This time, what Hu Chuyuan wants to do is a head-killing deal.

If he wins, he will continue to control China's economy, and even China's politics and military, and if he loses, he may be able to flee back to the United States, but those industries in China will be in vain.

In the past six months, he has withdrawn all the funds he can draw, successively invested in the United States and Germany, and also bought large national bonds of the Ottoman Empire and Mexico, of course, the return is also rich.

He has real money in his hands, which determines that he is one of the most popular people in the world.

Although he is nearly 30 years old, he is no longer as cute and handsome as when he was young, but he is still a model of love.

He did not bring his family back to China, but only returned to China with his younger brother Hu Pinyuan...... Cixi said that let his younger brother participate in the examination, there is no suspense in the bag, just in case, this year's paper will be reviewed by Li Hongzao.

I heard that Li Hongzao was the chief examiner, and to be honest, Hu Chuyuan himself wanted to participate in the examination and get a champion to play.

As far as the silver Li Hongzao got from him, it was enough to buy three champions.

On March 7, 1889, Hu Chuyuan returned to the Tianjin Concession.

With the prosperity of the Tianjin Concession and the rise in the land price of the concession, the price of the Zhenyuan that Li Hongzhang gave to Hu Chuyuan at the beginning has now increased by more than five times, and there is not even a million clear yuan, and even the land cannot be bought.

It is not easy to meet Li Hongzhang, and it is even more difficult to let Li Hongzhang go to the treasure garden to talk about things.

But who made him Hu Chuyuan.

Late the next night, Li Hongzhang quietly rode in an inconspicuous double sedan chair and secretly arrived at Zhenyuan.

At this time, Li Hongzhang was also a sixty-five-year-old man, with deep silkworm and eye bags, a silver-white beard, and a few rusty yellow old age spots on his face, he was a very tall person, nearly one meter eight tall.

However, the bigger the person, the more he looks like a dragon clock when he gets older, and his back is a little hunched.

With the support of Li Jingfang, Li Hongzhang quietly walked into the small round gate on the west side of the Zhenyuan.

Hu Chuyuan was also guarding the door accompanied by his entourage, six or seven steps away from the round gate, and when he saw Li Hongzhang, he turned his hand quietly and deeply, lowered his head, and did not say anything.

Li Hongzhang looked at him and saw that he had black hair, was young and strong, and was not yet thirty years old.

At this moment, Li Hongzhang suddenly had a very bitter feeling again.

He thought, the old man and Zuo Zongtang fought all their lives, but they didn't defeat him, but dragged him to death.

Years, this is the biggest killer feature.

Li Hongzhang sighed silently, looked up at the sky, and sighed with Hu Chuyuan: "Chu Yuan, look at this bright moon, it is so round, so bright, as if in heaven and earth, only it is immortal, my generation is just ants, and it will be old in an instant!" ”

Hu Chuyuan raised his head and glanced at it, and then said: "Everything will be old, even if it is this round of the full moon, but it has not yet reached the time of heaven and earth." ”

Li Hongzhang was silent for a while, quietly thinking about the meaning of Hu Chuyuan's words in his heart.

The meaning of these words is deep.

He thought.

The two have been fighting inwardly for ten years, at first, where was Hu Chuyuan Li Hongzhang's opponent? If it weren't for Zuo Zongtang and He Jing's care, he would have died a thousand times, but now, the two are actually evenly divided.

If it weren't for Li Hongzhang holding 100,000 Huai troops and standing in the place where he couldn't fall, he would have been dragged down by Hu Chuyuan a long time ago.

Now, the two of them are fighting from time to time, and they have not stopped, but they have not torn their faces either, and they can still be regarded as New Year's friends!

