Chapter 162: 1st 1st, 3rd in the world
Chapter 162: Average, Third in the World
"Brother, under Emery's leadership, we have entered the Berlin Military Academy. Everything is fine. Don't worry.
Prussia was such a small country. But Berlin is very big, with water everywhere. I heard there are more than 1,700 bridges, which is similar to our hometown. We are quite used to it.
The food is too simple, mainly potatoes, pork and beef, similar to what we have in northern China. People are not used to eating bread.
Teacher Evan received a salary of 10,000 taels of silver and had already paid off his debts. He vowed not to speculate again and opened a soap factory, saying that he would start a business in the future and turn his soap factory into a century-old family business.
Jews are good at making money. We all think that his soap factory business will get better and better. We wish his business will really become a century-old business.
The Prussians and Austrians were fighting the Danes in Schleswig. His Majesty William took time out of his busy schedule to personally meet with us international students, and I also met Prime Minister Bismarck.
After reading the report about you in the Rheinische Zeitung, he became very interested in you and hoped that you would have time to visit Prussia.
Your brother, respectfully presents this, December 19, 1863."
Sixteen thousand soldiers were already queuing up to board the ship, and Shao Quanzhong received a telegram letter from his brother in Berlin.
Well, there are too many characters, which is a bit expensive. Fortunately, Shao Quanzhong is a big warlord, and the Shao family can afford it.
When it comes to Prussia, Shao Quanzhong thinks of Mauser rifles and Krupp cannons.
Especially the big-bellied Mauser pistol with a large mirror and twenty rounds of bullets, that is my favorite thing. The revolver is too backward.
How can we get the Krupp factory here? It is too difficult to make guns at Hailing Arsenal, and there are too many technical problems. It would be best if we could cooperate with the Prussian devils...
"Yuting, it's time to get on the boat."
Hu Liuniang has grown into a qualified bodyguard and confidential secretary. People with good martial arts and good hand feeling are good at anything they practice, and now her marksmanship is no less than Shao Quanzhong.
He stood there with his hand on the holster, with long legs and a thin waist, the belt across his body showing off his curvy figure, and a heroic look on his face. He was worthy of being the famous "Flower".
Liu Niang always looked at me with a bit of resentment. This is not my fault. This is a regular military camp, not your village. I can't take the lead in messing around.
Fortunately, you are only in your twenties. Don’t worry. When I become king, I will be qualified to give you a formal status... With my current rate of promotion, it shouldn’t be too far away.
"Call Quanxiao back and tell him that his studies are secondary. No matter how well he studies, I will use him when he returns. The most important thing is to keep these students under my control, visit them more often, keep in touch with them, and don't be reluctant to spend money. Our family is not short of money."
Liu Niang followed and went out to send the message, with a smile on her face. Shao Quanzhong's words "our family" clearly subconsciously regarded herself as a member of the Shao family, Quanxiao's third sister-in-law...
On November 21, the grain transport fleet detoured to Hailing for replenishment.
"My lord, I am back with you!"
Shao Quanzhong did not get off the boat at Hailing to go home, but Zhang Zhidong got on the boat in the uniform of the Huai Army.
Shao Quanzhong grabbed Zhang Zhidong's hand and said, "Brother Xiaoda, you have arrived on time. We can't do without you when we go to Nanjing."
Attacking Nanjing was not a simple military action, it was a political battle, and one that was fought side by side with the Hunan Army. There were many twists and turns involved.
You can't just fight. If you fight Li Xiucheng under the bombardment, you may become a stepping stone for the Hunan Army to achieve great achievements, and you won't get anything.
How can we take advantage, accomplish great deeds, and minimize the damage? We must rely on a resourceful military advisor.
Was Zhang Zhidong resourceful? According to his own modest statement, "he was just average, third best in the world."
They didn't even review, but went to the capital for the closed-book examination, made it to the palace examination, and easily won the third place. There is no doubt that the top three in the Qing Dynasty were smart. The problem is that the top two didn't use their brains to study conspiracy and military affairs, but studied Shangshu, Zhouli, Yijing, parallel four and six, and drafted imperial edicts for the little emperor.
