Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Li Gang stood on the deck of the cruiser "Zulong" and looked up at the Ximentang fleet docked at the Weihai naval port.

call--!
He couldn't help but take a deep breath to calm the shock in his heart.

He originally thought that by gifting a fleet to Ximentang, he would surely gain a high status in front of Chen Jie.

but,

Now they discovered that the size of the Simond Fleet far exceeded their expectations.

The benefits gained from providing timely help and those from adding to someone's success are completely different.

Fortunately, he was very shrewd and did not show anything unusual.

His younger brother, Li Zhi, standing beside him, said with a shocked expression:

"Brother, why are so many ships docked at the military port of Ximentang in Weihai, Shandong?"

"I heard that this is only the Second Fleet of the Ximentang, and the more powerful First Fleet is also docked in Tianjin Port."

"It seems that Prince Qian, Chen Jie, was not lying. He really did defeat the three major fleets of the East and seize their warships."

"I have received intelligence that the naval blockade of the East China Sea has been lifted, and no more Japanese ships have been seen."

Standing on the other side of Li Gang, Li Hang nodded and said:

"In the past few days, I have specifically investigated the movements of other Japanese fleets and found that the Japanese fleet has been docked at Port Arthur and dares not make any rash moves."

"The warships of the Ximen Hall are incredibly powerful, and their towing boats are far faster than ordinary ships."

"Our fleet consists of the most advanced warships purchased from the British Empire, but in terms of both speed and firepower, it is inferior to the Simon's fleet."

"I've been overseas for so long and I've never seen a ship like the Ximentang. Their power configuration is not an ordinary steam engine."

Li Zhi couldn't help but take a deep breath and agree:

"I've never seen a warship like this before. It's incredibly fast. If the attack ships in Simon's fleet had such speed, any European fleet would be crushed."

"I'm certain that if Simon Hall continues to develop at this rate, it will be invincible at sea!"

Just as the two were filled with emotion.

Li Gang's attendant came over and said:

"Your Highness, the 'Zulong' ship has docked. Let's disembark."

Led by a tractor, Li Gang's fleet docked and anchored.

King Li Gang of Min nodded slightly and said, "Let's go, let's go down and see King Chen Jie of Qian!"

At this time,

Chen Jie had already prepared a ferry at the seaside to serve as a floating bridge.

The cruiser "Zulong" docked at the shore, where a ferry pontoon bridge was available, allowing passengers to disembark from the ship.

at this time,

Chen Jie was already waiting on the shore as a sign of respect.

As early as last year, when the Seymour Alliance planned to land at the Dagu Fortress in Tianjin and launch a full-scale attack on the Daqian Dynasty, Li Gang received the news.

The situation was extremely critical; the Great Qian Dynasty was on the verge of collapse.

Although Seymour's Western allied forces numbered only 100,000 at the time.

but,

Li Gang had extensive dealings with Westerners and knew that once the Western fleet arrived at the Dagu Fortress, they were determined to capture it.

Western warships possessed powerful cannons, and their armies were also extremely strong.

They possessed state-of-the-art Maxim heavy machine guns and Krupp infantry guns, and were well-equipped.

A warship can transport a large number of Western soldiers.

Whether at sea or on land, the Western Allied Forces will surely inflict heavy losses on the garrison of the Great Qian Dynasty.

In particular, Seymour's army was a formidable force of the British Empire, renowned for its extensive military achievements. They were highly trained and virtually invincible in combat.

Once Seymour's army captures Tianjin, they will surely march straight to the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty.

and,

At that time, not only was the Dagu Fortress in Tianjin under siege, but the enemy was also at the gates.

In the northeast, the army of the Eastern Empire landed at Lushun and directly occupied the entire Liaodong region.

For a time, the Great Qian Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles, and had reached a point of no return.

Li Gang was very worried that the Minnan region would be captured by the Western Allied Forces.

For the sake of his family's interests, he allied with the Japanese in an attempt to fight against the Western Allied Forces.

Simultaneously,

In the British Empire in Europe, he spent a fortune to purchase a complete fleet of more than twenty warships.

Furthermore, they purchased four of the most advanced large cruisers.

