London, United Kingdom. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Under the curious gaze of passers-by, a clumsy four-wheeled Western carriage driven by a groom in a clean suit made its way down London's Main Street, full of pedestrians in Western attire, and after leaving the city, it passed the quaint Western-style church at the entrance of the street, passed the snow-covered street, and finally came to a slow stop in front of a quaint English manor house with the harsh sound of wheels rubbing against the ground.

When the car door opened, an old man of about 60 years old, dressed in a Qing-style high-necked robe and wearing a warm hat, with a clear and kind appearance and a short beard, immediately walked down, and Chen Tingxuan, who was already sitting in front of the tearoom and waiting, immediately greeted him.

"The city of London is a long way to get here, and the adults have worked hard all the way." Chen Tingxuan saluted the old man.

"Where, Chen Gong is too polite." The old man hurriedly raised his hand to return the salute, "Chen Gong's name, Guo has heard in the Qing Dynasty, this time the envoy to England, should have visited as soon as possible, how can Guo be the first envoy, the task is heavy, so it has been delayed to this day, and I hope that Chen Gong will not blame it." ”

This old man is Guo Songtao, the first minister of the Qing Dynasty in London.

"Oh - how dare you dare, Guo Gong is an envoy of the Son of Heaven, it is already the emperor's grace to be able to deign to come to the cold house, Chen is already grateful, how dare he think about it again." Chen Tingxuan hurriedly bowed to Guo Songtao.

At this time, another person got down from the carriage, this person was the same as Guo Songtao, wearing a high-necked robe, wearing a warm hat, he was not tall, thin and small, although a thin face with a goatee was full of fatigue, but this person's frame seemed to be bigger than Guo Songtao, he glanced at Chen Tingxuan, and saw that although Chen Qianxuan was wearing a Qing-style wide robe and a warm hat, there was no braid on the back of his head, and a pair of small eyes couldn't help flashing with anger. When Chen Tingxuan saluted him, he did not return the salute like Guo Songtao, but just stood there proudly with his hands in his hands, nodding slightly.

This person is Guo Songtao's deputy, Liu Xihong, the deputy envoy to the United Kingdom.

"Adults, please come with me." Although Liu Xihong was arrogant and rude, Chen Tingxuan didn't care, he got up and led the way in front of him, and Guo Songtao also hurriedly followed, and the two walked into the manor together, all the way through the courtyard, garden, fountain, and then through a rockery, and finally stopped in front of the door of the three-story western-style building.

Guo Songtao and Chen Tingxuan walked in front, and Liu Xihong followed unhurriedly, he looked around from time to time, and when he saw that this was a typical Western-style manor, the displeasure on his face became even stronger.

Entered the living room, the guest sat down, the servant sent refreshments, Liu Xihong saw that it was Western-style dim sum, shrugged his nose, his face showed a disgusted expression, he did not touch those exquisite dim sum, but just took the teacup, took it in his hand and looked at it, when he found that the teacup turned out to be a valuable Kangxi pastel porcelain, he couldn't help but be stunned there for a long time, then he opened the teacup lid, gently scraped the tea leaves on the water surface in the cup, and sniffed the tea.

Although Liu Xihong's movements were not big, they were all seen by Chen Tingxuan.

Guo Songtao and Chen Tingxuan said a few words, tasted a few fine pieces, and saw that Guo Songtao actually ate Western pastries, Liu Xihong's face stretched longer, he was just about to speak, but Guo Songtao talked with Chen Tingxuan, according to the rules of officialdom, he was not good at interjecting when Shangguan spoke, so he could only hold his breath and sit there.

"Guo Gong came to the UK this time, I waited for overseas children to be in a foreign country, and I saw the **** envoy prestige, all of them were excited, if Guo Gong is useful to Chen, he should be dead."

"Chen Gong must not say that, Guo Mou has just read a few more foreign books, and he understands a little, but it is very limited. With the grace of the Empress Dowager, Chen Gong has been overseas for a long time, familiar with Chinese and foreign affairs, and is the leader of overseas Chinese. ”

"Where is it, Guo Gongyan is serious."

"The lights of the London street market are like ten thousand stars, the cars and horses are surging, the gas is smoky, and the beauty of the palace is incomprehensible. It is worthy of being the capital of Taixi. Today, when I go to his country, I know the prosperity of his country, and I am competing. Guo Songtao remembered the London street scene he saw along the way, and couldn't help but sigh, "I have been in the city for more than 200 years in the Qing Dynasty, and I have been in the army for more than 20 years, and no one has ever informed the state of the country, and there are even fewer people who are familiar with its language and writing." It's a good fortune to see Chen Gong today. ”

"Master Guo knows that if this English country is the leader of the seven seas, it is not only strong ships and guns, but also all-encompassing sails, and its politics and religion are also outstanding." Chen Tingxuan said.

"China's 5,000-year-old politics and religion must have a considerable legacy, and it is necessary to compare it with Taixi in order to evaluate its gains and losses." Guo Songtao said, "The entry of the West into China is a great change in heaven and earth, and if it is used in its own way, it is enough for China's benefits." ”

"The Fuxi people founded the country, their own roots, although the etiquette and music are educated, far inferior to the Chinese, but they are tame, rich and strong, and have physical use. Cultivating talents in the school, discussing politics in the house, the monarch and the people are one, the top and bottom are concentric, pragmatic and abstain from hypocrisy, and plan and then move, so the country is flourishing. Chen Tingxuan talked intently with Guo Songtao.