"I have only worked in the Hanlin Academy for half a year and took the initiative to request to be transferred out. Now I have been appointed as the prefect of Fengyang and transferred to serve in the front line of the Huai Army. I have become an official sent by the court to the Huai Army."
Zhang Zhidong was originally the prefect of Taizhou. After being gilded in the Hanlin Academy for half a year, he had no achievements, but was directly promoted two levels to become the prefect. This is the power of gilding in the central government.
The Hanlin Academy is the cradle of the Qing Dynasty's top officials. The real Qing Dynasty rulers who entered the Grand Council and the Military Affairs Council generally came from the Hanlin Academy. If they were sent out, they could directly become a governor. A mere prefect is still a small position.
After Zhang Zhidong passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, he must have work experience in the Hanlin Academy. This was a prerequisite for entering the top circle, the so-called Hanlin system, with a legitimate background.
In comparison, the Hanlin Academy is equivalent to - for safety reasons, we will not compare them.
Qiao Songnian went to the dock in person to see Shao Quanzhong off.
Lord Qiao was extremely satisfied when he saw his high-spirited adopted son.
It was originally thought that the Huai Army would not return for several years after being sent to Sichuan to pursue Shi Dakai. However, Yu Ting returned in less than two months and did not delay the siege of Nanjing.
The Huai Army was a money-eating beast, but it was a real fighter. Whether he could get a ruby hat, or even be made a marquis, prime minister, or even a king, all depended on this one deal.
What? Lord Qiao can take credit for Jinling just by staying in Hailing?
Zeng Guofan is still staying in the rear of Anqing. Once the Hunan Army captures Nanjing, it will not prevent the court from crediting the achievement to Zeng Guofan.
According to the popular opinion of the people in Hailing City who have seen the steam locomotive, the speed of the train depends entirely on the locomotive.
Lord Qiao is now full of confidence and has begun to compete with Zeng Guofan.
Zeng Guofan sent his fourth brother Zeng Guoquan to Nanjing, while Qiao Songnian sent his adopted son Shao Quanzhong to Nanjing. Who of Zeng Guoquan and Qiao Songnian would be given a higher position in the end would depend on who was more powerful.
Rong Hui and Wen Xiu also brought their children to the dock to see their husbands off to war. Shao Quanzhong acted like a feudal patriarch, and didn't pay much attention to his two daughters-in-law in public, but he picked up Shao Jiming.
"Son, I'm going to build an empire for you now. You have to protect the foundation I've built for you in the future."
Wenxiu sighed deeply, "Oh, who made me act slower than Ronghui?" With a gap of four months, her son Jisi would only be a prince in the future.
If I had known this would happen, why would I care about the face of a young lady from a Jinshi family? Humph, I should have taken down this damned yamen runner in Shunyi. What does Rong Hui have to do with you?
Ahem, this person’s desires are endless.
Shao Quanzhong is now only a second-rank provincial governor and acting governor, and he is not even qualified to go to Beijing to see the emperor. Wenxiu has already started thinking about her son becoming a prince in the future, and she is still unsatisfied.
Shao Shucai and his wife and Mrs. Wen also came, and Shao Quanzhong stepped forward and kowtowed to them.
The old couple, unlike their two daughters-in-law, urged Shao Quanzhong to make meritorious deeds and conquer the world for their children. Shao's mother touched her son's face and said, "Jinling is the lair of the Taiping rebels. It must be difficult to conquer. Son, don't just think about making meritorious deeds. Your own safety is the most important thing."
Shao Quanzhong laughed loudly, "Mom, I am now the commander-in-chief of the Huai Army. I don't need to charge into battle. There is no danger at all. You can wait for our Shao family to posthumously confer titles on the third generation, and watch me bring honor to our family."
Shao Quanzhong bid farewell to his elders, wife and children, and boarded the ship. More than 300 ships carrying 16,000 Huai troops entered the Grand Canal and headed south.
(End of this chapter)