Quiet tea room, sipping tea, Ye Zhao is still pondering Shawa's words, yesterday Ye Zhao stayed in Yonghe Palace, listening to Shawa said, Yao Qian seems to have a mediocre first impression of Prince William, I think from the bottom of my heart I still have some resistance, but Yao Wan also promised her mother that she would continue to date him, Sava was very happy about this marriage, much more enthusiastic than Ye Zhaoke, but unfortunately this swaggering mother and Yao Wan are close, but just like a sister, Shawa's words are really not a deterrent to her daughter.

Needless to say, the negotiations between the two countries have entered a substantive stage, but the Germans hope to conclude a clear treaty, such as one of the parties is invaded, the contracting party sends 200,000 or 300,000 troops to help, etc., the number of troops must be marked in the treaty, which shows the rigor of the Germans, the Germans prefer to conclude the treaty for a period of 15 years, plus the clause that will be automatically delayed without objection in the future. The Chinese, on the other hand, offered to conclude a conceptual cooperation treaty, which was far from what the Germans expected.

In the Balkans, the contradictions between Austria-Hungary and Russia were almost irreconcilable, and the alliance with China was a fantastic sight for the central government of Austria-Hungary, and the governments of Austria and Hungary were extremely welcome, and they had always regarded Russia as the greatest threat.

If it weren't for the fact that the train had to cross the Russian border, the size of the Austro-Hungarian mission would have been much higher, and the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz = Joseph I had long wanted to visit China.

For this treaty, the Austro-Hungarian side had the highest expectations, and Franz = Joseph wrote a letter to Ye Zhao that the emperors of the three kingdoms would meet and conclude a tripartite covenant of friendship and cooperation.

In fact, in the early years, after the defeat of China and Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had pinned its hopes on Russia, which had suffered heavy losses, no longer involved in the Balkans, and there was a short period of friendship between the two countries, but soon the Russians reverted to their old ways, and the eastward expansion policy suffered a complete failure, and lost the access to the sea in St. Petersburg, and the Ottoman Empire, which originally had absolute influence in the Balkans, had frequent domestic turmoil in recent years, and its strength was declining, so the Russians invaded the Balkans more urgently, which invisibly aggravated the contradictions between Russia and Austria-Hungary.

Many sensible politicians in Russia believe that today's Russia cannot continue to make enemies on both sides, temporarily retreat to the Eastern Empire, and conquer the decaying Ottoman Empire, which is almost falling apart, with the help of friendly relations gradually established with Britain and France, to obtain many outlets to the Black Sea, which is the hope of Russia's rejuvenation in the future, the biggest resistance to Russia's invasion of the Ottomans originally came from Britain and France, and now the fighting is changing, and the pattern of the East and West has undergone earth-shaking changes, as long as the bottom line of Britain and France is not challenged, the Russians believe that in the Balkans and Transcaucasia, They will be fruitful.

After the outbreak of skirmishes between China and Russia in Perm, the current Russian Prime Minister Chegarov wrote a secret letter to Ye Zhao, expressing his willingness to live in peace with the Eastern Empire.

But these politicians, in fact, can hardly influence the surging wave of anti-China in the whole of Russia, and it can only be said that they know better how to achieve the best interests of the empire, but under the surging public opinion blinded by hatred and humiliation, they are only small waves.

Because of the signing of a humiliating treaty with China, the original Moscow regime soon announced its collapse, and the Narodya Volyaya was disintegrated and replaced by radical parties with strong nationalist colors, large and small, and the current Russian Prime Minister Chegarov is the leader of the National Baath Party, the largest party in Russia that pursues "Great White Russiaism", he is a representative of the moderate faction in the party, but due to the entire domestic situation, he can only take the line of militaristic revival in power, but he prefers to first obtain a number of Western outlets, Rather than once again challenge the vast and almost irresistible empire of the East. …,

The poverty and contradictions in the country also make the ruling government have to carry out militaristic expansion by passing on the crisis, and at this stage, it seems that plunder is the only way to consolidate the legitimacy of the government and revive the Russian Empire.

Therefore, for Chegarov's letter, Ye Zhao just looked at it and smiled, but he really couldn't take it seriously.

"Hehe, the taste of oriental tea is wonderful and strong, just like our beautiful women." Saiganu's emotion almost made the tea in Zhang Zhidong and Li Shuchang's mouths squirt out, and the two of them wiped their mouths with handkerchiefs to hide their embarrassment.

After returning from Siberia, Zhang Zhidong rose through the ranks, and last year was appointed director of the General Administration of Economic and Energy Management of the Imperial State Council, which is one of the most important departments among the general departments, ministries, and commissions of the State Council.

Li Shuchang, one of the four kings of the imperial study in the early years, was more powerful than Zhang Zhidong, and was currently a member of the State Council, the governor of Guangdong Province, and the viscount, and was the leader of the imperial feudal officials.

Zhang Zhidong and Li Shuchang were born in the same year, both were born in the imperial study, and they are both rising stars in the imperial political circles, the two have a personal relationship, Li Shuchang returned to Beijing to report on his work, and returned to Guangzhou today, Zhang Zhidong sent him, but he didn't want Ye Zhao to appoint Li Shuchang to send Saiganu to Guangzhou, and then return from Guangzhou.

