Chapter 277 Dialogue

The stone boat workshop on the lake is drizzling, which makes Nanjing look even more cool on this late autumn afternoon, accompanied by the sound of Zhejiang when the light rain hits the lake.

The stones in front of the two people are placed with two red fish fine magnetic tea cups, a purple sand teapot, and two dishes of exquisite snacks.

At this time, the two of them have no difference between top and bottom. Guan Mingtang sits on several sides and smokes, while Chen Moran is an vassal and elegant play with the tea set and tea. Perhaps the biggest advantage in this era is that he can learn anything he is interested in. In fact, Chen Moran has always been good. They all hope to drive changes in clothing, habits and etiquette in this country through the interests of themselves and their families.

Just like Ji Li's British habit of afternoon tea brought into China and is now popular in Nanjing's women's circle, those idle couples in Nanjing use their leisure time in the afternoon to talk about other people's private lives excitedly and jealously in the garden of the ruling axe, in the shade of tea fragrance, and For them, the most important thing is to make friends with the ruling lady.

Although the afternoon tea slowly emerging in the upper class of Nanjing imitates European etiquette, it adds many Chinese etiquette drawn from ancient books. This afternoon tea is different from the leisure of Europeans, but it is dignified and elegant. It is also a way to promote Chinese etiquette. No matter what the purpose is, Chinese etiquette follows Many imperceptible activities have been promoted in Nanjing and spread to the whole country.

At this time, Chen Moran personally prepared afternoon tea for his guests. Although Guan Mingtang was not a guest, this behavior made every official and businessman who had enjoyed this treatment feel flattered.

"Yesterday, after you and I talked, I thought about it all night, and I've been thinking about your suggestion!"

After personally pouring a cup of tea for Guan Mingtang, Chen Moran said while tasting the fragrance of Longjing.

Yesterday, Guan Mingtang's "no matter what reason or excuse is used, regardless of how big the sacrifice is, find a reason, find a excuse, find a suitable power, and fight a fierce battle" at the same time surprised Chen Moran, but after being surprised, it was a sleepless thought.

Yes, if you want to win a war, you need to fight a battle on the battlefield. The status of a country can only be obtained by relying on war, and only war can this country win the respect of the international community, relying on the victory of a war in exchange for a change in the world's view of this country. .

If we can defeat a great power on the battlefield, the change of image can allow China to obtain favorable conditions in the bond market. Similarly, it can be accelerated by abolishing the contract and changing the new contract. No matter how you look at it, it is worth fighting for the dignity of the country and the fate of the future. What is the problem that needs to be considered?

"However, you must know that we don't have the ability to carry out a foreign war at all, and we don't have a suitable opponent. It is a water dog to join hands with me to fight against Russia. This can't be exchanged for a change in status. We join hands with the Russians to win. In the eyes of Europe and the United States, it is a matter of course. No matter what, It's just a follower behind the two countries!"

The reason why Guan Mingtang was invited from the Ministry of Finance to the ruling axe, not in the office or in the study, but in the stone workshop when he first entered the governor's mansion, he personally prepared afternoon tea for him, which was nothing more than asking for advice.

"Yes! What people despise most is the hench who picks up bones to eat!"

Guan Mingtang used a more unpleasant word to say that this follower could not be.

"The achievements of the dog leg are rewarded by the master. No one will care how much the dog leg has paid. What people see is only the achievements of the master. The dog legs can't be!"

Savoring the fragrance of Longjing before the rain, Chen Moran pondered for a while and spit out a sentence.

"Zheqin, how about playing Qingdao?"

It is said that the mixed water of the Russian war must not go. You can pick up bones, but you must not let the dog leg.

After a moment of meditation, Guan Mingtang shook his head.

"Germany has the most modern army in Europe, and the strength of the German navy is far better than that of China. If we fight a war on the grounds of Qingdao, in addition to the experience of the labor expedition for Germany, it may also cause a rebound of the great powers. Weihaiwei, Hong Kong and Kowloon may become the reasons for the next war, which cannot be ruled out. The possible surname of the British intervention is not worth the loss!"

"What if you are looking for an excuse in the southwest to march into the Central South Peninsula?"

"The meaning of governing means to praise the Frenchman?"

