Beiyang Dream

Chapter 32 Will Li Hongzhang be able to welcome his Chenqiao Station?

As Chang Desheng finished speaking, the Blue Salon fell into a deathly silence.

Hideaki Tojo's fists clenched slightly under the table.

Of course he understood; he understood every single word.

The general was equivalent to the actual ruler, the Qing Dynasty court, and the Manchu nobility!

Warriors equal the army, equal the Beiyang Army, equal the Han Chinese military group!

The Emperor is a symbol of being supported, a new object of loyalty!

Chang Desheng said: The Qing Dynasty court was like the Tokugawa Shogunate—incompetent, conservative, and corrupt...

But Japan has the readily available and harmless symbol of the "Emperor" to support.

Does China have this? No! China does not have a tradition of "figurehead emperors"; the emperor has always been the one with real power.

Therefore, China's power restructuring will not be a "restoration of monarchical rule".

It will only be... a change of dynasty.

But why is the Beiyang government not making any moves now?

Because we lack the strength, it's not time yet!

If Germany supports the Beiyang Army, the Beiyang Army will become even stronger. If the Beiyang Army can win the future Sino-Japanese War with German support, then Li Hongzhang will be able to return to Chenqiao Station!

But... the Qing Dynasty court wasn't stupid!

They will not remain indifferent.

Therefore... the war of the future will not be the "Sino-Japanese War".

It would be the "Japan-Li War"—a war between Japan and Li Hongzhang (of the Beiyang Army).

The Qing government, out of fear of the growing power of the Beiyang clique, might even become an "invisible ally" of Japan.

The Beiyang government was beset by internal and external troubles; how could it not be defeated?

With its enemies in the open and its allies in the shadows, how could Japan not be victorious?

But what happens after Japan wins?

Will the Beiyang Army become the Qing Dynasty's "Satsutohige Nagatoshi"? Will Changdesheng become the Qing Dynasty's "Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi"?

Will China experience a dynastic change? And a new China that overthrows the Manchu rulers... would likely be Japan's greatest enemy!

......

Moltke stood silently beneath the portrait of Wilhelm II for a full ten seconds.

He also understood Chang Desheng's metaphor... The reason he asked Chang Desheng such a question in class was twofold: first, to suppress the Easterner's arrogance; and second, to test Chang Desheng's true intentions and the true thoughts of Li Hongzhang of the Beiyang Army.

Before placing a bet, you definitely need to figure out what the Beiyang government really wants to do!

He originally thought Chang Desheng would be embarrassed in class and then confide in him privately.

Unexpectedly, Chang Desheng used a combination of veiled language and metaphors to explain the matter openly and thoroughly.

It seems he truly was Li Hongzhang's confidant... Only a truly capable confidant could answer such a difficult question to this extent.

Thinking of this, Moltke slowly spoke, his voice calm:

"A very... unique perspective, Chang Xueyuan. History is a mirror, but what the mirror reflects is often the face of the person looking at it."

He paused for a moment. "That concludes today's discussion. Homework: Write a short essay analyzing the historical conditions underlying the changing allegiance of the military. Due Friday."

Just then, the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class.

Moltke closed his textbook: "get out of class dismissed."

......

The trainees packed up and left. Chang Desheng quickened his pace and caught up with Xiao Maoqi at the end of the corridor.

"Lieutenant Colonel Moltke," he said with a slightly embarrassed smile, "excuse me for bothering you."

Maoqi stopped and turned around, his face expressionless: "Student Chang, is there anything else?"

Chang Desheng rubbed his hands together:

"It's a personal matter. I met a young woman in Berlin, a Chinese woman from Southeast Asia, who wants to study at Victoria Girls' School, but she lacks a strong letter of recommendation. Would it be convenient for you, as an instructor at the War College, to help write one?"

He added earnestly, "Her family is extremely, extremely wealthy!"

Moltke looked at him, his deep gray eyes revealing no emotion. He was silent for a few seconds before suddenly laughing: "Napoleon's Josephine?"

Chang Desheng's heart tightened.

This little Moltke compared me to Napoleon of Tianjin...

Mao Qi simply nodded at Chang Desheng without elaborating, and then smiled and agreed, "I can help with the recommendation letter. Come to my office on Friday to pick it up."

"Thank you, teacher!" Chang Desheng sincerely thanked "Teacher Xiao Mao".

In any case, with the recommendation letter in hand, Luo Jingrou's "verification" hurdle has been overcome. Moreover, she's exceeded expectations!

The value of the surname "Moch" in Germany today is beyond doubt!

Little Maoqi waved his hand, turned and left. After taking two steps, he stopped, looked back at Chang Desheng, and left with his last words:

"Student, study hard. The Prussian military system is a sophisticated tool. The tool itself has no stance; the key is who holds it, and what it is used to build, or... destroy."

After saying that, he walked away with the standard gait of a Prussian officer and disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

......

On the ninth day of the ninth month of the fifteenth year of the Guangxu reign, in the evening.

The signing room was somewhat dark, but it wasn't time to turn on the lights yet. Li Hongzhang leaned back in his armchair, squinting at the two telegrams spread out on the rosewood desk in front of him.

Zhou Fu, Zhang Peilun, and Yu Shimei each sat on one side, and after they finished reading, no one spoke.

The telegram was sent by Guo Shigui from Berlin, using the Beiyang code:

"Zhenbang proposes: Under the pretext of Emperor De's congratulations on the Empress Dowager's birthday, purchase a new ironclad warship, which can be named 'Longevity' or 'Ci Shou' (meaning 'Longevity for the Empress Dowager'). We can pretend that Germany has agreed to a 50% discount... We also need a congratulatory letter from Emperor De. Zhenbang requests to be appointed as a fourth-rank candidate for the position of Director of the Korean Military Affairs Committee after the matter is accomplished. Respectfully submitted by Shigui."

