Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 543: The Central Plains will be in chaos, but not too much chaos~
In the Jiangning section of the Yangtze River, a speedboat sails against the wind and waves.

Hu Zhihuang, the general of Jiangpu Town, stood on the deck and looked out.

The boat went down the river at a very fast speed.

inside the cabin,

They were his new family members in Jiangpu, including four concubines and six young children.

Hu Zhihuang was excited when he was ordered to return to Suzhou.

God will give great responsibility to this person~
The Xin Dynasty was about to take over the entire south, but he was just sitting in Jiangpu, worrying about it.

The Qing court in the north sent people to show goodwill to him many times, and the rewards offered were higher and higher, from the governor-general of Anhui to the governor of Anhui, but he rejected them all.

Hu Zhihuang thought,
If we wait any longer, I'm afraid he will have to offer a reward to the Governor-General of Liangjiang.

……

Hu Zhihuang had a low level of education and could only read and write.

His simple understanding told him that the Qing government could no longer afford it, so the price kept getting higher and higher.

After the speedboat entered the canal from the Yangtze River, both sides of the river became extremely lively.

A group of concubines gathered on the deck to watch the novelty.

Even though the Dong sisters' family was quite wealthy, as women in the feudal era, they still rarely went out.

A spring outing in the suburbs can be savored for a long time.

The young ladies spent most of their lives confined to the embroidery tower.

of course,

Happiness requires comparison.

Compared to those country women who toil all day and live from day to day, the Embroidery Tower is a paradise on earth.

……

"My dear, I am nervous."

"What are you nervous about?"

"I need to meet my parents-in-law and my eldest wife. Just in case, just in case~"

Hu Zhihuang felt inexplicably guilty and changed the subject.

If the tigress at home saw that I had added a new child to my family, she would probably scold me for three days, and the echoing sound would linger in the room.

Headache~
However, I haven't seen my eldest son for a long time.

He himself did not realize that although he liked the women from wealthy and noble families, in his heart he felt that his first wife's legitimate son was the most important.

……

When passing a pier, Hu Zhihuang quickly took out the telescope at his waist.

pull away.

In the camera, those women with buns walking on the street are dressed so boldly?
In just two years, Jiangnan has changed beyond recognition.

Can a decent woman wear such a short, narrow and bright dress?

Hu Zhihuang stared at it intently, then turned around to look at his four concubines, whose Qing costumes were gloomy, complicated, and full of a sense of confinement.

Suddenly I felt bored.

Pointing to the shore:

"When you get to Suzhou, go buy some clothes that are popular in Jiangnan. Don't be afraid to spend money~"

……

When the boat arrived at Xujiang Wharf, palace guards were already waiting there with horses.

Hu Zhihuang mounted his horse and rode away.

The concubines, nannies and maids were left looking at each other in bewilderment, and silently followed the carriage back to that strange home.

The Hu residence is located in a small town not far from Shihu Lake in the south of the city.

The five courtyards are quite impressive.

Half of the residents on the street are Hu Zhihuang’s fellow villagers from Shangcheng County.

Many people stretched their necks to greet the backbone at the entrance of the alley.

The coachman laughed and said:

"The master has gone to the palace to see His Majesty. The young masters and the ladies should go home to see the old lady first."

……

There was chaos in Hu's house.

The enraged lady looked for weapons everywhere, swearing and cursing.

however,
The kitchen knife was hidden by the cook, and the grass-chopping knife from the stable was missing.

She searched for a long time but only found a rolling pin.

His son Hu Delu, who had just finished school, saw it and asked quickly:
"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Your damn father brought back a group of vixens from Jiangbei~"

Seeing that his son's reaction was not intense, he gritted his teeth and said:

"And she gave birth to a litter of cubs. When the time comes, they will all want a share of your property."

Hu Delu was shocked:
"Mom, that won't do."

"Of course not. Come on, grab your weapons and follow mom to fight."

