"Yes," said Prince Gong, "this is an urgent military report, so the Minister of Military Aircraft has come." ”

"Well," the Emperor asked Prince Gong, "have you come to fruition?" Is Zuo Zongtang's move appropriate? ”

"The minister thinks it is not very proper," said Prince Gong, "that the declaration of war on foreign countries has always been the responsibility of the center, and the local governor is only responsible for quelling the rebellion, so he has exceeded his authority." ”

"Then do you want Zuo Zongtang to watch Russia be arrogant in Xinjiang?" The Emperor said displeasedly.

"This, naturally, will not work," said Prince Gong, "Zeng Jize has already arrived in Hami, and he will probably be able to negotiate with the Russian Governor's Palace in the near future." ”

"This is one of them," the emperor said, "and this Russian, let Zuo Zongtang deal with it, presumably these small frictions are harmless, Zuo Zongtang is an old minister, and he must know the severity." ”

Prince Gong and others said yes, and Bao Jun said: "This year, we originally bought two warships from the Russians, but I think that the contract can be suspended, and we haven't allocated the silver to the Russians yet?" ”

"This?" The emperor hesitated, "Where is this ordered warship used?" North or South Sea? ”

"It's Beiyang."

"Then stop first, among the Beiyang Naval Division, it is better to have fewer Russian warships." The emperor said, "Hengzhu didn't give money, and I am not afraid of losing the silver." But there is a reason for this. ”

"Yes," said Prince Gong, "Yi Liang is able to do things, and the minister has a lot of time in the Prime Minister's Yamen, so you can leave it to him to dispose of." Prince Gong hesitated for a while, but decided to speak, "The Russian ambassador recently found Prime Minister Yamen and said that the purchase of Jinzhou in the past was hasty, and the meaning of his words. China was asked to pay another fee to ease the situation between the two countries. ”

"How can this be true," the Emperor rebuked gently, "no wonder the Russians have always been resentful and have a strange attitude, it turns out that they have taken a fancy to the gold produced in Golden State. The emperor suddenly realized, "In the past, when she bought Jinzhou, the queen mother meant that firstly, it was to ease relations with the Russians, and secondly, she took a fancy to the fact that Jinzhou produced gold. There has never been a intention of repenting after a successful transaction, is it possible that this Russia has seen that the Golden State has a profit, and its eyes are red again? Amusing! ”

"The land of Jinzhou is comparable in area to the three northeastern provinces. Although it is quite cold, but there is a gold mine, you know its value, "Bao Jun heard that the Russians were like this, and immediately quit, and all the gold produced in the Golden State was solved in the inner treasury, and he looked at it greedily. Although the gold did not go directly to the household, the household gave the silver to Ouchi. But it has not increased, first, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began to make money, and second, that is, Jinzhou has a profit, which is the same as Huangzhuang. It is all regarded as the emperor's private property. If you want to give the Russians another sum of money, this money will have to come out of the household, how is this possible! "There can be no compromise with the Russians."

"I'd rather use this money to buy warships to fight the Russians than give it to the Russians for free," the emperor set the tone. "Just do it, the king. The lord of Kokand let him go to Beijing to see him first, and talk about it later, he raised him alone for a few years, and it didn't cost much. ”

The emperor decided this matter cleanly, so he asked again: "A few days ago, I said that the military aircraft has a lot of things to do, and you need to make up for people, do you have any candidates?" ”

The expression on Li Hongzao's lowered face moved slightly, he looked at Hu Linyi on his side, and Prince Gong replied, "Yes, the ministers have already discussed," Li Hongzao sneered slightly, this is which of his people has discussed, where have he ever heard it? "Shen Guifen, the governor of Shanghai, is a sophisticated, very strategic, and can be of great use, and has served as the governor of Shanxi, the governor of Shanghai, and the annual assessment of the officials is excellent."

The emperor was noncommittal, turned his head and asked Li Hongzao, "What does Master Li mean?" ”

Li Hongzao replied, first praised a few words, "Shen Guifen is very capable, and he is indeed capable, but," everyone in the world knows that the drama meat is after this transition, "Han Feiziyun 'The prime minister must start from the state and county', although the dynasty is not as general as the previous dynasty, Zai Fu from the county magistrate and prefect made the six departments and nine secretaries so step by step, but this dynasty is qualifications, experience, and resume are extremely valued, although the minister of military aircraft does not have the name of the prime minister, but he has the fact of the prime minister, and it is by no means a university scholar with such a title, which can be easily awarded, although Shen Guifen is familiar with political affairs, But it is only two governors, and the position of governor has not yet been experienced, and he suddenly entered the direct military plane, and I am afraid that the people will not be convinced. Li Hongzao finished speaking, and finally added a sentence idly, "When the queen mother hung the curtain in the past, she also said that without first-class post experience, she was not allowed to enter the direct military aircraft, and the emperor would learn from it." ”

Bao Jun listened to the fire in his heart, if you talk about experience, you Li Baoding has never even gone out of Beijing City, and he was about to open his mouth to refute it, but then he thought that he was first a cabinet bachelor and then a household servant, and then entered the Imperial History of the Left Capital of the Metropolitan Inspection Academy, and then increased the bachelor to enter the military aircraft department, although he relied on the identity of the emperor and the emperor, but he also walked down step by step. Not to mention the other Hu Linyi, Li Hongzao's words are not unreasonable.

Prince Gong frowned slightly, glanced at Li Hongzao, Wen Xiang said, "Lord Li's words are wrong, the Military Aircraft Department is the position of the cardinal, it is by no means as idle as the cabinet, the minister does not say that the old are not allowed to enter, but only this year is stronger to afford the errand of the Military Aircraft Department, Shen Guifen is in the prime of life, and he is a skilled politician, although his qualifications are insufficient, and he is a Jinshi in the twenty-seventh year of Daoguang," Wen Xiang stabbed Li Hongzao, Li Hongzao's eyebrows jumped, he is a Jinshi in the second year of Xianfeng, from Wen Kui's point of view, he is a newcomer. Wen Xiang continued to talk about Shen Guifen's resume: "After the Zhongjin Shi, he chose Shu Jishi and awarded Hanlin for editing. For seven years, Xianfeng served as a cabinet bachelor and a waiter in the Ministry of Rites. In the second year of Tongzhi, the governor of Shanxi Province was strictly prohibited from planting opium poppies, and the trade was opened to a large extent, and Shanxi was greatly prosperous. After going to Shanghai, he presided over the opening of the railway from Songjiang to Suzhou, so that the goods produced in Liangjiang could be sold to foreigners at sea very conveniently, and reformed the system of Shanghai Customs, increasing the tariff silver, which was not so lacking that the common people complained, which can be described as a moral policy; Adopt the policy of tax reduction and encouragement, and factories in Shanghai and other places are opened; He also greatly protects the rights and interests of the people, and sets the lowest factory work income in Shanghai. ”

Wen Xiang rarely speaks, but the emperor attaches great importance to his words, such a statement, Li Hongzao closed his eyes and said nothing, the emperor nodded, "This is a good thing, talent is really important, but what the queen mother said is also right, this qualification is also very favorable, it is better to learn to enter the value first, right?" The emperor said to Prince Gong in a consultative tone, "Wait a few days, and then turn positive." ”

Prince Gong breathed a sigh of relief slightly, "Yes, the ministers obey the order." ”

"But I thought that there was only one person in this military aircraft department, so it was inevitably a little less." The Emperor continued. (To be continued.) )