Chapter 178 The General of dismissal

Shanghai Bund, known as Bund in English, refers to Binjiang Avenue from Yan'an East Road to Waibaidu Bridge. In the building group spread along the Huangpu River, there is a four-story building in English style. It is also a decent and stylish Western building on the Bund. No. 9 on the Bund, this is the office building of the Steamship Merchants Bureau. In the past, it was originally the building of Qichangyanghang, which was bought by the Merchants Bureau three years ago.

At the beginning of the construction, the clear water red brick red building was specially bought from the United Kingdom, which is also a unique red in the all-country architectural complex. In the garden of the China Merchants Ship Bureau under the starry night, a Chinese in casual clothes sighed there, and his face was full of sadness.

A month ago, all newspapers in Shanghai published photos of him and a warship, the "Haitian" cruiser, the largest ship in the Qing Dynasty.

"Time! Luck too!"

Champion Liu sighed and couldn't help looking at the building with searchlights on the other side of the river, which illuminated the majestic shape, but he was not in the mood to appreciate the "highest building in the universe".

A month ago, Liu Guanxiong was ordered to lead the "Haitian" ship from Yantai and rushed to Jiangyin to load arms in order to be "neutral" in the west of Liaoning. The next day, the warship encountered heavy fog at sea. At night, the fog is getting thicker and thicker, and the visibility at sea is very low. In this case, the warship should slow down.

But he thinks that the task is urgent and time cannot be put aside. He believes that with his many years of experience in sailing at sea, he can fully cope with such bad weather. Therefore, he did not issue the order to slow down, but commanded the warship to continue through the fog at the original speed. However, he never thought that he had made a fatal mistake at this time. His overconfidence led to a rare disaster, and he also paid a heavy price for it.

When the ship arrived near Wusongkou, it accidentally touched Dingxing Island to avoid the civilian ship and unfortunately sank. The "Haitian" and "Haiqi" ships were the two largest warships of the Qing Dynasty after the Sino-Japanese War. The damage of the Haitian ship was a major loss to the navy, causing a shock to the government and the opposition.

Liu Guanxiong is very clear about this point. As a tube belt, he will destroy the giant ship and cut it according to the law. Although some military and political friends ran for him in many ways, he knew that his sins could not be forgiven and he would inevitably die. Therefore, he was finally shrouded in fear, almost broke down, and even thought of suicide. In the end, with the help of his friends, he was spared from death and was only dismissed. He also assisted Sa Zhenbing to organize the salvage work and made contributions.

"dispone of his job..."

Liu Guan's ambition was calm, and the navy carried his dream. After thinking of the "Haitian" crash, when Sa Zhenbing rushed to Shanghai, he slapped him in the face. Although the slap in the face was hated by him, what he hated more was himself. It was his self-confidence that hit Haitian.

"It's okay, the warship has been salvaged!"

Fortunately, looking at the building of Huaxing Shipping Company on the other side of the river, Liu Guanxiong was a little grateful.

After the warship hit the reef that day, although it was busy to take measures to rescue, it was too late and everything was useless. In the morning, there was another northwest wind on the sea. The turbulent waves violently hit the injured warship, causing the hull to constantly rub and collide with the reef. The injury of the warship became more and more serious, and the stern of the ship gradually sank into the water. Acting Beiyang Navy commander Sazhen Bingxing rushed to the scene of the accident at night.

After Sa Zhenbing arrived, in addition to investigating the cause of the accident, the rescue work was immediately launched. Most of the rescued officers and soldiers on the Haitian ship were sent ashore by the ship of the China Merchants Bureau, leaving 60 people, who were responsible for guarding the warship and dismantling the artillery.

At the same time, Sa Zhenbing asked Shanghai Yesongyang Factory for help. The factory uses a water pump to drain, hoping to reduce the weight of the warship and make it float. Helplessly, the sea water is pumped and poured, which has no effect. At this time, Huaxing Shipping Company took the initiative to salvage the Haitian.

Although Huaxing is only in the salvage industry, the two salvage ships also bought old ships from the United Kingdom and the United States. Fortunately, the "Haitian" was able to rest on the reef and come out of the water with the Dingxing Island with the four anchors, and the two salvage ships of Huaxing Company, "Ao Guang" and "Ao Shun" arrived with the help of Liu Guanxiong and others. Next, first remove the turrets, shells, equipment, cabin accessories and other objects of the sunken ships, send divers to plug the underwater loopholes, remove the silt around the ship and the mud and sand in the ship, and then straighten out of the water, and then arrive at the Yangtze River Shipyard in Ma'anshan on May 22 under the lead of the tugboat.

