Chapter 65 Section 65 Li Hongzhang strongly opposes rebuilding the Old Summer Palace

Although the border was full of crises, it did not affect Li Hongzhang's enthusiasm for Westernization. Following the completion of the Hong Kong and Shanghai submarine power lines, at the end of the eleventh year of Tongzhi (AD 1872), Li Hongzhang petitioned for the establishment of China Shipping Merchants. China Shipping Merchants Bureau is the first shipping company established since the founding of the Qing Dynasty.The head office of China Merchants Shipping Bureau is located in Shanghai, and the branch offices are located in Tianjin, Niuzhuang, Yantai, Hankou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Kobe, Luzon, Singapore and other ports in Japan, carrying grain and commercial goods.The general office is Zhu Qiang, and Li Zhenyu, Hu Guangyong, Sheng Xuanhuai and others are the shareholders respectively.

The establishment of China Shipping Merchants Bureau marked the end of the foreign monopoly on shipping in the Qing Dynasty. Speaking of it, Li Hongzhang decided to set up the Shipping Merchants Bureau mainly because he followed Sheng Xuanhuai's advice.Sheng Xuanhuai's mind is full of brains, and he is both an official and a businessman. Sheng Xuanhuai said to Li Hongzhang: "Chinese officials and businessmen have not been in touch for a long time. Officials don't care about business conditions, and business people don't care about national affairs. When planning national affairs, business conditions must be considered first. At the beginning of the trial, you must first put yourself in the businessman's place, knowing that you are sure. , so as not to waste halfway; after the implementation is completed, soldiers and merchant ships will be built together, the merchants' rent will be collected, and the military's expenses will be paid for, and they will be closely related, and life will continue."

Zhu Qiang, styled Yunfu, was born in Baoshan, Jiangsu, and a giant businessman in Shanghai.Donation is a general sentence, and it is exhausted to Taoists.Zhu Qiang once partnered with an American businessman to set up Qingmei Foreign Company in Yantai, traveled between Shanghai, Yantai, and Tianjin, engaged in water trafficking business, and was well versed in shipping operations.Zhu Qiang is deeply rooted in Shanghai, and has known Hu Guangyong, Sheng Xuanhuai and others for a long time, and has certain business contacts. Li Hongzhang asked Zhu Qiang to come forward to set up the Shipping Merchants Bureau, mainly because of Sheng Xuanhuai's recommendation.Zhu Qiang, like Hu Guangyong and Sheng Xuanhuai, was a figure in both official and business circles.

Even though Li Hongzhang had already entered the cabinet to pay homage to the prime minister and even became the head of the Han officials, he could not do anything without the support of these people. This was an embarrassing situation caused by the drying up of the national treasury. Before his death, Zeng Guofan never dealt with businessmen.But Li Hongzhang did the opposite, not only dealing with businessmen, but also relying on them to do what he wanted to do. The twelfth year of Tongzhi (AD 1873) just came out of the first month. Although the Yamen has been open for many days, the atmosphere of the New Year has not really dissipated.Officials of large and small yamen usually go to work in the morning, and gather in a quiet place to touch sparrows in the afternoon, or to do private affairs.

At this time, news came from the Military Aircraft Department of the capital, saying that from now on, the young Emperor Tongzhi would formally take charge of the government, and the empress dowagers of the two palaces would withdraw and return to the government.After receiving the decree, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but feel happy: "The era of the Empress Dowager Cixi listening to the government behind the curtain is finally over, and the Qing Dynasty finally has a new beginning!" But what he and the officials did not expect was that the first imperial decree issued by Emperor Tongzhi was to raise funds for the construction of the Old Summer Palace in the name of caring for the Empress Dowagers of the Two Palaces.

After Li Hongzhang received the order, he felt dizzy and his limbs were weak. He forced himself to face north and kowtowed to God, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get up.Seeing that Li Hongzhang was paralyzed into a ball, the guards guarding the door rushed in to help him, saying, "What's wrong, my lord? What's wrong, my lord?" Li Hongzhang was just shaking all over, and beads of sweat came out of his head.The guard didn't know the situation, so he hurriedly called in another guard, and the two supported Li Hongzhang to a chair to sit down.Li Hongzhang closed his eyes, but muttered to himself: "It's over, my Qing Dynasty is completely over!"