"In a war, sometimes you can choose a soft persimmon to fight fiercely. The French have limited will to fight. We can defeat them once 20 years ago, and now we can defeat them again!"

Chen Moran waved his hand as if he wanted to drive something away.

"Just like last time, kill them on land and force the French political axe to make peace with us with failure!"

"Same as last time,"

Guan Mingtang suddenly interrupted the words of the government.

"It's the same as we win on land and then lose on the sea, right?"

His rhetorical question stunned Chen Moran. Indeed, the "green water naval strategy" proposed by Admiral Aube of France, known as an idiot, is irreparable for the harm to the French navy. The pile of old battleships of the French navy is simply a weightless force on the high seas, but it is also for other powers. For China, this is still a strong opponent, even impossible to defeat.

"Although Mingtang is not a soldier, from General Xiao's repeated telegrams asking for the repair of the railway, at least one thing can be sure that war is logistics. I think it should be more difficult to support logistics in the southwest than the northwest. Both are the same. Even bullets need to be transported from thousands of kilometers away, bad traffic. The general conditions make us have to rely on the sea route. If the sea route is cut off, the consequences will be unimaginable at that time.

The low international status has always been Chen Moran's heart disease. Because of this, he became a little impatient. He had to think carefully and analyze and compare, but he couldn't control himself and blurted out at once.

"Okay! I agree to find a suitable power to fight, but Germany can't, and France's soft persimmon is still not good. Then Zheqin, tell me who are we going to fight? Are we going to fight Myanmar from Yunnan, Hong Kong from Guangdong, and Britain? Or cross the sea to fight the Philippines and fight with the Americans.

When he said this, Chen Moran only felt powerless. If he came in the 19th century, or even at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, at least it would be China to challenge Russia now, not the Japanese, which cost nearly 1.9 billion yuan. He borrowed 1.8 billion yuan of foreign debt, but he got the status of a big country that can't be bought with money.

From a sheep to a jackal that can bite its prey, the status of a great power has made Japan an equal partner in the Western world, which is exactly what is necessary for the development of a country. If his country has never looked at you, he will talk about equal negotiations and the introduction of technology and funds.

Guan Mingtang looked at the somewhat depressed government knowingly. As the finance minister, he knew that he should not have made this proposal, but he knew what the country needed.

"Our country needs a victorious foreign war to improve national pride, enhance national cohesion, and gain full trust in the political axe. Externally, improve the status of the country in exchange for the power of fair treatment! There is no choice but to fight!"

Yes! There is no other choice. What about the enemy you can choose?

"Region!"

Put down the teacup in his hand, and Guan Mingtang looked directly at the ruler in front of him.

"Actually, we have been floping our own strength!"

"Let's take a look at the Japanese capital to challenge Russia. This year's Japanese tax revenue will exceed 30,000 yuan. This year's pig iron production and steel production will exceed or close to 60,000 tons per year. The machine horsepower of the army and navy factory is 19843 horsepower, 53,593 employees, and the manufacturing capital is 79.71 million yuan. Yuan, the tonnage of merchant ships is close to 700,000 tons, which challenges Russia nearly nine months later. Last year, their strength was far from here, but they dared to challenge Russia, which is far more powerful than their own. Although Russia is big and weak, and it is small and strong, the determination of gambling on national fortune is obvious.

While Guan Mingtang was speaking, Chen Moran sat on the stone bench, holding his chin with his fingers crossed, and his eyebrows frowned from time to time. It was said that the Russian War was indeed a gamble based on the fate of the country. He took the national fortune to the casino twice. In the end, they won, and even won very beautifully.

"And what about us? This year, our tax revenue will exceed 50,000 yuan. In Ma'anshan factory alone, the steel output is more than 1.15 million tons, and the manufacturing capital in Pudong, Shanghai is more than 50 million yuan. The total investment of guns and cannons in Jinling Arsenal is expanding is more than 30 million yuan, and the expansion of Hanyang Arsenal has also invested more than 20 million yuan. Only these two The factory now produces 500 guns, 2.5 million bullets, six mountain cannons, 10,000 shells, 20 mortars and 20,000 shells per day. Huainan Chemical Company can produce 27.5 tons of smokeless propellant and bitter acid explosives every day. When it comes to military production capacity, China is far more than the current. In the past eight months, The weapons and ammunition provided by Ma'anshan, Jinling, Jiangnan, Hanyang and Pudong private factories to the restoration army far exceeded the total amount of ammunition consumed by the targets of Russia! From the perspective of maritime transportation, during the establishment of the oil company, she bought 36 cargo ships with the support of the British government axe, with a load of tons ranging from 5,000 tons to 10,000 tons. Most of these cargo ships were later entered Huaxing Company. Huaxing Company and the General Shipping Bureau have 190 cargo ships with a load tonnage of 501,400 tons, compared with the original 13 More than 00 cargo ships, or our merchant ships are relatively small, but most of them are large and medium-sized merchant ships suitable for long voyages! To a certain extent, our strength is far better than theirs!"

