Chapter 50 4. Could it be her?It's the maidservant of the Su Mansion whose soul has been tied to her for so many years

When Cixi learned that Zhu Pi, who banned gambling, was a ghostwriter of Sushun, she immediately changed her attitude towards the matter, and the notes of Gao Hongjian, Mo Jiwen and others were silently drowned out.Other Taiwanese admonishers who were good at watching the wind and waiting for opportunities, saw that the notes of Gao, Mo and others did not arouse any response, and the rectification notes they had prepared were no longer published.A monstrous storm that was about to set off subsided in the blink of an eye. One month later, Yang Rui successfully completed the task and returned to Guangzhou.Although before leaving Beijing, Zhang Renquan had informed Zhang Zhidong of the situation in the capital through the telegraph room of the Ministry of Household Affairs, but they still met immediately in the afternoon of the day Yang Rui arrived in Sui.Zhang Zhidong needed to learn more detailed content from the students, especially Yang Rui needed to talk about all the conversations he had with Zhang Zhiwan, Yan Jingming and King Chun relayed by the two military planes.He also wanted to know about other things in the capital that Yang Rui felt.

Yang Rui reported all his activities in the capital for nearly a month to the teacher, and especially recounted the parting words of the two old Zhongtang.Zhang Zhiwan asked Yang Rui to tell his cousin: Although gambling in Kaiwei is a last resort, it is better to do less or not to do such things that are easy to slander.If Yan Dan didn't find out the truth about Zhu Pi this time, even if King Chun intended to protect him, the empress dowager would not be easy to pass.Although the price of buying Chun Wang's car with 300,000 taels of silver is a bit high, the annual income of Wei Gambling is more than 900,000 yuan.Moreover, once the Navy Yamen handles affairs, the "cooperative payment of various provinces" will definitely not escape. It is better to take the lead, win favor in front of the Queen Mother and King Chun, and win a good reputation among the ruling and opposition parties. After weighing it, you should know that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The elder brother's warning caught Zhang Zhidong's attention.A few days ago, after learning that the gambling turmoil had passed safely, Zhao Maochang enthusiastically proposed another way to make money to Zhang Zhidong. A kind of gambling is popular in Luzon overseas. The name of this kind of gambling is buying white pigeon tickets.There are many kinds of white dove tickets, such as full tickets, half tickets, and small tickets. A full ticket is 6 yuan, and a total of 40,000 tickets are sold, and 240,000 yuan is obtained, from which the king draws 48,000 yuan.The half-ticket was three yuan a piece, and 40,000 tickets were also sold, which yielded 120,000 yuan, from which the king drew 24,000 yuan.A small ticket is one yuan, and 40,000 copies are sold, and the king gets 40,000 yuan, out of which the king draws 8,000 yuan.The king netted a total of 80,000 yuan each time from full, half, and small tickets.Tickets are sold on the first day of every month, and the lottery is drawn on the 30th.The king presided over it himself, and the ministers of civil and military affairs lined up on both sides.There are large barrels on the left and right sides of the king's seat, and each barrel contains 40,000 chips, which contain the first lottery, second lottery, third lottery until ten lottery.Among them, one winner of the unanimous lottery wins 60,000 yuan, one winner of the second lottery wins 30,000 yuan, and one winner of the third lottery wins 10,000 yuan.The following lotteries decrease in order, and the number of winners also increases. At the end, there are the most people waiting, and the winners get the least money, which is ten yuan.The same is true for half tickets and small tickets, but the money is half and one-sixth of the full ticket respectively.The King of Luzon gets 80,000 yuan a month from lottery tickets and 960,000 yuan a year, which constitutes a large part of his annual income.There are businessmen in Fujian who specialize in this kind of business. They come in from Luzon and sell tickets in urban and rural areas of Fujian.If there is a winner, the merchant will take two-tenths, and eight-tenths will go to the buyer.Recently, the wind has spread to coastal provinces such as Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.Zhao Maochang suggested that Guangdong can copy the lottery from Luzon, and it will not be a problem.Zhao Maochang's words moved Zhang Zhidong's heart.

