Qin Chuan also remembered that Zhang Shiheng pulled Li He to him, and he would never just run errands for Sheng Xuanhuai, Wu Tiaoqing and others to send money, he must have something else. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Besides, since Zhang Shiheng has something to do with himself, and he has met Li He, the pipe band of the Beiyang Fleet, for the first time, he should have a drink, and he has fulfilled the friendship of the landlord.

Qin Chuan stretched out his hand and grabbed Zhang Shiheng and Li He: "If you come, you will be safe, go, you two should go in with me first, and our brothers will have a drink." ”

Zhang Shiheng stretched out his hand and pushed Qin Chuan away: "Minghong, that's the end of today, we appreciate your hospitality." So, I am in a hurry to come to you today because of three things: First, I want to buy some canned food from you and feed the officers and men on his ship. ”

Buy canned food for the sailors on the ship?

Zhang Shiheng's words made Qin Chuan a little puzzled, not to mention that the price of this canned food is amazing now, not to mention, in China, it is only a small-scale supply of high-ranking officials and nobles and those fashionable rich businessmen, as well as wealthy bannermen and local tyrants, Li He wants to buy canned food for the sailors on his ship, is it that the food of the sailors of the Beiyang Fleet is so good? Besides, his Pingyuan is not far away, and it will only be about two days to run to North Korea, what does he want this canned food for?

Qin Chuan asked suspiciously: "Brother Pingji, didn't you say that your Pingyuan ship is a shore defense ship, and it only runs in Tianjin, Weihai, and North Korea?" Once you go to sea, you go ashore in a day or two, why do you want to buy cans to go on the ship? ”

Without waiting for Li He to answer, Zhang Shiheng took over.

"What Ming Hong said is very true, at the beginning, I also thought the same as you, not only did Pingji pay for his own money to buy canned ships, but he also insisted that my manufacturing bureau prepare a large number of steel-core shells for his Pingyuan ship, saying that sooner or later he would start a war with the Japanese at sea, and he should be prepared. He had a bad temperament, so I had to agree to him. After listening to this today, I realized that the planar setting has far-reaching intentions. ”

Zhang Shiheng's words made Qin Chuan couldn't help but be surprised, he really didn't expect that this little-known Li He would have such vision and courage.

It's just that there is such a character in the Beiyang Fleet, how come he never heard of it before the crossing?

It stands to reason that such a person would have behaved in that naval battle no matter what?

Even if he didn't catch up with that naval battle at that time, he should have a reputation for fighting the Japanese Navy on Liugong Island in the future?

Li He looked at Qin Chuan's surprised eyes, sighed and said, "Ming Hong, don't look at me like this, I'm just doing my best to obey the destiny of heaven." It's best if you can't fight this battle with the Japanese, but if you do, you have to be a little prepared. Although my Pingyuan ship is small and slow, it can be waterline armor 9.4 inches, deck armor 2 inches, bridge armor 5 inches, although the caliber of the main gun is not very large, and the rate of fire is also slow, but the quality of the Krupp gun is still good, the firing range is 12200m, if you really want to go to war, as long as my Pingyuan ship is not hit by the opponent's large-caliber artillery, it can completely approach the enemy ship, and use steel core bullets to penetrate the enemy's side armor and cause an internal explosion of the enemy ship, if you are lucky, it is enough to sink the enemy ship with one blow. ”

Qin Chuan clearly said that the unit of armor thickness in Li He's mouth was inches, 9.4 inches, which is 238.76mm, 2 inches, which is 76.2mm, and 5 inches, which is 127mm.

Qin Chuan said in his heart: "Obediently, although this Pingyuan ship is self-made by China, this armor is really not bad, compared to the armor of Japan's Naniwa and Gao Chiho, two warships with a displacement half larger than it, are thicker."

Li He continued: "My Pingyuan ship has been going back and forth between Korea all the year round, once a war starts, it is likely that I will bear the brunt, and even my Pingyuan ship has always been alone, the Japanese want to provoke a war by surprise, it is not impossible to find me trouble first, if this is the case, I am afraid that I will not have time to replenish supplies, since it is a war, I can't let the officers and soldiers go hungry, I have learned about Minghong's canned food, it is very suitable for storage on the ship, in case of emergency." ”

Looking at Qin Chuan with a solemn expression, Li He continued with some regret: "I heard that Master Sheng suggested to Zhongtang that all the capital ships of the Beiyang Naval Division should be equipped with canned food when they go on patrol, and I also suggested to Ding Junmen, but unfortunately, the household department nodded through the Shengshang, not only is our Beiyang Naval Division not allowed to buy new ships, but the daily expenses are also deducted, and there are some money raised by the Merchants Bureau and the telegraph company in the Zhongtang, but that money is to wait for the imperial court to approve it, and the Zhongtang will purchase a large ship for the Sailor. So it's not time to equip warships with cans. ”

Li He whispered a little embarrassedly: "I want my brother to pay out of his own pocket, and I can't do it, and I have to support my family with this pipe belt, so I have to pay for it with the public expense of the boat." ”

According to Qin Chuan's knowledge, although the salary of the Beiyang Navy Division is much higher than that of the Green Battalion and the Huai Army, the rank of the general of the Navy Division is only 2640 taels per year, and Li He is the title of the general, which is one level lower than that of the general, and it is estimated that it is about 2000 taels per year.

It's just that Qin Chuan doesn't know what this boat fee is.

Seeing that Qin Chuan was a little puzzled, Zhang Shiheng smiled and helped Li He explain.

