A person's destiny is, of course, dependent on self-struggle, but it is also necessary to take into account the course of history.

This sentence is full of philosophy and wisdom, and it is really a universal spirit.

Specific to Xing Jiuliu, this is even more so.

You said that he was such a small opium merchant, why did he suddenly become an alternate governor?

This time it was really not an organizational appointment, it had nothing to do with Zhu Fugui, it was a complete coincidence.

At that time, Donald talked to Li Hongzhang about wanting to buy prisoners of war from the Taiping Army, which made Li Hongzhang overjoyed.

In fact, how to deal with the Taiping prisoners has always been a headache.

Zeng Guofan was known as Zeng Shaved Head, Li Hongzhang had just single-handedly handled the "Suzhou Killing", although Luo Bingzhang took in 3,000 Shi Dakai's surrendered troops, but he was always quite afraid, and even later attacked Dashu Fort at night and killed more than 2,000 other people.

Manchu officials were obsessed with killing prisoners, not entirely because they liked to kill, of course, but because killing was the best way to deal with it, and it could be done once and for all.

But what if these troublesome captives were packed up and bought to do hard labor in Citigroup?

Isn't this a great thing that can kill three birds with one stone by eliminating future troubles, making a lot of money, and even leaving a name of mercy?

As for whether these bandits will gather to cause chaos at Citigroup, this is not their business.

After all, the Manchu Qing Dynasty has always ignored overseas Chinese, not to mention the Chinese who are far away in Citigroup, even the Nanyang Chinese, who are only regarded as remnants of the previous dynasty, and neither want to deal with them, nor will they send troops to suppress them, so they are completely laissez-faire.

Moreover, if you want to say that these unarmed bandits can cause any trouble in the hinterland of foreigners, Li Hongzhang is the first not to believe it.

Although he looks down on Gordon as a person, it doesn't mean that he looks down on Gordon's foreign guns.

Not to mention the garrisons of foreigners in the various concessions of Shanghai, which are far from being comparable to the Chinese.

All in all, Mr. Donald, the "White House special envoy" of the United States, readily agreed to the proposal and expressed his willingness to contact Zeng Gong.

Li Hongzhang knew very well in his heart that the bulk of this part of the interests would definitely belong to Zeng Guofan and the Hunan army, and he could only earn an eye in front of foreigners.

After all, although he was valued by Zeng Guofan, he was not a member of the Hunan army in the end.

To be honest, Li Hongzhang actually doesn't look down on the old system like the Hunan Army.

Since the Huai army entered Shanghai, Li Hongzhang "completely changed the old system (of the Hunan army) and imitated the Yi army more" and turned into a new-style army equipped with foreign guns and cannons and trained by foreign instructors, which was already higher than the Hunan army in terms of combat effectiveness.

But in any case, as a representative of the Han landlord armed forces who grew up in the troubled times, Li Hongzhang also began to think about a way out for himself after the extermination of the Taiping Army.

Foreigners are obviously a good help.

To be on the safe side, Li Hongzhang asked Mr. Donald to help put pressure on Beijing to condemn the Qing government's indiscriminate killing of prisoners for human rights violations, which caused a shock in Beijing, so that he and the Hunan generals could facilitate the sale of prisoners.

Donald readily agreed, and asked if he would like to send a gunboat to Tanggu for a turn.

Although the tonnage of the "Yangzhou" and "Jiading" is a little smaller, they are real ironclad warships, the latest gunboats in the Far East, and they are enough to show off their might in the Bohai Bay.

This suggestion almost scared Li Hongzhang to pee.

If the court knew that he had brought the devil in, it would be all over.

In the end, it was the American minister Tian Bei and the British minister Marshali who jointly wrote a letter to the prime minister's yamen.

This letter is not a proper letter of state, but it is also full of weight.

At the same time, Donald also courteously helped Li Hongzhang settle Gordon.

The old boy actually wanted money, but he was ready to run away from China, so he wanted Huaijun to deposit the money in his account in a foreign bank.

Donald wrote Gordon a Citibank check on the spot, and warmly invited him to board a ship with him to New York, from where he would be transferred back to England.

When Gordon heard this, he readily agreed.

It's a bit of a detour, but it's a big savings and it's safe.

Donald nodded repeatedly, "Safe, that's pretty safe!" Mr. Gordon, you can rest assured on your way! ”

……

With these two collaborations, Li Hongzhang regarded Donald as a confidant, and even praised the American minister as "the friendliest and reasonable person in Tessie" in a letter to Zeng Guofan.

