Hu Chuyuan himself did not expect that his comeback would have a huge impact on China and the world.

August 8, 1884, The Guardian, The New York Times, U.S. News, Washington Post, ...... They all reported the news as soon as possible, and reported the news as a front-page headline.

Along with Hu Chuyuan's comeback, there are four other news reports at the same time: 1. The mastermind of the Tengchong bombing case is the politician Inoue Xin, the supporter behind it is the Mitsui Foundation, the planner is Shibusawa Pingdong, the former general manager of Shanghai Dongli Foreign Company, and the executor is the 14-year-old girl Hideko Huida, and the Zhejiang guard Yang, the evidence is conclusive.

2. Hu Chuyuan personally donated 10 million taels of silver to the Qing government axe for military spending, and he also called on other wealthy gentry to donate enthusiastically; 3. China CITIC Bank's own reserve ratio is as high as 32%, which is much higher than the international standard, and Bank of America and Wells Fargo Investment Bank of North America will provide an additional $270 million for CITIC Bank's cash guarantee.

Fourth, Shanghai Wells Fargo Investment Bank, which has a U.S.-funded background, officially invested 7.45 million yuan to acquire 51% of the equity of Jardine Matheson & Co., becoming the largest shareholder of Jardine Matheson, with a capital of 13.8 million yuan, making additional investments in Swire, Wanbao and Chanchen, and investing 3.44 million yuan to acquire three foreign firms, Taihe, Yan Kee and Yi Kee, integrating assets into Jardine Matheson and further increasing investment in Shanghai.

In fact, everyone knows that the rich country of Shanghai, the rich country of North America, and the rich country of Hong Kong are all Hu Chuyuan's industries, in other words, he is sure that Shanghai's economy still has great potential and investment value.

This series of initiatives has had an amazing ripple effect.

First of all, Hu Chuyuan's personal comeback means two things: first, during the Sino-French War, Qing Zhengaxe did not have to worry about the source of military salaries at all, and Hu Chuyuan's financial resources were the biggest guarantee; Second, the Qing government axe succeeded in summoning the Minister of Commerce and Commerce in Jiangnan, and finally there were more powerful diplomats who could negotiate with the French in the international arena.

The first thing is obvious, Hu Chuyuan donated 10 million taels of silver as soon as he came back.

The second thing is even more obvious: by using his special influence in the upper echelons of British and American society, Hu Chuyuan can completely change the attitude of Britain and the United States towards the Sino-French war, let them give more help, oppress France, and force the French to negotiate peace.

Hu Chuyuan's survival surprised the French, and the whole of France trembled, but it was Yu himself who was even more surprised.

"U.S. News" devoted a full two pages to covering the entire process of the Tengchong bombing, and the "New York Times" even described Yu himself as a spokesman for the devil, despicable, ugly and evil, and Inoue Xin's name became very famous overnight, and the whole world knew who he was.

The situation has become very complicated, China is the whole country scolding himself, and he is actively responding to Hu Chuyuan's call to donate money to resist France, and Shanghai's economy has quickly passed through the ghost gate.

On August 13, the run on China CITIC Bank came to an abrupt end, the Hong Kong stock market recovered, the stock prices of major foreign banks no longer continued to plummet, and Shanghai's real estate industry also obtained a short pause period and did not continue to decline.

In the hearts of the common people, especially in the five provinces south of the Yangtze River and Shanghai, Hu Chuyuan is like a god-like existence, as long as he is alive, he does not worry about depreciation of the money he prints, he does not worry about becoming waste paper, Hu Chuyuan's family business is the best guarantee.

Hu Chuyuan said that there is no problem with Shanghai's economy, and the current difficulties are temporary...... The wealthy gentry, merchants, and common people in Jiangnan can confidently believe that there is no problem with Shanghai's economy.

Within the Qing political axe, the unhappiness of the past general manager quickly came to naught, and everyone was asking Hu Chuyuan to go to the forefront and re-serve as the shipping minister of Fuzhou.