Gang Mingtang smiled again and looked up at the lake hit by the rain outside. The ripples of the rain may mean his mood at this time.

"We can gamble, and we can also gamble!"

"Yes, I know our power. Tianma Automobile Company alone has more than 5,000 machines. In the past two years, we have imported more than 45,000 machines and built 7,000 machines, and most of them are new machines with their own motors, and we have also imported two or nine for the Jiangnan Naval Manufacturing Bureau. The new multi-million dollar machine, including a 10,000-ton hydraulic press, of course, will not arrive until next year,"

Chen Moran said while thinking while placing refreshments on the table.

"If in two years, we can make a big gamble, but now..."

Shaling a cigarette, he took a look at Guan Mingtang. Previously, he used the navy to refute himself against Zhongnan. Why did he have any good suggestions?

"Our navy... There are 300,000 tons of warships guarding the sea, but what about us? Two towns and five seas are almost all of our naval power! This... Almost all our factories are located along the Yangtze River. Without naval arch guards, we may be able to gain an advantage in land warfare..."

"When in the Franco-Prussian War, the French navy was far stronger than the Prussian navy, but it did not play any role during the whole war. Why?"

Chen Moran, who didn't speak, immediately smoked a cigar and immediately spit out a little sweet smoke.

"Sometimes proper diplomatic strategy is no less than having a fleet!"

"Tay what you think!"

"In power, twelve days ago, on October 15, the Second Pacific Fleet, adapted from the Baltic Fleet, set out from Lbaba and headed for Asia!"

He swallowed his saliva, but Guan Mingtang, whose throat was a little dry, still coughed. Chen Moran pushed a cup of tea in front of him.

"Thank you!"

After drinking tea and moistening his throat, Guan Mingtang looked at the ruler who listened to his speech.

"Almost all of Russia believes that this is the dispatch of the Second Fleet to die, even Prince Mikhail and Prince Constantine. Yesterday, the Japanese navy returned to the port, but they did not, but seized the time to dock for repairs. It was necessary to seize the half year before the arrival of the Russian fleet. In the meantime, he devoted all his efforts to repair and maintain the warships, and now the task of blocking the port is undertaken by the mine warships and torpedo boats alone!"

Gang Mingtang loosened the wind buckle of his new collar.

"Governing power, this war, whether it is against Japan or Russia, is fighting with the fate of the country. Before the two decide the victory or defeat, it is impossible for the two to stop. Before they don't get everything they want, for the two countries, they have no possibility of making peace at all, but as the situation becomes more and more favorable to Japan, but In other words, once Lushun is conquered, then Britain, the United States and France must carry out international mediation in Russia to prevent Russia from losing its old capital!"

"So what do you mean?"

Chen Moran, who had more or less guessed what Guan Mingtang was thinking, sat up from the stone bench and looked at the lake in the autumn rain.

"Zheqin, you know, if... I mean, if, this is really a bet on the national fortune!"

"The risk is huge! The reward is generous! It depends on whether the government is willing to put China on the gambling table!"

Guan Mingtang suddenly stopped talking, and he stared at the back of the ruling government.

"However, we want to build the country immediately! Whether it is an empire or a republic, it must be established before making a decision! This will be a salute for this new country to celebrate its rebirth!"

"There are many times when I don't want to take risks!"

Chen Moran himself didn't expect to say this. Is he really unwilling to take risks? Looking up at the gloomy sky, he sighed.

"But sometimes, we have to take a risk! The second cavalry division is about to arrive in Cullen! I should go to the staff department to ask!"

(to be continued)