Chapter 62 Section 62 Internal News

The sedan chair soon stopped at the gate of the palace, and Li Hongzhang followed Prince Gong to the study to take a seat. While ordering tea, Prince Gong said to Li Hongzhang: "Shaoquan, you may not know that the Fujian Shipping Bureau may not be able to continue!" Li Hongzhang was startled, and hurriedly asked: "My lord, isn't the Fujian Shipping Bureau in good shape? Why can't it go on?" Prince Gong sighed and said, "It's not a word for 'money'! Without money, nothing can be done! The Shipping Bureau has spent nearly two million taels of silver, and it has not yet built a decent ship. Song Dynasty Jin, Xu Tong and others have given the Queen Mother several instructions, asking to close the Shipping Bureau. The Queen Mother is troubled by them and she doesn't know what to do. Yesterday, the Queen Mother asked me about this matter. I let you I just came here to ask you, do you have any good ideas to keep the Shipping Bureau going? The more you pay, the more you pay, but it doesn’t work, the court can’t afford it!"

Li Hongzhang thought for a while and replied: "My lord, Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau both use foreign funds to maintain their operations. May the Shipping Bureau also try this method?" Prince Gong said: "I have thought about what you said, but it is not a long-term game. Shaoquan, I have a topic for you, that is, the Shipping Bureau, and the several manufacturing bureaus you run. What should you do in the future? Good? It can save money and keep the bureau going. Relying on foreign loans can only be an expedient measure, not to mention the high interest rate of foreign loans. Once the foreigners turn against each other, they will no longer borrow money from others. Can you still do it?"

Li Hongzhang frowned and replied: "Your Majesty, this is a big topic. If you want to make an article all at once, I'm afraid you can't do it. You have to figure it out slowly. But no matter what, the officials think that the Fujian Shipping Bureau cannot be abolished. My lord, the Westerners rely solely on their guns and ships, and run rampant in the middle land, causing great harm to the people of our country. When I signed a contract with Japan, I learned that although the island country is only a tiny place, it has traded with the Western country. , adding ironworks, building more ships, and using Western weapons, all in order to protect themselves from the harm of the Western countries.

"In the Qing Dynasty, we set up manufacturing bureaus and shipping bureaus for nothing more than self-protection. The officials thought that we could save all kinds of expenses in the Qing Dynasty, but the expenses of raising troops, practicing guns, and manufacturing ships were not. The prince will definitely Your Majesty and Empress Dowager have stated that shipbuilding and utensils are related to the safety and survival of our Qing Dynasty!" Prince Gong said with a smile: "Okay, I understand everything you said. It's just a discussion now, and it's not yet time to make a decision. At that time, you will write your theory in the notebook , it’s not too late. You follow the king to eat first, and today the king invites you to drink Western wine."

Li Hongzhang hurriedly replied: "Thank you, my lord. I drank western skin wine a few times when I was in Shanghai, and it tasted a bit weird, and it hit my nose. This time, when I came to Beijing, I also brought a small gadget to my lord. After a while, I will send someone to Xianliang Temple to get it." Li Hongzhang took out another bank note from his sleeve and put it on the table while talking: "Is it a sign that the official came too hastily?" Prince Gong got up from his side and said: "You, don't think about me all the time. Prince Jin and Prince Li, you should also go for a walk from time to time, lest they make trouble. Shaoquan, I heard that you took a trip to Jinling, What happened to Marquis Zeng? Does it matter? Did you see Chinese medicine or Western medicine?"

Li Hongzhang sighed and said, "Hey, it's rare that the prince still misses my teacher. His old body is a little stronger than in Baoding, so it's probably fine. Yu Sheng found two western doctors, and Xia Guan also found him in Tianjin. I tried a few, but there was no big effect. I heard that the palace also sent two imperial physicians there. However, he managed to support himself and still be able to do some things, but his eyesight is getting weaker and weaker. Cough !" Prince Gong smiled and said: "Okay, let's not talk about this. After dinner, we have to discuss the selection of children. This is something I have never done since the founding of the Qing Dynasty. It can be called It's a big deal. You must think carefully about this matter, and you must not make any mistakes."

Li Hongzhang asked: "My lord, why don't you discuss this matter in the yamen? Besides, the Queen Mother didn't even nod her head!" Prince Gong said: "Shaoquan, do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to understand? Xi Bian has obviously let go, as long as we make a charter, this matter can be handled! How many people do you think are suitable for the first batch of elections? " Li Hongzhang replied: "The lower officials think that there should be no less than thirty people, right? If it works, we will continue to do it one after another. If it doesn't work, we will discuss it from the beginning."

Prince Gong nodded and said, "Shaoquan, I will give you some inside information. The treaty you signed with Japan last time was quite satisfactory to the west, and many ministers have nothing to say. It seems that you will make up for it this time." University bachelor, it should go well!" Li Hongzhang hurriedly replied: "Your Majesty, it doesn't matter if you don't make up the bachelor's degree. As long as you can actually do a few practical things for us in the Qing Dynasty, you will be satisfied. Just now in the palace, the lord sees it better. Xiaguan understands that it is so difficult to accomplish something now! Li Hongzao, Xu Tong, Weng Tong and the gang want to swallow Xiaguan in one gulp!" Li Hongzhang said, his eye circles were obviously red.

