Chapter 397 93 Days Restoration
Chapter 397 Ninety-three Days Reform
On the 28th day of the first lunar month in the twelfth year of the Tongzhi reign, in the afternoon, Hailing.
Shao Quanzhong returned to Qiao Garden exhausted and empty-hearted.
It was really tiring to go to the capital to congratulate the emperor on his personal reign.
I just got off the train and was about to go to the main room, Lai Qingge Wenxiu, to have a good rest. "Report, Murad V has arrived. Grant and Emery are also waiting for you. Who do you want to see first?"
Alas, the life of seclusion is not peaceful at all. Day after day, I don’t even have the chance to have a good sleep.
"Lao Ge and Xiao Ai are family, so it doesn't matter. Let's arrange a dinner. I want to have a drink with Lao Ge and Xiao Ai. Let's meet the Turks first."
Murad V was invited into the Qiao Garden through the South Gate, the so-called "ceremonial gate" for formal visitors who had status but were not close friends.
Shao Quanzhong entertained guests in the "Nanchuang Ji'ao Hall", where all the furniture was made of mahogany, in keeping with the visitors' noble status.
Murad walked around the screen wall with the "Crane, Deer and Pine Tree" and walked into the hall. Without bowing, he knelt down in front of Shao Quanzhong and said, "Your Highness, I'm sorry. I'm incompetent and let your investment go to waste."
Shao Quanzhong took two quick steps to help him up, "No, please don't kneel. You are the noble Sultan after all, and I am just a prince. If you kneel to me, I will shorten my life."
Murad V slapped himself with his hand and said, "What Sultan and Caliph? Now the whole Ottoman Empire knows that I am a psychopath."
"If you hadn't sent Ma Zhan'ao to take me to exile in Arabia, I would have committed suicide in the New Palace in Istanbul due to a 'mental attack'."
Murad V was crying so hard that his nose and eyes were choked with tears. Shao Quanzhong patted him on the back to comfort him, "You will never grow old without experiencing poverty and wealth. Everyone has times when they fall into trouble. You will be safe in Hailing. No one can touch you."
"Just stay in Hailing and let them go crazy first. When the sky goes crazy, it will rain. When people go crazy, they will suffer. The Ottoman Empire will be torn apart sooner or later. When the time comes, I will send you back to Türkiye to clean up the old country and take the throne. It's done for sure."
"I can only leave everything to His Royal Highness the Prince."
"No, you have been the crown prince for many years and the Sultan for more than ninety days. You must have your own loyal followers, right? Give me the list and I will ask people to strongly support them. Humph, they drove you out, so they must be a hundred times more respectful in the future and invite you back."
Well, the London Peace Conference, which was held by the powers that be to stop the Balkan War, ended, the Ottoman Empire lost troops and territory, and even Marshal Muzaffar Pasha was not saved. He was captured and planned to be hanged to commemorate Garibaldi.
The former Sultan Abdul Aziz lost his prestige, was deposed by the people and soon "died of depression".
The Janissaries supported Murad V as the 33rd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Murad V took over a precarious mess, with a heavy debt, most of the European territory lost, and the people of the empire in panic.
The state was in a difficult situation and Murad V was eager to save the situation. Being young and energetic, he acted a little rashly.
The army had not yet gained firm control when drastic measures were taken to eliminate its malpractices.
The famous reformist Baghdad Governor Ahmet Mihadet Pasha was transferred to serve as Grand Vizier to carry out reforms.
Redundant soldiers and redundant personnel were eliminated, new soldiers were trained, corrupt nobles were expelled, a large number of military academy graduates were promoted to join the new army, university students were promoted to government offices, and a large parliament and constitutional monarchy were prepared to march towards modernization.
Then, as expected, the nobles, redundant staff, and old officers united to depose Murad V, whom they had just supported. Mihadet Pasha, his capable general, was imprisoned in Taif Prison, and Murad V was diagnosed with mental illness and almost committed suicide.
The Ottoman Empire's reform led by Murad V failed after only 93 days due to the joint suppression of reactionary forces. It was basically an Ottoman Empire version of the "Hundred Days Reform" - there is nothing new in this world.
Shao Quanzhong pressed Murad V onto a mahogany chair and handed him a cup of tea. "Brother, we have known each other for many years since we first met in Haochan. If I can help you, I will definitely do it."
Shao Quanzhong was not trying to fool Murad V, he did the job on the spot.
"Maria, connect me to Gustav Rothschild."
The call was received in Frankfurt, Shao Quanzhong and Maria each had a phone, Shao Quanzhong said, Maria was translating on the spot.
"Lao Gu, I heard that you have become rich recently and are richer than me."
"During the Balkan War, I, as a member of the powerful countries, stopped the war, but I got the permanent ownership of the Suez Canal."
