Chapter 237 The First Person in Industry

Sheng Xuanhuai sat down opposite Zhou Charter: "Governor Zhou is polite. If you have anything to say, Governor Zhou said that as long as he can, he will do his best." Sheng Xuanhuai is also a smart person. These days, he has been spending a lot of time in Taipei, and he also knows that there is no banquet for no reason. Sheng Xuanhuai is soft-mouthed and has been psychologically prepared for a long time. Zhou Charter must have something to ask him. Therefore, Zhou Charter's words are also expected by Sheng Xuanhuai.

Zhou Charter pondered for a moment and said, "I'm afraid this matter will be difficult for some strong people."

Sheng Xuanhuai smiled and said, "To tell you the truth, although the subordinate is vulgar, he can still say something in the court. It's not that the subordinate is arrogant. There are some things that Li Zhongtang can't handle, and the subordinates also has a way. The lower official knew that Governor Zhou was a little embarrassed in the court, and those vulgar officials complained about Governor Zhou. Governor Zhou assured that after returning to Beijing with Lord Zhang, he will definitely defend Governor Zhou in front of the Empress Dowager and the emperor.

Sheng Xuanhuai thought that Zhou Charter would use the mouth of the imperial minister to win public opinion in the court to consolidate his position, which is a common trick used by feudal officials. Sheng Xuanhuai is also a middle-old man. For him, this is really not difficult. At the beginning, Zhang Zhidong relied on Sheng Xuanhuai's three-inch tongue to gain the reputation of "able minister" in the court.

Zhou Charter shook his head and sighed, "Thank you for the beauty of the grand people. However, the right and wrong are straight, personal reputation is defamed, and it has its own judgment. I don't care about it. It's just one thing now. It's hard to sleep and eat, and you can't sleep at night!"

"I don't know what's going on?" Sheng Xuanhuai asked.

Zhou Charter sighed: "Taiwan and North Korea are the two pearls of my Qing Dynasty. Let's not talk about the situation of North Korea for the time being. A few days ago, Shanren spared no effort to visit all parts of Taiwan and should have some understanding of the situation in Taiwan. Taiwan is rich in products and is a key road to the sea. It should have been a rich place. As a parent official in Taiwan, he should have started an industry in Taiwan to develop the economy and benefit the people. He also had this ambition. But the current situation makes me frustrated. However, Shanren also saw the actual situation in Taiwan. Taiwan's original industrial foundation was very backward. Lord Liu Mingchuan made a start, but when he encountered the Second World War, now all industries are abandoned. It is really difficult to start an industrial business.

Sheng Xuanhuai said, "Governor Zhou is far-sighted and got hundreds of millions of taels of silver from the Japanese. As long as he has money, everything is easy to do. Governor Zhou can rest assured."

"Shengren is also an industrialist in the Qing Dynasty. It should be understood that money alone is not enough to start an industry, and there must be someone else!" Zhou Charter said, "especially industrialists like Shanda people!"

Sheng Xuan's heart moved and suddenly felt bad.

At the beginning, he came to Taiwan as the deputy envoy for this negotiation, which was appointed by Emperor Guangxu. However, he also heard some rumors that Zhou Charter had asked the court for an order to come by name. Sheng Xuanhuai was skeptical about this matter, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

Now, listening to Zhou Charter's words, is it that Zhou Charter wants to leave him in Taiwan?

Although Sheng Xuanhuai admitted that Taiwan is a good place, he absolutely does not want to stay in Taiwan. In the Qing Dynasty, the governance of officials was extremely corrupt. Of course, this environment was intolerable for upright people, but for Sheng Xuanhuai, it was like a fish in water. In the Qing Dynasty, Sheng Xuanhuai made a slight use of his skills, that is, 10,000 taels of gold. Moreover, everyone from princes to local officials has to buy him. If he stays in Taiwan and works under Zhou Charter, there will be no space for his activities. Among other things, the postal service he is now in charge of is a fat shortage. Not only is there a huge opening fund from the imperial court, but the postal service itself also has a huge profit margin. Many people in the Qing Dynasty are watching. How can Sheng Xuanhuai stop!

Sheng Xuanhuai said in a hurry, "Governor Zhou is polite. The subordinate is just a false name. In fact, the subordinate really knows nothing about starting an industry. In fact, what he did before was crooked. How can he afford the word 'condustry'."

"Real?" Zhou Charter squinted at Sheng Xuanhuai.

"It's true." Sheng Xuanhuai said, "Well, let's talk about the Hanyang Arsenal. In fact, the masterpiece of Lord Zhang Zhidong is just a hand for Lord Zhang. Lord Zhang is really an industrialist, Governor Zhou. I think you can make a compromise to the court and ask the court to approve it. Lord Zhang will come to Taiwan to assist Governor Zhou. The lower official can also convey the meaning of Governor Zhou to the emperor.

Zhou Charter sneered. This Sheng Xuanhuai was indeed an old slippery man. Before Zhou Charter could speak out, this guy came up with such a bad idea and pushed King Zhou Charter on fire. That Zhang Zhidong is the feudal official of the imperial court and the elders of the court. Now it is like the sun. How can he come to Taiwan to fight for Zhou Charter? If Zhou Charter gave the court such a fold, it would have been laughed off!

