Everything was just as Yan Shao expected, Lei? Kopa was the first to come to the door, and then the ministers of Britain and the United States came to the door, and even the Japanese ministers came over with a twist, wanting to ask questions about the project...

In the living room, ministers from many countries in China sat on the sofa and listened carefully to Yan Shao's answer to the '75 Project'.

"The 75 projects will be solved by the national government as much as possible, but since you are ministers to China, you can naturally be more or less called China experts, and you should know that China's current status quo cannot be solved independently, so a considerable part of them need to get the help of various countries, but how much each country can get in this matter depends on the goodwill shown by each country to our country..."

Yan Shao also couldn't stand the fact that the ministers came to the door one by one, so he simply called everyone to his manor, and then told his conditions—————— which was a little surprising, and when he heard that the ministers of various countries were convened to discuss this issue, even the Dutch and Italians came over.

What is goodwill? Naturally, it is the attitude towards garrisons and tariffs.

Although the problem of garrisoning troops has basically been solved now, there are still some delays in the tariffs, and Yan Shao naturally hopes that this problem can be solved as soon as possible.

Just like thunder? As Kopa said, after the announcement of Project 72, many countries had some doubts, after all, no one would want to cultivate a competitor.

But...

The size of the loan from the Rain Stone Bank to the national government was 100 million pounds, a considerable part of which was used to clean up the economy and other aspects. But even so, there will still be hundreds of millions of dollars that will be invested in this project, hundreds of millions of dollars, that is, tens of millions of pounds. They really can't give up such a large order...

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In fact, Yan Shao also knew that the announcement of the 'first five-year plan' now would definitely have an impact on the tariff negotiations, as mentioned above, no one would be willing to cultivate an opponent.

It turns out that even if China is not a country without industry, there is no industry at all, and there is only one Yushi Group in the whole of China to take it out.

However, if the 'first five-year plan' announced by the Nationalist government is successful, Britain and the United States and other countries will really have one more opponent. In this way, they will naturally hesitate on the issue of tariffs.

So long before the announcement, Li Liang and Zong Wu, and even Elaline were persuading Yan Shao. It is best to wait for China and the great powers to reach an agreement on the tariff issue before announcing this plan—————— Elaline and the others are not worried about leaks, after all, before Yushi Bank announced the loan to the Guoshe government, no one would believe that Yan Shao actually had so much money as much as one billion, although Yan Shao's current funds in his hands are far more than one billion...

However, Yan Shao has his own considerations. That's World War I...

We all know the truth. World War I was arguably the most suitable period for China to develop its industry. There are two main reasons, the first is that Europe has become a major battlefield at that time, and almost all the countries that used to dump goods against China are at war and cannot do business at all.

Britain, in particular, traded more with China than the rest of the country combined, and as a major belligerent, it was naturally unable to dump goods against China in the period from 1914 to 1918 as it had done in the past.

Only Germany, France, Russia, the Netherlands, and Italy account for about 25 or 6 percent of China's trade. The rest are Japan and the United States.

In other words, the goods that were originally dumped in China suddenly decreased by three-quarters. In addition, at that time, the United States and Japan also tried their best to sell their goods to Europe. In the past four years, it can only be said that the Chinese enterprises that have survived for a long time can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Similarly, due to the huge demand for various materials in Europe at that time, these four years also became the most prosperous period for Chinese capital. The Wuhu Cotton Textile Mill mentioned once was founded during this period...

Generally speaking, what are the most worrying about state-owned enterprises? It's hard to say, but at least one thing can be confirmed, and that is the fear of lack of competitiveness, which will lead to the product not being able to sell...

However, during the First World War, as long as your goods are still usable and the prices are not too exaggerated, there is no need to worry about sales at all, and what is more suitable for the implementation of the 'first five-year plan'? At least in Yan Shao's mind, he couldn't find it...

Of the 75 projects in the first five-year plan, many of them can be put into operation in the first year, and the more troublesome iron works can also be initially put into operation within two to three years.

In other words, if the First World War does happen as scheduled, then before the outbreak of the First World War, China can have a certain degree of industry and take this opportunity to export goods to Europe to stimulate the development of Chinese industry.

But if you have to wait for the tariff negotiations to come to an end, then things will be more troublesome.

First of all, it was at least necessary to wait for March 1914 to revoke the centigold, after all, the centigold was a national problem, and Yan Shao always had to negotiate with the local powerful faction, otherwise it would be useless for him to revoke the centijin alone.

In other words, the tariff issue will not be determined until at least March next year, which is only four months away from the outbreak of World War I.

Of the 75 projects in the 'First Five-Year Plan', the smallest one is worth millions of dollars, and if Yan Shao wants to get all the equipment needed for the project, he will need at least the joint efforts of Britain, the United States, Germany, France, and other major countries. If we had waited until after the outbreak of World War I, the only sources of outsourcing would have been Japan and the United States...

