When night falls, the gas lamps on the Yanjiang Avenue shine like night pearls, becoming a beautiful scenery of Shanghai Beach, attracting many people to come to watch this Western scene, at first it was the gentry and merchants from the surrounding prefectures and counties who came to watch the night view of Shanghai Beach, and gradually the news spread, Suzhou, Jiangning, Hangzhou and other places are gentry and merchants who have also taken the train to take a look.

Compared with the bright gas lamps on the highway along the river, the lights on the boats moored along the Huangpu River and on the river surface seem dim and distant, but they are better than the many lights, like stars in the night sky.

A three-storey brightly lit machine painting boat slowly cruises on the river, and there is only a small table on the wide deck, and there are only four people drinking on the table, which is very empty and deserted, but everyone who has a little bit of energy in their eyes knows that this is a chartered boat, and such a large machine painting boat can not be contracted with money, and it must have a certain status and power.

Yi Zhi, known as the 'King of the Southeast', is naturally a trivial matter to charter a painting boat, but it is just a matter of one sentence, he chose to feast Feng Yunshan and Shi Dakai on the painting boat today, and he also wanted to relax.

"I didn't expect to see the street lights on the riverside road from the river, which is a different scene." Feng Yunshan sighed with emotion, and continued: "This night, the cost should be a lot, just for convenience or good-looking?" ”

Yi Zhixiang really didn't expect Feng Yunshan to ask like this, and took a sip of Jimo old wine before he said, "Does Huifu know the reason?" ”

Zhao Liewen couldn't help but say, the promotion of gas street lamps in Shanghai is not long, but the popularity is very fast, now the main streets of the old city and new city have been installed gas street lights, although he doesn't know how much he wants in January, but he thinks it should not be low, as for the original situation, he really doesn't know.

After a slight sigh, he pondered: "Convenient night travel should be just one aspect, and it should also have the meaning of promoting new things in the West, right?" ”

Yi Zhishu nodded slightly, and said slowly: "Guangzhou and Shanghai are not only treaty ports, but also the most important port cities of the Qing Dynasty to open up to the outside world.

What does a city's street lamp mean? There is a word in the West, called urban lighting, the degree of lighting of a city is directly related to the taste and image of the city, which means the improvement of the urban environment, and it is also a sign of urban civilization and openness.

Street lights, just preliminary, in the future the city's bustling areas - such as docks, stations, theaters, parks and other places will be installed gas lamps, after a few years to be popularized and popularized, all buildings along the river avenue will be installed with a variety of neon lights, then, Shanghai will become a real city that never sleeps! ”

What kind of light is electric light, neon light? Feng Yunshan was embarrassed to ask, afraid of being too ignorant, but Shi Dakai said softly: "Isn't Yuan Qi preaching equality?" The gap between the people of Shanghai and other places is too great. ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhi couldn't help but smile, "The equality advocated by Yuan Qi is political equality, legal equality, and institutional equality, not the equality of the rich and the poor as you advocate.

It is human nature to chase wealth, and it is human instinct to pursue a better life, and the average wealth is to erase this nature and instinct, and the final result of the rich and poor can only be that everyone is poor, lose their enterprising spirit, and lose the driving force to promote social development and progress, which is a kind of retrogression.

What is the reason for the big gap between Shanghai and other places? It is because of Shanghai's industrial development, which in my opinion is a good thing, and it is our goal to encourage other places to follow Shanghai's example and actively develop industry. ”

Speaking of this, he smiled, "Your holy treasury system is okay in wartime, but once it is peaceful, it must be resolutely banned." ”

Regarding the holy treasury system, in fact, the Taiping army has quite an opinion, Shi Dakai didn't want to talk about this topic, and immediately pulled the conversation back, "There are also many people in Shanghai who have a difficult livelihood, Yuan Qi wasted the silver on this gas lamp, why not use this silver to help them?" ”

"The poor will have something to hate." Yi Zhishu said lightly: "Over the years, Shanghai has built roads and embankments, built factories, implemented new learning, and prospered in commerce and trade. ”

Zhao Liewen echoed: "Shanghai can be said to be full of opportunities, and those who have a difficult livelihood are mostly idle people, just like those flag men in Beijing." ”

"It's worse than the flag man." Yi Zhizhi said: "The flag people are idle, there is no way, it is the court that forces them to be idle." ”

Hearing this, Shi Dakai was a little surprised, "The big shopkeeper seems to be very sympathetic to the flag man? ”

"The flag man at the bottom really deserves sympathy." Yi Zhishu smiled, glanced at him and said, "I have never regarded the banner people as enemies, after the abolition of the Eight Banners system, the banner people no longer exist, and there is no need to be hostile to them." ”

"Will the imperial court abolish the Eight Banners system?" Feng Yunshan said in surprise.

