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The sound of cannons at Wusongkou under the night sky was rumbling and the flames shone.

The American Asian fleet led by Perry tried to give the Shanghai army guarding the Wusongkou Fortress, but the result was not as good as he wanted. After several hours of fierce fighting, the US Navy failed to destroy any of the Wusongkou Fortress, but instead caused four of its seven warships to be hit by large-caliber shells fired by the Wusongkou Fortress, causing damage to the hull and hundreds of casualties.

On the other hand, on the Fortress Mountain, the Shanghai Army on the Wusongkou Fortress relied on the solid iron-pin concrete fortifications to block most of the direct-fired shells fired from US warships, causing very little casualties for the Shanghai Army officers and soldiers. After several hours of fighting, only three of them were accidentally injured by stray shrapnel.

This situation made Perry very annoyed, and the good mood brought about by achieving a brilliant victory from Japan was gone.

"I don't believe that I can't beat them if I let the Marines attack and surround the turret from the flank!"

Seeing that Perry was already angry and made the US Marines launch a ground attack, Mailian, as the ambassador to China, was immediately anxious. He was a politician and would not be angry and embarrassed if he lost the battle like Perry. Mailian was always very clear-headed. The reason why he did not stop Perry from the beginning was just because he also hoped that Perry could give Li Weiguo a warning to facilitate the subsequent negotiations.

But when Perry led the most advanced fleet of the US Navy to attack the Wusongkou Fortress, failed, and failed to get a chance and suffered hundreds of casualties, Mai Lian's heart was already shaken.

Hearing Perry's order to attack the Marines at this moment, this is not possible, because once the infantry launches an attack, it is equivalent to magnifying the situation. It is no longer an artillery incident, but an armed conflict, and the situation may even be out of control and turn into a war between the Qing and the United States.

"Stop military operations immediately!" As an excellent politician, Mailian immediately stopped Perry from further expanding the conflict.

Perry was also confused for a moment. After being stopped by Mailian, he realized that he had almost made a big mistake, but for the sake of face, he still said: "It's too late today. The enemy's situation is unclear, which is not conducive to military action. We will rest for the whole night and deal with them tomorrow."

Although Perry was stubborn, he did fail. He couldn't believe that he was leading a fleet of the most advanced American warships. The Japanese who could easily scare him immediately surrendered, but when he arrived in the Qing Dynasty, the first battle was bleeding. This made him angry and he couldn't help but be shocked.

When the Qing Dynasty and the United States signed the Wangxia Treaty, Perry also brought a fleet to help. At that time, the Qing army was backward and the tactics were rigid. Perry didn't take it seriously at all. Now that he came to this mysterious Eastern Empire again, he suddenly discovered a difference, at least the Shanghai army in front of him made him dare not look down on it.

As the US fleet stopped its attack, Lin Yao on Fort Hill also ordered the cessation of artillery bombardment.

Lin Yao was very happy at this moment. He saw his own artillery shells hit the US warships, causing heavy casualties to the US soldiers on it. On the other hand, only a few of his personnel were injured. This was a great victory, a victory that he had never dared to think of before.

"Congratulations to General Lin, you have shocked the Americans this time, but you have made great contributions!" Chief of Staff Li Xiang said with a smile.

Lin Yao smiled and said, "This is all due to the remarks from Staff Li. When I ask for credit from the Lord, I will never forget Staff Li."

Li Xiang shook his head and said, "General Lin must remember. This time, Chen must not give the merit letter to our family, but will directly give it to the new governor of Liangjiang, Lord Yiliang. Don't mention that I gave you the idea. You must insist on one thing, that is, the Americans are invading the situation for no reason. You are ordered to fight back. If someone asks you whose order you have been given in the future, you must remember that you cannot say that you have been ordered by our Lord Li, but will be ordered by Liangjiang, Governor Yiliang!"

Lin Yao didn't quite understand. He didn't know that the new governor of Liangjiang Yiliang and Jiangsu Governor Jierhanga were in Shanghai. He was making things difficult for Li Weiguo everywhere.

Li Xiang then told the whole story. As a staff officer, Li Xiang naturally had to think about Li Weiguo, so he encouraged Lin Yao to fight with the Americans. The purpose was very simple. He deliberately made a foreign incident. If the court blamed him, it would be the result of the Li family army. If the court rewarded him, it would be the credit of the Li family army.

