Tianjin, Jingang Bridge Zhili Governor's Mansion, Li Hongzhang's study. After the day's negotiations, Li Hongzhang was not tired at all. As the saying goes, people are in good spirits when they are happy. And Li Hongzhang did respond to this sentence. During the daytime negotiations, Li Hongzhang, who had an absolute advantage, resolutely refused to let go no matter how the Russian envoy Tolkien requested. Faced with this situation, Tolkien proposed to proceed the day after tomorrow on the grounds that he needed to ask for instructions from Kasami. And Li Hongzhang finally had another opportunity to discuss his future plans with his closed disciples.

Just when Xu Jie and Li Hongzhang just sat down and drank a cup of tea. When Xu Jie was about to tell Li Hongzhang about the layout he envisioned at sea, Zhang Peilun walked in with a letter. After Li Hongzhang read the letter, his originally ruddy face immediately turned blue!

"The center is really close to my Beiyang!" Zhang Peilun said leisurely.

"Yes, Jishi, come and see this letter, as the saying goes, rabbits die and dogs cook, this widow has not been driven out of the city, and the center is ready to weaken my Beiyang." Li Hongzhang said and threw the letter on the table!

"If all the soldiers who can fight in my Beiyang are removed, can the Qing Dynasty still count on Ronglu's northwest training army to defend it?" After a general glance, Xu Jie said meaningfully.

"Isn't it possible to take advantage of the situation again?" Zhang Peilun asked.

"This country raises soldiers to raise an army capable of fighting. It's not to raise wine bags and rice bags! It is possible to dismantle the armed forces, but only if it does not affect the country's national defense capability. Therefore, the main targets of the retrenchment should be the Green Battalion, the Eight Banners, and the training troops in various localities with low combat effectiveness, not the new armies like our Beiyang, Liangguang, and Taiwan! In this Qing-Japanese war, our Beiyang Second Marine and Land Division turned the tide. The naval division annihilated the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the land division also inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese army. How can such an elite division be said to be abolished? Xu Jie snorted coldly.

"Jishi is right. On the other hand, the Eight Banners and the Green Camp are basically bound to lose the battle. Such an army is only a waste of the country's money and food. There are all kinds of harms and no benefits! And Rong Lu's northwest training army, although the performance is quite good, but on the whole, it is far inferior to my Beiyang. If these old troops are not withdrawn, why should we simply dismantle our new Beiyang army? I'm afraid that some villains will confuse the saint to listen. Zhang Peilun said with a smile.

"Hmm. Yes, this reason is sufficient, but the 100,000 people of the old army of the Beiyang New Army, the Queen Mother is still not at ease, and when the time comes, it is the most troublesome to find awkwardness in Beiyang for me elsewhere. Li Hongzhang was very satisfied with the answers of the two. New questions were raised.

"My Beiyang armies are used to defend the country, and there is absolutely no disobedience. If what I do in Beiyang can reassure the Empress Dowager, then naturally the center will not dismantle my Beiyang Army. Maybe I will support it strongly. Xu Jie said with a smile.

"What do you mean by that?" Li Hongzhang and Zhang Peilun asked at the same time.

"It's very simple, the heaviest place in the world is Zhili. And the teacher is the governor of Zhili, and the Beiyang army stationed in Zhili is naturally not at ease for Zhongshu with a knife around his neck. Xu Jie analyzed.

"So you mean that part of the Beiyang military forces are withdrawn from Zhili and transferred elsewhere?" Li Hongzhang raised his eyebrows and couldn't see his attitude.

"Lord Hui Zhongtang, after this battle, the vitality of the Northeast has been greatly damaged, and whether it is human, financial or material resources. It will take a long time for the Northeast to recover. And after the Russians finish cleaning up Japan, their military strength will definitely gather in the northeast direction, and I, Beiyang, as the elite soldiers of the imperial court, will naturally have to bear the responsibility of defending the territory. Therefore, if the imperial court can give me some benefits in Beiyang, I Beiyang can completely station the main force in the Northeast, follow the Tang Dynasty's capital protectorate system, and take charge of the overall situation in the Northeast. Xu Jie said his overall plan.

It is impossible to obtain the right to run the Northeast without giving or making concessions. So the only way to do this is to take advantage of the situation. After the Qing-Japanese War, not only the situation in the whole country has undergone tremendous changes, but even the central center has undergone tremendous changes. The northwest training army that Cixi relied on made the Japanese fight all over the ground to find teeth. In addition, not long ago, the distance between Guangxu and Beiyang was shortened. The winds in this court have changed. How to stabilize the center and then figure out other things has become something that Cixi and Guangxu have to consider at the same time. In this case, once the external pressure is reduced, I am afraid that the center itself will be busy fighting for power and profit, and it will not care about anything in Beiyang. …,

The first element of the large-scale transfer of Beiyang garrisons to the northeast is to defend against Russia, and the second point is to give the center an illusion that Beiyang has no intention of interfering in the central power. Fight slowly on yourselves. We just look at it, and only when it is necessary will Beiyang take the thunderous momentum to make a final decision!

"If so. Doesn't this make Lord Zhongtang give up the military power of the governor of Naoli? Zhang Peilun said dissatisfied.

"The Governor of Zhili is not just in charge of one Zhili. We just vacated the area around the capital and let the troops of the Imperial Party and the Later Party enter. Give them some sense of security. Reduce the consideration and hostility towards our Beiyang. But Tianjin, Tangshan and other important places. I'm still in the Beiyang garrison. What's more, compared with Zhili, the prospects of the Northeast are broader and more suitable for the development of Beiyang. Xu Jie carefully explained his point.

