After all, the imperial court is currently fighting with Britain and France, and the construction of the railway between Beijing and Tianjin has promoted good relations between the imperial court and Britain and France, and the imperial court is also building a military industry with the support of Britain and France, and the conclusion of an alliance with the United States and Russia will definitely affect relations with Britain and France.

After a slight sigh, he bowed his head and said: "Prime Minister Su is right, even if he signs a non-aggression pact with Russia, he can't sit back and relax, the country's security is not based on the treaty, but on its own military strength."

However, the purpose of signing a non-aggression pact with Russia is not to ensure that the northwest is worry-free, but to better expand to the northwest. ”

Hearing this, Su Shun and Du Han glanced at each other, and their faces were shocked with unconcealable shock, Yuan Qi will continue to expand in the northwest? And is it intended to expand in conjunction with Russia? How big is Yuanqi's ambition?

After a while, Su Shuncai muttered: "The northwest is also a bitter cold land, why is Brother Guocheng so persistent in expanding the northwest?" ”

"The Land of Bitter Cold?" Yi Zhishu glanced at him and said, "That's right, Brother Yuting should ask himself, why am I so interested in the bitter cold land?" It is a huge purchase at any cost, and it is a conquest at any cost, Yuanqi is slightly northwest, and the investment is beyond imagination, and why? ”

Others don't understand Yi Zhicontentment, Su Shun asks himself quite well, but he has always wondered that Yi Zhicontent can be described as a character that is unprofitable and cannot afford to be early, but it is obviously worth the loss to buy Alaska first, then Siberia, and the northwest expansion.

Seeing that there was an opportunity, he hurriedly said: "The purchase of Alaska, Brother Guocheng said that it was used as a springboard for the expansion of the Americas, and the purchase of Siberia was to completely eliminate the invasion from the north. ”

"There's nothing mysterious about it." Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "As a businessman, I like to look at things from a dialectical perspective, as the saying goes, everything has advantages and disadvantages, and there are disadvantages and advantages.

In my opinion, the same is true of the land, the bitter cold land in the eyes of the world may contain rich mineral resources, Alaska, Siberia, the same in the northwest, such a vast land, how can there be no mineral deposits?

As I have said a long time ago, we are in the midst of great changes unseen in 3,000 years, and the political, military, economic, and cultural are all in the midst of tremendous changes, and the most fundamental change is the change in the productive forces -- the development of industry has greatly increased the productive forces, and has also promoted the transformation of the agricultural or plant age into the mineral age.

As countries around the world compete to develop industry, mineral resources will inevitably become the target of competition among countries, such as iron ore, coal mines, etc., which are indispensable for the development of industry, and will inevitably become the target of competition in the later stage.

The more extensive the territory, the richer the mineral resources, what is a profitable business? Buy Territory! Especially with the purchase of large territories at extremely low prices! The second is military conquest, the wider the territory, the more resources you have, and when you develop to the era when resources are king, you don't need to worry about resources! ”

Speaking of this, he smiled conceitedly, "How could Yuan Qi have ever made a loss-making transaction?" It is also the imperial court that can make Yuan Qi willingly lose money. ”

How did Yuan Qi ever trade at a loss? This is conceited to the extreme, but Su Shun has to agree, Yuan Qi has indeed never done a loss-making transaction, even if it is a so-called loss-making transaction with the imperial court, it will be a loss to Daoguang and Xianfeng who died early, otherwise I am afraid that even the intestines will regret it.

Although Yi Zhishu didn't say it clearly, Su Shun was sure that Alaska, Siberia, and the places that Yuan Qi bought should contain rich mineral resources in the northwest, but he wouldn't understand, how did this guy know? Finger pinching?

Du Han was dumbfounded when he heard it, and there was such a business? This is also too long-term, even considering a hundred years from now! Besides, buying Siberia at such a high price can't be compared to the low price, thinking of the accident of the Russian silver fleet, he has a stirring in his heart, is there an unknown trick behind this territorial transaction?

Yi Zhishu then lit a cigarette, and then said slowly: "The relationship between the imperial court and Britain and France, I know very well that in an alliance with the United States and Russia, Britain and France are at most dissatisfied, and they will not give up cooperation with the imperial court. You may not know that the American Civil War was a conspiracy!

