However, Luo Zenan was silent, and after half a sound, Fang said: "It is naturally a good thing to be able to develop the steel industry, but it is not a good thing to let the people develop indiscriminately without planning." When Lord Liu and Lord Zhou waited, we discussed it together and then decided whether to promote it and how to promote it! If you really can't do it, you can still ask Your Majesty for instructions. ”

Li Hongzhang's face was a little ugly, but he soon disappeared, and said with a smile: "What Lord Luo said is true!" Let's wait for Lord Liu Changyou and Lord Zhou Shengkun to arrive, and the five of us will discuss it carefully. As for His Majesty's side, let's discuss the result, and then call Your Majesty the Holy Judge. ”

Soon, Liu Changyou and Zhou Shengkun rushed to the cabinet one after another. When the five of them arrived, Li Hongzhang did not assign the day's cabinet tasks as usual, but called everyone together and re-told the matter of Zhejiang's steelmaking.

When everyone came back to their senses, Li Hongzhang said: "The importance of the steel industry, I think everyone knows it, is the key to the complete rise of our Chinese empire, and the foundation for the industry to make our industry strong." Moreover, His Majesty also said some time ago that we, the new cabinet members, should think carefully about how to develop industry, and he also specifically mentioned that the steel industry should be focused on development. Therefore, Hongzhang believes that the experience of Hangzhou Mansion on the performance of Zhejiang Governor Wang Youling is very effective. To be able to develop the steel industry of our empire to an extremely high level in a short period of time. Therefore, I suggest that the cabinet adopt the suggestion of Wang Youling, the governor of Zhejiang, and promote the small blast furnace refining method of Hangzhou to other provinces to make steel! ”

Wu Chongyao seemed to agree, but because Luo Zenan had opposed it just now, he didn't express his position directly, but just looked at Liu Changyou and Zhou Shengkun to see what their opinions were.

Li Hongzhang also stared at the two of them, wondering what they thought.

Although Li Hongzhang was the number one member of the cabinet at the beginning, and was later directly appointed as vice premier by Emperor Feng Yunshan, it is reasonable to say that he is the head of the cabinet, but he still respects the other four cabinet members. After all, no matter who he is, his qualifications or anything are older than him Li Hongzhang. Except for Luo Zenan, who is a little less qualified, Wu Chongyao, Liu Changyou, and Zhou Shengkun are all the emperor's confidants, and they have served the emperor very early.

Zhou Shengkun behaved very simply, as shrewd as he has always managed finance and taxation: "Premier Li, as long as this Zhejiang's large-scale steelmaking method can truly increase steel production for the empire, which is beneficial to the steel industry and does not affect the development of other industries, we will support it!" However, with so much manpower and material resources needed, isn't it better to evaluate it? ”

Li Hongzhang's face suddenly became a little ugly. He knew in his heart that Zhou Shengkun was like a businessman, in fact, he was shrewd, and he had always been cautious and careful, and the emperor had always relied on him very much, if Zhou Shengkun did not agree with the war and steelmaking movement, it would be very difficult. After all, the ultimate development of the iron and steel industry is to improve the overall level of industrialization, and the purpose of improving industrialization is to enhance the comprehensive national strength, and the second is the ultimate goal, to increase the wealth of the country and the wealth of the people. And the reason why Shengkun became a cabinet member this week is clear to everyone that he is keeping an eye on the entire country's money bag for the emperor.

Li Hongzhang looked at Liu Changyou pleadingly. Liu Changyou understands what Li Hongzhang thinks, and he also knows Li Hongzhang's talent. But in this matter, he had been thinking just now if Li Hongzhang was a little too hasty.

Liu Changyou understood that Li Hongzhang was eager to do some achievements, but in fact, he himself was just transferred from the governor of a province to the cabinet, responsible for the operation of the entire country, and this impact was very huge for people. A strong sense of responsibility, and the psychology of reciprocating the emperor's favor and trust, made them always think about the affairs of the empire as soon as possible, and kept in mind the industry that the emperor personally said, especially the steel industry.

But Liu Changyou is stable by nature. He pondered for a moment and said, "Premier Li, ladies and gentlemen, judging from the newspapers, the large-scale steel-making campaign launched by the Hangzhou government is actually to mobilize all the people to give up all other work in their hands and go to steelmaking, right?"

I agree with this decision to take a thorough popular line and make the steel industry blossom everywhere! But there has to be a degree. It is not possible to increase the number of people indefinitely, to press everyone down, and to the detriment of other industries, especially agriculture! ”

Li Hongzhang immediately understood that Liu Changyou was thinking about developing the steel industry, but he was unwilling to fully spread it and affect other industries, especially Liu Changyou, who had served as the minister of agriculture, was afraid that the large-scale steel-making movement would affect the development of agriculture.

He had a plan in his heart about Liu Changyou's concerns, but he still wanted to push forward this large-scale steel-making movement. Therefore, he must draw Liu Changyou into his camp.

Thinking of this, Li Hongzhang said loudly: "What Lord Liu said is very right, Hongzhang actually thinks so!" Before I took office, His Majesty personally told me that the greatest advantage of our Chinese Empire is that in addition to its vast territory and rich resources, it is also a large population. And the large population, especially the large number of laborers, coupled with the fact that our people have always been thrifty, hard-working, this is the greatest wealth of our Chinese Empire, and Your Majesty will call it the demographic dividend!

And this demographic dividend, which has not yet been used in our empire, is accumulated in the vast countryside and is in agriculture. To this end, the next direction of our cabinet's work, especially in industrial development, is to give full play to the advantages of this demographic dividend, which is the first priority of our Chinese empire in the future! For this reason, Your Majesty also explained that we will draw out some of the young and strong people from the population engaged in agriculture and let them devote themselves to industrial development, and this steel is the part I expected, so that the vast number of agricultural people can devote themselves to steel production, is this not in line with Your Majesty's decree? ”

Seeing that Li Hongzhang carried His Majesty out, Liu Changyou and Zhou Shengkun couldn't object anymore, they nodded and said in unison: "Following His Majesty's edict, it is naturally our first priority!" In this case, we agree with Premier Li's strategy of steelmaking and promote the ironmaking movement in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province nationwide! ”

Wu Chongyao also echoed: "Yes, Your Majesty did say earlier that the empire has a large population, which is a huge advantage. It is said that our Chinese Empire now accounts for nearly one-third of the world's population, and if he does not occupy and create one-third of the world's wealth, it is a dereliction of duty on his part as the emperor of the Chinese Empire! But I understand that if this is the case, it will be a dereliction of duty on the part of our cabinet members. Therefore, I am a strong supporter of this large-scale steelmaking plan! ”