Chapter 89 Section 89: Raising Money and Giving Gifts

Three months later, the sound of crusading and cursing gradually subsided, and the imperial edict came to Baoding at this time; but it was not an imperial edict to dismiss him, nor an imperial edict to allow him to suspend, but announcing the Qing Dynasty The imperial decree for the establishment of the Navy Yamen. The imperial decree said: "Prince Chun Yizheng was appointed as Prime Minister, Prince Qing Yikui, Governor of Wenhuadian University Zhili and Minister of Beiyang Commerce Li Hongzhang as the organizers, Zhenghong Banner Han Army Dutong Shanqing and Military Department Right Minister Zeng Jize as assistants .”

The full name of the Naval Yamen is the Prime Minister’s Naval Affairs Yamen.Everything in this yamen is handled in the same way as the Military Aircraft Office, which is parallel to the Prime Minister's yamen for national affairs, and is also headed by the prince.The general office and assistant office in the Prime Minister's Naval Affairs Yamen are collectively referred to as the Minister of the Navy. Holding the oracle in his hand, Li Hongzhang really couldn't laugh or cry.On the one hand, he thanked him, and on the other hand, he sent a plea for resignation.The court is still not allowed.In desperation, Li Hongzhang had no choice but to offer another discount, begging to stay as the governor of Zhili to handle naval affairs, and whether he could come to Beijing to serve.

Li Hongzhang didn't want to work in Beijing, and he couldn't work in Beijing. He was afraid of following Zuo Zongtang's mistake and being splinted among several princes and queen mothers who despised Hanchen.He has made up his mind that if the Queen Mother allows him to stay in Zhili to handle naval affairs, he will work for a few more years to buy all the ironclad ships that the Beiyang Navy has not purchased as soon as possible. Complete the unfinished matters in the Westernization Affairs that have been completed as soon as possible, and then go back to your hometown to spend the rest of your life in peace.If the queen mother insisted on asking him to work in Beijing, he could only follow Woren's example and take sick leave for a long time until the queen mother allowed him to take leave.

The imperial decree was quickly sent to the Governor's Yamen, and the Empress Dowager Cixi agreed to all his requests and asked him to train his troops well, so as not to disappoint the holy hope.So Li Hongzhang didn't dare to think about him anymore, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the affairs he was doing and the things he hadn't done. In the twelfth year of Guangxu (AD 1886), when Li Hongzhang set up the Tianjin Armed Forces Academy, he also invited official Yang Zonglian, comprador Wu Maoding, and Huai army general Zhou Shengbo to jointly establish a tap fire company in Tianjin.In the thirteenth year of Guangxu (AD 1887), except for five ships of the Beiyang Navy, which were manufactured by the Fujian Ship Administration Bureau, the rest of the ships were successively purchased from abroad, including two iron-clad ships and seven large and small cruisers, with a total of twenty ships. five.

The Navy Yamen still has 7 million taels of coastal defense donations available for use, and Li Hongzhang plans to use this money to buy two more ironclad ships and three cruisers.Li Hongzhang will be sixty-five years old next year, and sixty-six the year after.He decided to increase the number of Beiyang Navy ships to thirty before he was sixty-six years old.At that time, he will ask for the establishment of a navy, so that the Beiyang Navy will truly rank among the world's navies and impress Japan and all Western European powers. In March of this year, Li Hongzhang was ordered to go to Beijing to discuss matters in the Navy Yamen, and by the way, he went to the palace to ask the Queen Mother for training.As usual, his destination in Beijing was Xianliang Temple.On the day of entering Beijing, he first went to the Wenhua Palace to answer two official duties as usual, and then rushed to the Navy Yamen to discuss matters.The so-called discussion is actually not a big deal. It is just to check the coastal defense donation, reimburse some ship purchase accounts, and then discuss the number of ships purchased in the second half of the year, how much money will be needed, and so on.

Prince Jin was not in the yamen, but he asked Zeng Jize to send a message to Li Hongzhang. When Li Hongzhang arrived, he asked Zeng Jize to accompany him to the palace, and claimed that Prince Li and Prince Qing were waiting there.He wants to clean up Li Hongzhang.Hearing Zeng Jize's words, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but wryly smiled a few times, and had to rush to Prince Jin's mansion with Zeng Jize. At that time, it was the time when the north was full of wind and snow, and it could be said that dripping water turned into ice, and breathing turned into frost; rows of trees hung, forming countless big white umbrellas, which made the capital extremely depressed and indifferent.

But in the reception hall of Prince Jin's Mansion, there is warmth and harmony.Surrounded by the three princes, they were all wearing buckskin pony jackets, their faces were greasy, their legs were crossed, and they were laughing and talking about something.When Li Hongzhang came in with Zeng Jize, someone had already rushed over to serve him to dust off the snow and take off his clothes. Then, with the fur coats of the two adults in their hands, they bowed in front and led the way to the hall. Li Hongzhang saluted the princes, Prince Jin and Prince Qing hurriedly got up to help them, only Prince Li sat grinningly, and said with a smile: "Shaoquan, this is not in the Yamen, please forgive me."

