Chapter 51 Section 51 A good team is needed to do big things

A few days after Li Hongzhang arrived in Baoding, Ding Richang and Rong Hong came from Shanghai with Xu Qianshen and other subordinate officials, and then Xue Fucheng, Wu Rulun, and Li Shuchang also arrived one after another.There is only one Zhang Yuzhao, who has not yet received a letter, saying that his mother is ill and is taking care of her every day at the bedside. At that time, everyone was drinking tea and chatting with Zeng Guofan in the square hall. After Zeng Guofan finished reading Zhang Yuzhao's letter, he handed the letter back to Li Hongzhang beside him without saying a word.After Li Hongzhang read it, he couldn't help holding up the letter, and said with a smile: "Lianqing, a nerd, isn't he trying to spoil our interest? He just refuses to come, and he said that 'parents are not traveling far away'... How come he grew up reading sage books, we all only know how to drink rice soup!"

Everyone laughed at Li Hongzhang's words. Zeng Guofan smiled and said: "Shaoquan, don't blame Lianqing. Lianqing always likes to be quiet and not lively, and the set of things in the officialdom is not suitable for him. His articles still have roots. Now that we are talking about Western learning, what our ancestors left us is less and less valued. I hope that Lian Qing will spend a few years working hard to teach a few well-educated disciples and open the eyes of Westerners. Shaoquan, What do you think?" Li Hongzhang hurriedly replied: "What the teacher said is that the ancestors should not be forgotten if you practice the world well. The disciples have led troops to fight in the past few years, and every time they think of what the teacher taught: reading the books of the sages is for self-cultivation and enlightenment; the introduction of Western learning Skills are for the power of the country, and the two cannot be neglected. Therefore, after the disciples decided to go to Wuchang, they first restored Jianghan Academy, opened a bookstore, and first selected some important books to publish for the academies around the world.”

Upon hearing this, Zeng Guofan nodded repeatedly and said, "What Shaoquan said is very true. Everyone knows that since Jinling Bookstore and the Translation Bookstore affiliated to Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau published a large number of Western books, the governors of various provinces have competed to follow suit. Actually, Jinling Bookstore While publishing Western books, we are also reprinting the articles of saints. Western learning must be taught, but not blindly; saints must learn, but they cannot learn with closed eyes." Ding Richang said at this time: "What the old Zhongtang said is very true. I heard from people in Beijing in Suzhou that Zhang Xiangtao was in the Hanlin Academy, and he was talking about middle school as the foundation and Western learning for use. I didn't quite understand what I heard at the time. Listening to what Zhongtang said now, I finally understand. Doesn’t this exactly match what Zhongtang said just now?”

Li Hongzhang looked at Ding Richang and said, "Yu Sheng, you're talking nonsense again. How can Zhang Zhidong compare with my mentor? Apart from talking a few big words, has he ever done anything?" Zeng Guofan said with a smile: "Shaoquan, you can't say that. In this officialdom, there must be people who talk, and people who do things must also be lacking. Without one of the two, the situation cannot be achieved." After a while, when it was time to eat, everyone followed Zeng Guofan to the dining room for dinner. After dinner, Xue Fucheng, Wu Rulun, and Li Shuchang accompanied Zeng Jize, the young master of the Zeng family, to visit the Temple of the City God. Li Hongzhang, together with Ding Richang and Rong Hong, followed Zeng Guofan to Fangting Hall for tea.

As soon as Ding Richang sat down, he said to Zeng Guofan: "Old Zhongtang, the official came from Suzhou to discuss something with Lao Zhongtang." Zeng Guofan was taken aback, and said, "Yu Sheng, the old man has already left Jinling. You should go to Ma Gushan for the Liangjiang matter." Ding Richang said with a smile: "Old Zhong Tangrong, the matter that the next official wants to do is a matter that is related to the rise and fall of my Qing Dynasty. Not only Ma Gushan can't do it, but Shaoquan Juexiang can't do it alone. .” Zeng Guofan was taken aback again, and said casually: "Is there such a big thing? Yu Sheng, tell me." Ding Richang cleared his throat, sat up straight and said, "Old Zhongtang, since I negotiated with the Westerners, I have been repeatedly defeated by the Westerners." The other hand is actually inferior to others because of their skills. But the guns and guns of the Westerners are only one end, and there are maps (mostly referring to territorial maps), algorithms, step-by-step, sea surveying, shipbuilding, and tool making, etc., all of which are not mine. .”

