Ma Jiayi and Han Yumo escorted Dai Xu and Xia Luanxiang's family by boat, along the canal all the way to the east, and arrived in Shanghai three days later.

Today's Shanghai American Concession is like a big construction site, except for the neat rows of Shikumen-like alleys along the Suzhou Creek, the rest of the area is almost entirely under development.

As soon as Huafu established itself in Shanghai, Gu Wusheng asked people to make a complete plan for the US concession and show it to US Consul Ma Hui. Gu Wusheng told Ma Hui that the Taiping army and the Manchu generals were engaged in a brutal tug-of-war in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, and that many wealthy merchants, landlords, and eunuchs had fled to the concession to buy houses and properties. After a while, more wealthy people from the Qing Kingdom will pour into the concession. The US Concession should take precautions and make early preparations so that the rich people of the Qing Dynasty and their funds will remain in the US Concession, not the British Concession and the French Concession.

Ma Hui is a businessman, and he can see the business prospects at a glance and express his full support. Ma Hui also specially raised a sum of money and invested it as a share. After the launch of the real estate project, the novel Shikumen design was sought after by many wealthy families who had taken refuge in Shanghai, and the third phase of the pre-sale project launched by Huafu Foreign Bank has been sold out, and Gu Wusheng plans to continue to increase real estate development efforts and cultivate a large number of high-level construction teams.

Huafu also bought all the sections along the Huangpu River from the Hongkou River estuary to the Suzhou Creek estuary, and the tidal flats near the Huangpu River have been built into a modern wharf by Huafu Foreign Bank. The wharf is still named Yangtze River Wharf, the same name as later generations. The high steam tower crane is lined up along the Yangtze River wharf, and the 10,000-ton cargo ship can be docked directly to load and unload goods, replenish water, coal, and food, and the wharf is a long large warehouse. A cement arch bridge was also built at Waibaidu at the mouth of the Suzhou Creek, which became a close link between the American and British concessions.

Huafu also built a four-story building at the confluence of the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek, which was the location of the later Seagull Hotel. Gu Wusheng plans to combine classical European style and modern elements to decorate it into a high-level hotel with elegant taste and elegant atmosphere, the Four Seasons Hotel (Saison).

Huayang Academy, located in the American Concession, was also taken over by Huafu and merged with the technical school originally located in Pudong to become Huafu Foreign School's technical vocational school.

In addition to its own Pudong area, Shanghai Huafu Foreign Bank has set up a machinery factory, a soda ash factory, a raw silk factory, a textile factory and a Weijing factory; It also purchased a large piece of land in the Tilanqiao area on the east bank of the Hongkou River, preparing to open a factory to produce modern daily necessities such as cigarettes, whiskey, shampoo, toothpaste, cosmetics, etc., on the one hand, to open up the luxury market and lead the fashion cháo flow in Shanghai; On the other hand, in order to provide living benefits for the cadres of the Ming Dynasty, more than N people have reported to the Executive Committee that they are not suitable for this kind of life without modern toiletries.

In a shikumen by the Suzhou River, the three families of Dai Xu, Xia Luanxiang, and Li Shanlan finally met together. After settling Dai Xu and the others, Ma Jiayi and Han Moyu entered a relatively hidden mansion next door through the back door, which was a stronghold of the Yangtze River Bureau.

"Hey, isn't this Lin Shenhe? You guy didn't go to the Jiangnan camp to play, why did you run here. Seeing Lin Shenhe sitting on a chair in the living room of the main hall, Ma Jiayi felt a little strange. When he was on a business trip in Hangzhou, he saw a newly arrived Beijing newspaper, which said that Xianfeng Ming issued an edict to transfer Lin Shenhe's victorious army and go to Guazhou, Beijing, to recover Zhenjiang first, and then move troops to help suppress Yangcheng and other places.

"Xianfeng Xiao'er thinks beautifully, let me help him fight Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, and finally help him fight Nanjing." Lin Shenhe snorted, "The shell hurt my lungs, and I have to recuperate slowly." In addition, the siege of the city also ran out of guns and ammunition, and supplies had to be transported from the British card. ”

"Ha, you're fooling Xianfeng like this."

"How can I take care of Xianfeng, I have to send Dai Xu, Xia Luanxiang, and Li Shanlan to Dunan Island, and take a look at my Zhou Xiuying by the way." Lin Shenhe said with his eyebrows fluttering.

