late Qing Dynasty arrest

In the name of the Prime Minister's Office, Ding Richang drew up the irrevocable document "Fujian Ship Administration Bureau", for six reasons:

[-]. The Western powers ran rampant in the Qing Dynasty because of their strong ships and powerful guns.

[-]. Independent research and development of shipbuilding can not be controlled by others. Western man-made iron-clad ships have a history of hundreds of years. I just tried to build them, so I can't give up halfway.

[-]. In order to catch up with the Western powers, Japan, a small country, was already ahead of the Qing Dynasty. It even added steel factories, manufactured iron-clad ships, and imitated foreign guns and cannons.Our Qing Dynasty cannot fall behind others.

[-]. The former efforts are wasted, the later effects are difficult to achieve, and the money spent has turned into a waste, not only making people laugh at others, but also soaking up the will of the leader.

[-]. Raising ships and training troops is a great plan to enrich the country and strengthen the army.

50. "Please Come to the Bank" will raise 50 taels of silver for the "Fujian Shipping Bureau", and will raise [-] taels of silver for the Shipping Bureau every year in the future.

The last point hits the nail on the head. The Ministry of Household Affairs only provides Fujian Shipping Bureau with 35 taels of silver to maintain funding each year. Now it is equivalent to "Fujian Shipping Bureau" no longer applying for funds from the state. The Ministry of Finance only needs to pay the salaries of officials in Fujian Shipping Bureau.In fact, Li Guolou secretly negotiated with Ding Richang that next year's payment to the Shipping Bureau would not be less than 70 taels of silver.

Ding Richang writes such memorials like a dragon, and he writes them with a single stroke, laughing and throwing away the brush.Passing it to Li Hongzhang with easy steps, Prince Gong stroked his short beard and nodded kindly.

Li Guolou frowned and said: "Prince Gong, Li Zhongtang, this officer has done his best, don't bother me again within a year, let me finish the errands in hand, and don't make other arrangements for this officer. The goal of the province, without talents, even if I know how to make money, I can't reach it."

"Okay, okay!" Prince Gong said three good times in a row, and looked at Li Guolou with a smile. With Li Guolou raising funds for him, there was nothing he couldn't do.

Taking advantage of Prince Gong's happiness, Li Hongzhang began to sue Zuo Zongtang, slandering Zuo Zongtang, saying that Zuo Zongtang set up a machine bureau in Lanzhou, which imitated the model of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and copied it to revitalize the military industry in Southwest China.

"Prince Gong, Zuo Zongtang, who belongs to the donkey, is very ambitious in everything. When I founded the Fujian Shipping Bureau, I wrote to him again and again, telling him to follow the steps and start from a small scale. Employers must not be sloppy. But this stubborn donkey from Hunan, he just refused to listen to me. He insisted on reporting the amount of 300 million taels to the imperial court for approval, and let the profiteer Hu Xueyan go to discuss loan matters with foreign banks. In the end, it was more than half of the foreign loan I borrowed from the Qing Dynasty now. I don’t know what the superiors thought, but they approved it. Now it’s good for him to pat his ass and leave. The Fujian Shipping Bureau is a mess, and Yusheng and I are here. No matter, he even dragged the small building into this pool of sewage. His old brother is lucky, he went to the Northwest, and it's not peaceful, so let that big profiteer Hu Xueyan borrow money from foreigners, and I won't talk about such things as interest He also made a bold statement that the scale of the Lanzhou Machinery Bureau was larger than that of the Jiangnan General Manufacturing Bureau. If he continues like this, before the Qing Dynasty is strong, it will collapse first, and it will be brought down by the economy.”

The relationship between Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang was not harmonious. The two had different political ideas and employed people in different ways.Zuo Zongtang likes his subordinates to be as clean as water, and they are capable ministers and officials. They belong to the category of letting the horses not eat grass at night, but wanting the horses to run happily. The agricultural economy is effective. As for modern industrial projects, they are all unfinished projects. Fujian The Shipping Bureau was originally a key military industrial project organized by Zuo Zongtang when he was working in Fujian.

Li Hongzhang likes his subordinates to be capable, able to make a lot of money, and to make a fortune. He asked his subordinates to embezzle and accept bribes, but he demanded that they be able to achieve results.This was forced out, and it was also the need of the times. The officials above had to be filial, and even the emperor, the empress dowagers, and princes had to accept bribes. Officials who couldn't make money were of little use to Li Hongzhang.