After listening to the elder brother's warning conveyed by Yang Rui, he decided that the matter of the white dove ticket could not be started at least for the time being.After all, gambling is an old thing that has been popular in Guangdong Province for many years, and the people who handle it are businessmen, and the government is just collecting taxes. If according to what Zhao Maochang said, the governor of Guangdong will come forward to host the white pigeon ticket, then Zhang Zhidong will become a professional The governor who runs the gambling game has a lot of excuses for giving people.Let's talk about this later!

Yang Rui also conveyed Yan Jingming's words.Yan Jingming said that self-improvement in industry is a great thing. This is exactly what Zeng Wenzheng and Hu Wenzhong wanted to do but failed to achieve great results.Now Li Shaoquan, Liu Kunyi and others are inheriting it, but they have not yet seen great results.Running a self-improvement industry depends on strength and talents. The reason why Li Shaoquan has done well over the years is because of these two aspects.At that time, there was a strange man named Xu Shou under Mr. Zeng Wenzheng. The first steam turbine "Huanghu" built by Anqing Nei Ordnance was made by this person. .Xu Shou had a son named Xu Jianyin, whose talent was no less than that of his father, and who had traveled abroad and was proficient in foreign languages.It was planned to invite Xu Jianyin to the Guangdong and Guangxi shogunate, but he was attending his father's funeral and was not suitable for business.Xu Jianyin recommended one of his friends, Cai Xiyong.Cai Xiyong studied in Tongwen Hall in Guangzhou in the thirteenth year of Tongzhi.In the first year of Guangxu, the General Administration consulted and sent it to the Guangdong Commission.Soon, Chen Lanbin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, took him abroad, sent him as an interpreter in the United States, and was promoted to be a counselor in Japan.In the eighth year of Guangxu, because of his father's death, he returned to his hometown in Fujian to guard the system.Cai Xiyong has a decent character and superb Western learning. He is in his prime and is a rare talent for Westernization.The three-year guard period expired last month, and he is waiting for his comeback in Zhangzhou Prefecture.Wang quickly sent people to Zhangzhou and hired them with a lot of money.Yan Jingming also earnestly asked Yang Rui to convey a word: everything in the world is made by people.Therefore, whether a career is successful or not, there are thousands of reasons and all kinds of secrets, and finally it all falls on the word "talent".The reason why Zeng Wenzhenggong and Hu Wenzhonggong have achieved a great career, in the final analysis, is that they are better than others in being able to employ people.

Yan Jingming's words gave Zhang Zhidong a great inspiration.He immediately asked Yang Rui to go to Zhangzhou, Fujian Province after a few days of rest. No matter how many difficulties he had to overcome, he would fully agree to whatever conditions Cai Xiyong raised. In a word, he must be invited to Guangzhou. Yang Rui was moved by the teacher's passion for cherishing talents, and said: "I am young and don't need to rest. I will make some preparations tomorrow, and I will go the day after tomorrow!" Half a month later, Yang Rui really brought Cai Xiyong to the governor's yamen of Guangdong and Guangxi.Zhang Zhidong was full of joy when he saw Cai Xiyong's upright facial features and elegant demeanor.After a brief conversation, he learned that Cai Xiyong, whose alias is Yiruo, is thirty-five years old, has a wife, a son, and a seventy-year-old mother. They are temporarily living in their hometown in Zhangzhou Prefecture, and they will come to Guangzhou after settling down here.It is also known that Cai Xiyong is proficient in English and Japanese, and has research on machine manufacturing, mining and iron making.Zhang Zhidong said happily: "I have a Gu Hongming here who is your fellow countryman. He also knows foreign languages ​​of several countries and has studied foreign culture. You can discuss foreign culture in foreign language in the future, and you will not be lonely with each other."

Cai Xiyong said: "It has long been heard that there is a strange man Gu Hongming in Fujian, but because he has been in Nanyang and cannot meet him, he is also in the Marshal's mansion, which is really rare." Zhang Zhidong said with a smile: "I have not only Gu Hongming who understands foreign languages, but also Liang Dingfen who has studied the knowledge handed down by the ancestors deeply, Sang Zhiping who has the unique knowledge to help the world, and Zhao Maochang who can do things. Although Yang Rui who picked you up is young, you can't underestimate him, he will be a pillar of the country in the future."

