Not to mention anything else, just the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Bureau, the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, the weaving layout of various places, etc., these big projects, I don't know how many years of taxes the Qing Dynasty has lost! It's one thing for them to have no experience in foreign affairs, but none of the governors who take the lead have lost money! Otherwise, how can you jump up and do foreign affairs?

It is difficult to say whether the Westernization Movement of the late Qing Dynasty is right or wrong, and if a country with a problem with the political system itself wants to bypass the political system to build a new economy, it is tantamount to building a high-rise building on the beach!

I wanted to build a fifth floor, but in the end I couldn't even build the first floor, and I hollowed out all the sediment underneath, but I fell deeper and deeper!

Master Meng finally understands why foreign affairs are stagnant!

This understanding is really too bloody, which further enhances that Young Master Meng wants to develop a base outside the Qing Dynasty as soon as possible, or in the edge of the Qing Dynasty, where the jackals cannot reach the region, build his own industry, develop his own system, create his own society, have his own arms, and establish his own country!

Li Hongzhang glanced at Xuan Zonglu coldly, then at Young Master Meng, lit a cigar, and did not pick up Xuan Zonglu's words, but looked out the window.

Young Master Meng's heart was completely cold, and there was no way to take Li Hongzhang, so he had to bite the bullet and say: "Lord Zhongtang's proposal, I will definitely consider it seriously and cooperate as much as possible!" ”

Although Young Master Meng's words were perfunctory, however, he finally relented, Li Hongzhang's face softened slightly, turned his head, and spewed out a puff of cigar under his eyes, "It's time to think about it, Yue Meng, you are still young, this department really likes you, and there are still many things to teach you!" What this department can teach you, others will never be able to teach, do you believe it? ”

Young Master Meng nodded, "Letter." (I believe your mother!) Lao Tzu is a traversal of the public, your little corruption methods, buying and selling officials, and the experience of abduction and deception, are you still stinky with Lao Tzu? In modern times, everything has developed to the extreme! Not to mention that Lao Tzu originally did sales, the bullshit in this is greasy, Lao Tzu knows better than you! Looting the people's fat and ointment, and building a luxurious life on the bones of countless low-level people, Lao Tzu! ）

Li Hongzhang stood up in a dashing manner, dusted off his dustless robe with one hand, pinched his cigar with the other, and said with a smile: "Zong Lu, what did you say just now?" ”

The pain in Xuan Zonglu's heart is ten million times better than Yue Meng, the old man is an authentic miser! However, after all, Xuan Zonglu is a person who has been rolling in officialdom all his life, but he still smiled and said: "Whatever Lord Zhongtang likes, he can do it, as long as it is made by the cook, if he can't do it, let people do it immediately." ”

Young Master Meng looked at the old man of his family, who was more ugly than crying, and his heart was also very sour.

Li Hongzhang laughed: "Lao Xuan, your Xuan family has a future!" Especially your little grandson, if it weren't for your little grandson, your brother would still be sitting at home waiting for news from the imperial court, right? How can there be a top of the second product falling down? Don't worry, the headquarters has taken care of the governor's affairs! ”

Xuan Zonglu scolded angrily in his heart, and the muscles of his face twitched, "Thank you Lord Zhongtang for cultivating." ”

Li Hongzhang held Xuan Zonglu's hand, Li Hongzhang's hand was fat and smooth, snow-white like an old woman, and Xuan Zonglu's hand was dry, with green tendons rioting, "Zonglu, how many years have we all known each other?" What's so polite? If your little grandson solves the old man's mind of running a steamship China Merchants Bureau, in the future, the headquarters will take more care of your Xuan family. ”

Xuan Zonglu gritted his teeth, "Yes, yes, thank you Lord Zhongtang for taking care of you." ”

Li Hongzhang and Xuan Zonglu chatted warmly, and Young Master Meng seemed to be frozen, like a zombie accompanying him, his brain was almost confused, he felt so helpless for the first time, he didn't think that while he was getting political benefits, he was also consuming his character and becoming a dog of the official family!

As for how Li Hongzhang will deal with himself, Young Master Meng doesn't know, but he knows that Li Hongzhang wants to deal with himself, there are really thousands of ways, so he rushes to the two identities of the governor and the first loyal dog of the Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Hongzhang plays him to death, just like playing with a puppy, in the face of huge and domineering power, isn't Young Master Meng a puppy with this bit of strength?

Moreover, offending Li Hongzhang is tantamount to offending Cixi, and Cixi can take back the fame he gave him in an instant!

