Hu Chuyuan is indeed a very peculiar person, with a kind of attraction that makes people willing to work and take refuge, partly because of his money, and partly because his ideas are always surprising and completely feasible.

is both the richest man and has such a powerful mind, anyone can imagine how terrible his future is.

Now, he said that he would do a big job in Fuzhou, build Fuzhou Shipyard into the first shipyard in Asia, and build the Fujian Navy Division into the first ironclad fleet in Asia, who dares to doubt, who does not believe that all this will become a reality in his plan!

Although the Min people were too xenophobic, Zhang Cheng, Ye Fu and Deng Shichang couldn't help but want to stay, at least in Hu Chuyuan's periphery.

If Hu Chuyuan was appointed by the imperial court to go to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to prepare for the Nanyang Naval Division, they would not hesitate to follow.

In short, although Hu Chuyuan is very young, he can do all the things that others can't do.

Inviting everyone over this time, Hu Chuyuan actually wanted to unify the idea of the entire Harbour Yamen, so that everyone could believe in his plan and work together for it.

After everyone believed it, Hu Chuyuan discussed the follow-up matters with Wu Zhengbing, Zhang Cheng and others, and finalized the itinerary to buy warships in Europe, as well as some plans for the purchase of additional shipping facilities, including some personnel changes and organizational adjustments within the shipping administration.

Everything is evolving according to Hu Chuyuan's prior plan, and although Hu Chuyuan is not sure about the advantages and disadvantages of the three divisions (the General Affairs Department, the Finance Department, and the Supervision and Examination Department) and the six bureaus (the Shipping Bureau, the Engine Wheel Bureau, the Military Industry Bureau, the Chemical Industry Bureau, the Metallurgical Bureau, and the Technology Bureau), as well as the reduction of administrative officials and the addition of a large number of technical officials, everyone does not dare to oppose it, although they are not sure about their own advantages and disadvantages.

While talking, Dai Hongci suddenly proposed: "To promote my lordship, it is better to add another academic affairs bureau to manage the affairs of the Harbour Master School." ”

Zhang Baixi said: "My lord, it seems that you can consider it." In addition, there is a very troublesome problem in the Harbour Master School, that is, it is difficult to recruit students, and if you want to cultivate more talents, you must increase the number of students. ”

Hu Chuyuan pondered for a moment and said: "This idea is okay, but it can't be set up, but a department." You must find that the three divisions I am talking about actually correspond to the three major members of the promotion, the adjustment and the director. In addition to the Ship Master School, I would like to set up free enlightenment schools in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou and other places, from which the children of poor families will be selected to enroll in the Ship Master School. ”

Zhang Baixi praised: "This method is good, it can fundamentally solve the problem of insufficient students." ”

Everyone talked about it in a group, and they talked about a problem when they temporarily inserted a question, which was strange to say, and the people who talked about it and finally hammered out a suitable method were almost all Hu Chuyuan.

His whimsy, his broad-mindedness, his overall view and his prudence in small matters, his control over government affairs, and his familiarity with funds and personnel...... All this made Zhang Baixi, Wu Zhengbing, Ye Fu and others all admire the five-body throw.

After such a long talk, everyone really understood why the major merchant gangs and foreign banks in Jiangnan would defeat him.

When the feast dispersed, Hu Chuyuan personally sent everyone away, and was about to go back to the room to rest, but Ye Fu walked back with a lantern, and when he saw Hu Chuyuan, he said: "Lord Tiao, I still have a few words left to finish today." ”

"Hmm!"

Hu Chuyuan knew that Ye Fu was the kind of person who thought more, and he was not very surprised, so he invited him back to his study.

After Pan Limei poured tea for them before leaving, Hu Chuyuan said to Ye Fu: "Lord Ye, if you have anything to say, please say it directly, you can believe that I am a person who can hide words!" ”

"The last general understands!" Ye Fu arched his hand, and said: "The last general feels that this place in Fujian is too xenophobic, and if the important task of coastal defense of the imperial court is handed over to the Min people for a long time, I am afraid that it will be difficult for the generals of the naval divisions in other provinces to succeed." In contrast, Guangdong was more civilized, so why not suggest that the imperial court and Lord Shen should move the Nanyang Naval Division to Guangdong and re-open the Guangzhou Ship Administration Yamen in Guangdong. ”

After a pause, he said: "The last general is definitely not a Cantonese native who would suggest this, in recent years, the more I think about it, the more I feel that Guangdong must have a maritime hero, otherwise it will not be able to protect the territory of the South China Sea." The great rivers and mountains, the sea area of thousands of miles, how can they all be hired by foreigners? ”

Hu Chuyuan was slightly silent, he knew that what Ye Fu said was a fact, and it was a fact that could not be ignored.

