Rong Lu's impression of Qingdao is not only shocked, this is not only a military base with a strong industrial base, but also a huge barracks, however, Yi Zhi's contented tone is relaxed and casual, and he hurriedly said: "Qingdao is very beautiful." ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled and said, "What about the ironclad ship?" What do you think? ”

After a slight sigh, Rong Lu said: "In the future, naval battles will inevitably be the world of ironclad ships." ”

"Western countries began to develop ironclad ships after the Crimean War." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "After the American Civil War and the Austro-Prussian War, a wave of ironclad ships has been set off, and sail warships are gradually withdrawing from the stage of history. ”

Rong Lu hurriedly flattered, "If it weren't for the prince's foresight, the ironclad ships of the Qing Dynasty would lag behind the Western countries." ”

Far-sighted, this is not an exaggeration, no one knows the development trend of naval warships better than Yi Zhicontent, as early as the beginning of the establishment of Yuanqi he began to prepare for the shipyard and spared no expense to recruit and train metallurgical talents and shipbuilding talents, Yuanqi can walk in the forefront of the world in the construction of ironclad ships, completely because he is far-sighted!

"The research and construction of the ironclad ship, Yuan Qi has always kept it a secret." Yi Zhifen glanced at him as he spoke, "Rongjunmen is the first person to understand the Qingdao Ironclad Ship. ”

Rong Lu knew very well that the other party invited him to Qingdao to let him understand the purpose of Qingdao, and when he heard this, he quickly got up and knelt down and said: "Xiaguan and the Beiyang Navy Division are only the king's head!" ”

"Only the king of this horse is the first to look forward?" Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "The Invalids Gate doesn't worry about the official hat on his head? The Queen Mother recently rewarded you with dazzling eyes, right? ”

"The lower officials can be recommended by the whole prince today, and they dare not disregard the overall situation for their own selfishness." Rong Lu said in a deep voice: "Although the lower officials are not wise, they also know that the constitution is the trend of the times, for the Qing Dynasty for a hundred years, for the Beiyang Navy Division and the officers and soldiers, they should also conform to the general trend, but the prince is the first to look forward." ”

Yi Zhizu praised, "Those who know the times are handsome, and they know that they follow the general trend, and they are the handsomes of the world." ”

"The prince praised ......." Rong Lu secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

"Get up, I don't have that many rules here." Yi Zhizhi said and stretched out his hand to signal him to sit down, and then slowed down his tone and said: "My country has been expanding over the years, erecting countless enemies, and Western countries, including the United States and Tsarist Russia, are all eyeing each other, and once a large-scale civil war breaks out in our country, Western countries will inevitably take advantage of the situation to enter ......." ”

This is the reason why Yuan Qi has never rebelled? Rong Lu secretly thought in his heart, thinking about it, this is indeed the case, Yuan Qi has indeed made enemies over the years, Tsarist Russia, England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, if there is a civil strife in the Great Halal, they will definitely not miss the opportunity.

“........ Of course, this does not mean that Yuan Qi is afraid of war, Yuan Qi has always been in the midst of a war of continuous external expansion, if the imperial court insists on going its own way, I don't mind destroying the Qing Dynasty! Although the Northeast is large, there is no place for the Manchus. ”

Hearing this, Rong Lu's heart sank, this is not a threat, but a fact, Yuan Qi is unlikely to be afraid of war, and it is impossible to allow the imperial court to retreat or divide the northeast, once a war breaks out, it will inevitably be a war to destroy the country and the people, just like the Wa State.

After a slight pause, Yi Zhizhi continued: "The war against the Japanese will end in the spring of next year, and at this stage, it is best for the Beiyang Naval Division to strictly abide by neutrality, otherwise there is a possibility of triggering a war, and once a war breaks out, the Beiyang Naval Division will inevitably bear the brunt." ”

"Don't worry, the prince." Rong Lu hurriedly said: "As long as the official is in the Beiyang Naval Division for one day, the Beiyang Naval Division will definitely strictly abide by neutrality!" ”

Yi Zhizhi said: "You'd better not enter Beijing in the past few months, the imperial court doesn't dare to remove you rashly." ”

"The subordinate obeys." Rong Lu promised loudly on his lips, but he secretly complained in his heart, he didn't dare to imagine what it would be like to resist the decree and disrespect it?

The unique aroma of barbecue permeated, and Yi Zhixiang glanced at everything that was already fully equipped and got up and said, "Let's take a seat and try a new way to eat seafood." ”

Tianjin is not short of seafood, but the seafood barbecue Rong Lu three people are the first time to try, it is really a different flavor, but the three people at the same table with Yi Zhifen are a little restrained, Yi Zhicontent can be said to be the most powerful vassal king since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, controlling half of the Qing Dynasty, the power is monstrous, for the three of them, a word can determine life and death, honor and disgrace, how can the three of them be calm.

