In addition to the Russian submarine Dolphin, the French submarine designer Maxim? In 1896, Lauberf also built the submarine "One Horn Whale", whose surname was no worse than that of Holland 10, but the submarine route design of the two was different. Holland took the monocoque route, and Maxim took the bihull route, but the design ideas were different, whether it was a single or double shell, they could eventually achieve positive results.

At this time, Russia and France were still leading the world in the development of submarines, and the only drawback was that the two countries did not produce advanced submarines on a large scale, nor did they bring submarines into full play with real combat effectiveness.

It was precisely because of this that Wang Chenhao was a little relieved, but he did not dare to be too careless, and informed Li Guodong in Britain and ordered him to closely monitor the development of submarines in France and Russia, and to pay attention to Britain and Germany.

On January 3, the 23rd year of Guangxu, Sheng Xuanhuai and Wang Chenhao discussed the loan of the Luhan Railway and the Hanyang Iron Works in Tianjin, and Wang Chenhao agreed to invest 3 million pounds to build the Luhan Railway and 75 pounds to merge the Hanyang Iron Works and the affiliated Daye Iron Mine.

However, when Sheng Xuanhuai reported to the imperial court for approval, Guangxu refused. Sheng Xuanhuai was asked to borrow money from others, but he couldn't borrow money from Wang Chenhao, because Wang Chenhao's Westernization company had occupied 98% of the Qing Empire's agricultural, industrial and commercial enterprises and factories, and monopolized the achievements accumulated by the Qing Empire's Westernization Movement for more than 30 years. The Hanyang Iron Works, the Luhan Railway, and the Daye Iron Mine could no longer fall into Wang Chenhao's hands. At the same time, the imperial court promised Wang Chenhao's foreign affairs company tax exemption, once the Luhan Railway, Hanyang Iron Works, and Daye Iron Mine fell into Wang Chenhao's hands, they would also enjoy the tax exemption policy, which would affect the imperial court's financial revenue. And Wang Chenhao secretly helped a large number of private enterprises in the three circles of agriculture and industry in China to evade the taxes of the imperial court, which had made Guangxu very dissatisfied, so Sheng Xuanhuai's request to borrow money from Wang Chenhao was immediately vetoed.

On January 6, 1897, Sheng Xuanhuai, Minister of Railways and Minister of Banking of the Qing Dynasty, had to give up borrowing money from Wang Chenhao, and instead signed the "Luhan Railway Loan Contract" with representatives of the Belgian banking group in Wuchang, which was a draft contract. On 27 February, a formal contract was signed in Shanghai -- the "Luhan Railway Loan Renewal Contract." Provisions: The total amount of borrowings is £4.5 million, with an interest rate of 5% per annum, to be paid at a discount of 10%; The repayment period is 30 years; Guarantee the railway and all its properties; The Belgian bank delegation will send personnel to supervise the construction and operation of railways; The materials required for road construction, with the exception of a part provided by the Hanyang Iron Works, were undertaken by the Belgian Bank Group. The Belgian banking syndicate is supported by Russian and French groups. It was through a Belgian banking syndicate that Russia and France came forward to obtain the right to invest, build, and operate the Luhan Railway. From then on, Russia's influence could move from the northeast to the south, extending into the vast areas of Hebei, Henan, and Hubei.

When the news of the Luhan railway loan contract came, Wang Chenhao was immediately very dissatisfied when he learned of it. At this time, there must be a war between the Qing Empire and Russia, not to mention that France is an ally of Russia, which is equivalent to handing over the Luhan Railway to the enemy. In addition, the loan has to be repaid with high interest, and the transfer of industries and mining rights along the railway line is even more destructive.

At the same time, since the Qing government made concessions to the British on the Yunnan-Burma issue and to the French on the Canton Bay issue, the great powers of various countries have put pressure on the Qing government to expand their interests in China under the pretext of fairness.

Among them, on the issue of railways, the great powers of various countries are eager to intervene because of the huge interests in it. Since the war, the Qing government officially lifted restrictions and allowed the provinces to build railways, which led to the governors of the provinces to start building roads and secretly selling the right of way in order to obtain funds from the foreign powers.

In addition to the railways in Zhili and Northeast China, which were designed and built by Zhan Tianyou, the chief engineer appointed by Wang Chenhao, others such as the Luhan Railway, the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway, the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway, the Jinzhen Railway, the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway, etc., were all sold to the powers of various countries to undertake construction.

The Luhan Railway was handed over to the Belgian banking group, the Guangdong-Hankou Railway was handed over to the Hexing Company of the United States, the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway was sold to Britain, the Jinzhen Railway was sold to Germany, and the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway was sold to Britain.

These railways were transferred to the great powers, in addition to the benefits were given to the great powers, the great power companies basically stood in the pit and did not, and delayed the construction of the construction after winning the right of way, delaying the construction progress of China's railways and affecting the long-term development interests of the country.

If before, the Qing Empire did not have the strength to resist the foreign powers and betrayed the national interests in a reluctant manner, then forget it, Wang Chenhao also blamed the imperial court. But now that Wang Chenhao's strength has grown, he can completely resist the invasion of foreign powers. It is even if the previous unequal treaties have not been abolished for the time being, because the time is not yet ripe, but it is absolutely not permissible to sign contracts that betray the interests of the state.