Hu Chuyuan invited Li Hongzhang into the lobby to talk about things, the two sat down, Li Hongzhang first glanced at Niu Yugeng beside Hu Chuyuan, and said: "Mr. Niu wrote "Theory of Practice", the old man read it, and he appreciated it, and he hated that Mr. couldn't be known to the old man earlier!" ”

Niu Yugeng bowed his hand lightly and said, "Thank you Lord Zhongtang for your appreciation." ”

Each has its own creation in life, Niu Yugeng has become a knowledgeable person on a crooked neck road, and wrote a book "Theory of Practice", which is just more than 30,000 words, and the words are exquisite, and he is famous all over the world in one fell swoop.

Compared with what Hu Chuyuan said about the people, the "benefiting the people" he changed is more accurate and more acceptable, and he pays attention to the implementation of benevolent and moral government, light taxation, building canals and roads, benefiting the people, facilitating the people, and enriching the people.

He organized this set of theories of the pragmatist school into a benevolent government system, which played a crucial role in the popularization of the pragmatist theory, and became a common practice within the Qing political axe, and the "benevolent government that benefits the people and is pragmatic" was also more acceptable than the theory of the Westernist school, and quickly became a mainstream thought.

At present, among the Beijing officials and local officials, the number of officials of the practical faction is very large, and as many as half of the senior officials of the third rank or above call themselves pragmatic.

Since then, Li Hongzhang has admired Niu Yugeng a lot, and he has also tried to solicit him for his own use.

Seeing that Niu Yugeng was very indifferent to his reaction, Li Hongzhang only sighed in his heart.

After sighing, he suddenly said to Li Jingfang: "Don't you want to ask Mr. Niu about practical learning, take this opportunity, you might as well ask!" ”

Li Jingfang understood, got up and invited Niu Yugeng to leave, and went to Niu Yugeng's room to talk about practice, so that Hu Chuyuan and Li Hongzhang were left in the lobby.

When these two people also left, Li Hongzhang coughed cautiously and said, "Lord Hu, the emperor is finally pro-government, and you suddenly returned to China at this juncture...... Something must be done, right? ”

Hu Chuyuan thought silently for a while, and asked Li Hongzhang: "This matter, in the final analysis, still depends on you!" ”

Li Hongzhang snorted lightly, but sighed again, and said, "Chu Yuan, let's not be so tired, at this time when the matter is in front of us, Prince Gong has also told the old man what he should say." Together, the old man has been quite embarrassed for a few years, what do you think? ”

The preface to what he said didn't match the afterword, but there was also a calculation, and at this juncture, he had to continue to knock Hu Chuyuan on a bamboo pole.

Hu Chuyuan is also different from what it used to be, he just smiled and said, "Embarrassing or not, it just depends on what you think." I think that your political achievements in recent years have been quite good, and the construction of the Hebei Main Canal and the Fuyang Reservoir is a great blessing for the people of Zhili. The Jinjin Railway from Shanxi to Tianjin will almost be completed by the end of this year, which is a good thing. In the past few years, the Haihe River has been dredged, the port has been dredged, and the economy has been much more prosperous than in previous years. Zhongtang, you couldn't ask for more. Since ancient times, where can life be perfect? ”

What Hu Chuyuan said didn't match the tone.

In fact, what the two said was another thing, Li Hongzhang wanted to be the head of the practical school and be the first person of the practical school, so he wanted to transfer Niu Yugeng to his side as a staff member.

Li Hongzhang wants to do this, Hu Chuyuan not only has to give people, but also has to pay money, a lot of money, and even more to work for Li Hongzhang.

Bullshit.

Hu Chuyuan is not stupid.

Seeing that he disagreed, Li Hongzhang was silent, so he was not in a hurry to express his position.

Hu Chuyuan didn't care, he continued to drink tea and was more patient with Li Hongzhang.

The two of them were silent for more than a quarter of an hour, and Li Hongzhang quietly raised his eyebrows and said, "Actually...... It doesn't have to be difficult, right? ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "You have to rely on your own efforts, I don't object, I'm happy to see it, and if you want to count on me to make a lot for you, then I'm sorry." It's not that I don't want to do it, it's not that I don't have the ability, I really can't do it. Zhongtang, let's be honest, I basically don't want to do domestic business, and I have been transferring funds to go abroad to do it all these years. Otherwise, why did I sell this business of Zhili Beiyang to Qiao Zhiyong? ”

"Oh?"

