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Prince Yi Zaiyuan hesitated for a moment, but still said: "Go back to the words of the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces!" The lower ministers came in and said that the physical strength was gradually difficult to support, and at this moment the sitting party was strong, and I am afraid that it would be difficult to do it with the current situation, and if the country is misunderstood, it will be impossible to give up, and the minister asked Prince Gong to find a capable deputy by himself. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info"

Cixi and Ci'an exchanged glances, nodded and agreed, after all, Zaiyuan's generous statement before made the empress dowager of the two palaces see that Zaiyuan and he are not the same person, and Zaiyuan was already reluctant to add Zaiyuan, and it is of course best for Zaiyuan to take the initiative to resign.

Zaiyuan who walked in the sandwich wall against the cold wind seemed a little out of spirit, but Yixin, who was full of red light, seemed to be not afraid of the cold wind, with his head held high, Zaiyuan was determined to go back to his house as soon as possible, and then take his family back to Shengjing to escape the world.

Compared with the stormy Qing Dynasty in Gyeonggi, London, England ushered in an extremely rare sunny day in this season, and the bright sunshine made people's mood exceptionally cheerful!

On November 27, 1861, this is a very ordinary day in history, because of the fine weather, Queen Victoria, who deliberately changed her clothes, smiled at the desk of Buckingham Palace and said to the Duke of Hanni, who had been traveling for a long time, "Today is a good day, and I hope that Your Excellency the Dear Duke will bring me the same good news!" ”

Duke Hanni, dressed in a black tuxedo with a collar flower and a civilized staff in his hand, took off his top hat, stroked his very proudly trimmed Nanston-style beard with his hand, and smiled slightly: "Your Majesty, all good things come from your wishes, and under your incomparable charm, even Yanjing is reluctant to let you down." ”

Empress Victoria looked meaningfully at Duke Hanni and slowly stretched out her left hand and said, "Is it true that all the food in other European countries is now coated with honey?" What makes your mouth so sweet, if you drink a sip of black tea, you may save sugar and milk, right? I'd love to try it when I get a chance. ”

Duke Hanni was slightly stunned after listening to Empress Victoria's provocative words, and when he kissed the back of Empress Victoria's hand, he pressed his fingers on her palm, and the attendant standing next to him with a wig seemed to be unaware of what was happening in front of him. Everything in the room seems so weird?

Empress Victoria opened the file brought back by Duke Hanni and closed it excitedly: "On December 1, 1861, Great Britain was called the Immortal Empire, the French Third Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Portugal, the Russian Empire, and the Qing Empire. ”

Duke Hanni nodded to Empress Victoria and said: "The navy has already launched twenty-seven armored protection cruisers of more than 4,700 tons for more than a month, and it is fully qualified to dispatch, according to the agreement on sending troops, our seven European countries have dispatched a total of 578 naval ships, including 52 ironclad ships, and the army strength is 279,000 people, of which Russia has dispatched 15 ironclad ships, and the army strength is 200,000 people, and then all the military expenses borne by the Qing Empire are distributed according to the proportion of troops sent by each country. It seems that the Russians are well prepared! ”

Empress Victoria smiled slightly: "I didn't expect that the Crimean War hadn't knocked this old bear down, how long has it been?" The Russians have regained so much strength! ”

Duke Hanni shook his head and said: "My Majesty, you are only looking at the surface, the elite of the Russians were lost in the Crimean War, and there are many famines in their country, so they must make a hard vote against their weak neighbors, otherwise it is still unknown whether they can survive this difficulty, the 200,000 Russians can only be judged by the number, I believe that their 200,000 can not even resist our 50,000, and it is not a new thing for the Russians to arm farmers as an army!" ”

Empress Victoria gently stroked a small jade lion placed on her bookcase, hesitated for a moment, and said: "The first time we launched a war against the Qing Kingdom, we not only alleviated the economic crisis within the empire, but also brought back countless such treasures, just like this, we in the British Empire do not have it, our industrial workers can build huge ships that they can't imagine, but it's a pity that they can't make such exquisite handicrafts!" ”

Duke Hanny smiled beside him, "But we made guns and made theirs ours, didn't we?" My Majesty! ”

Empress Victoria was slightly blushed by Duke Hanni's words and said: "Except for China, the regime of several ancient civilizations in the world is still continuing, and the rest have perished, the last one is the empire's diamond India, will the next one be China?" Damn China is so far away, they are ignorant and backward, they are ignorant and numb, they are like a race created by God to be colonized! ”

Duke Hanni nodded and said, "Their ancestors invented gunpowder, but they used it to make fireworks?" How incredible and stupid is this? What could be more joyful than plunder and possession in this world where power speaks? ”

Empress Victoria put down the file in her hand and said, "If you were to be the commander-in-chief of this coalition, Duke Hanni, who would you choose as your assistant?" I'm talking about the admirals on the naval side! For we must have a brilliant general to lead the coalition's vast fleet to the Far East to punish the wicked man who has acted recklessly. ”

Duke Hanni hesitated for a moment and said, "I have considered it, if Your Majesty the Empress gives me your trust, then I will choose James. Lieutenant General William, do you remember? The last defeat in the Far East made James. The Earl of William suffered great disgrace, and he was not promoted to the rank of temporary admiral, and is still a lieutenant general, and is the director of instruction at the Naval Reserve School in Princeton. A talent like Earl William had an opportunity, and it was a loss for the British Empire to let such a talent teach in a preparatory school. ”

Queen Victoria heard Duke Hanni mention James. Earl William, as soon as I think of James. The Earl of William has always been loyal to himself, and he was completely removed from office under the pressure of defeat. Earl William bore all the responsibility for the defeat, and at that time he was left with only one honorary lieutenant general in addition to the title, and as a naval admiral, his career was almost completely scrapped.

