The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 495 You Go on My Behalf

Teng Yuzao nodded and said awkwardly, "I'm not shirking Li Zhongtang's suggestion, but I really can't go. The war isn't over yet, so I really can't leave."

"Marshal, this statement will make Li Hongtang think that you are trying to shirk your responsibilities and try to fool him," Xu Shichang said with a wry smile.

Seeing that Yang Shixiang also showed a bitter smile like Xu Shichang, Teng Yuzhao explained seriously.

"Even if we start peace talks, the war will still be fought. During the peace talks, the foreign devils will definitely ask for an exorbitant price, including ceding territory and paying compensation. Even if they fail to achieve their goals, they will threaten and blackmail us, such as continuing to expand the war."

"Faced with the strong coercion of foreigners, if they are not given a sufficient lesson, they will not calm down, let alone face reality."

"Therefore, the war cannot and will not stop. We must always use war to promote peace. We cannot just follow what the foreigners say. Fair interests are won through fighting, not through negotiation."

"The Marshal is right!"

Xu Shichang said, "However, from what the Marshal said, we will have to fight even during the peace talks. Will this happen?"

Teng Yuzao nodded and said firmly, "We must fight. We must fight until we get a satisfactory result."

Teng Yuzao smiled slyly and said, "Now the foreign devils don't want to fight anymore and want to negotiate peace, it's not that we can't continue the fight."

"Yes! The Marshal is right!"

Wei Jinghai and Liu Changfa both spoke in a firm tone.

"Then how should we respond to Li Zhongtang?"

Since Teng Yuzao had already decided not to participate, he had to give an affirmative response to Li Hongzhang.

Teng Yuzao thought for a moment and said, "Although I won't go back, we do need someone who can speak for our vanguard army at the negotiation table."

After Teng Yuzhao finished speaking, he looked at Yang Shixiang, and then at Xu Shichang.

Although both of them understood what Teng Yuzhao meant, they just smiled bitterly and no one said anything.

Teng Yuzao continued, "Your participation will make Li Zhongtang feel more at ease. He will no longer be criticized for signing a treaty with foreigners. I will share the responsibility with him."

"Even if the result of the peace talks is achieved, he will be praised by the Chinese people, which will change the criticisms of him in the past."

Yang Shixiang smiled bitterly and said, "Marshal, although I am a Hanlin, I have learned a truth over the years: empty talk will harm the country. If you want to really do something, you can't think too much about your reputation after death. Those are just passing clouds, which only boring scholars care about. I am also willing to represent the Vanguard Army."

"It's just that we are negotiating peace with foreigners. No one who presides over the negotiations will have a good reputation. How can Li Zhongtang believe what the Marshal said?"

What Yang Shixiang said was true. Teng Yuzao did not deny it and nodded.

"That's true. It has always been like this, but why is that?"

Teng Yuzao continued, "It's because the result of the peace talks was that we suffered a loss in the eyes of the Chinese people. If we didn't suffer a loss this time, for example, we didn't cede territory or pay compensation, do you think anyone would still criticize the person who presided over the peace talks?"

Teng Yuzao's words made Xu Shichang's eyes light up, and he said, "Marshal, if that's the case, naturally no one will criticize it, but..." Teng Yuzao waved his hand, "This time, I promise that we will neither cede land nor pay compensation. This is why I stayed in the army. I want to force the great powers to sign an equal treaty."

"Lian Fu, Ju Ren, the two of you will serve as representatives of the Vanguard Army and myself. I will report to the court and appoint Lian Fu as the deputy envoy to represent me and the Vanguard Army in the negotiations."

Teng Yuzao looked at Xu Shichang again, "Juren, please bear with it for a while and help the Lian Mansion."

Without waiting for the two to express their opinions, Teng Yuzao continued, "Your status is still a bit low to negotiate peace with the foreigners. The imperial court has not yet issued a reward for this one great victory. In my memorial to the imperial court, Lianfu is to be promoted to lieutenant general. I will urge the imperial court to approve the reward for you, Yang Lianfu, first."

"Kikuto?"

Teng Yuzao looked at Xu Shichang and said, "Your name is also on the petition for merit. This time I would like to ask you to serve as my assistant as the Minister of Commerce of the Northern Ocean and the Governor-General of Zhili."

Teng Yuzhao's words made Yang Shixiang and Xu Shichang overjoyed. It was true that both of them were from the prestigious Hanlin Academy, but Hanlin was just a good name. Their actual rank in the court was not high and they were only seventh-rank officials.

Yang Shixiang was better off, as he left his Hanlin position earlier, did some practical work in the local area, and was appreciated by Li Hongzhang. Before coming to the Vanguard Army, he was already a fourth-rank official.

Despite this, they had not been in the vanguard army for long. Yang Shixiang had only been there for about half a year, and Xu Shichang had been in the vanguard army for less than two months.

Now, Yang Shixiang was promoted to lieutenant general, which was a military rank recognized by the court. Compared with the official rank system, Yang Shixiang was already a second-rank official. Although he was a military position, he was still a second-rank official!

If you are placed in a local position, you can become the governor of a province.

As for Xu Shichang's assistant, although he had no rank, he was the assistant to Teng Yuzhao, who was the Minister of Commerce of the Beiyang Government and Governor-General of Zhili. Naturally, his status and position were incomparable.

Now the imperial court completely relied on Teng Yuzhao to fight against foreigners, and would respond to Teng Yuzhao's every request. To arrange an official position for them in the imperial court was just a matter of submitting a memorial to the emperor's memorial. Once Teng Yuzhao said so, their plan was done.

Teng Yuzao added, "After this peace negotiation, I guarantee that you will all be rewarded by the court, and then I will find an opportunity to recommend you for a better position in the court."

Yang Shixiang said anxiously, "Marshal, I will not leave you."

Teng Yuzao waved his hand and said with a smile, "As long as we are united in heart, we can help Zhili better in the court and even in the local area."

Although Teng Yuzao was talking about Zhili and did not say to help him, both of them understood the meaning of Teng Yuzao's words.

"All right."

Teng Yuzao stood up, walked a few steps on the ground and said.

"Although the coalition forces of the great powers were badly defeated by me and lost hundreds of thousands of people, they will still not give up and will ask for benefits. All places and compensation are inevitable."

"We can't just passively accept the attack, but we have to give them a head start."

Teng Yuzao said to Wei Jinghai, "Ningbo, please bring out the medical and food data for the prisoners of war that you collected, as well as the list of other expenses."

Wei Jinghai took out a piece of paper with handwriting that he had prepared long ago and handed it to Yang Shixiang, "Mr. Lianfu, this is the food and medical expenses for the foreign devil prisoners we have captured since we started the uprising in Tianjin."

Yang Shixiang took the paper handed over by Wei Jinghai, took a look at it, and smiled bitterly.
(End of this chapter)