The river is surging, reluctant to give up day and night.

The moon on this winter night was big and round, shining on the surging waves, and there was light.

Xu Yifan stood beside Jiang Shunlun's stopped paddling wheel, wearing a cloak, and stood silently. A few steps behind him, only Chen De was standing.

Xu Yifan did not get off the ship, did not pay a visit, but sent Pu Yang to send a letter to the British Consulate in Shanghai. Such a posture is thought to be too hypocritical in Shanghai officialdom. He came to Shanghai to negotiate with the British this time, and I don't know how many people he attracted the attention of caring people!

He came by wheel, but he was alone in Jiangyue here, but it was a truth that many people couldn't understand.

Whether it is Ding Ge or the road of usurpation has come to this time, every minute and second of time is precious, and he is dealing with the prime minister's envoy of the world's largest power this time, and it is just a gesture of two hundred and five in the domestic officialdom, at such a critical juncture, what does it mean to play such a play?

The night was so quiet that you could only hear the sound of the waves tumbling, and the Yangtze River flowed into the sea, stretching for thousands of miles, and since then out of the mountains and lands of China, in front of you is the vast Pacific Ocean. Xu Yifan looked east for a long time, and no one knew what he was thinking. If the Shanghai officialdom who was anxiously discussing behind him could see the serious expression on Xu Yifan's still young and smooth face, he should understand that he was not playing two hundred and five this time.

There was a sound of soft footsteps behind me, and a slight cough was heard. Xu Yifan was suddenly shocked by this sudden sound, and when he looked back, he saw Zhang Peilun standing in the dark behind him with a fox fur. In the night, his eyes were shining, and he just looked at Xu Yifan without moving.

Xu Yifan smiled: "Mr. Youqiao, is it seasick?" Can't sleep on this ship? Your body is not too strong, so it's better to sleep sometime. ”

"If the handsome man doesn't sleep, how dare we lie down?" Zhang Peilun said lightly and walked to Xu Yifan's side gently. His face was also serious, looking at the river under the moonlight and asking softly, "Dashuai, what are you waiting for?" ”

“………… Shangguan Dao has been waiting in the Gaochang Temple Manufacturing Bureau, promising the benefits of tens of thousands of silver, as long as he makes a statement to the marshal, such an opportunity, it is nothing to grovel, anyway, once the marshal is determined, there is always a discussion with the foreign devils, and they will never dare to hide it as long as they can do their best............ People's hearts see the handsome! Especially after the marshal came to Shanghai to negotiate with the British! It is also common sense that they have such an eager desire to follow the dragon............ Tens of thousands of dollars of silver is a trivial matter, and now students are not short of these few dollars, but what they said is probably not unreasonable. This time is the key to the road that the handsome man has taken against him! ”

"The foreign enemy has almost been swept away by the marshal. prestige, handsome is also like Zhongtian. Internally, under the rule of the imperial court, it is already a scattered sand, the north is dying, and the south is already handsome, and the integration also refers to the matter of Gu Jian. Soldiers, the world is more than the Great Shuai Six Towns Janissary Guards, wealth, Dashuai has the support of the rich provinces in the south and the huge consortium of Nanyang and Beiyang. The only thing to fear is nothing more than the attitude of the great powers! At this time, it is the matter that the handsome man sits in such a position, and the students know very well that the surname of the handsome man is flamboyant and decisive, and he refuses to be inferior, from Nanyang to North Korea, all the way to fight all the way. However, for those who are in power, they must not be happy, so how can the special envoy of the prime minister of the world's largest power, who has a great bearing on the great cause of the great commander, come with a letter to him? If the handsome man still acts with his surname, the student is not sensitive and does not dare to attach Li! ”

Zhang Peilun said that later, his voice gradually amplified, and the last few words were already impassioned and loud.

He couldn't figure out this truth, and in the end he could only boil it down to Xu Yifan's surname, talk hard, and make the final admonition. The night has not yet passed, and there is room for redemption. In his opinion, now the British Empire is nothing more than a strange commodity between the Northland Imperial Court and Xu Yifan, at this time, Xu Yifan has a little more benefits to the British, what's the big deal? In the future, Xu Yifan will clean up the rivers and mountains and make the country stronger, why don't you come back?

