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"Emperor, this is the agreement to purchase weapons reached after the talks between slaves and Sir Bethanza, the British ambassador to China. If the emperor can approve it, then these weapons will be transported to Beijing within a maximum of three months. At that time, the new army of the court will be able to start training." Minister of Military Affairs and Minister of War Yucheng reported to Emperor Daoguang.

The establishment of a new army was an idea of ​​Emperor Daoguang. Whether in the Opium War or in the war with Xinhua Kingdom, the performance of the Green Camp and the Eight Banners soldiers was very bad. The army was the foundation of a country, and such an army made Emperor Daoguang feel a deep crisis. The invasion of Xinhua Kingdom even made Emperor Daoguang know that if there was no change in this regard, the Qing Dynasty would be really over. Therefore, he supported Yucheng to purchase weapons from Britain and form a new army.

Emperor Daoguang opened the memorial presented by Yucheng and looked carefully. In the memorial, Yucheng listed the price, quantity and total price of each weapon one by one, so that Emperor Daoguang could see it clearly at a glance. However, Emperor Daoguang still frowned for the total amount of 5.75 million taels of silver. Now the annual fiscal revenue of the Qing Dynasty is only 40 to 50 million taels of silver. After deducting various expenses, there is not much left. It is difficult for the Qing government to spend so much money to purchase weapons at once.

"Yu Aiqing, is this price too expensive? More than 5 million taels of silver is equivalent to one tenth of the fiscal revenue of the Qing Dynasty." Emperor Daoguang said with a frown. In addition to the silver compensated Britain during the Opium War and the war ongoing in the south, these have already made the Qing Dynasty's fiscal revenue insufficient.

"Your Majesty, this is what the slave and the British ambassador to China have only suppressed the price after they argued. Otherwise, the price would have to be doubled. The slave compared the weapons prices in other countries. This price is not high. After all, the British had to transport weapons from Thailand thousands of miles away, and the freight would also cost a lot." Yucheng refuted vigorously. After all, if the business was negotiated, he could get a commission of 400,000 taels of silver, which would be a huge sum.

"Mr. Yu, can't I make these firearms by myself in the Qing Dynasty? I have to buy them from the British." asked Mu Zhanga, the Minister of Military Engineering. In his opinion, it was too unprofitable to buy weapons and equipment from the British at such a high price.

"Mr. If we can make it ourselves, we don't have to buy it from the British. Master Sai is in charge of the Ministry of Works, so he is naturally the clearest about this. Master Sai, do you think so?" Yucheng asked. Sai Shanga had just returned to Beijing. Because of the failed negotiations with the Xinhua Army, he was severely scolded by Emperor Daoguang. Fortunately, he was lucky. Emperor Daoguang did not dismiss his official position. At that time, Yucheng also said a lot of good things for him. Therefore, Sai Shanga always remembered love.

"Your Majesty, Master Yu is right. In terms of firearm technology, we are indeed very different from the West. The firearms we make ourselves are expensive, and their performance is far from comparable to those of Western countries. Therefore, buying from the West is undoubtedly the most time-saving and labor-saving." Sai Shanga said. Because the Qing Dynasty's lack of attention to firearms, China's firearms has withered talents. It was originally in the world's leading position, but now it is far behind the West.

Emperor Daoguang nodded and said, "Okay, Yucheng, please purchase weapons from the British according to the agreement you reached with the British. The Ministry of Revenue finds a way to raise funds."

"Yes. The slave obeyed the order." Yucheng said quickly. However, Wen Qing, who was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, frowned.

"Your Majesty, it's just the end of the year, and the treasury's silver has been used almost all. We don't have that much silver to buy weapons at all." Wen Qing said with a tough bullet. That's more than five million taels of silver, not five thousand taels. He had no choice at all for such a large amount.

Emperor Daoguang's face suddenly looked a little bad. He was about to do something big, but various problems arose, which made him feel very unhappy. He always thought that the Qing Dynasty was very rich, so why couldn't even get such a sum of money?

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate all my salary this year. Now that the country is in trouble, I naturally cannot sit idly by the way." Yucheng jumped out the first time and put it into the center. Anyway, he has made a lot of money this time, and even if he donated a year's salary, it was nothing at all.

"Okay, Yu Aiqing is indeed worthy of being a pillar of the country." Emperor Daoguang was very satisfied when he saw Yucheng stand up to share the worries of the court, and he also felt that Yucheng was much more pleasing to him. Of course, if he knew that Yucheng had taken hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in this weapon purchase, he might immediately order Yucheng to be pushed out and chopped his head.

