Chapter 431: Retreat to Advance

The Liang family of today is no longer the same as the Liang family of the past.

Although Liang Yao's grandfather did not return to Beijing to serve as an official, anyone with a discerning eye knows that the Liang family's future is limitless.

There were two armies that the imperial court relied on most to exterminate Changmao, one was the Xiang Yong and the other was the Yue Yong.

The Liang family controls half of the branch, or even more Yueyong.

In the future, if the long-haired bandits can be pacified and rewarded based on their merits, the Liang family will definitely have a share.

Not only in Xiangshan, but also in Guangzhou, people mention this family with respect.

It has become a custom for the governors and admirals of Guangdong and Guangxi to visit Liang Mansion during the holidays. This time Liang Shaoqiong returned from the Jiangbei Camp in Yangzhou, and the governors and admirals of Guangdong and Guangxi also made a special trip to greet him.

"You kid, you stayed in that damn place called Borneo for more than half a year and you didn't want to come back to see me, half of my body is about to be buried."

As soon as he saw Liang Yao, Liang Weiming stepped forward, took Liang Yao's hand and complained.

Although Liang Weiming spoke with a tone of blame, he still couldn't hide the relief and pride in his eyes.

Four or five years ago, Liang Weiming thought that the Liang family had hit rock bottom and had almost no hope of a comeback. Liang Weiming no longer had much hope for the younger generations of the Liang family.

Unexpectedly, the Liang family had such a figure as Liang Yao, which directly caused the Liang family to rebound. It was truly the blessing of the ancestors.

"Bah, bah, bah, grandpa, don't talk nonsense. Grandpa's body is strong. We, the Liang family, still need you to support us." Liang Yao said, "When my grandson was in Borneo, he often looked north, but he was busy with military affairs. , I really can’t leave.”

Walking into the mansion, Liang Yao glanced at Yue Yong, who was standing guard at the door.

Although these Yue Yong were Liang Shaoqiong's personal soldiers, their clothing was very plain and simple, with a strong and clean cotton uniform, a turban wrapped around their heads, and an armed belt filled with bullets.

"Yue Yong's attire is a bit shabby."

Liang Yao walked into the house with his hands behind his back. There was only a four-cornered Eight Immortals table for four people.

Four positions, I think Liang Weiming came to discuss things with him.

After Liang Weiming sat down at the chairman's seat, Liang Yao asked Liang Shaoqiong to sit in the deputy chairman's seat opposite the old man.

Liang Shaoqiong very wisely gave up this position to Liang Yao.

Although Liang Shaoqiong has made some achievements recently and is senior to Liang Yao, in terms of contribution to the Liang family, Liang Shaoqiong still cannot compare to Liang Yao.

Liang Shaoqiong was convinced to give this position to Liang Yao without any complaints.

Furthermore, Liang Yao has made it clear that he will develop in California in the future and has no intention of returning to his hometown. Liang Shaoqiong has no need to be jealous of Liang Yao over this trivial matter.

"Guangdong Yong can't compare to your Western Brigade. With a wealthy donor like you, how can I ask for money from the court if I dress too well?" Liang Shaoqiong said after sitting down.

After everyone was seated, Liang Weiming signaled the servants to serve the food.

"In the Qing Dynasty, which one of the financial backers behind Yue Yong was not wealthy?" Liang Yao said with a smile.

Although the military pay provided by the Qing court was negligible, the main source of military pay for the Yue Yong was not the court, but the wealthy merchants and gentry of Guangzhou who were the core businessmen in Guangzhou.

There are currently five battalions of Yue Yong with a strength of more than 5,000.

Unless an army of this size engages in high-intensity combat for a long period of time, with the financial resources of the wealthy merchants and gentry of Guangzhou, there is no problem in supporting an elite army of 5,000 people.

"I can't compare to you in California." Liang Weiming picked up Kuaizi, took a bite of the dish and put it in his mouth.

“Many things cannot be solved with money.”