This made Yang Rui feel embarrassed: "My teacher is serious, I am not a man of great ability. I only know a little about Chinese knowledge, but I don't know anything about foreigners' knowledge. Mr. Cai and Mr. Gu are truly useful talents!" Zhang Zhidong said: "Foreign culture is important, and Chinese culture is also important. It's just that there are more people who understand Chinese culture and fewer people who understand foreign culture. We need ten or eight people like Yiruo and Tang Sheng. Self-improvement industry will be much smoother." "It's not difficult." Cai Xiyong said, "I know some foreigners with real knowledge, and I can recruit a group of foreign technicians through them. There are five or six French technicians in Mawei Shipyard."

"Okay." Zhang Zhidong said, "If you have real talents and real learning, it's okay to have a higher salary." "My lord, there is another way to attract talents." "What way, tell me." Zhang Zhidong listened with great interest. "My lord, compared with other provinces, Guangdong is blessed with the most favorable location when it comes to foreign affairs industry." Cai Xiyong said slowly, speaking in Fujian Mandarin, "Guangdong is located on the coast of the South China Sea. The provinces dealing with Western countries, and later the lease of Hong Kong and Macau to Britain and Portugal made Guangdong Province feel like it lived next to the Western countries. Therefore, the folk customs of Guangdong are greatly influenced by foreigners. This is not only the case in Shaanxi, Gansu and Sichuan. The inland provinces such as the two lakes and the two lakes cannot be compared, even the coastal provinces such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang cannot be compared. Even my hometown Fujian, although it has a tradition of sailing to the sea for a long time, cannot be compared with Guangdong, because Fujian does not have Hong Kong and Macau. It was a land leased by foreigners. Back then, Yung Wing was ordered by Mr. Zeng Wenzheng to select a group of teenagers to study abroad. He couldn’t find anyone in other provinces, but as soon as he returned to his hometown of Guangdong to recruit, they were filled immediately. This is the reason. "

What Cai Xiyong said was more than ten years ago.In the tenth year of Tongzhi, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang jointly requested to send bright children to study in the West, and serve the country after their studies, so as to cultivate talents for Xu Tu's self-improvement.At that time Zhang Zhidong was doing academic affairs in Hubei.He had read this famous memorial in the mansion newspaper, his mind was clear at the time, and he didn't take this memorial very seriously.Of course, it is even more impossible for him to realize that it is this memorial that has brought epoch-making changes to China's future development.Today, the governor of Guangdong, who puts the prosperity of Guangdong and Guangxi on his shoulders, suddenly discovered that this unprecedented idea fifteen years ago and the behavior that was put into practice shortly after were really a very foreseeable act of wisdom.

"You mean, there are many talents in Guangdong who understand Westernization?" "Yes, my lord." Cai Xiyong said, "Since the eleventh year of Tongzhi, Rong Hong has organized four batches of 120 teenagers to travel across the oceans to study in the United States. He originally followed Zeng Wenzheng's plan. They recruited batches of batches, but later some powerful people were quite dissatisfied with this matter, so they stopped after only four batches. The young children who studied in the United States also returned to China one after another. After returning to China, they were mostly ignored. Because they are from Guangdong Many of them are still in their hometown in Guangdong. Guangdong can be said to be the land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers for Westernization talents.” "Yi Ruo, do you know how these more than a hundred young children are learning in the United States?" "As far as I know, there are very few people in the United States who don't study hard and are infected with the bad habits of foreigners. Most of them study hard and clean themselves up. They are talented and intelligent, and most of them come from poor families. The country’s contribution is also to find a way for themselves. The first and second batches have basically completed their studies. Although the third and fourth batches have not finished their studies, they are very good at foreign language and foreign language, and the foundation of foreign learning has also been laid. After all, there is a world of difference between people who have never let go of foreigners. As long as they are placed in the factory of the Western Affairs Bureau, they can immediately display their talents with the operation of the machine, even if they have not learned it before. In less than three to five months, he will become an expert." "Good, good!" Zhang Zhidong was full of joy. "Recruit them all, let them apply what they have learned here, and give full play to their talents. How do you think