Chapter 36 cheating financial statements

The Huai army landed in Shanghai, but failed to receive good ratings. As a result, one person was miserable: Su Song said Wu Xu too well. The position of Su Song Taidao is equivalent to the mayor of Shanghai. In detail, Wu Xu should be the number one hero of the Huai army going to Shanghai. In order to achieve this result, he has done a lot of work, and he even did not hesitate to fight with the Minister of Commerce Xue Huan for this.But after the Huai army landed, Wu Xu was surprised by the extremely shabby military uniform, and immediately fell into disappointment. If you make a mistake, these beggar soldiers should not be allowed to come.Wu Xu thought to himself, what is the use of them coming?Being so poor, it was obvious that he was here to beg for food.

The next day, Wu Xu received Li Hongzhang, and the two sides communicated again. Wu Xu was shocked at that time: Did I make a mistake?This Li Hongzhang, he is just a missing Taoist, without a specific position, at most he is a researcher on standby.You said that I am also the mayor of Shanghai anyway, why did I invite a researcher on duty? So Wu Xu discussed with Yang Fang: Do you understand?This Li Hongzhang, and the beggar soldiers he brought with him, obviously came to fight the autumn wind to make a living, and wanted to get a sum of money in our Shanghai. The poor big-headed soldiers bought a pair of shoes for each of them. When the Taiping Army came to attack again, they walked away , Claiming to be transferred to prevent and leave, who shall we turn to for reasoning?Look at Zeng Guofan in Anqing, who kept mentioning Zhenjiang in his letters again and again. Why did he mention Zhenjiang?Are you ready to transfer this army away at any time?

Why should we Shanghainese pay for Zeng Guofan's military support?No matter how rich Shanghai is, it cannot spend it like this. After a serious discussion, the two finally worked out a way to deal with it.On April 11, the third day after Li Hongzhang arrived in Shanghai, Wu Xu and Yang Fang came to visit Li Hongzhang with a thick account book between them, smiling.In order to meet a deputy department-level researcher who has no official position, two senior administrative officials in Shanghai came forward in person, which was enough to give Li Hongzhang face. Wu Xu and Yang Fang sat down and greeted cordially: "Xiao Li, how have you been these two days?"Are you used to the sweets in Shanghai?

Li Hongzhang said: "Sweets are the next best thing. To be honest, I can't eat sweets now."In the past few days, I sent people to inquire about the news, and I learned that the Taiping Army's chief general, Li Xiucheng, sent two generals under his command—Wing Wang Chen Bingwen and Na Wang Gao Yongkuan, with a commanding force of 50,000 to 60,000, approaching Shanghai in the direction of Qingpu and Sijing. I don't know what the two adults care about? Yang Fang laughed and said: "There is no need to worry too much about the affairs of the Taiping Army."The British commander, Major General Steve Li, and the French major general, Mr. Broad, have both led the Anglo-French coalition forces to fight against the Taiping Army.These two are rare famous generals in the world.Before driving the Normal University into Beijing, the first emperor Xianfeng fled in embarrassment... No, the first emperor Xianfeng went north, making the two famous all over the world.This time, the two teamed up to fight the Taiping Army again, and the gates of discipline in this city of Shanghai were wide open, but the Taiping Army could not even think about going one step further.In addition, my son-in-law Huaer and his ever-victorious army stationed in Songjiang City made the Taiping army frightened with a series of impressive victories.So these little things don't bother you.

Li Hongzhang: Don't bother me... Even so, since our Huai army has come to Shanghai, we have the responsibility to defend the land.The problem now is that the equipment of the Huai army is too simple. I heard that in the Shanghai battle, even the Taiping army used foreign guns and cannons, so I think... Wu Xu took over the words: When it comes to the lack of military resources, there is really nothing to do.If you want me to say that it's all because our Qing Dynasty is too backward, that's why we are so poor.Xiao Li, you are considered lucky. Working under Mr. Zeng, Mr. Zeng was able to piece together such an army to make you enjoy yourself.Such a beautiful thing, in such a poor place as Shanghai, is unthinkable.