If he is still a loyal courtier of the Qing Dynasty, then Zhang Peilun will definitely uphold his own position in foreign affairs, and he will try his best to fight for every bit of power. And now when is it! At the time of the peak of luck, once the opportunity is missed, it may be a hundred years of body, such the most urgent juncture, the matter is urgent, what else is there to consider!

Xu Yifan silently listened to Zhang Peilun's words, and just smiled faintly. The relaxed look of the past is not visible at all at this time. Chu Wanli's comment behind Xu Yifan was that his serious expression lasted for two or three hours at most a day, and he was lazier than anyone else with his shoulders at other times. But today, since Xu Yifan arrived in Shanghai, he has been quiet and serious until now. All decisions are made at your own discretion.

Compared with the stammering attitude of the Northland Imperial Court towards the British, his actions today really made people anxious.

He looked at Zhang Peilun and just smiled faintly: "Youqiao, I'm not doing this by the ............ of my surname."

He leaned on the railing and looked up at the moon in the sky: "............ What did I get started with? From Nanyang to Korea, they are all agitating the morale of the army and the people, showing a completely different style from this last days. Among those who are struggling to find a way out, give them another choice, another hope............ If I were to curry favor with the court in the north, what would be the difference between me and the court I was trying to replace? ”

His words couldn't convince Zhang Peilun, Zhang Peilun replied with a cold face: "This is subordinate!" The big marshal did this, who can not understand? ”

"Once you give in, it will be difficult to cheer up, this time it is also from the right, and next time it will also be from the right. People always find reasons to convince themselves............ We have been soft on the waist of this world for decades, so soft that this small island country can bully us, and we should grit our teeth and straighten our waists once, right? You must know that what I wanted in the past was not this Jiawu, and now I don't want a new country that will only bow its head and sell its interests to get a little charity! ”

He patted Zhang Peilun on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Youqiao, let me take the lead in this matter............ It is unreliable to sell more profits to get the British to help us, and in the end we are afraid that we will fall into a situation where we sell more than anyone else on the north and south. Otherwise, this kind of help will change direction at any time, and when the time comes, our interests will be sold, and our faces will be in our pockets, and we will not be able to exchange for support, who will we cry to? You have strength and usefulness, although your tough attitude will make those white devils curse you, wary of you, and will beat you down at any time when you are not paying attention, but when your strength is still useful to them, the agreement in exchange is the most reliable!

This world is a jungle world, where every hunter is watching each other coldly in the dark, and when you look weak from the beginning, the opponent will not hesitate to tear your throat! At that time, I am afraid that we will not be able to obtain the status of the Qing court now! Shi Jingtang cut off the sixteen states of Yanyun and went out, relying all his life and death on the support of the Khitan, in the end, what happened to him? You should know better than I do! ”

The words can be said with righteousness and awe, and Zhang Peilun, the ideological basis of Xu Yifan's actions, is also somewhat understood. But to empty confession that he has the strength to get the attention of the British cannot be said to be worshiped by Zhang Peilunna. He just looked at Xu Yifan suspiciously.

"Dashuai, what strength do you have to support you to have such confidence, the British must reach an agreement with you?"

Lao Tzu is from time in time............ Xu Yifan thought a little depressed in his heart. But to be honest, he now feels less and less like a traveler, but deeply integrated into this era. Every oscillation of this Chinese land at the end of the 19th century is closely related to him. The past is more like a fragmented and bizarre dream.

Or was his conviction that Britain needed his strength against Russia, but only his own imaginary insistence?

But if it weren't for this persistence, he Xu Yifan would definitely not be able to go now.

When Jiang Ning got on the boat, Xu Yifan still had a fierce ideological struggle in his heart, whether he would simply make the pattern smaller. Hurry up and stick it to the UK, and the face is completely gone. Let some interests be conceded. He was a small white-collar worker who was a waste wood, and he has come to this point, which is beyond the most arrogant and grotesque dream in his life. The power of China's pinnacle, as well as the glory and wealth beckoning to him from afar, in the future, it doesn't matter if the fuck is a flood............ But no............ Ito entrusted him with the fate of Asia, as well as the dream of the rise of the yellow race in a world dominated by white people. He couldn't do anything short-sighted.

In the final analysis, he is still a nationalist, and in these last days, he has finally mustered up a little nationalist trend, if he himself is the first to move against this trend, how can he be worthy of those loyal and brave men who followed him all the way, paved the way with his head and flesh, and let him go straight to the top?

