Chapter 439 What? Xianfeng wants his chariot to conquer Maozi himself? (Please order, please vote)
As if he had found a treasure, Hong Xiuquan took the pamphlet that Luo Yaoguo thrust into him and returned to his Golden Dragon City happily. He was thinking about how to direct his group of "True Agreement Sects" to go abroad to engage in "dancing the gods" to engage in colonial and colonial affairs. Accumulating strength! On the other side, Luo Yaoguo, as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Heaven, has too many things to consider.
Prime Minister of a country! This title sounds majestic, but who knows the hard work behind it? He is like a wind-up alarm clock, ticking all day long?
Moreover, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is really in turmoil right now. The civil war with Qingyao is not over yet, and natural disasters are happening one after another. This is not over yet. It is in the initial stage of transformation from agricultural society to industrial society. , and the contradiction between more people and less land is about to overwhelm the society. With this kind of national situation, we still have to carry out this big change that can only succeed but cannot fail. Thinking about it is a headache.
Just thinking about these things in your mind is like unraveling a mess. It’s hard to even think about it!
Even if Luo Yaoguo had a "foreseeing" head, looking at this messy mess and rotten to the bottom, he couldn't help but mutter: This situation is really too difficult!
"Prime Minister, Qi Chang Yang Co., Baoshun Matheson Co., Jardine Matheson Co., Remy Matheson Co., and Tongshun Co., Ltd. have sent you the rice and flour purchase list. Please take a look at it."
Maria's clear voice rang in his ears, and Luo Yaoguo finally came back to his senses and found that he was already in an extremely bright office. Why was it so bright? Wasn't it because it was inlaid with transparent glass imported from the UK? In his place from " In the eyes of people who come from "the world's factory", they feel uncomfortable that they can't even make a piece of flat glass at home and have to beg for imports.
But this kind of industrialization is like stewing meat over a low fire. You can’t rush it. You can only take it slowly and move forward step by step. Industrialization here has just started and it’s very difficult. Over there, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has to spend a lot of money on imports. Food, to cope with wars and famines, is really a waste of money, which is heartbreaking.
He had known that Huguang would be hit by a severe drought this year, so he placed food orders in advance in the name of Sanxin Company with several large Chinese commercial banks such as Shanghai Banking Group and Tongshun Bank, and ordered 3.2 million liters of rice and a 1.8 million stones of flour.
It sounds like a lot of money, right? Five million stones! But when I filled the big hole in Huguang with this amount of food, I realized that it was a long way off. For this batch of food, the Prince Wu’s Mansion and the Shanghai Governor’s Mansion had saved more than a year. All of the family's wealth has gone into it, and even the little private money Luo Yaoguo earned from selling divination has filled the hole...
What's even worse is that there will be an even more terrifying severe drought in the south of the Yangtze River the year after next. Just thinking about it makes my brain throbbing with pain.
"Is there any other news from Shanghai?" Luo Yaoguo frowned, took the list handed over by Maria, glanced at it, and asked.
"There is also a secret letter secretly advocating for Sanxiang." Maria stretched out her hand and took out another sealed envelope.
"Tear it apart." Luo Yaoguo's mind was spinning rapidly, thinking about how to cleverly release the pile of grains in his hands. They were not just giving them away as relief. They had to find a way to put them on the market at a reasonable price to steadily control grain prices. , while casually asking Maria to open the letter.
"Yes." Maria responded sharply, tore open the envelope smoothly, pulled out the letter paper filled with calligraphy, and handed it to Luo Yaoguo's hand.
Luo Yaoguo took the letter and glanced at it twice. His eyes suddenly widened and his mouth opened wide enough to fill a duck egg: "How is this possible?"
Maria blinked her beautiful big eyes: "Prime Minister, what's wrong?"
Luo Yaoguo muttered in a low voice: "Xianfeng...this foolish king actually wants to conquer the Russian Empire himself! Is he crazy?"
Maria curved her lips and smiled: "What's so strange about this? Aren't Britain and France always behind the scenes, encouraging the Qing Yao and us to go to war with Russia?"
Luo Yaoguo shook his head like a rattle: "No, this is absolutely impossible. How could Xianfeng do such a thing? And he went to conquer it himself!"
Maria followed the words and asked, "Where did this news come from, Mr. Zhang?"
Luo Yaoguo said: "Zuo Jigao... is the evil governor of Zhejiang, Zuo Jigao. That guy from Xianfeng finally had mercy and let him back! He is in Shanghai right now... I have to go and meet him! Maria , quickly notify Sister Yuegui and ask her to prepare the steamer and official ship. I will rush to Shanghai tonight!" After saying that, he raised his eyes and looked at Maria, "Maria, you come with me, Sister Yuegui and Master Zhao are also Let’s go together.”
"Yes." Maria nodded vigorously, turned around and went to make arrangements.
…
On the Suzhou River, the steam engine of the small steamer roared at the top of its lungs. The official ship on which Luo Yaoguo rode rode the wind and waves and once again approached the increasingly prosperous and lively Shanghai Beach.