"Fortunately, the ship is fine!"

With a fluke of luck, there was an air flute on the Huangpu River. He instinctively turned his head and saw that it was an outer [***] ship. Liu Guanxiong's eyebrows frowned.

What does dismissal mean? It means that he has never had a chance to rebel against the navy again. Although Yuan Shikai saved his life, he returned to the navy... Liu Guanxiong understood that the navy had no place to stand after the "Haitian Ship" hit the reef.

"Drop it under Lord Yuan's door!"

Liu Guanxiong was very grateful for Lord Yuan's life-saving kindness, but... He closed his eyes and returned to the scene on the Yellow Sea on August 18th, ten years ago. On the sea, which had been completely shrouded in darkness, he could clearly see the fire from the burning "Yangwei" ship in the distance.

Thinking of the Japanese naval flag humiliatingly in the remaining "Zhenyuan" and other "Zhenyuan" on Liu Songdao nine years ago, I saw their former partners and friends "Kangji" slowly sail away from Liugong Island, and the "Jingyuan" sunk by the military torpedo boat.

Thinking of all that, the hand holding the table with force, the joints are prominent, and the face is full of grief and indignation. The navy... I can't... never have a chance again!

This kind of despair is even greater than the self-reproach and panic after the Haitian hit the reef.

"Liu Guandai!"

A sudden shout made Liu Guanxiong, who was desperate, come to his senses. He looked up and saw an acquaintance who came. Cao Shiqi, the manager of Huaxing Shipping Company, met because Haitian hit the reef. How could he attract investment?

It is well known in Shanghai that Huaxing Shipping Company is the biggest competitor for attracting investment. There is no communication between the two. How can they come here today? Is it... According to the advertisement of Huaxing Shipping Company recruiting Chinese captains, Liu Guanxiong vaguely guessed the other party's intention.

"Guan Xiong has long been dismissed, how can he still be in charge!"

He shook his head and sighed, and a bitter smile appeared on Liu Guanxiong's face.

"In Yu Shiqi's opinion, although Ziying has left her job, she is still in charge!"

Sitting in front of Liu Guanxiong, Cao Shiqi smiled, took out a pack of cigarettes and handed him one.

And Liu Guanxiong shook his hand and pushed away the cigarette.

"Guanxiong is not smoke-free!"

Cao Shiqi smiled and ordered one herself.

"I thought that Zi Ying should be interested in this at this time. It can be seen that Zi Yingyi is a real soldier of my navy."

He flattered Liu Guanxiong lightly. Cao Shiqi smiled. Today, the chairman specially received him, and it was also from the chairman that he knew some secrets, so he came to the China Merchants Bureau with white eyes.

"Real soldier?"

Liu Guanxiong smiled at this title, but the bitterness on his face showed.

"Yingheng, now there is only one Caomin Liu Guanxiong, and there is no Liu Guanxiong of the navy. Please ask Ying Hengmo to mention this naval soldier again!"

"Oh!"

Cao Shiqi looked surprised. Looking at Liu Guanxiong's bitter face, she knew that he was just a word.

"A few days ago, when the "Haitian" was being repaired at the Yangtze River Shipyard, the boatman unexpectedly got a book shaft!"

Looking up gently, Liu Guanxiong noticed that Cao Shiqi was holding a circle shaft in her hand, and the oak shaft on the circle seemed to be a little familiar.

Could it be... Picking up the shaft, Cao Shiqi gently supported it with her hand.

"Originally, I thought that this book axis was the favorite thing of the "Jingyuan" help of the first mate..."

Cao Shiqi sighed and looked at the scroll in her hand and shook her head. Liu Guanxiong's eyes, which were originally full of bitterness, showed a strange look. His eyes stared at the scroll. He opened his mouth but failed to make a sound. The bitterness in his throat and the annoyance in his heart aggravated a little.

Spread out the scroll, and the four big words written on the page were reflected in Liu Guanxiong's eyes. Liu Guanxiong, who was stabbed by the four big words of the dim street lamp, was about to turn his head to avoid it.

"Snow Jiawu Shame!"

Cao Shiqi read the four words on the scroll in a heavy tone.

"In the 21st year of Guangxu, the seventeenth year of the first lunar month, Yang Yulin"

After reading these words, Cao Shiqi looked up at Liu Guanxiong, whose expression was extremely complicated, sometimes sad and angry, sometimes helpless, and sometimes regretful.