Li Hongzhang was slightly startled and asked, "Are you really leaving?" ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded and said: "I have been wandering around Europe and the United States for the past half a year, and now it is basically decided, and I will concentrate on doing business in the United States and Germany in the future. ”

"...... this?"

Li Hongzhang became more and more puzzled, and asked: "This is indeed the case, my generation is all the people of the Great Qing Dynasty, and you are deeply valued by the imperial court, so you want to abandon the country just for these petty profits, aren't you disloyal and unrighteous people?" ”

Hu Chuyuan laughed, put down the teacup in his hand, and said, "This is not a small profit. Zhongtang, let's make a bet, I will now go back to the United States to concentrate on running my own family business, and in three years, my annual income will exceed the income of the imperial court. ”

Click.

Li Hongzhang trembled his hands, and the teacup in his hand almost fell.

Of course, he didn't know that Hu Chuyuan's current annual income was already several times more than the annual income of the Qing Empire...... Of course, the Qing Empire could really receive real money, and all he received was the Qing Baht banknotes and foreign exchange printed by himself.

Li Hongzhang was taken aback and couldn't help asking, "Is this true?" ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded slightly, and said with a straight face: "I have already done it all in the past six months, not to mention anything else, the United Steel Corporation alone has a market value of 200 million US dollars." I have another steel company in the United States, because I can't concentrate on operating in the United States for a long time, so I only hold a part of the shares, if I am in the United States for a long time and run it myself, I can fully control it within three years, and earn tens of millions of taels of silver. ”

Li Hongzhang was even more shocked and asked, "The United States is so rich?" ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "The great powers are like this, so it is not easy to do business in China. ”

Li Hongzhang asked again: "Then you are not afraid that the President of the United States will investigate and prosecute you. ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "He doesn't have such power, everyone in the United States can hold a gun, and if the president dares to do this, everyone will rebel." In the United States, in Europe, there are more people who are richer than me, and they don't care, as long as I pay taxes according to the law. ”

Li Hongzhang was silent for a while, thinking about it in his heart for a long time, and estimated that Hu Chuyuan was really leaving, it was just a matter of time.

Therefore, people can't settle with him, let alone work for him.

However, this is good news for Li Hongzhang.

Thinking of this, he and Hu Chuyuan asked, "Then when will you go east?" ”

Hu Chuyuan's expression was cold, and he said: "If I am lucky, I will clean up Russia and confiscate the British privileges in our Great Qing Kingdom, and I can leave." Russia said that both countries are plotting for the northeast, and sooner or later there will be a war, and I will contribute money and guns, and Zhongtang will contribute people, so let's do things beautifully, and the name will be passed down through the ages. ”

Li Hongzhang didn't care whether he really wanted to call or not, and immediately said: "Okay, the old man will handle it with him." ”

Hu Chuyuan then asked, "So...... What about the immediate future? ”

Li Hongzhang sneered and said, "The matter in front of me is basically decided, and it can't be reversed." We're looking at the future...... Other positions, let's not care, the position of the head of the book, we have to be optimistic. Besides, Weng Tongyi and the old man are also feuding, this Liang Zi is afraid that something big will happen! ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "I have already thought about this matter. If it weren't for Lord Sun Jianai, it wouldn't be Lord Weng Tongyung. What do you think? ”

Li Hongzhang was also very refreshing, said "good", and then said: "Then let's talk about it in advance, the matter is done, you are the number one hero, several princes have to look at your face to speak, if Weng Tongyi and the old man can't get by, you have to help the old man speak." Don't be biased against him just because he is from Zhejiang. ”

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "Does he have the Huai Army, does he have the Beiyang Naval Division, can he help me clean up the two countries?" ”

As soon as he heard this, Li Hongzhang couldn't help laughing, quite happy and proud.

