At the Sanhui in November 1875, Zuo Zongtang was full of joy when he went to see Wei Ze. The 63-year-old man did not expect that he would be able to do so many things in the last years of his life, so that he had a clear conscience.

The recapture of Hong Kong was of course a milestone event, and the removal of the British fangs at the mouth of the Pearl River meant that the great powers were truly driven out of China. Unable to go into battle to command, and had no chance to participate in the battle with a gun, Zuo Zongtang tried his best to assist in logistics work.

The core of the First Five-Year Plan is to deepen land reform, and Guangdong has certainly done a very good job. The core of the Second Five-Year Plan is to improve the compulsory education and health and epidemic prevention system, and Guangdong has also done quite well. Many of the experiences gained by Guangdong have been popularized and publicized throughout the country, and this is an extremely visible thing. It is Zuo Zongtang's merits.

Of course, Zuo Zongtang is very clear about his own family affairs. The biggest reason why he was able to make achievements like a fish in water was that he asked Wei Ze for a longer-term development plan. For example, Zuo Zongtang already knew that the core of the Third Five-Year Plan was to strengthen the construction of hydropower and water conservancy projects. Wei Ze's thinking about governing the country can be said to be very complicated, and the actual way of implementation is much simpler and clearer. Before he plans to implement something, he will set up a project to conduct scientific research, conduct experiments after the research is completed, and start to promote after the experiment is completed.

Guangdong's industrial strength is quite strong, and the foundation accumulated over the years is also thick enough. All that should be done is to cooperate with the relevant departments to do a good job in this aspect of research work. Other provinces find these projects hard and tiring, and they are thankless projects. Zuo Zongtang doesn't think so, these projects are all big projects that will benefit the future generations, and the state has invested a lot of money. By the time the Third Five-Year Plan comes, Guangdong has experience and connections, and it will be much easier to implement. It is only natural that it will become the advanced of the whole country again.

To put it bluntly, these are pre-study and post-event review. Needless to say, some guys who shy away from difficult work, even if they are very serious and intelligent provincial leaders, when they first came into contact with their new jobs, Guangdong already had experience several times or even a dozen times. In comparison, it is hellish that they can outperform Guangdong. This is not only Zuo Zongtang's experience, but also Guangdong's valuable experience in the whole country.

Seeing Wei Ze with a relaxed attitude, Wei Ze asked Zuo Zongtang a question as soon as he opened his mouth, "Old Zuo, have you ever thought about Zhishi?" ”

"Ruling the world?" Zuo Zongtang asked suspiciously. Wei Ze didn't mention Zhishi, so Zuo Zongtang couldn't immediately tell which word it was from the many homophones. It wasn't until Wei Ze wrote the word "Zhishi" that Zuo Zongtang understood. Now this Jin Liang was very unhappy.

In ancient times, the normal retirement of officials was called "Zhishi", and Zuo Zongtang certainly knew about this system. However, as soon as Wei Ze met, he asked, "Have you thought about retiring?" "I still said this to Zuo Zongtang, the oldest ministerial-level cadre in the new government, which really made Zuo Zongtang feel sad.

"I'm old and useless, it's time to go home and rest!" Zuo Zongtang pretended to say calmly.

Of course, Wei Ze could hear Zuo Zongtang's anger and grievances, and he said seriously: "From my point of view, I don't see it that way. ”

"Then what does Your Majesty think?" Zuo Zongtang asked angrily.

Wei Ze smiled and said, "There are too many people who are incapable, but they have not made mistakes, and they hold the position. I need to put in place a system for them to give up their positions. They hold the position, and the young people don't have a chance. Many comrades are envious and unconvinced by Lao Zuoyou, so if you propose a retirement system now, I personally think that there will be very little resistance. A lot of people will be happy to see your jokes. But they won't be able to see it long, and it's their turn to give way. Lao Zuo, as a comrade with outstanding meritorious service and the first honorable retirement, is going to go to the history books. ”

After listening to Wei Ze's explanation, Zuo Zongtang was silent. Even if he boasted of being close to bright, Zuo Zongtang didn't dare to underestimate Wei Ze. And Wei Ze is always very straightforward when he talks about things, and he doesn't deceive him, which makes Zuo Zongtang admire it even more. When a person tells the truth, especially the truth in this political system, Zuo Zongtang feels that he has to respond with the same straightforwardness, and he replied: "Governor, I don't want to be a minister, I still want to make more contributions to the country." ”

"The age of 65 is the minimum bottom line for ministerial re-election, and of course you can still be re-elected now and complete your term. At the end of this term, he must retire. Weeser said

Hearing this, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but show a sad and indignant look.