"This is directly subordinate to the head of the world, if other armies come in, I'm afraid my status in Beiyang will decline, right?" Zhang Peilun still said uneasily.

"It's a good one to retreat." Just when Xu Jie and Zhang Peilun were arguing, Li Hongzhang said with a twinkle in his eyes: "I still have a vision for the world in this big matter." Zhang Youqiao, in the future, you have to learn from Jishi. ”

"Please also ask Lord Nakado to be clear." Zhang Peilun arched his hand and said.

"The status of Zhili is more important to politics, but I have no intention of Beiyang to do this, so the political status of this Zhili is not so important, what does I need in Beiyang?" Li Hongzhang asked.

"What is needed is the world's recognition of my Beiyang and faster development." After so many ups and downs, Zhang Peilun is no longer a fledgling clear stream, and he has a deep understanding of the importance of strength and public opinion.

"Well, because of this, I Beiyang should take the banner of guarding the border and resisting Russia to seek better development in the Northeast. The Northeast is more suitable for the further development of Beiyang, with more than 1.5 million square kilometers of land and rich resources that are urgently needed in Beiyang. Therefore, this move seems to be a concession, but in fact it is a favorable move, and we must go. Li Hongzhang said proudly.

"And once the center changes?" Zhang Peilun already vaguely sensed that the struggle between the imperial party and the latter party had a tendency to expand.

"Isn't Tianjin, Liaodong, and Shandong Peninsula still in the hands of Lord Zhongtang? With the Beiyang Fleet in hand, we can send our elite troops to Beijing at any time. That's not a problem. Xu Jie said with a smile.

"With the sea to control the land, Jishi really deserves to be born in the navy." Li Hongzhang praised. "But this concession is probably not enough to reassure the imperial court." Li Hongzhang said sharply.

"Then replace some of the troops with agricultural troops." Xu Jie remembered the Xinjiang Construction Corps in later generations. This term is very novel, but in fact it is the military tun of the Tang Dynasty, and the army fought on the one hand. On the one hand, focus on production. The combat effectiveness is weaker, but it can solve the problem of supply, and the northeast is vast and sparsely populated, so it is still possible to establish a large-scale military cantonment system. ”

"It's a way to reassure those in the center, at least on paper." Zhang Peilun nodded.

"In addition, Yuan Shikai plans to leave Beiyang to find another career, I don't know what Lu Dao thinks of the world?" That's all over. Li Hongzhang remembered Yuan Shikai's letter a few days ago.

"It's good to get together and disperse, let him go if he wants to go." Xu Jie said nonchalantly. For people like Yuan Shikai who dare to sell everything for political rights. Xu Jie can't wait to get rid of it quickly, and now that he wants to leave, let him go.

"Yuan Shikai still has some talents, and he also made meritorious contributions in North Korea back then. It would be a pity if such talents were gone. Zhang Peilun said dissatisfied.

"Yuan Shikai is even worse than Fang Boqian's character! This person is talented, but he is used in crooked ways, but it is harmful and not beneficial to me in Beiyang. Xu Jie's dislike for Yuan Shikai is quite large. …,

"Yuan Shikai still has some prestige in the army, if he leaves. I'm afraid that many people will leave Beiyang. "Zhang Peilun and Xu Jie have always had a good relationship, and there are still very few cases like Xu Jie who directly and categorically vetoes his opinion.

"To do great things, talent is one aspect, and system and system are another. The same equipment is stronger when used in the Beiyang New Army than in Ronglu's Northwest Training Army. Some people are not suitable for the new system, so they can only be eliminated. Although the Beiyang Land Division is also a big victory. However, there are still many internal problems that need to be rectified. Xu Jie didn't flinch at all.

"Jishi, if you do this, I'm afraid that the old Beiyang army will be completely dismantled! How do you ask the old man to face those Huai children who are working hard with the old man? At this moment, even Li Hongzhang was a little dissatisfied.

"The armies of Lord Nie and Lord Ma are still usable, and many old soldiers joined the army just to make a living. If only we could give them a better way to make a living. I guess they don't mind taking off their uniforms. After this war, there will definitely be rewards, and the Northeast has resources and land, and those who have the capital will not have a bad time. "Placing veterans is a tricky thing for any country or power. However, fortunately, the development of Northeast China requires a large amount of human resources, and if these veterans can bring their families to the Northeast, it will be beneficial to the country and themselves.

"Jishi, this Russian is expected to agree to our conditions soon. I suddenly have money, and I really don't know how to spend it, what are your plans? Li Hongzhang did not continue to dwell on this issue. Instead, it changed the subject.

"Industrial construction, army construction. New schools and transportation construction are indispensable! Xu Jie replied.

"Judging from Jishi, is the current scale of my Beiyang Fleet enough?" Li Hongzhang asked, at this moment, Li Hongzhang's importance to the navy is quite important. If there was no navy, I am afraid that the Russians would not have turned to the idea of fighting Japan, and the end of the war may be far away.

"Up to 2 years." Xu Jie said helplessly.

"2 years? I spent millions of pounds in Beiyang to accumulate a navy to keep it safe for 2 years? "The strength of the Beiyang Fast Fleet, Li Hongzhang knows it clearly through the battle report, and now he says that he can only keep it safe for 2 years, how can you make him believe it? ?

"Lord Zhongtang knows that in less than two years last year and this year, the Russians have started construction of 6 10,000-ton warships, and the rest of the small ships are too numerous to mention." Xu Jie gestured with his hand. And this sentence directly stunned the two people present.

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