After announcing his support for the Republic, Lin Youde did not rush to Beijing to attend the upcoming Preparatory Congress as many people expected.
He first led the main force of the naval fleet to Honolulu for a visit. The official statement of the visit was to welcome the return of the second Overlord-class battleship, the Overlord, but anyone with a discerning eye knew that Lin Youde went there to gain capital for the subsequent Preparatory Congress.
As if deliberately to confirm the speculations of all parties, during the visit, Lin Youde met with the hurriedly arrived U.S. President Roosevelt. Later, the American newspapers unanimously stated that "The President and Mr. Lin talked late at night. After the meeting, the President was obviously in a very good mood."
of pleasure".
When the news reached the country, Zhang Binglin took the lead in writing passionately in newspapers, scolding Lin Youde for colluding with foreigners for "fake republicanism and real traitorousness." Later, the imperial literati from various factions began a lively public opinion war, and the chaos was complete. Only Yan Fu's national news report was lukewarm.
The newspaper articles written by Liang Qichao and Kang Youwei all had a sour taste.
Lin Youde didn't care about this. After the fleet visit, he returned to Japan to rest for a while and then headed north in a mighty manner.
But I still haven’t gone to Beijing and Tianjin.
The first stop on Lin Youde's journey to the Republic was Weihaiwei.
**
On September 27, 1902, a huge fleet ushered in the bay next to the ruins of Liugong Island Fortress.
Two giant ships took the lead, and more than a dozen armored cruisers and battleships of the Navy lined up in a long snake formation, passing through the navigation mark baseline of the original Weihaiweijun Port Channel. The fleet's soot covered the sky and the sun, and the sound of steam whistles reached into the sky.
On the deck of each ship, soldiers wearing new white navy uniforms lined up neatly, looking like lines of foam rising on the tide.
Under the watchful eyes of nearly ten thousand sailors on the deck, colorful flags were flying on Liugong Island.
Surrounded by everyone, Lin Youde came to the site of the old Navy Yamen. Due to the baptism of war and long periods of neglect, the site was overgrown with grass and had long lost its former glory. Lin Youde stood in front of the dilapidated main entrance, feeling a lot of emotion.
.This place has become a tourist attraction in the last time and space. In fact, Lin Youde doesn't understand how a national humiliation memorial site like this can be developed into a tourist destination. In Lin Youde's view, this kind of place should be quiet and solemn, not everywhere.
**Couples are here for you and me.
But in this time and space, everything is different. In the future, every Chinese will be able to laugh and have sex as much as they want on Liugong Island, because the shame that should have been recorded in this place will be revealed today.
Lin Youde made a gesture behind him, and the ceremony official loudly announced that the ceremony had begun.
The sound of military music sounded, and veteran Lin Guoxiang climbed up to the specially built altar with slow but determined steps, took the strong wine from the master of ceremonies, and sprinkled the clear wine on Liugong Island.
Immediately afterwards, eight naval soldiers appeared in everyone's sight, carrying a huge anchor and steering wheel.
In the last time and space, the Beiyang Fleet was destroyed in the military port of Weihaiwei, Dingyuan was sunk in the battle, the steering wheel was removed by the Japanese and made into a table, and the Zhenyuan was captured by the Japanese army, incorporated into the Japanese Navy, and also participated in the later Japanese-Russian war
After the war, it was dismantled and sold after decommissioning, and the anchor and chain were put on display in Ueno Park.
In this time and space, Zhenyuan was sunk in the last desperate attack of the Beiyang Navy and escaped the fate of being captured. However, the anchor and other relics were still salvaged by the Japanese and placed in Ueno Park as trophies to show off their military prowess.
Now, the navy has snatched them all back. As the successor of the Beiyang Fleet, the officers and soldiers of the new navy can finally comfort the heroes of the Sino-Japanese War.
After the heaven-sacrifice ceremony performed by Lin Guoxiang, Lin Youde took over the stage and began to deliver a speech.
Just a few minutes after Lin Youde's speech began, Sheng Xuanhuai, who came to attend the ceremony on behalf of the Beijing Provisional Government, whispered to Tang Shaoyi, who had accompanied him, at the guest table: "Now, the navy is in Lin Youde's hands."
….
Tang Shaoyi could only smile bitterly.
**
After the ceremony, Lin Youde had just returned to the temporary camp in Weihaiwei when his guard chief reported that someone was looking for him at the gate of the camp.
