On February 23, 1854, on the sea of the East China Sea, several warships flying the British flag rode the wind and waves, and the bow of the ship was densely covered with human figures, standing in silence, looking at the western coastline together.

In the luxurious cabin of the 'William', Captain Riston looked at Li Hongzhang with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Congratulations, Mr. Li, your country is about to arrive." ”

Bao Ling, the new minister to China, also looked at Li Hongzhang meaningfully, after a trip to Europe, Bao Ling obviously felt the difference between the officials on the ship and the officials of the Han State, and there was no fear or rejection when looking at the Europeans, which made him excited and apprehensive, the Han State was strong enough, and Bao Ling did not want a great power to appear in the Far East, which would threaten the interests of the British Empire.

Li Hongzhang bowed his hand to the two foreigners and said: "I don't know if the two of you can send us directly to Nanjing, you have also seen it, the colleagues outside are really eager to wear it!" ”

Riston looked at Bao Ling, although he was a captain, but Bao Ling was indeed the governor of Hong Kong and the minister to China, and was even knighted, no matter what it was, he Riston had to listen to Bao Ling's advice.

Bao Ling shook his head and said: "Mr. Li, with all due respect, I am the new minister to China, and I must go to Shanghai to discuss with my citizens once, this is my top priority since I took office, so I'm sorry, we have to stop in Shanghai!" ”

Li Hongzhang nodded in agreement and said with a smile: "It's also difficult for Li Mouqiang, I have been away from my hometown for more than a year and a half, and I can't even wait for these few days, I'm ashamed!" ”

Li Hongzhang exited the cabin and came to the deck, where many officials surrounded him.

"Master Li, it's Shanghai ahead! After a few months of floating at sea, I was finally able to land! ”

"Yes! Master Lee. Will there be family members on the shore to greet us? ”

"Master Li, can I get off the boat and go home first?"

……

Li Hongzhang saw that the voice was noisy. Smiling and waving his hand, wait for the crowd to calm down. Only then did he say loudly: "Don't worry, you will dock in one more hour!" Don't worry, go back to Nanjing to sign in first, I will apply for a one-month vacation for you to go home to visit relatives like the emperor, of course, officials who do not want to go home can take office immediately. ”

Many people breathed a sigh of relief, showing a relaxed and joyful face, the emperor said when he was leaving, everyone who went back would be promoted to the third level. Then they are at least six-rank official positions, which is much better than the qualifications in the Hanlin Academy.

Li Hongzhang brought a few of his fellow henchmen to the side, looking at the vast and boundless sea, Li Hongzhang's henchmen were agitated and difficult to calm down, and after a while, as if he had made up his mind, his face slowly became resolute and serious.

Liu Bingzhang, Zhang Shusheng, Liu Changyou, Li Hezhang, Zhou Shengbo and others looked at each other, and they all didn't dare to squeak.

Li Hongzhang asked: "What do you think Li should do?" ”

Relying on the fact that it was Li Hongzhang's younger brother, Li Hezhang took the lead in replying: "Why did my brother say this? Didn't the emperor promise to appoint you as a scholar! This is an official position of the second grade. Ordinary people can't get it for ten years, such an opportunity, my brother is willing to miss it? ”

Li Hongzhang frowned and sighed: "If it's a peaceful season." A book is not impossible, but if it is turbulent today, I suddenly ascended to this high position. Ordinary people are not convinced! ”

Liu Changyou immediately understood Li Hongzhang's thoughts, and said solemnly: "Brother Shaoquan wants to handle military affairs?" That's true. In the next vow, I swore to die to repay the great kindness. ”

It turned out that Liu Changyou and Jiang Zhongyuan were defeated in Luzhou. Jiang Zhongyuan committed suicide, Liu Changyou and others were captured and taken to Nanjing, Li Yunzhong intended to execute him because he participated in the Battle of Lingyidu, or Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, Chang Dachun and others recommended him, so that he was spared death and followed Li Hongzhang abroad, which made Liu Changyou very grateful and kept it in his heart.

Liu Bingzhang stroked his palms and smiled, and said: "Brother Shaoquan is really a masterpiece!" Nowadays, the Han Dynasty advocates military merits, and the emperor also trusts the ministers with military merits the most, and more than ninety percent of the six Shangshu and Fengjiang officials have personally experienced the war. ”

The rest of the people all agreed with it, they were all Li Hongzhang's fellow villagers, and they had long obeyed him, and the people of Anhui were fierce, and they were looking forward to the war.

