The fake foreign devils in the private room listened to Li Guolou's talk and stared at Li Guolou with admiration. The emergence of outstanding figures like Li Guolou among the "fake foreign devils" made them feel that they had a backer.
Du Xianyu asked: "Mike, where will things develop next?"
Li Guolou pretended to be worried about the country and the people, and said with great sadness: "Hey, the country has been eaten into pieces by the Western powers. Even if I have great ambitions, I still have to wait for a firm foothold. I hope there is room for salvation this time.
, thank God for not causing trouble with human lives!"
"I hope!" A bunch of fake foreign devils echoed hypocritically, each with their own agenda, trying to figure out how to get more state secrets out of Li Guolou's mouth?
"Come! Mike, we haven't been together for a long time. Boy! Open a bottle of Bonaparte 1846." The thief-minded Chen Bulei stretched his neck and asked the waiter outside to get red wine, trying to get Li Guolou drunk.
Today, old friends are getting together. Li Guolou is a light drinker and likes to show off. Only by asking for credit can he ask for credit from his master.
"Hey, let's have a drink later. I'll go to accompany Yingying first, and we'll talk after dinner." Li Guolou shied away. He had drunk too much at noon and didn't want to talk to these fake foreign devils. He wanted to stay mysterious and have the pearls in hand.
They flocked to him. After some refusals, Li Guolou gave his friend face and drank three glasses of red wine before leaving the private room.
Du Yingying had poked her head at the door several times. If her tutoring hadn't been very strict and Li Guolou was called in by her father, she would have lost her temper. When she saw Li Guolou finally coming out, she said angrily: "Mike, my mother
You haven’t said hello there yet?”
"Oh!" Li Guolou was dragged by Du Yingying, calling countless aunts and grandmothers, and recognized more than 40 relatives in the restaurant.
"Mike, my third uncle, fourth uncle, fifth uncle, eighth uncle, and thirteenth uncle have left the errands to you." Du Yingying took Li Guolou's arm and walked around the banquet.
He was given more than twenty tasks.
Li Guolou had a lot of "errands". As long as he was not asking for an official position, he could place people anywhere. Li Guolou agreed wholeheartedly, which made Du Yingying look good. The two behaved appropriately and even danced three times and ate Western food.
Pay attention to the mood and have no extraneous matters.
In the private room, Li Guolou held Du Yingying's hand and said, "Yingying, call me Xiaolou from now on, and don't call me by a foreign name. To give you face today, I will help arrange errands for those relatives whose names you don't even know."
From now on, don't agree to others casually. You can only hire people from the same hometown and clan. It's okay to be relatives of your mother and father. Those relatives of your little mother have nothing to do with you. If you don't understand the situation, don't get involved."
"Huh! Xiaolou, I am also entrusted by others. I am embarrassed to refuse in person. Don't you think you are careless?" Du Yingying blinked her big watery eyes and looked at Li Guolou with a smile.
"Oh!" Li Guolou regretted extremely. He thought of Du Yingying too simply, it was just rhetoric on the scene, and he agreed too quickly.
After chatting with Du Yingying for half an hour, Li Guolou said goodbye to Du Yingying's family. Seeing the innocent and lovely Du Yingying smiling brightly and charmingly, he couldn't help but wave goodbye on the carriage. Li Guolou felt quite guilty, and he had no conscience.
, everything is for success. Even if you share the future with Du Yingying
Even if we part ways, he will not be merciful. There is a lesson plan in Tianjin, so God helps me! The streets are wet after raining, let the carriage drive slowly, Li Guolou’s inscrutable sneer, Tianjin will undergo earth-shaking changes in one day,
By the time we arrive in Tianjin tomorrow night, it will already be too late.
Li Guolou raised his voice and said: "Barter, how many kilograms of roast beef have you eaten?"
Barter, who was pulling the reins of the horse, chuckled and said, "Master Li, I think there are always more than ten pounds. Drive!" The carriage has turned into Dengcao Alley, and at the gate of Li's house, the lantern hanging high is as bright as day.
"Hey! Battle, you have a huge appetite. Otherwise, I can recommend you to become a soldier. You will be my personal soldier for the rest of your life. You will have a status even if you hold a military position. Don't envy others." Li Guolou granted him an official position.
Battelle felt that even having a full meal would be a problem if Battelle left him.
