King of Beiyang

As the 1st Division of the Beiyang Marine Corps began to be formed, Li Jingyuan directly handed over the daily training to Wang Shizhen, Duan Qirui, and the commanders of each brigade and regiment.

Prior to this, Li Jingyuan and others had compiled a training manual for the Marine Corps to facilitate subsequent daily training.

Although Li Jingyuan studied at the Naval Academy, even if he had never eaten pork, hadn't he seen a pig run?

Li Jingyuan added a lot of his own insights to the training manual, all of which were experiences summarized from later generations.

For example, physical training, drill training, cultural learning, etc.

In addition, there was the construction of trenches and fortifications, and the placement of firing positions.

In terms of offensive tactics, there is training in skirmish lines, infantry-artillery coordination, bayonet fighting, shooting, urban warfare, and so on.

After high-intensity training, it's essential to ensure adequate nutrition.

To this end, Li Jingyuan spent money to purchase large quantities of grain and meat from Europe and North America.

Fortunately, by this time, refrigerated transport ships were already available at sea. Therefore, beef and mutton purchased from Europe and North America could be frozen and transported to the Liaodong Peninsula, thus ensuring a sufficient supply of meat for the Beiyang Marine Corps.

Under these circumstances, the combat strength of the Beiyang Marine Corps began to take shape rapidly.

Perhaps, in a few months, the Beiyang Marine Corps will be fully combat-ready.

Li Jingyuan acted like a hands-off manager, handing over the affairs of the Marine Corps to others.

However, in order to maintain control over the Marine Corps, Li Jingyuan would still occasionally appear on the training field, training and eating with everyone. He would even personally teach in the evening cultural study classes.

Furthermore, Li Jingyuan would appear every time the soldiers received their pay, letting them know who was paying them and who ensured they were well-fed and had meat at every meal.

Under such subtle influence, the officers and soldiers of the Beiyang Marine Corps gradually became people who only knew Li Jingyuan and knew nothing about the Qing Empire. Or rather, they had become Li Jingyuan's private army.

The generals and officers of the Beiyang Marine Corps also understood this.

However, no one stepped forward to stop it, and no one reported it to the imperial court.

They were well aware that Li Jingyuan had spent a considerable amount of money on the Beiyang Marine Corps.

Therefore, it was only natural that the Beiyang Marines obeyed Li Jingyuan's orders without question.

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Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian Shipyard.

Accompanied by Wei Han, the general manager of the shipyard, and Zheng Qinglian, the technical director, Li Jingyuan inspected the progress of the shipyard.

Wei Han and Zheng Qinglian both originally worked at the Fujian Provincial Shipyard Bureau.

Li Jingyuan used Li Hongzhang's connections to recruit them to the Beiyang government.

Of course, Wei Han and Zheng Qinglian were both genuinely willing to take charge of the largest shipyard in the entire Qing Empire.

"Admiral, the first phase of the shipyard project is complete. We have recruited a large number of skilled workers from Fujian Province. We have also recruited a group of workers from the north, and they are currently undergoing training."

In addition, the Krupp shipyard in the German Empire sent us a number of technical personnel to help us master the shipyard's machinery and equipment.

We expect to be able to begin construction of warships very soon.

Wei Han was very excited.

Dalian Shipyard's technical standards are comparable to those of top European shipyards such as Vulcan Shipyard.

They even have several dry docks capable of handling ships weighing tens of thousands of tons. Theoretically speaking, if the technology allows, they could even build massive warships weighing tens of thousands of tons.

It should be noted that the Fujian Provincial Shipyard is currently only capable of building wooden-hulled cruisers of just over a thousand tons.

Li Jingyuan nodded: "Back in the German Empire, I already obtained the complete set of production blueprints for the 'Sea Sky-class' protected cruiser from the Vulcan Shipyard."

The Vulcan shipyard also agreed to send engineers and technicians to assist us in the production of this warship.

I suggest that the shipyard make some improvements based on this, such as adding certain defensive features.

After that, they began building it themselves.

However, before that, I suggest we practice on the warships of the Beiyang Fleet.

It also allows you to accumulate more experience.

Li Jingyuan suggested.

"Admiral, will the Beiyang Fleet agree?" Wei Han certainly didn't mind.

"I will invite the officers of the Beiyang Fleet to visit the Dalian Shipyard. I will tell them about this then!" Li Jingyuan replied.

Subsequently, Li Jingyuan sent a telegram to the Beiyang Naval Headquarters, inviting Beiyang Navy Admiral Ding Ruchang, Generals Liu Buchan and Lin Taizeng, Vice Admirals Deng Shichang, Fang Boqian, Ye Zugui, Lin Yongsheng and Qiu Baoren, Lieutenant Generals Huang Jianxun and Lin Luzhong, and Commander Li He, among others, to inspect the Dalian Shipyard.

Although Li Jingyuan was appointed as the deputy admiral of the Beiyang Fleet, he was busy with the affairs of the Marine Corps and had no intention of interfering in the management of the Beiyang Fleet.

This also relieved the officers of the Beiyang Fleet.

Everyone naturally had to accept Li Jingyuan's invitation.

When the Beiyang Fleet commanders visited the Dalian Shipyard, they were all deeply impressed.

They were especially excited when they learned that Dalian Shipyard would be able to build even 10,000-ton warships in the future.

"Generals, the shipyard will soon be building warships on its own. However, before that, I believe that the Beiyang Fleet's current main warships need to be strengthened!" Li Jingyuan said to the crowd.

Ding Ruchang and the others couldn't help but frown.

The Beiyang Fleet's ten main warships are all their prized possessions!

Especially after being warned by Li Hongzhang and learning that the Japanese were targeting the Beiyang Fleet, everyone was even more vigilant and ready for battle.

Although Dalian Shipyard is large in scale, it ultimately lacks experience.

What if we damage the warships of the Beiyang Fleet?

Li Jingyuan noticed everyone's doubts.

"Don't worry, the shipyard won't make any major alterations to the navy's ships. However, I believe the firepower of each ship is too weak. At least compared to the warships of the Japanese, their firepower is significantly weaker, especially in terms of rapid-fire guns."

Therefore, I believe it is appropriate to add more rapid-fire guns to each ship. Add as many 120mm, 88mm, 47mm, and 37mm rapid-fire guns as possible.

In this way, we will have even more powerful firepower when facing the Japanese fleet in the future!

Li Jingyuan addressed the crowd.

Ding Ruchang nodded, agreeing that Li Jingyuan's words made a lot of sense.

The other officers of the Beiyang Fleet had no objections to this.

"Lord Li, let's do it this way! The navy's warships are now in your hands!" Ding Ruchang made the decision.

"Don't worry, the ships are entering the shipyard's slipway in batches. It is expected that each ship will be completed within a month," Li Jingyuan replied.