Hu Chuyuan donated 10 million taels of silver at this time, which had a very huge effect on the momentum of the entire Qing political axe and the Qing army, and the Hunan army and Jiangxi army on the front line in Vietnam were shocked, because they knew that the financier behind them was Hu Chuyuan.

As long as Hu Chuyuan did not die, the military expenses and salaries of the Hunan army and the Jiangxi army were endless.

The reaction was very obvious, Liu Kunyi's Hunan army and Liu Jintang's Hunan army all asked to go south, and everyone actively sought to fight. Why? The reason is very simple, this is a good time to grab military merits, change equipment, and compete for military salaries.

Qingzheng didn't have much money, but Hu Chuyuan had money, so he couldn't borrow it from him.

As long as Zuo Zongtang is still there, Xiang Jun and Hu Chuyuan don't need to make a blank slip to borrow money, as soon as they open their mouths today, they will arrive tomorrow, and whatever arms you want in January can be bought for you in February, and they can be delivered to you in March.

Prince Su Longqin, Li Hongzao, and Weng Tonggong are like stimulants, and they are fully demanding war, and the Minister of Jiangnan Trade and Trade has finally summoned them, what are you afraid of?

Sure enough, a telegram order from the Qing government axe arrived in Fuzhou, allowing Hu Chuyuan to serve as the new "Minister of Plenipotentiary Supervision of Jiangnan Shipping Affairs", with the title of second rank, directly in charge of the Fujian Naval Division, the Yangtze River Naval Division, and the shipping affairs of various coastal areas in the south of the Yangtze River, and continued to serve as the Minister of Commerce in the south of the Yangtze River, responsible for negotiations with the French.

On the other hand, the French also knew that they could not negotiate with Zeng Guoquan, so they immediately sent a special envoy to Fuzhou to prepare to renegotiate with Hu Chuyuan.

During this time, British Minister Pasha Li and American Minister John Young both arrived in Fuzhou, and China's diplomatic center seemed to have been transferred to Fuzhou overnight, in fact, they were following Hu Chuyuan.

However, they all came in vain.

Hu Chuyuan didn't plan to talk about it at all, he didn't understand military affairs, let alone the navy, but he knew what it meant to "meet on a narrow road, the brave wins," he knew what it meant to "work hard in one go," and what it meant to "be available to the people."

At this time, the morale of the Fujian Navy Division is very high, everyone is not afraid of death, everyone wants to kill the enemy, if you don't fight at this time, it will drag on until September and October, then it is really hard to say.

Therefore, he deliberately provoked the French army, collected all the mines on the river, and informed the French army that they must retreat from the Min River within 10 days, and if they did not withdraw, they would not negotiate, and if they did not withdraw, they would open fire.

The French couldn't stand such a provocation, they were really afraid of Hu Chuyuan's influence in the world, but they didn't take the Fujian sailors in their eyes at all.

On September 6, 1884, the French Minister of the Navy ordered an attack on the Fujian Navy in an attempt to dispel the arrogance of the Qing Empire due to Hu Chuyuan's comeback.

On September 7, 1884, on the 18th day of July in the tenth year of Guangxu, Bailu, Jiazi Nayin, avoid traveling, and it is advisable to break ground.

After Hu Chuyuan re-became the upgraded version of the Fuzhou Ship Minister, he has been working in the Fujian Navy Division's office, and the momentum of the Fujian Navy Division has skyrocketed, and the soldiers are excited.

He is the most reliable pillar of the Fujian Navy, as long as he is there, not to mention that the Fujian Sailor will not collapse, even if it is defeated by the French, he can build a stronger Fujian Sailor.

The soldiers also seemed to see unprecedented hope, different from before, Hu Chuyuan was the top boss at this time, he couldn't care about the Fujian sailors, how much money he wanted, he would find a way, and he would definitely be able to think of a way.

Besides, the four million taels of snowflakes of silver will be parked on the school yard in front of the Yamen compound, and they will be sent out at any time.

