v Jiangning City, Shuiguan Wharf outside Shuixi Gate.

The winter in the south of the Yangtze River is different from the winter in Yanjing City. Although the capital is cold, the climate is dry, and the sky is high and cloudy. Compared with the wind and sand in the spring, the people of the north prefer more winter. Looking at the festivals to be celebrated by the people, it seems that there are so many more in winter than in other seasons, which seems to be proven.

In the winter in the south of the Yangtze River, although the temperature is a little higher than that in the north, the cold and cold seems to be able to penetrate deep into the bone marrow of people.

This kind of coldness is also shown on the faces of the crowd who set up an archway at Shuiguan Wharf and set up a receiving pavilion to wait for the arrival of Xu Yifan, the new governor of Liangjiang.

Although Xu Yifan walked slowly along the way, he stopped in Suzhou for two days. It seems that he is ready to leave enough time for Jiangning Suzhou officialdom to collude to deal with him. Everyone also wished that Xu Yifan had better die on the road and not come to harm Liangjiang.

But no matter how long it drags on, Xu Yifan is going to come after all.

In the past seven or eight days, the officials to be summoned in Governor Xu Yifan's decree have basically arrived. At the Shuiguan Wharf, they are lined up in a black pressed piece according to the grade. It stands to reason that the other governors will come down before they take office, and the governor's patrol officers will come to make friends with the local officials, what honor guards to use, what supplies, whether the adults like to be lively or simply discount the benefits, there are explanations. But the two officials who went to run the errand this time, one is now being involved, and the other Bai Siwen has no news at all, and none of Xu Yifan's cronies have arrived in advance. What a solution! Besides, whoever has the spirit to serve this two hundred and five, this guy is alone, and it may not be good to serve him.

Because of this, although there is no shortage of anything in the ceremony of Shuiguan Wharf, the number of people who come has doubled. But everything is so-so, foolish. A few banquets, you can't watch them at all.

Everyone's face was gloomy. Fortunately, the officials of the prefectures and counties who came from other places are okay, and this time is neither the time for the upper and lower sides to be busy collecting money and grain, nor is it the time to open and collect the money. It doesn't matter much, and the waist bag is not wronged, it is nothing more than people who eat some hardship. And the miscellaneous officials standing behind them are all soulless, they are little masters, all the benefits of a year are three festivals and two longevity, and the place gives a little filial piety according to the name. Now seeing that the New Year is coming, all the shops and tobacco houses are taking inventory, at this time, the time is delayed in the provincial capital, and the New Year's Festival is missed, that is, the silver of the white flowers, who can eat!

Some of the little masters simply threw Xu Yifan's order behind their ears, stayed on the ground and didn't leave, and let out the words: "Who cares about him!" Anyway, it's just a matter of agency, but it's only a year. Lao Tzu doesn't go, this surnamed Xu bites Lao Tzu's bird? Seeing that I am about to step down, when the time comes, I will be in charge of so much! ”

The top of the little master is not distressed, and a patrol can be donated for only two or three hundred silver in the sky. But many officials present were worried about their top! Jiangning City has been so special recently. The news came from Suzhou one after another, and when it arrived in Jiangning, it was even more boiling. Rong Lu Rong Zhongcheng seems to be going to fight with Xu Dashuai to the end. It is said that he has hurried to Xuzhou to open the drawing fee. In the past, 7,000 people developed, officers borrowed support, and soldiers rewarded, but what can be done with 100,000 yuan, Rong Lu is good, and a full 300,000 yuan will be remitted at once! It is also urgent, and the discount is three points higher than usual! It is said that Chen Fenglou has already sent a telegram to report his loyalty, saying that Wu Yiming's army has been on the road one after another, and the whole army will arrive in Suzhou within 20 days. After the saddle of Rongzhong, the effect is set.

