Volume 1: The Battleship Yitian Changes into the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 Chapter 48: The Queen Mother's Reward for Milk
"You might as well tell me more details." Empress Dowager Cixi looked at Emperor Guangxu, and then said to Sun Gang, "Your Majesty, don't be anxious yet. Listen to what he says."
"Your Majesty, we can propose to the Japanese that, first, the Japanese troops withdraw from our territory and Korea, and recognize Korea as our vassal state. Second, withdraw from Ryukyu and allow Ryukyu to restore its country. Third, compensate the Qing Dynasty for its military expenses with 50 million taels of silver and Korea with 10 million taels. Fourth, cede the Tsushima Islands and Korea, and abolish all treaties signed with Korea before the war. Fifth, the Japanese will hand over warships with a displacement of more than 3,000 tons to the Qing Dynasty. If you want to purchase and build such warships, you must negotiate with the Qing Dynasty. And make it clear to the Japanese that this time, it is because the Empress Dowager is about to celebrate her 60th birthday that the Emperor has reluctantly agreed to the peace talks. If the Japanese insist on their own way, the Emperor vows to mobilize the entire country's troops to fight to the end, and there will be no room for maneuver." Sun Gang said.
"The conditions are so harsh, do you think the Japanese will agree? It's a joke!" Weng Tonghe interrupted unhappily, he was very upset for half a day.
"Negotiations are about conditions. We can ask for a high price so that they can pay us back." Sun Gang said, "It's hard to say about other things, but I think the Japanese may accept part of the two items of withdrawal of troops and compensation. If the compensation is received, it will be enough for the emperor to build another Beiyang Navy and train a new army."
He accidentally brought out a new term, and the room suddenly became quiet, as everyone was obviously digesting what he had just said.
"What do you think, Lord Sun?" Cixi asked Sun Yuwen, who had remained silent.
"I think what Sun Gang said is very true. I have no other opinion." Sun Yuwen replied and secretly winked at Sun Gang. Sun Gang then remembered that there were people outside helping him carry things.
"I have something to present to the emperor." As Sun Gang said this, the people outside had already brought the box over.
"I believe that this ship will dominate the oceans in the future. If Your Majesty wants to fight the Japanese and the oceans in the future, this ship is indispensable." Sun Gang opened the box and handed the submarine model inside to Emperor Guangxu, "This is the model of the submarine that I will ride to destroy the Japanese ships."
Emperor Guangxu took the submarine model with some surprise.
"Is this your boat that can dive underwater?" Cixi was also surprised.
"Your Majesty, it is this ship. Although it still has many imperfections, as long as it is given time and improved in many aspects, it will be able to travel across the ocean in the future and become a powerful weapon for our Qing navy to destroy the enemy." Sun Gang replied.
"In order to have this submarine in the future and to ensure that the navy officers and soldiers do not sacrifice in vain, I will swallow the humiliation of the Japanese coming to my door!" Emperor Guangxu seemed to have made up his mind. He took a deep breath and said, "That's it. Let's discuss it in court tomorrow and set a rule. Let Li Hongzhang go to discuss it immediately."
Sun Gang also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. The task assigned by the old fox was finally completed !
"Please sit down. I have a lot to say to you about the navy." The young emperor said, holding his hand.
We finally got out of the Forbidden City, but it was already very late.
"You, you ! You are a young man after all. Can you tell the emperor anything?" When he just came out, Sun Yuwen wiped the sweat from his forehead and complained, "But, this is the only way to deal with that stubborn Taoist scholar. He must hate you to death now. You must be careful in the future." He laughed with relief, "But the Queen Mother has a good impression of you, and the Emperor also appreciates you. Your future is determined from now on, hehe."
After seeing off the Grand Councilor, Sun Gang returned to the posthouse, only to find that Cixi had actually rewarded him with something.
"The person who came said it was a reward from the Empress Dowager." Ma Yue said to him, "Give me a pair of gold-threaded pearl flowers, give you a fur coat, and a pair of gold ingots, plus this small jar. I don't know what's in it, but it looks like something to drink."
What does it mean? Sun Gang carefully opened the lid of this exquisite blue and white jar. The contents inside seemed to be still steaming. Sun Gang and Ma Yue smelled it and a milky aroma floated out.
Is it milk? Sun Gang took a spoon and scooped a spoonful and tasted it. "Oh, good milk, so fragrant." He couldn't help but take another spoonful.
"Let me try it." Ma Yue also took a spoonful. "It's quite fragrant and still warm. But why doesn't it taste like milk?"
"What the Empress Dowager drinks should be different from ordinary milk." The rich and delicious milk aroused his appetite. He was a little hungry after talking with the emperor for so long. He took two large bowls, one bowl each, and drank the milk clean.
"It smells really good. I can guarantee that there is no trimerized amine in it." Sun Gang smacked his lips with satisfaction and said, "A little more would be nice."
"By the way, I still don't understand why the Empress Dowager gave you milk to drink?" Ma Yue looked at him strangely and said, "Aren't the shows on TV all about giving wine to others?"
"She gave you alcohol to drink in order to poison you and force you to commit suicide." Sun Gang rolled his eyes at her. "She just beat me up for saying something wrong. She wouldn't want to kill me with her milk, right?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Ma Yue asked worriedly.
Sun Gang vividly recounted the details of the emperor's summons today, including the breastfeeding story. "The emperor was very interested in new warships and submarines. He asked me to tell him about naval battles and how Brother Li planned to kill Gaosago when we came. He was just like a child. He also said that after the war, he would let me take charge of shipbuilding, and he would go to see the ocean-going submarines when they were built." Sun Gang said with some amusement, "I almost smoked my throat because of your story."
"Was the Empress Dowager there at that time?" Ma Yue asked with a strange look on her face.
"Yes." Sun Gang replied, "I think the relationship between mother and son is not as tense as some books say. It should be very good." He remembered that Cixi was there all the time and asked Weng Tonghe and Sun Yuwen to leave. When they were talking, she did not interrupt them at all, nor did she look impatient. Sun Gang also remembered that when she saw Emperor Guangxu, young mothers often had this expression when they saw their children talking nonsense in their arms. It was impossible to fake it.
"I thought so. You gave the emperor a breastfeeding metaphor. A mother cannot let her child suffer, so the empress dowager rewarded you with a can of milk to make you silent." Ma Yue reacted immediately and said shyly, "Could this milk be..."
Sun Gang suddenly seemed to remember something, and his face turned red all the way to his neck. The history books seemed to say that Empress Dowager Cixi drank fresh human milk every day. No wonder the milk was always warm. It felt like...
It's unexpected that Empress Dowager Cixi, who has been cursed with countless insults, can be quite funny.
Sun Gang looked at her with amusement and couldn't help but smile wickedly: "No wonder, the heat preservation effect is so good, the container should also be very beautiful..."
"You still say that!" Ma Yue blushed and turned away.
Sun Gang hugged her with a smile and whispered in her ear, "When you give birth to your baby, I will only need to prepare fried dough sticks in the morning, and the drinks will all depend on you."
"Don't come on, haven't you had enough to drink yet? Do you want the Queen Mother to give you a wet nurse? You even snatch the baby's drink. Do you have any shame?" She smiled and stepped on his foot, "Bad guy! Pervert!"
