late Qing Dynasty arrest

Li Guolou is very clever, from the exchange between Li Hongzhang and Sheng Huaixuan, he has already heard what he meant.Sheng Huaixuan is a businessman with a pioneering spirit and a master of private fund-raising. Li Hongzhang's application for an official is not for a ready-made official position that earns 10,000+ silver a year, and he will leave after seven years of fat vacancies.But just like him, he wanted to make a fortune and make a career to help Li Hongzhang's career to a higher level.

Sheng Huaixuan and Li Guolou are the same type of people. They both want to make a fortune, but they both have the heart of serving the country and are willing to use the money they earn to do practical things for the common people.At this time, Sheng Huaixuan opened two charity halls in Shanghai to support some poor students to study.

Owners of Shanxi bank accounts such as Wanshoulu, Qiao Zhiyong, etc., those with a net worth of more than one million taels rely on tight clothing, accumulate wealth day by day, and get rich.These people open charity halls, schools, and build public facilities in their hometowns, and they are willing to do what they can.But if they are allowed to go to the next level and use the money they earn to serve the motherland, they will only be apportioned in guilds like the Purple Clothes Society.Although the amount of money raised is an astronomical amount, he will never do anything out of line, risk his life and family, and donate to the country's key national defense projects.

But Li Guolou and Sheng Huaixuan are willing to do such thankless things. Apart from being officials and businessmen, they also have a sense of mission for the rise and fall of the country, which makes them brave to create a precedent in history.

Li Hongzhang said: "Xiaolou, you came at a good time. Just now, Xingsun and I were talking about doing business. We want to open up a new industrial road. What kind of business do you talk about, so that we can achieve a perfect combination of government and business."

Li Guolou said solemnly: "Uncle, Brother Xingsun, if you want to say that the perfect combination of government and businessmen makes a fortune, of course it is to build railways. There is a saying in Britain: Once the train runs, there are ten thousand taels of gold. This is how the United States developed by building railways." .A new capitalist country has come to our country;;;;;;”

Sheng Huaixuan interrupted Li Guolou's words and said, "Xiaolou, I know this too, but the national policy does not allow the construction of railways, so what you say is useless."

Li Guolou glanced at Li Hongzhang, but saw a servant lighting a hookah for Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang started smoking the hookah, and the room was filled with the smell of smoke.Then the servant lit a hookah for Sheng Huaixuan, and Sheng Huaixuan also started smoking.Li Guolou waved his hand to indicate that he doesn't smoke hookah, just drink tea to refresh himself.

Sheng Huaixuan took a puff of thick smoke and said, "Xiaolou, you have never been in the army. In this army, you march and fight. You can't do without smoking. Tobacco can remove moisture, prevent arthritis, and prevent viruses from infecting the body. Dispel poisonous insect bites. Marching and fighting in strange places, without tobacco, soldiers will get sick."

"Oh! Really? It's the first time I've heard of it." Li Guolou was ignorant and didn't know that cigarettes had the curative effect of fighting poison with poison.

Li Hongzhang took a few puffs of hookah, felt relieved, let out a long breath, and said, "Xiaolou, let's go on, what new industries can make big money?"

Li Guolou thought for a while, and said: "Should I say there is? There is still a new industry that can achieve a perfect combination of government and business, and the money earned is astronomical. But this industry has just started and needs state support, otherwise it will be like construction. The railways were criticized."

Sheng Huaixuan slandered Li Guolou in his stomach, and kept showing off at a young age. He interrupted Li Guolou's words just now, and Li Guolou was a little unhappy.Reluctantly raised his hand, cupped his hand and said: "Xiaolou, I was in a hurry and interrupted your words just now, please don't mind. Please continue."

Li Guolou smiled brightly, showing his white teeth, and said: "My little brother is used to sitting in the courtroom, and he likes to say half a sentence, which makes his subordinates unable to figure it out. I'm sorry, brother Xingsun, but I don't have any opinion against you."

Li Hongzhang also showed a gratified smile, laughed, and looked at his grandson approvingly. Only with the stability and restraint of an official can he be worthy of a great responsibility.

