From the beginning to the end of this meeting, it was only a point, but Guan Zhuofan felt that he had never been so tired.

This is the most important step of his "Guan's foreign affairs", and he has taken it resolutely today, and whether he can succeed or not can only be judged by history.

Maybe you will be scolded as a traitor, and you can't guarantee it - think about it, give land for nothing, don't collect taxes, and really look like a traitor.

He regretted it for a while, how good would it be if he were a science and engineering student? Airplanes, artillery, tanks, and vehicles may even have been built with an atomic bomb.

No way, who makes themselves not? Let's face it.

Later generations talked about the self-improvement movement of this era, and there were many comments and opinions -- some said that it should be run by the government, some said that it should be run by business, some said that it should be run by the government, and some said that it should be run by the government and supervised by business, and some said that it should be learned from the Japanese and develop the industry.

Guan Zhuofan believes that these statements are both true and incorrect.

Needless to say, each has its own point, but there is only one wrong one - I don't have time!

No matter what you do, you can't afford to waste time and money on things that blind people do to touch elephants.

The reality is that China is short of money, lacks jishu, and does not understand the operation and management of modern enterprises.

Foreign devils are rich, have jishu, and understand management.

Then let the foreign devils come, bring the most haode.

The path he wants to take is simple and straightforward - let the foreign devils put a few of the most haode templates there, use them and learn them at the same time, and allow the foreign devils to earn the money they should earn.

The Western powers of this era have not yet treated China with strict jishu barriers as later generations. As long as there is interest. Foreign businessmen will never hesitate to take the most haode goods. to exchange the silver for the white flowers.

Why put on a look of rejection? It's as if I can really resist it. Every time there is a shelf of a big country. As a result, I fought once, lost once, let it once, and when I was finally willing to put down my face and wanted to work hard, I looked back and saw that the country was already in tatters, and even if I wanted to improve myself, I couldn't get it.

He remembered Rong Hong's words again: Lie down and taste the gall. In order to get away with it!

The tiger worships the cat as a teacher, and he always has to wait for the skills to be learned, so as to make the cat master's opposite.

Wait a minute, endure it, and stay until the snow is clear, and there will be a day of success.

The only thing that can't wait is the army.

The army must use the most haode things directly!

Li Bin was also worried about Guan Zhuofan's approach, and asked him in private: "These foreigners are here today and run away tomorrow." So what to do? ”

The simple explanation was: "It turned out that there was nothing, even if he ran away." It's just nothing. ”

The more complicated explanation is: "If you run away from the east and the west, how can there be any reason not to do business with China?" ”

The explanation for the urgency was: "These things, unlike gold and silver, are not as soft as gold and silver, and they run away after a roll." Once the factory is built, even if you borrow a pair of wings, you can fly to the sky? ”

Thinking of this, Guan Zhuofan let out a long breath - no matter what, the matter in Shanghai is over for the time being, and he now has to shift his attention to the matter of returning to Beijing. He had already drawn up a list of the affairs to be done on his return to Beijing -- who he would meet, what things he would do, and what things he would bring.

But the most important thing is to bring enough money. When he told Libin the number he wanted to mention, Libin was shocked.

"Three hundred thousand taels?" Libin looked at him in amazement,

"It's not more than 300,000," Guan Zhuofan sighed, "I also raised 150,000 yuan at Qiweng's customs, and I also raised 150,000 yuan on Liu Songyan's grain platform." ”

"Six hundred thousand!" Libin's eyes widened, "Yixuan, you go back to Beijing, what do you have to spend so much money?" ”

"Do what?" Guan Zhuofan also widened his eyes, "Naturally, it's a bribe." ”

"Oh, oh." Libin stopped squeaking, silently pondered for a while, and said, "It's about too late today, I'll send it over in person tomorrow." Fortunately, I put your money in Standard Chartered, if it is in which bank, I am afraid that it will take ten days and half a month to adjust the position. ”

600,000 taels, half of the public and half of the private. Guan Zhuofan said in his heart that Lao Tzu was going to be very bankrupt this time, and the safe in Hu Qingqing was already half empty.

"I have sent a telegram to Sandos for what you commanded." Between Libin's eyebrows, there was a slight melancholy, "This time you have to spend so much money in Beijing, that one thing may be successful." It's just that as far as I'm concerned, I really don't know whether I should expect you to do it, or hope that you can't? ”

"Mr. Leigh, don't worry about me." Guan Zhuofan was moved in his heart, but with a smile on his face, "Jiren has his own natural appearance." ”

"Well, as it should be." Libin nodded, changed the subject, and said with a little hesitation, "You will leave in a few days, I have a sentence, I don't know whether to say it or not?" ”

"It doesn't hurt to say anything."

