Chapter 185 Another Governor Arrives (First Update, Please Subscribe)

History seems to have gone a little awry.

The triple expansion steam engine, which was originally supposed to be put into use in the early 1870s, was born at the Nanhua Shipyard several years ahead of schedule thanks to the painstaking processing and assembly of technicians and workers.

Although it only had a "mere" one thousand horsepower, the emergence of the triple expansion steam engine still changed Nanhua's shipbuilding industry - installing steam engines on merchant ships was put on the agenda.

In the days to come, the triple-expansion steam engines produced by Nanhua Shipbuilding Company will definitely not be sold to the outside world. Just providing steam engines for the 36 merchant ships of the Amerian Shipping Company will be enough for the shipbuilding company's power workshop to produce for a long time.

"Expand a professional steam engine and boiler production company!"

Faced with the sudden increase in demand, Zhu Xianhai made a straightforward decision. As early as last year, Nanhua Shipyard had already started producing steam engines. After all, steam engines of that era were not complicated, and there was not even a unified drawing. Each engine had a unique model, and the steam engines were designed and produced entirely according to the needs of users. However, the triple expansion steam engines produced by Nanhua had a set of standard drawings, which could be mass-produced.

Just when the new steam engine was put into production, the "Great Eastern" sailed back to Nanhua. Its arrival not only brought 43,612 new immigrants to Nanhua, causing the population of Nanhua to jump over 160,000, but also a passenger on the ship frightened Zhu Xianhai so much that he couldn't react for a long time.

Another Governor of Zhejiang has arrived!

Nanhua already had a Zhejiang governor - Wang Youling, no, his current alias was Wang Yingjiu. With the recommendation of Hu Xueyan, he had taught in the school for a few months and had already joined the company and became Zhu Xianhai's staff.

"My lord, how about I go and meet this Zuo Jigao first?"

Wang Yingjiu was also filled with emotion.

He was abducted and "sold" to Nanhua by the Taiping rebels while serving as the governor of Zhejiang. Who would have thought that his successor Zuo Zongtang would also go to Nanhua.

This is too much of a coincidence!

Zhu Xianhai muttered to himself.

"No, let him walk around Nanhua first. Have a look around, and then I'll meet him!"

In fact, among the so-called "famous ministers of the Restoration" in the late Qing Dynasty, Zhu Xianhai had a very good impression of Zuo Zongtang, and the reason was simple... Northwest China.

Just when Zhu Xianhai was planning to let Zuo Zongtang visit Nanhua, Zuo Zongtang, who was standing on the deck and watching the passengers on the ship being taken ashore by sampans and small steamers, staring at the city in front of him, had a complicated expression.

"The host is still worried about how to meet him later?"

Su Shijing asked.

"Um!"

Nodding, Zuo Zongtang said.

"Zuo was greatly favored by the imperial court. He was promoted to the governor of Zhejiang within a year of entering the government. He originally wanted to serve the imperial court and quell the rebellion, but he was defeated in Zhejiang and ended up in a foreign country. Now I want to meet the Lord of Nanhua..."

Unlike other people, Zuo Zongtang's road to the imperial examination was very bumpy and difficult. Although he was a famous talent in Sanxiang, his research was all about practical knowledge, and his level of eight-part essay writing was not very high. He took the exam three times but failed to pass the exam.

After he was completely disappointed with the imperial examination, he vowed never to take it again and returned to his hometown to farm and teach. Zuo Zongtang continued to live this kind of rural farmer's life until he was forty years old. Well, he was even a "son-in-law who lived with his wife".

Zuo Zongtang, who had great ambitions and compared himself to "Jin Liang", had achieved nothing before the age of 40. It is understandable how miserable he was. If it hadn't been for the Taiping Rebellion, he would probably have spent his whole life as a doorman in his father-in-law's house.

Although he was a famous scholar in Hunan, he had been recommended by local officials and bigwigs such as Zeng and Lin, but he was never used by the court. He was in his forties and had not yet obtained an official position, so he naturally had no loyalty to the court.

This was even the reason why he almost joined the Taiping Army in his early years. However, since he entered Zhang Liangji's shogunate, and then entered the government as an aide two years ago, and was promoted to governor within a year, he felt that the court was very kind to him. Who would have thought that when he was about to serve the court, he became a prisoner and was "sold" to Nanhua.

And this is the Lord of Nanhua.

"It is said that the Lord of Nanhua is a descendant of Zhu Ming!"

After staying on the ship for dozens of days, Zuo Zongtang had almost learned from other people that the Lord of Nanhua was a descendant of Zhu Ming. Unexpectedly, he also began to wonder if this gentleman was also thinking of rebelling.

With a wry smile, Zuo Zongtang muttered to himself as he looked at the bustling crowd on the deck.

"He has actually created such a large business in the foreign land. His ambitions must be quite big!"

His ambition is not small!

What kind of ambition is this?

While Zuo Zongtang was muttering in his heart, it was finally his turn to get off the ship. Unlike the others who went to the new immigrant education camp to receive some training, he and a dozen of his subordinates were taken to the dock. They were greeted by old acquaintances. It was beyond the imagination of Su Shijing and others to meet old friends thousands of miles away, but then they were relieved. Hangzhou City was now under the control of Changmao. Since Changmao kept selling people here, it was normal to see a few old friends from Hangzhou here.

"Why is Brother Jiayu here?"

"How else could it have come about?"

Ding Bing smiled bitterly helplessly.

"We all came here the same way,"

Shrugging helplessly, Ding Bing saluted Zuo Zongtang.

I am Ding Bing, and I am honored to meet His Excellency the Governor!"

"Alas, Brother Ding, why are you so polite? I just regret that I am incompetent. Although you passed on the intelligence, I was unable to save the people of Hangzhou from the dire situation. It is really a pity!"

In one sentence, Ding Bing explained what he did when Hangzhou fell. He had sent intelligence to Zuo Zongtang. However, his fate changed. He was not able to rescue the "Sikuquanshu" in Wenlan Pavilion and rebuild Wenlan Pavilion as in history. Instead, he was "sold" to Nanhua along with his family's collection of books. Nanhua wanted not only people but also books. Unfortunately, the Ding family could not escape this disaster. The Ding family's collection of books and the "Sikuquanshu" in Hangzhou's "Wenlan Pavilion" became the collection of Nanhua Library. As for him, he also went to Nanhua.

Ding Bing said directly.

"Hey, what a pity! Your Excellency Futai, you don't know that it would be amazing if you could defeat the current long-haired people!"

"Oh? Why is that?"

Zuo Zongtang asked in confusion.

"Your Excellency, you still don't understand?"

Ding Bing said.

"To put it bluntly, the reason why we came here is that we were captured by the Taiping rebels. Why did they capture us? It was to exchange foreign guns and cannons with Nanhua. Now the Taiping rebels have many guns and cannons, and their firepower is sharp. How can the government troops be their opponents..."

In fact, Zuo Zongtang knew all that Ding Bing said, but he still looked around with some confusion.

"Nanhua uses guns and cannons to exchange for people. Can they also make foreign guns and cannons?"

(End of this chapter)