Chapter Twenty-Four: Betrothal

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Betrothal

  "Master, we have placed an order for five 10,000-ton cargo ships with the Portsmouth Shipyard in England, and another ten 5,000-ton cargo ships have been ordered from France! They will be delivered about a year later!"

  After listening to Fu Bo's words, Huo Shan furrowed his brow and thought for a moment before asking: "Fu Bo, why didn't you choose to build ships in Germany?" He remembered that France's shipbuilding industry wasn't very good. And the German High Seas Fleet of later generations was the only super fleet that could challenge the British Empire's maritime hegemony at that time. Moreover, Germany's strength in shipbuilding even surpassed Britain's during the late period of World War I.

  Although it was a bit strange for Young Master to ask, Fu Bo quickly said: "Young Master, among all Western countries, the best shipbuilders are England and France! Our previous passenger and cargo ship orders were basically placed in these two countries. Germany is also a powerful country in the West, but their shipbuilding industry doesn't seem to be doing well!"

  In fact, this is still a mistake in Huo Shan's memory. At that time, the new school of thought of the French Navy had not yet become mainstream! It was not until 1886 that Aube, who advocated for the "mobile defense" theory and built torpedo boats on a large scale, became the Minister of the Navy in France, after which he fully promoted the transformation of the French Navy from a powerful blue-water fleet capable of threatening British maritime hegemony into a green-water navy mainly composed of cruisers and torpedo boats.

  At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the decline of the French Navy was astonishing.

  But for now, none of this has happened yet and the French Navy remains a proud Gallic rooster defending France's colonial interests around the world.

  "Alright, Fu Bo, place an order for five more 10,000-ton cargo ships with the German shipyard!" After a pause, Huo Shan continued: "In addition, the shipbuilding equipment we ordered from Europe has arrived in Taiwan. The workers we invited from Jiangnan and Ma Wei shipyards have also been arranged to go there. However, our shipbuilding level is still far behind that of Westerners. So, take this opportunity to send all the trainees from our technical schools to these shipyards where we've placed orders. I believe after a year of training, they will become the backbone of our shipyard! Moreover, it takes too long to wait for new ships to be built, so let's use our old method of buying used ships in Europe!"

  "Understood, young master! But we've only secured fifteen large sea vessels so far. We still need to buy more old ships to expand the fleet! And with personnel training, I'm afraid it'll cost another five million taels of silver!"

  Looking at Fu Bo's somewhat worried appearance, Huo Shan exclaimed: "Fu Bo, didn't Huo Hu and Liang Wenzhong bring back over 10 million taels of silver? How did you spend it all so quickly?"

  "Young master, you don't know the value of money because you've never managed a household! Let's not talk about other things, just the troops in the back mountain have already reached 100,000. Adding equipment procurement and soldiers' salaries, this expenditure is almost approaching one million taels of silver every month! Moreover, those guys under your command, especially that Ho Hu, are expanding their troops in Fujian at a frantic pace. His team's establishment has almost reached 20,000 people! And your factories are also big spenders, with monthly workers' wages and raw material procurement all costing money! Additionally, the schools you set up in Taiwan have also spent a lot of silver! Now, Ho Long's navy is starting to ask for money too! If it weren't for our family still having some savings and the factories making a profit these past few months, we would be broke!"

  Watching Fu Bo blow his beard and glare, with a painful expression, Huo Shan also awkwardly touched his own nose. Before, he had always thought that the Huo family's financial resources were abundant, so when it came to spending money, he didn't ask too many questions. It was always him approving, then Fu Bo taking the money! Now it seems that his originally ample funds have started to become tight!

  However, now this money is a must-spend, and at this time, every additional one or two silver coins invested will be exchanged for several times or even dozens of times the return in the future!

  "Are those treasures going to be moved?" As soon as this thought arose, it was immediately extinguished by Huo Shan. This world is now in the era of gold standard, and the amount of gold owned directly affects a country's national strength! Moreover, these gold reserves are his guarantee for issuing paper currency in the future! Not one bit can be moved now!

  "It seems that his own American money-making operation needs to speed up!" He Shan thought to himself.

  "Fu Bo, I know we spend a lot of money, but we also make a lot! Look at this month, just our army's spoils of war have yielded three hundred million taels worth of gold, silver, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and real estate! Plus the output and taxes from our base are also a considerable fortune! And our family's money house in Taiwan can completely follow the army's expansion and grow continuously! So if we spend too much, then we need to think about how to increase our income!"

  Thinking of this month's gold and silver entering the warehouse, Fu Bo couldn't help but nod his head in agreement with Young Master's words.