Although the fleet under King Li Gang of Min was significantly smaller and smaller than the Western fleets, it still lagged behind in both tonnage and number.

However, for the Great Qian Dynasty, they are definitely a naval force that cannot be underestimated.

in addition,

He also purchased many merchant ships from Europe, and wanted to follow Simon's example and convert the merchant ships into gunboats.

By simply equipping a merchant ship with a few naval cannons, it can be converted into a warship.

Building a powerful fleet requires a huge amount of money and resources, and even with the wealth of King Li Gang of Min, it is almost too much to bear.

Before he could even finish building the fleet, he heard the news that the Western Allied Forces had been completely defeated by Simon Tang.

Next,
Ximentang became increasingly powerful, not only occupying Songjiang Prefecture, but also sweeping away Prince Li Ben of Han and occupying Jinling.

Especially after Ximen Tang swept away the Green Gang and occupied Hangzhou Prefecture in eastern Zhejiang.

Li Gang was shocked when he heard the news.

of course,

He was more skeptical than anything else.

It should be noted that he was different from other vassal kings of the Great Qian Dynasty; he was very familiar with Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and North America.

Ximentang has only been developing for a little over a year, how could its combat power be so terrifying?
and,

Next, Ximentang directly occupied the Penghu Islands and defeated the 100,000 Japanese troops on the islands, which greatly surprised Li Gang.

Therefore,
He sent people to the Penghu Islands to gather information.

Unexpectedly, this time, Ximen Tang was even more powerful, and actually defeated the three major fleets of the East.

The key point is that Ximen Tang chased them directly from the East China Sea to the waters off the Nagasaki Goto Islands in the East China Sea.

Although news of Ximen Tang's sweeping victory over the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean had not yet spread widely.

but,

Li Gang was very well-informed and quickly found out the details of the naval battle that had taken place a few days earlier.

Although the details of the naval battle seem somewhat exaggerated.

but,

At this moment, King Li Gang of Min saw the majestic appearance of the Ximentang fleet and believed it all.

The facts are undeniable!

He couldn't help but feel a little relieved about his decision to submit to and join Ximentang.

of course,

The navy of Ximentang was only recently established, with only two fleets, and had not yet expanded overseas.

Although they defeated the three major fleets of the East this time, their purpose was merely to lift the naval blockade.

therefore,

King Li Gang of Min felt that surrendering at this time was a very wise move.

After the Ximen Tang troops moved into the capital, they began to build railways and cement plants in the areas where the Ximen Tang troops were stationed, and began to build roads on a large scale.

Furthermore, agreements were reached with various forces in the martial arts world, and trade with the West was also in full swing.

Even many Western trading companies that had previously traded with the King of Min began to engage in overseas trade with Ximentang.

All of this reached Li Gang's ears, making him feel a sense of crisis.

Therefore, during this period, he focused on finding out information about Ximentang.

Chen Jie is now the 'King Qian' and has supported Li Heng's ascension to the throne, thus seizing the moral high ground.

In other words, whether from the perspective of righteousness or strength, Ximentang has already firmly established its power.

Furthermore, in Shandong, Nanjing, and other places, Ximentang vigorously developed industry, and successively built arsenals and shipyards in several locations.

As the situation in the Great Qian Dynasty gradually stabilizes, Ximen Tang will inevitably unify the Great Qian Dynasty.

The reduction of the power of the regional military governors is inevitable!
Moreover, Simon's trend of expanding overseas is becoming increasingly apparent.

Li Gang had already sensed a strong sense of crisis before the Ximentang fleet set out for Jeju Island.

in fact,

According to Li Zhi's idea, the King of Min should take advantage of the opportunity when Ximen Tang is attacking the three major fleets of the East Sea, and send troops to the Penghu Islands to recapture Keelung City.

And after reclaiming the Penghu Islands, he taught Chen Jie of Ximentang a lesson, letting him know that the entire Penghu Islands belonged to the King of Min. Many in the King of Min's Li family shared this view.

Over the years, the Min royal family has kept a low profile and has become much stronger than other vassal kings, both economically and militarily.

not to mention,
Many bases in Southeast Asia were occupied by the private army under Li Gang, the King of Min.

