"Back to my father's words, I have traveled all over Europe and the United States in the past five years, first learned a little military in Germany, and then learned some other courses, in short, I learned more miscellaneous, nothing is too proficient, everything knows some, but I think the most important thing is to increase knowledge, open your eyes, now the gap between the Qing Dynasty and the great powers is too big, but the great powers are not the same, the United States has a strong business atmosphere, the strongest industrial strength, but the military is very weak, the European powers of Britain and France have begun to decline, and now they are competing with Germany, I don't think there will be a war in the near future, and the country closest to us is cautious and eyeing China, and sooner or later it will be China's mortal enemy, while Russia is in turmoil, and the country is also in turmoil. ”

Qiao Yu briefly commented on the current situation of various countries, and talked about the impact on the Qing court, Qiao Guangyuan nodded uncontrollably, it was when he was in Yanjing that he felt the strength of the great powers, so he thought of sending his son abroad to see it, and now his son can have these insights, the old man is very happy.

"San'er, the craze of the New Deal has been very big in recent years, and I think we can catch up in the future, and we won't continue to lag behind!"

It seems that the old man Qiao still has hope for the new policy, I am afraid that this also represents the general view of the Chinese gentry class, until the imperial cabinet is freshly released, the Han bureaucratic gentry did not completely give up on the Qing political axe, and turned to support the revolutionary party, in fact, there was a stealthy thing in the original history, that is, the Huanghuagang Uprising.

After the Huanghuagang Uprising, it is true that the wind of uprising spread throughout the country, but that was not the result of the Huanghuagang Uprising, but in the half month after the uprising, the imperial cabinet came out, the gentry's illusions about the Qing court disappeared, and they began to abandon the Qing political axe, in the issue of the demise of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the will of the gentry class played a very important role, not the power of the revolutionary party, it can be said that a hundred Huanghuagang uprisings can not compare with the loss of the hearts of a royal cabinet, and then some people are greedy for their own merits, which is really shameless.

However, it is too early to say this, Qiao Yu must use the existing facts to convince his father and make him aware of the crisis, so that he will support himself to set up a factory and expand the power of the Qiao family in order to protect himself.

"Daddy, in the child's opinion, the new policy of the Qing Dynasty has no possibility of success at all, any change is actually the reappearance of power reshuffle, simply said that the constitutionalists want to take power from the hands of the Manchu nobles, the Qing court magnates did not want to change, but when it comes to having to change, they can only go with the flow, but they will definitely hold on to the power, so they drove away Yuan Shikai and other Han Chen, Zhang Jian has not instigated several wishes in recent years? Has there been any loosening in the Qing court? The political reform has not been able to be carried out for a long time, the military and economic reforms have not helped at all, and if the new army cultivated by the Qing court is not good, the new literati will instead go to the opposite side of the imperial court. ”

Qiao Guangyuan listened to his son's words, his face was a little bad, he also thought about these truths, Sichuan has not been peaceful in recent years, there have been turmoil and uprisings from time to time, Qiao Guangyuan has also thought about this problem, but it is far from being as direct as his son to the core of the problem, although the old man has the heart to refute his son is a big rebellion, but from the heart he still agrees with his son's judgment.

"If the reform and reform can persist at the beginning, this situation may not be the case, alas, our Qiao family cultivates and reads heirlooms, and pays attention to loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness, you don't talk about these things in the future, otherwise what is the difference between them and those chaotic parties." The old man sighed, and then asked, "You have studied for so many years, I want to see what your plans are in the future, whether you are in politics or the army?" ”

"Old man, we all have a soldier in the army, and San'er said that he can't be a soldier anymore!"

Have a slave? Who is it? Qiao Yu was stunned at first, although he inherited the original memory, but after all, it was not a personal experience, and he was still a little rusty, but as soon as he was reminded, he immediately reacted.

"Why isn't the second brother here? Could it be that the second brother went to the army? ”

"That's right. You brothers don't let me worry, after you leave, this second child is restless, you have to go out to see, his reckless temper, how dare we let go, but this family didn't look at him, he ran out secretly, and now he has eaten the emperor's food! Qiao's mother couldn't stop complaining, but with a hint of joy, Qiao Yu was a little puzzled.

Qiao Guangyuan took over the conversation: "Your second brother participated in Zhao Erfeng Zhao Dashuai's border guards, entered Tibet Province to quell the chaos, and it is said that he has become a battalion officer, and he has completely become Qiu Ba!" ”

Zhao Erfeng? Border guards? Qiao Yu didn't expect that his cheap second brother would have the life of being a national hero, it was so unexpected, the upper echelons of Tibetan Province at the end of the Qing Dynasty rebelled continuously with the support of the British, and almost split out completely, Zhao Erfeng repeatedly quelled the rebellion, maintained territorial integrity, and made great achievements, and definitely deserved the title of national hero, but he died tragically in the hands of Yin Changheng in the Xinhai Revolution, which is also a grudge for the ages, and now the second brother Qiao Zhen can be reused under Zhao Erfeng, which is his own help, It is possible to keep Zhao Erfeng's surname again, it seems that God treats himself really well, and he was still thinking about how to expand his power, but he has already laid a chess piece for himself in advance, it seems that the destiny is mine!

