Chapter 43 of 100

Chapter 43

14 min read3,467 words

The wax seal of the yellow phosphorus flare was crushed, and Xiao Letian's arm trembled slightly in the darkness. The flare began to spray bright flames, and three consecutive fireballs shot up into the night sky, so bright that they could be seen from miles away.

"It's Mr. Xiao, it's the strategist..." The crowd was immediately stirred, the flickering torchlight dancing in the darkness. The fire dragon began to converge on Xiao Letian, and soon everyone found him, covered in grass sticks and bumps on his head.

"Strategist, we have sinned..." Seeing Xiao Letian safe and sound, the three bodyguards led by Xiao Hexin immediately knelt down, crawling on the ground and weeping bitterly.

"Enough, stop crying. Quickly get Hu Niu into the carriage, it's really damn cold in the mountains!" With the help of his brothers, Xiao Letian quickly climbed out of the valley and returned to the main road.

"Everyone, listen up. We are to withdraw the entire army, and release all the captives..." Xiao Letian's order left the people present puzzled. "Strategist, are you not going to avenge this?"

"No, we won't. We will also withdraw the troops surrounding Xiang Family Village. We won't hold this grudge. Instead, we will send scouts to keep an eye on Xiang Family Village... I feel that the Xiang Shaolong family is about to face some trouble..."

At this moment, the eastern horizon was beginning to show a faint white. The whole night had passed, and Xiao Letian mounted his horse, facing the dawn, he shouted, "Everyone, listen up. Follow me back to Yixian. Damn, if you don't have the ability to protect yourself, don't come out and mix... I've decided, if no one invites me, I won't go back to Beijing... Move out!" He then spurred his horse forward.

Just as Xiao Letian led his team away from the mountains, in the majestic Forbidden City, the morning council had already begun. However, the morning council of the Tongzhi era was not held in the Golden Hall but in the East Warm Pavilion of the Yangxin Hall, the famous place for the Empress Dowagers' rule behind the curtain.

The frail Tongzhi Emperor sat on the imperial throne, with the pearl curtain behind him. The Empress Dowagers of the East and West Palaces were faintly visible behind the curtain. In front of the Emperor, on both sides, sat the important ministers of the court, with Prince Gong Yixin sitting in the first position on the left.

Surprisingly, the first position on the right was occupied by Zeng Guoquan, the Grand Guardian and Viceroy of Liangjiang. Today's morning council had gathered practical officials, and none of the high-ranking nobles were called.

"Alright, everyone, discuss this memorial. Why is no one speaking after reading it for so long?" The one who broke the silence was Empress Dowager Cixi.

In people's hands, a memorial was being passed around. The owner of the memorial was just a newly appointed chief clerk of the Zongli Yamen, but the person who presented it was none other than Prince Gong Yixin.

The memorial was written by a Manchu official named Fuqing, with the title "Memorial Requesting Imperial Decree to Establish Industrial Special Zones to Strengthen the Nation" written on the cover, which was quite spirited and invigorating for the Tongzhi Emperor and the Empress Dowagers behind the curtain.

The content of the memorial was shocking. This Manchu official, Fuqing, boldly requested the establishment of industrial special zones in Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Tanggu, each zone ranging from 500 to 1,000 acres depending on their purpose. He also proposed hiring foreign engineers at high salaries to design and build these zones, aiming to complete five industrial special zones for the Qing Dynasty within three years.

Within these zones, steel mills, military factories, textile mills, and even matches and oil factories would be established, starting with military industries and gradually improving the Qing Dynasty's industrial system. If the initial results were good, more pilot zones could be added, such as in Tangshan, Wuhan, and Jiaodong.

At the end of the memorial, Fuqing boldly stated, "As long as the industrial special zones can operate at full capacity for five years, I guarantee that the Qing Dynasty can produce firearms and cannons that are not inferior to those of the foreigners, and even new-style warships capable of sailing thousands of miles and carrying heavy cannons..."

In summary, the tone of the memorial was very ambitious, but it was not just empty talk. It included detailed plans for the initial preparation, start-up funds, and the technology to be used, even addressing safety concerns.

Of course, the safety here did not refer to production safety, as the lives of commoners were of no concern. Fuqing's safety referred to the stability of public sentiment. He believed that since the industrial special zones would be built using foreign methods, they should be enclosed with walls and military camps, allowing only goods and materials to flow in and out, and prohibiting contact between commoners and the people inside, thus preventing the foreigners from corrupting the hearts of the Qing people.

This strategy was a 100% copy of what Xiao Letian had instructed, and it was the most practical and least disruptive plan for the Qing Dynasty at the time, with strong operational feasibility.

When Prince Gong presented the memorial, the East Warm Pavilion fell silent. People passed it around and then lowered their heads, until Empress Dowager Cixi broke the silence.

"I think this plan is feasible!" The first to speak was Zeng Guoquan. "What is the state of the Qing Dynasty now, I believe everyone can see. If we do not strive to strengthen ourselves, the foreigners will become even more arrogant. What's there to fear about setting aside a few hundred acres for a pilot project? I will take responsibility for the Ningbo and Fuzhou special zones and guarantee that within five years, I will show the court some results..."