Even if they can't defeat Ximentang, they can always leave the Great Qian Dynasty and find a foothold in Southeast Asia.

To put it simply, no one in the Li family of the Min King was willing to submit to Chen Jie, the "Qian King" of Ximen Hall.

However, Li Gang's ideas differed from those of the others.

His ability to inherit the title of 'King of Min' naturally stemmed from his profound foresight.

Therefore,
He considers issues more deeply than others.

After Xi Mentang entered the capital and supported Li Heng's ascension to the throne.

He knew that this Prince Qian of Ximen Hall was far more troublesome than anyone he had ever encountered before.

in the past,
Whether it was Emperor Li Zheng or the Sixth Prince Li Lie, they were both passionate about the court struggles of the Great Qian Dynasty and about power.

As long as he doesn't get involved in the court's internal strife or launch large-scale military campaigns, the Great Qian Dynasty won't do anything to him.

Furthermore, he could also gain considerable benefits from the Great Qian Dynasty for the sake of development.

The most important reason why Li Gang, the King of Min, was able to control most of the overseas trade of the Great Qian Dynasty was that he knew how to assess the situation.

Therefore, in his struggle against various forces, Li Gang, the King of Min, was able to thrive and become the big winner.

Whether in terms of the economy or the military.

King Li Gang of Min was secretly growing stronger.

If overseas influence is taken into account, the overall strength of Li Gang, the King of Min, is not much weaker than that of Li Mu, the King of Ning, the Northwest Army.

Even when faced with the remnants of the Green Gang and the Taiping Company, King Li Gang of Min was decisive and swift in cutting through the mess, making it impossible for the Green Gang to establish a foothold in the Minnan region. They could only flee to the western part of Daqian or go into exile overseas.

so,

King Li Gang of Min was much smarter than other vassal kings, and he was also very adept at handling problems.

Because no matter what, Ximentang is a Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world) force, not part of the imperial court.

After Chen Jie became the Prince of Qian, his status and position in the Great Qian Dynasty were already higher than those of Li Gang, the Prince of Min.

Since Songjiang Prefecture came under the control of Ximentang, the overseas trade of the Daqian Dynasty gradually shifted from the Minnan region back to Songjiang Prefecture.

Li Gang now needs to purchase many of his supplies from Ximentang.

In particular, the Shandong factory of Ximentang produces a large number of goods, which can make a lot of money if sold overseas.

Once King Li Gang of Min and Chen Jie clashed and became enemies, Li Gang's fate was obvious.

He knew very well that if Chen Jie wanted to deal with him, he would have no place in the Great Qian Dynasty.

and,

Judging from Ximentang's battle record, Li Gang did not believe that his army could contend with Ximentang.

not to mention,
The situation in the capital has stabilized, and the Japanese army has withdrawn from Shanhaiguan and returned to the Northeast.

Guan Qilin's army was on the grasslands, and he had proclaimed himself king. It was unlikely that he would be able to enter the Central Plains in the short term.

Li Mu, the Prince of Ning, was decimated by Ximentang's army and returned to the Northwest region to recuperate.

For at least three years, Prince Ning, Li Mu, will not dare to make any rash moves.

in addition,

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu in the southwest, has recently ceased his activities, clearly frightened.

Li Gang had to focus his energy on the court of the Great Qian Dynasty, and therefore had to make a choice.

According to the rules of the Great Qian Dynasty, when the Crown Prince Li Heng ascended the throne, Li Gang, as the Prince of Min, was required to go to the capital to meet the Emperor.

Taking advantage of this opportunity to go to the capital, he needed to first surrender to Ximentang and personally meet Chen Jie to see his attitude.

More importantly, he needed to see what kind of person Chen Jie was and whether he was worthy of his allegiance.

If the other party intends to completely destroy you.

Then,

King Li Gang of Min will make a decision to send the Li family of southern Fujian away from the Daqian Dynasty and live overseas.

A few days ago,
Li Hang, acting as an envoy, met with Chen Jie in Weihai, Shandong.

Upon returning, he reported what he had seen and heard to Li Gang, the King of Min.

Li Gang didn't say anything, but he was very wary of Xi Mentang.

