The gate of Mingyang Gate at the east gate opened, and more than fifty military officers with strong backs mounted their horses and marched majestically out of the city. The gatekeeper, Lan Ling, led all the soldiers guarding the city, performed a military salute, knelt on one leg, and greeted Zhili. Governor Li Hongzhang left and shouted together: "I respectfully invite Li Zhongtang to leave the city."
On the carriage, Li Guolou watched this scene without saying a word. The magnanimity with which a high-ranking official went out was extraordinary. The city gate officials who used to have their nostrils turned to the sky were all kneeling on the ground. Looking at this scene, Li Guolou was filled with envy. It won't take long. He will also travel like this, with fat horses and light fur, flags covering the sun, and thousands of clouds rising.
Li Hongzhang slightly squinted his slender eyes and looked at the silent Li Guolou. He imitated him and pretended to be a little fox. He was more presentable than his son Li Jingyi. He never asked him why and just obeyed his orders. He can obey orders very well, and the Li family has a successor who can also cooperate with people from his faction in the court. This talent can be put to great use.
"Guo Lou, do you know why I asked you to go to Tianjin?" Li Hongzhang, who had already woken up, walked for more than an hour before speaking.
Li Guolou smiled and said: "Master Zhongtang, are you asking me to suffer the anger of foreigners?"
The carriage was moving forward rapidly, and the carriage was bumping violently. Li Hongzhang held the handrail on the carriage with his left hand, maintaining a calm mood, and sighed: "You can only become a great man if you don't suffer hardships. Guolou, you have never experienced hardship since you were a child. I just want to Temper your mind and let you experience how the superior people bully us Qing people,"
Li Guolou raised his eyebrows, raised his head and looked at Li Hongzhang, smiled slightly and said: "Master Zhongtang, I follow Gou Jian as an example, even if you ask me to taste the shit of my enemy, I will not even blink an eyebrow."
The depression in Li Hongzhang's heart was swept away, and he was able to enjoy the hardships. He turned the hatred of today into a hundred times the repayment of the past. He praised: "Okay, Guolou, I remember this sentence. Let's start tomorrow." Let’s taste poop together,”
Li Guolou murmured for a long time, and finally couldn't help but said: "Master Zhongtang, there is something that I am not happy about. I hope Master Zhongtang will not be angry."
"Hmm..." Li Hongzhang did not express his position and waited quietly for the next sentence.
Li Guolou gritted his teeth and said: "Master Zhongtang, my subordinates think that Shen Baojing is a failure as the general office of Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. I think that although Shen Baojing has progressive ideas, is an enlightened Westernizer, and has talents, He is unwilling to take office and has grievances in his heart, so how can he do his job with all his heart? In the past few years, Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau has been like a pool of stagnant water. It is because Shen Baojing has no pioneering spirit, wastes his time, wastes money, and only thinks about promotion and wealth. "
Shen Baojing, courtesy name Zhongwei, was born in Jiangyin, Jiangsu. He was elected in the eighth year of Xianfeng. Li Hongzhang supervised Shanghai, recruited ministers, and accumulated meritorious service. Li Guolou was criticizing a third-rank official and a confidant of Li Hongzhang.
Why did Li Guolou talk about Shen Baojing? Because Shen Baojing followed Li Hongzhang in Shanghai to carry out the Westernization Movement, which was very popular and had some achievements. He was very popular with Li Hongzhang. However, Shen Baojing once returned to his hometown to visit relatives and was scolded by his tribe. He was a fake foreign devil. He was not even allowed to enter the clan ancestral hall to worship his ancestors. He was also scolded by his mother, which made him very embarrassed. In anger, Shen Baojing gave up his job and bought a mansion and dozens of acres. With his own land, he became a rich man, retired to seclusion and stopped engaging in the Westernization Movement.
Li Hongzhang cherished Shen Baojing's talents. He first transferred him to the Zhili camp and asked Shen Baojing to go out on business first. Then he was entrusted with the important position of "General Office of Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau". As the saying goes, strong melons are not sweet. , it fit perfectly on Shen Baojing,
Li Hongzhang sighed: "Guo Lou, I only have these few capable people under my command. Instead of Shen Baojing, why not use those stubborn conservatives?"
Li Guolou broke the pot, but there was no one else around anyway, so he said straightforwardly: "Master Zhongtang, as long as you don't judge people by their family status, the talent will depend on how broad-minded you are."