Wang Chenhao thought that at the end of the Qing Dynasty, a large-scale movement to recover the rights of road and mining broke out among the people, and it won a victory, which dealt a severe blow to the arrogance of the great powers. Now Wang Chenhao believes that his strength is much stronger than that of the Qing political axe back then, so he can completely use the power of the people to stop this matter.

At the same time, since Wang Chenhao took the lead in opposing the betrayal of national interests by the imperial court several times, he has won the love and admiration of the people, and after tasting the sweetness of this kind of public opinion to enhance his influence, appeal and popularity, Wang Chenhao decided to do it again to arouse the patriotic sentiment of the people.

On March 1, 23 years ago, Wang Chenhao again wrote to the imperial court, openly opposing the Luhan railway loan contract with the Belgian banking group, and published the details of the Luhan railway loan contract through major newspapers at home and abroad, pointing out the clauses in it that betrayed the interests of the state and the people, which immediately aroused the anger of the broad masses of the people.

On March 2, Wang Chenhao telegraphed and ordered Tang Shouqian to take the lead in responding to the two Huai salt transports. Tang Shouqian immediately organized Zhejiang gentry and businessmen to discuss the establishment of the Zhejiang Provincial Railway Co., Ltd. in Shanghai, and at the same time, together with Liu Jin and Zao Weizheng, he called for the abolition of the draft contract of the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway. Subsequently, Jiangsu gentry and businessmen also formed the Jiangsu Railway Company, with Wang Qingmu as the prime minister and Zhang Jian as the assistant, and agreed to build the Shanghai-Jiaxing section to connect with the Zhejiang Road.

The Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway starts from Suzhou, passes through Hangzhou in China, and ends in Ningbo. In October 1896, on behalf of the British Silver Company, Jardine Matheson signed a draft agreement with Sheng Xuanhuai, the general office of the Qing Dynasty Railway Company, for the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway, and won the right to build the road. After the signing of the draft agreement, the survey work has not been carried out.

On March 15, British Minister Dou Nale sent a note to the Qing Dynasty Prime Minister Yamen, urging the exchange of formal treaties and demanding that Zhejiang merchants and civilians be prohibited from running their own railways. On 18 March, the Qing Dynasty Prime Minister Yamen put forward a so-called plan of "planning to divide the road and borrowing money for two things": "The route is made by China itself, except for the original share capital of Chinese businessmen, and all the original share capital of Chinese businessmen is reserved," and "about 1.5 million pounds of British gold is still needed, and the British company is borrowed from the company." Qing Zhengaxe signed the "Five-Percent Interest Loan Contract for the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway of China" with the British, borrowed 1.5 million gold pounds from the British, hired the British as the chief engineer, and changed the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway to the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway.

This immediately caused a large-scale protest, and the governors of the eastern provinces did not dare to suppress it because of the pressure put on them by Wang Chenhao behind his back, and as a result, other provinces followed suit.

On March 23, the people of Hunan, Hubei, and Guangdong provinces demanded the abolition of the contract signed between Qing Zhengaxe and the American Hexing Company to sell the sovereignty of the Guangdong-Hankou Railway. The people of Guangdong fought for the abolition of the Guangzhou (Zhou) Nine (Long) Road Covenant. The people of Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu provinces demanded the abolition of the "Jinzhen Railway Draft Contract" signed with the British HSBC Bank and the German Deutsch-Hua Bank, and that the right of way be withdrawn for self-management. With the support of Wang Chenhao, the vigorous movement to reclaim the right of way broke out and quickly swept the country.

On April 5, under the pressure of huge national politics and public opinion, the Qing government announced that it would abolish the draft treaties signed with the great powers of various countries and transfer the right to build railways to the people of the provinces to raise their own plans.

On 9 April, the United States took the lead in resisting the pressure and signed with Premier Yamen the "Contract for the Withdrawal of the Sale of the Guangdong-Hankou Railway to the American Hexing Company."

Subsequently, the Luhan Railway, the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway, the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway, the Jinzhen Railway, and the Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway also returned. At the same time, a lot of rights were recovered from the mining areas along the railway, including the resumption of the Duluhe placer gold mine in Tangyuan County, Hulan Prefecture from Tsarist Russia, the Jilarinhe placer gold mine in Hulunbuir, the Zaozhuang coal mine in Shandong, the recovery of Tongguanshan mining rights from Britain in Anhui, the recovery of the mining rights of Beijiang Hall in Sichuan from Britain, and the recovery of Chengjiang and other mining rights in Yunnan from France.

Wang Chenhao took the lead in taking back the rights of road and mining by the state, which once again put him in a lofty position in the hearts of the people, as if he had the image of a national leader.

For Wang Chenhao's troublemakers behind his back, Qing Zhengaxe couldn't accuse him, so he could only suffer a dumb loss.

On February 3, the 23rd year of Guangxu ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※, the Ryukyu king Shangtai, who was in exile in Tokyo, successfully escaped from Tokyo under the cover of Chen Xi, the Qing Empire's envoy to Tokyo, and arrived in Tianjin by boat.

