Wang Chenhao was awarded the title of first-class baron, and naturally he was blackmailed and eaten by all the generals of the Beiyang Naval Division, and immediately held a banquet to celebrate after receiving the imperial decree on the same day.

A banquet cost 5,000 taels of silver, and Wang Chenhao's baron and the admiral's senator's income was less than 500 taels of silver a year, and he ate him for ten years in one meal, which really made Wang Chenhao dumbfounded.

However, soon Wang Chenhao learned the inside story.

The salaries of Qing Empire officials were indeed very low, but Qing Dynasty officials worked more and got more. For example, there are hundreds or thousands of officials in a county now, but in the Qing Dynasty there were only a few or a dozen people, and generally one person held several or more than a dozen positions part-time, so that he had more officials. For example, Li Hongzhang's first-class Earl Xiao Yi is only 550 taels, which is 20 times worse than the salary of tens of thousands of taels of the prince of the clan. But he has dozens of other titles, and the combined years are no worse than those of the prince.

And Deng Shichang later told Wang Chenhao that he knew that in order to reduce the number of officials who were officials, the Qing Empire had added dozens of financial subsidies such as silver, salary, vegetables, candles, charcoal, red paper, silver, chariots, horses, sedan chairs, public funds, fire silver, and incorruptible silver.

In addition to the basic salary, the others are bonuses and benefits, among which the most incorruptible silver, such as Li Hongzhang's Zhili Governor has more than 30,000 taels of incorruptible silver alone, and the annual salary of various titles and positions is more than 370,000 taels. And Deng Shichang, a deputy general of Beiyang, has a pension of 1,300 taels of incorruptible silver, and the annual salary of various subsidies is as much as 10,000 taels.

After Deng Shichang calculated for Wang Chenhao, in addition to Wang Chenhao's basic salary of 500 taels a year, the Beiyang Navy Division also gave Wang Chenhao more than 12,000 taels of silver in various subsidies a year, which made Wang Chenhao feel better.

However, Wang Chenhao was slaughtered by them for half a year's salary all of a sudden, and it was quite painful to think about it.

In addition to Wang Chenhao's treat, the officers and men of the Beiyang Naval Division were rewarded for three days, spending tens of thousands of taels of silver on the navy's yamen. But after winning the battle, it was easy to talk, and the navy yamen not only did not blame, but under the instruction of Li Hongzhang, the head of the meeting, an additional 50,000 taels of reward was added.

Among them, Wang Chenhao's 5,000 taels of hospitality fees were actually included in the public expense, and Ding Ruchang secretly told Wang Chenhao that he knew that this was specially arranged by Lord Zhongtang, and his intentions were silent.

In the following days, Wang Chenhao stayed in the Weihaiwei Naval Base, and through this period of time, he took turns to arrange dinner and chat, and Wang Chenhao quickly got along with the officers of the Beiyang Naval Division. And because Wang Chenhao does not have the stereotypes and bad habits of Qing Dynasty officials, he is quite approachable in the eyes of the middle and lower officers and soldiers of the Beiyang Naval Division, and Wang Chenhao is a big hero in their minds, so he is very popular and supported by them.

Originally, it would be quite difficult for Wang Chenhao to sit in the second position of the Beiyang Navy Division at such a young age, but unexpectedly, Wang Chenhao sat on it steadily, and was not constrained by the unspoken rules of the Beiyang Navy Bureaucracy, which made others have to sigh his good luck.

Wang Chenhao has always wanted to go back to Tianjin, and he misses Yang Youyi all the time. During Wang Chenhao's departure, Li Hongzhang had officially accepted Yang Youyi as his daughter, changed her name to Li Youyi, and became the fourth lady of the Li family.

Wang Chenhao knew that this was Li Hongzhang entrapping him in disguise, but from Youyi's letter, he knew that she was very happy. Since Li Youyi is happy, then Wang Chenhao is happy.

