Beiyang Dream

Chapter 5 Going to Germany to Find William

Chang Desheng stood there, the string in his mind still creaking.

What the heck? Could the little breeze I create with my "butterfly wings" really have blown away the First Sino-Japanese War?

The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt...

This is about changing history! It can't be that easy, can it? What happened to the historical inertia?

"Chang Sheng".

Li Hongzhang's voice floated down from above again.

Chang Desheng was taken aback. He looked up and saw that Li Hongzhang was staring at him. Duan Qirui, standing next to him, curled his lip slightly, his eyes clearly saying: "You've been daydreaming and walked right up to the Grand Secretary. You're really something!"

"The student is here," Chang Desheng quickly replied.

Li Hongzhang didn't argue with him. He glanced at the five students in front of him and slowly said, "This time, the imperial court is paying for you to go to the Berlin Military Academy in Germany to study Western military strategy. It's cost a lot of money. When you get to Germany, you must study hard and learn real skills, so that the imperial court's investment in you will not have been in vain."

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Qirui was the first to puff out his chest, his voice booming like a command being given on a military parade: "Your Excellency, rest assured! We students will certainly live up to the court's expectations, and upon completing our studies, we will return to serve the Qing Dynasty!"

Chang Desheng clicked his tongue inwardly. Serving the Qing Dynasty? What Duan Zhiquan did afterward—was any of it serving the Qing Dynasty? It was more like he was sacrificing the Qing Dynasty's resources!

Shang Dequan, Kong Qingtang, and Wu Dingyuan also clasped their hands in greeting and said in unison, "We will certainly live up to Your Excellency's high expectations!"

Four people, four mouths, and they spoke so fluently and coherently.

What about Changdesheng?

He's still there doing his accounts.

If the First Sino-Japanese War hadn't happened, where would I have found a chance to go? I definitely wouldn't be able to go to Korea, Yuan Shikai wouldn't have been involved in the Xiaozhan military training, and it's questionable whether the Beiyang warlords would even reappear...

"Zhenbang."

Someone next to him nudged him with their elbow.

It was Duan Qirui. The young man's voice was low, but his tone was incredibly impatient, like a client pressuring for the drawings: "The Grand Secretary is asking questions, answer him."

Chang Desheng came to his senses and was about to speak when Li Hongzhang waved his hand.

"Zhiquan," Li Hongzhang said, "you few go back and make preparations. We'll be leaving in half a month. Pack your things and say goodbye."

He paused, his gaze falling on Chang Desheng: "Chang Sheng, stay behind for a moment."

Chang Desheng could sense Duan Qirui's gaze even with the back of his head.

He glanced at Duan Qirui, saw the boy's lips twitch, and then he lowered his hand, together with Shang, Kong, and Wu, bowed to Li Hongzhang—left knee forward, right leg bent back, upper body leaning forward, right hand lightly pressing on the left knee, and said in unison, "Students take their leave."

Then, Lianfang led the four of them out of the hall.

Once the door closed, only Li Hongzhang, Yin Chang, and Chang Desheng remained in the hall.

Chang Desheng was very nervous.

Still want to keep it? You're such a high-ranking official, you couldn't possibly be really impressed by my policy essay, could you? My handwriting looks like a dog's scrawle, don't you find it an eyesore? Besides, my butterfly effect shouldn't be this big—a student from a military academy writing a policy essay and it can make the Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang change his mind? That doesn't make sense!

Li Hongzhang leaned back in his armchair, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then put it down. His expression didn't suggest he was about to discuss any important military or national affairs; rather, it resembled an elder looking at a younger person, with a slight smile.

"Chang Sheng".

"The students are here."

"Your policy essay," Li Hongzhang said slowly, "does have some insightful points."

Here it comes!

"It's just that the handwriting is a bit ugly."

Well, the client is finding fault.

Li Hongzhang continued, "Policy essays are all about reason; it doesn't matter if the handwriting is a bit ugly. But you'll be leading troops and writing memorials in the future, so it's not appropriate for your handwriting to look like a dog's crawl."

He paused for a moment: "When you get back from Germany, take some time to practice your writing and handwriting."

Chang Desheng quickly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, student has remembered."

He readily agreed verbally, but inwardly he was wondering: What does Li Zhongtang mean by that? Does he want me to practice calligraphy? He's the Governor-General of Zhili, who governs everything, why would he care whether a military student like me writes well or not?

wrong.

This matter is not that simple.

In his past life, he worked in a design institute for eight years. What kind of clients hadn't he seen? There's a type of client who doesn't start by talking about business, but instead picks on a few minor flaws—the font isn't consistent, the annotations aren't standardized enough, the color scheme isn't sophisticated enough—and then changes the subject, saying, "Xiao Chang, you're quite capable. Work hard with me, and I won't treat you badly in the future."

