Chapter 1008 Invitation from the other side of the ocean
When Li Zhen came to the lobby, Qiao Zhiyong had been waiting for a long time.
Qiao Zhiyong stood up and said: "President."
"sit."
Li Zhen asked Qiao Zhiyong to sit down, and then asked: "Minister Qiao, I remember you have been in office for about half a year. In this short half year, you should have a personal experience of the country. Tell me what you think."
Qiao Zhiyong smiled and said calmly: "The exact time should be six months and three days. During my time as the Ministry of Finance, my biggest feeling is that everyone is doing their best for the country. With unremitting efforts and a team like this, it will be difficult to achieve anything."
Li Zhen nodded with satisfaction, a pleased smile appeared on his face.
Qiao Zhiyong then continued: "I will report to the president about the railway and the national finance."
"Say." Li Zhen said enthusiastically.
Qiao Zhiyong said: "The railway from Nanjing to Beijing has been taken over by Hu Xueyan, Wang Chi and others, but I have modified certain contents to limit the rights of businessmen. The built railway will be operated by businessmen, but the final control rights It must be controlled by the state and businessmen cannot be allowed to interfere. If businessmen want to use railways for any major projects, they must obtain government approval before they can start construction. Businessmen must not be allowed to do whatever they want."
Li Zhen said: "It is not easy to make businessmen obey."
Qiao Zhiyong smiled and said: "When dealing with businessmen, you must be patient and able to withstand tough situations. When businessmen see the benefits of railways and see the benefits related to themselves, they will naturally not give up. Slowly Grind, they all agreed in the end."
Li Zhen said with emotion: "Fortunately, I have Minister Qiao."
Qiao Zhiyong said neither humble nor overbearing: "It is also thanks to the support of the President, as well as the strong support of Premier Zeng, Vice Premier Shi and others that I can do my best to do a good job in the railway."
After a pause, Qiao Zhiyong continued: "In the more than half a year since the President led his troops south, the country's finances have changed from being unable to make ends meet to being in balance with each other. As of last month, a very small number of statistics from various places have shown a slight surplus. At the same time, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin, Beijing and other coastal areas have become prosperous and prosperous places, attracting countless businessmen. This is the focus of my development. In the next step, I will increase my efforts to develop more Local governments, I believe that with the development of each locality, the country's finances will get better and better, and the country's national strength will become stronger and stronger."
Li Zhen said: "Development is a good thing, but the interests of the people must be taken into account, and development cannot be based on the exploitation of the people. Otherwise, development will be abnormal development and is not advisable."
Qiao Zhiyong said: "What the president said makes sense."
He affirmed: "While cities are developing vigorously, the situation of the people is also gradually changing. A lot of land has been taken back to the state, and the state has given the land to the people for free. In a short period of time, the people's enthusiasm has greatly increased. After half a year, we have food in stock at home. Coupled with the development of businesses in various places, the development of the people has been driven, and now the people's lives are getting better and better."
Li Zhen said: "It is right that the days are getting better and better. Throughout the past dynasties, once the people's life is difficult, I am afraid the world will be in chaos. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the people could not survive, so a peasant uprising broke out, and finally overturned After the Qin Dynasty; at the end of the Han Dynasty, the people were in dire straits, and the same was true at the end of the Sui Dynasty. Which one of the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties was not the same? Therefore, it is the last word to let the people live a good life, even if there are careerists , the conspirators want to incite rebellion, but they are unpopular and cannot succeed."
Qiao Zhiyong nodded and agreed with Li Zhen's statement.
The two had a series of discussions on financial issues before Qiao Zhiyong said goodbye and left.
"Report,."
A soldier walked in and reported: "President, American envoy Ma Hui is visiting."
"please."
Li Zhen asked the soldiers to invite people, but his heart was full of doubts.
When he was in Vietnam, Ma Hui left with the Eight-Nation Allied Forces. Why did he come to Beijing to see him now?
Li Zhen was full of doubts, but he had to suppress his doubts and wait for Ma Hui to arrive.
Not long after, Ma Hui walked in wearing a black dress. After entering the hall, he bowed to Li Zhen and saluted. Li Zhen took the initiative to greet him, stretched out his hand and said: "Your Excellency Ma Hui, welcome, welcome."
Ma Hui thanked him profusely, and the host and guest took their seats.
Ma Hui smiled and said: "President, as soon as I arrived in Beijing, I heard countless people talking about you."
"Oh, talk about me."
"People say that the president is selfless. For the sake of the unjustly killed deceased, he would rather offend his old father-in-law Gui Liang and let the Supreme Court President Zhao Liewen shoot Gui Liang's grandson, or shoot the Shuntian Prefecture official who shielded Gui Liang's grandson. Don't complain. This kind of broadmindedness is admirable. If the president were to walk around on the street, they would definitely praise the president. Moreover, in the eyes of the people, the new government you formed will be a good government for the people and the country."
"Your Excellency Ma Hui has given you the award. This is just a very common thing and not worth mentioning."
"This is the truth. In China today, no one dares to bully."
Ma Hui was filled with emotion when he saw the changes in Beijing. In less than ten years, the Manchu Qing Dynasty was overthrown and New China was established. Moreover, China's national power has become increasingly powerful and it is no longer something that other countries can bully at will.
Li Zhen smiled and said: "Your Excellency Ma Hui came to visit me, wouldn't he just praise me?"
Ma Hui smiled and said: "There is indeed a big matter to see the president."
Li Zhen waved his hands and said, "Say."
Ma Hui took out a letter from his clothes, handed it to Li Zhen's hand, and said: "President, this is a letter sent from the United States. It was written by Mr. Lincoln himself and is specially addressed to the President."
Li Zhen opened it and read it carefully. After reading it, he asked: "Do you know the content of the letter?"
Ma Hui said: "We generally know."
Li Zhen said: "Let me think about this for a few days before I answer you."
Lincoln's letter was not asking Li Zhen for help, but inviting Li Zhen to visit the United States. Lincoln also said in the letter that he had participated in the presidential election and that the situation was optimistic. Judging from the reports from various places, Lincoln was likely to become the new president of the United States. President, of course, Lincoln invited him there, probably partly because he wanted to use Li Zhen's momentum to give Lincoln, who was about to take office, more confidence. After all, Li Zhen was already a world-famous person.
Ma Hui knew that the matter was serious and nodded: "I will go back to the embassy and wait for the president's reply. I sincerely hope that the president can go to the United States and see the United States today."
After finishing speaking, Ma Hui stood up and left.
Li Zhen sent Ma Hui away and immediately sent people to invite Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Shi Dakai, Zhao Liewen, and Huang Shihai to the Presidential Palace to discuss Lincoln's invitation to the United States.