Go to the northwest to lead the west? Back to Bangladesh for military training? Stay with Ease of Contentment? Shi Dakai quickly calmed down, the other party can give him three choices, obviously he is very important, there is no doubt about this, how should he choose in this situation, in order to take care of both?

Going to the northwest to lead the army to the west can be ruled out first, the new army of Yuanqi has no shortage of generals, there will be no shortage of generals for the west, and besides, once he goes to the northwest to lead the army, he will wait for the complete investment in Yuanqi, and the Taiping army will no longer have anything to do with it.

Staying by Yi Zhi's side to help the counselor in military affairs is also a good choice, which is actually equivalent to directly entering the core class of Yuanqi, and after staying for a few years, he will have the opportunity to stand alone, and it can also help the Taiping Army in Bangladesh, speaking of which, this choice is the most tempting for him!

However, after thinking about it, he thought that Yuan Qi was determined to win Bengal, so what Yi Zhixiang hoped most should be that he would return to Bangladesh to train his troops, and the Taiping Army could only vacate Bengal if it expanded smoothly to the west, otherwise, the Taiping Army would be destroyed sooner or later, which was the result he was most unwilling to see, and besides, he couldn't bear to abandon those old brothers who followed him to the east and west.

After a short groan, he spoke: "Yuan Qi should want me to go back to Bangladesh the most?" ”

"You have the freedom to choose, and I respect your choice, otherwise I wouldn't have given you three choices." Yi Zhizhi said without hurry: "Because of the geographical advantages of Bangladesh, Yuanqi attaches great importance to Bangladesh, and in my opinion, it is a matter of time before England withdraws from India.

For the sake of his own interests, Yuan Qi will try his best to support the Taiping Army's continuous westward expedition, and if the Wing King returns to Bengal to train his troops, I will give strong support to both the source of troops and weapons and equipment. ”

With a slight groan, Shi Dakai asked directly: "Could it be that the King of Zhennan wants to control the Taiping Army?" ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "I have an interest in using the Taiping Army, but I have no interest in controlling it, I don't want the Eastern King's department, let alone the Heavenly King's department?" ”

Shi Dakai quickly made a decision, "Then I'll go back to Bangladesh for the time being!" A few years later, he came back to serve as the counselor of the king of Zhennan. ”

Xiao Mingliang, Shi Dakai and a group of other officers who went to the United States to observe and even indirectly participated in the war returned, bringing a large number of detailed materials on the Civil War.

In this four-year war, the North and the South invested more than 3 million troops, with the Northern Army at 2.2 million and the Southern Army at 1.1 million. Among them, more than 420,000 officers and soldiers of the Northern Army were killed and 340,000 were wounded, and 320,000 officers and soldiers of the Southern Army were killed and wounded, 260,000, and the total casualties on both sides were more than 1.3 million!

Seeing this series of shocking figures, Yi Zhizhi was silent for a long time, and Yuan Qi provided a large number of rear-loading rifled guns for both the north and the south from the very beginning, which undoubtedly increased the casualties of this war. And that's still without counting civilian casualties! Combined with the civilian casualties, it will definitely be as high as 15.6 million! The Great Famine caused by the Sherman Sweep alone killed no less than 100,000 civilians!

A population of 15.6 million may be insignificant for the Qing Dynasty, but for the United States, which has a total population of only 31 million, it is already 5 percent of the total population, and the casualties are all young and strong, which is definitely a big blow!

Compared with the huge casualties, the economic losses are even more appalling, rough statistics, the four-year civil war, the North and the South spent a total of more than 5 billion US dollars on the war and military expenditure! The Northern Union alone has a deficit of more than $2.84 billion. The direct economic losses caused are as high as a staggering $80 billion!

Seeing this figure, Yi Zhishu couldn't help but be dumbfounded, glanced at Xiao Mingming, and said, "How is this economic loss calculated?" ”

This question stumped Xiao Mingliang, and he hesitated for a moment before he said: "The students don't understand very well, but this war has indeed dealt a devastating blow to the south, and the 100,000 Federation Army led by Major General Sherman, the Supreme Commander of the Western Front, is like locusts crossing the border.

Sherman famously said that we must remove and destroy all obstacles, kill every person, take every inch of land, and confiscate every property whenever we think it is necessary. In a word---- ruthlessly destroying everything we see.......