"Well;;;;;;; I know who I can trust." Prince Gong unconsciously glanced at Li Guolou again. He is also a businessman. Millions of silver are paid to the state in taxes.But Hu Xueyan is colluding with foreigners, raising the interest on foreign money, and embezzling the country's money.

Li Hongzhang also turned his eyes to Li Guolou, and he had the same thoughts as Prince Gong. Li Guolou was able to contribute to the country at such a young age, which was really rare. He could speak English and was good at making friends with foreigners, which was really a rare species.In front of me are "Ghost Six", "Little Devil" and "Fake Foreign Devil". There are these three outstanding figures of the Westernization School. He is full of confidence as the Minister of Beiyang Trade and Affairs.

"Prince Gong, don't you think Xiaolou looks like a person?" Li Hongzhang said suddenly during the chat.

"Who is it!" Prince Gong had a rare free time, and stopped meeting other guests, and had afternoon tea with the three subordinates who got a deal.

"That American Burlingame of Qing origin." Li Hongzhang laughed.

"Oh;;;;;;;" The eyes of the three were all focused on Li Guolou, trying to find the shadow of Burlingame from him, which made Li Guolou feel a little resentful and felt wronged for himself.

American Burlingame Burlingame was originally an American diplomat. Xianfeng was sent to the Qing Dynasty as the Minister of the Legation in 11 years. During his tenure, he had a good relationship with Prince Gong.In the 6th year of Tongzhi, Burlingame resigned, and the United States appointed Williams as minister.

At this time, Hurd, another British chief tax officer who held an important position in the Qing Dynasty, jumped out and made a suggestion to the Prime Minister's Office, whether Burlingame could be appointed as the "Minister of Foreign and Chinese Negotiations" in the Qing Dynasty.Hurd's reason is: Burlingame has a loyal heart, has traveled to Western countries, and is familiar with the conditions of each country.Prince Gong had a very good impression of Burlingame, and now he was recommended by Hurd. He immediately agreed, and immediately handed over the papers to the two queen dowagers.

The Empress Dowager Cixi didn't know much about diplomacy at first, and she listened to the propositions of "Ghost Six", and this time she was also accurate.In this way, Burlingame Burlingame, an American from the Qing Dynasty, stayed in the capital and was entrusted with important tasks by the Qing Dynasty, and soon formed the Burlingame Burlingame Mission of the Qing Dynasty.

Prince Gong also gave the American Burlingame two seals, "Minister in charge of Chinese and foreign diplomatic affairs of various countries" and "Imperial envoy", which made the American Burlingame of Qing nationality wake up from his dreams several times with joy.

In the 7th year of Tongzhi, Burlingame led the Qing embassy from the capital to represent the Qing Empire to the United States, Britain, Prussia, Russia and other countries.And in July of that year in Washington, USA, signed the "Sino-US Continuation Treaty" with US Secretary of State Xi Huade to expand the US's trade interests in the Qing Dynasty indefinitely.

In April of the 10th year of Tongzhi, Burlingame went on a diplomatic mission to Russia and had not yet made an official visit. Burlington died suddenly of an acute illness the next day, and the mission returned home.

What kind of character is Burlingame?The benevolent sees the benevolent and the wise sees wisdom. From the perspective of the Westernization School, the Qing Empire did not perish, but was able to embark on the road to revival. The foreign gun team wiped out the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Eastern Nian, all because Burlingame played a role in it and made great contributions to the Qing Dynasty.

And those people of insight laughed at Prince Gong for doing one of the most stupid things, and even foreigners felt very puzzled and thought it was naive to let a foreigner be the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Qing Dynasty.

At this time, Li Hongzhang brought up the Burlingame issue because he believed that Li Guolou had the bearing of a diplomat, and of course he was not mocking Prince Gong.You must know that the British chief tax officer, Hurd, who recommended Burlingame, is now transferred from Shanghai because of Li Guolou's ignorance, but he still holds the important post of tax director of Tianjin Customs. Prince Gong and Li Hongzhang still favor the British Hurd.

This is also a common problem in the Qing Dynasty. Chinese people are not yet familiar with the situation in the West. Many things are smeared. Foreigners need to be hired for foreign affairs. There is also a 3000-strong foreign gun team stationed in Tianjin. It has not been disbanded at this time. Territory, this army made great contributions to the Qing Dynasty, and it was directly commanded by Li Hongzhang.The Beiyang Navy employs many foreigners, not to mention those manufacturing bureaus, all senior technicians employ foreigners.