Li Hongzhang: ... Shanghai ... poor? poor!You are not in charge of the family and do not know how expensive rice is!Yang Fang sighed: To tell you the truth, you really can't find a poorer place than Shanghai.Look at Mr. Wu, just to deal with this poor stall in Shanghai, he has exhausted his mind every day, and his hair has turned gray, but he still stretches out his hands everywhere, asking for money from all directions, and he is always struggling. Yeah yeah!Wu Xu was moved by the poverty he had imagined, and said with deep emotion: People all say that Shanghai is rich, and it's the Jiang Customs taxation and tax donations. There are many rumors.But who knows the difficulty of this official?Foreigners are treacherous, businessmen are stingy, and every penny they charge is exhausted.At the end of the day, a cent of money has to be broken into ten shares. It is so difficult, and I am so worried that I will die.

Yang Fang watched Li Hongzhang's expression carefully, and couldn't see his eyebrows for a while, so he said casually: You may not believe it, but you can see it by looking at the accounts. As the saying goes, there are big difficulties, the real situation in Shanghai, the real situation. Not enough for outsiders. Li Hongzhang took the account book, glanced roughly at the account, and a number jumped into his eyes, which almost made him cry out loudly. The financial statements show that Shanghai's monthly tariffs and donations total only a mere two hundred thousand taels of silver.

Of course, two hundred thousand taels of silver is not a small amount, but the problem is that Qian Dingming told Li Hongzhang a long time ago that Shanghai is the richest place in the world, the richest, and the monthly tax donation is no less than six hundred thousand taels silver.Afterwards, Li Hongzhang lay on the bed, calculated carefully with his fingers, and thought that the number of 600,000 was realistic.Because of this, he racked his brains and tried his best to fight with the teacher, and finally seized the good opportunity of the trip to Shanghai. But now, Wu Xu and Yang Fang only reported him 200,000 taels, concealing two-thirds of the total.

Just hide it, Li Hongzhang can understand this matter, really can understand it.Who told you that Li Hongzhang didn't even have an official title?It's all the fault of the imperial court. When you appoint an official, you just draw two lines on the waste paper with a pen, and it doesn't take much effort.Why is it that when it is my turn, Li Hongzhang, the imperial court suddenly begrudges the pen and paper?If the imperial court granted him the position of acting governor of Jiangsu, he would be Wu Xu and Yang Fang's immediate superiors. With the courage of these two people, they would not dare to open their eyes and talk nonsense.

The current situation is that the Huai army is just a guest army and may be transferred away at any time.Li Hongzhang is even more equivalent to a commoner. You came to Shanghai as a commoner, and the mayor of Shanghai received you kindly, which has already given you great face. Why don't you still want to check the mayor's accounts? Li Hongzhang felt aggrieved, but after all, it was the two people in front of him who had gone through all kinds of troubles to invite him. He still had some hope in his heart: In this case, but my Huai army's equipment is too inferior, I just... no!Yang Fang didn't even think about it, and refused straight away: You think it's easy for you to collect such a small amount of money after all the hard work?Just such a small amount of money can't make up for the big hole in expenses.Xiao Li, look, two hundred thousand taels of silver, Mr. Zeng’s Hunan army has to withdraw forty thousand taels a month.Then there is Huaer's ever-victorious army, which pays 60,000 taels of silver every month. Shanghai city has not yet been captured by the Taiping army, and they all rely on this army. Can you not spend this money?This is down to 100,000 taels, and there are 100,000 taels left, of which 30,000 taels are for the Sino-foreign Association Defense Office, which was run by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Xue Huan. Rumors stir up riots, but the city of Shanghai is as immobile as a mountain. This is the result of the efforts of the Chinese and Foreign Councils. Can you save this money?There is still 70,000 taels left. All the big and small yamen in Shanghai, including the expenses of welcoming the Huai army to Shanghai, personnel expenses, the old and the sick, the martyrdom, the orphans and widows, all point to such a small amount of money, pointing to such a small amount money……

Li Hongzhang was dumbfounded and dumbfounded.He thought that although Wu Xu and Yang Fang put so much effort into inviting him to Shanghai, even though they didn't want to bleed too much, but for the sake of love, they would give him a little money, right? Unexpectedly, these two people did not give a penny. If you don't pay me, why did you invite me to Shanghai?Isn't this a scam?