Qin Zheng said again: "But we can agree. First, in addition to the territory we occupy now, we will not expand in Henan, but will focus on Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu and other places; second, we will not occupy prefectures, prefectures, counties and cities, but only move outside the city and rural areas, so that the court can pass at least on the broad side. Moreover, this is our low line. We are not afraid of the imperial court sending troops to fight, but at this time, we don't want to flee internally."

Li Hongzhang pondered for a long time before saying, "Okay, I will submit a truth to the court for your request, but whether the court agrees is beyond my ability."

Qin Zheng clicked and said, "Jintang can do its best."

Li Hongzhang was silent for a while before saying, "With your talents, I will definitely make my China prosperous and strong in the future, but I probably won't see that day anymore. I will think that I have some friendship with you. I hope you can take care of my descendants in the future."

Qin Zheng was stunned. Is Li Hongzhang making his last words? He couldn't help but say, "Zhongtang..."

Li Hongzhang waved his hand and said, "I am over 80 years old and have lived enough. But if you can make China prosperous and strong in the future, don't forget to comfort me."

Although Qin Zheng was reserved for the conversation just now, Li Hongzhang was a smart person and there was no need to say so clearly. Overseas Chinese obviously do not want to break up with the court, but instead focus their main energy on the battlefield in the Northeast. Therefore, what Qin Zheng said about "will intervene in the war at the right time" was of course not casually. Moreover, since overseas Chinese have such plans, they are naturally somewhat sure.

If overseas Chinese really expelled Japan and Russia and regained the land outside the pass, it would probably be the time to show off with the Qing court, because if that time comes, the reputation and prestige of overseas Chinese would be enough to be above the court. You only need to raise your arms and shout. Although it cannot be said that there are many followers, at least there will be no more people supporting the court. Moreover, if you get outside the pass, the territory, population and resources of overseas Chinese will increase greatly, and you will no longer be trapped in Shandong. At that time, at most five years, it would be enough to change the dynasty.

Although Li Hongzhang himself couldn't see that day, he had to think about his descendants. Of course, Li Hongzhang had already started preparations in this regard. In 1903, Li Hongzhang invested 300,000 taels of silver to open a spinning mill in Qingdao, which gave his son Li Jingfang 60% of the shares and his daughter Li Jingchun 40% of the shares. Later, Sheng Xuanhuai also invested in 100,000 silver, so the capital expanded to 400,000 silver. It was a big investment in the private investment of the East China government.

With Sheng Xuanhuai's care and no worries about raw materials from the yarn mill, the business has been good since its opening and is expected to be profitable this year. Seeing this, Sheng Xuanhuai also invested in and established a hardware factory in Qingdao, with a capital of 500,000 yuan. Sheng Xuanhuai personally invested 250,000 yuan, Li Hongzhang invested another 100,000 yuan, and the rest were invested by Shanghai merchants. At the end of 1903, it was also put into production.

In addition, after Java protected overseas Chinese, the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia invested a large number of people in Shandong. Sheng Xuanhuai had a good relationship with many Chinese merchants in Southeast Asia, so he also participated in many shares. For example, Zhang Zhenxun invested in the construction of a winery in Yantai, with a plan to invest one million yuan, Sheng Xuanhuai participated in 100,000 silver, and Li Hongzhang also invested 50,000 silver. Now Li Hongzhang has invested more than 500,000 silver in total, with a total of 5 industries. Of course, these industries are all included in Li Jingfang and Li Jingzhang, and entrusted Sheng Xuanhuai to manage them. However, in Li Hongzhang's plan, Zhang Peilun and Li Jingzhang and his wife settled in Qingdao to manage these industries. Now Li Hongzhang's statement similar to his last words can be regarded as a formal surrender to overseas Chinese.

Qin Zheng was stunned for a while before saying, "Please rest assured that Zhongtang's industries under our East China government can be safe from worry as long as they operate according to the law, and the government will do their best to support it. However, Zhongtang should know our land policy. This is absolutely unacceptable and everything else is easy to say, and Zhongtang's wish will be realized."

After the talks, Qin Zheng immediately arranged for Li Hongzhang to go to the direct hospital for a physical examination. Although the medicines brought by the time traveler have been used up, the medical equipment can basically be used. Although most of the instruments and equipment cannot be cured, testing and diagnosis are very useful, and most of the drugs have substitutes in this era. Therefore, the direct hospitals of the East China government are definitely top-notch in this era. However, direct hospitals are not open to the public, and the services are for time travelers and family members, as well as some followers. In addition to the time travelers, everyone else has to make an appointment, which is also a privileged benefit.

After arranging Li Hongzhang's affairs, Qin Zheng rushed to the Executive Yuan and reported the results of the talks to Xia Bohai, Wang Yunpeng, Xu Jichao and others. After hearing Li Hongzhang's last words, several people were also surprised. Wang Yunpeng said: "What does Lao Li mean? Do you leave your last words?"

Qin Zheng said: "It should be almost the same. I think his complexion is not very good. Of course, the specific situation still needs to be found after the inspection results. However, Li Hongzhang has lived for three more years than the old time and space, and has not signed the [Xin Chou Treaty], so now he dies is considered a profit."

Xia Bohai said: "Is Li Hongzhang's death beneficial to us, or is it beneficial to us when he is alive?"

