At the wharf of Tianjin Port, there was a drizzle in the sky, and Song Xiaofei took Ruan Zhongshu and a group of entourage, waiting for Rong Hong and Rong Rong. Song Xiaofei was uneasy in his heart, not because he was worried about Rong Hong, but because he and Rong Rong hadn't seen each other for three years, and they didn't know if they could be as close as before when they met again?

After Rong Rong learned that Song Xiaofei had accepted two more concubines in North Korea, Jin Xianzhu and Li Minzhen, no matter how Song Xiaofei explained that he was forced to accept the two of them, Rong Rong didn't listen, and tearfully returned the dowry gift given by Song Xiaofei's engagement, and returned to the United States with his father Rong Hong. Before leaving, Rong Rong said, "I'm not sure you really love me now, let's be separated for a while." I waited for you for three years before, and this time you also waited for me for three years, without writing letters or meeting, and if we can't forget each other, we will continue the relationship. ”

In the past three years, Song Xiaofei often thought of Rong Rong, and he had been clean and self-conscious, waiting for her to come back. Song Xiaofei sometimes asks himself in his heart, is this torturous thing the so-called love? The two of them made mistakes, six years in a flash, how many six years are there in their lives? He repeatedly practiced in his heart how to express how he missed her in the past three years when he saw Rong Rong.

The passenger ship slowed down and docked at the dock, the passengers on the deck disembarked one after another, Song Xiaofei tiptoed anxiously at every passenger who went ashore, crowded, but did not see Rong Rong's familiar and friendly face, when he was about to get on the ship to ask, Rong Rong helped Rong Hong to appear in sight, she was wearing a milky white Western dress, much thinner than before, a middle-aged domestic servant behind him struggled to carry two large boxes, Song Xiaofei hurriedly ran over to answer, and Rong Hong politely exchanged a few words, and a thousand words to Rong Rong in his belly, At this time, he only turned into a slight smile and said four words: "Long time no see!" ”

Rong Rong's face was calm, and she replied politely: "Hello." ”

Rong Hong has always been very satisfied with Song Xiaofei's "future son-in-law", seeing the expression on Song Xiaofei's face, he still remembered Rong Rong, so he said: "Virtuous nephew, you two haven't seen each other for three years, if you don't talk, the old man will avoid it first." ”

Rong Rong said: "No need, father, it's important for you to talk about business." ”

Song Xiaofei also felt that he and Rong Rong came to say that Fang Chang, so he wanted to "save the country by curve", and first get his future father-in-law, so he introduced that he had recently supervised the Beiyang Naval Division and the Beiyang Military Academy, and was in urgent need of talents. Song Xiaofei said: "These young children studying in the United States are all compound talents, capable of literature and martial arts, such as Tang Shaoyi, and now North Korea can basically take charge of itself." There is also Zhan Tianyou, I now appoint him as the 'Yangwei' pipe band, equivalent to the captain of the ship, Zhan Tianyou fought bravely during the Sino-French War. When the French fleet entered the Min River after the defeat in Taiwan and launched a surprise attack, he braved the fierce artillery fire of the French ships, calmly and wittily commanded the "Yangwei" to go from left to right, avoided the enemy's artillery fire, seized the fighter plane and hit the French command ship "Volta" with its tail guns, and the French naval expeditionary commander Gu Ba almost lost his life. ”

Tang Shaoyi and Zhan Tianyou were Rong Hong's two favorite students, he was very pleased to hear it, and gave Song Xiaofei a long list, about twenty or so, introducing these people who had learned ship engineering before and could enter the Beiyang Naval Division, two of whom were talents in telegraphy and could help create new military ciphers. Rong Hong also unexpectedly recommended Rong Rong: "This girl said on the boat, she also wants to make a difference when she comes back, I said, a girl's family is engaged in politics, isn't that nonsense, she also said that I think of old feudalism, let her be the assistant of the virtuous nephew, so it's safe, how?" ”

When Song Xiaofei heard this, it turned out that Rong Rong had a straight face and asked Rong Hong to talk about business first, because he wanted to go back to work by his side, and he was in a good mood, so he immediately said that the person recommended by Rong Hong would accept it as ordered and enter the Beiyang Naval Division. Among this group, fourteen were later promoted to naval officers and became Song Xiaofei's henchmen. As for Rong Rong, Song Xiaofei said, "She is very knowledgeable and understands foreign languages, of course I can't ask for it, in addition to being my assistant, I am also going to prepare a "Qiangguo Daily" to advocate reform and reform the law, ask her to be the editor-in-chief, if it can be done in China's "New York Times", it will be very good." ”

When Rong Rong heard this, she was very interested, and Rong Hong said, "This is very good." ”

Song Xiaofei also said: "I went to Samoto before, and found that Ito Hirobumi and Okuma Shigenobu were both promoting Samoto's constitutional government. I have heard Rong Rong say before that Yale University in the United States has conferred on my uncle an honorary doctorate in law, and this time I would like you to come back, in addition to serving as an advisor to the Beiyang Military Academy, I also ask you to give a lecture on constitutionalism to the cadets. ”

After Rong Hong's young children were evacuated from the United States, he turned his attention to Chinese politics. In terms of reform research, he told Song Xiaofei about his thoughts on the steamer: "It is also appropriate for China to establish a constitutional monarchy, open up a wide range of political views, revise laws and regulations, abolish redundant personnel, clarify the rule of officials, and in terms of education and culture, open universities, set up translation bureaus, translate foreign books, set up newspapers and societies, and support scientific inventions." ”

When Song Xiaofei heard this, he said that he would find an opportunity to discuss with Li Hongzhang.