From the beginning of the burning of Atlanta, Sherman's Union army was like locusts, and everywhere the army passed, cities, towns, and plantations were all burned to the ground, and cities such as Savannah, Columbia, and Charleston were reduced to ruins in the war, and the losses were incalculable. ”

Yi Zhishu nodded slightly, if you want to calculate it in this way, the direct economic loss of 80 billion US dollars is not false, he groaned slightly, he looked at Zhao Liewen and ordered: "Organize these materials well, send a copy to the Military Aircraft Department, and let them also understand how big the losses caused by the civil war are and how big the price is." ”

Zhao Liewen got up to sort out the information and asked, "Is it necessary to make it public in the newspaper?" ”

After a deep sigh, Yi Zhizhi said: "These data may not be accurate and true, and there is no need to report it." ”

"Yes. Zhao Liewen responded, and then said: "The fiscal deficit of the Northern Federation is as high as more than 2.84 billion US dollars, and even if the minimum annual interest rate of 5 percent is the annual interest rate that needs to be paid is quite ........ ”

"Huifu doesn't have to worry about the federal government." Yi Zhizhi said: "They have a way to repay the interest, although wait and see, in addition, it is best to suggest that the imperial court pay close attention and learn from the experience of others." ”

sent a group of people away, Yi Zhixin didn't have the heart to see people again, and was about to tell Lin Meilian to refuse guests, but Lin Meilian didn't want to come in to report, "Ren An is here." ”

Yi Zhixin knew that there was nothing important, and Ren An would not usually come to see him in person, when he ordered: "Let him in." ”

After coming in to greet him, Ren An said straightforwardly: "Great treasurer, there has been an undercurrent in the Wa Kingdom in recent times, and Takasugi Jinsaku, the leader of the Changshu Domain's royal faction, proposed to change the method of overthrowing illegal armed crusades and assassinations, and advocated a legal armed crusade, that is, to obtain the permission of the Wa Kingdom Heavenly King, issue a conquest order, and justifiably carry out a public crusade. It is reported that the Choshu Domain has formed a secret military alliance with the Satsuma Domain.

In addition, there was also a man named Ryoma Sakamoto, who proposed the idea of "Daisei Hokkaisu", that is, instead of overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate through armed bloodshed, the Tokugawa shogunate would return the ruling power to the emperor on its own initiative, and then form a new government that was truly unified throughout Japan, and the Tokugawa shogunate would participate in the management of the new government on an equal footing like other princes. After this idea was proposed, it was quite marketable in the Wa Kingdom, and many feudal clans agreed with it. ”

The exact year of the Meiji Restoration, Yi Zhizu doesn't remember very clearly, but he knows that the Meiji Restoration happened at the beginning of Emperor Meiji's accession to the throne. ”

Filial piety to the king? Ren An couldn't help but sigh, King Xiaoming was only in his early thirties, and he hadn't heard that there was something wrong with his body, so he hesitated for a while, and then he hurriedly replied: "King Xiaoming is in good health, and there is no abnormality." ”

Yi Zhizu took out the jade pipe and lit a cigarette, although he didn't remember the specific time of the Meiji Restoration, but it was generally clear that within these few years, Xiaoming would not die, and Meiji would not be able to ascend the throne, that is to say, Xiaoming, who was only more than thirty years old, either died of illness or died of untimely death.

In recent years, the Wa Kingdom was indeed not peaceful, and the fall of the shogunate seemed to have become a trend, with frequent assassinations of shogunate officials, xenophobic incidents also occurred from time to time, and several feudal domains in the southwest were also ready to move, especially after Takasugi Shinsaku raised troops to seize the power of the Choshu domain last year, and carried out reforms, which made the shogunate movement flourish.

Originally, he planned to turn a blind eye, as long as it did not endanger the rule of the shogunate, he did not want to interfere too much, and in addition, in the past few years, his main energy has been on the Civil War, and Yuanqi's funds have been invested in the cotton trade and financial securities in Europe, and he has no time to take care of it, but now he can consider assisting the shogunate to suppress it vigorously.

Early the next morning, after eight o'clock, Xiao Mingliang rushed to the Zhennan Palace, yesterday's celebration banquet, Yi Zhixiang and the American officials in China attended together, and also took a group photo with the officers and soldiers, but the following officers and soldiers were very happy, and when he left, he told him to come over in the morning, in his mind, it must be a good thing.