Zeng Jize also bowed to everyone one by one, and then sat down, and some family members came in to serve tea and fruits.Zeng Jize has been in poor health since he came back from abroad and always had troubles, so he just sat in the palace and saw that there was nothing important to discuss, so he left in advance.The three princes also knew that Xihou's body was not strong, so they didn't force him to stay, and let him go back to the mansion to rest. Prince Jin said at this time: "Shaoquan, it's cold, let's eat mutton pot today. I'll let them use tiger kidney as a base to strengthen the kidneys."

Li Hongzhang smiled and bowed his body and said, "My lord is very grateful for your kindness. Every time I come to Beijing, I either invite Prince Chun to eat, or host Prince Li and Prince Qing. I don't know how many lords will be able to If you have free time, go to Baoding or Tianjin for a while, and let the lower officials do their best." Prince Qing said at this time: "Shaoquan, I want to congratulate you first when you come to Beijing this time." Li Hongzhang was taken aback, and asked: "My lord's words have confused the officials. I have only been scolded in the past few years, so how can I be happy?"

Prince Jin said: "Shaoquan, don't interrupt, let Prince Qing speak." Prince Qing said: "Shaoquan, you know that Xu Chengzu, the Minister in Japan, will expire in May, and his superiors are going to let Li Xingrui take over, and at the same time promote Li Shuchang, the second-class counselor, to the first-class. Our Jingfang is the second-class counselor, so it should be Promoted to the first level, but you can't say these things, I can only say them. So, I passed a note to my superiors and guaranteed a guarantee. After I tell you these things, you may not care much, but there is something in it What is the point? Li Xingrui is so sick that he is dying, so he must not go to Japan. If he doesn’t go to Japan, the envoy will be released to Li Shuchang if he is absent. As for our prescriptions, naturally we have to take over Li Shuchang’s absence. Points. So, we have been promoted to one level, but in fact we have been promoted to two levels. Do you think this is joy or not?"

Li Hongzhang smiled bitterly and said: "Listening to what the prince said, this is really a happy event. After eating the hot pot, I really have to go to Prince Qing's mansion to see what is still lacking in the mansion. After the official returns to Baoding, so that people can buy it." Send it here." Prince Jin laughed and said: "Shaoquan, don't ask me what you know. What can he lack in his mansion? His Prince Qing's mansion is the same as ours. He lacks nothing, but money! You, in the future, it will be on the reimbursement list for Haiphong , I just want to leave some for us. Hahaha!" Li Hongzhang hurriedly leaned forward and asked, "Didn't the lower officials leave 200,000 yuan for each of the three princes last time when they sent someone to write off the form? Could it be that the three princes didn't receive it?" Shi Duo said at this time: "Of course I received the 200,000 yuan. Prince Jin is talking about the future. The Beiyang navy in your hands is a big money user in the navy's office. You can't just think about your own money. Think about us too. You, Li Zhongtang, can't just watch the three of us drink northwest wind!" Li Hongzhang hurriedly said with a smile on his face: "Prince Li, you are really wronged by this old man. You may not think about others in your heart, but you dare not forget your three princes. Who does the Beiyang Navy live on? Isn't it?" Rely on the three princes! But having said that, the Beiyang Navy also has the difficulties of the Beiyang Navy. The three princes know that although the Beiyang Navy has twenty-five ships, it does not have enough shells, let alone only two armored ships and three Cruisers, these ships rely on sufficient ammunition to be effective. Now each ship has more drill ammunition and less is actual combat ammunition. The 7 million taels of coastal defense donations in the Yamen will be used to purchase iron armor and cruise ships. There are two kinds of large ships, and more than half of the provincial salaries have been withheld, and they cannot reach the name of the Beiyang Navy." Shiduo laughed and said, "You Li Shaoquan, as soon as this king talks about business with you, you go on and on. Anyway, this king has talked so far, you can figure it out in the future. If there is no envoy, I will send the housekeeper Go to Baoding and ask you to borrow it." Prince Jin laughed and said, "Prince Li has taken a fancy to Shaoquan. Well, we've been talking for a long time, and we should be hungry now. Let's go inside and eat the pot! After dinner, rub him a few times." When Li Hongzhang returned to Xianliang Temple, it was already very late.He asked someone to heat up a bowl of porridge and drink it, then called Sheng Xuanhuai who came with him into the room, and said: "Don't you still have a silver note of 300,000 taels in your hand? You can change it into three tomorrow. One hundred thousand taels each, and sent to Prince Li, Prince Chun, and Prince Qing respectively. Is there anyone in the palace today?" Sheng Xuanhuai replied: "Two groups came from the palace. One was sent by Eunuch Zhang from the Imperial Dining Room to greet you. As usual, I handed him a red envelope of five hundred taels; the other was from the queen mother's side. Eunuch Li sent it to you as an old man, and according to your old order, he sealed a silver note of ten thousand taels." Li Hongzhang sighed and said: "Beiyang is indeed a piece of fat, and everyone wants to take a bite. They are living by buying boats. If they continue to bite like this, sooner or later, they will have to live by selling boats! I have lived to this age , I have never seen such a greedy prince! It is really an eye-opener!" At this point, Li Hongzhang waved his hand suddenly, and Sheng Xuanhuai hurriedly withdrew.Li Hongzhang sat in a daze for a while, and suddenly said to himself: "Hey, the strength of the Qing Dynasty is really coming to an end!"