The opportunity is not long in coming! Song Xiaofei sat beside Li Hongzhang, and the people attending the meeting were all the backbone of the Westernization faction, including Liu Bingzhang, the governor of Sichuan, Sheng Xuanhuai, the governor of the China Merchants Bureau, Liu Mingchuan, the governor of Taiwan, and Wu Tingfang of the Prime Minister's Yamen.

It just so happened that after everyone discussed the current situation, Li Hongzhang looked serious and took out a half-new ink fold, which was the "Testament" by Zhang Shusheng, the general of the Huai Army, who unfortunately died of illness in November 1884. Li Hongzhang said heavily: "Zhenxuan unfortunately died of illness, and the old man lost a talent of the humerus, and he was very sad. He left a legacy, and every sentence was from the bottom of his heart, and he could speak freely about what he thought. ”

Zhang Shusheng's legacy is "deafening": the Fuxi people founded the country, have their own roots, although the etiquette and music education is far inferior to the Chinese, but the tame is rich and strong, and it has physical use. Cultivating talents in the school, discussing politics in the house, the monarch and the people are one, the top and bottom are united, pragmatic and abstain from hypocrisy, plan and then move, this body is also; Ships, cannons, guns, mines, railways, electric wires, and so on. China left its body and sought its use, no matter how hard it went, often not related, so that the iron ships were in line, the railways were up to four places, and the fruit was enough! The law that has not changed for hundreds of years should be self-reliant.

Song Xiaofei, Liu Bingzhang, Wu Tingfang, Sheng Xuanhuai and others circulated the testament, and they were greatly shaken and exchanged ears. Li Hongzhang led the "Westernization faction", has always advocated "middle school for the body, Western learning for use", Zhang Shusheng in Li Hongzhang for the mother Ding worry, on behalf of Li Hongzhang as the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang trade, broadened his horizons, he proposed to educate talents in the school, discuss politics in the house, the monarch and the people are united, and Rong Hong and Song Xiaofei's ideas coincide with the idea of changing the law, Song Xiaofei thought that Li Hongzhang let everyone discuss at this time, obviously agreed with Zhang Shusheng's point of view, he can just use this to promote the change of the law, so he said: " The students felt that Zhang Gong's fold was prescient, and it has been more than 20 years since the foreign affairs were done, and if we only saw the strong ships and cannons of the foreign devils, it could only mean that we were lagging behind this era! The top priority of our country at the moment lies in the foundation of foreign affairs to strengthen industry and commerce, train new soldiers to strengthen the world, promote education and enlighten the wisdom of all people, and turn the old law into the rule of the world!"

These words were very sharp at that time, and everyone present stopped talking, looking at Li Hongzhang, he nodded and motioned for Song Xiaofei to continue.

Song Xiaofei said: "Now in terms of foreign affairs, the establishment of the China Merchants Bureau, the construction of railways, the mining of mineral deposits, the establishment of a money village, the construction of a silk factory, these Sheng Xuanhuai are actively doing, training strong soldiers and students in the Beiyang Military Academy to try, but the scale is not large enough. Education and reform of the law should also be stepped up. The last time I went to Nagasaki, I found that I was discussing the formulation of a constitution, and in a few years, it would become strong, and they would fight with China in the future, and avenge the shame of Korea and Nagasaki. ”

Li Hongzhang was deeply touched when he heard this, and sighed: "The old man also knows that if you are poor, you will change, and if you change, you will be able to figure it out in the hearts of the people, and changing the law can strengthen the country and enrich the people." In this life, the old man was busy with flat long hair and twisting thieves in the first half of his life, and in the second half of his life, he did foreign affairs and Xingshui Division, and he also knew that our country now has a virtual appearance, such as a broken house, and the old man had to act as a pastemaker. Although the current emperor is pro-government, the person in power is still the Queen Mother, the Qingyi Garden (Summer Palace) has been built, and Weng Tonggong and other Qingliu have revived, and everything in the court is confined to tradition, I am afraid that in the future you will be struggling, and the pain in the old man's heart is really difficult for outsiders! ”

Song Xiaofei said: "In today's situation, the great powers are eyeing China, and we are all frogs in warm water. The sooner the law is changed, the more hope China will have. The students have asked Rong Hong to return to China and asked him to be an adviser to the Beiyang Military Academy, to run a strong country newspaper, and to advocate law change. In addition, the students are ready to raise money to open a Peiyang University Hall, and ask Yan Fu to be the president to open up the wisdom of the people and cultivate Western talents. ”

Li Hongzhang believes that a generation always needs to do the things of a generation, so he said: "The old man is old, five out of sixty, how many years can he live?" Maybe when a monk hits the bell for a day, the bell stops ringing, and the monk dies. You let it go, the old man fully supports it, but the imperial court is now a conservative force, so we don't take too big a step, and move forward in small steps. Raise money to run the affairs of Peiyang University Hall, and the old man will ask Sheng Xuanhuai to assist you. ”

Sheng Xuanhuai said on the spot: "Lord Zhongtang, rest assured, I will do my best to do my best." ”

Taiwan's governor Liu Mingchuan also expressed strong support for Song Xiaofei's idea, he said that he can reclaim an "experimental field" in Taiwan, build railways, open coal mines, open schools, etc., Song Xiaofei said that he will vigorously support Taiwan's bold first trial and help recommend relevant technical talents. At this meeting, Song Xiaofei's position as the "successor" in the Huaijun Group was further consolidated, and Li Hongzhang was impressed with him again!;