Seeing the powerful fleet of Ximentang docked in Weihai Port filled him with even more fear.

He was well aware that the strength of the Ximentang Second Fleet had exceeded his expectations.

How should I negotiate with Prince Qian, Chen Jie, in the time to come?
Surrounded by his bodyguards, Li Gang disembarked from the cruiser "Zulong" and walked onto the pontoon bridge.

Next, he saw Chen Jie walking enthusiastically toward him.

Li Gang was nearly fifty years old, with a dignified appearance and a commanding presence.

He had no martial arts skills, but he gave off a hard-to-describe feeling, an imposing presence without anger.

Chen Jie smiled calmly and cupped his hands in greeting:
"King of Min, we have finally met!"

In terms of status and position, Chen Jie was naturally higher than Li Gang, the King of Min.

He is now not only the son-in-law of the emperor, but also the Governor-General of Shandong, the Prince of Qian, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion of the Great Qian Dynasty, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, a Duke, and the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince!
Therefore, from a etiquette perspective, Chen Jie is in a superior position.

of course,

Chen Jie seemed unconcerned about these empty titles; he greeted the other party with a simple cupped-hand salute.

Li Gang sensed a hint of sincerity in Chen Jie's tone.

He hurriedly stepped forward to return the greeting, saying, "Your Highness, I have long admired your name. Meeting you today, I am truly impressed by the young hero you are!"

Chen Jie smiled calmly and said:

"The King of Min has brought his fleet to Shandong, making a huge fuss. Could it be that he wants to demand an explanation from me?"

During the suppression of the Green Gang in eastern Zhejiang, a large number of Green Gang remnants were driven to the southern Fujian region.

At that time, Ximentang's army killed many people in the border area between southern Fujian and eastern Zhejiang.

If King Li Gang of Min was there to punish someone, that would be understandable.

Li Gang was taken aback upon hearing this. He was a man who had seen a lot, and he quickly realized that this was meant to make him show his attitude.

He immediately said:
"Prince Qian is really joking. This time when I went to the capital to meet the emperor, I passed through Shandong and heard that Prince Qian is building a naval fleet."

"I just happened to bring a few ships with me. I'll take this opportunity to present them to Prince Qian as a gift, to make a contribution to the navy of the Great Qian Dynasty."

Chen Jie nodded, a smile appearing on his face.

If the ships of Li Gang, the King of Min, were modified, they would be transformed into the Third Fleet of Ximentang.

Chen Jie naturally welcomed the other party's overtures.

He smiled and said:

"King of Min, thank you for your generosity. I have already arranged a banquet at the military camp in Weihai. Let's have a good talk."

finished,

He made an inviting gesture.

Since Li Gang dared to pay a visit, he must have already prepared for the worst.

If Chen Jie takes this opportunity to put him under house arrest, he will accept it.

However, the cooperation between the two parties will end, and the entire Li family of Fujian will withdraw overseas.

Since it was a pledge of allegiance, Li Gang, the King of Min, had made all the necessary preparations.

Therefore,
He smiled and made the same gesture of invitation, replying, "Prince Qian, please—!"

Under Chen Jie's arrangement, the banquet hall of the Weihai Naval Camp had already prepared food and drinks.

The event was very grand.

All officers of Ximentang arrived at the scene to welcome King Li Gang of Min.

After both parties entered the banquet hall, they began to toast each other.

After several rounds of drinks, Chen Jie finally spoke:
"King of Min, I won't say anything more!"

"You will never regret the choice you made today."

"A gift of peaches is a gift of plums in return! I, Chen Jie, am not an ungrateful person."

"I don't have many friends, but from now on, you can be considered one."

"Come on, let's drink!"

In fact, after setting foot on the land of Weihai, Shandong, King Li Gang of Min was very uneasy.

He didn't know Chen Jie's thoughts or ideas, nor did he know how ambitious Ximentang really was.

But he was a smart man and knew that if he didn't choose to seek refuge with them, the fate of the Li family in southern Fujian was destined to be only one path.

Hearing Chen Jie's words, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that as long as I cooperate and submit, the Li family of Southern Fujian will have a better future! (End of Chapter)