On February 13, 1902, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, after Lin Daxin had breakfast with his four wives and children, Lin Daxin said to Ding Xueshan: "Xueshan, tomorrow my father and father-in-law will almost be able to accompany Li Zhongtang to arrive at Lushun Port, I am going to take a car with my cousin and them to Lushun today, this time our delegation will go with Li Zhongtang to attend the official coronation ceremony of Edward VII, and my father-in-law and father's Beiyang Navy Division will also go with the Northeast Naval Fleet." ”

Ding Xueshan gave birth to 1 son and 1 daughter to Lin Daxin, namely the eldest son Lin Zhiyong and the eldest daughter Lin Ziyao, Du Juan gave birth to 2 sons to Lin Daxin, namely the second son Lin Zhiqiang, the third son Lin Zhiying, Liu Xiumei gave birth to the fourth son Lin Zhiwen, and He Yue gave birth to the second daughter Lin Zimei.

Edward VII is the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, studied at Oxford and Cambridge universities, in January last year, reigned for 63 years and seven months, is the longest-reigning British monarch, and the world's longest-reigning female monarch Queen Victoria died, after the death of the queen Edward VII succeeded to the throne as King of the United Kingdom, this year Edward VII was 60 years old.

Edward VII entered Oxford University in 1859, becoming the first crown prince to enter Oxford University, and later transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge University, but unfortunately he could not complete his studies. In 1861, his father, Prince Albert, made a trip to Cambridge to care for him, but died of typhoid fever two weeks after his return. As a result, Queen Victoria, who was widowed in middle age, blamed Edward's absurdity for the death of her deceased husband, and from then on she was not allowed to intervene in political or clan affairs until she was over 50 years old, when she was allowed to know the procedures governing the operation of the Cabinet. However, Edward VII was sociable and amiable, and was very popular with the British people.

Although Edward VII has succeeded to the throne, the king of England must be located in Westminster Abbey, located on the north bank of the Thames in London, to hold a formal coronation ceremony.

In the past 2 years, Lin Daxin has imported a large number of industrial machinery and equipment from the British, so Lin Daxin decided to give the British face this time, and is ready to send a fleet composed of 2 city-class all-steel battleships, 2 throttle-class large fast armored cruisers, 2 anti-aircraft fast protection cruisers, and 2 destroyers to participate in the naval parade held by the British for Edward VII. He also escorted a delegation of more than 30 people to the coronation of Edward VII, headed by Wang Yan himself.

Wang Yan is still the highest official in the administrative system under Lin Daxin, and was appointed as the prime minister of the Northern Governor's Office, in charge of the administrative work of 12 provinces.

Later, Lin Daxin received news that after the Qing court received the invitation of the British, it decided to send part of the warships of the Beiyang Naval Division to participate in the naval parade held by the British for Edward VII, and sent Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, to participate in the coronation ceremony of Edward VII on behalf of the Qing Dynasty. However, Lin Daxin sent a telegram to Li Hongzhang, hoping to let the Northeast Navy and the Beiyang Naval Division escort Lin Daxin's delegation and Li Hongzhang to the United Kingdom, and let Li Hongzhang and the Beiyang Naval Division come to Lushun first, and Li Hongzhang readily agreed.

Li Hongzhang, who should have passed away with endless regrets last year, is still strong, and there is no Treaty of Shimonoseki and Xinchou Treaty that made this old man infinitely humiliated, although Li Hongzhang is now 79 years old, he still eats Ma Ma Xiang, and he can't tell that he is about to be 80 years old.

Ding Xueshan heard Lin Daxin say that he was going to Lushun today, nodded and said, "Husband, at that moment, I will ask my subordinates to hand over the gifts prepared by our sisters to your adjutant and bring them to my father-in-law, father, and Li Zhongtang." ”

Liu Xiumei next to her interjected: "Li Zhongtang is almost 80 years old, and I don't know what the imperial court thinks, so I let Li Zhongtang cross the ocean to the United Kingdom, what if there is a good guy along the way?" ”

Lin Daxin didn't say anything, but a cold light flashed in his eyes, because Li Hongzhang's attitude towards Lin Daxin made the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu want to get rid of Li Hongzhang quickly, but unfortunately the 300,000 troops of the six towns of Beiyang and the old Huai army were not decorations, and the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor were even more afraid of dealing with Li Hongzhang to cause Lin Daxin's anger, so they could only hope that Li Hongzhang, the old immortal, would be finished quickly, so that the imperial court could take the opportunity to subdue the Beiyang system and take the 300,000 troops of the six towns of Beiyang and the old Huai army in their hands.

