From the day he set out to fight in France, Nanhua has already stepped onto the world stage.
When Zhu Xianhai appeared at the ball at the Louvre and danced with Queen Eugénie, there was an extra dancer on the stage of the strong.
Although the Europeans were very uncomfortable with this, they accepted it quickly. After all, this world relies on strength, and Nanhua has already demonstrated his strength!
But for some people, their inner emotions cannot adapt to this change for a while.
Even Guo Songtao, the rather enlightened minister to Britain, was a little unable to accept the rise of Nanhua, and even couldn't understand it.
"Why is Nanhua suddenly so powerful?"
It was with this question in mind that Guo Songtao quietly sailed across the English Channel by boat and came to Le Havre. As soon as he arrived in this city, he saw the South China Army.
"He is indeed an elite teacher!"
Yan Fu stared at the Nanhua soldiers on duty at the port and couldn't help but praise them.
Without Yan Fu's reminder, Guo Songtao could also see that the difference between the Nanhua soldiers and the imperial officers and soldiers was not in their dress, but in their spirit and spirit.
The soldiers guarding the port all wore neat and beautiful uniforms without exception. These young soldiers stood there, looking straight ahead. Their postures were standard and their solemn aura made them feel a strong oppression even though they were far apart.
feel.
"No wonder some people say that Nanhua is a serious problem for the imperial court!"
Needless to say, it must be Liu Xihong, the minister stationed in North Germany. However, Guo Songtao, who was a staff member of the Hunan Army, had a more direct feeling when he saw the Nanhua Army. Although the people of Nanhua and the Qing Dynasty were the same people,
They just feel different, and you can tell the difference at a glance.
"Sir, with the strong soldiers and horses of Southern China, if we attack the Qing Dynasty in the future, I'm afraid... the disaster will be worse than the disaster!"
Yan Fu's words made Guo Songtao's heart sink slightly, and he spoke after a moment.
"Let's not mention this matter for now. To be honest, I am very curious about the emperor."
Curious, how can you not be curious?
Not only because Nanhua had strong soldiers and horses, but also a more direct reason - Zuo Zongtang, Wang Youling and others actually defected to Nanhua.
What is so different about Nan Hua that attracts them to defect to it?
"What's the difference? Throughout history, our nation has always been a nation that embraces all rivers and loves to learn. We have never rejected foreign cultures, nor have we been conservative. Let's not talk about riding and shooting in Hufu in the pre-Qin Dynasty.
During the Ming Dynasty, what was the attitude of the Ming Dynasty scholars in the exchanges between the Ming people and the West? Matteo Ricci once described in his book the strong "curiosity" of the Chinese people, who "seemed to go crazy", and there was a constant stream of visitors.
He just wanted to know about things in the West. People who couldn't meet him communicated through letters. He received a lot of letters. Some people he didn't know at all, but they were happy to discuss various topics such as Catholicism and science and technology with him in their letters.
.It is commendable that a nation has such strong curiosity and full of passion."
Although Zhu Xianhai was a little curious when facing Guo Songtao who came to visit, he still directly told him the answer when faced with his question.
"What does China look like today when we look at it again? The panic, hostility and ignorant rejection of Chinese people when faced with foreigners, trains, telegraphs and other new things make people wonder why they are here? This detail can tell us that in Manchuria,
How much has the quality of the Chinese people declined under the Qing Dynasty's hundreds of years of rule? How did a nation that was once full of curiosity and love of learning decline to be so conservative and complacent?"
Faced with such a problem, Guo Songtao's heart immediately set off an unprecedented wave. He himself was not a victim of conservatism. Even when he was ordered to go to Europe as an envoy, he was also criticized by deputy envoy Liu Xihou and the conservatives in the DPRK. Don't talk about him.
Well, it was Li Hefei who was engaged in foreign affairs in Xuzhou, Haizhou and other places, and the conservatives never stopped making things difficult and accusing him.
With so many constraints, how can it be possible to enrich the country and strengthen the army?
Looking at the harbor through the window, Zhu Xianhai ignored Guo Songtao, who looked extremely unnatural. He just drank a glass of red wine leisurely and contentedly, and then said lightly.
"I think if you really want the answer, you should go to Nanhua and see for yourself. Take a look there and then make an evaluation. You and Zuo Zongtang are friends. I think you will definitely know the answer if you are with him."
Guo Songtao is also considered a talent!
However, as the first person to go to Europe as an envoy, he did not end well. Under the attack of the conservatives, not only did he quickly return home sadly, but even when he returned to his hometown in Hunan claiming to be ill, he was also criticized by his fellow villagers.
They scolded "colluding with foreigners" and posted such slogans on the streets.
keep!
After hundreds of years of suppression by the Literary Prison, being conservative is not conservative, it is life-saving! What kind of knowledge is the most developed in "I Taqing"? Of course it is "epigraphy" and "textual criticism". Why? Nothing else, just self-protection, that's what it is
If you make a mistake in researching ancient texts, you will lose your head.
Holding the wine glass, Zhu Xianhai's gaze extended through the window into the distance, as if he wanted to see the ocean, the mainland, and China. What does that land look like?
There are constant wars and hungry people everywhere. For them, Nanhua is a paradise. Of course, they are also the foundation of Nanhua's development.
"Go to Nanhua..."
His suggestion made Guo Songtao's heart tremble.
"This, how is this possible? Guo, as an imperial envoy of the Qing Dynasty, how can Guo abandon his master..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw a strong sarcasm on Zhu Xianhai's face. The sarcastic smile made people feel extremely uncomfortable. Guo Songtao fell silent. No matter what, he was still Han.
It took him a while before he changed the subject and said.
"Since Your Majesty is a descendant of Zhu Ming, why did you not change the name of Ming after establishing a country in a foreign land? Instead, use the name of Nanhua?"
Descendants of Zhu Ming!
Who gave this persona?
Zhu Xianhai himself couldn't figure it out. In fact, to put it bluntly, his "Xianhai" was stimulated by the Taiwan Strait crisis when his old father was in college.
It's not the ancestors, nor the five elements that belong to water, but... the priority is to develop the navy.
That's right, it means giving priority to the navy.
"Nanhua...the China of South America."
Zhu Xianhai smiled, looked at Guo Songtao, and said.
"Well, it seems that it is not appropriate to say this now. After all, there is a large area of land in North America that belongs to us. The original name of Nanhua also meant to hide one's strength and bide one's time. After all, things like Nanhua cannot be kept secret forever..."
"Actually, Your Majesty, if you use the words Ming Dynasty, it may be more helpful for you to recruit talents from China and attract immigrants. After all, there is a Ming Dynasty in our motherland!"
When he said these words, Guo Songtao was stunned. What was he talking about?
He didn't even know what was going on with him, but he actually said this sentence out of nowhere. After figuring out what was going on, he even wanted to slap himself hard in the mouth.
He was a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, how could he do such a thing?
"The motherland is bright!"
Guo Songtao's words made Zhu Xianhai stunned for a while, and then he nodded in agreement and said.
"That makes sense! Your heart is still with us!"
My intestines are so full of regret.
Loyal ministers have nothing to do with the two masters! Unfortunately, it is too late to say anything now...
This chapter has been completed!