When Yi Zhishu returned to Shanghai, it was when the stock market was in a hot mess, Yan Shikuan, who came to greet him, smiled and couldn't see his eyes, and sat in the four-wheeled carriage and said with a smile: "Obeying the call of the big shopkeeper, I bet all my belongings into the stock market, and this time I can make a lot of money." ”

Yi Zhizhi said slowly: "I listened to Huo Qizheng's report, when the stock price was at its lowest, no one responded to the call to save the market. ”

"If you don't listen to the call of the big treasurer, they deserve to be poor for the rest of their lives." Yan Shikuan was poor, and then he realized that the other party's tone was wrong, and hurriedly said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper also has to blame them, the stock market fell at that time called a ferocious, and I was trembling when I entered the market with the silver, but I thought that in case of losing all my money, I could also find a big shopkeeper to subsidize." ”

After a pause, he continued: "At that time, it was the time of the British detachment Chen Binghaikou, many factories in Baoshan were closed, and the whole Shanghai was in turmoil, and people were panicking. ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhixiang didn't have the heart to ask again, and the conversation changed, "This time, I got you a registered envoy, Zheng Sanpin, you should know, right?" ”

Yan Shikuan smiled and said, "The big shopkeeper doesn't plan to let me out to be an official, right?" I'm not going. ”

"I didn't expect you to go." Yi Zhizhi said: "With a three-grade official body, it is more convenient for you to act, as for the anonymous person, there is no need to care, there are countless people staring at it according to the provincial envoys." ”

Hearing this, Yan Shikuan's heart couldn't help but bloom, the third-grade official was already a member of the party, but he didn't pay attention to it at all, he was used to staying in Shanghai, let him go to the local government to be an official, he was really afraid that he wouldn't be able to adapt to it, now he has a third-grade title, and he doesn't have to leave Shanghai, that's just what he wants, you must know that the third-grade official can't donate, and you can't buy it with silver.

After rejoicing, he asked with concern: "What did the big shopkeeper give Wu Changqing Bao?" ”

Yi Zhizu said softly: "He is now the pillar of the Prime Minister's Yamen, and the Prime Minister's Yamen cannot do without him." ”

Is this a guaranteed lift? Yan Shikuan groaned for a while, and then said: "The imperial court allows ministers from various countries to stay in Beijing for a long time, will the Prime Minister Yamen move back to Beijing?" ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "If the Prime Minister Yamen moves back to Beijing, let's set up a diplomatic department by ourselves." After a pause, he said, "Let Huo Qizheng come over immediately." ”

Back to Zhenhai Mansion, after taking a bath and changing clothes, he ate something at random, Yi Zhizhi slowly paced towards Changle Library, as soon as he entered the courtyard, Huo Qizheng greeted him with a smile on his face, bowed down and said: "My subordinates have seen the big shopkeeper." ”

"There's no need to be formal." Yi Zhishu said and asked as he walked, "The stock market has been hot lately?" ”

"It's really hot." Huo Qizheng smiled and said: "If calculated according to the lowest point of the stock market, many stocks have more than doubled, but there is still a lot of room for growth, and it is conservatively estimated that there will be at least double the increase." ”

And at least double the increase! Yi Zhixiang didn't say anything, and after entering the room and sitting down, he asked, "What is the current situation of the stocks in my name?" ”

Huo Qizheng said without thinking: "Most of the 70 million yuan invested by the big shopkeeper at the beginning was eaten at the lowest price, and now the market value is about 150 million yuan. ”

"The money in this stock market is really easy to make, and there will be no such good opportunities in the future." Yi Zhizu said softly that of the 70 million yuan he invested, only more than 20 million yuan belonged to his own private property, and the other more than 40 million yuan was transferred from the Townsend Company, which specializes in Hai Luoying, and the profits are amazing, which he controls in secret.

After a slight sigh, he said: "The stocks in my name, the shares of Yuanqi Bank are 10 million shares, and the rest are sold. ”

"It's not a mouthful of soup, it's a piece of fat." Huo Qizheng said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper's move will throw away hundreds of millions of yuan." ”

"If you can't make money in the stock market, you won't be popular, so you can't let the gentry and businessmen stay away from the stock market in the future." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "I have made enough money this time, throw it away, and add fuel to the stock market." ”

Huo Qizheng nodded, "I'll start throwing it tomorrow morning." After a pause, he said tentatively: "What is the plan of the big shopkeeper for Yuanqi's rescue funds?" ”

"You can't throw it centrally." Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "Throw me away, and then sell it after the stock price is stable, the rescue funds are not for the purpose of maximizing profits, the popularity of the stock market is the most important, otherwise it is killing the chicken and taking the eggs." ”

