"Lord Qingduan is too humble!" Zhang Zhongxing laughed, and then said, "My subordinates think that the training of foreign guns and the training of the group are two completely different errands. The regiment must protect the territory and the people, which is used to guard; The foreign spear team had to charge into battle and compete with the Ming bandits, which was used to attack. ”

"Ah~~~!" Qingduan was suddenly stunned, shook his head and was greatly impressed, "It makes sense!" ”

Wang Yide touched his nose and shook his head in his heart, this Manchurian official is simply a waste!

Zhang Zhongxing continued, "Organizing and training foreign gun teams is an unheard of errand. In the face of the expectations of the imperial court and the rampant banditry, we can only succeed, not fail. Therefore, the foreign rifle team must have sufficient military salaries, must recruit innocent sons of good families as soldiers, recruit innocent talents as officers, and must hire Yiren officers as instructors, so as to increase the possibility of success. ”

"Recruiting innocent sons of good families, recruiting innocent talents, these are all simple." Qingduan frowned, "Hiring Yiren officers as instructors requires the approval of the imperial court. ”

"It's okay to do this, there are also many foreigners in Lin Shenhe to teach!" Wang Yide was very unimpressed, and he asked Zhang Zhongxing, "Hiring Yiren officers as instructors, is this matter eyebrow-raising?" ”

Zhang Zhongxing replied respectfully, "The Taixi Army takes France as the first, but it's a pity that France has a good relationship with the Ming bandits, and prohibits its its own retired soldiers from serving as instructors in our foreign gun team." Fortunately, Huafu Firm acted for me and introduced six Prussian teachings. ”

"Prussian teaching?" Wang Yide nodded slowly, "This Prussian military level is considered to be a first-rate level in Taixi?" ”

"Prussia was founded on military affairs, and marching nationalism. A missionary once said that the Prussian army was on par with France. The six courses introduced by the foreign bank are all retired officers of the Prussian Army who are proficient in military affairs. ”

As he spoke, Zhang Zhongxing took out a document from his arms, "I have written down the training instructions here, please look at the two adults." ”

Zhang Zhongxing planned to use Mawei, Fuzhou, as a training base.

First of all, 100 scholars who were willing to write and 500 brave people who could read and write were recruited and organized into a battalion. According to the art of war of Xiyi, each battalion has jurisdiction over four teams, each team has jurisdiction over three platoons, each platoon has jurisdiction over three sheds, and each shed has 14 soldiers. Three months later, the team was expanded to six battalions.

"That's good! That's it! Wang Yide carefully read Zhang Zhongxing's article and felt very satisfied.

Mawei is located in the lower reaches of the Minjiang River, only 40 miles away from the provincial capital Fuzhou, only a water separation from Taiwan, surrounded by mountains, the port is wide and the water is deep, and the giant ship can be berthed, it is the military and commercial port of Fujian Province, and the water gateway of Fuzhou.

Opposite Mawei is the flag camp of the Sanjiangkou Water Division. 150 years have passed, and these bannermen have long been rotten. If Mawei can train a strong army, Fuzhou can be safe and sound.

"Brother Qingduan, take a look, if there is no objection, I will immediately implement it!"

"Soldiers are like fire, and it is urgent to train the army." Qingduan took a hasty look at it, and he didn't care about the joints at all, and just wanted to raise money as soon as possible.

In winter, there was a burst of rain in the lower reaches of the Minjiang River, but the newly built Mawei University was in a gloomy atmosphere.

Five hundred strong men wearing black Lian Yong uniforms stood tall on the school grounds. The neat queue and the straight military posture stood in the rain like a benchmark.

Zhang Zhongxing stood on the school reading platform and looked at these green camp newcomers with eager eyes.

A Prussian officer stood beside Zhang Zhongxing and said in a foreign accent of Chinese, "My lord, these soldiers have been trained in military posture, and they are all excellent young men. ”

"Captain Martin, this is all thanks to you!" Zhang Zhongxing was very excited, "Can you start shooting now?" ”

"No, no, it's early."

Martin, a retired Prussian captain, shook his head repeatedly, "It's just on the playground now, and they have to practice until they are on the battlefield and don't mess up with the enemy's artillery." ”

The Manchus were training a Western-style army in Mawei, Fuzhou, and the news soon reached Hong Kong.

As early as the 16th century, during the time of Elizabeth I, Britain created a secret intelligence service.

But during Victoria's reign, Britain did not pay enough attention to intelligence work. The Queen of England believed that her naval supremacy was more than capable of maintaining peace under British rule, so she entrusted intelligence to diplomats and consuls.

William. Jian was in charge of the Auxiliary Secretary for Politics in the British Government of Hong Kong, and he had nothing to do with intelligence work. However, during this time, he has been concerned about the every move of Huafu in Hong Kong, and has also privately sent a letter to the domestic intelligence department to learn about the situation of Huafu & Co. in the United Kingdom.

One afternoon in late January, William was getting ready to leave work. Kin was suddenly notified to rush to Chun Yuen Street, Wan Chai, the temporary residence of the British Minister to China and Governor of Hong Kong, Paling Bun.

On the second floor of the apartment, in Bao Ling's office, a large desk was placed in the innermost part of the room, and Bao Ling was sitting behind that desk at the moment, and on the wall above his head was a portrait of Queen Victoria.

