Chapter 279: Deceiving the superiors and the subordinates is the right path (Second update, please subscribe)
How to meet the Governor?
It is definitely not realistic to rashly go to the governor to ask for an audience.
So after thinking about it along the way, Zhao Tianfeng decided to use "reporting military intelligence" as a stepping stone.
You know what, this brick is really useful.
After being led by the guards into the signing hall, Zhao Tianfeng looked at Governor Li sitting in the hall, bowed upright in front of him, and introduced himself in a neither humble nor arrogant manner:
"I, Zhao Tianfeng, greet the Governor."
"Are you Zhao Tianfeng? Do you have any confidential military information to report?"
Governor Li looked at Zhao Tianfeng carefully. He looked to be about thirty years old, of medium height, with a broad and long face, wearing a black suit, a black hat, and Western-style leather shoes.
This guy is dressed completely in Western style.
"Your Excellency the Governor, I am Zhao Tianfeng, courtesy name Ziqing, from Hangzhou, Zhejiang. I was blessed by the imperial court to pass the imperial examination. I should have served the imperial court and benefited the people, but I was kidnapped by bandits and sold overseas..."
Zhao Tianfeng then recounted his experience of being sold to Nanhua and later studying in the United States.
He actually studied abroad and attended a Western university!
What a talent!
Governor Li was immediately pleased. After Zhao Tianfeng introduced himself, he said to him affectionately:
"Aiya, Ziqing, although you are in a foreign land, you are still determined to serve the court. I really admire you! No need to be polite, please take a seat."
His word "admiration" was not just a polite remark when ordinary literati met each other. He really felt that this man's loyalty was commendable.
After Zhao Tianfeng sat down confidently, Governor Li asked:
"From what you said before, you studied in an American university. I wonder what you studied in college!"
Governor Li never asked about Nanhua at all.
In fact, Governor Li was no stranger to Nanhua. Notices for Nanhua to recruit workers had long been posted throughout the three provinces under his jurisdiction. Every year, hundreds of thousands of workers went out to sea from Lianyun and other places.
As for the annexation of Chile by the America Company, I had also heard of it. After all, as the Minister of Commerce of the Beiyang Government, it was his job to handle diplomacy. Moreover, the boss of the America Company also married the niece of the French emperor. However, my understanding of the America Company was limited to this.
As for the fact that Zhu Xianhai's name matched the generation name of the previous dynasty, Governor Li pretended not to know it. It was not because that person had never announced his identity to the outside world, but because South America was really a bit far away, and the Queen Mother and the Prince did not need to worry about overseas affairs.
The Governor seems to have little interest in Nanhua?
Zhao Tianfeng frowned, feeling a little confused.
In fact, he didn't know that this matter was a bit delicate for Governor Li.
What's the subtlety?
He has done a lot of business with Liu Kunpeng of the American Company over the years. Not to mention him, even the four ironclad ships of his mentor in Wuchang and the cannons of the artillery batteries along the river were bought from Liu Kunpeng.
Bought through Americana.
If we investigate this, it won’t be good!
So, just like in the past, Governor Li would rather pretend he didn't know and naturally changed the subject.
But Zhao Tianfeng didn't quite understand, so he still asked.
"Then Nanhua..."
Before he could finish, Governor Li interrupted him directly.
"Hey, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are already worried enough about the affairs of the Qing Dynasty. There is no need to distract them with trivial matters like that tens of thousands of miles away. Just ask about the affairs of the Qing Dynasty."
When saying this, Governor Li looked completely loyal and devoted to helping the emperor.
It is indeed for the good of the Qing Dynasty. Xiangsi was afraid that the other party didn't understand why he did this, so he explained.
"Think about it, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are the backbone of our Great Qing. If they worry about the country and the people all day long, and if they collapse, it will not be a blessing for the world. What happened to the medicine we made for Orange? We should let the Emperor and the Empress Dowager know what we should not let them worry about. There is no need to bother them with things like this, after all, it is not the business of our Great Qing, don't you think?"
"Your Excellency is right!"
This is just deceiving the superiors and hiding the truth from the subordinates. How can you do things this way?
But thinking of the national conditions of the Qing Dynasty, Zhao Tianfeng was a little confused, but he also understood what it meant to not be involved in politics, so he could only pretend to be confused and answered.
