Last time, Hu Banxian told Chen Zikun's fortune, saying that his career ended here, although he did not show it on the surface, but he was still quite a little worried in his heart.

Chen Zikun humbly asked for advice: "Father-in-law, dare to ask who is the erector you are talking about?" ”

Yao Qizhen shrugged and said: "Warlord separation, just like the end of the Tang Dynasty, this chaos will last for at least thirty or fifty years, and those who can unify China must still be a doll now, you ask me, and I ask who to go." ”

Chen Zikun said again: "Father-in-law, do you think I have the capital to compete in the Central Plains? ”

Yao Qizhen looked at his son-in-law, this foreign coachman six years ago is now an army general, a provincial superintendent, at this rate, it is really possible to achieve a great thing, from the heart, he is still very willing to taste the taste of "Guozhang", but the experience of politics over the years told him that Chen Zikun's current strength is more than self-preservation, and there is still a gap in wanting to expand the territory, after all, the foundation is too shallow and shallow.

"Zikun, how many soldiers do you have, how is the financial revenue of Jiangdong Province, and how many months can you sustain a war?" The father-in-law took out his real skills and decided to educate his son-in-law.

Chen Zikun said: "After the army of our province is streamlined, there are three full army divisions, two infantry brigades, and an army crash school, with a total strength of more than 30,000 people. ”

Yao Qizhen said: "The cost of raising a soldier is about 120 yuan a year, you have 30,000 horses, which is 3.6 million yuan a year, I can estimate the financial income of Jiangdong Province, you are an agricultural province there, and the industry is basically negligible, mainly land and commercial taxes, tobacco and alcohol taxes, stamp duty, at most only 6 million, and military spending accounts for more than half, I really don't know how you maintain it?" With this capital, do you still want to compete in the Central Plains? ”

While sneering, Yao Qizhen lit a paper cigarette and changed his tone of lesson: "Among the current heroes, who is the most powerful?" ”

"Bong Zhang." Chan answered honestly.

"Why is Fengzhang strong, because he is heavy on construction, there are Lao Maozi in the north of the three eastern provinces, and there is small Japan in the south, it is said that the geographical factors are also very poor, but Zhang Zuolin is just left and right, and the foreign devils play all over the world, how many factories in Fengtian Do you know, the Feng army can manufacture from rifles to mortars, which no one can compare to them, this is the power of industry!"

Chen Zikun woke up like a dream: "I also want to develop industry? ”

Yao Qizhen nodded: "Industry must be developed, not that industry can make munitions, but industry can bring huge income, now the relationship between China and the great powers is tense, often boycott Japanese goods, boycott British goods, you open a soap factory, a yarn factory, and build a railway, then the profits are not rolling in." ”

Chen Zikun said: "But I spend all my money on construction, what should I do if others call, and the built factory will not cheapen others in vain." ”

Yao Qizhen said: "You still don't understand the situation in the past few years, the heroes are competing for the deer, who is the dominant family, others will attack it in groups, first Duan Qirui, then Wu Peifu, then Zhang Zuolin, Feng Yuxiang, fighting around, occupying the territory and spitting it out, today is the enemy, tomorrow is the ally, in fact, it is not interesting at all, I want to see, among the northern warlords, the most shrewd is Yan Xishan, closed the province, and changed the railroad tracks to narrow tracks, not to mention, he built Shanxi quite a look, you might as well learn from him, build high walls, accumulate grain, and slowly become king, Building a wall is to develop armaments, just accumulate grain, as long as you have money, how much cheap Siammy you want, slow down the king, this is very important, don't be a bird. ”

Chen Zikun said: "I remember, it's just that the funds needed to develop industry and build railways are too great, and Jiangdong Province is too poor, how can it be good?" ”

Yao Qizhen said: "This is not simple, I am good at opening banks, issuing banknotes, issuing public bonds, and engaging in finance." ”

Chen Zikun said happily: "Father-in-law, why don't you help me." ”

Yao Qizhen was reserved for a while, and finally agreed to try it, in fact, his heart is happy, his official addiction is quite big, this time he left Beijing with an empty heart, and it is also in line with his heart to show his strengths in Jiangdong Province.

Mrs. Yao came in with a smile: "What are you talking about, so speculative, it's time to eat." ”

The three of them went to the dining car, and Chen Zikun saw that the soldiers of the Nationalist Army outside were carrying brand-new Russian Shui Lianzhu rifles, and he couldn't help but wonder, the Feng army was equipped with some Shui Lianzhu, but they were all leftover old goods from the White Russians, where did the Nationalist Army find so many Russian rifles.

As if guessing what he was thinking, Yao Qizhen said: "Feng Yuxiang went to the field this time, it is said that he is going to Soviet Russia to investigate, and he has a close relationship with the Russians, which is not a good thing. ”

"Oh, no wonder the Nationalists all use Russian guns." Chan got it.

