After more than eight months of construction, the railway from Shanghai to Suzhou is about to be completed, the rails have been laid to Suzhou, the Suzhou railway station has also completed ninety percent of the progress, and the train carriages and locomotives have also arrived in Suzhou and are being assembled under the guidance of foreign technicians.

Zuo Zongtang looked at this winding railway line with emotion, how much effort has been poured into the West Palace, to be honest, it is only more than 180 miles from Suzhou to Shanghai, in the words of foreign technicians, it does not take more than eight months to build such a railway, but in these more than eight months, the West Hall is mainly to appease the opposition of the people. A series of headaches such as the occupation of fields, houses, ancestral tombs, etc., were solved one by one under the dictatorship of the Western King, and the money spent on the construction of this railway far exceeded the budget, but the Western King said that it was worth it.

Thinking of King Xi, Zuo Zongtang was a little puzzled, how could King West be so confused this time? Although Miss Li Xuanji is indeed a talented and beautiful woman, there are still many women like Li Xuanji in the West Palace, like Fu Shanxiang and Zhou Xiuying, all of whom are beautiful and talented. A person in a high position like King Xi, what kind of woman would he want? Even if the West Wangniang is not allowed, the West King can be arranged elsewhere, so why take the risk for a Li Xuanji? Could it be that this woman has other charm techniques?

Thinking of this, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, fortunately this woman did not return to Shanghai, otherwise he would have tried his best to get rid of this woman, a woman who makes the king so obsessed with will hinder the great cause of the West Temple, anyone who hinders the great cause of the West Palace, no matter who Zuo Zongtang will not hesitate to eradicate it, the existence of this woman has put the West Hall into a crisis, so if she comes back. Zuo Zongtang will definitely eradicate her. Fortunately, she didn't come back, and Zuo Zongtang didn't have to be so ruthless.

On the ship to Shanghai, Zuo Zongtang kept receiving news from Shanghai, but fortunately, Xiwang's condition had gradually improved, and Zuo Zongtang's half-hung heart was slowly put back into his stomach.

After arriving in Shanghai, Wang Minyun personally went to the dock to receive Zuo Zongtang, Zuo Zongtang was going to see Xiwang non-stop, Wang Minyun only said that after Xiwang's condition improved, he insisted on moving back to another hospital from the Shanghai General Rescue Museum. Zuo Zongtang came with Yao Yuan, who is now a Chinese and Western medical student. It was Zuo Zongtang who took him to Shanghai. The next group rushed to the courtyard where the Xiwang of Shanghai lived.

After coming to the Xiwang Courtyard, Zuo Zongtang and Yao Yuan saw the Xiwang in the Xiwang's bedroom, and saw that he had just recovered from a serious illness and was depressed. Yao Yuan stepped forward to probe the pulse of the West King, and Zuo Zongtang asked several life-saving officers who took care of the West King about his condition. After hearing that the king of the west was fine. Zuo Zongtang's heart was completely settled.

After Yao Yuan looked at the condition, he looked at the medicine used by Xiwang. He dragged a few life-saving officers down. He prescribed a few more herbs to add to it, which would be more beneficial to King Xi's condition.

After Yao Yuan and the others went down to prepare the medicine, Zuo Zongtang stepped forward and asked reproachfully, "Why are you so out of shape?" ”

The corners of Xiao Yungui's mouth twitched, and he said with a wry smile: "It's all over, there is no need to mention it again." ”

Zuo Zongtang's face was very ugly, and after pacing back and forth with his hands back and forth for a few steps, he said, "You must know that you are the king of the west." The body and mind are no longer your own, and the lives and futures of millions of people in the West Hall are all tied to you, and the slightest mistake will be a disaster for the lives of people. You asked Zuo before. Why did Zuo become more and more cautious after he was in a high position, Zuo told you at that time that he was powerful, and his words and deeds could determine the life and death of thousands of people. Zuo is still so careful, you haven't been the king of the West for a day or two, why are you still acting so arbitrarily? ! ”

Xiao Yungui was extremely harsh when he heard this, but he knew in his heart that Zuo Zongtang was doing it for his good, so he said with a sigh: "This king did something wrong this time, only this once, and there is no other time." ”

Zuo Zongtang sighed lightly, it seems that King Xi has also repeatedly thought about the gains and losses of this matter in the past few days, no matter how he says it, he is also a subordinate, seeing that King Xi has already admitted his mistake, it is not good to continue talking.

