The cable telegraph connects Europe and the Americas, which can be described as a global connection, which is undoubtedly a great thing for the Qing Dynasty, which is equivalent to shortening the distance between the Qing Dynasty and the countries of the world in an instant, and has great significance for commerce and finance.

In the Crimean War, the British and French forces used cable telegraphs on the battlefield, obviously tasting the sweetness, so they were in a hurry to open a telegram with the Qing Dynasty, however, Yi Zhishu was not worried about this, and when Wu Changqing left, he sent someone to call Cao Gensheng. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

The rain outside is still not small, Yi Zhizu got up with a cigarette holder and walked out of the study and walked into the corridor to watch the rain, in fact, he had already considered the matter of telegraph networking, and he had also negotiated with Citigroup's telegraph company, along the coastline through the Bering Strait to connect North America and Asia, connecting the United States and the Qing Dynasty cable telegraph, but they were too slow, and before they had explored the route, the British had already connected the wire to their doorstep.

Cao Gen was born quickly, and when he entered the courtyard, he saw Yi Zhizhi standing in the corridor, he hurriedly handed the umbrella to the little servant, hurried over, and said, "The big shopkeeper——。 ”

Yi Zhizu caught a glimpse of his trouser legs were wet, and groaned for a while, before beckoning Lin Meilian and instructing: "Build the sandwich road into a corridor, it is inconvenient to travel on rainy days, and the various departments of Yinghui Garden are also connected by corridors, so that it is convenient for various departments to come and go on rainy days." ”

Lin Meilian hurriedly said: "Yes, my subordinates will arrange it immediately." ”

"The British have already laid the cable telegraph from London to Temasek, and it will be connected to the South Seas soon." Yi Zhishu said and raised his hand: "Come into the house and say." ”

Cao Gensheng, who is the head of the confidential telecommunications section, immediately followed into the house and said, "Big shopkeeper, is it unnecessary for us to lay a cross-ocean sea line in cooperation with Citigroup Telegraph." ”

"How could it be unnecessary? Continue to lay. The Northeast, Sakhalin, Kamchatka Peninsula, Alaska, and the west coast of Citigroup will all rely on this line to connect, so naturally they can't give up, and the cable telegraph between Daqing and Citigroup doesn't want to transit through Europe, and his own line is more reassuring.

"Cable telegraphy is connected to the grid abroad, and security and confidentiality are top priorities, especially in the event of a war." Yi Zhizhi said: "The two provinces of Nanyang are isolated overseas, and once a war breaks out, the enemy will inevitably destroy the telegraph line first, cut off the cable telegraph, and lay another sea line from the east of Taiwan to connect Luzon."

In addition, the Javanese line maintenance personnel have a detailed understanding of the British's line laying in Temasek, and can cut off the other party's line in time if necessary.

In addition, the telecommunications bureaus from all over the country dispatched elites to study the cable and telegraph codes of Britain, France, the United States, Russia, and other countries, and strive to be able to decipher the codes of various countries, and at the same time, carefully study how to prevent others from deciphering our codes, and remember that this is not a temporary organization, but a long-term organization, and you must cooperate with the intelligence bureau in this matter if you contact Ren An. ”

"Yes." Cao Gensheng hurriedly said, but he was shocked in his heart, and Yi Zhizhi told again, "This matter can't be quiet." ”

"My subordinates understand."

Cao Gensheng retreated, Wei Yuan and Zhao Wenlie came together, and after entering the house to pay a salute, Wei Yuan said: "Sir, the Beijing-Hangzhou Railway and the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway have now been opened to traffic, and most of the grain has been changed to railway transportation, but the imperial court's collection of grain has not changed at all, is it a knock on the imperial court?" ”

After a slight sigh, Yi Zhizhi said: "How much can I save by changing to railway transportation?" ”

This question was obviously a bit unexpected by Wei Yuan, he smiled and said: "Sir, this can stop us, the cost of Caoyun is huge, there is no doubt about it, but how big it is, it is difficult to count, conservative calculation, Caoyun is one stone of grain, public and private consumption, one stone of grain is needed, five or six buckets of silver, five or seven dollars of silver, this does not include the huge expenses of Caoyun officials." ”

As soon as his words fell, Zhao Wenlie continued: "Cao Yun has taken the railway, it seems that all the silver can be converted, and then the Cao Yun will be abolished, and the disadvantages of Cao Grain will be known to the whole world, and it will be abolished as soon as possible, and the people's hearts will be stabilized as soon as possible." ”

"You can't be in a hurry to abolish the Cao Yun." Wei Yuan hurriedly said: "There are hundreds of thousands of workers who are attached to Caoyun, plus their families, at least as many as one million, and if they are hastily abolished, there will inevitably be chaos ...... the place." ”

"That's what Gong Liangtu said." Yi Zhizu took over and said: "The abolition of Cao Yun is not in a hurry at this time, the Beijing-Hangzhou Railway is not enough to completely replace the eight provinces of Cao grain transshipment, however, it is feasible to knock the imperial court and reduce the burden of the people to pay Cao grain, after all, railway transportation has greatly reduced the transportation cost of Cao grain. ”

