Rebirth of the Northern Giants

Ye Zhikui lifted the curtain and put Xiao Linglong in, only to see Sheng Huiyi frantically applying makeup.

Seeing Ye Zhikui coming in, Sheng Huiyi said softly, "You go out first, I haven't finished it yet."

Ye Zhikui grabbed her little hand, looked it over seriously, and then said with a smile: "Madam is already a fairy if she doesn't dress up, and she won't be overwhelmed by dressing up."

Sheng Huiyi thumped his chest with his hands, and said in disbelief: "You know how to laugh at me."

Ye Zhikui saw her delicate and beautiful, so he couldn't help sneaking a kiss on her face, jumped off the carriage, and said with a smile: "I'll go and see Li Zhongtang first, we'll talk about it when we go home."

Seeing Ye Zhikui get off the carriage, Wang Huaiqing quickly stepped forward to salute, "I've seen the generalissimo in my humble position."

Ye Zhikui patted him on the shoulder and said appreciatively, "Huaiqing, you have worked hard all the way. Let's go, where is Li Zhongtang? You and I should not be polite."

Seeing Bai Weiwei standing far away, Ye Zhikui felt even more happy, everyone is here.

"Put Miss Bai and Madam together later." Ye Zhikui said suddenly.

Wang Huaiqing only gave a wry smile, it seemed that he had to endure the anger of the two wives again.

Wang Huaiqing led Ye Zhikui to the carriage in the middle.Li Hongzhang had already heard the news that Ye Zhikui had come to welcome him from the followers outside, but he still didn't get out of the car, but wanted to test whether Ye Zhikui was as humble as before.

"Zhongtang, you are being polite here." Ye Zhikui clasped his fists and shouted into the room.

Li Hongzhang coughed, and slowly opened the curtain of the carriage. Looking at this young man who was full of vigor and more and more superior, he couldn't help but feel all kinds of feelings. Once upon a time, he was just a small battalion officer in the Huai army.

Li Hongzhang said indifferently: "Why don't the Generalissimo get into the car and have a talk."

Ye Zhikui gave an order to continue to the inner city of Beijing, then got into the car and looked at Li Hongzhang.

"Congyun, did you kill Lafayette?" Li Hongzhang asked with no hint of joy or anger.

Is it easy to be nostalgic when people are old? Ye Zhikui shook off the thought in his head, closed his eyes slightly, and said in a neutral tone: "Cixi should have died in the rebellion."

Li Hongzhang was silent for a long time, and then said: "After all, Lafayette has shown me Li Hongzhang's kindness in promoting and knowing me. I wonder if I can still go to her grave to offer a stick of incense."

"This, Zhongtang, it's not that the boy refuses to let it go. Death is like a lamp going out. Everything in the past has disappeared. Cixi should be satisfied with enjoying the glory and wealth all her life. It's just that her body may be accidentally burned by someone in the chaos. So even I don’t know that it’s her body. If Zhongtang wants to go, there are more than a dozen mass graves in the western suburbs of Beijing. They are all innocent lives sacrificed during the turbulent night in the capital. Let’s pay homage together There's nothing wrong with that."

Seeing his listless expression, Ye Zhikui tried to persuade him, "This world should belong to us Han people. Why can't Li Zhongtang see it clearly?"

Li Hongzhang sighed, and said: "It's not that I can't see clearly, but that this world cannot withstand turmoil. Look at Congyun, the whole world is not said to be in chaos, but look at it yourself. The military government actually only controls Even if the provinces in the north are covered, the other provinces don’t want to be kings of their own.”

Ye Zhikui sneered and said, "Each is king, it depends on whether they have such a big appetite and strength."

Li Hongzhang said earnestly: "Congyun, to be honest, you should now focus on the country, first accumulate strength and develop, and then slowly subdue other provinces. You really shouldn't expand the war with the Russians. It is unwise to use military force. .”

Ye Zhikui frowned, and said: "Zhongtang's words are wrong. The military government has finally been recognized in name by the governors of the provinces. If the Russian army invades the three eastern provinces, if the military government does not respond and allows the people of the three provinces to resist, it will not only lead to Losing the hearts of the people in the Northeast will make other provinces stand firm in public opinion and justifiably disobey the military government. Therefore, the military government should not only participate in this war, but also lead this war, and win it. , ordering the world, how difficult it is."

Li Hongzhang saw that Ye Zhikui was no match, so he had to take a step back and said: "Then Congyun thinks that the military government has a slight chance of winning the war with the Russians."

Ye Zhikui said confidently: "Russia is actually considered a relatively weak country among the great powers. It is just a paper tiger. It is also suffering from internal and external troubles. Domestic peasant uprisings come and go, and ethnic conflicts are more serious than China. The strength in the Far East has not reached the level of swallowing our three eastern provinces."

Ye Zhikui remembered that Lenin would organize the "Working Class Liberation Struggle Association" in Petersburg this year. At this time, Northeast China was not like when Russia invaded later, with criss-crossing railways connecting it with the country, making it easy for Russian troops to travel. The Russian army's logistics basically relied on horses, manpower, and robbery.

Li Hongzhang said again: "From what you say, Russia is really nothing to be afraid of, but the only thing I am afraid of is that other countries will interfere."