"Emperor, I am willing to donate my salary." The other military ministers had no choice but to respond. Yucheng could not donate his salary, so they could only watch coldly. In that case, what would Emperor Daoguang think of them?

"Very good. All my dear ministers are willing to contribute to the national crisis. I am very satisfied. Then, I decided that the funds for purchasing weapons from the British this time will be borne by the inner treasury." Emperor Daoguang said. The inner treasury is the royal treasury, and the money in it is all the cost of the royal family. How to use it depends on the emperor. Although the Qing government's treasury is empty, the royal treasury is not short of money at all.

In the 18th century, although the vast majority of people were dying of poverty, the entire country was very rich. However, these three wealth was only in the hands of a few people. The great bureaucrats, landlords and Manchu nobles of the Qing Dynasty controlled most of the wealth of the entire country. Their crazy wealth accumulation made the people's lives worse and worse.

"Your Majesty, wise!" said the military ministers. Although they lost their salary for one year, it would be worth it to satisfy Emperor Daoguang. Besides, these military ministers are not wealthy and operate a large number of industries. The annual salary is nothing to them, it is just a symbol.

"Yu Aiqing, the weapon problem has been solved. Then, the recruitment preparations of the new army must be started immediately. After the weapons arrive, training must be started as soon as possible. I hope that in a few months, these warriors will appear on the battlefield, defeat the Xinhua Army, and let them know the power of the Qing Dynasty." Emperor Daoguang said with great enthusiasm. He had great confidence in the Xinhua Army.

"Yes, the servants obey the order. However, the emperor, should the new army recruit soldiers from the bannermen or from the Han people?" Yucheng asked. The battle power of the bannermen is worrying. Even if they are equipped with new weapons, they probably cannot exert much combat power. The Han people are more reliable. However, once the New China Army is established, it will definitely become the most important force of the Qing Dynasty. If such force is not in his own hands, will Emperor Daoguang feel at ease?

"Let's recruit soldiers from the new army from the bannermen. The children of the Manchu and Mongolian Eight Banners and Han Army Banners can be recruited. However, the middle and high-level commanders of the army must be trusted." Emperor Daoguang said. Although he also knew what kind of virtue the bannermen was, recruiting bannermen was undoubtedly the safest way. Otherwise, the Qing Dynasty would be really dangerous.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yucheng, the Minister of War, nodded. He could understand Emperor Daoguang's idea, which was for the sake of the entire Manchu country. The Han ministers among the Ministers of Military Affairs did not raise any objections, as if they thought it was justified. As a minister of the Qing Dynasty who had been a lifetime, they had long been devoted to the Qing Dynasty and had long forgotten their ancestors.

"Your Majesty, there is another problem. The trainers of the new army. At present, the generals of the court do not understand the training of firearms. If those generals are appointed to train, it will probably not have much effect." Yucheng said.

Emperor Daoguang couldn't help but frowned. He bought weapons and equipment from Britain and trained the new army. Isn't it just to defeat the New China army? If this cannot be achieved, then what's the use of forming a new army?

"Yu Aiqing, do you have any solution?" Emperor Daoguang asked.

"Your Majesty, we can hire foreigners to be instructors of the New Army. In this way, we will not be worse than the New China Army in tactical terms." Yucheng said.

"Mr. Yu, the army is an important weapon for the country. How can it be controlled by foreigners? This is absolutely impossible." Military Minister Pan Shien retorted.

"Mr. Pan, foreigners are just instructors, and the movement of the army is still in our own hands." Yucheng explained.

Emperor Daoguang hesitated for a while, nodded, agreeing to recruiting instructors from the British Army to train the Qing army.

The decision of the Qing government made Sir Bedeenzha, the British Minister to China, excited. In his opinion, it was the Qing government moving closer to Britain. He immediately stated that British weapons would be sold to the Qing government as soon as possible. In addition, the training instructors of the new army, the British army would also draw capable officers from the active-duty army and would soon be able to take office.

When the Qing government actively formed a new army, the war around Guangdong began to change. The Qing army besieged Guangdong without any progress, but suffered heavy losses. As time passed, the twenty newly formed infantry brigades of the Xinhua Army had gradually completed the training of recruits and could be devoted to actual combat. After more than a month of defense, the counterattack was finally coming.
Chapter completed!