Chapter 22

As the evening glow turned crimson, a setting sun sank into the distant western horizon, like a patient in the final stages of a terminal illness, unwilling to take its last breath. Dark clouds hung low in the east, and a fierce wind howled, signaling the imminent arrival of a storm.

An elderly man, nearing his seventies, sat quietly in the main seat of the council hall, his face ashen and his brows furrowed. The cold wind, now carrying a chill, slipped down his neck. In front of his desk, over a dozen trusted advisors were engaged in a heated debate, their chaotic voices adding to the old man's already troubled mind, making him feel even more agitated.

As the leader of the entire Beiyang Group, Li Hongzhang was all too familiar with the limited combat capabilities of his subordinates. After 20 years of training, the Beiyang Army was reputed to be well-equipped both on land and at sea, and was considered by the world to be as fierce as a dragon or a tiger. However, these appearances were merely a hollow facade. Internally, it could still intimidate rebellious civilians, but externally, it was almost a pipe dream to think it could resist foreign invasions. Not to mention the so-called great victory at the Battle of Pungdo, which none of those present truly believed. Fang Boxian was known for his timidity and cowardice; if he could achieve such a great victory, the Beiyang would have long since reclaimed all the ports leased by foreign powers in the Qing Empire!

Li Hongzhang took a deep breath, trying to calm his anxious and troubled mind. But the thought of the Beiyang Navy's main force conducting a combat cruise on the Han River in Korea made his heart race. In his position, there were too many things to consider, and it was not something that could be easily set aside. This time, under pressure from the court, he had been forced to send Ding Ruchang to lead the fleet north to seek out the enemy. He had already cursed the ancestors of the Qing officials who had pushed for this. Building this modern navy had cost 20 million taels of silver. If it were to be lost, the capital would lose its shield, and if Japan were to land at Dagu, the Forbidden City would once again fall, just as it had 30 years ago.

"Boom!" Thunder roared, deafening.

Looking out the window of the council hall, the dark clouds in the east resembled a thousand galloping horses, rolling and surging towards the western horizon. The wind howled, and dust flew. A withered, yellow leaf was blown off by the gale, entering the room through the window and landing precisely in the center of Li Hongzhang's desk. The elderly man, with his graying hair, glanced at the leaf and felt a sudden, bone-chilling sense of desolation.

Thirty years ago, when he first gained the favor of Wen Zheng, he was full of passion and determination. Thirty years later, his youthful ambitions had long since been washed away by the river of time. Sitting in the position once held by Zeng Guofan, facing a situation even more perilous than before, he finally understood the difficulties and hardships his mentor had endured.

Back then, his mentor had commanded an army capable of overthrowing a dynasty. Now, he held the only elite force in the Qing Empire that could stand up to the Western powers—the Beiyang.

Torrential rain poured down like a river from the heavens, and in an instant, the scenery outside the window was shrouded in a misty haze. Shocked by the sudden downpour, the advisors involuntarily stopped their endless debate. The council hall fell silent, with only the sound of the rain and the occasional thunder echoing in their ears.

Li Hongzhang, exhausted, massaged his forehead and turned his gaze to a middle-aged man sitting to his right. He said, "Pingshi, as the strategist of the Beiyang, what do you think? How should we fight this war?"

The middle-aged man, dressed in a dark blue robe, had a square face and a demeanor that exuded the air of a scholar-general. Hearing Li Hongzhang's question, he sighed lightly and said, "Lord, this time we are pitting the strength of the Beiyang against the entire might of Japan. I believe it will be difficult to defeat Japan on the battlefield."

Li Hongzhang nodded slowly. "Go on, I want to hear your thoughts."

The middle-aged man, who called himself Shixiang, bowed to Li Hongzhang and continued, "Currently, our Beiyang Army has only about 45,000 troops. Even if we can raise another 10,000 with the weapons we have stockpiled over the past 20 years, we are still no match for the Japanese on land. The large number of Green Standard and Bannermen troops are already in a state of decay and cannot be counted on as frontline combat forces. If Minister Weng Shuping of the Ministry of Revenue could wholeheartedly support the Beiyang in terms of supplies and military pay, and if the soldiers and officers are loyal and capable, we might have a chance to hold our ground and fight."

Hearing Weng Shuping's name, Li Hongzhang's face showed undisguised disdain. After a moment of contemplation, he said with a mix of reluctance and relief, "Although Weng Shuping and I have been at odds for many years, he is not a man who ignores the times. In this national war, even if he is unwilling, he would not dare to abandon his moral principles and risk public condemnation by cutting off the Beiyang's lifeline. I understand your point. We should adopt a defensive strategy in Korea, avoid large-scale frontal assaults to minimize casualties, and try to wear down the Japanese to gain the intervention of the Western powers."

Shixiang nodded. "Lord, you are wise. Korea, though a vassal state of our empire, is a barbaric land far from our civilization and is not as important as our Huai Army. To put it bluntly, as long as our Huai Army remains strong, even if we suffer a defeat on the front lines, the Beiyang will still be the Beiyang of the Qing Empire. But if our Huai Army is destroyed, even a Pyrrhic victory on the front lines would be a disaster for the Beiyang. There are too many people who view the Beiyang as a thorn in their side and are eager to see us removed from our position."

He paused and continued, "As for the navy, although it is not the most critical factor in this war, if we can take this opportunity to purchase a few new warships from abroad, it would strengthen our position and deter the Japanese. However, our Beiyang Navy has not added a single ship in recent years, and the maintenance of the ships we bought in the past has been inadequate. We have long lost our reputation as the top fleet in Asia. Without new additions, it is difficult to prevent the Japanese from taking extreme actions."

