How much money has Yuan Qi made over the years? Zhao Liewen wanted to ask, but after all, he didn't ask, he knew that this matter was taboo, but since Yi Zhishu dared to say so, the accumulated funds must be extremely huge, think about it, just monopolize the foreign trade of tea, raw silk, cotton and other bulk commodities, the profits in a year are extremely amazing, besides, which kind of business is not a huge profit?

Thinking about Russia's almost plundering serfdom reform, perhaps it should really be fortunate that there is Yuanqi, otherwise the imperial court will either not promote industrialization, or it will also follow Russia's example of looting the peasants, it is really urgent, the imperial court can't do anything, Russia is not the best example.

After a slight hesitation, he said: "Education is also the need for the development of industry? ”

"Of course. Otherwise, why would Yuanqi not hesitate to spend a huge amount of money to popularize education. Yi Zhizhi said: "Education is one of the basic conditions for the development of industry, and it is also one of the indispensable conditions, industrialization requires a large number of technical and scientific and technological talents, and the development of a country's talent reserve directly determines the level of a country's industrialization achievements." ”

It is no wonder that Yuanqi began to set up a Western-style school from the beginning of its establishment, and selected foreign students, which was planned to develop industry from the beginning.

Zhao Liewen secretly sighed and said tentatively: "It takes a long time to implement industrialization, right?" ”

"Yes, industrialization is a long process, ranging from decades to more than 100 years." Yi Zhifen said and sighed lightly, "I'm afraid we won't see that day in our lifetime." ”

It can be as short as a few decades, or as long as a hundred years! This will take at least four or five generations, Zhao Liewen couldn't help but secretly stumble, this is not an ordinary long, the other party who saw it sighed, he hurriedly relieved: "Yuanqi's industrial development is fast, but the situation has begun to take shape in twenty years, and the big shopkeeper is in full bloom, and he will definitely be able to see that day." ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, knowing that the other party did not understand the meaning of industrialization, and was too lazy to explain, industrialization is not without shortcuts, with his insight, with Yuanqi's strong financial resources and huge power, it is indeed possible to speed up the industrialization process of the Qing Dynasty, but it is only to speed up, after all, the development of industry is still focused on accumulation.

Seeing that he smiled and said nothing, Zhao Liewen changed the topic and said: "At present, the situation of land annexation is serious, and the land is highly concentrated, most of which are in the hands of the bureaucrats, gentry and landlords, especially the bureaucrats.

The students secretly believed that even if the rent reduction was very modest, the loss would still be considerable for the bureaucracy and gentry, who owned a large number of fields, and that the officials of the DPRK and China would inevitably try their best to obstruct them, and they were afraid that it would be difficult to achieve their goals by threatening immigrants. ”

This is a model of GMD's land reform measure in Taiwan - the 375 rent reduction, that is, tenant farmers only have to pay 37.5% of the harvested crops to the landlord, 15% for seeds, and the rest for their own use, this measure, tenant farmers can freely dispose of nearly half of the harvest.

Under normal circumstances, the share between the landlord and the tenant farmer is halved, and the heavy rent is six tenants and four tenants, deducting 15% of the seeds, and the tenant farmer can only dispose of 3 and a half or 2 and a half percent.

The range of rent reduction in the '375 rent reduction' is not small, and resistance from the bureaucrats, gentry and landlords is inevitable.

Yi Zhishu didn't care too much, "Let the imperial court try to implement it in Zhili first, the resistance is not small, this is for sure, after all, it is a move to grab food from the mouth, but with Su Shun's strength, it should not be a big problem, let's wait and see for the time being." ”

Before the words fell, Cao Gensheng hurriedly came in and reported: "The big shopkeeper, Jingshi Sushun called." ”

"It's really Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here." Yi Zhixiang said in a relaxed tone: "Nian ——。 ”

Cao Gensheng opened the folder and read: "Huangzhuang 357 rent reduction, Yuan Qi may subsidize?" ”

Su Shun actually plans to reduce the rent from the Huangzhuang? Zhao Liewen was secretly speechless, no wonder the big shopkeeper is so optimistic about Su Shun, and he really has no lack of courage, first of all, he will take Huangzhuang to open the knife!

