The news that Yuanqi was going to build a railway from Beijing to Guangzhou and handing over this railway to the British was the first to be learned by the Americans, and since the Qing Dynasty began to build the railway, several railway companies in the United States have been working closely with Yuanqi, and the United States is the one that has contracted the most railway projects in the Qing Dynasty in Western countries.

Knowing that such a railway trunk line connecting the north and south of the Qing Dynasty and a railway with great commercial value was handed over to the British, the American minister to China could still sit still, and hurriedly rushed to the Zhennan Palace.

Bo Jia is the longest time in China and the longest-serving minister of the United States to China, as he gets older, he has asked to return to China several times, but has been comforted by the previous presidents, because Bo Jia has a good personal relationship with Yi Zhicontent, whether it is during the Civil War or after the war The reconstruction of the United States needs Yuanqi's strong support.

As the Qing court allowed the envoys of Western countries to relocate to Beijing, the embassies of Western countries in China have moved to Beijing, except for the United States, which is an exception.

Yi Zhishu was not surprised by Bojia's visit, and as soon as he met at the gate of the courtyard, he smiled and said, "I knew you couldn't sit still, I didn't expect it to be so fast." ”

Bo Jia learned to return the salute and said, "Seeing a piece of fat fall into the bowl of the British, where can I still sit still." ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhizhi couldn't help but smile, "This piece of fat can only be eaten by the British." ”

After pondering for a while, Bo Jia said: "Your imperial court will oppose the construction of this railway?" ”

"The likelihood of opposition is huge." Yi Zhizu showed his hand as he spoke, and the courtyard where the two entered, he continued: "The railway project is that the Qing Dynasty strives to spend twenty years to form a perfect railway transportation system, and you don't need to be blushing, and besides, it will not affect your country's status in Yuanqi." ”

After all, the United States could not compete with England in the field of railway construction, and he was not angry that the British would get this project, but that the British would threaten the United States' dominant position in the Qing Dynasty.

After a slight sigh, he said: "Will the railway in the northwest end at Dihua, or will it continue to extend?" ”

The Northwest Railway is involved in the American Railroad Company, and the other party asked what he meant by this, I am afraid that he is not only concerned about the railway project, but also has other meanings, and Yi Zhizhi weighed and said: "It should be extended to Yili." After a pause, he continued: "Don't worry, there are many railway projects, and Yuanqi is planning to build a railway trunk line to Southeast Asia. ”

Bo Jia smiled: "Yuan Qi is going to invest all the money he has earned in the past few years into the railway?" ”

"In recent years, the world economy has been sluggish, and investing in railways is not a good choice." Yi Zhishu paced slowly: "Your country's first transcontinental railway should be completed in a few years?" ”

Bo Jia nodded, the first transcontinental railroad connected by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad is now in full swing of construction organization, and it is expected to be completed in five years at most, which is not only for the needs of developing the west, but also for the needs of close trade with the Qing State, to be precise, the needs of the United States to develop Pacific trade.

Yi Zhishu continued: "I heard that in order to promote the construction of railways, your country has allocated a lot of land from state-owned land to railway companies? ”

"There is indeed such a policy." "Over the years, the federal government has donated hundreds of millions of acres of land to local states free of charge, and then transferred them to railroad companies, in addition to providing loan support. Speaking of this, he smiled, "Our federal government doesn't have as much money as Yuan Qi, and we don't have the vision ...... you."

In the early days of developing railway construction, China adopted a laissez-faire policy, pursued the principle of liberalism, and took many detours, but your country's railway construction was in planning from the very beginning. ”

Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "It's not a vision, but because of the late development of China's railways, I have learned some lessons from the development of your country and the English railway." ”

The two of them talked and sat down in the house, and said in a sincere tone: "The Civil War has caused great damage, and our country is currently in the post-war recovery stage...... What our country can count on is trade with you. ”

"We are facing a worldwide economic crisis, and our country can not avoid being impacted, and the recent wave of price reductions began with the textile industry." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "At present, Britain is both an industrial hegemon and the center of the world economy, and we have not yet been able to get rid of the impact of the British economic crisis. ”

After a slight sigh, Bo Jiacai said: "Our two countries are developing the Pacific business circle, what about Russia?" Northwest Railroad? ”

"Not bad." Yi Zhizhi said: "The construction of the Northwest Railway is not only to consolidate the Northwest Frontier, but also to develop the Central Asian trade circle. ”

There is no doubt that this is a grand economic strategic concept, and the so-called Pacific trade circle in the United States is only a part of this strategic concept.

