Seven days after the collision, it was a dark night with a light rain. It's about to be winter, and the temperature is a little low. Wang Yi stood on the steps of the dock, looking at the sea, Chu Yuan was holding an umbrella behind his back, and both of them were silent and silent. The rest of the guards were in charge of the perimeter guard, but there weren't many people on the docks at this time.

It took a long time for Wang Yi to speak: "I remember that after the Spring Festival this year, I sent Xu Xiao on the boat here...... Unexpectedly, it became a farewell! ”

"Captain, please mourn."

"Mourning? …… If I don't feel sorry for him, how many people in the world will be sad about his departure? …… The sea is cold, and it can't be cold anymore! ”

Xu Xiao's body has been found, and the leather box he carried with him is still in his arms! It contains all the real yàn numbers made this year...... Although today's Hainan Seed Institute is no longer operated by Xu Xiao himself, he has many helpers. Although the loss of him will have a big impact and the progress of the project will be slowed down a little, it will not paralyze the entire hybrid rice project. But Wang Yi still can't accept it! Xu Xiao was the first Wenban student to die under Wang, and he died so unjustly. The French did not take any rescue measures after the collision, and drove away without making any reports afterwards, which caused a large number of passengers to die. If it weren't for the fact that a fishing boat happened to pass nearby, I am afraid that they would end up dead without proof.

"Nima, Frenchman, I'm not going to let you have a good life!"

At the French Legation in Dongjiaomin Lane, Beijing, the French Minister to China Baohai did not look very good, he had just had a big quarrel with Tang Shaoyi, the special representative of the big merchants, during the day, and was later condemned by Zhang Shusheng, the minister of Beiyang. Tang Shaoyi's speech was very difficult to hear, one by one butcher's scream, and Baohai faintly had a feeling that according to the past temperament of Dashang, this matter could not be settled like this!

"Those bastards in the navy, what do you have nothing to do to provoke big businessmen!"

Just when Baohai was secretly holding his breath, a military attache of the embassy suddenly walked in and said, "Mr. Ambassador, we have just received an invitation from Dashang...... In fact, the invitations were received by the principal ambassadors of various countries to China......"

"What are they going to do?" As soon as these words came out, Bao Hai immediately understood-declare war!

Tang Shaoyi, the Beijing office of Dashang, was somewhat nervous today, he had just met with Wu Tingfang and informed Dashang of his position. Beiyang expressed moral support, and of course, they would not send troops to provide any help. Wang Yi didn't have the slightest hope for this extra-palace worship room at the beginning, so he was not surprised now.

John Young, the new U.S. ambassador to China, is talking to Tang Shaoyi, and Tang Shaoyi's study abroad experience at Columbia University in the United States has made John Yang very fond of this young man.

"Mr. Ambassador, your country is like a second home to me, and when I stayed in your country, Mr. Golden's family treated me very well."

John Young laughed and said, "That's the tradition of us Americans, to be kind to our friends, to make room for them to live in, and to serve food at the same time, that's God's teaching." ”

The two men laughed and laughed, and at this time the British Counsellor in China, Gwerner, came over, and the original British Ambassador to China, Wittoma, had stepped down, and Sir Pashali, who succeeded him, would not present his credentials until mid-1883.

"Tang, what are the plans of the chairman of your big business?"

Tang Shaoyi smiled and said, "You will be clear in a while." ”

After a short time, the French Minister Baohai finally arrived late, Tang Shaoyi just glanced at him, and then started his own announcement.

"Thank you, Mr. Ambassadors, for coming, and I would like to share with you the latest decision of our Dashang on behalf of Mr. Wang Yi, the chairman of our business! We will declare war on France after 24 o'clock tonight! The safety of all French people in Mukden, Jilin, Heilongjiang will no longer be guaranteed in any way. ”

"You are not a country, you have no right to declare war on us!" The French minister, Bao Hai, shouted.

"When your warship rammed and sank our civilian ship and sailed away, perhaps it seemed to you that it was just an accident, so you arrogant French are not willing to express even a word of apology or a desire for compensation for us backward and barbaric Chinese!" You can delay with the reason that the facts have not yet been investigated, or you can use your usual trick to say that someone on our civilian ship has opened a small eye on your warship with a gun to frame you! Tang Shaoyi stared at Baohai, the two looked at each other angrily, and did not back down from each other.