Prince Gong laughed and said, "Shaoquan, you made a mistake this time. In fact, Weng Tonghe is not a big deal. If Woren is alive, the matter of selecting young children may really make him mess up! That Xu Tong, last year Shuntianfu Township Examination, let him be the chief examiner, guess what? He won’t take anyone whose surname is Yang and Xi or something! Woren’s life is worth living, he’s always a successor!” Xu Tong, like Wo Ren, is a figure who is extremely negative in the name of Confucianism in the Qing Dynasty.He is a native of the Zhenglan Banner of the Han Army, named Yuru, named Yinxuan, Daoguang Jinshi.Reviewed by the Imperial Academy of Tired Officials, assisted by the Veritable Records Hall, and compiled "Wen Zong Veritable Records".At the beginning of Tongzhi, the master of Tongzhi Emperor was selected.In the ninth year of Tongzhi (1870 A.D.), he was promoted to the Minister of Taichang Temple, and the left deputy capital censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. In the tenth year of Tongzhi (1871 A.D.), he was promoted to a cabinet bachelor.

Xu Tong is extremely conservative, and especially hates foreign things. If any of his disciples dare to talk about Western scholars, once he hears about them, he is not allowed to see them; when talking with others, he never mentions the word "foreign" or "western". Ignore it, anyone called Xi or Xi is also his enemy.Xu Tong was the only Beijing official who could fall into the eyes of the old scholar Woren before he was alive.Xu Tong was able to walk in the inner court and serve as the master of Emperor Tongzhi, and it was all thanks to Woren's recommendation. Woren regards Xu Tong as the treasure of the imperial court, and in Xu Tong's mind, Woren is also the first-class pillar of the country.Wu Ren died of illness, and the civil and military officials of the capital went to and from the Yamen as usual, and Xu Tong was the only one who took leave of absence for three days in silence.

As Prince Gong expected, within a month of Li Hongzhang's return to Baoding, Empress Dowager Cixi gave her permission to send young children to study abroad.The Prime Minister's Office instructed governors from all over the country to handle this matter seriously, and the imperial court also appointed Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang to supervise this matter with full authority. When the imperial decree came down to Baoding, the governor's yamen in Zhili, Baoding was busy with the governor's wife, Zhao Lian.Mrs. Zhao Lian is giving birth in the room, and two midwives are waiting on the bed.More than a dozen maids, maids, and mothers-in-law were busy carrying and delivering water.The old lady was sitting in her room, asking the servants from time to time, "Why hasn't there been any movement?" The servants around her were urged to run out time after time without touching the ground to find out what happened. With his hands behind his back, Li Hongzhang walked around the signing room happily, but Dongmei's face flashed in his mind from time to time.Childbirth is a happy event, but it is also a sad one for women.Li Hongzhang really wished he could walk into Zhao Lian's room and comfort her.But he couldn't go in, because the old lady had explained in advance that it was the most unlucky thing in the world for a man to see a woman give birth, especially for officials and eunuchs, they must stick to this rule and not be ambiguous. A layer of sweat quickly appeared on Li Hongzhang's nose.Finally, there was a cry of a baby from the upper room. Li Hongzhang stopped abruptly and listened carefully to the cry.A servant hastily pushed open the wooden door of the signing room, saluted and said with a smile on his face: "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations to my lord, the second grandma is born! She is a young master!" When Li Hongzhang heard this, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, sat down on the chair, and said after a long time: "Tell the housekeeper, prepare to reward you!" The servant hurriedly gave a deep salute and said, "Thank you, my lord, for your kindness!" Then he turned and left happily.Li Hongzhang was very happy.While stroking his beard with his hands, he said to himself: "You are a young master, young master. Counting the scriptures, I, Li Hongzhang, have three sons!" For several days, the governor's yamen came and went, and all the officials in Zhili territory came to congratulate him.The son is named Jingmai, with the word Jigao. Li Hongzhang hopes that when Jingmai grows up, he can be like Zuo Zongtang, dare to speak and act, gallop on the battlefield, and become a pillar of the country in the future. After Li Hongzhang put away the old full moon wine, he took his entourage and rushed to Tianjin. He met Sheng Xuanhuai, the copywriter in the camp of the Huai Army, the general office of the Charging Affairs Office and the assistant of the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, and boarded the ship to Shanghai. Specific matters for young children. Sheng Xuanhuai entered the scene late, but Li Hongzhang admired his ability to handle affairs.Sheng Xuanhuai was just twenty-eight years old at the time. Although he had studied, he did not go to school. He spent money to donate a tribute student to be considered born.Sheng Xuanhuai was born in Wujin, Jiangsu Province. His style name was Xingsun and also his style name was Youxu. He has been working as a buddy for Yang Zonglian, who runs a bank business in Shanghai, and he has won Yang's trust. He was soon promoted to the position of assistant manager and became Yang Zonglian's right-hand man.Sheng Xuanhuai works seriously, is willing to endure hardships, is righteous, and loves to be sociable. The Chinese and foreign business circles in Shanghai are all friendly with him. In the ninth year of Tongzhi (AD 1870), Yang Zonglian reluctantly introduced him to Li Hongzhang as an aide in order to give Sheng Xuanhuai more room for development.Sheng Xuanhuai soon made Li Hongzhang look at him with admiration. Not only did he serve as a copywriter in the camp of the Huai Army, and the camp affairs office would do two errands, but he was also transferred to Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau as Shen Baojing's assistant.