Of the six cabinet ministers, Yi Zhi's most headache is the candidate for the minister, who is actually the minister of the exchequer, in charge of economic and financial affairs, and his position is very important.

Kong Jian'an, the general manager of Yuanqi Bank, has not considered it, there is no problem with loyalty, this is an old man who has followed him since the founding of Yuanqi Bank, and he can barely be competent in business, the disadvantage is that he has not been an official, he just donated a false title of four products, and let him serve as the minister of the branch, which is very likely to make a mess.

Regarding Kong Jian'an's advantages and disadvantages, Zhao Liewen is naturally clear, and he is also aware of the importance of the minister, seeing that Yi Zhizhi is silent, he said slowly: "The implementation of constitutional government is actually a top-down innovation, and the finances of the imperial court are like a mess, and it is necessary to cut through the chaos quickly." ”

Quick knife to cut the mess, Kong Jian'an is in his early sixties, and I don't know if he still has the courage to cut the mess with a quick knife? Yi Zhizhi groaned silently, but he was a little moved, the reform of the financial system is a matter of time, since there is no suitable candidate for the minister, it is better to cut the mess with a quick knife!

It was nearly dusk, Yi Zhengde hurried back to the house, and as soon as he entered the gate, he saw the second Yi Zhengxing chasing out of the gatehouse, he stopped and asked, "What's the matter, it's not to call home for dinner?" ”

Yi Zhengxing smiled: "Father should have heard that you were tinkering with the airship. ”

"You can't say it's a leak, is it?" Yi Zhengde gave him a blank look, he was actually not scared in his heart, Yi Zhishu was not strict with their discipline, nor did he restrain their legitimate hobbies, such things as tinkering with airships might be labeled as unprofessional, but Yi Zhishu would never reprimand him for this.

"What can I hide from my father in Shanghai?" Yi Zhengxing rolled his eyes back without showing weakness, and then said in a low voice: "Don't say I didn't remind you, the slightest bit of wind and grass in Shanghai can't hide from my father's ears and eyes." ”

Yi Zhengde said with a little weakness: "It won't be so exaggerated, right?" ”

"Believe it or not." Yi Zhengxing said: "Anyway, I reminded you." ”

Yi Zhengde said with some suspicion: "Baba's waiting here is just to remind me?" ”

"What, you still don't appreciate it?" Yi Zhengxing said with a smile, "Father set up a banquet for Uncle Yan and Uncle Wu...... Yan Wenkai also came, or, just wait for them to get together? ”

"I'd better go in first." Yi Zhengde said and left quickly, and after talking about it early, he didn't want to accompany them to talk around.

In the backyard, in the hall of the main house, Zaitong is accompanying Yi Zhixiang to drink tea and chat, although Yi Zhixiang is in the house all day and night, but there is not much time to meet and talk, that is, the time before and after dinner, the topic of the two is mostly a few children.

Yi Zhengde slowed down when he entered the hall, walked up to the two of them to salute, and Yi Zhixiang said very casually: "Sit, I heard that you have been tinkering with airships recently?" ”

After sitting down, Yi Zhengde said: "There is already an airship powered by a steam engine in the West, and the child wants to try to use the internal combustion engine as the power of the airship, and my father has been encouraging the promotion of the application of the internal combustion engine." ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said slowly: "In 1852, an oval airship built by the Frenchman Ziefield with a length of 44 meters, a maximum diameter of 13 meters, and a total lift of more than 2 tons flew in the suburbs of Paris. Propellers were installed on the airship, driven by a steam engine weighing 160 kilograms and a power of 2.2 kilowatts, reaching a forward speed of 10 kilometers per hour. ”

Yi Zhengde's eyes lit up, "Father also has a strong interest in airships?" ”

"Nope." Easy to be content with a very simple way.

Not interested in knowing the airship in such detail? Yi Zhengde glanced at him a little depressed, and said: "Father, at the beginning of the invention of the train, it was not able to run the carriage, I firmly believe that the airship has great potential for development, once the airship technology is mature, whether it is civilian or military, it has incomparable advantages." ”

"Wrong." Yi Zhishu corrected: "It's not that airships have huge development potential, but that flying machines have huge development potential, airships are just a kind of flying machines, and in my opinion, the potential of airships is not great." ”

Yi Zhengde said suspiciously: "Flying machine? ”

Nodding slowly, Yi Zhi was content to say: "If you are interested in flying machines, I don't want you to waste your energy and time on airships, Yuan Qi is planning to build a research institute dedicated to the study of flying machines, are you interested?" ”

Yi Zhengde hesitated: "What kind of flying machine?" ”

"A vehicle that can carry people and goods by relying purely on mechanical power to fly in the air." Yi Zhicontent said with a smile: "Airships do not belong to this category. ”

The old man dared to think more than him! Yi Zhengde looked at him with a stunned expression, relying purely on mechanical power to fly in the air, is this possible?