This move was immediately highly tense by the political axe, and Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu urgently sent a note to Chen Xi, asking Chen Xi to explain. Chen Xi naturally resolutely refused to admit that he did it, and said that it was his own personal freedom to go to which country the Ryukyu King Shangtai went, and the Qing Empire would not interfere, and he also hoped that the political axe would not stop it.

Subsequently, Mutsu Somitsu instructed Lin Dong, the consul general of the Qing Dynasty in China, to protest to the Yamen, the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, and demanded that the Qing Dynasty immediately hand over Shang Tai to the Imperial Consulate, or repatriate Shang Tai back to the Qing Dynasty.

Prime Minister Yamen Minister Yi was completely unaware of it, and immediately contacted Chen Xi, only to learn that Wang Chenhao's idea was behind this matter.

Yi didn't know what Wang Chenhao was doing when he got Shangtai to Tianjin, so he hurriedly sent a telegram to ask.

Wang Chenhao immediately called him back, saying that Shangtai was his friend, and this time he invited him to Tianjin, purely to catch up with friends.

"This Wang Chenhao, the matter in Guangzhou Bay has not stopped, he has brought Shangtai back to China again, isn't this a clear attempt to provoke himself? I'm so! ”

In the study room of the west hall of the Yinluan Hall of King Gong's Mansion, Yi said with a dissatisfied face, and the voice was so loud that it could be heard hundreds of meters away.

The maids and servants in Prince Gong's mansion, when they heard this volume, they all consciously hurried away from each other, for fear of getting into trouble.

At this time, there is no one else who can suppress the anger except Ning Xiang Ge Yuntong.

Yun Tong learned that Yi had returned home and was about to drive his car out to play, when he learned that Yi had exploded beans again, Yun Tong hurried over. After asking, I found out why Yi was angry.

"Since Wang Chenhao and Shang Tai are friends, it is normal for people to invite him to his house to sit, Marfa, are you angry?"

"Bullshit!"

Yi couldn't help but burst into foul language and said, "Bullshit friend! This Shangtai is now in his 70s, and he has been detained for almost 20 years, how old is Wang Chenhao? Don't say it's a friend, it's impossible to see each other! ”

Yun Tong suddenly wondered: "Then what's going on?" ”

Yi said: "What else can happen?" Eighty percent is Wang Chenhao, a stinky boy, is going to make a fuss again! ”

Yun Tong thought for a while and said: "Shangtai is the last king of the Ryukyus, there should be a lot of private money, since Wang Chenhao brought him to Tianjin not to reminisce, then it must be Shangtai has the treasure Wang Chenhao wants!" ”

Yi asked rhetorically: "How could Shang Tai have a treasure, even if he did, he would have let him get it!" Besides, Wang Chenhao will be short of money? He has so much money that he can sink the Ryukyus! ”

Yun Tong chuckled and said, "Since Wang Chenhao is neither a person nor a person, why else?" ”

Yi suddenly realized, slapped his thigh violently, and suddenly said: "Oh no, Wang Chenhao shouldn't have the idea of wanting to fight Ryukyu, right?" ”

Yun Tong nodded and said: "Ryukyu was originally a subject country of my Great Qing Kingdom, and it was unreasonably annexed by Yuben, if Wang Chenhao wants to bring Ryukyu back, it can be regarded as giving our country a vent!" ”

"Confused!"

Yi suddenly said unhappily: "We have signed a treaty with Yu and renounced our suzerainty over the Ryukyu Kingdom, how can we go back on our word?" ”

Yun Tong was suddenly unhappy, and said: "At this time and that time, at that time, the court swallowed its anger and did not dare to offend me. But now that the navy is completely destroyed, it is not the opponent of the imperial navy at all, and what we have lost should be returned. Besides, why can we only let others bully us, and we can't bully others? ”

"You-"

Yi pointed at Yun Tong and pointed his finger, but he couldn't refute it. After a long time, Yi saw that Yun Tong still insisted on his opinion, and the surname Suo said that he would hide.

"I have to hurry up and report to the emperor, if this kid makes a fuss, maybe he will have to do it with himself!"

After saying that, Yi turned around and left.

Yun Tong paused, turned around and said, "You haven't answered me yet!" ”

No matter how Yun Tong shouted Yi, Yi didn't look back, and soon got into the car and went out.

The huge Gongwang Mansion returned to calm, and after Yun Tong guessed Wang Chenhao's idea of preparing to fight the Ryukyus, he couldn't help but smile and said to himself: "This Wang Chenhao really doesn't let people stop!" Now it's a good show to watch again! ”

"Someone, prepare the car, Bengege wants to leave the house!"

"Back to Gege, didn't the car let the prince drive away just now?"

"Ahh

Yun Tong exclaimed, he had an argument with Yi just now, but unfortunately he forgot about the matter, and suddenly stomped his feet, his face covered with frost.

"Why did this dead king Chenhao send a car over? It's so bad that Marfa and I rob it every day! How unreasonable! ”

(To be continued)