"The big shopkeeper." Zhao Wenlie said unwillingly: "Almost all the grain in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces comes from Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan, and the students secretly think that they can buy grain in Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, Jiangning and other places to buy grain, and directly transport it by rail, which can not only stimulate commerce and trade, but also reduce the burden of the people in various provinces." ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him, and then looked at Wei Yuan, this is not unreasonable, Jiangsu and Zhejiang have few people, and the handicraft industry is developed, and the grain produced in the two provinces is not enough to supply the local, not to mention the grain, so the rice in Jiangsu and Zhejiang is basically not produced in this province, but bought from the two lakes, and the two lakes are received by Sichuan rice.

Seeing Wei Yuan, he was silent, and Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly: "Otherwise, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces will take a look as a pilot, one will accumulate experience, and the other will also conduct data analysis, and finally determine the amount of grain into silver, which can also be used as the basis for abolishing Cao Yun and converting grain into silver in the future." In addition, if the effect is good, it can also be abolished year by year, province by province. ”

"It's doable." Wei Yuan nodded and said, "Let's see how big the difference is." ”

"Liangtu Gong is going to make an excerpt." Yi Zhizhi said: "In addition to the two provinces to implement the exchange of silver, the other six provinces also let the imperial court reduce the burden of grain, and the construction of railways must always benefit the people, so that the resistance of the provinces and localities to the construction of railways in the future will be smaller, and furthermore, before the outbreak of the war, this move can also play a role in attracting the hearts of the people." ”

Jingshi, Haidian, Old Summer Palace, Fangbi Cong.

After reading the excerpt of Yi Zhi's contentment, Xianfeng couldn't help frowning slightly, most of the grain was changed to railway transportation, and the transportation cost dropped sharply, how could the imperial court not know the reason, the imperial court has done everything possible to open up sources and reduce expenditure over the years, and the imperial court has changed so much, how can the imperial court not know, and how can it let go?

In recent years, the amount of rice paid in the Jingshi warehouse and the rice in the Tongzhou warehouse has increased year by year, and last year it has exceeded five million stones, and the extra one million stones are saved by transportation costs, which is three or four million taels of silver!

Now let the situation reduce the burden of grain, this is not the burden of the people, but the income of the imperial court! Xianfeng's heart is naturally greasy, but it is easy to know that this fold is clear, and people with a discerning eye know that the cost of railway transportation is far lower than that of Caoyun, and it is obviously not possible to pretend to be confused. I'm afraid that Yi Zhicontent will stab this in the newspaper.

Glancing at Peng Yunzhang and Bai Ye who were kneeling below, he said slowly: "What do you think?" ”

Without waiting for Peng Yunzhang to speak, Bai Ye said straightforwardly: "Back to the emperor, last year's disaster relief, Henan and Shandong intercepted nearly one million stones of grain, Heilongjiang soldiers, Shandong disaster immigration, Shanxi locust plague, all need the imperial court to allocate grain, the slave steals that even if it is reduced, it will have to be delayed for two years." ”

"Your Majesty." Peng Yunzhang said unhurriedly: "Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces try to buy grain in silver on behalf of the grain, the cost will inevitably be greatly reduced, and the news can not be concealed, if the imperial court does not reduce the burden of grain in the remaining six provinces, the people will inevitably be dissatisfied, if the emperor orders Jiangsu and Zhejiang to try to convert grain into silver, and reduce the consumption of grain and additional taxes in the remaining six provinces, it will be praised by all the people, which is conducive to stabilizing the people's hearts."

In fact, Wei Chen secretly thought that the benefits of grain and rail transportation, reducing river engineering expenditures, and reducing redundant personnel in water transportation were far higher than the consumption of grain and additional taxes. ”

Listening to these words, Xianfeng secretly moved, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces have now been manipulated by Yi Zhicontent, Yi Zhishu wants to try to convert grain into silver, he can't stop it at all, and now the southeastern provinces can pay taxes as usual It is already a blessing, how else can he interfere? What is more important is to stabilize the people's hearts, no, it should be to win the hearts of the people! Compete with Yuanqi for the hearts of the people!

And the reduction of river work expenditures, the reduction of redundant personnel, the benefits are indeed not comparable to the millions of stone grain, the imperial court in a year on river work is as little as seven or eight million, with railway transportation, the river industry and silver can be greatly reduced, the transport officials can also be cut in large numbers.

