After Prince Li Shiduo returned to the military aircraft office, he told several other military aircraft ministers what Empress Dowager Cixi meant.
When they heard this, they agreed. The defense in the south was indeed a bit weak. If the Nanyang Navy could allocate some strength to the treasure island, it would be of great help to the south of the Qing Empire.
So these people immediately drew up an agreement, signed their names, and sent it to Emperor Guangxu.
After Emperor Guangxu read the instructions sent by the Military Aircraft Department, he was quite satisfied. They all followed their own wishes.
So Emperor Guangxu immediately signed it, used the jade seal, and ordered it to be sent to Liu Hai in Shanghai.
Let’s talk about Liu Hai in Shanghai. During this period, in addition to the training of the Nanyang Navy, his main focus was on the Shanghai Shipyard.
On this day, he had just returned to his small house from the construction site of the Shanghai Shipyard, and saw his wife Zeng Yuying, training several housekeepers there.
"I asked you, how are you doing this? This house has been under construction for so long, and you haven't bought all the furniture for me. What use do I need from you?"
After listening to Zeng Yuying's words, one of the housekeepers, Liu Shun, hurriedly defended: "Madam, it's not that you are not doing your best. Originally, the furniture has been purchased. The master went to see it a few days ago and thought that many of the furniture were not elegant enough, so he asked me to replace it.
In the past few days, I have been looking for those yellow-branch wood furniture according to the master's wishes, but it turns out that these things are in short supply, so I have been delayed."
After hearing that the other party dared to refute, Zeng Yuying immediately became angry, "I'm a loser, don't you know? You don't know how to come back and ask me. You see, this is a big deal now. I have already chosen a good and auspicious day to move."
, now it’s pushed back again.”
Liu Hai, who had just entered the room at this time, happened to hear this sentence. He touched his nose and thought to himself: Why am I out of tune? If I were out of tune, how could I be in charge of such a large Hunan Army and Nanyang Navy?
Originally, Liu Hai wanted to sneak into the inner house quietly from the base of the wall, but Zeng Yuying's eyes were very evil. She glanced and saw Liu Hai trying to sneak away along the base of the wall. She hurriedly stopped him and said, "Come back here."
, I have something to discuss with you."
After hearing this, Liu Hai quickly put on a smile and said, "Didn't I leave?"
After Liu Hai finished speaking, he quickly ran to Zheng Yueying's side, slapped her back, and asked flatteringly: "What's wrong, madam?"
Zeng Yuying was quite satisfied with Liu Hai's attitude, and her anger had subsided a little.
"Let me ask you, what are you going to do with the furniture in the new house?"
After hearing this, Liu Hai muttered and replied: "I saw that the original furniture was really not suitable for the table. I thought that I, Liu Hai, am now a very popular minister and a well-known wealthy businessman among foreigners. If people come see
Our furniture is all junk, so why not throw it into the Pacific Ocean?"
Zeng Yuying immediately became angry after hearing Liu Hai's words, "Don't you know how capable you are? Don't you know that pigs should be slaughtered when they are fat? If you continue to be so extravagant, I wonder if the court will let you go."
you."
"I have 50,000 elite soldiers and dozens of warships. What can the court do to me now?"
Zeng Yuying was immediately speechless after hearing Liu Hai's words. Not to mention that what Liu Hai said was really reasonable. The court now just wants stability and does not want to start a war. As long as Liu Hai does not openly rebel, the court will
When it comes to bangs, the best they can do is turn a blind eye.
However, Zeng Yuying was still dissatisfied with Liu Hai's delay in moving, "That can't delay the auspicious day of the zodiac. Okay, it seems I can't count on you. Just wait and eat at home. I'll take care of the moving."
Tube."
After hearing this, Liu Hai felt like he was being pardoned and ran away quickly. He did not dare to enter the inner house now, so he went out directly from the main door, thinking that he would go to the Navy Yamen to hide for a while.
As a result, he was not clean when he arrived at the Navy Yamen. As soon as he sat down, Wang Jun sent him an official document from the imperial court.
But at least the news this time is pretty good. The imperial court has approved his request to build a naval base on Baodao.
But when I saw Liu Hai's face change at the back, this document made it clear that the imperial court has no money now. If you want to see it, there are only two options, either wait until the bases in Beiyang are completed before building your Nanyang one, or you can raise the money yourself.
.
Liu Hai looked at this document and was a little confused. Why did the imperial court treat the South and the North so differently?
You said that in terms of combat effectiveness, Nanyang is no worse than Beiyang now, and when six new cruisers return next year, Beiyang's strength will not be able to keep up with Nanyang's.
Don't those gentlemen in the imperial court know how to win over a powerful local like him?
But now that the matter has come to a point, he has no choice. Fortunately, he is still making some money, and he is not short of the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver from the court.
Liu Hai thought for a while. If he wanted to build a naval base in Taiwan, without Liu Mingchuan, the governor of Taiwan, he might not be able to move a single stone.
Now we can only go to Baodao to discuss with Liu Mingchuan before making other decisions.
It just so happens that the tigress at home is getting angry these days. This time I go to Baodao and I can avoid her for a few days.