Huo Qizheng said goodbye and left, and Lin Meilian came in to report: "Big shopkeeper, Mr. Wei is sick." ”

Yi Zhishu was still strange that he didn't see Wei Yuan after returning home, and when he heard that he was sick, he quickly got up and said, "Go and have a look." As he spoke, he asked, "Did you please win the Lang?" ”

"I've been sick for more than a month." Lin Meilian followed behind her, and said step by step: "Mr. is afraid that the big shopkeeper will be distracted, so he has not been allowed to say that Lang Zhong has already changed two." ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhi's heart sank, Wei Yuan was only in his sixties, but his body and bones had always been bad, "The governor of Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Jiangning recommended famous doctors to come to treat Mr., as well as Western doctors, and also sent people to invite." ”

As soon as Yi Zhizu walked into the courtyard where Wei Yuan lived, he smelled a strong smell of traditional Chinese medicine, and the little maid in the courtyard saw him come in, and hurriedly greeted him, Zhao Wenlie and a young man with short hair and a suit who looked very fresh, and he asked directly: "How is the situation of Mr." ”

"It's not a big deal." Zhao Wenlie said softly: "Lang Zhong said that he was overworked...... ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhixiang was a little embarrassed, and quickly stepped into the room, Wei Yuan was half-lying on the bed, and when he saw him come in, he smiled reluctantly: "Congratulations to the lord on his triumphant return." ”

"Sir——。" Yi Zhizu walked quickly to the bed, and when he saw his skinny appearance, he didn't feel a little guilty in his heart, and sat down slowly before he said softly: "In the past few months, Mr. Tired." ”

"It's the old man, who is too weak." Wei Yuanqiang cheered up and said: "After pacifying Goryeo, it should be too peaceful?" ”

Nodding slightly, Yi Zhizhi said: "The battle with the four kingdoms of Xiyi has won peace for at least twenty or thirty years for the Qing Dynasty, Mr. is recuperating in peace and mind, and I am still waiting for Mr. to give advice." ”

Wei Yuan said with difficulty: "There is only twenty or thirty years of peace? ”

"Twenty or thirty years of peace is already good......" Yi Zhizu caught a glimpse of Zhao Wenlie winking at him, so he stopped talking and said with a smile: "Sir, don't bother, it's good to live and recuperate, and stay in good health, let's discuss it slowly." ”

After a few words of relief, Yi Zhizhi got up and left, and when he came out, Zhao Wenlie said: "Lang Zhong specially advised, Mr. is not too much to talk about. ”

I'm afraid it's not just as simple as overwork, Yi Zhishu nodded slowly, looked at the young man behind him, Zhao Wenlie smiled, and introduced: "This is Lei Wenzhuo's ......" ”

"Student Lei Wenzhuo has met the principal." Lei Wenzhuo bowed and said: "The student is a student of Yuan Qiyi, Daoguang went to the United States to study in the twenty-fifth year, and he just returned to China. ”

In the past two years, international students have returned to China one after another, and Yi Zhishu has long guessed his identity, and immediately asked kindly: "Which university did you graduate from?" ”

"Yale University." Lei Wenzhuo replied softly: "I studied medicine and chemistry. ”

No wonder he is taking care of Wei Yuan here, it turned out that he was studying medicine, Yi Zhizhi nodded and said: "In the past few days, I will help take care of Mr. and work, I will arrange it for you later, there is a shortage of talents in medicine and chemistry now." ”

"Principal Xie." Lei Wenzhuo hurriedly said respectfully.

Yi Zhishu looked at Lin Meilian and said, "He just returned to China and took him to the account office to withdraw twenty silver dollars." ”

Hearing this, Lei Wenzhuo hurriedly said, "Principal..... No. ”

"A man can't have no money in his pocket, it's an advance." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile, walked out, Zhao Wenlie followed, and said with emotion: "The big shopkeeper still has a long-term vision, and he began to sponsor students to study abroad more than ten years ago, and now it is the ....... that has achieved initial results." After a pause, he asked, "How many international students does Yuanqi send in a year?" ”

Groaning slightly, Yi Zhizhi said slowly: "Daoguang twenty-five years is the least, two hundred, it was not easy to send international students at that time, the basic children who went to study abroad were about ten years old, one was that there was no boarding in European schools, and then students had to pass the language barrier, the safest way was to find a family in Europe to foster care, and the British and American businessmen in Guangzhou tried their best to help, otherwise this time would be delayed." ”

Speaking of this, he seemed to recall the difficulties at the beginning, sighed lightly, and then continued: "Those children are very competitive, and they quickly passed the language barrier, and most of their grades in school are among the best, plus the foster care fee paid by Yuan Qi is also considerable, and the situation is quickly opened."

