Chapter 100 Embark on the road to Europe to purchase warships

Returning to his ship's government, Hu Chuyuan convened the people to discuss the itinerary.

He didn't dare to take two big things lightly, so he called Yan Shizhang, Zheng Xitai, Zhang Baixi and others over. After a night of discussion, several people decided to take Wu Dezhang and others, the shipping supervisor, to Europe to inspect the [***] ships.

In addition, Hu Chuyuan also sent a letter to Xu Jianyin in Europe in advance through Hua Weifang, asking him to pay attention to these things.

Next time, Hu Chuyuan invited all the officials and supervisors of the ship's government office to the manor hall, explained all the things to be handled later, and temporarily handed over the affairs in the government office to Zhang Baixi to be responsible for the transfer. All bureaus will do their own duties.

Ye Fu, Deng Shichang and Lu Han took the lead and met in Singapore, while Hu Chuyuan went to Hong Kong.

After waiting for a day, Hu Chuyuan rented a Taikoo ocean-going ship "Taichang" and set sail from Fuzhou to Hong Kong.

When the ship slowly passed the Luoxing Tower, Hu Chuyuan closed his eyes.

Fuzhou... He began to like this place. He knew that it would not be long before it would bloom enough to shock the whole world.

He did not stay in Hong Kong for a long time. After meeting with Zhang Lingpu and meeting Guo Daxian, the vice general of Liu Yongfu, in Hong Kong, he officially left for Singapore.

After two days of sea bumps, the Taichang arrived in Pukou, Singapore, and Ye Wenlan was also waiting for him here.

Ye Wenlan often goes to Nanyang. Singapore is always a must for him. There are many Chinese here, so he set up an Changchun Garden in the local area.

Changchun Garden is a manor composed of several Dutch villas, covering an area of about four mu. It is also a gathering place for local Chinese businessmen. The scenery is elegant and the architectural layout is also very reasonable. In this place where the four seasons are like spring and summer, a variety of colorful flowers bloom every month, and the trees are lush and green.

As soon as Hu Chuyuan and his party entered the Changchun Garden, Ye Fu and others, who had been waiting here for many days, greeted them. In addition to a few of them, there were several young sailors and a 30-year-old foreign officer in the crowd.

As soon as they met, as soon as they asked, Ye Fu introduced Hu Chuyuan one by one: "Your Excellency, this is Major Lang Weili of the British Imperial Navy. He is responsible for leading the team to drive five town-name gunboats back to the Qing Dynasty. This sailor takes care of Lord Lin Tai and Zeng Lin, and this is Lord Liu Bu toad... They also drive a gunboat each. , all the way back to the country, ups and downs, can be said to be hard work!"

Hearing this, Hu Chuyuan couldn't help but be overjoyed.

He smiled and said to Lin Tai, "Six adults have worked hard. The great cause of the court's coastal defense is waiting to be done. You will be very useful. If it is said, you will definitely be the admiral of the governor of the side. Hu is envious!"

Lin Taizeng and others hurriedly replied, "Thank you for your good words. This is for the country, and no matter how hard it is, it's worth it!"

Hu Chuyuan smiled and asked everyone to go into the house and talk about it again.

Ye Wenlan is the God of Wealth of Shen Baozhen and Fuzhou Ship Administration Yamen. However, Hu Chuyuan is also Ye Wenlan's God of Wealth. For Hu Chuyuan, Ye Wenlan is afraid of any negligence.

Before Hu Chuyuan arrived, he vacated the best villa in Changchun Garden and took care of it carefully. According to Hu Chuyuan's taste standards, he rented some antique calligraphy and paintings with other businessmen in Nanyang to decorate the room. However, he tried his best to match Hu Chuyuan's identity.

Sure enough, as soon as Hu Chuyuan entered the villa and manor left for him to live in, he nodded with satisfaction as soon as he raised his head and glanced his eyes.

His eyesight is much better than before, and he is also shrewd. At a glance, he knows that this place is a new one.

In a word, he led Ye Wenlan's heart.

Sitting down in a leather sofa imported from the West, Hu Chuyuan asked Hu Rong to take a few silver tickets, each of which was 3,000 yuan, to Lin Taizeng and others. As for Lang Weili, he also sent another 1,000 pounds of cash.

Get the money as soon as you enter the door. Everyone can't help but be a little stunned and dare not accept it.

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "Let's take it, everyone. This is my intention as a ship's government. The five gunboats of Zhenzihao can be safely transported to Fuzhou, which is of vital value to the coastal defense of our Qing Dynasty. Major Langweili and several adults have suffered a lot. As a ship administration, Mr. Hu is very grateful!"

After he finished speaking, Zhang Lingpu, who was standing next to him, immediately described it in English with Lang Weili.

Lang Weli has nothing to worry about. The amount of 1,000 pounds is not small. He immediately thanked him and generously collected the money. Seeing that he received the money, Lin Tai once pushed the boat and collected the money separately, but he couldn't help sighing in his heart: As Zhen and Ye Fu and Deng Shichang said, this master's ability to make money and sprinkle money is the first in the world.

As soon as we met, we each rewarded 3,000 yuan. This temperament is really amazing.

OK, as long as you collect the money.

Hu Chuyuan smiled in his heart, and then said with a smile, "When I came from Fuzhou this time, I especially talked with Lord He, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Zuo Zhongtang, the governor of Liangjiang, and also received instructions from the two adults. The meaning of Lord Zhongtang is very simple. Fujian sailors are more important than Yangtze River sailors. The most urgent thing is to set up Fujian sailors first. Since these gunboats are from the Liangjiang Yamen, Li Zhongtang is just handling them on behalf of them. Naturally, the ships are dispatched by the Liangjiang Yamen, so they will be integrated into the Fujian Marine Division. Therefore, after you return to China, you can drive the ship directly to Fuzhou, and you don't have to worry about other things.