He understood in his heart the same as the mirror, he knew that once he and Hu Chuyuan joined forces, it would be much more powerful than Zuo Hu's teamwork before.

As soon as they joined forces, they had the final say on the three major naval divisions of Beiyang, Nanyang, and East China Sea, and they also had the final say on the Huai Army, Hunan Army, and Jiangxi Army.

What can the Manchurians do to them?

Good.

Hu Chuyuan also shouted happily in his heart, once Li Hongzhang agreed, it was basically unlikely that there would be any change in this matter.

There will always be a time when this kind of thing happens.

After Hu Chuyuan sent Li Hongzhang away, he continued to let Chen Shanyuan secretly prepare to flee Tianjin at any time and go into exile.

As for him, he sits in the treasure garden and controls the news.

Prince Su Longqin has already received the news, and received six million Qing Yuan from Prince Alcohol, so he agreed to this matter, Prince Li Shiduo still doesn't know, he was drawn by Cixi, naturally there will be no variables.

It doesn't matter, Xichun, the commander of the Nine Gates, has been pulled into the water, and the five ministers of military aircraft, Bao Jun, Pan Zuyin, He Jing, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhiwan, and Yan Jingming, have already agreed.

On the third day of Hu Chuyuan's arrival in Tianjin, Lian Yuan, a cabinet scholar, and Yuan Chang, the imperial historian, each made an excerpt, and the evidence was conclusive.

The excerpt was in Yan Jingming's hands, and it was suddenly played to Emperor Guangxu at the court meeting, asking for the investigation of Shiduo.

Sedor's shock, the anti-anti-anti-anti-anti

On the afternoon of March 10, 1889, Cixi quickly received the news, and after many years of fierce political warfare, she immediately noticed that something was wrong, and she knew very well that Shi Duo was corrupt, but it was not so serious, much less than Prince Su.

What's more, Shi Duo is her person, a civil and military official of the Manchu Dynasty, which one is not clear?

On March 11, the Minister of Military Aircraft, Erle Hebu, who was originally promoted by Cixi, suddenly asked Emperor Guangxu to ask Bao Jun, the veteran Minister of Military Aircraft, who had gone through four dynasties, to serve as the Minister of Military Aircraft Foreman to investigate and deal with Prince Shiduo.

Bao Jun is already nearly eighty years old, what is the meaning of making a comeback now...... But after all, he and Yi are in the same boat!

Guangxu has no right to approve these excerpts, and must be handed over to Cixi.

Cixi was furious and immediately issued an order to dismiss the Minister of Military Aircraft, Erle and Bu, but she did not expect that the real turmoil had just begun, and Erle and Bu were deliberately looking for guilt.

The people outside had already been prepared, and the telegram was delivered quickly, Li Hongzhang folded up, asked for a slowdown, and thought that the situation was compelling, and it was appropriate to reuse the old minister, and asked Ren Baojun to be the minister of the military aircraft foreman, and to reinstate the minister of the military aircraft, Erle and Bu, to investigate and deal with the affair of Shi Duo's illicit communication and acceptance of bribes.

Zeng Guoquan did not rush to speak, Liu Kunyi and Mei Qizhao spoke, and they folded up one after another, Liu Mingchuan, the governor of Sichuan, Tan Zhonglin, the governor of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia, and Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Shandong...... Also on the book.

On March 14, the situation became more and more serious.

Cixi secretly contacted all the Manchu princes' clans to deal with this turmoil, but the vast majority of the powerful clans did not come forward and avoided talking about it.

On March 17, the Qing court, which had nothing to do, suddenly turned into an unprecedented confrontation, asking Emperor Guangxu to reactivate the old minister of the four dynasties.

The calculation of the whole game was calculated by Li Hongzhang and Yi, and the two of them did not plan to rush out directly at all, that is, they used the old minister of the Four Dynasties to throw bricks and attract jade.