The British consul in Canton, Pashali, and the first secretary and translator of the Governor's Office, Mai Huatuo, sat in the chairs in front of Bao Ling's desk, leaning over and whispering to Bao Ling.

"Your Excellency the Governor!"

William. Jian pushed open the office door, glanced at the room nonchalantly, and walked in with the steps of a soldier.

Bao Ling stopped talking and waved his hand very casually. Jian sat down.

"Captain, this is what you need." McVado handed it to William. Jian a document, "China has sent the relevant information of Huafu Foreign Bank. ”

The British intelligence department has collected very detailed information about Huafu Foreign Companies.

Since Shen Chen established herself in Britain, she has cooperated with Jews and has developed Huafu into a large financial and trade company with more than 5,000 employees, but only Shen Chen and Sinside are Chinese.

"The information sent from China is very clear that Huafu &Co. has set up a branch in the UK, but this is only a purely commercial organization, and no illegal activities have been found. The owner of the company, Shen Chen, is also a baroness confirmed by Her Majesty the Queen, and she has a very close relationship with the domestic high society. ”

Bao Ling looked at William with interest. Jian, "Captain! I would like to know why you sent a letter to investigate Huafu &Co. in the name of the Governor's Office. ”

"Because I have reasonable suspicion!" William. Jian gently closed the information, his eyes shining like a falcon, "Your Excellency the Governor! In the early days of the establishment of Huafu Foreign Company in Hong Kong, his Chinese name was 'Huafu Foreign Company', but two months later it was changed to 'Huafu Foreign Company'. ”

"Good name, why did you change it?" William. Jian Yang swept his face at Bao Ling, Pa Xia Li and Mai Huatuo, "Recently, I saw a report from my country's commercial representative office in Huwei that in just one month after the opening of Huwei port, Huafu Foreign Bank has shipped 100,000 tons of goods, worth millions of pounds. ”

"What does this mean?!" William. Jian slammed his fist on the table, "Look at what the ruling party of the Ming regime is called, 'Huaxia Renaissance Party'." Isn't there a connection between 'Huafu Foreign Bank' and 'Huaxia Revival Party'? ”

William. Kin fought with the Governor of Hong Kong, Bowing, and was forced to resign as Deputy Governor. He had always held a grudge and was bent on grabbing Bao Ling's pigtails.

Finding out that Huafu Foreign Company may be related to the newly rising Ming regime, William suddenly became excited, Tang Muyao, the general manager of Huafu Foreign Company, is not you the guest of honor in the Hong Kong Governor's Mansion! See how you explain it.

"The Auxiliary Secretary is suspicious of me!" Bao Ling laughed and glanced at Mai Huatuo.

"Mr. Auxiliary Secretary, you are not a specialized intelligence officer, and the information is too ill-informed." Pa Xiali said with a smile, "As early as three months ago, Shanghai Huafu Foreign Bank, with our support, sent guns and artillery to cultivate a strong army for the Qing government. This strong army of the Manchu people had already driven the Ming regime out of Zhejiang. ”

"It can't be!" William stood up suddenly, "Huafu should be wearing a pair of pants with the Ming regime." ”

"This is the latest information sent by the Fuzhou consulate." Mai Huatuo took out another piece of information, "First, Huafu has sent a shipload of arms to Tainan to support the Manchu Qing Dynasty against the Ming regime. The second is that the Manchurian people are training a Western-style new army in Mawei, Fuzhou, and the guns and ammunition are provided by Huafu Foreign Army, and the new army training is also found with the help of Huafu Foreign Company. ”

William. Jian finished flipping through the information three times and twice, and sat down on the chair again, "This is not true, right?!" ”

Of course, this news is true. However, there is also unconfirmed information that Huafu is said to be preparing to sell steam ships to the Fujian New Army to help the Manchurians control the Taiwan Strait. "Intelligence tells us that Huafu is a pure trading house, and in order to make money, they can sell arms to the two opposing sides of the war. ”

William. scolded fiercely, "It's really cold-blooded! ”

"I hope there will be more and more foreign companies like Huafu." Bao Ling suddenly said this.

He looked at William. "Thanks to the efforts of Huafu Foreign Company, nearly one million pounds of industrial goods have been transported from Britain to the Far East. They have done more to Britain than we do. ”

"I welcome all reasonable suspicions about me, and if I am found guilty of misconduct, for the benefit of the British Empire, I shall immediately report it to the country." As he spoke, Bao Ling turned his body to the wall and looked up at the portrait of the Queen above, "But please don't forget the mission given to us by Her Majesty, we must always serve the interests of the British Empire, and we must do our best to completely open the Far Eastern market. ”

Pashali and McHuatuo nodded their heads and said yes, William. Jian was very aggrieved, staring out the window, unconvinced.

McWarto vs. William. The personal feud between Jian and Bao Ling was quite clear, and he sighed, "Captain, hatred has blinded you. ”

William. Jian's face turned red, and just as he wanted to get up and go out, he heard Bao Ling speak, "NO, NO, NO, Captain actually didn't do anything wrong!" Huafu is indeed too active, and in just half a year, it has achieved such an achievement, it is like a darling of God. ”

William. Jian didn't believe his ears a little, and his mouth was half-open, "Your Excellency the Governor! ”