"This...?" Lin Tai, who was really responsible for this matter, was a little embarrassed.

Hu Chuyuan's words are not wrong, but this arms transaction is indeed handled by Li Hongzhang. When he signed the contract, he made it clearly that Li Hongzhang was personally responsible for the inspection of the ship. After the acceptance, the balance will be paid to the United Kingdom.

Liu Bu toad said bluntly, "Your Excellency, I'm afraid it's very inappropriate. No matter who actually pays the funds, the contract was signed by Lord Li Zhongtang, the governor of Zhili, and he should inspect the goods!"

Hu Chuyuan looked gloomy, raised his eyebrows coldly and said, "This is not something you can manage. As long as you drive the ship to Fuzhou and people go ashore, the following things have nothing to do with you. No matter what happens, the two governors will come forward to discuss with the court.

Liu Bu toad said, "Your Excellency, we still want to sail the ship to Beiyang first, inspect the ship, pay the money, and then return to Fuzhou. Isn't it true that neither side is guilty? As soon as I return to China, I will offend Li Zhongtang. It's really inappropriate!"

Hu Chuyuan was a little dissatisfied, but he still explained to him: "To tell you the truth, these ships were originally ordered to the Nanyang sailors, and the money came from the two rivers. Now the Nanyang sailors are under the jurisdiction of the governor of Liangguang. It is doubtful who these ships belong to. What's more, Li Zhongtang has deliberately left five gunboats in the Beiyang Marine Division for appointment. In order to avoid unnecessary losses and to buy the Fujian Marine Division well, Zuo Zhongtang said bluntly that he would confront Li Zhongtang. The others hid behind and said nothing. You just need to park the gunboat in Fuzhou Port.

"This...?" Liu Bu toad is still very upset.

On the other side, Lin Taizeng, Ye Zukui and Lin Yongsheng did not speak or make a statement.

Hu Chuyuan can see that these three people have agreed.

After all, they are little people who have no real power. They hide under the big tree to enjoy the cool and drive directly into Fuzhou Port. The ship is handed over to the ship administration, which has little to do with them. At most, Li Hongzhang feels that several of them have no intention to work in Beiyang.

If you have to drive the ship to Li Hongzhang, it will completely offend people. Not to mention that Hu Chuyuan is not easy to offend, He Jing, governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Zuo Zongtang, a scholar of Tirenge University, can't offend.

In fact, Li Hongzhang has been digging people for a long time. These people are still in Europe. He sent a message through Li Fengbo, the envoy to Europe, to transfer them to the Beiyang Marine Division for reuse.

Lang Weli didn't know what they were arguing about, so he asked Zhang Lingpu.

Hu Chuyuan negotiated directly with Lang Weili in English and told Lang Weili that his task was completed when the ship arrived at Fuzhou Port. If the ship needs to continue to go north, the Fujian naval division will send another general who is familiar with the coastal waterway to lead the management of the Zhenzhong gunboat.

Lang Weli is a major in the British Navy. He is responsible for leading these gunboats to China's political axes for signature. So, he doesn't care whether it is signed by the Fuzhou Ship Administration or the Beiyang Marine Division Yamen.

But he cares about whether the balance of the British political axe can be returned on time.

Hu Chuyuan replied affirmatively, "We will pay the balance directly in Fuzhou. You don't have to worry."

Lang Weli said, "Then there is no problem."

This amount has been given to Li Hongzhang, with a total of 700,000 taels of silver, an average of 140,000 taels per unit, and the balance of 300,000 taels has not been paid.

Zuo Zongtang's meaning is very simple. 300,000 taels of silver are paid directly by the ship's government government, and then slowly ask Li Hongzhang for it. If Li Hongzhang doesn't give it, he will scold one by one a day until Li Hongzhang gives the money.

It's been a hundred, and I won't give Li Hongzhang a chance to fish for people from it.

The preparation of the Beiyang Marine Division is Li Hongzhang's Shangfang Baojian. If he detained the people and ships in the Beiyang Marine Division, Zuo Zongtang would have no choice at all.

Everyone else agreed, but Liu Bu toad disagreed.

Hu Chuyuan also saw that Liu Bu toad was desperate to go to the Beiyang Marine Division to work.

Silently, Hu Chuyuan also thought about it in his heart... Liu Bu toad is a really smart person. Beiyang sailors are the first sailors that the court really want to build. They must be the most valued by the Qing government, and also by Li Hongzhang and the Huai Group.

Li Hongzhang has no one in his hand.

Fujian is full of talents, one more than one more, one less more.

For all this, Liu Bu toad expected that once he went to Beiyang, he would be heavily used by Li Hongzhang.

Hu Chuyuan thought a little and said to Liu Bu toad, "Liu Guan is so responsible for the affairs of the imperial court, and Hu admires him very much. There is no need to discuss this matter any more. I don't have the courage to be the enemy of Zuo Zhongtang and Governor He. If you have the courage, you can drive a boat to Beiyang Marine Division by yourself... Let's take a look at it then?"

"This...?" Liu Bu toad hesitated for a moment and gave him a bear-hearted leopard gall, but he did not dare to do so.

He is just a small tube belt. How dare he offend Zuo Zongtang and He Jing?

Therefore, he still wants to attract several other people to join Li Hongzhang.