of recruiting them?" Yang Rui asked: "Have you had any contact with these people in the past?" "I also know a few." Cai Xiyong said, "However, the few people I know are not in Guangdong, or in the capital, or in Shanghai, or in Tianjin. They are the luckiest of these people, and they are asked to do things. Learning can also be used.” "I have an idea." Yang Rui said excitedly to Zhang Zhidong, "Can we learn from the ancients and post a recruitment list to recruit the dragons and tigers hiding in the grass, marshes and forests?" "Okay!" Zhang Zhidong was excited by the student's idea. "In the name of the Governor-General's Office of Guangdong and Guangxi, we will issue a recruitment list. It is not limited to the young children studying in the United States. We welcome all those who have skills in foreign affairs and industry to come and recommend themselves. Post this recruitment list in all counties in Guangdong. Let the gentry and common people in the province know that we are recruiting talents from all over the world to contribute to the prosperity and prosperity of Guangdong!" "Great, great!" Cai Xiyong praised repeatedly.Yang Rui was so happy that he almost jumped up. "Uncle Qiao, it was you who came up with the idea of ​​recruiting talents. This list is up to you to draw up. We are looking for talents in Westernization, and others can be ignored. Regardless of background, qualifications, and character, as long as they have the skills of Westernization , you can sign up. You can write it carefully, like the "Order for Seeking Talents" and "Order for Juyi Talents", which is both literary and unconventional, and strive to be passed down." Yang Rui said: "I will try my best to write it well, but my teacher's expectations are too high. "The Order of Seeking Talents" and "The Order of Ju Yi Cai" have been written for thousands of years, and there are only these two articles, and they can only come from the collection of heroes and villains. With the hand of Cao Mengde all over, it’s no wonder that others write such an article and don’t get drowned in spit!” Zhang Zhidong laughed loudly: "Uncle Qiao! Your courage is too small, and you are not big enough to do big things. To do big things, you have to have the kindness of Cao Mengde. Why are you afraid of other people's spittle? Great things are successful, and saliva is natural." No more! You write it boldly, it’s not you, Yang Rui, who is recruiting talents, but me, Zhang, who is recruiting talents. In the five thousand years of Chinese history, can only one Cao Mengde be allowed, can’t there be more Zhang Zhidong?” Yang Rui was also affected: "If I let go and write, maybe I can write." Zhang Zhidong said to Cai Xiyong: "I will leave it to you to identify talents, and you will be the chief examiner of this Guangdong Westernization Township Examination. I will also hire you a deputy chief examiner." At this point, Zhang Zhidong paused, "It's the Sang Zhiping I just mentioned. He is an old friend of mine. Later, I will take you to get to know him. He has studied personnel affairs for a long time and has rich experience. He will be your assistant. If he is talented in Westernization and understands He is an all-rounder with Chinese culture and good conduct, and the governor will personally interview him and entrust him with an important task, and promote him exceptionally, setting a new example for scholars in Guangdong Province." A few days later, the recruitment list with the purple flower seal of "Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi Guanfang" was posted everywhere in the urban and rural pass, Daokou wharf, market market, and post inns in more than 60 counties in the nine prefectures and four halls of Guangdong Province.Ordinary people only know that there was a recruitment list in ancient times in teahouses, books and theaters, but they have never seen such things in reality.Now, isn't the notice of recruiting talents issued by the highest yamen in Guangdong Province just posted in black and white in front of your eyes?Moreover, it recruits foreign talents, which is really rare and interesting.Industrial, commercial and peasant people are surprised, while country gentry and scholars are sighing.Talents have not yet been recruited, and the industry has not yet started, and the recruitment list has aroused tens of thousands of discussions.Of course, the person in charge never dreamed that this recruitment list would lead to a touching love story in the world. In the past one or two months, the recruiting hall next to the supervisory office has become the most lively place in Guangzhou.It not only attracts people who travel from all directions to take the exam, but also attracts more idle citizens who are curious. There were all kinds of applicants: some could speak a few words of foreign language, some knew a little about Western mathematics and physics, and some had worked in factories run by foreigners from Hong Kong and Macau.These people passed Cai Xiyong's face-to-face test, and they were all registered and told to wait for the notice.Of course, there are also some slippery and inferior people who