"Oh! Xiaolou, I used to have it too, but now I am not an official, so I changed it. Hahahaha!" Sheng Huaixuan thought of the good old days, when he was an official, he knew the benefits of being an official. The power unique to the privileged class is by no means Glory imagined by wealthy merchants.

Li Guolou said in a deep voice: "Uncle, Brother Xingsun, the emerging industry I am talking about is the combination of the telegraph office and the post office. In foreign countries, it is called the post office. This industry can introduce private capital. The flourishing post office will replace the old-fashioned post office. The post has the function of fast horse transmission, as well as the function of goods and letters circulation, and even the function of rapid transmission of war information. For example, a certain place along the coast is landed by foreigners. With the telegram in the post office, people all over the country know it in a few minutes. Now, the people everywhere are ready to fight immediately. It becomes impossible for foreign invaders to sneak attack on an important facility. This industry will not become a burden on the state if it is run by the private sector. If it is run by the government, it will definitely become like a posthouse. The same monster devours the state's financial subsidies every year, and has to support a large group of people. Therefore, the telegraph industry must be open to the people. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Knowledge is money, and it is most appropriate to put it on the post office. In the future, the post and telecommunications bureau will become the most important channel for the public to obtain information, and whoever controls the post and telecommunications bureau will control public opinion.”

Li Guolou kept silent, Li Hongzhang and Sheng Huaixuan were extremely smart people, the meaning of what he said had already pointed out the key point, the one who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.Now that the "mouthpiece" is under control, what will the Westernization Movement want to do in the future, are they afraid that they will not have the support of the people across the country?

Li Hongzhang was indignant, and suddenly changed his face: "Xiaolou, this opinion is very good! Why didn't you write it on the old slip?"

Li Guolou raised his eyebrows and said in embarrassment: "Uncle, this one can only be done, and you can't tell how great the benefits are, otherwise those Manchus will object again. They only know the policy of fooling the people, and never thought that paper can't cover fire. We The people of the country can only hear the news, or know only a few words from the mansion newspaper. As for the newspaper is now controlled by foreigners, it is all in foreign languages, and it is also a restricted area. Therefore, the post office is the breakthrough. This road is open, and the information will be smooth. Newspapers, the development of railways will be easy."

Sheng Huaixuan showed joy, and said: "Father, it is suitable for me to do this business. Introduce private capital, first try it in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and then spread it slowly. In addition, this is a new industry, and people in other provinces don't know how to do it. Operation, when we enter those provinces there will not be too much resistance. When the post and telecommunications bureau is successfully established, the public opinion of the whole country will be in my hands."

Li Guolou said: "Uncle, if you are determined to do it, the headquarters of the post and telecommunications office should be located in Shanghai, and it must not be located in the capital. The private office must look like a private office. This must be adhered to, otherwise there will be endless troubles."

Sheng Huaixuan said anxiously: "Yes, yes! No one can stand up to the righteous father, otherwise he will make a wedding dress for others."

Li Hongzhang was as immobile as a mountain, meditating quietly. He had a high position and power, and what he considered was not only his personal interests, but the development of the entire country.

"Xiaolou, do you think this post office will be like a Pandora's box in the West, which will release the devil after it is opened, and it will be out of control by then."

Li Guolou bowed his head in thought. What Li Hongzhang said was likely to become a reality. New ideas and new culture had a fast road to the entire Qing Empire. No one knew what the Post Office would look like in the future.Those who want to control the post office may be criticized in the end, or even fall because of something that happened to the post office.

Li Guolou raised his head and said, "Uncle, the demons in Pandora have come to our Qing Dynasty long ago and are eating our bodies everywhere. And the post office is like a bitter medicine. I don’t get used to it, but the principle of curing diseases and saving lives will not change at all. I still say the same thing, if the benefits outweigh the risks, we must do it. Time does not wait for us, only people like Uncle can afford this great cauldron.”

