The Mawei Military Port was destroyed, and the news of the destruction of the entire Fujian Navy reached the capital. The entire Jingshi was shaken, and Guan Xuqing sat on the dragon chair. In the face of these princes and ministers below, angry eyes swept towards them one after another. If the eyes could kill, the people standing below would have died hundreds of times.

Guan Xuqing said angrily: "Who can tell me why this is? Since the Sino-French War, the war in Vietnam has been very stable. It is difficult for the French army to advance an inch, but it is the largest military port and warship maintenance center in the Qing Dynasty. Wiped out overnight along with the Fujian Naval Division? ”

The ministers stood in a line in the hall, and the air in the hall was flowing with unease, as if everyone was about to suffocate. Guan Xuqing looked for Li Hongzhang in the crowd and shouted, "Li Hongzhang." ”

Li Hongzhang took a step, "The minister is here." ”

Guan Xuqing said: "Read these two telegrams to everyone. ”

"Wow." Li Hongzhang took the telegram and read it: "On the eighth night of the tenth month of the ninth year of Guangxu, the French army launched an attack on Mawei Military Port and Taiwan at the same time. The Fujian Navy Division was completely annihilated, the military port was hit hard, and Zhang Peilun did not know where to go...... According to the Taiwan Military Daily, Sun Kaihua retreated without a fight, and the French army occupied Keelung without a single shot. ”

Guan Xuqing looked around at the ministers in the hall and roared angrily: "What has Zuo Zongtang done in Fujian?" I have repeatedly told us that after the start of the war, 'Taiwan will definitely become the target of the French army's main attack.' Let him arrange for the defense of Taiwan as soon as he arrives in Fujian. Sun Kaihua retreated without a fight and offered Keelung both hands. Sins are unforgivable! Spread my will and arrest Zhang Peilun and Sun Kaihua into Beijing. The Ministry of Communications! Send a telegram to Zuo Zongtang and ask him to explain the reason for this defeat, and if there is no reasonable explanation, I will cut off his head. ”

Li Hongzhang hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger." Zhang Peilun can correct the law on the spot, Sun Kaihua is a former general of the Hunan army, and he gave up Keelung not to cowardly the enemy. It is really a strategic plan for the whole island. ”

"Master Li is reasonable, Sun Kaihua is a tiger general, not a cowardly person who is afraid of death. He abandoned Keelung to avoid its edge. Prince Gong said.

Guan Xuqing looked at Prince Gong with angry eyes, and said word by word: "I checked the map, Keelung is Taiwan's military powerhouse, and Keelung Coal Mine is the economic lifeblood of the whole island. Abandoning Keelung without firing a single shot and allowing the French army to take advantage of the situation has greatly damaged the morale of the military and civilians of our entire island. Is there such a strategy in The Art of War? If Sun Kaihua is here, I will be pardoned. ”

Silence returned to the hall, as if the air had stopped flowing.

Guan Xuqing continued: "How much money did I spend on the Mawei Military Port in the Qing Dynasty to let the British come to guide the ship repair technology. All gone overnight! How elite my Fujian Navy Division is, the whole army was wiped out without firing a single shot! How much money did the Fujian sailor spend?? The two ironclad ships that the Jiangnan Shipbuilding Bureau had just produced and launched had become tattered before they were put into battle. Even if Zhang Peilun dies 10,000 times, he can't make up for the loss of the Qing Dynasty! Guan Xuqing said, tears rolling in his eyes.

In Fujian, it was Zhang Peilun who was kneeling in front of Zuo Zongtang. Zuo Zongtang is also in tears, and said to Zhang Peilun, who has become a tearful person: "The court has ordered that you will be punished on the spot." ”

Zhang Peilun said while crying: "It's not a pity for Xia Guan to die, I regret it!" I'm ashamed! I ......"

