Concession city? Wu Changqing was shocked, he knew that Yi Zhixiang attached great importance to Shanghai, but he never thought that the other party would actually fight this idea! He was born in a Wu family, was proficient in two foreign languages, and although he did not have a comprehensive understanding of European institutions and cities, he had heard a lot. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

After being silent for a long time, he said in a sullen voice: "Shanghai is not comparable to Guangzhou, Shanghai is located in the hinterland of the south of the Yangtze River, as soon as the Beijing-Hangzhou Railway is opened, it is only two days away from Beijing, how can the imperial court allow Shanghai to become a concession city?" ”

Not allowed? That's not up to the court! Yi Zhizhi smiled disappreciatively, and said: "If you put it forward rashly, the imperial court will definitely not agree, this matter is in a hurry, step by step, let Britain, France and the United States define the lease, and then divide the blank land between the concessions of various countries into public concessions, and finally merge all the concessions, and the prototype of the concession city will come out." ”

After a pause, he asked: "Britain and France are in a hurry to demarcate the concession in Shanghai, can you be urging these days?" ”

"The British and French consuls seem to be in a hurry to finalize the concession." Wu Changqing said with a wry smile: "These days, they are frequently urging, and in addition, they are also in a hurry to build a church. As he spoke, he paused slightly, "The religions of Britain and France seem to be hostile, and this time is too busy to understand in detail, and both countries want to build churches outside the concession. ”

"England is Protestant, France is Catholic, and there are many religious contradictions between the two countries." Yi Zhifu said with some surprise: "How can the two countries be so eager to build churches? ”

"The reason was that France proposed to restore the Catholic church in the county, Jingyitang." Wu Changqing explained: "The elders did not allow it, and the French retreated and proposed to build another church. As he spoke, he smiled, "France seems to be anxious to obtain equal rights with England." ”

"France and the United States have formally signed a treaty with the Imperial Court, and have obtained the same rights as England." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "Let the consuls of the two countries come to the West Garden tomorrow, and I will meet them." ”

The two walked all the way and talked softly, and unconsciously came to the outside of Tingtao Pavilion, and were about to enter the door, but they heard a voice, "Big shopkeeper!" Looking back, it was Yan Shikuan, Xie Xiuyuan, and He Shutai who came quickly, obviously the three of them came after hearing the news, and they stopped and waited.

Yan Shikuan trotted and chased after him, and said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper has entered Beijing this time, has he been added to the official rank?" ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhizhi smiled, "My official rank is now from the first rank, the title is a first-class viscount, and then the official is a knight, how will the court reward me in the future?" If it really gets to the point where there is nothing to reward, it should be a great disaster. ”

"How can you be rewarded so quickly." Yan Shikuan smiled and said: "There is also a prince and uncle above the viscount, besides, there is a lot to be done in this official position." ”

"Don't ask, nothing." Yi Zhicontent smiled.

As he spoke, Xie Xiuyuan and He Shutai had already greeted them, the two of them were not as presumptuous as Yan Shikuan, they bowed in unison, and Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "Look at the two of you, this time it should be quite rewarding." As he spoke, he waved his hand, "Let's go into the house." ”

A few people came to Yi Zhi's study, and after sitting down, Yi Zhizhi asked, "How is the situation with raw silk?" ”

Xie Xiuyuan and He Shutai rushed to Shanghai years ago, promoting the machine silk reeling factory in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and stirring the Jiangnan raw silk market by the way. ”

Yi Zhishu got up and took the cigar case and walked around, then asked, "How much is the price of silk now?" ”

"Jiangnan is dominated by Jili Lake silk, the color is pure white, full of luster, and the number of nodules contained in the silk line is very small, and the size is also small, in terms of quality, it is better than the wide silk, and its price is also expensive." He Shutai said slowly: "We bought each package before, in the price range of two hundred and forty taels to three hundred and forty taels, but with the arrival of Western merchant ships, the price has risen steadily, and now it has risen to three hundred and forty to four hundred and fifty taels.

Trade with foreign merchants, the price is in the price range of 400 to 520 taels, during this time, Yuan Qi purchased a total of more than 13,600 bags, and is expected to make a profit of more than 2 million taels. ”

The profit of two million taels of silver is really not much for Yi Zhicontent, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "Raw silk trade, in the future will be one of the main commodities of Yuanqi's foreign trade, the Qing Dynasty is the world's main raw silk producing area, in terms of raw silk sales, you should pay attention to the high quality requirements of Europe for raw silk, in the future, Jiangnan's Jili Lake silk will be mainly exported to Europe, and the quality of Guangdong raw silk is slightly inferior, and it will be exported to Citigroup."