Japan, Yan Shao didn't mind giving him some sweetness, but he didn't want to kill Yan Shao if he gave too much. As for the United States, World War I was the time when the United States was exporting goods to Europe on a large scale, and it is difficult to say whether the Americans were still willing to export equipment to China at that time to help themselves find a competitor. And at that time, Americans may not have looked down on Yan Shao's small business.

On this, it can be illustrated with a piece of data.

Before the First World War, the United States owed Britain more than £400 million. And by the end of the war, Britain owed the United States more than 800 million pounds...

Four plus eight, remove the fraction, about 1.2 billion pounds, equivalent to seven or eight years of fiscal revenue of the British government before the war...

In 4 years, an average of more than 300 million pounds a year, Americans really don't really care about Yan Shao's 'small business' of tens of millions of pounds...

So Yan Shao had to be before the outbreak of war. First of all, we will get all the equipment needed for the 'first five-year plan', so that even if war breaks out, it will not slow down the progress of the plan...

Of course, these Yan Shao must not be able to tell Elaline and them. After all, Yan Shao couldn't tell them that in less than a year, an unprecedented and tragic war would break out on the European continent, and Elaine's hometown of France was almost wiped out by the Germans...

If Yan Shao really dares to say it. That's pure death...

So all this. Yan Shao can only hide in his stomach...

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I have to say that the large order of tens of millions of pounds is really attractive, although Britain and Germany and other countries know that as long as the 'first five-year plan' of the national government can be realized, there will be another industrial power in this world that can compete with them.

But under the temptation of such a big business, these countries still nodded their heads writhingly, and signed an agreement with Lu Zhengxiang, Gu Weijun and others at a meeting a few days later, as long as the national government completely abolished the centijin, in return. China's tariffs could add a 5% surcharge to the current level, while raising the ceiling on luxury goods to 30%. And to revise it every three years, and return tariff autonomy to China when the time is ripe, which is basically the same as the original conditions of Liang Shiyi and others.

However, this also has something to do with the concept of this time, and in later generations, even the closest allies, the developed countries, always wanted to keep a hand. But in this day and age, it's different, as long as you can get the money, I'm willing to sell you even the best things.

Are you reluctant to sell the best products? It doesn't matter, there are people who are willing to sell...

The competition is fierce...

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Sitting on both sides of the table, Lu Zhengxiang signed his name on the agreement.

That is, at the moment when the name was signed, Lu Zhengxiang, Gu Weijun and others were relieved.

It's a lot of pressure...

As I once said, the most pitiful people in the Chinese government in this era are probably diplomats, no way, who calls the national strength weak, and as a result, at least nine of the ten treaties signed are humiliating and humiliating, so that these people are afraid of being recognized when they walk on the street...

This time, the issue of garrisoning troops and tariffs can be said to be of national concern.

Although the government's 'First Five-Year Plan' has attracted a lot of attention not long ago, the public's attention has shifted back when the limelight has passed a little.

It can be said that if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can't come up with a satisfactory result, I am afraid that as soon as I walk out of the door of the venue, I will be drowned by the people outside with spittle...

But...

It is estimated that it will not waste the saliva of the people, because Lu Zhengxiang and the others have decided that if they fail to negotiate an ideal result, they will kill themselves first, so as not to continue to suffer...

After all, in the past, they could still use the weak national strength and no chips in their hands, so they couldn't talk about anything as an excuse, but this time they had more chips in their hands than ever before, and if they couldn't talk about a result, it wouldn't be another problem, it was purely because they were incompetent...

Now that the report card is out, they can also stand tall and walk in front of the public for the first time.

To be honest, at this moment, Lu Zhengxiang, Gu Weijun and others are really grateful to Yan Shao, after all, these people who engage in diplomacy have been expecting this kind of result for a long time...

On the other side, after signing his name, Ray? Kopa and the American minister also smiled at Lu Zhengxiang and them. "Congratulations..."

"Where..."

Except for the Japanese minister's face, which was still a little strange, everyone else did not want to lose their courtesy, and came forward to congratulate him.

And when the results came out, there was a tsunami of cheers outside the venue.

Although the signing of this agreement does not mean that the right to self-imposed tariffs has been taken back, it represents a good start to the future...

Isn't it?

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Xiangcheng, Hebei. Looking at the newspaper that had just arrived, Yuan Shikai, who was already much older than before, sighed lightly and put the newspaper on the table next to him.

"He's doing a better job than I am...". Yuan Shikai's expression seemed to be much more relaxed.

On the table, there is also a report on the '75 Project' and the 'First Five-Year Plan' from many days ago, which has been marked with a red pen in many important places.

Even though he has announced his resignation, Yuan Shikai still has not given up paying attention to current affairs.

