In the West Garden of the Beijing Division, Liu Yun sat quietly beside Guangxu, inspecting the battalions of the Wuzi Army that had just returned to the dynasty, of course, according to his instructions in advance, he just let the officers and soldiers walk in line, and did not force them to kick the right step.

Guangxu watched the dozens of captured artillery trucks line up through the parade field, overjoyed, and turned to Liu Yun and said: "Aiqing, this great victory and great magnificence of the emperor's might, all branches of the Huai army have been reduced to my use, and Aiqing led the army to fight against the enemy 10,000 people, without losing a single person, only firing dozens of cannons, that is, completely annihilating the rebels, which is really an unprecedented miracle." I want to appoint you as the governor of Zhili, add the title of second-class marquis, special minister, and command the armies of Zhili and the northeast, how do you want to do it? ”

Liu Yun knelt down hurriedly and said, "Thank you, Lord Longen-"

Wen Yi said on the side: "Your Majesty, although the military rebellion has eradicated the power of the Huai system, but the strength of the Hunan army in the south of the Yangtze River still needs to be treated carefully, and the minister thinks that it is better to start reforming and changing the law as soon as possible, and at the same time summon the leaders of the Hunan army, Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi, to the central government, called reuse, in fact, gradually reduce their military power, so that they must not harm the imperial court." ”

Guangxu nodded and said: "What Aiqing said is extremely true, the matter of restructuring and changing the law, after Aiqing has offered advice and explained for many days, I really feel that this is the primary plan for the revival of my Qing Dynasty." Now that the Queen Mother is relieved to hand over power to me, the strength of the Huai army has also collapsed, and the strength of the Hunan army can be leveled sooner or later. ”

Wen Yi said: "The emperor is Shengming, now the system is reformed and the law is changed, when starting from the court political system, the disadvantages of the old system, the minister has already stated a lot for the emperor, and the way to change the law is also explained in detail. Now everything is in place, just wait for the emperor's decree, explicitly order the law to change, and announce the new legal system drafted by the ministers to the world, and summon Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi to Beijing in the name of entering the cabinet. At that time, as soon as the law is changed, politics can be clear, the people's will can be subdued, industry and commerce can flourish, salaries and silver can be continued, armaments can be reorganized, there can be no chaos in the country, and foreign countries will not dare to invade easily.

Guangxu stood up and pointed to the officers and soldiers with high morale on the parade ground: "If I have a million such strong soldiers, who else would dare to attack?" I should immediately issue an order to change the law to make it stronger, and the two of you will return to the palace with me after the proofreading, and I, Mr. Weng and others will discuss the matter of changing the law with you. ”

Liu Yun and Wen Yi said in unison; "Yes!"

※※※

At night, Liu Yun and Wen Yi left the inner palace and walked into Liu Yun's residence together surrounded by guards.

Liu Yun sent the guards back, closed the door, and sat down with Wen Yi.

"You gave a good speech just now." Liu Yun poured a cup of tea and handed it to Wen Yi.

"Small." Wen Yi took the tea and took a sip.

"Weng Tonghe was praised by you, I'm afraid I'll be confused for a long time after I go back."

"He is the emperor's teacher, and once entered the military aircraft department, as the secretary of the household department, rich experience in politics, is the most important person in the imperial party except Guangxu, it is more suitable for him to be the prime minister of the cabinet, I can be his deputy minister to assist from the side, and second, to accumulate my own political capital, I think at this time the governors in various places must not be accustomed to seeing the restructured central ministers all change their new faces——"

"Also, you don't seem to have talked about the candidates from the other ministries just now, so you tell me all about it to see if I'm mistaken-"

Wen Yi put down the cup and took out a piece of paper: "It's all written down, there is a simple explanation in parentheses, you can read it yourself." ”

Liu Yun took it and approached the lamp, only to see that it was written:

Prime Minister: Weng Tonghe (Imperial Division, former Minister of Households, Minister of Military Aircraft)

Vice-Minister: Wen Yi

Minister of War: Liu Kunyi (famous general of the Hunan Army, current Governor of Liangjiang)

Vice Officer: He Xin (25 years old, graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Harbin Institute of Technology, and served as an assistant designer of the 773 Design Institute of the Ministry of Ordnance Industry)

Minister of the Navy: Zhang Zhidong (one of the leaders of the Hunan army, the current governor of Huguang)

Vice Officer: Jiang Wentao (24 years old, graduated from the Ship Design Department of Harbin Institute of Technology, and used to be an assistant designer of Dalian Shipyard)