Yi Zhishu groaned for a while, and then said: "Call back, the rent reduction in 375 is conducive to the continuation of the Qing Dynasty, and the emperor should be an example, and Yuan Qi will not give rent reduction subsidies." ”

Hearing him say this, Zhao Liewen was a little anxious, and hurriedly said: "Think twice, the big shopkeeper thinks twice, Huangzhuang takes the lead in reducing rent, which is conducive to the smooth implementation of the 357 rent reduction, why care about that bit of silver....... ”

"It's not about money." Yi Zhicontent was unmoved, "There is a permeable wall in the world, Huangzhuang rent reduction, Yuanqi subsidy, once it spreads, the 375 rent reduction cannot be implemented at all, Su Shun is dizzy!" ”

Listening to him, he scolded Su Shun, and Zhao Liewen's face was also a little sneering, indeed, once the noble princes and ministers of the Jingshi clan learned the truth about the rent reduction in Huangzhuang, the rent reduction in 375 was bound to be unable to be implemented.

Jingshi, Su Shun received the call back, and couldn't help frowning, how could he not know that this was a faint trick, but the emperor was young, and it was the Empress Dowager Ci'an who was in charge of the country, and he did not secretly give subsidies, so he agreed to take Huangzhuang as an example? The palace has been tightly pressed in recent years, and the implementation of rent reduction is tantamount to adding insult to injury.

If Huangzhuang is not an example and takes the lead in reducing rent, how will those princes and ministers of the Jingshi clan obediently cut their meat? If these people don't reduce rent, how can those local officials and gentry directly subordinate to reduce rent?

He had the heart to go to Yixun and ask King Gong Yixun to come forward to lobby Ci'an, but he couldn't pull his face, besides, it is difficult to say whether Yixun will sincerely help, after all, the land reform is suspected of stealing merit, and the reform of the law is led by Yixun.

After hesitating again and again, he picked up the telegram and went straight out of the military aircraft duty room to the Palace of Nourishing Hearts, he could only try it, move it with affection, know it with reason, and see if he could convince Ci'an.

Yang Xin Palace, Dongnuan Pavilion, Ci'an looked at the excerpts sent by the military aircraft with some absent-mindedness, and when she heard the report that Su Shun asked to see her, she groaned for a while before saying, "Let him come in." ”

In her heart, she didn't want to see Su Shun, she knew very well that Su Shun must have come for the sake of land reform, she thought about this for a long time, although she didn't oppose it, but she didn't support it, she just wanted to let the little emperor grow up peacefully, she didn't want to toss, but Yi Zhizhi was just tossing and turning, first preparing for the constitution, and now it is land reform, which endlessly annoys her.

She also felt a little unwelcome for Yixun and Sushun, and she saw very clearly that Yixun and Sushun were content with Yi Zhi, and they were obedient to each other, hoping to win the support of Yuanqi so that they could become the prime minister of the regent after the imperial court was constitutional.

After Su Shunjin's warm pavilion salute, he said straightforwardly: "Land is highly concentrated, has always been the root cause of the people's uprising, land reform, is conducive to alleviating social contradictions, is conducive to stabilizing the country's society, is a rare move to benefit the country and the people, Wei Chen secretly thinks that the implementation of rent reduction, Huangzhuang should be the world's example, is to call easy contentment, hope that Yuan Qi secretly subsidizes the loss of Huangzhuang........" As he spoke, he bowed down and handed over the telegram, "This is a return call from Yi Zhizhi." ”

Huangzhuang took the lead in reducing rents as an example for the world, and Yuan Qi secretly subsidized the losses of Huangzhuang, this idea sounded good, although Ci'an did not oppose or support land reform, but she cared about her and the reputation of the little emperor, which was obviously quite in line with her wishes.

However, after reading Yi Zhi's reply, Ci'an's face was a little ugly, and he secretly hated in his heart, the loss of Huangzhuang's rent reduction was a drop in the bucket for Yuan Qi, and Yi Zhixiang actually refused directly!

Su Shun knelt on the ground and waited for a while to see that there was no movement, and then he spoke: "Yi Zhishu refused to secretly subsidize because he was worried that the news would leak and it would be difficult to smoothly implement the rent reduction, and he also asked the Queen Mother to read the telegram carefully, and Yi Zhixiang made it very clear that he would not give rent reduction subsidies."

In Weichen's humble opinion, this sentence is an allusion that other subsidies can be given, and over the years, Yuan Qi has given a lot of court subsidies every year, and it is not difficult to set up another name for subsidies. ”

Hearing this, Ci'an couldn't help but feel a little moved, Yuan Qi is indeed a lot of various subsidies for the imperial court, only she knows that there are abolition of donation subsidies, river subsidies, port construction subsidies, Northeast immigration subsidies, education subsidies, etc., all add up, Yuan Qi gives the court tens of millions of taels of silver a year, and it is really nothing to set up another project to subsidize the loss of Huangzhuang.

