The battle between the east and south of Penang Town was still raging, and in the middle of the night, the Dutch and their mercenaries suddenly launched an attack on Penang Harbour, and a defensive battle familiar to the infantry regiment of the Southern Naval Division suddenly began.

In the Chinese Civil War, the infantry regiment of the Pingyuan Naval Division once attacked Dinghai Hall, cut off the supply and retreat route of the Huai army deployed in Zhejiang, and held Dinghai for a year.

Today's infantry regiment of the Water Division is not comparable to a year ago.

Thinking about it, the Dutch commander Brigadier General Horst was the commander of the Dutch Sumatra armed stronghold of Jambi, Penang Harbor was occupied by the Chinese, and he immediately mobilized 4,000 Dutch infantry and nearly 10,000 Ganbaru mercenaries on Sumatra, recruited merchant ships to land from Tupaoli, and marched covertly, and at midnight, under the roar of Brigadier General Horst's "For the glory of the kingdom", nearly 14,000 soldiers began to attack the Chinese from the flat areas east and south of Penang Harbour.

At this time, Brigadier General Horst stood on a jungle hill, looking out at Penang Harbour at hand.

He was born into a military family, his grandfather died in the Napoleonic Wars, and his father was brutally murdered by ferocious pirates at the Cape of Good Hope, because it is unknown when the greedy atmosphere of the pirates active in the Mediterranean and the west coast of Africa began to follow the merchant ships of the Dutch, and once upon a time, the sacrosanct sea coachmen even suffered unprecedented setbacks in the European shipping lanes.

Brigadier General Horst also had the indomitable blood of his family flowing in his body, and when he heard that the Chinese had declared war on the Netherlands, his first feeling was humiliation, deep humiliation.

Although many matters in the Far East were inevitably dealt with with that vast empire, deep down, Brigadier General Khorst, like most Europeans, maintained only superficial respect for the declining empire, never as an equal.

However, now even the primitive kingdom of the East has begun to challenge the position of the Dutch, and he is sad and angry in his heart, and he vows to teach the Chinese a good lesson.

But now, he knew that he was wrong, in the clairvoyant mirror, the layers of barbed wire, the huge stone bunkers taken from the spot, spraying a fierce rain of bullets, nearly six hours of repeated attacks, his own troops were pressed to death in the ditch two hundred meters away, not even a millimeter can no longer break through, within two hundred meters, it is like a death zone, in a pool of blood, there are corpses everywhere.

The mercenaries, armed with sticks and a small number of firearms, did not play any role at all, but instead reduced their morale by attrition and screaming and fleeing.

Brigadier General Horst had reluctantly withdrawn the mercenaries, and when his own soldiers faced the fierce attack of the Chinese, watching the soldiers fall in a pool of blood, his heart was like a knife.

It's just that the Chinese have only occupied Penang for a few days, and even with the help of the natives of the whole city, it is impossible to build such a strong fortification.

"General, I asked, the Chinese have a small crane, and there is a special engineering team, and their fortifications seem to have been built in no more than twenty-four hours." A Dutch officer ran next to him panting, and just now, caught the local natives for questioning.

Twenty-four hours? Horst gasped and didn't speak for a long time, crane? I think it is a small-horsepower steam crane modified by the Chinese, moreover, it is used in the military.

The country seemed to have been reborn overnight, enterprising, incredible, and permeated with a powerful aura that challenged the old order.

"Retreat." Standing stiffly for a while, Horst weakly burst out these two words from between his teeth, and his face was even more lonely.

I don't know what it tastes like, bitter and bitter, the glory that was once forged by blood and fire, in Nanyang, will be burned by the fanaticism of the Chinese?

How can this powerful challenger be defeated?

…… The news of the victory in the Penang defense did not cause much of a stir when it reached Jinling, but it was a festive addition to the regent's relocation of the palace.

On the third day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, it is the zodiac auspicious of moving the mansion, Ye Zhao and the princesses officially entered the Qianwang Palace, worshiped the gods of the four directions, lit fire and entered the water, and rewarded the palace guards and subordinates to enjoy money.

After repair, the palace of the king of Qianwang is majestic and magnificent, the light is dazzling, the palace is vertical and horizontal in the north-south direction, more than ten miles around, the palace wall of several zhang high on all sides winds around, it is divided into two layers inside and outside, outside the palace wall, excavate a moat of width and depth of nearly several zhang.