People evolve slowly step by step, and progressive ideas can only be understood through absorption. The same is true for Li Hongzhang. His mentor Zeng Guofan never dealt with businessmen in his life, and the people he employed were all talented men of letters. People who have money but no talent,
Li Hongzhang was open-minded and understood the importance of businessmen. In personal relationships, Li Hongzhang could handle the relationship well with businessmen. Rich businessmen relied on Li Hongzhang to get rich. However, he still had limitations, that is, he only used two rankings of Jinshi to recruit people. If it weren't for Juren, he would submit a letter to him to advise on national policies. No matter how well he wrote, he would not pay attention to them. He would use these "fake foreign devils" who did not have the title of Scholar, Juren, or Jinshi as senior technicians, and those practical men who were engaged in the Westernization Movement. , cannot get the status he deserves, leaving the "fake foreign devil" without a say. The reason he is so fond of Li Guolou now is because Li Guolou is the "Treasure Man" in the second list of Jinshi, so he promoted Li Guolou in an unusual way. Take Li Guolou with you and let him learn how to deal with foreigners.
Although Li Hongzhang was very dissatisfied, he still asked: "Guo Lou, in your opinion, who is the most suitable person to serve as the general office of Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau?"
Li Guolou solemnly said: "There is no second person in the world. Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin and his son should be the heroes of the first generation. Let Xu Shou found "Shanghai Gezhi Academy" and be overqualified. Master Zhongtang, as long as you have the courage to promote Xu Shou to Tianjin Machinery The position of the General Office of the Manufacturing Bureau is like buying a bone with a lot of gold. The great cause of King Yan Zhao is just around the corner. The people of the world will join in and the great cause can be achieved." Li Hongzhang was a very conceited person with outstanding talents and talents. He knew the situation of the world very well. He thought he was the leader of the Qing Dynasty. Optimus Prime Stone, if others talked to him like this, he would at most laugh it off and never take it seriously. But today he met Li Guolou, who had a big and eloquent mouth. The allusion of "a thousand pieces of gold buys bones" got Li Hongzhang involved. , I couldn’t help but think of the deeds of Xu Shou, Xu Jianyin and his son,
Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin were the founders of the Qing Dynasty's shipbuilding industry. They were promoted to the stage of history by Zeng Guofan. During the war with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Zeng Guofan saw that swords, guns, swords and halberds were far inferior to foreign guns and cannons, and they were no match for Western armored ships. The majestic impression was profound. In 1861, Zeng Guofan stationed in Anqing and set up an ordnance station to recruit weapon makers, intending to manufacture guns and ships. In 186, Wuxi natives Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin and his son were selected. Xu Shou took a 1-year-old It was against this backdrop that Xu Jianyin stepped onto the stage of history, went to Anqing Ordnance Station, and began his pursuit of the ocean dream.
In March of the same year, Xu Shou accepted the trial construction of a steam engine ship. The steam engine part was completed by Hua Hengfang. Xu Shou was responsible for the drawing and construction of the ship, and his son Xu Jianyin "repeatedly came up with strange ideas to assist him." During the day-by-day development process, in 186, the Qing Dynasty successfully developed the "first steam engine ship" on its own, and Zeng Guofan personally named it the "Huanghu". The successful development of the Huanghu shocked the whole country, and Emperor Tongzhi awarded him the "Huanghu" After that, Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin were highly valued by the imperial court. In 1866, Xu Shou and Xu Jianyin were assigned to the Jiangnan Manufacturing Administration to participate in its founding. Xu Shou was appointed as the first assistant director and prime minister's bureau chief. The two lived up to expectations and built the project. The first batch of warships and warships built by the Qing Dynasty were better than the last. Later, they also built the iron-clad ship "Jin'ou" and other iron-clad ships.
At this time, Xu Shou co-founded the first school in Shanghai to teach science and technology, "Shanghai Gezhi Academy", and devoted all his efforts to translating books, science education and the promotion of science and technology.