Li Hongzhang only needs to play a secret recital, and he will not be able to bear it if he casually says some bad things about Xuan Yuemeng in Cixi.

Li Hongzhang was originally a protective umbrella, but suddenly became a juicer that squeezed himself, and Young Master Meng really couldn't change his mentality.

Young Master Meng's mind went blank.

Although Young Master Meng has the idea of going out to open up a base area, but what will be the result of the uncertain future? Will this unknown journey swallow up your own little life? He doesn't know, and he doesn't know at all, after all, to give up the current wealth and change to a life of licking blood with a knife head is not something that can be easily accepted by psychology, the more he thinks about it, the more scared he is, and the more he is afraid, the more he tastes like chewing wax.

Li Hongzhang ate and drank very happily, and kept beckoning Xuan Zonglu to drink.

During the banquet, Li Hongzhang only looked at Young Master Meng twice, and didn't say anything more with Xuan Yuemeng, he actually gave Xuan Yuemeng a few dishes with chopsticks, looking like a kind elder, chatting with Xuanzong in the open air, from the three emperors and five emperors to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and talking about bandits.

Xuan Zonglu stubbornly accompanied each other, and was poured a lot of wine by Li Hongzhang, and this wine was also bitter and unusually bitter for Xuan Zonglu.

Li Hongzhang sneered in his heart, unless your Xuan family doesn't plan to stay in the Great Qing Kingdom! Otherwise, I see how you can avoid the donation of eight million taels of silver, this land, Lao Tzu is going to decide! When you have a place, you will go to a few more companies to attract investment, ask for more subsidies from the imperial court, make a plate of twenty or thirty million taels, and only say three or four million taels to the outside world, this project is enough to eat tens of millions of taels! After that, dividends will be distributed every year until the steamship China Merchants is hollowed out, and then sold! Ha ha!

The more Li Hongzhang thought about it in his heart, the more beautiful it became, this wine was naturally drunk freely, he didn't put the face of the Xuan family's grandson in his eyes, in Li Hongzhang's heart, whether it was Xuan Yuemeng or Xuan Zonglu, they were just dogs, one old, one small, two dogs!

After eating, the slightly drunk Xuan Zonglu took Xuan Yuemeng back to the house, because Xuan Yuemeng's presidential suite was occupied by Li Hongzhang, Xuan Yuemeng had to go back to Xuan Zong's open room for a lunch break, and then go back to the German consulate to live in the evening.

"Yue Meng, what Li Hongzhang said just now, what are you going to do?" Xuanzong Lu saw Yue Meng's preoccupied look, and knew that Yue Meng really had no choice this time, "Don't be too uncomfortable, fortunately, this time I picked up more than seven million taels of silver for nothing, so I should feed the dog, Li Hongzhang, I can't afford to offend." Grandpa no longer thinks about the matter of releasing the governor, this time, after you finish the matter of running a steamship China Merchants Bureau for Li Hongzhang, you will honestly stay in the American Concession and not come out, we will honestly manage your real estate, and life will not be sad. ”

Xuan Yuemeng didn't speak, still thinking about her thoughts.

Xuan Zonglu sighed, "Compared to last year, this year, it is much better, although I have not been released, I have finally been promoted, and it is also comfortable to be able to see the holy decree for my grandfather to be promoted to the second grade from time to time." You're not bad, you've created a big family business, aren't you still able to leave a few million taels? It's always more than last year, and this time, you realize the sinister nature of people's hearts, which is also good, just spend money to buy a lesson, as long as you don't ask Li Hongzhang for shelter in the future, after this time, he won't ask you for money casually, don't worry too much. ”

Xuan Zonglu was babbling alone, but Young Master Meng still didn't speak, leaning on the sofa, his eyes open and pondering.

Originally, Young Master Meng had to take a nap after lunch every day, but today, his little eyes widened, which made Xuan Zonglu sigh again.

"I'm fine, you've drunk, can you get some sleep? Wait a minute, we have to go and say goodbye to Lord Li Hongzao, and I also want to say goodbye to Lord Zuo Zongtang. Xuan Yuemeng said calmly, without a trace of expression on her face, "The day after tomorrow, I will still go back to Tianjin with Li Hongzhang." ”

Xuan Zonglu sighed, "So, you've already figured it out?" Decided to find land for Li Hongzhang's steamship China Merchants Bureau? ”

Young Master Meng said word by word, gritting his teeth: "I won't give Li Hongzhang a son!" ”

