I can't die

The main force of this expedition was three warships led by Liu Xiang and Zhang Zhidong, while Li Hongzhang, as the commander-in-chief, was based in Shanghai and was mainly responsible for backup work and negotiations with the British envoys.It stands to reason that communication with foreigners should be under the supervision of the Prime Minister's State Affairs Office, but now that Prince Gong is being suppressed continuously, and Zhao Liewen has put some eye drops, Zai Chun and Cixi Ci'an decided to take this job It would be better to leave it to Li Hongzhang.

Let's say that Zhao Liewen was tricked by Prince Gong when he was negotiating with Bacharley before. He is young and has a quick temper, and he is not a master who can hold back his anger. Telling An Dehai, if An Dehai knows it, it means Cixi knows it too. Zhao Liewen is also smart, knowing that Cixi doesn't like Prince Gong, so he just handed over a handle, and Cixi issued another order of reprimand. The prince was half dead with anger.

Up to now, Rongshou still didn't care that he was married, he often went to his mother's house to comfort his parents, and he even slack off the errands at the sticky pole.

Let's talk about Li Hongzhang's side, he just read the recent records of food supply to the front line, and he feels it's a pity in his heart.He also didn't expect that since the army arrived in the Ryukyu country, there would be no need for food supplies from the rear. He heard that Liu Xiang, Zhang Zhidong and others were eating, drinking and having fun on the main island of Ryukyu, and they had pulled out a layer of Ryukyu country's skin.If we knew this earlier, why bother to form an alliance with the British, wouldn't it be great to occupy Ryukyu by ourselves?

However, there was no turning back when the project started. Even if it agreed to carve up Ryukyu with Britain, it could only follow the agreed form.When Pashaley learned that Li Hongzhang was now in charge of the Ryukyu, he simply took a boat from the capital to Shanghai.It should be said that Bacharley came here this time to discuss the Ryukyu affairs with Li Hongzhang; secondly, it was also for the selection of directors of the Shanghai New Concession.

Brand, the former chairman of the British Concession in Shanghai, was deposed by the British Parliament and returned to China because he was cheated by Li Hongzhang and the French in the Green Gang.Now the position of chairman of the Shanghai Concession is still vacant. As the highest political official in China, Pacharley wanted to recommend He Bo, the admiral of the navy stationed in China, but he never expected that He would immediately write to the parliament as soon as he heard the news. , Said that he had no time to train the army, and it was really embarrassing, so he recommended the admiral of the army stationed in China, Shidi Foli.

Originally, Pachari recommended Uncle He with the intention of bringing the estuary of the Yangtze River back under control with Uncle He's naval power, but seeing that Uncle He was unwilling, he couldn't do it, so he had to ask the army admiral Shidi Foli again.But I didn't expect that the army admiral Di Fuli's complexion changed drastically when he heard the words, and he quickly shied away, and even gave such rogue excuses as "busy with the foreign gun team for territory". Parents and children had to come to Shanghai to see what happened.

In fact, the reluctance of He Bo and Shidi Fuli to accept the British Concession is also very clear in the hearts of discerning people in Shanghai.Why else?Wasn't it because the mess that Brand left before he took it away was so big that no one wanted to clean it up.

Brand got a bribe from Li Hongzhang, made a lot of money and left, leaving an empty British Concession.Many capable skilled workers from British companies in the British Concession were poached because of the power-money deal between Brand and Li Hongzhang. Today’s British companies in Shanghai are all skin and bones, empty in appearance, without reality, and naturally The output is gradually declining, and the tax revenue is also declining. Coupled with the fact that the Green Gang rampages on the Bund River from time to time, the British Concession today is no longer what it used to be.

When Pacharley came to Shanghai, the first thing he did was to go to Admiral He Bo of the Navy and Admiral Shidi Foley, the two of them met Pacharley. Due to the situation, he had no choice but to secretly ask Pachari to go to Li Hongzhang.Bacharley heard what the two of them meant, and couldn't help but frowned. At that moment, he became curious about Li Hongzhang, who they said had cheated Brand, so a day later, Pacharley went to the governor of Liangjiang in Shanghai. The branch office went to the invitation card. 】

Seeing the invitation, Li Hongzhang knew that Bacharley would come to find him sooner or later, so he didn't rush. After preparing the banquet, he waited for Bacharley to come to the banquet.

When Bacharley met Li Hongzhang, Ding Ruchang was also there (Lianghuai Salt Envoy). After recommending each other, Bacharley also became interested in Ding Ruchang. What about the richest oil-flowing sector?

"Lord Li and Lord Ding, both of you are the pillars of the Qing Empire. It's better to see each other after hearing about it for a long time." When Bacharley began to dominate the Chinese political arena, Li Hongzhang and Ding Ruchang were just minor officials under Zuo Zongtang's sect. In terms of seniority, he was also ranked by Bacharley.

Seeing that Pacharley spoke politely, they responded politely, so they hurriedly said they didn't dare.So the three of them sat at the table. Bacharley came to Li Hongzhang this time mainly for Ryukyu affairs, but he has been in China for a long time, and he has inevitably acquired some Chinese habits. For example, he likes to speak step by step, focusing on the last words , so there was an introduction to the Shanghai Concession.Unexpectedly, when Li Hongzhang heard Bacharley's inquiry about the Shanghai Concession, he thought that the foreigner was here to inquire about crimes, so he groaned inwardly.

"The concession has always been an area in the middle of the country. I am an official of the Qing Dynasty. I want to avoid suspicion, so I don't know much about it." Li Hongzhang laughed on his face, but raised the warning line a little bit in his heart.

Hearing Li Hongzhang's words, Pashali said quietly again: "Master Li is also very capable." Li Hongzhang heard the words, immediately said with a smile on his face, "I'm ashamed", and then went to give Basha He toasted and gave Ding Ruchang a wink by the way.Seeing Li Hongzhang's face, Ding Ruchang hurriedly stepped forward to toast, but Bacharley couldn't evade, and was poured down by the two of them, and it didn't take long before he felt that the world was spinning around him.

It should be said that the wine market in the Qing Dynasty also has the skills of the wine market. How to get a person drunk is also a science. What wine is the easiest to drink, and how to drink the most dizzy are all particular.At that moment, Pashali saw that Li Ding and Li Ding were about to double, so he had to leave immediately.

"My lord, although we have dismissed Bacharley this time, what will we do in the future?" Ding Ruchang asked Li Hongzhang worriedly as he watched Bacharley leave.

Hearing this, Li Hongzhang had no choice but to think about this matter in his heart: "Go, ask Chief Pan to come over."