The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 772 Steam God Angel Chariot (asking for monthly ticket)

"Another four years?" Lingli frowned when she heard what Xianfeng said. "Prince Consort of Southern Yi, the Vicksburg-St. Louis Campaign severely damaged the Confederate Army. All three steam ironclad ships are unusable. Robert Lee's army lost more than 1866 men in East St. Louis, and your black army retreated westward. What's worse is that the Northern Army's 'Eastern' class ironclad ships have already begun service in large numbers. Now an average of two to three ships are commissioned every month. The South's foreign trade will soon be completely cut off by the North. Under the current circumstances, it's hard to say whether the South can hold out until !"

Xianfeng coughed twice, took the hot tea handed to him by Bell and took a sip. Then he answered Lingli's question and said in a hoarse voice, "Lingli, you are wrong. How can the South last until 1868? That's up to Yucheng and I to say. We are the generals who fought the Northern Army on the front line. We know best whether the Southern Army can still fight and how to fight. Yucheng, tell me, can the Southern Army hold out for another four years?"

"Well." Chen Yucheng frowned, "Prince Consort Nan Yi, according to my opinion, it is impossible for the Southern Army to defeat the Northern Army, but it is still possible to hold out for a few years."

Xianfeng nodded and smiled, "The result of the Vicksburg-St. Louis Campaign is that it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. When we were defending Vicksburg, we relied on trenches, barbed wire, Mitellius multi-barreled guns and 12-pound mortars to hold the line very firmly. The Northern Army lost to people but failed to break through our first line of defense. Later, when we attacked their defense line, their Gatling machine guns mowed down our people row by row like mowing grass. Doesn't this prove the point? As long as the South has enough barbed wire and Mitellius multi-barreled guns and adopts positional defense tactics, it can fight a protracted war with inferior forces."

The clever brows were still furrowed. "But there is not much industry in the South. We can't produce much barbed wire, nor can we make a few Mitellius multi-barreled guns!"

"Isn't there Mexico?" Xianfeng smiled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Barbed wire is a manual job. All you need is hands and feet! There are many Mexicans, the labor cost is low, and they are not short of this little steel. It's not difficult to open a factory and hire tens of thousands of them to pull wire every day. As for the Mitellius multi-barreled gun, Gatling is difficult to make, but what's so difficult about tying dozens of gun barrels together and making a replaceable bullet nest like a French cannon? With Mexico's industrial base, isn't it easy to produce thousands of them? A company is equipped with 2 guns, and a division is equipped with 54 guns. Thousands of guns can equip 20 divisions. Five divisions defend Vicksburg, five divisions defend Baltimore, and 5 divisions can be rotated to rest and serve as reserves. What's so difficult about the Southern Army defending for four or five years?"

Xianfeng said "Mexico", but Chen Yucheng and Lingli knew that he was actually referring to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Just take it to Mexico to wash the origin, and don't let the North get too obvious handle.

With the current industrial strength of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, it is not difficult to mass-produce barbed wire and Mitellius multi-barreled guns. And the Mitellius multi-barreled gun uses paper shell bullets, which the South can make by itself.

Lingli still frowned: "But how can we break the blockade of the southern coastline by the fleet of steam ironclad ships and sailing ships of the Northern Army? The supplies needed by the South to hold out for four years are not just a few barbed wires and one or two thousand revolvers! We can't rely on the land route from Mexico to Texas for everything, right? Besides, the Republicans in Mexico are pro-Northern."

There is still a war going on in Mexico! Previously, the conservatives in Mexico were about to be defeated by the Republicans, so they invited the intervention forces of "French father" to help. Recently, they have gained the upper hand and drove the Republicans to northern Mexico. So now the progressive Mexican Republicans are bordering the southern United States.

It’s no problem to “wash the origin” of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s aid, but it’s a bit difficult to transport it into the United States by land!

"Then let King Luo Wu find a way to build a steam-powered clipper for the South, with a speed of 17 or 18 knots, wouldn't that be enough?" Xianfeng was good at sending people, and directly threw the difficult problem to Luo Yaoguo who was far away in Tianjing, asking him to find a way to build two "steam-powered ships" for the "American Southern Dynasty".

The bronze chandelier of the presidential palace swayed slightly in the dusk, and the exhausted Lincoln was unconsciously tapping the oak table with his knuckles. When Secretary of State Seward adjusted his bow tie for the third time, the crisp sound of military boots hitting the ground came from the corridor.

"Your Excellency the President of the United States of America, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Korea has arrived."

The moment the door opened, Lincoln finally pulled himself together and looked towards the door. The boy walking in front was only fourteen or fifteen years old. The nine-clawed dragon on his bright yellow satin robe looked ferocious, but hanging from his waist was not a jade pendant, but a three-foot-long sword. The elder half a step behind him was also wearing a dragon robe, with crystal glasses on his nose and a large gold chain cross around his neck. It was Hong Rengan.

