thought that Yuan Shikai and Zhang Zhidong would definitely support him, but it turned out to be a bit of a problem. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Yuan Shikai was excited when he heard about Yang Chao's arsenal, he hoped to buy a batch of arms for his Beiyang Army, but he had no money in his hand, and hoped that Yang Chao could find foreigners to help him borrow.

Yuan Shikai has also been uncomfortable recently, as a representative of the newly rising Huai faction, he is the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, basically took over Li Hongzhang's class, and he also reached an agreement with the diehards before Zaifeng gained a firm foothold, and expanded the Beiyang Army to six formations with 40,000 troops.

But what has been bothering him is the problem of weapons, and now most of the soldiers under him are still using old-fashioned rifles, even the ** kind of old antiques, and the most high-grade is still 10,000 Hanyang made by Zhang Zhidong, so the German-style Mauser depicted by Yang Chao is very covetous, as for the Krupp cannon, not to mention, Yuan Shikai dreamed of it, but he could only press it first, because he also knew that the cannon was more expensive than the rifle, and he still had to get a rifle for each soldier first.

has always had a good relationship with Yuan Shikai, Yang Chao also knows that Yuan Shikai's armament is okay, the combat effectiveness of the Beiyang Army is much more reliable than that of the Qing Army, and he knows that before the emergence of the revolutionary army, this is the most effective force in China, so Yang Chao is still willing to support, you must know that two years later it will be the Russo-Japanese War, if Yuan Shikai has a powerful army in his hands at that time, will he have the courage to mix in it and toss it?

In fact, no matter which side the Qing army supported in the Russo-Japanese War, the final result should be stronger than neutrality, provided that the Chinese army can fight and at least protect itself, because it is a war in which both sides are lost, and whichever side China joins will affect the balance.

But as a businessman, and now a politician, the exchange of interests must be played, and he promised to help Yuan Shikai borrow money to buy 30,000 rifles and buy 100 cannons at the same time, but he hoped that Yuan Shikai would help him do one thing, that is, recruit people in the Beijing-Tianjin area.

Zhang Zhidong is much more atmospheric than Yuan Shikai, not so calculating, and not so interested, he still supports Yang Chao to engage in foreign affairs.

It's just that Zhang Zhidong is a little worried: "A steel plant!" An arsenal! ”

Zhang Zhidong was talking about the arsenal in Laiwu and the steel factory in Yantai, and as for the arsenal in Qingdao, which was a colony, Yang Chao didn't mention it at all, because the more he mentioned it, the more troublesome it became.

Zhang Zhidong looked at Yang Chao with a very complicated look.

After a long time, he said again: "The old man has been doing foreign affairs for thirty years, which is not as big as your step in a year, and he is really old." ”

Although the content seemed to be complimenting, Yang Chao couldn't hear the praise.

Sure enough, Zhang Zhidong said again: "The arsenal accounts for 30% of the shares, the United States accounts for 30% of the shares, and you account for 30% of the shares." In the steel plant, the United States accounts for 60% of the shares, and you account for 40% of the shares. Where is the imperial court? ”

Zhang Zhidong actually asked this sentence, but Yang Chao knew that Zhang Zhidong had been preaching that the government supervised the business recently, and the official only participated in the shares, but did not care about the operation.

Yang Chao immediately said: "Didn't your lord advocate the official to supervise the business office?" ”

Zhang Zhidong said: "But where are you a commercial office, you are a foreign office, China's affairs, the bad thing is that there are too many foreigners mixed in." If we are allowed to do it ourselves, whether it is government or commercial, it will not be a problem. But once the foreign ginseng is incorporated, the taste changes. ”

Yang Chao defended: "It's just a joint venture, and there are many joint ventures between foreigners, and I don't see any problems." ”

Zhang Zhidong said: "China's affairs are different from those of foreigners after all, and you must not learn from Handan." ”

Yang Chao was a little disappointed: "Then the adult is not allowed." ”

Zhang Zhidong shook his head: "No, co-operation is also a way, the old man has been engaged in official management for decades, and the Hanyang Iron Works makes people work hard, you have also seen that look, and it is barely maintained so far." If you can have some results in this joint venture, it is not a bad way, but with the participation of foreigners, the emperor is afraid that it will not be reasonable. ”

As long as Zhang Zhidong does not object, Zaifeng naturally has to lobby and set up two factories, and a small county town in the future will be done with foreign businessmen.

It was also Sheng Xuanhuai's people who broke the Hanyang Iron Works, which made Zhang Zhidong really disappointed, otherwise he, the old minister, would probably oppose co-founding with foreigners.

When I entered the palace, I soon saw Zaifeng.

Yang Chao told the results and expressed his opinions, saying that the joint establishment is to attract technology and exchange the market for technology, all the principles are logical and seem to be very operable, but only a foreigner participates in the shares, which makes Zaifeng very difficult.

"What if foreigners use this to blackmail the imperial court?"

Zaifeng asked.

Yang Chao said: "Foreigners want to make money, and I want to build a railway in the Qing Dynasty, and cooperation will benefit both sides, so as not to cause foreign trouble." ”

Zaifeng said worriedly: "Then the steel mill is just that, at most we will buy his steel." But how can the arsenal, making guns and cannons, be manipulated by foreigners? ”

Yang Chao said: "Weichen thinks that on my Qing Dynasty land, it is my Qing Dynasty factory. If we want to build a new army in the Qing Dynasty, we will inevitably have to purchase weapons. Instead of purchasing from foreign countries, it would be more conducive to manipulation to purchase factories on the land of the Qing Dynasty. ”

Zaifeng said: "It's a bit reckless. ”

Yang Chao said: "The minister is willing to bear it, if it causes a foreign disaster, the minister will bear it!" ”

Yang Chao immediately made a guarantee.

