Hu Chuyuan had always hoped to defeat the Franco-Russian Entente at the same time, both economically and militarily, but with the gradual accumulation of military superiority, the acceleration of domestic economic growth exceeded his expectations, and he now had to hope that the international economy would remain stable.

As a businessman, he always welcomes an economic crisis of the world's surname, and as long as he prepares well, it is his feast for the bottom, which can allow him to easily defeat his competitors.

As the Prime Minister of the Empire, he had to think about the economy at home.

It is a complicated proposition to transfer the problem of domestic economic expansion to foreign countries, and at the same time to prevent the foreign economic crisis from turning into a further drag on the domestic economic problem.

Hu Chuyuan felt more and more that he was a little difficult to control.

At the moment, he can only take one step at a time.

After sending Hu Xuanyuan back to his room to rest, he returned to his living room.

Most of the time, he lives with Wu Shuzhen. In the bedroom, Wu Shuzhen was still waiting for him, lighting a lamp, sitting on the sofa and reading a magazine.

Seeing that he was back, Wu Shuzhen asked with a smile, "Did the third uncle go to rest?" ”

Hu Chuyuan snorted, turned around to wash up, and sat down on the sofa when he came back, wanting to calm down and think about tomorrow.

Wu Shuzhen seemed to guess his thoughts, and said, "Don't think about it, go to bed early, I'm going to Hefei tomorrow...... By the way, Limei has been busy with the business of the dairy these days, she must not be able to go to Hefei, otherwise, I will put the matter of the Women's Normal College on hold and accompany you tomorrow? ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded, but all he thought about in his heart were those who had already left.

He thought, life is really cruel, in a trance, twenty years ago seemed to be just yesterday, perhaps, a few decades later, looking back, it is still just a trance.

Thinking of this, he made up his mind more and more firmly.

This was his first and last term as prime minister.

He is still in the prime of life, and there are still twenty years for him to do something that he is really interested in, not that saving the country and strengthening the country is not something he is interested in, but he feels that he should have done about it.

To be honest, to be honest, he felt like he had done enough.

He can't be a great man, and he doesn't want to be a great man, and he doesn't care.

The next day, Hu Chuyuan, accompanied by his wife Wu Shuzhen, took a special train to Hefei, which was a long journey, and he arrived in Hefei three days later in the evening.

Hefei people call "Li Mansion Half Street", Li Hongzhang's family lives on a street, almost occupies half of the street, the big house is connected to the big house, quite magnificent. The six brothers have six large mansions, plus the back gardens of each family, the scale is enough to reach half the city.

Hu Chuyuan drove along the street in a Shenbao car, and after a rough visual inspection, he estimated that the total area of the Li Mansion should not be less than 300 acres, which was not a few points worse than his Yongyuan in Shanghai!

This street is very close to the Guloutai of Hefei Mansion, it is very lively, there were dozens of sesame oil mills in a forest a long time ago, so it is called Oil Mill Lane, now there is no oil mill, there are banks, money banks and pawnshops.

The car stopped in front of the gate of Li's house, and Bai Aya couldn't be seen, which means that Li Hongzhang was still holding on...... Perhaps, still alive and well.

Hu Chuyuan got out of the car with his wife Wu Shuzhen, and the surrounding guards surrounded him, and the army served as the outer district guard, escorting him all the way to the mansion.

Li Hongzhang is the only one left among the six brothers of Li Hongzhang, and now in charge of the Li Mansion is Li Hongzhang's eldest son Li Jingfang, who succeeded him from his sixth brother Li Zhaoqing, and he is also forty-five years old.

Li Jingfang, who had had many contacts with Hu Chuyuan, was a little lonely at the door, waiting for Hu Chuyuan to welcome him into the inner hall.

In the main hall of Fushou Hall hangs a plaque, which reads "Jun Heng Du Hu" four words, this is the Guangxu Emperor Zai Xiang personally written, Jun Heng is the weight of the imperial court, similar to Hu Chuyuan, Li Hongzhang and other people can use, Du Hu is the meaning of great blessing.

Such a plaque is also available in Hu Chuyuan's home and in his prime minister's office.

Of course, the current Zai Yan Dibao is not worth much.

Everyone understands this.

Li Hongzhang didn't seem to be sick enough to walk, Hu Chuyuan and his wife had just entered the lobby accompanied by Li Jingfang, and Li Hongzhang also staggered out with the support of his youngest son.

When the two met, they had mixed feelings in each other's hearts.

It doesn't matter if you hate, appreciate it, or regret it...... It seems that it is already a thing of the past, and looking around China, they are afraid that they are the people who can understand each other best.

Originally...... If it weren't for the two of them working together, the Qing court would not have agreed to build a large railway, and without the construction of a large railway, how could there be today's great development of the capital market and the great development of the capital economy?

