After Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang returned to Beijing, they first reported the results of the talks with Qin Zheng to the Military Affairs Office. In fact, the results had been sent back to Beijing by telegram. After reading the news, several military affairs ministers were very happy because according to the proposals of overseas Chinese, the Qing court took extremely low risks in this battle, and most of the risks were borne by overseas Chinese. Then the court would have a better life, and the court would have a better life, and of course, the military affairs ministers would have a better life.

However, while being happy, everyone dared not believe it too much. When did overseas Chinese become so easy to talk to, and take the initiative to help the court get out of the trap and take risks themselves? Is there anything else in this? Therefore, the Military Affairs Office did not rush to report to Cixi and Guangxu, but waited for Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang to come back from Qingdao and ask for details.

Of course, the situation reported by Yuan Shikai and Li Jingfang was similar to what they said in the telegram, but they were a little more detailed. So after they finished speaking, Prince Qing said: "What do you think these overseas Chinese are trying to do?"

It was Li Hongzhang who said in one sentence that the goal of overseas Chinese was to be broken and said, "What else can you do? Isn't it just aiming at the three eastern provinces?"

After hearing this, everyone suddenly realized that if the overseas Chinese really defeated Japan and Russia, wouldn’t the three eastern provinces really be theirs? They would definitely not return the three eastern provinces to the court. At most, they would be like Shandong, on the surface, subject to the restraint of the court, and even asked a few people to come out to serve, but they would do another thing in the three eastern provinces.

Before the others were doing well, Tieliang suddenly became anxious and said, "The Northeast is the place where the Qing Dynasty is the dragon-rise. How can overseas Chinese be occupied? Dear Chinese, we say that we can't let overseas Chinese turn Northeast into the second Shandong again."

As soon as he finished speaking, he found that Li Hongzhang, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, and Zhao Shuqiao all looked at him with strange eyes, with five points of disdain, three points of mockery, and two points of anger. Because it was Wang Wenshao, he sighed slightly.

Tieliang couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Although the ministers of the Military Affairs Office now occupy four seats, Ronglu was recuperating at home, the Manchu military aircraft lost its backbone. Although the four Han military aircraft were not a single piece of iron, they were all old drivers and they didn't need to discuss many things. They could reach a tacit understanding of exchange of interests in a few words and eyes. Among the remaining Manchu military aircraft, Prince Qing was simply a voice-over and could only use the status of the military aircraft foreman to make money. He echoed all military affairs and national affairs, and never had his own accurate ideas. Rongqing and Tieliang were both newcomers, and they were not as experienced, knowledge, and experience as the four Han military aircraft, so they were often fooled by the four Han military aircraft.

Now Tieliang didn't know that he was wrong, which made them look at him like this. Therefore, he couldn't help but say, "Dear, what do you think of me like this? Is it so difficult for me to say something wrong?"

Wang Wenshao said: "Tiezhongtang, the Northeast is still occupied by the Russians now? The overseas Chinese have not occupied the Northeast yet?"

Tieliang nodded and said, "Yes!"

Wang Wenshao said: "Will you just get caught? Can we drive away the Russians and retake the three northeastern provinces now?"

Tieliang was stunned for a moment, finally shook his head, and said depressedly: "No."

Wang Wenshao smiled and said, "Northeast is not in the hands of overseas Chinese now, and we do not have the ability to drive the Russians away. Are we still worried about why overseas Chinese occupying the Northeast? Instead of worrying about this, why do we think about how we can drive the Russians away and retake the Northeast? Then there will be nothing left?"

In fact, Li Hongzhang, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, and Zhao Shuqiao all knew that Russia, Japan, and overseas Chinese were now competing for the Northeast region, and the Qing court had no qualifications to go to the card table at all. To put it bluntly, it was just a day to calculate, but it just didn't say it and pretended not to know. Only Tieliang foolishly broke the window paper.

At this time, Yuan Shikai said: "Dear the Central Government, now our Qing Dynasty has great powers looking around, and there are strong vassals on the edge of the bed, which is in danger of survival. But the current plan is that the court can only set up a training station to let all provinces follow the laws of the Beiyang New Army and train the army in order to strengthen military preparations. Only by training the new army can the court quell the chaos inside and defend the enemy outside. I have written a memorial and prepared to submit it to the court. I also ask the Central Government to support it."

Tie Liang snorted and didn't say anything. In fact, Yuan Shikai had already blown the wind in the court several times about the establishment of the Military Training Office. Tie Liang was the minister who firmly opposed the most. The reason was very simple. Once the Military Training Office was established, Yuan Shikai must have served as the Minister of the Council. Wouldn't he be in charge of the military power of the whole country? The court finally disbanded the Hunan Army and collapsed the Huai Army, and could not have another "Yuan Army".

However, Prince Qing said: "Since you have written the memorial, please submit it to the Military Affairs Office first. After the Military Affairs Office has read it, you will submit it to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor."

After the government affairs of a day, Li Hongzhang returned to his home. After dinner, Li Hongzhang called Li Jingfang to him and said, "You should prepare 500,000 taels of silver immediately, and send it to Shanghai immediately and hand it over to Xingsun (Sheng Xuanhuai)."

Li Jingfang was stunned and said, "Father, why are you suddenly preparing so much money for?"

Li Hongzhang glanced at him and said, "Send a telegram to Nanjing to Youqiao (Zhang Peilun), ask him to get 300,000 taels of silver to run a factory in Qingdao, and it is best to buy a real estate in Qingdao. As for what the factory operates, you can discuss with Xingsun and leave the management affairs to Xingsun. He will go to Qingdao to meet overseas Chinese and just have a name in the factory, and you don't have to live in Qingdao. In the future, the factory shares, Youqiao and Julou (Li Hongzhang's daughter, named Jingshu and Julou), each account for 30%, you account for 40%, and the remaining 200,000 yuan will be asked to donate to overseas Chinese to fund military use after overseas Chinese joins the war."