After getting acquainted, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but ask: "Mr. Donald, you are proficient in Chinese and like Chinese culture, I wonder if there is a Chinese name?" ”

In fact, Li Hongzhang thought that if Donald didn't have a Chinese name, he could help pick one, so that the relationship between the two sides would be closer, right?

Who would have thought that when hearing "Tang Sangui, my Chinese name is Sangui!" With such an answer, Lao Li almost spurted out a mouthful of old blood.

After hesitating for a long time, he didn't dare to explain the meaning of "Sangui" to Donald, so he had to say: "Mr. Tang, your Chinese name is too shocking, so don't use it easily in my country......

"Understood, understood, King Pingxi, the name is too big, you're afraid I won't be able to suppress it, right? I know the habits of you Chinese! ”

Donald patted Lao Li on the shoulder, feeling that this person was indeed very considerate and a talent, and he could recommend it to Wan Mianye when he turned around.

The relationship between Tang and Li quickly warmed up, until the day before they left, Donald and his East Asian retinue broke into the governor's yamen in a rage with red eyes.

The foreigners went crazy, and the subordinates did not dare to stop them.

Donald took the lead, broke into Li Hongzhang's bedroom, and pulled him up by his beard.

Li Hongzhang was stupefied.

He didn't know why the usually mild-mannered Donald had become so brutal.

"Say, where did you take Dr. Xing Guan!" Donald grabbed Lao Li's collar and asked angrily.

……

Eventually, Donald left by boat without having time to meet Dr. Xing.

Donald is still a little sorry to miss out on the greatest scientists of this century, or since Newton, but fortunately he is not a lover of science.

If Geng Gongbu is here, I am afraid that he will have to stay in Shanghai for two more days to have a long talk with his idol.

However, Donald confirmed Dr. Xing's safety.

In fact, if it weren't for the arrest of Xing Jiuliu, a local "legal businessman", by the "beggar soldiers", and the small boycott of Shanghai businessmen, Donald and his family would not have noticed this.

After all, in their minds, Dr. Xing must be a mysterious and low-key man, and it is impossible to show people by his real name.

Unexpectedly, his name was really Xing Jiuliu.

It's just that in the mouth of the local gentry, he is a local businessman who is good and simple, honest and responsible, and is persecuted by the Anhui people.

This is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from Dr. Xing's image.

However, this made Donald and others convinced that this was Dr. Xing, the chief scientist of Daming who was hidden in the city, but somehow, he was captured by the Huai army.

What are you waiting for?

It must be rescued!

As a result, it was discovered that the identity of Dr. Xing was not exposed at all.

Instead, Donald opened his mouth and exposed the "Doctor".

Fortunately......

"Dumping? Which one is the customer? The old man has never been sad about the customer! ”

"Oh no, Mr. Tang, are you talking about a businessman surnamed Xing? What he resells is indeed not in accordance with the laws of the Qing Dynasty......"

"I don't care, D...... Mr. Xing is my mentor, and you can't hurt him no matter what! Donald said categorically.

……

All in all, in this way, Xing Jiuliu inexplicably became the alternate governor of the Great Qing State, and theoretically he was also a member of the fifth rank or from the fifth grade.

Of course, it is not uncommon for the alternate governor to be in this year, and you can buy it with money.

But even if you spend money to buy it, an alternate governor will have to pay 120,000 taels of silver, which is equivalent to nearly 4 million yuan in later generations according to the calculation of 200 yuan for one tael of silver.

4 million to buy an alternate county magistrate is very cost-effective, but unless you take shit luck, I am afraid that the word "alternate" will not be removed for the rest of your life.

(Zhizhou is generally lower than the prefect, higher than the county, and the position is more flexible, so it is difficult to say whether it is the mayor or the county magistrate, but the Shanghai governor should be the county magistrate.) ）

The most important thing is that Xing Jiuliu's alternate governor is not imaginary, but really helps the governor to handle foreign affairs.

In other words, the reason why Xing Jiuliu was not promoted to Shanghai Dao in one step was entirely because of his lack of officialdom qualifications.

When he makes contributions to foreign affairs, let alone Shanghai Dao, it is not impossible to go further, and it is not impossible to enter the prime minister's yamen.

In short, how far Xing Jiuliu has gone depends on how big his foreign talent is.

…………

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