When Li Guolou got off the carriage, Battelle crouched, his tone softened, and begged: "Master Li, I still want to go out and have a try. Give me a chance, and I can eat three cents full at most. I, Battelle, swear that I will never indulge again.
Myself, Mr. Li, and my wife also want me to join the army. Hehe!"
Li Guolou held out three fingers and said, "You said three-cent full. There is a ration in the military camp. Please think carefully before telling me."
"Master Li! Think clearly!" Battle shouted with his chest raised and his belly raised, standing as straight as a nail and motionless.
"Battle, just stand here all night. If you can survive, I will promote you." Li Guolou walked into the Li Mansion. Opportunities were only given to those with solid background, and of course, first of all, to the servants at home.
"Tie!" The other four military academies stood motionless at the door. Li Guolou turned his head and looked at the five well-fed and drunk people. He was an unfamiliar white-eyed wolf. He had just invited them to eat Western food in vain.
, will all leave him.
"Okay, okay! I finally know who is around me!" Li Guolou pointed his right hand at the faces of the five military academies, holding them in his heart. "Cheng Kun" and "Liu Yu" have only been here for a few days.
They all have to leave him. For these military academies, "New Wutang" is a second chance in life.
"Master Li, you must keep your word! Hehehehehe!" The five people who had just entered the military academy had new hope. What did staying up all night mean to them?
This is human ambition. In a new environment, there are new goals. Young people will not be satisfied with the status quo and have the courage to challenge. Li Guolou likes such young people because he is also such a person and is willing to promote such people
.
The five grandmothers in the inner house were all wearing new cheongsams waiting to show Li Guolou. Li Guolou told them that he would go to Tianjin with Li Hongzhang tomorrow and asked Zhen Yuhuan to take Chen Xiangfang, Wu Peipei, Bai Lian and daughter Li Lingling to Tianjin.
, As for Xie Xiuzhu staying in the capital, Chen Xiangfang only stayed in Tianjin for a few days, and then asked her to return to the capital. Grandma Chen Xiangfang and second grandmother Xie Xiuzhu could not go back to their hometown to worship their ancestors. There were too many things in the capital, so they had to be wronged.
Zhen Yuhuan already knew the news about the "Tianjin Mission Case" and asked: "Xiaolou, what do you think about this matter? Will the people attack the concession?"
Li Guolou touched his chin and said hesitantly: "Probably not. Officers and soldiers will be stationed at the concession entrance as soon as possible. As for other places, it's hard to say. Don't worry, my uncle has soldiers in his hands. Otherwise, tomorrow
It's good to have someone to take care of us if we walk together. But you have to be prepared. If you go with us, you will run very fast and there will be bumps along the way. Can you bear it?"
Zhen Yuhuan replied: "Forget it Xiaolou, you are marching in such a hurry, why are we here to join in the fun? You can go your own way, we will come back in two days."
"Dad, I don't want to go to Tianjin." Even her daughter Li Lingling was frightened by the scary atmosphere and didn't want to go to Tianjin.
After final discussion, the original plan to go to Tianjin the next day was cancelled. As for returning to my hometown in Hefei, Anhui Province to worship ancestors, we will decide based on the situation. If it is too late, we will not go back to our hometown Hefei.
Li Guolou justified himself and said: "Well, that's fine. Don't rush like a ghost. I'd better live in Tianjin for a while and choose the address of Xinwu Hall. It's closer to Tianjin City, so I can take care of business matters in the future. "
Wu Peipei asked doubtfully: "Xiaolou, don't you place the new martial arts hall near the capital?"
Li Guolou smiled slightly and said: "I'm not that stupid. If you put it on the outskirts of the capital, people from the Ministry of War shouldn't come every two days. It's just right on the outskirts of Tianjin, not far or near. Your Majesty, the Queen Mother of the two palaces will feel at ease." Minister of Military and Aircraft Wen Xiang and Principal Weng Tonghe will have to endure the fatigue of traveling and horse racing. Their health is not as good as mine, and they will not be able to bear the morning pilgrimage once every five days."
Zhen Yuhuan couldn't help feeling a little distressed, and comforted: "Xiaolou, why are you so scheming? Didn't you trick yourself into it? How long can you last for five days?"
"Hey! I risked my life for the sake of military power. In troubled times without military power, the wealth I gained will also be appropriated by others. We will have so many shops in the future, and if we don't protect our own property, what will Lingling do in the future?" Li Guolou first talked about the future of his family, and he immediately won unanimous approval. Anyway, it was only more than 200 miles, and it would take more than half a day to travel quickly.