"Yes!" Yi Zhi said confidently: "The imperial court is unwilling to abolish it, and Yuan Qi will also force the imperial court to abolish it!" ”

Hearing this, Feng Yunshan and Shi Dakai couldn't help but look at each other, and they couldn't make a sound for a long time, Yuan Qi actually had the ability to force the imperial court to abolish the Eight Banners system? What will happen to the Qing court, which abolished the Eight Banners system?

Yi Zhishu glanced at Zhao Liewen casually, slowly took out the jade cigarette holder and lit a cigarette, the latter understood and poured the wine for the three of them, and then said: "Now in Southeast Asia, there is only one country left in Siam, and the East King's soldiers and horses have been renovated for several months, and they are preparing to launch a full-scale attack on Siam recently, His Royal Highness the Wing King is interested in participating in the war?" ”

Hit Siam? Shi Dakai hesitated for a moment before he said: "Our army is currently stationed in Bengal, far away from Siam, and now is a good time to expand westward, and it is ...... to deploy troops at this time. ”

"There is no need to draw troops." Yi Zhizhi said: "Our army wants to cooperate with the East King to attack Siam on both roads, but I am not familiar with the situation in Siam, the Wing King has garrisoned Chiang Mai, and knows the situation in the north and south of Siam well, and I hope that the Wing King can accompany the army counselor ......." ”

Yuan Qi has long had the intention of conquering Siam, how can he not understand the situation in Siam? Shi Dakai immediately reacted, this is an excuse, but what is the purpose of the other party? Weaken the strength of the Heavenly King? Or do you want to entrap him?

Without waiting for him to think about it, Feng Yunshan had already spoken: "The conquest of Siam is a major event, and the Taiping army is willing to do its best. ”

Listening to Feng Yunshan's words, Yi Zhi couldn't help but smile contentedly: "The king of the south is so refreshing, I don't go around in circles, the elite of Yuanqi, the general of the army, all in Goryeo, the soldiers who conquered Siam, are all newly recruited soldiers from the two provinces of Nanyang, without a battle formation, if the king of wings wants to participate in the war, he is called a counselor, but he is actually a commander." ”

"The big shopkeeper is so sincere, we shouldn't shirk it." Feng Yunshan agreed to come down.

Seeing Feng Yunshan, Shi Dakai was simply lazy to think about it, anyway, Feng Yunshan would not harm him, and immediately arched his hand and said: "Thanks to the favor of the big shopkeeper, it is better to obey your fate than to be respectful." ”

Yi Zhishu didn't expect this matter to go so smoothly, and immediately raised his glass and said: "If the Winged King commands the army and conquers Siam, I don't need to worry." ”

A banquet was not finished until nearly two watches, returned to the garden where he stayed, entered the room, and after retiring the entourage, Shi Dakai stared at Feng Yunshan and said, "Will the Heavenly King agree?" ”

Feng Yunshan poured himself a cup of herbal tea and drank it, and then said: "If you don't go, the arms promised by Yuan Qi will definitely be invalidated, how can the Heavenly King disagree?" After a pause, he continued: "I can see that Yi Zhishu admires you very much, this is a change of way to attract you, what do you think?" ”

Shi Dakai said without thinking: "I can't bear to be an old brother." ”

"If you can't bear the old brother, you should go." Feng Yunshan said softly: "The Taiping Army is no longer able to become a climate, sooner or later it will take this road, you go first, so as to pave the way for us." ”

Shi Dakai said suspiciously: "Hasn't Yi Guocheng already agreed to our establishment of a country?" ”

"Even if it is founded, it is only a small country." Feng Yunshan sighed lightly: "What's more, it's still sandwiched between Yingli and Yuanqi, and it can be blown out in one breath, and it is a matter of time before Yuanqi is attached." ”

Jingshi, Xianfeng seems to be really sick, and he didn't show up for ten years, but he issued an edict and formally established the Supervision and Administration Office, with Prince Gong Yixun, Prince Hui Mianyu, and Prince Yi Zaiyuan as the Minister of State, and Wang Yifang of the Alcohol County, Su Shun, Wenxiang, Du Han, and Zeng Guofan, the Minister of Military Aircraft, and Zeng Guofan, the Ministry of Officials, etc., are responsible for formulating various measures for the new policy, accepting the rules and regulations of officials from all over the country, and handling the affairs of new learning, official system, imperial examination, official governance, finance, military administration, commerce, diplomatic relations, criminal law, etc.

As soon as this edict was issued, there was a boiling inside and outside the capital, telegrams were frequently circulated, and newspapers of all sizes in the northern and southern provinces published them one after another, and reprinted them in a timely manner, and there was a heated discussion among the government and the opposition.