Zhou Charter laughed and said, "Grand people don't have to be modest. The name of the first person in the industry in the Qing Dynasty is Shanda people. This is the public opinion of the world. How can you deny it? Shanda people have made remarkable achievements in the Qing Dynasty, but I think that if Shanda people want to go to a higher level, Taiwan is the place where Shanda people use it!"

When Zhou Charter went to North Korea to marry Kim Shu, Park Yong told him that the most important thing to start an industry and develop an industry is talents, especially the talent of a general on one side, which is the same as leading troops to fight. Zhou Charter strongly agrees that any industrial and mining industry needs to be considered comprehensively and cannot be discussed. Now, Zhou Charter does not have such a generalist. He originally wanted to dig up Zhao Zhenglun under Park Yonglie. On the one hand, he dug the corner of his brother. As the eldest brother, he seems very unrighteous. Second, Zhao Zhenglun is not the most ideal talent.

In the whole Qing Dynasty, there is only one ideal talent!

Therefore, Zhou Charter has long been determined to dig up Sheng Xuanhuai. However, it is not easy to dig up Sheng Xuanhuai. Sheng Xuanhuai was originally a celebrity in the court of the Qing Dynasty. He was also a personal elite and met the source left and right in the court. Moreover, his family had a great career, and the whole Qing Dynasty was his money bag. How could he give up such a big money bag in the Qing Dynasty and come to such a bullet place as Taiwan?

However, Zhou Charter also knows that things are man-made! Before Zhang Menghuan came to Taiwan, Zhou Charter did do some tampers first. Through his mentor Na Jin, Li Hongzhang and Duan Fang and others, he asked the court to send Sheng Xuanhuai to Taiwan as the deputy envoy for negotiations. As long as Sheng Xuanhuai sets foot in Taiwan, things will be a good start. Taiwan is Zhou Charter's territory. Sheng Xuanhuai wants to slip away, but I'm afraid it's not that easy.

After Zhou Charter finished speaking, Sheng Xuanhuai complained in his heart. He thought it was a good job to come to Taiwan, but now it seems that he fell into the trap of Zhou Charter. If Zhou Charter plays tricks and retains Sheng Xuanhuai, he really can't leave.

Sheng Xuan was anxious, but did not dare to turn his face. He had to accompany him with a smiling face and said, "Governor Zhou looked so highly of Sheng, which made Sheng ashamed. Taiwan is indeed a treasure island and a good place to develop industry. Sheng originally wanted to do a career in Taiwan. However, on the one hand, it is actually difficult to meet the prestigious name, for fearing that it will delay the major events of Governor Zhou; on the other hand, the subordinates are trusted by the emperor and the empress dowager to serve as the postal minister. The postal business of the Qing Dynasty has just begun. If they quit, how can they be worthy of the empress dowager and the emperor? I think Governor Zhou is also eager for talent. In this way, the subordinate will not refuse. Let the subordinate return to Beijing first, inform the empress dowager and the emperor about this matter, and ask the empress dowager and the emperor to resign as the post of postal minister and elect the successor. The subordinate will come to Taiwan. Governor Zhou, we are all ministers of the Qing Dynasty. How can we Can you cut first and play later?"

Sheng Xuanhuai is also an old fox. No matter what, he will accept it first. As long as he leaves Taiwan, he will eat his promise and get fat. Anyway, Zhou Charter will not take the Zhang Jun brothers to the mainland to arrest him.

Zhou Charter smiled and said: "What Shanren said is that the appointment of this minister is to first inform the emperor. Our Qing court has always been strict with officials and attaches great importance to the integrity assessment of officials. Whether Shanda people go back to Beijing, whether Shanda people will continue to be the postmaster or come to Taiwan to be the industrial minister in the future, Shanda people still have to explain some things to the emperor first so that no one will chew their tongues behind their backs.

Sheng Xuanhuai felt that there was something in Zhou Charter's words and hurriedly asked, "The subordinate doesn't understand the meaning of Governor Zhou."

Zhou Charter took out the book he had just held in his hand from his cuffs, handed it to Sheng Xuanhuai, and sighed: "As the saying goes, the wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it. Shanda people worked hard for the Qing Dynasty, and their outstanding achievements are admirable. However, there are some villains who can't see others doing something, framed behind their backs and framed Shan people.

Sheng Xuanhuai took the pamphlet, looked through it carefully, and suddenly sweated profusely.

In the brochure, it is listed that when he started an official business, he took a huge amount of rebates from the official industry and received huge bribes from suppliers and buyers.

In the Qing Dynasty, Sheng Xuanhuai was ordered to set up the first steel company, the first shipping company, the first postal company, the first mining company... He made ten firsts, which can be said to be outstanding achievements. These industries are all official enterprises of the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty, that is, the product of the unity of politics and business. In the Qing Dynasty, as long as the government and businessmen collude, there will be a lot of glory in it. Sheng Xuan has done a lot of self-serving business with his own connections and excellent management mind. You know, the enterprises he runs are all state-owned super-large-scale enterprises in the Qing Dynasty. If you pull out a hair and hide it in his hands, it is of great value, but it is not obvious.

Sheng Xuanhuai has been in business for 20 years and has benefited countless benefits. His family has long been extremely rich.

What is recorded in this booklet is not all of his kickbacks and bribes, only less than one-fifth, but the value has exceeded 50 million taels of silver. If the court knew, Sheng Xuanhuai would have ten heads that were not enough to cut!