Chapter 292 The dawn of a new era (please order, please vote)
The autumn wind blew, the sky was blue, cloudless, and clear. The hustle and bustle of Suzhou City had gradually subsided. People in and outside the city finally escaped a murderous robbery and saw a person who had arrived in advance. The dawn of a new era.
The quaint city wall has been replaced with a brand new "king's flag". The prime minister's gate in the east of the city is wide open. On both sides of the long street inside and outside the prime minister's gate, there are crowds of people, all eating pots and pans of pulp to welcome the gentry and people of the king's division. .
This ancient city was built almost without blood. Yi Liang, the governor of Jiangsu, led his men out of Changmen and fled to Taihu Lake. Chao Yong, who was in charge of the rear palace, immediately launched an uprising under the leadership of Tiandi Hui and Xiaodao Hui, taking over the hearts of the people. The panicked city then opened the Xiangmen in the east of the city and welcomed Zeng Tianyang, Li Shoucheng and an infantry regiment of the Taiping Army that had just been reorganized into the city, who had been waiting there for a long time.
After entering the city, this group of Taiping troops immediately showed the image of a king. Not only were the military disciplines strict and no offense was committed, but they also posted notices to calm the people everywhere. In the name of Luo Yaoguo, King of Wu, they announced: "Farms outside the city will be divided, but the inside of the city will remain as usual" and " The policy of “Protecting the Mulberry Silk Industry”.
On the second day after the vanguard troops entering the city took over the defense of various important places in Suzhou City, the Holy Angel of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the commander-in-chief of the army, the Westernization military advisor, and the chief lecturer of the God Worship Association, King Wu Luo Yaoguo, led a large group of troops to attack the Suzhou gentry. , greeted by the common people, they drove into this prosperous ancient city, which is better than heaven.
Suzhou's capital city is much larger than Shanghai's county seat. Shanghai's county seat only covers an area of ​​about 2 square kilometers, while Suzhou's capital city covers an area of ​​up to 2 square kilometers, which is more than six times larger.
Moreover, the urban area of ​​Suzhou Fucheng has crossed the city wall hundreds of years ago and extended in the four directions of southeast, northwest and now has formed four huge towns connected together, covering an area of ​​more than ten square kilometers.
Along the long street going out from Xiangmen, there are two- and three-story shops, inns, restaurants, and warehouses, row upon row. A little further away, there are garden villas, pavilions and pavilions belonging to the wealthy families in the city, each with its own uniqueness. Farther away are the houses of ordinary people. Although they are simple, they are enough to protect them from wind and rain. And all these buildings are built along the water. In front of and behind the houses are docks, and a stretch of streets and lanes is like a small island. Countless arch bridges are built over the flowing water, connecting these small islands together.
The water here in Suzhou is running water and is part of the Jiangnan water network. It can be used by boats and can connect to the Yangtze River and the East China Sea. It can provide extremely convenient, large-scale and low-cost water transportation for the industrial and commercial industries in Suzhou City.
For the starting point of China's industrialization, there is really no more suitable place than the Jiangnan Water Town.
You don’t even need to build railways or roads. As long as you buy a small steamer, you can drag a long list of open boats all over the south of the Yangtze River. A small steamer with one to two hundred horsepower can pull ten boats if you work hard. The logistics cost of a barge with a load capacity of 100 tons is much lower than that of a railway.
Moreover, these tugs and barges can be driven directly to the factory gate or even into the factory area!
There is obviously no shortage of labor force in Jiangnan. On the outermost edge of Suzhou City, there are now countless refugees fleeing the war. Most of them occupy a piece of barren farmland and build a simple shack. Fortunately, Suzhou City Even though it is surrounded on three sides, food can still be transported through Taihu Lake. The wealthy households in Suzhou are also more powerful than those in Hunan, and they still have the energy to give porridge to these refugees, which at least allows them to survive.
Now these refugees have also been mobilized by Zeng Tianyang and Li Shoucheng who came to the city in advance, as well as Zhou Lichun and Liu Lichuan who are responsible for connecting Suzhou Tiandi Hui and Xiaodao Hui, and sing "" in Suzhou dialect on the street outside Xiangmen. Welcome to Peace”.
It's soft, somewhat melodious, but has no energy!
No wonder there are so few rebels in Suzhou in history
However, Luo Yaoguo also controlled the Hunan-Kiangxi border headquarters of the God Worshiping Association, and the Yangtze River waterway was open to him. He could hire soldiers from Hunan to divide the fields, and there was no need to mobilize Suzhou people to help fight the war.
The new era in the future will require not only fighting and killing, but also a vigorous wave of industrialization!
After taking over Suzhou, a new era finally arrived decades in advance.
