Although he could break the other party's mind, Zhao Liewen didn't dare to find out, he knew very well that this was the best excuse to expand the war, unless he had a better way, it was better to pretend to be confused, but, after thinking about it, he felt that it was wrong, didn't the other party tell him this clearly, can he pretend to be confused?

Thinking of this, he simply asked: "Is the big shopkeeper planning to use Shao Hengyu to make a fuss?" ”

"Avoid suspicion." Yi Zhisuff said without thinking: "Shao Hengyu has arrived in Kyoto, the Changzhou Domain should have been destroyed, and there will definitely be people who destroy the canonization ......." ”

Hearing this, Zhao Liewen smiled bitterly: "The big shopkeeper said this, the students are a little confused, don't they need a reasonable excuse to launch a full-scale war against the Japanese?" ”

"There really needs to be an excuse." Yi Zhi said with a full head: "From the conquest of the four feudal domains in the southwest to the full-scale launch of the war against the Japanese, it is indeed necessary to have an event that can guide public opinion from the government and the opposition, and it is also necessary to give the officers and soldiers of the army a reasonable reason ....... However, there is no need for us to worry about it, the Japanese will take the initiative to give us an excuse to crusade. ”

"The big shopkeeper said that the students were even more confused." Zhao Liewen looked puzzled.

Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "Even if the Japanese people don't destroy the canonization, there will be other excuses, Huifu might as well wait and see." ”

Before the words fell, Lin Meilian reported at the door: "The big shopkeeper, Xie Xiuyuan is asking to see you outside." ”

"Let him in." Yi Zhishu commanded casually.

After coming in to greet the ceremony, Xie Xiuyuan said: "Big treasurer, London Telegraph, the English Parliament passed the "British North America Act", and it is estimated that they sent it to the Ministry of Commerce and Trade by mistake. As he spoke, he stepped forward and handed over a telegram.

The British North America Act established the union of the four provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick to form a unified federal state, named the Dominion of Canada. That is, Canada is officially established.

After reading the telegram, Yi Zhixiang casually signed a 'read' word, for North America, he does not have much ambition, nor does he want to use Alaska for expansion, for him, he only needs to keep Alaska at present, it is obvious that the Americans have a strong desire for expansion in Canada, let the United States and England and Canada go to the death, he has no need to intervene.

Receiving the telegram, Xie Xiuyuan continued: "There is another thing, a telegram from Paris said that the Suez Canal is expected to be completed and opened to navigation within three years. ”

"So fast?" Yi Zhizu frowned, the Suez Canal has greatly shortened the voyage between European countries and the East, and it can be said to be the most important canal in the world, with unparalleled economic and strategic value, but for Yuanqi, this is not good news.

Although the opening of the Suez Canal is conducive to trade between the East and the West, it is not conducive to Yuanqi's expansion in the northwest, and it is not conducive to Yuanqi's involvement in the Persian Gulf, if it can be delayed for another three or five years, it would be good, however, he knows very well that this is delusional, the Suez Canal project is huge, costly, and the French and Egyptians are eager to complete the navigation ..... as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, he vaguely grasped something, and muttered for a while before saying: "Egypt still belongs to the Ottoman Empire, what is the attitude of England and the Ottomans towards the Suez Canal?" ”

Hearing him ask, Xie Xiuyuan hurriedly shook his head and said, "My subordinates don't know much about the situation in the Suez Canal...... ”

Yi Zhishu instructed: "Let them inquire as soon as possible." ”

The opening of the Suez Canal is definitely not good news for Yuan Qi to get involved in the Persian Gulf and northwest expansion, and it will be navigable within three years, that is to say, it will be opened to navigation in 1869 or 1870, just a year and a half earlier than the Franco-Prussian War, as if it was against Yuan Qi.

Northwest expansion ahead of schedule? As soon as this idea popped up, he immediately denied it, and now he was conquering the Japanese state, and Yuanqi's industrial production capacity could not support the simultaneous war on the eastern and western fronts, and even if it could, at this time, the expansion in the northwest would also need to bear a great risk of war, and Britain and France would probably not be able to tolerate the large-scale expansion of the Qing Dynasty in the northwest, threatening the Persian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Just pondering, Lin Meilian came in with more than a dozen prayer posts and said, "These are all ...... waiting outside." She said while cleaning up the tea set, she rarely faked the work in the study, not to mention the maids below, even the secretariat rarely had the opportunity to come in.

