Li Hongzhang came at a very good time. Just when the defense line of the Yalu River operated by Ronglu and Iktanga was broken by the Japanese army, it was when the Beiyang troops stationed in Korea were safely evacuated. He Li Hongzhang is going to Beijing to meet him! What is Li Hongzhang doing in Beijing at this time? You can figure it out with your ass! It's going to be something! Politics is sometimes a transaction, and since it is a transaction, it is undoubtedly to seek the greatest benefit by choosing a good time to trade. What does Li Hongzhang want? Cixi and Guangxu didn't know what to do. But Cixi and Guangxu knew that what Li Hongzhang wanted was definitely not what they were willing to give!

Li Hongzhang, who has now entered Beijing, can be said to be in a very good situation. Those central attacks on Li Hongzhang's passive evasion of war and delay the fighters were all smashed in the face of the facts! Delayed fighters? If the Beiyang Army had fought for more than half a year and did not allow the Japanese army to enter the Great Liquidation and delay the fighters, then what would it be if Rong Lu and Yi Ketanga let a division of the Japanese army defeat them in 2 days? Isn't it a defection? Self-respect? More than half of the old warships of the Beiyang Naval Division were destroyed, and the army suffered nearly 10,000 casualties.

The Japanese army has entered the northeast, and the shock to both the center and the people is quite large. In the eyes of the layman, the Beiyang Army, although on the defensive in the previous months of engagements. But with inferior forces, a large number of Japanese troops were dragged. The navy, on the other hand, made 4 sorties and won many naval battles. Not long ago, in the Battle of the Datong River Estuary, the main force of the Japanese fleet was annihilated in one fell swoop. But what about now? As soon as the northwest training army of the imperial court and the Manchu troops in the northeast came on the field, they let the family enter the country! What's going on? Could it be that except for Beiyang, the soldiers raised by the imperial court are all waste?

And the performance of Rong Lu and others also made Cixi and others give up their plans to weaken Beiyang, at least not now. The Japanese have all entered the hometown of the Manchus, and they are counting on Li Hongzhang's Beiyang Second Division to protect the northeast. And the current Li Hongzhang is not something that you can weaken if you say it's weakened!

In this case, Li Hongzhang and the Qing Dynasty center have to talk. And this negotiation that changed history officially kicked off at the Summer Palace in Beijing on the fifth day after the Beiyang Army Division withdrew from North Korea!

"Li Zhongtang's Beiyang Second Division is really a pillar of the country. Unconsciously, the Beiyang Naval Division has added three warships that are more powerful than Dingzhen, and the Beiyang Naval Division can mobilize nearly 100,000 troops. The number of people is not less than that of the Huai army back then. Cixi said lightly.

"Empress Dowager, Your Majesty. Those three 10,000-ton warships were actually not from our Beiyang, but were leased by our Beiyang from Italy in Europe. Didn't the imperial court still hire the American Wall's foreign gun team to deal with Long Hair? As for the Beiyang Army, there are 100,000 people. Lao Chen's Beiyang elite has been exhausted in North Korea. Now the defense of Liaodong is the new army of the governor of Liangguang and the governor of Taiwan. Li Hongzhang's answer is wonderful.

If the new warships in our Beiyang are said to be leased, then it will not be counted as our private expansion of troops in Beiyang. Back then, I could hire a foreign rifle team, but now I can't hire a foreign fleet in Beiyang? As for the Army. It's nominally Li Hanzhang and Liu Mingchuan's troops, if you want to insist that it's my Li Hongzhang's private army, I'm afraid it's not okay, right?

"Li Zhongtang made this great event, uniting foreigners and provincial officials to make an earth-shattering move. It's not appropriate to say anything that doesn't fit the court, right? King Qing on the side said dissatisfiedly.

"There is a priority in everything. As the saying goes, there will be no disappointment to the king's life outside. If everything is reported to the court, I'm afraid that the Japanese have already reached Shanhaiguan, right? Li Hongzhang said nonchalantly. It's not that the old man doesn't report, but the situation is urgent, won't I report it? What else can you do?