Qiao Yu was slightly distracted thinking about this, and the old lady of the Bai family looked at her son with a look of yearning on her face, and immediately sank her face.

"San'er, I told you that you are absolutely not allowed to join the army again, I carry it every day for your second brother, if you become Qiu Ba again, I won't be able to live!" A good man is not a soldier, and a good iron does not hit nails. This is a deep-rooted concept of the Chinese, and the old lady of the Bai family is no exception, and she is particularly worried that this precious son will also go to the army to fight, and if there is a little accident, the old lady will really not be able to live.

"Mother, don't worry, as far as I know, most of the rebellion in Tibet has been quelled, and the next is a stable place, the second brother must not be in any danger, I want to set up a factory now, this uncle came to our house to discuss the matter of our partnership to set up a factory."

"You want to set up a factory? Shinong industry and commerce, this business is a cheap industry? Qiao Guangyuan originally relied on his previous connections, adding this old face, to find a good place for his son, and now the new policy of the imperial court requires the use of all kinds of talents, but the old man never thought that his son would set up a factory, so he was very surprised.

"Brother-in-law, what do you mean by this, look down on me?"

Bai Kuan is a serious businessman, although he spent money to donate the title of a Taoist, but it was only a false position, when he heard Qiao Guangyuan say that business was a cheap business, he was naturally unhappy, isn't this scolding the bald man in front of the monk?

"That's not what your brother-in-law meant, San'er, this is to glorify the ancestors or to be an official, doesn't the drama say that you learn literature and martial arts, sell goods to the emperor's family, you have studied abroad for so many years, you can finally get an official and a half-job, you go to business and run a factory, isn't it a waste of your ability?"

Although Mrs. Bai is from a commercial family, and the Qiao family itself also runs many shops, but from the bottom of her heart, she still regards business as a cheap business, and does not want her son to engage in this, Qiao Yu also sighed in his heart, how strong is the deep-rooted traditional concept of the Chinese, the change of the times is just around the corner, how can you still keep the old yellow calendar, but you can't say that to your mother.

"Mother, in fact, being an official and running a factory is not delayed, I remember that the first few years did not promulgate the regulations to reward investment, this time I am ready to invest 500,000 taels and my uncle to set up a textile factory, how can I also mix a six-product top!"

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the reward range for investment in factories was still relatively large, and the corresponding positions were rewarded when the investment reached a certain amount, starting from 200,000 taels of silver, until 20 million taels corresponded to the top of the seven products until the top of the first product, but due to the flood of donations, the value of this kind of top wear is not large, if you want to obtain the corresponding grade, you only need to spend money to buy officials, and there is no need to risk investment at all, but it is still very effective for the change of social atmosphere.

In the past, business was a cheap industry, discriminated against and suppressed, but now it is rewarded, it can still inspire some people, but the minimum standard is also 200,000 taels, which is still very difficult in China at that time, although there are still many rich people in China, but they do not know much about new industrial and mining enterprises, the risk is very high, and they dare not invest more money.

Just like the Qiao family and the Bai family, all the family businesses are definitely more than one million big households, but they are very surprised that Qiao Yu wants to invest one million at once, and the two families will share 500,000 yuan.

"San'er, if you use 350,000 taels, you will use it, this is 500,000 taels, what if you lose it, Shuren, why are you messing around with the child!"

Qiao Guangyuan was also frightened by the number Qiao Yu said, he thought it was Bai Kuan, so he blamed his brother-in-law, Bai Kuan was affected in vain, Qiao Yu saw that it was not easy to do the work of the family, but he couldn't give up No, Qiao Yu immediately told his family in detail about what he had seen and heard in Europe, talking about the steel mill with an annual output of 10 million tons, the shipyard that can build tens of thousands of tons of giant ships, the developed textile industry, and the booming oil industry.

also said that those who are extremely strong and can indulge the country's consortium forces, after talking about foreign countries and talking about the development prospects of the country, listing the difficulties of setting up a factory one by one, and then saying the solution, at first Qiao Guangyuan thought that his son was a hot head for a while, but he was attracted when he listened to it, he had been a Beijing official, and he had dealt with all kinds of people, the old man could rest assured and boldly said that even those ministers of military aircraft no one could say the key to industry and commerce so clearly.

Qiao Yu has been talking for more than an hour, Qiao Guangyuan went from shock at the beginning, to joy, to thinking, and finally to be silent, obviously the old man was thinking about Qiao Yu's suggestion, this is a major matter related to the prosperity of the family, and the old man has to be cautious.

"San'er, are you really sure?"

"Dad, there is no 10% certainty, at least 80% of the certainty is still there, our two families have strong capital, there is no shortage of contacts, I will go to activities with foreigners, there will not be too many problems, as long as the factory can be built, let's wait to count the money!"

Old Man Qiao thought for a long time, and then asked Qiao Cheng: "Shiqing, what do you think?" ”

"Dad, since the third child has this ambition and ability, I must not be stopped as the eldest brother, I think we will close all the family property and set up this factory!"