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Two days after the Qingming Festival, Tuesday, April 8, 1642. (Please search, or enter directly to see the latest chapter)

The Beiyang Shipbuilding Group shipyard in the western district of Long Island was crowded with shipbuilding mechanics in overalls and Mancheng residents who came to watch the ceremony, and in the open space in front of the outfitting dock of a shipyard, hundreds of Chinese and American naval officers and sailors lined up neatly, and a large warship with a beautiful and mighty appearance was wearing red and hanging colors, waiting for the first sea trial.

"Peace", the ship of the Peace-class light cruiser of the third class, is the latest modification of the Princess class. The basic armament and staffing are the same as those of the Princess class, the ship type is slightly enlarged, the full load displacement is increased to 283o tons, and the construction took 17 months. According to the plans of the command of the Navy, four Peace-class light cruisers will be built.

Even though the cost of ships in Huamei's shipbuilding industry has generally decreased due to fierce competition, the cost of the Mir still reaches 480,000 US dollars. The second ship, the "Sheng," was laid at the state-owned Qingcheng shipyard earlier this year, and the third ship, the "Shuguang," and the fourth ship, the "Tranquility," are ready to start construction next year and the year after.

It still adopts the mature and conservative iron bone and wood hull technology, but after completely abandoning the sails, the hull structure of the Ping-class has been further optimized and strengthened, the performance and safety of the steam unit and boiler have also been improved, the coal consumption per horsepower has been reduced to less than 1 kg, and the endurance of the maximum voyage of 12 knots has reached 72oo nautical miles, which can be called the most advanced main warship of the Chinese Navy in the past decade.

The magnificent and vigorous naval military music "Voyage" was played, the naval flag on the bridge of the Mir was raised, and the officers and men of the navy on the shore saluted one after another. In the solemn atmosphere, the once lively and noisy crowd of spectators also quieted down.

Cao Xiulin, who was standing in the viewing procession with Yan Xianping and others as a guest, was dressed in a Ming official robe, staring intently at the huge and gorgeous battleship from beginning to end, muttering slightly.

Secretly glanced at the young lady Yan Xianping in the mouth of the Yan family not far away, this time the dress was completely different from more than a month ago, Cao Xiulin felt even more indescribable.

In front of the public, Yan Xianping was dressed in a white officer's windbreaker uniform in the spring of the Chinese Navy. Wearing a large cap, the silver cockade, collar badge and rank on the shoulders gleamed in the sun.

Like other Chinese naval officers, Yan Xianping has one hand on the brim of his hat, but there is an extra black arm veil on his left arm, and a white flower is pinned to his chest to indicate that he is mourning his deceased family. Yan Xianping, who is in charge of the training of recruits, will send the latest batch of young men who have completed the training of recruits to the Mir to participate in sea trials today.

Looking at other directions, I don't know what the reason is, I always feel that a lot of eyes are converging on him, Cao Xiulin couldn't help but bow his head slightly. Use only your ears to "hear" the ritual.

"Lord Cao should know that Mrs. Sun's husband is a major admiral of our navy. Lord Sun has made brilliant achievements over the years, and more than ten years ago, he was in the border of the Ming Dynasty to protect the people, both the Chinese and overseas compatriots are highly praised. A few years ago, he led such a huge ship to besiege Europa Fanyi, and he was promoted to rear admiral by Congress last year. Mrs. Sun herself is also a lieutenant commander of my Huamei Navy, and she doesn't let her eyebrows go! ”

Chang Kun actually appeared next to Cao Xiulin like kraft candy, and he was talking endlessly at the moment.

The seventh uncle of the Yan family died of illness on Pearl Island. Chang Kun took his family to Yan Mansion and did not show any less. Even though he knew that Yan Xianping was opposed to the marriage between Chang's son and Seventh Aunt's daughter, Chang Kun still worked tirelessly to tie the knot.

"Yes, the young lady is a heroine among women, and she has the style of Qin Liangyu, the chief military officer of Sichuan in the Ming Dynasty." Cao Xiulin knew that he really didn't need to offend this "slanderer" who had some power in Huamei. I could only nod slightly.

"Mr. Cao, right? Director Zhuang of the Department of Public Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to ask you to visit the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discuss matters individually. At this time, a European staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs squeezed over and looked at the number of the VIP voucher that Cao Xiulin held in his hand. A letter was politely handed over.

"I wonder what that Master Zhuang is looking for me?" Cao Xiulin was surprised, and couldn't help but look at the side, and then he didn't know when he was gone.