They worked together to build railways, and together they served as the pillars of the coastal defense faction, supporting the construction of the Chinese Navy in the early years.

It's a pity that the shrewd Li Hongzhang thought that he was in control of the entire chess game, but he was still calculated by Hu Chuyuan by one move, and the huge Huai system was split by Hu Chuyuan into the Li family and Liu Ming's lineage, and from then on, Li Hongzhang was no longer Hu Chuyuan's opponent.

Seeing Hu Chuyuan again, what Li Hongzhang's mood is at the moment, only he understands.

He arched his hands tremblingly and said, "Lord Shousuke, don't come unharmed!" ”

Hu Chuyuan also made a compilation and said, "Don't come to the old hall!" ”

"Sit, sit!"

Li Hongzhang was very polite, and even warmly invited Hu Chuyuan to sit down, he is 78 years old this year, his face is wrinkled, his eyes are swollen, his eyes are dizzy, his beard is silver and sparse, and he still has a big silver braid.

Hu Chuyuan sat down with his wife Wu Shuzhen, and the people of the Li family immediately served them tea.

Although he was very careful in his words, Hu Chuyuan could feel the hidden hatred of the Li family, yes, they hated him, and it was he who kicked the Li family from the pinnacle of Chinese politics.

Wu Shuzhen observed all this carefully, but with a smile on her face, Li Hongzhang sighed: "I haven't seen Lao Zhongtang for a long time, and I can't imagine that Lao Zhongtang's complexion is still so good, it must be a blessing to live a long life, and my family is envious." ”

After a pause, she said again: "My husband also has a lot of things to do, and as soon as he heard that Lao Zhongtang had something, he hurriedly brought me over." ”

Hearing this, Li Hongzhang's old cheeks also swelled with some relieved smiles, but he sighed with Wu Shuzhen: "I'm afraid it's just a return to the light, and the old decay can't last long." Now that I can see the noble couple, the old man is already very satisfied in his heart. ”

Wu Shuzhen replied with a smile: "Lao Zhongtang is serious. ”

At this time, Li Jingfang's wife and Li Hongzhang's eldest daughter-in-law also came to visit Hu Chuyuan, and Wu Shuzhen found an excuse to leave with her.

Only Hu Chuyuan and Li Hongzhang were left in the lobby, while Li Cunyi and others were guarding in the courtyard outside the door, more than ten meters apart.

At this time, Li Hongzhangcai and Hu Chuyuan sighed: "Chu Yuan, I still want to thank you, you can come back to see Lao Yu in a hurry at this time, and Lao Yu is also satisfied." ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "Lao Zhongtang is indeed serious, I don't know if Lao Zhongtang asked me to come over, is there anything I have to explain?" ”

Li Hongzhang suddenly coughed a few times, and waved his hand very reluctantly: "I don't have anything to ask for you." Chu Yuan, the old decay is about to die, it's just the affairs of this country, and the old decay is always worried in his heart, so ah, I want to ask you to come back and talk about it for the old decay, so that the old decay will die and there will be no more concerns. ”

Hu Chuyuan thought for a while and said, "Lao Zhongtang has a ruddy and healthy complexion, and he will definitely live to be a hundred years old, so he doesn't have to worry so much." A long time ago, I said to Zuo Gong that the rise and fall of the world, thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi, the number of gases, everything should go naturally, don't care too much. The land of China, once prosperous in a hundred years, once in a hundred years of decline, cannot be prosperous forever, nor can it be forever decayed. Whether you or I, many worries are unnecessary, and in another thousand years, looking back on the present, it will be history. ”

Li Hongzhang nodded slightly and said, "Yes, it's just that the old decay finally failed to look as you can." The old man couldn't help but want to ask, how sure are you in the current battle for the Far East? Since there was already a victory in the Ryukyus, France and Russia were willing to negotiate peace, wouldn't it be better to accept it when they saw it, why did you provoke a legal person again? ”

Hu Chuyuan knew that although he was in the wilderness, he was unwilling after all, so he said: "Don't worry, Lao Zhongtang, I know it in my heart." In fact, if you think about it, in the 25th year of Guangxu, China's total economic GDP has surpassed that of France, second only to the United States, Britain and Germany, but the world powers have always been unwilling to admit that China is a strong country, what is the reason for this? In the final analysis, it is not an economic problem, but a racial problem, the Europeans firmly believe that the white supremacy is the source of this war, since they firmly believe that only the white race can control the world, and we yellow people are only a second-class race, only worthy of their control, then we can only completely defeat them, in order to prove that we can be in charge of Asia. ”

The question of race was beyond the scope of Li Hongzhang's traditional understanding, and he didn't know how to answer it for a while, but he just thought about it silently in his heart.

