At the foot of Yufeng Mountain, in the flower hall of a unique Jiangnan garden, several cups of coffee exuded a rich aroma. Luo Yaoguo wore an official uniform of a fourth-grade civil servant of the Qing Dynasty, without a hat, revealing a hooded hood and a fake The bald man with a braided headband looked at Li Hongzhang "Li Zhongtang" with a smile while sipping bitter coffee.
"Shaoquan, is it a bit bitter? You can add a sugar cube." Seeing Li Hongzhang's expression of drinking poison, he smiled and pointed to a stack of brick-like sugar cubes wrapped in paper on the coffee table. .
Li Hongzhang put down the coffee cup, picked up a candy bar, tore open the package, and then licked it carefully. After confirming that the foreigners' candy was also sweet, he gently threw the candy bar into the coffee cup. He also guessed that the foreigners' candy was sweet. It might take some time for the sugar cubes to dissolve into the coffee, so I didn’t immediately try the traditional Chinese medicine-like coffee. Instead, I looked at each other with Qiao Songnian, who was also here, and Mr. Qiao from Suzhou Mansion spoke to Luo Xueyan first. Let’s get down to business.
"Lord Luo," Qiao Songnian said solemnly, "yesterday I got a report from Zhenjiang... that Dantu County was attacked by the long-haired Holy Angel Puppet King of Wu! Gaini did not stop after breaking the city, but It goes all the way south along the east bank of the canal and goes straight to Wujin, the capital city of Changzhou.
In addition, the governor's office has recently received reports from Jurong and Yizheng. The whole city of Jiangning has been captured, and all the Eight Banners in Hecheng have been massacred! And the total strength of the Changmao troops in Jiangning is more than 100,000, so the situation is overwhelming!"
Luo Yaoguo nodded slightly and his face became serious: "I wonder what Master Yi means? Do you need me to lead the new army to station in Suzhou?"
If he could enter Suzhou, Luo Yaoguo would stop pretending and directly bring down the Qing leaders in Jiangsu!
"That's not necessary," Qiao Songnian said with a smile, "Master Yi has already prepared for the long hair to go down the river. He has hired thousands of Chao Yong from his old hometown in Guangdong in advance and purchased two to three thousand foreign guns from Hong Kong. Coupled with the Jiangsu governor's model soldiers and Suzhou's local regiment training, the troops to defend Suzhou City are sufficient, but it is difficult for an isolated city to last long."
"Oh." Luo Yaoguo was a little disappointed. If he could be allowed to enter Suzhou, he would be confident in inciting Chaoyong to revolt - these Chaozhou people have no loyalty to the Qing Dynasty, but they have been fighting with weapons for a long time and have gained experience. In addition, My hometown was too poor to support so many people, so I had no choice but to go out to pay for the army.
But there is also the Heaven and Earth Society in Chaozhou! So in history, Chao Yong in Suzhou almost started an uprising, but was discovered and suppressed by Qiao Songnian. Well, the main reason is that the Heaven and Earth Society does not plan things secretly. If it were replaced by Qiao Songnian, God will do it and nine times out of ten it will happen!
When Qiao Songnian saw Luo Xueyan just holding the coffee cup and saying nothing, he thought he was waiting for him to bid, so he smiled and said: "Master Luo, Yifutai means that if Suzhou Fucheng is an isolated city, it will most likely not be defended." , if you want to defend it, you can only connect Suzhou Fucheng, Kunshan County Town, and Taicang Prefecture City in a line, just like a snake in Changshan. If you hit the head, the tail will come, if you hit the tail, the head will come, and if you hit the middle, the head and tail will come.
Only in this way can we prevent Changmao from going south and attacking Shanghai. As long as Shanghai is in hand, we can continuously obtain foreign guns and cannons, and the contact with the court can also be maintained through sea routes. A corner of the south of the Yangtze River can be saved! And Changmao only needs peace. Without Jiangnan, we can't go all the way northward.
If Mr. Luo is willing to take over the defense of Kunshan and Zhenyang, Mr. Yi, Mr. Sheng, and Mr. Su can jointly report to the emperor to change the city you are responsible for from Jiangning Prefecture to Taicang Prefecture."
"Jiangnan Salt Method Road and Taicang Prefecture?" Luo Yaoguo's eyes lit up and he asked. Qiao Songnian nodded: "How?"
Of course!
This is called subduing the enemy without fighting!
I don’t know what the upper limit of this Luo Xueyan is? Can he become a governor or governor?
Just as he was thinking about it, Qiao Songnian spoke again: "Master Luo, Master Yi, Master Sheng, Master Su are also willing to recommend you to the title of Inspector!"
The inspector is of the third rank! The governor is also of the second rank.
Luo Yaoguo now also feels that "Luo Xueyan"'s official luck is a bit too high! Could it be that the name "Xueyan" was changed for the better? Does he care about official luck?
"In addition," Qiao Songnian smiled again and took out a thick stack of "licenses." "These are twenty certificates for civil servants and twenty seventh-rank official photos... They are given to you by Master Yi to raise wages and reward people. "
Twenty certificates for civil servants and twenty official photos of the seventh grade? These may be sold for a lot of money! Examinations in Jiangsu have been difficult since ancient times!
There are many scholars in this place and many academic leaders. The high school entrance examination and the college entrance examination are not easy. It is naturally valuable to recruit people!
As for the seventh-grade official photo...he can arrange for one of his own to be an official! Isn't that how he got here?
