Jin Yulin's "Jiangsu General Administration of Donations" has increased its input by a large amount, even exceeding that of Shanghai Customs.

When Guan Zhuofan left Shanghai, the monthly income of the "Jiangsu General Administration of Donations" was about 65,000 taels, and at that time, the centicard setting was not yet complete, and it was estimated that after everything was smooth, the minimum was 100,000 taels per month.

Last month, the input of the "Jiangsu General Administration of Donations" has reached 170,000 taels.

When Jin Yulin was "reporting work", he told Guan Zhuofan: There is enough certainty that the number will continue to grow next year.

There is also a bonanza, which has not really been excavated, and that is Yanzheng. In the past year, Jiangsu's salt tax was close to 400,000 taels. In Guan Zhuofan's mind, this number has become 1.4 million taels, which can be barely passed.

Shiozheng is a hard bone, but it is always something to gnaw, it's just a matter of how to put your mouth down.

There has been a significant increase in incoming, but what about outgoing?

Because the military expenditure of the Xuan Army is still paid by Shanghai Customs and Jiangsu Province for the time being, and the Xuan Army has doubled, there will also be an increase in the output, but the magnitude is not too large.

This is because the Hunan army and the Huai army have been dismantled, and Zuo Zongtang has also suppressed Wang Haiyang and Li Shixian, and most of the original compensation for Xiang, Huai, and Chu can be stopped. Zuo Zongtang's expedition to the west is imminent, but this time special arrangements will be made for military spending, although it is still supported by the provinces, but the specific operation is very different from before, and in a short period of time, it will not be sent to Jiangsu and Shanghai.

In addition, the green camp in Jiangsu, which originally had more than 20,000 people, has now been laid off by more than half, less than 8,000. This piece also saves a lot of money.

After the whole account is calculated, the input is far greater than the output. Shanghai and Jiangsu have never been so "rich"!

Guan Zhuofan sighed. As long as there is no corruption. Without wasting money and saving money seriously, China will be able to save up for the "New Deal" - the primitive accumulation of industrialization.

After a series of meetings and inspections, Kwan Zhuofan met with Rong Hong alone.

Rong Hong rushed back to Shanghai from Zhili, he boarded the ship in Tianjin, and had just arrived at the port last night.

Rong Hong got up early in the morning today, and Guan Zhuofan made an appointment with him to meet at half past eight, and he was a quarter past eight. rushed to Qingya Street.

As soon as they met, Guan Zhuofan saw his face full of joy and said with a smile: "Chunfu, you must have good news for me!" ”

In fact, Rong Hong did come to report the good news to Guan Zhuofan.

I haven't seen you for more than a year, please go over, Rong Hong didn't have time to say hello, so he said happily: "Master Pei, I really found a coal mine in Kaiping Town, Luanzhou!" ”

Before Guan Zhuofan left Shanghai for Beijing, he sent Rong Hong to prospect for the mine. Also indicated. He was asked to explore near a town called "Kaiping" in Luanzhou, Yongping Prefecture, Zhili.

This made Rong Hong puzzled: Why did Governor Guan think that there was coal there?

Guan Zhuofan originally wanted to say, "I can look at feng shui", but when he opened his mouth, he changed it to: "I know an American miner." He had inspected the area and believed that there was a high probability of coal mining underground. ”

When the work of the Sino-foreign Investment Promotion Bureau in Shanghai came to an end, Rong Hong hired a British miner, Maris, and went to Luanzhou, Yongping Prefecture, Zhili, to find Kaiping Town and start exploration work.

Soon there will be surprises!

Guan Zhuofan said with a smile: "Chunfu, you sit down first, let's talk slowly." ”

The two sat down, listened to the errand and served tea, Rong Hong slightly touched his lips, and continued to speak with high spirits.

It turned out that there was a small village called "Qiaotoutun" in Kaiping Town, where people dug coal by soil method as early as the Ming Dynasty. After careful investigation, Maris believes that the coal seam here is shallow, the coal quality is good, and the reserves are abundant, and this alone has the capacity to produce hundreds of thousands of tons per year.

Then with "Qiaotoutun" as the center, the scope of exploration was expanded, and the results were more and more surprises, as Guan Zhuofan said, "this area is rich in coal mines". Maris judged that if the investment is sufficient, the coal mine production is expected to produce millions of tons a year after it is formed.

Guan Zhuofan asked: "Is there a 'Tangshan' there?" ”

Rong Hong was amazed, Bei Ziye even knew this?