The huge square in front of the Qianwang Palace, which occupies an area of one side, is re-paved with granite bricks, which is more magnificent, and the huge yellow wall that is 90 zhang wide is painted with dragons, tigers, lions, and elephants, which is exquisite and majestic.

The outer city of the Qianwang Palace, the east and west side halls outside the Chaotian Gate, is the office location of the deputy prime ministers and the ministers of the parliamentary office, and the east and west outer court rooms are the offices of the ministers of the parliament.

Between Chaotianmen and Jingsi Gate, there is the east and west drum pavilion and the palace guard camp, the officials of the council office, the residence of the royal officials and other houses, and the secretary of the secretary's room, Ma Deng, did not buy a house outside, and the family lived here.

After the towering Jingsi Gate, it is a splendid palace, the political hall, that is, the place where Ye Zhao deals with political affairs, and the court rooms on the east and west sides are the offices of the royal officials.

In the entire outer city, there are about 1,000 guards, plus some senior guards take their families to live, and there are also opera troupes, singing and dancing classes, miscellaneous servants, electric room boiler rooms, etc., I am afraid that there are more than 2,000 people living in it.

Needless to say, the inner city tower is patrolled by female guards at night, and inside the Ping'an Gate, which is the inner palace of the Qianwang Palace, where Ye Zhao and a group of princesses live, three hundred female guards with knives are on duty, and hundreds of thousands of maids and grandmothers live in it.

Speaking of which, Ye Zhao is also a little ashamed, life is becoming more and more like an emperor, extravagant, but first, the palace has the rules of employing people in the palace, and secondly, in such a big palace, if you only live in your own family, and there is no little maid to live and clean, how can it feel like a haunted house.

It can be regarded as solving the employment problem, in fact, most of the little maids in the house are employed, and the contract will be terminated when they reach the age, some of them are recruited from the people, and some of them are bought from human traffickers or rescued, and the orphans who are rescued are also specially trained in the palace during the period of being a maidservant in the palace, and there are even cultural knowledge courses, but there are very few who automatically go to learn culture, and most of them like to learn female red, and they can marry when they are old. To say that he is really doing good deeds, it's just that Ye Zhao himself occasionally feels awkward.

moved into the Qianwang Mansion, in fact, Ye Zhao began to write excerpts more than half a year ago to invite the two palaces and the emperor to come to Jinling, and build the Qianwang Palace as a palace annex.

However, the two palaces replied politely, and even promised the Qianwang Palace to Ye Zhao, and said that the Jinling soldiers were important, and the regent guarded the country alone, and sat in the old palace of the Heavenly King to cleanse the demonic spirit and rejuvenate my Daqing Yunyun, and also said that the time is different now, and there is no need to follow the old system and so on. Indeed, there are too many codes in the Southern Dynasty that do not follow the old rules of the Qing Dynasty, and there are only a few people in the clan, and there is no way to talk about the rules of the princes.

The two palaces said this, even if Yuan Jiasan and the others muttered in their hearts, it was not good to say anything more.

Ye Zhao is a soul in his heart, is it possible that Lan Guiren is worried that he will be harmed by himself after coming to Jinling? Come to think of it, even if she had this kind of worry now, it was normal.

bought Xiao Anzi, of course, it can't be said that he bought it, gave him a silver ticket of 10,000 taels of silver, no matter what he thought, but he didn't dare not accept it, he couldn't pass on a few pieces of useful information at all, he didn't really work hard for himself, in the matter of the refusal of the two palaces to come to Jinling, Xiao Anzi was even more strict-mouthed, and he didn't know.

However, Ye Zhao has no time to take care of the affairs of Guangzhou, and now all matters in the south are waiting to be decided, and political and military affairs are at a crucial turning point.

Moving into the Qianwang Palace, Ye Zhao also rarely relaxed, after a complicated ceremony, in the evening, he led the princesses around the harem, not to mention that the princesses were all stepping into the new mansion for the first time, even Ye Zhao himself, and he had not been here a few times.

Red said to sink in the west, in the east garden, butterflies dance and flowers, green grass shade, blue waves shine, the stone boat in the lake is beautifully carved, and there is a long corridor to the pavilion in the center of the lake.