After the establishment of the Department of Public Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has become an inter-departmental diplomatic work unit, which concentrates on sorting out the various "needs" put forward by various diplomatic objects to China and the United States, and then forwards them to other government departments according to the specific content involved. Today, the director of the Department of Public Affairs is one of the few literate people who immigrated to Manchester City in the first batch with Chang Kun, and he also served as Chang Kun's subordinate.

"It's about the big arms purchase order you brought last time, and since you are the person in charge of the arms purchase project, there are some things that need to be explained to you." The European staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could only talk about this, and Chang Kun on the side quickly turned around in surprise, as if he hadn't heard anything.

A few gun salutes rang out, the boiler of the Mir began to heat up, and hundreds of recruits who were already impatient, with an average age of less than 2o years old, began to board the ship under the guidance of the non-commissioned officer6, and the crowd of spectators burst into warm applause.

……

In the evening, after Cao Xiulin bathed and changed clothes, he came to Yan Xianping's house for a banquet.

The invitation was received shortly after coming out of the Public Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the United States in the afternoon, because the Yan Mansion was currently holding a funeral hall, so Yan Xianping put the banquet venue in his home.

The Sun family manor is much more concise and bright than the antique Yan Mansion, but it is more imposing in terms of area, greenery and interior and exterior decoration. Especially in the lawn area in front of the main building of the manor, there is also an antique-level bronze cannon, which looks like a family style that likes the military.

Probably 6 times I have participated in several banquets in the Yan Mansion, so this time the banquet of the Sun family is very different from the pomp and circumstance I imagined. Not only were there only seven or eight servants in a huge manor, but even the male owner of the house did not appear at the banquet because he was on his grandfather's errand.

In the spacious dining room lit with countless white candles, there are only Yan Xianping and himself in front of the big dining table, and the dishes on the table are also simple but exquisite four dishes and one soup, plus a few desserts and wine.

Yan Xianping changed into an elegant and dignified oriental dress, and was sitting on the seat with a calm expression that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, while Cao Xiulin felt a trace of depression in his heart for no reason.

After a maid in charge of the family banquet served Cao Xiulin with wine, she quietly withdrew from the restaurant, and no one else was seen at the scene except for the slight music that came from nowhere.

"This is the old cellar daughter red of Daming, even if it is a gorgeous land, few people can drink it. Does Master Cao think the taste is authentic? Yan Xianping just licked the rim of the cup lightly, and pointed to the porcelain wine jar on the table with a smile.

"Xia Guan doesn't know much about wine, so I'm afraid it's difficult to taste. The young lady treated her with such a rare wine, and the lower official thanked her here. Cao Xiulin hurriedly got up, bowed his head and bowed his hand.

"What kind of wine...... If you are in Daming, it is just something that can be drunk in ordinary wine shops...... There are also these dishes, all of which are specially made by the chef invited from the seventh aunt. Hey, there are really not many chefs who can cook good dishes with this gorgeous beauty. It's a pity that my husband and a few children have milk, buns, sausages, and cakes all day long. In ten and a half days, I can eat a few hometown dishes to make a show. ”

Yan Xianping was a little absent-mindedly saying something inconsequential, which made Cao Xiulin a little confused.

"How many years has Lord Cao been with my eighth uncle? Can family members be in adults? Yan Xianping casually put the dishes in the bowl, as if he was chatting about family life.

"Mrs. Hui, she has only been an official for three years, and now her wife and family are all in Dongning. The mother has passed away, and the old father does not like to move away, so he is supported by his brother and sister-in-law in his hometown. The lower official is an official outside, and it is difficult for his father to be filial to his father, and he feels guilty. Cao Xiulin never touched the chopsticks. Just keep answering respectfully.

"Well, that's pretty much it, and so is my seventh aunt. My father and seventh uncle both passed away more than ten years ago, and now my seventh grandfather is also gone. It is difficult to have a heart-to-heart bond among relatives...... The Yan family moved to Huamei, and it was a luxury to see the villagers once in a few years. Come to think of it, Lord Cao is also in a dilemma of loyalty and filial piety. Yan Xianping nodded, and expressed his approval that Cao Xiulin was far away from his father and worked for the eighth uncle.

It feels like Yan Xianping is explaining something to himself. Cao Xiulin's heart suddenly moved.

Yan Xianping's attitude towards himself for more than a month can clearly feel a kind of vigilance or suspicion, and now he is actually talking about the clan relationship between the Yan family and the Huamei Yan family over the years. There seems to be a feeling of being a brother settling accounts in his words.

Contacting Yan Xianfeng's statement to himself a few days ago, Cao Xiulin was even more sure that his intention to make Huamei this time had already been seen through by the other party. Thinking of this, Cao Xiulin stopped talking, just lowered his head slightly, looking at the wine glass on the table in a trance.

