A shell costs more than ten taels of silver? Wen Xiang couldn't help but secretly say to himself, a ploughing cow is only more than ten taels of silver, and a cannonball is a cow, which is too expensive! It's no wonder that a large-scale war costs astronomical amounts of silver.

Even if Yuan Qi was not a lie, his intention was obvious, that is, to let the imperial court clearly understand how much silver would be consumed to fight a protracted large-scale war, and how many soldiers would be killed or wounded.

After a slight sigh, Wen Xiangcai said: "With a debt of more than 2.8 billion, how can the interest for a year be more than 100 million?" Is this a debt that will never be paid? ”

Hearing this, Su Shun smiled bitterly, the debt of more than 2.8 billion yuan, just listening to it has already overwhelmed him, for the Qing Dynasty, it is unimaginable to bear such a huge debt, not to mention the repayment of principal, the repayment of interest! After pondering for a while, he said: "Isn't there a proposal at the end of the information to let the imperial court pay close attention to how the United States can repay this war debt?" Come to think of it, the United States can afford to pay it back. ”

How can such a huge debt be repaid? Wen Xiang was very suspicious in his heart, England, which is known as the strongest in the world, has an annual income of only three or four hundred million taels of silver, and how much can the United States earn in a year?

Without allowing him to think too much, Su Shun continued: "The imperial court has limited knowledge of the situation of the American Civil War, although this information is detailed, but it is only a family statement, King Gong has close contacts with the ambassadors of Britain and France and other countries in Beijing, you might as well check it." ”

Wen Xiang nodded, he knew that this information would inevitably have a great impact on the court, although he believed that Yuan Qi would not be alarmist, but it was indeed necessary to verify it, at least all the members of the imperial court, especially those who were relatives and nobles of the clan, must know in their hearts.

Although Su Shun asked King Gong to verify whether the data listed in these materials were exaggerated, he didn't wait for King Gong's reply at all, and directly drafted an excerpt, attached it with the information, and submitted it to the palace.

Even if the figures listed by Yuan Qi are a little exaggerated, there is no doubt about the huge cost of the American Civil War, and the huge casualties and staggering military expenditures and fiscal deficits are enough to make Ci'an sober up.

Nourishing Heart Palace, East Warm Pavilion.

Empress Dowager Ci'an was stunned for a long time after reading Su Shun's excerpts and Yuan Qi's information, and she was also shocked by the data listed in the data, and after a long time, she said: "How credible can these data be?" ”

"Wechen steals that at least eighty percent of these data are credible." Su Shun hurriedly replied respectfully: "Weichen has already transferred a copy to King Gong, and I think King Gong will inevitably ask Britain and France for verification." ”

Not to mention eighty percent, even if it is fifty percent, the imperial court is unbearable, Ci'an's face was a little gloomy, but Su Shun continued: "Whether it is population or territory, the United States is difficult to compare with my Qing Dynasty, if a civil war of this scale breaks out in the Qing Dynasty, the scale of the war may be larger, and the duration will be ...... longer." ”

In other words, the casualties will be greater, and the military spending will be higher! Ci'an glanced at him and said, "Yuan Qi is so deliberate to threaten the imperial court?" ”

Seeing that she asked so directly, Su Shun was speechless for a while, Yuan Qi may have a threat, but it can also be said to be a kind reminder, or it is just a simple intelligence sharing, kowtowed slightly, and then he said slowly: "Yuan Qi's major newspapers have been reporting on the American Civil War, but this information has not been reported. ”

"It's not the malicious speculation of this palace, but it's really Yuanqi's every move that has a lot of meaning." Ci'an said slowly: "After King Gong verified, he quickly returned. ”

"Wechen obeys." Su Shun kowtowed and got up as he spoke, bowed down and stepped back.

Ci'an glanced down at the fold in her hand, speechless for a long time, in her opinion, Yi Zhi's contentment was a deliberate warning, warning her not to provoke a war on her own, with the economic strength of the imperial court, it would not be able to withstand a protracted and large-scale civil war at all, although she doubted the data listed in the information provided by Yuan Qi, but she also knew that with the current financial resources of the imperial court, it was indeed incapable of starting a war.