Hu Chuyuan also said: "Since the 26th year of Guangxu, our total industrial output value has exceeded that of France and Russia combined, and since the beginning of this year, our gross national output has increased by at least 23 percent over the same period last year, and next year, this range will be even greater." This shows that by 1905, China's GDP would surpass that of Germany and leap to the third place in the world. I expect that around 1907 our gross national product and total foreign trade imports and exports will officially surpass Great Britain and become the world's economic power second only to the United States. As an economic power, we must inevitably have the status of a corresponding political and military power, and only in this way can we ensure long-term economic development and our national interests. If a great power like ours tries to rise again, it will inevitably face a major war on a worldwide scale, which is a historical inevitability, just as the war between Britain and France, the war between Britain and Spain, the war between Germany and France, and the war in the Far East are actually both a crisis and an opportunity for us. ”

Li Hongzhang hummed slightly, sighing in his heart that he might really be outdated.

He really didn't expect that China's national strength was actually stronger than France's, and it was only last year.

No, not last year, China surpassed France in overall power almost in 1895.

Li Hongzhang can't think of it, and other people's can't think of it, only people like Hu Chuyuan, who have been talking with data, can understand.

Seeing that he was unable to understand for a while, Hu Chuyuan continued: "The war period itself is also a special economic situation, and I want to use this special period now to complete a great improvement of the Chinese's national industry, economy, culture and national self-confidence, so that the Chinese people and the world can understand that after 20 years of gradual recovery, we have become a world power again." ”

Only then did Li Hongzhang reply: "Okay, the old man understands now, since you have the bottom in your heart, then the old man won't say anything." Over the years, the old decay can be regarded as clear, as long as you are still in charge of the imperial court, there will be no major problems in China...... There is only one problem at the moment, there are no outsiders here, you say...... The emperor has no heirs at the moment, who will he appoint in the future, can there be a conclusion among the Manchu clan? ”

He asked this question very cleverly.

Hu Chuyuan said: "Old Zhongtang, even I don't care about this kind of thing, what do you care?" Things in the world, that naturally have a number of qi and a conclusion, everything is determined by heaven and man, and human is determined by seven, let's ...... Walking and watching. You say that if I am in charge of this court, there will be no major events in China, then if you want me to say, one day I will not be there, and there will be no major events in China, that is the real good thing. ”

Both of them were half-talking.

As soon as he heard this, Li Hongzhang understood, no matter whether what Hu Chuyuan said was true or false, the meaning of his words was already obvious...... He will definitely not be the emperor, and as for whether others will do it or not, he doesn't care.

This is nonsense, besides him, who else in the world has the guts and is qualified to be an emperor?

Li Hongzhang knows very well that even if Hu Chuyuan retreats again, even if he retreats abroad, his control over domestic politics, military, and economy is still very amazing, unless he dies, it is absolutely impossible for another person to replace him and surpass him.

In short, what Hu Chuyuan said just now was all nonsense, nonsense, which means that he didn't say anything.

Li Hongzhang didn't know what to say for a while, he actually wanted to ask two things, first, how sure was the war in the Far East? Second, how long can the Qing Dynasty survive?

After thinking about it, Li Hongzhang decided not to talk about these things anymore.

Immediately, he called his eldest son Li Jingfang back and prepared a dinner party at home to entertain Hu Chuyuan and his wife, as well as Li Cunyi and others.

He knew that Hu Chuyuan was willing to come, which could be regarded as giving him a lot of affection, and this was the last glory of the Li family in his life.

When he dies, the Li family will really learn to be a man with his tail between his legs.

Speaking of which, there is no one in the Li family who does not hate Hu Chuyuan, but in the past two years, Li Hongzhang himself has figured out that he is far inferior to Hu Chuyuan in terms of his ability to govern the country or his ability to deal with foreigners and use the international situation to benefit the country, including the ability and skill to govern the army.

The afterlife is terrifying.

Halfway through dinner, Li Hongzhang began to cough violently and vomit blood, so he could only leave the table and go back to the room to rest and drink medicinal soup.

Soon, the specific situation reached Hu Chuyuan's ears...... When Li Hongzhang returned to the dormitory, he coughed up a small bowl of bruises, drank the medicine and fell asleep.

After listening to the reply, Hu Chuyuan didn't say anything.

After dinner, accompanied by Li Jingfang, Hu Chuyuan and his wife first went to the west courtyard to rest, and the Li family had already prepared to leave a high-class luxury courtyard for them and his wife to live in.

After waiting for a while, Li Jingfang came to visit again, basically wanting to ask Hu Chuyuan and his wife how long they could live, and by the way, he also wanted to ask questions about the future of the Li family.

Hu Chuyuan was talking to him, and Li Cunyi hurriedly walked in, handed over a sealed telegram, and said, "My lord, the War Department is urgent!" ”

With a glance at the two triangular stamps on the telegram for urgent encryption, Hu Chuyuan could roughly understand how urgent the situation was.

He pulled the telegram away, and frown at the first line.

(To be continued)