Just looking at the report in the newspaper, this time Yuan Shikai really gave up the ambition in his heart and enjoyed the current life with peace of mind...

Look at the old proprietor as he is now. Yang Shiqi, who had been standing silent, was finally relieved, and the old Beiyang, who was still willing to accompany Yuan Shikai at this time, was now the only one left...

Meanwhile. At the Kuomintang headquarters in Tokyo, Sun Yat-sen, Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren, and others were also watching the newspaper reports. It's just that the above report has three different ideas...

At this moment, silence became the main theme in the room.

At the same time, there are many people who are paying attention to this matter. Such as the head of the Black Dragon Society and Ryohei Uchida. Li Xiehe in Shanghai, Jiang Baili in Anqing and Cai Yi on the ship...

And so and so and so on...

At this moment, while being hostile to many people, Yan Shao was also recognized by more people...

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"Governor, Anqing has arrived..."

Walking into the cabin, Cai Yi's adjutant raised his voice to Cai Yi, who was still reading the newspaper.

"Hmm..."Putting the two newspapers in his hand on the table, Cai Ye got up from his chair and stood up.

Boats are also to dock along the river. So during the period after departure, Cai Ye was not very closed to the news of the outside world.

"Is this Anqing?" walked on the deck. Cai Ye looked out of the boat, and the first thing that caught his eye was the towering buildings, especially the 20-story skyscrapers, which attracted Cai Ye's attention first. "A ship worthy of its name..."

Like him, there were passengers from many other provinces, who were obviously amazed at what Anqing looked like now. Some of the younger passengers were even more eager to try if they could go up to one of the buildings and enjoy the feeling of seeing the mountains.

That is, under the surprised eyes of the passengers, the ship gradually considered towards the dock, and after a while, it was firmly docked on the pier.

"Brother Songpa, it's been a long time..."

Coming from the river ferry to the busy wharf, before Cai Ye could figure out the situation, a very enthusiastic voice had already sounded in his ears. When Cai Ye and the guards around him looked up, the first thing they saw was Jiang Baili wearing a pure black Type 11 military uniform, as well as several other government officials who stayed in Anqing.

Although Yan Shao has now become the president and has 12 provinces in his hands, Cai Ye is one of the local powerhouses after all, and the officials who stayed behind naturally did not want to lose their manners.

Therefore, after learning that Cai Ye would stay in Anqing for a period of time, the mayor and other officials who stayed in Anqing immediately prepared for the reception.

Seeing that it was Jiang Baili, Cai Yi's face also showed a hint of joy. "Brother Baili, it's really been a long time..."Saying that, Cai Ye took two steps forward and clasped his hand tightly with Jiang Baili.

If it were in the future, there would have been many reporters standing there at this time, holding cameras and taking pictures constantly. However, in fact, although many people on the dock were looking at it, few of them really cared.

"Come with me, Brother Songpo, the accommodation has been arranged..."After greeting each other for a while, Jiang Baili took Cai Yi's hand and walked with him to the outside of the dock, where the car had been waiting for a long time.

After boarding the car, Jiang Baili sat next to Cai Yi. "How? How do you feel about Anqing? "I was very proud of my words.

"It's really good..."Turning his head sideways, looking out of the car window, Cai Ye nodded slightly.

Just like Jiang Baili at the beginning, everything in Anqing gave him a refreshing feeling.

"By the way, how are you in Anqing?" Looking out of the car window for a while, Cai Ye seemed to remember his old friend, and hurriedly asked. Although there were some correspondences with each other a few days ago, there are many things that cannot be understood in letters.

Hearing Cai Yi's words, Jiang Baili replied after smiling. "Very good, the army already has a foundation, recently let me practice hard for a while, now the combat effectiveness has almost recovered, the only thing that is a little troublesome is artillery and cavalry, the number of these two is insufficient, many of them are turned by infantry, I am afraid it will take some time to practice..."

As the most famous military theorist, Jiang Baili's ability to train troops at this time may be more powerful than commanding operations. However, in the face of a group of soldiers who had just transferred from infantry to artillery or cavalry, even Jiang Baili had a headache.

"There's no way around this..."Shaking his head, Cai Yi smiled slightly. Both classes are very time-consuming, so you might as well be patient..."

"Don't worry, I've been the principal for so long, and the last thing I lack now is patience..."After laughing for a while, Jiang Baili's expression became a little more positive. By the way, Brother Songpa, the incident I mentioned to you a few days ago......... How are you thinking about it? ”

"Is that so?" he groaned for a while, and Cai Yi said leisurely. Let's wait until I get to Beijing to see me..."

Hearing Cai Ye say this, Jiang Baili was silent and didn't say anything more, because he knew that since Cai Ye had made up his mind, he would never be easily shaken, so...

"It's up to the governor himself..." (To be continued......)