When I think of these Queen Victoria, I find myself feeling sorry for James. Earl William, after all, the so-called reasons for the defeat of the battle in the Far East were many. Nor does it seem fair that Earl William is fully responsible.

After making up her mind, Empress Victoria suddenly said to Duke Hanni: "If you are the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, then the deputy commander must be Russian, right?" ”

Duke Hanni nodded and said: "Theoretically, it is not ruled out that the Russians want the position of commander-in-chief, the navy is under the unified command of our side, and the army side is under the unified command of the Russians, although the French also participated, but you know, their emperor is still fighting with the Prussians in Sedang, I'm afraid they can only mean it!" ”

After listening to Duke Hanni's account, Empress Victoria said categorically: "You must be the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, the navy is under the unified and coordinated command of the imperial side, and the army can be placed under the command of the Russians, remember that our ultimate goal this time is to completely destroy the so-called Chinese empire established by Lin Haijiang, restore and expand the basic interests of the empire in the Qing state, maintain order in Southeast Asia, take over the capital, Ryukyu, Taiwan, Hainan, and Indochina Peninsula from the Chinese empire, and establish an imperial island circle around the Pacific Ocean. Use this island circle as a strategic blockade or cutting point against the Qing Kingdom. ”

Duke Hanni nodded and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured! I'll have the interests of the Empire in mind throughout the operation, but I'm going to bring the good news to James now. Count William, let him also prepare early, I believe that he must be interested in personally tearing Lin Haijiang, whom he hates so much, to pieces. ”

December 25, 1861 was an extremely dull day for the Chinese! But for Europeans, it is a major festival of national surnames, December 25 every year, which is a traditional festival of the European Catholic calendar, which is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ by Christians!

The two brigades of marines of the Chinese Empire had all landed ten days earlier, and the imaginary fierce battle did not take place, and the elite cavalry battalions of the Imperial Imperial Forest Army of the Great Qing Dynasty fled back to Gyeonggi without an army, leaving only the Beiyang New Army Teaching Brigade of less than 1,000 people on the Weizi Fort, which was actually a seedling set aside according to the instructions of the Russians, and it was itself a concentrated blood of the Beiyang New Army of officers above the general level.

It was this teaching brigade of less than 1,000 people who held out on the Weizi Fort for seven days, and ran out of ammunition and food! Lin Haijiang didn't understand that there were at least more than 10,000 Beiyang recruits in the Tianjin Acropolis, and 3,000 Mongolian horses in Jinghai, and a ragtag army known as 100,000 Qinwang troops had been gathered in the land of Gyeonggi, but it was the Beiyang New Army Teaching Brigade on the Dagukou Fort that no one rescued? Fighting like this, undefeated is the hell!

In the end, the Beiyang New Army Teaching Brigade with heavy casualties set up a white flag under Lin Haijiang's batch after batch of lobbyists, and finally laid down only more than 200 people, the surrender of the Beiyang New Army Teaching Brigade made Lin Haijiang see a good phenomenon, that is, although Zeng Guofan trained the Beiyang New Army to look good, but this army lacked soul and faith, when they were besieged or in adversity, especially when they were helpless, they would also waver, and the so-called training of soldiers sang just a small section, Engaging in a cult of personality, Zeng Guofan is definitely not Lin Haijiang's opponent.

Lin Haijiang's personality cult is promoted among ordinary officers and soldiers and the whole people, and for senior generals, he adopts both grace and might; Lin Haijiang himself is a warlord and a scholar, so he has always attached great importance to the management and control of the troops; almost all the students who graduated from the imperial school are his subordinates and students; the Chinese pay attention to being a teacher for life and a father; a large number of political training officers are subtly instilling the so-called national righteousness in the officers and men of the troops, and finally linking the righteousness with loyalty to the head of state. Even if a certain corps commander wants to mess around and pull the team alone, will the division commander under him listen to him, the brigade commander below? Battalion commander or even company commander? will have their own thoughts and wills.

The landing Marine Brigade can be said to have completely demolished all the factories and facilities built in Beiyang except for the Tianjin Acropolis, for which Lin Haijiang used almost all the transportation capacity that the Chinese Empire could mobilize, and 126 brand-new Armstrong coastal defense guns of 6 to 10 inches became Lin Haijiang's trophies.