Zeng Guofan interjected at this time: "Yu Sheng, I set up the Tongwen Museum in the Qing Dynasty, the Cantonese Dialect Museum, the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau, the Tianjin Firearms Bureau, and the Fujian Shipping Bureau set up by Zuo Jigao in Fujian. And so on, isn’t it doing what the Westerners do?” Ding Richang replied: "What Zhongtang said is very true. I am advocating Western affairs in the Qing Dynasty, but it is only superficial. Mr. Rong told the officials that the foreign technicians currently hired by the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau are all people who are not used by Westerners. , but the skilled elites are unwilling to let the country be used by me. Why? It’s just that I’m afraid that I’ll learn its essence! The officials think that I want to be strong so that Westerners don’t dare to underestimate them, so I have to learn their essence! Officials have found out that there are many academies in the United States and the United Kingdom. If we negotiate with the two countries, the disciples of the other country can come to our Daqing Academy to enroll, and our students can also study in the academy of the other country. After so many years, the essence of the other country , will become the essence of our country, and the skills of the other country can also become the skills of our country. Westerners have no unique skills, so why dare to underestimate my Qing Dynasty! Zhongtang imagines that such a plan for the future, if it is not led by someone like Zhongtang, How can it be done?"

Zeng Guofan looked at Rong Hong and said, "Chunfu, you have been in the United States for many years. Is what Yu Sheng just said true? Westerners really have many academies like me in the Qing Dynasty?" Rong Hong hurriedly replied: "Your Majesty Zhongtang, what Ding Futai Shicai said is true. Western academies also learn characters, but they pay more attention to practicality. For example, academies for learning shipbuilding skills, learning to sail and sail. There are many academies. Last year, Liu’s son Hong Qiang and Sun’s son Jia Yin, who were furnace technicians at the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, entered public schools in the United States through the introduction of the American technician Da Dama. There are also the translators of Zongli Yamen, Zhenggang and Sun Jiahu, who also came back after finishing their studies in American public schools."

Zeng Guofan pondered for a while, and then asked: "Chunfu, where is the United States? How can we get there?" Yung Wing replied: "Your Majesty Zhongtang, although the United States is far away from our country, you only need to take a ship from the Pacific Ocean to reach this country in about 30 days, which is extremely easy." Zeng Guofan looked at Li Hongzhang and asked, "Shaoquan, do you know what Yu Sheng just said?" Li Hongzhang replied with a smile: "Yu Sheng is the governor of Jiangsu now. He is so capable that he has no idea. How can he discuss with me what he wants to do?"

Zeng Guofan shook his head and said, "When Shaoquan said this, the old man didn't believe it even more. Yusheng, tell the old man, how long have you been discussing this matter with Shaoquan Juexiang and Chunfu? If you don't tell the truth, you can have dinner with me But there is no need to eat." Ding Richang laughed and said: "Old Zhongtang is really a god! This matter was originally thought up by Shaoquan Juexiang alone. He wrote to me several times to discuss with Chunfu to see if it would work." Zeng Guofan pointed at Li Hongzhang and said, "You Li Shaoquan, it's hard for me to hide this from the old man! According to this old man, you can continue to hide this matter, let's see if you can do it or not!"

Li Hongzhang glared at Ding Richang with his eyes and said, "You are the only one who can talk! Did you make my teacher angry again?" Ding Richang hurriedly laughed and said, "Master Zhongtang, please smile quickly. If you don't want to smile anymore, you, a student, will definitely be dismissed as an official!" At this time, Zeng Guofan got up suddenly and said: "You guys are talking here first, it's time for the old man to take a nap. After the old man wakes up, Shaoquan will accompany the old man for three rounds!" Li Hongzhang and the others hurriedly got up and said, "Please go ahead, let's go outside for a while." After Zeng Guofan left the hall, the three sat down again.