The telegram was short, but its contents were explosive.

"Have you finished reading it?" Li Hongzhang asked.

The three people nodded.

"Tell me about it." Li Hongzhang picked up his teacup, which contained ginseng soup. He took a sip and said, "This kid has quite the nerve."

Zhou Fu spoke first.

"Your Excellency," he leaned forward slightly, "the Japanese are currently building up their navy on a massive scale. I'm afraid our Beiyang Fleet's advantage won't last for many more years. If we can acquire this ironclad warship, the Beiyang Fleet can at least enjoy a few more years of peace."

Yu Shimei is a veteran scribe in the secretariat. She is slow-paced and observes things carefully and deeply.

"Brother Yushan is right," he said slowly, "but I think there are two more difficulties in this matter."

He raised his eyelids and looked at Li Hongzhang:

"First, it's deceiving the emperor. 'The German Emperor's birthday greetings'—these four words were something you and I conspired with the Germans to put on a show for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. If it were to leak out, it would be a heinous crime, punishable by death."

He paused for a moment before continuing:

"Secondly, there's the issue of personnel. Chang Zhenbang wants the Korean military affairs committee to handle this. But Korea is currently under Yuan Shikai's control. Wei Ting has been operating there for four or five years, and the three battalions of Qing Army soldiers are all his men. He's also bribed everyone in Seoul. What would Chang Zhenbang, a mere figurehead, do if he went? Would he be there to help, or to seize power?"

He uttered four words at the end, each one clear and distinct:

"Two tigers cannot share one mountain."

Zhang Peilun suddenly laughed.

He was Li Hongzhang's son-in-law, a member of the Qingliu faction, outspoken, and with a sharp edge in his voice.

"Brother Huiruo, you are mistaken." He leaned forward slightly. "Yuan Shikai is alone in Korea, not like two tigers on one mountain. The Japanese are pressing closer, the Russians are eyeing the Korean ports, and those Koreans are wavering, pro-Qing one day and pro-Japanese the next. Weiting is all alone, training troops, negotiating, and keeping an eye on things in the palace. He's already stretched thin and overwhelmed. Wouldn't it be better to have someone else help him and share the burden?"

"Help him?" Yu Shimei shook her head. "Brother Youqiao, Chang Zhenbang is the son of a clerk in Tianjin, with no connections whatsoever, yet he managed to get into the Berlin Military Academy and be received by the German Emperor. Now he dares to offer this plan, volunteering for a job in Korea. Does he seem like the type to be subservient to others or do favors for others? I think he's not going to help Yuan Shikai, he's going to fight for Yuan Shikai's power!"

"A power struggle?" Zhang Peilun sneered. "What does he have to fight for? Weiting has been operating in Korea for many years, and everyone above and below him is his confidant. Can Chang Zhenbang really seize power from Weiting with just a letter from the Grand Secretary? Brother Huiruo, you overestimate him and underestimate Weiting."

He turned to Li Hongzhang, his tone becoming more sincere:

"Father-in-law, in my opinion, the key to this matter lies not in Korea, but in Berlin. The 'birthday ship' strategy, though seemingly audacious, is in fact intricately linked and quite shrewd."

Li Hongzhang looked up at him:

"Go on."

"As for the so-called 'half price'," Zhang Peilun picked up the telegram, pointing to the line with his finger, "it's nothing more than accounting tricks. They negotiated with the Germans, quoted a higher price initially, and then discounted it under the guise of a 'birthday celebration.' The Germans gained real profit and saved face—why wouldn't they?"

He paused, then lowered his voice even further:

"The Emperor's congratulatory message is not urgent. The ship will take at least two years to complete. It can be presented together with the ship upon delivery. By then, the deed will be done, and the die will be cast. Would the Empress Dowager really sink the ship for a congratulatory message?"

"A congratulatory letter is necessary!" Li Hongzhang emphasized. "This matter concerns the national dignity, and it's also a facade for the Empress Dowager and the people of the world. If the facade isn't impressive, the show can't go on."

"Yes," Zhang Peilun bowed. "The congratulatory message must be prepared. But the most important thing right now is to get past Hong Wenqing. As long as he believes it and submits a memorial as a minister, saying that the Emperor sincerely wishes to celebrate his birthday and is offering to sell the ships at half price as a sign of goodwill, the Empress Dowager will be pleased, and the Emperor will not refuse her request. Then we will have a 70-80% chance of success."

He added, his voice lower:

"Father-in-law, the fourth-rank candidate for the post of Commissioner of the Korean War Affairs Office that Chang Zhenbang wants are both two years away. Making empty promises now will not cost much. But if he can really get it done in Germany, then my Beiyang Fleet will get a new warship, and Father-in-law will also please the Empress Dowager. This deal is worthwhile."

Li Hongzhang remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, having already made his decision.

"Jade Mountain".

"exist."

"Return the telegram to Guo Shigui." Li Hongzhang's voice regained its usual composure. "Tell Chang Zhenbang that I have approved his conditions. But there is one condition..."

"The ship must be bought. If we do, I'll give him the position of a fourth-rank candidate for the position of Commissioner of Korean Affairs. If we can't buy it..."

He didn't go on.

But the three people in the signing room all understood the unspoken second half of the sentence.

If he can't buy it, he should stay in Berlin forever and never come back.

"Yes." Zhou Fu stood up, preparing to draft the telegram.

"Also," Li Hongzhang stopped him, "send a telegram to Yuan Shikai as well. Tell him that the court may send another official to assist in the defense of Korea, so that he... can be prepared."

"Yes."