"Then if the governors of the provinces are like Lord Li, where will the center be placed?" King Qing raised his hand and wanted to slap the table. But seeing Cixi staring at herself, she lowered her hand again. …,

"Then if the fighter plane is delayed because of this, should this board be taken by King Qing? Or am I coming to Beiyang? Li Hongzhang glanced at King Qing coldly. Why do I think it's a little weird, I Beiyang lost more than 10,000 people for the Qing Dynasty and defended North Korea for 6 months. Almost all of the fleets of the Japanese were wiped out, what was wrong with the Wokos? Could it be that someone was defeated by a division of the Japanese army in two days and became a meritorious person? Li Hongzhang said angrily.

"I Beiyang protects the country of your love for the Xinjue Luo family, but in the end, it is wrong?" Li Hongzhang didn't look at King Qing at all, but said to Cixi.

"Of course, Lord Li is right, but have you ever thought about how this war will end? You Beiyang is expanding your army and renting warships. I can't afford it. Master Weng on the side suddenly spoke.

"Then Master Weng means that there is money to pay compensation and no money to fight, right? How much silver has the Qing Dynasty lost since the Daoguang period to the present. Every time I see that your household is short of money? Lord Ronglu has never seen a shortage of money in the new training army. Why is it that as soon as I fight in Beiyang, your household department is short of money? Li Hongzhang glanced at Weng Tongyi.

"If this is the case with the word. It is said that the imperial court has the money to train the army in the northwest of Lord Ronglu, but there is no money to pay the Beiyang military expenses, you Master Weng can not be embarrassed, and the imperial court can't do it, right? That's a harsh enough sentence. An army that can't fight has money to spend, and an army that can fight has no money to spend, and the face of the court is really gone.

"Li Hongzhang. You must know very well how much silver there is in the Great Qing Kingdom, and it has been more than half a year. Your Beiyang Army didn't spend a lot of money on fighting. The imperial court has borrowed no less than 15 million taels of silver from the foreigner's bank, and the ammunition and food you need in Beiyang are not less yours. But keep going like this. I'm afraid the court won't be able to get any more silver. Cixi sighed, Li Hongzhang's toughness surprised her very much, but in this case, hard pressure will definitely not work. So you can only blame the problem on him. Li Hongzhang can't solve it himself.

"Return to the Queen Mother and the Emperor. This silver problem is actually not difficult. As long as this war is won. I'm afraid that the indemnity alone will be able to make up the shortfall of the war. Li Hongzhang said with a smile.

"You still want the Japanese to pay reparations?" King Qing said in surprise.

"Other countries beat me in the Qing Dynasty, and if we win the war, we will pay compensation, why can't we let the Japanese pay compensation and cede land if we win the Qing Dynasty? In this world, whoever is strong is justified. The losing side will naturally be slaughtered. Li Hongzhang's tone was full of disdain.

"By the way, the old minister has one more thing. In this war, our Qing Dynasty was short of talents, and most of the materials relied on imports, which were quite restricted. It is hoped that after this war, the imperial court will allow the private sector to open mines, set up factories, build railways, and develop Western-style industries. In addition, new schools are allowed to be built in various provinces to train technical talents. To strengthen the national strength of the Qing Dynasty. The efficiency of the simple official supervision and business management, and the factory run by the imperial court itself, is too low and the scale is too small. Li Hongzhang said and presented a copy of the recital.

"If you don't learn the words of a dignified saint, you have to learn Xiyi. Sven sweeps the floor. Sven sweeps the floor. Seeing that Li Hongzhang actually moved his idea to the cultural level, Weng Tongyi immediately spoke out against it. If this is the case, the first unlucky ones will be their Qingliu and Yushi series. The reform of education will inevitably lead to changes in the existing imperial examination system. This is undoubtedly fatal to Qingliu.