"Well;;;;;; Guolou, it's easy to work! The great weapon of the country needs to be sharpened." Prince Gong gave Li Guolou the highest praise, and he will promote Li Guolou in the future.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhongtang, for your cultivation." Although Li Guolou did not agree with Burlingame's personality, he also knew Li Hongzhang's intention to train him as a diplomat. Who called him a "fake foreign devil" who had stayed abroad and knew foreign languages. , The family also raised several foreign women.

The banquet is set up, and four people are seated one by one, each with a large glass of skin wine. At this time, the production of "skin wine" is made of large wooden wine barrels, which belongs to the original ecology.The four xenophobic people toasted and were about to drink the first glass of skin wine. Li Hongzhang sat down in vain, giggled and said, "I won't clink glasses with you, I still want to live a few more years in this world."

"Giggle!" "Ghost Six", "Little Devil" and "Fake Foreign Devil" laughed together, raised their glasses high, and shouted, "Cheers!"

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Tomorrow the teahouse will talk about this allusion, and the three of you can also get married in Taoyuan."

Talking and joking, not talking about official etiquette, clinking glasses casually, spending a feast in laughter.Li Guolou's belly was full of leather wine, and he left the Prime Minister's Office with a full stomach, and it was almost nine o'clock when he returned home.The mansion was still brightly lit, with oil lamps and lanterns lighting the living room and corridors, and everyone in the family was waiting for him.Thirty servants have already changed their attire, and they are dressed like a sergeant.Li Guolou was quite satisfied seeing the servant dressed up, energetic and beaming.There were also ten official slaves in the living room, who were assigned to the fifth-rank officials by the Ministry of Rites.

When Li Guolou saw this group of official slaves, including middle-aged maidservants and young maidservants, his heart shuddered.The secret agents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are lurking among these people, and the court will know his every move in the future, and these people must not be allowed to enter the inner house.

The grandmas at home stood beside her, beaming with joy. Chen Xiangfang smiled and said, "Xiaolou, how is it? Is it okay?"

"Well, very good, it's too late today, let them rest in the yard next door, and the errands will be arranged tomorrow." Li Guolou politely nodded to a group of maids, turned and went back to the inner house.

Li Guolou immediately called Chen Xiangfang, Xie Xiuzhu, Zhen Yuhuan, and Wu Peipei. The five hid in the bedroom and muttered, and said in a low voice: "Don't laugh happily, these ten official slaves must have the Ministry of Internal Affairs." Even someone in our family was bought by outsiders. Be careful what you say in the future, Rong Lu of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has a lot of eyes. Give me a mansion on Shiwangfu Street, and want to give me a house. Now get a few more quite The pretty little maid wants to seduce me, so she wants me to die early, this kid is the Empress Dowager Cixi's younger brother, seeing me gain favor in front of the Empress Dowagers of the Two Palaces, she tricks one bad trick after another."

Chen Xiangfang retorted: "Xiaolou, why do you say that about him, he sent someone to send all the 50 taels of silver notes today."

Li Guolou squinted his eyes, snorted and said: "Grandma, don't think that someone who gave me 50 taels of silver bills is my good friend. Doesn't this money have no interest? I am afraid when I see silver now. The more I save, There are more and more people tricking me. Prince Gong invited me to dinner tonight, and I spent 50 taels of silver for a meal. I want to leave the capital as soon as possible. If I don’t leave, someone will ask me to help The country is for the people.”

Zhen Yuhuan was also taken aback, and quickly asked about the cause and effect, so she felt a little relieved.But the family is under a lot of pressure, and the money has not been earned yet?A large amount of interest has made people have no mind to think about other things.

Xie Xiuzhu asked suspiciously, "Xiaolou, how are the ten maids arranged?"

Li Guolou sighed: "What can I do, in order to reassure the master, let them all work in the outer house after moving, and put them outside as a cordon."

Chen Xiangfang asked: "Xiaolou, just now you said that someone in our mansion was bribed, who do you think?"

"Hey, people are greedy. No matter how good you are to them, you are not satisfied. You still don't know. Let these slaves who eat inside and out sell information about our family to make some money." Li Guolou refused to say it clearly, but let The grandma at home should be careful, and even his "mother" should be on guard.

Li Guolou made a head start, making the grandmother at home uneasy, wondering who would betray their interests?Tossing and turning, the family did not sleep well all night.