Chapter 57: The Steaming Era Arrives

  In November, the northern country was already icy and snowy. The cold wind howled within Tianjin City. At this time, Sheng Huai Xuan sat in his office, gazing out of the window in deep thought. The Tianjin Weaving Factory had already entered the stage of machine installation, so he no longer needed to worry about it. Currently, Li Hong Zhang was able to speak freely due to having sufficient silver, and he proposed to the imperial court to establish the Beiyang Navy. He adopted Sheng Huai Xuan's suggestion and built the shipyard in Dalian. This matter had a person specifically responsible for it, so Sheng Huai Xuan didn't need to worry about it either. His responsibility was simply to work hard to earn money and provide silver.

  Deng Zixuan's ghost hand played a role again, and the Taku Shipyard was born ahead of schedule. "Sir! Your letter!" A subordinate handed over the letter to Sheng Huai Xuan. Sheng Huai Xuan was somewhat puzzled to check the signature on the letter, quickly opened it and buried his head in it. This look is not good, Sheng Huai Xuan was greatly shocked, hurriedly got up to see Li Hongzhang. At this time, Li Hongzhang was leisurely tasting tea, with great power and smooth sailing. Especially with the achievements of the Westernization Movement, his mood was extremely good.

  "Li Hongzhang, what's the matter that's so urgent? You look flustered," Li Hongzhang said with concern, as he was extremely fond of Shen Haisheng and didn't need to be notified when he came to see him. "Sir, I just received news that Shen Baochen has laid a railway between Mawei and Fuzhou City, and purchased trains. It will be operational by the end of this month." Li Hongzhang was taken aback: "Shen Baochen is building warships, how does he have the money to lay railways? Is this news accurate?" "Absolutely certain!"

  "Sir, it's said to be a donation from the people!" He knew this must be Deng Zi-xuan's doing. No wonder that kid was being so mysterious, he had actually gone to Fuzhou to lay down the railroad tracks. Sheng Huai-xuan would never expose Deng Zi-xuan, he had been hiding it from the start and now he had no choice but to continue hiding it. To deceive the emperor is a crime punishable by beheading, even if his achievements were great, Li Hong-zhang would not forgive him. If Li Hong-zhang knew that he had business dealings with Hu Xue-yan, he would be even more intolerant.

  So Sheng Huai Xuan had to do so, fortunately Deng Zi Xuan was diving all the time, and let him be safe and sound, so the lie also became reasonable. "Shen Baozhen's move is very powerful, he did it for the imperial court to see. I have seen foreigners' trains in photos, and he knows how much profit there will be after the day. You immediately go to Fuzhou, investigate the situation and report back to me. Laying railways is a great cause that benefits future generations, we must grasp it."

  "Sir, there's something else I'd like to report!" "What is it?" "I've received news that in the Fushun area of Fengtian Province, there's a massive coal mine that can be excavated openly. Currently, all coastal provinces have an extremely high demand for coal. Should we send someone to investigate?" "Is the source of this information reliable?" Without hesitation, Sheng Huai Xuan replied: "I got it from foreigners, who said they discovered it through their missionaries. Sir, it's better to believe it exists rather than not exist, and we can't miss this opportunity." Sheng Huai Xuan deeply trusted the information revealed by Deng Zi Xuan in his letter. "You go ahead to Fuzhou with peace of mind! I'll send someone to check on Fushun!" "Understood, sir!"

  Fuzhou dock, Deng Zixuan personally welcomed Sheng Huai Xuan. "Brother! You treated me like an outsider, you should have told me about such a big thing. If Mr. Li finds out that I wrote to Mr. Wu on my own, I'll be in trouble." As soon as they met, Sheng Huai Xuan said discontentedly. "Wu Tang has already misunderstood, he thinks laying the railway is Mr. Li's intention, so he is actively assisting." Deng Zixuan added without thinking. Sheng Huai Xuan was shocked and said: "This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

  Deng Zixuan smiled and said, "Brother Sheng, don't worry, I didn't say anything, it was Wu Daren who misunderstood. Besides, he won't report this matter to Li Daren because it's just a tacit understanding. Wu Daren is a clever person, what are you worried about?" Then Deng Zixuan recounted the details of his meeting with Wu Teng in detail. "Haha! You're really something, if Li Daren finds out about this matter, Wu Daren's official hat and jade belt will be gone for sure. I must teach him a lesson." Afterwards, Deng Zixuan accompanied Sheng Huai Xuan to pay respects to Shen Baozhen. Then Sheng Huai Xuan went alone to pay respects to Wu Teng, as for what they discussed, Deng Zixuan was well aware of it in his heart.