This guy's trying to recruit people to join him.

Chang Desheng was already calculating his options.

Is Li Zhongtang... interested in me? Does he want to recruit me into his staff?

Entering Li Hongzhang's staff was something countless scholars in the late Qing Dynasty dreamed of. Being a staff member of the Beiyang Minister was a top-notch job, with plenty of money, prestige, and the possibility of being promoted to an official post if you did well.

But that wasn't what Chang Desheng was thinking.

What he was thinking was: If I join his shogunate, will it prevent me from becoming a great warlord or president?

The answer is: It will definitely cause delays.

Once you join someone's staff, you become their protégé and former subordinate, forever labeled "Li Hongzhang's man." It's fine while Li Hongzhang is alive, but how many more years can he live? After he dies, you'll be a remnant of the Huai clique, and whoever takes over the Beiyang government will have to be wary of you.

Besides, being a staff member meant being a legitimate service provider—writing memorials, drafting plans, and running errands for Li Hongzhang. Wasn't that still just being a draftsman? It was just that the client had changed from a real estate company to the Zhili Governor-General's Office.

I swore that I would become the client in this lifetime.

Chang Desheng made up his mind: he could practice his calligraphy, but he couldn't join the government.

Just as he was thinking, Li Hongzhang spoke again.

"Chang Sheng, did you know that your Yin Association studied in Germany back in the day?"

Chang Desheng was taken aback and looked at Yin Chang beside him, following the train of thought.

The plump Yin Chang stood to one side, hands at his sides, bowing slightly, his face expressionless. Only when Li Hongzhang mentioned him did he straighten his back a little.

"The students have heard about it in the school," Chang Desheng said.

Li Hongzhang nodded: "When Yin Hui was studying at the Berlin Military Academy, he happened to be in the same unit as Prince Wilhelm of Germany. The two were classmates for several years and forged a deep friendship."

Chang Desheng's heart skipped a beat.

Prince William?

Wait, William...William II?

He secretly glanced at Yin Chang.

This chubby kid actually has connections with Wilhelm II?

Yin Chang then took over the conversation, his tone slightly reserved, as if he were talking about something trivial: "Your Excellency is right. Back in Berlin, I was indeed in the same team as His Highness Wilhelm—oh, now I should call him His Majesty. At that time, he was just the Crown Prince and had not yet ascended the throne. Last June, His Highness Wilhelm was crowned the current Emperor of Germany."

Depend on.

It really is William II.

A series of images flashed through Chang Desheng's mind: Wilhelm II, the last emperor of the German Empire, one of the instigators of World War I, known as "Wilhelm the Mouth," who loved wearing military uniforms, giving speeches, and drawing warship blueprints. This man was no pushover in history.

Yin Chang was actually his classmate?

What kind of incredible connections do you have?

Li Hongzhang then spoke up again: "Since Yin Huiban and Emperor William are old friends, it is only natural that he should send a congratulatory gift when his old friend ascends the throne."

He turned his head and asked Yin Chang, "Fifth floor, is the gift ready?"

Fifth floor—this is Yin Chang's courtesy name.

Yin Chang bowed and said, "Reporting to the Grand Secretary, it's all prepared. It's a piece of blue and white porcelain from a previous dynasty; it's not too valuable, but it does have some weight to it."

Li Hongzhang nodded, then turned his gaze back to Chang Desheng.

"Chang Sheng, besides studying military science, you're going to Germany this time to run an errand for the Yin Association." He paused, "Take this congratulatory gift and a congratulatory letter to Berlin and personally deliver them to the German Imperial Palace. Do not make any mistakes."

Chang Desheng was truly shocked.

What is that?

Deliver the message? Deliver it to the palace? Personally?

I'm just a student at a military academy. I don't think I'll have the chance to meet Wilhelm II as soon as I arrive in Germany.

This job sounds respectable, but it only made him more anxious.

Something's not right.

This matter is not that simple.

He immediately started calculating in his head.

First, was it in accordance with the Qing Dynasty's rules for Yinchang to write letters and send gifts to the German Emperor? This was not a private matter; it was diplomatic. For a fourth-rank official to privately correspond with a foreign monarch was tantamount to colluding with foreign powers, and on the contrary, could cost him his head.

Secondly, Yin Chang did exactly that, and Li Hongzhang personally instructed him to do so. What does this mean? It means that this matter was entirely at Li Hongzhang's behest. The Beiyang government had independent diplomatic rights, and it was common for the Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang to deal with foreign countries.

Third, why did Li Hongzhang contact Wilhelm II through Yin Chang? The Qing Dynasty already had an envoy in Berlin; couldn't they have used formal diplomatic channels? Why did they have to have a military cadet "incidentally" deliver the message?