However, there is a different rumor in Jiangning's officialdom, and it is said that the largest three divisions in Jiangning, Fantai Xuetai, have stood with Jiangning's Manchurian generals. Rong Lu wanted to make trouble with Xu Yifan, so let Rong Lu jump out and make trouble. They just watched, after all, Xu Yifan was in Jiangning. Let's see how these two hundred and five acts, if it's good, it's good, if it's not good, it's going to be ruined, and together with Rong Lu, it's dark with Xu Yifan!

This is right for everyone's appetite, thousands of miles of officials are only for money, not for vindictiveness. Xu Yifan used to be in the position, and he was only afraid of being ridiculous. Now that you've achieved fame, how much do you have to be with the light, isn't it? As for the imperial court behind Rong Lu...... Hey, except for some nerd scholars, who still uses the imperial court as a Buddha offering now? But if Xu Yifan really dares to touch the big guy's job, everyone can afford to give up more than 100 catties! The sky is falling, and there is Ronglu on top!

It is precisely because of this news that everyone is dressed neatly today. The three divisions were the leader, and the others were all standing according to their grades, all of them were blue from the cold, and their noses were long, but they were still holding on. Outside the officials, it is the third class of officials in Jiangning City, and the city's defense army is maintaining order. Because I don't know how many people have gathered in Shuiguan, Chengtou hills, and rooftop trees, I don't know how many heads there are, just to see this invincible marshal who shocked Haidong and won the First Sino-Japanese War!

The wind is cold and the dew is heavy, and the river is still quiet.

It's almost time for the arrival of the telegram notice, but Xu Yifan hasn't arrived yet.

The water of the Qinhuai River outside the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ is shallow and slow in this winter. Due to the problem of draft, the small steamer used in the original has been replaced with a smaller one, which dragged the governor's official ship and struggled to swim upstream. The countryside on both sides is empty, and the people have already reduced their doors at this time and are preparing for the New Year. The sky and the earth are gray and desolate.

Chu Wanli stood on the bow of the governor's official ship, looking at the scenery around, silent.

Ever since the night talk between the people in the boat and the people of Nanyang, Chu Wanli has been rarely silent. For the past two days, the cabin deliberately left for him by the governor's ship was almost closed, and the kitchen served the meal, which was delivered to the door for him to pick up. No one knows what this humanoid fox under Xu Yifan is thinking. His appearance is the same as Li Yunzong's smile, so rare that once it happens, the world may be destroyed.

At that night talk, Xu Yifan announced his policy and determination to develop the industry. and Li Daxiong's correspondence and discussion, naturally went very smoothly. These overseas Chinese business groups in Nanyang are not asking for this! The two rivers under the rule of Xu Yifan will fully open the market, land and resources to overseas Chinese businessmen. Sheng Xuanhuai's small machinery, heavy industries such as mines, and resource industries will also transfer part of their equity to them, or simply transfer some enterprises to them. Although the Beiyang Group has been operating painstakingly for many years, it is the foundation of the bureaucratic industry, and it is indispensable to extract a large amount or even excessive profits to the Beiyang Political Group. In addition, the bureaucracy's peculiar phenomenon of treating enterprise managers as officials and holding them up and down will make it inevitable that some people will pay compensation for their losses anyway. Funds have long been exhausted, the transfer of part of the shares, just to absorb a large amount of money in, China is so big, in the industrialization can be said to be a virgin land, Beiyang Group has strengthened the capital, there are talents, some are other business can be done.

Sheng Xuanhuai has already decided to let go of the control and management of the enterprise and concentrate on being an official. It was estimated that Sheng Xuanhuai also had at least more than 10 million family assets. The money has already been earned, and the other thing to consider is how to make yourself go further! Besides, even if the enterprises affiliated to their Beiyang Foreign Affairs Group are decoupled from officialdom one by one, and Xu Yifan supports them to become a monopoly consortium, they still lack his influence and benefits Sheng Xuanhuai? Xu Yifan's support for Nanyang Group to enter the home country is also deliberately trying to support two industrial groups with different origins and different origins. It is good to contain each other and strike a balance. Sheng Xuanhuai has long seen this clearly, so he also gave in beautifully this time. Let the initial group forces under Xu Yifan's command be happy.