This guy is definitely sè worm full of brains. Ma Jiayi thought in his heart, and asked casually, "The prince has already agreed, right?" Okay, Dai Xu, Xia Luanxiang, and Li Shanlan will be handed over to you, and Han Moyu and I will be bumpy on the road. ”

Wang Xie Tang, as the leader of Jinyiwei, is known as Wang Dugong and Wang Changgong, and even good people directly call him Wang Gonggong.

"Well, I'm here waiting for a response from the Prince."

Ma Jiayi nodded and did not say anything more. Lin Shenhe's IQ is first-class, and his hands-on ability is also first-class, he doesn't want to cause Lin Shenhe to misunderstand because of any micro-expressions.

Gu Wusheng walked out of the inner room, and he first told Lin Shenhe, "You can't go to Dunan Island, there is news from Běijing that the Qing court has appointed you as the deputy general of the Zhejiang Jiaxing Association, so that you can recuperate in Jiaxing while training soldiers." ”

Ma Jiayi thought that he could see Lin Shenhe's depressed appearance, but Lin Shenhe had a bright smile on his face, "It's okay, if you can't go, you won't go, anyway, Zhou Xiuying will be able to return to Shanghai at the end of the year." ”

The mentality is good, Gu Wusheng nodded, "There is another news, the Yulin Army and the Haijing team have been expanded, and the executive committee is now fully implementing the military rank system, and all those who have military positions will be awarded military ranks." ”

According to the decision of the Military Commission, the Yulin Army was expanded into four infantry battalions, and half of the two thousand recruits of the recruit training camp were assigned to the Yulin Army, and the other half went to the Haijing team.

The four infantry companies of the 1st Regiment of the Yulin Army were expanded into four infantry battalions. The regiment commander and political commissar are colonels, the battalion commander and instructor are majors, and the company commander instructor is lieutenant.

The rank of Captain of the Navy is correspondingly lower, and the rank of Captain of a Steamship Commissar is now adjusted to the rank of Lieutenant and the rank of Lieutenant of the Landing Craft Captain.

Because Taiwan is about to arrive, the Executive Committee approved the establishment of the Taiwan Strait Bureau. The crossing team disposed of all the miscellaneous ships seized in the past half a year to the local businessmen in Dinghai, leaving only the 12 red single boats and 8 red haired boats that had been repaired to be compiled into the Taiwan Strait Bureau of the Haijing team, and the first seven Haijing ships of the Haijing team were compiled to the East Zhejiang Bureau.

According to the CMC's assumption, the Navy Corps is currently responsible for the dual duties of maritime inspection and marines, and should also be awarded military ranks. However, there are very few cadres in the Haijing team, and they basically hold middle and senior positions, and most of the captains of the Haijing ships are indigenous people. After careful consideration, the Military Commission finally decided to establish the rank of Haijing, with Chen Yu and Jiang Li as lieutenant colonels in Haijing, Wang Xinglei and Wang Wenli as major in Haijing, and the captain of the Haijing ship as the rank of lieutenant in Haijing.

Hearing that the Executive Committee fully implemented the military rank system, Lin Shenhe suddenly realized, "We also give military ranks? ”

"That's right!" Gu Wusheng nodded approvingly, "The Executive Committee considers your work to be fruitful and awards you the rank of Major Jinyiwei." ”

“me?” Ma Jiayi made a gesture.

"Both of you." Gu Wusheng stood up and stretched out his hand, "Congratulations." ”

After shaking hands, Ma Jiayi immediately asked Gu Wusheng, "Where is Yumo?" What about the prince? ”

"Han Yumo is a captain, Wang Xie Tang is a member of the executive committee, and the members of the executive committee will not consider awarding the title for the time being." As he spoke, Gu Wusheng handed Ma Jiayi a file bag, "There are a lot of materials here, you go to the next room to read it slowly, and then talk to you later." ”

Lin Shenhe glanced at it, it was written on the document bag that it was Germany, and it was none of his business, so he immediately got up and left.

Ma Jiayi sat alone in the wing room, carefully reading a large amount of information about Germany's politics, economy, military, and other aspects.

Half an hour later, Gu Wusheng opened the door and walked in, he saw Ma Jiayi sitting there pondering, leaving only a single piece of paper on the table in front of him, and all the other materials had been put into the file bag.