Ding Richang asked Li Hongzhang at this time: "Your Excellency, do you always think that Mr. Zhongtang can agree to this matter? He didn't nod." Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "You Ding Yusheng, you have been promoted to governor, and you can't change your impatience. My mentor is a real adult and gentleman in today's world. His old man will never express his opinion lightly unless he has matured his plans. He always wants to take a nap, but he actually wants to be alone and plan things in his stomach." Ding Richang said: "What the minister said is very true. This is actually the reason why the imperial court relies on him." Zeng Guofan came to the hall again soon after his afternoon nap.Li Hongzhang helped Zeng Guofan to a chair and sat down.Zeng Guofan ordered someone to set up the chessboard, and said to Li Hongzhang, "Come on, let's play three rounds first. I have thought about what Yu Sheng just said just now. This matter, you Minger, Yu Sheng, Chunfu First draw up a manuscript, and I will wait for the government office to open the seal, and then I will talk to the ministers of the United States and the United Kingdom when I have time, and then make a decision according to the situation. Sending disciples to study in the West is a major change in our country in the past five thousand years. .” Ding Richang said happily: "As long as Lao Zhongtang agrees, the matter will be considered as 80%." Master Zeng Guofan sighed and said, "It's not entirely true. There are some elders in the court who are full of knowledge. They close their eyes and only talk about Confucian classics, regardless of the current situation! The higher-ups can't do anything about them. Some things can only be said one step at a time. .” Zeng Guofan suddenly stopped talking and concentrated on playing chess. Ding Richang quietly said to Rong Hong: "We don't know how to play chess, so why not go find Jie Gang and the others." Rong Hong said: "The eldest young master has recruited a member of the household department, Wailang, logically, he should treat us alone." More than ten days later, Li Hongzhang bid farewell to his teacher, left Baoding, and went to Wuchang Huguang Governor's office.Ding Richang and Yung Wing also left Baoding on the same day because they were going to Tianjin to work with Chong Hou, the Minister of Commerce and Industry.Xue Fucheng and others continued to stay with Zeng Guofan, helping Zeng Guofan with some matters.On the second day after Li Hongzhang came to Wuchang, he handed over to Zeng Guoquan, the governor of Hubei and the acting governor of Huguang who also set up a government office in the same city. After Jinling's recovery, Zeng Guoquan has been recuperating from his illness.When Li Hongzhang suppressed Xilian Zhang Zongyu, Zeng Guoquan was reinstated as governor of Hubei by the imperial court and ordered to help with military affairs. In Xilianping, Zeng Guoquan's old illness relapsed, and he urgently asked for a vacancy to return to his hometown and continue to recuperate.Because Li Hongzhang had not yet arrived in office, the imperial court asked him to act as the governor of Huguang temporarily, and he was allowed to resign after Li Hongzhang took office. During Zeng Guoquan's tenure, Li Hanzhang was the governor of Hunan.After Li Hongzhang was granted the title of governor of Huguang, Li Hanzhang was transferred to be governor of Zhejiang and Liu Kun was appointed governor of Hunan according to the principle of avoidance by the Qing Dynasty.More than ten days later, when Guo Baiyin, the acting governor of Hubei, took office, Zeng Guoquan handed over his seal and returned to Xiangxiang with his family.Soon, the police took Li Hongzhang's family to Wuchang. Mrs. Li was frightened last time, except for a few extra gray hairs on her head, she is still in good spirits.Zhao Lian is pregnant and is about to give birth.Seeing that the whole family is safe and sound, and seeing the joy of adding more people, Li Hongzhang is naturally happy in his heart, and he is full of energy when he starts to do business.The first thing he took over was to judge Yong according to the imperial court's order. In order to cut Yong smoothly, he first cut off the battalions under the command of his third brother Hezhang, fourth brother Yunzhang, and sixth brother Zhaoqing. Although the three younger brothers had achieved fame and fame through their military exploits at this time, they had no choice but to return home. .Li Hongzhang handled it like this, and the other generals had nothing to say.In less than two months, the abolition of Huaiyong became apparent. Except for 30,000 people who returned to the economic division, the rest of the battalions were all laid off. After completing the matter of judging bravery, Li Hongzhang began to make great efforts to clean up the places where scholars study.This matter kept him busy for another three months, and he renovated all the large and small academies in Hunan and Hubei provinces that had been abandoned for many years.Then, he successively opened a bookstore in Wuchang and Changsha, the provincial capitals, reprinted the "Four Books and Five Classics" that the scholar often held in his hand, and contacted Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Jiangning. , the meeting engraved twenty-four histories. Li Hongzhang's actions in Huguang not only made the imperial court happy, but also made some old Confucian classics full of praise.But Li Hongzhang just made a feint. His next goal is to do some foreign affairs in Huguang.The project has basically been decided, which is to build a machine manufacturing bureau that can manufacture powder-making steel mills on a large scale, so as to reverse the situation of outsourcing foreign mills.The factory site has already been optimistic, and he is entrusting Ding Richang to negotiate the price of the machine with foreigners.He also commissioned Yung Wing to find several technicians through his friends abroad.Ding Richang and Yung Wing are currently busy with this matter. In order to complete the matter as soon as possible, Li Hongzhang borrowed Xu Qian, a staff member of the foreign affairs personnel next to Ding Richang, and appointed him to handle the matter, hoping to get twice the result with half the effort. Li Hongzhang and Xu Qianshen met once in Baoding, and after talking with each other, they had a good impression.Xu Qianshen not only has unique insights into Westernization, but also has a quick mind and is very good at answering questions.Li Hongzhang predicted that Xu Qianshen would have a great future in foreign affairs in the future.