"Your Majesty." Bai Ye opened his mouth and said: "The railway tax and silver should also be urged to be paid by Yuan Qi, and in addition, the price of grain transportation must also be negotiated with them to reduce the situation." ”

Xianfeng smiled secretly in his heart when he heard this, "Let's take it slowly, talk to them after a while, don't be too obvious." As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at Peng Yunzhang and said, "Intended purpose——。 ”

The edict was sealed, and the eunuch on duty reported at the door: "Your Majesty, Su Shun and Shangshu Linkui of the Criminal Department are handing over signs outside to ask to see." ”

"Let them in." Daoguang glanced at Peng Yunzhang and the others as he spoke, and said, "Kneel down." ”

Not long after, Su Shun and Lin Kui entered the room, and after inviting An to see the salute, Su Shun knelt down on the military plane blanket and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the Criminal Department recently arrested a Jiangyang thief, and a shocking case was involved!" ”

A shocking case? Xianfeng was shocked, what kind of shocking case? Lin Kui had already bowed down to present a fold and a few confessions, and looked through them carefully, Xianfeng's face was a little uncertain, it was indeed a shocking case, the fire case in Zhenhai Houfu, which Daoguang had repeatedly ordered to investigate during his reign, was suddenly broken when people had forgotten about it! The mastermind behind it is even more shocking, and it faintly points to Mu Zhang'a, the chief military minister of the two dynasties! Of the five arson criminals who had been arrested that year, three of them had confessed, and the main one - Lin Bao, the son of Jiqing, the second housekeeper of the Mu Mansion, had died unexpectedly three years ago, and Jiqing also died of illness last year.

When the Zhenhai Hou Mansion caught fire, the entire Hou Mansion was burned into ruins, Yi Zhi's parents were all killed in the fire, and the Beijing Division was a sensation, and the most direct consequence was that Yi Zhi, who was leading the army to conquer Nanyang, returned home to mourn, and then resigned from the official Ding Wei, and the relationship between Yuan Qi and the imperial court also took a sharp turn for the worse, and fell to the point where it is today.

Xianfeng was a little hesitant in his heart, if there was no case back then, I am afraid that this throne would not be his turn to sit, and eight years have passed since this case, Mu Zhang'a has been critically ill, and Yi Zhizhi is now faintly separating the southeast from the court to fight against the court, at this time, is it still necessary to turn this case over?

Seeing that Xianfeng was silent for a long time, Su Shun kowtowed a few times, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the case of the Marquis of Zhenhai back then was very strange and suspicious, everyone knows it, if the emperor can severely punish the murderer, ......." ”

"Jiqing and Lin Bao are dead, there is no proof of death, there is no need to check again!" Xianfeng said in a deep voice, pulling out Mu Zhang'a, Daoguang and his face are not good-looking, it is also a serious blow to the prestige of the imperial court, and it will also contribute to Yi Zhicontent's prestige, and more importantly, in his opinion, it is impossible for Yi Zhixiang to turn back.

Seeing that Xianfeng was pretending to be confused, Su Shun hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty——。 ”

"No more!" Xianfeng said in a deep voice: "The last bullet seal, the murderer abandoned the city, and the fugitive tried his best to arrest him." ”

Bullet stamps? Su Shun reacted in an instant, and hurriedly kowtowed: "The emperor is sage." ”

"Move fast." Xianfeng advised, and the two of them bowed down and retreated, and he immediately ordered the four eunuchs to go to the Mu Mansion to wait for Mu Zhang'a, and then instructed the eunuchs to go to the Tai Hospital to deliver the decree, and sent the imperial doctor to Mu Zhang's Mansion to check Mu Zhang'a's condition, and gave an order to the Admiral of Jiumen, and sent troops to seal the Mu Mansion.

In the afternoon of the same day, more than 20 excerpts of the impeachment of Mu Zhang'a were placed on Xianfeng's desk, Mu Zhang'a, as the chief military aircraft of the Daoguang and Xianfeng dynasties, his protégés and former officials were all over the court and abroad, but the people who offended were also all over the government and the opposition, and Su Shun launched and took the lead in impeachment, and there were naturally no fewer people who echoed it.

The news spread, the Beijing division was a sensation, the officialdom was in an uproar, no one knew what happened, however, Mu Zhang'a's political enemies and enemies were really many, Xianfeng did not say anything, and the next day, the excerpt of the impeachment of Mu Zhang'a flew into the Old Summer Palace like snowflakes.

Xianfeng was not silent for long, and at noon, he issued an edict, accusing Mu Zhang'a, as the chief military aircraft, of protecting his position and greedy for honor, and hindering the virtuous and sick country. Xiaozhong Xiaoxin, feminine to sell his treachery, pseudo-learning and pseudo-talent, figuring out to meet the idea,...... His heart is insidious, and he can't be asked.

At the time of the issuance of this edict, Su Shun had already taken a few eunuchs, with white silk and a pot of poisonous wine into the Mu Mansion, and the powerful ministers of the two dynasties did not die well after all.

Su Shun came back to pay the order, and Xianfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, he knew very well that there was no impermeable wall in the world, and since the arson case of Zhenhai Houfu was broken, it was difficult to cover it up, although this case was dead without proof, but who didn't know who was the mastermind behind it!

Impeaching Mu Zhang'a and then giving him suicide is tantamount to depriving Mu Zhang'a of all the glory of his life, and it can be regarded as giving Yi Zhi'an explanation.