He said, "Yes." This 'Tangshan', in fact, its real name is 'Dacheng Mountain', and it is said that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty gave the surname of Tangshan, so it is also called 'Tangshan'. ”

Tangshan, Tangshan, Guan Zhuofan silently read it twice in his heart.

The city of Tangshan in the original time and space was indiscriminately located here.

Tangshan is from a small desolate village such as "Qiaotoutun", relying on the resource industry and machinery industry, in just a few decades, it has developed into the largest GDP city in Hebei.

The miracle of modern industrialization.

In the original time and space, China's first coal mine, Kaiping Coal Mine; The first railway, the Tangxu Railway, was born here.

However, in the original time and space, the exploration of Kaiping Coal Mine was in 1876; The Kaiping Mining Bureau was established in 1878.

In this time and space, the wheel of history is about to roll forward early.

Rong Hong said excitedly: "Master Pei, your American miner friend's vision is very good! Well, with China's vast land and abundant resources, how can there be no high-quality coal mines? ”

"Big land"? What a familiar vocabulary.

Rong Hong continued: "Maris said that with the natural endowment of Kaiping Coal Mine, it can be drilled and mined at any time! Master Pei, when are we going to do it? ”

Guan Zhuofan looked at his eager gaze, smiled slightly, and said: "When I return to Beijing this time, I will play the two palaces, and after the New Year, we will start to prepare." ”

Rong Hong patted his thigh lightly, called "Okay", and then couldn't suppress his excitement and said: "Master Pei, since we dig coal mines, we can afford our own railway, right?" ”

In order to transport coal, the coal mine must be connected to the railway, so Rong Hong asked.

Guan Zhuofan nodded and said, "Yes, this is a logical thing. ”

Rong Hong rubbed his hands again and again, his face was already red: "Great! China's first coal mine, the first railway! ”

Guan Zhuofan shook his head with a smile and said, "Chunfu, you are only half right. Kaiping will have China's first coal mine, but the railway may not be China's first. ”

Rong Hong's mind was racing with thoughts, and he said, "Master Bei, what do you mean......"

Guan Zhuofan said: "This Kaiping coal mine, after the permission to open, the next step is to attract investment and raise shares, introduce talents, machinery and equipment, and then start drilling, sinking wells and building mines, until the official coal production, it will take two or three years, not an overnight thing." China's first railway, didn't have to wait until then? ”

In other words, the railroad is about to start!

Rong Hong clenched his fists and gently slapped his thighs, his face was full of light, and he looked uncontrollable.

Like Rong Hong, in the officialdom at that time, it was considered "out of line". Guan Zhuofan looked at this adult man in his thirties, as excited as a child about to get his long-desired toy, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

In China in this era, there are certainly countless mediocre winter conservative people, but there are also many "teenagers" like Rong Hong who have a new blade on the stone!

The youth is strong, and China is strong.

Rong Hong suddenly thought of something, and his face was slightly depressed. He hesitated for a moment and said: "Master Pei, I am the director of the Sino-foreign China Merchants Bureau, and there will only be more and more things in Shanghai, I am afraid of ......."

I'm afraid that the doppelganger will lack skills.

Guan Zhuofan nodded and said, "Chunfu, you have a point. At the Kaiping Coal Mine, you need an assistant. He pondered for a moment and said, "There is a Tang Tingshu, I don't know if you have heard of it?" ”

Rong Hong's eyes lit up and said, "Tang Jingxing? As I know, he was doing things at Jardine Matheson, and I dealt with him when I was at Baoshun Bank. He reacted very quickly and said, "Master Pei, hello vision, this Tang Jingxing is indeed an outstanding talent!" ”

Tang Tingshu, known as Jingxing, is a native of Zhuhai, Guangdong.

As a teenager, Tang Tingshu studied at the Morrison Church School in Hong Kong, so he was so good at English that he even wrote a book in English called "The Complete Collection of English".

After graduating, Tang Tingshu started as a low-level clerk in an auction house, and soon left the auction house to begin his ten-year "translation career" - first working as a translator in the Hong Kong government for seven years; After that, he came to Shanghai and worked as a translator in Shanghai for three years.

Beginning in 1861, Tang Tingshu entered Jardine Matheson; Now, the "comprador" has been done. In Shanghai, Tang Jingxing is also a well-known figure.

Guan Zhuofan thought, Tang Tingshu, since he did a good job in the original time and space, Kaiping Coal Mine; In this time and space, I think it can do well.

It's just that your boss has been changed from Li Hongzhang to Guan Zhuofan.

*(To be continued......)

PS: Happy Dragon Boat Festival, book friends!

The lion has to do a little personal business this afternoon and evening, and today is only one shift at noon, sorry.

Tomorrow is normal two watches.

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