This is called "the ministers of the conference", and Xun is also a grand event.

After Guan Zhuofan foresaw the military plane, his subordinates rarely issued a "handover"; The imperial court has not done such a thing as "the ministers of the conference" for a long time. Last time, when King Gong was dispatched, Cixi sent Uren to preside over the "assembly of ministers" to discuss King Gong's crimes. But because King Gong used Cao Yuying's strategy to take the initiative to "lie down and be beaten", the meeting did not succeed in the end.

The "assembly of ministers" for the sake of the "railway" is expected by many people. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the attack on the railway has become a momentum, according to Guan Zhuofan's previous style, in this case, the "above" first issued a decree to refute, and then issued an edict; Or even the procedure of issuing a decree to refute it is omitted, and the edict is directly issued to implement the policy. This time, why is it that under the great form, the "ministers of the conference" - isn't this a bit redundant, and even make trouble for yourself?

The venue of the meeting was held at the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen, which also surprised many people. In the past, this kind of big meeting was usually held in the cabinet - however, this time the discussion was about the railway, and the head of the cabinet was the old man Ban, and it was really strange to "discuss foreign affairs in the cabinet". So why not on the "advisory board"? Of course, the "Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen" is suitable for foreign affairs, but it is the "land" of King Gong.

Some people say: Where did you get so many flowers, I have been to the "Advisory Committee", and that place can't accommodate so many people!

Nearly noon, in the Dongtangzi Hutong where the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen is located, the sedan chair and horses are Xuanhe, and the etiquette is like a cloud, and the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen is inside and out. A brilliant top. Everywhere there was a bow and a bow to ask for Andolva. The noise is endless, endless.

Since its establishment in February of the first year of Tongzhi, the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen has never been so lively.

The original site of the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen was the residence of the university scholar Sai Shang'a in the early years of Xianfeng, after Sai Shang'a was convicted, he moved out of this mansion, and the Prime Minister's Yamen was established to take over the reconstruction, and the eastern half was made into the Tongwen Museum; The western half is the place where the General Administration offices and receives foreign guests, and today's meeting is held on the west side.

The "Minister Wang" who attended the meeting. That is, the close relatives and nobles who have positions on their bodies, in addition to King Gong and Guan Zhuofan, there are King Alcohol, King Rui, King Bo, and King Zhong.

There are four others, one is Prince Li Shiduo, one is Prince Yi Zaidun, one is Prince Yu Benge, and one is Prince Zheng Chengzhi. The so-called "positions" of these four are only the fictitious titles of "scattered ministers", and even the honorary titles of "ministers of the interior" have not yet been attained. The four of them were present at the meeting. Purely as a representative of this branch, to be a human flesh set board. Not a word will be said at the meeting.

Among them, Sedor, who was twenty years old, and Benge was nineteen, were both very young; Zaidun and Chengzhi are a little older, but the two of them are in the same situation: the original Prince Yi Zaiyuan and Prince Zheng Duanhua were killed by King Gong after the "Qixiang Coup", Cixi and King Gong wanted to find two honest people to inherit the prince in these two clans, and the "iron hat" fell on the heads of Zaidun and Chengzhi.

The university scholars in Beijing attended the meeting, including Zhu Fengbiao, a scholar of Wuyingdian University, and Shi Ruichang, a co-organizer of the university, and Wenyuange University scholar Wuren who took sick leave.

U Ren's health was indeed slightly ill, but he didn't reach the point where he couldn't hold a meeting. He instinctively dislikes the "railway", but he is completely ignorant of it, and does not know how to "mouth". He lectured on reason, paying the most attention to "sincerity and righteousness", and it was not easy to judge things that he did not understand, so he had to ask for leave, which was also an "attitude".

Zhu Fengbiao and Rui Chang have a similar view of the railway to Wuren, but these two will be officials, and this meeting must be attended, otherwise what would Guan Beile think? At the same time, he made up his mind, with only ears and no mouth, "Xu Shu entered Cao Ying", and he didn't say a word.

In addition to the two foremen, the four ministers of military aircraft, Wen Xiang, Bao Jun, Cao Yuying, and Xu Gengshen, all attended the meeting.

The six departments, the nine secretaries, the "advisory committee", the officials or the chief or deputy, all attended the meeting.

The head and deputy head of the Hanlin Academy, the Zhan Shi Mansion, the Shao Zhan Shi, the left capital of the Imperial History, the left deputy capital of the Imperial Envoy, the six departments of the palm print to the matter, the head of the "Han Zhan Ke Dao", all attended the meeting.

In addition to King Gong, the "Minister of the Prime Minister", other "ministers", including "the prime minister's walking", "the prime minister's study walking", and "the minister of affairs", all attended the meeting.

The crown is covered with the General Administration, New Year's Day pilgrimage, the new emperor's enthronement and other national ceremonies, but that's it.