Located outside the Tianjin Acropolis, the Beiyang Minister and Prime Minister Yamen was completely run away, and even the calligraphy and paintings, furniture, tables and chairs that Zeng Guofan loved were swept away, and the soldiers of the Beiyang New Army who had just carried guns and eaten food for less than two months at the head of the Tianjin Acropolis stood tremblingly at the head of the city looking at the Chinese Imperial Army outside the city that swept past like locusts, but the soldiers of the Beiyang New Army seemed to be more envious of the Chinese Imperial Marines' outfit, which looked very warm and not bloated, and was much stronger than the two padded jackets of these frozen peopleSome recruits recruited from Zhili Shandong even secretly muttered that they had already known to carry guns over there, and every day as soon as it was dark, some recruits used their trouser belts to bolt to the city, and even people went to each other with guns.

Qian Zekai, the Tianjin guard general, was originally just a guerrilla from the fourth grade, and the big guys in the Tianjin Acropolis are like clouds, where will it be his turn? However, Lin Yi's ironclad ship went to the mouth of Dagu, and the generals and general soldiers in the city all went back to Jinggi to escort him, and he was the largest Qian Zekai in the entire Tianjin Acropolis, and in desperation, Qian Zekai supported this errand, and he was not enough to return to the king of Beijing, plus he was from Beiyang, even if he escaped from the battle, Qian Zekai's intestines were so remorseful, why did he spend money to run Tianjin Wei to find death?

Yesterday could be said to be Qian Zekai's saddest day, and the sentries at the head of the entire battalion on the four city walls ran away, not to mention? I also took away 306 British big fives! The dozens of trouser belts on the battlements at the head of the city seemed to be mocking him, so Qian Zekai made up his mind that all the sentries would carry their pants to the sentry tonight, put their rifles into storage, and each of them would have a wooden club.

Qian Zekai, who was annoyed early this morning, received a report that the marines of the Chinese Empire were demolishing the roof beams of the Beiyang Yamen, and Qian Zekai did not dare to squeak when he was moved a few days ago, because Qian Zekai believed that if the gate was opened, I am afraid that these more than 8,000 people might be scattered in a hurry, and they should not mention it in the war. When Zeng Dashuai came back, he saw that the yamen was emptied under his nose, and finally the two houses were demolished? Then you don't want your own life?

In the end, Qian Ze spent five hundred taels of silver and found a bold horseback to go over to discuss with Lin Rebellious's bandit army, everything was moved, and the house should not be demolished? As a result, the person went on horseback, and when he arrived at the place, he made a few gestures and came back on foot, and it is said that the horse was requisitioned? Qian Ze was so angry that he wanted to scold his mother, this is too unsophisticated, right? That's a snow fly worth more than 5,000 taels! I specially bought it to prepare for it in case one day I went to the battlefield and the situation was not right, so I let people requisition it?

It's that everyone has three points of fire, and the rabbit is in a hurry, Qian Ze's eyes are red, and his breath is panting! Pointing to the side of the Beiyang Yamen, he stood at the head of the city and jumped to his feet and shouted: "Eight lambs! It's not so forceful, you are simply deceiving people too much, do you really dare not surrender when Lao Tzu is really afraid to surrender? Somebody, go and give me a drop book! ”

Qian Zekai's ruthlessness made Li Jishan, the commander of the Sixth Marine Brigade, a little confused? The Tianjin Acropolis was a strategic bait that could be set aside, and it was originally intended to be used to encircle the point and send reinforcements, but the Qing army was all cowered in its Gyeonggi area, so the strategic plan of encircling and sending reinforcements in an attempt to annihilate several Qing troops to shock its entire army completely failed.

Li Jishan knew that in the near future, at least before the main force of the Beiyang New Army of Zeng Guofan returned to Tianjinwei, the imperial side had no operational plan to capture Tianjinwei, after all, there were only two marine brigades that landed, and they could only be stationed within the range of the main guns of the fleet west of the Dagukou Fort. Although the Army has quite a lot of rhetoric about such behavior, the Marine Corps is directly under the Admiralty after all, and it is suspected of being a branch of the Army that has collapsed.

When Lin Haijiang learned that Qian Zekai, the defender of the Tianjin Weiqing Army, had surrendered, he just smiled faintly, the Tianjin Acropolis was outside the range of the imperial navy's naval guns, so even if Qian Zekai surrendered and sacrificed the city, it would be useless for him to want Tianjin Wei, because this was simply an operation to contain the surname, and the role of the two marine brigades was really very limited, if the Qing court did not panic, I am afraid that Zeng Guofan was likely to attack Changsha at this moment, it can be said that the panic of the Qing court cooperated with Lin Haijiang's strategic decision!

Recently, the Marine Corps has been covering more than 10,000 people from the production and construction corps who came by boat, and is carrying out a complete move to Beiyang, and it can be said that most of the family funds that Zeng Guofan has saved in recent years are near Tianjinwei, and the Beiyang Manufacturing Bureau, which was built with the help of the Russians and the British, has almost even been dug up.

Lin Haijiang was naturally satisfied with the fruitful harvest of this trip, except for failing to catch the seven warships that Russia had returned to Dagukou, the operation of landing at Dagukou and plundering Beiyang was perfect!

(To be continued)