Friday, February 5, 1644.

The Lunar New Year is just two days away, and the National University of Capital announced its winter vacation a week earlier, and a large number of students have left the school to return home. A very small number of overseas students who stayed on campus began to pack up their dormitories, intending to get together for the holidays.

Luo Jian, who had forgotten to sleep and eat and devoted himself to his studies, took advantage of this stall to visit the "Luoxin Railway Opening Ceremony" held in Robert Town, leaving only Gu Jikun and Wang Fu on the street to purchase holiday supplies.

Because the university has room and board, Gu Jikun and others receive a monthly living allowance for international students from the Ministry of Culture and Education of the United States, except for the purchase of books, paper and pens. Coupled with the festival fee for international students that had just been issued, Gu Jikun and Wang Fuzhi each had saved hundreds of dollars in their money bags at this time.

It only snowed heavily last night, but apart from the snow-covered shade and green belt, there was not much snow in the commercial streets of Manchester South in the early morning, and it looked unusually clean. The citizens of the southern suburbs of Manchester are mostly the country's well-paid and affluent class, and the pedestrians of the shopping street at this time are not badly dressed, whether they are men, women or children.

A group of cleaners are still working on the snowdrifts they are sweeping along a green belt in the commercial street square, and on the other side, a wave of workers in thick labor clothes are also building a tall billboard in the green belt, carefully collaging the brown paper advertisements painted with waterproof paint on the billboards. The advertising layout is a large, hand-painted, colourful poster featuring several new fruit wine and ham brands launched by Merlin Food Group this winter.

At one end of the shopping street, two heavy pack horse carts are parked on both sides of the street, providing door-to-door service. Merchants on the left side of the street take sacks full of garbage from their stores, stack them on heavy pallet trucks at the door, and sign a garbage receipt; On the right, a few big men unloaded sacks full of bamboo charcoal and carried them into the store to provide fuel for the heating stove in the lobby of the merchant.

Another heavy-duty pallet truck from the port loaded with cargo was parked in front of a hotel. Then it is a matter of time to send the ice cubes, fruits and vegetables, or chicken, duck and fish that customers have bought into the back hall. At the door of this hotel, a poster of hiring people was posted, hiring hotel dishwashers and cleaners during the Spring Festival.

Looking at the commercial street where people and cars came and went, Gu Jikun was thoughtful, and Wang Fuzhi was holding a pencil, writing quickly in the small book in his hand quite laboriously, and from time to time he pulled a strange citizen passing by and asked in a whisper.

"And Brother Nong, the land of Huamei Jingyi is beautiful and atmospheric, and everyone has enough food and clothing. This year and a half, have you ever realized the subtlety? Seeing that Wang Fuzhi was still writing hard. Gu Jikun couldn't help but ask softly.

"Brother Chungcheong, as the professor said, the world's industry is divided into three. The first is the 'primary industry', which is the agricultural work of agriculture, forestry, fishery and animal husbandry, and the main food and clothing of the world; the second is the 'secondary industry', which is the main department store production for construction, manufacturing, metallurgy and other fortifications. Wang Fuzhi smiled, spewed a puff of mist out of his mouth, and pointed to the west in the direction of Jersey City and the outer islands. Huamei Ge is a profound scholar of ingenuity, whether it is farming or fortification, the output of one person should be ten times that of other countries. With such a high yield, the salary is naturally good. One or two laborers can support the whole family. ”

"Hehe, as Brother Nong said, the 'tertiary industry' is business? Agriculture and industry have their own duties. Those who do business thread the needle, and the people who work take what they need. Gu Jikun thought about it, but still shook his head. However, in the five districts of Manchester City, there are 140,000 people. Except for the island district and the eastern part of Long Island, not all the citizens are workers and peasants, and the rest of the districts have no workshops or farming industries, and all you see are pavilions, houses, shops, or restaurants. There is a household, and the annual consumption of charcoal, rice and flour, oil and salt, vegetables and fruits is more than 1,000 catties. Even if the beautiful trade routes are accessible and the department stores are abundant, how can everyone be engaged in business and sell goods, and if the people have no fortifications and agricultural work to do, they can only go in and out, how can their livelihood continue? I don't lack these three industries in the Ming Dynasty, why is there hunger everywhere in the city and countryside, and it is difficult for the people to make a living? ”