Minister of the Interior: Wang Mingluan (member of the Imperial Party, Weng Tong and Zhihao, current servant of the Ministry of Ministers)

Vice Official: Lu Baozhong (member of the Imperial Party, bachelor's degree, Guangxu's close minister)

Chancellor of the Exchequer: Han Lang (25 years old, graduated from Nanjing University Business School with a master's degree in finance, and was a teaching assistant at Nanjing University Business School)

Vice Minister: Mo Ning (24 years old, graduated from the School of Social and Cultural Sciences of Guangxi Normal University, Master of Political Science)

Foreign Minister: Zeng Jize (son of Zeng Guofan, proficient in astronomy, arithmetic, foreign languages, former minister to Britain, France, and Russia)

Vice Official: Zhang Zhigao (23 years old, graduated from the Department of Foreign Languages of Guangxi Normal University)

Minister of Industry and Commerce: Dr. Niu Jin (33 years old, graduated from the School of Science and Technology of Tsinghua University, industrial management engineer, and served as deputy chief engineer of Capital Iron and Steel Company)

Vice-Secretary: (TBC)

Minister of Culture and Education: Zhirui (Concubine Zhen's brother, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, and the minister of Guangxu)

Vice Minister: Luo Sulan (22 years old, graduated from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Yunnan University)

Minister of Science and Technology: Liu Mingchuan (Governor of Taiwan, who once said that he would build railways, and was very interested in foreign advanced science and technology)

Vice Official: Ma Feng (26 years old, graduated from the Department of Chemistry of Harbin Institute of Technology, master's degree in industrial chemistry, and used to be a technician in Anshan Iron and Steel Plant)

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry: Tian Zhenghong (27 years old, graduated from the Business School of Yunnan University with a master's degree in national economics, and was a lecturer at the Law and Business School of Guangxi Normal University)

Vice-Secretary: (TBC)

Minister of Health: Wen Tingshi (member of the Imperial Party, bachelor's degree, Guangxu close minister)

Vice-Secretary: (TBC)

"It's quite complete, but the emperor didn't express his position right away today, do you think this list will be all realized?"

Wen Yi smiled: "Eight or nine is not far from ten." ”

Liu Yun put down the list, got up and approached a picture of the mountains of Chinese paintings hanging on the wall, and stroked the painting: "I didn't expect that Li Hongzhang would make such a bold decision, according to the historical knowledge you introduced to me earlier, Li Hongzhang should not be the kind of reckless and hasty person." ”

Wen Yi said: "As long as the benefits are big enough and the risks are low enough, it is difficult for anyone to resist the temptation of power, the reason why Li Hongzhang decided to march to Jingshi must have been instructed or encouraged by some people, the former is probably the rear party, the latter is his subordinates, and the pressure and temptation from top to bottom prompted him to make this seemingly rash decision." ”

Liu Yun shook his head slightly: "I'm thinking, according to our theory of the time machine, the arrival of 1890 is equivalent to a certain amount of hormones injected into a certain part of the trunk of the tree of history, and the hormones cause the substances in the trunk to react and grow new branches, and we will follow the new historical branch towards a completely different future from the trunk, without affecting the development process of the trunk at all." Li Hongzhang's judgment of the situation after our arrival, and the final decision made, may be one of the manifestations of the reaction of the matter in the trunk? ”

Wen Yi patted Liu Yun on the shoulder: "Don't think about it so much, the time machine has been blown up anyway, and no one will chase after it, let's realize our dreams in this era with peace of mind, and think about some realistic problems." By the way, I heard that Chun'er girl was caught back, and she was almost taken up by Li Hongzhang's son, this girl has no parents since she was a child, and her background is also very pitiful, and she has to ——, her body after being used by the Li family really-"

"She's in the back room." Liu Yun said.

"Oh?" Wen Yi glanced at Liu Yun meaningfully, "What?" Want to be a goddaughter? Or simply—"

"For the time being, it's none of your business, it's not too early, you should go back."

※※※

Four years later.

May 30, 1894 (the twentieth year of Guangxu).

Outside the Weihaiwei base of the Beiyang Fleet, the Zhenyang Fleet, which integrates the essence of the Sanyang Fleet of the Qing Empire, is holding a large-scale parade for the Guangxu Emperor who came to inspect in person.