Li Hongzhang stroked his beard, nodded and said: "Xingsun, you have heard it all. After dinner, you will sleep in the study. Don't go back. Write me the old slip of the post office, and let me review it and revise it. Tomorrow I showed it to Prince Gong early in the morning. The demons in Pandora that Xiaolou said had already come to us in the Qing Dynasty and were eating our bodies everywhere. The post office is like a bitter medicine. When you drink it, your stomach will become sour. I will feel uncomfortable, but the principle of curing diseases and saving lives will not change at all. Write these few sentences on it. As a leader of the Westernization Movement, I must have the courage to cure diseases and save lives. Not afraid, are you still afraid that the post office will attack its master?"

Li Guolou and Sheng Huaixuan looked at each other and smiled. They felt like friends at first sight. They were both next to a big tree of Li Hongzhang.The so-called emperor and courtiers, all claims, achievements, fame and fortune, cannot be separated from Li Hongzhang's support. When Li Hongzhang's bad luck, they were immediately framed by others, and the so-called tree fell and macaques scattered.Therefore, they will try their best to promote Li Hongzhang to a high position at all costs, and will not set up another hill, change course, and abandon the Westernization School's ideas.

Sheng Huaixuan smiled and said: "Xiaolou, please come in and open the bank. I will definitely come to support you. How many banks are you going to open first?"

Li Guolou said: "Oh, let's open six first, two in Shanghai, one in the public concession, one in Songjiangfu, two in Tianjin, and the headquarters in the British concession. The capital also opened two, which happened to be the Sixth Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Shun."

Sheng Huaixuan joked: "That's a good relationship. From now on, I'll be a white wolf, and I'll ask you to come in and get a loan from the bank."

Li Guolou replied, "That depends on brother Xingsun, how much money you can get in the bank for me."

"Xiaolou, you have a thick skin, you're not polite at all." Sheng Huaixuan sneered.

Li Guolou retorted: "Brother Xingsun, didn't I learn from you?"

The two little foxes looked at each other and laughed, the despicable and dark psychology hidden in their hearts were exactly the same, they were both corrupt officials, and their ability to make money was second to none.

"Xiaolou, don't fall into trouble with women?" Sheng Huaixuan poked Li Guolou's Heart Sutra, which pot was not opened and which pot was lifted.

Li Guolou retorted, squinted and said, "Brother Xingsun, if you go overboard again this time, your adoptive father will not save you."

"Hey, I now know how bad American imperialism is. How could I fall into the same river twice? Foreigners don't understand that our Qing people's loyalty comes first. From now on, I will only hug our Qing people's money. Father-in-law , How big is the official hat for this job in the Post Office?" Sheng Huaixuan couldn't help but wonder how many grades of officials he would be in the officialdom in the future?

Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "The official hat does not lie in how big it is, but how powerful it is? I will give you a seventh-rank official hat and turn the world upside down."

Sheng Huaixuan smiled brightly. Before he was demoted, he was an eighth-rank official. He didn't expect that once he fell from power, he would rise instead of fall. He would be able to sit on an equal footing with the prefect of Songjiang. It is a great blessing in life to have a high-ranking foster father.Sheng Huaixuan stood up on tiptoe to light a hookah for his adoptive father Li Hongzhang, made tea again, and handed him a hot towel.

Li Guolou touched his nose, saw it in his eyes and remembered it in his heart, his face was extremely ugly, and he scolded himself for being stupid in his heart.Why is such a good idea so cheap to Sheng Huaixuan who doesn't know him?Clever in the wrong place, shouldn't show his strength here. Although there is an extra ally, the loss outweighs the gain. The idea of ​​the post office is worth at least 20 taels, and the result of the poor mouth is nothing.Only let Uncle Li Hongzhang see that he is a talented person with progressive thinking and can be of great use.But he didn't come to Li Hongzhang's residence to beg for an official hat.

Li Guolou didn't go to see Sheng Huaixuan who flattered and flirted with him. He didn't cut it for such a small way. He was thinking in his mind how to recover the loss of "20 taels of silver" from Sheng Huaixuan?