Ye Zhao looked at the few celebrities on his side who were either gorgeous, coquettish, or pure in style, and felt a lot of emotion in his heart, the higher he stood up, the more worried he was sometimes, and when he fell heavily, they would accompany the tragic fate they suffered, and he was already fighting for the whole family.

Rong'er, Jin Feng are all there, and even the matchmaker also rushed over, plus Hua Ji and Shawa, who were already in Jinling, it is rare to have a five-room wife and concubine Dou Yan today, but Zhu Sisi is obviously not used to it, and she has said that she will move to the palace again, and she is not present, and Ye Zhao does not force it.

"Hey, Xianggong, what is this?" Rong'er curiously pointed to a flat green grass in the shade of the lakeside, the grass was very short and thin, a rope net was hung in the center of the grass, and a white line was drawn on the grass.

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Tennis court, let's have fun if it's okay, it's very interesting." Glancing at Jin Feng, he shook his head and said, "Forget about your small body, you have to faint from exhaustion if you run two steps, and if you run two more steps, your small waist will be broken." "Jin Feng is an authentic classical beauty, delicate, soft as silk, making men eat bones on the bed, but on the sports field, naturally can't turn away.

Jin Feng hummed obediently, the matchmaker is here, she is honest.

Ye Zhao looked at the matchmaker again, and said in his heart that she couldn't do it, and she couldn't beat her if she was tired to death? This beloved wife is a demon who can make people lust to death, and can also torture people crazy.

Looking at Rong'er again, Rong'er's physique should be better than Jin Feng's, but with that little strength, she feels bullied no matter what.

Look at Hua Ji again, small, delicate and timid, but before she grows up, she is the same as Rong'er, and it is too late to hurt, tossing her on the tennis court, but she can't bear it.

With a wry smile in his heart, it seems that he can still play two games with Sava, otherwise, he will fight in pairs, or he will play against them one by one.

Tennis is now a court game in England and France, and even France used to strictly prohibit it among the people, of course, the tennis made by Ye Zhao is closer to modern tennis, but there are some differences from the racket to the court and the rubber ball.

"Look, it's almost there, and there's our bedroom in front of us." Ye Zhao pointed to the palace pavilion that was faintly exposed behind the strange green wood and stones.

The Qianwang Palace covers an extremely wide area, but Ye Zhao doesn't want to meet with the red faces and have to walk for half an hour, because the princess's bedroom complex is concentrated near this east garden, Rao is so, more than 200 houses and attics, it can be said that it is an extremely large building complex.

There are more than 200 houses, Ye Zhao is really helpless, but the original layout of the Tianwang Palace is like this, it can't all be demolished and rebuilt, but it is only rebuilt on the original foundation, and the wall is either opened or newly built, and it is divided into more than 30 large and small bedrooms.

Although the four dormitories are extremely close, Ye Zhao also has to sigh, one by one, the walls are psychologically estranged, the original big family atmosphere is gone, and he does not complain about the ancient concubines fighting back and forth.

It's just that if a concrete high-rise building is erected in this harem, it is not nondescript, and the antique annex building is really not a serious place to live, so it seems that it can only be done temporarily.

The name of the dormitory, whether it is a feng shui master or a supervising official, there are many famous halls, but Ye Zhao finally chose the most ordinary and decent name, this Qianwang New Mansion is already very eye-catching, and it is easier to be found fault by people with intentions, and it is better to be low-key.

If it weren't for the frivolity in the name of flowers, Ye Zhao really wanted to use Guangzhou's "begonia", "daisy" and other names.

Duanning Garden is Rong'er's residence, the courtyard of the two entrances, and the palace in the front yard, which is also vaguely handled, and Ye Zhao did not name it.

The east side hall has become a temporary restaurant today, Ye Zhao commanded, the little maids are busy wearing flowers and butterflies, and in a moment, the dining table wooden chairs and flower decorations are neatly arranged, and even a careful second-class steward girl hung up the food map, she is the old man who came from the palace of Guangzhou, knowing that the Wang Ye restaurant also pays attention to the artistic conception, and the food map enhances the appetite, according to the words of the prince, it will also set off the eating atmosphere, giving people psychological hints.