"The Englishman Weinum built a wind tunnel to measure the resistance of objects in relation to the movement of air. This is of great significance for the study of aircraft. Yi Zhizu said slowly: "This aircraft research institute can hire the best talents in the world ....... a lot of money. ”

Although Yi Zhengde has not returned to China for a long time, he also knows that there are a large number of research institutes in Shanghai and Guangzhou, and many of the published research results are ahead of the world level. ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled and said, "Of course you can, but airships can't be used as ....... main research subject. Before he finished speaking, he heard a burst of laughter, but it was Yan Kexin and Yi Zhengxing who accompanied Wu Changqing and Yan Shikuan's father and son into the courtyard talking and laughing.

Seeing this, Yi Zhengde hurriedly stood up and said, "The child is willing to prepare for the establishment of this aircraft research institute." ”

Yi Zhizu stood up and greeted him, and said as he walked: "This aircraft research institute will be one of the largest research institutes in Yuanqi, funding is not a problem, you can poach people all over the world!" ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhengde was very excited, "Father, rest assured, this institute will not disappoint my father." ”

Even though it was a family banquet, women were not allowed to serve at the table, Yi Zhengde, Yi Zhengxing, and Yan Wenkai couldn't let go in front of Yi Zhicontent, and they also knew that they must have something to discuss, so they got up and left the table obediently after a few glasses of wine, and only Wu Changqing and Yan Shikuan were left on the table.

After pouring himself a drink, Yan Shikuan said with some emotion: "I haven't drunk together for a long time, and I really miss the time when I was in Guangzhou before." ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "Why don't you go back to Guangzhou for the New Year together this year?" ”

"That's a good idea." Yan Shikuan smiled: "It's decided, don't go to Manila again." ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled, poured himself a glass of wine, and said: "The provincial advisory bureaus have been established one after another, the constitution has entered the countdown, and the cabinet should be established at the beginning of next year, and Yuan Qi has six cabinet ministers ........" ”

Before he finished speaking, Yan Shikuan waved his hand again and again: "I'm not an official, I'll accompany the third brother in Shanghai." ”

"I'm not going to let you go." Yi Zhixiang said with a smile, paused, and continued: "Of the thirteen ministers of state, Yuan Qi occupies a position of an associate minister and six ministers, including the degree branch, the academic affairs, the army, the navy, and the judiciary. This associate minister, Changqing is the most suitable. ”

Wu Changqing smiled bitterly and said: "Although he has been an official for many years, he has always been in Shanghai, and this assistant minister is afraid that it is difficult to be competent." ”

"It's an experience." Yi Zhishu said slowly: "If I form a cabinet in the future, I can't do it without the help of my right-hand man." ”

Wu Changqing smiled, "Since that's the case, I won't shirk." ”

"Congratulations." Yan Shikuan hurriedly picked up his wine glass and said with a smile: "This Minister of State is like the Minister of Military Aircraft." ”

After raising a glass and touching one, Wu Changqing said: "I'm used to staying in Shanghai, and I'm afraid I won't be able to adapt to it for a long time when I go to Beijing." He was telling the truth, Shanghai was the most prosperous and industrialized city in the entire Qing Dynasty, far from being comparable to Beijing.

Yan Shikuan said: "The left and right are hypocritical monarchs, so it is better to simply move the capital to Shanghai." ”

"Moving the capital is no joke." Yi Zhizhi said: "Besides, even if you want to move the capital, you won't move the capital to Shanghai." ”

Hearing this, Wu Changqing said tentatively: "Wouldn't it be that there is really a plan to move the capital?" ”

"What do you do with moving the capital for no reason?" Yi Zhizhi said: "It's not that there is no land to spend on more silver, but now there are many other parties who want to use silver." ”

"I'll punish myself, I'll punish myself." Yan Shikuan said and simply dried the wine in the cup, put down the cup, and took a sip of wine before he said: "This is in full swing to prepare for the constitution, and Yuan Qi should also prepare for the establishment of the party?" ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "It's really time to prepare." ”

At eight o'clock in the morning of the next day, Yi Zhizu entered the courtyard of Changle Book House with his front foot, and Kong Jian'an followed him with his back foot, followed a few steps and bowed down and said, "Big shopkeeper——。 ”

Yi Zhizu stopped and turned around and smiled: "So fast? ”

Kong Jian'an said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper is called, how dare his subordinates slack off." ”

"Come into the house and say."