try to fish in troubled waters.For this kind of person, Sang Zhiping only needs to ask a few words, and the trick will be exposed, and he will run away amidst the laughter of the onlookers. During this period, twelve or thirteen young children who went to study in the United States with Yung Wing were indeed recruited. Among these children, the oldest ones had already passed, and the youngest was also in his twenties.Some have been back to China for seven or eight years, and the last batch of them came back in the seventh year of Guangxu, and it has been four or five years.After returning to China, the situation is not good, and the knowledge and skills learned in the United States are useless.All these years I made a living by doing other small things.Thinking of the uselessness of my hard work, I often feel pain in my heart; looking at my country compared with the United States, everything is as far apart as heaven and earth, and I am even more sad and disappointed.Most of these people were emotional, and said to the two examiners: they don't want high salaries, they don't want beautiful houses, as long as they can use what they learned back then in their own country, they will be satisfied.Hearing these words, Sang Zhiping was very moved, and often saw his shadow in these people: Wasn’t he also passionate back then, and was he also sad and disappointed later?After all, they are luckier than themselves. They can meet such a good governor when their youth has not yet passed away, and they will have a day to display their talents.Touching the frost flowers on his temples, Sang Zhiping, who was nearly fifty, couldn't help feeling sad. This morning, another applicant came to the recruiting hall.When Sang Zhiping saw this person for the first time, he felt a strange feeling in his heart.He himself felt a little strange, so he collected himself and looked at this person carefully.This is a young man who has just passed the weak crown. Compared with the usual young men in Guangdong, he has many differences.Young men from Guangdong are mostly dark, thin and short, with high cheekbones and slightly sunken eyes.This young man was tall, fair-skinned, with delicate features, and he didn't make people feel uneven.His steps were steady, his manners were refined, and although he was not very particular about his clothes and hats, he was immediately recognizable as a well-bred man. Because they were recruiting foreign affairs talents, Cai Xiyong received them first, while Sang Zhiping listened quietly and looked at them quietly. "Young man, did you come here after seeing the recruitment list?" Cai Xiyong asked gently with a smile on his face. "Yes, I came to Guangzhou only after I saw the recruitment list." The young man sat opposite Cai Xiyong and replied calmly and generously. Sang Zhiping could tell that the young man's accent was obviously different from the full Cantonese mandarin of most applicants, but with the accent of the Central Plains.He is not Cantonese.Sang Zhiping thus proved his intuition just now. "It's been almost two months since the recruitment list was posted, why did you apply for the job in Guangzhou today?" "I have been working for a newspaper in Macau for the past six months. I just returned home ten days ago. I came to Guangzhou immediately after seeing the article." Cai Xiyong nodded and continued to ask: "What's your name?" "Chen Nianfeng. Er Dongchen, miss you, add a word next to the word." Chen Nianfeng reported his name word by word so that the chief examiner who wrote the book would not make mistakes. Cai Xiyong wrote in the register stroke by stroke.Sang Zhiping on the side thought silently in his heart: This young man’s name shares the word “礽” with my real name.Although this "throwing" is also a good word, it is relatively cold on the one hand, and on the other hand, because Emperor Kangxi's deposed prince is called Yunfeng, not many people use this word as his name.During meditation, Sang Zhiping took a few more glances at Chen Nianfeng in front of him. "How old are you, where are you from?" "Twenty-four years old, from Xiangshan, this province." "What does your father do?" "My father was a cabinet secretary in the capital. My father passed away when I was five years old." Sang Zhiping interjected: "What's your father's name?" "Chen Jianyang." Sang Zhiping searched the memory in his mind, but couldn't find any trace of this person. Cai Xiyong continued to ask: "Do you understand foreign language?" "Understand!" "English, French or German?" "I know English, and a little French." "Where did you learn English?" "I lived in the United States for eight full years." This sentence immediately attracted the great attention of the two examiners: Could it be another young child who studied in the United States back then? "In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, I went to study in the United States with Mr. Rong Chunfu, and returned to China in the seventh year of Guangxu." Sure enough, yes!The eyes of the two examiners immediately shone with surprise. "So, you are the second batch of young children to study in the United States?" Cai Xiyong's