Shanghai, Zhennan Wangfu, West Chamber.

Yi Xun sat sullenly in the living room drinking tea and sitting, he rushed over at two o'clock in the afternoon, but he has been arranged to wait here, this wait is more than three hours, he knows very well that the other party is using this to express his dissatisfaction with him.

He was indeed a little inauthentic in instigating the mutiny of the Beiyang Naval Division, but he did not regret it, after all, the opportunity was rare, if he didn't try it, he wouldn't be at ease, even if he had to bear the anger of Yi Zhi's contentment for this, he thought it was worth it!

The sky gradually darkened, but the Zhennan Wangfu seemed to be becoming more and more lively, he had heard several footsteps and conversations, including foreign languages, he had some doubts in his heart, is there any happy event in the Zhennan Wangfu today? Then I felt that it was wrong, how could there be a happy event at this time?

After drinking a stomach of tea, he also felt a little hungry, and immediately got up and paced out of the living room, and a small servant waiting outside the door hurriedly greeted him and said, "What does the prince need?" ”

Yixun waved his hand and said, "It seems that there are a lot of guests in your mansion?" ”

"The prince has noticed?" The little servant didn't seem to have any awe for him, and said with a smile: "There are indeed a lot of guests here, all of whom have come to watch the electric lights." ”

"Electric light?" Yi Xun was a little curious, it was the first time he had heard the word, "Is it better than gaslighting?" ”

"Of course!" Xiao Wu said with a smile: "The first thermal power plant in Shanghai was completed to provide lighting power for Shanghai, and our palace was the first to use electric lighting." ”

Thermal power plant? What's new? Electric lighting? What is electricity? Yi Xun was confused, but he didn't want to ask too much, he didn't want to be too ignorant in front of the little guy, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "It seems that there are a lot of foreigners?" ”

"Yes." Xiao Wu said with a smile: "Those foreigners are scientists and inventors from major research institutes...... Before he finished speaking, he listened to Yixun's stomach "grunt", and he couldn't help laughing, "The prince is hungry, the little one is going to bring you some snacks?" There are a lot of Western sweets today. ”

Yixun was indeed a little hungry, so he was not polite immediately, nodded, and said, "I'm tired." When the little guy left, he couldn't help but worry again, looking at this posture and being content, I am afraid that I will not have time to see him today, the Tongzhou camp is urgent, I can't afford to delay, I am worried, I looked up and saw Yan Shikuan walking into the courtyard quickly, he was happy, but he waited in place reservedly.

Yan Shikuan came to the front and smiled: "King Gong has been waiting for a long time, the big shopkeeper is invited." ”

Yi Zhicontent is finally willing to see him? Yixun had a smile on his face, stretched out his hand and said, "Shopkeeper Yan, please——。 ”

"King Gong, please ——。" Yan Shikuan gave in for a moment, and then led the way in front.

Yi Xun asked without words: "Shanghai has built a thermal power plant?" ”

"This thermal power plant in Shanghai should be the first in the world." Yan Shikuan's tone couldn't hide the smugness, "Providing lighting electricity for Shanghai is only incidental, mainly for experimental research....... In the words of the big treasurer, this is a new chapter in the electric age, and its significance is no less than the invention of the steam engine. ”

The Electric Age? Yixun was puzzled and said, "Isn't it just for lighting?" ”

"If it's just limited to lighting, it's not enough to compete with a steam engine." Yan Shikuan said with a smile: "The application of electricity is very extensive, lighting is only one aspect, electricity can be converted into mechanical energy, the electric motor has been invented to replace the steam engine to drive the machine, a series of new machines, new technologies will come into being and are widely used and promoted." ”

Speaking of this, he lowered his voice and said: "The big shopkeeper said, whoever can lead the electric age will be able to replace England as the new world hegemon!" We have this condition now! ”

Is it really planned for the Qing Dynasty to replace England as the new world hegemon? Yi Xun's heart tightened, will they all be just a pawn in the battle for hegemony with the West?

Turning the Yimen, Yi Xun found that there were really a lot of people coming to Zhennan Wangfu today, all the way was a crowd of well-dressed people holding wine glasses and talking in a low voice, officials, gentry, officers and foreigners all gathered together to talk and laugh, and the little maids with wine shuttled back and forth in the crowd, and there were desks at intervals, on which were stacked with all kinds of Chinese and foreign snacks and fruits, allowing the guests to take their own.