Looking at his friend's serious and strict expression, Wang Fuzhi slowly closed his notebook and motioned to sit on the bench on the side of the street. After sitting for half a pillar of incense, Wang Fuzhi smiled and said: "The tertiary industry is business, but it is not. In the opinion of university professors, the tertiary industry can be divided into two categories: 'circulation' and 'service', and commerce is only one part of circulation. ”

"Industry, agriculture, and commerce, in my Ming view, the people of a household can form their own line. The male main field is wheat mulberry and hemp farming, and the folk women spin and weave cloth, mill rice and grind flour. Then pick rice, flour, cloth and linen into the city to sell, and buy the rest of the household. It seems to be done in one go, without external effort, and self-sufficient. However, the production efficiency is low, and in the event of a famine, the family's property will collapse. ”

"The high yield of Huamei workers and peasants is enough to make up for the famine, and the circulation of commercial goods in Manchester City is several times better than that of Jiangnan County in Daming. People's livelihood is complicated, and subdivision is inevitable, so the 'service industry' is popular and runs through it. ”

Wang Fuzhi said, pointing to the heavy board truck that was still collecting garbage from door to door in the distance: "The shops along the street, people come and go, and the daily garbage is incalculable. It is difficult for the city government to take care of it personally, so there are private "Manchester City Hundred Flowers Labor Company" and other franchises to clean up. The municipal government hires a number of urban labor service companies to clean the streets, collect and transport garbage, dredge ditches, and protect shaded green spaces, with an annual expenditure of more than 200,000 yuan. This business alone can feed more than 1,000 households. ”

Subsequently, Wang Fuzhi pointed to the heavy-duty board truck that delivered goods for a certain restaurant: "That 'Fenglaiju', the food required for a year is tens of thousands of catties, and only a paper contract is needed, and the vendors will arrive at the market warehouse, and their own 'Manchester City Agricultural Trade and Logistics Company' will arrive." Just to help the transportation and purchase of ingredients in the city, the company earns money every month, and there are hundreds of families who do not worry about their livelihoods. ”

From cleaning the street in the middle of the night every day, dredging drainage pipes, to collecting and transporting garbage at home; From door-to-door delivery of milk and bottled water in the early morning and dusk, to making zuò billboards for designated merchants; From private kindergartens in the neighborhood to housekeeping companies that trim gardens and lawns for wealthy families and take care of household chores...... In an hour, Wang Fuzhi talked about dozens of private service industries that stood between industry, agriculture and commerce. These industries alone are enough to provide employment for half of the city's families.

“…… Although the service industry does not produce and does not produce department stores, it is not afraid of disasters and famines, and many people's livelihood chores between clothing, food, housing and transportation are all resolved, which is also beneficial to the people and contributes to the country. I also have a little bit of Daming, but most of the government appoints the old and weak to operate, and the performance is far inferior to Manchester City, and it is regarded as a burden. Therefore, Huamei is the third industry of the most important. It's not my imagination! After that, one of the princes' hands clenched into fists, and his eyes were bright: "Industrialization, urbanization, the tertiary industry, the abundance of department stores, coupled with high salaries for the people, the circulation of people's livelihood and various industries is like a circle." During this period, the service industry was also taxed, which seemed to be slight, but over time, the annual income of the municipal government was more than 200,000 yuan! Only this tax is amortized, and the citizens of Manchu are both old and young, women and children. A man has a tael of silver on his head! It is far heavier than the Ding tax of the Eastern Dynasties, but there is no resentment, which is strange. ”

The tertiary industry is also built on the basis of developed industry and agriculture...... After listening to Wang Fuzhi's story, Gu Jikun slowly understood what he saw on the street, and also understood the secrets of the lives of hundreds of thousands of Manchurian citizens.