Not only was Li Jingfang's body shocked, he was not a stupid person. He immediately understood what Li Hongzhang meant. This was obviously showing kindness to overseas Chinese. It could be said that he had stood up to support overseas Chinese because he also had a shareholding in the factory. To put it bluntly, once Li Hongzhang died, then Li Jingfang, Zhang Peilun, and Li Juou could directly defect to overseas Chinese.

Although Li Jingfang also has a certain favorable impression of overseas Chinese, Li Hongzhang's completely one-sided approach still surprised Li Jingfang. Although Li Jingfang knew that his father would never do anything rash, he still couldn't help but say, "Father, I don't think I need to participate in the stakes, just let You Qiao and Ju Ou come forward, that's fine."

Whether Li Jingfang is in the factory or not has a completely different meaning, because the son-in-law is still an outsider after all. If only Zhang Peilun and Li Juou are involved in the shares, it can only be considered as Li Hongzhang showing goodwill to overseas Chinese, and Li Jingfang's participation in the shares means that Li Hongzhang has officially taken the team.

Li Hongzhang glared at him and said, "What do you know? Let me ask you, if overseas Chinese and Japan join forces to fight against Russia, who will win and who will lose?"

Li Jingfang thought for a while and said, "It should be that overseas Chinese and Japanese are stronger."

Li Hongzhang said again: "What if overseas Chinese fight with Japan?"

Li Jingfang thought about it and said, "It should be that overseas Chinese should be more sexual."

Li Hongzhang nodded and said, "This is the wishful thinking of overseas Chinese. First join forces with Japan to defeat Russia, then defeat Japan alone, and eventually monopolize the Northeast."

Li Jingfang said: "Even if overseas Chinese occupy the Northeast, what should we do? Could it be that they really become kings?"

Li Hongzhang sighed and said, "Overseas Chinese have long since been disobedient to the court, but they have just maintained it on the surface. If they really occupy the Northeast, they will definitely not seek such superficial maintenance and will inevitably become openly independent, let alone the court has given overseas Chinese such opportunities."

This sentence made Li Jingfang a little confused and said, "Why did the imperial court give overseas Chinese a chance?"

Li Hongzhang snorted and said, "Japan and Russia fought to compete for the northeast, but the court did nothing about it. If it were in the past, it would be fine. But now overseas Chinese have sent troops to the northeast to fight against Japan and Russia. How do you think of the people in the world? How do you think of overseas Chinese? Over the years, the court has repeatedly lost the land and paid compensation, and has long lost the hearts of others. The changes in the Gengzi country have caused even more virtue in the world. However, overseas Chinese have just arrived, but they are able to resist the Eight-Nation Alliance and protect China from perishing. If they can defeat Japan and Russia again, they will take back the East. In the north, the high reputation is enough to overwhelm the court. At that time, how could overseas Chinese maintain this superficial surrender and would become the main one? It is a force that the court has lost its morality. Moreover, they are good at arousing people and are survivors of the previous dynasty. They are not a citizen under the Qing Dynasty, nor are they treacherous for rebellion. As long as the banner of restoration of the Han dynasty is raised, are they still afraid that people will not be attached to each other? Moreover, overseas Chinese advocate land reform in Shandong. Although this move offends local tyrants, they can buy the hearts of the people of the world. Therefore, as long as overseas Chinese regain the power of the Northeast and raise the flag to raise their arms, everyone will gather."

After hearing this, Li Jingfang couldn't help but feel scared and sweated, even his voice trembled, saying, "Father, it's hard for overseas Chinese to act like this. Is it for future actions?"

Li Hongzhang nodded and said, "That's natural. It's a pity that no one in the court can see through the intentions of overseas Chinese."

Li Jingfang hesitated for a moment and said, "Why didn't my father remind the court?"

Li Hongzhang glanced at him again and said, "What's the use of reminding me? Does the court dare to send troops to the Northeast? You can't even see this level. Is it really in vain to have been with me for so many years?"

Li Jingfang couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. In fact, he knew very well that the current court did not have the courage to send troops to the Northeast. Even if Li Hongzhang reminded him, it was useless. On the contrary, he offended overseas Chinese.

At this time, Li Hongzhang said again: "So when overseas Chinese defeat Japan and Russia and recover the Northeast, it is the day when they are completely independent." As he said that, he sighed softly and said: "Da Qing can't be saved. At this age, I don't have a few days to live, but I want to leave a way out for you and the descendants of the Li family. Do you understand?"

Li Jingfang was also aware of it. Although he still had a certain degree of loyalty to the Qing court, he would not accompany the Qing court to bury him. On the contrary, he also had a good impression of overseas Chinese and was very respectful. Moreover, his official positions in the Qing court were all empty titles and did not have any actual tasks. Therefore, he had no psychological burden for transferring to overseas Chinese.

The next day, the military ministers entered the palace together to meet Cixi and Guangxu, which explained the attitude of overseas Chinese. After listening to the suggestions of overseas Chinese, Cixi couldn't help but show joy and decided to "do as it should" on the spot. Cixi now not only did not have the courage to start a war, but also did not want to be too troublesome. Even if she could live a safe day, Cixi was very clear that she was almost 70 years old and could live a few days. As long as she could survive a stable life until she closed her eyes, she would not care about the things behind her. Guangxu was still a little unwilling to accept it, but thinking about the combat effectiveness of the Qing army, she was not qualified to participate in this gambling game at all, so she finally didn't speak up.
Chapter completed!