Chapter Thirty-Three: Fire in the Far East

After Christmas, Feng Chengqian formally proposed to the Kaiser the establishment of an Imperial Far East Fleet. The Kaiser did not oppose this, which was within Feng Chengqian's expectations, but Bismarck also expressed support, believing that the Empire should strengthen its presence in the Far East, which took Feng Chengqian somewhat by surprise. Later, Feng Chengqian learned that it was not the Kaiser who influenced Bismarck, but rather the Empire's entrepreneurs.

Previously, Feng Chengqian had always thought of Bismarck as a representative of the conservative Junker aristocracy, but now he had to change that view. It is undeniable that Bismarck hailed from the Junker nobility and had deep connections to the Junker group. However, it is equally undeniable that as the Chancellor of the Empire, Bismarck recognized the development trends and understood that the agrarian estate economy of the Junker nobility was unsustainable. The emerging industrial economy, constituted by entrepreneurs, financiers, and merchants, would inevitably replace the Junker group and become the backbone of the Empire.

As a politician, Bismarck certainly understood the importance of adapting to the trends. In the matter of forming the Far East Fleet, Bismarck aligned himself with the current. Although the Empire had not yet acquired Qingdao, thanks to Feng Chengqian's efforts, as well as those of the Empire's entrepreneurs, the Empire's interests in the Qing Dynasty had become extremely prominent. At that time, the Empire had established several large factories in the Qing Dynasty, with Krupp Company operating three military factories there, and the Vulcan shipyard setting up a ship repair facility. The Empire's investments in the Qing Dynasty reached tens of millions of Imperial Marks.

In addition to investments, there was the market of the Qing Dynasty. By eliminating long-distance transportation and employing a large number of local cheap laborers, products produced and sold by the Empire's enterprises in the Qing Dynasty were significantly cheaper than those of other countries. For instance, the price of 7.92mm machine gun ammunition sold by Krupp to the Qing Dynasty was one thousand rounds for eight taels of silver, while purchasing from Britain or France would cost as much as one thousand rounds for twenty taels of silver, which was three times the price charged by Krupp. After years of diligent management, the Empire's enterprises had established good relations with the Qing Dynasty and occupied a large market.

These were goals that the Empire's entrepreneurs yearned for and strived to achieve, and they formed the fundamental conditions for the capitalists of the Empire to obtain profits. Such significant interests provided ample reason to send troops for protection. More importantly, Li Hongzhang was very satisfied with the four warships built by the Empire and the military supplies offered by the Empire's enterprises at reasonable prices, so there were not many diplomatic issues. According to Feng Chengqian's estimates, as long as the Empire presented legitimate reasons, Li Hongzhang would provide docking facilities for the Empire's Far East Fleet. With the right connections, Li Hongzhang might even lease Qingdao to the Imperial Navy.

After resolving these issues, the only remaining concern was that of the Empire's decision-makers. Feng Chengqian had initially thought Bismarck would oppose the establishment of the Far East Fleet, but since Bismarck did not object and even actively supported the dispatch of a fleet to the Far East, the decision-making problem seemed to have disappeared. The issue was that Bismarck did not agree with sending new capital ships to the Far East, believing they should be retained to deal with the increasingly powerful Russian Baltic Fleet. The Kaiser also agreed with this viewpoint.

After the signing of the military alliance treaty between France and Russia, the ambitions of Tsarist Russia had greatly increased. With Tsar Alexander III gravely ill and the heir apparent, who later became Tsar Nicholas II, acting as regent, Russia began to vigorously construct new warships, posing a serious threat to the Empire in the Baltic Sea. Feng Chengqian had a clear understanding of what kind of person Tsar Nicholas II was. In the history he was familiar with, Nicholas II was the last emperor of Tsarist Russia, an emperor whose ambition did not match his capabilities. He had grand ideals, idolizing Peter the Great, dreaming of transforming Russia into a world power, and placing great emphasis on naval development. Unfortunately, he lacked the foresight and the visionary spirit of Peter the Great. The downfall of Tsarist Russia under his reign was no coincidence and was significantly related to him. Feng Chengqian did not consider Nicholas II a rival, but Frederick III and Bismarck did not view him this way, believing that this extremely pro-French heir was a serious threat.

Feng Chengqian could not disclose his views on Nicholas II to the Kaiser and the Chancellor and thus had to make concessions, adopting the Chancellor's suggestion to only send one capital ship, two cruisers, and several small vessels to the Far East, establishing the fleet with Qingdao as its home port. On February 1, 1894, Feng Chengqian fulfilled his promise and appointed Tirpitz as the commander of the Far East Fleet. According to Feng Chengqian's plan, Tirpitz would lead the fleet on March 1 and arrive in Qingdao by mid-April, with the Empire simultaneously establishing a consulate there.