……

Hu Delu froze:
"Mom, no, I don't dare to hit Dad."

"You are stupid. How can a son beat his father? Your father is not here. He went to the palace. He is just a bunch of vixens."

"okay."

Under the gaze of the stunned servants.

Hu Delu refused the rolling pin as thick as his wrist, looked around, kicked off the branches of the peach tree in the courtyard, and pulled off the extra leaves with force.

Excitedly said:
"Mom, you beat the older one, and I beat the younger one."

The lady held up the rolling pin:

"Let's go. Mother loves you well."

……

The Dong sisters, who had just stepped off the carriage on a stool, turned around and saw the lady rushing towards them with a rolling pin in her hand.

Howling in his mouth:

"Beat you to death, you vixen."

How could a rich girl who had never had to work be a match for the lady who was used to carrying water and tilling the fields?

The birds jumped up and down, crawled all over the ground, and their hair was disheveled.

The woman was crying and the child was screaming.

The scene was in chaos.

The servants gathered at the entrance of the alley were in a dilemma.

The one who beats is the master, and the one who is beaten is also the master, so you can't afford to offend either side.

Hu Zhihuang's mother was standing at the door.

Hesitant to speak.

The maids were very anxious:
"Madam, what should we do?"

"Forget it, let's go back. Anyway, there are no outsiders here. Whether we win or lose, the meat will rot in the pot."

……

The old lady is very cheerful.

Daughters-in-law beat daughters-in-law, grandsons beat grandsons. Winning or losing is a family matter, and it is not considered a loss.

2 quarters of an hour later,
The original wife and her daughter, who returned home victoriously, sat down at the table.

The old lady smiled:

"My eldest grandson must be hungry, housekeeper, go and serve the noodles quickly."

"Hey."

When the housekeeper was about to leave, he saw the old lady nodding at him and he understood instantly.

Found my wife:
"Arrange the family members brought back by the master to the side yard first and serve them well so that the two sides don't bump into each other."

……

As usual,

The butler brought a bowl of steaming hot beef stewed noodles to the young master.

The old lady hurriedly:
"My dear grandson, eat quickly."

Hu Delu, who had just finished exercising, picked up the bowl and ate it in big mouthfuls, like a tiger descending from the mountain, sweeping away everything in his path in a whirlwind, and emptied the bowl at an incredible speed.

The old lady was so happy that she kept praising him:
"Just like your father when he was a kid, he would eat anything he could find."

"Being able to eat is a blessing, and my grandson is blessed."

……

This is just a side dish.

Dinner time came half an hour later, and four large bowls of stew and a plate of fried beans were placed on the table.

The boy continued to eat quickly, regardless of the fact that the food was scalding hot.

The butler seemed to be hesitant to speak several times.

The old lady took the initiative to explain:

"If you eat fast, you eat more."

"Don't think that we have no worries about food and drink in the mansion now. If we encounter natural disasters or man-made disasters, we won't be able to take away all our wealth. We can only take the food we eat and the clothes we wear~"

……

Everyone is silent~
The only sound was the eating.

the next morning,

The butler summoned everyone in the kitchen:

"Let's make a rule from now on. When the food is ready, let it cool down a little before serving it."

He went to the warehouse to get a pound of gold utensils, found a goldsmith to come to his house, and melted the gold in the yard to make gold necklaces for the young masters.

Sure enough, the old lady praised it and kept saying it was a good idea.

What's the point of keeping the gold bowl and candlestick? If you have to flee, you can exchange the valuables for steamed buns.

The old lady was extremely satisfied with the new housekeeper recommended by the guarantor.

After nightfall,

She secretly went to see her grandchildren who were living in the side room, thinking of holding a banquet after her son returned home.

From the old lady's perspective, it is a very good thing that the Hu family is thriving and has grown into a large family.

However, the share of the inheritance in the future still needs to be discussed in advance. The old lady wants to die to protect her grandson.

