Chapter 46 Santonghua Wanli Danshan Road, the young phoenix is ​​as clear as the old phoenix

The next morning, Nie Jitsu came to the posthouse to pay a visit to Zeng Guofan.He knew that the old man was a rigorous and famous minister of science, so he took off Su's daily suit and put on a brand-new robe and mandarin jacket. He took out the spare data sheet from the western-style leather briefcase and put it in the cuff interlayer.This attire really made Zeng Guofan more pleasing to the eye.He himself casually wore an old thin cotton robe, and leaned on the soft wicker chair slantingly, with the easy-going attitude of an elder meeting a younger generation. "Is your father okay?" Zeng Guofan picked up the tea bowl and blew slowly.

"My father has often been ill in the past two years, and his spirit is not as strong as yours, old man." Nie Ji was sitting on a velvet sofa opposite, and there was an exquisite Jingdezhen porcelain cup with blue flowers on a white background. move it. "Your father is a few years younger than me, and his fame is not too smooth." Zeng Guofan seemed to be immersed in the memory of the past, "His poems are better than mine. He is also handsome, and he is known as a talented man in Nanyue. Unrestrained and unrestrained, everyone likes to associate with him. Unexpectedly, Daoguang Yisi, Ding Wei, and Gengxu were dismissed from three subjects in a row. His friends complained about him, but he himself was fine. Zike, he ranked eighth in the second grade of high school, and everyone thought he would definitely enter the Imperial Academy. After the imperial examination, he beamed and showed me the poem. The poem is really well written, with both the talent of Taibai and the charm The pavilion is so solemn, and there are few poems in the field that are so good. Unexpectedly, as soon as the list was announced, Hanlin did not have his name. I feel sorry for him. But he smiled and said that it is good to be a county magistrate, but the sky is high and the emperor is far away. I am a prince of hundreds of miles, and I can display all my talents and learning in my life. I am still smiling and don't care. Zhong Fang, this is your father's character when he was young."

Zeng Guofan likes to recall the past recently, and also likes to talk about the past with young people.Today the young man sitting opposite is a handsome talent, and what he is talking about is his father and his old friends from the same hometown. Talking about the past in this way is a kind of enjoyment in life! "My father may have been an official for 20 years because of his self-confidence and indifference to world affairs. He is still only a fourth-rank prefect." He is a bachelor, but his father is a lowly official, and he feels very uncomfortable.He originally wanted to ridicule his father, but that would be against the way of a son of man, and would definitely arouse the old man's disgust, so he changed to these two words that he thought were decent.

"You're partly right, but you missed the key point." Zeng Guofan stroked his beard slowly, thinking in his heart that life's fate, whether rich or poor, whether good or bad, good or bad, or longevity is determined by fate, not by human power.After thinking about it, these words cannot be said to the younger generations, as it will make them lose their motivation to make progress, be content with the status quo, and not think about striving.The relationship between destiny and manpower is too complicated, how can a young man with a weak crown understand it thoroughly!This must be experienced after decades of ups and downs, many failures and successes, and then go back and chew carefully before you can have a personal experience.Fathers and brothers teach children, and superiors and subordinates can only encourage them to give full play to the role of manpower, advance despite difficulties, and never retreat in case of danger.

"Old man, what is the root cause of my father's poor official career?" Nie Ji is a strong man, deeply regrets how difficult his father's official career is, but he doesn't know the reason.Zeng Guofan is a model of success and an old friend of his father. His one or two words of advice may be something that he, including his father, have not been able to understand after years of hard thinking. "You're still young, and you won't be able to understand it for a while. When I meet your father some other year, we two old fellows will talk again!" Zeng Guofan picked up the tea bowl again.The problem of astringent tongue when speaking a little, not only has not improved, but recently it has become worse.

"Zhongfang, why did you come here alone and start doing foreign affairs?" This was a question that Zeng Guofan was very interested in. He was surprised by Nie Yifeng's way of teaching his children that was different from ordinary people.Although I asked someone to teach Ji Ze and Ji Hong English, I also supported Ji Hong's study of mathematics. A few years ago, when the right eye was not blind, Xia Ye often pointed to the starry sky to teach the children to recognize the constellations, but Ji Ze, Ji Hong Sending him to the Machinery Bureau to specialize in Westernization, this determination can never be made, in the end, it is much more glorious to take the right path of Zhongju Jinshi and Hanlin.