There were no trains in the Qing Dynasty at this time, and fast horses were still used to transfer documents between the two places. The eight hundred mile express, the fastest was only five hundred miles a day. This was already very impressive, and the fast horses at the post station were exhausted. It can only be executed in times of military emergency. The usually three hundred miles of documents in the station have reached the limit.
In order to control the specific matters of the "New Wutang", Li Guolou went to great lengths to trick the military minister Wen Xiang and the principal Weng Tonghe into it. Taking advantage of his youth and strength, he worked tirelessly to prepare for a five-day round trip between the capital and Tianjin. Riding a fast horse back and forth.
The night was deep, the rain was hitting the plantains, and the raindrops on the roof fell on the courtyard and gathered in a pool of water. Xie Xiuzhu asked: "Xiaolou, do you want to write a book tonight?"
Li Guolou stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back and sighed: "Yes! I got back a lot of documents today, and I still have to sort out a clue. Empress Dowager Ci'an praised me in the court today. You know, Empress Dowager Ci'an I don't speak easily, but with these words, I will be promoted again. The emperor gave me a flower feather when he came to court in the morning, and the ministers were jealous when they saw it. For the emperor and the two empresses, I have no choice but to devote myself to death."
Li Guolou had a "gunman" Xie Xiuzhu and a "book clerk" Wu Peipei. The three of them burned the midnight oil and worked together in the room. The three of them worked together and worked together until midnight to write the "Preliminary Plan for the Study Abroad School". Li After sealing the state building, stamp it with a seal and put it in a box, which will be handed over to the Yamen of the Prime Minister's Office to be presented to Prince Gong.
Xie Xiuzhu felt very accomplished. Her contribution was included in the "Preliminary Plan for Studying Abroad Schools". She said proudly: "Xiaolou, without me, your life would have been shortened by ten years."
Li Guolou curled his lips and said: "You two are the East Palace and the West Palace. If I were the emperor, you two would also control the government. Let me see who will be the biggest winner. Well;;;;;;Second Grandma, You will kill the old man and take charge of the court alone. As for the face;;;;;;hehehehehe!" As he spoke, Li Guolou had already picked up Xie Xiuzhu and put it on the big bed. The hard work in the East Palace and the West Palace is a matter of course." Great reward”.
Under the candlelight, there is an apricot face and peach cheeks, and a star-eyed Emei Mei, which is really tempting. "Fuwa! Oh;;;;;Oh;;;;;;" Xie Xiuzhu and Wu Peipei called Li Guolou's flower name,
Red candles stand on the teardrop stand, and the curtains are light and misty. At night, when people are quiet, there is singing and dancing.
It was already Wugu time. Li Guolou washed his hands in the copper basin, ate steaming breakfast, and was about to set off. The whole family got up to say goodbye, and watched the family members being sent to the gate in the dark. Li Guolou
Lou was pleased with himself, waved goodbye and said: "Second Grandma, the family depends on you. If you have nothing to do, come to Tianjin as soon as possible. I'll wait for you."
"Remember to send a telegram back! We also need to be prepared." Chen Xiangfang has never been to the Tianjin Concession despite her age. She is the only one who is interested in going to Tianjin. The other grandmothers waved to Li Guolou who was riding a maroon horse.
After taking a deep breath and dragging heavy steps, he went back to the inner house to sleep.
Li Guolou took only one military officer, Cheng Kun, two people and four horses, and went straight to Mingyang Gate, the east gate. Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili, was waiting at the city gate with a group of personal guards.
When Li Guolou saw that Li Hongzhang was traveling in a carriage, he couldn't help but feel relieved. He jumped off the horse, bowed and saluted: "Good morning, Lord Zhongtang!"
"Well! The Guolou is here, come up." Li Hongzhang was exhausted and made a tired voice.
"Zha! Lord Zhongtang." Li Guolou's voice was choked with sobs. He boarded a luxury carriage pulled by four horses and sat in the seat next to him.
At such an old age, Li Hongzhang still had to stay up all night and work on state affairs. When an emergency occurred in Tianjin, such as the "Wanghailou Catholic Church Case", the court, as usual, left this kind of mess to him to handle. This was also Empress Dowager Cixi's response to Li Hongzhang.
Trust, believe that he can fulfill his mission and successfully complete the great trust of the court.