Yuan Qi began to work hard for this economic strategic concept a few years ago, at least from the time of the construction of the Northwest Railway, it should have had this idea, whether it is in favor of the shareholder Pacific Trade Circle or the alliance between the United States, Qing and Russia, Yuan Qi is for this economic strategy.

There is no doubt that once this economic strategic concept becomes a reality, the Qing Dynasty will become the new economic center of the world, and countries such as Britain and France may even be marginalized in the trade between the East and the West!

After a while, Bo Jiacai, who came back to his senses, sighed sincerely: "Yuanqi is creating a miracle that has attracted the attention of the world, and I am looking forward to seeing the birth of this miracle with my own eyes." ”

Yi Zhishu smiled: "With your body and bones, you can definitely see that day." ”

Although Bo Jia is over sixty, he himself is a doctor, and he is indeed very confident in his body, he smiled when he heard this, and pulled the conversation back, "Yuan Qi is planning to give the railway trunk line connecting Southeast Asia to my country?" ”

"For you, you won't be able to eat it." Yi Zhishu slowly shook his head and said: "I'm in a hurry, the main railway line in Southeast Asia must be completed within ten years, the terrain of Southeast Asia you know, it is not easy to build a railway, I plan to invite Prussia, which is now the North German Confederation, to build it together."

The survey of the railway line from Guangzhou to Hanoi is nearing completion, and it is expected that construction will start in the spring of next year, and it is still the old way, and the repair ....... is carried out in sections. ”

As soon as he heard that Prussia was going to be brought in, he couldn't help but be a little anxious, but he couldn't object, he knew very well that Yuan Qi was in a hurry to consolidate Southeast Asia as soon as possible, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "China's current economy is very sluggish, and many large railway companies are interested ......in Yuanqi's railway projects. ”

After lighting a cigarette, Yi Zhizhi said, "You may also follow Yuanqi and carry out infrastructure construction." ”

Bo Jia smiled bitterly and said: "The federal government is now burdened with a huge war debt, and the annual interest is enough to overwhelm them, where can they still have the spare energy to invest in infrastructure?" ”

"Sell land!" Yi Zhizhi said without thinking: "Didn't you do this before?" Yuanqi's company in the U.S. could consider buying land on the West Coast. ”

Yuanqi wants to buy land? That would definitely not be a small gesture, Bo Jia glanced at him vigilantly, and said, "Yuan Qi should not want to get a concession on the west coast?" ”

"I just dare to think that the federal government won't agree otherwise." Yi Zhifen said with a smile: "Even if you buy a piece of land on the West Coast to establish a port city, it belongs to the United States, I don't buy it in the name of Yuan Qi, but in the name of Yuan Qi's company in the United States, many of them are American nationals, your country will not mind that the United States has an extra China City, right?" ”

This proposal, Bo Jia was a little moved, the United States will definitely not mind having an extra Chinatown on the West Coast, besides, this has a positive effect on promoting commerce and trade between the two countries, besides, the federal government cannot interfere in this matter, he sighed slightly, he said: "I will ask the country for instructions on this matter, I don't know which place Yuan Qi is looking at?" ”

Yi Zhi's contentment is naturally known as the oil city of Los Angeles, to be exact is Long Beach, but the entire Los Angeles Basin is rich in oil resources, and he doesn't mind buying the entire basin, of course, only such a big deal will make the federal government tempted.

Now that the oil in the Los Angeles Basin has not yet been discovered, this is the best time for Yuanqi to speculate, but Yi Zhifu did not dare to point it out, but considered it: "If the federal government and the local state government support it, I will send someone to the West Coast to investigate and choose a suitable place to buy." ”

Bo shook his head and said, "Okay, I'll report this matter to the country as soon as possible." ”

Jingshi, Dongjiaomin Lane, French Embassy.