A guard asked in a low voice: "My lord, what do you always want to say?" Li Hongzhang woke up suddenly.He struggled to open his eyes and looked at the bewildered guards, and said in a low voice, "Have you two heard what the old man said?" The two guards shook their heads hastily and replied, "Your Excellency didn't say anything just now." Li Hongzhang nodded, and ordered: "You two, help the old man into the upper room to have a rest. The old man is weak and seems to be sick. Tell the cook to cook a bowl of bird's nest porridge for the old man."

Two guards supported Li Hongzhang one by one from the left and the other from the right, and walked slowly to the upper room. Li Hongzhang lay on the bed for three days.On the fourth day, he felt that he had gained strength, so he sent someone to set up a car and prepared to go to Beijing.Zhao Lian went in without knowing it, and persuaded: "My lord, you are so ill, why do you still want to go to Beijing! The Holy Majesty didn't call you, and you will be questioned if you go to Beijing without authorization!" Li Hongzhang sighed and said: "You may not know that my Qing Dynasty is about to end! As soon as the emperor took office, he asked the provinces to raise funds to build the garden that was burned by foreigners! Reply, I have already borrowed more than 100 million foreign funds! How dare you use silver for this!"

Zhao Lian whispered: "My lord, this is not your business alone. Why are you in such a hurry? You should take care of yourself first, and then give the emperor an audience certificate. After the imperial decree comes down, you can go to Beijing again." It's not too late!" Li Hongzhang said decisively: "Lian'er, stop talking, and change my clothes immediately. If I really can't come back this time, you can take Jingmai and the old lady to Hefei's old house." Upon hearing this, Zhao Lian burst into tears.While helping Li Hongzhang get out of bed, she choked up and said, "My lord, why are you doing this?"

Li Hongzhang rushed to the capital with only a few soldiers that day.This time he did not stop at Xianliang Temple, but went straight to Prince Gong's Mansion.Prince Gong was also discussing strategies with Wen Xiang in the study for repairing the garden.Prince Gong walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, while Wen Xiang stood aside, like a puppet.As soon as Li Hongzhang stepped into the threshold of the study, he knelt down on the ground, kowtowed to Prince Gong and said, "I risked my life to come to Beijing to pay my respects to the prince!" Prince Gong and Wen Xiang helped him up and said, "Shaoquan, didn't you also come here to repair the garden?"

