The seat of the Guangzhou Military Government, the former Governor's Palace, Deng Zixuan's office door is ajar. The office was very quiet, there was no noise, and Deng Zixuan was engrossed in reading the documents. Since the proclamation of the establishment of a military junta, the situation has been very good. Hangzhou, Fujian Province has been connected, and just yesterday, after receiving the news from He Meng, Yunnan was also in the bag. It is not difficult to see that Deng Zixuan is in a good mood, and the clues can be seen from his red face.

I don't know how long it took, Deng Zixuan raised his head and found the adjutant standing aside silently. "Looking for me?" "Report to the commander-in-chief, Chief Executive Zhang Zhidong is waiting outside!" The adjutant said apprehensively. "Look at my memory, I asked Master Zhang to come, and you didn't remind me!" The adjutant opened his mouth to explain, but Deng Zixuan had already walked out.

Step into the living room. "Brother Zhang! Sins and sins have kept you waiting! Deng Zixuan apologized. Zhang Zhidong immediately stood up and bowed slightly: "Commander-in-chief, what a crime you have every chance!" Deng Zixuan motioned to the adjutant to make tea and continued: "Brother Zhang, I have good news for you, Yunnan has been occupied by me, and the copper and silver mines in Yunnan have been effectively controlled, but unfortunately the governor of Yunnan and other officials have escaped!" ”

Zhang Zhidong was pleasantly surprised: "Great, I will immediately send officials to Yunnan to take over!" "In the past month, there have been many Qing court officials who have defected to Zhangzhidong from all over the south of the Yangtze River, and now the officials in his hands are already rich and surplus." Brother Zhang, there is no hurry to send officials to Yunnan, the top priority is to carry out financial reform, build a minit, and issue silver dollars and banknotes! "Issuing silver dollars and banknotes?" Zhang Zhidong was confused.

Deng Zixuan smiled and took out the patterns of silver dollars and banknotes and said, "Brother Zhang, I have asked someone to draw the patterns of silver dollars and banknotes." We still use the silver standard, imitating the Spanish silver dollar that is now in vogue, and overseeing the creation of our own silver dollars and banknotes. Zhang Zhidong took the pattern and examined it carefully, and found that the front of the silver dollar was two big Chinese characters, and the two small characters below - the first year, surrounded by a circle of wheat ears. The reverse of the silver dollar shows the word "one dollar" in the middle, and the dragon totem is flanked by it. "Commander-in-Chief, the front of the silver dollar should be your avatar." Zhang Zhidong differences.

"No, the cult of personality will end with me in the future!" Deng Zixuan denied it. "What is the fineness of the silver dollar?" Zhang Zhidong changed the subject. "The silver dollar contains seven silver coins and two cents!" Deng Zixuan continued: "Banknotes are corners and cents. The angle is 5 corners, 2 angles, and 1 corner, and is divided into 5 points, 2 points, and 1 point. "Commander-in-chief, I'm a layman in this regard, so I'll do it according to your plan!" "Brother Zhang! Thou shalt appoint competent officials to supervise the production of money and the printing of paper money. I sent people to build a two-pronged minit," and then Deng Zixuan and Zhang Zhidong studied many details.

As soon as Deng Zixuan sent Zhang Zhidong away, Pei Gejin walked in and said, "Commander-in-chief, the latest information!" "Deng Zixuan took the intelligence to check, it was the intelligence from Zhanjiang, and the intelligence showed that the British fleet appeared in the Qiongzhou Strait." Commander-in-chief, stumped the British to land in Zhanjiang? Pei Gejin asked. Deng Zixuan's eyes looked at the map on the wall and said: "The British did not have the courage to land on the Leizhou Peninsula, it is obvious that their target is Hainan Island, presumably the British want to establish a British Fleet base on Hainan Island." ”

"Commander-in-Chief! What are we going to do? Pei Gejin was a little anxious. Deng Zixuan said: "Right now on the sea, we have to endure humiliation and burden, maybe we will face unimaginable difficulties in the next step." The Ming and Qing dynasties had a long-term maritime ban, so we must do something on land. Ordered Chen Jintang's newly formed Yangtze River Fleet to advance by water, make sure to take Nanjing, and then take control of Daye Iron and Steel Plant, telling them that the target was the Iron and Steel Plant. ”

Deng Zixuan continued: "It seems that the Northern Expedition will not work at the end of the year!" Command! Leng Yifei marched to Guizhou, and Bai Sheng marched to Hunan. Order Shanghu to march to Jiangxi! Pei Ge said solemnly: "Commander-in-chief, you and Lord Zhang wrote letters to Shen Baozhen, the governor of Jiangxi, respectively, but there was no reply?" Deng Zixuan said with a smile: "If Shen Baozhen is easy to comply, I will look down on him." But don't worry, Shen Baozhen will have a wise choice. ”

Deng Zixuan did not know that the Qing court instructed Liu Mingchuan, the governor of Taiwan, to arrange for the fleets of Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany to be stationed in Taiwan, and at the same time allowed the Russian fleet to be stationed in Lushun. Britain transferred 60 warships and 5,000 British soldiers from the South Seas, while France urgently requisitioned 10,000 soldiers and 40 warships from the African colonies. One British and French soldier landed on Taiwan, and the other was to land on the Shandong Peninsula. The most infuriating thing was that the Japanese emperor vigorously responded to the call of Western countries and sent 3,000 soldiers to assist the British troops in their operations, and the British promised to provide rifles and artillery for the Japanese.

