Chapter Forty-Three: Regret

  Tan Yanqian is not a god, and the history textbook he read in his previous life only briefly introduced the origin of the First Sino-Japanese War due to the Donghak Peasant Revolution in Korea, which led to both China and Japan sending troops to Korea. However, it did not introduce when the Donghak Peasant Revolution started, and Tan Yanqian only slightly fulfilled his duties without thinking that the Donghak Peasant Revolution would start now.

  "Last month on the 15th, Jeolla-do in Korea had a Donghak Peasant Revolution. Later, looking at this situation getting more and more out of hand... Zhong Tang Da Ren initially didn't take it seriously, but after reading your article, he felt that something was off. Apart from strictly ordering the Korean side to be vigilant, he sent me here to visit you and see what Gu An thinks about this?"

  Tan Yanqian was taken aback and thought to himself: "What else does Old Li want to ask me? Just send the troops directly!"

  "The Donghak Peasant Revolution is just an excuse, the Koreans are not qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as us, they are just puppets on the front stage. The key is still to look at our relationship with Japan, if China and Japan can distinguish between victory and defeat, then the situation in Korea will become clear, otherwise Korea will continue to be chaotic! Now there are two ways to go about this, one is to ask the Viceroy to let the troops stationed near Shengjing quickly cross the Yalu River into Korea to suppress the Donghak Peasant Revolution, this way the situation can still be controlled and it would be over once and for all. Of course, Japan will have some objections based on the Treaty of Tianjin, but that's unavoidable, the key is how fast we can eliminate the rebels; another way..."

  "What road?!"

  "Brother Ji Meng, this road is the worst, and it's all because of the Donghak movement. When the King of Korea can't control the situation himself, he will inevitably think of asking foreign troops to come and help suppress it. Once that happens, Japan will definitely intervene, you know that island nation has been eyeing the mainland for hundreds of years. They won't let go of this good opportunity. If things really develop to this point, the Qing government will inevitably take the lead in declaring war on Japan to save face, and Zhongtang will say that we can't avoid fighting Japan, whether it's good or bad luck will depend on fate. However, Japan has a great advantage, so I won't say more to Brother Ji Meng. I'm sure Big Brother is very clear about this." Tan Yankai said in a low voice.

  "Our Qing dynasty hastily raised troops, I'm afraid it may not have any effect. Even if the suppression is successful, will Japan remain silent? Minister Zhong is now ordering Ambassador Wang Fengzao to closely observe Japan's movements. Currently, there are some conflicts between the Japanese parliament and cabinet, but we don't know the situation yet. Perhaps Japan has no other choice but to take care of its own affairs, and the situation may not be as bad as what Gong'an said..." Tang Bowen said.

  Tan Yanqin smiled and looked at Tang Bowen, making him feel uneasy. "Zu An, what are you looking at me for?!" he asked nervously.

  "Never mind what Zhong Tang thought in his heart, let's just talk about what Ji Meng said earlier. Do you believe it yourself?!"

  Tang Bowen was taken aback for a moment.

  "Brother Ji Meng, face reality! In my estimation, Master Zhong will not necessarily take the Donghak Party seriously. And the news that Wang Fengzao brought back from Japan is certainly 'the Japanese parliament and cabinet are in conflict, with no time to spare for external affairs.'... To be honest, it's not that I have misunderstood Wang Fengzao's character, but rather that I deeply understand Japan's tactics - Japan will not give up any opportunity to launch a war. Otherwise, why would they spend more than half of their national revenue on military development, especially the navy?! If we were in their shoes, if we couldn't gain sufficient benefits, do you think we would back down?! So, the conflict between the Japanese parliament and cabinet is just a smokescreen - even if it's real, once the situation in Korea develops to the point where borrowing troops is necessary to suppress it, Japan will inevitably launch a war overnight!" Tan Yankai said with a cold smile.

