The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 307 Li Hongzhang's Desolation
Li Hongzhang tapped the desk quickly and forcefully with three fingers of his right hand and spoke in a firm tone.

"Lianfu, I won't meet this Chen Shaobai, and you don't have to care about him anymore."

Li Hongzhang's words surprised both Yang Shixiang and Zhang Peilun.

There are now two strategies for Li Hongzhang to deal with the current situation, which is also the focus of heated debate among Li Hongzhang's staff in recent days.

One group, headed by Yang Shixiang, agreed to contact SW, which is now in Japan, and the two sides jointly promoted the independence of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Through the mediation of the Governor of Hong Kong's servants and with Li Hongzhang's tacit approval, his staff have already established contact with the Xingzhonghui, and the two sides are currently exploring contact.

Those who agree with this plan are some new-school figures who have long been completely disillusioned with the current government. These people all support reform in their hearts.

Moreover, they believed that with the location and strength of Guangdong and Guangxi, coupled with Li Hongzhang's popularity, as long as Guangdong and Guangxi became independent, they could quickly develop and grow, and it would not be impossible for them to quickly catch up with the small country of Japan.

Moreover, these people also believed that as long as Li Hongzhang nodded, the independence of Guangdong and Guangxi could be implemented immediately.

Its advantage is a quick victory, which can immediately make the matter a fait accompli. Moreover, with the Qing government now facing internal and external troubles, it is simply unable to take care of the independence of Guangdong and Guangxi. The chance of successful independence is almost 100%.

To this end, they were already trying to facilitate a meeting between SW and Li Hongzhang to discuss the matter of alliance face to face.

Moreover, Japan's SW has now agreed in principle. As long as Li Hongzhang agrees to let his servant act as an intermediary to guarantee SW's personal safety, he can immediately rush to Hong Kong and then discuss the meeting place.

The other faction was headed by Zhang Peilun. They supported the plan of the southeastern mutual protection provinces to separate from the Qing court, which was endorsed by Liu Kunyi and Zhang Zhidong, to establish a modern political system and nominate Li Hongzhang as president to preside over the overall situation.

However, this second plan has a prerequisite, that is, once BJ is lost and Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu die, this plan can only be implemented.

Although those who agreed with this plan were also disappointed with the current government, most of them were law-abiding officials who still regarded the Qing Dynasty as the orthodox one in their hearts. At least when Cixi and Guangxu were alive, they did not want to and would not do anything "treasonous".

Li Hongzhang did not express his opinion on either of these two plans. He neither opposed nor agreed with them. He just watched coldly as his staff members debated fiercely.

In short, Li Hongzhang gave his staff the impression that he had a negative attitude of "wait and see how things develop, and be happy to see them come to fruition."

But today, Li Hongzhang suddenly changed his negative attitude and actually expressed his position. How could this not surprise the two of them?

"Gone!"

Yang Shixiang looked at Li Hongzhang in surprise and asked hesitantly, "Zhongtang, you mean, you won't meet Chen Shaobai?"

"Correct."

Li Hongzhang stood up and continued his pacing in the hall while speaking in a firm tone.

"Not only will I not meet this Chen Shaobai, but you should also ignore him in Lianfu. You should ignore all the people in Xingzhonghui and should not have any contact with them anymore."

Yang Shixiang said unwillingly, "Zhongtang, Chen Shaobai just said that as long as Zhongtang promises to guarantee SW's safety, SW will immediately come to Guangzhou to meet you."

Li Hongzhang shook his head and said, "In a moment, you will clearly tell Chen Shaobai my attitude and tell him that I, Li Shaoquan, am a high-ranking official of the imperial court. How could I associate with a rebel party?"

Li Hongzhang turned around and said to Zhang Peilun who was also a little surprised.

"Youqiao, pass on my words. In Guangdong and Guangxi, strictly investigate the rebels. Once found, they can be killed on the spot."

Li Hongzhang said to Yang Shixiang again, "Mr. Lian, warn Chen Shaobai again. Even though he is a member of the British Hong Kong Parliament, I cannot do anything to him, but he must stay in Hong Kong. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, it will be bad for everyone."

Although Yang Shixiang was extremely disappointed and discouraged, he still asked tentatively.

"Can you please explain clearly why this is happening?"

What Yang Shixiang said was exactly what Zhang Peilun wanted to know.

Although Zhang Peilun and Yang Shixiang had different opinions, he was also very puzzled. What was the reason that made his father-in-law, who had always been aloof and cunning, change his attitude?

Li Hongzhang stopped, let out a long breath and said.

"You all know that half a month ago, more than 100,000 coalition forces of the great powers arrived at the gates of the capital."