Yi Zhizhi was very casual, poured a glass of beer and raised his glass and said: "The best thing to drink beer is to eat barbecue, come, taste, this is dark beer from Germany, and it is difficult to drink it at leisure." ”

Seeing that Yi Zhizhi was content to drink it all, E Antai tried to taste it, a little bitter, a little icy, but there was no wine, and immediately learned to drink it all, put down the wine glass before smiling: "This beer seems to be as ...... as fruit wine." ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled: "I will get used to it after a few more drinks, beer is very popular in the West, and I am preparing to open a oneplus brewery in Shanghai." As he spoke, he greeted him courteously: "It's all casual, if you don't arrange a formal banquet, I'm afraid that you will be restrained, and you won't be used to drinking beer, white wine and red wine." ”

The atmosphere of the banquet is very relaxed, the barbecue seafood is also delicious, Yi Zhishu and Zhao Liewen are diligent in persuading wine, Rong Lu and the three of them dare not shirk and cater to each other, several people drink a lot of alcohol, and drink liquor after drinking beer, and the atmosphere is more relaxed after a few rounds.

E Antai has always been quite worried about Yuanqi's new artillery, and the atmosphere was relaxed, so he immediately said with a sense of wine: "Lord Wang, we are an eye-opener for the ironclad ship, but the new artillery equipped with the ironclad ship ........" ”

Before he could finish speaking, Yi Zhishu took over and said, "The new artillery is classified, but I can let you observe it tomorrow." ”

"Thank you, Lord Wang!" E Antai hurriedly said.

Glancing at the three of them, Yi Zhicontent said abruptly: "Do you know why you were suddenly invited to Qingdao?" ”

Hearing this, Rong Lu and the three of them looked at it together, Yi Zhishu wiped his hands with a towel, and said slowly: "The reason is very simple, the imperial court ordered 50,000 new rear-loading rifles from the Royal Military Factory of England. ”

Hearing this, E Antai's heart tightened, he didn't hear any news about this, and ordered 50,000 new breech-loading rifles from England, what did the Queen Mother want to do? Ready for war with Yuanqi? Once the imperial court and Yuan Qi went to war, could the Beiyang Naval Division still remain neutral? After a little hesitation, he spoke: "Is this news true?" ”

Zhao Liewen said: "This batch of arms will arrive in the spring next year." ”

E Antai said tentatively: "But the prince wants the Beiyang Navy Division to intercept this batch of munitions?" ”

"There's no need." Yi Zhizu waved his hand, "Tomorrow you will know when you see the power of the new artillery." ”

"Boom, boom." The four 75-mm field guns emitted a dull sound of cannons almost at the same time, and the three Rong Lu, who were standing 300 meters away on the right side of the artillery position, raised their binoculars and looked at the four targets marked with white lines 1,500 meters away.

E Antai, who is familiar with naval artillery, looked at it tightly, this is Yuanqi's new shell? The power of the explosion seems to be several times greater than the current equipped shells! The three of them were stunned, and four more silent cannons rang out, and four fires and violent explosions rose again in the four target areas.

That's impossible! E'antai almost couldn't believe his eyes, what kind of artillery is this, the firing speed of the rear-loading gun is fast, but after the artillery is fired, a strong recoil force will be generated to push the gun out of the original gun position, the gun is reset, and it is impossible to aim again, it takes time, it can't be so fast!

He quickly turned his telescope to the four field guns that were blocked by the artillery bodies 300 meters away, and when he saw that the artillery shells were not moving, and the artillery was busy firing shells continuously, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded.

The continuous shelling of the four artillery pieces hit the power of dozens of guns, looking at this scene, Rong Lu couldn't help but gasp, "No wonder Yuanqi's ironclad ship is only equipped with a dozen naval guns, this new type of artillery is enough to be ten for one!" ”

The shelling soon stopped, Rong Lu and E Antai didn't recover from the shock for a long time, Chang Guixiang is eyes lit up, if the sail battleship can be equipped with this kind of rapid-fire artillery and high-power shells, even in the face of the ironclad ship, it is not scared at all! He gave a cigarette to him and said tentatively with a shy face: "When will this new type of artillery and shells be officially installed?" ”

Guo Zhongmou, who accompanied them to observe, was also shocked, he watched the test firing of this new artillery for the second time, and he still felt extremely shocked, whether it was a powerful cannonball or a continuous artillery shell, it made him feel that it was difficult to breathe, it was really shocking!