Xu Yifan looked at Zhang Peilun and just smiled. The moonlight shone on his face, cold and shining.

“………… I just know that in the East Asian continent, there is already no one else. Youqiao, believe it or not, whatever you want. ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Xu Yifan has arrived in Shanghai............"

Kang Youwei pinched a copy of the newspaper and almost grabbed water. In Tan Sitong's study, he was just gritting his teeth and hating there.

People in Shanghai don't just want to get on Xu Yifan's ship. There are also some smart people who bet on both ends and want to look at the wind to the point where they are most sure. The movements of Shanghai and even Jiangning Xu Yifan Group, they also continue to inform Yanjing. Xu Yifan negotiated secretly with the British Prime Minister's special envoy, and this kind of most important news was soon known to Tan Kang, one of the important forces who now hold the power of the imperial court.

Tan Si and Rao are now very busy -- all kinds of law reform policies have to be drawn up and discussed, waiting for the final promulgation. Zhili security also pressed on his shoulders, and he wanted to arrange care. Now that the imperial court is open to speech, all kinds of articles on changing the law are finally summarized to him to see if there is anything desirable. In addition, since the new army is going to be organized and trained, the battalion officers have to be prepared first, and he has watched a little bit of Xu Yifan's training process, and knows that these systems and officer preparations must be prepared first............ In addition, those who continue to visit customers will find out if the changes will touch the interests of certain groups. He couldn't sleep for two hours. is busy like this, but when the news comes, he still has to discuss with Kang Youwei and a few others separately to think of a countermeasure.

Xu Yifan's trick to force the palace is a ruthless move!

Kang Youwei just hates, Tan Sitong buries his head in work, these words, he is the one who talks the most in the land of Jinghua. He was also a little jealous of Tan Sitong's good reputation among foreigners, and he also made a few trips to the eastern suburbs. At that time, Minister Uncle He was still in Yanjing, and he had already said that the land of the two rivers and three provinces that Xu Yifan now controlled, even if it was all ceded to a concession, it was not negotiable! Anyway, now this place is not the imperial court.

He also spent a lot of effort in contacting foreign devils. The Manchu ministers, still taking care of the system, will never go to the eastern suburbs to be guests. He Kang Youwei has the title of a court member like Shilang, and he disturbed two feasts of foreign devils, and he usually restrained himself in front of foreign devils. Good words don't need money, and they spray outward. What made him a little complacent for a while was that every time he went to the Eastern Suburbs Alley, no matter which embassy it was, the foreign devils never returned the ticket, and the hospitality was quite enthusiastic. At least the face can be gained. There are rumors in Yanjing City, Tan Sitong and Kang Youwei are both good hands in Fuyi, and Guangxu also personally passed him on once, and wanted to find out what conditions foreign devils want to open to support the imperial court. It is too much for the land of the three provinces to be divided into concessions, and it is not unnegotiable to divide the essence of Jiangsu into concessions. As long as Xu Yifan can be tied!

Guangxu inquired, and Kang Youwei suddenly spoke again, claiming to be a foreign devil, all in the hands of him Kang Youwei. He also has an expectation in his heart, and it seems that Tan Si and the position of military aircraft foreman will not be able to compete. However, the head minister of the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen is also a high-ranking position, and he can compete with Tan Si, and he can be regarded as a top-notch person. If it goes on like this, it may not be hopeless.

In the capital, recently, as long as the topic of dealing with foreign devils is involved, as long as Kang Youwei hears it, he has to take care of it, and he will be the first person in the Qing Dynasty to deal with himself. He is also thinking hard about how to make foreign devils within his scope. For this, even the old shopkeeper Han has rarely seen him a few times recently.

He held himself high, and this time he fell even harder. In Yanjing City, they couldn't post the foreign devil route, but now there is a British Empire's minister Baba, who went to Shanghai to meet Xu Yifan!

When the news came, Kang Youwei was really stunned!

Tan Sitong sat at the desk tiredly, and came out of his busy schedule, his eyes were all deep black. Drinking a strong and drunken tea, his expression was also full of disappointment and worry. However, he was a little more controllable than Kang Youwei, who was out of order, but he was so quiet that he didn't speak, and he was thinking about what would happen next in his heart.