So Liu Hai's family didn't plan to go back, and directly sent a person to deliver a message to Zeng Yuying, telling Zeng Yuying that she was going to Baodao and had business to do.
On the same day, Liu Hai transferred the Nanyang Navy cruiser Nanchen as his ship for this trip to Taiwan.
As for why Liu Hai chose the cruiser Nanchen instead of the ironclad Jiangxi or the armored cruiser Jiangsu.
There is a reason for this. The existing piers in Baodao are very small, and the water level is not deep. If you take these two large ships, their warships will not be able to enter the port.
Now the only option is to take the cruiser Nanchen, which is the smallest in the Nanyang Navy.
However, the cruiser Nanchen was built by the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau. Not only was it small in tonnage, but it was also slow in speed, and it was very uncomfortable to ride on it as it was tossed about by the sea water.
But Liu Hai can only make do this time. Who said there is no suitable port on Baodao?
By the time Liu Hai arrived at Wusongkou Pier on horseback, he already saw a carriage waiting for him there.
From a distance, Liu Hai saw that the man driving the carriage looked so familiar. After taking a few steps and taking a closer look, wasn't this his horseman?
Looking at the carriage again, no wonder it looked so familiar. This was the luxurious carriage that Zeng Yuying brought as a bride.
If Liu Hai doesn't understand at first glance, then he is a fool. This is because his wife came back to see him off after knowing the news.
So Liu Hai quickly rode on his horse, trotted forward a few steps, came to the carriage, turned over and got off the horse, went directly to the side of the carriage and knocked.
"Madam, is that you?"
As soon as Liu Hai finished speaking, the curtains of the carriage were opened, and Zeng Yuying's pretty face was immediately revealed.
Zeng Yuying now has no intention of complaining just now. Now she has tears in her eyes and her eye circles are a little red.
She looked at her bangs and said aggrievedly with tears in her eyes: "Master, are you angry with me? Otherwise, why are you in such a hurry to go to Taiwan?"
Liu Hai looked at Zeng Yuying's drooping eyes and didn't know what was going on, and his heart immediately felt tender.
"Madam, this has nothing to do with you. The imperial court wants to build a military base on Treasure Island this time. Your master, I have to go over and take a look."
"Are you really not angry with me?"
"Of course, how could I be angry with Madam?"
After hearing this, the tears in Zeng Yuying's eyes disappeared immediately. She said to the side: "Let me just say it, I won't be so stingy. If you still don't believe it, just tell the truth."
As soon as Zeng Yuying finished speaking, another pretty face appeared from the side of the car, it was Chen Yuting.
I only saw Chen Yuting, looking at Liu Hai with a melancholy face, as if Liu Hai had committed some unforgivable crime.
Looking at this, Liu Hai didn't realize that these two women were betting on him. At that time, he was so angry that he left the carriage with a flick of his sleeves and was about to go to the pier.
Zeng Yuying was really angry when she saw Liu Hai. She quickly got off the carriage and trotted to Liu Hai, pulling his sleeve and saying, "Master, Master, sister Yuting and I heard that you are going to Treasure Island. Let me bring you some food."
I bought some changes of clothes and some snacks you usually eat."
After Zeng Yuying finished speaking, just like Chen Ting who had just gotten out of the car, Chen Yuting hurriedly ran up to him and delivered two large packages to Zeng Yuying's hands.
At this time, Liu Hai softened his expression, and then said with a sullen face: "These things still need to be given away, there is nothing for sale outside."
"It's the same over there. Sister Yuting and I made these clothes for you, so you can feel comfortable wearing them."
Then, Zeng Yuying delivered the two large packages in Liu Hai's hands, and then ordered him to take care of his body when he got there.
Liu Hai comforted the two women a few more words, and then turned and went to the dock. When he arrived there, Zeng Zhaolin, the commander of the cruiser Nanchen, was already waiting on the shore to greet him.
Liu Hai casually chatted with him for a few words on the shore, and then boarded the cruiser Nanchen first.
Then the cruiser Nanchen sounded its whistle, and then slowly left Wusongkou Pier and drove towards the depths of the ocean.
Liu Hai took the cruiser Nanchen all the way south. Fortunately, there were not many storms on the sea during this period. Otherwise, Liu Hai's pampered body would have made him vomit blood.
After several days of sailing, Liu Hai finally arrived at Baodao, the capital of Baodao Province.
To say that Baodao is actually an abbreviated name, the Qing government actually named Baodao: Baodao Province, Fujian. This shows that the Qing government regarded Fujian and Baodao as one entity.
It was not until Baodao was occupied by the Japanese in 1895 that the name Baodao was truly abolished as "Fujian Taibaodao Province" and was changed to Baodao by the Japanese.
Liu Hai's warship arrived at Baodao Mansion at night. Due to the unclear lights, the garrison in Baodao Mansion did not know whether the warship belonged to the Nanyang Navy, so they did not dare to let Liu Hai's warship enter the port.
This was also after the Sino-French War, Liu Mingchuan saw that Baodao's defenses were lax, so he stipulated that no ship should approach the ports of Baodao at night.
So Liu Hai could only wait for dawn outside Baodao Mansion.