After drying up the wine in one gulp, Yi Zhishu glanced at everyone present, and said with a smile: "Five thousand regiments, ten battalions, but there are still people willing to recommend themselves?" ”

A table of people looked at each other, but no one dared to say anything, all of them were like mirrors in their hearts, Yuanqi's regimental training was no better than the regimental training formed by the local gentry, the governor attached so much importance to it, once the war broke out, it was bound to go to the battlefield, and they didn't want to raise their heads to play with the English.

Seeing that no one was silent, Yan Shikuan said, "Third brother, count me in." ”

Yi Zhishu glanced at him and said with a smile: "It's not your share in this matter, stay at home for a few days, and hurry back to Shanghai for me." ”

"Huh?" Yan Shikuan was stunned for a moment, and then said with a look of grievance: "Third brother, let's go home specifically for the New Year." ”

Yi Zhizhi looked at him with a smile and said, "Yuanqi and the big and small shopkeepers, who went home for the New Year?" Are you special? ”

As soon as he heard that the tone was wrong, Yan Shikuan hurriedly laughed and said: "Don't you dare to break Yuanqi's rules, listen to the third brother, and I'll be back in a few days." ”

Yi Zhizhi lazily ignored him, and his eyes swept Ma Yinglong, Liang Zhaomin and several other famous talents intentionally or unintentionally, seeing this situation, Ma Yinglong touched his nose and smiled: "Brother Contentment, is it not intentional that a few of our scholars will put pen to paper?" Let's write articles, lead troops into battle to kill the enemy, but we are not good at it. ”

"Brother Junhu's words are ridiculous." Yi Zhizu poured himself a cup as he spoke, and said slowly: "Since ancient times, scholars have led the army, and there are many people who have left their names in history, Lu Xun of the Three Kingdoms, Chen Qingzhi of the Southern Dynasty, Liu Renliang of the Tang Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan of the Song Dynasty, Yu Qian, Wang Shouren, and Yuan Chonghuan of the Ming Dynasty, which one is not a scholar?"

The horse can lift the bow, the horse can be cursive, the plug is a famous general, and the court is a good appearance. Don't you look forward to it? The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband, let alone the scholars? The country has been raising soldiers for 200 years, and now is the time to serve the country. ”

Hearing this, Wu Changqing had already reacted, and Yi Zhizhi was content that this was to use scholars to lead Yuanqi to practice. He couldn't help but secretly praise, good idea! Nowadays, the practice of discriminating against martial artists is extremely prevalent, and the literati are very contemptuous of the martial arts, compared with the literati, the status of the martial arts is very low.

If all the Yuanqi group training is led by scholars, the middle and low-level military attachés of the superintendent and the sailor division will not be able to control the Yuanqi group training at all! It seems that Yi Zhizhi wants these shows to come forward. It's to throw bricks and lead jade.

Ma Yinglong was not interested in forming a group practice, and said with a smile: "Brother Contentment can afford us, chanting poems and filling in lyrics, we can still do our best, dancing knives and guns, it is really difficult for us." ”

Yi Zhixiang didn't want to force them, so he smiled and said, "Then don't complain that I didn't give you a chance in the future." ”

What is this opportunity? Everyone didn't think so, and Yi Zhicontent didn't say much. Wu Changqing knew that things must have changed, but it was inconvenient to ask more questions at the wine table. After dark, everyone moved to the battlefield and chartered a purple cave boat to tour Baietan, and a reception banquet was only dispersed on the third watch.

In the middle of the night, Yi Zhishu didn't dare to go back to Yifu, and went straight back to Rongyuan to rest, early the next morning. Before he got up, Wu Changqing, Yan Shikuan, and Wu Yundong had already patted the door outside.