The Nanyang Group has promised that within the first year, no less than 30 million taels of capital will pour into the country to establish new enterprises, large and small. In addition, 10 million taels of Pingyin will be used as the start-up fund for Xu Yifan's education plan. And Xu Yifan also reciprocated with his full support for their commitment, no matter which aspect! As long as they can open the curtain on the process of comprehensive industrialization of at least the coastal part of China!

Everyone intentionally or unintentionally ignored what position Xu Yifan had put in his future status by making such a promise and guarantee. Once Xu Yifan falls, then these people are stupid and helpless, and Nanyang Capital will lose all their money!

Xu Yifan has already declared his determination, and these domestic and foreign capital spokespersons who urgently need to change the lifeless status quo of the Qing Dynasty and need more space for development are really standing in the same boat with him. The combination of interests is the most stable group.

"What the hell are you thinking these days?" A voice suddenly sounded behind Chu Wanli, and when he looked back, it was Xu Yifan in a coat. Although the weather was cold, he was not very thickly dressed, and he stood there with a straight waist and a heroic spirit. Since the direction has been determined, in front of outsiders, Xu Yifan may have to maintain his reputation of living two hundred and five, but in front of his own people, the unique trick is much less. also pays more attention to his image, everyone understands that Xu Yifan's status is unlimited, and his ambition is unlimited. In front of him, he looked up to many respectfully. He also understood this, and deliberately began to restrain himself a little.

In Pyongyang, North Korea, the Xu Yifan who ate with the big-headed soldiers, slept in the big barracks together, ran around the field together, joked around, and shook his head and tail in the interest Gradually, but naturally disappeared. Xu Yifan himself is also a little helpless, but what kind of status he should do. The road of reversing the seizure has come to the present, and all this is natural.

Chu Wanli turned around, rubbed his hands and smiled: "This boat is really slow!" My lord, my subordinate is an active surname, but I feel a little bored, and it's good to go ashore! ”

Xu Yifan squinted at him: "Who are you kid fooling?" If you can be honest, the sky should fall, so let's talk about it. Which girl's idea is you? Lao Tzu has a few wives, and you and Li Yunzong are still single...... You kid and Li Yunzong can't be the base, right? ”

He made a joke that Chu Wanli didn't understand, and then put away his complexion and asked lightly: "When did you Chu Wanli dare not speak in front of me?" ”

This sentence was a bit heavy, and Chu Wanli also quietly stood up straight, and looked at Xu Yifan without flinching. After a while, he bowed his head first and said with a wry smile: "My lord, my subordinates are so smart, it seems that they can't be sold in front of you............ In the past two days, my subordinates have been thinking about two things over and over again............"

"Which two?" Xu Yifan asked step by step. Chu Wanli is no better than others, he is the confidant of the beginning! Those who have achieved great things are most afraid that their henchmen will secretly have other thoughts. Not to mention Chu Wanli, who is recognized as the No. 1 think tank of the Praetorian Guard!

“………… My subordinates have also read a little miscellaneous book, but they can't be compared with adults. The adults decided to adopt the policy of breeding and reveling, and their subordinates have been pondering for a long time............ This is a national policy that benefits a few! It's not that I'm jealous of them, but I think, what about the common people? The subordinates and the marshal went to Yueben, and for the sake of comprehensive industrialization, the common people lived a very hard life. It's much more bitter than us! To fully industrialize and catch up with the foreign devil powers, the subordinates also know, don't look at Sheng Xuanhuai and those families in Nanyang to look at the rich and rival the country, but that little money is not enough. If you want to save this capital, you will either rob your own domestic people, or you will go out to rob other people. Robbing their own people, their subordinates are lazy, they feel that they can't do it, grab the outside, and look at how badly this time they lost! What if we follow in their footsteps? Whether it is to strengthen the country or let the people live a peaceful life, the subordinates really can't think of it............"

The Chu Wanli in front of him is still the Chu Wanli who dared to ask the flag man to fold his head when he met him for the first time! Under the hippie smile, there is still a pure heart! However, at that time, he only saw the great harm of the rule of the banner people to Huaxia, but at this time, he thought of it even deeper!

