Chapter 63: Yang Da's Big Scam

  When Yang Feng received the news of the Beiyang Fleet's bombardment of Incheon Port, he was entertaining Sir Claude MacDonald, the British Minister to China, on the HMS Penguin. He had come all the way from Taiwan to assist in the war effort, which left the British somewhat perplexed. After all, the Japanese were a major investment destination for British merchants, and although their sales of government bonds in Britain were dismal compared to history, they still managed to sell over ￡10 million worth.

  This should also be attributed to Yang Feng, firstly because his public opinion attacks on the Japanese in Britain have more or less produced a sentiment of disgust towards Japan among the British people. Secondly, now that the wealthy in Britain are investing their money in hot industries such as oil, automobiles and agricultural machinery, even with the help of the British government in promoting it, an unpredictable war investment is not very popular.

  Especially in the past, historically, the main supporters of Japan in this war were actually Jewish financiers. Now these Jewish financiers are deeply colluding with Yang Feng, and he has hinted more than once that if China and Japan go to war, he will not rule out returning to help his own country. This also makes Rothschild lack confidence in whether the Japanese can win this war, so it's no wonder that the sale of Japanese government bonds is not going well.

  "General Langley, it seems your students have done a good job! It looks like Colonel Ingersoll's students suffered a crushing defeat at their hands and are now in the miserable Japanese army at Inchon Port." Yang Feng handed over the telegram sent by his sister Caiyi, took a glance, and then handed it to General Langley with a smile.

  "Although I don't like Admiral Ting and his bunch of ribbon-wearers, I have to admit that these people's technical level is still commendable." said Langley, looking at the telegram.

  "General, you don't need to be so worked up about this. You have to understand that China is a big country, and over a thousand years ago it was already the master of the East. Even if it declined in modern times, the pride in its bones can't be compared to some short-sighted fool who just emerged from the barbarian era. It's impossible for it to accept a foreigner commanding its own army, even temporarily or nominally - this is a matter of national honor." Yang Feng said casually.

  Lang Weili shrugged silently and didn't say anything.

  "Yang, do you like this government now?" Ougne smiled and changed the subject.

  "No, I dislike this Zheng Fu, but that doesn't stop me from helping him. Just like you don't like the Earl of Rosberry, if England were to be invaded at this moment, wouldn't you go help him?" Yang Feng said, naturally understanding what the guy meant.

  "Gentlemen, I understand what you mean. I also understand the policy of the British government in the Far East. Believe me, my actions will not affect your strategy in any way. Those who are disliked by Her Majesty, I dislike them too."

  Building a fortress to block the Russians in the Far East is also what I want to achieve, it's just that our investment targets are different. Although I chose China largely because she is my motherland, I don't think your choice is correct either. The Japanese have never been an object worthy of support.

  What I'm about to say may make you feel a bit uncomfortable, but this is the heartfelt words of someone who owns tens of millions of pounds worth of assets in the UK.

  Japan is an island nation, it has no resources, in this regard it is even inferior to the UK, it has no iron, no oil, only a small amount of coal, and not enough food to eat, such a country wants to transform into industrialization, there is no other choice but expansion, I think as a British person you should have sufficient understanding.

  Perhaps you think that once they get North Korea, they will be satisfied, but I think getting North Korea is only the beginning of their expansion, and those who have tasted the first bite of delicious food will eagerly want to take a second bite. Once they get North Korea, they will set their sights on China's Northeast, and at that time, what you hope for may indeed appear, but what will be the outcome?

  If Japan wins, they will get Manchuria, which has all the resources needed to support their expansion. Then Britain will have to face a new emerging power in the Far East that is several times stronger than China today. They will then be interested in your interests in China. If you don't want war, you'll have to retreat step by step until you can't retreat anymore, and then there will be a war, a war between teacher and his best student. In history, it's not the first time that a teacher is knocked off his horse by his own student.

  "If they lose in the confrontation with Russia, then the Russians will achieve their Yellow Russia plan and get everything they want from Guanwai to the south. That would be a nightmare for Britain. So supporting Japan means you'll have two big wars, one earlier and one later," said Yang Feng.

  "But what if we choose China? This is a vast empire with a territory of one billion square kilometers." Ogane smiled and said, the rest of his words didn't need to be said, everyone was smart, no need to spell it out.

  "China is different, the core idea of this country has never had the two words 'expansion', whether now or in the past, there has never been. From ordinary people to bureaucrats, even those who own expansionist ideas are hated by monarchs. If you read Chinese history books, you will find that any monarch with expansionist ideas is inevitably branded as a tyrant. They would rather shed more blood to overthrow this tyrant than support him in expanding the territory."