This way of feasting guests is really peculiar, Yixun secretly called himself strange all the way, and asked softly: "This is the way Westerners feast guests?" ”

"I don't know." Yan Shikuan smiled: "It was ordered by the big treasurer." ”

At the gate of the courtyard of Changle Library, Yi Zhicontent and Lin Meilian, who was wearing a well-fitting plain cheongsam, shook hands with several foreigners and said goodbye, and looked up to catch a glimpse of Yan Shikuan and Yi Xun coming quickly, he pretended not to see it, and turned straight into the courtyard.

Seeing this situation, Yixun smiled bitterly and said, "It seems that the big shopkeeper has not been discouraged. ”

Yan Shikuan simply pretended not to hear it, but fortunately, Lin Meilian greeted him and said with a smile: "King Gong is here." ”

Yixun has long noticed her outfit, nowadays women's clothes are very wide to cover the figure tightly, and it is impossible to show half of her arms, but Lin Meilian's clothes are very fitting, and the woman's lines are perfectly outlined, he didn't dare to look at it, retracted his gaze and praised lightly: "Miss Lin is really brilliant and moving today, and she is full of brilliance." ”

Lin Meilian smiled and said, "Thank you King Gong for your praise, this is designed by the big shopkeeper." ”

Yi Xun can't help but be satisfied, and Yi Zhishu will also design women's clothing? Does he still have this hobby? Lin Meilian smiled, stretched out her hand generously and said, "King Gong, please——。 ”

Yi Xun walked into the study in a nervous mood, and when he saw Yi Zhi, he sat still, he smiled, bowed and said: "I disregarded the overall situation, for my own selfishness, and almost caused a war to destroy the current situation, so I specially came to the door today to ask for guilt." ”

Yi Zhishu glanced at him and said, "Did you come to the door to ask for guilt?" Didn't you come to ask for help? ”

Seeing his unrelenting posture, Yixun secretly complained in his heart, so he had to put down his body and smile with a shy face: "Please sin first, ask for sin first, if Brother Guocheng does not forgive, I don't dare to expect Brother Guocheng to help." ”

"Sit." Yi Zhixiang said slowly and methodically lit a cigarette, Yi Xun at this time where to compare the attitude of the other party, hurriedly sat down, explained: "Since the preparation of the constitution, the queen mother has vigorously cultivated the real royalist forces in the court and the army, and the intention to resist .......the constitution is very obvious. ”

Yi Zhizu waved his hand to stop him and said, "I'm not interested in such an explanation. ”

"Of course, it is true that there are selfish motives in the bottom, but this is also true." Yi Xun said with a smile: "If you can defeat the Eight Banners New Army controlled by the emperor and queen in one fell swoop, it will be conducive to the smooth implementation of the constitution as soon as possible, and besides, there are many advantages ....... provoking a war from below." ”

Yi Zhizu glanced at him and said: "The imperial court has passed through the northeast over the years, expanded Shengjing, and retreated to the northeast.

Our steady expansion abroad over the years has already aroused the jealousy of Britain and France, and once there is an opportunity, they will inevitably get involved, do you know that the imperial court has secretly ordered enough arms from England to equip 50,000 troops? ”

Yixun was shocked when he heard this, and asked, "Is there anything else?" ”

"It's after you left Jingshi." Yi Zhishu paused slightly, and then said: "The two provinces of Nanyang, we snatched them from Spain and the Netherlands, and also expelled the British power in Burma and forcibly occupied Bengal, France has long coveted Annam, as well as Tsarist Russia and the United States, .......

Don't look at the alliance we have concluded with the United States and Russia now, once it involves major national interests, the treaties concluded are just a piece of paper, and no country is willing to sit back and watch our country rise strongly, as long as there is an opportunity, it will fall into the ground, and do everything possible to weaken our country's strength.

As long as a large-scale civil war breaks out in our country, wars may break out in Southeast Asia, Nanyang, Northwest, Northeast and the Japanese Kingdom, with the current industrial strength and economic strength of the Qing Dynasty, it is difficult to support even a two-front war, let alone a multi-front war or a full-scale war! ”

Listening to these words, the expression on Yixun's face was a little unnatural, he didn't expect the interference and mixing of foreign forces at all, he knew very well that this was not alarmist, during the American Civil War, Britain and France and other countries invaded Mexico on a large scale, once the Qing Dynasty was in civil strife, Britain, France, the United States, Russia, Spain and the Netherlands would definitely not miss the opportunity.

With a slight groan, he said in a sincere tone: "In the desire for profit, I almost caused a catastrophe!" ”

"It's not that serious." Yi Zhishu said unceremoniously: "If you really want to provoke a war, Yuan Qi also has the ability to quickly extinguish the flames of war!" ”

Extinguish the flames of war quickly! It couldn't be clearer who is the one who will be destroyed! Yixun suddenly felt cold behind him, and Monk Greenqin's judgment was really good, but fortunately he didn't dare to make a desperate bet.

