In the name of the Yamen of the Prime Minister's Office, Ding Richang drew up an irrevocable plan for the Fujian Shipping Administration Bureau. There were six reasons for this:
First, the Western powers dominated the Qing Dynasty because of their strong ships and powerful artillery.
Second, only by independent research and development of shipbuilding can we not be controlled by others. Western man-made ironclad ships have a history of hundreds of years. I have just tried to build them and cannot give up halfway.
Third, in order to catch up with the Western powers, Japan, a small country, was already ahead of the Qing Dynasty. It even built additional steel plants, manufactured armored ships, and imitated foreign guns and cannons. We, the Qing Dynasty, cannot lag behind others.
Fourth, the previous efforts have been wasted, the subsequent results are difficult to achieve, and the wasted items have turned into waste, which not only makes outsiders laugh, but also undermines the aspirations of the generals.
Fifth, maintain ships and train troops to implement the plan of enriching the country and strengthening its military.
Sixth, "Please Come in to the Bank" will raise 500,000 taels of silver for the "Fujian Shipping Bureau" and will raise another 500,000 taels of silver for the Shipping Bureau every year in the future.
The last one hits the mark. The Ministry of Revenue only provides 350,000 taels of silver to the Fujian Shipping Bureau each year to maintain funding. Now it is equivalent to the "Fujian Shipping Bureau" no longer applying for funds from the state. The Ministry of Revenue only needs to pay the salaries of officials in the Fujian Shipping Bureau. In fact,
Li Guolou secretly negotiated with Ding Richang, and the amount he would give to the Shipping Bureau next year would not be less than 700,000 taels of silver. The two of them would keep a hand and work out a new figure based on the actual situation in the future.
Ding Richang wrote such a memorial with the pen of a swimming dragon, eloquently and eloquently. He smiled and threw the brush away. He handed it to Li Hongzhang with a relaxed pace for viewing. Prince Gong stroked his short beard and nodded kindly in approval.
Li Guolou frowned and said: "Prince Gong, Li Zhongtang, I have tried my best. Don't trouble me again within a year. Let me finish the errands on hand, and don't make other plans for me."
The provincial goal is beyond our reach without talents, even if I know how to make money."
"Okay, okay!" Prince Gong said three times in a row, looking at Li Guolou with a smile. With Li Guolou raising funds for him, there is nothing he can't accomplish.
Taking advantage of Prince Gong's happiness, Li Hongzhang began to file a complaint and slander Zuo Zongtang. He said that Zuo Zongtang's Machinery Bureau in Lanzhou had learned the model of Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and copied it to revitalize the southwest military industry.
"Prince Gong, Zuo Zongtang, who is a donkey, always aims high in everything. When he first founded the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau, I wrote to him repeatedly, asking him to follow the steps step by step, starting with a small scale. I also specifically warned him that he would be careful in raising funds and
When employing tens of thousands of people, you must not be careless.
But this Hunan stubborn donkey just refused to listen to me. Instead of insisting on submitting the 3 million taels to the court for approval, he let the profiteer Hu Xueyan go discuss the loan with a foreign bank. In the end, he ended up being much higher than me.
The Qing Dynasty now borrows more than half of its foreign loans
I don’t know what the superiors were thinking, but they actually approved it. Now it’s good that he just patted his ass and left. Yusheng and I were asked to take care of this mess of the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau, and even dragged the small building into the sewage. He always
It's good for me, brother. I ran to the northwest and it's not peaceful again.
I won't talk about the big profiteer Hu Xueyan borrowing money from foreigners and making money. He also made bold claims that the Lanzhou Machinery Bureau will be bigger than the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau. If he continues like this, the Qing Dynasty has not yet become strong, and he will be alone.
If it collapses first, it will bring down the economy."
Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang had a bad relationship. They had different political ideas and different ways of employing people. Zuo Zongtang liked his subordinates to be as honest as water and capable ministers and officials.
The children ran happily, and the agricultural economy was effective. As for the modern industrial projects, they were all unfinished projects. The Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau was originally a key military industrial project planned by Zuo Zongtang when he was in Fujian.
Li Hongzhang liked his subordinates to be capable, able to make a lot of money, and become rich. He allowed his subordinates to commit corruption and bribery, but he required them to be able to achieve results. This was forced out, and it was also the need of the times. The superiors above must be filial, even the emperor,
Both the empress dowager and the prince had to accept bribes. Officials who could not make money were of little use to Li Hongzhang.
"Well;;;;;;;I know who is a trustworthy person." Prince Gong unconsciously glanced at Li Guolou again. He was also a businessman. Li Guolou only wanted a favor and took over the water transportation cash business, and directly transferred the money to Li Guolou.