"Since Master Weng thinks that the words of the sage can solve everything. Then why didn't Master Weng think of a way to repel the Japanese? Talking all day long, blaming others is not, but there is no feasible way to do it to yourself. Could it be that I need this kind of person who can only play tricks? "Since you have torn your face with Weng Tongyi, let's scold it in pain!

"The things of foreigners are to be learned. However, it is also necessary to divide the priorities, with middle school as the key and Western learning as the application. That's fine. I have the law of my ancestors. Sun Yuwen on the side said. …,

"It's a pity that the law of the ancestors can't keep the land of the ancestors." Li Hongzhang smiled weirdly.

"Japan is not as good as my Qing Dynasty. The Meiji Restoration lasted just over 20 years. Its financial resources are already on par with my Qing Dynasty. Even if we win by luck this time, we will lose a lot of money. If there is another strong enemy attack, what will I use to defend against the enemy? Our Qing Dynasty has been defeated repeatedly, and the burden of reparations and other burdens not only tightens my finances in the Qing Dynasty, but also complains from the people. The huge amount of compensation is even more troublesome for the people. Aren't the Queen Mother and the Emperor afraid that one day the Qing Dynasty will collapse in the midst of internal and external troubles? "This fierce medicine is powerful enough, after all, whether it is Cixi or Guangxu, no one wants this paste-mounted edifice to fall to the ground.

"More on that later. The most important thing is what to do with the money. Cixi paused and said with a pale face.

"Okay, you can raise funds from private businessmen. It promised to return the principal and interest after the war. And for those who contribute more. It can be exempted or exempted in terms of mining and factory establishment and taxation. In this way, are you still afraid that there will be no money for war? Li Hongzhang laughed.

"How much money can you have?" Sun Yuwen's face changed slightly.

"This matter is left to the minister, and the queen mother doesn't have to worry about other things. The old minister is willing to make a military order, and if the money obtained is not enough to cover the war, the old minister is willing to be punished. Li Hongzhang gritted his teeth and got up and said.

"Li Hefei, you are ruthless enough!" Weng Tongyi said in his heart. Everyone knows that this is a fat difference, and you can get enough benefits from it. It can also win over a group of businessmen. As for whether the misappropriation of a batch will affect the course of the war. Weng Tonggong was lazy to think, anyway, he didn't care about his business. He wished that Beiyang would suffer more losses. But Lao Li mentioned the military order, and this thing directly made Weng Tongyi dare not take it, and it is not good to take it, but it may be involved. Who's going to do that?

"Then with money, shouldn't the Beiyang Army also take the initiative? These robbers have all hit the land of Longxing in my Qing Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stared at Li Hongzhang and said.

"Our Beiyang Army has lost more than 10,000 people in more than half a year, and the Nie Shicheng troops who have withdrawn from North Korea are also exhausted. The new troops from Liangguang and Taiwan have not yet adapted to the environment in eastern Liaodong, not to mention that heavy weapons have not yet arrived. Isn't it okay to attack at this time? However, the Manchurian Eight Banners Green Battalion, as well as Lord Ronglu's new army, have been recuperating for a long time, and they can be used. There is also the old Hunan army in Nanyang, and I can also help with transportation in Beiyang. Take it as a help. "Li Hongzhang is not stupid, at this time, let the tired Beiyang Army leave the fortress and go out to fight, Lao Li has no chance of winning.

"This matter will be discussed later, people are old, and they are tired of talking." Cixi was choked by Li Hongzhang's most angry words. This Ronglu is Cixi's guard, if they are all gone, what will they use to control the government, and what will they use to deter Beiyang? But can you say that you won't let Ronglu go, let Beiyang fight for light? This is obviously not going to work! So in the absence of any good way, it is undoubtedly the best to drag it down, and Cixi should wait and see what Li Hongzhang wants when he enters Beijing this time!

First of all, I apologize, but I got the chapter number wrong! There are no chapters in between, and 246 is correct. Thanks to the book friend Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger for 2 monthly passes. The political struggle before the decisive battle, I don't know if everyone likes to watch it. (To be continued......) ——

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