After leaving the study, he turned his head. It is not easy for Zhidong and Li Shuchang to see the emperor again, and today they have this opportunity, and they have prepared a belly of drafts, who knows that Ye Zhao is not just asking about political affairs, just chatting with them.

This is Fengtai Zhili County, this is the Gongwei Beijing division of the soldiers must fight for the place, now it has become one of the satellite towns of the capital, Li Shuchang and Saiganu will take a special train from here to Guangzhou, and the prosperity of the capital is different, Fengtai gathers more coolie labor workers, although in the Beijing division is close to the neighbors, the environmental sanitation has a world of difference.

The tearoom where Ye Zhao and others sat was on the second floor, opposite the teahouse, was a police station, with a signboard of "Fengtai South Road Patrol Police Room", and next to the patrol police room, there was a "clothing estimation" shop, that is, a store that bought and sold worn old clothes, which was rare in several urban areas where Ye Zhao often walked around in the capital, but in local towns, clothing estimation stalls were very popular.

Ye Zhao also knows that many things cannot be achieved overnight, there is always a process of development, the laborers in the past a family may not be able to have a piece of clothing to wear, there are many cases where brothers wear a pair of pants, now they can have clothes to wear, and even can be exchanged for the Kajibu clothes eliminated by the working class in the city, this is already a big change. I just knew that this was the case, but when I saw the eldest girl and little daughter-in-law in the second-hand clothes store happily collecting other people's leftover clothes, I still sighed softly in my heart.

"Let's go." Ye Zhao put down the teacup and said to Saiganu again: "Old Sai, take care of yourself all the way." ”

Saiganu hurriedly said, "Your Majesty Emperor Xie." He met many dignitaries in the capital, and was canonized as an earl by the imperial family, and when he returned to South Africa, he would definitely lead his people to make a big name.

Li Shuchang and Saiganu almost retired, Zhang Zhidong wanted to speak again when he retreated, his expression couldn't escape Ye Zhao's eyes, and said with a smile: "Say it." ”

Zhang Zhidong hesitated, he knew the character of the Great Emperor, and he did not shy away from it at the moment, and said: "The Holy Lord left Beijing for ten months, can you know the changes in Beijing?" ”

Ye Zhao flipped over the tea lid and said quietly: "You go on." ”

Zhang Zhidong suddenly knelt down and said in a deep voice: "The Holy Lord forgives the minister for capital crimes, and the minister is not provoking the incident, but the minister knows that His Majesty has just rejected the tax regulations approved by Li Xiang and the House of Representatives, and some people have said big rebellious things, and the minister is angry when he listens to it." ”

Ye Zhao smiled and didn't squeak. After leaving the capital for nearly a year, although it can be said that he is still in remote control, after all, the new government has been given considerable autonomy, and as soon as he returned to Beijing, he vetoed the new tax law that had been passed by the Parliamentary Yuan. …,

What's more, the new culture of the empire is contending, and the idea of restricting imperial power will gradually be born, especially some depressed cultural people are even more enthusiastic about this.

Among Li Hongzhang's staff, there may not be no such people.

Zhang Zhidong said again: "The minister has discussed with Brother Chun Zhai, and is ready to withdraw from the Minsheng Party and create a new party, please ask Your Majesty for permission." ”

Ye Zhao was stunned when he heard it, Chun Zhai is the word Li Shuchang, these two people are important figures in the Minsheng Party, such as Li Shuchang, who is also the second post of state minister and governor of Guangdong Province, in the imperial State Council, one prime minister, one vice premier, and six to seven people in state affairs, these are the top figures in the imperial political circles, Li Shuchang is in this position in his early forties, and he is really one of the top young and powerful people in the Minsheng Party.

"Get up." Ye Zhao beckoned, and Zhang Zhidong slowly got up.

The tax charter is the new tax law, Ye Zhao believes that the tax threshold is generally low, and the maximum tax rate is set at a monthly salary of 10,000 yuan (1,000 silver yuan) and the second tax threshold is set at 5,000 yuan, you know, the highest tax rate above 10,000 yuan will reach 45 percent, and the tax rate between 5,000 yuan and 10,000 yuan per month is 35 percent. On the contrary, because of the corporate tax law and other systems, the really wealthy class will not be affected too much.

This is simply another form of "average poverty", it is the plundering of the people's wealth by the state, in addition to the short-term abundance of the treasury to greatly increase the government's tax revenue, to create a strong and wealthy government, in the long run, it is not good for the empire, Ye Zhao even thought about it for no more than an hour, and vetoed it, and he couldn't complain that some officials who thought that the passage of the parliament would be implemented logically.

However, while disappointing some officials, the news of the Emperor's rejection of the new tax system naturally cheered the new class of citizens who had vital interests in their immediate interests, so perhaps some officials who supported the new tax law also muttered in their hearts that the Emperor was trying to win the hearts and minds of the people by undermining the prestige of the ruling government.

Ye Zhao didn't pay attention to the rumors, looking at Zhang Zhidong, Ye Zhao said lightly: "Quitting the party and building the party is your freedom, there is nothing that is not allowed, just think twice about everything, don't be angry for a while." ”

pondering the meaning of the emperor's words, Zhang Zhidong bowed down to be taught. [To be continued.]