In the twelfth year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, in 1873 in the Western calendar, newspapers were no longer a rare thing in China.

Although it is far from being as prosperous as it came during the Republic of China, whether it is Guangzhou's "Yangcheng Caixin Record", Hong Kong's "Foreign China Xinbao", Shanghai's "Shenjiang Xinbao" [Advance Extension of Declaration] and "Shanghai Xinbao", or Ningbo's "Zhongwai Xinbao", Hankou's "Zhaowen Xinbao", these cities involved in the treaty port have Chinese newspapers in the presence. Even Beijing has seen the appearance of "Chinese and Western News and Opinions", not to mention the English-language newspapers that have been flooding the concession for twenty or thirty years earlier. Therefore, it is not strange and absurd that another "Ta Kung Pao" was born in the Shanghai Concession.

It has been more than a year since the birth of this newspaper, because the capital is not large, there is no hard backstage, and the content of the newspaper is also lackluster, and it can only barely survive. However, this time the Franco-Vietnamese War brought a turning point in the fate of Ta Kung Pao, making it suddenly the most popular newspaper among the people of Shanghai. Because it reports in detail the two most important battles after the Qin army entered Vietnam: the Battle of Hanoi and the Battle of Hue.

Vietnam's second war with France had little impact on China at the beginning. For most Chinese, Vietnam is a rather strange place, involving the security of the subject country and the face of the Qing Dynasty, and the relationship will only be with the important ministers of the court, and even the local officials who do not match the border will not pay attention to it. It was not until the letter of state of Vietnam asked for help from Beijing that the Qin army was ordered to get involved in the battlefield in Vietnam, and it suddenly became a hot spot of concern among the people. But this still did not let the attention of these newspapers and periodicals be put on Qin Jun. Because the news sense and self-ability of these Chinese newspapers have not yet reached this situation. As a result, Ta Kung Pao became the first person to eat crabs.

Of course, its boss, Wang Qing, was not generous enough to send people to Vietnam to conduct war interviews, but he only sent people to Hong Kong and asked his clerk to hire a person who knew English to be a translator in Hong Kong, and he himself hired an English translator in Shanghai to keep an eye on the mouthpiece of the British colonial authorities in Shanghai, the Zilin Xi Bao. Every time I encountered a report about the Franco-Vietnamese war, I gathered it for the first time, and then the second time it became a square word on the Chinese newspaper "Ta Kung Pao".

Let's not talk about the well-informed news of Hong Kong's newspaper industry, but let's just say that the English-language newspaper "Zilinxi Bao" has been known for attaching importance to current affairs and diplomatic news for many years, and has often expressed its views on Sino-foreign relations and China's political situation. What's more, last year, in 1872, it signed a contract with the British telecommunications giant Reuters Far East Branch (Shanghai), and since then it has been the exclusive telecommunications of the agency in China for a long time. It can be said that the well-informed nature of the "Zilin Xi Bao" is even better than that of Hong Kong.

Wang Qing's explanation for sending people to Hong Kong was that it was located in Liangguang and was close to the battlefield, and some regional news would arrive. In fact, it was a kind of red fruit cover, and the person sent to Hong Kong by Wang Qing was a member of the Shanghai station. And Wang Qing himself used his 'painfully' learned half-baked Chinese-style English, and for more than a year, to successfully disguise himself as a new-style Chinese literati with a small capital and ideas.

The cause and effect and the ins and outs of Qiē are worth scrutinizing, Wang Qing has gained a foothold in Shanghai as a cultural person, and has also completely launched the name of "Ta Kung Pao".

The great victories of the Qin army in Hanoi and Hue aroused the absolute patriotism of the people of Shanghai. At the same time, these news reports were quickly reprinted by Chinese newspapers all over the country, and when Beijing did not officially receive Liu Xian's report, the common people, gentry, and officials in Beijing, Tianjin, Huguang, Shaanxi, Henan, Shanghai, Liangjiang, and Lingnan in Liangguang already knew the good news of Liu Xianam's victory over Fayi.

Especially in the Jinjing area, the good news came, and the people lost their voices for a while, but after the shock reacted, the whole people suddenly boiled, and the enthusiasm was surging like fire, which could not be suppressed.

Originally, Liu Xian was in the limelight as the first general of the dynasty among the people, and these are even more solid. Just like the above question, it makes the people feel that their waists are a little harder!

The entire Qing Dynasty, wherever the news spread, was immersed in the discussion, praise, advocacy, excitement and analysis of the French war.

The teahouses in Beijing are all on the border. At this time, you go to the teahouse to have a look, just one, a private room, and the discussion and praise about the great victory of Liu Xian and the Qin army will come to your face. The slander brought about by Liu Xian's previous book on the railway was swept away.

……

At Prince Gong's mansion, at this time. But it was a peaceful atmosphere.

In a glass pavilion in the back garden, the first-class capable ministers of the current clan of the Qing Dynasty, the devil of the city, and Li Hongzhang and Li Zhongtang, who were later known as Li Hefei and Li Devil, were facing each other's endgame and meditating quietly.

"Haha, it's useless, I'm old, and my brain can't do it anymore." Li Hongzhang first broke the silence of the pavilion, laughing at himself and admitting defeat first.

Abundant? I laughed too. "He is only fifty years old, and he is in the prime of life. Zhongtang is old! ”

"The old minister is ashamed of the prince, but he can't accept the old man. The children's edge is irrepressible, and the war is invincible, reading its spy report, I don't feel sweating, it's really fast. The old man should avoid the road and let him out of the ground! ”

Li Hongzhang is worthy of being born in the Hanlin Academy, and the allusions are easy to come by. This old canon of Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi is placed in the current situation, but it can't be more appropriate, and the right one can't be more suitable.

Abundant? It's still a smile on his face. Li Hongzhang wants to let Liu Xian 'go out of the ground', and the ghost will believe it. This is what Zuo Zongtang said from the southern barbarian, and it is more credible than what he said. Maintaining the position of the Xianghuai system in the military and political affairs of the Qing Dynasty is not only a mission for Li Hongzhang himself, but also a heavy burden entrusted to him by Zeng Guofan. He must grasp the position of Xianghuai on the first hill of the Qing Dynasty's military strength.

Abundant? This is very clear.

"Young and vigorous, unstoppable. Jiang Gui's nature is old and spicy. ”

Abundant? Rubbing the jade chess pieces in his hand, the smile on his face was gone, and he said to Li Hongzhang very solemnly: "Liu Yuandu is a strong general. But he doesn't know how to write and ink, he has no fame, and he is just a martial artist after all. Although Vietnam won this battle, France was the first-rate power in Thailand, and even if the country collapsed three years ago, its strength was far better than that of the country, which should not be underestimated. ”

"This time, Ali Guo is willing to mediate, and the British are making calculations, and Brother Shaoquan should also know it. This negotiation is very solemn. The trend of England can be borrowed or not, and how to do it depends on the heart of Brother Shaoquan. There is only one thing this king says - never make a grudge against France. ”

The British intervened in the negotiations, and Daqing held a good hand of cards this time, and there would definitely be no more shame. Whether it will make the French feel embarrassed and resentful of the Qing Dynasty depends on what Li Hongzhang does. R1152