The scale of Yuanqiyi school has expanded year by year, the Western-style school in Guangzhou has been smoothly promoted, and the scale of the church school supported by Yuanqi has also expanded year by year, starting from the 26th year of Daoguang, the number of students sent abroad by Yuanqi has increased year by year, 300, 400, 500..... Up to now, there are more than 1,000 people a year.

Among all the countries, the United States is the most welcoming to students from the Qing Dynasty, so about half of the students are sent to the United States, and European countries are more scattered, with Britain, France, Prussia, Portugal, and the Kingdom of Sardinia all having ....... ”

Zhao Wenlie was secretly stunned when he heard it, he knew about Yuanqi sending international students, but he really didn't know that the number of international students was so large, and in another 3578 years, a large number of these international students would return to China, what would be the situation? After a slight hesitation, he asked, "How many years do international students generally study in the West?" ”

"Fifteen years." Yi Zhizhi said: "Those who complete their studies ahead of schedule, as a reward, are allowed to travel in various countries, and those who have returned to China in the past two years are either because of this war or are willing to give up the opportunity to travel back to China to serve, starting next year, a large number of international students will return to China every year." ”

"This is the true essence of Yuanqi." Zhao Wenlie said with emotion.

Yi Zhishu shook his head slowly, and said: "After all, there are only a few international students, the focus is still in China, Guangdong and Nanyang provinces are the first to implement free education, and the southeast provinces have only begun to implement free education in recent years, but the effect is unsatisfactory. ”

"If the name is not right, the word is not good." Zhao Wenlie said slowly: "Confucianism can be examined, you can be an official, you are famous, you have many privileges, what can you take in Western studies?" Can you get in? Can there be privileges? ”

Saying that, he sighed, "The implementation of Western studies by the big shopkeeper has touched the foundation of the imperial court - the imperial examination system, this matter must not be careless, as the so-called winner of the hearts of the people wins the world, what is the hearts of the people?" The gentry class is the heart of the people! ”

"Let the imperial court change the law and innovate." Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "I won't poke this hornet's nest." ”

The two talked all the way back to the Changle Book House, and sat down in the room they entered, and Zhao Wenlie continued: "The imperial examination system is the foundation of the imperial court. The big treasurer is counting on the imperial court to change the law and innovate, improve or abolish the imperial examination, and if the imperial court is allowed to destroy the Great Wall and dig its own grave, I am afraid it will not be an ordinary difficulty. ”

What he said was polite, this is not an ordinary difficulty at all, but it is impossible at all!

Yi Zhicontent lit a cigarette and said slowly: "What Huifu said is right, the Qing Dynasty is to rule the world with the gentry, and let the court offend the gentry of the world, this is not easy, especially when Yuan Qi poses a great threat to the court, the court will be more cautious about this, however, we can force the court!" ”

Persecution of the imperial court? How persecution? Zhao Wenlie, can't it be coercion by force? Even if it is coercion by force, it is impossible for the imperial court to give in! After a slight groan, he tentatively said, "Economic persecution? ”

"It is the foundation of the Guanting Dynasty to establish the country, and economic coercion does not work." Yi Zhixiang said unhurriedly: "If the name is not right, the words are not good, although I am nameless, but I have a reality, the appointment and dismissal of officials in the ten provinces of the Qing Dynasty will be in my hands, Annam, Khmer, Burma, and Siam will also successively establish provinces and set up prefectures and counties, roughly speaking, I am equivalent to controlling half of the provinces of the Qing Dynasty."

What does it mean that 'Easy Election Officials' can occupy half of the country? If Yuan Qi openly announced that graduating from a new-style university would be equivalent to promoting people and being better than alternate officials to join the office, what reaction would it cause? ”

The alternate officials of the Qing Dynasty are all gentry and businessmen, the number is extremely large, and it is not easy to be a candidate themselves, if they graduate from a new university, they are better than the alternate officials to enter the office, which is equivalent to cutting off the opportunity for the alternate officials to be in half of the provinces of the Qing Dynasty! Those alternate officials who donate money must not make a fuss?

Zhao Wenlie hesitated and said, "The big shopkeeper wants to use the alternate officials to put pressure on the imperial court?" ”

"On the one hand, it is for them to put pressure on the imperial court, and on the other hand, it is to force the imperial court to recognize the status of new-style college students." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "The officials of half of the provinces controlled by Yuan Qi have been replaced by new-style college students one after another, and the imperial court can't even if they don't want to admit it!" ”

Zhao Wenlie said: "What if the imperial court refuses to admit it? ”

"Don't admit it?" Yi Zhisan laughed and said: "If the imperial court doesn't want Yuanqi to divide the place, you have to pinch your nose and admit it!" ”