After getting up, he washed hastily, and Yi Zhizhi walked into the living room and said, "Come early in the morning to disturb people's dreams." ”

"It's not too early." Wu Changqing said with a smile: "It's already past seven o'clock." ”

Jin Ying, who saw it, came up with tea, and Wu Yundong hurriedly took it. Attentively pouring tea for a few people, Yan Shikuan glanced at Jin Ying, and quipped: "The eighteenth year of the female college has changed, and the young girl has become more and more pretty." ”

Jin Yingling said sharply: "Yan Gongzi hasn't changed at all. ”

"Is this laughing at me and I'm still so fat?" Yan Shikuan said and glanced at his belly, and said with a smile: "There's no way, I just can't get down." ”

Yi Zhizhi ignored a few people, drank half a bowl of porridge, and ate some breakfast, and then told Jin Ying to clean up, and when Jin Ying retreated, he sipped tea slowly and said, "What do you want to ask?" ”

Wu Yundong couldn't wait to say: "Third brother, how to recruit a thousand group training?" Most of the flower fields are other courtyards, there are not many people, and most of the local people are slippery and unusable. ”

"What is the flower field that is not worth it? Xiguan, Henan, and Changzhou are mostly like this. Yi Zhizu said slowly: "I don't plan to set up a group training in the local area, Yuanqi group training is to fight a tough battle, I plan to recruit from various prefectures and counties through Yuanqi, recruit a hundred people from each county, and ask for eighteen to twenty-year-old farmers, and give Yuanqi the treatment of the merchant group." ”

"Recruit a hundred people from each county?" Wu Yundong was stunned for a moment, and muttered: "There are seventy-nine counties in the nine prefectures and fifteen prefectures in Guangdong Province, and one county recruits a hundred people, doesn't this have to be tens of thousands?" ”

"Too much?" Yi Zhixiang smiled and said, "If it's too much, let's survive the fittest in Guangzhou and cut half of it, which is nothing more than a waste of some entanglements." ”

Wu Changqing said in a deep voice: "With such a big fanfare, what has changed? ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "Dou Zhenbiao, the chief soldier of Qiongzhou, is quite worried about the Changhua regimental training and has reported to the Governor's Mansion. ”

Changhua's group training is trapped? Wu Changqing said worriedly: "It's not serious, right?" ”

"Don't worry, it's no big deal." Yi Zhisuff said casually: "How can that place in Changhua not form a group to maintain peace? ”

Seeing his understatement tone, Wu Changqing knew that the matter was not serious, and immediately pulled back the topic and said: "With a scholar leading the Yuanqi group training, will the Governor be suspicious?" ”

Yi Zhisuff laughed and said: "The two ministers called on the local gentry to form a group practice, and Yuan Qi responded positively, what doubts can arise?" The Governor may be a little unhappy, but the Governor must be overjoyed. After a pause, he said: "It's okay, when the Yuanqi regiment is trained into an army, the governor should also be transferred." ”

"Will Lord Deng really be transferred?"

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "It should be soon." ”

Wu Changqing estimated whether he had heard any rumors, and immediately stopped asking about it, and said: "The civil and military are light, it has been a long time, the literati are not martial, the martial arts are not civilized, the civil and military are divided into domains and the barriers are strict, and it is rare to allow the liberal arts of the Wen Yunwu, and the contented brother wants to recruit the literati to lead the Yuanqi group training, I am afraid it will be difficult to achieve his wish." ”

"How do you know if you don't try?" Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "There are nearly two thousand shareholders of Yuanqi, and more than half of them are local gentry. Besides, we don't have to be limited to Yuanqi's internal recruitment, we can recruit openly, and we are afraid that no one will be tempted to invest in Yuanqi and gain fame and fortune? ”

"Fame and fortune are naturally moving. But if the literati are not martial, how can they lead the group training? ”

"Scholars are in charge of the army, why do you need to be martial? No one is born to lead the army to fight, whether or not he has the talent to lead the army, it will be clear after a few battles. Yi Zhishu said slowly: "Besides, the Yuanqi regiment is equipped with muskets and artillery, not broadswords, spears, bows and arrows, etc., the strategy and tactics of the marching formation have changed greatly, and the scholars have strong receptivity and comprehension. Easy to learn. ”