The Guangxu Seat -- a domestically produced "Taishan" gunboat with a standard displacement of 2,300 tons -- was moored outside the harbor, and the dignitaries accompanying it included Zhang Zhidong, Minister of the Navy, Vice Admiral Liu Yun, chief of the General Staff of the Navy and Army, Rear Admiral Liu Buyun, commander of the Beiyang Fleet, and Rear Admiral Yang Zhengjin, director of the Operations Division of the General Staff.

Headed by the armored ship "Longwei," the flagship of the Beiyang Fleet and the temporary flagship of the Zhenyang Fleet, the Zhenyang Fleet lined up in a magnificent array of long snakes and passed in front of the "Taishan," the imperial carrier.

"Your Majesty, the name of this ship is 'Longwei'," Liu Buyun began his explanation, "It is of the same class as the 'Fengxiang' ship that followed, it was designed by Jiang Wentao, vice minister of the Navy, and commissioned to be built by the German Volkeng shipyard, which was completed in the 19th year of Guangxu, and was stationed in Dinghai in the south of the Yangtze River in the winter of that year, temporarily subordinate to the Ocean Fleet, and transferred to the Beiyang Fleet in the spring of this year. The standard displacement of this class is 8,850 tons, the maximum speed is 16 knots, one 30.5 cm twin main gun in the front and rear, a total of 10 Krupp 15 cm rapid-fire guns on both sides, and four torpedo tubes. ”

Later, a battleship with its main guns on the left and right of the front of the ship and two big chimneys in the middle appeared in everyone's field of vision, Guangxu said: "Liu Aiqing wait, I recognize this ship, it is the original Beiyang Naval Division's flagship 'Dingyuan' ship, and the 'Zhenyuan' ship behind it, right?" ”

Liu Buyun said: "Emperor Shengming, then-do you still want to elaborate?" ”

Guangxu smiled: "I only remember the name of the ship, and the specific situation needs you, the commander of the fleet, to explain it carefully, do you want to be lazy?" ”

"The minister doesn't dare, the minister obeys. Your Majesty, these two ships are armored warships, built by the German Volkeng shipyard, completed in the sixth and seventh years of Guangxu successively, with a standard displacement of 7,335 tons, a maximum speed of 14.5 knots, a 30.5 cm twin main gun on the left and right sides of the front of the ship, a total of two Krupp 15-meter secondary guns in front and behind, and just last year a total of six 15-centimeter rapid-fire guns were installed on both sides, and another 3.7 centimeter five-barreled Green gun, eight 3.7 centimeter five-barreled Green guns, three torpedo tubes, and two torpedo boats. ”

Guangxu raised the telescope and looked into the distance, and said, "The few ships that follow behind don't seem to have seen it, Liu Aiqing?" ”

Liu Buyun replied without looking at it: "It is a newly built coastal defense ship of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, and the name of the lead ship number 201 is 'Jianbei', the name of 202 is 'Jiannan', the name of 203 is 'Jianzhong', and the name of 204 is 'Jiandong', which was completed in the eighteenth to nineteenth years of Guangxu. With a standard displacement of 4,580 tons and a maximum speed of 17 knots, this class has a 30.5 cm main gun in the bow, nine 15 cm rapid-fire guns in the stern and two sides, eight 3.7 cm Green guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

After the four coastal defense ships sailed, a group of warships with identical appearances ploughed the sea surface and passed through the review area on the starboard side of the "Taishan", Liu Buyun hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this is the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and the Dalian Shipyard built the 'Wind' class cruisers, a total of eight, the ship numbers are 320 to 328, the names are Wind, Gale Wind, Chasing Wind, Hurricane, Super Wind, Wind, Sea Breeze, and Wind, which were completed in the 17th to 19th years of Guangxu, and there are still four ships under construction. The standard displacement of this class is 3,155 tons, the maximum speed is 21 knots, one 21-meter main gun in the bow and stern, six 15-centimeter rapid-fire guns on both sides, six 3.7-centimeter Green guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

The next two armored ships are similar in appearance to the "Longwei" class, but the outline is smaller, Liu Buyun pointed out for Guangxu: "This is the new 'Xinyuan' and 'Hengyuan' armored cruisers received from the German Volkeng shipyard, which were jointly designed by Jiang Wentao, the vice minister of the navy, and German consultants, and are now part of the Beiyang Fleet. The standard displacement of this class is 4,730 tons, the main parts of heavy armor protection, can resist the bombardment of large-diameter artillery, the speed is 17 knots, the front and rear are equipped with two twin 21-centimeter main guns, the two sides are equipped with a total of eight 15-centimeter rapid-fire guns, six 3.7-meter five-barreled Green guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