Seeing that Tan Sitong didn't speak, Kang Youwei hated a few cases: "This Xu Yifan, I don't know how much profit I sold to the British devil!" Maybe the entire northern land will be ceded to these foreign devils. When the time comes, these foreign soldiers will follow him to force the palace! ”

Tan Sitong shook his head slowly: "Brother Chuanqing is not such a person............

Kang Youwei sneered, his face was almost black: "Resurrection, at this time, you still help him speak?" Okay, let's not care if Xu Yifan is such a person or not, although I dare to make sure that when this guy hears such news, he can't wait to climb in front of the British devils and lick their riding boots! Let's not talk about this for now, what should we do in this situation? Foreign devils value profit over righteousness, all my hard work is in flowing water, Xu Yifan colludes with outsiders, the situation is better, and I will not wait for the disaster! Now what? Once this news goes out, Yanjing City will be half empty! ”

The foreign devil was desperate, and Kang Youwei naturally turned his mind to the line of Han Lao's shopkeeper: "Resurrection, at this time, the capture of soldiers can no longer be delayed!" The 10,000 soldiers left by Liu Laoshuai on hand are more than enough to maintain law and order in Zhili, but they are not enough to deal with Xu Yifan! I don't know what you're hesitating. What is most lacking in military training is the cost of starting up and paying for it, and the current achievements of arms can be ordered. Old Man Han has already shipped millions of silver, why don't you accept it for a while? ”

When he said that, he was already dancing, and under the stimulation, he spoke more and more unscrupulously: "............ Resurrection, what the hell are you thinking? If I didn't know you well, I really thought you and Xu Yifan had some tacit understanding! Hundreds of thousands of people have risen, but you have been slow to start choosing. There are soldiers, there is money, what are you waiting for now? What the hell are you waiting for! ”

Tan Sitong just sat there, silent. How could he say to Kang Youwei that he always had a deepest fear of the soldiers and money sent to the door by Han Lao's shopkeeper? Xu Yifan is such a character, he can push Old Man Han out of the door, I'm afraid that he can't control it, can he Tan Sitong be able to control this power? At this time, he has been struggling to see if he can follow a more upright path and train a new army based on the 10,000 soldiers left by Liu Kunyi.

But the pressure on him is also getting bigger and bigger.

The impatient Guangxu had already asked about the progress of the group several times. wanted to raise money from formal channels, but the household department was asking him for money. Where does he get the money? wants to borrow foreign money from the great powers, but now the British Prime Minister's special envoy is negotiating with Xu Yifan in Shanghai!

For his delay in training this new army, but instead trying his best to suppress the people and maintain order in Zhili, he has already provoked a lot of discussion behind his back, and the relationship between him and Xu Yifan has been turned out again. Even his greatest reliance on Emperor Guangxu was summoned several times, and he inadvertently raised his head, and even saw the suspicious look in Emperor Guangxu's eyes!

He can be sure that when the news from Shanghai comes, what kind of madness Yanjing City should be!

Is it really just a risk?

He sat there in a daze, not reacting to Kang Youwei's words at all, despite Kang Youwei's almost poking his fingers in his face.

The curtain of the study was suddenly raised, and Tan Sitong's old family stood at the door of the study: "My lord, the people in the palace have come to spread the emperor's will, and I want my lord to hurry to the garden to face the holy ............."

The old family looked at Tan Si at the same time, and their expressions were a little nervous: "These husbands don't have a good tone this time, saying that they are waiting for adults in the concierge............ Do you change your clothes right away? ”

This news hit Tan Sitong's head like a thunderbolt. At this time, Guangxu was so eager to summon him, what else could he do except the British!

Kang Youwei sneered loudly: "Resurrection, how?" How should you reply to the emperor? ”

Tan Sitong didn't get up, but buried his face deep in his hands. After a long time, he slowly raised his head and said to the worried old family: "You ordered to prepare a sedan chair, and I will change into big clothes in the sedan chair............ Go ahead. ”

Waiting for the old family to leave, Tan Sitong slowly stood up and looked at Kang Youwei fixedly: "The old shopkeeper of Chuan Han came over, and I came out of the garden to see him." I want his silver............ Nanhai, you can help me these days. Starting tomorrow, we will begin to select the best of the people! The group of Zhili Zuo is close to the scale, I will personally select it! ”

His expression was serious, the cold light in his eyes was splashing, and his voice was like a golden and iron friend: "Nanhai, I will just say a word, I rely on you for the matter of selecting the group, but behind the scenes, you don't have any other plans with the old man Han!" ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Xiaogezhuang, Yanqing County.