Millions of dollars were paid in taxes to the country. But Hu Xueyan was colluding with foreigners, raising the interest rates on foreign money, and embezzling the country's money.
Li Hongzhang also glanced at Li Guolou, having the same thoughts as Prince Gong. It is rare for Li Guolou to contribute to the country at a young age. He can speak English and is good at making friends with foreigners. He is really a rare breed. In front of him "
There are three outstanding figures of the Westernization faction: "Jai Zi Liu", "Little Jai Zi" and "Fake Foreign Japs". He has full confidence in becoming the Minister of Commerce and Affairs of Beiyang.
"Prince Gong, don't you think the small building looks like a person?" Li Hongzhang suddenly said during the chat. He loved Cai Cai so much that he thought of a past event in the Qing Dynasty.
"Who is it?" Prince Gong rarely had free time, so he stopped meeting other guests and had afternoon tea with the three men he had negotiated with.
"That American Burlingame, who has a Qing background." Li Hongzhang chuckled.
"Oh;;;;;;;" The three people's eyes were all focused on Li Guolou, trying to find the shadow of Burlingame in him, which made Li Guolou feel a little angry and felt unfair for himself.
The American Burlingame was originally an American diplomat. He was sent to the Qing Dynasty as the Minister of the Legation in the 11th year of Xianfeng. During his tenure, he had a good relationship with Prince Gong. In the 6th year of Tongzhi, Burlingame resigned, and the United States appointed Williams as the Minister.
At this time, Hurd, another British general who held an important position in the Qing Dynasty, jumped out and made a suggestion to the Prime Minister's Office, whether Burlingame could be appointed as the "Minister for Chinese and foreign diplomatic affairs" in the Qing Dynasty. Hurd's reason was that
: Burlingame has a loyal heart and has traveled to Western countries and is familiar with the conditions of each country. Prince Gong had a good impression of Burlingame and was now recommended by Hart. He immediately agreed and immediately handed the brochure to the Queen Mother of the two palaces.
The Empress Dowager Cixi didn't know much about diplomacy at first, so she listened to the advice of the "Japanese Six", and this time she was equally accurate. In this way, Burlington, an American from the Qing Dynasty, stayed in the capital and was entrusted with important tasks by the Qing Dynasty. He soon formed the Qing Dynasty.
Burlingame's mission.
Prince Gong also gave the American Burlingame two seals, "Minister in charge of all foreign affairs with China" and "Minister of Imperial Envoy", which made Burlington, an American from the Qing Dynasty, so happy that he woke up from his dream several times.
In the 7th year of Tongzhi, Burlingame led the Qing envoys from the capital to represent the Qing Empire as envoys to the United States, Britain, Prussia, Russia and other countries. In July of that year, he signed the "China-U.S. Continuation Agreement" with U.S. Secretary of State Westward in Washington, USA.
The Treaty unlimitedly expanded U.S. trade interests in the Qing Dynasty.
In April of the 10th year of Tongzhi's reign, Burlingame went on a diplomatic mission to Russia. Before the official visit, Burlingame suddenly died of an acute illness the next day, and the mission returned home.
What kind of character was Burlingame? A benevolent person has a different view. From the perspective of the Westernizers, the Qing Empire did not perish, but was able to embark on the road of revival. Burlingame took the greatest credit. In these years, foreigners were willing to help the Qing Dynasty and buy guns.
He provided artillery to the Qing Dynasty, and even organized a foreign gun team to destroy the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and moved eastward, all because Burlingame worked through it and made great contributions to the Qing Dynasty.
And those knowledgeable people laughed at Prince Gong for doing the most stupid thing. Even foreigners found it very incomprehensible and thought it was very naive. He actually let a foreigner be the foreign minister of the Qing Dynasty.
At this time, Li Hongzhang raised the Burlingame matter because he believed that Li Guolou had the bearing of a diplomat. Of course, he was not mocking Prince Gong. You must know that the British Chief Tax Secretary Hurd, who recommended Burlingame, is now from Shanghai because of Li Guolou's lack of communication.
Although he was transferred, he still held the important position of Director of Tianjin Customs and Taxation. Prince Gong and Li Hongzhang still favored the British man Hart.
This is also a common problem in the Qing Dynasty. The Chinese people are not yet familiar with the situation in the West. They are blind to many things. Foreigners need to be hired for external affairs. There is also a foreign gun team of 3,000 people stationed in Tianjin. At this time, it has not been disbanded to protect the Qing Dynasty.