A long-term conspiracy carried out by the European countries to divide and weaken the United States and turn the Federal Republic into a raw material production center for Europe! It is a conspiracy carried out by the financial and political forces of various European countries!

For our Qing Dynasty, Britain and France also wanted to do the same, by supporting the imperial court to form a north-south confrontation, and even like the United States, a large-scale civil war broke out, so that Britain and France could grab the greatest benefits from the Qing Dynasty.

The imperial court should be sober, there is a proverb in Europe, there is no free lunch in the world, what is the hidden intention behind Britain and France so actively supporting the imperial court? Between countries, there are only interests, and there are only interests! ”

The American Civil War was a long-standing conspiracy carried out by the countries of Europe? Su Shun and Du Han were all in disbelief, this statement was too shocking, for the American Civil War, Yuanqi's newspaper has always been tracking reports, and not only limited to reporting on the war between the North and the South.

Rather, it covers the diplomacy of the North and the South, the reactions of European countries, the reasons for sending troops to Mexico, the secret arms trade, the fund-raising of the North and the South, major initiatives, the financial economy during the war, the lives of ordinary people, and so on.

The Qing Dynasty and the opposition had a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of the situation of the civil war thousands of miles away than the previous wars that took place in China, and Su Shun and Du Han were naturally extremely concerned, and it was precisely because of this understanding that it was unbelievable.

After a deep sigh, Du Han spoke: "According to the analysis of the article in the newspaper, the American Civil War was .......caused by the contradiction between the two different economic and social systems of the North and the South. ”

"That's the obvious reason." Yi Zhizhi said: "European financial forces have penetrated deeply into the United States, and their influence is also huge, whether it is in the south or the north. In fact, European politicians know that the financiers in London, Paris, and Frankfurt are behind the American Civil War, and you will understand this if you pay more attention to international finance. ”

After a pause, he continued: "If war is a continuation of political struggle, then behind the conflict of political interests is a contest of economic interests, and the contest of economics is essentially a financial wrestling!"

At present, the possibility of armed invasion by the European powers against our Qing Dynasty is very small, and the possibility of financial aggression and economic aggression is very large, and the imperial court must strictly guard against the financial infiltration and economic control ....... of Britain and France. ”

Can the financial penetration and economic control of Britain and France still match Yuanqi? Su Shun was quite unimpressed, but after all, the other party was a kind reminder, and he didn't want to say anything.

Yi Zhishu also noticed that the topic was far away, and immediately pulled the topic back, "The imperial court should be based on the long-term interests of the country and the nation in handling diplomacy, rather than just looking at the present, in the long run, the conclusion of an alliance with the United States and Russia is more conducive to the Qing Dynasty's consolidation of its position as the hegemon in Asia, its expansion in Central Asia and West Asia, its expansion in North America, and its ability to improve the Qing Dynasty's status in the world." ”

Su Shun nodded slightly, he knew very well in his heart that since this matter was related to the expansion of Yuanqi's northwest, Yi Zhixiang would definitely not give in, if he didn't agree, it would be impossible to get Yuanqi's full support, "What Brother Guocheng said is that it must be based on long-term interests, but the foreign affairs of the imperial court have always been .......controlled by King Gong. ”

"King Gong, I will naturally communicate with others." Yi Zhizhi said: "As for the Queen Mother, Prime Minister Su and King Gong carefully analyzed the international situation and the advantages of the alliance, and later, I will give Prime Minister Su a detailed analysis report on the international situation." ”

Su Shun didn't expect to encounter such a thing when he came to Shanghai this time, although he didn't want to do so, he had to pinch his nose and accept it, fortunately, Yi Zhi's attitude was very friendly, and after the discussion, he specially set up a banquet to invite the two, which is really rare, because Yi Zhizhi is a very rare banquet guest, and it is very rare for a group of princes to come to Shanghai to get this treatment.

After the banquet, Su Shun mentioned that Du Han was coming to Shanghai for the first time and wanted to appreciate the prosperity of Shanghai.