As he paced back and forth in his spacious office with a gloomy face, Souard, France's temporary representative to China, felt extremely angry when he learned that Walson had carried him on his back to Shanghai to meet Yi Zhicontent, and had received the news of the construction of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, he felt extremely angry, and felt like he had been deceived and abandoned.

I don't know how many times I went back and forth, until my mood calmed down, he stopped and commanded, "Someone." ”

A counselor pushed the door open and said, "Your Excellency——。 ”

"Book a train ticket to Shanghai tomorrow." Su Al commanded in a deep voice: "In addition, release this news and let the Qing officials know as soon as possible." ”

Yi Xun was in charge of diplomatic affairs, and the Yamen had many contacts with the embassy personnel of Western countries, and he was the first to learn of this news, and when he heard about it, he was simply a little incredulous, and how much silver would it cost to build such a railway from Beijing to Guangzhou, which was 5,000 miles away. Then he thought that Yuan Qi was really not only silver, and the Northwest Railway was not longer? And in terms of commercial value, the Northwest Railway is not as good as the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, right?

After careful investigation, he learned that the British Minister Walson was still in Shanghai, and that the French Minister had also sent someone to book tickets to go to Shanghai.

Not counting the Jingshi to Zhangjiakou railway that is being built, Beijing already has three railways - Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Liangjing Railway, Beijing-Taizhou Railway, and adding another is not a big deal, the problem is that Guangzhou is Yuanqi's nest, and this Beijing-Guangzhou Railway must pass through Huguang and Henan to the north, with the suspicion of the Empress Dowager Ci'an about Yuanqi, she will definitely oppose it!

Without thinking about it, he also knew how attractive this railway was to the British, and if the imperial court opposed it, it would inevitably hinder the relationship between the two countries.

At more than two o'clock in the morning of the next morning, Yixun hurriedly got up and rushed to the Shenwu Gate in a sedan chair, and got off the sedan chair at the dismounted monument, he got off the sedan chair and glanced around, and saw that the surroundings were pitch black, and there were a few dead gas lamps on the city wall emitting a faint light, he couldn't help but think of the gas lamps in Shanghai, and he couldn't help but sigh secretly, Jingshi should also keep pace with the times.

"See Su Xiang, please come over." With a command, he got into the sedan chair again and closed his eyes to recuperate.

After a while, Su Shun walked slowly over and said outside the sedan chair: "I don't know what is important to King Gong?" ”

Yi Xun got out of the sedan chair and said, "Su Xiang has never heard of the rumors of the Beijing master? ”

Su Shun's heart sank, "King Gong is referring to the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, is there really such a thing?" ”

"It is true." Yi Xun is the first to say.

Su Shun Deng understood why Yixun would come and wait for him early, there was a Beijing-Shanghai railway, plus a Beijing-Guangzhou railway, once Yuan Qi had a heart of disobedience, the situation of the Beijing division would inevitably be more dangerous, the Empress Dowager Ci'an herself was quite suspicious of Yuan Qi, and she would definitely oppose it vigorously, but the British were also involved, and this matter became even more tricky.

If it is not allowed, not to mention offending Yuan Qi, it will offend the British, maybe even Britain and France will be offended, but it is obviously not easy to persuade the Empress Dowager Ci'an to agree, and maybe there will be twists and turns in this matter.

After a slight groan, he said: "The Queen Mother asked, try to convince? ”

Yixun shook his head slowly and said, "The Queen Mother asked, and strongly objected. ”

Oppose? Su Shun couldn't help but be stunned, and then said, "Will Yuan Qi be willing?" The British are afraid and will not ......give up easily. ”

"The Queen Mother would have strongly opposed this matter, if we all agreed, the Queen Mother would definitely not nod easily." Yixun lowered his voice and said: "If we want to persuade the Queen Mother, we have to oppose and agree, let the Queen Mother weigh the pros and cons herself, and then know the reason, if the Queen Mother wants to rely on Britain and France, she will eventually make concessions." ”

Su Shun nodded slightly, and said with a smile: "King Gong is still good at figuring it out." ”

What does it mean to be good at figuring out? Yixun rolled his eyes angrily, turned around and got into the sedan chair and continued to close his eyes, he is not the Minister of Military Aircraft, the Queen Mother was the Minister of Military Aircraft for the first time, and it is not his turn for the time being.