The day after the Battle of the East China Sea, the "Daqing Daily" published the news of the victory in the naval battle, which immediately caused a boiling in the whole country. As soon as the foreigners' warships arrived, whether it was Daoguang, Xianfeng, or Tongzhi, they were all land reparations, and now we have won the Qing Dynasty, and I heard that the two boss iron ships of the foreigners were also captured. This made the people's hearts rise suddenly. Regardless of a person's status, intellectual and cultural differences, there is a sense of national pride, and if you are a peddler, you will be happy for the strength of the country. The Chinese people were full of recognition and trust in the new government of Guangxu, and carried out the instructions issued by the imperial court more thoroughly.

At this time, Li Hongzhang was sitting on a rosewood chair in the living room, smoking a dry cigarette with a serious face. Fang Baiqian, a student sitting next to him, said to Li Hongzhang: "Teacher, you better eat first, you haven't eaten all day." ”

Li Hongzhang looked at Fang Boqian and said, "Boqian, the emperor deceived me so hard." A few days ago, I was asked to go to Tianjin to be responsible for dispatching the defense of the Nanyang Naval Division and overhauling the Tianjin Fort. When I arrived in Tianjin, what I waited for was the report of the East China Sea War. The old minister still learned about it from the newspaper, but in the end, the emperor still didn't inform me. ”

Fang Boqian said to the decadent Li Hongzhang: "Teachers don't mind, since ancient times, there has only been the crime of bullying the king, but there is no fault of concealing the ministers." The king wants his ministers to die, and the ministers have to die. And in the eyes of the students, the emperor did not only target the teacher this time, but even his biological father was hidden in his bones. None of the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty knew about the naval battle plan. The students heard that the emperor's oracle was handed down by Zhang Yu, the personal guard who killed Li Lianying with one shot that year. ”

Li Hongzhang jumped up and roared angrily: "The legal person is fierce, and the emperor doesn't know the depths. In such a big battle, he didn't discuss it with the Military Aircraft Department. You've been to Europe, and the power of a legal person is not comparable to that of the current Qing Dynasty. This fluke victory angered the French. If we send more warships, what should we do? Our Qing Navy, there are only a few. How can you resist it! ”

There was silence in the living room, and the two of them did not speak again. Suddenly, a servant hurriedly came in and said, "Master, someone has come to the palace." The emperor urgently recruited the master to return to the military aircraft. ”

"What's the matter? Did anyone explain anything? Li Hongzhang said slowly.

The servant scratched his head and said, "It seems that the French minister submitted a request for peace to the imperial court, and the emperor summoned the minister of the military aircraft department to go back to discuss." ”

Li Hongzhang jumped up suddenly, happy and a little unmistaken. shouted excitedly at Fang Boqian: "God bless me in the Qing Dynasty, God bless me in China." ”

In the Forbidden City, there is no joy after the victory ahead. It was a silent scene, and the eunuchs and palace maids were doing their own things. Not even daring to say a word more, the summoned ministers entered the military aircraft in twos and threes.

These people are not very afraid to see the emperor, it should be said that they are not very willing to see the emperor. This time, the group that was played by Guan Xuqing turned around, if the ambush plan was proposed in the court meeting. It will definitely not be adopted by the minister, and if it is not ambushed, how can this great victory in the East China Sea be achieved?

Since the emperor likes to be arbitrary so much, why does he come to us to discuss everything? If we don't listen to our opinions, what else do you want us to do?

The ministers of the military aircraft entered the military aircraft department with their own evil intentions, and no one mentioned this naval battle. didn't say anything about the purpose of this convening, and after a few words of greeting each other, they sat down and didn't say much. Even Prince Alcohol and Prince Gong, who have always had a good relationship, did not talk to each other.

Guan Xuqing finally came late, and walked into the military aircraft and smiled happily: "Ah! Haha, everyone arrived so early? I thought I would be waiting for you here, but I didn't expect you to wait for me. ”

"The emperor is auspicious," the ministers of military aircraft knelt on the ground.

"Flat, flat." Guan Xuqing sat down and continued: "Ladies and gentlemen, just now the French Minister Norly took the initiative to propose peace talks to me, and the conditions put forward by the French are: the Qing Dynasty recognizes French rule in Vietnam, returns the captured French warships and French soldiers, and compensates 500,000 taels of silver as the loss of the French army. Everyone, look at it, how do you reply? ”

To be honest, the reparations proposed by France are only a symbolic figure, just to leave the last fig leaf. The indemnity was used to prove that the French were the victors in the war, and that the French had now effectively occupied most of Vietnam. It is impossible to make France withdraw automatically without admitting it, and it is useless if you don't admit it, unless you send them away.