Whether it is Europe or Citigroup, it is the world's main consumer market for raw silk, perhaps the market of Citigroup is not large now, but the potential of Citigroup's market is greater than that of Europe, don't take it lightly, this world, is not only the Qing out of silk.

In addition, with the popularization of the machine silk reeling factory, the output of raw silk has a great room for improvement, to encourage the local people to expand the planting area of silkworms and the scale of silkworm raising in a timely manner, or to take the implementation of the set in Guangdong, by the bank low-interest loans, and the mulberry silkworm farmers signed a sales contract, the risk we bear.

In this way, not only can the silkworm farmers avoid being exploited by middlemen, but also reduce our acquisition costs, and more importantly, only in this way can we firmly control the raw silk in the south of the Yangtze River. ”

Hearing this, Xie Xiuyuan hesitated, but still reminded: "Big shopkeeper, raw silk, like other commodities, will inevitably rise and fall, the price of raw silk is high, once you lose, it is not a small amount ......." ”

"How can you just make money in business without accompanying it?" Yi Zhizhi glanced at him and said: "For Yuanqi, raw silk is a long-term business, you can't be short-sighted, just look at the interests of the moment, we take risks, it is much better than passing on the risk to the people, the people lose a few times, lose two or three years in a row, they will give up."

Of course, long-term losses, Yuanqi can not bear it, as a large producer of raw silk, we must not only actively explore foreign markets, but also to develop the domestic market, a no domestic market as a buffer, purely relying on export industry, is very vulnerable when affected by accidents, so Yuanqi must also be committed to the integration and development of the domestic silk weaving industry!

We must slowly transition from exporting raw silk to exporting silk, don't forget, we have always been a big exporter of silk, why is it now reduced to the point of exporting raw silk? The reasons are very complicated, but the main reason is that our silk has lost its competitiveness, and now Citigroup's silk is basically monopolized by France.

This is not only the case with silk, but also with porcelain, which used to be the main export commodity, but now foreign merchants basically don't want porcelain, why? Because Europe is able to burn paper better porcelain than us! Even our largest and most important export commodity, tea, has begun to be grown in India.

There is a saying how to say, be prepared for danger in times of peace, we should be more prepared for danger in times of peace, porcelain, silk we have lost, now the British are eyeing tea again, raw silk is not without competitors, let's think about it, if tea and raw silk are replaced by Europe, what do we take to trade with Western countries?

Vigorously develop the silk weaving industry, not only to protect the raw silk trade, but also to think of snatching back the lost silk market, otherwise, we can not live with our ancestors, but also against future generations. ”

"That's what the big treasurer said." He Shutai said: "With the promotion of the machine silk reeling factory, Donghuang began to prepare for the establishment of a silk weaving factory and actively developed the silk industry. ”

"The promotion of the machine silk reeling factory should be accelerated." Yi Zhizhi advised: "This year, Yuanqi can monopolize Shanghai's raw silk trade by unscrupulous means, and next year it will not be able to take these unsightly methods, otherwise, it will be tantamount to smashing Yuanqi's signboard!" ”

He Shutai hurriedly said: "Don't worry, Donghuang will be able to form a monopoly next year." ”

Yi Zhishu nodded, looked at Wu Changqing and said, "Has the British Railway Company sent someone here?" ”

"Not yet." Wu Changqing said: "According to the British consul Bafur, the Beijing-Hangzhou railway has caused fierce competition among several railway companies in England. The government is preparing to conduct a route survey before a public tender, and the route surveyor is not expected to arrive until next month. As he spoke, he hesitated a little before he said: "Citigroup seems to have a lot of complaints about the direct delivery of the Beijing-Hangzhou Railway to England. ”

"Ignore them." Yi Zhizu waved his hand.