However, China had no choice, and he had no choice, and at present, China's coastal defense could only rely on the Fujianese, and he did not have 13 years to build a new ship master school.

Unless you wait for those who are mainly Cantonese to study in the United States to successfully graduate at an early age and have a certain amount of internship and further study experience in the United States before returning to China.

After pondering for a moment, Hu Chuyuan said: "Lord Ye, let me tell you the truth, what you said is not completely impossible. Do you know why the Nanyang sailors are not placed in Nanyang, but in Jiangsu and Zhejiang? ”

Ye Fudao: "My lord has already said it before, because of the two governors. ”

Hu Chuyuan sneered faintly and said, "That's just the words on the scene." The imperial court has always paid attention to the balance strategy in the strength of the Hunan and Huai systems, the Zhili is mainly the Huai system, and the Liangjiang is mainly the Hunan system, and the safety of the imperial court depends on these two forces, and it must also rely on them, and pay more attention to the balance and balance of the two sides. If the Huai system has a Beiyang Naval Division, and the Hunan Department does not have a Nanyang Naval Division, what do you think will be the outcome? Even if the imperial court decides to build Beiyang first and then Nanyang, the Hunan system at least has its own naval strength, and coupled with the Yangtze River naval division controlled by the Hunan system for a long time, the strength will continue to be maintained on the same line. ”

Ye Fu suddenly realized and said, "The last general understands, thank you for mentioning it." But since that's the case, then why don't you build the Nanyang Naval Division? ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "Lord Ye, you like to think more about these aspects, I agree with and appreciate it." As for why I had to build the Fujian Naval Division, instead of the Yangtze River Naval Division and the Nanyang Naval Division controlled by Zuo Zhongtang, the reason is really not very easy to say, but I can say that political reasons account for the vast majority! ”

"Oh!" Ye Fu bowed his hand apologetically and said, "That's the last general's presumptuousness, since this is the case, the last general can't say anything more." I don't mean that Fujian people are not good, Fujian people are united and willing to fight, and they are indeed the best candidates for military generals. It's just that there are always pros and cons to everything, and it is advisable to use the pros and diss to remove the disadvantages! ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "Lord Ye don't worry, I will make proper arrangements." However, you can tell me what you said to me today, please don't say it to a third person! ”

Ye Fu said: "Don't worry, my lord, the last general has always hidden these words in his chest, and he will only say this to his lord once, and he will never mention it again." ”

Hu Chuyuan believes that Ye Fu is somewhat prejudiced against Fujianese, for example, when the Shipmaster Academy selected students to study in Europe, not a single quota for Cantonese students was obtained, and all of them were Fujianese.

On the other hand, Ye Fu's consideration was indeed from a higher perspective, thinking about what a naval commander was thinking.

Hu Chuyuan thought for a while, and said to Ye Fu: "I don't think you and Deng Guandao need to be in a hurry to serve the imperial court, when I take you to Europe, I will find a way to recommend you to intern and study in the British fleet." ”

Ye Fu said: "I'm old, it's better to leave the opportunity to Deng Shichang and Lu Han, these two people are very good sailor generals, and they are familiar with English, Deng Shichang wins with bravery, Lu Han wins with talent, and they are both men with temperament and blood." ”

Hu Chuyuan said with a smile: "Then let's go, anyway, Liu Buyun and those people are coming back from Europe, they are coming back, you just go over, wouldn't it be good for everyone to take turns to study abroad?" ”

Ye Fu also smiled: "Then thank you for your support!" ”

I think that at the beginning, in order to let Liu Buyun and others go to the British fleet for internships, Zuo Zongtang, Shen Baozhen and others took great pains and painstaking efforts to finally get through with the British, and it stands to reason that this is indeed a very difficult thing.

I don't know why, Ye Fu thinks that as long as Hu Chuyuan is willing to do it, this matter will be much easier.

Ye Fu: This is indeed very peculiar.

Hu Chuyuan became more and more appreciative, so he took the opportunity to ask: "Among the first batch of students in the piloting class of the Ship Master Academy, who are you most optimistic about, and what are their characteristics and shortcomings?" ”

Ye Fu thought for a while and said, "In terms of talent, Liu Buyun is the first; On the foundation, Lin Tai was the first; On bravery, Deng Shichang is the first; In terms of knowledge, Lu Han is the first; On Xinyi, Ye Zuqi is the first. It is not easy to graduate from the school, everyone needs to go through several big exams, more than a dozen small exams, and the rest of the students can be worth reusing. But the five classmates I mentioned are the dragons and phoenixes among people, and there are also a few other talents that are very special, but I don't think they are suitable to be generals. ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded slightly, he already knew who he was going to leave behind.

