The Bund in Shanghai, known as BUND in English, refers to the riverside avenue from Yan'an East Road to Waibaidu Bridge. In the building complex spread out along the Huangpu River, there is a four-storey building in the British style, which is also a decent and stylish Western-style building on the Bund, No. 9 on the Bund, which is the office building of the steamship China Merchants Bureau, which was originally the building of Qichang Foreign Company in the past, and was bought by China Merchants Bureau three years ago.

At the beginning of the construction, the clear water red bricks and red buildings were specially bought from the United Kingdom, which is also a unique touch of red in the buildings of all countries. In the garden of the China Merchants Shipping Bureau under the starry night, a Chinese in civilian clothes sighed for a long time, his face full of sadness.

A month ago, all the newspapers in Shanghai published a photograph of him and a warship, the cruiser Haitian, the largest ship in the Qing Dynasty.

"Shiya! Luck also! ”

Liu Guanguan sighed, and his eyes couldn't help but look at the building on the other side of the river with searchlights that illuminated the majestic shape, but he was not in the mood to appreciate the "tallest building in the world".

A month ago, Liu Guanxiong was ordered to lead the "Haitian" ship from Yantai to Jiangyin to carry arms to meet the needs of "neutrality" in western Liaoning. The next day, the warship encountered foggy weather at sea. By night, the fog was getting thicker and thicker, and visibility over the sea was already low. In this case, the warship should slow down.

However, he believes that the task is urgent and time cannot be delayed. He believes that with his many years of experience in sea sailing, he can cope with such bad weather. Therefore, he did not give the order to slow down, but ordered the warship to continue to speed through the fog at the same speed. However, he never imagined that he had made a fatal mistake at this time. His overconfidence led to a rare disaster, and he paid a heavy price for it.

When the ship sailed to the vicinity of Wusongkou, it accidentally touched Dingxing Island in order to avoid civilian boats and unfortunately sank. The "Haitian" and "Haiqi" were the two largest warships of the Qing Dynasty after the First Sino-Japanese Naval War. The damage to the "Haitian" was a major loss to the navy and caused a shock in the government and the public.

Liu Guanxiong is very clear about this point, as a pipe belt, if he damages a giant ship, he should be beheaded according to the law. Although some friends in the military and political circles campaigned for him in many ways, he knew that his sin was unforgivable and he would inevitably die. Therefore, he finally said that he was so enveloped by fear that his spirit almost collapsed, and he even thought of suicide. In the end, with the help of friends, he was spared death and was only dismissed. He also ordered to assist Sa Zhenbing in organizing the salvage work, and made meritorious contributions.

"Dismissal ......"

Liu Guan's ambition is calm, the navy carries his dreams, thinking that after the "Haitian" crash, when Sa Zhenbing rushed to Shanghai, he slapped him, although the slap was led by him to hate, but in his heart it was himself who hated more, it was his self-confidence that sank the Haitian.

"Fortunately, the warship was salvaged!"

Fortunately, looking at the building of Huaxing Shipping Company on the other side of the river, Liu Guanxiong was a little grateful.

After the warship hit the reef that day, although it was busy ordering measures to be rescued, it was too late, and everything was to no avail. In the morning, a northwest wind blew on the sea, and the raging waves violently hit the injured warship, causing the hull to constantly rub and collide with the reef, and the warship's injuries became more and more serious, and the stern part of the warship gradually sank into the water. The acting commander of the Beiyang Navy, Sa Zhenbing, rushed to the scene of the accident.

After Sa Zhenbing arrived, in addition to investigating the cause of the accident, he immediately launched rescue work. Most of the rescued officers and men on the "Haitian" were sent ashore by China Merchants steamers, leaving behind 60 people, who were led by him to guard the warship and disassemble the guns.

At the same time, Sa Zhenbing asked Shanghai Yesongyang Factory to help. The plant used a pumping machine to drain water, hoping to reduce the weight of the warship and make it float. Helplessly, the seawater is pumped and irrigated, and it has no effect. This will Huaxing Shipping Company take the initiative to ask Ying to salvage the "Haitian".

Fortunately, the "Haitian" relied on the four iron anchors to connect the Dingxing Island, and the bow of the ship was able to rest on the reef and expose the water, while the two salvage ships of Huaxing's "Ao Guang" and "Ao Shun" arrived at the top, and with the help of Liu Guanxiong and others, they first removed the turrets, shells, equipment, and cabin accessories of the sunken ships, and sent divers to plug the underwater loopholes, pump out the silt around the hull and the sediment in the ship, and then straighten out the water. Later, under the guidance of tugboats, it arrived at the Yangtze River Shipyard in Ma'anshan on May 22.