The two of them entered the room and sat down, and Yi Zhizhi said straight to the point: "The imperial court wants to set up a cabinet, set up thirteen cabinet ministers, and Yuan Qi occupies six places, among which the minister of the degree branch is similar to the head of the household, and I want you to serve as the ........" ”

Tobe Shangshu? Kong Jian'an was stunned when he heard this, and then hurriedly said: "The big shopkeeper, his subordinates are not the embryos of officials. ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "There is a saying in officialdom, the easiest thing in the world is to be an official." ”

"Don't, don't." Kong Jian'an waved his hand again and again and said: "The big shopkeeper, the knowledge of being an official is great, and his subordinates have a few catties and a few taels to know that the subordinates of the general shopkeeper of Yuanqi are already reluctantly difficult. ”

Seeing his appearance, Yi Zhi couldn't help but smile contentedly: "How many people dream of being promoted and making a fortune, it's good for you to push it out." ”

Kong Jian'an, as the general manager of Yuanqi Bank, has dealt with officials a lot, and knows that officialdom is sinister, he is now sixty-two, and he is unwilling to take any more risks.

After a slight sigh, he said in a sincere tone: "The big shopkeeper, his subordinates are already sixty-two, and their energy has long been out of ........" ”

Seeing that he was resolute, and he was not reluctant, he secretly thought in his heart, it seems that only by letting Xie Xiuyuan go, that guy will definitely not shirk.

As soon as Kong Jian'an left, Zhao Liewen followed in and said, "Look at the look of the shopkeeper Kong, refuse?" ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "This can be regarded as a beautiful talk." After a pause, he said, "Call Xie Xiuyuan." ”

"The big shopkeeper might as well delay for a few days." Zhao Liewen hurriedly said: "The establishment of the cabinet is a matter of the beginning of next year, so don't worry about these days." ”

Yi Zhishu glanced at him, and said with a bow: "Then delay it for a few days." ”

On the Huangpu River, three steam gunboats flying the golden dragon flag quickly went upstream, and the large and small ships on the river avoided one after another, and on the gunboat class A in the center, Yang Xiuqing held the side of the ship and looked at Shanghai that was getting closer and closer, thinking about his thoughts, and he didn't know how Yi Zhifu would place the New Sixth Army after the end of the war.

The gunboat slowly approached the dock, and when he got off the boat, Yang Xiuqing suddenly felt that the dock was shaking, and immediately stood still, this is not seasickness, this is seasickness, and he has gone to sea again and again, this feeling is already somewhat familiar.

"Yang Commander ——。" Yan Yangtian hurriedly greeted him and said with a smile: "Haven't been able to adapt yet?" ”

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Yan Yangtian came to greet him in person, Yang Xiuqing saluted and said with a smile: "I really don't know how those navies who have been adrift at sea all year round have adapted. ”

"It's normal to get sick on the dock." Yan Yangtian returned the military salute and said with concern: "Do you want to rest and go to see the big shopkeeper again?" ”

Yang Xiuqing waved her hand and said, "No, it'll be fine for a while, I'm used to it." ”

Yan Yangtian took out a cigarette and handed it to him, and lit one casually, for the New Sixth Army, he was quite conflicted in his heart, the combat power of the New Sixth Army is undoubtedly extremely strong, but this military discipline is really a headache, and the Yuanqi New Army has always attached great importance to military discipline.

Feeling a little better, Yang Xiuqing lit a cigarette and exhaled a long puff of smoke before he spoke: "The war against the Japanese is basically over, when will the court's reward come down?" ”

Hearing him ask about this stubble, Yan Yangtian couldn't help but show a wry smile, and said softly: "For the war, King Gong usurped the military power again, and the class returned to Beijing, and the court was so angry about it that it didn't mention the reward at all. ”

Yang Xiuqing was stunned when she heard this, "This is the destruction of the country, no, it is the work of opening up the territory and expanding the territory, and the court completely ignores it?" ”

"Maybe we haven't officially announced the end of the war against the Japanese yet." Yan Yangtian said with a smile, "I met with the big shopkeeper, and I mentioned it by the way, and let the big shopkeeper urge." ”

Yang Xiuqing glanced at him and said, "I heard that the imperial court has been busy implementing constitutional government recently, is this title still useful?" ”

"I don't know." Yan Yangtian said: "I heard that the Emperor appointed a group of clan nobles and Manchu and Mongolian vassal kings as councilors, and the other titles were not mentioned. ”

Yang Xiuqing said suspiciously: "Is this councilor an official position or a knighthood?" What grade? ”