Li Weiguo's third major military expansion expanded a total of twenty towns at one time, with more than 250,000 people, and an unprecedented scale, which shocked the government and the country. ▲∴

The Regent King Yixin couldn't sit still, and the two empress dowagers became nervous. At that time, the Shanghai troops in the sixteen towns could easily defeat 200,000 British and French allied forces, and were invincible in the world. Now the troops in the twenty towns have been expanded, making the total strength of the Wu army in the entire East China region exceed 500,000. What should I do?

The answer is self-evident.

The two empress dowagers also had fantasies about Li Weiguo. After all, they were just two women, with limited knowledge and too young, and had no experience in "anti-enemy". They issued an imperial decree to ask Li Weiguo. Li Weiguo said that it was to wipe out the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom faster, but the two women believed it and in turn persuaded the Regent King Yixin not to worry, which made Yixin laugh and cry.

However, Yi Xin was born into a royal family and had a special political vision. He knew that although the relationship between Britain and France and Li Weiguo eased and the two sides even established an alliance to jointly deal with the United States, the shame brought to the British and French coalition forces by the Battle of Shanghai would never disappear. As the world's first and second largest and second military power, Britain and France could not bear this tone.

Although Britain and France cannot defeat Li Weiguo for the time being in a short period of time, it is not accurate in the future. Li Weiguo has sold his killer weapon, Weiguo rifle, Type 59 infantry cannon and other advanced weapons and equipment to the United States, and even transferred technology to Britain and France. In a few years, the British and French teams will also own and equip advanced Weiguo rifles and Type 59 infantry cannon. By then, there will be no deficit in the equipment between the two sides. It is not ruled out that Britain and France will risk their risk of launching a war of aggression against China again, avenge Li Weiguo and regain their lost face.

Based on this consideration, Yixin's idea was immediately opened and his mind was enough. He quickly contacted Britain and France in the name of the court, and allowed Britain and France to set up embassies in Beijing according to the terms of the Beijing peace treaty. Yixin changed her normalcy. Despite the collective opposition of the children of the clan bannermen, she actually attended the unveiling ceremony of the embassy of Britain and France in China, and got close to the ambassadors of Britain and France in China, and quickly established a "pure" friendship.

Yi Xin tested the attitude of the ministers of Britain and France. He soon realized that the ministers of Britain and France had a close relationship with Li Weiguo on the surface, but in fact they had bad intentions towards Li Weiguo. The seeds of hatred were planted as early as the Battle of Shanghai.

Yixin guessed right, the British and French powers would not forget how Li Weiguo humiliated them. The defeat of the Second Yabo War not only caused heavy losses to Britain and France, but also caused their international status to plummet. They must avenge this hatred, but they were just waiting for an opportunity.

The first task of the ministers of Britain and France is still to invade China, especially in the UK. The huge profits of Yabo trade supported almost one-third of the UK's fiscal revenue. In the past, the export of Yabo movies to China each year not only offset the huge trade deficit with China, but also tens of millions of huge profits to make. Now the Yabo trade has been explicitly banned by Li Weiguo and is no longer legal, which has caused the UK to bear a huge trade deficit of tens of millions of yuan every year. This is absolutely not allowed.

It was just that the British and French governments took into account Li Weiguo's strong military strength and equipment advantages and swallowed their anger for the time being. They have now obtained the design technology of advanced weapons and equipment such as the Weiguo rifle and the 59 infantry cannon, and the country has begun to step up production and manufacturing. In a few years, the British and French troops will complete the renewal of new weapons, and then it will be the time for them to take revenge.

So Yixin and the British and French ministers had similar smells. They instantly became close friends and began to collude with each other.

Using the troops to help suppress the enemy is a new tactic proposed by Yi Xin. It is intended to weaken Li Weiguo's influence in the eradication of the Taiping Army. At the same time, Yi Xin also began to borrow from powerful forces, with a scale of up to 10 million pounds. This money was not given to Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army, nor to Li Hongzhang's Huai Army, let alone Li Weiguo. The loan was used in full on the Manchu, Mongolian and Qing army, and a large amount of firearms were equipped.

Because in Yixin's opinion, Li Weiguo will rebel sooner or later, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang are both Han people and are not reliable at all. Instead of relying on others, it is better to rely on yourself.

Yixin's little abacus was very loud, and Li Weiguo quickly found out. For this reason, Li Weiguo singlely told the ministers of Britain and France to express his position.

"You can borrow money to the Qing government at will, but what I want to tell you is that no matter how much you lend them, don't want me to repay the money for them in the future."