After France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, it was forced to cede Alsace and Lorraine to Germany, which led to the French as enemies. However, France's national power was greatly weakened after that war, and Germany's strong military power made them feel extremely pressured and threatened, and most parliamentarians believed that the shrinking force was a good defense against Germany, rather than endlessly falling into other wars, such as the Crimean War before and the current Sino-French War.

The Qing navy had already proven their strength, although they did not yet have any large ironclad ships. However, due to its hostile relationship with Germany, France, which was at war with the Qing State, became a bridge of friendship between the Qing State and Germany. The so-called enemy of the enemy is a friend, and in this way, Germany and the Qing Dynasty became friends, and the four large ironclad ships that the German shipyard in Munich had rushed to build have been launched for sea trials. It is said that two months later, he was personally escorted back to Daqing by the German ** ship. It was a large ironclad ship of more than 7,000 tons, and once it returned to China, unless the home fleet was dispatched, France would forever lose its sea supremacy in the Far East, but the home fleet would not only have to defend the German high seas fleet, but also confront the aggressive Russians in the Balkans, and once it was transferred, the situation in Europe would change unpredictably. Therefore, although Ruferi was unwilling, he still accepted the suggestion of the majority of parliamentarians and made peace with the Great Qing.

Originally, Guan Xuqing wanted to see everyone's opinions, if he thought it was appropriate. It is better to talk about it, otherwise if the fight continues, the economy that has developed over the past few years will stagnate again. Vietnam's military salaries, grain and grass, and ammunition consumption alone could bring down the Qing Dynasty. The reconstruction of the navy and the restoration of Mawei Port are not yet known to wait until the Year of the Monkey.

But after Guan Xuqing threw the question out, what he got was a surprisingly consistent silence. No one responded, and no one objected. It's as if everything is none of your business.

"What? Are you overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the French? Guan Xuqing said wittily.

Still silent......

Guan Xuqing was really angry, facing these old-fashioned old men. He didn't have much interest in discussing with them, but he had no choice but to have most of the real estate in the Qing Dynasty in their hands. It really provokes them, and it doesn't do much good to the country.

"Li Hongzhang, tell me." Guan Xuqing asked.

Li Hongzhang hurriedly stood up, and in his opinion, it was the best ending to be able to win and make peace. But at this time, he still had some nostalgia in his heart, and said angrily: "Back to the emperor, the ransom ministers are stupid, and they can't see the mystery here." The emperor is shengming, and please ask the emperor to decide. ”

Guan Xu snorted coldly and said with a smile: "Li Hongzhang, as the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Auxiliary Minister of the State, you can't worry about me, what's the use of me keeping you?" ”

Prince Alcohol hurriedly stepped forward and said, "The emperor is angry, Li Zhongtang didn't mean that. The legal person has obviously been frightened by us, and the minister thinks that it is most appropriate to negotiate peace with it at this time. Li Zhongtang can be made the negotiator of the Qing Dynasty and change the conditions again. ”

At this time, Guan Xuqing was already holding back the fire in his belly, of course he knew that his father was for his own good. Li Hongzhang teased him, this thing is really not easy to do. The foreign affairs and diplomacy of the Qing Dynasty were all handled by him, and once he striked, the diplomacy of the Qing Dynasty really couldn't be turned around. This time he was able to defeat the French army, thanks to the fact that he had bought two large ironclad ships, "Undefeated" and "Changsheng", from the British before. The four ironclad ships that the Germans had there were also purchased by Li Hongzhang. However, he just couldn't get used to Li Hongzhang's invincible attitude.

He reprimanded loudly as if angry: "Scared? If you're afraid, you'll let us lose money? Scared to admit his rule in Vietnam? Do you want us to return the prisoners and warships? He French died and wanted us to pay for it? Our warships have also sunk, our soldiers of the Qing Dynasty have also died, and our Mawei military port is gone, who should we find to compensate? Li Hongzhang, you have to make up your mind, right? You will give me a decree now, so that Zuo Zongtang can recover Keelung within three days! Lu Yiwei's troops all entered Vietnam to reinforce Liu Mingchuan, and completely annihilated all French troops in Vietnam within three months by two routes, left and right. Ordered the Nanyang Naval Division to go south to block the South China Sea, cut off all foreign ships entering Vietnam, and cut off the French army's food, grass, and ammunition. ”

Li Hongzhang knelt on the ground in horror, and in the face of the emperor's angry will, no one spoke out to stop or even disagree. Frankly speaking, through this naval battle in the East China Sea, Guan Xuqing's prestige in the imperial court was also greatly improved. The ministers only carry out their wills, and do not give any more ideas. Li Hongzhang saw that the matter had come to this point, so he could only accept the order.