"Sir, I left Nanhua to study in the United States in 1861, the eleventh year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign. After arriving in the United States, I first learned the language in New York, and then studied in a local middle school. Five years ago, I was admitted to the Brooklyn Polytechnic to study mechanics. I also dabbled in other engineering subjects. After graduating from school, I worked as an intern in machinery factories, ironworks, and railway companies. In the United States, I learned that the Governor-General was stationed in Xuzhou, pacifying the bandits and saving the people from suffering. Therefore, I came to serve you despite my humble position."
Since you have come to seek refuge with the Governor, you must always say some high-sounding words. After all, everyone likes to hear these scene paintings.
"Well, not bad, not bad..."
Although Yung Wing was not around, he saw that the man in front of him was well-spoken and thought that since he dared to recommend himself, he must have some talent. He smiled and said:
"Well, you've come at the right time. Since I was appointed as the Governor-General of Zhili by the imperial court, I have tried my best to put down the bandits, but the bandits have colluded with illegal foreign merchants, exchanging silk and people for foreign guns and cannons. They are strong and powerful. If we want to put down the bandits, we must train soldiers and promote foreign affairs. I was ordered by the imperial court to manage foreign affairs in Xuzhou and other places. Since you have learned something in the West, you will definitely be able to use your skills in the future. When you have achieved something, I will definitely report to the imperial court and ask for an official position for you."
The Governor's words made Zhao Tianfeng secretly happy. What was he doing here? Wasn't it just to seek an official position? Now that his wish had been fulfilled, he stood up and bowed:
"Oh, thank you for your support!"
"By the way, since you said you are good at mechanics, can you make weapons?"
Governor Lee asked.
"I do know a thing or two about making weapons..."
With a deep breath, Zhao Tianfeng knew that this was his chance, so he continued.
"But in my opinion, if you want to quell the rebellion, the most urgent task should be to build a railway."
"Build a railway? Put down a rebellion?"
Li Hongzhang pondered.
"You mean transporting troops? Railways are much more convenient for transporting troops. Trains can travel thousands of miles a day. You may not know that in the past two years, some people have been urging me to build railways from Lianyun to Xuzhou and other places. However, the construction of railways has cost a lot of money. Now the country is in turmoil, and it is really difficult to raise money."
"Your Excellency may not know that what I have felt most deeply during my years in the United States is the convenience of railways. These railways can not only transport troops, but also be used for war. Your Excellency may know that in foreign countries, in addition to armored warships, there are also armored trains!"
"What? Armored train?"
Governor Li was surprised.
"What is this?"
"Sir, an armored train is a train with armor on the outside and cannons and soldiers inside the carriages. In the United States, there is a term called "land cruiser". I heard that someone once installed a ten-inch cannon on the train to attack fortresses..."
Zhao Tianfeng was not unfamiliar with armored trains. After all, both the North and the South had used armored trains during the Civil War, and there were similar news reports in newspapers.
"If you build a railway and equip it with an armored train, the 10-inch heavy artillery on board can destroy the city and the land. Even if the bandits have strong soldiers and horses, how can they resist the power of the armored train?"
"Is the armored train... really that powerful?"
Governor Li asked in confusion.
"What do you think of the ten-inch guns?"
"The ten-inch cannon is of course extremely powerful. The bandits ravaged the riverside with the ten-inch cannons on several ironclad ships. However, those cannons weigh tens of thousands of pounds and can only be used on ships. If the ironclad vehicles could deliver such cannons to land, attacking cities and plundering land would be a piece of cake. However..."
Governor Li asked after thinking for a while.
"Trains can only run along railways. What if there are no railways?"
"Of course, we should build railways. During the American Civil War, railways were basically built wherever the war took place. Your Excellency can first build a railway from Lianyun to Xuzhou, then build it southward to Anhui, and finally cross the Huai River to capture cities and territories. Even if we cannot build across the Huai River for the time being, with this railway, it will not only be convenient to dispatch troops, but also can be built westward all the way to Hubei. In this way, rice from Hubei, Sichuan and other places can be directly transported to Lianyun via railway, and then transported northward by sea from Lianyun to support the capital..."
(End of this chapter)
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