When he entered the study, he saluted in a proper manner, and Yi Zhizhi smiled and stretched out his hand and said, "Sit, don't be formal." After he sat down, he said: "In the past few years, we have not been able to free up our hands in the few wars in the southwest of the Japanese country, and now the time is right, you lead the fleet to the Japanese country, discuss with Tokugawa Ieshige, and see how to suppress it, the East China Sea Fleet has also been cultivating for a few years, and it is time to stretch your muscles." ”

Hearing this, Xiao Mingliang couldn't help but be overjoyed, he really didn't expect to encounter such a good thing as soon as he returned to China, so he quickly stood up and saluted: "The student obeys the order!" ”

"Sooner or later, the Japanese Kingdom will be incorporated into our borders, and it will not be too late." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "We must take this opportunity to establish a military base in the southwest of the Japanese Kingdom, not only to deter several powerful feudal domains in the southwest, but also as a bridgehead for the comprehensive conquest of the Japanese Kingdom in the future." ”

"Students understand." Xiao said brightly and loudly.

Yi Zhizu said slowly: "The Intelligence Bureau has been actively collecting information on all aspects of the Japanese Kingdom over the years, you go to Ren An to obtain relevant information, and then go to discuss with Tokugawa Ieshige after you are familiar with it, draw up a plan as soon as possible, and tell Tokugawa Ieshige that Yuanqi can provide a large loan for the shogunate." ”

Xiao Mingliang left with an excited face, Yi Zhizu took a sip of tea from the teacup, at present, Yuanqi is preparing to expand in the northwest, it is not appropriate for the Japanese country to use troops on a large scale, fighting on both land and sea, it may give the imperial court an opportunity, and furthermore, Yuanqi's current industrial strength does not allow Yuanqi to fight on both fronts at the same time, at least until the northwest stabilizes.

Now that Russia's power has completely withdrawn from East Asia, and the United States has just experienced a broken civil war, it is now asking Yuanqi to strengthen trade between the two countries to heal the wounds of the war as soon as possible, and it is impossible to interfere with Yuanqi's use of troops against the Japanese state.

As for Britain and France, the possibility of intervention is not great, after all, the Wa State is now a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, which is an internal affair, and the Qing Dynasty is not a soft persimmon that can be kneaded at will, and if you want to intervene, you have to carefully weigh your own military strength and economic strength.

For the Qing Dynasty, the Wa Kingdom is a piece of fat meat that can be eaten at any time, but it is necessary to choose a suitable time, of course, he also knows in his heart that time cannot be delayed too long, and it must be before the United States recovers, completely consolidate the rule of the Wa State, and do not give the United States any chance.

In addition, some islands in the Pacific Ocean, it is also time to join forces with the United States to divide them, taking advantage of the weakness of the United States to divide them, naturally they can take advantage of some more, as for monopolization, he really doesn't have that idea, the reason is very simple, if he can't swallow it, England will definitely not let him get his wish, but joining forces with the United States is enough to make England jealous.

Jingshi, Forbidden City, military aircraft duty room.

After reading the information about the American Civil War sent by Yuan Qi in one breath, Su Shun couldn't help but gasp, the American Civil War has been going on for four years, and there will be huge losses, this is certain, there is no need to question it, but the losses are so large that he really feels unbelievable.

However, this information is very detailed, and some data are obviously impossible to falsify or falsely report, such as the number of troops participating in the war, the number of casualties on both sides, the military expenditure of the war, the fiscal deficit, etc., these data are well documented, and besides, there is no need for Yuan Qi to get false information to them.

After being silent for a long time, he instructed Zhang Jing, the military aircraft behind him, "Turn it to Wen Xiang." ”

Wen Xiang was also shocked after reading it, and slowly paced over with the information, and said, "Can you transcribe a copy of this information and send it to the Supervision Office?" ”

Su Shun nodded and said, "Let them transcribe it as soon as possible and present it later." ”

Presented in, it was naturally presented to the Empress Dowager Ci'an, and after Wen Xiang handed over the information to Zhang Jing for transcription, he turned around, "After four years of war, the fiscal deficit is as high as 2.8 billion, isn't this too sensational?" ”

"This data shouldn't be too different." Su Shun said slowly: "Britain and France should be able to roughly estimate the trumpet of this war, and besides, Yuan Qi can't be guilty of ...... falsehood." ”

Wen Xiang hurriedly waved his hand, "It's not that Yuan Qi is false, it's just that he doubts that the current war consumption is so large, since the founding of this dynasty, there have been countless wars of all sizes, and there has never been such a large consumption ......." ”

Su Shun was silent when he listened, the consumption of such a huge war, the imperial court really can't afford to fight, it is easy to fight one billion two billion, the imperial court can't make up so much silver even if it empties out the family, he sighed lightly, and then he said: "The imperial court carefully calculates the consumption of weapons and ammunition of the Eight Banners New Army, and can roughly calculate how big the consumption of a war is, and today's weapons and ammunition are scary, and a shell is more than a dozen taels of silver." ”