……

Hu Zhihuang had no time to take care of these trivial matters in the mansion.

This was his first time entering the Wu Palace. He felt it was quite solemn and awe-inspiring, and was particularly shocked when he walked through the square.

Entering the temple,

He looked at the familiar face of his sworn brother, tears welled up in his eyes, and he fell to his knees.

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"Your Majesty, I am back."

"Get up, get up. There's no need to be so formal."

Li Yu smiled and after a brief greeting, he quickly got down to business.

"How many soldiers do you have in Jiangpu Town?"

"3000 musketeers, 1000 spearmen, and more than 500 artillerymen."

"I will assign two more light artillery companies, one heavy artillery company, one infantry battalion, one baggage battalion, and one engineering company to your command."

"Great! Your Majesty, are you going to prepare for the Northern Expedition?"

Li Yu shook his head.

……

When Hu Zhihuang walked out of the palace, he was still a little dazed.

He will resolutely carry out His Majesty's instructions.

But he really didn't understand the purpose behind causing chaos in the Central Plains.

"~Your troops will not change their uniforms or flags for the time being, but all members can cut their braids and fight under the banner of the Su-Lu-Yu-An Self-Defense Army, with the purpose of opposing the Qing Dynasty and serving the people."

"~Expand the army, expand the territory with Jiangpu as the base, eliminate the Qing army in northern Anhui, and control Luzhou and Shouzhou."

"~Properly support the rebels, but do not recruit them. Be careful not to be too close or too far. The Central Plains needs chaos, but there must not be Zhang Xianzhong or Li Zicheng. When necessary, you can also send troops to suppress the rebels who are too bloodthirsty."

"~ I need the smoke of war to spread all over the north and make everyone feel insecure before I can implement the next strategy. But we must not repeat the chaos of the late Ming Dynasty."

……

Hu Zhihuang was full of worries when he was riding past Jinji Lake.

I couldn't help but dismount and sit by the lake in a daze.

I can still vividly remember the time when I went barefoot by the lake to cast a net and catch fish in order to eat some meat without spending any money.

many years ago,

He once served as the commander of the Jinji Flood Guard here, and later met Your Majesty, and since then they have been in a relationship of great fortune and opportunity.

Do not know why,

Hu Zhihuang missed the days when he was a captain.

Every time I made a few extra silver bars from Mr. Li, I felt so happy that I almost flew away.

……

At noon the next day,

The Hu residence was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations and a grand banquet was held.

All the neighbors came, and it was very lively.

The new concubines who entered the palace were formally paid their respects and officially entered the palace.

The old lady was smiling from ear to ear, only the eldest lady had a sullen face. She was the unhappiest person in the family.

but,

In the end, he didn't dare to do anything out of line in front of Hu Zhihuang, so as to save face.

Hu Zhihuang's face was flushed as he toasted at every table.

In a trance,
He thought of his distant and unfamiliar hometown, Hujia Bay.

Thinking silently in my heart:

“But I don’t know what the situation is like now.”

"Fellow villagers, just hold on for another year or so. When I, Old Hu, lead my troops to attack the mall, life will be better."

……

In the afternoon, Hu Zhihuang hurriedly left home.

Two light artillery companies, one heavy artillery company, one infantry battalion, one baggage battalion, one engineering company, more than 2 people changed into civilian clothes and followed him across the river.

The task of transporting troops was undertaken by a civilian fleet.

The Transport Department and local shipping associations have cooperated many times and have established a tacit understanding.

Civilian inland fleets and coastal merchant fleets were both sources of the future "second navy" of the Wu State.

In Xiangtan, Hunan, there are many private shipyards and ships are launched every day.

The concept of general-purpose vessels has taken root in people's minds.

Standardization, process-based management, and the extensive use of cheap iron components and nails can reduce shipbuilding costs.

Build one and sell it immediately.