He immediately thought of one more thing, and asked Ye Fu, "Was Lin Tai a careless person?" ”

Ye Fu quietly raised his eyes and asked in surprise: "Who said that, among the people I know, he is definitely a cautious and steady person." ”

"Oh......!" Hu Chuyuan was silent for a while, he thought, from this point of view, it was an accident that Lin Tai had hit the reef outside Liugong Island, but unfortunately it happened in a very inappropriate place.

Hu Chuyuan felt that Ye Fu was very visionary and had a deep understanding of the interior of the Fuzhou Ship Administration Yamen, so he talked to him all the time before sending him away in the early morning.

However, deep in Hu Chuyuan's heart, he also felt more and more that the internal struggle between the Hunan and Huai families had a very bad impact on the domestic coastal defense.

After thinking about it for a while, he finally wrote a letter to Zuo Zongtang, suggesting that Zuo Zongtang should retreat into advance, put the Fujian Navy Division and the Yangtze River Navy Division as the second line in name, let the Nanyang Navy Division go south to Guangzhou, and hand over the surname to the Huai Department to weigh it themselves, and they concentrated on preparing for the Fujian Navy Division, and then moved the old ship to the Yangtze River Navy Division.

At that time, no matter which side of the Nanyang or Beiyang had an accident, it would be Li Hongzhang's mistake and fault, and it had nothing to do with the Hunan lineage, let alone Zuo Zongtang.

Properly handling the personnel within the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Yamen also unified everyone's thinking, and Hu Chuyuan basically controlled the entire Yamen. Immediately, he began to turn his energies to the technical transformation of the various bureaus and factories of the Yamen.

While he was concentrating on rectifying the personnel, the technical team headed by Hua Yufang, Feyntz, Rawls and others also visited the factories under the Yamen and submitted him a "Communiqué on the Visiting Status of Fuzhou Shipbuilding Facilities and Processes".

Early in the morning, Hu Chuyuan read the communiqué carefully, and invited Hua Yufang, Feyntz, Rawls and others to his study for interviews.

It has been 13 years since the construction of the Harbour Master's Yamen, and most of the equipment was purchased ten years ago, mainly in French facilities. Feyntz and others believe that some basic equipment is relatively complete, but the overall process and products are too backward.

Lathes, grinders, tongs, these are of course not a problem, but some hammocks, rolling mills are relatively backward, the production of artillery, steam engines are very backward, at present in Europe and the United States and other countries have been out of the market for many years.

From the very beginning, the facilities and process drawings sold by the French to the Fujian Shipyard were behind the times, and the Shipyard Yamen was still producing those things after thirteen years of development.

Taking artillery as an example, at present, the world's mainstream powers have fully used breech guns, only Britain is still considering some of the advantages of breech guns, on the basis of breech guns, Germany and France have developed to brown gunpowder, increasing the length of the barrel, in order to increase the range of artillery.

From breech guns to breech guns, from breech guns to brown gunpowder, this can basically be regarded as two generation differences.

Taking the iron and steel plant as an example, Fuzhou Shipyard can only produce wrought iron industrially, but cannot produce steel, and the iron ore and coal mines needed must be purchased from foreign companies, and the wrought iron produced is more expensive than other people's steel, and the output is very small.

After reading the communiqué that was more than 20 pages thick, Hu Chuyuan rubbed his eyebrows, and he was also thinking in his heart.

Looking around the whole of China, Fuzhou Shipbuilding is already very advanced, but compared with the military factories of the world powers, the gap is inevitably too big.

He thought that if Shen Baozhen and Zuo Zongtang saw this communiqué, they would be worried and continue to vigorously update the facilities, re-hire foreign consultants, and produce ...... Of course, they will inevitably face a thorny problem, that is, where does the money come from, the money of the imperial court is allocated year by year, and it is not happy, and it cannot solve many problems at one time, so it can only be done slowly.

He doesn't have to care about this, he has a lot of money, and there are enough ways for Fuzhou Shipmaster to get a large amount of financing loans.

But will this solve the problem?

Obviously, it can't, treating the symptoms but not the root cause.

On the other hand, he also wanted to bypass the current method and invest in the military industry in the United States and Europe, where he would provide long-term and reliable internship and advanced training opportunities for the country, and also directly and effectively absorb the advanced technology and technology of Europe and the United States through there.

It all takes money, and luckily, all he has is money.