"Thousands of miles away, the Huamei Yan family treats the elders as their grandmothers, and they still do their best to maintain them, and they always worry about the safety of their homeland. However, there are so many people with the surname Yan, but they are swayed by some crooked thoughts all day long, and they do some foolish things to destroy the Great Wall! ”

Suddenly, the silver chopsticks in Yan Xianping's hand slammed heavily on the marble tabletop, making a crunchy sound, which was particularly clear in the empty dining room.

"Xiaguan...... The lower official didn't understand who the young lady was referring to. Cao Xiulin's face turned white, and he quickly got up and bowed again, not knowing why the other party's sudden change in love was the reason.

"You went to the Public Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at noon today, and met with Director Zhuang, did you receive a notice of postponement of the congressional deliberation of the arms purchase?" A peculiar sneer appeared on the corner of Yan Xianping's mouth, slowly got up, and walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window, "You are an envoy after all, and you must treat him with courtesy, Director Zhuang is just a polite official matter, but many things have not been explained to you clearly, do you know why the arms purchase is delayed?" ”

"It's just that the Huamei Mansion is complicated, and it will take some time to ......" Cao Xiulin was even more puzzled in his heart, and his intuition told him that Yan Xianping's private family banquet today definitely had something else to do, and it probably had something to do with his immediate boss Yan Sicheng.

"More than 1.3 million silver, just like this, it is easy to dispose of it in your hands, Uncle Eighth really treats you like a confidant. As a senior member of the shogunate, you assist my eighth uncle in handling government affairs, so let me ask you, how many Chinese and American military weapons have been accumulated by the senior in the past few years, how much have the 6 sea soldiers used, how much money has been earned, and where do the daily expenses go? ”

A series of questions were thrown, and Yan Xianping's face on Cao Xiulin's back became more and more ugly.

Cao Xiulin still didn't answer, but he finally understood what the other party meant. Yan Sicheng threw a large sum of money that he had worked so hard to accumulate in Huamei to buy ordnance, which was an extremely unreasonable and very unreasonable behavior, and he, Cao Xiulin, as Yan Sicheng's confidant and staff, as the right-hand man of the Propaganda and Consolation Division, was obviously not as serious about this matter as Yan Xianping, who was far away in Huamei.

"What? It's hard to say, right? Then I can tell you something, maybe you don't know, maybe you know it! Yan Xianping flicked his skirt and walked to the side of the restaurant wine shelf in a few steps. I don't know where to find a telegram, and it was photographed directly in front of Cao Xiulin, "Look at the good things you are waiting for!" actually secretly corresponded with Zheng Zhilong, and secretly sold the ordnance and cannons of the master to the Zheng family in exchange for the Zheng family's Japanese trade concessions. Looking at it from the outside, people still think that my eighth uncle is so capable, he can put aside the beauty, let the Zheng family bow his head and give in, let the Yan family increase his face, and have the courage to do big things! Whose idea is this? It's ridiculous! ”

"Ah...... This...... Xia Guan really didn't know about it! It's just that the adults said that the ordnance of the adults is outdated, and it should be replaced with new clothes, so there is this move to purchase ordnance. Cao Xiulin lowered his head and defended himself, he didn't know what Yan Xianping said just now.

"Replacement of ordnance? Just three years ago, the senior staff also purchased thousands of rifles and dozens of cannons, why is it obsolete? Are you the same wine bag and rice bag as the Ming Dynasty official in the Asian Intelligence Division? Look at what is written on it yourself, last year, my eighth uncle secretly resold more than 3,000 rifles and more than a dozen cannons to Zheng Zhilong. In order to give priority to the supply of the Ming Dynasty ordnance list. He Zheng Zhilong has purchased ordnance from Huamei over the years, but it is only limited to 1,000, and the price is far higher than that of the big man! The two families of Yan and Zheng are not wearing the same sky on the surface, and secretly rely on each other. With the hard work of the people in taxes and the hard work of the children who ran to the sea, they went to exchange for those seafood in Japan that they could not eat or drink, and they were full of one's selfishness! ”

"My husband and I traveled thousands of miles to the East China Sea of Daming to mediate disputes, and we took the pretext of favoring the Zheng family in the hearts of the Yan family. I just want to keep a happy land for the Yan family, so that the people who have moved to the big people can live in peace and be able to strengthen themselves. Abundance and happiness. The business of the family, supporting the livelihood of the people on the isolated island, with the full support of Huamei, the annual income is only one million taels of silver, in the end, it is still their own people fighting for power and profit, and dismantling the foundation! Knowing this, it would be better to let the Ming Dynasty exterminate it in one fell swoop! ”

"The Zheng family used the infighting of the big people back then, slandered them in the imperial court, colluded with Xiyi, and almost ruined the big people. Now that he still doesn't know how to repent, he has had twists and turns, or even colluded with the Zheng family to cheat people's hearts without the seventh grandfather, haven't you had enough of the hardships here?! ”

Yan Xianping said a lot of things cracklingly, and by the end his face was flushed, and he sat back in his seat angrily.

