Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 296: Dog bites dog, mouth full of hair (still)

Xie Siyuan's expression froze when he heard this.

Then they all started to report in unison from their chairs on the shipbuilding progress of the Guangzhou Shipyard.

"Your Majesty, up to now, our Guangzhou Shipyard has built a total of three warships this year."

"These three warships are all the latest model steam ironclad ships."

"The tonnage is 1,500 tons!"

"In terms of power, it uses a hybrid power of steam engines and sails. The ship is covered with a steel hull, and the main cabins inside are reinforced with special steel components."

"Also, unlike traditional sailing battleships that only have side guns, the new warships we built are also equipped with deck turrets that can fire from the deck."

The Tang Dynasty has not yet finalized the main ship type for its fleet.

Each batch of warships built by the shipyard has obvious improvements compared to the previous batch.

And the direction of this improvement is the development direction of pre-dreadnought and dreadnought.

The reason why Li Yi did not build a pre-dreadnought or even a dreadnought in one step was not because he did not want to, but because it was impossible with the current industrial level of the Tang Dynasty.

The drawings are easy to get, Li Yi can provide them.

But equipment, labor, shipbuilding materials, supporting industries, etc. are all problems.

The reason why Li Yi arranged the shipyard to start with wooden sailing battleships, gradually transition to iron-ribbed wooden hulled ships, ironclad ships, and then to pre-dreadnoughts was not because he was bored.

Instead, it was to promote the development of the shipbuilding industry and train enough shipbuilding workers by building simpler ship types.

Also, Li Yi now has to think about whether building a pre-dreadnought battleship will inspire the shipbuilding ideas of European powers?

With the current shipbuilding capabilities of the European powers, once Li Yi lights up the technology tree of pre-dreadnought battleships in advance, their speed of producing ships will definitely exceed that of the Tang Dynasty.

By then, Li Yike will be shooting himself in the foot.

Therefore, before the Tang Dynasty's shipbuilding capacity surpasses that of European powers, Li Yi will never open this Pandora's box in one step.

Xie Siyuan continued.

"In addition, we have five warships under construction. According to estimates, they will be outfitted and launched one after another by the end of the year..."

After listening to Xie Siyuan's report, Li Yi nodded slightly and then said.

"The shipbuilding speed of Guangzhou Shipyard is very good. I am very satisfied."

"I summoned you here today mainly for the second matter."

"After the Tang Dynasty captured Fuzhou and Shanghai, it discovered that Mawei in Fuzhou and Changxing Island in Shanghai had excellent natural conditions and could be used to build shipyards."

"I have made a decision and ordered the Construction Company to build docks and shipyards in Changxing Island, Shanghai and Mawei, Fuzhou."

"Guangzhou Shipyard should make good arrangements to select key personnel to support the construction of Changxing Shipyard and Mawei Shipyard."

"any questions?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Siyuan agreed immediately.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I understand!"

Although he was unwilling to see his talents being transferred away, he also understood that Li Yi was not discussing with him but giving orders.

Faced with Li Yi's orders, he had no room to argue.

Li Yi nodded slightly, then spoke to comfort him.

"Do your best, the court will not forget your contribution."

"The Shipping Department is currently in need of a deputy director, and I am very optimistic about you."

Upon hearing this, Xie Siyuan's face couldn't help but become a little excited.

"I will go through fire and water, sacrifice my life, and do everything the king has asked me to do, so as not to disappoint the king..."

Because he knew that what Li Yi said was not empty talk. When it comes to such matters, Li Yi always does what he says.

As long as he does his job well, the position of deputy director will most likely be his.

Li Yi nodded slightly, and then signaled Xie Siyuan to leave, because he was still busy receiving other officials.

After Xie Siyuan left, Li Liang, director of the Military Intelligence Department, walked in from outside.

Li Yi raised his hand to motion Li Liang to sit down, then asked.

"Why are you here?"

Li Liang heard this and spoke.

"Your Majesty, the Military Intelligence Department's spy in Japan reported that after the Eight-Nation Alliance withdrew from our Tang Dynasty, they chose to send troops to Japan and declare war on Japan."

"The coalition forces first bombarded Shimonoseki, then turned to attack Osaka, threatened Kyoto, and then sent troops to Edo..."

"The Japanese side has been defeated in succession and is seeking peace with the Allied Forces."

The Japanese devils of this era are not the nuclear-weapon-seeking men who were brainwashed by militarism during World War II and dared to shout "100 million deaths in honor" to the United States and the Soviet Union.

In order to maintain its rule, the Tokugawa shogunate was as flexible as the Qing Dynasty in its foreign policy.

It is normal to ask for peace when you cannot win the battle.

Li Yi was stunned at first, and then the expression on his face became quite strange.

My goodness, isn’t this little butterfly flapping its wings too vigorously?
The Eight-Nation Alliance actually went to attack Japan?
This is really a dog-eat-dog situation, with only one mouth full of fur.

In this regard, Li Yi could only silently give a thumbs up to the coalition forces.

And said good fight!

But after being shocked, Li Yi made a quick decision and spoke to the servants around him.

"Go and invite Director Guo of the Department of Foreign Affairs!"

After giving instructions to his attendants, Li Yi asked Li Liang again.

"Has the Military Intelligence Department discovered the specific content of the negotiations between the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan and the Allied Forces?"

Li Liang heard this and nodded.

"In reply to your Majesty, we have indeed discovered some of the contents."

"The peace talks between the Tokugawa shogunate and the coalition forces this time mainly focused on trade, tariffs, concessions, the establishment of embassies, extraterritoriality, etc...."

Li Liang briefly reported to Li Yi the information obtained by the Military Intelligence Department.

Li Yi nodded slightly, then touched his chin thoughtfully.

He didn't have to wait long before Guo Songtao walked in from outside.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be well and at peace!"

Li Yi raised his hand to motion Guo Songtao to sit down first, and then spoke.

"The Military Intelligence Department has just learned that after the coalition forces withdrew from our Tang Dynasty, they chose to attack Japan."

"After a series of defeats, the Tokugawa shogunate chose to negotiate with the coalition forces and signed a series of unequal treaties."

"I think that our Tang Dynasty might be able to participate and profit from it..."

Upon hearing this, Guo Songtao spoke immediately.

"Please give me your instructions, Your Majesty."

Li Yi picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile.

"This time, our Tang Dynasty will also benefit from the coalition forces."

"While the coalition forces are negotiating with Japan, we will send an envoy to Japan and use diplomatic means to force the Tokugawa shogunate to sign a similar treaty with the Tang Dynasty."

The Tokugawa shogunate had just suffered a loss at the hands of the coalition forces, and now was the time when the memory was vividly remembered. It was not impossible for the Tang Dynasty to use the power of the other side to force the Tokugawa shogunate to make concessions.

……

PS: This chapter was owed to me yesterday!

(End of this chapter)