After the two ships of "Xinyuan" and "Hengyuan" drove away, Liu Buyun put down the telescope and said, "Your Majesty, the back ships are all old ships-"

Guangxu waved his hand and said: "The old ship should also be made clear, the people I rely on in the Qing Dynasty are the army in the right hand and the navy in the left hand, only with both hands complete, can the enemy be outside the country, not only to make Tsarist Russia dare not encroach from the land, but also to prevent the European and American powers and the Oriental Japanese from attacking from the sea." I am in charge of the world, I must not ask about military affairs, Aiqing must not be slack, and I will talk about them one by one. ”

"Obey the order, please see—" Liu Buyun pointed out for Guangxu, "The second ship that greeted us was the cruisers 'Zhiyuan' and 'Jingyuan' that were completed in the thirteenth year of the dynasty, and were built by the British Armstrong shipyard. With a standard displacement of 2,300 tons and a maximum speed of 18 knots, this class of ships is equipped with three 21-centimeter main guns, two 15-centimeter secondary guns, eight six-pounder long-range guns, six 3.7-centimeter Green guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

"The latter two ships are 'Jingyuan' and 'Laiyuan', which were also completed by Armstrong Shipyard in the thirteenth year of the dynasty. With a standard displacement of 2,900 tons and a maximum speed of 15.5 knots, this class of ships is equipped with two Krupp 21-centimeter main guns, two Krupp 15-centimeter secondary guns, two 4.7-centimeter five-barreled machine guns, five 3.7-centimeter five-barreled Grimm guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

"Also, the single-chimney single-masted one, named 'Jiyuan', is an armored cruiser, which was completed in the eleventh year of the dynasty, and in the same year, it sailed to Dagukou with 'Zhenyuan' and 'Dingyuan' to join the original Beiyang Naval Division. The ship has a standard displacement of 2,355 tons, armor similar to the 'Zhenyuan' class, can resist large-caliber artillery bombardment, has a maximum speed of 15 knots, and is equipped with a twin-mounted 21-centimeter main gun in the bow, a 15-centimeter Krupp gun in the stern, 10 Grimm machine guns, four torpedo tubes, and two torpedo-carrying boats. ”

"Behind the palace is 'Pingyuan', which was built in the thirteenth year of the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Bureau, the ship was originally named 'Longwei', and Guangxu joined the original Beiyang Naval Division in the sixteenth year and changed its name to 'Pingyuan'. The ship has a standard displacement of 2,150 tons, a maximum speed of 14 knots, and is equipped with one Krupp 25.4 cm front gun, two Krupp 15 cm secondary guns, eight 4.7 cm five-barreled machine guns, and four torpedo tubes. ”

On the sea, the waves were undulating, and the splashes of the warships were hidden from time to time, Guangxu was still unsatisfied, and turned to Liu Yun: "Chief of Staff Liu, my Qing Navy has begun to scale in the past four years, and your Fifth Janissary Division has been preparing for nearly a year, why haven't you seen any results?" ”

Liu Yunyu said: "Your Majesty, in recent years, the navy has been vigorously developed, and the army's funds have been poor, and it has been difficult to maintain four Praetorian Divisions plus hussar brigades, garrison brigades, and teaching brigades, totaling more than 100,000 elite troops, and the Fifth Praetorian Guard Division has now been equipped with officers and clerks above the battalion level. ”

Guangxu said with a smile: "Aiqing, don't worry, Minister Han is working hard, and you will soon be able to raise the funds you need." By the way, the previous month, you played the Korean Dongxue Road rebellion, what is the situation now? ”

"The Donghak-do Rebellion was actually caused by the harsh administration of the king of Korea, and the plundering of Korea by Japan with an unequal treaty, and the suffering of the people, so it was revealed—"

Guangxu said: "This vice minister has already talked to me, so you can talk about the current situation." ”

"Yes, since Donghak-do raised its army in Jeolla Province in February, it has been invincible, and the people have joined in one after another. According to a telegram sent yesterday by DPRK Consul General Yuan Shikai, the rebel party has gathered 100,000 people and is besieging Jeonju, the capital of Jeolla Province. ”

Guangxu nodded, and asked again: "Has the king of Korea ever asked my country to send troops?" ”

Liu Yundao: "There is no news yet, but the minister thinks that it will be sooner or later." ”

Guangxu smiled, and Liu Yun also smiled.