This army made great contributions to the Qing Dynasty and was directly commanded by Li Hongzhang. The Beiyang Navy hired many foreigners, not to mention the manufacturing bureaus and senior technicians all hired foreigners.
"Well; Guo Lou, it's a good job! The great weapons of the country need to be sharpened." Prince Gong gave Li Guolou the highest praise and would promote Li Guolou in the future.
"I would like to thank Mr. Zhongtang for your cultivation." Although Li Guolou did not agree with Burlingame as a person, he also knew what Li Hongzhang meant. He wanted to train him as a diplomat. Who called him a "fake foreign devil"? He had studied abroad and knew foreign languages.
, and there are several foreign wives in the family.
The banquet was started, and four people took their seats one after another. Each person had a large glass of skin wine. The "skin wine" made at this time was made from large wooden wine barrels, which is an original ecology. The four people who admire foreign countries raised their glasses and prepared to drink first.
After drinking a glass of wine, Li Hongzhang sat down in vain and chuckled: "I won't clink glasses with you. I still want to live a few more years in this world."
"Cackle, cluck!" "Japanese Six", "Little Jaap", and "Fake Foreign Japs" laughed together, raised their glasses high, and shouted: "Cheers!"
Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "Tomorrow the teahouse will tell this allusion, and the three of you can also become brothers in Taoyuan."
He was joking, not using official etiquette, just clinking glasses casually, and spent the whole banquet in laughter. With his stomach full of wine, Li Guolou left the Yamen of the Prime Minister's Office with enough wine and food. It was almost nine o'clock when he got home.
It’s time. The house is still brightly lit, with oil lamps and lanterns filling the living room. Come back
In the corridor, everyone at home was waiting for him. Thirty servants had already changed their clothes, and they were all dressed like sergeants. Li Guolou was quite satisfied when he saw the servants dressed up, full of energy and beaming with joy. There were also people in the living room.
He got ten official slaves, which were the servants assigned to the fifth-rank officials by the Ministry of Rites.
When Li Guolou saw this group of official slaves, including middle-aged maids and young maids, he felt shocked. The spies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were lurking among these people, and the court would know every move he made in the future.
, this group of people must not be allowed to enter the inner house.
The grandmothers at home were standing nearby, beaming with joy. Chen Xiangfang smiled and said, "How are you doing, Xiaolou? Is it okay?"
"Well, very good. It's too late today. Let them rest in the yard next door. The errands will be arranged tomorrow." Li Guolou politely nodded to the group of maids and exchanged greetings, then turned and returned to the inner house.
Li Guolou immediately called Chen Xiangfang, Xie Xiuzhu, Zhen Yuhuan, and Wu Peipei. The five of them hid in the bedroom and murmured, lowering their voices and saying: "Don't laugh so happily. Among these ten official slaves, there must be someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
spy, even someone in our family has been bribed by outsiders. Be careful what you say in the future.
Yep, Ronglu of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is very arrogant. He gave me a mansion on Shiwangfu Street and wanted to seduce me. Now he got some pretty little maids to seduce me and want me to die early. This guy
It was Empress Dowager Cixi's fault. Seeing that I was favored in front of the two empress dowagers, she made mischief one after another."
Chen Xiangfang retorted: "Xiaolou, why do you say this to me? Today I had someone send me five hundred thousand taels of silver notes."
Li Guolou looked sideways and sneered: "Grandma, don't think that if someone gives me a banknote of 500,000 taels, he is my good friend. Doesn't this money come without interest? I am afraid when I see money now. The more I save, the more money I save.
,move
The more people I think are crooked. Prince Gong invited me to dinner tonight, and he asked me to spend 500,000 taels of silver for each meal. I want to leave the capital as soon as possible. If I don’t leave, someone will ask me to serve the country again.
For the people.”
Zhen Yuhuan was also shocked, and quickly asked about the cause and effect, and then felt a little relieved. But the family was under great pressure, and the money had not been earned yet? A large amount of interest has left people with no time to think about anything else.
Xie Xiuzhu said suspiciously: "Xiaolou, how are the ten maids arranged?"
Li Guolou sighed: "What can I do? In order to reassure the master, when we move, let them all work outside the house and put them outside as a cordon."
Chen Xiangfang asked: "Xiaolou, just now you said someone in our mansion was bribed, who do you think it is?"
"Hey, people are all greedy. No matter how good you are to them, you are not satisfied. It's better for you not to know. Let these slaves who cheat and earn some money by selling information about our family." Li Guolou refused to say it clearly, but just let him know.
Grandma at home should be careful, and even her own "mother" should be careful.
Li Guolou got up and made the grandmother at home uneasy. They were all wondering who would betray their interests. Tossing and turning, the family did not sleep well all night.