On March 18, Cixi was forced to agree to let the Guangxu Emperor reactivate Baojun.

This time is different from the last time, Baojun no longer has any real power, but now he has all the real power.

He was not in a hurry to mention the matter, but violated the agreement between Cixi and him, and quickly investigated the corruption and fornication of foreign enemies by Shiduo, and the evidence of the crime was conclusive, and he was dismissed and investigated.

He said that his money is not easy to collect.

To a certain extent, he said that he had done Hu Chuyuan a great favor, and he would definitely not be able to take Shiduo by the crime of corruption alone, but as soon as his money was sent, his surname would be serious.

On April 3, the priest was officially dismissed.

Bao Jun, together with the other five ministers of military aircraft, plus the Prime Minister's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Su Longqin, jointly asked Emperor Guangxu to reappoint Prince Gong as the Minister of Military Aircraft Foreman to assist the government.

It seems that he continued to coerce Guangxu, but in fact, everyone knows that it was the Empress Dowager Cixi.

At this time, even a blind person can see it...... This is Prince Gong and Prince Alcohol jointly engaged in a coup d'état, to force the Empress Dowager Cixi to stay away from the political situation of the Qing Dynasty from now on, and really let Emperor Guangxu take the government, as a condition, Prince Gong holds the position of the military aircraft foreman, and Prince Su continues to sit on the throne of the Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Prince Alcohol ...... He doesn't care, his son is the real emperor, what else is he trying to do?

The most terrible thing is that the attitude of the feudal officials outside has been unified, this time it is really to let Cixi withdraw from the political arena, everyone is serious this time to engage in the pragmatic faction, and I don't want Cixi to control it anymore.

Now is the best opportunity, if you miss this village, then there is no such shop.

On April 7, the last two governors with real power, Zeng Guoquan and Rong Lu, played and asked the Guangxu Emperor to appoint Prince Gong Yi to replace Prince Li Shiduo.

By this time, the situation was irreversible.

Cixi continued to stalemate, did not allow Guangxu to approve, and also sent Prince Gong to the imperial meal, asking him to take it immediately.

What kind of imperial food is arsenic at all.

Yi is not stupid, he got the news first, and the person has already hid in the palace of Prince Alcohol.

On the night of Yi's decree, the six ministers of military aircraft "forced" Guangxu to approve, on the grounds that the empress dowager was old and wanted to kill the heroes in a disorderly manner, abolishing Yixi and appointing Prince Gong as the minister of military aircraft.

On this night, Prince Gong took the commander of Jiumen to lead the troops outside the Forbidden City to welcome Cixi to the Summer Palace to return to the government and recuperate, which is to be house arrest in disguise.

This kind of, Yi is very proficient in playing, anyway, he is not the first time to play in his life.

This night, Hu Chuyuan sat in the study of Zhenyuan, guarding Yan Shizhang, Chen Shanyuan, and Niu Yugeng.

People are always weird.

Before the overthrow of Cixi, he really wanted to do this.

Seeing that Cixi was about to fall, he thought that if Cixi was gone, the Qing court would not collapse in the end...... So what to do? Although it is said that with the popularization of nationalist ideas, the Manchu Qing Dynasty will inevitably perish after all, otherwise it would really underestimate the IQ of 400 million Chinese.

The point is, what if there is an accident?

From 1885, when Hu Chuyuan stabilized China's economic market, the Qing court was unlikely to collapse because of the economy, and the coup d'état continued, relying on the Manchu infighting to get rid of Cixi, and there were more things to be done in the future.

If it is not Kang Youwei's turn to show up as a speculator, the new bourgeois constitutionalist party will come out, and in another ten years, the republican party will also come out.

Everyone take your time.

Slowly toss these Manchus, the last ten ** have to play hard, just play hard, the Manchus do not have their own military armament in their hands, and it is best to play hard.

Hu Chuyuan's only concern was no longer the Manchu Dynasty, but a possible warlord scuffle.

(To be continued)