The sky gradually darkened, Yi Zhizhi glanced out the window, and took the initiative to say: "What are your plans to deprive the Queen Mother of your military rights on the grounds of disarmament this time?" ”

During this trip to Shanghai, Yixun put his posture very low, and hurriedly said: "It's all up to Brother Guocheng." ”

"Good!" Yi Zhizhi said simply: "It is not appropriate to turn against the court at the moment, let alone go to war." The imperial court is disarmed, let's recruit troops, recruit troops on the grounds that the troops are insufficient to rise again in the war, and transport the troops directly to the Japanese to participate in the war. ”

A smile appeared on Yixun's face, "With this cut, the army of more than 10,000 people will no longer be the economic division of the imperial court, but the sequence belonging to the new army of Yuanqi." ”

"It's not 10,000, it's 20,000." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "They are all reorganized into an army according to the establishment of the Yuanqi New Army, and they are still under the command of Seng Lingqin, and all treatment is the same. ”

Yixun was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Brother Xie Guocheng." ”

Yi Zhisuff smiled disappreciatively and said, "Do you know why you are in a hurry to let your class teacher return to Beijing?" ”

Yi Xun said tentatively: "Is it to contain the imperial court? ”

Nodding slightly, Yi Zhizhi said: "The Queen Mother secretly ordered a large amount of arms from Yingli, the intention is very obvious, and you returned to Beijing to contain and balance, but now you are forced back to the ...... of the Japanese Kingdom." ”

Yixun said tentatively with a concerned face: "Brother Guocheng is planning to transfer the Northwest Army?" ”

"As a last resort, I don't want to mobilize the Northwest Army." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "The opportunity for northwest expansion is coming, I don't want to miss the opportunity again, and ending the war of the Japanese Kingdom as soon as possible is the best ......." ”

Before she finished speaking, the electric light in the room flashed, and then lit up, and in an instant, the courtyard was brightly lit inside and out, Lin Meilian walked quickly to the door, and said excitedly: "Big shopkeeper——。 ”

"It's coming!" Yi Zhishu got up with a smile, "Let's go, go and see, today's Zhennan Mansion will definitely cause a sensation in the whole of Shanghai." ”

The whole Zhennan palace has become a sea of lights, hundreds of various electric lamps inside and outside will be reflected in the colorful light of a royal mansion, bright to the extreme, the guests in the palace burst out of exclamations, passers-by outside the palace and passing carriages have also stopped to watch this strange scene that has never been seen in life,

Compared with the gas lamp, the electric lamp is brighter, and the eight 2,000 light electric lamps on the high flagpole outside the gate of the palace are like a small sun that illuminates all around as if it were day, and can be seen from afar, far from being comparable to the gas lamp, and what is more conspicuous is the light that constantly changes the color on the wall of the palace, which is like a dream, and makes people shake their hearts.

The news soon spread, and countless people flocked to watch this rare spectacle, and the palace was crowded all around, and the crowds were more lively than the temple fair.

Looking at all kinds of electric lamps, easy to be content is also full of joy, whether it is the construction of power plants or the research and development of electric lights, he has poured a lot of effort, especially the bulb factory, he put forward a lot of ideas and suggestions, it is no exaggeration to say that Shanghai Yuanqi bulb factory has been far ahead of this era!

Seeing that Yi Zhizhi came out, Yan Shikuan greeted him excitedly, and said excitedly: "It's amazing!" It's amazing! This electric light must replace the gas lamp! ”

"That's natural, electric lights are not only brighter than gas lights, but also safer than gas lights, and replacing gas lights is the general trend." Yi Zhishu said and lowered his voice: "Have you sold your shares in the fire factory?" ”

"It's already changed hands!" Yan Shikuan smiled and said, "How dare we not listen to the words of the big shopkeeper?" As he spoke, he said worriedly: "Will the fire factory go out of business?" ”

"Don't worry." Yi Zhifen said slowly: "Gas is a clean energy, which can not only be used for lighting, but also for home cooking and heating, which is much stronger than coal stoves. ”

"Huh?" Yan Shikuan, if this is the case, why would he sell the shares of the fire factory? He hesitated, "Then aren't they a blessing in disguise?" ”

"Whether it's a blessing in disguise depends on their choice." Yi Zhizu said softly: "The scale of Shanghai's existing fire plant is too small, but their coal-to-gas dry distillation technology is also mature, so let's take it." ”