Li Hongzhang said in tears: "My lord, Mr. Wen, I have not regained my vitality in the Qing Dynasty, so I can't make any more troubles! The Yuanmingyuan project is huge, and my Qing Dynasty really has no such national strength now!" Prince Gong asked Li Hongzhang and Wen Xiang to sit down, and asked someone to serve tea before he sat down and said, "Shaoquan, don't worry, this king and Wenshan are also discussing this matter." Wen Xiang pulled Li Hongzhang's sleeve at this time, and said in a low voice: "Shaoquan, you may not know that the prince has not slept well for two days because of this matter! This old bastard Xu Yinxuan gave it to the emperor." good idea!" Li Hongzhang said: "My lord, Mr. Wen, we must find a way to stop this matter! If Xu Yinxuan can't say anything, it is what it is!" Prince Gong sighed and said, "I can't go to the emperor for this matter. Now the emperor will recite the phrase that Xu Yinxuan taught him, 'The most important thing is to respect relatives, the most important thing is to support them with the world', and don't care about anything else. This This matter depends on the attitude of the west. Shaoquan, I don’t think it’s better than this. With the excuse of your coming to Beijing, I asked someone to send a message to the west, saying that you and the same group of ministers want to greet the queen mother. , see how the Queen Mother responds. How?" Wen Xiang said: "Your Majesty, what if the Empress Dowager does not let Shao Quan go in to pay her respects? The Empress Dowager's decree made it very clear that after returning to the government, the two palaces will no longer interfere with the government affairs. With what the Empress Dowager said, Shao Quan will go to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. Let the emperor know about this, is it okay?" Prince Gong smiled and said: "Wenshan, don't make such scary words, we have no choice. You two sit here first, and this king will send people into the palace to inquire about the news. Whether it succeeds or not, we will Take a look at this one." After finishing speaking, Prince Gong strode out. Wen Xiangfu tugged on Li Hongzhang's sleeve again, and said in a low voice, "Shaoquan, I have something to discuss with you, and I don't know if it's feasible or not." Li Hongzhang was taken aback for a moment, and quickly asked, "What else can your elder brother ask of your younger brother?" Wen Xiang smiled and said, "I've thought and thought about this matter, but you must promise that it can't be done. That's right, isn't the China Merchants Steamship you set up in Shanghai just offering shares? In my brother's hands, is it still available?" There are really tens of thousands of taels of silver, but I don’t know if it’s reliable to invest in it?” Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "It's just for this matter, that's fine, you just invest in the shares, my brother promises that you will receive bonuses every year!" Wen Xiang was very excited, and hurriedly said: "With your brother's words, I decided to put the money in. It's just that this matter needs to be done in a more concealed manner. It's best that you can find a reliable person to do it for you, so that it will be safe. .You think, my brother is working in the military aircraft department, but he took the money to participate in the shares and get the bonus. If it is spread, what is it? Your brother can't clean it up, can he?" Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "What your brother said is very true, my brother really forgot this level. How about this, after I return to Baoding, let Xingsun come to Beijing. Brother Fan has money in his hand and wants to eat bonuses Yes, let Xingsun deal with it once. My brother can tell them that no matter how well China Merchants does, their dividends will be guaranteed. Of course, if the business is good, they will naturally get more dividends. " Wen Xiang said with a smile all over his face: "Shaoquan, after hearing what you said, my brother naturally needs to be more at ease! Shaoquan, in the future, whenever there is anything, you should communicate with my brother frequently. My brother is in Beijing, so the money is not enough!" In the evening, the Empress Dowager Cixi sent a message, allowing Li Hongzhang and others to go in and say hello.When Prince Gong heard this, he hurriedly invited Li Hongzao, Minister of Military Aircraft, Shen Guifen, Minister of Military Aircraft and Acting Prime Minister, Minister of State Affairs, and Minister of Tirenge University, Minister of Military Aircraft, Shang Shu Baojun, who had objections to the garden, to an appointment. Together, together with Wen Xiang and Li Hongzhang, carrying Emperor Tongzhi on their backs, they went into the palace to greet Empress Dowager Cixi. In fact, when the Empress Dowager Cixi heard that a group of princes and ministers were going to enter the palace to pay her respects, she already knew why these people came. Therefore, when several princes and ministers finished their salutes and had not officially spoken, the Empress Dowager Cixi said first: "You guys, are you here to repair the garden? Actually, I just heard about this matter. To be honest, I can understand the emperor's painstaking efforts. He wants us to have a good place to recuperate. But, the emperor is still young, and I don't know what kind of Qing Dynasty I am. Regarding this matter, you all Don't say anything. Turn around, I'll just talk to the emperor and persuade him. It's hard for you people! Go down." Prince Gong and the others didn't think they would get this so soon, and they immediately felt overjoyed. After they withdrew, the Empress Dowager Cixi called Emperor Tongzhi into her room and gave him a severe reprimand.The enthusiasm of Emperor Tongzhi to govern himself disappeared immediately. Emperor Tongzhi became tired of state affairs and hated the day-to-day morning court. Under the guidance of a group of young eunuchs, he quickly disguised himself as a son and brother, and went out of the palace every night to look for flowers and women, so that he became addicted. Although the Empress Dowager Cixi staged a farce of returning to power, in the end, the power returned to her own hands. According to her own words, "the emperor is too disappointing!" Li Hongzhang returned to Baoding happily, and began to let go of his hands and feet to handle all the things he wanted to do.