There is only one answer.

This matter is not currently a "national affair" of the imperial court, but rather a "private affair" of the Beiyang government... Li Hongzhang's authority is truly remarkable!

But what were the "private matters" of the Beiyang government?

Chang Desheng suddenly remembered the "worst strategy" he had written in his strategy essay—the strategy of delaying, which involved buying a 10,000-ton ironclad warship from Germany to hold off Japan for five years.

No way?

Was Li Hongzhang really planning to buy a large warship?

Sending Yinchang a letter with gifts was ostensibly to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne, but in reality, it was to sound out whether the Germans were willing to sell, how much they wanted, and whether they could offer a discount.

If he actually succeeded in buying them, the Beiyang Fleet would have several 10,000-ton warships, giving it a paper advantage that would completely overwhelm the Japanese Combined Fleet. Even if those poor Japanese tightened their belts, it would take them several years to catch up. Would they still dare to fight in the First Sino-Japanese War? They wouldn't be able to!

The First Sino-Japanese War is about to end again...

Now my position as a warlord and president is in jeopardy again.

Chang Desheng felt his heart skip a beat.

But his face remained unchanged.

This is the basic quality of a drafting expert: no matter what the client says, you nod first, and then go back and figure out a solution.

"I have taken note," Chang Desheng said, clasping his hands in a fist salute. "When I arrive in Germany, I will personally deliver the congratulatory gifts and letter to the Imperial Palace and present them to Emperor Wilhelm."

Li Hongzhang nodded and picked up his teacup.

He didn't drink it, he just picked it up.

Yin Chang, who was standing nearby, immediately understood and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

Chang Desheng quickly followed suit and bowed.

"Go," Li Hongzhang said.

The two left the lobby.

The moment Chang Desheng stepped out the door, he felt a chill run down his spine.

Yin Chang walked ahead, his chubby back swaying back and forth. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Chang Desheng.

"Changde wins."

"The students are here."

Yin Chang pulled an envelope out of his sleeve.

It was made of kraft paper, in a Western style, with a sealing wax seal and the official seal of the Beiyang Minister. The envelope was covered in beautiful German calligraphy.

"This is a letter for Emperor Wilhelm." Yin Chang stared at him. "Keep it safe. When you get to Berlin, you must personally find a way to deliver it to the German Imperial Palace."

Chang Desheng took the letter, put it in his pocket, and felt its weight.

"May I ask, Lord Yin," he pondered for a moment, then asked, "what about the congratulatory gift...?"

"The gift is a blue-and-white porcelain vase from the previous dynasty. I will have someone pack it and deliver it to you when you board the ship," Yin Chang said. "You just need to deliver the letter and the gift."

"The student understands." Chang Desheng clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Yin Chang nodded, then took out a small brocade pouch from his sleeve and stuffed it into his hand.

"Here's twenty taels of silver for you, for your travel expenses."

Chang Desheng squeezed the brocade pouch, thinking to himself: This Yin Chang... is he trying to win me over as the leader of the Zhili clique of the Beiyang Army? Although the letter to the Emperor was ordered by Li Hongzhang, it was still written by him, which gives me an opportunity to build connections.

It's impossible to curry favor with the German Emperor, but having met him would certainly be beneficial for my activities at the Berlin Military Academy.

Now they've given me another twenty taels for travel expenses... That's quite a favor!

"This student thanks you for your guidance, sir." Chang Desheng quickly bowed.

Yin Chang waved his hand, turned around, and staggered away.

Chang Desheng stood there, the letter tucked in his arms and the brocade pouch in his hand, his mind still churning with turmoil.

The idea of ​​the Beiyang Fleet to buy large warships has probably always existed, but could it really come to fruition?

That might not be so easy.

As for striking first... Li Hongzhang might have had that thought, but would he really dare to do it? It seems unlikely. But it's also possible that a moment of impulsiveness could have ruined the First Sino-Japanese War!

Why does the First Sino-Japanese War seem somewhat "empty"?

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

Forget it, I don't want to.

The letter has been received, and the money has been taken. Let's get started.

The client asks you to deliver a package; deliver it first. As for what's inside, you'll find out what benefits you'll get after delivery.

He carefully tucked the letter into his pocket, clutched the brocade pouch, and turned to leave.

Li Hongzhang just said that he will be going abroad in half a month!

There's a lot to do in the next two weeks, so I need to go home first. I have to give my father some good news!

Next, I need to make arrangements for Cao Kun—I have to get this simpleton into Yuan Shikai's camp. If Feng Guozhang is also willing to go to Korea, that would be even better… Tsk, I need to set up the framework for my direct clique before I go abroad.