  "Fu Bo, how's the railway construction in Taiwan going?" Mr. Huo asked hastily as he saw his old butler's expression improve.

  "The relationship between the railway and the governor is too great. Originally, Governor He was not in agreement, but after his wife intervened, the matter was settled!" Old Man Fu seemed to have thought of something amusing, his eyes narrowed, stroking his white beard, smiling at Huo Shan.

  "What can my mother do?"

  "It seems that Madam didn't tell Young Master! Hehehe, actually last month, Madam had already arranged a marriage for Young Master!"

  "What? Why didn't you discuss it with me?" Hearing the old man's words, Huo Shan couldn't help but exclaim and suddenly stood up, staring blankly and asking.

  Huo Da's young master from the future still retains the idea of free love in his mind, thinking that he will plan for his own sex life after growing up. Unexpectedly, his mother is more proactive than him!

  "What are you discussing? We Chinese have always followed the orders of our parents and the words of matchmakers since ancient times! Is there anything wrong with that?" Just then, the woman pushed open the door and walked in.

  "Madam!"

  "Mother! How did you come here?" Mr. Huo was surprised, since his mother took over the management of the Huo family, she rarely came to his study room, and in the past, if there were any matters, she would let Xiao Qiao inform him instead!

  "What's wrong, this place isn't a den of dragons and tigers, why can't I come?" The woman said irritably to the guy who was walking over with a sycophantic expression.

  "Hehehe, how could that be! Ping'er, quickly go and make tea for my mother!" Huo Shan glared fiercely at the little maid who was covering her mouth and secretly giggling.

  "No need! Mother came over today just to see you off, and she has already arranged for you to be engaged to He Wenxi, the young granddaughter of Governor He of Fujian and Zhejiang!"

  "Mother, I'm still young, what's the hurry to arrange a marriage for me! Besides, I've never met this person before, not even knowing if he's ugly or handsome! And mother, why didn't you discuss it with me at all!" Huo Shan said with a bitter smile.

  "What are you discussing, you're my son! I'm your mother! Moreover, our family's business is so big and it all depends on you, the only child! I also need to consider the prosperity of our family! This matter is settled!" The woman scolded in a low voice.

  "Alright, alright! You've all heard me, isn't that enough?" Huo Shan said with a bitter smile.

  "For the sake of Young Master's railway, if sacrifices have to be made, then so be it!" He Hongsheng comforted himself.

  "Alright, I came over today to talk to you about this. You two are busy! I still have to go back and prepare a few more things for this little rabbit's marriage!" Looking at her mother's excited face, she hastily left, and Huo Shan couldn't help but smile wryly and shake his head, thinking to himself: "Great! Looks like I don't need to worry about finding a wife myself!"

  "Laugh if you want to laugh, don't hold it in!" Mr. Huo said with a bad temper.

  "Haha, actually, Miss He was also a child prodigy since young, and at the same age as you, she was already proficient in music, chess, literature, and painting. In both Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, there were many people who wanted to arrange a marriage with her! You should be content, Young Master!" Old Man Fu said with a hearty laugh.

  "Never mind, it's all settled anyway, let's not talk about it!" Huo Shan said with a wave of his hand.

  "Young master, although the railway in Taiwan has been approved, we ourselves do not have the capability to build it, and there is no talent in this field domestically! Therefore, this railway will definitely be built with the help of foreigners! However, among European countries that can build railways, there are many with varying levels of technology. Generally speaking, the construction techniques of England, France, and Germany are the best, so it's up to you, young master, to decide which one we should use!"

  "Hmm, our country has a large population and vast territory, so in the future economic development, there will definitely be higher requirements for the transportation volume of trains. That's why this time we adopted 1524mm wide gauge for our own railway! The railway is also fully laid with steel rails! In that case, Germany and Britain are more to our liking! France can forget it!"

  "Alright, young master! Is there anything else you need?"

  "This time, the railway needs to be repaired once and for all, so as to avoid future troubles!"

  "In that case, I'm afraid the 10 million taels of silver we prepared for repairing the railway this time may not be enough!" Fu Bo said with some worry.

  "Haha, don't worry, Master Fu! Building a railroad is no small matter. The preliminary route survey alone will take at least half a year to complete! During this time, I'm sure Huo Shi's army will continue to provide you with large sums of gold and silver. By then, your warehouse will need to be expanded, or it won't be able to hold everything!" Huo Shan said with a smile.

  China, which had been ahead of the world for hundreds of years, had accumulated unimaginable wealth among its people. Although China's gold and silver mines were not many, the two teeth in Europe and the tens of thousands of tons of white silver mined in the Americas mostly flowed into China.

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