"This new deal seems to have separated Hu Guangyong," Libin looked at him and said, "In fact, he is also a person who is familiar with business, not only has a huge net worth, but also has the most active brain." He is also quite appealing in Shanghai's business community, and the promotion of the new policy will be somewhat helpful, Yixuan, why don't you let him in too? ”

"Oh, you said this," Guan Zhuofan nodded and said with a smile, "The days of Hangzhou's recovery will not be too long, Xue Yan has already contacted Zuo Jigao and reported 100,000 stone of military rations to the Chu army." In the end, he is from Zhejiang, I guess Zuo Jigao will do things in the future, and most of them will have to rely on his liliang, so why should I compete with others? ”

There is another layer of meaning, I have never said it to Libin - Zuo Zongtang is talented, but he is a very suspicious person, since Hu Xueyan has already connected with this Governor Zuo, if he works for himself too much, he will definitely not be trusted by Zuo Zongtang. Instead of this, it is better to let Hu Xueyan make a bridge between himself and Zuo Zongtang, which can play a greater role.

*

*

The three days passed quickly, and early on the morning of the fourth day, the officials in Songjiang gathered at the wharf, and in addition to seeing off Guan Futai, they also sent off two "Chinese beauties" -- Wall and Forrestal, who had entered Beijing with Guan Zhuofan.

Take the sea route to Tianjin, and then change cars and horses from Tianjin to Beijing, this is the established route. The steamship he was on was a "Pujiang" newly purchased by the Qichang Company from Britain, with a displacement of 1,200 tons, and Jin Nengheng used it on the "Shanghai-Tianjin Line." This time, Guan Zhuofan entered Beijing, and Jin Nengheng personally arranged for the Pujiang to vacate the second-class and above cabins to accommodate his attachés and personal soldiers.

There were not many attachés, and Guan Zhuofan only brought Qian Dingming and another friend named Chu Chengliang. There were several long followers, there was no Zhang Shun, firstly, because he wanted to keep him in Fuya to take care of the house, and secondly, he had already returned to the capital once last time he did the affairs of Shanghai Road for Yang Fang, so this time it was the turn of Tulin, who had been promoted to the officer of the Guards Regiment.

The soldiers only brought one or thirty people, not only to escort the commander, but also to escort the accompanying objects - large and small cages, there are hundreds! Of course, many of them were brought to the family by the officers and soldiers of the horse team when they left Beijing, but more of them were gifts that Guan Zhuofan brought back to Beijing, and even the things that were ready to be presented to the palace were in them.

Guan Zhuofan thought to himself, this time, he can't be shameless-bring some good things for the two young widows in the deep palace.

Not...... There are also two other "young widows" in his own family.

It can be seen that you have to take good care, don't be careless, and let Aunt Hu become a widow, it will be very tasteless.

Although he thought so in his heart, he had a sincere smile on his face, and waved cordially to the officials who saw him off on the dock. In the long sound of the whistle, the Pujiang has set sail slowly.

When the crowd on the dock disappeared from sight, his heart suddenly seemed to let go of a thousand pounds of burden, and his mood brightened up for a while -- he was in charge of Jiangsu, started foreign affairs, and had thousands of responsibilities in one, not only to exhaust himself, but also to feel like walking on thin ice at all times, for fear that he would make a mistake and become a sinner in history. Although it was only a temporary departure, it was enough for him to have a good time to relax.

Encouraged by such emotions, he couldn't help but show a sly smile on his face, and pulled Wall who was standing beside him.

"Hua Yuancheng!" He looked at Wall, who was standing upright in a suit and leather shoes, "Do you see, what's different about this ship?" ”

"I already knew." Wall raised his head proudly, "Since the British have made it, I think the United States must have it." ”

The difference is obvious - this ship is no longer a "steamer", and there are no huge paddlewheel blades on both sides of the hull.

It is a propeller-powered ship.

Guan Zhuofan nodded, and sighed softly in his heart: Shijie is moving forward again.

On the sea for three days and three nights, early in the morning of the fourth day, the ship docked at the mouth of Dagu, and the chief of the front station accompanied the patrol road stationed in Dagu and a commander to pick up the ship here, and there was a big cart and dozens of horses on the wharf, which was very well prepared.

When he entered Tianjin City, he had a little washing in the Haode Hotel, and he was about to go out, because there were two people who were going to visit, and they were waiting for him.

One is Liu Changyou, the governor of Zhili, and the other is the minister of trade and commerce, and the "good friend" is noble.

Liu Changyou is a native of Hunan, and he is also a member of the Hunan family, but his qualifications are old and he debuted very early, not in the same vein as Zeng Guofan, but with Jiang Zhongyuan, who has died in battle, has a deep relationship, and the courage he brings is also Chu Yong. From the second year of Xianfeng to the first year of Tongzhi, the war achievements were impressive. When he was appointed governor of Zhili, he first dealt with Song Jingshi, the general of the extremely difficult "Black Flag Army", and then Song Jingshi surrendered to Shengbao, and Liu Changyou changed hands to deal with the rebel army in Shandong, and he has been fighting well.

However, Guan Zhuofan remembered him very much, not because of his military exploits, but because this person had made a very strange suggestion to the imperial court in history.

Destroy Japan across the sea.

*(To be continued......)