"I came with my sister-in-law." "What's your sister-in-law's name?" "His name is Chen Shunfa, a Cantonese, and he works as a craftsman in a shipyard. Yang Titiao hired him, so I followed my brother-in-law to the Machinery Bureau." "Does your father agree?" Zeng Guofan moved his back away from the rattan chair and leaned forward a few inches. "My father didn't agree at the beginning. He said that the scholar I just graduated from school should practice art at home so that he can be admitted to the Jinshi examination and inherit the family business. My sister-in-law grew up in Hong Kong and has a clear understanding of the world situation, so she came to persuade my father, saying: Westernization is a new business today, and it has the most promising future. Building guns and ships is a necessity in China. It not only contributes to the country, but also learns the real skills, so that you will never have to worry about food for life. My mother is the most open-minded, and she also advises my father not to put You are also a Jinshi, and you are only a magistrate. If you lose your black hat, you will be unable to do anything. Zhongfang learned how to build guns and ships, and made great contributions to the country in the future. Maybe the emperor will reward him with a high official. My father saw that my sister-in-law was highly regarded by the governor in Guangdong, and his annual salary was much higher than his. He also saw that I was not interested in career and wanted to do Western affairs, so he agreed. My family There are many brothers, and there are many people who inherit the father's business. There is no shortage of officials in China today, and there are so many people who are officials, I really don't want to join in the fun." Nie Jiyue smiled at this point, showing two rows of white and neat teeth , with a childish face and a pure and lovely heart.

Zeng Guofan liked it very much, and boasted: "Your choice is right. China has no shortage of Hanlin and officials. What China lacks is talents who can build guns and boats. Work hard, and the future is very bright!" Nie Jitsu was overwhelmed by the flattery, his face was flushed with joy, as bright as the morning glow. "Tonghua Wanli Danshan Road, the young phoenix is ​​as clear as the old phoenix." Zeng Guofan said silently in his heart, he already liked the young man in front of him from the bottom of his heart.He has always believed that when doing big things, knowledge is the main thing and talent is the supplement. Regardless of his talents, just based on this knowledge, this person has the possibility of doing big things in the future.

"Zhong Fang, Mr. Fu Lanya said that you are talented in business management. Tell me what you think about the business management of the Machinery Bureau!" Zeng Guofan looked at Nie Jiyue lovingly, as if placing great hopes on him . "The Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau founded by the old man himself is the largest ship and gun manufacturing place in China. Its status and influence are far beyond the comparison of the Shanghai Bomb Bureau, Suzhou Machinery Bureau, Jinling Machinery Bureau and other machinery bureaus. The Jiangnan General Bureau Over the years, under the leadership of the old man, Li Zhongtang, Rong Huiban, Yang Titiao and others, they have achieved astonishing achievements and filled the gap in China's ship gun manufacturing. Its great achievements will always shine in the annals of history."

Nie Jitsuki's endless compliments made Zeng Guofan very satisfied. "Good at words, quick mind."He evaluated it in his heart. "Jiangnan General Administration could have made greater achievements, but many reasons have restricted it from developing rapidly. The biggest problem is in operation and management. Old man, it is not my nephew who is alarmist. If there are no effective improvement measures in this regard, Jiangnan General Administration will not be able to It will become more and more prosperous, and one day soon, it may not be able to stop the gossip from the government and the public and close down."