Lin Youde is still very surprised. With his current status, not everyone can find him if they want to. In other words, people who come to him should have some background, and people with certain backgrounds will often hand over the name card first, instead of
He just came over and became an "uninvited guest".
What surprised Lin Youde the most was not this, but the response of his subordinates. Normally, subordinates would deal with such uninvited guests themselves and would never bother Lin Youde, so this deliberate report seemed very abnormal.
So Lin Youde naturally asked his guard chief: "What's going on?"
"Sir, the guard reported that they are carrying amplification wings, they should be Shen Ji."
Lin Youde blinked his eyes and looked back at Du Qifeng behind him. Then Manager Du shook his head to indicate to the boss that there was no Shen Ji among the guests - at this time, Shen Ji was a valuable bargaining chip in the hands of the powerful, and Lin Youde was a playboy with a good reputation.
, all parties will not take the risk of sending the goddess they control to him.
Lin Youde thought for a while, then gestured to Xun beside him, and said, "Let's go take a look."
**
Lin Youde smiled as soon as he entered the small flower hall used as a reception room.
"It is you."
"Hey," Luo Tianyi, who was dressed in an orchid and bamboo cloth coat and a pure black pleated skirt, grinned at Lin Youde, put down his tea cup and stood up to bow to him, "I was transferred to Inner Mongolia. When the flag was changed, the local Han people
The bureaucrats were busy fighting with the Mongolian princes, so I took advantage of the chaos and slipped away. Mr. Lin, with my help at this time, do you want to show something?"
"No problem, I'll be covered for the Man-Han banquet and all." While Lin Youde patted his chest, his eyes fell on a girl behind Luo Tianyi. He suddenly realized that it was not the adjutant she brought with her when he saw the little girl last time. "
Who is this……"
"This is my good friend, Le Zhengling. Because her specialty is not fighting, she was assigned to be the nanny for the newly discovered little goddess, so I brought her here by the way."
"See Mr. Lin." As she said this, Le Zhengling clapped her hands and prepared to kneel down. Lin Youde and Luo Tianyi hurriedly stopped her.
"Now that there is a republic, the masters and slaves of the former Qing Dynasty are no longer like this."
As soon as Lin Youde finished speaking, Luo Tianyi interjected from the side: "Mr. Lin is very easy to talk to. He is less upright than those dandies. Why don't you tense up so much, A'ling?"
"So what, was something too outrageous said to me?" Lin Youde said this, but he didn't look angry at all. Instead, he smiled like Maitreya.
"Hehehe." Luo Tianyi also laughed with Lin Youde.
In the next few minutes, Lin Youde was chatting with Luo Tianyi, saying "Now the gentlemen from Inner Mongolia and Rehe will regret their bowels" and other useless words.
At this moment, Le Zhengling, who had been observing Lin Youde silently, suddenly spoke: "Mr. Lin, are you really planning to support the Republic?"
"Of course. Am I the kind of person who says one thing and does another?"
"But Tianyi, no, Luo Dutong once told me that you are a man who aspires to conquer the world. Now are you really willing to share these thousands of miles of mountains and rivers with others?"
Lin Youde stared at Le Zhengling for a few seconds, then put away the exaggerated expression on his face and replied seriously: "Miss Le, I have always had only one purpose, and that is the rise of China. I want to dominate the world. That's because
I think I can lead China back to the world's great powers. If the future republic can also make China rise, I don't care whether the country's surname is Lin. But if the people in the Congress are intrigues and short-sighted, they can't lead me into China.
If we are on the right path, then I will have no choice but to plant my Lin Youde flag all over the land of China."
Le Zhengling was silent for a while before bowing to Lin Youde again.
"I understand. I wonder if you would allow me to join your camp along with Luo Du and use these eyes to verify whether what you said is true?"
"Of course, I welcome any goddess."
"A-Ling," Luo Tianyi, who was slightly smaller than Le Zhengling, had a devilish smile on his face and stared at his friend with his dark eyes, "you have to be careful, A-Ling, I think with your personality, A-Ling,
It will be easily captured by Lord Lin."
"The attack is...what are you talking about, Tianyi!"
Lin Youde laughed.
"Miss Luo, judging from your statement, you don't have to worry about being attacked?"
"No, no, I'm more simple, as long as I have something to eat..."