  You can take a look at the history of Emperor Yang of Sui, who is one of the few emperors in Chinese history with great ambitions and the ability to realize his ideals. However, his people opposed his grand ambitions. The three campaigns against Goguryeo resulted in over a million casualties, which his people could not bear. A nationwide rebellion ended his rule. Moreover, the wars he launched cannot even be considered as external expansion, because his goal was only to retake the land that originally belonged to China from Goguryeo. What's more ridiculous is that his people paid with tens of millions of lives to overthrow this emperor who caused a million deaths in war, isn't it ridiculous?

  That's Chinese people.

  This nation is a purely agrarian one, just like sheep. If it weren't for the wolf packs invading, they would absolutely never stand up to fight, and in their view, living with heads down eating grass was the happiest life. If one sheep stood out to tell its fellow sheep that there were more delicious things in this world than grass, they would unhesitatingly expel this dangerous guy from the flock. In order to maintain their happy life of eating grass, they even developed a perfect theory of eating grass.

  "I really can't think of what kind of danger such a nation would pose." Yang Feng said with a smile and a shrug.

  Ogden also smiled, of course Yang Feng's words could not change Britain's diplomatic policy overnight, but it could give it a deviated push.

  "Your Excellency, I would like to ask you to convey to the Earl of Rosebery that it is a matter of principle for me not to allow Japan to win this war. Of course, I do not expect any direct assistance from your country. To be frank, in my view, defeating such a small country as Japan is not a difficult task." Yang Feng continued.

  "On this point you can be completely at ease, in this war Britain maintains a neutral attitude." Ognenny hastened to say.

  Just as they were talking, the Beiyang Fleet had finished its bombardment of Incheon. The port was completely destroyed, with raging fires everywhere and the bodies of Japanese soldiers scattered all over the ground. More than half of the 6th Division's 6,000 men were killed or wounded, and more importantly, almost all supplies were lost in the fire. After returning to the port, ōshima Hisao's face was ashen, and he handed over command to his chief of staff before finding a quiet place to commit seppuku.

  In the distance, on the high seas, the Northern Fleet's warships were towing the captured Beiyang and Yangwei, which had been thoroughly destroyed in the naval battle, along with six Japanese merchant ships, advancing southwards through the waves. Although this naval battle was a victory, it was a Pyrrhic one, as both sides suffered heavy losses. The Japanese fleet's rapid-fire cannons, like a raging storm, left all the participating warships battered and bruised. In particular, Dingyuan and Zhenyuan, which were the main targets, had been hit by over a hundred shells each. Fortunately, the 152mm cannon's power was limited, and they were only firing explosive shells, which could only damage external structures and were unlikely to cause fatal harm.

  After a night of navigation, the fleet arrived at Liu Gong Island on the second day. The base, which had already received news, was naturally prepared to welcome the triumphant generals. However, in the distant Forbidden City, the rulers of this country seemed not to show any excitement about their army's victory again.

  "The naval forces have just achieved a great victory over the Japanese, sinking three of their warships. I wonder how many warships that small country has in total? And yet Li Hongzhang is still asking to buy cannons and torpedoes?" Empress Dowager Cixi said, tapping her fingers, which were adorned with finger guards resembling wolf claws, on a memorial in front of her.

  "I report to the Empress Dowager, it is said that these two major wars are all due to these two things. Mr. Li's intention is probably to buy more to ensure absolute safety, after all, the naval guard of the capital cannot afford any mistakes." Laiqin Wang Shidu hastily bowed and said, of course, he said this mainly because O'Connor promised him a commission of 5,000 taels of silver for selling one torpedo.

  "Does the Ministry of Revenue still have money?" Ci Xi turned her gaze to Weng Tonghe standing beside her.

  "I beg to report to the Empress Dowager, the Ministry of Revenue is facing financial difficulties, and this torpedo costs 100,000 taels of silver, which is not an urgent need at present. I think it's really unnecessary to make additional purchases." said Weng Shifu hastily.

  Cixi nodded in satisfaction.

  "Since that's the case, let's drop it! Besides, I'll issue an edict to ask Li Hongzhang about these things he recently bought, why are they all so expensive? England and Germany are indeed industrial powers, where did this Sweden come from, and what's with this Bofors, isn't it some foreigner coming to our Great Qing to swindle us?" Empress Dowager Cixi said discontentedly, banging on the table.