began to worry about Ye Zhichao's 5,000 soldiers and horses hanging alone in Ashan, afraid that he would be dumpled by Oriental pirates.

That's all his old foundation, and he is an elite soldier who saves money with one tael of silver and one tael of silver.

Now Ye Zhichao and Nie Shichengjiang Zikang's 5,000 elite Huai troops are retreating to Pyongyang, and the imperial court is also discussing which troops to send into Korea to help in the war.

As long as these reinforcements and Ye Zhichao join forces in Pyongyang, although they can't talk lightly about counterattacking Seoul, but the stronghold sticks to the future, Li Hongzhang is still absolutely confident.

Moreover, Li Hongzhang is very suspicious that the Orientals now dare to fight Pyongyang, even Seoul, and even North Korea, it is estimated that they will not have the energy to stay any longer in a few days.

On the 26th, after Li Hongzhang received the news that the Gao Sheng had been sunk, he immediately met with the British Consul General in Tianjin.

During the meeting, Li Hongzhang strongly criticized the Orientals for ignoring public international law and openly shelling and sinking ships of neutral countries, and hoped that the British fleet would take resolute measures against the Oriental countries.

Li Hongzhang drank the warm milk in small sips, and couldn't help but be proud of the sonorous and powerful words he said at that time:

"They beat your consul general, sank your ship, and don't stop your envoy at all!"

Li Hongzhang believed that he had succeeded in provoking the anger of Consul General Bowshide against the Orientals.

On the 27th, Yiliang urgently met with the British Minister to China, Ogne, and asked when Yiliang asked: "The East is so unreasonable, and the West is always talking about public law, what should I do?" ”

"At this time," said Eugene, "I cannot make a judgment, but obey the orders of the government." It is not known whether the Oriental Kingdom sank the British ship or even sent sailors there. ”

Then, on August 1 of the foreign calendar, the day before yesterday, when China and Japan officially declared war, Ogne went to the headquarters of the Beiyang Naval Division in Jinmen and listened to the joint investigation report presided over by Huang Lin and Luo Fenglu of the Beiyang Naval Division's battalion office.

They all expressed their incredulity and condemnation in private!

Yesterday, Li Hongzhang got another piece of news that made him even happier, and he rewarded the minions below with a few good faces. - The British Far East Fleet, which is cruising in East Asia, has sent Cardinals and Marksmen to settle accounts with the fleet of the Oriental Invaders!

"At this time, there should be news from the UK side again, right?"

Li Hongzhang put down the blue and white milk cup in his hand, waiting a little anxiously.

"Nak."

In the heavy rain, Zhang Peilun rushed to the signing room with an umbrella.

"Youqiao, why did such a heavy rain come, there is news from the UK, what do you say?"

Li Hongzhang couldn't help but perk up.

"Not yet, Bo Xing has been staring at things over there."

Zhang Peilun put the umbrella on the flower stand on the porch, because he was in a hurry all the way, his voice was a little panting: "Zhongtang, just now Beitang General Wu sent an urgent letter, please take a look." ”

Zhang Peilun respectfully handed the letter that had been opened to Li Hongzhang.

"What kind of important thing can Beitang have, need-"

Li Hongzhang suddenly stopped talking, and his face changed several times.

He picked up the tortoiseshell reading glasses on the table and carefully read them word by word.

"Boom—"

The sky outside the house was another thunderbolt, shining on the flickering light and darkness in the house, according to Zhang Peilun's shocked and confused expression, and Li Hongzhang's old face gradually turning blue.

Like a boulder, Zhang Peilun was slowly almost out of breath.

"Good news, father!"

At this time, Li Jingfang ran in with a happy face, because he was in a hurry all the way, and most of his clothes and hair were soaked by the rain.

As soon as he entered the door, he waved the telegram in his hand and shouted: "The British Foreign Office has officially accused the Orientals of their crimes, and the Foreign Secretary, Kimberley, has also given a strongly-worded order to the Orientals. ”

"Okay."

The dark clouds on Li Hongzhang's face suddenly dissipated, and he happily took the telegram from his eldest son Li Jingfang, and casually threw aside the urgent letter sent by Beitang like a set of coals.

"What is this?"

Li Jingfang just casually glanced at the letter on the table, and inadvertently saw a few eye-catching words of 'Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation', and turned his head to look at Zhang Peilun, who seemed to have just come in, with a puzzled expression.