This meeting, which is rarely recorded in historical books, lasted so short that it was as if it had never happened.
Zai Chun didn't even go to the general's mansion to rest. Simple meals were placed in the city gate tower. The doors and windows were closed, and a silver wire charcoal brazier was burning in the room. Bright lamps and candles were shining. The monarch and his ministers went straight to the topic without any politeness.
The time for Zai Chun's wedding has been set long ago. According to the requirements of the ancestral family law, he is 16 years old. There are still three years to go. However, in ancient times, the wedding means the formal coming of age. By then, the queen mothers and princes of the two palaces will There is no longer any reason to prevent Zaichun from taking charge.
By that time, Zai Chun will face the military and civil affairs of the entire empire alone. His orders no longer have any legal restrictions. The emperor's words are the empire's policy.
Zai Chun still has three years to study abroad, and these three years are the busiest time between master and apprentice. The trip to Europe will be an important opportunity for Emperor Tongzhi to show himself in the entire West. How much reputation can he gain and how many allies can he win? , no one knows how much help it can get.
But if you want to fight against the conservative forces in the country, you have to rely on other external forces. Now the contradiction between the two sides has gradually become clear. The conservatives will not step down on their own. The conflict between the two sides has become a high probability, and even People have smelled the smell of war.
In only three years, Zai Chun had only two military forces of his own left in the Qing Dynasty. One was the Yulin New Army in Fujian, and the other relied on the Hunchun Army entrenched in Heilongjiang and Jilin.
In three years, Hunchun must train at least 100,000 combatable troops for Emperor Tongzhi. In addition to some of the armed forces that control the local area, Hunchun must have a mobile cavalry force of about 50,000 people that can reach the capital.
Not only that, Hunchun also had to tighten his belt to live. This army also had to provide enough supplies, at least enough for them to fight a bloody battle that would last three months in the Gyeonggi area.
This is not a simple task. It is easy to recruit soldiers and it is not difficult to raise soldiers. Training soldiers is Hunchun's specialty. However, there are two types of soldiers, one is the soldiers who defend the soil, and the other is the mobile expeditionary soldiers. There is a world of difference in combat effectiveness between them.
Fifty thousand cavalry forces that can reach the capital require at least one hundred thousand war horses, as well as countless supplies to supply the army. They must also be equipped with new foreign guns, bullets, and cannons, and these soldiers must be trained to death.
Two of the three provinces outside the Pass have been lost, leaving one Shengjing, Liaoning. Guizi Liu must not be lost. In the next three years, military strength will be gradually increased here, and more troops will be built to build fortresses. They want to lock Hunchun outside the Pass.
Even the Mongolian cavalry must be mobilized to guard against the Hunchun army detouring to Mongolia to attack Zhangjiakou. This kind of strategic siege is bound to happen. In other words, Hunchun's army must be able to break through the entire Liaoning defense line, break through Shanhaiguan, and march thousands of miles to attack the capital. Provide military support to the emperor. [Zero↑Nine△小↓说△网]
It’s difficult! Hunchun said three difficult words in a row, directly clarifying the difficulty. Soldiers are easy to recruit and train, but without money, Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces are really barren. After cutting off many businesses with Tsarist Russia, this place is destined to become even worse. barren.
Without money, this army cannot rise!
At the critical moment, everyone turned their attention to Xiao Letian, especially Zai Chun who looked at his master pitifully. Now only the Chinese can solve Hunchun's financial crisis.
do my best! Xiao Letian promised to provide Hunchun with an interest-free loan of 300 million silver dollars and a low-interest arms loan of 700 million silver dollars within three years.
Twenty percent of the one billion silver dollars will be distributed in the form of cash, and 80% will be provided in the form of materials. At the same time, it is promised to build seven large ports in the Far East and expand three important post roads in the border areas.
Goods from Jilin and Heilongjiang can enjoy the right to trade tax-free for three years. They have direct contact with merchants all over the world at the port and can turn goods outside the customs into money and materials through the power of sea transportation.
Xiao Letian said earnestly, "The three provinces outside the Guanhai Pass were originally rich treasures. It was your Manchus' own closed policy that caused this place to remain unchanged for two hundred years..."
"On this journey along the way, I have seen countless giant trees that are over a hundred years old. I even heard from the locals that there are even bigger giant trees deep in the woods. Do you know how much these timbers alone are worth if sent to Jiangnan?"
"You don't need to pay for the giant tree that two people hug together here. You can just go to the old forest to cut it as long as you can transport it. The only cost is labor and travel expenses. If it is sent to Shanghai via the Vladivostok sea road, I estimate it will cost a thousand That’s the end of many silver dollars!”
"But how much can such a giant tree sell for in the south of the Yangtze River? The Jiangnan area worships Buddhism and there are countless faithful men and women who build temples and halls. Such a giant wood can be used as the main beam of the main hall, and one piece is worth 20,000 to 30,000 silver dollars!"
"Just this one example, you know how profitable ocean trade is! You are just begging for food from your golden rice bowl..."
"A word of advice to you, it's better to ask for others than to ask for yourself. If you just rely on me to pay without finding a way to make money yourself, it won't last long. Hunchun, you have to find a way!"
When it comes to fighting, Hunchun knows everything that an expert doesn't know. When it comes to civil affairs, he also knows about 60 to 70%, and relying on officials at all levels will not make any big mistakes.
However, business is definitely not Hunchun's strong point, especially the policy formulation that relies on commercial trade, which is like a sacred book to him.
He understood everything Xiao Letian said, but he was completely in the dark about how to stimulate business and what kind of policies should be formulated.
Hunchun stood in front of Xiao Letian with clasped fists and saluted, "Mr. Xiao, you are His Majesty's Imperial Master. I will also address you as Sir... Please teach me how to make these two provinces within three years." What about big changes?”
Xiao Letian frowned and looked at him regretfully, "Hey... I actually don't need to teach you about this kind of thing. Where did you go wrong before? Can't you just turn it over for him?"
"The fault of the three provinces outside the customs lies in the closed policy of the Manchus. You turn this policy over... In the past, to prevent businessmen from coming in, you first opened the door and did not have so many barriers. For all businessmen who come to the Northeast to do business, you Isn’t it okay to welcome me?”
"Even if they don't have documents issued by the government, even if they are just maritime merchants who come to try their luck and wander around casually, don't arrest them, don't expel them, and don't exploit them. Let them come and leave happily. Isn't this policy? "
"There are uneven floods and droughts in the large province of Guanhai every year. There are many refugees who have nowhere to go. Why can't you take some of them in? Spend some money to hire a few sea boats and go around the Shandong Peninsula. Even if you take in one in a month, There are thousands of poor refugees, don’t you have a thousand more people here?”
"You must know that the Han people in the pass are all skilled and even farm better than you. Why do you turn away capable people?"
"You built the high walls, can't you just smash them down now? I still need to teach you!"