"I've been making trouble for a long time, but I've been used as a gun by you!" Lin Yao immediately understood and stared at Li Xiang with anger.

Li Xiang laughed and said, "General Lin is wronged. We are all doing things for adults. Many things may not be necessary to wait for adults to explain them personally. For example, when the American suddenly comes, this is definitely the best helper for our adults."

Lin Yao was able to fight but did not understand the officialdom, so he asked, "What does Staff Li mean?"

Li Xiang looked at the river in the distance, snorted coldly, and explained to Lin Yao: "Someone in the court wants to be unfavorable to our ancestors, so he sent Yiliang, the governor of Liangjiang and Jierhanga, the governor of Jiangsu, to make trouble. Our ancestors have been very troubled these days, and there is no excuse to drive them away. Now that the Americans are coming, we have such a play in Wusongkou, the court will inevitably be shocked. With the wisdom of our ancestors, we will definitely seize this matter and make a big fuss. Even if Yiliang and Jierhanga cannot be punished, they can still drive them away, so that they can stop them from pointing fingers at our Li family army."

Lin Yao nodded and smiled, "Staff General Li, it's really a pity if you don't go to be an aide to our elders!"

Li Xiang smiled bitterly and said, "A mere plan, any staff member in our shogunate who is here will do what I do."

"Staff General Li must be too modest!" Lin Yao said. In his eyes, Li Xiang was a good strategist.

At this moment, the scouts reported that the US fleet sailed into Wusongkou again.

Lin Yao suddenly said angrily: "Damn it, the American devils remember to eat but not beat him, why don't they give up? Pass me the order and prepare--"

"Slow down!" Before Lin Yao finished speaking, he heard Li Xiang stop him and said, "General Lin, you can let the American fleet go over!"

Monk Lin Yaoer was confused and asked, "Staff Officer Li, you asked me to fight, but now I want to let them go, then we will fight for nothing?"

Li Xiang smiled and said, "How could it be a waste of fighting? On the contrary, if General Lin really blocked the US fleet at Wusongkou, it would be a waste of fighting!"

Seeing that Lin Yao didn't understand, Li Xiang continued: "Only by putting the Americans in, they can go to Shanghai to find trouble. Now, Yiliang and Jierhanga have the final say in Shanghai. Americans will definitely go to trouble them. At that time, the Qing and the United States diplomatic incident will lead to. In anger, the court will not kill them. Even if they don't kill them, they will have to transfer them from Shanghai. Only in this way can our elders regain control of Shanghai."

Lin Yao suddenly sighed: "You strategists are so amazing to plot against others. This is simply killing people without blood!"

"Hey, what do you mean?" Li Xiang was immediately unhappy.

Lin Yao smiled and quickly changed his words: "Fortunately, Staff Li is his own person. I have Staff Li to give me advice. I will definitely rise to the top in the future. Promotion and wealth are just around the corner!"

Li Xiang was immediately amused.

At the same time, the British Embassy, ​​No. 38, Shanghai.

Li Weiguo and Su Sanniang came together to seek to meet the British Minister Bao Ling.

At this time, Bao Lingzheng held talks with French ambassador Bourbon in the British Embassy. The two of them had learned that the US fleet was blocked by the Shanghai army at Wusongkou and the two sides had fought. However, they did not know the result. However, with their analysis of the Qing Dynasty's strength, the US fleet had an overwhelming advantage and victory was inevitable.

At the end of last year, before leaving Shanghai, former US ambassador Ma Shali held secret talks with Bao Ling and Bourbron. The three exchanged views on a matter of re-consensing trade clauses in the Jiangning Treaty (Nanjing Treaty), Wangxia Treaty and Huangpu Treaty, and the three agreed to propose amendment to the Qing government after the expiration of this year's treaty.

Whether it is Bao Ling or Bourbron, the titles of the two of them have the word "privileges" on their titles of Ministers to China, which means that Bao Ling and Bourbron have the right to directly do things that are beneficial to their respective countries without asking for instructions at home. But Mashali is different. He has no privileges and can only return to China to ask for instructions at the US government to make a decision.