Half a month later, Gong Wang Yixun only entered the palace to return to this matter, Ci'an's attitude towards Yixun is much more affectionate, after he asked for peace, he will sit as usual, Yixun thanked him and sat down before saying: "American Civil War casualties and military spending, fiscal deficit, Wei Chen specially asked the British and French ambassadors for verification, according to the British and French replies from the domestic point of view, the data listed in the information provided by Yuanqi is basically true, considering the relationship between Yuanqi and the United States, the information provided by Yuanqi may be more accurate!" ”

Basically true? Ci'an was a little incredulous, "The current war is so costly? ”

"Back to the Queen Mother." Yixun calmly replied: "The American Civil War has more than 3 million troops on both sides, and the time has lasted for four years, not only the consumption of warships and weapons and ammunition is huge, but also the consumption of all kinds of strategic materials is extremely huge. ”

After a pause, he continued: "According to the analysis of Britain and France, the defeat of the American Civil War and the Southern Alliance was not a military defeat, but a financial and economic defeat. ”

Is this an allusion to the difference in financial and economic power between the imperial court and the Yuanqi? Ci'an glanced at him and said coldly: "Uncle Huang is saying that if the imperial court goes to war with Yuan Qi, it will inevitably follow in the footsteps of the Southern Alliance?" ”

Hearing this, Yi Xun dared to sit still, and quickly got up and knelt down and said: "The imperial court must not start a war with Yuan Qi, once the war starts, it will inevitably be a complete defeat!" Whether it is financial and economic strength or industrial strength, the imperial court is far inferior to Yuan Qi.

Even if the weapons and ammunition of the Eight Banners New Army are self-sufficient, it is not the opponent of the Yuanqi New Army, the Yuanqi New Army can be called a division of a hundred battles after a long battle, but the Eight Banners New Army has not experienced actual combat, and it is no different from the new soldiers.

Weichen heard that Yuanqi plans to continue to expand in the northwest, and will expand the army in the near future, and the gap between the military strength of the two sides is getting bigger and bigger, and the imperial court must not have the heart to raise troops.

Fortunately, Yuan Qi did not have the intention of raising troops to cause chaos, but only hoped that the imperial court would implement constitutionalism to enrich the country and strengthen the army, and Wei Chen secretly thought that the implementation .......of constitutional government was a good strategy to eliminate the confrontation between the imperial court and Yuan Qi. ”

Ci'an was inexplicably irritable, interrupted him, and said coldly: "Kneel down." ”

Yixun's heart sank, and he didn't say much, he got up and quit with a salute, and stepped out of the palace of nourishing the heart, he regained his calm, and he had a faint premonition in his heart that if he wanted to implement the constitution smoothly, he was afraid that it would be a bit hanging, and with the gradual increase in the power of the emperor's family, Ci'an would not be willing to hand over the imperial power, otherwise he would not have reacted so much.

Shanghai, Zhennan Wangfu, Changle Book House.

Zhao Liewen walked into the room briskly, handed over a document, and said, "Big treasurer, this is the National Bank Act signed by Lincoln in 1863 in the United States." ”

Yi Zhizhi nodded and took the document casually, Lincoln was only 56 years old when he was assassinated, and his body was buried in Princefield after being laid to rest in Princefield for more than two weeks in 14 cities.

Yi Zhizhi did not care about the details of Lincoln's assassination, he was concerned about the reasons behind Lincoln's assassination, and the information sent from the United States one after another showed that the most credible theory of Ajue was that Lincoln's assassination was due to the intention of repealing the National Bank Act signed in 1863.

He only knew roughly about the "National Bank Act" because it was a bill passed by the Northern Federal Government in order to issue more green coins, and he was not concerned about it at the time, so he was asked to find this document.

After carefully reading the "National Bank Law", Yi Zhizu slowly lit a cigarette, and did not say anything for a long time, seeing this situation, Zhao Liewen said tentatively: "The big shopkeeper is planning to learn from it?" ”

Reference? Yi Zhishu glanced at him and said, "What is there to learn from this bill?" ”

After a slight groan, Zhao Liewen said: "The bill authorizes the government. The government approves the National Bank to issue a uniform standard bank note, which is effectively the issuance of the national currency of the United States.

It is crucial that these banks are based on U.S. politics. The government's bonds serve as a reserve for the issuance of bank bills, which is in effect the currency of the United States and the government. The government debts are locked together, and the government. The government will never be able to pay off its debts.