Ye Zhikui smiled lightly, and said: "Japan, the country most likely to send troops to intervene, for some reason, the country was in turmoil a few days ago, and sending troops has disappeared, while some countries like the United States will only grab economic benefits from our country and directly send troops to intervene. Sex is very low. In Europe, France and Germany are feuds. France has always wanted to avenge the Franco-Prussian War. France and Russia formed an alliance, while Germany, Italy and Austria were unwilling to lag behind. After all, as long as the military government shows a certain strength, such as defeating Russia in the Sino-Russian War, I believe that there will be great powers coming to win over."

Li Hongzhang had to say in admiration: "Unexpectedly, Congyun's vision is so broad. Under the twists and turns, the old man's eyes suddenly become clear. The future is bleak to limitless. From this point of view, the military government should move closer to Germany."

Li Hongzhang immediately grasped the point and said.

Ye Zhikui said with a smile: "Yes, Germany didn't get the slightest benefit from China through the Shandong War. Of course, the Kaiser will think of other ways. Germany just wants some strategic resources. Fortunately, what he wants, we have , and some of the technologies we want, they also have, the two countries complement each other and are rare allies. The military government has expressed goodwill to Germany, and I believe it will not be long before someone will come to the door."

Then Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "It seems that my nephew has already made up his mind, the old man is too far behind." He coughed a few more times.

Ye Zhikui stepped forward to relieve him with concern, and said solemnly: "Why did Zhongtang say that, the boy is full of blood, and he is impulsive in doing things. Zhongtang needs to be by his side to remind him all the time. Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the military government The minister's boy is still reserved for Master Zhongtang."

Li Hongzhang wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk scarf, and said with a smile: "I think you have taken a fancy to some staff in my mansion."

Ye Zhikui smiled awkwardly, and said: "Zhongtang has been doing foreign affairs for many years, and there are many diplomatic talents. I hope I can recommend more."

"I already knew what your nephew was up to, don't worry, I brought a lot of useful talents with me when I came to Beijing this time."

"Well, now that the war is on against Russia, and the military government is seeking external support, the boy entrusts these diplomatic affairs to Lao Zhongtang." Ye Zhikui said solemnly.

Li Hongzhang nodded in agreement.

Under the combination of Ye Zhikui and Li Hongzhang, the military government's diplomacy will be relaxed, and it will not appear so aggressive.

The horse convoy is divided into two routes in the inner city of Beijing, one for the Xianliang Temple and the other for the Forbidden City. Ye Zhikui smiled wryly. Li Hongzhang is really addicted to being an official. As soon as he entered Beijing, he immediately rushed to his post. He has such hardworking people under him. , Ye Zhikui was naturally happy.

After placing Xiao Linglong, Sheng Huiyi, and Bai Weiwei in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Ye Zhikui accompanied him for a while, and then he was busy dealing with political affairs.

Those beautiful concubines who lived here have long been dismissed by Ye Zhikui. Those who have families go home, and those who don’t want to go home are transferred to court ladies, female officials, or go to the factory to support themselves. Anyway, they are only in Kunning Palace. The two little girls Qiuxue and Dongyu were left behind.

Sheng Huiyi and Bai Weiwei ran all the way, couldn't bear it anymore, and went to rest, only Xiao Linglong slept for a while, her body was full of inexhaustible energy, wandering around in the palace.

I just went to Kunning Palace, saw two little girls Qiuxue and Dongyu, and saw that there were people serving beside them, so I knew the situation was not good, so I hurried to the outer palace to find Wang Xiaosheng.

"Xiaosheng, what happened to the two women in Kunning Palace, didn't I tell you to look after Brother Ye?" Xiao Linglong asked repeatedly.

As soon as Xiaosheng saw Xiao Linglong's angry look, he knew that the situation was not good. The butcher's daughter, he couldn't afford to offend her.

"Ma'am, it wasn't my idea, it's just that I am troublesome when it comes to benevolence, Yin* Ye Shuai"

"Hmph, you're not going to get better." After finishing speaking, Xiao Linglong hurriedly went to trouble Jianren Shiwu.

When Jianren was working, I only felt my left eyelid twitch. Not long after, with a bang, the door was smashed open from the outside, and a murderous aura came in.

Jianren secretly said something was wrong, while wiping his cold sweat, he quickly thought about the solution.

"Jen, you did a good deed." Xiao Linglong looked at him angrily.

"Madam, please calm down. This subordinate has done a lot of good things. I wonder which one you are talking about?"

"You want me to tell you, what happened to those two women in Kunning Palace?" Xiao Linglong's eyes widened.

"I'm wronged, ma'am, can you give your subordinate 2 minutes to explain?"

"Hurry up," Xiao Linglong said impatiently.

"Ma'am, you have seen those two girls, I believe you can see that they are not half as beautiful as you, are you?"

"You have a good eye, but what does it have to do with this matter?"

"Ma'am, you don't know. When the Generalissimo first entered the Forbidden City, there were countless gorgeous and beautiful girls. The subordinates were afraid that the Generalissimo would be addicted to women, so they acted preemptively and selected two less beautiful women from among them. Women, give them to the Generalissimo, and then tell the Generalissimo that there are some women with mediocre qualifications left, and the Generalissimo is merciful, and should let them go out of the palace, and they should not be allowed to die alone in the palace."

Xiao Linglong asked suspiciously: "Is this really the case?"