  "Zu An, I had heard others mention that you are a talented young man, and I was still somewhat skeptical. But now I am convinced. However, there is one point where you are wrong - Wang Fengzao only said that the current situation in Japan is somewhat delicate, and various powerful countries are also taking a wait-and-see attitude. Minister Zhong has already ordered the Beiyang Fleet to be on standby after considering the situation in Korea!" Tang Bowen said with a slight smile.

  "Beiyang Fleet on standby?!" Tan Yankai was extremely surprised by this news - the history textbook he read in his previous life clearly stated that Li Hongzhang had been passive and avoided going to war with Japan!

  "Is Lord Chūdō going to lead the battle?!"

  Tang Baowen shook his head and said, "No, it's unavoidable! The Grand Councilor still hopes to drag it out for another year or two. The Empress Dowager's 60th birthday is approaching, and the silver will be flowing like water. The Beiyang Navy hasn't added any new warships in many years. Unless we wait until after the 60th birthday, when there are a few more years of preparation time, adding two or three more warships would be absolutely no problem. So, the Grand Councilor thinks that if war between China and Japan is unavoidable, it's better to drag it out for a while, as time is on our side! However, looking at Japan's attitude, just like what Zhang Yan wrote in his article, they've put their country's fate all on one gamble. If they succeed with one swift effort, that would be great, but if time drags on, the Japanese will be dragged down by themselves. They're not fools, and the Grand Councilor naturally understands the reasoning behind this - it can't be avoided! If we must fight a battle, then it's better to prepare early!"

  "If Master Zhongtang thinks so, that's for the best. Brother Ji Meng didn't come here just to represent Master Zhongtang to ask about this matter, did he?"

  What's inconvenient or needs to be done at home by either you or your father? He said with a smile.

  Tang Bohu smiled and said: "Not bad, Master Zhong wants you to persuade your father..."

  "Heh heh, writing a letter to Weng Shuping is naturally not a problem, no need to ask my father about this, I can take charge of it! However, Ji Meng should know about the grudge between Zhong Tang and Weng Shuping. This letter may be easy to write, even if my father offends Weng Shuping, it's nothing, but the key is that its effect may not be as expected by Zhong Tang!" Tan Yanqian said.

  Tang Bohu smiled wryly and said, "The Grand Master was also quite helpless about this. However, the Weng family was afraid of death and feared life back then, and as the leader of the Southern Qingyuan faction, they hindered the military's operations too much. If Zeng Guofan had ignored this at the time, it would have been impossible to convince the public..."

  Tan Yanqian waved his hand and said: "Although my father likes Weng Shuping's calligraphy, it doesn't mean he appreciates his character. Who is right or wrong? My father still has the ability to distinguish between them. Now that the situation is critical, even if we have to offend Weng Shuping, my father won't care about it. The two generations of imperial teachers in the Weng family may not dare to do anything to my father. But what I'm afraid of is that since Zhong Dang had a great feud with the Weng family back then, how could Weng Shuping let it go?! We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. Please help me convey this to Zhong Dang, Brother Ji Meng!"

  Tang Baowen heard that Tan Yanxian was willing to accept this matter, although in his heart he had no confidence whether Weng Tonghe would accept Tan Zhonglin's advice and temporarily put aside his hostile attitude towards Li Hongzhang. However, at least the Tan father and son were willing to make such a gesture, which was already rare.

  "By the way, Commander Ge. Last time you mentioned that the ammunition used by Japanese warships was unitary, how did your investigation go? Were there any results?" Tan Yanqing didn't want to get entangled in these official matters, although he knew that one day he would have to face them when he inherited his father's position. Even now, he was unconsciously getting involved in the political struggles, but he still hoped to avoid these problems as much as possible. In comparison, the upcoming Sino-Japanese war was what really concerned him. In later historical accounts of this war, apart from the Qing court's weakness and willingness to surrender, the most criticized aspect would be the ammunition problem of the Beiyang Fleet, so he was even more concerned about this matter.