"Brother Chen has been overseas for a long time, and he really has extraordinary knowledge, and he deserves to be a leader of overseas businessmen." Hearing Chen Tingxuan say such insightful words, he was even more in awe, "According to what Brother Chen saw, if you want to get rich and strong, where should you start now?" ”

"In my humble opinion, in business, this is the top priority, is to be a businessman, in order to follow the foundation of the West." Chen Tingxuan said, "I don't know that the wealth of the West is focused on the people and not in the country." Today, those who are rich and strong are regarded as the country's own plan, and they have nothing to do with the people. Do you need to know that there is a reason why the people are poor and the country seeks to be rich and strong? ”

"What Brother Chen said is extremely true." Guo Songtao said, "China is a country based on agriculture, and foreign countries are based on business. The benefits of agriculture are also true; The benefits of business, the end also. This is as good as people can say. Everyone regards business as the last section, and to this day. It can be known that if you want to control Westerners to improve themselves, it is better to promote business. Does Ander call business the last business? ”

"Yes! In ancient times, the small people lived and worked in peace, and the old and the dead did not interact with each other, so the trade of millet and cloth stopped. Not so today. Countries merge, each seeking its own benefit, using business to strengthen the country, and using troops to defend business. They make alliances and make appointments, and they are all for the purpose of trade. The British monarch and the minister also opened up the territory of commerce, opened up the Americas, occupied India, according to Burma, and connected to China, all of which were led by merchants, and European countries also took trade as the main path and manufacturing as their main business. Chen Tingxuan said, "Westerners take business as their war, and scholars, farmers, and workers help business; The minister is a businessman, and the consul is a businessman; Ships are also for business. It is advisable to treat both the symptoms and the root causes in China. If you leave behind the original and try to the end, look at its shape but not attack its heart, do not prosper in your studies, and do not show your talents, you will see the defeat of business, and the defeat of soldiers, farmers, and workers. ”

"Brother Chen said it well!" Guo Songtao couldn't help but admire, and didn't notice that Liu Xihong's face next to him had been stretched as long as a donkey.

In fact, for accompanying Guo Songtao to visit Chen Tingxuan, a Chinese businessman leader in the UK, Liu Xihong has been holding his breath in his heart.

In Liu Xihong's view, the dignified **** envoy, stationed at the order of the emperor, but petitioning to the businessmen and small people, is not dignified, not to mention, it is these "**** people" who are living abroad and do not return to the "king"!

But according to the rules of officialdom, even if Shangguan's words are wrong, it is not easy to refute them publicly, and the earnest conversation between Guo and Chen has choked him enough, so that the green tendons on his forehead have become violent.

"Business and trade are relocated to the public, the price is level, the economy is urgently needed, it is beneficial to the people, it is beneficial to the country, and it is mutually beneficial to the scholars, farmers, and workers. If there is no business, the learning is not grand, if there is no business, the planting is not widespread, and if there is no business, the things manufactured cannot be sold. It is the road of businessmen to sit on the road of wealth, and the program of the four people. The righteousness of business is great! Guo Songtao continued.

"The prosperity and decline of business is not only related to the number of products, but also the ingenuity of craftsmanship. If there is a wing quotient, the clumsy can be clever, and the rough can be refined. Borrowing Chu materials for Jin use, going to the evil and doing what he likes, you can still benefit the other country's products. If there is business but no work, even if the land does not love the treasure, the eighteen provinces will have abundant products, and they will abandon their own interests for their own use. Now we are trying to change our calculations, and we must not ignore business and industry. Chen Tingxuan noticed how ugly Liu Xihong's face was, and said, "There is no shortage of smart and wise people in China. Those who are not greedy for fertilizer will be suppressed when they encounter trouble; Those who only seek profit will take advantage of the end and cut it secretly. As a result, there is no good way to protect businessmen. Although you want to prosper in business, can you get it? ”

"Yes! Since the beginning of trade, China has not benefited from trade, but has suffered from trade, and the reason for this is that no one has heard of the importance of commerce. Push the reason, the upper is in the lawsuit and the lower is in the business. Officials can't protect businessmen, but they can treat sick businessmen, and they regard the winning details of businessmen as the fat of the Qin people. This is also the disadvantage. As for business, there are many fools, and few wise; There are many imaginary, but few real; There are many dividers, and there are few together; There are many causes, but there are few creators; There are many fraudsters, but few are faithful; There are many people who are greedy for small profits, and few people who take care of the overall situation; In this frontier and the other world, the treasure domain has been divided, the self is thick and the people are thin, the trick is uncertain, and the heart is not in unison, so the joint shares are divided and the share capital is lost, and the company is set and the company is down. This is also the disadvantage of the following. Guo Songtao sighed, "Merchants and officials don't believe it, and they don't dare to respond to it, so it's better to make the businessmen's autonomy and straighten it out." If the commercial offices set up in various prefectures, prefectures, and counties are elected by the industrial and commercial directors on their own, there is no need to rely on the official power and the power of the gentry, so that the feelings of the upper and lower levels can be communicated, and the power of the officials and businessmen will be combined, then all the benefits will be prosperous and all the harm will be reformed! ”