"Guangdong Yongde's performance was so good that the court was afraid of him. Is the court starting to suppress Yue Yong?" Liang Yao said.

Liang Shaoqiong has not made any new moves in Yangzhou for more than half a year, and the number of arms purchased from him has also been decreasing recently. It is probably the rise of this Han armed force that has made the Manchu dignitaries begin to fear, fearing that the Yue Yong will not be able to lose its tail after becoming powerful.

"It's also my fault that I was eager to perform meritorious service and wanted to show off too much. I didn't listen to my father's teachings and my nephew's advice. You are right. We must suppress this long-haired bandit, but we cannot suppress it too harshly." Liang Shaoqiong's face was filled with emotion. A look of regret.

"Since the imperial court assigned two men with yellow flags to our Yue Yong at the beginning of the year, the imperial court has not used Yue Yong very much. It only asked Yue Yong to guard the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps to prevent Chang Mao from going north."

Speaking of the two Manchu generals who were placed among the Yue Yong, Liang Shaoqiong did not hide his dissatisfaction with the two Manchu generals.

After stabilizing the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps and curbing the Taiping Army's northward movement, Liang Shaoqiong wanted to enter the Jiangxi battlefield to fight. However, Liang Shaoqiong's request was quickly rejected, which made Liang Shaoqiong feel very disappointed.

"The Hunan Army is also watching Taqibu." Liang Yao said.

It was also expected that the Qing government would place Eight Banners generals in Yueyong.

The Qing government was always on guard against Han armed forces.

"Taqibu has been defeated in many battles. He has been unable to win Jiujiang. I heard that he is very angry. Of course, this is just a rumor. I don't know if it is true or not. Maybe it is Changmao's trick." Liang Shaoqiong drank a small cup of rice wine, smacked her lips and said.

"The Hunan Army was held down and beaten by Chang Mao in Jiangxi. The Hunan Army was in such a state of embarrassment in Jiangxi that even Zeng Guofan almost drowned himself."

Speaking of this, Liang Shaoqiong showed a look of pity, feeling extremely sorry for Zeng Guofan's attempted suicide by drowning.

Liang Yao knew that it was true that Taqibu failed to attack Jiujiang in July and became depressed and died of illness. It was not the psychological warfare of the Taiping Army.

It’s just that the war is not favorable to the Hunan Army at the moment, and morale is low. The news that important generals have died in battle, which is not conducive to morale, must be blocked as much as possible.

From another perspective, the death of Tazibu may not be a bad thing for the Hunan Army, but it may be a good thing.

“The Hunan Army is not a weak force. It can beat Zeng Guofan so badly. There are still some heroes among the Changmao.” Liang Yao said.

“There are indeed heroes among the Changmao. The one who is responsible for the Western Expedition and fighting Zeng Guofan in Jiangxi this time is Shi Dakai, the pseudo-wing king of the Changmao. At the beginning of the year, Shi Dakai defeated the Hunan Army twice in Hukou and Jiujiang. It is said that Shi Dakai is now invincible in Jiangxi and has captured many prefectures and counties.

The only one who can beat the Hunan Army so badly is this pseudo-wing king. Our Guangdong Yong also suffered losses under him.” Liang Shaoqiong said.

Although they are opponents, Liang Shaoqiong still admires Shi Dakai, a young general of the Taiping Army.

"This time I asked Qiong'er to return home on sick leave, which was also a retreat to advance. The Hunan Army is not doing well in Jiangxi. When the court has no soldiers to use, it still has to rely on our Guangdong Warriors." Liang Weiming said.

"The Hunan Army is mainly supported by Hunan gentry. Zeng Disheng has a smooth career. Before he took charge of the Hunan Army, he had already been promoted to the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Although our Guangdong Warriors also have the support of Guangdong gentry, the main food and salary still depends on Guangdong merchants. Compared with merchants, the court is naturally more willing to trust gentry."

Sure enough, the old ones are still the best. Liang Shaoqiong may be better than the old man in leading troops, but he is far less clear about the situation in the court than the old man.