  Tang Baowen solemnly said: "This matter has been investigated clearly. According to the telegram from Minister to Japan Wang Fengzao two months ago, it has been confirmed that the shells used by the Japanese Navy are indeed the kind of integral shell mentioned by Zu An... However, the propellant inside the shell is still black powder or brown powder, not the smokeless powder mentioned by Zu An. But I heard that the Japanese have started trying to produce smokeless powder. As for how much they have equipped, it's hard to say, their defense is very tight..."

  "Heh heh. Anyway, the Beiyang Fleet's ammunition was still ahead of the Japanese Combined Fleet. As for this ammunition issue, does Minister Sanetomi have anything to say? If it's a matter of lacking funds, I can also contribute my share, after all, national defense is more important than heaven!"

  —

  "Regarding the issue of transforming cannonballs, after I took over as the head of the Tianjin Machinery Bureau, I have discussed with British engineers several times. Now all the equipment has been transformed and we are starting to produce integrated cannonballs. As for the effect, it still depends on the actual use by the Beiyang Navy. However, Grand Minister has already allocated funds to prepare for mass production of such cannonballs to meet the needs, but the Tianjin Machinery Bureau's finances are extremely tight. I understand that you have taken note of this on behalf of Grand Minister, but the gap in between is really too big and it's not helpful..." Tang Bowen said with some worry.

  "It's a bit late to discover this problem, but it's not necessarily too late to make amends. Brother Ji Meng, let's do our best and leave the rest to fate!" Tan Yanqin said, trying to comfort Tang Bowen, who looked dejected.

  "Zu An, originally your good days should be longer, but I have just taken over the Tianjin Machinery Bureau and there are too many things to deal with inside and out. So I plan to take a boat back to Tianjin tomorrow, coincidentally two days later a warship from the Beiyang Navy will be returning from Shanghai to Tianjin, and I'll just happen to be on it. It can't be helped that I have to leave early!" Tang Bowen said with a smile.

  "It doesn't matter, Brother Ji Meng is shouldering heavy responsibilities and it's only right that he does so! If Father allows it, I'd like to personally deliver this letter of reconciliation to Weng Shuping in the north. Firstly, it shows sincerity, secondly, it's also a preparation for next year's imperial examination... At that time, I may need to stay in the capital for a period of time and won't be able to avoid going to Brother Ji Meng's place to freeload!" Tan Yanke said with a smile.

  "Zu An, you've just gotten married and now you want to leave home and head north?! The college entrance exam is still next year, isn't it too early? And sending this message can be done by someone else, why do you have to go personally?!"

  "My father has mentioned it before, the imperial examination will be held around next April. My father also hopes that I can get familiar with the environment in Beijing earlier. Whether I go early or late, it's all the same to me... Originally, I didn't want to get married so early, and the agreement between our two families was to get married next year. But unexpectedly, my imperial examination went very smoothly, and there are many rules for the test, which is not held every year. So getting familiar with things earlier will also give me more confidence, that's why I proposed to get married now..." Tan Yanqing shook his head with a bitter smile.

  "Haha, Zu An, you're indeed ahead of me in terms of settling down. However, my father passed away early and there was no one to discipline me, so I'm happy to be carefree." Tang Bo Wen said with a smile.

  "It's okay this way, a good man's ambition is in all directions. Zu An, you"

  Major events. Can't be tied down by personal relationships... Li Heifei wants me to hum a tune... If Weng Shuping was so easy to talk to, we wouldn't have made it this far today!" Tan Zhonglin said coldly from his chair.

  "The child plans to set off north in two days, if possible. Even can go with Tang Bowen together, this way also can show our sincerity to Li Hongzhang..."

  Tan Zhonglin's eyebrows moved upon hearing this: "Zu An, why are you in such a hurry to leave... Are you dissatisfied with this marriage?!"

  Tan Yanqin was about to say "not bad..." but he managed to hold back the two words in time.

  Tan Zhonglin looked at his son and knew exactly what was going on in his mind: "Actually, I've already figured out your intentions. You don't care about your own marriage, except that you're not satisfied with this one. I'm still trying to figure out the reason why. But no matter what you think, the Tan and Fang families are not only old friends but also prominent families in Hunan Province. Don't humiliate Rongqing, or else I won't be polite!"