Qin Zheng said: "Of course, living is beneficial to us, because Li Hongzhang is a wise man, and has a deep experience in the Qing court, respected, and is familiar with current affairs, has a certain understanding of the international situation, and is deeply trusted by Cixi. He has a considerable influence on Cixi and can play a role in maintaining it between us and the Qing court, which is something that no one else can achieve."

Xu Jichao said: "Didn't it mean that the Qing court has always been guarding against Li Hongzhang? During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, they were stumbling over Li Hongzhang everywhere."

Qin Zheng said: "In fact, the Qing court has always trusted Li Hongzhang, and Li Hongzhang has always been loyal to the Qing court. The Qing court guarded against Li Hongzhang because Li Hongzhang had the ability to rebel. Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Li Hongzhang held the Huai Army and the Beiyang Navy and was in charge of the Prime Minister's Office. It can be said that he has great power. No matter how loyal he is, as long as he has the ability to rebel, the Qing court must be guarded. Now that the Huai Army has been scattered, the Beiyang Navy has also been reorganized, Li Hongzhang has no ability to rebel, and the Qing court is still guarding against him. Moreover, the Qing court has to use Li Hongzhang's ability, so he will naturally trust him fully."

Xia Bohai said: "Where is Zhang Zhidong? Isn't he as famous as Li Hongzhang? After Li Hongzhang, can he replace Li Hongzhang's role?"

Qin Zheng shook his head and said, "No, although Zhang Zhidong and Li Hongzhang are as famous as Li Hongzhang, and the Qing court's trust in Zhang Zhidong is not inferior to Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong's understanding of current affairs and international situation is far less than that of Li Hongzhang. Because of this pragmatic aspect, there is even more difference. For example, if Zhang Zhidong comes in this meeting, I'm afraid he can't talk so straightforwardly."

Wang Yunpeng said: "What about Yuan Shikai? In the old time and space, after Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai was the last capable minister of the Qing court."

Qin Zheng said: "Yuan Shikai is even more impossible. The Qing court has never really trusted Yuan Shikai, and now Yuan Shikai is rigorously grasping military power. This is the most taboo thing of the Qing court, so Yuan Shikai must not replace Li Hongzhang. So once Li Hongzhang dies, there will be any conflicts between us and the Qing court, such as Java protection of overseas Chinese or rivers and lakes, and no one can mediate it."

Xia Bohai said: "In other words, if we intervene in the Russo-Japanese War and severely damage Japan and Russia, and other countries want to interfere, they will likely instigate the Qing court to completely break up with us and meet each other. If Li Hongzhang had died at that time, no one could stop the Qing court."

Qin Zheng nodded and said, "Yes, because they are the powerful Manchus, such as Tieliang, Rongqing and others, they may even regard this as an opportunity. What is the stabbing of our backs when we are fighting fiercely with Japan and Russia, so we have to take precautions early."

Three days later, Li Hongzhang's physical examination report came out. Overall, Li Hongzhang's physical function was aging more severely, and ordinary treatment methods did not have much effect. Of course, if you take good care of it, you can still live for about 10 years. What is longer, but the chance of accidents is high, such as colds and fevers, or too tiredness, may lead to Li Hongzhang's life danger, so it can be said that he may die at any time.

Li Hongzhang was very open-minded and said, "Life and death are fate", and then said goodbye and left.

After returning to Beijing, Li Hongzhang faced Cixi alone. After all, the content of this report was too sensitive. He talked about the results of his conversation with Qin Zheng, and of course he only said what should be said, such as the East China government demanded the expansion of the territory but should not be said, such as the time travelers accused the Qing court, and the fact that he arranged for his children to surrender to the East China government, naturally, there was no mention of a single word.

After listening to Li Hongzhang's speech, Cixi did not make any statement, but ordered Li Hongzhang to kneel down. After Li Hongzhang withdrew, he returned home and immediately wrote to Zhang Peilun and Li Jingchun in Nanjing, remitting 200,000 taels of silver to them, asking them to purchase real estate and settle down in Qingdao, and manage their industries in Qingdao. If there is a suitable project, they can decide to invest and participate in the shares without asking for instructions in advance. He also called Li Jingfang and asked him to immediately abandon his official position and return to his hometown in Hefei to clean up his homeland. If he can buy it, he should try to buy it as much as possible. The money earned is divided into various tribes of the Li family. Once overseas Chinese occupy Hefei, he will immediately hand over all the land and will not be hidden. If overseas Chinese have not arrived in Hefei in the short term, or if overseas Chinese have become so famous that they have overwhelmed the court, they can go to Qingdao to invest in overseas Chinese.

After dealing with these things, Li Hongzhang also breathed a sigh of relief. He had arranged everything behind him and no longer cared about it.

In the following days, Cixi continually recruited Prince Qing, Zhang Zhidong and other ministers, and finally officially announced neutrality on the third day, and demarcated the war zone. She ordered the entire army of Ma Yukun, the admiral of Zhili, to quickly head to Gubeikou and Chaoyang to station in the area. She ordered Yuan Shikai to transfer 12,000 permanent troops in Baoding and 3,000 new Beiyang troops to station in the area south of Liaozai, half guarding Chaoyang and half guarding Shanhaiguan.
Chapter completed!