Xuan Zonglu was taken aback, "You can't be like this, you have already offended Prince Gong to death, and if you offend Li Hongzhang again, our Xuan family really has no hope, you are still young, and you will have a great future in the future, listen to grandpa, we will suffer this loss, it's nothing, after the big deal, you will honestly stop doing business anymore, that is, you have the identity of a quasi-forehead, grow up with peace of mind, and you will have a better life in the future, besides, don't you still have a few million taels left?" There are still so many properties in the American Concession, and life will not be worse than that of the governor's house. It's already okay, Yue Meng, I want to open some, listen to grandpa. ”

Xuan Yuemeng suddenly seemed to have figured out something, and sat up, "Grandpa, it's not that I can't bear this loss, it's not that I can't stand this anger, I'll calculate an account for you, if I still want to continue to do business in the Qing Kingdom, I have to accept Li Hongzhang's blackmail this time, but it seems that this kind of blackmail must be endless, and the big head has to be taken by Li Hongzhang in the end, so it's useless for me to give him money!" If I don't do business anymore, as you just said, in the future, I will honestly guard the property in the American Concession, then why should I give him money? ”

Xuan Zonglu was also a little confused by what Xuan Yuemeng said, "But, you can't afford to offend Li Hongzhang, don't you even plan to do your quasi-forehead?" What about Grandpa? How many of your brothers are there? That's it for the rest of the family? If you do this, you will completely cut off the official road of the whole family, have you ever thought about it? ”

Young Master Meng said firmly: "People live, they must have backbone, I can give him money, just as to feed the dog, but I am not attached to anyone, then there will be no future!" My brothers, I won't let them live worse than anyone else, at least, Yuewen and Yuewu, I dare to pack tickets! As for the matter of your release as governor, I can still assure you that if I can't make you governor in your lifetime, I won't be a member of the Xuan family! ”

Xuan Zonglu sighed, "I don't care if I don't care about being the governor, but if you are so stubborn to go against Li Hongzhang, I still don't feel at ease." ”

"Everything has pros and cons, let's take one step at a time, Li Hongzhang has touched my bottom line, I won't bow to him this time, otherwise, I'm willing to die!" There was a stubborn look flashing in the eyes of the young master Meng! "Never! If I want to be that kind of person, I can make money in many ways, hurt the heavens and reason, harm the people, harm the country, and the money comes faster than anything else! I'm not that kind of person, do you want me to be like that? ”

Xuan Zonglu was silent, although Xuan Zonglu is not that kind of person, but his silver is all obtained by corruption, and there is nothing to talk about not harming the country and the people, however, Xuan Zonglu has not been a magistrate, and he has not directly oppressed the most bitter people at the bottom of the society, and there are still basic disciplines, otherwise Li Hongzao would not be friends with Xuan Zonglu.

Neither of them spoke again, and after Young Master Meng finished speaking, his heart lit up for a while, and he immediately fell asleep on the sofa.

Xuan Zonglu looked at Xuan Yuemeng, who was more than a year old, a little person, with a chubby little face, gently touched Xuan Yuemeng's head, smiled bitterly, covered Xuan Yuemeng with a blanket, lay down next to Xuan Yuemeng, and fell asleep.

The grandfather and grandson slept for more than two hours, and at night, Xuan Zonglu still went to accompany Li Hongzhang to eat, but Young Master Meng did not go, and simply ate something, so he went to see Zuo Zongtang first, Xuan Yuemeng and Xuan Zonglu made an appointment, and after he saw Zuo Zongtang, Xuan Zonglu almost finished eating, and then went with him to say goodbye to Li Hongzao, if Xuan Zonglu drank too much, he would go to resign to Li Hongzao alone.

Zuo Zongtang didn't expect Xuan Yuemeng to come, and after seeing Yuemeng, he was very happy.

It happened that Hu Xueyan was also there, and Zuo Zongtang took Hu Xueyan to meet Xuan Yuemeng in the hall.

"Yuemeng, congratulations first, such a young child is a quasi-forehead, haha." Zuo Zongtang looked like a scribe, but he spoke very straight, "When you get married to Gege, the old man will definitely give you a big gift." ”

Young Master Meng smiled: "Thank you, Lord Zuo, I will go back to Tianjin the day after tomorrow, and I came to bid you farewell. I want to tell you that after the imperial court issues a military order to use troops in the northwest, I will donate cotton clothes worth 500,000 taels and grain and grass worth more than 500,000 taels, and let people send you directly to the front line! ”

Zuo Zongtang laughed, "This is good, this is good, this is the second time, someone took the initiative to donate to 2 me, but I don't have anything in return?" ”

Young Master Meng smiled: "Who is that time?" I don't want you to give anything in return, just beat those devils who invaded our country. (To be continued.) )