However, she still can't make up her mind, Huangzhuang took the lead in reducing rent as an example for the world, which is both a good thing and a bad thing, rent reduction is beneficial to the country and the people, but it is not conducive to the world's officials, gentry and landlords, a little groaning, she said: "Kneel down." ”

Kneel down? Su Shun's heart sank, and he couldn't figure out what this woman was thinking in her heart for a while, so she had to bow down sullenly.

While the Qing court was hesitant about land reform, a large-scale battle broke out between the north and the south of the United States, the Battle of Chikamoga.

After two successive victories, the Northern Army took advantage of the victory to capture the southern railway junction of Chattanooga, in order to regain this railway junction, the Southern army organized a counteroffensive of 70,000 troops, and the northern army of 60,000 troops, commanded by William Rosecrans, assembled along the Chikamoga Creek outside Chattanooga to defend it.

In a big battle, both sides suffered heavy losses, with about 20,000 casualties each, but the northern army finally held the railway junction of Chattanooga.

After reading the telegram, Xie Xiuyuan was a little nervous, "In this battle, although the Northern Army suffered heavy casualties, it held Chattanooga, which should be regarded as a victory." ”

"Of course." Yi Zhizhi said: "In this battle, the northern army is at a disadvantage in terms of strength, and the southern army is also remarkable in terms of tactics, but in the end, the northern army was able to hold Chattanooga, which can be called a complete victory. ”

Speaking of this, he paused slightly, "Rest assured, this war will not affect the price of European cotton, if you want to say that the impact is a good one." ”

Hearing this, Xie Xiuyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, now a large amount of cotton has been shipped to Europe, if the price of cotton falls sharply, the profit of this cotton is bound to shrink sharply, since the price of cotton will not be affected, then, this year will be a bumper harvest for Yuan Qi, "The Northern Army has been in the past two months, it would be better if it could achieve another big victory." ”

"Lack of greed." Yi Zhizhi scolded with a smile, "Now that the transaction price of bulk cotton is more than forty cents, there is no need to ask too high." ”

"This cotton trade is similar to a one-hammer deal, and it is natural to pursue profits to the maximum." Xie Xiuyuan smiled, paused, and continued: "The Northern Connection wins, and the occupation begins to obviously tilt towards the North, will the war end next year?" Will cotton planting continue to expand next year? Or shrink the scale? ”

Yi Zhishu knew very well that the Civil War lasted for four years, five years, from 1861 to 1865, and next year, it should be a year of victory and triumph for the Northern Army, which means that the battlefield is mainly in the south, and it will be a huge destruction to the cotton plantations in the south.

After a slight hesitation, he said: "It is not very likely that this civil war in the United States will end next year, after all, the south is only showing signs of defeat now, and it will not give up easily until it is exhausted, and if nothing else, next year will inevitably be a year of large-scale counteroffensive in the north." After a pause, he said: "The scale of cotton planting next year will remain the status quo, and there is no need to expand or shrink." ”

What does this mean, Xie Xiuyuan felt that he didn't understand a little, "Since the war won't end, why not continue to expand the scale of cultivation?" It's a rare opportunity. ”

"War trade is highly profitable and risky, and once the war is over, international cotton prices will inevitably plummet." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "Moreover, the price of cotton continues to be high this year, and the war situation is obviously biased towards the Northern Army, and other countries will inevitably continue to expand the scale of cotton planting, we don't need to compete with them, just maintain the status quo, the stall is too big, which is not conducive to stopping." ”

Not conducive to closing? Xie Xiuyuan said tentatively: "What does the big shopkeeper mean, the war may end next year?" ”

"It's the economy that fights the war." Yi Zhizhi said quietly: "The southern plantation economy is already fragile, and once the war situation is unfavorable and the attitude of European countries changes, it will not be able to hold on for a long time without seeing hope. ”

Xie Xiuyuan, who was waiting, left briskly. Yi Zhizhi lit a cigarette, the Civil War is not far from the end, the cotton trade must be stopped in time, and the arms and drugs must be reduced in time for transformation, in his impression, after the Civil War, the next major war should be the Franco-Prussian War that marks the rise of Germany, that got 1870, there are still six or seven years to go, and then, the Franco-Prussian War, Yuanqi's arms trade is afraid that there is no market, but the drug business can be done.

He was pondering when Zhao Liewen walked in with a newspaper in his hand, and arched his hand: "Big shopkeeper, the recent controversy in the newspaper has been silent, but the imperial court has not moved, so I think it should be ...... hesitant about land reform." ”

Yi Zhishu looked at him and said, "What does Huifu mean, let's help the court make up your mind?" ”

"It turns out that the big shopkeeper has been prepared for a long time." Zhao Liewen smiled: "But are you going to make a final decision? ”