Wang Chenhao wanted to go back to celebrate her, but helplessly, the imperial court strictly ordered the Beiyang sailors to be on guard, and everyone was not allowed to leave. Although the two exchanged letters every day, this could not solve the pain of lovesickness between the two.

Wang Chenhao didn't need to follow the officers and soldiers of the Beiyang Naval Division every day, his position was destined to be drinking tea and reading newspapers in the office. In order to pass the time, he was depressed and had no choice but to wander around the Weihaiwei base, and he knew the largest naval base in the Qing Empire well.

Weihaiwei base due to financial and other reasons from 1887 began to build in an all-round way, due to the late start, its design and construction is more advanced than the trip to the Shun base, to 1890 built a total of 3 North Gang Fort (of which Beishanzui, sacrificial platform Fort are three layers of large forts), 3 South Gang Forts, 6 Liugong Island Fort (Donghong, Nanzui, Yingmen Cave, Qidingshan, Gongshohou, Huangdao), 1 Island Fort. In 1891, it built 4 land forts on Weihaiwei back road, and the entire Weihaiwei fort group was equipped with a total of 167 large and small gun emplacements, and each battery was built extremely strongly, and most of the guns were German Krupp breech guns.

In addition, ground trap cannons were built on Liugong Island and Yue Island, and the 305 mm 40 times diameter Krupp cannon could rotate 360 degrees to attack. This kind of pit cannon has a long range and great power, and if a warship is hit by it, it will surely sink.

In addition to the fort group, all supporting logistics facilities such as the iron wharf, the Mazijing dock, the naval hospital, and the naval office were also built two years ago, thus forming a huge naval base system in Weihaiwei.

The historical Weihaiwei Naval Base was destroyed by the Japanese Army just two years after it was built, and then it became a British naval base, which really made the Chinese people feel extremely distressed.

Now Wang Chenhao can see the complete Weihaiwei base, and vows in his heart that she must not be allowed to disappear, and let her shine and resound throughout the world.

Soon, after Wang Chenhao wandered around the Weihaiwei base, he was fresh, emotional, and scratched, and the whole person became tasteless again.

The war has been fought to this extent, and the Qing Empire has not been able to settle the little devils, which really makes Wang Chenhao feel very painful. It's a pity that he can't help the army, so he can only sigh with admiration.

Qing said that the two countries have been negotiating in Tianjin for nearly half a month, but there is still not much progress, and although both sides have made concessions, there are still big differences.

Because of the erosion of the Qing Empire's army, the Empire has a favorable bargaining chip, and it is no longer sincerely afraid of the Qing Empire. During the one-month armistice, under the strong supervision of Germany, France and Russia, the base camp sent a large number of transport ships to supply the First and Second Armies.

Prince Gong Chiren seemed to see hope in the army, so he made a last stand, tightened his belt and supplied the Korean army with three months of war materials in one go, and then slowly delivered them to the army on the front line of aggression against China.

The Great Powers sent a note to the Lords to hold them accountable for their purpose. The Kuroda Kiyotaka cabinet argued that it was seeking bargaining chips and had no intention of going to war lightly in violation of the armistice agreement. Since he did not violate the armistice agreement, but only carried out a supply operation in the area of actual control, the powers had no excuse to be angry with him.

On the other hand, the Qing Empire realized that the continuous supply of supplies to the front line was actually a loophole in the armistice agreement. The Beiyang Naval Division had already gained sea control in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Strait, but it was constrained by the armistice agreement and watched as the unescorted transport ships transported ammunition to Korea.

The Beiyang Navy Division repeatedly asked to intervene to intercept it, but the Qing court denied it. If this had been done differently, they would have taken action. It's a pity that the Qing Empire is too cowardly and doesn't have the courage at all. The Qing court counted on the great powers to put pressure on Yuben to stop supplying, but the great powers dragged their feet and disobeyed.

If this continues, the army will only become stronger and stronger after being resupplied, and the Qing Empire's war situation in Mukden will be more erosive and dangerous.