Therefore, during this period of time, Mashali returned to China to ask the US government for advice, Bao Ling and Burbron tried to meet with Emperor Xianfeng to discuss the amendment of the contract. As a result, they were all rejected. Not only that, Xianfeng also ordered the governors and governors of coastal provinces to strictly guard against foreigners. For this reason, Bao Ling and Burbron were very annoyed. After learning that the Taiping Army's Northern Expedition approached the Tianjin area, they felt that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom might win the civil war, so they kept secretly discussing whether they could concentrate the limited military forces of Britain and France in Asia to launch a military operation, forcing the Qing government to agree to amend the contract, and give Britain and France more rights.

However, not long after, when Bao Ling and Burbron gathered 27 warships and 15,000 soldiers of the British and French coalition forces in Hong Kong to scare the Qing government, the Russian fleet suddenly invaded Heilongjiang, and the Qing army's Heilongjiang naval division was wiped out. This incident immediately made Bao Ling and Burbron dispel the idea of ​​scaring the Qing government, and immediately sent the fleet to Heilongjiang, but failed to fight the Russians, but lost more than half of their troops.

Since the British and French governments had transferred their main forces and military supplies to the Crimean battlefield, the troops of Britain and France in the Far East were limited. After Bao Ling and Burbron were defeated, they did not dare to use the remaining troops easily. So they temporarily reconciled with the Qing government and joined forces with the Qing government to compete with the Russian invasion in Heilongjiang.

At this time, in the office, Bao Ling and Boulbron learned that the US fleet had fought with the Shanghai army. They were very happy. They were no longer convenient for them to force the Qing government to revise the contract, so they could only expect the Americans to come forward. After Britain forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Jiangning, the Americans then took advantage of the situation and forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Wangxia. Now they were just waiting for the Americans to force the Qing government to revise the treaty first, and then the British and French could force the Qing government to revise the treaty together with the most-favored-nation treatment.

"I think Li Weiguo's strength has developed too fast and must be restricted. You really shouldn't have sold him so much military supplies, and even sold the arsenal to him."

When talking about Li Weiguo, Bullun raised his concerns.

Bao Ling smiled and said, "We can't blame us. When Xiaodao captured Shanghai and the Taiping Army captured Jinling, they all threatened our security and interests in the concession. I greeted you when supporting Li Weiguo, and you nodded in agreement. What's more, if you didn't give Li Weiguo a quotation, would you think we would sell all the arsenals to him in the end? You were forced by you!"

Bullbron was immediately embarrassed. He was jealous when he saw Li Weiguo and Bao Ling reaching huge arms deals again and again. So when Li Weiguo secretly contacted him, he expressed his willingness to sell French arsenal equipment and technology to Li Weiguo, but soon he found out that he had been fooled by Li Weiguo.

When he thought of this, Bullbron became angry and said, "This Li Weiguo is so cunning. He didn't want to buy our French weapons at all, but he negotiated with us seriously. In fact, he was borrowing us to put pressure on you British people. You are afraid that Li Weiguo would buy our French weapons, so he will definitely give in and finally let Li Weiguo get his wish."

Bao Ling nodded and said, "Indeed, this Li Weiguo is so cunning. I really can't believe that he is less than twenty years old. He is doing something even more cunning than my old man."

Burbron smiled and said, "Last year, Li Weiguo shot and killed American soldiers, and the US government must take revenge. Now that the US fleet is coming, Li Weiguo can't afford to take care of him. I guess he will come to beg us soon."

Bao Ling nodded and said, "That's right, it's better to kill Li Weiguo's arrogance, so he won't know how much he is. He also attempts to shock us by killing American soldiers!"

Burbron said: "I heard that Li Weiguo is negotiating with you about purchasing your retired warships. This time, you should not sell the warships to him easily, otherwise he will really make it bigger. Next time he will not kill American soldiers but your British Empire soldiers!"

"He dare?" Bao Ling snorted coldly, then laughed: "But, you French are the same. Don't be fooled by Li Weiguo again! If he buys warships from you this time, don't believe it!"

"How could that happen!" Burbron smiled, but his face looked ugly. I wonder if he was jealous of the British selling warships to Li Weiguo.

The two old foxes have their own ulterior motives. Although they are cooperating on the surface, they are also competing in secret.

At this moment, Li Weiguo came to visit, and both of them looked at each other at the same time, showing a treacherous smile.

Soon, Li Weiguo took Su Sanniang into Bao Ling's reception room.

Seeing that French Minister Bourbron was also present, Li Weiguo was stunned, then smiled slightly, and raised his cunning corners of his mouth. (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!