Zuo Zongtang said: "Ben Shuai is sorry for the emperor!" The Fujian Navy Division and Mawei Military Port carefully built by the emperor were all destroyed in my hands. Taiwan Keelung lost! It is also because of the loss of sea dominance. The position was shelled by French ships and had to retreat. ”

Zhang Peilun couldn't say a word, and his head was blank.

"Come on, pull Zhang Peilun out of the tent and correct the Fa on the spot." Zuo Zongtang ordered.

"Wow."

Two pro-soldiers came in from outside the tent, one on the left and one on the right, and Zhang Peilun was dragged out of the tent.

Early the next morning, the island of Taiwan. Sun Kaihua sat in the tent in the middle of the fort, holding a telescope and observing the front, at the end of the fort, the soldiers were nervously repairing the fort. In the distance, clouds and mist shrouded in several huge warships assembled in Youge.

"One, two, three......" Sun Kaihua put down the binoculars and said: "Damn, there were only three yesterday, how can there be fifteen today." ”

"Commander Sun, I heard from the foreigner newspaper on the island that the night before yesterday, when our Keelung position was bombarded by French ships, the Fujian Navy Division was completely annihilated in the Mawei Military Port. A pro-soldier said.

Sun Kaihua looked at the pro-soldier in surprise and scolded: "Damn, if the French ** ship stops there for a day, Lao Tzu won't be able to recover Keelung for a day!" Their cannon is so powerful that it can hit the Keelung position directly. Lao Tzu can't let his brothers be targets for foreigners. The bunnies of the sailor are so useless, they are over so soon. ”

The soldier frowned and said, "Commander Sun, look at this posture, the French want to occupy the whole island." You see, it's a cannonball, and it's a flag-raising again. What do they want to do? ”

"Tell the order, no one can sleep tonight. Stand by in the battery, ready for battle. ”

"Wow." The soldiers departed.

At this time, a group of soldiers escorted several passenger boats to the shore. Several foreign businessmen chased after the soldiers, shouting and saying something. The soldiers did not have time to explain, and drove the merchant off the ship without saying a word.

After a while, the soldiers smashed a big hole in the armor with hammers and other objects, and sank the ship into the harbor, and the foreign merchants shouted distressedly: "You barbarian Orientals, this is the hard work of my decades of business......

The huge shipwreck was immediately surrounded by soldiers around the fort, forming a powerful protective circle. The merchant John led several foreign merchants and said angrily: "Lord Sun, look at your soldiers. It is quite unreasonable that they should sink our merchant ship in port. ”

"I ordered it, John, and your tea is good. I've finished eating what I gave me last time, so I'll get some more when you're going to get me. Sun Kaihua looked at the angry John with a smile on his face.

Several foreign merchants shouted: "It is your business to fight, and you will pay compensation for smashing and sinking our ship." ”

"If you don't stop this behavior, we will find your emperor and sue you."

Sun Kaihua took off his top flower feather, and said loudly with a blue face: "I am not afraid of whoever you look for to sue." Now is the war, the requisition of your merchant ships is a helpless move, after this battle, Lao Tzu promises to compensate you for your losses. ”

Suddenly, several foreign businessmen stopped squeaking.

Someone whispered: "That's true, but if you are defeated, who will we ask for compensation?" ”

"yes, you don't know where you're going by then? Where do we go to lose money? ”

"Keelung is gone, Huwei is the last position, and losing Huwei is equivalent to losing the whole of Taiwan. There is no danger to defend in the back. You know what? So this battle, we must win. Sun made a military order before coming to Taiwan, and the island is here! Win or lose, I'm here and I'm not leaving. In case I am defeated, you will carry my body to our emperor to accompany the money. Sun Kaihua said seriously.

Sun Kaihua was generous and passionate, and several foreign businessmen lowered their heads and were speechless. John looked at Sun Kaihua and said, "Okay, Lord Sun." I believe you are a man of credibility. Let's go. ”

As soon as John walked a few steps, he was stopped by Sun Kaihua: "John, don't forget to bring me a few catties of tea." ”