"Good thing the boat is fine!"

Sighing in his heart, a whistle sounded on the Huangpu River, and instinctively turned his head to see that it was a foreign [***] ship, Liu Guanxiong's brows furrowed.

What does the dismissal mean, it means that he has never had the opportunity to rebel against the navy again, although Yuan Shikai saved his life, but returned to the navy...... Liu Guanxiong understood that after the "Haitian ship" ran aground, the navy had no other place to stand.

"Cast under Lord Yuan!"

For Lord Yuan's life-saving grace, Liu Guanxiong is grateful, but ...... He closed his eyes and remembered the scene on the Yellow Sea on August 18, ten years ago, when the sea was completely shrouded in darkness, and he could clearly see the sky-high flames emitted by the burning "Yangwei" ship in the distance.

Thinking of the humiliating display of the "Zhenyuan" and other "Zhenyuan" ships that remained on Liusong Island nine years ago, they watched their former partner and friend "Kangji" ship slowly sail away from Liugong Island, as well as the "Jingyuan" that was sunk by the torpedo boats of the Yuejun Army.

Thinking about everything, the hand holding the table used force, the bone joints were highlighted, and the face was full of grief and indignation, the navy ...... I can't ...... anymore No more chance!

This kind of despair is even greater than the self-blame and panic after the Haitian hit the rocks.

"Liu Guandao!"

A sudden shout brought the desperate Liu Guanxiong back to his senses, he looked up, but it was an acquaintance, an acquaintance who was made because the sea and sky hit the reef, Cao Shiqi, the manager of Huaxing Shipping Company, how could he come to attract investment?

As we all know in Shanghai, Huaxing Shipping Company is the biggest competitor of China Merchants, and the two have no communication, so why did they come here today, is it ...... Thinking of the most advertisement of Huaxing Shipping Company to recruit Chinese captains, Liu Guanxiong vaguely guessed the other party's intention.

"Guanxiong has already been dismissed, how can he still be a leader!"

Shaking his head and sighing softly, a wry smile appeared on Liu Guanxiong's face.

"In Shiqi's opinion, although Ziying has left his job, he is still worthy of the position of a manager!"

Sitting in front of Liu Guanxiong, Cao Shiqi took out a pack of cigarettes with a smile on his face and handed him one.

But Liu Guanxiong shook his hand and pushed away the cigarette.

"Guanxiong is not a smoker!"

Cao Shiqi smiled and ordered one himself.

"I thought that at this time, Ziying should be a little interested in this, so it can be seen that Ziying is a true soldier of my navy."

Gave Liu Guanxiong a sycophant, Cao Shiqi smiled, today the chairman specially met him, and it was from the chairman that he knew some secrets, so he came to this China Merchants Shipping Bureau with white eyes.

"Real soldiers?"

Liu Guanxiong smiled at this title, but the bitterness on his face was fully revealed.

"Ying Heng, now there is only one grass man Liu Guanxiong, and there is no navy Liu Guanxiong, please Ying Heng Mo mention the matter of this navy soldier again!"

"Oh!"

Cao Shiqi looked surprised, looking at the unwillingness on Liu Guanxiong's bitter face, he understood that he was just saying a word.

A few days ago, when the "Haitian" was repairing at the Yangtze River Shipyard, the shipwright accidentally got a book scroll! ”

Raising his eyes slightly, Liu Guanxiong noticed that Cao Shiqi was holding a ring shaft in his hand, and the oak shaft on the ring shaft looked a little familiar.

Don't...... Picking up the circle shaft, Cao Shiqi gently supported it with his hand.

"Originally, I said, this book scroll was supposed to be the beloved thing of the "Jingyuan" gang back then......"

Cao Shiqi sighed, looked at the scroll in his hand and shook his head, but Liu Guanxiong's eyes, which were originally full of bitterness, showed a strange look, his eyes stared at the scroll, he opened his mouth but failed to make a sound, and the bitterness in his throat and the annoyance in his heart aggravated a little.

Spread out the scroll, the four big characters written on the canvas came into Liu Guanxiong's eyes, and Liu Guanxiong, who was only pierced by the dim street lamp, almost wanted to turn his head to avoid it.

"Snow Armor Shame!"

Cao Shiqi read the four characters on the scroll in a heavy tone.

"The twenty-first year of Guangxu, the seventeenth day of the first month of Yang Yonglin"

After reading these words, Cao Shiqi raised his eyes to look at Liu Guanxiong, whose expression was extremely complicated at this time, sometimes sad and angry, sometimes helpless, and sometimes regretful.