Now, Japan next door is still discussing how to deal with the "black ships" of the Americans, the Russian Empire has not yet begun the reform to abolish serfdom, and the Chosen Country on the other side of the Pacific has not yet started the Civil War.
But China has already taken half a step forward - half a step towards the new era of industrialization!
Next, as long as King Luo Wu can put Su, Song, Tai, Chang, Jia, Hu, Hang and other places completely under his and Zuo Zongtang's rule, he will basically complete a round of land reform and bring both capital and labor into the country. By pushing it to Shanghai, a bustling central city, and guiding it, the first step of industrialization can almost be taken.
"Welcome to His Majesty the King of Wu to live a thousand years."
The pleasant, soft voice of Su Bai sounded, interrupting Luo Yaoguo's thoughts. He took a closer look and found that he had reached a long street with tall and decent Chinese courtyards on both sides. The gentleman wearing a silk robe and a hood, There was already a crowd of people kneeling on the long street.
"Who are they?"
Luo Yaoguo asked.
"To King Wu, most of them are businessmen in the Suzhou Chamber of Commerce."
A middle-aged man with fair skin and handsome appearance, wearing a yellow robe, stood up and replied with a mouthful of Subai: "They knew that King Wu came to save the people and the world, and they were very moved. They have collected a hundred for King Wu's army." Military pay of ten thousand silver dollars."
A million dollars is a bit like a "Jiang-Zhejiang consortium"!
Luo Yaoguo smiled brightly and said to the middle-aged man: "At the beginning of spring, tell them that I will not touch any of their properties except farmland, but their farmland will still be distributed to the poor tenant farmers below! They will not be allowed to do it again in the future. The land is being annexed on a large scale. This is the way to restrain annexation, and it is the foundation of my kingdom of heaven!
The Kingdom of Heaven strictly prohibits opium. All opium dens in Suzhou City must be closed within a month! As for brothels and gambling houses, they will also be banned in the future, but they are still allowed to operate in Suzhou City for the time being.
In addition, the silk industry and weaving are the fundamental industries of Suzhou. I attach great importance to it. If I want to establish a silk industry guild, all the big silk merchants in Suzhou can join. The mulberry gardens of all members of the silk industry guild can also be kept. Divided."
"yes."
Zhou Lichun received Luo Yaoguo's order with a smile, and then used Suzhou dialect to explain to these big businessmen in Suzhou Prefecture.
Now that he has benefited from his silly daughter Zhou Xiuying and has become the chief merchant of the Suzhou Chamber of Commerce, his "money future" is bright!
At this time, Mr. Zeng Tianyang also came forward with a smile. He raised his hand and pointed at a magnificent gate tower in front of him and said: "Your Highness, King Wu, this is Heshan Academy. The original Jiangsu Governor's Yamen was located here. Now it is Your palace!"
Luo Yaoguo's Prince Wu's Mansion was previously located in Kunshan. Now that Suzhou Fucheng has been taken, it will naturally be moved to Heshan Academy on Suzhou Academy Lane.
After all, this is where the center of power in Jiangsu Province has always been!
It’s just that in the future, Shanghai-Kunshan will be separated from each other and become Shanghai-Suzhou, which is 1,780 miles away!
It's quite hard to go back and forth. It would be nice if there was a railway.
"Welcome peace. It is difficult for poor people to survive these days. Rent is high and interest is heavy."
Almost at the same moment, the song "Welcome to Taiping" also rang on the streets of Yangzhou City. A large sedan carried by sixteen people was slowly escorted by thousands of elite Taiping troops under the direct jurisdiction of Dong Wang Yang Xiuqing. Walking slowly along the long street in Yangzhou City.
Yang Xiuqing raised the curtains of the sedan chair and looked at the people kneeling on both sides of the street and the rows of shops. The corners of her mouth turned up, and the proud expression on her face could not be concealed.
Yangzhou, the capital of salt industry in the world, now has the surname Yang!
It’s all his “God Yang’s” territory!
He has now understood that in order to truly be a stable "living father" in today's Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, he must not only have an army and "divine power", but also have territory!
Now Feng Yunshan has half of Hunan, Xiao Chaogui has Wuchang, Hanyang, Huangzhou, and Luo Yaoguo has taken over Su, Song, Taihe and half of Changzhou. And Yang Xiuqing now has the "Eastern King" of Yangzhou Prefecture, which is truly stable.
Yangzhou has always been the commercial capital of the southeast, and Guazhou Port has access to the outside world. What Luo Yaoguo can do in Shanghai, he can also do in Guazhou Port.
As long as Guazhou can rise, there will be an endless supply of foreign guns, foreign cannons and foreign generals.
Chapter completed!