"The first thing is to give a gift. Commander, there is no need to refuse. This million is given for free without any interest, but I need your help for a small favor..."
"I have made it clear what I need to say. I think you should know the hard work of the head of state... Even if there is a hook in this money, it is estimated that the hook will not be used until a long time later!"
"In order for me, China, to manage the Western Region, it is right for the head of state to spend some money. Let's establish this good relationship first!"
"The second thing! Our caravan will continue to move west in a few days, and you have to provide protection... Zuo Dachaofeng, you and shopkeeper Fan Jin come in!"
"Commander Liu Jintang, please come in too!"
The three of them were warming a fire plate in the yard, chatting and waiting for the call. As soon as they heard King Shangtai's order, they quickly ran into the house.
"Mr. Zuo, please tell the commander about the second thing!"
"Yes, Marshal!" The left man saluted the Marshal and said with a smile, "We are going west. After passing Lanzhou, we are no longer a caravan, but an expedition team!"
"Expedition team? After eating enough, go wandering around in the war-torn place in the west? What kind of adventure are you looking for? Are you looking for danger and risking your own life?"
"The commander-in-chief is wrong. We are going because of the danger. This is the order of the head of state and we dare not disobey it!"
He held out a silk map on the left: "Commander, please look at this, this is the topographic map of the Western Region. Here are the southern and northern Xinjiang... There are two ancient roads leading to the west along the Tianshan Mountains and Kunlun Mountains..."
"This was the main road for exchanges between the Central Plains and Europe during the Han and Tang Dynasties. The head of state named it the Ancient Silk Road!"
"Along these two ancient roads, there are temples and ruins that are thousands of years old, as well as the ruins of ancient cities in the Western Regions... There are many historical relics there!"
"God knows how much has been destroyed in this war. The purpose of our trip this time is to conduct rescue excavation and protection!"
"Of course we won't go too deep into southern Xinjiang this time, but we have to get to the front line... right here!"
I stretched out my hand on the left and pointed. On the map, the farthest end of Gansu, Guazhou, and Suzhou to the west, my finger stopped here.
"Our ultimate goal is Suzhou, where there are a large number of Buddhist temples and caves... We want to protect the cultural relics and documents there, dig them out and bring them to a safe place!"
"Actually, part of this million is just a little thought for the protection of the troublesome army!"
Liu Jintang stared at the map carefully, "Danger, too dangerous! The rebels from the Gansu-Shaanxi Rebellion here have just retreated, and the local security is a complete mess!"
"The bandits in the desert colluded with the defeated army, secretly accepted funding from Agub, and attacked our army endlessly..."
"We only have one admiral general in Suzhou, Xu Zhanbiao, and he only has more than 10,000 troops. I'm afraid he won't be able to allocate too many troops to protect you!"
"Do you know how large an area Xu Zhanbiao's troops want to control? Suzhou, Guazhou Xingxingxia, Mazong Mountain...this desert is all under his jurisdiction..."
The left clasped his fists and said, "It is precisely because of the difficulty that I beg the Commander-in-Chief! The Commander-in-Chief is also a scholar and understands the dangers of war. Those who return to the tribe and rebel against the Party especially hate other religions..."
"When we see the ruins of ancient Buddhist temples, they will definitely be destroyed! If we don't save them now, who will?"
"Our intelligence shows that there are a large number of thousand-year-old ancient books in danger!"
Zuo Zongtang frowned and raised his hand to stop Liu Jintang's retort, "Go on! I know both of the two things. I'll listen to the third one..."
King Shangtai glanced at Fan Jin. The nephew of the old shopkeeper Fan Jian stood up with a smile, "One million is the military supply we gave to the commander, but we also know that if we want to pacify the Western Regions, one million will be enough." There aren’t even enough seams!”
"Besides, it is really difficult for the commander to raise military resources. We are all friends with Hu Xueyan. He has come to us many times for help!"
"We are not asking for credit. One-third of the military expenses that Hu Xueyan raised for the commander-in-chief were actually helped by us!"
"But this kind of help is not a solution. It cannot solve the fundamental problem at all, so I came here this time... to prepare a package plan for the commander-in-chief, and I want to fundamentally solve the military expenditure problem of the army!"
"Ouch?" Zuo Zongtang suddenly laughed, "Solve it from the root? Hahaha... Do you know how big my gap is? Do you want to solve it for the whole family? What a big tone..."
Fan Jin was originally the nephew of a remote branch of Fan Jian's family. Fan Ru didn't like him very much, so he gave Fan Jian some face. Later, when Fan Ru, the head of the family, separated from his brother.
This distant nephew resolutely chose his second uncle Fan Lian, successfully betting on the right path.
Fan Jian valued him very much and made him the first shopkeeper of the Singapore branch in the Lion City. Xiao Letian stayed in the Lion City when he returned from the Austro-Prussian War. Fan Jin was very hardworking.
After the Chinese central bank was restructured, Fan Jin was promoted and made a fortune bit by bit, and his status became more and more important. This was a man who had seen the world outside the world.
He has been dealing with foreigners for many years and has seen ocean trade like flowing sea water. This shopkeeper didn't care at all about Zuo Zongtang's ridicule.
"The Ministry of Household Affairs has allocated a total of 2 million taels to you, and the total payment for each province should be 5 million taels, but it has always been in arrears. At present, you have borrowed 3 million taels from Customs Hurd and another 5 million taels from Shanghai Yangren Bank. …”
"The books show that you raised a total of 15 million taels...but there are arrears, right?"
Zuo Zongtang's face immediately became serious. He didn't expect that his accountant, the Chinese, had studied it so clearly.
"Yes, your number is generally correct, so how much are you going to raise for me?"
"It depends on how far the commander thinks it is..." Fan Jin said with a smile.
"Haha, what a big tone, I said the difference is ten million taels, can you come up with it?" Zuo Zongtang sneered.
Fan Jin also smiled, "Commander, this is a battle to pacify the Western Regions. Do you think 25 million taels is enough? Don't be kidding..."
"My Chinese General Staff has made a detailed budget. If we want to fight this battle beautifully, even the Rakshasa ghosts will be taken down... without a military expenditure of 50 million taels, it is impossible!"
"Don't forget, our enemy is not only Agub, but also Tsarist Russia!"
Zuo Zongtang stood up immediately, with a very ugly expression on his face, "Okay, so your Majesty is here to tease me today? Fifty million taels? Haha, so I still have a shortfall of 35 million taels?"
"Can Xiao Letian take it out? Do you think I am a three-year-old child?"
Zuo Zongtang paced back and forth in the room angrily, "Don't think that I don't know the details of Xiao Letian, he is just a militaristic loner!"
"How many wars has he fought in these years? Do you think you can count them?"
"I fought several wars with the Qing Dynasty in a row, got involved in the Austro-Prussian War, fought with France and Tsarist Russia, and even fought a war in the Far East..."
"Not only that, he even got involved in the Franco-Prussian War... I admit that he fought beautifully in so many wars, but what about the money?"
"Don't think that I don't understand the secrets of the banknotes you issue. Tell yourself, how much sand did you put into the banknotes?"
Note: The third update is coming!