"But in our opinion, it doesn't matter whether the collision was an accident or not, but when you abandon countless passengers who have fallen into the water and leave without apologies, you are the murderer, and this is murder! From that moment on, we, the Great Merchants and all the Qing people, had the power of revenge. Whether you arrogant Frenchman, whether it is war or not, we will make you pay with blood without reservation! ”

Baohai stared at the young man in front of him, was silent for a moment, and finally showed a cold light in his eyes, and said, "Since this is the case, we will accompany you to the end!" ”

After saying that, Baohai turned and left. It didn't take long for the Japanese minister Enomoto Takehiro and the Russian minister Butzer to chase after them.

The next evening, the shocking news began to spread from one legation to another.

Most of the French passenger and cargo ships departing from Tianjin, Shanghai and other places were attacked by large merchant fleets. In just one day, two passenger ships and three French cargo ships were hijacked, and one of the cargo ships was directly sunk because of a vain attempt to ram the merchant navy. All the crew members on board, except for the French, received timely medical treatment, and of course all lost their personal freedom. As for the arrogant French captain, and his French crew, they were all killed on the spot!

As soon as the news spread, it immediately shocked the world.

Baohai came to find Tang Shaoyi, but he was closed! After that, he angrily went to the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen to reason, and Yi 60 did a great job. Directly speaking, this matter has nothing to do with the Qing Dynasty, it is the big business that deals with you. You can go to Yingkou to seek revenge from the big merchants, and we understand this. However, after all, the outcome of the matter has not yet been decided, so it is difficult for us to make a public statement, and I ask for the understanding of Mr. Minister.

In fact, their taboo against the Great Merchants was completely outside of France, and in doing so was completely to sow discord between France and the Great Shangs, and what they were doing was a strategy of competing with each other for profit.

Not long after the news reached France, it aroused widespread public concern, and French President Jules Grevi and Prime Minister Charles Duklec immediately declared war on the local armed forces in the northeast of the Qing Dynasty, the Great Shang, and threatened to launch an attack.

At this time, the leader of the * Ru Feili jumped out and publicly accused the government of saying nothing more than verbal rhetoric to deceive and appease the people. In desperation, the French government immediately appointed a naval colonel to form the French Tokyo fleet, and sent an additional ironclad ship, a second-class cruiser, four gunboats, and two second-class torpedo boats to set off before March next year. Subsequently, the French government and the Admiralty also issued an order to the French regional fleets in China and Japan, asking the commander-in-chief Maye to lead the fleet to launch an attack on the vicinity of Yingkou, where the Great Merchants were located.

However, what everyone did not expect was that the Qing officials expressed neutrality on this matter, and even supplied the French fleet to the north.

When Wu Xiao saw the news, he was so angry that he slapped the table, and his handsome face became distorted. Wang Yi was quite calm, and said, "What are you angry about, isn't this kind of thing expected by you and me a long time ago!" ”

"Captain, having said that, I still can't accept it!" Wu Xiao is still a young man after all, no matter how much he has experienced, he still has a lot of blood in his heart.

"What's so hard to accept?" Wang Yi said it neither salty nor light. He knew the history of later generations, so from the very beginning, he did not have any expectations for the Qing court. Rather with friends than with house slaves - this is the true words of Lafayette.

"Then do you need to protest to the capital?"

"Protest what he does? Aren't we just trying to get them to go north? Wang Yi turned his face at this time and said to Shang Yi, "How are you preparing?" ”

"There's nothing wrong with the destroyer Righteous Warrior. However, the cruiser Zhaojun still has some minor problems, and it is currently being repaired in the shipyard, and it is estimated that it will take two or three days. Shang Yi replied.

"You don't have to worry over there!"

While the three of them were talking, Chu Yuan walked in at this time and said, "Report to the captain, the latest news from the Japanese side that the Japanese fleet has begun to assemble, and the specific combat movements are unknown!" ”

"It seems that it is really the same as we predicted, this fox with fake tiger power is starting to move again." Wang laughed. "I wonder how our old friends, the Russians, will react?"

"At present, there should be no way, but I heard that they have started a new large-scale shipbuilding program in China, and in the past two years, there has been no movement for the time being. But it's hard to say later. Shang Yi said with some concern.

"Leave them alone, send a telegram to Zheng Haitao, asking them to build a fortress in the Chita region next year, and if necessary, lead troops to attack Irkutsk and drive the Russians away from the area near Lake Baikal!"

Five days later, Wang Yi practiced for Shang Yi and others on the Yingkou wharf, although the sea trials of the Zhaojun and the Yishi had not yet been completed, but they could only be settled. The current news is that the French arrived in Shanghai four days ago and set off again north yesterday.