Yi Zhi's contentment is the most annoying thing is to see people and talk about things endlessly every day, and he sees a lot of prayers, he can't help frowning, and at a glance he glimpses the top is Hong Zhigao, the director of the Internal Combustion Engine Research Institute, and he said: "Let Hong Zhigao come in." ”

Hong Zhigao was born in Yuan Qiyixue, a returned international student, in his thirties, Yi Zhi, who was standing at the door to greet him, saw him coming quickly, so he smiled and stretched out his hand, "How did Director Hong have time to come today?" ”

Hong Zhigao shook hands with him with some restraint before saying: "The institute has successfully developed a piston four-stroke gasoline internal combustion engine with practical value, and the students have come to report the good news." ”

"Oh! It's a great event! Yi Zhicontent smiled: "At present, there is no four-stroke internal combustion engine in the world, right?"

"No one has applied for a patent yet." Hong Zhigao hurriedly said: "The working principle of the four-stroke internal combustion engine was proposed by the French scientist de Rorschach in 1862 on the basis of Carnot's thermodynamic research, and other countries should also be researching. ”

After warmly inviting him into the room to sit down, Yi Zhizhi said: "Apply for a patent immediately, and reward a scientific researcher who deserves meritorious service." ”

"Principal Xie." Hong Zhigao said: "The patent is crowned with the research institute.... Still is? ”

"It's up to the institute." Yi Zhizhi said: "We must try to respect the ..... of the fruits of scientific research. ”

"But ......" Hong Zhigao hesitated: "Research funding has always been provided by the institute. ”

"Take a long-term view." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "Yuanqi is not short of silver, what is lacking is talent, don't let foreign researchers feel aggrieved, technology patents, Yuanqi only needs the right of first refusal." ”

Hearing this, Hong Zhigao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said: "The president is far-sighted, as soon as this news spreads, it will inevitably attract more foreign scientists to come." ”

Yi Zhizhi nodded and said, "The purpose of establishing the institute is not only to attract outstanding foreign talents, but also to produce research results, and more importantly, to cultivate our own scientific research talents. ”

"Students understand." Hong Zhigao hurriedly said.

"The successful development of the four-stroke internal combustion engine heralds the arrival of the era of the internal combustion engine, so to speak, you have opened the prelude to an era." Yi Zhizhi said slowly: "The application of the internal combustion engine is bound to be more extensive than the steam engine, don't rest on your laurels, we must continue to research and improve, continuously improve the performance of the internal combustion engine, and strive to replace the steam engine in an all-round way!" ”

The era of the internal combustion engine? Hong Zhigao didn't expect him to have such a high evaluation of the internal combustion engine, and hurriedly said: "Students must live up to the high expectations of the president, make persistent efforts, and strive for more research results." ”

Yi Zhizhi nodded and said, "Have you heard of the development of steam cars in European countries?" ”

"I've heard of it." Hong Zhigao said excitedly: "France, Britain, and the United States have all tried to develop steam engine cars, and in 1863, French newspapers and periodicals reported that Renault invented the car, which ran at a speed of eight kilometers per hour and ran eighteen kilometers back and forth from Paris to Gioveri Polda. After a pause, he said with an expectant face: "The principal wants to develop internal combustion engine vehicles?" ”

"Not bad." "The successive inventions of lead-acid batteries, ignition devices for internal combustion engines, rubber pneumatic tires, spring suspensions, etc., have laid the foundation for internal combustion engine vehicles, and I think we can try to establish a research institute dedicated to the study of automobiles." ”

Speaking of this, he smiled and said: "It seems that you are also very interested in automobiles, and this automobile research institute will be handed over to you to prepare." ”

"Principal Xie." Hong Zhigao said excitedly.

"Once the internal combustion engine vehicle is successfully developed, it will inevitably be a land transportation vehicle comparable to the railway." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "Whether it is in the military or civilian has unparalleled value, Yuanqi is not short of funds, can tap talents for you in the world, collect technology, there is only one condition, as soon as possible to develop a car with practical value, Shanghai's asphalt road is not built for bicycles and four-wheeled carriages, but for cars!" ”

Hong Zhigao hurriedly stood up and bowed: "Principal, rest assured, the students will not disappoint your high expectations!" ”

Yi Zhishu stood up with a smile and said, "Let's go, go to your research institute to see your research results." ”

Wa country, Choshu domain, Yamaguchi Castle.

Yamaguchi Castle was the seat of the Choshu Domain, the main city of the Choshu Domain, and as the main city of the Southwest Domain, Yamaguchi Castle was originally quite prosperous and large-scale, but now it has become an empty city, perhaps it is more appropriate to say that it is a dead city, and the air is filled with a strong smell of blood, and the streets are littered with corpses.

Yang Xiuqing stood on the city wall with a calm expression, looking at this devastated city with cold eyes, he had already become numb after countless bloody scenes, "Burn the city!" With that, he turned and went down the wall.

