Of course, this is cheap and not easy to pick up, Yi conscience is like a mirror, the current situation, the whole country is strictly forbidden crows. The call of the film, at this time, is a disguised relaxation of the ban, there is a certain risk, but this risk is worth taking, for him who has just been promoted to the governor of Guangdong, this is a rare opportunity.

Don't look at the difference between the governor and the governor is only one level, but this level is a moat, how many people can't step through this hurdle in a lifetime, planting crows in the vassal country. The film gave him a rare opportunity, and once Daoguang adopted this advice, he had a good chance of becoming the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou.

Will Daoguang adopt this advice? The key is how effective the smoking ban is, if the effect is not good, it will be adopted nine times out of ten, if the smoking ban is very effective, it is almost impossible, and even then, he is not too worried, after all, the crows are planted in the vassal country. For the imperial court, the film has an extremely rich and considerable income, an income of tens of millions of taels of silver a year, which is an inducement that Daoguang and the ministers can hardly refuse. Confusion, even if you don't adopt it, it won't be condemned, but it's better to use a secret fold to send it.

After thinking carefully and weighing it, he looked at Yi Zhizhi and asked with a kind face: "If the imperial court completely bans smoking, will the effect be significant in terms of contentment?" ”

Hearing him ask, Yi Zhishu knew that he was tempted, and after a little groaning, he spoke: "It depends on how determined and strong the court is to ban smoking. The filmmaker is guilty of a capital crime, and the results are bound to be remarkable. ”

If this is to say, it is not severely punished for sucking crows; The filmmaker could not have achieved much effect, Yi Liang comprehended, nodded slightly, and had a good impression of Yi Zhi. said with a smile: "Although the "Eighteen Articles on Railway Rejuvenation" and "Theory of National Debts" were not published in the Di newspaper. But in the boiling of the Jingshi biography. The official has also heard a little, and when I see it today, it is really a man who is not vain under the fame, and although he is young, he is a rare economic talent. ”

Yi Zhixiang hurriedly bowed and said: "Lord Zhongcheng praises falsely, for the way of economy, he just peeks into the doorway, and he is a great economic talent." I'm really ashamed. ”

Seeing that he was talented and not arrogant, reasonable, and calm, Yiliang liked it more and more, and secretly wondered why Deng Tingzhen favored him, and immediately said with a smile: "Contentment has a broad vision and unique opinions, which is really very incomparable." After a pause, he continued: "Contentment is a virtuous circle of foreign trade. Purchasing things that are beneficial to the Qing Dynasty refers to railways? ”

"Exactly." Yi Zhishu said loudly: "Crow. Piece smuggling. The Qing Dynasty lost tens of millions of taels of silver a year, and if it was used to introduce railway construction, two years would be enough to build a railway from Guangzhou to Beijing. Such a railway can increase the income of at least millions of taels for the imperial court every year.

On the orders of the Guangdong Customs, the Thirteen Lines planned to build a railway from Guangzhou to Foshan, and was negotiating with the Citigroup Railway Company, striving to complete it within three years. smuggling, following the rules, engaging in legitimate business. ”

Smuggler crows. The main thing in the film is England and Citigroup businessmen, listening to this, Deng Tingzhen said with some emotion: "Thirteen lines can really persuade Citigroup businessmen to give up crows. Piece smuggling? ”

Yi Zhishu nodded, and said in a firm tone: "At least seventy percent sure." After a pause, he continued: "Citi is now breaking out of an economic panic, a large number of banks have collapsed, stocks have fallen sharply, real estate is on the verge of collapse, they urgently need to expand foreign trade, the market potential of the construction of the Qing Dynasty Railway is quite large, Citigroup is eager to cooperate with the imperial court, to contract the construction of the Qing Railway, and it is bound to be unwilling to lose the big because of the small." ”

Deng Tingzhen and Yiliang both seemed to understand these words, but the general meaning was understood, and with a slight groan, Deng Tingzhen said eagerly: "There is a way for the Thirteen Lines to make the English merchants give up the crows. Piece smuggling? ”

"Nope." Yi Zhishu shook his head and said: "Citi has not been a country for a long time, and its foundation is too shallow to be compared with England. The amount of piece smuggling is not comparable to that of Citigroup, and it will definitely not take the initiative to give up crows. Piece smuggling. ”

Deng Tingzhen smiled dumbly, he was a little hopeful, but he could persuade Citigroup to take the initiative to give up the crow. Smuggling is already very rare, and he immediately advised: "It is imperative to strictly ban smoking in the whole country, and the thirteen lines should do everything possible to make Citigroup businessmen take the initiative to give up crows. Piece smuggling. ”

"Respect the order of the minister." Yi Zhizhi bowed to his body, raised his body, and said loudly: "Go back to the roots, crow. The root cause of smuggling lies in the inequality of foreign trade.

Before opium smuggling was rampant, the Qing Dynasty's foreign trade had been in a surplus position, and almost all the countries that traded with the Qing Dynasty had to load silver to the Qing Dynasty's trade, and year after year, a large amount of silver was also lost in various countries.

A few decades ago, there were dozens of countries trading with the Thirteen Lines, but in recent years, most of them have disappeared, leaving only England and Citigroup. Quite simply, the other countries did not have enough silver to come to trade and had to withdraw from the trade with the Qing Dynasty.

Britain and Citi were able to hold on because they found a substitute for silver—the British used cotton and homegrown textiles from India, and the United States used ginseng and furs, but even then, their trade with the Qing Dynasty still required a significant amount of silver.

Under these circumstances, the merchants of the two countries were forced to look for better alternatives to silver, and in the end, they found the ideal alternative. It not only changed the embarrassing situation of continuous outflow of silver, but also reversed the entire trade situation in one fell swoop, turning the deficit into a surplus, and the silver of the Qing Dynasty also changed from an inflow to a continuous outflow. ”

Opium smuggling has been rampant for decades, and no one has ever been able to stand at the height of East-West trade to analyze the reasons so objectively, and can analyze it so clearly.

Deng Tingzhen had already heard Yi Zhi's analysis before, and when he mentioned it again, he said with some hesitation: "What does it mean to be content, the imperial court has completely banned smoking, and the foreign trade of the Thirteen Lines will be greatly affected?" Is it even possible to cut off? ”

"It's not necessarily possible to cut off trade." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "The outflow of silver from the Qing Dynasty in recent years is not a small amount, and it is impossible to cut off trade in a short period of time, but it is inevitable that it will be greatly affected. ”

After a pause, he continued: "The imperial court strictly prohibits smoking and prohibits crows. If they want to continue trade, the two countries will inevitably return to their previous embarrassing situation, which is unbearable for both countries, and the top priority is to establish a virtuous circle of foreign trade.

The introduction of railway construction, the introduction of iron and steel mills, machine manufacturing plants, imported steel and various mining, metallurgy, textile, transportation and other machinery and equipment are conducive to promoting a virtuous cycle of foreign trade. (To be continued.) )