The ministers of Britain and France looked at each other and felt that Li Weiguo's attitude was so firm. They were not unaware that Li Weiguo was preparing to rebel, so they asked together: "Your Highness, King of Wu, thank you for your advice, we will convey it to our superiors."

Li Weiguo said coldly: "Don't understand it wrong. This is not a warning, but a warning!"

Faced with Li Weiguo's strength, the ministers of Britain and France left weakly and quickly reported Li Weiguo's original words to the British and French governments.

In the end, the British and French governments temporarily gave up the plan to lend 10 million yuan to the Qing government in consideration of not stimulating Li Weiguo. However, they still used tricks to ask some British and French businessmen to provide the Qing government with a loan of 3 million pounds in their personal names.

Li Weiguo did not stop the small actions of Britain and France. He would not repay the money anyway, so let the money of Britain and France be wasted then.

On the other hand, the Hunan Army and the Huai Army were already red in their eyes with the Taiping Army. The hatred between the two sides was as deep as the sea, and they could only wash away with blood.

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang also learned about Li Weiguo's large-scale military expansion. Although they were very worried about this matter, they could not control it. They could only be amazed that Li Weiguo had strong financial resources and expanded 250,000 troops at once. In addition to the various weapons and equipment and personnel training costs, it would cost at least 20 million taels of silver. For Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, even if they scraped Anhui and Hunan three feet into the ground, they would not be able to bring out so much money.

This is the gap!

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang were both deeply moved and exclaimed, and they were so envious, jealous and hated Li Weiguo.

For Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, the worst thing they have now is money. As long as they have money, they can buy various weapons and equipment from the great powers. As long as they have money, they can expand their army of millions at home.

However, a penny stumped the heroes. Li Weiguo's emergence seriously stimulated Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang because they were both competing. When the two men in history surrounded and suppressed the Taiping Army, the largest scale was only 150,000 troops, of which only 50,000 troops were equipped with foreign guns and cannons. But now they were influenced by Li Weiguo's strong military strength. Being led by the nose forced them to expand their troops on a large scale and equip foreign guns and cannons. This means that the Hunan Army and Huai Army, which have no industry, can only spend several times or even dozens of times in vain to get more arms, and consumed all their money, making it difficult for the people of Anhui and Hunan provinces to squeeze out silver.

So Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang saw Li Weiguo spend money like money, but they could only envy him.

However, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang still had many capable people. They learned from the former Shanghai Army and the current Wu Army and learned various classic tactics. Although they did not have real opportunities, it was enough to deal with the Taiping Army.

In April, the Hunan Army and the Taiping Army fought bloody battles in Anqing, and the Taiping Army was eventually defeated and the Hunan Army attacked Anqing. Due to the shortage of salary in the Hunan Army, Zeng Guofan had to order the city to massacre for three days, allowing soldiers to loot the people as military funds.

At the same time, Zeng Guofan also lamented that the consumption of modern war was too huge. A fierce battle in Anqing actually consumed more than half of the Hunan Army's arms reserves. You must know that it was Zeng Guofan's five years of wealth that he had accumulated for five years. He had not been able to fully encircle and suppress the Taiping Army, so he saved up this wealth. As a result, a big battle was consumed so much.

The Taiping Army's resistance exceeded Zeng Guofan's estimates, and safety was so difficult, let alone Tianjing. So at the suggestion of his generals, Zeng Guofan established an ordnance in Anqing, borrowed money from British and French powers to purchase machinery and equipment, followed Li Weiguo's Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, and began to produce weapons and medicines on its own to supplement consumption.

On the other hand, Li Hongzhang's Huai Army also underwent major changes. Zuo Zongtang, under the tent, proposed to Li Hongzhang to imitate the Wu army to establish a new type of force, completely abandon cold weapons, and all use advanced firearms.

Li Hongzhang followed Zuo Zongtang's advice. The most powerful new army at present is the Shanghai army that made a big splash in the Battle of Shanghai, which is now the Wu army or the East China Army. Unfortunately, Li Hongzhang knew that Li Weiguo could not help him. Instead of going to Shanghai to see Li Weiguo humiliated, it would be better to send people to contact the British and French powers. Since the British and French powers had already set up an embassy in China according to the Beijing peace treaty, it was convenient for both sides to meet.

Soon, Li Hongzhang negotiated with the British and French consuls, and in the end, because the officers under the tent did not like the United Kingdom that had invaded them, he chose to cooperate with France and build a new army completely according to the French military standards.

The representatives of the French army were Le Boluodong, the commander of the French fleet, and the French Consul in Shanghai, Riyige, who received instructions from the French government to help Li Hongzhang fight against Li Weiguo. Just as France supported the American Southern Army to prepare for the civil war, they used their same tricks and wanted to continue the Qing Empire's long-term civil war.