Yesterday evening, Hu Chuyuan had already received a secret report that the French Far East Fleet had begun to adjust its preparations, and he immediately informed the generals of the naval division to let everyone get ready.

He was not a person who knew the navy, so he kept Sa Zhenbing, Lu Hongjie, and Lan Jianshu by his side as temporary adjutants of the staff and served as his staff officers.

The person who was really responsible for commanding the whole army was Ye Zuqi, and Ye Fu, Lu Han, Lin Yongsheng, Deng Shichang, Jiang Chaoying, Chai Zhuoqun, Ye Bojun, and Huang Jianxun each performed their duties.

Last night, Hu Chuyuan didn't sleep, and kept sending people to monitor the movements of the French army, and constantly reported through a telephone line.

In the early morning, the sky was bright, Hu Chuyuan washed up, let Lu Hongjie continue to sort out the information, and Sa Zhenbing and Lan Jianshu accompanied him to eat.

Drinking the soy milk in the bowl, Hu Chuyuan was tasteless, and he kept thinking about the whole situation.

After thinking for a while, he asked for the surname to put the bowl down, and asked Lan Jianshu: "From your point of view, how sure are we?" ”

Lan Jianshu immediately replied: "My lord, if we fight at sea, we don't even have half a chance of winning, but at the mouth of the Minjiang River, it is actually five or five open." My lord, the fort you have secretly built over the years is fierce, we have practiced many times, just waiting for them to enter the area of Luoxing Tower, and the heavy artillery will fire a salvo to ensure that they will not be able to eat and walk around. ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded silently, and was about to ask Sa Zhenbing, when Lu Hongjie hurriedly ran in with a nervous expression, handed a letter in French to Hu Chuyuan, and said, "My lord, the French have declared war and asked for a decisive battle in four hours." ”

Syllable.

Hu Chuyuan immediately slapped the table and shouted, "Okay, it's them who are waiting." ”

Although he has no bottom in his heart, but at this moment, he can only say this, think so, he gritted his teeth and lived and died with the Fujian sailors.

It's 10,000 times more glorious than dying in the assassination of Yu himself.

After saying this, he instructed Lan Jianshu: "Inform Lord Admiral Ye and let him give the order to fight." ”

"Yes!"

Lan Jianshu replied in a low voice, and immediately got up and went to the nearby Admiral's Office to report to Ye Zuqi.

From the early hours of the morning, the Fujian Navy Division was also secretly preparing, just waiting for Hu Chuyuan to give the order to meet the battle, and all the ships quickly set up a position at Maweikou.

Although the river surface of the Minjiang River estuary is wide, it is far from being compared with the ocean, and there is not much room for the activities of each ship in a naval battle here, not to mention that the number of cruisers of the Fujian Navy Division is relatively large, but in fact it cannot withstand the fight, two Weikang ships and a large number of cruisers are transferred to the south side, and the six frigates assume the main firepower attraction point, concentrated in the harbor and under the Luoxing Tower, and the gunboats are also located on the inner side of the port, giving full play to the advantages of fierce firepower.

In this way, the Fujian Navy Division gave the Weikang ships and cruisers a slightly larger space to operate, and tried to avoid close combat with the large number of ironclad ships of the French expeditionary fleet.

In order to facilitate the command, Lin Yongsheng and Zheng Fuquan were in charge of the northern line, Ye Fu and Chai Zhuoqun were in charge of the southern line, and Ye Zuqi was in charge of the Mawei Fort and was responsible for commanding the overall situation.

Hu Chuyuan conveyed the news to Zuo Zongtang and He Jing, who were sitting in Fuzhou, and told them that the battle was imminent, and the victory or defeat would be decided in four hours.

Zuo Zongtang urgently sent a telegram back, asking Hu Chuyuan to fight to the death, and he could retreat lightly, and at the same time let the two battalions of the Hunan army suppress the north and south banks of the Minjiang River estuary.

After that, time became very fast, and the atmosphere of the great battle became more and more solemn and eerie, and the god of death opened its fangs.

War is coming.

Right in front of this moment.

(To be continued)