There is no doubt that this edict shows Xianfeng's attitude, changing the law and innovating! Many princes of the clan who had been on the sidelines turned to support the abolition of the Eight Banners system.

The situation is very good, but Yixun was not carried away, and immediately summoned a meeting of everyone, waiting for a group of ministers of state and ministers of state and counsel to gather, he said with a smile on his face: "The emperor has decided to change the law to improve himself, and if he wants to change the law, he must first abolish the Eight Banners, which we have all reached a consensus."

However, it is not easy to abolish the Eight Banners, if it is impossible to properly arrange millions of banner people, the emperor will definitely not agree, to properly arrange such a large number of banner people, a huge amount of silver is needed, let the imperial court alone pay this silver, and the abolition of the Eight Banners will inevitably be shelved indefinitely. ”

Hearing this, Su Shun said with a smile: "There is a way that the bell must be tied to the bell, and the abolition of the Eight Banners was the first proposed by Yi Guocheng, and the lower officials will test his tone first." ”

Shanghai, Zhenhai Mansion, Changle Book House.

Cao Gensheng walked into the room quickly and reported: "The big shopkeeper, Su Shun called from the Jingshi." ”

Yi Zhicontent, who was talking softly with Wei Yuan and Zhao Liewen, turned his head to look at him and said, "Nian——。 ”

"The abolition of the Eight Banners involves a wide range of costs, and it is inevitable that there will be many dreams at night, and I hope that Yuanqi will give strong support and donate 30 million taels of silver."

Thirty million taels of silver! Yi Zhifen frowned, girl, really dare to open his mouth, is this a change in the court or a change in Yuanqi?

"This should be the meaning of tempting the great treasurer." Zhao Liewen smiled: "However, this mouth is too open." ”

After a period of recuperation, Wei Yuan's spirit was obviously much better, he rushed over when he saw the outside of the number, and he groaned slightly, before he asked: "Yuan Qi plans to donate silver to help the imperial court implement the new policy?" ”

Yi Zhizhi nodded, "The abolition of the Eight Banners system involves the livelihood of millions of banner people, if Yuan Qi does not support it, the imperial court is afraid that it will be difficult to make up its mind." ”

"This money cannot be given to them easily." Zhao Liewen said worriedly: "Now which yamen is not a goose plucking feathers, and the silver is passing through their hands, and the iron must be deducted layer by layer." ”

"That's right." Yi Zhishu looked at Cao Gensheng and said: "Call back, I hope that the administrative office of the superintendent will come up with a specific plan for the abolition of the aftermath of the Eight Banners as soon as possible, and the relevant funds will be sponsored by Yuan Qi, and Yuan Qi must send people to participate in the accounting of funds." ”

After Cao Gensheng left, Zhao Liewen said with some worry: "This matter is not beneficial to Yuan Qi in the slightest, and this expenditure is not a small amount, will Yuan Qi have any opinions?" ”

"Huifu is too worried." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "The abolition of the Eight Banners is equivalent to solving a stubborn disease that has plagued the imperial court for many years, Yuan Qi expressed his support, but it is just to increase their confidence, and to break through the sky, it will also support millions of yuan for the Jingshi Banner people to move to the Northeast." ”

After a pause, he changed his words, "Since the imperial court has decided to change the law, the provincial newspapers have actively cooperated to carry out positive public opinion guidance and publicity, and at the same time publish more systems related to some Western countries, mainly England and the United States. ”

After receiving a call back from Yi Zhixiang, Yi Xun and the others were all relieved, although Yi Zhixiang did not promise to give much silver, but since he expressed his attitude, he would not stand by and watch, "Proposed to fold——。 Yixun said excitedly: "Please abolish the Eight Banners system!" ”

As soon as the excerpt of "Please Abolish the Eight Banners System" was submitted, it caused great repercussions when it was launched, and the princes of the clan and the Manchurian and Mongolian officials who opposed the abolition of the Eight Banners system led by Prince Su Aixin Jueluo Huafeng came up one after another, and strongly stated that the Eight Banners system was the foundation of the Qing Dynasty and should not be abolished, and many people rushed to the Old Summer Palace to meet them.

Many supporters have also folded, stating that the disadvantages of the Eight Banners have reached the point where they must be changed, and many Han members are watching from the wall, not daring to express their position, as Han members, they can only oppose the Eight Banners system, but no one knows whether it will be counterproductive if the Han members support it, however, there are also many Han members who go to the West regardless of the support of the folds.

All the big and small officials in the Beijing division expected that there would inevitably be a vicious dispute, and the gentry and merchants of the Beijing division were also greatly excited, waiting for the good show to come on, and the most worried person was the flag people, almost all the large and small teahouses and restaurants inside and outside the Beijing division were overcrowded, and almost all of them were flag people, waiting for the news while discussing.