The entire expeditionary fleet consisted of thirteen warships, including an ironclad ship, the Triumph. There were six cruisers of all classes, including: Cruiser Soni, Cruiser Dushave, Cruiser Triumph, Reconnaissance Cruiser, Cruiser Chamberlain, Fort Renault, and six gunboats and torpedo boats, Escher, Viper, Wildcat, Rutin, Gile, and Draco. The fleet was accompanied by four transport ships, and the whole fleet carried more than 2,500 soldiers, which was huge.

The information of the Triumph has been introduced above and will not be repeated.

Cruiser Soni: The ship has a displacement of 2017 tons, a length of 79.38 meters, a width of 11.00 meters, and a draft of 5.59-5.87 meters. THE SHIP IS EQUIPPED WITH 4 BOILERS (6 BOILERS ON THE SEIGNELAY), SINGLE-SHAFT PROPULSION, OUTPUT HORSEPOWER 1800-2000 HP, SPEED 14.9-15.0 KNOTS, AND COAL CARRYING CAPACITY OF 330-350 TONS. The ship is armed with 6 M1870 140mm guns (8 for the follower ship) and 6-8 37mm rotary machine guns. The establishment is 203 people.

The Dusafford cruiser was of the same class as the Triumph cruiser: displacement 1,330 tons, length 63.24 meters, width 10.41 meters, draft 4.98 meters. The ship is equipped with 2 boilers, single-shaft propulsion, output horsepower 900-1200 horsepower, speed 11.3-12.8 knots, and coal carrying capacity of 175-295 tons. The ships of this class are armed with 1 M1870 163mm gun and 5-6 M1870 140mm guns (the DAYOT is equipped with 1 190mm gun and 6 140mm guns). The establishment staff is 154.

Reconnaissance cruiser: The ship is an iron-boned veneer structure, this class of ships has a displacement of 1722 tons, a length of 73.91 meters, a width of 10.80 meters, and a draft of 5.36-5.49 meters. The ship is equipped with 6 boilers, single-shaft propulsion, output horsepower of 2,400 horsepower, speed of 11.3-12.8 knots, and coal carrying capacity of 205 tons. The ships of this class are armed with 8 M1870 140mm guns and 6-8 37mm rotary machine guns. The establishment staff is 194.

Cruiser Chamberland: This class of ships has a displacement of 2,042 tons, a length of 79.86 meters, a width of 10.89 meters, and a draft of 5.71 meters. The ship is equipped with 4 boilers, single-shaft propulsion, output horsepower 1800-2000 horsepower, speed 13.7-15 knots, and carry 300-330 tons of coal. The ships are armed with 8-10 M1870 or M1870M 163mm guns, 4-8 1-pounder guns, INFERNET and CHAMBERLAND are also armed with two 356mm torpedo tubes. The establishment of 205 people.

Fort Renault cruiser: The ship has a displacement of 1820 tons, a length of 78.18 meters, a width of 10.74 meters, and a draft of 5.74 meters. The ship is equipped with 4 boilers, single-shaft propulsion, output 1,700 horsepower, and a speed of 14.3 knots. The ship is equipped with 4 M1864 or M1866 163mm guns, 6 M1864 or M1867 140mm guns, and has a staff of 202 people.

Yishibi, pit viper, and wildcat all have a displacement of 470 tons, 9 artillery pieces, and a crew of 120 people.

"It seems that the French still think highly of us!" Wang Yi sneered.

Shang Yi took Yan Fu's naval officers and soldiers to be reviewed by Wang Yi, and there were nearly 2,000 members of the fleet standing together. The Great Merchant Fleet will be based in Port Arthur and cruise in the nearby sea area.

After five days, Wang Yi, Wu Xiao and others wondered, why did the French fleet disappear after leaving Shanghai, where did it go?

Two days later, news came from Japan that the French fleet was now in Nagasaki and had joined the Japanese fleet. Japan sent warships such as Ryuchamp, Tokan, Hiei, and Fuso, as well as six troop carriers with 3,000 soldiers.

Combined, the number of warships of the two countries has reached the scale of eighteen. On the same day that Wang Yi received this news, Tang Shaoyi sent a telegram from Beijing that Japan had declared war on Dashang, and the reason for the declaration of war was Wang Yi's revenge for the massacre of Japanese civilians.

Compared with the silence of the Great Merchants, new voices have now begun to appear within the Qing Dynasty. Qingliu led by Li Hongzao and Weng Tonggong began to jump up and down again, constantly admonishing Cixi in front of Cixi, hoping to send an army to attack the Great Shang by land while France and Japan attacked the Great Shang, set off by land, went north out of Shanhaiguan, and took the opportunity to nationalize the Great Shang!

Wang Yi took all the news and sneered: "Come on, come on!" ”