Feng Chengqian personally arranged the preparations, while Tirpitz was responsible for the specifics. At that time, no one knew that Feng Chengqian's arrangement for the fleet to depart on March 1 had a hidden secret. After receiving news on February 21, Feng Chengqian went to the Potsdam Palace.

"What does the situation in Korea have to do with us?"

"Your Majesty, don't you think this could spark a war?" Frederick III frowned, still somewhat indifferent. Korea was on the other side of the planet, a great distance from the Empire.

"If my judgment is correct, this peasant uprising will become the fuse for the war between the Qing Dynasty and Japan."

"I understand your point, but what does this war have to do with us?"

"If Your Majesty thinks this war is unimportant, then you are gravely mistaken." Feng Chengqian paused slightly, "This war will teach us a great deal and show us what the next war will look like. More importantly, when necessary, we must intervene."

"Are you saying..."

"If Japan rises and wins, it will certainly impose extremely harsh conditions for a ceasefire, even seeking to carve up Qing territory. Although the Empire is not an ally of the Qing, the Empire has very significant interests at stake. Japan's rapid expansion will inevitably threaten the Empire's interests and may even harm them, so when necessary, we must step in and make Japan retreat."

"You are correct, but with just us, it seems..."

"Your Majesty worries too much; Japan's rapid expansion threatens not only us."

"You mean..."

"The Qing is a juicy piece of meat that everyone is eyeing; whether it is us, Britain, or even France and Russia, they will not allow Japan to expand unchecked."

"So, you are saying that Britain, France, and Russia will also intervene?"

Feng Chengqian nodded and said, "It doesn't take many countries to intervene; just two or three great powers can restrain Japan."

Frederick III nodded thoughtfully, indicating that he understood Feng Chengqian's meaning.

"Your Majesty, we must take this matter seriously, so I wish to accompany the fleet to the Qing Dynasty."

"This..."

"I have already arranged matters concerning the Imperial Navy; the plans for the next year and the year after have long been established, and with Crown Prince Wilhelm overseeing it, there should be no major issues."

"Are you determined to go?"

Feng Chengqian nodded and said, "We do not know what the next war will look like, so I feel it is necessary to go and observe."

"If you insist, I will not oppose, but no one knows when this war will break out..."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty..."

"Those not in office should not seek to meddle. You know the Chancellor has always had objections; if it is just for a few months, it shouldn't be a big problem. But if you stay in the Far East for years, even if I insist, I may not be able to keep your position. So if you insist on going to the Far East, I believe a new position should be given to you."

Feng Chengqian hesitated slightly and said, "That would be fine; after all, Your Majesty cannot show favoritism."

Frederick III managed a smile and said, "After discussing with the Chancellor, I will make arrangements. You need not worry; when you return, I will..."

"Your Majesty worries too much; as long as I serve the Empire, it does not matter what position I hold."

"I am relieved to hear you say that." Feng Chengqian did not say more, as he understood the Kaiser’s concerns. Frederick III valued Feng Chengqian greatly and naturally worried that he might not return.

Two days later, the Kaiser officially appointed Feng Chengqian as the Minister of Far East Affairs. In name, Feng Chengqian would be responsible to Chancellor Bismarck. Knowing the relationship between Feng Chengqian and Bismarck, the Kaiser specifically requested that Far East affairs report directly to him.

This meant that Feng Chengqian would be directly accountable to the Kaiser. The Kaiser did not immediately let Feng Chengqian resign from his position as Minister of Naval Warfare but decided to wait until he went to the Far East before arranging for a suitable replacement. Feng Chengqian had not expected that the Kaiser would not make him "step down."

After Feng Chengqian went to the Far East, the Kaiser did not adopt Bismarck's suggestion but appointed a deputy minister of naval warfare, leaving the position of Minister of Naval Warfare still for Feng Chengqian.

On March 1, Feng Chengqian boarded the flagship of the Far East Fleet, the "Kaiser Friedrich." At sunset, under the command of the "Kaiser Friedrich," the Imperial German Far East Fleet departed from Wilhelmshaven, embarking on its long journey to Qingdao. This time, Feng Chengqian did not stay in the cabin but stood on the deck alongside Tirpitz. Although his gaze was on Crown Prince Wilhelm, who had come to see them off, his thoughts were already thousands of miles away, flying to that distant land.

This journey left Feng Chengqian uncertain of when he would return. One thing was certain: he would not remain in the Qing Dynasty, nor would he serve this decaying dynasty; he would return to the Second German Empire to realize his grand ideals.

Feng Chengqian had a question in his mind: would his presence change the outcome of the First Sino-Japanese War? The events of the past few years had made Feng Chengqian realize that his actions had already caused irreversible impacts on the development of history.

This raised a new question. If the outcome of the First Sino-Japanese War differed from what Feng Chengqian was familiar with, in what direction would history develop? Would the subsequent Russo-Japanese War, the Spanish-American War, the Boer War, the Moroccan Crisis, and even the First World War still break out as Feng Chengqian knew?