Listening to this edict, Zhang Pengxi and Ma Qi all understood when they boarded, the reason why Bao Fuquan came to deliver the edict in person was to deliberately ask the four of them to meet in advance, and after the four of them saluted and received the edict, Ma Qi asked in a deep voice: "Has the Beiyang Fleet returned?" ”

Bao Fuquan didn't say anything, just smiled slightly, and Zhang Pengxi waved his hand and said: "Annoying Bao Gonggong reported to the emperor on his behalf, and the four of them went to the study to ask to see." ”

"This is a servant duty, you don't need to be polite." Bao Fuquan returned the salute and said with a smile: "The emperor is in the Qianqing Palace." With that, he turned and walked away quickly.

As soon as Bao Fuquan left, Zhang Pengxi and the four of them were busy sorting out their court clothes, and Xiao Yongzao hung the pearls while saying: "Ladies and gentlemen, since the emperor urgently summoned a group of princes and nobles for the feudal state of the Americas, I am afraid that the Beiyang fleet brought back is not good news." ”

Zhang Pengxi said lightly: "The American feud is not only related to the implementation of overseas feudalism, but also the long-term contest between our Qing Empire and European countries in the Americas, and it is related to the national fortune of the Qing Dynasty. It is reported that the return flight from the Americas will arrive in Tianjin in March, which is faster than coming from Europe. ”

Hearing this, Ma Qi and the three of them all understood, Zhang Pengxi was reminding them to stand firm, the three of them were silent, Zhenwu was so anxious to gather everyone, the Beiyang Fleet was only afraid that it would be in big trouble, or figure out the reason first.

Hearing that Zhang Pengxi and Ma Qi were handing signs outside to ask to see, Zhenwu immediately ordered: "Xuan them come in." ”

After the four people came in to greet the ceremony, Zhenwu gave a seat to enjoy the tea as usual, and the four of them sat down, and then he spoke: "The Beiyang Fleet has returned to Tianjin, Yande has also returned to Beijing, the Beiyang Fleet has sailed across the ocean for the first time, opening up the route from the Qing Dynasty to the Americas, it can be said that the task has been successfully completed, the port of Acapulco is already under the control of the navy, the only fly in the ointment, the loss is too great." Eight ships were wrecked and killed during their long voyages, with losses of more than 1,700 people. ”

Hearing such a heavy loss, Zhang Pengxi and Ma Qi were all stunned. A single voyage can lead to such a big loss, even if the route to the Americas is opened, what good is it? Such a huge loss, even the imperial court can't afford it, let alone a group of princes and nobles?

The four of them immediately understood Zhenwu's purpose of gathering everyone, and the division of the Americas was very important, and Zhenwu would never give up. The purpose of his gathering was nothing more than to encourage the people to expand the feudal kingdom of the Americas, but with such a huge loss, who would want to take such a risk? After all, the prospects and benefits of the American feudal states are still unknown.

After a little hesitation, Wang Luo spoke first: "Your Majesty, the so-called bustle of the world is all for profit. The world is crowded, all for profit. Voyages to the Americas are so risky. However, the effect is very slow, and the benefits are unknown, and Weichen is worried that the princes and nobles will retreat in fear. ”

Xiao Yongzao is a person with a white flag in the Han army, and when he heard this, he followed and said: "The slave seconded the proposal, and once he sailed to the Americas, the loss was so huge, and the price was really unbearable. The servant prayed that the emperor would weigh the pros and cons of the voyage to the Americas. ”

"There is no turning back from the bow, how can I weigh it now?" Yin Yu opened his mouth and said: "Now that the shipping route has been opened, the port of Acapulco has been occupied, and the first batch of ships and personnel to explore have gone north and south to find a foothold, can they not be withdrawn?" Again. There is also a loss if you withdraw it. ”

was robbed by Yinyu, Xiao Yongzao said without showing weakness: "The territory of the Americas is vast, twenty or thirty thousand people will not help at all, to become a climate, it will have to be millions of people, and the imperial court will not be able to bear such a loss." ”

Seeing the two competing against each other, Zhang Pengxi couldn't help frowning slightly, and after a little hesitation, he said in a deep voice: "How can everything be generalized? Although this loss was somewhat unexpected, after all, this was the first voyage, and the maritime trade of the Qing Dynasty in the past hundred years was only limited to a corner of the South Seas, and it was not familiar with the situation in the foreign oceans, and it was reasonable for the losses to be slightly larger. ”…,

Ma Qi hurriedly followed: "The slave seconded the proposal, the division of the Americas is a matter of national fortune, how can you retreat in case of setbacks?" Isn't it because of choking? The minions thought that the size of the expeditionary fleet could be slightly controlled for the time being, so as to minimize losses, and at the same time the training of sailors could be strengthened, and the size of the expeditionary fleet could be gradually increased. ”

Zhenwu glanced at the four of them, and groaned a little before he spoke: "The division of the Americas is related to the prosperity and decline of the Qing Dynasty for a hundred years, and it is related to the national policy. The pros and cons are not negotiable. As for the profits, the fertile land, the vast grasslands, are endless wealth, not to mention that the Americas are rich in mines and slaves, how can you just look at the present? ”

Speaking of this, he glanced at Zhang Pengxi and Ma Qi before continuing: "The voyage from European countries to the Americas is much closer than that of the Qing Dynasty, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France have successively opened up overseas territories in the Americas.