After the two were silent for a moment, Xiao Yungui suddenly asked, "Does Xuanjiao know about this?" ”

Because he was worried about affecting the treatment of King Xi, the whole palace did not tell Xiao Yungui the news of Wang Niang's premature birth, at this time, Zuo Zongtang saw that Wang Xi's condition had improved greatly, and sighed lightly at the moment: "This matter is already known to Wang Xi, and she can't stand the grief and premature birth......

As soon as he said this, he heard a thud and King Xi rolled off the bed, Zuo Zongtang was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. Xiao Yungui's face turned pale, he grabbed Zuo Zongtang stubbornly, stared at Zuo Zongtang viciously and said in a trembling voice: "How is she?" Is there something wrong? ”

Zuo Zongtang helped him back to the bed and comforted: "Xiwangniang and Ergongzi are fine, many famous doctors in Suzhou are here, and it is the location of the Sufu Provincial Medical Museum, Xiwangniang's mother and son are safe, but they need to be raised for a while." ”

Xiao Yungui's nervous expression slowed down slightly, and he whispered to himself with some shame: "I didn't expect to almost hurt her, and I wasn't by her side when she gave birth, she will definitely not forgive me." ”

Zuo Zongtang touched his beard and smiled and said: "Don't worry, King Xi, Queen Xi is not a person who messes around, it is the family and everything is prosperous, Queen Xi knows the general situation, and she will not hold a grudge for too long in this matter." ”

Xiao Yungui settled down, raised his head and said: "This king can't be so decadent, Zuo Xiang, let's go back to Suzhou tomorrow morning, the Jiangsu-Shanghai railway will be opened to traffic at the end of the month, and this king will be present in person." ”

Zuo Zongtang muttered: "Later, let's see what Yao Jian said, if Xiwang is well, let's go back to Suzhou." ”

Xiao Yungui got up and put on his boots, patted his chest and said with a smile: "This king is fine, this kind of minor illness can't be difficult for this king, and now this king can kill a few tigers." ”

Zuo Zongtang also laughed, and said meaningfully: "King Xi is in a hurry to go back to visit Wang Niang and the second son." ”

Xiao Yungui said calmly: "Who doesn't remember his wife and children?" Don't pay attention to Yao Yuan's stinky boy, these doctors are all exaggerating their conditions, and only after they are cured can they show how good their medical skills are. Let's go back to Suzhou tomorrow, Zuo Xiang, you also meet your colleagues in Shanghai, a lot of new talents have been promoted in the past few months, and many newcomers want to meet you, a famous man in Xianghu. ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded and teased: "Since I am meeting my colleagues in Shanghai, it will take three or four days anyway." Is it too much of a hurry to go back to Suzhou tomorrow? ”

Xiao Yungui glanced at Zuo Zongtang and said lightly: "Yes, this king will leave first tomorrow, and Zuo Xiang will stay in Shanghai for a few days, so as to see the gains and losses of Shanghai's governance." There are also consuls from Britain, the United States and France who have long wanted to entertain Zuo Xiang in Shanghai, but Zuo Xiang has been nesting in Suzhou and has not come out. Just enough to help the king block the drive, these foreigners heard that the king was back, and they all came to see him several times. ”

Zuo Zongtang's smile froze. Unexpectedly, the king of the west did not hesitate to throw himself in Shanghai, frowning Zuo Zongtang and asked: "The consuls of Britain, France and the United States must have asked to see the king of the west in order to change the war against Russia." ”