Cao Xiulin didn't refute a word, because his mind had already exploded at this time.

"You and my eighth uncle hit it off at first sight, when did you give him advice, and when did you put the people in your heart? In order to help my eighth uncle get the position of a big man from the fourth uncle's position, I was in front of the Huamei Mansion and tried Yan Xianfeng behind. Squandering a large amount of money, buying a large amount of ordnance, and secretly selling it to others behind my back, how do you let me face the children of the Yan family and the officers and soldiers of the Huamei Navy who died in the East China Sea of the Ming Dynasty, and how to face the dead Seventh Grandfather! ”

As he spoke, Yan Xianping was a little angry again, and his whole body was trembling.

"The lower official is ashamed......" Cao Xiulin's heart was greatly shaken, on the one hand, he felt that he was inadvertently helping Yan Sicheng do something extremely confused, and on the other hand, he felt that the branch of the Huamei Yan family was actually more attentive and understood things better than the Dayuan clan.

"Lord Cao is proud of his homeland of the Ming Dynasty, he is far away from his relatives, he has come from thousands of miles away, and he also needs people like Lord Cao. It's not because you read poetry and literature, it's not because you have a reputation, but because you're loyal to the eighth uncle, diligent in your work, and dedicated to the country. It is not yet known how Daming and Huamei will get along in the future, but the big man is in one place, but he can't help it. I also hope that Master Cao will dissuade my eighth uncle a lot after he goes back, and he must not fall for the Zheng family. Brother Feng and I are both the sons and nephews of the eighth uncle, the eighth uncle has responsibility, and it is a good thing to be willing to take responsibility, I will not do anything that is sorry for the rights and wrongs of the Yan family......"

After speaking, Yan Xianping walked towards the outside of the restaurant and hung Cao Xiulin on the side of the table.

……

The next day, Cao Xiulin learned the shocking news: Yan Mansion had submitted an application to the Immigration Bureau, which is part of the Chinese Ministry of State Security, in what felt both expected and unexpected.

In the entire Yan Mansion, except for some young people or those who are really inconvenient outside, more than half of them apply for passports to go back to the funeral, and even a few older ones plan to move back to the adults. More than ten years after Yan Siqi, the death of the seventh uncle finally detonated the nostalgia of the Yan Mansion.

It was Yan Qigu who made this decision, and she was also supported by Yan Xianping. But like Yan Xianfeng, Yan Xianping accepted her husband Sun Yang's opinion, saying that he would obey the old man's will, and only sacrifice in Huamei Yao, and not "add chaos" to the adults. Slowly downplaying the influence of the Huamei Yan family on the adults and reducing the power struggle within the members is probably the unanimous choice made by the two siblings Yan Xianping and Yan Xianfeng after they grow up and mature, and it is also in line with Huamei's long-term position on the members.

A few days later, the Exit and Entry Administration Bureau of the Ministry of State Security of China and the United States approved the application of the Yan Mansion. The Navy Command has also received instructions from the Ministry of Defense to send two frigates, the Republic of the Home Fleet and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean Fleet, to the Far East to continue to strengthen the Asian Fleet. At the same time, the Grey Wolf Brigade of the Foreign Legion in the Viceroyalty of South Africa is also preparing to send an infantry battalion to the Viceroyalty of Hong Kong to deal with possible future unrest in the Governor General or Luzon.

As a result of this redeployment, the number of combat ships of the Asian Fleet has risen to 12 (1 light cruiser, 7 frigates, and 4 gunboats), which is second only to the Caribbean Fleet in terms of numbers.

The people of the Yan Mansion who returned to their hometowns for funeral will accompany the Republic, and Captain Zhou Ping, the son of the seventh aunt, is too late to rush back because he is studying at the captain training class of the Long Island Naval Academy, which can be regarded as "unfilial".

As for Cao Xiulin himself, after officially receiving the reply from Huamei that he agreed in principle to arms purchases, he had long lost the mind of continuing to stay in Huamei, and thought about when he would return to Dongtu, and Xiang Yan Sicheng ended this difficult errand to let go. (To be continued......)