"You loaned tens of millions of silver to the Ottoman Empire, completely controlling the Turkish economy, and controlling a huge country. You're so awesome." "Given our relationship, you have to do me a favor. Murad V is my brother, and he was removed. I lose face, brother."
"The Qing Dynasty is a neighboring country of the Ottoman Empire. If you overthrow their government, it will not look good in front of the British. You are the financial backer of the Ottoman Empire. Think of a way to restore the country."
Gustav on the other side said in a calm tone, "It's inconvenient to talk over the phone. Shao, I will help you. Wait for my news."
Shao Quanzhong chatted with Murad V and drank tea for an hour, and then the coded telegram from Wu Ziyi in Berlin came.
"Gustav has arranged funds and manpower, and in the name of Murad V, has generously funded the young college students and officers he promoted in the Turkish army to form a party called the 'Turkish Youth Society' to support the reform."
"Youth Club needs some time to develop and slowly master the new Turkish army. Please be patient."
Shao Quanzhong held Murad V's hand and said, "You are just too impatient. You should learn this from me. Act like a grandson when you should, and let them do whatever they want. Status is secondary. Only when you have soldiers in your hands can you really accomplish something."
Murad V witnessed Shao Quanzhong using his influence to pave the way for his return to power, and he was deeply grateful.
"Your Highness, if I come to power one day, I will follow your lead. Türkiye is willing to be your loyal brother."
"Okay, okay, no need to swear or swear, we are brothers."
"Take a good rest and stay in the house I arranged for you. Taizhou has great scenery, so enjoy it for a while and wait until you return to make great plans."
Murad V left with his trusted interpreter Tuji. Seeing that it was getting dark, Shao Quanzhong said, "Come on, prepare a feast in the Qingtang. I will not leave until I am drunk with Lao Ge and Emery."
Emery taught at the Baoding Army Officers School and served as chief instructor for a period of time. When Master Qiao was dismissed from office and returned to his hometown to build Qiao Garden, he was promoted to principal.
The Baoding Army Officers School was a two-year short-term course in the past. However, under Shao Quanzhong's leadership, with a truly professional team of world-class teachers, the school was transformed into a four-year regular military academy.
Now, four years have passed, the first batch of commissioned new army officers have graduated and taken up their posts, and the new armies in various places have begun to take shape.
There were not so many students enrolling in the future. The school trained new officers one after another and became a normal military academy.
After seeing off the graduates, the new students would not arrive until after the winter vacation, so Emery asked Grant, who had been idle in Yili Province for several years, to come to Hailing to reunite with Shao Quanzhong.
The three of them met and drank until they were drunk instead of discussing business. Grant staggered away, laughing loudly, while Emery and Shao Quanzhong were both carried out.
When he woke up, it was already bright outside and Shao Quanzhong found himself in Laiqing Pavilion. Wenxiu had already prepared warm water to quench his thirst and sober him up.
"Brother Shao, the Shanghai and Taizhou Stock Exchanges headed by Jiang Laosi and Chen Siqi have already opened, and are sharing securities information with the London Stock Exchange in real time. They have been warmly welcomed by wealthy businessmen and investors in both places."
"Oh, really? That's good. I don't understand this matter. Xiu'er, please supervise it more."
"Right now, the best stock in Thai City is the rubber company we built in Lan Fang. As all countries are engaged in arms preparations, producing wheeled armored vehicles, troop carriers, and logistics support vehicles, coupled with the demand for rubber for agricultural tractors and bicycles, rubber stocks are now rising sharply."
"Not only did our own rubber company go public and raise a large amount of money to expand investment, but other investors also heard the news and built dozens of rubber plantations in Sumatra, Java, and Lanfang. They even built two in Luzon, which is not very suitable for growing rubber."
"Some of these rubber plantations have fenced off a piece of land, but have not yet planted it. They have already put it on the market to make money and have made a lot of money."
"Under the strong advice of Xiao Jiang and Xiao Chen, I also invested in some rubber stocks. They are appreciating very quickly now and are making money much faster than our factory."
Shao Quanzhong understood a little bit, "So the stock market is a place to make money. I think it's a bit like a casino. We run an exchange to make profits from it, so we can't lose money."
"As for making money from buying and selling stocks, I don't understand. If you want to try it, that's fine. But I think we should still focus on industry."
"Okay, okay, I just want to chat with you. Humph, you're exhausted as a dead dog when you come back from the capital. I think you should go to the capital less often."
Shao Quanzhong avoided the question and said, "Oh, it's already noon. I have an appointment with Lao Ge and Xiao Ai to discuss new tactics. It's very urgent. We have to hurry to the barracks."
(End of this chapter)