After the end of the war, the governor's yamen in Tianjin became more lively, and there were more and more officials waiting in line at the door to receive them.

This is enough to show Li Zhongtang's power, and it is getting heavier and heavier, otherwise why would those officials wait in a long line.

However, outsiders only saw Li Zhongtang's scenery, and few people knew about his troubles.

"Yushan, have you raised enough money?"

In the governor's yamen, Li Zhongtang asked his most trusted confidant, Governor Zhou Fuzhou. Lord Zhou has now been promoted to the post of governor of Shandong. However, given that Li Zhongtang is now inseparable from Lord Zhou, this can only be regarded as a remote leader. Of course, regardless of whether Lord Zhou wants to take office or not, can this Shandong still be able to break away from the control of the Huai Army.

Facing Li Zhongtang's urging, Zhou Fu hurriedly said. "Dong Weng, you are in a hurry, Xingsun and the others have been working hard to raise it, and they have raised more than 2.3 million taels of silver so far......

"Too little, too little!"

Li Zhongtang interrupted Lord Zhou's words, "Yushan, you know, we still owe Italy more than eight million taels of silver. This Minister Jia has arrived in Tianjin, and he must ask about this money, how can you let me reply? ”

Of course, Lord Zhou is clear about Li Zhongtang's difficulties, but it is indeed difficult to raise money now. Xingsun (Sheng Xuanhuai), who is in charge of raising silver, has complained to him more than once, and now it is difficult to raise money. He broke his legs, so he found this money, and the request of eight million taels was really difficult to complete. I hope that for the sake of his colleagues, he will say a few kind words for himself in front of Zhongtang.

Of course, just based on Sheng Xuanhuai's words, he Zhou Fu is not a good believer, and he has also inquired, it is indeed difficult to raise money at the beginning of this year.

In the previous war with the Japanese, the money had been raised many times, but now all the families are tight, and they really can't serve Li Zhongtang.

And more importantly, with the subsidence of the war, even if the tax money is used first, it will not be possible, and the imperial court will also play to eat grain, waiting for the tax money to go to the pot.

In addition, after the battle, whether the various departments of the Huai Army should give a reward, and whether they should give the Huai Army other armies participating in the war, which also requires silver.

Zhou Fu didn't have time to tell Zhongtang about these messy things.

Just when Lord Zhou wanted to speak, suddenly a subordinate came to report that Minister Jia was at the door.

"Please, please, please come in. No, open the middle door, and the old man will go in person. ”

With Li Zhongtang's words, the middle door of the governor's yamen was slowly opened, and Li Zhongtang, who was smiling, walked happily to Jia Liwen who was waiting outside the door.

"Hahahaha, let Minister Jia wait for a long time."

Facing Li Zhongtang, who personally went out to greet him, how could Jia Liwen, who had been a minister in the Far East for many years, not know his thoughts.

Immediately returned the salute with the same warm smile. "I hope you will forgive me for taking the liberty of disturbing Lord Zhongtang."

"Where is the disturbance, this is the arrival of the distinguished guest to make the old man shine, please come inside!"

The group soon came to the living room, and after the next person held the tea, Minister Jia quickly expressed his intention.

"I heard that His Excellency Zhongtang has been a little short of money recently?"

As soon as Jia Liwen spoke, Zhou Fu, who was accompanying him, sank in his heart, what was he afraid of.

Although these words caused Zhou Fu to feel uneasy, who was Li Zhongtang, I saw him suddenly laugh.

"Hahaha, since this is all heard, it must be wrong. Although our Huai army has only finished fighting, it is simply impossible to lack money and food. If you lack the money from your army, I will have someone settle it for you to-morrow. ”

Li Zhongtang is Li Zhongtang in the end, the tiger will not fall, he did not take the money owed to Italy seriously in his words, he showed considerable wealth, and he did not see the urgency of Lord Zhou behind him.

Although Jia Liwen didn't know where Li Zhongtang got the confidence, he had already figured out his hole cards, but he knew that his subordinate Sheng Xuanhuai was raising funds everywhere. Of course, he, Jia Liwen, visited this time not to expose Li Zhongtang, he didn't have that spare time.

"Your Excellency, I believe you have misunderstood my intention to come this time, I didn't come this time to collect money. Rather, I heard that you are a little short of money, and I have an idea to increase your country's income. ”

Jia Liwen's words made Li Zhongtang and Lord Zhou a little surprised, this Minister Jia didn't come to ask for money to open a good hall?

But regardless of whether this Minister Jia is as he said or not, what does it matter if you listen to it.

So Li Zhongtang said happily. "Since your minister is so hearted, then the old man will listen to him."

Seeing Li Zhongtang with a look of seeking advice, Jia Liwen immediately spoke. "I wonder how much Your Excellency knows about railways?"

"Know."

How could Li Zhongtang not know about the railway Jia Liwen said, to know that the Jingu Railway currently in operation could only be built under Li Zhongtang's protection. More than 10 years ago, he made an excerpt and believed that "the seven provinces of the South and North Oceans must be united in order to respond to the Unicom." Not to mention that when something happens, the military situation changes rapidly."

"There are inland trains and railways, troops are stationed on the side, and they rush to help when they hear the alarm, but they can be hundreds of miles a day, and the commander should not make a mistake."

That's right, Li Zhongtang was optimistic about the future of the railway from a military point of view at that time.

However, this did not affect Jia Liwen's next words. "Your Excellency, the railroad is not only capable of transporting troops in wartime, but also goods and passengers in peacetime. As far as I know, the Jingu Railway currently in operation is mainly based on cargo transportation, and it can obtain more than 30,000 taels of silver for the railway company every year. ”

"I know that."

Of course Li Zhongtang knows what Jia Liwen said, and he knows even more, this is still the profit after deducting his hands, if you add it, it will be at least more than 50,000 taels. The profit of this railway is very good, but it is a source of wealth, but Minister Jia said that this is not going to let Li Zhongtang build a railway, right? He still owes a lot of silver, where did he get the money?

Seeing Li Zhongtang's suspicious gaze, Jia Liwen immediately said. "My country believes that if your country wants to open source, the construction of this railway is definitely a great weapon. For example, it is very profitable to build a railway from your country of Guangzhou through Changsha, Wuhan, Baoding to Tianjin or Beijing through the north and south (Beijing-Guangzhou line, the end point is Tianjin). ”

Hearing this, Li Zhongtang and Lord Zhou both laughed, this Minister Jia really dared to think that the money needed for these thousands of miles of railway needless to say, without thirty or forty million taels of silver as a base, don't open your mouth. Even if there is this money, how should the officials of the various ruling parties deal with each other, he Li Er does not think that he has the ability to sell his face.

So Li Zhongtang immediately said. "Minister Jia laughed, although this railway is good, it is thousands of miles from Guangzhou to Tianjin, and it is too eager to be built."