Yao Qizhen snorted: "Don't talk about rifles, even the cannons are made in Russia, and the Russian ** fire is transported to Zhangjiakou in a truckload, and the Russian consultants also have it, Feng Yuxiang is also interesting, all day long saying that people are traitors, why is this not the case, is this Russian a good man and a woman?" Joke. ”

Mrs. glanced at him: "Be quiet, be heard, it's strange if you don't kill Xu Shuzheng." ”

Yao Qizhen said: "He dares! Besides, Feng Yuxiang has already been electrified and sent to the wilderness, and none of the generals under him will obey anyone, so I don't think it will last a few months before it will collapse. ”

This is said with great confidence, but the voice has been lowered a lot, and it seems that the deterrent power of the water is still there.

……

The journey was quite smooth, arriving in Jiangdong Province, Yao Yilei saw her parents, tears of joy, Yao Qizhen hugged her granddaughter and kissed non-stop, smiling from ear to ear, Jian Bing was open next to him, but his heart was sour, people were reunited, but his parents didn't know where they were.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chen Zikun vigorously developed the economy, set up a Jiangdong steamship company in Shanghai, bought a few old ships of Swire & Co., and ran the Huaijiang route, both passenger and freight transport, and the high-quality white coal and iron ore of Nantai were transported to Shanghai in exchange for the silver ocean of white flowers.

The personal problems of his subordinates have also been basically solved, Xue Bin started a family in Shanghai, the Three Guns Society and the steamship company were handed over to him to take care of, Gai Longquan and Chen Shou and others also found their wives in the provincial women's normal school, even Wang Degui and Li Changsheng also became families, Li Changsheng found a widow with a child, and Chen Zikun personally officiated the marriage when he got married, but he was not moved.

Liang Maocai has always been single, and originally arranged for him to be the red jade of Night Shanghai, but when he arrived in the real Shanghai, how could he still remember the copycat version of Night Shanghai in Nantai County, but these love debts are not something that Chen Dashuai can handle.

The old father-in-law, Yao Qizhen, was ordered to prepare for the Jiangdong Bank, and served as the post of the general office of the railway, to undertake the construction of the railway from the provincial capital to Jiangbei, he was a person who had served as the chief of transportation, and he was very familiar with this way, and found a few old friends to make a budget, and the railway bridge on the Huai River alone would cost 1.5 million oceans, 300 kilometers of railway, and the cost was astronomical.

Fortunately, Chen Zikun is not in a hurry, he has time.

……

Time into the spring of 1926, the north began to fight again, Wu Peifu attacked Henan defended by the Nationalist Army from Hubei, Zhang Zuolin's Feng Army and Zhang Zongchang's Zhilu Coalition Army attacked Tianjin along the Jingfeng Line and Jinpu Line respectively, and attacked Dagukou by sea, the Nationalist Army extinguished the lighthouse and covered the sea with mines to block the shipping route of Tianjin Haikou, which caused a conflict with the foreign powers.

On 12 March, two Japanese destroyers forcibly entered the waters of Dagukou and were shelled by the Nationalist Army, and the two sides fought fiercely, causing mutual damage and the great powers were furious, because according to the provisions of the Xinchou Treaty, the squadron could not garrison troops at Dagukou, so the ministers of Britain, Japan, the United States, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium issued an ultimatum to the Duan Qirui authorities in Beijing, demanding that the squadron withdraw from Dagukou, dismantle the forts, punish the parties concerned, and allow foreign ships to sail freely.

The foreigners are based on the "Xinqiao Treaty" signed by the eight-nation alliance and the Qing government, which is one of the most notorious unequal treaties pressed on the heads of the Chinese, and China is still burdened with astronomical Gengzi indemnities, just like a thin sick man, who finally gave birth to some blood, and was sucked away by leeches, and before the blood of the five thirties has cooled, the great powers once again rode on the heads of the Chinese to spread wild, which is simply to provoke the nerves of the Chinese people.

Beijing, Dongwenchang Hutong student apartment, where live poor students from Beijing's colleges and universities, over time has become a salon for exchanging ideas, in the early spring season, college students around snow-white scarves, quietly listening to a boy's speech.

"Students, imperialism once again rode on our heads and, and when it was May Day, it was the students in Shanghai who stood on the front line to fight, and now it is finally our turn to be the students in Beijing! On the 18th, a national assembly was held to oppose the Eight-Nation Ultimatum, expel the Eight-Nation Ministers, and abolish the Xinchou Treaty. ”

With a burst of warm applause, the boy jumped off the podium, walked to Lin Wenjing's side and said, "Let's go together then." ”

"Teacher Han, I'm ......," Lin Wenjing hesitated.

Han Letian raised his hand: "Don't refuse, this is not a matter between you and me, we must make our voice heard, let the Duan government know that we will never agree to all traitorous behaviors, we must show strength, this requires everyone's participation, you need me, we need all Chinese!" ”

Lin Wenjing was infected by his emotions, nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go." ”

Back at home, Lin Wenjing was still very excited, she couldn't help but spread out the letter, took out a red fountain pen, and began to write: "Uncle, how are you doing lately......

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