Hearing him say this, Wu Changqing didn't bother to argue again, and said in a deep voice: "Since this is the case, Brother Contentment might as well ask Nanshan Gong to publish an article in the "Xiguan Daily", calling on scholars to join Yuanqi Tuanyong. ”

"No." Yi Zhizu waved his hand and said: "There are a lot of foreign businessmen in Macao who subscribe to the Xiguan Daily, and although this news cannot be concealed, it is not appropriate to publicize it in a big way. As he spoke, he looked at Wu Yundong. Said: "Since Yundong has the ambition to command the army, he will move to Yuanqiyixue. Learn cohort training first. ”

The two of them said goodbye and left, Yi Zhizhi got up and took two cigars, threw one to Yan Shikuan, and said, "Come back so early, but because the court is not smoking, don't worry?" ”

Yan Shikuan said with a little weakness: "There is a third brother to take care of." I don't have anything to worry about. ”

"Crow. I can't take care of the smuggling. Yi Zhizhi lit his cigar slowly and took a puff, and then said slowly: "Ling Zun is quite cautious, Lord Lin also has a heart for the Thirteen Elements, and he has not strictly pursued it. Otherwise, I am afraid that this level will only be sad. After a brief pause, he continued: "At this juncture, you shouldn't come back." ”

Yan Shikuan smiled and said: "It's not that I'm thinking about the New Year, but I'm also worried about the situation in Guangzhou. ”

"Let's stay a few days and come back." Yi Zhizhi said: "A war with England is inevitable, just next summer, Shanghai, Nanjing are the targets of British attack, as soon as the war breaks out, Liangjiang's money bank will inevitably suffer a run, I am afraid that many money banks will go bankrupt, this is a good opportunity for Yuan Qi to strengthen his strength." ”

Yan Shikuan's heart tightened when he heard this, and he hurriedly asked, "Then do you want to evacuate our Shanghai semicolon?" ”

"Don't evacuate and wait to be robbed by the British?" Yi Zhizu rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Of course we have to evacuate, the British army is a navy, and we must attack along the Yangtze River, and all the towns and towns along the way must be evacuated, of course, don't just care about withdrawing, you have to recruit the bankrupt money shopkeeper guys, Shanghai will soon be prosperous, and Yuanqi will speed up the development of Shanghai in recent years." In addition, you try to make friends with the local gang, the Green Gang, and Yuan Qi will have a place to use the Green Gang in the future. ”

Yan Shikuan now admired him for his five-body throw, how could he question what he said, and immediately nodded excitedly and said: "Third brother, don't worry, we are very familiar with the trick of falling into the well." As he spoke, he hesitated a little and said, "My little sister wants to see the third brother." ”

"Eighteen Fu Lei Yuan, how are you talking?"

The old man bit his tongue and didn't let go.

"Wait for the notice of Yuanqi's recruitment team training to come out, and then talk about it, talk about it as soon as possible, and strive to give you and your little sister a trip in Lei Yuan before leaving."

"Third brother, don't worry." Yan Shikuan said with a smile: "He is an iron rooster, and we also have steel tongs, so we can definitely pluck out his two hairs." ”

Three days later, the general number of Yuanqi and the semicolons of each major and small respectively posted a notice in a conspicuous position to recruit the regiment brave: Qinwang Weidao, loyal to the country, resist foreign insults, and resist Yingyi. Yuanqi set up a regiment to practice, especially in the prefectures and counties to recruit regimental bravery, a county of 100 people, only take 18 to 20, strong farmers, after two assessments and hired, enjoy the treatment of Yuanqi staff, two yuan per month, enlistment is considered seniority, meritorious service, in advance to the top of the stock.