"May Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother, and Heavenly King always be with you." The young man spoke fluent English and made the sign of a cross on his chest with his right hand. "I am the grandson of Heavenly Father, the crown prince of Joseon, and the regent of Japan, Yang Chengtian."

Just as Lincoln was about to stand up to return the greeting, the young man had already sat down. A hint of solemnity appeared on his childish face, giving people a feeling of awe without anger.

"Mr. President, you look a little troubled. Is it because of the Confederate fire attack on the Mississippi River?" Yang Chengtian suddenly spoke up, and his words hit people directly where it hurts, without any regard for diplomatic etiquette.

Hong Rengan, who was standing by, was a little uncomfortable with the abruptness of the "Second Generation Eastern King" and coughed twice. But the young prince seemed not to hear him and continued to ask Lincoln: "Mr. President, when you encounter difficulties, do you pray to Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother and Heavenly King? My father once taught me that as long as you pray to Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother and Heavenly King sincerely and then read the True Testament, you will definitely find a solution to the problem." As he spoke, he took out a thick gold-stamped book from the sandalwood box held by his attendant, with a striking rice ear cross printed on the cover.

This guy came to the American presidential palace to preach?

Lincoln didn't know what to say, so he just winked at Secretary of State Seward. Seward said, "Your Highness, most Christians in the world do not believe that the King of Heaven is the Son of God, even though they admit that the King of Heaven is the reincarnation of Jesus' brother."

"This is the seventh edition of The True Covenant, a hardcover edition specially provided by the Seoul Printing House, in English." The young prince ignored Seward and turned the pages of the book. "Mr. President, do you know that there is another book hidden in The True Covenant, called Theory of Heaven. This is a book compiled by the angel His Majesty the King of Wu, recording his experiences in heaven."

As Yang Chengtian spoke, he flipped through the book, and the papers rustled. Suddenly, the Yang family's son's finger stopped on an illustration in the book "True Covenant".

Lincoln stared at the illustration that Yang Chengtian was pointing at: a giant steel beast was spewing out clouds of steam, the wheat fields were turned into scorched earth where its tracks passed, and a weapon that looked like a machine gun on the turret was pouring down fire.

"This is an 'Angel Chariot', which should be powered by a steam engine. I don't know why it is called a 'water tank'." The boy's fingertips slid across the English word "water tank" below the picture. "It is said to be a sharp weapon against barbed wire and machine guns." He suddenly looked up at Lincoln and Seward who were a little dazed. "Your America is the second largest industrial country in the world. You should be able to build some steam-powered 'Angel Chariots', right?"

Lincoln and Seward looked at each other. To be honest, they didn't know if the United States could build a steam angel chariot. Although the United States can build many steam locomotives a year, it can also use steam locomotives to modify armored trains. However, armored trains need rails, and the steam angel chariot in the picture does not need rails, but is driven by a very strange wheel.
Yang Chengtian had already seen the expressions of the two men. The young man smiled and said, "Mr. President, why don't you give it a try? Our Kingdom of Korea can contribute one-third of the research funds and participate in the research together. Maybe we can figure it out. As long as we can figure it out, the United States wins! Even if we can't figure it out, it won't cost much."

Lincoln thought about it and it made sense - he didn't know how to break through the Confederate army's barbed wire and Gamitrius multi-barreled rifle defenses, so he nodded and said, "Okay, let's give it a try."

Tianjing, King Wu’s villa at Purple Mountain, November, the 13th year of the Tianli period.

Luo Yaoguo leaned on the rosewood couch, tapping the ivory cigarette case that the Grand Duchess of Alaska had sent from St. Petersburg last year. Suddenly, the guards announced from outside the window: "Grand Duchess Natalia is here."

"Haha, my little polar bear is back?" Luo Yaoguo stood up and pushed open the window with a smile. In the courtyard, the lady wearing a mink hat jumped out of the carriage with her skirt lifted up. Her red fox fur cape was like a dancing flame in the dusk. Behind her followed a tall and thin man with a Nicholas I-style beard, wearing a gray military uniform.

"He is Victor Weber, the new Russian ambassador to Tianjing." Before the Grand Duchess finished her official speech, she threw herself into Luo Yaoguo's arms and pressed her fiery red lips against his: "The winter in St. Petersburg can freeze a person's bones, not like here."

Weber turned his face away in embarrassment. The relationship between the Grand Duchess of Russia and Duke of Alaska and His Royal Highness the King of Wu of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was really too close.

"Your Majesty hopes to mediate the war between your country and the Tang Dynasty." Weber handed over the gold-plated letter stiffly. There was a wax seal of a double-headed eagle on the parchment. "For the common interests of Russia and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."

Luo Yaoguo suddenly burst into laughter. He put his arm around the Grand Duchess' waist and spun her around. "Alexander II wants to mediate the war between the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Tang Empire? Don't you think it's a little funny?"

(End of this chapter)