Xu Yifan was really emotional for a while. The basis of his career is not Nanyang's funds, nor tens of thousands of Janissaries. It's these hot-blooded young people who come from all over the world, under the dark and gloomy sky of this era, struggling to find a way out! No matter how much the country's national fortune has declined at this time, the pursuit of prosperity and strength of the Chinese nation seems to be a destiny imprinted in the genes of this nation! In his time, it was this long-term cry that lasted from 3,000 years to the present that made countless of the best young people in the past 100 years burn themselves to the ground!

The general trend is like this, he just followed the trend, and he went all the way up and down to his current position. Compared with many careerists in this era, his only advantage is that the traveler has a clear grasp of this general trend!

The words "technique and potential", no matter how clever he is and what kind of technique he uses, he will never violate this general trend!

He looked at Chu Wanli seriously, and finally just smiled. In this smile, I don't know how much emotion is hidden.

“………… You kid, don't look more slippery than Li Yun, but you are much more naïve than him............ We can't go back to the era of smallholder self-sufficiency............ Look what time this is! This was the end of the nineteenth century in the Western calendar. It is an era of unprecedented cruelty in human history, and the law of the jungle rules all international relations! All kinds of civilizations compete, and if they do not advance, they will retreat. To make up for missing a step at this time, it takes a hundred years of blood to catch up! We're up late, but we can't be late! Any rising country that wants to squeeze into the ranks of the pinnacle of human nations is indispensable for the accumulation of blood and cruelty............ The foreign devils of the great powers plundered the whole world. I can only guarantee that in my lifetime, I will try to grab as much as possible from the outside world! And if the ancestors and gods bless me, under my control, I will try my best to let our country and nation not fall to the point where it is said to be!

We need to be strong as soon as possible, and if we are strong enough, we can fight for our fair share. It is also possible to reflect on the group that had to make sacrifices in this primitive accumulation process............ Abolish agricultural taxes, provide all kinds of subsidies, welfare for the whole people, and I have a hundred ways to repay them! We are such a big country and nation, it is impossible to be like a small country, and the residue can be fed, and at this point, how many other civilizations have to step on the corpses to reach it! Of course, with the development of the times, the means of defeating, suppressing and plundering other civilizations will gradually change, and perhaps become less bloody............ I don't have a choice, and neither does this country! All I have to do is make the process as short as possible. For this, we also need this fragmented and lifeless Qing Dynasty to be set in one as soon as possible! Only in this way can we pack up and hit the road as soon as possible! If you want to follow in my footsteps, you have no hesitation! ”

Since the crossing, this is the first time that Xu Yifan has revealed all his ideals and ambitions so clearly (except for marrying seven or eight wives). Suddenly, he seemed to be the angry young man in college who talked nonsense after drinking half a bottle of beer, and was always a little out of place in the bureaucracy.

So far, he has no reason to give up!

Chu Wanli just listened quietly to Xu Yifan's words, and he didn't speak for a long time. The two just looked at each other silently. It wasn't until in the river breeze that both of them were blown cold that Chu Wanli stretched his waist and said with a wry smile: "............ Hi, the second question, the subordinates don't have to ask it anymore. In order to implement the national policy of rejuvenating the industry, it is necessary to set a fixed principle, otherwise everything we talk about will be nothing. Since the lord is determined to do so, his subordinates have a job to do............ At least you have to cooperate with the adults to clean up the Liangjiang officialdom............ Yun Zong's coffin face is busy with this. In fact, I am more suitable than him to act in this scene, but unfortunately Rong Lu has seen me............ Your Excellency, you go ahead, and I will follow. Let this world be one, and it is also a very lively drama............"

Xu Yifan smiled faintly and patted him on the shoulder: "Very good, follow Lao Tzu, I can't lose your kid's ............ I said, you and Yun Zong should also talk about a daughter-in-law. There are beautiful women in Jiangnan, look for them? ”

"Pull it down, adult, if it's easy to find, there are seven or eight children in my subordinates now............"