Even if the U.S. government had sufficient solvency to repay its debts in the future, it would not be able to pay off its debts, because paying off the government bonds issued would mean that there would be no bonds to use as collateral for the national currency, and paying off the debts would be tantamount to destroying the circulation of money. ”

After a pause, he added, "This is actually the Bank of England model." ”

"See it thoroughly." Yi Zhi said contentedly: "I'm afraid there are not many people in Yuanqi Bank who can have the level of Huifu." ”

Zhao Liewen said with a smile: "Students are all influenced by the big shopkeeper, but they don't dare to be the big shopkeeper." ”

"I am in a hurry to read this bill, not to learn from it, but to understand the reason behind Lincoln's assassination." Yi Zhishu said and raised the document in his hand, "There are rumors in the United States that Lincoln was assassinated because of an attempt to repeal this bill, and it seems that this should be the closest to the truth."

There have been rumors that some congressmen have proposed to repeal Lincoln's new currency policy and recall all green coins in circulation, and if this is the case, the civil war in the United States will be too sad. ”

Sorrowful? Zhao Liewen was puzzled and said: "Through this war, the United States has maintained the unity of the country, how can it be said to be sad?" ”

"If this bill is not repealed, bankers will be able to enjoy the meal of interest on national debt for generations to come." Yi Zhizu sneered: "That is to say, the biggest beneficiaries of this war are those bankers, as I said before, the financial forces in Europe have infiltrated the United States very strongly, and most of the bankers in the United States are the spokesmen of the financial forces in Europe."

There have long been rumors in Europe that the financial forces behind the American Civil War were the European financial forces, who single-handedly planned and provoked this civil war. ”

Zhao Liewen was secretly shocked when he heard it, he had heard Yi Zhizu mention that the mastermind behind the American Civil War was the financial forces in Europe, but he felt that it was just a rumor, and now that Lincoln was assassinated, the spearhead was pointed at the financial forces in Europe, but he couldn't help but believe it, he muttered: "The financial forces are so terrifying? ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said, "In any country, whoever controls the currency is the master of the country, because if you control the currency, you will also control all industry and commerce. It is not easy for financial forces to plan and dominate a war, but it is not a difficult task.

As the saying goes, wars are fought with money and food, and it is money that dominates wars, and all wars are good meals for financial forces. The government's huge debts are the most sumptuous meal for financiers and bankers.

There is no need for us to go into battle shirtless, we can achieve our goals through financial and economic infiltration, and planning wars. ”

Hearing this, Zhao Liewen was speechless for a while, hesitated for a while, and then said: "The big shopkeeper founded Yuanqi Bank because of this?" ”

"It's not so exaggerated." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "When I founded Yuanqi, I was only seventeen or eighteen years old, how could I have such great ambitions, and ambitions gradually swelled with the expansion of strength. ”

For this, Zhao Liewen obviously did not believe it, Yuan Qi from the day of its establishment, the goal is very clear, first to monopolize the money industry in Guangzhou, then to monopolize a province in Guangdong, and then to monopolize several provinces in the southeast, and then through a large amount of loans to the imperial court to issue banknotes, open an exchange to develop finance, step by step to today, has completely controlled the finance, industry, and commerce of the Qing Dynasty, and now Yi Zhicontent, is not more like the master of the Qing Dynasty than the little emperor and the queen mother of the Beijing Division?

After pondering for a while, he said, "The big treasurer was not a federal politician before. ...... government confident in repaying its debts? ”

"I was saying before that the federal government. The government has a way to repay the interest on the debt, not the debt! Yi Zhishu said slowly: "The debt of the United States will probably never be repaid, and the amount of debt may snowball.

But there is one thing that must be clearly understood. The greater the debt of the government, it does not mean that the country is poorer and more backward. The greater the debt the government bears, the stronger the country will be! ”

Zhao Liewen reacted very quickly, and then said: "Zheng. The larger the government's debt, the greater the amount of national currency issued, and as long as it does not cause inflation, it will inevitably greatly promote the development of commerce and industry and stimulate economic prosperity. ”

"Not bad." "The issuance of money plays a vital role in the development of commerce and industry. After a pause, he continued: "If the United States were to withdraw the green coins in circulation, it would be the beginning of a new disaster. ”