question clearly contained a bit of envy and hope. "Yes. I am the second batch." Chen Nianchu also became excited by Cai Xiyong's question, "The first batch is one year ahead of us, the third batch is the year after us, and the fourth batch is the year after us." A total of only four batches were dispatched, each with thirty people, and there will be no more dispatches in the future.” "Then do you know Liang Jinrong, Fang Boliang, and Liang Pushi?" "I know, I know, they are with me." Chen Nianfeng became even more excited. "We went to the United States by ship together. We sat on the ship for two full months and were together all day long. We separated after arriving in the United States. I didn’t go with them when I returned home, and I haven’t seen them for many years. Sir, how do you know them?” Cai Xiyong smiled and said, "They are just like you. They came to me after seeing the recruitment list." "They're here too, great, I can see them!" Chen Nianchu blushed with excitement. "Liang Pushi has a younger brother, Liang Puzhao, who also went to America to study together. Has he come?" "No." Cai Xiyong shook his head. Seeing that Chen Nianfeng suddenly became so active and joyful from cautious and prudent, fully revealing the intelligence and agility of an older child, an elder's kindness immediately surged in Sang Zhiping's heart.He smiled and asked: "You just said that you were twenty-four years old. In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, you were not only twelve years old. You are so young and left your mother to sail across the ocean. Are you not afraid, do you not want to go home?" In fact, the dozen or so young children studying in the United States who applied here before have all experienced this kind of experience. Why didn't we ask them such questions?As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Sang Zhiping felt that he seemed to have different feelings for this young man. Is it because of the intimacy at first sight, or because he has the same name as himself?Sang Zhiping himself did not know. "I was also afraid, and also homesick." Chen Niantou said honestly, "When I first arrived in the United States, I was eager to go back to China every day. It was not until one or two years later that I finally settled down and determined to study foreign books and learn skills." Sang Zhiping asked: "How did you live and study after you came to the United States?" Chen Nianchu replied: "After arriving in the United States, we lived in American homes. Every three months, the supervisor came to see me and checked my homework: there were American homework and Chinese homework." "Give you homework on China?" Sang Zhiping asked. "Yes. We also want to read the 'Four Books' and 'Five Classics', "Historical Records", "Hanshu", Li Du's poems, Korean and European articles." Chen Nian threw his answer with a look of pride. Sang Zhiping asked with great interest: "In the American environment, eating bread, drinking milk, and reading ancient Chinese books, can you arouse your interest?" "There are many people who don't want to read it, but I am interested." "why?" "Because I am Chinese. My mother always told me in the letter that no matter how long I live in the United States, I must never forget that I am Chinese. After I finish my studies, I must return to serve my country. I remember my mother's words, even if I live in the United States, I also try my best to read Chinese books, and reading Chinese books makes me never forget my country.” Sang Zhiping and Cai Xiyong exchanged glances, and the answer made them very satisfied.Sang Zhiping even had some respect for Chen Nianfeng's mother.It is commendable for a woman to have such insight! Cai Xiyong asked: "Did you go to university in the United States?" "I went to Yale for two years." "What did you learn?" "Study mechanics and metallurgy." "The best, the best!" Cai Xiyong praised repeatedly, and then asked: "Let me test you, which is the earliest machine factory in China?" "The earliest machine manufacturing factory in China was the domestic ordnance factory established by Mr. Zeng Wenzheng in Anqing in the eleventh year of Xianfeng. Anqing's domestic ordnance mainly made foreign guns and cannons. In fact, it was the first arsenal in my country." Chen Nianfeng answered fluently . "Which is the largest machine manufacturer in China at present?" Cai Xiyong asked again. "Jiangnan Machine Manufacturing General Bureau." Chen Nianfeng replied, "Tongzhi four years, Zeng Wenzhenggong and Li Zhongtang built it in Shanghai. Its machines come from three sources, one is the Anqing Nei Ordnance Institute, and the other is the American Qiji Iron Works First, Rong supervised the new machines bought from the United States. The Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau is very large, and it is relatively close to the machine factories run by countries such as Europe and the United States.” Cai Xiyong was very satisfied, and asked again: "Can you name a few famous machine factories in China?" Chen Nianfeng thought for a while and said: "If you want to talk about machine manufacturing plants, in addition to