Exploring the Americas, the Qing Dynasty has fallen far behind the European countries, and we can't wait any longer, because the time is fleeting! As soon as the war in Europe ended, the European countries would transfer their forces to the Americas, explore the Americas on a large scale, and plunder the Americas to make up for the losses caused by the war.

Now can be said to be the best time for the Qing Dynasty to open up the Americas, but there is not much time left for the Qing Dynasty, if the Nanyang Fleet can prolong the war in Europe, it may give us three or five years, if it does not do anything, but in a year or two, the war in Europe will end. In this case, how can the Qing Dynasty wait? ”

Hearing this, several people present were shocked in their hearts, what did Zhenwu mean, this is to take advantage of the inability of European countries to take care of the Americas, and expand the feudal kingdoms of the Americas in a big way? But where did this force come from? Where do immigrants come from? What about the large-scale immigration to Australia today? Besides, how can the loss of sea voyage be sustained?

After a little muttering, Ma Qi said: "Your Majesty, if you want to hurry, you can't reach it, although it is an excellent opportunity to expand the American feudal country, but at present, there are no soldiers to adjust, no people to move, and this loss is also quite amazing, now the population is extremely short, and it really can't afford to lose, in addition, such a big risk, the slaves are also worried, no one in the Eight Banners is willing to take the initiative to go to the Americas, if there are no Eight Banners children willing to go, isn't this American feudal country to make wedding dresses for others?" ”

Zhenwu nodded and said, "Today, I summoned you and others to come here, just to work together and think of encouraging the children of the Eight Banners to go to the Americas. As for the troops, stay and establish a foothold in the Americas, and then transfer them year by year. ”

When a few people here heard this, they couldn't help but slander themselves, with such a high casualty in ocean voyages, and there is no huge profit in front of them, how can those pampered Eight Banners children be willing to go? What's more, the Manchurians are born with a fear of the sea, otherwise there would not be so few children of the Eight Banners in the navy, how easy is it to encourage the children of the Eight Banners to go?

After a long silence, Zhang Pengxi spoke: "Your Majesty, can the casualties of the ocean voyage be tightly sealed?" ”

Blocking messages? Ma Qi frowned slightly, and before he could speak, Wang Luo had already preemptively said: "Your Majesty, blocking the news is just an expedient measure, if you want to vigorously expand the feudal countries in the Americas, you need to continuously transport personnel every year, paper can't contain the fire after all, once the loss is too large, or the news is leaked, I am afraid of incurring public resentment." ”

Hearing this, Zhenwu's heart couldn't help sinking, this news can indeed only be blocked for a while, if the casualties during the later voyage are small, it is easy to say, if the casualties are large, a group of Eight Banners will inevitably be resentful, dissatisfied with the imperial court, and if they want to take back the feudal country in the future, it will be a big trouble, and the family members in the capital will inevitably be excited, it seems that the road of blocking the news will not work.

Ma Qi said in a deep voice at this time: "Your Majesty, it is not difficult for the children of the Eight Banners to go to the Americas enthusiastically, but it is just fame and fortune. ”…,

"Your Majesty, building a new army is expensive, and the court can't afford it." Zhang Pengxi hurriedly spoke out against it.

Zhenwu nodded slightly, the Americas are not as good as ordinary islands, you can declare sovereignty by planting a flag and erecting a monument, North and South America have gathered several large and small colonies of European powers, and there must be a political power or army stationed for a long time in order to effectively consolidate and raise an army of more than 100,000 people in the Americas, this expenditure is too great, and the imperial court really can't afford it.

And the implementation of the American feudalism, the imperial court does not need to bear any expenses at all, the general small conflict, he does not need to pay attention to it, if there is really a big conflict with European countries, that is, the opportunity to take back the feudal country, send a large army to the Americas to fight is, it can be said that the implementation of overseas feudalism is completely a business, and the garrison in the Americas, the expenditure is not a star and a half, at least hundreds of millions of silver expenses a year, it is really unaffordable.

Neither can the left, nor does the right, several people are wrinkling their eyebrows and thinking, silent.

Seeing that several people were helpless, Zhenwu slowly spoke: "There is no turning back from the bow, since the division of the Americas has been implemented, there is no reason to give up halfway, even if it is a big difficulty, it must be overcome."

According to Yande's recital, the sea losses are all small ships below the thousand and five materials, and the large ships above the thousand and five materials are not damaged, and I will temporarily block the news, so as not to be afraid of the flag people, this year's voyage, try to use large ships, with the experience of the last time, this year's losses should be reduced a lot, the Spaniards have sailed on this route for hundreds of years, which is enough to show the safety and reliability of this route, the Americas are divided, must be vigorously promoted, and cannot be retreated!

The Americas have vast meadows, a large number of horses, and buffaloes, and are the ideal battlefield for the children of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty to restore their former majesty. (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation and monthly passes, and your support is my biggest motivation. )