Xiao Yungui hasn't been much in charge these days, and he was shocked and asked, "What's going on over there with Tan Shaoguang?" ”

Zuo Zongtang said: "This change is beneficial to us, yesterday we received news that Tan Shaoguang has made a major breakthrough in the encirclement of Petropavlovsk military port. Occupied the volcanic heights battery positions to the east, where artillery could reportedly bombard the entire town. It is believed that Tan Shaoguang's capture of the Petropavlovsk military port is an immediate matter. Zuo thought that the news from the far north was slow. Maybe Tan Shaoguang was already resting in the city at this moment, so the consuls of Britain, France, the United States and other countries were eager to meet the king of the west. ”

Xiao Yungui touched his chin and said with a smile: "Yes, from the Temple Street Fortress to Sakhalin Island, and then to the Petropavlovsk Military Port, several important fortresses and ports along the Russian coast are under the control of our army, and Britain and France want to negotiate with us about the distribution of benefits after the war." The Americans, on the other hand, want to fish in troubled waters to make a profit. ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded and said: "Yes, the foreigners didn't expect the Russians to be so indifferent, Zuo thought it would be better not to see these foreigners at the moment." ”

Xiao Yungui smiled gloomily and said, "Yes, let them dry for a few days first." Let them be anxious, according to the king's news, the war between Britain and France and the Ottomans on the Crimean peninsula is not smooth, they are making slow progress in the siege of the Russian fortress of Sevastopol, there are already calls for the withdrawal of troops in the country, the British and French parliaments and cabinets and the prime minister are under great pressure, although the Far East is not the center of gravity of Russia, but if victory is achieved here, Britain and France can also re-boost their morale and people's hearts to continue fighting, and the most bad can also make peace and withdraw their troops with dignity. Therefore, Britain and France are extremely anxious to reach an agreement with us on the distribution of interests after seizing the first military port of Russia in the Far East, so that they can decide on the next step of their strategy against Russia. ”

Zuo Zongtang smiled slightly and said: "In the past, the frog at the bottom of the well of Zuo only knew how to sit in the well and watch the sky, since following the King of the West, I realized that if there are many powerful countries today, the world is like the former Warring States Seven Heroes, we can naturally rely on the duel between the powerful countries, and even the horizontal and vertical to take advantage of it." ”

Xiao Yungui said with a smile: "Zuo Xiang can know the strategy of letting go first, it seems that even the technique of horizontal and vertical is also perfect, in fact, our ancestors are experts in playing this hand, and foreigners will have to spit out some benefits if they want to play with us." Speaking of this, Xiao Yungui paused and said: "It's just that Dalian Port is guarding or releasing it, does Zuo Xiang have an idea?" ”

Xiao Yungui said that the port of Dalian is the Dalian Bay occupied by Tan Shaoguang to the north, although it is located in the northeast, but the location is excellent, Xiao Yungui got Tan Shaoguang's detailed report on the port of Dalian, he was a little reluctant to give up, especially after the end of the war against Russia, the British and French navies will definitely not provide warships to escort the port of Dalian, but if the Taiping army wants to hold the port of Dalian, it will have to form a fleet that supplies logistics materials here for a long time, and it will cost a lot to go back and forth.

Zuo Zongtang twisted his beard and said with a smile: "King Xi, Dalian Port is not a single chess piece, the whole game of chess should be connected together, yesterday Zuo received an official document from the Ministry of Rites, and Japan in the East China Sea hopes to send a delegation to visit our country, Dalian, North Korea, Japan, and Sakhalin Island are a game of chess." ”

Xiao Yungui suddenly realized and said with a smile: "Yes, Dalian will have a lot to do in the future, we have to firmly nail this nail behind the Manchu Qing, and we don't have to extricate ourselves first." After saying that, the two looked at each other. (To be continued......)