the Anqing Nei Ordnance Institute and the Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, there are also the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau founded by Li Zhongtang and the Fuzhou Shipping Bureau founded by Zuo Hou. Unfortunately, last year this bureau was taken over by France. Human destruction was heavy. In addition to these two bureaus, as far as I know, there are also Lanzhou Machinery Bureau, Tianjin Machinery Bureau, Guangdong, Shandong, Hunan, Sichuan and other provinces have machine manufacturing bureaus. However, most of these bureaus are small , and there are not many products out.” "Okay, it's done." Cai Xiyong asked again: "Master Zhang plans to set up some foreign affairs industries in Guangdong. Look, what is the most urgent thing?" Chen Nianfeng lowered his head, pondered for a while, and said: "Back then Zeng Wenzheng asked Superintendent Rong to go to the United States to buy machines. The foothold was to build machines by himself, so what he bought was the mother of machines, that is, to make new ones with the machines bought in the United States. Machines came. For a while, the word “machine” was popular in China. Therefore, in the past few decades, all military factories in China have been named after the Machinery Bureau. I remember that not long after we first arrived in the United States, Director Rong once told us that steel is The most important material for all machines. China does not have steel now. To build machines, it has to buy steel from the United States or some powerful countries in Europe. You can solve your own materials, and you can also sell these steels to foreign countries to make a lot of money. Inspired by Supervisor Rong, I chose machine manufacturing and smelting in the United States. Therefore, in my opinion, the most urgent thing is to study in Guangdong Set up a steel factory, mine ore and make iron and steel." Cai Xiyong smiled all over his face.He stood up and shook Chen Nianfeng's hand: "Your idea coincides with mine. We are heroes who see the same thing. Congratulations on being admitted. From now on, Guangdong Westernization Industry will rely on you a lot." Chen Nianfeng said happily: "I just learned some written knowledge, and I didn't do anything concrete. From now on, I can only learn by doing." Sang Zhiping also stood up and asked, "Where do you live?" "I live in Hongda Inn on Banyan Street." Cai Xiyong said: "I feel wronged to stay there for a few more days, don't move. I will find a better house for you in a few days, and then I will send someone to Hongda Inn to pick you up." At night, Sang Zhiping thought of Chen Nianfeng again.He found that he liked this young man from the bottom of his heart.He even felt that the young man looked a bit like him when he was young, and he could vaguely see his own shadow more than 20 years ago in his gestures.He had an urge to chat with Chen Nianfeng.In the afternoon of the next day, Sang Zhiping had an early dinner and went straight to Banyan Street.Hongda Inn is a very inconspicuous small hotel. After many inquiries, I found Chen Nianfeng who was studying under the lamp in a small alley on Banyan Street.Seeing that yesterday's chief examiner came down here to look for it in person, he seemed excited and nervous.He hurriedly gave up the only small wooden stool in the small room to the guest, and sat on the edge of the bed by himself. "What book did you read?" Sang Zhihu casually flipped through the book Chen Nianfeng had just read. "The "Mining Science" brought back from the United States, casually flip through it, and review it." Chen Niantiao's answer was a bit cautious, not as generous as yesterday, and the personal visit of the examiner was beyond his surprise.He said very politely: "Master came to Hongda Inn, I really didn't expect it. My family is poor and I can't afford a big hotel. This place is too simple to entertain you. I am very sorry." Sang Zhiping smiled heartily and said: "Don't call me Master, my name is Sang Zhiping, you can call me Mr. Sang! I was born as a poor scholar. When I was young like you, it was a great enjoyment for me to live in such a hotel .” Speaking, Sang Zhiping picked up the "Mining Science" on the table, pointed to the English on the book, and said with a smile: "You are amazing, you can read it. In front of it, I can't read a word. ah!" Then he laughed again. Looking at the bright smile on Sang Zhiping's face, Chen Nianrong's restraint and tension were completely eliminated. "When I first arrived in the United States, I was very scared when I heard Americans chattering and reading the crooked words in their books and newspapers. I wondered whether I would be able to understand their words and recognize their characters in the future. Later I gradually got used to it, and I can say I can read it without knowing it, which is really strange!" "This is what the saying goes, you can know the sound of birds in the mountains, and the nature of fish in the water. If you are on the scene, you will soon be able to." Sang Zhiping put down "Mining Science", looked at the young man sitting across from him with a slight