Li Fushou was overjoyed in his heart, these people in front of him were all pillars of the officials who had been a parent official, and their talents were first-class and strong, and they were carefully selected by his father-in-law Gu Yanchuan to assist Li Fushou in doing great things.

Whichever one is in charge, you can be in charge.

After so many days on the ship, Li Fushou treated him with courtesy, and the intention of courtesy was very obvious, and now he has finally been highly recognized by these four pillars, how can he not be happy?

Whether it is a person or a jinshi, they all belong to the top of the pyramid in the feudal talent selection system, and their talents and knowledge are all temporary choices, and the unpleasant experience of officialdom is a valuable asset.

It just so happens that this trip to Europe will bring subversive cognition to the four guest secretaries, breaking the original concept of a round world is just the beginning, and there are more outdated concepts that will be broken and established, and strongly promote the earth-shaking changes of the old concepts.

The benefits are obvious: seeing the great changes brought about by the steam industrial revolution in Europe, they will become the first Chinese elites to open their eyes to the world, and these officials who once rose and fell in the old bureaucracy will transform into elites with global consciousness.

In the end, it will inevitably be the Chinese forces in the Red River Valley.

After a day and a night of sailing, the Tarzan finally arrived at Port Said, the northern terminus of the Suyunz Canal on the northern shore of the Mediterranean.

It's a sizable oasis with a glimpse of the green of date palm trees and wildflowers and vegetation along the canals.

Looking out at the endless blue Mediterranean Sea and breathing in the warm and humid air, everyone on board shouted excitedly.

"Europa, here we ......"

On the shores of Port Said

The Ottoman officials in high hats, with two upturned beards, proudly commanded the dockers, and looked up at the cheers with a look of arrogance.

In his opinion;

These young Orientals are marveling at the ingenuity of the Ottoman Empire, digging the Suez Canal connecting Europe and Asia, and they are really a bunch of uninformed hillbillies.

By this time, he had long forgotten that it was the French who presided over and built the world-famous man-made Grand Canal, or he did not want to mention it at all.

When the Taishan ship sailed out of the mouth of the canal, the huge sails of the fore and fore masts were raised, which filled the sails under the action of the sea breeze, and the huge chimney emitted large puffs of black smoke, and the propellers ran at high speed and left a long snow-white track in the stern.

In the bright sun of early March

The bow of the ship breaks through the blue waves and gallops forward towards the political, military, economic and cultural centers that dominate the world today...... Europa.

After a short stop in Istanbul to replenish supplies such as fresh water, coal and vegetables, the Tarzan sailed northwest along the Mediterranean, skirting the Spanish coast and finally arriving in Plymouth, England.

Plymouth, Devon Harbour

This is the home port of the Royal Navy's home fleet, and the Tarzan sails along the channel to the sea off Devon Harbor, from which you can see in the distance the surrounding fjord anchorage, where countless ironclad warships stay.

Against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds

Quietly moored in the fjord anchorage, the ironclad warship, its large, cold hull exuding indescribable majesty, its high gun muzzle glowing with a touch of toasted blue, from here the heavy sea shells sprayed from here laid the glory of the empire on which the sun never sets.

One after another, steel warships spread out over the wide sea level of the fjord, neatly arranged like a sea divider.

When these terrifying steel giants exposed their tall triangular masts on the sea level, spewing thick black smoke to stain the sky, they came with irresistible majesty and cleaved the waves, sending out the message of the world's ocean overlord;

Power and justice were within range of the guns of the Royal Navy of the British Empire.

Li Fushou and everyone on the Taishan ship stood quietly on the side of the ship, feeling the powerful military appearance of the empire on which the sun never sets, and a trembling feeling rose from the bottom of their hearts.

In the face of the strong, there must be enough respect.

This is the foundation of a maritime empire, supporting the arrogance of the white Anglo-Saxon people in the bloodline, and also supporting the glorious history of the ocean exploration of the empire on which the sun never sets for more than two centuries.

Year 1620

Carrying 102 Puritans, the Mayflower set sail for Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, where it docked near Cape Cod on November 11 and arrived in the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean for more than two months, with only one person dying on the journey.

In 1815, when the French Emperor Napoleon was exiled to the British island of St. Helena, he boarded a sail warship in Plymouth and looked back at the city with infinite reluctance and emotion in his eyes, knowing that there was no hope of returning to the European continent in this life.

St. Helena is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, located 1,900 kilometers off the west coast of Africa and 3,400 kilometers off the east coast of South America.

On May 5, 1821, Napoleon died on the island, ending the illustrious life of the great emperor of Europe.

Look back at history

Feel the thrill of Plymouth, a seaport city, where Imperial warships set sail with Her Majesty's mission to conquer and discover......

"This ...... Is this the huge naval fleet of England? It's so shocking, it's too big. He Fang was obviously shocked and couldn't help but say.

There is no need to say anything at this moment, any language is pale and powerless, only by experiencing this shocking scene and intuitively feeling the strength of the military power of England can we understand why England is the hegemon of the world, and other countries are not.

After the ship Taishan arrived at the port

200 students will break up here and go to Manchester, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich and other places to enter various colleges and universities for further study and receive the baptism of advanced civilization in the era of steam industry.

There are regular liners to France, Germany and Italy from Plymouth, England, where students will leave to start their studies in Europe.