Wei Ze Zhengse said: "Lao Zuo, there are not many people as good as you, and the vast majority of public servants are very ordinary people. From my point of view, I can only think about how to improve the overall efficiency, rather than searching for a group of geniuses and putting them in the most suitable positions. The advantages of the system trump the individual, and with a normal exit mechanism, young people have the opportunity to emerge. The competition will be fierce. The best people win. This is more efficient and fairer than selecting geniuses. ”

Seeing that Zuo Zongtang still didn't mean to agree, Wei Ze said: "Old Zuo, working hard for the revolution is paying, and sacrificing a little of your own interests for the revolution is also paying. I don't know if you're willing to make some sacrifices. ”

Zuo Zongtang wanted to say to Wei Ze immediately, but he didn't want to. When the words came to his mouth, Zuo Zongtang felt that he couldn't speak. Those things in history that "Zhishi" popped up in Zuo Zongtang's mind. Ancient monarchs and ministers also had to have "etiquette". The ministers had to ask for it repeatedly, and the monarchs had to keep it repeatedly. In the end, a drama of the monarch and the minister knowing each other came out. Where have I ever seen such a frank thing as Wei Ze directly asking his subordinates to retire. And listening to Wei Ze's meaning, there will be a very strict set of standards for retirement in the future, and you will have to get out of the way when the time comes.

Thinking that he would be the first guy to get out of the retirement system, Zuo Zongtang wanted to criticize Wei Ze for being so engaged in watching people put on the dishes. But after thinking about it, Zuo Zongtang felt that it was meaningless for him to criticize him like this. As soon as the retirement system is determined, Zuo Zongtang may be the first to retire, and more than 99.99% of the next retirees are Wei Ze's old subordinates. If you look at the problem from the perspective of winning the jackpot, the one who is in the history books must be the first retired Zuo Zongtang. The thousands of people behind will have no name.

Thinking of this, Zuo Zongtang asked, "Governor, why are you doing this now?" ”

Wei Ze replied calmly: "Now, everyone is still young, and the rebound will be smaller." When these people have reached retirement age, as soon as the regulations are announced, they will face the situation of retiring immediately or retiring in two or three years, and this matter will become much more difficult. If you are willing to help, I am very grateful. If you won't help, then I'll do it myself. Since the civil service system has been established, it is necessary to have a system. It is impossible without complaints, but once the system is finalized, the executor is not me. I don't have so many complaints. ”

Zuo Zongtang thought for a while, and he replied: "Since Your Majesty said so, I admit it!" ”

Zuo Zongtang will not regret what he admitted, and at the meeting of the Central Committee of the Three Sessions, Zuo Zongtang put forward a proposal to improve the retirement system. Just before Zuo Zongtang spoke, Foreign Minister Li Xin listened to the opinions of the Central Committee members with a relaxed mood. The army's prospecting team discovered a lot of placer gold deposits on the newly purchased land of more than 5 million square kilometres. There is no shortage of water on the northern ice sheets, and the equipment can be pulled there to start panning for gold. More than a dozen tons of gold were pulled out last summer.

With such a huge stimulus, the Liberation Army has been ordered to expand its territory in North America. The army broke through the Mackenzie Mountains to the east and frantically advanced west along the Rocky Mountain Ranges, planting flags and establishing strongholds at various points along the way. The navy began to occupy various uninhabited islands in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and erected the Chinese symbol on them.

Li Xin knew very well that if he did this, he would sooner or later have a serious conflict with the British, and the Military Commission was also very clear about this. Both the Foreign Office and the Military Commission share the view that even if China does not do this, it will sooner or later have a serious conflict with the British. Muddy the waters, and the stronger side can get more benefits. In a sense, this is also a diplomatic trick learned from the British.

When the Central Military Commission stopped accusing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other departments naturally stopped on Li Xin's trip to the world, and he made it clear that China's biggest enemy in the future was only Britain. In the west, where the central government has not yet fully controlled, Xinjiang and Central Asia certainly have to face the power of the Russians, and the power of the British should not be underestimated. In Tibet, it would be completely confronted by the British.

The contradictions between China and Britain were not resolved by the armistice, but on the contrary, they were deepened. In the future, there will definitely be a great reckoning on an unprecedented scale. China and Britain were not the only ones involved in the reckoning.

France and the Netherlands had been liquidated after surrendering their colonies in the Pacific. With a stroke of his pen, Wieser drew several circles on the Volga. If China had not entered the industrial age, it would have been an explosion of Weeser idealism and a few pipe dreams.

For materialists, the construction of the railway from Mongolia to Xinjiang is in full swing. The purpose of this railway is not only to enter Xinjiang, but also to Central Asia. It will continue to the west in the future. This railway entered Xinjiang, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom led by Shi Dakai entered the countdown stage.

When this railway is built to Central Asia, the struggle between China and Russia for Central Asia will begin. As soon as the railway was built to the Volga, the circles that Weezer drew on the Volga were no longer fanciful, but the fact that they were to be watered with blood.

For now, China will go into great liquidation in Britain and Russia. These two countries are both European powers, and after they are moved, what will happen to the situation in Europe as a whole and even in the world? Li Xin doesn't want to make a simple judgment, there are too many interests and countries involved in this judgment, and it is not something that can be figured out by simply making a table

Hearing Zuo Zongtang propose retirement, Li Xin didn't react for a while. He suddenly felt that the word was a good word for the British. It's time for Britain to step back from its position as the world's hegemon and return to England's nest to rest.