There are only five first-class stewards in the palace, and the auspicious Ruyi fortune and treasure plus the personal girl Cuckoo of Jinfeng, but Ruyi's body is not good, so she did not come with the matchmaker and stayed in Yuezhou; There are more than ten second-class stewards to assist Xiao Fujin in managing the small maids in the inner and outer rooms of the house, of course, they are in charge of affairs, and they all have auspicious words, most of the time, auspicious is more like the head of the outer room.

Exquisite dishes are delivered one by one, the sky is getting dark, and the octagonal palace lamp is lit in the restaurant, which is as bright as day.

Although the palace is electrified, there are quaint lampposts everywhere in the inner and outer cities, and there are hand-polished exquisite chandeliers in every room, but many times Ye Zhao still likes the soft light of the red wax gauze lamp. Nowadays, the southern country has introduced Western technology, refining paraffin wax and wax making technology, and three cotton threads have been used earlier, and the candles are no longer as black and smoky as in the past, and the carbonized cotton threads have to be cut from time to time. Nowadays, under the candlelight, it is also a kind of enjoyment.

Ye Zhao raised his wine glass and said, "Come, let's have a drink." ”

Before the words fell, a female guard with a knife appeared at the door of the restaurant, it was seventeen, she and another guard with a knife Mingzhu were the main and deputy captains of the Ping'an Gate, and the two took turns to be on duty at the Ping'an Gate.

"Master, Master Li Hongzhang Li asks to see you." Seventeen smiled and showed two tiger teeth, she was extremely ruthless, she was really a wolf in sheep's clothing, and she didn't know how many people she had deceived with her delicate appearance.

Ye Zhao sighed, put down the wine glass, and said, "You eat, don't wait for me, I'll have some snacks with Li Hongzhang outside." In fact, he may not use dim sum, but he just doesn't want them to wait for him.

The heart said that it was okay to go out for a walk, this thing palace meeting, it seems that there are a lot of words.

No, Rong'er remembers the warm embrace of the matchmaker and has been talking to the matchmaker secretly.

Out of the restaurant, Ye Zhao got on the green sedan chair and went straight to the Ping'an Gate, followed by a team of heroic blue-armored female guards on the side, but it made Ye Zhao feel slightly ashamed, big man, calling so many women, always feel strange.

The east side hall of the council hall is actually very much like a lounge meeting room, the chandelier is bright, Li Hongzhang saw Ye Zhao enter the hall, and hurriedly walked up two steps and kowtowed.

Ye Zhao sat on the throne and said, "Are the Dutch demon moths out again?" ”

Li Hongzhang bowed down and said: "That's not it, my lord, there is a messenger who has just arrived in Jinling, and he has brought a handwritten letter written to you by the emperor of his country. That said that his envoy was called Nijo Qingxin, and he was the son of the Five Regent family. ”

Ye Zhao took the letterhead presented by Li Hongzhang, it turned out to be a Hanshu, and Emperor Xiaoming's tone in the letter was extremely cordial, which basically meant that he hoped that the regent would visit him as soon as possible.

Ye Zhao smiled: "Good end, which one is this singing?" ”

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "I wanted to come to my country to win a great victory in Nanyang and defeat the Dutch sea army several times, and I panicked. ”

Ye Zhao nodded slightly, indeed, he said that he studied the West, in fact, he started from the Netherlands, so his Western studies are also called "Lanxue", and his navy is even invited to teach in the Netherlands.

It seems that there will be more and more people of insight in the country who have begun to calm down and observe South China, after all, it is impossible to drive the Chinese away by anger, and if you want to defeat your opponent, you must really understand him.

Li Hongzhang also said: "Your Majesty also heard that the shogunate signed an agreement with the Russians to assign most of Sakhalin Island to the Russians. ”

Ye Zhao snorted: "Sakhalin, the two of them think very beautifully. ”

In fact, the map of the northernmost region of the Far East has only gradually become clear in the past two years, and there are three countries that have put forward territorial claims to Sakhalin, namely, China, Russia, and Sakhalin, and the Russians' demands are pure nonsense; just a few decades ago, they did not know about the existence of Sakhalin, and as for themselves, it is true that there were northern residents who moved to Sakhalin, but the indigenous tribes of Sakhalin Island have been paying tribute to the Qingguo Township and City Capital Division in the lower reaches of the Heilongjiang River.

Speaking of which, Sakhalin does have a bit of terra nullius, but if anyone is most qualified to make territorial claims to it, it is naturally the Chinese.