This time, the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu sent Li Hongzhang to England to participate in the coronation ceremony of Edward VII, 100% hidden evil intentions, and there was the meaning of tossing Li Hongzhang in it, you must know that the nearest sea route from the Qing Dynasty to Britain is more than 10,000 kilometers, and it takes almost 1 month to reach it by boat.

Even if Lin Daxin has the same power as the sky now, he has always respected Li Hongzhang very much, after all, Lin Daxin and his father Lin Yongsheng are both from Beiyang, this time Lin Daxin hopes that Li Hongzhang and the Beiyang Naval Division will come to Lushun first, and Lin Daxin is also ready to give Li Hongzhang the luxury yacht Xuetang built by the shipyard to Li Hongzhang.

This Xuetang luxury yacht has a displacement of 17,800 tons, which is specially customized by Lin Daxin for himself and his family, and the luxury cruise ship is equipped with a qiē facility for the life of passengers, and these facilities are the best, which can meet the requirements of comfortable luxury living standards, and has a variety of entertainment facilities, and even has an indoor swimming pool, this kind of high-end atmosphere and high-grade things, the cost of the entire Xuetang luxury yacht reaches 10 million yuan, which is equivalent to 2 million pounds, Equal to the cost of 1 Dragon-class dreadnought.

However, who made Lin Daxin rich and built this Xuetang luxury yacht with 2 million pounds, Lin Daxin took his wife and children to sit once, mainly because Lin Daxin was too busy, and he needed to deal with a lot of things every day, and he had to travel to the future time and space every once in a while to transport back the equipment purchased from the future time and space.

At noon on February 13, Lin Daxin, Wang Yan and others took a special train from Shenyang City to Lushun, and Li Hongzhang and the Beiyang Naval Division had to arrive on the 14th, so Lin Daxin first went to Dalian Shipyard to see the construction of the second batch of Dragon-class dreadnought battleships.

After leaving the Dalian shipyard, it was almost dark, but Lin Daxin seized the time to meet with the naval officers who had gone to participate in the naval parade held by the British for Edward VII.

The two city-class all-steel battleships going to Britain this time are Changchun and Pyongyang, and the captain of the Changchun, Wen Yu, will serve as the commander of this detachment drawn from the First Fleet of the Northeast Navy.

At about 10 o'clock in the morning of February 14, a small fleet of 4 warships appeared on the sea outside Lushun Port, which was the Beiyang Naval Division Detachment that rushed from Weihaiwei to prepare for the United Kingdom, and Lin Daxin had already waited on the dock of Lushun Port with people, ready to greet his father, father-in-law, and Li Hongzhang.

Because of the relationship between Admiral Ding Ruchang and Lin Daxin's father Lin Yongsheng, although the Beiyang Naval Division still belongs to the Qing Dynasty in name, it has actually become the Weihaiwei Garrison Fleet of the Northeast Navy, and now the four warships of the Beiyang Naval Division have 2 large fast armored cruisers and 2 fast protection cruisers, and these 4 warships are all transferred by Lin Daxin from the Northeast Navy to the Beiyang Naval Division, and the 2 large fast armored cruisers are the original Xinghe and Xingsheng of the Northeast Navy, and the 2 fast protection cruisers are all brand-new defense levels.

Xinghe and Xingsheng have replaced Dingyuan and Zhenyuan to become the most powerful warships of the Beiyang Naval Division, Lin Daxin's father Lin Yongsheng is currently the pipe band of Xinghe, and the pipe band of Xingsheng is Li He, the pipe band of the Pingyuan ship sunk in the Battle of the Yellow Sea.

Soon the four warships of the Beiyang Naval Division docked at the port of Lushun, and Ding Ruchang and Lin Yongsheng accompanied Li Hongzhang off the Xinghe on the left and right, and Lin Daxin immediately led people to meet them.

"Lord Zhongtang, it's been hard all the way, Daxin has a greeting for you!" Lin Daxin said with a smile on his face when he saw Li Hongzhang, and then Lin Daxin said hello to his father and father-in-law.