Zeng Guoquan's first half was reasonable, but the second half was not well received by the Manchu officials. Oh, he's making a move? The Xiang Army has already stripped the rich lands of the south, how much good land have they seized? Now, they are greedily eyeing the Manchu's property?

Before the Manchu officials could refute him, a voice without emotion suddenly sounded, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowagers, which department will be in charge of these industrial special zones? Logically, this should be the responsibility of the Ministry of Works, but it also involves communication with foreigners, which is the responsibility of the Zongli Yamen..."

"Not only that, the construction of walls and military camps is the responsibility of the Ministry of War. Even the education of the surrounding people and the prevention of foreign influence are the responsibilities of the Ministry of Rites... In short, all departments will need to cooperate. How does the court plan to coordinate this? And who will be the lead person in charge?"

The Qing officials were making their move. Not only the Empress Dowagers and the important ministers were alarmed, but even the young Tongzhi Emperor sensed something different.

The Qing officials were known for their large numbers and poor organization. Generally, they were loud but ineffective, but their leaders were different. These leaders were usually well-known Confucian scholars with prestige and ability surpassing even the practical governors and provincial administrators.

If the Emperor encountered such a minister, it would be quite a headache. Especially the one in front of him, Weng Tonghe, a leader of the Qing officials known for his integrity and incorruptibility, was a force to be reckoned with.

Weng Tonghe, styled Shuping, was from Changshu, Jiangsu, and the son of Grand Secretary Weng Xincun. He was the top scholar in the imperial examination of 1856 and held various important positions, including Vice Minister of Revenue, Left Censor-in-Chief, and Ministers of Punishments, Works, and Revenue, as well as a Grand Secretary and a Minister of the Zongli Yamen. Historically, Weng Tonghe was a formidable figure, only being dismissed from office after the Hundred Days' Reform due to his students' involvement.

In 1865, Weng Tonghe was appointed to teach the young Tongzhi Emperor, a position equivalent to an imperial tutor. At 35, he was in his prime and was widely recognized as the leader of the Qing officials.

When the imperial tutor spoke, even the Emperor and Empress Dowagers had to give him some face. Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an did not speak, and the young Emperor Tongzhi did not know what to say. Only Prince Gong Yixin responded, "Shuping, we are just discussing this. Nothing is decided yet, nothing is decided yet..."

Weng Tonghe smiled slightly, "I was just asking casually, to remind everyone that our dynasty has faced many storms since entering the pass and establishing the empire. But the unity of Manchus and Han has always helped us overcome crises. What has sustained us? It is the teachings of the sages that have stabilized the hearts of the people. To put it bluntly, if the teachings of the sages decline, how long can our dynasty last?"

This statement left everyone speechless. If an ordinary official had said such a heretical thing, they would have been reprimanded and dismissed. But when the leader of the Qing officials said it, the entire hall of officials and the Empress Dowagers were silenced.

This was a threat, a naked threat. The Empress Dowagers and the Manchu officials understood that if the Qing Dynasty abandoned the teachings of the sages and promoted Western learning, they would face a full-scale counterattack from these Confucian scholars, who represented the most powerful landlord class in the Qing Dynasty.

At this moment, Zeng Guoquan was overjoyed. He thought, let them fight. If the court forcibly passes the plan for the industrial special zones, the Xiang Army will get at least two of them, and we won't lose out.

If the court and the Qing officials have a falling out, even better. The Xiang Army has plenty of positions to accommodate these Confucian scholars. With their support, how long can the Aisin Gioro family remain in power?

Zeng Guoquan felt as refreshed as if he had drunk cold water on a hot summer day. In contrast, the Manchu officials were silent. Prince Gong quickly tried to defuse the situation, "Shuping, what do you mean? When has the court ever said it would promote Western learning? The teachings of the sages are the foundation of governance, a rule set by our ancestors. Why worry about it..."

At this moment, the young Emperor Tongzhi suddenly spoke, "Master Weng... If we don't establish industrial special zones and don't produce foreign guns and cannons, how will we deal with the foreigners if they attack again?"

Weng Tonghe laughed, "Ha, Your Majesty, you haven't thought it through. Although the foreigners have strong ships and powerful cannons, they lack the strength to penetrate deep into our vast territory. Recall their previous military campaigns. During the Daoguang era, the British attacked Guangzhou and then moved north along the coast, but they never penetrated inland. Why?"

"Because they lack the ability to penetrate inland! Our Qing Dynasty's territory stretches for millions of miles. If the foreigners come, they will be dragged down within a few hundred miles, unable to ensure their supply of ammunition. This is our greatest advantage."

If Xiao Letian were here, he would immediately give Weng Tonghe a thumbs up. This man had a bit of the style of Chiang Kai-shek, understanding the concept of strategic depth and the use of space to gain time.

"As for four years ago, it was the British, French, and Russian barbarians taking advantage of our internal turmoil. We were attacked from both front and back, which led to this disaster. This was not a failure of military strategy but a failure of political situation. If the Taiping rebels had not caused chaos, would the British and French dare to penetrate inland?"

Weng Tonghe's words left everyone speechless. The nine-year-old Tongzhi nodded slightly, as if he had gained some understanding. Even Zeng Guoquan had to give him a mental thumbs up.

"Truly a leader of the Qing officials, his insight is not that of an ordinary scholar."

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