"Yang Youlin, if Shiqi remembers it well, it should be that during the Battle of Dadonggou, it should suddenly turn the rudder of "Zhenyuan" and block it before "Dingyuan" and launch an attack on the Japanese ship, so that "Dingyuan" can immediately put out the fire and calmly respond to the enemy. At that time, the Western naval personnel who "watched the battle" in the nearby waters praised, "It's so popular, but it's far away!" The "Zhenyuan" ship agent takes Yang Youlin with you! Liu Guanxiong nodded, as if recalling the scenes of the five-hour naval battle in Donggou in August [[***] ten years ago, silently recalling everything that happened that day.

"On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, Yang Guan recited the desperate poem "No one has died in life since ancient times, leaving Dan's heart to shine on the sweat" in the cabin of Zhenyuan, and then shot himself from his mouth with a pistol."

Looking at the blood stains soaked by the sea on the scroll, Liu Guanxiong said.

"In the twenty-first year of Guangxu, the seventeenth of the first lunar month, this should be Yang Guan's masterpiece!"

Cao Shiqi asked a question and looked at the little dark red on the scroll. It seemed that Yang Yonglin swallowed the scene of himself after writing the scroll, chanting "Who has not died in life since ancient times, leaving Dan's heart to shine on the sweat".

"The defeat of Beiyang is by no means that the officers and soldiers have never used their lives! Beiyang soldiers did not forget to use their lives in war, but the ship was old..."

Liu Guanxiong only said half of his words, then closed his eyes and stopped talking. No matter what the reason was, he was defeated!

"There are so many rumors in the world. A lie repeated a thousand times is the truth!"

Quoting what the chairman said to herself this morning, Cao Shiqi's eyes even turned slightly red when she saw Liu Guanxiong's surprised face.

"Ziying, this is what the chairman of my family said when he mentioned Beiyang!"

"Oh?"

Liu Guanxiong was surprised to have a good impression on the first tycoon of the Qing Dynasty he had never met.

"Today, Shiqi is here, is..."

Cao Shiqi rolled up the scroll in her hand and sighed.

"Originally, Shiqi wanted to return this book soaked in Yang Guan's blood and the wish of the old Beiyang officers and soldiers, but..."

This only shocked Liu Guanxiong and opened his eyes at the same time.

"This book is a private thing hanging in the captain's room. Please..."

"I'm sorry!"

Cao Shiqi stood up and took the scroll to apologize.

"This thing is by no means a person's private thing. It is Yang Guan who dyed it with blood and made a wish. It should be held by the person who has this wish!"

"How do you know that I don't have such a wish!"

Cao Shiqi, who was glared at him, Liu Guanxiong shouted and stared at him with red eyes. He was looking for it in his heart that if he didn't return it to himself, he would grab it. This scroll is his favorite thing. The book is a blood-stained pen of Yang Guan. The scroll is made of the "Jingyuan" rudder. How can Cao Shiqi's businessman take it away?

"Mr. Liu!"

Cao Shiqi shook her head, ignored the cruelty in Liu Guanxiong's eyes, and even changed the title.

"You are no longer a navy, how can you fulfill Yang Guan's wish!"

"I will definitely fulfill Yang Guan's wish!"

Liu Guanxiong stared angrily, making a posture to grab the scroll back.

"How to round! You are no longer a naval officer, and the loyal court does not have the ambition to prepare the sea and build a large sailor. How can you fulfill this wish!"

Cao Shiqi sneered and stared at Liu Guanxiong in front of her.

"This owner who saves a small amount of money and spends a lot of money, in order to save money, does not allow the navy to update weapons and ammunition. After the defeat of the war, the loss of compensation is a hundred thousand times the amount of military expenses! If after the defeat of the First Sino-Japanese War, it costs hundreds of millions of taels to buy a ship to reorganize the navy, how can there be the disaster of Gengzi? My Mr. Liu, like this..."

sneered, shook her head and sighed. Cao Shiqi ignored the surprise and helplessness in Liu Guanxiong's face.

"I don't know, even if you have the opportunity to re-enter the navy, you won't be able to fulfill Yang Guan's last wish in that year!"

But Liu Guanxiong was full of helplessness at this time. He smiled bitterly and then waved his hand feebly.

"All right, you take it! May he say, "You can find someone who can fulfill Yang Guan's last wish!"