"Have you finished reading it? Tell me your opinion. ”

Ma Jiayi came back from his contemplative state, he smiled, and picked up the paper on the table, "Li Dorn's draft of the Prussian Diplomatic Outline of Action is very feasible. There are two main goals here: one is to promote the reunification of Germany, and the other is to promote cooperation between China and Germany. ”

Gu Wusheng nodded, "The implementation of the strategy against Germany is a big move, and it will take more than half a year to operate. Have you read these materials, what are your thoughts and suggestions for this? ”

Ma Jiayi said without hesitation, "The key point of the strategy against Germany is to kill William IV." ”

Ma Jiayi was reading and thinking about it just now, and it was not difficult to have a relationship with Bismarck. At this time, Bismarck was in the dormant period of his political career, and at the same time a crucial period in his political thinking from Prussian isolationism to German unity, from pro-Austrian to anti-Austrian. With the huge amount of information we have, including Bismarck's own personal letters and rimoirs during this period, which reflect his inner thoughts, it is very easy for Bismarck to be completely inclined to cooperate with the "Ming Dynasty" in his personal attitude.

However, in order to truly promote the cooperation between Germany and the Ming Dynasty, the key is to rely on the strength of the Ming Dynasty. If the crossing team can take Taiwan as soon as possible and control the Taiwan Strait, Bismarck sees that the Ming Dynasty has territory, financial resources, and technology, and is willing to support their reunification, and this cooperation will naturally hit it off.

Ma Jiayi's biggest obstacle to this plan was the elimination of William IV. Wilhelm IV, the current king of Prussia, was suffering from a serious illness of the gods, who were in an extremely unstable state and were not suitable for diplomatic purposes, and should be sent to kill him as soon as possible and bring Wilhelm I, who promoted the unification of Germany, to power.

After listening to Ma Jiayi's thoughts, Gu Wusheng was a little moved, he stared at Ma Jiayi's eyes tightly, "It's easy to kill William IV, there are sniping, explosions, and poisoning methods." But if the situation in Germany is to be stable, it is necessary to simulate a natural death and kill him quietly. What are your thoughts on this? ”

"I just came up with a solution." Ma Jiayi smiled, he got up and put his ear against Gu Wusheng, and whispered his thoughts.

"Good!" Gu Wusheng stood up and held Ma Jiayi's hand tightly, "Congratulations, William IV is yours now!" ”

That night, Ma Jiayi and Han Yumo quietly left Shanghai on a merchant ship, and Dai Xu, Xia Luanxiang, Li Shanlan and their families were also on board.

Eighteen years arrived in Dinghai, Ma Jiayi was just in time for the grand promotion ceremony.

On the big cāo field of the Yancang base, the "New Ming Army Military Song" is being played on the loudspeaker. Nearly 2,000 people from the Yulin Army and Haijing Team lined up neatly and strictly.

Ma Jiayi was wearing a flying fish suit and an embroidered knife, sitting with Wang Xinglei and Wang Wenli and others, and always felt a little awkward when he saw them in straight military uniforms.

Yunlan read out the list of promoted military ranks one by one, and Ma Jiayi followed the officers who were awarded the rank of major to the rostrum. When he received the epaulettes and award certificate of Major Jinyiwei from Bai Baoxiang's hand, he suddenly remembered a question, how to hang the epaulettes of Major Jinyiwei on the flying fish suit.

In the evening of the same day, Ma Jiayi had a detailed discussion with Wang Xie Tang and other members of the Executive Committee at the General Military Mansion. Then he met Xu Nanying, Wei Ce and others, and took a Haijing ship from the Taiwan Strait Bureau to Dunan Island. Ma Jiayi needs to send Dai Xu, Xia Luanxiang, Li Shanlan and their families to Dunan Island, and then transfer to Keelung, waiting to meet Li Duoen and others.

The Executive Committee decided that Wu Shimang, the pacification envoy of eastern Zhejiang, led a company, Wang Xinglei and Wang Wenli led seven ships of the Haijing Bureau of eastern Zhejiang to stay in Dinghai to maintain deterrence against eastern Zhejiang, and the rest of the troops would rush to Taiwan in batches.

On the evening of the nineteenth, Chen Yu and Jiang Li handed over the Yancang base to Wang Xinglei, and rushed to Dunan and Keelung with twenty ships from the Taiwan Strait Bureau of the Haijing team. The 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Yulin Army went to Keelung with the ship to strengthen Keelung's land forces.