Do you want to ask the Huai non-commissioned officers and low-ranking officers whether they have a clear heart? Lao Li can be sure that nine times out of ten, he won't. It is the purpose of more than 80 percent of the soldiers to be paid as soldiers, so whoever pays them will listen to whomever they want, which can be seen from whether the Hunan army and the Huai army listen to the tune or not. As for the high-ranking generals? Lao Li is not sure, but it is certain that the Beiyang Naval Division has a tendency to deviate from morality now. After all, after enduring the stinginess of the imperial court in terms of funds, he earned more than 3 million taels of silver from Nanyang, and after experiencing such a big contrast, it is not normal to have no ideas!! As for the Army? Lao Li is still very confident. After all, they are all old subordinates who have been with them for many years. I also enjoyed the favor of the imperial court. Therefore, Lao Li decided to convene an internal meeting of the Huai Department to unify his thoughts. Strengthen the idea of "loyalty" in the minds of the Huai system bosses. However, it seems that Lao Li forgot one thing, it is not only the sailors who lack money in Beiyang, but also the land masters!!

Lao Li, the candidate for this meeting, took a lot of thought, and the senior generals of the Huai Army near Zhili naturally wanted to come. Nie Shicheng of the Wuyi Army, Wei Rugui of the Sheng Army, and Zhang Wenxuan, the commander of the Beiyang Protector Army. Ding Ruchang, the commander of the Beiyang Naval Division, Liu Buchan, the general soldier of the right wing, plus his son-in-law Zhang Peilun. There are 6 people in total. As for Xu Jie, he was excluded from this meeting, not because Lao Li was afraid that he would stir up the situation, but because he felt that if Xu Jie had something to say, it would be a loss of his head. And Sheng Xuanhuai and others were not invited, because Lao Li valued the attitude of the army more.

Looking at the Huai people sitting on both sides, Li Hongzhang had mixed feelings. I have worked hard for decades to build a huge family business. The Huai people have also scattered to all parts of the Qing Dynasty, and until now, there are only a few people who can control them.

"In the past year, I have changed a lot in Beiyang. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is earth-shattering. Let's talk about what we have learned from the past year. Li Hongzhang stroked his beard and said with a smile.

"My Beiyang sailor has experienced a big surprise and a big joy this year. Is this a big surprise? Naturally, I didn't expect the Japanese to be so prepared for war. If this continues, our Beiyang will inevitably lose. And is this a great joy? One is to order new warships from Italy with the help of Mr. Xu, and the other is to obtain a large amount of money from Nanyang. With this money and warships, we will have enough confidence in fighting in Beiyang in the future. Liu Buyun said with a smile.

"If Master Liu says that the water master has something to be surprised about, then I'm afraid that my Lu master will only be surprised." Nie Shicheng snorted coldly.

"Lord Nie is too worried, and this trip to the South Seas also relies on Lord Nie's Wu Yijun. This benefit is naturally not something that my sailor will swallow alone. After Mr. Xu took over the Tianjin Machinery Bureau and attracted a large number of Chinese businessmen to set up factories, I believe that our Beiyang Army Division will also update its equipment. Ding Ruchang said with relief.

"Lord Ding's kindness is understood. However, as Mr. Xu said, the Beiyang Fleet is at least a level of opponent with the Japanese Fleet, but our Beiyang Army Division is not of the same grade as the Japanese Army in terms of numbers, equipment, equipment, organization, and tactics. Ma Yukun sighed and said.

"Jishi is proficient in maritime affairs, and he is also rough in the army. Don't worry too much. Hearing that Ma Yukun also wanted to expand the army, Li Hongzhang said with some displeasure. This Xu Jie and Ma Yukun don't have much contact, right? Recently, there has been no direct contact, why does Ma Yukun also support the whole army? Lao Li wondered in his heart.

"Jishi is not only proficient in maritime affairs, but also has a lot of research on the army, and when Jishi first showed Italian weapons, he only felt that the equipment was sharp. But then I practiced with the Italian embassy guards in private a few times, only to find that this Westerner is powerful not only with weapons. Ma Yukun said ashamedly. …,

"Nie also wanted to practice, but I didn't expect Brother Ma to come in front of me, tell me what the hell?" Nie Shicheng urged.