"But—." Wu Changqing hesitated, Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "Don't worry, all along, Citigroup and Yuanqi cooperation is quite pleasant, we will not favor one over the other, with the construction of the Beijing-Hangzhou Railway, the country will inevitably set off a boom in the construction of railways, Guangzhou to build a lot of railways, let Citigroup survey the line from Guangzhou to Changsha first." ”

Wu Changqing said worriedly: "Will the imperial court agree?" ”

"What's not to agree with?" Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "The Beijing-Hangzhou Railway has been repaired, let alone the Changguang Railway?" Not surprisingly, Shanxi will soon build a railway, and the emperor has agreed. ”

"This is tantamount to giving money to the court." Yan Shikuan joked: "The court doesn't spend a big son, after the railway is opened to traffic, the court can still collect taxes, this kind of good thing that is difficult to find with lanterns, why doesn't the court do it?" ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled and said: "Their respective positions are different, the imperial court has the position and concerns of the imperial court, however, it is impossible for the imperial court to use the money to build the railway, and letting the railway private is the only choice...... The benefits are huge. ”

Xie Xiuyuan groaned and said: "Jiangnan is rich, Shanxi Jin merchants are also rich in capital, but Hunan is not rich, and the people of Guangdong have no idle silver ..... now." ”

"Let's set up a railway company first and try to raise funds, and if it's insufficient, borrow from European countries." Yi Zhicontent said without thinking: "The construction of the railway is conducive to stimulating economic development, which is a great thing for Yuanqi, and Yuanqi will not sit idly by." ”

A group of people chatted for more than half an hour before they ended, sent everyone away, Yi Zhizu went straight to Bao Shichen's courtyard, this trip to Beijing, he always felt a little weird, only to walk to the gate of the courtyard, Bao Shichen greeted him, arched his hand and smiled: "The lord entered Beijing this time, can there be a colorful head?" ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "I have received more than a dozen pretty girls, Mr. is deserted here, allocate a few to them, and add some lively ......." ”

"The old man is old and clean." Bao Shichen shook his hand and smiled again and again, stretching out his hand to give way, and the room where the two entered, Yi Zhizhi said with a straight face: "This time I entered Beijing, and the emperor summoned him one after another, and I felt that there was no point... As he spoke, he briefly recounted the situation of Daoguang's summoning and conversation several times.

After being silent for a long time, Bao Shichen said in a sullen voice: "The emperor should have suddenly ordered you to go to Beijing to report on your work after he was sick?" ”

What do you mean? Yi Zhi's heart jumped, Daoguang was seriously ill, and he ordered him to be summoned to Beijing, was it to control him? The more I think about it, the more I feel that this possibility is very big, if Daoguang is seriously ill this time, he is afraid that there is no possibility of leaving Beijing!

Bao Shichen glanced at him and said, "Is there any rumor of the prince in Jingshi?" ”

"Yes!" Yi Zhishu nodded.

Bao Shichen nodded, didn't say anything, the room was quiet, and after a while, he spoke: "Next time you enter Beijing, the lord had better bring the old man." ”

Next time, I won't be in Beijing! Yi Zhizu forced himself and laughed: "I am worried that Mr. will not be able to stand the suffering of the turbulence of the sea ship. ”

Bao Shichen took the fast boat that was easy to be content, and he really suffered a lot, and immediately said with a wry smile: "The old man can take the canal, and it can't be slowed down for a few days." ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled, and then asked: "How should those disciples of the sect Jueluo and the children of the Eight Banners of the Jingshi be arranged to be safe?" ”

"What is the sir's plan?"

After a slight groan, Yi Zhizhi said truthfully: "Originally, I thought about arranging them in Dinghai for closed training, but if this is the case, the emperor is afraid that he will appoint another senior officer to directly intervene in the Nanyang Navy ......." ”

"It's only a matter of time before the senior officer is appointed to directly intervene in the Nanyang Navy." Bao Shichen looked at him and said, "But the lord wants to stabilize for a year or two temporarily?" ”

Yi Zhixiang didn't hide it from him, and said with his head bowed: "At the latest, in the summer of the next year, the Nanyang Navy will have enough strength to send troops to the Japanese country." ”

Bao Shichen sighed lightly and said: "The old man doesn't think that sending troops to the Japanese country is the best policy, and disturbing Annan may be more able to delay time, and there are always people to clean up the chaos in Annan, and no one is more suitable than the lord." ”

Yi Zhicontent planned to open the door of the Wa State before Citi State, carry out economic infiltration and plunder, and at the same time try to prolong the time of the Wa State to close off the country, in order to gain time for the development of the Qing Dynasty, he groaned slightly, and then he said: "Sending troops to the Wa State will not affect and disturb Annan, but it is only a few months, and there is no idea of annexing the Wa State for the time being." ”

Bao Shichen shook his head slightly, and said, "The old man doesn't understand why the lord cares so much about the closed country. (To be continued.) )