In addition, recruit soldiers under the age of 30, who are in good health, determined to serve the country, and fight against foreign aggression to join Yuanqi Tuanyong and serve as military attachés at all levels of Yuanqi Tuanyong, with unlimited quotas and preferential treatment.

As soon as the notice was posted, it immediately caused a sensation, it is not surprising that Yuanqi formed a group practice, but the formation of a group practice of tens of thousands of people is the expectation of everyone in the household, although the group training is not a new thing in the Qing Dynasty, but the local group training is generally not large, the group training of two or three thousand people is already considered a large group training, and a group training of tens of thousands of people suddenly appeared, which is really a bit appalling, and the Yuanqi group training is still recruited from various prefectures and counties.

Xiguan, Nanguan, Henan, Huadi gentry and businessmen were panicked for a while, and many people realized that starting a war with England was afraid that it would be more auspicious and less auspicious, otherwise Yuan Qi would not have spent so much money, 10,000 staff, 20,000 oceans for a month alone, as well as food and equipment, this year, at least 300,000 or 400,000 oceans!

The small people are happy, Yuanqi set up such a large-scale group training, for them at least one more security, the happiest are the nearby farmers, and there is one more opportunity to enter Yuanqi, although Yuanqi group training is risky, but the welfare of Yuanqi staff is also extremely rare, the pension allowance for the disabled and killed in battle is extraordinary, and the more attractive is Yuanqi's stock.

Yuanqi general number, in the big conference hall, there was a lot of people, a buzzing discussion, like a big vegetable market, all the shareholders present were the shareholders of Yuanqi who rushed to come after seeing the announcement of Yuanqi's formation of a group practice, Yuanqi recruited tens of thousands of employees at once, and also promised to top the shares, which is all their silver, how can they have no opinions.

Yi Zhizu strode to the stage and glanced at the black pressure below, he had already exercised now, on such an occasion, he didn't feel the pressure at all, and waited a little before he raised his voice: "Everyone be quiet." ”

The conference hall soon fell silent, and Yi Zhizu said loudly: "You are all here for Yuan Qi's formation of a group practice, right?" Here, I will briefly say that Lord Qinchalin, the governor of the city, Lord Deng, asked Yuan Qi to set an example and form a group training of 5,000 people, and the notice was to recruit more than 10,000 people, but there was another assessment in Guangzhou, and in the end only 5,000 people were taken. ”

Hearing this, all the shareholders secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and Yi Zhizhi continued: "I think you should all know that Yuanqi's headquarters is in Xiguan, Changle Machinery Factory and Mint are in Henan, the shipyard is in Changzhou, and the Ammunition Bureau is in Luoxi.

In addition, once this crisis is over, these 5,000 regiments can immediately turn into Yuanqi workers, machine factories, shipyards, ammunition bureaus, as well as Changhua iron ore mines, iron and steel plants, all need a large number of workers, how many workers are needed? I might as well give you a thorough explanation, more than 10,000 people! It can be said that Yuan Qi took the opportunity of forming a group to train this time to recruit workers! ”

Selling Ma Street, the Governor's Palace, Signing Houses.

Lin Zexu glanced at Deng Tingzhen and Yiliang, shook the Yuanqi recruitment notice in his hand, and said with a smile: "This is easy to be content, it is really a good courage, a hundred people in one county, isn't this more than 10,000?" ”

Yiliang glanced at Deng Tingzhen and said with a smile: "Yesterday, Yi Zhixin reported this matter, saying that five thousand people were selected from it. ”

"This is a young man of eighteen to twenty years old." Lin Zexu said with a smile: "How can you let it go easily." ”

Deng Tingzhen said: "Yuan Qicai has suffered a run, and now it has not eased up, 10,000 group training, Yuan Qi can hardly afford it." ”

"You two were deceived by that kid." Lin Zexu said with a smile: "Everyone has come to Guangzhou, does Yuan Qi still have a reason to go back?" (To be continued.) )