Candidates of the seventh grade can be county magistrates. There are many counties in Suzhou, Songjiang, and Taicang! The society is in turmoil now, and there are many assassins in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It is normal to sit in the lobby and shoot someone in the head to open up a vacancy. ..
But Luo Yaoguo still didn't show any joy. Isn't that too little?
Qiao Songnian thought to himself: "You Luo Xueyan is so evil! You have already reached the third rank... I have been an official for nineteen years, and twenty Jinshi. I have been an official for more than ten years and only reached the fourth rank!"
Just as he was thinking about it, Luo Yaoguo finally spoke: "Mr. Qiao, since I have brought troops to Kunshan, of course I will set up defenses in Kunshan and Zhenyang. But... now that the hair is growing, we can only do it if the army and the people are united. World War I. And Luo is busy with the new army and has no time to take care of the local area, so Luo wants to recommend one person to be the magistrate of Taicang and the other to be the magistrate of Kunshan. I wonder if Mr. Yi can arrange it?"
"Um..." Qiao Songnian asked, "Who would Mr. Luo want to recommend?"
"Can Prince Bowen of Hengzhou Prefecture be as low as Taicang Prefecture? As for Kunshan County, can Cheng Gengchen, the son of Cheng Zhijun who died in Wuchang, be arranged to be the official? Cheng Gengchen has already had a seventh-grade candidate official license, but he is now in Dingyou. "
Qiao Songnian thought for a while and asked: "Then Brother Xueyan's duty is still in Jiangning?" Luo Yaoguo nodded and said seriously: "Sooner or later I will be able to enter Jiangning!"
"Okay!" Qiao Songnian said with a smile, "When I get back, I will tell Mr. Yi that Mr. Wang will be appointed as Taicang Prefecture and Mr. Cheng will be appointed as Kunshan County. It is very sure. Now the parents of the two places are eager to resign. Ah! As long as Mr. Yi approves them, there will be official vacancies immediately, and then Mr. Yi can ask Mr. Wang and Mr. Cheng to act as magistrates and county magistrates."
When there is a vacancy among subordinate local officials, it is also a major authority of the governor of the Qing Dynasty to send someone to act as an agent!
If you make up for it for a year and a half, you can still make a lot of money!
However, usually only alternate officials from the province can fill the vacancies. Wang Kuiyi is an official from Hunan, while Cheng Fujii is still in Dingyou, which is not quite in line with the rules.
However, the situation in Jiangsu is special. The Taiping Army can attack at any time. It is normal for the alternate officers under Yiliang not to die, and it is understandable to report them to Xianfeng.
Qiao Songnian's matter was finally settled, and now it was Li Hongzhang's turn. The "Alternate Middle Hall" bowed his hands to Luo Yaoguo and said with a smile: "Master Luo, Master Su heard that a book has been circulated in Shanghai's foreign circles recently.
The "Great Book of Prophecy" is said to have been written by the demon over there, I wonder if this is true?"
Oh, that's why you're here!
"Yes!" Luo Yaoguo nodded, and then took out a copy of the "Great Book of Prophecy", "This is it!"
Li Hongzhang asked: "I wonder what was predicted above?"
"These are all things that will happen in the West this year." Luo Yaoguo said with a smile, "So no one in Hunan is interested. Only I came back from Nanyang and know many things about foreigners, so I asked people to collect this
The book was brought to Shanghai. Shaoquan, this is a manuscript. I also translated it so that foreigners who understand English can read it directly... I will give you this copy to take with you abroad!"
Li Hongzhang hurriedly took the "Great Prophecy Book" and put it away as if he had found a treasure. Then he asked: "Master Luo, can the prophecy in it come true?"
"It's very effective!" Luo Yaoguo said with a smile, "Master Li, if you take it to Europe, you can show it to the Archbishop of the Roman Church, the Emperor of France, and the Queen of England. After they see it, they will definitely believe that it is really happening here.
Got a devil!"
Li Hongzhang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, thank you very much!" He thought for a moment and then asked, "Master Luo is doing a really good job in foreign affairs. I admire him very much and would like to ask Master Luo for advice. I wonder if you would like to give me some advice?"
"Easy to say, easy to say," Luo Yaoguo nodded and said with a smile, "If Shaoquan wants to learn Westernization, Luo has some experience."
"Want to hear the details."
"To handle foreign affairs well, you must first be able to speak foreign languages!" Luo Yaoguodao said, "Shaoquan, if you don't speak foreign languages, you won't be able to talk directly to foreigners when you meet them. It will be quite inconvenient to communicate, and you will get twice the result with half the effort."
Makes sense!
Li Hongzhang was taught again and nodded humbly.
Luo Yaoguo is thinking that after you learn English, you can be an excellent "devil's advocate"!
I also have to arrange a teacher to teach you English. Thinking of this, Luo Yaoguo added: "Fortunately, Shaoquan, you are known as a child prodigy, so it shouldn't be difficult to learn foreign languages. Luo also knows a good teacher who teaches foreign languages, etc."
When you arrive in Shanghai, Luo will introduce you."
"I wonder who this gentleman is?" Li Hongzhang asked again.
"His surname is Wang, his given name is Libin, and his given name is Lanqing," Luo Yaoguo said with a smile. "He has a scholarly reputation and is well versed in Chinese and Western studies. He is currently working at the Mohai Library in Shanghai...Didn't Lord Yi give me twenty certificates and seventh-rank official photos?"
Chapter completed!