How can he control the imperial court like that? After the construction of Beiyang, poverty is inexplicable. Nowadays, Beiyang is not as good as Beiyang in those years. What can he do? That's it, that's it!

"Hum!"

With a cold snort, Cao Shiqi shook her head again.

"Sure enough, as others have said, things in China are bad. Everyone thinks that if others can do it anyway, why do they need to do it! No wonder 100 million Han people let Manchu people enter the customs. No wonder..."

"Who said I didn't want to!"

Looking at him angrily, Liu Guanxiong, who suddenly stood up, roared, which only swung in the garden of the China Merchants Bureau.

"I think about it at night, but in the morning... But that group of things don't want to, what can I do, I... I'm just a tube belt!"

Liu Guanxiong was so ashamed that he didn't notice what he meant in Cao Shiqi's words. Finally, he sat down sadly and helplessly, but slapped the stone table hard.

"I think, I think all day long, what can I do, they don't want to..."

When he said this sentence, tears welled up in Liu Guanxiong's eyes. The tears were grief and indignation, grievance, helplessness, and... The taste was in his heart. How could he repay the debt he owed to the Chinese navy?

"If it goes on like this, with the prosperity of the development of the navy, I'm afraid there will never be a day when I will repay the debt!"

Cao Shiqi's words only made Liu Guanxiong nod. The unparalleled despair has been bothering him for the past ten years. When "Haitian" and "Haiqi" came back, he thought that there would be another day, but in the end, the cruel reality only aggravated his despair.

"What about Guan Xiong?"

Closing his eyes, Liu Guanxiong shook his head and sighed.

"The court doesn't want to reorganize the sailors. What can Guan Xiong do? Now even this sailor can't stay, I..."

He sighed again when he couldn't go on.

But Cao Shiqi sat down and stared at Liu Guanxiong, who was helpless.

"You're here to find the captain!"

Feeling that the other party was staring at him, Liu Guanxiong said softly without raising his eyes.

" OK, the navy of the imperial court is not prosperous. I hope your Huaxing merchant ship can be prosperous! Don't say anything, I'll go! I'll be your star as a captain!"

When saying this sentence, Liu Guanxiong was completely desperate, for the sailor and the four-word wish.

"To be the captain?"

Cao Shiqi shook her head with a smile.

"Now Huaxing Company's sea ship school has been completed and accelerated. Hundreds of senior crew members can be released in three years, and thousands of captains can be served in ten years, and Brother Ziying..."

With that, Cao Shiqi pushed the scroll in front of him.

"This..."

Liu Guanxiong looked at the scroll on the stone table in surprise. Why did he return it to himself?

"With Ziying's talent, being a captain of a merchant ship is very consigning. In Shiqi's opinion, Ziying should lead the warship to gallop above the ocean and promote the national prestige of China. He said that he would fulfill the wish of these four words!"

"Is there any other chance?"

Liu Guanxiong, who was stimulated by Cao Shiqi's words, shook his head bitterly. In the past, he deceived himself with his dreams, but today he was awakened by Cao Shiqi. His dream should have woken up long ago.

"Yu Qing court!"

Cao Shiqi stared at Liu Guanxiong and shook her head.

"There is absolutely no possibility! Have you bought any warships in the past few years? There is no plan to expand the navy!"

Liu Guanxiong was just silent. At this time, he had heard the meaning of not minister in Cao Shiqi's words, but he did not show any emotions.

"What if it's a political axe?"

Looking at Liu Guanxiong seriously, Cao Shiqi asked back.

"The new policy of the new dynasty will reorganize its armaments!"

His eyes were raised, but some light appeared in his desperate eyes. Liu Guanxiong stared at Cao Shiqi. The man in front of him was not the manager of a shipping company.

"You are a mess!"

"I'm a Han man!"

One question and one answer, the two looked at each other, Cao Shiqi smiled, and Liu Guanxiong looked at each other.

"Aren't you afraid that I will be in the government?"

"I'm afraid you will forget the blood in your body and the wish in your heart!"

Another silence, this silence was longer than before. After about ten seconds, Liu Guanxiong broke the silence.

"Do you know that I am very favored by the court!"

"All I know is that you have yellow blood!"

The two people in the garden looked at each other like this. At this time, the atmosphere seemed a little strange. Liu Guanxiong stared at Cao Shiqi with a serious expression and wanted to find some fear from his face, but unexpectedly found that there was only one calmness on the other party's face. This calmness made Liu Guanxiong speechless for a moment.

(to be continued)