"Grandpa is right. Compared with the generals of the Hunan Army, the generals of our Guangdong Army are not as righteous as those of the Hunan Army. The court has deep prejudices.

Although for the court, it is a disaster for either the Hunan Army or the Guangdong Army to become powerful, but the lesser of two evils is the lesser of two evils. There are far more people in the court who support the Hunan Army than the Guangdong Army." Liang Yao nodded, agreeing with Liang Weiming's opinion.

The main generals of the Hunan Army, such as Zeng Guofan and his brothers, Luo Bingzhang, Jiang Zhongyuan brothers, Hu Linyi, Zuo Zongtang, Peng Yulin, etc., are either orthodox landlords or officials who have passed the imperial examination.

Although Liang Shaoqiong, the general of the Guangdong Army, is also from a landlord official family, Liang Shaoqiong's own title of Juren and his almost zero political experience before he led the Guangdong Army are obviously not good enough in front of the Hunan Army elders.

If Liang Shaoqiong defected to the Hunan Army, he might not be able to enter the core circle of the Hunan Army with his resume.

As for Pan Shicheng, another important general of the Guangdong Army, he was born into a business family in Guangzhou, although the Pan family tried hard to downplay their merchant origins.

But without the efforts of two or three generations, it would be difficult for the Pan family to be truly accepted by the mainstream ruling class.

To put it bluntly, if the court had no soldiers to use, and Pan Shicheng had a good relationship in the capital, and Prince Gong supported the Guangdong Army, the Guangdong Army would not even have the opportunity to be established.

"Your nephew in California has a clearer understanding of the situation in the Qing Dynasty than you do. Learn from him."

Liang Weiming nodded to Liang Yao with great approval, wondering why he didn't realize that there was such a rough gem in his family.

Liang Shaoqiong scratched the stubble on his head very embarrassedly and said with a smile: "If I had half the ability of my third nephew, I would not have achieved nothing in my middle age.

Third nephew, uncle has one more thing to ask of you."

"We are all family. No matter whether you ask or not, uncle will just say it directly. As long as it is within my ability, I will do it for you." Liang Yao said.

"Last year, the Hunan Army was able to recover thousands of miles of land in the two lakes and Jiangxi. In addition to the insufficient garrison forces and shallow foundation of the Taiping in these places, it was all due to the advantage of the navy.

At present, the Hunan Army is not doing well in Jiangxi. It is only a matter of time before the court reuses the Guangdong Army.

Once the court reuses the Guangdong Army, the Guangdong Army will have to enter Jiangxi to fight. The water network in northern Jiangxi is dense. If there is no satisfactory navy, we will be at a disadvantage in fighting against the Taiping." Liang Shaoqiong said.

Although the court has temporarily ignored the Guangdong Army, Liang Shaoqiong has already thought about the combat issues after the court reuses the Guangdong Army.

Liang Shaoqiong's own ship is a small steamer. He knows that this kind of Western steam ship is different from ordinary sailing ships. If you want the sailors to be proficient in using this kind of steam warship, you need a longer training period.

At present, Guangdong Yong has no war, and Liang Shaoqiong wants to take advantage of this period to train a navy.

Liang Shaoqiong knows that Guangdong Yong is a completely firearms army, which is very dependent on logistics and ammunition supply. If there is a strong navy to cooperate in the battle and use the water network for supply and support, it will be twice the result with half the effort, greatly improving the chances of Guangdong Yong's victory.

Liang Shaoqiong has a long-term vision, and his performance is slightly higher than Liang Yao's expectations of him.

Liang Yao thought for a moment and said, "There are no big ships. I don't have enough for myself, but I have as many loach boats as I want."

At present, Liang Yao's San Francisco Shipyard has an annual output of warships of more than 1,000 tons, that is, the Daring-class steam cruisers, which is two and a half.

This production capacity is not enough for him, so it is impossible to sell it to Guangdong Yong.

However, as the first product of the San Francisco Shipyard, the loach boat has very mature production technology and sufficient production capacity, so Liang Yao can still give some to Yue Yong.