The staff of the Normandy Import and Export Company, who arrived in advance, had already made thorough preparations for the reception of Li Fushou and his entourage, rented 17 four-wheeled carriages for transportation in England, and booked hotel rooms in the city to meet the needs of a large number of people.

Arriving in Plymouth on March 7, 190 miles north of London, Li Fushou and his party had to go to London immediately to accept the nobles' fiefdom.

In the letter sent by Buckingham Palace, it was stated;

Her Majesty Queen Victoria will be dressed for a grand knighthood and beneficials ceremony at Windsor Castle at 10:00 a.m. on 14 March, followed by a Spring Ball.

It was less than a week to pinch my fingers, and the dresses, carriages and other things for the ceremony needed to be prepared, so the time was still very tight.

Mr. Hills, an American business partner, had already arrived in advance and was able to make connections through London's high society, which was said to have not worked well.

Generally at the beginning of the year

Queen Victoria of England is on holiday in St. Delinggan, England, where the royal family has property and residences. Her Majesty the Queen is the big landowner here.

At the beginning of February

Her Majesty would return to London to prepare speeches, sign papers and reply to letters, and attend to some official business with the help of her private secretary.

He also met weekly with a number of foreign ambassadors, church patriarchs, and Imperial Royal Navy and Army generals to discuss matters of concern to the British Empire.

Tuesday evening is a regular time to meet with the British Prime Minister, who will report to Her Majesty the Queen on government affairs and chat about topics of mutual interest.

The annual investiture takes place in the spring, sometimes at Buckingham Palace and sometimes at Windsor Castle, depending on Her Majesty's wishes.

Perched on a hill along the coast, the Fjord Hotel overlooks Devon Harbour from the balcony of the luxurious suite, offering a magnificent view of the sprawling naval anchorage.

Li Fushou sat on the balcony sipping coffee, watching all this silently, not knowing what he was thinking?

"Mr. Yuan Ding, I don't know if I'm bothered at this moment?" Xin Changjun, Pan Shoudao and Wu Mozhou came together, and they bowed their hands from afar.

"Where, I'm going to ask you to come and take a look." Li Fushou smiled and stood up to say hello, invited the three gentlemen to sit down, and the maid smoked cigarettes, and the cigarettes served the brewed tea, and went down lightly.

Pan Shoudao looked at the spectacular lineup in the bay with emotion and said; "We wait for the frog at the bottom of the well to know the size of the world today, the military of the Taixi powers is at its peak, and its strength far exceeds that of my Beiyang Naval Division, which is ridiculous Li Zhongtang's proud Beiyang Naval Division is just a small toy in front of the British strong ships and cannons, pitiful and lamentable, and even more sobering!"

"Yes, my eldest empire has fallen to this, the princes and ministers in the court are extremely pedantic, and they don't think about change, don't you know the truth that thousands of sails pass by the side of the sinking boat, and ten thousand trees spring in front of the sick tree." Xin Changjun sighed, and his mood was not high.

The scene they saw today had a great impact on them, and they were shaken from the root of their thoughts, and some of the original pride in their hearts had long since disappeared, leaving behind a deep reflection.

"You and I are businessmen and the like, don't talk about political affairs, come and ...... Drink tea. Li Fushou raised the teacup and took a sip, looking at the three people who seemed to be preoccupied and laughing without saying a word.

These people must have some new ideas, and if they want to say it, they will naturally say it.

Sure enough, Xin Changjun groaned and said;

"Mr. Yuan Ding, we also have a general understanding of the situation in Australia on the ship, the Red River Valley will be committed to opening up trade routes, establishing ocean trade routes as far as Europe, North America and the Far East, the three of us discussed privately, and want to take the students from Jiangnan to divide into several roads, investigate the socio-economic and military situation in England and France, as well as Germany, collect first-hand information, and strengthen the understanding of the countries of Europa, so as to do things in the future, so as not to be smiling and generous, do you think it is okay?"

"Oh, the idea is very good and insightful, and I'm naturally supportive." Li Fushou readily agreed.

This attitude simply made Xin Changjun and the other three stunned, they originally thought that they would have to spend a lot of money, but who knew that they didn't need it at all.

Li Fushou was keenly aware of Xin Changjun's words, not only to investigate the social economy, but also to investigate the military situation, which showed that everyone had a bit of a spectrum in their hearts.

Although it is inconvenient to express it, it has been prepared tacitly.

"How long are you going to be on the expedition?"

"According to the itinerary, Mr. Yuan Ding will stay in England for two months, and then go to France and Germany, and we will meet in Munich. That's about three months, and it's enough to add a summary of the situation. ”

"Brother He?"

What is missing from the few of them, Li Fushou naturally asked, Xin Changjun said helplessly; "Brother Fang has been interested in the British Navy these days, and I heard that Captain Geng Guigui is studying at the Manchester Naval Academy, so he must have more ideas and is not ready to go with us."

"Oh, that's a good idea." Li Fushou was happy when he heard it.

He Fang was born in two Jinshi, and his fame is much higher than that of several others, and he is not comparable to those who donate official donations, and he is an out-and-out scholar.

Coupled with the fact that he is just 36 years old this year, the youngest of the crowd, it is not surprising that he wants to try something new.