"Well... Guolou, I will consider what you said," Li Hongzhang couldn't help but be moved by Li Guolou's words. It is an indisputable fact that Shen Baojing thinks he is senior and can do his own thing and cannot command. , the seat of the General Office of Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau can be moved. Inviting Xu Shou is like "buying bones for a thousand gold." Li Guolou's words deeply moved Li Hongzhang,
Li Guolou smiled freely, and the stubborn old man was moved by him. He opened the curtains of the car window and looked at the green earth. The wheat in the fields had turned yellow. The ripe season was coming, and the fruits of the harvest would be harvested by him. In the bag, people cannot be too greedy, eager for quick success will be counterproductive. The youthful face is filled with tranquility. Ahead is the land of zombies, Tianjin, "I am coming to Tianjin City," the people who deal with the devil are coming,
"Report, Lord Zhongtang, there is a message from Tianjin," a postman came from Tianjin on horseback, turned over and handed an urgent document to the head of the bodyguard.
Li Hongzhang took the emergency document and hurriedly unfolded it. When he looked at it, his eyebrows were twisted together, forming a zigzag shape. His face was full of sorrow, his beard was flying in anger, and he said angrily: "Chonghou is such a bastard, what are you doing for food?" ,"
Li Hongzhang scolded Chonghou because Chonghou had caused trouble for him. Tianjin Wanghailou Catholic Church had been burned down by the people of Tianjin.
The indescribable feeling in Li Guolou's heart was bitter and sad, mixed with a hint of happiness. Things were developing in the direction he expected. For the sake of his career, the more chaotic Tianjin was, the better. The Qing Empire was going to suffer humiliation again, and He will greatly benefit from the national calamity, "Master Zhongtang, what happened in Tianjin?"
"The common people rioted and burned three churches. The casualties are still unknown. Our Qing Dynasty is going to be in trouble again." The emergency document in Li Hongzhang's hand had already fallen on the floor of the carriage.
Li Guolou hurriedly picked up the document, scanned it quickly, and angrily said: "Chonghou is a pig. It is not an exaggeration to skin and cut him in half for this kind of trash."
Chonghou, whose surname was Wanyan, whose given name was Dishan and whose name was Ziqian, was a Manchurian Yellow Banner, the second son of Wanyan Linqing, the governor of the river, and the younger brother of Wanyan Chongshi. He also spent some money on it, and at the end of the year he was actually appointed as the Minister of Commerce and Commerce of Sankou, Governor-General of Zhili. Soon after he made too much money, he was impeached by the imperial censor, and he was dismissed as Governor-General of Zhili. He went to Tianjin to serve as Minister of Commerce of Sankou full-time. Now Chonghou has returned his official post and worshiped General Fengtian. , is the highest military officer in Tianjin City,
Because the Wanghailou Catholic Church in Tianjin was surrounded by tens of thousands of Tianjin people, the French Consul in Tianjin, Feng Daye, heard the news and rushed to the Sankou Commerce Minister's Yamen with his secretary Simon, asking Fengtian General Chonghou to send troops to suppress the crazy Tianjin people, but Chonghou refused. Taking this matter seriously, he did not send troops, but only sent a few military officers to Wanghailou Catholic Church to understand the ins and outs of the matter.
When the French consul Feng Daye saw that Chonghou didn't take him seriously, he couldn't help but became furious. He went on a rampage in the three offices of the Minister of Commerce and Commerce, destroyed the office utensils, and drew a gun to threaten Chonghou. He was so frightened that Chonghou hid in the inner room and never dared to stop again. After showing up, Feng Daye had nowhere to vent, so he could only leave the Office of the Minister of Commerce and Industry and go straight to Wanghailou Catholic Church, hoping to rescue the French Catholics.
On the way, the French consul Feng Daye met his "enemy". Liu Jie, the county magistrate of Tianjin, was escorting the criminals who were kidnapping and selling infants. When they met on a narrow road, the brave man struck first. Feng Daye took the lead in pulling out his pistol and fired a shot, killing the county magistrate Liu Jie on the spot. Following Gao Sheng, Feng Daye's secretary Simon simultaneously pulled out a gun and threatened the onlookers.
This stirred up a hornet's nest. The Tianjin people who were watching could no longer hold it in any longer. They swarmed in and beat Feng Daye and Simon, beating two citizens of the French Consulate to death. Then the whole city mobilized to sound the gong and gather the crowd to express their patriotism. The compatriots burned down the Wanghailou Catholic Church, the Nursery, the French Consulate and the British and American churches and many other places, and killed more than 20 missionaries and businessmen from seven countries including Britain, the United States and France. This is the famous "Tianjin Mission Case" in history.