"Loach boats are enough." Liang Shaoqiong was very satisfied with Liang Yao's answer.

Loach boats are small boats for the well-informed Liang Yao, but in the Qing Dynasty, especially in the Yangtze River Basin, they are definitely large ships.

Moreover, loach boats are fast and flexible, and can move freely without relying on wind power, which is very suitable for inland river operations.

"Uncle Wu, don't blame me for not reminding you that the navy is not like the land army. This thing is a gold-eating beast." Liang Yao reminded.

Liang Shaoqiong wants to train the navy, and Liang Yao is very supportive.

As long as the navy of Yueyong can be trained, it will also be able to provide him with certain help in the Nanyang region in the future.

"I will coordinate this matter with the Guangdong merchants." Liang Shaoqiong said excitedly, rubbing his hands.

"That's good, but what do you plan to say to the court?" Liang Yao continued to ask.

"Haha, the court wants to invite me to go out this time. If you don't give me the establishment of three or five battalions, I will stay in Xiangshan and won't leave." Liang Shaoqiong laughed.

"Qiong'er, watch your words. We are all family here, so it's okay to be a little indulgent, but if you say these things outside, won't it give people a handle?" Liang Weiming said seriously, and then changed the subject.

"The official business is almost done, and it's time to talk about your personal affairs. I still want to hold my great-grandson soon."

"Private affairs? My nephew has an engagement?" Liang Shaoqiong's eyes lit up and said to Liang Yao.

"You are 25 this year, and it's time to get married."

"Your grandfather knows nothing about American affairs. It happens that you are here today. Tell me today, what is the situation of Mr. Fan, and whether he is a good match for us?" Liang Weiming asked very seriously.

Liang Yao knew that at his level, it was impossible to have a particularly pure love without exchanging interests. Being a good match is indeed very important to both parties.

"Mr. Fan is the richest man in America, and he is definitely a good match for my grandson." Liang Yao said, "Grandfather, please forgive me for being unfilial and agreeing to this marriage without asking you for your permission."

"It was a matter of urgency. America and the Qing Dynasty are thousands of miles apart, and I am not a pedantic person. You have your reasons for agreeing to this marriage." Liang Weiming also expressed his understanding of Liang Yao's behavior.

Liang Yao wrote to him as soon as he confirmed the engagement, which showed his respect for his grandfather.

"Do you have photos?" Liang Weiming asked.

"Ah? You know photos?" Liang Yao was a little surprised.

"My grandson has lived in Western countries for a long time. I know some rare things of Westerners. What's so surprising?" Liang Weiming smiled and stroked his beard, and then asked someone to bring a few silver plate photos.

These photos include photos of the old man himself, family photos, and photos of Liang Weiming and local gentry and local officials.

Liang Yao looked at the photos. Liang Weiming in the photos faced the end calmly and confidently, and his demeanor revealed a bit of majesty.

He didn't expect that the old man could still accept new things from the outside world so calmly at his age.

"Grandpa must have been handsome and talented when he was young." Liang Yao looked at the photos and admired.

"Nonsense, when your grandfather was young, he was a famous handsome man in the whole village. When grandpa passed the imperial examination, all the people who proposed marriage flattened the threshold of our Liang family." Liang Weiming couldn't help but straighten his chest, "Stop talking nonsense, did you bring back a photo of my granddaughter-in-law?"

"Carnegie, get a photo of Miss Yin Lishabeth." Liang Yao said to Carnegie.

Carnegie opened the briefcase and took out two photo frames from the briefcase, with silver plate photos embedded in the frames.

One was a full-length photo of Yin Lishabeth, and the other was a photo of the two of them at the Crystal Palace in New York.

Liang Yao had many photos of Elizabeth Yin, but these two were the ones that Liang Yao was most satisfied with, so Liang Yao only carried these two photos with him.

After Carnegie put the photos on the table, Liang Yao took out his pocket watch from his jacket pocket, opened the pocket watch, revealed the portrait inside, and gently placed it on the table.