I remember that when he left Shanghai, he was still Luo Xueyan, the governor of Shanghai in the Qing Dynasty. In the blink of an eye, he came back and became the prime minister of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This span of status is like playing a big game. Take a look at these people in Shanghai. The changes in the moon are also earth-shaking.
The most eye-catching thing is undoubtedly the several large chimneys that have sprouted up on the north bank of the Suzhou River, like towering trees following the fire. These chimneys have begun to puff out clouds of smoke and black smoke, but the "rapid development" of China's industrialization "Pioneer"! It was not easy to come by. It was all built by engineers and craftsmen from Europe, who led workers from the countryside in southern and northern Jiangsu to go to the beach to make a living. They built it brick by brick, nail by rivet. The chimney was also repaired. The cement used in the factory below is all Portland cement shipped all the way across the ocean from England. This journey can be described as "passing five hurdles and defeating six generals."
Along with the cement, there are steam engines, pipe parts, silk reeling machines, spinning machines, various lathes, air hammers for blacksmithing, and thousands of tons of parts made in England, France, and the United States. The iron materials and thousands of tons of wrought iron sheets used to make the rails are all foreign goods. Ah, why not use steel to make the rails? There is no way, the Bessemer converter steelmaking method has not yet been born, and steel is so expensive It's outrageous. We can only wrap the wood with iron sheets and make do with it as rails.
Luo Yaoguo had already drawn up a blueprint in his mind. He wanted to build a railway from Wusongkou to Anting Town via downtown Shanghai. He signed a contract with a British company last year. At the beginning of the year, British engineers came to measure it. According to this According to the progress, the start of construction should be around the corner.
In addition to this railway, China's first mechanical spinning factory, the first mechanical silk reeling factory, and the first firearms factory using steam engines, lathes, and air hammers have all sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and will soon be completed and put into operation.
Of course, these factories that rely on steam power and machinery were not created by the private sector themselves. They were all financed by Prince Wu’s Palace and were semi-official and semi-business. They were led by Wang Libin, Hu Guangyong, and Tang Tingshu, who were also aides to Prince Wu’s Palace. , the board of directors composed of Huang Sheng and others are responsible for daily operations. These people are now so busy that they can't even put their feet on the ground, and they have finally achieved some results.
However, Luo Yaoguo, who usually cared deeply about these modern chemical plants, had no intention of inspecting the industrial zone on the north bank of the Suzhou River today. As soon as he landed at the Hunan Pier, he got into the carriage sent by the Shanghai General Manufacturing Office and pulled up. Wang Kuiyi, the general commander of Shanghai, secretly advocated Sanxiang and went straight to Zuo Zongtang's residence in Shanghai.
…
"It's unmistakable. Xianfeng really wants to go to war with Russia! It's not that Xianfeng wants to fight, it's that Russia is crazy. It's already at war with England and France, and it wants to send a fleet to Heilongjiang, and it's still on the coast of Heilongjiang. We are building a fortress and want to occupy a piece of Qingyao's Longxing land. King Wu, if you were Xianfeng, could you bear not to send troops? Besides, Britain and France are also helping to fight together. Even the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will send troops this time. Go and help? This battle is guaranteed to win. And if Xianfeng wins, how much more prestige will he have to gain? With prestige, the new policies he has been tossing in the north can be carried out smoothly!"
This book was last updated in ##!! Updated!
Xujiahui, Zuo Zongtang, Jin Liang Zuo Zongtang is talking in the living room about the reliable news he got from Beijing. This news is too reasonable, the cause and effect are correct, and the motive is no problem. If you change Zuo Zongtang, he will also follow Britain and France to fight a big war. No matter what, a victory in a foreign war will always greatly increase Xianfeng's prestige.
With prestige, everything will be easier in the future.
Moreover, by following Britain and France as a younger brother, you can embrace Britain and France. With the support of Britain and France, your chances of winning against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will be much greater.
"There are weird things, there are weird things." Luo Yaoguo shook his head repeatedly. Of course he knew that Muravyov sent a fleet to patrol Heilongjiang in 1854. It happened in history! But didn't Xianfeng tolerate it in history? During the Qing Dynasty, The situation is much better than now! Didn't he just pretend that nothing happened? Why is he so excited now?
This is so weird!
"Does Xianfeng want to claim the north and attack the south?" Luo Yaoguo asked again.
"Impossible." Zuo Zongtang shook his head, "How can he have that strength? Moreover, he also ordered all the Eight Banners soldiers from Hangzhou and Fuzhou to be transferred to Guangzhou. It seems that he knows that Fujian and Zhejiang cannot be defended, and is preparing to concentrate his efforts on defending them. Guangzhou is here. King Wu, this is a rare opportunity! Hurry up and march into the two provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang! With me as the internal support, won’t Zhejiang be captured? Only Fujian is left, and we can capture it in half a year at most.”
Luo Yaoguo frowned, but shook his head slightly and muttered in a low voice: "Impossible, absolutely impossible."
Zuo Zongtang smiled: "King Wu, if you don't believe it, just wait a moment. You are in Beijing and Tianjin without eyes and ears, right?"
Chapter completed!