Jagged Warlord

January 1915, 1 arrived, and before New Year's Day, the Beiyang government issued a notice that all agencies would take a three-day holiday.At the same time, the President will receive congratulations from various agencies in five batches on New Year's Day.It is particularly worth noting that the third shift that was interviewed on the same day also included the presidents of various banks, the supervisors of various railways, and the presidents of universities.It seems that after the long-term military campaign, the Beiyang government's work direction is turning to the economy, transportation and education.On this day, the "Shenzhen" published the article "Summary of the Presidential Palace Celebrating New Year's Day".It is mentioned in the article that before New Year's Day, the State Council issued a circular stipulating that a celebration ceremony should be held.The specific requirements are:

1. The presidential palace hangs flags, festoons and lights; 2. The presidential palace has an auditorium, with guards and other officials lined up on the left and right inside the hall, and military bands and guards outside the hall; Gather at the Presidential Palace before 3:09 am on New Year's Day.At ten o'clock, the President came to the auditorium in person (playing military music), everyone bowed three times to the President, and the President responded (music stopped).On behalf of the congratulators, the Prime Minister delivered a New Year's speech to the President. After the President gave his reply, he bowed three times (playing military music).The President returns after the ceremony, and the receptionist leads the audience to the cafeteria for drinks; 30. Those who come to the Senate House are greeted by the state servants, until twelve o'clock, and foreign guests who come to congratulate are the same; 4. Go to the government to leave a name record.

In addition to celebrating, the presidential palace also held military exercises. Yuan Shikai also imitated the emperors in the feudal era and issued an amnesty decree on New Year's Day, granting amnesty to some prisoners who committed minor crimes.

Although the Beiyang government tried its best to promote it, the unfamiliar festival of New Year's Day in the Gregorian calendar was not favored by the common people. The "Shenbao" on January 1915, 1 reported the indifference and indifference of Wuhan citizens to this foreign festival.

On New Year's Day in 1915, the military and political circles in Wuhan celebrated with great fanfare.Duan Zhigui, the governor of Hubei at the time, joined the political circles in his supervisory office and wished the great president Yuan Shikai "longevity without bounds".He also generously gave each of the military and police officers participating in the celebration twenty cents of silver coins, plus fine wine and snacks.

Compared with the hustle and bustle of the supervisory office, the reaction of Wuhan citizens and business circles was particularly deserted. Although some shops hung colorful lanterns and national flags, they had no intention of celebrating in order to attract business. "Wuhan gentry, businessmen, students and workers from all walks of life are quite indifferent to the Gregorian New Year. In the past two years, on New Year's Day, the shops were still decorated with lights to celebrate, and the residents also exchanged peaches. The police department announced to hang flags to celebrate, but there was no response in the provincial capital. Hankou heard that there were big shops hanging lights and flags, but it was really for attracting business, and it was not a sincere celebration.” Some places even sent military police to door-to-door It forced the businesses along the street to put up lights and festoons.

Some social organizations and large factories closely related to the government department closed down to celebrate the call from above, but few people joined in. The number of attendees is very small, only the Shangyu Guild is performing a new play on child abuse in the Tea House, distributing more than [-] tickets, and the audience is quite crowded."

This situation is the same in Shangqiu. The street market on January 1st was as dull as usual.However, Li Mohan still gave all the employees of various departments a three-day holiday, plus a holiday fee of 1 yuan per person.Li Mohan originally thought that he took the money to go shopping for fun, but Chinese people who are used to saving money directly deposited it into the Chinese Commercial Bank after taking the festival fee, and the street market was still deserted.

Li Mohan was a little dumbfounded, since you guys don't want to celebrate the festival, then come to the meeting.Anyway, it is convenient to notify the meeting. Engineer Samuel established a preliminary telephone network for Shangqiu, and most middle and high-level officials have telephone calls at home.Shang Yifu ordered the secretariat of the guardian envoy to make more than a dozen phone calls, and most of them were found.

"Good morning~!"

"Good morning!" Samuel was also called, and greeted everyone in Chinese with a foreign accent.Everyone is not used to it at first, but after a long time, you will get used to it.

"Start the meeting now." Li Mohan opened the document in front of him and looked at Mu Xiangyue, "Manager Mu, how is the purchase of Bailangduoxi and morphine going?"

Mu Xiangyue shook her head, and said: "The European war is fierce, and the price of morphine is soaring. I have sent people to foreign firms in Tianjin, Wuhan, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to inquire about the price, but they can't buy it at all. The same is true for Bailang Duoxi. All the chemical factories are serving the war, and the price of dyes has skyrocketed. Even if we are willing to pay three times the price, we can’t buy it.”

"That's it!" Li Mohan thought for a while and said, "Morphine is actually an extract of opium. Opium is grown in many places in China. As long as we master the extraction technology, self-produced morphine will not be a problem."

Mu Xiangyue said: "But opium is expensive. We buy opium and then extract morphine. The cost is too high."

Li Mohan smiled and said, "So, I've decided, let's grow opium ourselves, and then extract morphine, so the cost will be much lower."

Liu Musheng interjected: "Master, opium is a disaster for the country and the people, how can we plant it?"

Li Mohan retorted: "I don't grow opium to sell opium to make money? The Anderson military doctor at the front line in Xiao County said that there was not enough morphine to give the soldiers anesthesia, so that the soldiers had to bite wooden sticks and endure the pain for surgery. How can you bear it?"

Liu Musheng said: "But I heard that Chinese doctors have solved this problem through Mafeisan and acupuncture."

Li Mohan said: "Mafeisan needs a bunch of important torments for several hours before it can be used. How can we wait for life-saving on the battlefield, such as firefighting? Besides, Ouchu also said just now that Europe also needs a lot of morphine. If we can produce morphine, then not only We can use it ourselves, and we can also buy it to go to Europe.”

Ma Qian'an said: "The method is good, but I am afraid that it will be out of control by then."

"Of course~" Li Mohan added: "Our consistent anti-smoking and anti-drug policy remains unchanged. Now the situation is special, and it is only allowed to grow opium and refine morphine under the supervision of the government within a fixed range. Other people or other places grow and sell opium and For morphine, it’s still a matter of killing one at sight.”

"Okay!" Liu Musheng said, "I hope you can leave this matter to me, young master."

"Yes!" Li Mohan nodded, then, he turned a page and asked, "What about reloading the bullets?"

Wang Qinian said: "The technology of bullet reloading is already very proficient, and now the machine repair factory can already manufacture guns and ammunition by itself."

"Very good." Li Mohan turned another page, this time he looked at Samuel who had been playing with a pen, "Samuel, how are the power plants and industrial parks going?"

Samuel coughed, immediately put down the pen in his hand, opened the document in front of him, and said: "The generator set of the hydropower plant has been installed in place. If there is no problem with today's commissioning, normal power supply can start in a week at most. Power supply The scope will cover industrial parks, economic development zones and railway stations throughout Shangqiu and the suburbs."

"So which other factories can be put into production in the near future?" Li Mohan asked again

Samuel looked at the documents in hand and replied, "Shoe factory, hardware factory, flour factory and slaughterhouse."