Li Hongzhang bowed down and said: "Your Majesty is foolish, but in fact, the Netherlands is far away from the ocean, and this Rakshasa talent is my Chinese henchman." Its ethnic group is greedy and brutal, and it is difficult to prosper with our dynasty in Yadong. ”

Ye Zhao smiled slightly and said, "It's not bad that you have this kind of knowledge." ”

Li Hongzhang bowed down again and said: "Your Highness, the minister still has a stupid plan, say it, Your Highness will listen to it." ”

Ye Zhao said: "You say." ”

Li Hongzhang said: "The ministers have been talking about the affairs of their own country, and now the desire of the people to exclude China is becoming more and more intense, and the Rakshasa people are taking the opportunity to make waves, how to calm the heart of the people who are saying that they are excluding China?" The ministers once thought that there was such an idea, which seemed absurd, but it might be able to achieve miraculous results. ”

Ye Zhao waited for a long time, but he didn't see Li Hongzhang continue, and said strangely: "What kind of idea is it?" ”

"Please forgive me." Li Hongzhang suddenly lifted his robe and knelt down.

Ye Zhao frowned slightly and said, "But it doesn't hurt to say it." "Although these ministers of parliament will definitely not come up with an idea that is even more ridiculous than themselves, but looking at Li Hongzhang's embarrassment, I am afraid that it is not a good thing, so don't use the matter of this book to intrigue again.

Thinking about it, Ye Zhao's face was a little heavy.

Li Hongzhang had already kowtowed and said: "Yes, yes, my lord, my subordinates heard that Emperor Xiaoming has a younger sister, who is thirteen years old, called Hegong, with noble character and unparalleled beauty." His Royal Highness is the co-lord of the world, and the royal sister of Fanbang originally came from no such blessing to serve His Royal Highness, but she was in a hurry to obey the power, if she could make a good relationship with the royal family, it might have the miraculous effect of appeasing the people. Secretly glanced at Ye Zhao, seeing that Ye Zhao's face was ugly, but he still stubbornly continued, "It is said that the general Tokugawa of the Ben Zhengyi is forcing the imperial family to marry him with the palace, which is for the combination of public and military, at this time, the initiative of the ministers, the emperor of filial piety will definitely not be able to ask for it, but, just to warm the hearts of the people, His Royal Highness can marry in the name of Fujin, I just have to say to the people that it is a flat wife, but in fact, I will return to Middle Earth, and I will ...... according to my Central Plains etiquette."

"Whose idea was this?" Ye Zhao interrupted him.

Li Hongzhang kowtowed a few more times, and said in fear: "Yes, Your Majesty is bold and false, guilty, guilty." This absurd proposition was the first thing his subordinates opened. ”

Ye Zhao couldn't cry or laugh, and reprimanded: "You know it's ridiculous, right?" What is the good of Qin and Jin, appeasing the people? What flat wife, Central Plains etiquette? It's a mess, I don't know what to say! ”

Li Hongzhang didn't dare to open his voice, but when he heard the regent's tone, it was not thunder and anger, so he was slightly relieved.

Kowtowed and persuaded: "Your Highness, I heard that there are many such marriages in the European royal family, and if Your Highness wants to build a new order in Yadong, why not follow the example of the Taixi countries?" ”

Ye Zhao frowned and said, "When will it be your turn to arrange my family affairs?" ”

Li Hongzhang trembled with fright, cold sweat poured out from his forehead, but he really didn't dare to say any more.

Ye Zhao said: "This matter will never be mentioned again." ”

"Yes." Li Hongzhang fell to the ground.

Ye Zhao looked at him, and after a while, said: "I know that you are sincere, but the marriage is very involved, and the pros and cons are difficult to say, not to mention that people are extreme, and if this matter is not handled well, I am afraid that it will backfire, making him think that my country is domineering and domineering, and it is even more unbeautiful to occupy its royal princess, which is self-defeating." ”

Li Hongzhang said: "Yes, this is a matter of indebtedness. ”

Ye Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "What do you have to do about the visit?" ”

Li Hongzhang said: "Nowadays, the mob is rampant, and the people of his country are fond of strange tricks, and are accustomed to assassination and assassination. ”

Ye Zhao nodded slightly and said, "You kneel down." ”

Li Hongzhang immediately kowtowed and retired.

(To be continued)