However, he knew in his heart that this new type of artillery shells and artillery was still in the development stage, and when Chang Guixiang asked, he smiled and said: "The official installation should wait until the next year, if the imperial court provokes a war, it may speed up the progress." ”

Hearing this, Rong Lu couldn't help but suddenly realize, it turns out that this new type of artillery is a deterrent! Born in the New Army of the Eight Banners, he naturally saw at a glance the huge advantages of this new field artillery, four or six new artillery pieces can achieve the effect of cluster artillery, which means that the artillery will become flexible and mobile, and once exposed to the muzzle, there is no chance to escape, after all, the speed of the artillery is too fast, fast to a terrifying degree.

Rong Lu and others came to Qingdao on the opportunity of inspecting the defense of Lushun Lao Tieshan, and did not dare to stay longer, so they returned by boat in the afternoon of the same day.

On the dock of the military port, watching the warship slowly sail away from the port, Guo Zhongmu couldn't help but say: "Principal, if this new type of artillery and cannonball can be used on the battlefield of the Japanese State, it will definitely completely destroy the will of the Japanese State to resist. ”

"The will to resist is also very weak, so why should we invest in new artillery." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "This new type of artillery shell is not stable, and the technology of artillery must be improved, and it is still very .......early to be officially installed, and it is also perfect, and I also plan to use it as a technical reserve and not equip the troops for the time being." ”

Technical reserves? Guo Zhongmu hesitated: "What is a technical reserve?" ”

"It is not produced for the time being, so as to avoid the technology being stolen and imitated. The purpose is to ensure the priority of our armaments. Yi Zhifu said as he walked slowly towards the carriage.

The new type of powerful shells used picric acid explosives, and the artillery could be continuously shelled, so it was natural to use the retractor to make a retractor.

Picric acid has been invented for nearly a hundred years, but it has always been used as a yellow dye, no one associates picric acid with explosives, Yi Zhizhi learned from the First Sino-Japanese Naval War that picric acid explosives are very powerful, and it is far from possible to say that black powder is nitrocellulose, and Yuan Qi also began to try picric acid explosives after introducing the production process and production line of picric acid.

As for the artillery rearing and reinforcing machine, that is, the tube retracting gun, he didn't understand this thing, but the artillery he had seen in later generations were all tube retracting guns, and he put forward this idea after the launch of the rear-loading gun.

However, because the spring cannot keep up, this water-pressure spring-type retraction machine can only be used for land guns with small recoil, and the main and auxiliary naval guns on ironclad ships cannot be installed at present.

He is also telling the truth, the shells filled with picric acid explosives are extremely unsafe because of their poor stability, and they are still being improved, and the tube withdrawal technology is also constantly improving.

On the afternoon of the day Rong Lu returned to Tianjin, he received a telegram from the Empress Dowager Ci'an - summoning Rong Lu and the three of them to Beijing immediately to meet him!

Seeing the telegraph, Rong Lu couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart, Yi Zhizhi told him not to enter Beijing easily, but he didn't think that as soon as he returned to Tianjin, he received a telegram to enter Beijing to see him, was he complying with the decree or resisting the edict? Without much thought, he ordered, "Prepare the horses——。 ”

"Military Gate ——。" E Antai hurriedly shouted.

Rong Lu glanced at him and waved his hand to retreat from the guards, and E Antai said softly: "The telegram came so quickly, the Queen Mother must know our whereabouts, and the risk of entering Beijing is not small....... It is better to call the military sick, and the subordinates will go to Beijing to see him. ”

"There is a risk in returning to Beijing, and it is even riskier not to return to Beijing!" Rong Lu said in a deep voice: "The imperial court does not know the details of Yuan Qi in Qingdao, and the Queen Mother has the heart to resist the constitution, and she is extremely concerned about the Beiyang Naval Division.

Moreover, the king of Zhennan actually hoped to convey the situation in Qingdao to the imperial court through us, so as to deter the imperial court and force the empress dowager not to act rashly. ”

"It's still the military gate that sees it thoroughly." Chang Guixiang said slowly: "If the military gate does not enter Beijing according to the order, the queen mother may not believe the words of the two of us." ”

E Antai glanced at the two of them, and said with a worried face: "This summons, the meaning of asking for guilt is very obvious. ”

"It doesn't matter." Chang Guixiang said in a deep voice: "The military gate was recommended by the king of Zhennan, if there is a change, Yuan Qi will definitely not stand idly by." ”

Rong Lu nodded slightly: "There are a lot of eyes and ears in the army, don't rub it in, enter Beijing immediately." ”