The U.S. government pledged to provide the Qing army with 50,000 rifles, 5 million rounds of ammunition, 100 artillery pieces, and 10,000 shells. Germany provided 20,000 rifles and 3 million rounds of ammunition. The Netherlands provided military supplies totaling 1 million Spanish dollars. Portugal provided 50 artillery pieces and 5,000 shells. Russia sent 10,000 cavalry from the Mongolian steppe into the hinterland of the Central Plains, and the necessary supplies needed to be provided by the Qing court. In addition, Western countries were paid to send soldiers to wars and provide arms.

As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no doubt that the Qing court will pay what price it will pay after the war, and I am afraid that it will cede land to satisfy the greed of foreigners. At present, it is inevitable that the Qing court will be in peace with the outside and the inside, and the imperial court headed by the Empress Dowager Cixi can sell anything to the precarious Qing Dynasty. On this day, in Cixi's **, Yi waited for the Manchu officials to sit, although Cixi's face was a little pale, but the foreigners helped her, which gave her confidence.

Cixi said: "The Deng thief is powerful, and it makes no sense to hold anyone accountable now, so we must go all out to prevent the rebels from entering the north of the Yangtze River." Li Hongzhang can be trusted, and Li Hongzhang has made great contributions to contacting Western countries and forming a new army. At present, Western countries are providing great assistance, and we must do our best to help. Remember that it is better to give foreign ghosts than domestic slaves, and the Qing Dynasty will never be allowed to be lost in our hands. "Cixi's meaning is very obvious, as long as you keep the Qing Dynasty, you can throw away anything.

Yi said: "The Queen Mother is clever, at the moment we must rely on Western countries, and any requirements made by Western countries must be met unconditionally." In addition, we must rely on the Han people and vigorously promote Han officials. If the Han people deviate from Germany, the Qing Dynasty will also be destroyed. I suggest that the officers of the Huai Army and the Hunan Army should be added to the rank and increase the number of Yulu, and there will be brave men under the heavy reward. "The ministers agreed. Cixi said: "You take out a charter and approve it together." ”

Yi continued: "Queen Mother, the top priority now is to defend the Beijing Division, and I propose to select the sons of the Manchurian Warriors to form the Beijing garrison." To equip the most haode foreign guns, the most haode foreign cannons, to hire foreign instructors. Cixi said: "**The descendants of Hachi, they are so incompetent that they can face the ancestors and ancestors. The Military Aircraft Department has listed a list of rules and regulations, and those who do not obey orders, those who are slack, and those who are greedy for life and afraid of death will be killed. ”

Cixi continued: "Now is a time of crisis, and I have decided to halve the use of the palace and halve the money and food of the Manchurians. At present, it is necessary to go all out to meet the military needs, and those who do not obey will be reinforced. "It can be said that Cixi is not given for nothing, she is capable, otherwise she would not have played a group of men. Subsequently, the Qing court issued a decree that foreign troops could land at will in all coastal areas north of the Yangtze River.

The Tianjin Zhili Governor's Mansion was busy, and it can be said that everything is now related to the military. The Huai Army turned into a great fresh army, and Li Hongzhang was naturally busy. "Report to the Governor, 20,000 rifles, 2 million rounds of ammunition, 100 artillery pieces, and 10,000 shells provided by the United States have landed on the shore." A subordinate knelt on one leg to report. "Hand over now!" Li Hongzhang said decisively.

One of his subordinates came in again to report: "Report to the governor, call from the capital!" Li Hongzhang took the telegram and said with a big change in his face: "Nonsense, the Military Aircraft Department asked to send the arms to the capital, and the order of the foreign monarch will be detained." Li Hongzhang groaned and continued: "Send a report to the capital immediately, the military situation is urgent, and this batch of munitions will be sent to the front line." Where does Li Hongzhang's confidence come from, because his power can already be resisted, and at the same time, he also sees clearly that Deng Zixuan has been planning to raise the banner of anti-Qing Dynasty for a long time, even if he wins the war, I am afraid that it will be fruitless in ten or eight years. As a result, its own presumptuous Qing court could only let it go.

"Report to your Excellency, Taiwan Governor Liu has arrived!" With the report of his subordinates, a strong ** dusty servant walked in. This strong man is very burly, and he is from a military background. The strong man is about 40 years old, and his height is no less than Li Hongzhang. "My subordinates meet Lord Nakado!" Liu Mingchuan knelt on one leg. "Brother Liu, I can look forward to you coming back, and you have worked hard along the way." Li Hongzhang stepped forward and picked up his beloved general.

"Lord Zhongtang, Taiwan has been handed over to foreigners, but!" Seeing Liu Mingchuan's depressed face, Li Hongzhang interrupted him and said, "I understand your feelings, and now you must focus on the overall situation." I am ready for you to serve as the governor of Hubei, command 20,000 soldiers and horses, 30 artillery pieces, and immediately rush to Hubei and control the soldiers and horses of Hubei and Anhui provinces, and hold the defense line of the Yangtze River. "Subordinate Order!"; Liu Mingchuan said: "Lord Zhongtang, my subordinates are puzzled, who is this Deng Zixuan, who is so big all of a sudden?" ”

"It's hard to say, I'll tell you slowly in the future. Now you have to know that our opponent is not the Taiping army of the past, not the rebellious peasant army. It can be said that Deng Zixuan actually tried his courage for 10 years in order to rebel, and he built an army that even foreigners are afraid of, so you can't be careless when you go to Hubei. The defense line north of the Yangtze River in Hubei will be handed over to you. Liu Ming was stunned when he heard the rumors.