"I'm ashamed to say it, in the first game, I attacked in the Beiyang, the Italians defended, we wanted to follow the original tactics against the Twist Army, three rows of overlapping shots, but who knew that the Italians were hiding in the trenches, and the bullets were difficult to hit, and in the preset position on the offensive flank of our army, when our army charged, the opponent's flank suddenly attacked. The 1889-style fast gun is paired with superb shooting. Our army immediately collapsed. And for the sake of fairness, the Italian Guards did not use the Maxine machine gun. Speaking of this, Ma Yukun smiled embarrassedly and said.

"In the second game, we defended and the Italians attacked. We also learned from the Italians, digging bunkers and trenches. It is also arranged in a linear manner. But the main Italian forces did not attack, but excluded the temptation of the squad. And our side had no experience, and as soon as the enemy struck, we fired on all fronts, as a result of which the firing points were exposed, and then the Italians cleared them one by one with grenadiers. Then the Italians concentrated their attack on one point, and after the line was breached, the soldiers were scattered and could not regroup, and in this way they were defeated again. Ma Yukun sighed and said.

Later, I communicated with the German instructor about this sparring exercise. The German instructor said that the Italians could only be considered qualified in Europe this time. Both sides only used rifles and grenadiers, not machine guns and artillery, and once these are added, the whole battlefield will be more complicated. Whether it is the interspersed detours on the battlefield, or the layout and supply transportation in the rear of the battlefield, and strategic decision-making, all of them are lacking in our Beiyang. Once the war starts, my Ma Yukun's death in battle is small, and the safety of the soldiers of this Sheng army is great. Ma Yukun said with a sad face.

"The old man will write to the imperial court to replace the ordnance for my Beiyang Army Division." Li Hongzhang said embarrassedly.

"Since the extermination of the Twist Army, our Huai Department has been dismantling, and the money for the replacement of ordnance is all raised by ourselves. How could this court ever manage a little? Now that the Huai army is scattered all over the place, Lord Zhongtang, Ma Mou said something that he didn't listen to, and now Lord Zhongtang can only mobilize the Sheng Army and Wu Yijun and some training troops. Speaking of this, Ma Yukun couldn't help but shake his head. His face was filled with dissatisfaction and disdain for the Qing court.

"You are all important ministers of the court, how can you talk like this?" Lao Li felt that the situation was a little out of control, and couldn't help but scold loudly.

"When you need to be desperate, you are an important minister of the court, and when you don't need it, you will throw it aside, and I, Ma Yukun, only recognize Lord Zhongtang." Ma Yukun said angrily.

"Although Master Ma's words are a bit heavier, it is a fact that my Beiyang Land Division is not strong enough and needs to be expanded urgently. Otherwise, once he starts a war in the future, the defeat of my Beiyang Land Division will be small, and I am afraid that my people of the Qing Dynasty will be ruined again. Nie Shicheng saw that the situation was not right, and immediately came out to dissuade him. These few words can be described as a needle hidden in cotton. Once this war starts, Beiyang will definitely bear the brunt, and at this level now, it will definitely be defeated, what will happen if it is defeated? Beiyang will definitely be finished, and the people will also suffer. Li Zhongtang, you can do it.

"Lord Zhongtang, even if there is a lot of pressure, for the sake of Sheji, for the sake of the people of Zhili and Liaodong, my Beiyang Land Division still has to expand, and it is the duty of the people and ministers to block the foreign court for the court. If we win in Beiyang after the expansion of the army, it will naturally be a great achievement, and if we do not expand the army and are defeated, we Beiyang will be the scapegoat. I hope that Lord Zhongtang will think twice about the powerful relationship among them. Zhang Peilun, who had not spoken, got up and said.

"That's it, it seems that it will not work without adding a few battalions to the Lu Division." Lao Li was completely speechless, and an internal meeting of the Huai Department at the end of the week became a grievance conference. It seems that the high-level generals of Beiyang also mean to expand the army, and in this case, Li Hongzhang, as the boss, is too much to say if he doesn't express it.

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