Istanbul, the country of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey.

Just over a year and a half after the war, the capital of the Turkish Empire was as if the humiliation of the Russian city a year and a half earlier had never happened.

In his memoirs 30 years later, Ou Yangming, China's plenipotentiary envoy, described his feelings at that time as follows: he did not feel the pain of war and the shame of defeat at all, and was full of luxury and happiness. The sharp contrast between this atmosphere and the real situation of the Ottoman Empire reminds me of a poem by Lin Sheng of the Southern Song Dynasty:

Outside the mountain, when will the West Lake sing and dance?

The warm wind smokes the tourists drunk, and makes Hangzhou Bianzhou. ”

Of course, Ouyang Ouyang Ming [Ouyang Geng's cousin] was no longer interested in the atmosphere in Istanbul, and faced the emperor of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, Abdul. At the time of Hamid II, he was also respectful and reasonable.

He came to Turkey this time to open up China's diplomacy. Faced with the same enemy, China and Turkey have reason to form a unified strategic alliance. And Liu Siam needs warships from the Turkish Navy!

Abdul. Hamid II was a very mediocre man. It has been six years since he became emperor and after the crushing defeat of the 10th Russo-Turkish War. Hamid II was able to control the power of the Turkish Empire because of blood, not the wisdom and cleverness of the government.

He dissolved parliament and exiled Prime Minister Midhart. The autocratic system was restored, the reign of terror was established, pan-truth and theism were promoted, and ethnic minorities within the empire were persecuted.

It has only been a long time now, and he has already been called the bloody sultan by Turkish folklore.

Liu Xian regardless of Abdul. Whether Hamid II was smart or stupid won the hearts and minds of the Turkish people. It is still not popular with the people of Turkey, and all he needs is an ally of Turkey, the old empire. As well as the warships of the Turkish Navy!

The size of the Chinese North and South Ocean Fleet is now sufficient, and it will not yet arouse the vigilance of the British. It can also give the United States peace of mind. However, the government of southwest Japan, the Ryukyu Kingdom, Vietnam, Korea and other vassal countries, these countries need warships and need to form their own fleets.

Relying on Chinese shipyards to build ships is a good idea, but the speed is too slow. Therefore, the purchase of ships from outside is the first choice.

If the Russians were willing to negotiate peacefully and put the war on hold, in order not to irritate the Russians, Liu Xian would shift his target to the British fleet of old warships. But the Slavs did not admit defeat, and the Russians insisted on fighting. Still thinking about achieving a reversal victory in Xinjiang.

Last year's fiscal deficit in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces was more than 500 million yuan higher than in previous years. Not to mention the province's fiscal deficit. In the absence of railways, maintaining the long-term operation of the Xinjiang Military Region is like a bottomless pit that frantically devours the funds of China's state treasury.

Liu Xian felt that he had to give the Russians a trick to see so that the greedy polar bear would no longer stubbornly look at the east.

So there was Ouyang Yangming's trip to Turkey.

Abdul, Turkey. Hamid II, a Continental Armyist, distrusted the navy and considered a large, expensive navy useless in the Russo-Turkish war, so he locked most of his ships in the Golden Horn after the war. In the original plane, these ships would gradually decay over the next thirty years. By the time of the successful Young Turk Revolution of 1908, the United Progressive Committee sought to develop a strong naval force. And the figure of the Turkish Navy at that time has completely disappeared from the arena of interests in the Mediterranean. However, at this time, in 1882, when the Western calendar was in 1882, the Turkish Navy still ranked fifth in the world, and its total tonnage steadily surpassed that of China's North and South Ocean Fleet.

The Turkish Navy has sixteen main ironclad warships. They were five gunboats [the original ironclad ships with cannons lined up on the side of the ship], and ten central gunboats [cannons installed in the central iron forts. The original Saxony-class ironclad was this, a surface rotary ship [turret]. The total tonnage is close to 70,000 tons.

It has 24 auxiliary warships, all of which are frigates and gunboats. The tonnage is much smaller than that of the capital battleship. But it is very suitable for several subject countries under the name of China. The uncoordinated structure of the Turkish Navy, the overabundance of capital ships, and the fault lines of cruisers indicate that Turkey itself does not attach so much importance to its overseas trade.

Now it's on Abdul. Hamid II, the Continental Armyist, Turkey's overseas interests can be put to rest.

Liu Xian has now taken a fancy to Turkey's navy. Whether it is an old battleboard gunboat, a mainstream central gunboat, or many auxiliary warships, as long as Turkey buys it, he dares to pack it and take it away.

The cost of purchasing these warships can be spread among the vassal states, and the Chinese navy will help them build a modern fleet. The existence of these fleets can not only reduce the patrol work of the North and South Ocean fleets and reduce the pressure on the Chinese navy, but also be used by China when a major war breaks out.