"Buy ships... but where does the Beiyang have the money to buy ships, and which country would be willing to sell us ships during a war?" A voice from the crowd suddenly interjected, out of place.

Thunder rolled, and the rain poured down.

Li Hongzhang took a sip of water from his cup and lightly tapped the desk with his fingers. "Regarding the funds for purchasing ships, we don't need to worry about that this time. According to the news from the capital, this afternoon in the Yangxin Hall, the Emperor has issued an edict, ordering the Ministry of Revenue to provide 2 million taels of silver to the Beiyang for the purchase of warships, and if it is not enough, we can request more from the Ministry." Thinking of the pig-liver-like face of his old rival Weng Shuping, Li Hongzhang felt a great sense of satisfaction, and a smile crept onto his lips.

A middle-aged man in the front row showed a look of surprise and nodded. "That's excellent. The Beiyang has been constrained by Weng Shuping for so many years, and now it's his turn to bleed. However, according to international law, neutral third parties are prohibited from selling military supplies to either side in a conflict. Since the Qing and Japan are already at war, even if the Beiyang has the money, where can we buy them?"

Shixiang smiled slightly. "Brother Youjiao, you are usually so wise, but why are you being shortsighted now? The people who can sell us ships are far and near. If we can't see through their intentions, wouldn't that be a failure to understand the situation?"

The middle-aged man pondered for a moment and suddenly understood. Germany had sent warships to Weihaiwei during the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, subtly signaling the Beiyang. On the occasion of Emperor Guangxu's 23rd birthday, the second son of the German Emperor personally attended the celebration, dispelling all doubts. After the "Dingyuan" and "Zhenyuan," Germany was eager to sell a third large battleship to the Qing Court! Most importantly, Germany had not declared neutrality in the Sino-Japanese War, meaning it could sell weapons to one of the warring parties!

"Brother Pingshi, you must be referring to the German ironclad that visited the Beiyang. It has been in Weihaiwei for about ten days, and the naval officers should have a preliminary understanding of it. If its performance is excellent, it would be a great choice to buy it," the middle-aged man said.

Li Hongzhang was momentarily lost in thought. A few days ago, Ding Ruchang and many naval officers had jointly submitted a petition, praising the ship's superior performance and requesting that he purchase the German ironclad. At the time, he was surprised by the rare agreement among the naval officers but did not take the matter seriously. In recent years, the value of Qing silver had been steadily declining, which was advantageous for exports but required much more silver to buy things from abroad. The Beiyang was already in dire financial straits, and he, Li Hongzhang, had to pay a significant portion of the military expenses out of his own pocket. To buy a more powerful and advanced battleship than the "Dingyuan" and "Zhenyuan" would cost at least 5 million taels of silver. Could such a sum fall from the sky?

However, with the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, this proposal was reconsidered by Li Hongzhang. The Ministry of Revenue had already allocated 2 million taels for the purchase of warships, and with some effort, he could probably get another 1 million taels from Weng Shuping. His elder brother, Li Hanzhang, as the Viceroy of Liangguang, could also raise a significant amount of money. If they could really buy the German ironclad, which had just been completed last year, the Beiyang Navy's strength would see a significant boost, and the outcome of the naval battle might still be uncertain.

Li Hongzhang swallowed, his throat moving, and his heart raced again. Japan was an island nation, and its invasion of Korea relied heavily on maritime transport. If the Beiyang Navy could defeat the Japanese Navy in a naval battle and blockade the Tsushima Strait, the tens of thousands of enemy troops in Korea would be isolated! At that time, he could truly "assemble a strong army and advance in succession" as stated in the declaration of war...

A scene he had never dared to imagine before flashed through his mind, his face flushed, and his fists clenched. However, he was no longer the passionate young man of 40 years ago. After a moment, he regained his composure. The Beiyang Navy was his greatest trump card, and he had to ensure the safety and integrity of the main warships. This was the absolute guarantee of his and the entire Beiyang Navy's position in the court! The ship must be bought, but the naval battle must not be fought. If it came to a forced engagement, they must not engage in a direct confrontation with the Japanese Combined Fleet!

Shixiang was right; as long as the army remained, the Beiyang would never fall in the court!

With this thought, Li Hongzhang had a plan. He looked at his son-in-law and said, "Youjiao, before you leave for the south, send a telegram to my brother in my name, telling him that Shaoquan (Li Hongzhang's courtesy name) urgently needs funds and hopes he can help raise some. Also, send telegrams to the front-line commanders, Wei Rukui, Ma Yukuang, and others, ordering them to hold the fort in Pyongyang and act according to circumstances, ensuring that our army's strength is not significantly depleted."

The middle-aged man bowed deeply to Li Hongzhang and respectfully agreed.

"Pingshi, you will have a tough task. Tomorrow, go to the capital from Tianjin and visit the German envoy, Schnader. Discuss with him whether the ironclad can be sold to us," Li Hongzhang said, turning to Shixiang. "We don't have much money, so try to get the best price possible."

Shixiang bowed slightly and said, "Lord, rest assured, I will negotiate the lowest price."

Li Hongzhang raised his head and scanned the room, noticing that the sky had turned dark. Looking out at the raging storm, he sighed deeply. The Qing Empire was already a dilapidated house, and he, the paperhanger, had only managed to give it a fresh coat of red paint. Now, with the storm approaching, he wondered whether this house would collapse in the storm or continue to stand, despite its ailments, to welcome a new day.

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Autumn Moon is a slow writer, and it often takes more than an hour to write 1000 words. I am really trying my best to update. Please give me some recommendations and favorites to encourage me...

PS: I just noticed I have received a review. Thank you, nkj8084, for your kind words.

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