"Yang Yonglin, if Shiqi's memory is correct, this should be that during the Battle of Dadonggou, he suddenly turned the rudder of "Zhenyuan", blocked the "Dingyuan", and launched an attack on the ship, so that "Dingyuan" could immediately extinguish the fire and calmly respond to the enemy. At that time, the Western naval figures who were "watching the battle" in the nearby waters all praised it: "If you are so good, you will be far away!" The "Zhenyuan" ship is the acting pipe with Yang Yonglin! Liu Guanxiong nodded, as if recalling the scenes of the five-hour naval battle in Donggou in August ten years ago, and silently recalled everything that happened that day.

On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, Yang Guan took Yu to recite the desperate poem "Who has not died in life since ancient times, leaving Dan to take care of his sweat" in the cabin of the "Zhenyuan", and then killed himself with a pistol from the mouth. ”

Looking at the bloodstains on the scroll that had been soaked in seawater, Liu Guanxiong spoke.

"The twenty-first year of Guangxu, the seventeenth day of the first month, this should be the masterpiece of Yang Guandai!"

Cao Shiqi asked, and then looked at the slightly dark red on the scroll, and there seemed to be a scene in front of him that after writing this scroll, Yang Yonglin, who chanted "Who has not died in life since ancient times, and left Dan to take care of his sweat".

"The defeat of Beiyang is by no means because the officers and soldiers did not use their lives! The soldiers of Beiyang did not forget their lives during the war, but the ships were old and ......"

Liu Guanxiong's words were only half spoken, and then he closed his eyes and stopped talking, no matter what the reason, he was defeated!

"There are so many rumors in the world that a lie is true when it is repeated a thousand times!"

Quoting what the chairman said to himself this morning, Cao Shiqi's eyes were even slightly red when he saw Liu Guanxiong's face showing surprise.

"Ziying, this is what the chairman of my family said when he mentioned Beiyang!"

"Oh?"

Liu Guanxiong was surprised to have some affection for the first tycoon of the Qing Dynasty whom he had never met.

"Today, Shiqi is here, it's ......"

Cao Shiqi put the scroll in his hand and let out a sigh.

"Originally, Shiqi wanted to return this book soaked in the blood of Yang Guan's belt and containing the wishes of the old Beiyang officers and soldiers, but ......"

This only made Liu Guanxiong's heart startled, and his eyes opened at the same time.

"This book is a private belongings hanging in the captain's room, please ...... it"

"I'm sorry!"

Standing up, Cao Shiqi took the scroll and apologized.

"This thing is by no means a person's private property, but a wish made by Yang Guan with blood and a wish, which is held by the person who has this wish!"

"How do you know I don't want to!"

Cao Shiqi, who was glaring angrily, Liu Guanxiong let out a deep sigh, staring at him with red eyes, looking for it in his heart if he didn't give it back to him, he would rob it. This book shaft is his beloved thing, the book is a blood-stained pen of Yang Guan, and the shaft is made of a "Jingyuan" rudder plate, how can this Cao Shiqi be snatched away by a businessman.

"Mr. Liu!"

Cao Shiqi shook his head, ignoring Liu Guanxiong's ruthlessness, and even changed his title.

"You are no longer a navy, how can you fulfill the wish of Yang Guanban!"

"I will be able to fulfill the wish of the poplar pipe belt!"

Liu Guanxiong glared angrily, making a posture to snatch back the scroll.

"How round! You are no longer a naval officer, and the court you are loyal to has no ambition to prepare the sea and build a large naval division, how can you fulfill this wish! ”

Cao Shiqi sneered and stared at Liu Guanxiong in front of him.

"In order to save money, the navy is not allowed to update its weapons and ammunition, and after the defeat of the war, the loss of the indemnity and land is a hundred thousand times the amount of military expenditures purchased! If after the defeat of the First Sino-Japanese War, it costs hundreds of millions of taels to buy ships to reorganize the navy, how can it be a disaster for Gengzi, my Mr. Liu, ...... like this"

Sneering, shaking his head and sighing, Cao Shiqi ignored the surprise and helplessness on Liu Guanxiong's face.

"I don't know, even if you have the opportunity to re-enter the navy, it will be the year before you can fulfill the last wish of the Yang Guanband!"

But Liu Guanxiong was full of helplessness at this time, he smiled bitterly, and then waved his hand weakly.