Senior Brother Liu, whose official name is Liu's eldest son, is in the small courtyard. Yuan Shikai sat in the room. Just glanced coldly at his entourage, these few elite men, there was no nervous look on their faces, they were just tying up the things on their bodies, and they were running and jumping from time to time to check if they were neat or not.

In Yuan Shikai's waist, two six-wheeled pistols were pinned in bright light. The retinue also had a bulging bag in their waists, and the guys took it out.

"What about the eldest son Liu?"

"When I entered the house, I didn't dare to let half of the fart go. When the time comes, you will leave. This kid has a good life, in the area of Xiaogezhuang, let's pick the senior brother after tonight, and give it to him! ”

"We're just a few people, do you have the guts!" Yuan Shikai asked again coldly.

The attendants replied easily.

"The little devils are all down, afraid of these guys?"

"Those who came out of the Praetorian Guard didn't know how to write the words!"

"Boss Xiang, let's hurry up, first to the south, then to the north, and then to the north, and we can sleep for half a night after cleaning up............ What do you mean by that? ”

"Negotiation, negotiation!"

"Cheng, talk to them about the six-wheeled cannon, and see if they are really invulnerable!"

Yuan Shikai nodded with satisfaction, took a deep breath and got up: "Let's go!" Coerced Senior Brother Liu, let's fight for his seat! ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ it was already the second half of the night. The "Jiangshun" ship was still quietly parked at the Gaochang Temple Wharf, and Xu Yifan's figure was next to the paddle wheel, motionless.

In the Gaochang Temple Manufacturing Bureau, the Shanghai officialdom who were concerned about the situation here had all moved here, and the British Concession and Jiang Shunlun were running back and forth here.

This Xu Dashuai acted individually, the emperor was not in a hurry, and their eunuchs were in a hurry. The Qing Dynasty is unfortunate, and those of them who want to continue to be officials are also unfortunate to have such a master!

Zhang Peilun has already passed the word, and he has a negative trust. The marshal will never go to the British Concession. When there is no news at dawn, Jiang Shunlun will make a fire and leave, and the British want to talk about it again, so come to Jiangning.

The big guys all sighed and were relatively speechless.

The British have such a big shelf, will they come to Jiang Shun Wheel? If they don't come today, do they still expect these foreign devils to come to Jiangning? offended foreign devils, between the north and the south, I am afraid that there will be variables again.

A few southbound figures who accompanied the two Taoist platforms in Shanghai sat there exchanging glances, and I don't know if they were a little remorseful in their hearts?

Seeing that it is already more cold, the more you wait for the big guy, the colder it becomes. In the end, the five upset Shangguan Dao stomped his feet and stood up: "It's wet and cold this day!" The big guys have done their best, let's have a clear conscience! Let's go home, anyway, it's him who wants to win the world, not us! It's great not to be this official, go home and eat yourself! ”

Several people sighed and stood up, and before they could stand up straight, they heard footsteps ringing rapidly outside the hall, and when they looked at it, they saw a messenger who ran to the British Concession running in as if he was flying in with a big hat, and shouted loudly before he had time to fight: "My lord! Something is wrong with this! The British foreign devils have never seen them so small, and in the middle of the night, they came to the Gaochang Temple Pier in a carriage! Minister Ho Bo, Consul Barnard, and the British minister have changed their clothes and come over! Xu Dashuai really has a destiny! ”

The faces of several officials turned pale all of a sudden, and their bodies shook a little, almost falling to the ground. Several people didn't have time to speak, and they helped each other to rush out of the public hall of Gaochang Temple Wharf and went straight to the trestle of the wharf. In the distance, the sound of wheels rolling over the dock road paving the dog's head stone has already been heard, and under the gas lamps with the shaking of the front of the car, it is the Western-style carriage with the British consulate mark heading towards the dock!

Shanghai Customs Road and Shanghai Road were the two most concerned about this matter, and at this time, they couldn't help but soften, and turned their heads to look at Jiang Shunlun. Next to the bright wheel, Xu Yifan's cloak figure was still standing straight above Jiang Tao, and under the moonlight, his body seemed to reflect the phosphorus and phosphorus waves.

An almost groaning exclamation came out of Shangguandao's throat: "............ In this world, it's Xu Dashuai............"

(To be continued)