"Ming Hong, that's right, the pipe belt of the Beiyang Navy Division has a monthly official fee for sailing, which is generally used for the interior decoration of the ship, the purchase of paint, paper, cotton yarn, and the cost of hiring people for coal loading and unloading, as well as hiring people to lead the water, buying the uniforms of the officers and soldiers on the ship, and also including the staff clerks hired by the pipe and other miscellaneous expenses. Of course, this money can not be spent every month, and the pipe belts of each ship will not use this fee within the regulations, and the money that cannot be spent will be at the disposal of these pipe belts themselves, even if they are kicked into their arms, no one will be held accountable. ”

Zhang Shiheng saw that Li He's face was a little unswerving, and he hurriedly explained with a smile: "Ming Hong, among the senior officers of the Beiyang Naval Division, they all do this, that is, Lin Taizeng, Liu Buchan, Deng Shichang, Fang Boqian, Ye Zugui, Lin Yongsheng, Qiu Baoren, these main pipe bands, all use this fee every month to pay for expenses outside the charter. ”

Qin Chuan said in his heart, isn't this open corruption!

But if you think about it, you don't think so, out of the sludge and not stained, this sentence is easy to say, but if Li He really wants to be like this, then he will not be easy to mix in this Beiyang Naval Division. As the saying goes, you only see two feet of mud when you get out of the water, although it is not too suitable to use it on Li He, but Li He really wants to have no mud on his feet, and it is estimated that he will not be able to be the pipe belt of the Beiyang Sailor now.

Zhang Shiheng didn't know what Qin Chuan was thinking, and continued to explain to Li He.

"It's just that the cost of flat inlay is not much, this shipping fee is distributed according to the tonnage of the ship, Dingyuan Zhenyuan is the most, 850 taels per month, Zhiyuan, Jiyuan, Weiyuan, Jingyuan, Laiyuan are 550 taels, flat inlay Pingyuan is 450 taels, as for Chaoyong, Yang Wei is only 320 taels. The 450 taels of flat inlay, there is not much left of the normal expenditure, and the flat inlay means that it is on credit first, and it is necessary to pay 40 boxes on credit from you first, and then return it to you one after another. ”

Zhang Shiheng's explanation made Li He's face turn red even more, and he said to Qin Chuan with some twist.

"Minghong, there's no way, the money at my brother's disposal is too little, you have to be embarrassed, just put this matter back for a while, and wait until I have enough money, and then come and get the canned."

Qin Chuan knew that Li He had misunderstood him, so he waved his hand and said, "Brother Pingzhu is dedicated to the country, why worry about a little thing, how many people are there on your ship?" ”

"202 people."

"In this way, I don't want a penny from Brother Ping, tomorrow you will send someone over, I will give you 60 boxes first, first take 20 boxes for the brothers to taste, and then I will give Brother Pingji 40 boxes every month, these cans have an expiration date, every time you get a new one, eat the old one, how about it."

Hearing that Qin Chuan didn't want money to give him for free, Li He couldn't help but be overjoyed, you know, the retail price in Tianjin is now 18 yuan for a box of Yingyang, not to mention that Qin Chuan gave 60 boxes for the first time, and the price of 40 boxes per month in the future is 720 yuan, he just used all the public expenses of his Pingyuan ship to buy canned food, which is still not enough.

Li He happily threw up his hand again and again, hehe smiled dryly and couldn't speak.

Qin Chuan thought about it and said: "Not only that, in the future, I will also send the same number of capital ships as the Heping Yuan Ship every month, and I don't want any of them, so I have the right to contribute some strength to our Sailor Division." ”

"Good!"

Zhang Shiheng on the side had already applauded and shouted: "Ming Hong is generous, in this way, Ming Hong is equivalent to handing over more than 5,000 taels of silver to the water master every month, and this year is more than 60,000 yuan. ”

Qin Chuan shook his hand and said: "What's the use of troublesome Zhongtang with these things, brother doesn't ask for praise and encouragement, just ask our Beiyang sailors to really fight with the Japanese, buy more strength, and defeat the Japanese." ”

When it comes to the Japanese, Qin Chuan thinks of the First Sino-Japanese Naval Battle next year, and his heart can't help but tighten.

Zhang Shiheng looked around, although there was no one near them at all, he still lowered his voice and said.

"Minghong, there are two more things, this is the second thing. Ming Hong, do you remember what I told you about Min Chengjun in the school field? ”

Qin Chuan nodded and said, "Naturally, I remember." ”

Zhang Shiheng said: "Okay, Minghong, Min Chengjun will hold a banquet in Yiran Ju tonight, specially to invite you, the God of Wealth, to come, and only accompany the two of them for Brother Pingping, you can set an hour." ”

This Min Chengjun naturally wanted to meet, and Qin Chuan had already made up his mind on the school ground, and there were many places where he needed the help of Min Chengjun in his plans in North Korea.

Although Qin Chuan had a watch on his wrist, he didn't look at the time in front of Zhang Shiheng, an expert, but estimated it in his heart.

"Brother Chu Bao, in this way, I still have to arrange the affairs of the salt group and the company, if you want to delay a little time, you go first, I will arrive on time."

"Okay, let's make a decision, and I'll live comfortably while I'm in peace."

Seeing that Qin Chuan agreed, Zhang Shiheng was satisfied and pulled Li He to leave, but was stopped by Qin Chuan.

"Hey, didn't you say three things, just said two, what is the third one, you haven't said it yet, how can you say just go?"

Zhang Shiheng shook his hand and broke away from Qin Chuan's hand pulling at his sleeve, and smiled slyly: "This third thing can't be said now, and we can't talk about it until we are drinking in Yiranju in the evening." ”