Of course, this is also because of Abdul. Hamid II's attitude towards the navy was too bad, and Liu Xian felt that buying warships from Turkey, which was in financial constraints, had a high probability of success and was very cost-effective.

Dolmabahce Royal Palace.

This reclaimed garden with a view of the Bosphorus has just been completed. Less than thirty years of history is too short and too young for a royal palace.

The mid-19th century was a time of great decline of the Ottoman Empire, and the extravagant decorations of the palace contrasted sharply with the decline of the Turkish state.

Ou Yangming had heard rumors about this new palace. It is rumored that Ridomabace cost up to one billion marks, and the treasures inside are dizzying, with luxurious crystal chandeliers, ivory, and gold objects abounding. For example, the world's largest crystal chandelier weighing 4,500 kilograms.

And it is said that in order to decorate the whole palace, a total of fourteen tons of gold and forty tons of silver were used. The palace covers an area of 7,000 hectares and has 43 halls, 70 baths and 285 rooms. The marble that adorned the new palace was shipped from Marmara by sea, alabaster from Egypt, and spotted stone from the city of Begamon, while the interiors and lighting were designed by Italian and French artists.

The magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, even if Ou Yangming is proud of his motherland and culture, it is difficult to say that the Dolmabahce Palace is not as good as the Forbidden City.

Snow-white tablecloths are laid out, French, English and Italian pastries, cold dishes and delicious seafood and soups, Turkish-style barbecues, and a variety of fine wines.

It seems that these wines should not have appeared in the Turkish Empire, which believed in truth and God, but the secularization of the country has long been irreversible. Hamid II was vigorously promoting pan-truthfulness and theism, which was only a means of ruling the empire, not his true personal beliefs.

Truth, God or something, it is estimated that there are few people in the court of Istanbul who believe in it sincerely.

The slave girls in the palace of Dolmabahce were captured and sold from the Turkish subjects who believed in Christ, and the black eunuchs were bought from Africa, and the truth of their faith was really questionable.

Moreover, this luxurious palace was designed by the French and Italians, and Ou Yangming was in this beautiful palace, and he really didn't feel much of a religious and religious atmosphere.

The cool sea breeze was blowing, and the atmosphere in the whole garden was unusually pleasant and relaxed, and everyone stood casually, talking and laughing with each other in low voices, mostly related to the news of the Chinese' purchase of warships. That's great news!

The fierce battles and defeats of the 10th Russo-Turkish War brought the Turkish Empire's finances to the brink of bankruptcy. Military spending is going to be hard to maintain, Abdul. Hamid II also had this reason for locking the warship in the Golden Horn.

If the battleship moves, it costs money, and if it doesn't move, it costs a lot of money just to repair and maintain it every year. The finances of the current Turkish Empire are really difficult, very difficult.

If you can take the opportunity to sell the warship, you can not only lose a burden, but also get a batch of funds. This is an absolute good thing. Of course, for the top leaders of the Turkish Empire, taking this opportunity to reach a united front with the Chinese against Russia is the greatest benefit.

When the second Sino-Russian war broke out last year, the news reached Istanbul, and the whole city was boiling, and the Dolmabahce Palace was no exception. Because France occupied Tunisia, Britain was ready to make a move on Egypt, and the two top allies who helped the Turkish Empire defeat Russia during the Crimean War, the whole team of Turkey fell into the ground. At this time, war broke out between China and Russia. Hamid II's joy was irrepressible.

Now Ou Yangming's arrival has brought 'beauty and friendship' to Turkey. Hamid II held this lively reception at the Dolmabahce Palace. Leaders from all over Istanbul gathered here to celebrate a victory that they had some connection to.

"Mr. Special Envoy, let's toast to the great victory of the Chinese Army! May God bless the Emperor of China, the New Qin Empire, and those warriors who fought on the battlefield! It was because of their fearless spirit that they struck at the brutal, barbaric, greedy Russians. "Abdul. Hamid II laughed and complimented China with worthless and beautiful words.

The agreement for the purchase of ships has been signed. Two broadside gunboats, four central gunboats, and twelve patrol ships and gunboats, totaling nearly £650,000, could not be collected by the Chinese Turks.

The price of two million taels of silver is not high. After all, Turkey's sixteen ironclad ships are all capital warships, the tonnage of the five battleboard gunboats is more than 5,000 metric tons, and the ten central gunboats are all 3,000 tons, otherwise how could the sixteen main ironclad ships be close to 70,000 metric tons.

It is also Turkey's eagerness to get rid of its burden, and in order to lay a good foundation for exchanges with China, and also for the sake of China's 200 pound freight forwarding contract with Turkey, how cheap the price will be. Otherwise, no matter how old and dilapidated these six capital ships are, plus twelve small warships, it is impossible to pack them up and take them away for 650,000 pounds.

"Thank you for your kindness. May the Chinese and Turkish empires prosper forever......" Ou Yangming raised his glass! (To be continued......)