  For a moment, Tan Yan faced the old man and didn't know what to say. After thinking for half a day, he still chose to remain silent. Although the old man spoke in a sighing tone, he could still hear the implicit threat behind his words. As for this political marriage, he had no good feelings about it at all. However, he couldn't help but think of the era he lived in before, where many marriages were not voluntary, and he felt somewhat resigned to his fate.

  "Remember your father's words. You go down and prepare first, I'll write that letter for your father later. Say goodbye to your mother properly, tomorrow you'll follow Tang Bowen north..." Tan Zhonglin waved his hand somewhat disheartedly, letting Tan Yanjin leave. As for this son of his, he really didn't know what to do with him, and could only hope that in the future, as he spent more time with his daughter-in-law, they would get along harmoniously.

  Tan Yanqin was also helpless and had to back down. To be honest, his wife's appearance was naturally flawless, but the psychological age gap made him feel extremely uncomfortable. What was even more fatal was that except for a brief encounter in their childhood, they had no other contact, making the emotional chasm difficult to bridge. At this critical juncture, he could only adopt an "ostrich policy", taking things one day at a time, and hoping that heaven would allow them to establish an emotional foundation in the days ahead, which would bring about a turning point.

  Since the old man agreed that he and Tang Bowen would leave together, Yan Yankui was eager to "escape" for a while. However, the Guangzhou matter had just begun to unfold, and there were still many things he needed to take care of. In order to be able to head north with peace of mind, after leaving the study, he went to make some arrangements at the Mu You Tang and the guard battalion. As for the Rongyang Textile Factory, it had already started to operate formally, and those directors were all seasoned businesspeople. He only needed to intervene in the main direction, which was enough. In terms of specific operations, he believed that the others would strive for their common interests without him having to worry about it.

  Actually, Tan Yanqing was most worried about the guard team in his heart. This tiny force seemed extremely insignificant now, but it was a necessary means for Tan Yanqing to compete for the world in the future. Although he had great doubts about "competing for the world" in his heart, if he didn't make some efforts and gave up, he would feel somewhat unresigned - he hadn't thought that Yuan Shikai, who was now mixed with him, was not as good as him, and through his conversation with Tang Bowen, he knew what level the Beiyang Army was at. In other words, Yuan Shikai and his future famous "Beiyang System" had not even reached the level of a dreg until now, but Li Hongzhang left a very rich foundation for Yuan Shikai, which was also an important reason for Yuan Shikai's rapid development in the future. However, in terms of status, Yuan Dashou was still eight streets away from himself at this time. It was precisely because Yuan Dashou had such a lowly status that Tan Yanqing had some confidence to fight - Li Hongzhang's legacy should be divided into a part for him, Tan Yanqing!

  For this, Tang Shaoyi planned to formally launch the overseas student plan and start building his own German-style officer corps to participate in future competitions. His financial resources and power had already begun to emerge, and if operated reasonably, he might have the strength to "compete for the world" in the next few decades. Tang Shaoyi did not like the political struggle of mutual deception, but if it was to give those who would sell out national interests in the future some trouble and create difficulties, he was still very happy to do so.

  Although the Imperial Guards started early, they received the best training. If judged by the standards of soldiers, these warriors were not only the best in China at that time but also among the top in Europe in terms of personal quality. However, soldiers are still soldiers and not officers; they did not receive officer training and education. To take it to the next level, these soldiers still have a long way to go.

  Studying in Germany can certainly accelerate the growth of Imperial Guard soldiers, but this cannot be satisfied simply by spending money. They need to learn a lot of knowledge before they can proudly enter the gates of German military schools. Now, many soldiers in the Imperial Guard can already write and converse fluently in German. I believe that if they were sent to Germany for study and life, it would be sufficient. However, studying at a German military school requires even more knowledge. To say nothing of other subjects, mathematics alone is enough to make them drink a whole pot.