"Take it! May he say, you can find someone who can fulfill the last wish of the poplar pipe belt! ”

How can he control the imperial court, after the completion of Beiyang, he was inexplicably poor, and now Beiyang is not even as good as Beiyang back then, what can he do? That's it, that's it!

"Humph!"

With a cold snort, Cao Shiqi shook his head again.

"Sure enough, as others say, China's things are bad, everyone thinks that others can do it anyway, why do they need to do it! No wonder 100 million Han people let the Manchurians enter the customs back then, no wonder ......"

"Who said I didn't want to!"

Liu Guanxiong, who looked at him angrily and stood up violently, roared, and this roar only reverberated in the garden of China Merchants.

"I think about it in the day, I think about it at night, but I can ...... But those things don't want to, what can I do, I ...... I'm just a pipe band! ”

Annoyed and ashamed, Liu Guanxiong didn't notice what Cao Shiqi meant in his words, and finally sat down with grief and helplessness, but slapped the stone table hard.

"I think, I think all the time, what can I do, they don't want to ......"

When he said this, Liu Guanxiong's eyes almost welled up with tears, which were grief and indignation, grievances, helplessness, and ...... All kinds of tastes are waving in my heart, saying that I owe the Chinese Navy, how can I repay the debt?

"If this continues, with the prosperity of the development of this navy, I am afraid that there will never be a day when I will repay the debt!"

Cao Shiqi's words only made Liu Guanxiong nod, the indescribable despair has been haunting him for the past ten years, when "Haitian" and "Haiqi" came back, he thought that there would be that day, but in the end, the cruel reality only aggravated his despair.

"What can Guanxiong do?"

Closing his eyes, Liu Guanxiong shook his head and sighed.

"The imperial court doesn't want to reorganize the water division, what can Guan Xiong do, now he can't even stay in this water division, I ......"

He couldn't say any more, and he let out a long sigh again.

But Cao Shiqi sat down and stared at Liu Guanxiong with a helpless face.

"You're here to find the captain!"

Sensing that the other party was staring at him, Liu Guanxiong said softly without raising his eyes.

"Okay, the navy of the imperial court is not prosperous, I hope you, the Huaxing merchant ship, can prosper! Don't say anything, I'll go! I'll go to you Huaxing to be a captain! ”

When he said this, Liu Guanxiong was completely desperate, for the water master and the four-character wish.

"To be a captain?"

Cao Shiqi smiled and shook his head.

"Now Huaxing's sea ship school has been built, and it can be completed quickly, and hundreds of officers can be produced within three years, and thousands of captains can be produced within ten years, and Brother Ziying ......."

As he spoke, Cao Shiqi pushed the scroll in front of him.

"This ......"

Liu Guanxiong looked at the scroll on the stone table in surprise, how could he return it to himself.

"With Ziying's talent, being a merchant captain is very wrong, in Shiqi's opinion, Ziying should lead the warship to gallop on the ocean and raise the prestige of China, he said that he can fulfill these four-word wishes!"

"Is there still that chance?"

Liu Guanxiong, who was stimulated by Cao Shiqi's words, shook his head bitterly, in the past, he used dreams to deceive himself, but today he was woken up by this Cao Shiqi, and the dream should have woken up a long time ago.

"Yu Qing Court!"

Cao Shiqi stared at Liu Guanxiong and shook his head.

"There's no possibility! Have you bought any warships in the past few years? And there is no plan to expand the navy! ”

Liu Guanxiong was just silent and did not answer, at this time he had already heard the meaning of disobedience in Cao Shiqi's words, but he did not show any emotion.

"What if it's a political axe?"

Looking at Liu Guanxiong seriously, Cao Shiqi asked rhetorically.

"The new dynasty and the new policy will rearmament!"

As soon as his eyes were raised, there was some light in his eyes that seemed to be desperate, Liu Guanxiong stared at Cao Shiqi, and the person in front of him was not a shipping company manager.

"You're a mess!"

"I'm Han!"

One question and one answer, the two looked at each other, Cao Shiqi smiled, and Liu Guanxiong watched.

"You're not afraid that I'll be raised in the government?"

"I'm afraid you'll forget the blood in your body, the wish of your heart!"

There was silence again, this time the silence was longer than before, and it took about ten seconds before Liu Guanxiong broke the silence.

"Do you know that I am greatly favored by the court!"

"I only know that you have a scorching yellow vein!"

The two people in the garden looked at each other like this, the atmosphere at this time seemed a little weird, Liu Guanxiong stared at Cao Shiqi with a serious expression, trying to find some fear from his face, but he accidentally found that the other party's face was only calm, and this calmness made Liu Guanxiong speechless for a while.

(To be continued)