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Okay, since everyone agrees, I will start to handle this matter after I go back." ”

Riston heard the noise outside the cabin, got up and closed the doors and windows in annoyance, and complained: "These people really don't know how to be gentlemen, how can they be so noisy!" ”

As the doors and windows closed, the room fell silent.

Bao Ling smiled: "They are also excited, I have been in the Far East for a few years, and I can understand their feelings." ”

Riston returned to his place and sat down, sighing: "The Russian army has started a war with the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottoman army has suffered defeats in a row, and I think the country is almost unable to sit still." ”

Bao Ling took out a newspaper and said: "This is the newspaper you brought, didn't it say that Britain has no intention of sending troops directly, and hopes that the Russians will refrain from ......"

Riston snatched the newspaper, tore it to shreds, and said, "These are all to confuse the Russians, Mr. Bao Ling, when I came to the Far East, the Prime Minister had already ordered me to lead the Far Eastern warships to be ready for battle at any time. ”

Bao Ling was taken aback, this was related to his vital interests, and hurriedly asked: "What do you mean, Prime Minister?" Does he want to drive the warship back to his homeland? ”

Riston shook his head and replied solemnly: "Not to drive back to the mainland, but to march north along the Chinese coastline to fight in the North Pacific, the prime minister has planned to send two naval formations to the Far East to help in the war." ”

Bao Ling looked depressed and sighed, "Oh God! This is really not good news, I also plan to use the navy to force the Han army to retreat south, so that the Qing State can get a respite and drag down the strength of the Han State, it seems that this plan is going to fail! ”

Riston asked, "Why are you so hostile to the Han Kingdom?" The Han agreed to open its markets and to establish diplomatic relations with the British Empire, something that the ignorant Qing could not do, and for this purpose the country was already planning to reward Sir Wenhan, why should you do the opposite? ”

Bao Ling smiled bitterly and explained: "Do you know that I am still the governor of Hong Kong, and I have already planned to force the Qing to cede Kowloon Island and other areas, if the Han Dynasty takes power, it will definitely not agree to my request, but will take back Hong Kong, which may be nothing, but if the Han State is strong, it will affect Nanyang, India and other regions, and maybe Australia, after all, they are too far away from the British Empire, and in the end we will lose more than we gain." ”

Riston thought about it and said with a smile: "You are too unfounded, the Han is poor and white, the British Empire has struggled for two hundred years to have today's status, I think it will take three hundred years for the Han Dynasty to be compared with the current British Empire sooner or later, who knows what the British Empire will look like in three hundred years?" ”

Bao Lingqiang said with a smile: "I hope so, Mr. Wen Han supports Japan, does the Prime Minister agree?" ”

Riston thought for a moment and replied: "The Prime Minister did not express his position, and privately believed that Japan did not have the ability to do so, but Napoleon III of France was very interested in this plan and had already sent someone to contact the Japanese. ”

Bao Ling sighed that the domestic authorities did not pay much attention to the Far East, and they also considered the Far East to be medieval Europe.

Seeing Bao Ling's gloomy appearance, Riston wanted to say something happy: "Sir, do you know that Austria and Prussia have secretly formed an alliance!" ”

Bao Ling frowned, thought for a while, shook his head and said: "Austria, Prussia, and Russia signed the "Three Emperors Alliance" as early as the Napoleonic era, and now that Russia is at war with the Ottoman Empire, Austria and Prussia should be on the side of Russia according to the treaty, do they plan to abandon Russia?" ”

Riston gave a thumbs up and said: "This is all the result of the deterrence of the British Empire, the "Three Emperors Alliance" is aimed at defending France, but the Russian Empire provoked Britain and France at the same time, Austria and Prussia of course did not want to risk fighting for Russia, Britain has issued the most columsy ultimatum to Russia, ordering the Russian army to withdraw in March, maybe in a few days our country will declare war with the Russian army!" ”

Bao Ling suddenly scolded: "Damn war! Damn Nicholas I! Damn the Emperor of the Han Kingdom! ”

Riston comforted: "Sir, I know that our country's participation in the war will affect the situation in the Far East, and I think in order to maximize the favor of the Han State, I suggest that you side with the Han State." ”

"Whew!"

Hearing the long roar, Bao Ling and Riston glanced at each other, and got up at the same time, preparing to disembark. (To be continued......)