In fact, this time, Zaifeng's attitude was very ambiguous, and he spoke to Yang Chao much more politely than last time.

Zaifeng nodded: "Qing is attentive, everything has its own court, and it can really get rid of Aiqing." Aiqing just has to do it, there will be rewards for doing it well, and there will be no punishment for doing it wrong! ”

Zaifeng's attitude surprised Yang Chao even more.

"Thank you Lord Longen, you will be smeared with liver and brain, and you will not hesitate to do so!"

Yang Chao immediately kowtowed and thanked him.

"I am very pleased that you are doing your best, Xiao Chengzi, bring me the few things I picked out."

A small eunuch held a sandalwood plate with several treasures on it, such as official kiln porcelain with lotus leaves, jade medals, ivory pen holders, pen holders, etc.

It's still what Yang Chao said last time, jewelry and jade.

With a few rewards, until he left the palace, Yang Chao couldn't figure out what Zaifeng meant.

At this time in the palace, Zaifeng was sighing with Xiao Chengzi.

"What are you talking about this Yang Chao, what is he trying to do?"

Xiao Chengzi sighed: "The slave doesn't know. ”

Xiao Chengzi actually had the heart to think about Yang Chao, and he was extremely panicked now, because he suddenly recognized Yang Chao, and recognized Yang Chao as the bandit leader who killed Cixi and Guangxu that day, and pretended to be the bandit leader under Zhu Kaishan.

But Xiao Chengzi sold the bodies of Cixi and Guangxu, saying that he snatched them back from Zhu Kaishan's bandits with Beile Guixiang and others, and he was also appreciated by Zaifeng because of this merit, and became Zaifeng's cronies, but suddenly he recognized Yang Chao, which made him feel extremely frightened, if the matter was revealed, he would die without a place to be buried.

But it seems that Yang Chao didn't recognize him, which made Xiao Chengzi feel a little lucky, but he definitely didn't dare to tell the truth in front of Zaifeng, just ask for his own safety.

"I heard that he had a fortune of 10,000 yuan, but he went back to the Qing Dynasty to do foreign affairs, and the money for building the railway was all self-raised. I also heard that even the house was sold, and the family moved to Kenli County to enclose a large piece of wasteland. ”

"The slave thinks that Lord Yang is loyal to the country and sacrificing his family!"

Xiao Chengzi hurriedly responded.

Zaifeng nodded, but that wasn't the main reason for his change of attitude this time.

The most important thing is: "He is not a member of Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai's party." ”

Zaifeng thinks that although Yang Chao is meticulous in foreign affairs, he is not a person with Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai, at least not a descendant of the Hunan faction and the Huai faction, so there is a possibility of being co-opted by him. Zaifeng knew very well in his heart that the diehards were his staunchest supporters, but he couldn't succeed by relying on the diehards, and he had to do foreign affairs in the end, and he didn't want to fall on him for the tragic situation of Cixi Lafayette and his brother Guangxu.

Therefore, Yang Chao, a backward force of the Westernist faction, is very worthy of his wooing.

Especially when running the railway, Zaifeng thought that Yang Chao was very capable, and the foreign affairs were extremely good, and it was a miracle in his opinion that he could snatch back a way from the arrogant Germans. At this time, pulling the Americans is nothing more than using razing to defeat razing, which is simple to say, and no one can play after Li Hongzhang, and I don't see that Lafayette just drove Li Hongzhang to Guangdong, and the Eight-Nation Coalition Army entered Beijing.

Zaifeng couldn't help but think that if Li Hongzhang had been in Beijing, in Beiyang, and in the court, I am afraid that he would not have caused trouble for the Eight-Nation Coalition to fight the Qing Dynasty.

After seeing Yang Chao's potential, Zaifeng felt that he should invest, and while Yang Chao had not completely surrendered to Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai, he pulled him over first.

Especially now that the situation is very delicate, Zaifeng's biggest enemies at present are Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai, he doesn't want to be really overshadowed by these two people and be a puppet emperor.

"Xiao Chengzi, if you go to Yang Chao again, you will say that I have promised him. The Praetorian Guard bought 20,000 rifles, all of which were represented by him, and the cannons should also buy 100 as appropriate. ”

Zaifeng thought of what Yang Chao said just now about the purchase of arms, he didn't immediately agree, at this time he thought that what he had done was not atmospheric enough, Yang Chao wanted to handle arms on behalf of him, just to make some money, he invested so much money in foreign affairs, he must have lost a lot of money, otherwise how could he sell his house, and take a large family to live in the wasteland, pitiful, these Han people who are engaged in foreign affairs just make people can't understand, just do foreign affairs well, and make it possible to put themselves in. Yang Chao is like this, and so is Zhang Jian. Or do people Sheng Xuanhuai and Li Hongzhang understand that they should leave some for themselves, and the court can still blame them?

"Minions, let's go!"

Xiao Chengzi just agreed.

Zaifeng immediately said again: "Wait a minute." Yang Chao went to encircle the wasteland, just to get some money. Anyway, it's wasteland, you go and tell him, he can circle as much as he wants, and those barren beaches in Shandong can be given to him. ”

Zaifeng thought of Zhang Jian, and thought of Yang Chao, I feel that these two people are really similar, Zhang Jian didn't also go to enclosure, I heard that tens of thousands of acres have come out, presumably Yang Chao is also for this purpose, so you might as well let him circle more, and not waste the court anything, but also get the loyalty of the minister, why not.

Zaifeng was very satisfied with his sudden idea, and couldn't help but smile when he saw Xiao Chengzi's hurried steps.