Xu Yifan was impassioned, and now he feels cold, and the cold wind is blowing. Seeing that Chu Wanli's expression was also lively, he knew that this kid had figured it out, and smart people were often better than others. When the goal was achieved, he didn't want to continue to stand here and eat the wind, so he just ordered: "Don't pretend to be dead for Lao Tzu, you kid, cheer up!" "Just turn around and leave.

After walking a few steps, he muttered in a low voice: "You kid and Li Yunzong, I see that you have a foundation,............ Who is attacking and who is suffering? Well, I'll have to think about it for you............"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hiroshima, Ujina Port.

The war between the Qing Dynasty and Yueben was already in a state of truce in the legal sense. However, the two countries also understand that no matter how much they fight, they will not be able to fight. The following is the negotiation, who loses points, who earns points, and the powers that mediate this war will reap some benefits. The First Sino-Japanese War has become history.

However, at the end of the nineteenth century in the Western calendar, the ambition of this book has been blown away by the rain and wind.

Upinport, the largest military port in and out of the mainland, was full of transport ships calling at the port inside and outside the wharf at this time. The remnants of the army were beaten to pieces, and the remnants of the army poured down from the ship. The British and French representatives who oversaw the demobilization of the army compared with the local officials against the remnants of the defeated army who had withdrawn from the Qing Dynasty.

The army that has lost the battle is naturally demoralized. Judging by the current financial situation, most of them are also going to be demobilized from the civilian population. The soldiers were all expressionless, and some of them seemed to have relaxed expressions on their faces. And one by one, the officers got off the boat, but they couldn't help but look back to the west, full of unconvinced looks.

But if they are not convinced, what can they do!

If the national fortune is missed, it is missed.

In addition to these withdrawn troops, there are more chaotic ships parked at the wharf, and all of these special ships requisitioned by the army and navy will be demobilized, and all those that have been renovated and equipped with weapons will also be dismantled. The wharf seems to have become a construction site, simple booms are everywhere, there is a clanging sound of dismantling on every boat, plus people shouting horses neighing, the sound of officers giving orders to the whole team, and the liveliness of Upingang is just as it was when it first set off to conquer the Qing! It's just that to those who care, these noisy and hectic sounds become more and more desolate the more they listen.

Hirobumi Ito was on a remote dock in Ujina Port, looking up at everything in front of him. There were few attachés around him, and they stood with him in the sea breeze, all of them silent.

Ito Hirobumi is already in shape, although he has regained the military and political power of Yumoto, but he is no longer in the style of the past!

For more than a month, he had to subdue those unwilling factions in the country, and at the same time worry about the country's finances, which was already on the verge of bankruptcy, and even more had to negotiate armistice negotiations with Britain, France, the United States, and Russia. These busyness has consumed a lot of his energy and physical strength, not to mention that he has now become a public enemy of the whole country, and the title of surrendering prime minister and betraying the country is already full of his head. I don't know how many "heroes" want to stab him with red eyes and sharpen their knives. Under such pressure, Ito Hirobumi did everything he had to do as if nothing had happened, but he lost weight at an alarming rate.

In the sea breeze, his figure is like a dry wood that seems to be blown off at any time.

And this time, he is going to endure an even greater humiliation.

Britain, France, the United States, and Russia jointly mediated the war, as the party that offered to sue for peace (the humiliating surrender of the Qing Dynasty, under Xu Yifan's great victory, was ignored by everyone's choice of surname). Ito Hirobumi had to go to Tianjin as the representative of the Imperial Axe, and under the supervision of the Great Powers, formally negotiate with the representatives of the Qing Empire to end the war, which had effectively stopped.

The attachés selected by him, whether they were officers or political axe officials, finally made the trip with him under his persuasion. Because Hirobumi Ito said to them, there is still something to be done!

The attachés who followed him were all Ito Hirobumi's confidants for many years, and they all chose to believe Ito Hirobumi for the last time.

"Your Excellency, please get on board."