Xu was because he drank some wine, and as soon as Du Han left, Su Shun said boldly: "Brother Guocheng is a talent who has passed through the heavens and latitudes, and no one in the government and the opposition can match, once the court implements the constitution, the phase of regent, only Brother Guocheng is the most suitable." ”

This temptation is also straightforward, easy to be content and said casually: "I am lazy, you don't know, if you covet power, you would have called Wang Zili or the military development of the Beijing Division, as the treasurer of Yuanqi, I have to make long-term plans for Yuanqi, as the king of the south of the Qing Dynasty, I also have to make long-term considerations for the Qing Dynasty."

If the Qing Dynasty can truly implement the constitutional, enrich the country and strengthen the army, the remaining wishes are sufficient, as for the regent, my temperament is really not suitable, this king of Zhennan, I am already reluctantly embarrassed, but I don't want to do anything regent.

In addition, there is a transition period for everything, and if you want to make a smooth transition to the DPRK and implement the constitution at the beginning of the implementation of the constitution, the regency must also be held by a person with high morality in the court, otherwise it is easy to cause chaos. ”

This is reasonable, and it is also in line with Yi Zhi's style of acting, Su Shun couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief, what he is most worried about is that once the constitution is established and Yi Zhixin is regent, he can compete with King Gong Yixun, but he is not at all sure about competing with Yi Zhi, however, he smiled and said: "If you want to talk about high morality and respect, who else in the government and the opposition can match Brother Guocheng?" ”

Yi Zhizhi refilled half a cup of tea for him, and then said: "Brother Yuting and King Gong, whoever is the regent is more suitable than me, which is more conducive to the smooth implementation of constitutional government and the stability of the court situation." ”

Listening to this, Su Shun was completely relieved, the English constitutionalism, there is a rule that the royal family is not allowed to enter the cabinet, this is his biggest reliance on dealing with Yixun, and he is not a royal family, but a distant branch of the clan, in terms of identity, it is much more advantageous than Yixun, however, he didn't make it clear, and he didn't want to make it clear.

After taking a few sips of tea, Yi Zhizhi said slowly: "Brother Yuting was born in the Nanyang Navy, easy to accept by Yuanqi, this is an advantage, but the disadvantage is that there is no political achievements that can be used, in recent years, the imperial court has implemented a new policy, and the limelight has almost been robbed by King Gong. ”

Hearing this, Su Shun knew that he had really come to Shanghai this time, and in the past few years, it has been changed and innovated, and it is indeed King Gong who has taken the limelight, after all, King Gong's general consul supervises the administrative office, and his duty is to implement the new policy, he leaned forward slightly, "Brother Guocheng must have a good plan to teach me." ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled, "Why do you need me to teach, Russia is not abolishing serfdom?" The United States also issued the Emancipation Proclamation, the Homestead Act. ”

Su Shun frowned, what does the serf of Russia and the black slave of the United States have to do with the Qing Dynasty? There were no slaves in the Qing Dynasty, and the original lowly status had been abolished as early as the Yongzheng period, the imperial court implemented a new policy, and completely banned human trafficking.

He couldn't help but hesitate, land reform has always been a taboo, even Yixun dare not touch it, because land reform will inevitably offend the gentry of the world, which is tantamount to asking for a dead end!

However, after thinking about it, he felt that Yi Zhi's contentment could not harm him so much, and even said tentatively: "The national conditions of the Qing Dynasty are different from those of Russia and the United States, and the land involves the interests of the gentry. ”

"The greater the risk, the greater the benefit." Yi Zhifu said in a relaxed tone: "The land reform is extremely risky, once it is successful, the harvest is incomparable, and in the past few years, the imperial court has implemented a new policy, but there is no measure that really benefits the people." ”

After a pause, he continued: "First reduce the rent, forcibly reduce the rent, formulate rent reduction regulations, stipulate the amount of cultivated land rent payable by tenant farmers, and implement it province by province. ”

Reduction? Su Shun hesitated and said, "I'm afraid that the local gentry will not agree easily. ”

"That's why let's implement it province by province." Yi Zhizhi said: "How much territory has the imperial court increased over the years?" The number of immigrants to Nanyang, Southeast Asia, Northwest China, and Northeast China is not a small number, and the court does not agree to rent reduction, and the imperial court pays to organize immigrants, and the number of people in the land is small, and the manpower will be expensive, and the threat is greater than that of rent reduction, so that the gentry, landlords, and tenant farmers can be satisfied, it will inevitably be implemented smoothly. ”