Not only Li Hongzhang was paying attention to the military situation in Zhili, but others were also nervously watching the battle situation of the vanguard army that suddenly appeared out of nowhere like a stunning figure.

Although almost no one would believe that the Beiyang army, which was now in Zhili and even the only army in the country that could directly confront the foreign coalition forces, would eventually defeat the coalition forces of the great powers.

But no one will ignore its existence.

On the contrary, due to the Southeast Mutual Protection, the vanguard army, which only received limited support from the imperial court, achieved a series of impressive achievements almost on its own. This made everyone from literati and officials to ordinary people excited and nervously watched its every move. In particular, Teng Yuzhao, who built this vanguard army, attracted the attention of the Chinese people.

The most important thing is that the vanguard army’s achievements cannot be said out of thin air, otherwise no one will believe it.

During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 a few years ago, the Beiyang army was no match for the tiny country of Japan, which they had always looked down upon. Not only was the army defeated and defeated by the Japanese, and lost territory, but the powerful Beiyang navy, which they had built at great expense, was almost completely wiped out by the Japanese navy, and in the end they had to cede territory and pay compensation!
The humiliation of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 is still fresh in the memory of the Chinese people. If someone again says without any evidence that a victory was won against the foreigners, no one will believe it. At least people like Yang Shixiang and Zhang Peilun who experienced the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 will never believe it.

However, this vanguard army not only claimed great victory in every battle, but also had photos as evidence of each battle. The photos often showed bodies of Allied troops lying all over the ground as far as the eye could see. This could not be faked.

If you still don't believe it, they also have photos of huge quantities of various types of weapons seized, and even the Japanese regiment flag, as well as photos of the military flags of the Russians, British, Americans, French, and Germans as evidence.

Moreover, those military flags and other physical evidence were handed over to the imperial court.

People like Yang Shixiang and Zhang Peilun also knew clearly that because the Allied Forces had too many wounded soldiers, many seriously injured British, American, French and German soldiers were mostly transported to concession hospitals in Qingdao, Shanghai, Hong Kong and other places for treatment.

It is said that the foreign hospitals in these places are now filled with foreign wounded soldiers from Zhili.

With such a big battle going on, how could these people not pay attention to the battle situation in Zhili?
Li Hongzhang glanced at the two of them and continued, "Early this morning, I received a telegram from Zhang Xiangtao, who told me that Teng Xingfu led his troops to the capital on the day when the Empress Dowager and the Emperor went hunting in the west."

"Moreover, on the same day, he not only organized the Boxers, but also captured Xishiku and Dongjiaominxiang, which had been under siege for months by 70,000 to 80,000 Gansu troops and Boxers, in one fell swoop."

"On the same day, Teng Xingfu sent more than 10,000 elite soldiers to Yangfang to rescue the emperor, and killed nearly 10,000 cavalrymen of the coalition forces. He also led his troops non-stop, and wiped out more than 20,000 Japanese troops, more than 6,000 American and British coalition forces, and more than 3,000 Tsarist Russian troops at Guangqu Gate and Dongbian Gate in the outer city, as well as Qihua Gate in the inner city. He also captured more than 3,000 British and American officers and soldiers alive."

Although they had heard a lot of news about the vanguard army recently, Li Hongzhang's words still made the two of them open their mouths in shock.

If what Li Hongzhang said was true, then more than 30,000 coalition forces were wiped out in one battle. If such a record was placed in Liaodong during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, it would have declared the victory of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, or at least the army had defeated the Japanese.

They were not surprised that Zhang Zhidong knew the news earlier than them.

Although the telegraph has been increasingly valued by the imperial court in the country, building telegraph lines costs money.

Therefore, until now, telegrams between southern provinces, including Hankou, and the capital still have to be transferred through Shanghai and Tianjin.

The telegraph lines in the Central Plains, Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu regions radiate from Hankou to the surrounding areas.

In the north, there is a telegraph line connecting Baoding to Taiyuan and Xi'an, but this line was built with funds raised by merchants, so it is also called the commercial line.

Although all the telegraph lines connecting to the capital had been destroyed by the Boxers, news could still be delivered by fast horses, so Hankou could get the news much faster than Guangdong and Guangxi.

Just, is this possible?
Yang Shixiang and Zhang Peilun looked at each other, with suspicion on their faces.

Li Hongzhang naturally saw the expressions of the two men. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the unwillingness in his heart and said.

"Zhang Xiangtao would not lie. He has just opened a newspaper called Ta Kung Pao and has published many photos in the newspaper."

