Zuo Zongtang knew that it was difficult to let go of Li Hongzhang's obsession, but he had no other choice at the moment. It was really crucial for the Daqing Navy, a brand-new armed force, to be in the hands of the Han and the Manchus. Got it!
Of course the Manchus hoped that all the armies would be in their own hands, but the navy was so special that the Manchus had no concept of naval warfare, let alone learning about naval warfare!
There is no talent in this area in the ancient genetics. You can get as many officials as you want, but a commander who actually goes to sea and braves the wind and waves to command the fleet and the enemy on the high seas?
Not a single person in the Manchu Qing Dynasty can be pulled out!
Even if the Manchus were not convinced, they would have to hold their noses and admit it, so the command of the Great Qingshui Division had to be chosen from among the Han people!
But who among the Han officials is good? For such a high-ranking official, you must have won battles so that you can have prestige and convince the public. Your rank must reach the first rank to be worthy of the importance of the Navy!
After thinking about it, these second-generation commanders from the Hunan Army!
Zuo Zongtang absolutely cannot be chosen, his contribution is great enough! Neither can the Ninth Commander Zeng Guoquan. The court has long been rumored that the Ninth Commander has something up his sleeve!
Rumors say that Ninth Marshal once instigated his brother Zeng Guofan to rebel. This is of course a rumor, but since the rumor has appeared, the court has become worried. It must not be believed!
Who else could it be? Among the remaining generals among the Han people, none were enlightened enough to learn from the West. After thinking about it, there was only one Li Hongzhang who could be relied upon.
He is familiar with Western studies and knows the navy. He and Xiao Letian once met each other at war, and he has close relations with conservative forces such as Cixi!
That's why Li Hongzhang dared to take advantage of this plan to build a navy. Other Han ministers didn't even have the courage to raise their heads. If Zuo Zongtang directly proposed to take charge of building a navy, the Manchus in the court would probably break out in a cold sweat!
Li Hongzhang is the navy's only choice. This is the consensus of the Manchus and the consensus of the Han people!
Zuo Jigao could not avoid this problem, and he could only admit that Li Hongzhang was right at this moment!
The train slowly left the platform and headed towards the northern capital. Li Hongzhang took away Zuo Jigao's promise. With the nod of the last big boss in the court, this year's Navy memorial was a certainty!
It wasn't until Li Hongzhang got off the bus at Yongdingmen Station in the capital despite the cold northwest wind that he realized that the atmosphere in the capital had become extremely tense!
He was a Hanchen, and he was far less powerful than in real history. However, just such a Hanchen warlord stationed in Shandong was greeted by dozens of Manchu officials at the station!
Prince Zheng Chengzhi and Prince Rui Dechang... led dozens of Manchu nobles from the Eight Banners to greet him, a little Hanchen!
"Ah! How dare you do this? The princes, Baylor... this, this... aren't they trying to break the ministers?" After speaking, Li Hongzhang quickly kowtowed to the princes.
After Prince Zheng accepted Li Hongzhang's gift, he quickly helped him up with a smile, "Shao Quan! It's been a hard journey. I heard that I met Marshal Zuo from Baoding?"
"What did the Marshal say? Now the court is waiting for the Marshal's statement!"
Li Hongzhang smiled faintly, "What can the commander say... He just recommended the talents in his pocket to me..."
"Ah! It's done... Haha, Shaoquan really has a way to make Commander Zuo give up his most precious naval talents. Our great water division can do it!"
At this point, Prince Zheng secretly put his mouth to Li Hongzhang's ear, and Li Hongzhang could only endure his bad breath and listen patiently.
"Shaoquan... tell me the truth, when will the navy be built? The sooner the better..."
Li Hongzhang didn't want to hide it from him anymore, and replied in a low voice, "I won't hide it from the prince... In fact, last year Wei Chen risked his head and placed an order with a British shipyard, and the deposit has been paid!"
"Now our battleships have all been assembled with keels..."
"Hahaha... the pillar of the country! Shaoquan, you are the pillar of the country... the navy of the Qing Dynasty, thanks to you!"
"Let me tell you clearly, we are here to pick you up this time. On the one hand, we miss you and express condolences to the pillar of the country! In addition, it is also His Majesty's oral instruction. Your Majesty also misses you... Get in the car, let's go directly to the palace!"
The motorcade entered Yongding Gate, headed north along the passage between the Temple of Heaven and the Xiannong Altar, crossed the overpass and entered the downtown area!
After entering Nancheng, Li Hongzhang discovered that there was already a commotion in the capital, and countless slogans were suddenly posted all over the streets!
'Destroy the pirates and prepare a navy! ''Those who commit crimes against the powerful Qing Dynasty will be punished no matter how far away they are! '
'The Jianshui Master is the one who protects the Qing Dynasty! ''If you want to run the stock market well, the Navy is indispensable! '
Such slogans are written on various colored papers in the streets and alleys, and the entire capital has fallen into a sea of postings!
"Look... Shaoquan, look at it. The common people in the capital have mobilized, and they all support the Qing Dynasty in planning to build a navy... Haha, the attack on the Strait of Malacca directly caused the stock price of Qing Ocean to drop by two yuan. It's still flopping around at 1.80 yuan!"
"Everyone lost money, especially the retail investors who entered the market later and screamed at the loss... At this time, they can only support our navy!"
"These bastard pirates, after you build a navy, give them to me and wipe them out!"
While they were talking, one hundred and eighty bannermen suddenly emerged from the alley. I don’t know who these people learned from. Each person made a small flag made of paper, with various slogans in support of the navy written on it.
"Destroy the pirates and build a navy...the Qing Dynasty will last for tens of thousands of years!"
"The Jianshui Master is to protect the Qing Dynasty...Long live my emperor! Long live the emperor!"
"If you want to think well about the stock market, you must have a navy...the navy must win!"
Prince Zheng laughed so loudly that he slapped his thigh, "Haha, did you see it? This is what I am paying attention to... Isn't it just to compete with those Confucian scholars to be louder? I have as many minions as I can! As many as you want!"
Li Hongzhang was so embarrassed that he felt goosebumps all over his body when he saw this group of bannermen who were shouting slogans in alleys. "Well... Old man, they are still opposing?"
"What's the use of their opposition? The situation is over. Now everyone in the imperial court has supported the establishment of the Navy. How do you expect those Qingliu, who are stupid in reading, to still want to stop us?"
"Shao Quan, you should do your best! Your high-ranking official and generous salary will be indispensable in the future of the Qing Dynasty!"
The motorcade went all the way north, and the people along the way avoided it. When the motorcade passed Qianmen Street and passed the alley entrance of the Capital Exchange, suddenly there was a noise on both sides of the road, and many people knelt down and worshiped along the street!
"It's Li Hongzhang who has entered the capital... Oops... Li Hongzhang has been summoned to the capital by the emperor. The navy is about to be established!"
"Great profits! Great profits for the stock market... hurry up!"
Li Hongzhang never expected that his appearance in the capital would immediately open up the imagination of the people, and the Qing Yuanyang's RMB 80 yuan suddenly began to rise steadily!
I regained the two-dollar mark that day!