"Hehe, in that case, why bother to clean up the housework by ourselves? I remember that there is a branch of the 'Manchester City Domestic Labour Company' outside the school, which only costs one dollar. You can clean up the whole house, why not ask it to do it for you? You and I can study and buy in the streets with peace of mind. ”

A few minutes later, Gu Jikun suddenly laughed, and Wang Fuzhi, who had reacted, also nodded frequently.

……

At this moment, the western suburb of Robert's Town, just a few hundred meters away from the outer islands of Manchester City, is separated by a waterway. A grand opening ceremony of the railway is being held.

After two years and two months of intense construction, the "Luoxin Railway", which connects Robert Town in Songzhou to Xinbao Town in Binzhou, finally caught up with the Spring Festival gift and ushered in the official opening day.

An overland transportation artery connecting Songzhou and Binzhou. It is also the country's first official railway project, and the Luoxin Railway has always been a double-track design, plus a high-standard auxiliary road. Even with the addition of a large number of prisoners of war, the total cost of the project climbed from $3.2 million to $4 million. If it weren't for the smooth issuance of railway bonds, it is difficult to say that it could have been completed within the scheduled construction period.

The Roberttown station is not yet fully completed, and station facilities are still being built in many places, and the existing buildings are still being painted and decorated, and they look very rough and rudimentary. However, the guests who came to watch the ceremony had already turned their eyes to other places, only to see a thick steam locomotive parked on the starting line of the station, slowly emitting a trace of snow-white steam like a long-distance runner about to start the race. Behind the steam locomotive was a long train of carriages, which included two passenger cars, one dining car and 20 freight cars, in addition to auxiliary cars carrying coal and gravel.

And 85 kilometers to the south, in the town of Xinbao in Binzhou, there is a similar train ready to depart. Trains departing from both sides at the same time, both carrying at least 1,000 tons of cargo and local councilors from both states, were ready to shake hands for the first time in the history of overland rail transportation in the United States.

In the VIP area protected by the police regiment, a group of dignitaries who came from the capital were still proud of the spring breeze under the cold wind, and the president Baozitu, who was fortunate enough to ride as the first distinguished guest, laughed brightly.

In the crowd, Su Zining was silently counting the number of carriages, surprised that the first start was so large-scale. However, looking at the confident appearance of the staff of the state-owned railway operation and management company explained to everyone, Su Zining felt that he was a little too worried.

"Yesterday afternoon, the cabinet officially approved Guan Ruzhong's application to resign as governor of Haizhou, and Mao Jianhui will take over Guan Ruzhong's post after the Spring Festival holiday." Just as he was watching Bao Zitu board the train surrounded by a group of police officers and Songzhou local councilors, Su Zining heard a familiar muttering in his ears, and when he turned his head, he found Yan Xiaosong standing behind him.

"Lao Guan is finally tired of staying in Haizhou, and Lao Bao and Lao Qi can't wait." Su Zining smiled.

"In other words, Guan Ruzhong is ready to officially run for prime minister?" Probably because of a cold, Yan Xiaosong was wrapped in a coat at this time, and his speech was a little unsmooth.

"Well, I heard that Zhou Yi is also preparing to resign as the governor of the Governorate of South Africa, Dong Jiunan and they plan to nominate Zhou Yi as the speaker of the House of Representatives." Su Zining nodded, and also said the news he had heard, with a playful smile on his face, "These two people are both practical, what's the matter, you really plan to steal other people's jobs?" ”

"Although Guan Ruzhong has a neutral position, he has always had a bad relationship with Ren Changle and them, and I am worried that it will affect the major events in the next few years......" Yan Xiaosong had a bitter face, as if he was defending himself, "The gods fight, and the people suffer." The Far East strategy cannot withstand any toss, and if some people fall out with the OUCC in an awkward manner, more than one country will suffer. ”

"It's not a problem, is it? Tell me, how many promises did Ren Changle make to you, so that you finally chose a side? Let's go, go there and talk. Su Zining smiled and pointed to the waiting room of the station, which was still being renovated, took the lead and walked over, and refused to be followed by the police.

In the empty waiting room, only a few workers were tidying up and building benches, and Su Zining and Yan Xiaosong walked to the finished VIP room in the far corner and sat down.