Zeng Guofan frowned slightly.At this moment, he thought of Wang Kaiyun who went to the Zhao family ancestral hall to point out the flaws and omissions of the calligraphy, Zhao Liewen who lived in Hongyi Temple and proposed the strategy of attacking Anqing, and Xue Fucheng who proposed the eight strategies to rectify the south of the Yangtze River.Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.This kind of vigor and vigor is extremely commendable.Unfortunately, throughout the ages, many talented teenagers, their outstanding insights, are often easily denied by seniors in high positions and powers as "arrogance" and "shallowness", and they do not get the attention they deserve , leading to countless talent tragedies of buried geniuses and ignorant talents.Zeng Guofan often admonishes himself with this.He knows very well that the world is so big and things are changing so much that it cannot be maintained by one hand and one foot. It is necessary to unite the world's talents, which is the principle of leveling the world and rejuvenating the country. as one's own duty.Zeng Guofan then said to Nie Jitsu in a more pleasant tone: "The Jiangnan General Administration has many shortcomings, and I have also heard some rumors. If you can observe it carefully and point it out frankly, this is a great contribution to the General Administration. I will take it very seriously. You don’t have to worry about it, you can say anything openly.” Encouraged by Nie Jitsu, he became more courageous: "Jiangnan General Administration relies entirely on government funding and cannot operate independently. In the past few years, Jiangnan Customs has allocated foreign taxes and raised 1.98 million taels of silver, and the provinces have sent The cost of repairing ships and guns of the General Administration was only 21,000 taels, and all the arms and ships produced by the General Administration were directly dispatched to the forts of the military camps, and no penny was returned. This seems to be a matter of course for us Chinese, but for Mr. Fryer and others It seems that this is not the way to set up a factory at all.” Zeng Guofan also found it strange that the imperial court paid to set up factories, and the guns produced were transferred to the military barracks and forts managed by the imperial court. Of course, they could no longer receive their money.He asked Nie Jitsu: "What's wrong with what you said?" "Mr. Fryer and others often say that when Westerners run factories, they need to rely on the support of the factory to develop with their own strength. In this way, the people who run the factories are interested. That is to say, the guns, bullets, ships and machines produced should all be produced according to The factory will make a profit after deducting the cost. The Jiangnan General Administration relies on the commission of the customs tax. If there is more tax, the commission will be more, and the tax will be less. In this way, there are two other problems: one is poor quality, less quantity, outdated style, and the other is serious waste.” Zeng Guofan believes that the way of setting up factories mentioned by Nie Jitsu cannot be changed. At present, it is not feasible in China to use silver for military forts like foreigners. However, the two major problems of poor quality, low quantity and serious waste are necessary. corrected. However, before this, Zeng Guofan never thought that this phenomenon came from the so-called wrong way to set up the factory. "Taking guns as an example, Cole and Fryer said that the Jiangnan General Administration has more than 1,000 laborers, and 30% of them make guns. The equipment is relatively complete, and the funds are not worrying. Armament factories in the West can manufacture 20 guns every day. , and we can only build three guns every day. One of the three guns must be transferred to the barracks, and it can only scare the common people, and cannot shoot. Now Western countries are making breech-loading guns. We are still making old-fashioned breech-loading guns. Last month, we began to try to manufacture Lemmington-style breech-loading guns. Britain, the United States and other countries have abandoned this kind of guns. They are making Mausers, Billy Gun and Li Jing Gun.As for the waste of the Jiangnan General Administration, that is even more astonishing.Rong Huiban and Yang Titiao felt distressed, but they were powerless to turn it around.To make a gun, we need materials cost seventeen taels and four taels of silver, but to order the same gun directly from the British and American gun factories, only ten taels of silver is enough. The Weijing cost 120,000 taels of silver. According to foreign newspapers translated by Mr. Fryer, to build a wooden boat of this size, Britain only needed 100,000 taels, and the United States only needed 90,000 taels.So I am worried that one day someone will propose that the Jiangnan General Administration should be closed and that they simply buy arms and warships from foreigners. " These past few days, Zeng Guofan's mind has been heated up by Xu Tu's wonderful prospect of self-improvement, but after the cold wind blowing from Nie Jitsu, he sobered up a lot.He solemnly said: "Zhongfang, the two major problems you mentioned are indeed big problems. If you don't try to solve them, there will be a day when they will be closed. However, the Jiangnan General Administration must not be closed. It is the hope of China's self-improvement. We can’t live by buying foreign arms and ships. What if they turn their backs and don’t sell them? What if they threaten to blackmail them? Besides, we can only never be inferior to others, and we will never be able to build better guns, ships, explosives and bullets than others. Zhong Fang, have you talked with Mr. Fryer and the others about how to overcome it?" "They said that if the fundamental way of setting up factories does not change, these two major problems cannot be expected to be overcome." Nie Jitsu said in a low voice. Zeng Guofan's face suddenly darkened.The fundamental way of setting up a factory is by no means something that Zeng Guofan can change. In this way, can Jiangnan Machine Manufacturing General Administration just sit back and wait for its closure?Is the road to self-improvement of Xu Tu in China not going to work? "Old man, you don't need to be depressed, things are handled by people, and you can always figure out a solution." Nie Jiyue didn't have any ideas in his mind, he just burst out these two sentences with a youthful mentality that doesn't know what it means to be sad. However, it was these two ordinary words that made Zeng Guofan sigh.He once again realized that he was getting old and dying, with a lot of worries and sorrows, and the courage to go forward desperately was less, and the courage was also small, and it is necessary to do big things like Nie Jiyue who is not afraid of difficulties. For the younger generation, ZTE and self-improvement depend on them!Thinking of this, Zeng Guofan carefully looked up and down the young and promising son of an old friend in front of him, and suddenly, an idea popped up in his heart.He asked lovingly: "Zhong Fang, have your parents betrothed you?" "No." Nie Jitsu shook his head with a slight shame. "Oh!" Zeng Guofan stood up excitedly, walked happily in the living room for a few steps, hesitant to speak. Nie Jiyue looked at this majestic and dignified old man inexplicably, and didn't understand why the trivial matter of not being engaged brought him such joy!At this moment, Yung Wing opened the door and came in.