So, the two sides colluded to recruit soldiers in Yangzhou, equipped with French guns and cannons, and hired French officials instructors.

Due to Li Hongzhang's limited financial resources, the final army was only 3,000, of which 500 were French troops, led by Zuo Zongtang. He was known as the "Changjie Army", also known as "Huatouyong", "Huaotong", "Huayong", "Huayong", "Xinyi Army", "ShiFrench Mixed Army", etc. Lebolodong personally served as military advisor, and Li Hongzhang's Jiangbei camp provided military pay and cooperated with the Huai Army to fight against the Taiping Army.

The information quickly flew to Li Weiguo's desk. Li Weiguo still knew about Chang Jiejun's name. Zuo Zongtang personally led the rebellion in Xinjiang in the future. He made outstanding achievements and was an army with very strong combat effectiveness.

"Quickly grasp all the information of Chang Jiejun, including their equipment, personnel training, and detailed information of officers at all levels!"

Li Weiguo quickly issued an order, instructing China SHIELD to be responsible for the investigation and make all preparations in advance, as if facing a great enemy.

At this time, Li Hongzao, the governor of Liangjiang, came in from outside and after the greeting, reported to Li Weiguo: "King, the negotiations on the acceptance and aftermath of Hong Kong have been negotiated with the British side. They agreed to us to take over Hong Kong Island. Regarding the assets of British people in Hong Kong, we bid 2 million yuan to acquire them."

"This condition is OK. It should be the British that have bleed, right?" Li Weiguo said with a smile. The British have been working hard to manage Hong Kong Island for nearly 20 years and have been using Hong Kong Island as a springboard for invasion of China to vigorously build it. They have residential buildings, banks, factories and shops. They have built Hong Kong Island from a small fishing village into a large city with a population of hundreds of thousands. The investment is more than 2 million yuan, and tens of millions of yuan is less.

Li Hongzao smiled and said, "The British had to surrender, otherwise they would not even get two million when the king's army arrived. They could settle the account very clearly."

Afterwards, Li Hongzao continued: "In addition, we have sent people to Macau, but the Portuguese government did not agree to the conditions we put forward."

Li Weiguo immediately said: "No need to talk to them anymore! It's just a small Portugal, and it's very useful to keep it."

Li Hongzao immediately understood and smiled and said, "Is the king preparing to fake Taoist Counters? I heard from Lord Wu that the army of the Southern Expedition has been assembled. Is the king preparing to personally expedition?"

"This Wu Yong is the Chief of Staff at least, so his words are enough to leak the secrets." Li Weiguo smiled and did not blame him. He had already regarded Li Hongzao as his direct descendant, so there was no need to hide it.

He continued: "This time we will annex Fujian and Guangdong and Guangxi. If it is possible that even Yunnan and Guizhou will be taken together, we will deal with the three governors of Guangdong and Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou, and Fujian and Zhejiang. If we don't take action personally, others will not be able to suppress them. If we do it properly, it may be a big deal."

"The king is very worried!" Li Hongzao agreed and asked back: "But your king personally envoys, how should the court respond?"

Li Weiguo said: "I have asked the imperial court to establish a minister of trade in the North and South Oceans, and the ministers of the South Oceans will naturally be my king. In this way, I will have the excuse to annex the five provinces of South China and Southwest."

"The king is wise!" Li Hongzao praised: "I wonder who the minister of Beiyang will be? You must know that it is an important position beyond the level of the governor. Has anyone chosen the king?"

Li Weiguo nodded and smiled, "Of course there is, I have already asked to report and propose to Li Hongzhang!"

"Li Hongzhang?" Li Hongzao said in surprise: "Why is it him? He is the king's future enemy?"

Li Weiguo smiled mysteriously and explained: "You don't have to worry. I chose Li Hongzhang for a purpose. Now Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang are a solid piece of iron. Although I am not afraid of their unity, if I can separate them and defeat them one by one, it will save a lot of trouble, right?"

Li Hongzao had a little clarity and asked, "The King asked Li Hongzhang to be the Minister of Beiyang and rode on Zeng Guofan's head? This is certainly a good plan, but Li Hongzhang was Zeng Guofan's student after all. Their teacher-student relationship is very harmonious, so the effect is not great."

Li Weiguo smiled slightly and said, "They have a gay relationship. Do their subordinates think so too?"

Li Hongzao was completely enlightened and admired him. He bowed and said, "The king is wise and has a good move to remove the firewood from the cauldron. He will not worry about the internal strife between the Hunan Army and the Huai Army." (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!