Seeing Ito Hirobumi standing there, his face became more and more pale, and the attaché behind him finally stepped forward and persuaded in a low voice. Ito Hirobumi was shocked, as if he had woken up from a nightmare, and nodded slowly: "Okay, get on the boat." ”

The attaché supported him and couldn't help but ask again: "Your Excellency, is there really anything to do?" ”

Ito Hirofumi smiled faintly: "I'm a person who doesn't have a lot of time, why should I lie to you?" For the fate of the empire, not for me, I hope you can cooperate with me, a national thief, and do the last game! ”

The attaché next to him nodded silently, and they only had a vague idea of what was in Ito Hirofumi's heart. But everyone thinks that it's just a slight opportunity. No one knows what supports Hirobumi Ito, who has such a firm belief that he almost squeezes out the last bit of energy left in his life!

Ito Hirobumi staggered onto the gangplank, and the sailors on board were already reaching out at the gangway to help. Ito Hirobumi stopped and looked back at the attaché beside him: "............ Can you go to Jiangning first? I really want to see that Xu Yifan............"

Then he smiled to himself: "How can I go and visit him!" At this time, he can't do anything to add to his prestige............ I hope that the water and flowers in the south of the Jiangnan of the Qing Kingdom can kill his heroic will! Standing side by side with him under the skies of East Asia, I really don't know if it's a blessing or a misfortune? ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ after waiting for an unknown amount of time, all the Qing officials present began to lose patience, ignoring the low curses of the officials, Xu Yifan's governor official ship finally appeared in everyone's sight!

The dragon flag fluttered high on the bow of the ship.

On the side of the governor's ship, there were several small steamers, and the broadside of the deck, as when they arrived in Shanghai, was full of Praetorian Guards officers and men wearing yellow military uniforms and standing straight with guns. If in Shanghai, they still seem casual, but this time they are deliberate, hundreds of brothers-in-law's battalions of Hundred Battles Tiger Ben are here to show the full power of the Praetorian Guard, all the glory and pride!

This kind of new-style strong army that has never existed in the Qing Dynasty is really the best means for Xu Yifan to show his strength. The aura of murder was heard far away before the ship had even arrived at the dock. The officials present looked at each other with different arms, and just looked at the flying and fluttering Canglong Banner in amazement.

This flag, from the land of Haidong to the land of three thousand miles of rivers and mountains, the mountains and rivers of Manchuria, all the way high. It seems that he still has the smoke and bloodshed of the past war, together with an absolute strongman in the last days of the Qing Dynasty who stretched out this banner with his own hands, and finally came to Liangjiang!

After a while, Jia Yiqian of the Jiangsu Domain came over, and in the cold weather, he was already covered with sweat, and he hurriedly ordered: "Raise the cannon!" Blow! Fight against Xu's army! ”

Before the gunners of the Governor's Yamen could ignite the foreign fire and raise the cannons, bursts of firecrackers sounded around them almost at the same time! I don't know how many strings of firecrackers there are, and they all exploded at the same time, and some of them grew from the head of the water gate city to the ground! The sound of firecrackers drowned out all other sounds, and only one cheer grew higher and higher: "Haidong Xu Dashuai!" Haidong Xu is handsome! Haidong Xu is handsome! ”

These firecrackers were brought by the people of Jiangning spontaneously, and they did not have as many twists and turns in their hearts as people in the officialdom. There is only one of the simplest thoughts, in the past few decades of the Qing Dynasty, it has been fighting and losing a battle against outsiders, and only the big man in front of him has defeated a country!

The surrounding crowd cheered and the crowd surged, so the Peng Pai tide rose and fell. There were already people squeezing forward, the government defense army was desperately trying to maintain order, and the officials in the crowd looked at each other, and everyone was discolored.

The official ship was getting closer and closer, and a young man in a Western-style military uniform finally stepped onto the bow of the boat and appeared in front of everyone.

Xu Yifan, with a completely different attitude, drove to the two rivers.

Wind and thunder swirling.

(To be continued)