Li Hongzhang smiled and said to Ding Ruchang and Lin Yongsheng on the left and right: "Yu Ting, Zhong Qing, with your son-in-law and son's current power, there are not many people who can make this stinky boy ask for peace!" ”

Lin Yongsheng immediately smiled next to him and said: "If it weren't for the support of Lord Zhongtang back then, Daxin would not have the power it has today, it is his duty to ask Zhongtang for peace, if he dares to be disrespectful to Zhongtang, don't look at what kind of governor he is 12 provinces, I will still beat his ass and blossom." ”

Lin Daxin couldn't help but say: "Dad, my respect for Zhongtang is like a surging river, in front of Zhongtang will always be the junior who was born in Beiyang, and there is no chance for my ass to bloom if you want to hit it." ”

Everyone on the dock couldn't help laughing, Li Hongzhang looked at Lin Daxin and sighed: "The old man didn't expect that you stinky boy would have so much ability, the Japanese, Italians, Americans, Russians, French, and even the most powerful British in the world have all suffered at the hands of your kid, but it's a pity that the imperial court ...... Alas, don't mention it! ”

Lin Daxin pointed to Wang Yan beside him at this time, and said to Li Hongzhang: "Zhongtang, this is my cousin Wang Yan, the government affairs of the 12 provinces under my command are all in charge of my cousin, and this time my cousin will accompany Zhongtang to the United Kingdom." ”

This was the first time Wang Yan had seen Li Hongzhang, and he immediately stepped forward to greet him and said, "Wang Yan greets Lord Zhongtang." ”

Li Hongzhang nodded with a smile and said: "The old man also knows that you are a kid, the first official under Daxin, they are all a family, and you will have to take care of it all the way to the UK this time." ”

Wang Yan said with a smile: "It is incumbent on the juniors. ”

Lin Daxin continued: "Zhongtang, father, father-in-law, I have prepared wine and food, let's talk while eating!" ”

Later, at the Lushun Naval Base, in the villa where Lin Daxin usually lives here, Lin Daxin, Wang Yan, Li Hongzhang, Ding Ruchang, and Lin Yongsheng sat around the banquet that had been prepared long ago, and talked while eating, while the other officers and men of the Beiyang Naval Division were responsible for entertaining them.

Lin Daxin poured Li Hongzhang a cup of tea, then picked up a glass of wine and said, "Zhongtang, the kid toasts you." ”

Li Hongzhang picked up the teacup and said with a smile: "It's not the old man who bullied you, it was the doctor who your kid sent to the old man to order, so that the old man must quit drinking, and the old man can only replace wine with tea!" ”

After Lin Daxin clinked glasses with Li Hongzhang with a smile, he took a sip of the wine in the glass, and then asked puzzledly: "Zhongtang, this time I went to the UK thousands of miles away, you are so old, it is really too much for the imperial court to send you." ”

Li Hongzhang sighed and said: "Don't hide it from you, kid, since the war with the Russians, the old man mobilized the six towns of Beiyang and the old Huai army to prepare to support you in the fight against Russia, and as a result, let you, a stinky boy, take the opportunity to blackmail Xinjiang, and the Queen Mother's dissatisfaction with the old man has risen to the extreme, if it weren't for the old man's 300,000 troops, plus the relationship between the old man and you, the stinky boy, the old man would have been beheaded all over the house." ”

Lin Daxin's eyes were raised, and he said loudly: "If Cixi's ruined old lady dares to move a finger of Lord Zhongtang, I will immediately lead a million Dingbei Army to move south, and directly destroy Cixi's ruined old lady!" ”

Li Hongzhang, who was sitting next to Lin Daxin, patted Lin Daxin's head lightly, "Stinky boy, the old man is sitting here as the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, pay attention to your words when you speak, you are the commander of a million-strong army, and I don't see where you are calm." ”

Although Li Hongzhang said it in his mouth, it could be seen from the smile in his eyes that he was very satisfied with Lin Daxin's attitude.

Li Hongzhang continued: "This time, King Edward VII of England sent an invitation to the imperial court to participate in his coronation ceremony, but in fact, the old man himself asked to go. ”

When Lin Daxin heard this, he was puzzled and asked, "Zhongtang, what are you doing here?" ”

Li Hongzhang sighed and said: "The old man successively served as the governor of Jiangsu, the governor of Huguang, and later served as the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, awarded the scholar of Wenhuadian University, and prepared for foreign affairs for many years. This time, while the old man can still walk, I am going to go to Western countries to see, the old man has studied with them for half his life, this time to see what they are like there, this time the old man is not only going to the United Kingdom, but also preparing to go to France, Germany, the United States, all go around. ”R1152