smile, and said in surprise: This young man really looks a bit like me! "Nian Reng, I'm here to see you tonight. I have nothing else to do. I just want to chat with you casually." Chen Nianfeng nodded and smiled, he felt that the master examiner was very kind and easy-going. "Yesterday you said that your father was a secretary in the cabinet in the capital. How did you come to Guangdong? Is your ancestral home in Xiangshan?" "Yes, my family's ancestral home is Xiangshan, and my father worked as a secretary in the capital. My father died of illness when I was five years old, and the whole family moved back to my hometown in Xiangshan." Sang Zhiping thought to himself, according to this, he is a real Cantonese, how could he be so different from the general Cantonese in appearance?Then he asked, "Is your mother also from Cantonese?" "No, my mother said that her natal family is from Henan. After I returned to Xiangshan, I often heard my mother's Central Plains accent. After I was twelve years old, I left home and went to the United States, so my accent is very different from that of Xiangshan. Mr. Sang asked My mother's native place, did you also discover this difference from others?" Chen Nianfeng's two round and bright black eyes shone with a lovely aura. Sang Zhiping looked at these two eyes and once again felt deja vu;He regretted slightly in his heart. "That's right, your accent doesn't sound like a genuine Cantonese accent." Sang Zhiping took his words intentionally, "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" "I have four older sisters, but not from the same mother. The same mother also has a younger brother who is two years younger than me." "Oh." Sang Zhiping nodded, and asked again: "What's your brother's name?" "Chen Yaohan." "Why aren't you called Chen Yao or something, or Chen Han, and it's completely different from Lingdi's name?" Chen Nianfeng has lived for more than 20 years, and no one has ever asked him so thoroughly about his name.He found it strange and interesting: "My original name was not Nian Reng, but Yao Chao, the court's Chao, and my younger brother's name is only half a word apart." "When did you change the name?" "On the eve of my going to study in the United States, my mother said to me, you should change your name to Nianfeng instead of Yaochao! I asked my mother why she wanted to change this name. My mother was silent for a long time before she spoke to me. Said, to read Reng is to miss Reng, and Reng is a person’s name, and he has always remained in my mother’s heart. Mom asked you to change the name, so you can change it, don’t ask too much. At that time, I felt that deep in my mother’s heart seemed to be It’s like hiding some secret, but I was young at the time, and I didn’t want to ask too much. After arriving in the United States, I changed it to Nian and threw it away. After returning to China, I didn’t change it back.” The young man did not expect that his plain narration had already made his chief Mr. Kausang finally find a clue in the blur. "My mother is from Henan", "Chu is a person's name, and he has always remained in my mother's heart".A person whom he no longer remembers for a long time but will never forget has slowly surfaced in his mind more and more clearly.Could it be her?Was it the maid from the Sufu who was the first to touch his heart and enter his emotional world during his life, and who he could never forget for so many years?Is there such a coincidence in the world? "Nian Reng, let me ask you a question, what's your mother's name?" The clever Chen Nianfeng finally understood: Why did Mr. Sang come to the hotel to see me in person, and why did he ask for my name and family background? It seemed that he was asking about someone; could it be that my mother was the one he wanted to inquire about?Nianchu changed his eyes and looked at the examiner in front of him who had an extraordinary identity and status: Although his temples had gray hair, he was still full of vigor and vigor. Although his demeanor was solemn and solemn, his eyes were full of kindness and kindness. "My mother doesn't have a name. Everyone calls her Aunt Chen." Sang Zhiping was disappointed for a while, but he was still not reconciled, and asked again: "How old is your mother this year?" "My mother is forty-three years old." The ages match.Sang Zhiping asked again: "Have you met anyone from your mother's natal family? For example, uncle, aunt, etc." Chen Nianfeng shook his head, thinking: Could Mr. Sang be a relative of my mother's natal family?After hesitating for a while, he asked, "Mr. Sang, are you from Henan?" "Yes, I am from Luoyang, Henan." "You and my mother are fellow villagers!" Chen Nianfeng became excited. A thought came to Sang Zhiping's heart suddenly and strongly: Xiangshan is not far from Guangzhou, why don't I go to Chen's house to have a look?Even if it wasn't her, it would be a good thing to see his family style in person! "Nian Reng, you will accompany me back to Fragrant Hills tomorrow, and I will take a look at your home." "Mr. Sang is going to my house!" Chen Nianfeng stood up in surprise and said repeatedly, "Okay, okay!"