The Qing court was worried about the fall of Mukden, so it had no choice but to mobilize troops from all over the country to the north on the one hand, and ordered the Beiyang Naval Division to patrol the Korean Strait. After causing tension in Benben, on the other hand, they made some concessions at the negotiating table to induce Benben to negotiate peace.

Mutsu Munemitsu said that he would cede the occupied area, but demanded that Taiwan be ceded in exchange, or that he pay 100 million taels of silver as compensation.

Yi refused to cede the land, but said that the compensation could be negotiated.

The bottom line of the indemnity allowed by the central government of the Qing court was 5 million taels, but it was obvious that the loss was heavy on this side, and 5 million taels was not enough to buy a warship.

Mutsu Zong Guang saw through the thoughts of the Qing Empire and the cowardly side of the Qing Empire, so he threatened that even if the army was looted around Mukden, it would not only plunder five million taels of silver, but if the army occupied Mukden and Fushun, the looted money and materials would probably not be more than 100 million taels.

Fengtian and Fushun were the ancestral lands of the Qing court, and the Qing royal family valued it more than anything else.

Yi was out of options, and Mizuao Zongguang's words hit the key point of the Qing court, and he had to report to Guangxu and Cixi to decide.

On December 25, Cixi relented, and Guangxu issued an edict to Yi, agreeing to recognize the return of Korea to the capital, and raising the amount of indemnity to 20 million taels in exchange for the withdrawal of the army from the northeast.

The Qing Empire's relaxation made Mutsu Munemitsu overjoyed, and he was more sure of the weakness of the Qing Empire, so he replied more strongly that Yi could accept 20 million taels of silver in exchange for the withdrawal of the army from the northeast, but still demanded the secession of Taiwan.

Yi was so angry that he went crazy, and said: "Taiwan has not been invaded by soldiers, why do you have to occupy it?" ”

Mutsu Munemitsu asked rhetorically: "East and West Beria has not been invaded by soldiers, so why did your country cede to Russia?" ”

Yi replied: "East and West Villa are foreign lands, and Taiwan obeys the king and is rich. ”

Mutsu Zongguang asked: "Shengjing is the ancestral land of your royal family, how can it be compared with Taiwan?" ”

Yi frowned and said: "Most of Shengjing is still in my hands, your country only occupies a few lands, how can you occupy the entire Taiwan?" ”

Mutsu Zongguang said: "With our army, we can break through the heavens in one day, and it's easy!" ”

Yi asked rhetorically: "With our navy, it is not difficult to enter Tokyo!" ”

Mutsu Munemitsu said with a smile: "Your navy can indeed make it to Tokyo directly, but can the ship go ashore?" At best, the port facilities will be destroyed, and our people will be relocated inward! Does your army have the ability to land? ”

Yi was speechless.

After the meeting, Yi hurriedly reported to the imperial court to know. The Qing court was angry that Yue Ben not only did not reduce the price but raised the conditions, and urgently ordered Li Hongzhang to discuss countermeasures.

The ministers of the Imperial Party and the Hou Party asked for war one after another, and Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kun of the Nanyang faction jointly wrote a letter, saying that there were 20 million taels of silver enough to organize a million army to fight north, and the army was less than 50,000 people, so they could resist the army of the Celestial Empire and fight the main battle.

On the one hand, the Qing court did not want to cede Taiwan, and on the other hand, it felt that Li Hongzhang had been too high-spirited recently, so it gave Li Hongzhang a problem and asked him to prepare to organize an army to defend Fengtian and Fushun.

After Li Hongzhang received the order, his head grew several times. Just as he was about to object, the Qing court had already telegraphed Yi to refuse Yuben's request and prepare for war.

Li Hongzhang was driven to the shelves and planned to call for sick leave, but Cixi saw through his trick and called a lot of imperial doctors to watch him, Li Hongzhang couldn't pretend, so he had to hurry up and find a way.

For some reason, Li Hongzhang suddenly remembered Wang Chenhao, so he immediately sent a telegram to Weihaiwei and asked Wang Chenhao to go to the meeting.