In Hakata Bay, a huge fleet of ships was slowly approaching, and as soon as General Yi Xun landed on the shore, Chief of Staff Guo Zhongmu quickly greeted him, saluted with a military salute, and said with a smile: "Welcome General Yi, down is Guo Zhongmu, chief of staff of the East China Sea Fleet." ”

Yi Xun knew that Yuan Qi's position as chief of staff was equivalent to a deputy position, only half a level lower than the supervisor, he didn't dare to hold it up, speaking of which, he was the general of the imperial court's command, but in Yuan Qi's sequence of the army of the emperor, he was at most on par with the identity of the other party, and he immediately gave up his hand and said: "It turned out to be General Guo, I heard General Yan mention it many times in Shanghai, and I admired it for a long time." ”

"General Yi doesn't need to be polite." Guo Zhongmu said and stretched out his hand, "Please——。 ”

After entering the big camp and entering the big tent of the Chinese army, Guo Zhongmu said: "Commander-in-Chief Xiao has led the fleet to attack Hagi City, and General Yi is temporarily camping in Fukuoka. ”

"Encampment?" Yi Xun said with some suspicion: "Aren't you fighting Changzhou?" ”

"The war in the Choshu Domain is basically over." Guo Zhongmu said with a smile: "Yamaguchi Castle, the main city of the Changzhou domain, has been conquered, the main force of the Changzhou army has been basically annihilated, and the lord of the domain, Maori Jingqin, has also been ambushed, and all that remains is to sweep the tail ......." ”

So fast? Yi Xun was shocked in his heart, how can this Changzhou Domain be said to be one of the several major male domains of the Wa Kingdom, and it was only half a month before it was destroyed?

Seeing his expression, Guo Zhongmu smiled and said: "The number of soldiers of the Japanese Kingdom is limited, the equipment is backward, and they are vulnerable. ”

Hearing this, Yi Xun muttered: "Then our army will repair for a few days, and then send troops to Tosa Domain." ”

The Eight Banners New Army and the Beiyang Naval Division will attack Tosa, which has been planned for a long time, seeing that he is in such a hurry, Guo Zhongmu smiled and said: "General Yi doesn't need to worry, the Beiyang Naval Division is not familiar with the sea areas of the Wa Kingdom, and the news of the collapse of the Changzhou Domain has already spread. ”

Hearing this, Yi Xun naturally had no objections, this time, the imperial court is just cooperating, he doesn't want the troops to have big casualties, he groaned slightly, he said: "The battalion can open a cable telegraph?" ”

"It's already open." Guo Zhongmu said: "Tosa's cable telegraph will also be opened later, so General Yi does not need to worry. ”

Hearing this, Yi Xun couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, being able to keep in touch with the imperial court at any time was very important to him, to be honest, he was not worried about the progress of the war, with the assistance of Yuan Qi, there was no need for him to worry about this aspect at all, what he was worried about was the safety of his 20,000 troops, not afraid of Yuan Qi, but afraid of his sixth brother Yi Xun and Su Shun.

However, on the third day, Xiao Mingliang led the fleet back to the camp in Hakata Bay, and Guo Zhongmu went to the beach to greet him. ”

"Vulnerable." Xiao Mingliang said with ease.

Guo Zhongmu said: "Hagi City is the old main city of the Changzhou Domain, and the defense is so poor? ”

"In front of the rear-loading rifled guns, Hagi Castle's so-called defense is no different from papier-mâché, and it fell in half a day." Xiao Mingliang said and asked, "How many days has Prince Alcohol arrived?" ”

"Three days." Guo Zhongmu said: "I saw that I destroyed Changzhou so quickly, and I was anxious to fight Tosa." ”

Xiao Mingliang smiled, "Yamaguchi City has already been taken?" ”

"One day." Guo Zhongmu raised a finger, "It was conquered after only holding on for one day, and I heard that the city was slaughtered." ”

It was not the first time that Yang Xiuqing had slaughtered the city, Xiao Mingliang didn't ask much, and instead said, "Is there any news from Satsuma and Feiqian?" ”

"Hizen is the leader of the Yizeng army to conquest, and yesterday I called from Nagasaki, and Hizen has surrendered." Guo Zhongmu said: "There is no news from Satsuma yet. ”

It was the successor and main force of the New Sixth Army led by Luo Gang to conquer Satsuma, Xiao Mingliang was not too worried, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "Send a report to Nagasaki, send a ship to inquire about the situation, and in addition, let Yizeng lead the fleet to Hakata Bay to converge, and leave Hizen to the New Sixth Army to clean up slowly." After a pause, he asked again, "What about the Qincha who went to Kyoto to be canonized?" ”

"In the big camp." Guo Zhongmu said: "I tested the wind and wanted us to send a warship to escort it." ”

"Let the Beiyang Naval Division send warships to escort it." Xiao Mingliang said: "Let's not wade into this troubled water. ”