"These photos include not only photos of the battlefield inside and outside the city, and photos of the burned-down Xishiku, but also photos of the foreign ministers headed by Dou Nale and the foreign soldiers in the Legation Quarter walking out of Dongjiaominxiang after surrendering."

Li Hongzhang walked back to the table, picked up a telegram paper covered with handwriting, and waved it in his hand. "There are even photos of thousands of British and American troops captured by Teng Xingfu. This cannot be fake."

Li Hongzhang carefully put down the telegram in his hand and stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back, a look of dejection on his face.

"Besides, I know this Teng Xingfu. He is one of the first batch of infantry graduates from the Beiyang Military Academy. He even took the initiative to learn artillery and his performance was outstanding. That's why I overruled everyone and reserved a place for him among the five places for studying military affairs in Germany."

"Although he is very talented, he is also quite conceited and even a little pretentious. Since returning to China, he has been strongly praising German military and severely criticizing everything in the Beiyang Army."

"I have tried to place this Teng Xingfu in the army, but he could not stay long no matter who he served under. In the end, he had to return to the Military Academy and continue to be his instructor. It has always been a waste of talent."

Having said this, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but stroke his forehead with his hand.

"I have always thought that I am tolerant of others, and even that I have a unique vision and am not rigid in identifying and employing people. But I didn't expect that I was wrong about Teng Xingfu."

Li Hongzhang sighed and said, "In this regard, I am still not as good as Rong Zhonghua and Yu Lu."

"If this boy could have been employed earlier, perhaps I wouldn't have to suffer this great humiliation, and I wouldn't have fallen to the point of being driven out of Beiyang."

Seeing tears flashing in Li Hongzhang's dim eyes, Zhang Peilun quickly stood up and said.

"Zhongtang."

In front of outsiders, Zhang Peilun always called Li Hongzhang "Zhongtang".

"No matter what, Teng Xingfu was born in Beiyang after all, and was recommended by Zhongtang to study military in Germany, which is why he has the honor he has today. Zhongtang must not belittle himself."

Yang Shixiang already understood the reason why Li Hongzhang suddenly made his attitude clear, and after thinking for a while he said.

"Mr. Zhongtang, as far as I know, when Teng Xingfu was first selected by Yu Lu, he only had one battalion of soldiers. Although he incorporated some troops from the Green Battalion and some of the Wuwei Front Army, most of them were new recruits. I heard that he also incorporated many members of the Boxer Rebellion."

“These people are fighting strong.”

Yang Shixiang probably wanted to say that the fighting power of the Green Camp and the Wuwei Army was not as good as that of the coalition forces of the great powers, but he seemed to feel that this would belittle the Beiyang government, so he stopped talking in time.

Yang Shixiang continued, "Since Teng Xingfu formed his army, he has been engaged in repeated fierce battles without any weapons or ammunition. After more than two months of fierce fighting, his elite soldiers have probably been almost exhausted."

"As the saying goes, if you kill one thousand enemies, you lose eight hundred of your own. If the battle in the capital really happened, and more than 30,000 coalition troops were wiped out, even with the assistance of the Gansu Army and the Boxers in the city, they would probably be seriously injured after this battle, and it would be difficult for them to continue dealing with the foreigners."

Although Yang Shixiang did not say it explicitly, Li Hongzhang could tell that Yang Shixiang was telling him that it was impossible to expect Teng Yuzhao to defeat the foreigners.

Another meaning is that he should consider joining forces with SW and continue to promote the independence of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Li Hongzhang shook his head secretly and said, "According to Zhang Xiangtao, the Gansu Army and the Wuwei Army led by Song Qing and Ma Yukun have already left with the Empress Dowager. There are only about 2,000 Gansu Army in the city, and there are probably 70,000 to 80,000 Boxers."

"It's just that their combat power is limited. They can't intervene in such a big battle. This battle is entirely led by Teng Xingfu's vanguard army. It is said that Teng Xingfu only suffered 6,000 to 7,000 casualties."

Li Hongzhang sighed again and said, "According to Zhang Xiangtao, Teng Xingfu's vanguard army should have 30,000 to 40,000 people. Except for the 10,000 or so who followed the Queen Mother's order to go to Yangfang to wait for the Queen Mother to protect her, the remaining 30,000-plus people all participated in the battle, and in the end only 6,000 to 7,000 people were killed or wounded."

"Only 6,000 to 7,000 casualties?"

"Could this Teng Xingfu be a god who can turn beans into soldiers and easily create a group of heavenly soldiers and generals! Yang Shixiang opened his mouth in shock and could not utter a word for a long time."

Zhang Peilun suddenly showed joy on his face and looked at Li Hongzhang expectantly.

"The central hall."

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(End of this chapter)