King of Beiyang

"Father, is studying the only way out? Is passing the imperial examination the only way to get ahead?"

Our Li family already has enough scholars. Whether it's the eldest brother, the second brother, or the youngest brother, they are all studying. They can all participate in the imperial examinations and bring glory to our Li family.

But Father, don't you think that in such chaotic times, only by controlling the army can we ensure the safety of the Li family? Only then can our Li family be passed down peacefully and not perish in one generation!

Li Jingyuan did not compromise, but argued his case based on reason.

He had been considering abandoning his studies to join the army and take command of the Beiyang Army for a long time.

Only in this way can he achieve his goal.

Li Hongzhang's face was very ugly, as if he did not expect Li Jingyuan to say such a thing.

Li Jingshu stared wide-eyed, mouth agape, as if he were trying to understand Li Jingyuan's thoughts for the first time.

"Father, although you are the leader of the Beiyang Fleet, both the Beiyang Navy and the Beiyang Training Army obey your orders. Those generals are all your subordinates and are loyal to you."

But ultimately, the Li family has no true allies in the military. Our influence over the army will only weaken over time.

Once my father retires from office, or even a hundred years from now, will my Li family still be able to influence the military?

Will those generals still obey the orders of my Li family?

Without an army, my Li family is nothing but a lamb to the slaughter!

Li Jingyuan pointed this out directly.

This made Li Hongzhang and Li Jingshu's expressions turn serious.

It's important to understand that while the Qing court supported Li Hongzhang to counterbalance Zeng Guofan, there was another fundamental reason for his rapid rise to power: after the decline of the Xiang Army, the Huai Army, which Li Hongzhang created, was arguably the most capable army in the Qing Dynasty.

This is also why Li Hongzhang was able to rise to the highest position in the government, even though everyone knew he was very greedy and had embezzled a lot of money, his position remained as stable as Mount Tai.

Once Li Hongzhang passed away, the Li family's influence over the Beiyang Army weakened to its lowest point.

Therefore, in many people's eyes, the Li family is probably a fat sheep.

  

More importantly, Li Hongzhang is now 65 years old.

This age is not considered young in this day and age.

The second generation of the Li family are mostly young and haven't accomplished much yet. It will be even more difficult for them to maintain the Li family's legacy.

If the Li family could strengthen their control over the Beiyang Army, or even completely take control of it.

Therefore, even after Li Hongzhang's death, the Li family will be able to continue its lineage.

Even the Qing Dynasty court dared not act rashly.

Li Hongzhang and Li Jingshu were both intelligent men; they understood what Li Jingyuan was saying.

However, what they didn't expect was that Li Jingyuan had such profound thoughts.

They also had to admit that what Li Jingyuan said did make some sense.

If we consider it from this perspective, it's not unacceptable that Li Jingyuan gave up the imperial examinations and joined the army.

"Hmph! I am utterly loyal to the Qing Dynasty. Both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty have shown me great favor. I do not wish to hear such treasonous words again!" Li Hongzhang sneered.

"Yes, Father!" Li Jingyuan nodded.

He knew that Li Hongzhang was clearly just being stubborn.

Li Hongzhang was indeed a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, and his rise to power was inseparable from the support of the Empress Dowager Cixi.

But Li Hongzhang was a Han Chinese, and a representative of the Han officials in the current court.

This made it impossible for him to gain the true trust of the Qing Dynasty.

Throughout Li Hongzhang's life, he was either painstakingly trying to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty or taking the blame for it. His loyalty is evident.

But Li Jingyuan had absolutely no loyalty to the Qing Dynasty.

If all goes well, he even wants to end the Qing Dynasty's rule ahead of schedule.

Let the whole country and nation suffer less harm.

In this way, we can retain more of our vitality.

"Third brother, you say we are currently in a chaotic world. Well then, I'd like to test you. Why do you think so? And how should our Great Qing respond?" Li Hongzhang asked with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Is this a test of my understanding of the international situation?" Li Jingyuan wondered.

Among the many important officials of the Qing Dynasty, Li Hongzhang definitely had an international perspective.

In another time and space, he made numerous overseas visits.

Perhaps it was precisely because he saw the insurmountable gap between the corrupt Qing Dynasty and the Western powers that Li Hongzhang felt such despair!

"Father, the world today is undergoing an era of great change unseen in three thousand years."

With the help of the Industrial Revolution, the Western powers grew stronger and stronger, and their military power became increasingly formidable.

In their struggle for resources, wealth, and markets, they launched colonial expansion across the world.

The entire world has been almost completely divided up by the Western powers.

Even the Qing Dynasty was repeatedly invaded by Western powers.

We were forced to open our markets, and even our customs were no longer under our control, falling into the hands of foreigners. This clearly demonstrates the foreign invasion we faced.

To the north, the Russians have already seized more than 1.5 million square kilometers of our land. But the Russians' inherent greed for land makes their desires insatiable.

Their targets include the Menggu Grassland in the north, the Northeast region, and the Northwest region.

The Japanese, who live across the sea from us, are even more vicious and ruthless.

Since the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese have undergone complete Westernization, vigorously learning Western culture and systems, developing industry, and tightening their belts to build up their military strength. It can be said that they have invested the vast majority of the nation's wealth into military construction.

And the Japanese, without a doubt, aimed at the Qing Empire.

Even more critically, the Japanese also received support from the British.

Once the Japanese become stronger and complete their war preparations, they will inevitably take action.

With the current strength of the Qing Empire, could it withstand it?

If we are defeated, not only will there be widespread bloodshed and loss of face, but we will also be severely extorted by the Japanese.

The entire nation and its people will suffer unimaginable devastation!

Li Jingyuan laid out all his concerns.

Both Li Hongzhang and Li Jingshu had their brows furrowed deeply.

They did not expect that Li Jingyuan held such a pessimistic view of the Qing Dynasty.

Although Li Hongzhang was well aware that the Qing Dynasty was like a terminally ill patient, he seemed not to believe that even the tiny Japanese could climb over the Qing Dynasty's head and defecate there.

Li Hongzhang was well aware of Russia's strength.

There was nothing that could be done about the Russians seizing large swathes of land.

Moreover, these are all remote areas, not the fertile lands of the Qing Dynasty. Even if they were lost, no one would care.

But if even the Japanese could defeat the Qing Dynasty, that would be utter nonsense.

Even if the Qing Dynasty was corrupt, it still had a huge scale!

The entire Qing Dynasty had an army of at least a million.

How many talented people does Japan have? How many soldiers does it have?

Besides, the Beiyang Fleet was the most powerful fleet in the Far East.

The navy of the Japanese was far inferior to that of the Beiyang Fleet!