"OUCC will inevitably make the greatest contribution to the implementation of the Far East strategy. I didn't have any other intentions, I just wanted to get things done. Yan Xiaosong showed a serious expression.

"How good is it? How big of a cake do you want to give back to OUCC Group? You must know that OUCC is already a bit beyond the physique of a normal enterprise, and the more it helps you do, the longer the tail will grow in the future. They took advantage of the written loophole in the Far East's exclusive monopoly contract to openly squeeze out the state-owned Atlantic Bank, so that Lan Fang, Dayuan, and the Republic of Luzon could only take out loans from the Oriental Bank. ”

"While they have ceded many projects to please other companies in the country, they have taken into their own hands the weapons of financial diplomacy that should be controlled by the state...... I have no prejudice against Ren Changle, but I warned you at the beginning. It's a double-edged sword. Whether it is the Oriental Union Group or the Guoxing Group, it must not become the Dutch East India Company, if Guan Ruzhong and Zhou Yi plan to close properly, I will agree! ”

Su Zining did not directly comment on his friend's opinion, but thought for a minute before reminding him softly.

"I will communicate with Ren Changle and them, but these things shouldn't be moved in the past few years, right? Lao Wu served two terms as prime minister. has already made Ren Changle and them dissatisfied. National politics needs to be balanced, and you can't always let a group of people who don't like the Oriental Union Group be in power, right? Let me assume that if it weren't for the domestic pushing, maybe they wouldn't have openly called out the policy loopholes on loans to the countries of the Far East. Yan Xiaosong suddenly became a little impatient.

"The Far East strategy for the next few years is at hand. There must be points of view that you have to stick to, and you have to use the OUCC Group to win them over, I understand. "Look out the window at the slowly starting train. Su Zining sighed, "But you should be more aware that the future of this country is far more than just the direction of the Far East strategy. Nor is it as simple as preventing a historical tragedy. Unless this point of view can be recognized by Ren Changle and them at the same time, you are drinking to quench your thirst......"

Looking at his friend Yan Sù's expression, Yan Xiaosong was also silent. He couldn't refute Su Zining, and he couldn't convince himself to turn back.

Amid the cheers of the construction team and the residents of Robert's Town, the train number "S-01" departed Robert West Station and slowly accelerated to a speed of 35 kilometers per hour. The 800-horsepower steam locomotive, towing a long line of carriages and rumbling south, will arrive in Newcastle in just over two hours. After that, the Guò inland river was opened to the water and land, and the civilian goods and a large number of industrial equipment needed by the city of Jingu in Binzhou were delivered.

The train numbered "N-02" also departed from Xinbao Town at the same time, loaded with thousands of tons of coal and hundreds of tons of Binzhou commodities, and roared north.

……

On the snow-covered North American continent, two steel dragons are galloping, and in the distant waters of Southeast Asia, various ships are also busy traveling back and forth to Luzon to and from the Ming Dynasty. Da Ming, on the other hand, trembled in the cold winter with a desolate body, welcoming an unavoidable fate.

In the first month of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng proclaimed himself emperor in Xi'an, with the country name Dashun, and began to command the army to the east. Zhang Xianzhong, who was desperately besieged by local officials and troops in Huguang, Jiangxi, and Liangguang, finally saw the situation clearly, adjusted his final strategy, and waved his troops westward, preparing to enter Sichuan to win a place.

And in Shengjing, outside the Guan, further north, after several months of open and secret fighting, the battle for the throne after Huang Taiji's death also fell to the ground. In the first month of the new year, the Manchu Qing Dynasty changed the Yuan Shunzhi.

The competition between Dolgon, the Prince of Rui, who was in charge of the Zhengbai Banner, and Hauge, the eldest son of Huangtaiji, and Prince Su Haoge, still achieved unexpected results with Dolgon's improvisation. After colluding with Prince Zheng to gain support, Dolgon supported the ninth son of Huang Taiji, Fulin, and co-adjudicated with Zilharang, allowing Hauge to punch the cotton ball. Of course, this is naturally indispensable to the political skills of the legendary woman, the Empress Dowager Borzigit (the mother of Fulin). (To be continued......)