The prosperous business environment has promoted the vigorous development of the shipping industry.

This, in turn, stimulated the prosperity of the logging industry in western Hunan and western Hubei.

On the Jingjiang River and the Yuanjiang River, rafts are released in groups, connected end to end, creating a magnificent scene.

……

Wu Dinh’s economic strategy was clear:

With coal and iron as the core.

Iron smelting is the leader of heavy industry, and textiles are the leader of light industry.

Using various overt and covert means, they forced private capital to flow into industry and commerce.

Improve productivity and increase output, thereby significantly reducing the prices of cotton and iron products, which in turn increases sales.

Focus on the big and let go of the small, and use the big to lead the small.

With an open mind, remove all obstacles to export trade.

The country exported expensive tea and silk in exchange for large quantities of cheap resources from Southeast Asia and European ships.

The first batch of ambitious big business owners, small wealthy groups, mature workers were quickly born, and together with the army, they became the emperor's "iron plate".

……

The imperial finances needed to significantly reduce the proportion of land taxes, leaving enough room for the small peasant economy, and remain unchanged for a hundred years.

The Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta are rapidly entering the first generation of industrial economy, while most areas in other provinces are still stuck in the small peasant economy.

Future~
The three pillars of imperial finance: tariffs, colonization, and industrial and commercial taxes
The three pillars of the Empire's industry: metallurgy, cotton spinning, and coal

The Empire's Three Weapons of External Relations: Cannons, Tea and Silk, and Culture

The Empire's Two Strong Export Goods: Tea and Population

……

Taking advantage of the smoke of war, Li Yu quietly took another step forward.

Further liberalization of restrictions on private mining
There is only one prerequisite: paying taxes in full.

Brick kilns are in full bloom, with five years of tax exemption.

Two more large government-run cement plants were added and the existing ones were expanded again.

Li Yu proposed a slogan:
Let 30 million families be able to afford coal briquettes and 30 million families be able to build brick houses, and sprint into a new feudal era.

Everyone thinks it's impossible.

Living in a brick house and burning a coal stove, is this a common practice?

……

The important ministers thought so in their hearts but kept silent, not daring to dampen the enthusiasm of His Majesty.

Everyone privately lamented that your Majesty's starting point was good, but the bad thing was that the common people had no money. Coal briquettes and bricks all had to be bought with money.

Looking at the world,

Leaving aside the prosperous towns, only the farmers in the Jiangnan region have cash in their hands.

The only way for farmers in other areas to earn some living income is to sell their crops.

but,

How many acres of land can a farmer have? How much surplus grain can he have? If his warehouse is full of grain, he is no longer a farmer.

……

Important officials within the Wu court all believed that this was an unsolvable dilemma.

How does Wulun develop?

In the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions, more than 90 percent of households can have brick houses and coal stoves.

5% was achieved in northern Jiangxi and southern Anhui.

The remaining provinces account for 2%.

If this level is achieved, in future history books, your Majesty's reign will be described as a glorious and prosperous era that cannot be described in words, and no one will be able to surpass it in the next 200 years.

This was on the premise of realizing the South Seas colonization strategy.

……

As the front lines won victory after victory, Wu Ting also welcomed visitors from many forces.

The probability of a change of dynasty is very high, and all forces are trying to find the right opportunity and join the victorious side as soon as possible to get a share of the pie.

such as,

Yu Yunhe, the grain supervisor of Huai'an, sent his cousin to strike up a conversation with his fellow villagers.

Fujian Wang Danwang sent his trusted advisor to discuss the matter.
Shi Lingyang, Marquis of Jinghai in Fujian, sent his cousin to discuss the uprising.

The funniest thing is,

Cai Qian, the pirate leader who had long been active in the waters of Fujian and Guangdong, and Lin Shuangwen, the leader of the Tiandihui who was ready to make a move on Tainan Island, also sent people to discuss overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)