Edo Traveler - Vol 13 Chapter 73

Without the two updated ironclads from the United Kingdom, the navy might not be willing to sell this new and cutting-edge battleship. Now I hear that the crew is divided into two, and half of them are going to the UK, ready to receive new ships. Half of the people sailed to Shanghai and prepared to hand over the boat to Daoqing.

Hey, all these people are thinking about driving the new British ironclad ships, but none of them want to be an employee for Oi Qing.

Let’s draw lots and let the eight million gods in the sky decide who will go and who will stay. It’s absolutely fair, everyone sees the label, and if a basket is drawn out, whoever wins is luck.

The Japanese side is easy to solve, but the Qing side rarely seems to be procrastinating. After all, it is a matter of who can take the lead in conquering Jiangning and conquering the great achievements of the Taiping Army. The upper-level rulers of the Qing court are still very concerned.

Of course, they hoped that Duolonga, who was born in the family of the emperor of Manchuria, would go to the Three Banners, and Duolonga, who was born in Manchuria with the white banner, would be the first to enter Jiangning City. In this way, there is a way to fight with the rising Han nationality regiment and continue to hold the right to speak to the imperial court and the provinces of the Central Plains.

In order to deal with this matter as soon as possible, the Qing court immediately ordered Fuming Ayi to help Jiangnan military affairs under the rank of deputy capital, and specially came to buy ironclad ships. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know this Fuming Ah, everyone of his ancestors should know him.

Yuan Chonghuan!

Well, whether you believe it or not, Fuming Ah is a self-proclaimed grandson of Yuan Chonghuan VI, and his family name is Yuan. It’s just that after Qianlong, the Eight Banners of the Han army were often named closer to the Manchu form.

Because Fuminga was in the establishment of the Eight Banners of Ningguta, and Dolonga was born from Sauron, and the size was a little bit on the edge, the court also hoped that they could cooperate well.

This Fuminga is quite a competent person. After arriving in Shanghai, he first met Dolonga and asked him about the situation inside and outside Shanghai. Then he further learned about the pros and cons of Japanese warships, as well as the level of warships moored on the Huangpu River in Western countries.

Finally, the armored ship that Japan is ready to sell is indeed a very good warship. The court can spend a little money for this ship.

Two hundred sailors are ready-made. They were all drawn from the old Eight Banners navy, mostly from Manchuria, but also from Mongolia. When he came from the north, he also brought more than 50 people from Shengjing and Ningguta. In the bitter cold outside the customs, although these people no longer have the ability of their ancestors to wear double armor, hold white soldiers, fight day and night, and fight endlessly. The victory lies in a simple, obedient, and good soldier.

Two hundred and fifty people gather together, let’s buy a boat.

Katsu Kaishu was instructed by Chuemon, and personally brought the armored ship to Shanghai. As soon as the armored iron ship reached the Huangpu River, it became the most beautiful cub among all the warships of the great powers.

After all, the tonnage of more than 5,000 tons is placed there, and the artillery is lined up, moving like thunder. Just like when Wenxiang saw the armored ship, Dolonga and Fuminga were also very surprised, and there was only one thought in their minds.

so big!

It is no wonder that the Prime Minister, Minister of State Affairs, Wen Xiang, asked for the Japanese ship by name. He also said that if there is this ship, it can be used as an arrow to directly break Jiangning’s defense.

Thinking about it now, even though Wen Xiang doesn’t know how to fight, he has a pretty good eye for things. As the head coach of a battalion and the number one general in Manchuria, of course, it was impossible for Dolonga to personally negotiate with a subordinate of a subordinate country. He only ordered Fuming Ah Haosheng to negotiate. You can submit it at any time in Yinzijiang Customs, you can quickly negotiate.

buy him! buy him! buy him!

Because it is a second-hand boat, although it cost almost 1,200,000 taels of silver, it was bought from the French. But now it has to be depreciated after all. Sheng Haizhou offered 800,000 taels of silver, which gave Fuming A room to bargain.

Unexpectedly, Wen Xiang’s bottom line for Fu Ming A was 800,000. Because Elgin fooled Wenxiang back then, the boat was worth one million, and it had only been used for three or four years, but it was actually quite new.

After a circle in his head, Fuming A said that either 700,000 or 800,000 would be the total package. What do you mean by total package? That is, the wages of 20 to 30 percent of the Japanese employees on the ship are included. The Japanese side also has to be responsible for the maintenance and repair during the running-in period of two to three years, because no one will maintain the steam engine and boiler in the belt Qing Dynasty.

By the way, you have to include ammunition and other items. At least let us drive out of the Huangpu River and hit the Taiping Army on the river surface, and see how good it is.

Although Fuming Ah doesn’t know much about foreign affairs, he is quite shrewd in reckoning!

Come on, 800,000 is 800,000. Let’s go up the Yangtze River to see each other and find out. At this time, Suzhou, Changzhou and other places have been conquered by Dolonga’s troops. Almost all of Jiangnan was under the control of the Qing court, and Jiangning was in fact an isolated city.

The Xiang army was approaching Jiangning step by step, preparing to trap Hong Xiuquan completely in the city. Li Xiucheng, the loyal king in the city, repeatedly wrote letters, hoping that Hong Xiuquan would take advantage of the fact that the encirclement of the Hunan army had not been completed, let the city not leave, and open up the world again. Hong Xiuquan refused to allow it, and watched as the Taiping strongholds outside the city were conquered one by one.

Today, the Hunan army is besieging the city, and they can see a giant ship sailing down the river, with colorful flags hanging on it, as well as a big three-leaf sunflower flag. Just as he was about to intercept, Fu Ming A on the boat sent someone to go on a small steamer all the way to inform Zeng Guoquan. My own person, I’ll take a look.

When Zeng Guoquan saw that it was Fuming Ah, he subconsciously prepared to stop him, but he was persuaded from left and right that this was Dolong Ah’s subordinate. Besides, no matter how big it is, there will be a boat coming, and you will appear stingy if you stop it. Now is the critical moment of the siege, so don’t make trouble.

With this persuasion left and right, Zeng Guoquan could only give up, watching Fu Ming A lead the armored iron ship swaggeringly across the river to see.

Seeing that the armored iron ship did not care about the cannons on Jiangning City at all, and rushed forward all the way, the Xiang army generals on the left and right even thought that this fellow was seeking death. The navy battalions of the Hunan Army, as well as the generals and officers of the battalions of the besieged city, all gathered to watch.

Sheng Haizhou asked, because the water volume in the central channel of the Qinhuai River has increased sharply because of the rainy season, the water depth is more than ten meters, and the draught of the armored iron ship is less than seven meters, which is completely passable. Then why hesitate, break into the Qinhuai River directly.

As soon as they drove in, they were discovered by the Taiping army in the city, and then they were bombarded one after another. But the cannons in the city hit the armored ships, and the fart was useless, and it was normal for the cannonballs to be bounced directly.

The armored iron ship was aimed at Dinghuai Gate, and it was a salvo, which immediately caused a mess in the city. It didn’t take long for the artillery fire on the city to be suppressed by the armored ships. If a team of infantry attacked at this time, they would definitely be able to climb the city. It was only at this time that the surrounding Hunan generals discovered it.

Damn, these people actually came to attack the city in one boat!

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