The reason why the meeting was arranged near noon was that both the Military Aircraft Department and the various yamen had their own affairs, and they could only come out to hold the meeting in the morning after they had finished their own work.

Of course, it's not a meeting as soon as you arrive at the Prime Minister's National Affairs Office, it's noon, and you have to eat first.

This meal, managed by the small kitchen of the General Administration, although sumptuous, but not extravagant, there is no swallow abalone winged belly on the table, but the big guys get together, eat really lively. It's just that I have a meeting in the afternoon, and I can't drink, which is a fly in the ointment.

After eating, drinking tea and chatting, thinking that it would be consumed.

The formal opening of the meeting is no longer correct.

The meeting was presided over by King Gong, who said: "The matter of the railway has been planned by the imperial court for a long time. In the past two days, there are a few excerpts on the road, and the 'top' explains, first discuss these excerpts, and the matter is clear, and the people at the bottom are good at doing things. ”

There is a strong tendency in these few sentences.

"The court has been planning for a long time", that is, the group of people didn't open their mouths before, and now they suddenly jump out and chirp crookedly, what is their intention? "When the matter is clearly explained, only those who are below can do things well" is tantamount to implying that today's meeting is just for "those who are doing things at the bottom", and "go to the floating", and the idea of the court has long been decided—moreover, this is the meaning of "above".

Everyone was muttering in their hearts, and King Gong said, "You all know what you have said about these folds. In my opinion, a few other excerpts are very general, and they are also Xu Yingxiang's share, which is more detailed, well, it can be regarded as a 'masterpiece'. Let's discuss it one by one, and we don't have so much free time, so let's discuss Xu Yingxiang's share. ”

Zhang Jing, who already had the Military Aircraft Department, distributed a "copy" of Xu Yingxiang's "eight unfeasible people, eight unprofitable people, and nine harmful people on the Lichen Railway" and distributed them to the important ministers attending the meeting. Although most of today's participants have seen the "fold bottom" of Xu's performance, not everyone has the ability to never forget, and one copy per person is not only very intimate, but also shows the importance of this meeting and the participants.

After Zhang Jing of the Military Aircraft Department finished distributing the "copy", King Gong slowly looked around and said with a smile: "Which one will be the first to show his great theory?" ”

Which one is willing to "show greatness first"? The participants are all elites, and they know that today's meeting is actually a "momentum conference" of others, even if they are not in favor of building a railway, they would rather have a title fold afterwards, and it is not good to show the carriage and horses on this occasion; And those who are in favor of building railways do not have to be the rafters of the first place at such meetings.

Everyone's eyes involuntarily fell on Guan Zhuofan.

Seeing that no one was silent, King Gong also turned to Guan Zhuofan, and said with a smile: "Yixuan, the railway is handled by the 'Railway Unit' of the 'Advisory Committee', and you are the big military aircraft of the 'Management Department', can you say a few words?" ”

Guan Zhuofan nodded and said, "The sixth master commanded, I might as well obey my orders if I am respectful." Well, I'll just say a few words first, throw bricks and lead jade, and teach the Fang family. ”

There was silence in the venue.

Guan Zhuofan picked up the "copy" of Xu Yingxiang's fold and said: "Xu Jie'an's excerpt, 'eight unfeasible, eight unprofitable, and nine harmful', add up to twenty-five, well, a grand view." ”

Guan Zhuofan smiled faintly and continued: "I'm ashamed, if I change places, I can't write a single one-since I have never seen a railway, how can I know its advantages and disadvantages, and the macro arguments are as if I have seen it in person?" ”

Guan Beiler's words are very "bones" - before he specifically commented on any of the "25 Articles", he had already commented on Xu Yingxiang's excerpt as "imaginary and unreasonable".

"Let's take a look at the rear. Everyone, please look at the last one of Xu's compromises, well, 'If it is said to be convenient for newspapers, check the train wheel does not travel more than fifty miles per hour, and China's urgent post delivery documents can be six or seven hundred miles a day and night, and there is no delay'. ”

Thinking of this, Guan Zhuofan suddenly laughed loudly, and his voice was extremely loud, and the ministers attending the meeting were taken by surprise and were all startled.

After the laughter stopped, Guan Zhuofan said loudly: "This Xu waiter, is it counted as the female teacher of their family?" 'Every hour' is half an hour, a day and a night of twelve hours, that is, twenty-four 'per hour', one 'per hour' fifty li, twenty-four 'per hour' how many li? Isn't it 1,200 miles? Compared with 'six or seven hundred miles', which is more and which is less? ”

Everyone was stunned.

Guan Zhuofan threw the "copy" on the table and sneered: "Such a ridiculous excerpt, the surname Xu actually dares to use it to blaspheme!" ”

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