  Two days later, they went to the Mawei Shipyard, which was packed with people. Although it was a cold winter month, the temperature in Fuzhou was still around 10 degrees above zero. The local people spontaneously watched the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Wu Tang and Shen Baozhen were prominent figures, and the two of them made a big show, cutting the red silk ribbon amidst cheers, followed by the firing of salutes, and the warships anchored on the river sounded their whistles to celebrate. Afterwards, the dignitaries boarded the train, which only pulled two passenger cars forward, surrounded by crowds of people along the way. What they saw and heard would probably become a long-lasting topic of conversation for them over tea and meals.

  "Great brother! Not bad, right?" Sheng Huai Xuan stretched his neck to look outside the train carriage, the train puffed heavily and roared, its speed was only over 20 kilometers. "Not bad, indeed the foreigners' trains are extraordinary." "I have a suggestion for you." "What suggestion?" "I suggest you persuade Governor Li to build a railway from Fuzhou to Shanghai. Considering the obstruction of the conservative faction in the imperial court, it's extremely difficult to build railways in the north at present, but in the south, especially along the coastal areas, there shouldn't be any problems." Sheng Huai Xuan was shocked in his heart, this little guy seemed to be a worm in Li Hongzhang's stomach.

  "Zixuan, my younger brother, aren't you just making a model for Lord Li to see?" "To be honest, there is that intention. At present, only Lord Li can lay railways within the Great Qing Empire, and I'm pulling in Lord Shen to help push the wave. Moreover, the real benefits of the train are visible, and I think the government and the people will join forces to demand the construction of railways. When I was in Wuhan, Lord Zhang often mentioned the foreigners' railways and said that he would also construct railways in the future, which shows that the Westernization Movement has reached a certain consensus in official circles."

  Sheng Huai Xuan let out a sigh and said, "At present, the imperial court's maritime defense is a major matter, the Wuhan Iron and Steel Plant needs to be established, the Beiyang Navy needs to be formed, and everywhere needs silver. Even if we do a joint government-private venture, the imperial court can't come up with half the money." "What's difficult about that? I have an absolutely brilliant idea!" Sheng Huai Xuan's eyes lit up as he said, "Quickly tell me what idea?"

  Deng Zixuan said confidently: "Building a railway without government support is impossible, the government can invest in land. The government can requisition land and guarantee that after the railway makes a profit, it will return the land money, so the government doesn't need to invest a single penny. The people still adopt the shareholding system to raise funds, if Brother Sheng can persuade Governor Li to build a railway from Fuzhou to Shanghai, I promise to invest 1 million shares, and I can also persuade Hu Xueyan to invest, with Hu Xueyan joining in addition to your prestige, I believe businessmen will enthusiastically invest."

  "Zixuan, you're absolutely brilliant! With the operating rights in our hands, I think Lord Li won't refuse. " Sheng Huai Xuan couldn't help but slap his thigh in excitement. The model of the train from Ma Wei to Fuzhou caused a sensation, and many officials and nobles from Jiangnan flocked to see it, especially the Manchu aristocrats who came to view this rare object and took pride in riding the train. The steam age of the Qing dynasty arrived ahead of schedule.

  At the end of the year, Sheng Huai Xuan and Deng Zi Xuan returned. "Younger brother Zi Xuan, you mentioned in your letter that Fushun Coal Mine has been sent by Governor Li to investigate, are you not going to make me a scapegoat?" Deng Zi Xuan smiled: "Brother Sheng, according to the records of foreigners, there is a large amount of coal stored on both banks of the Hun River in Fushun. Especially on the west bank, there are places like Yousheng Gold Village, Xiao Piao Tun, and Guchengzi, where the coal is buried very shallowly, some almost at ground level, with the deepest place not exceeding 400 meters, and the thickness of the coal seam is about 30 meters. It can be completely open-pit mined, and the cost is low, how can you still not believe it?"

  Sheng Huai Xuan widened his eyes and said, "How can I not believe what you're saying? It seems that foreigners understand our great Qing country too well. The news is terrifying." "That's why we must strive to catch up!" "Well said! The situation is both encouraging and pressing. Brother Zi Xuan, I won't stay in Shanghai, I'll go straight to Tianjin. Every second counts now!"

  The Tianjin Governor's Office, Li Hongzhang listened to Shen Huaixuan's report and thought for a moment: "Shen Baochen has taken the lead again, using private capital to build a steam airport factory. Your suggestion is very good, we don't need to use imperial funds to lay down the railway. Although the Westernization Movement is facing difficulties, we cannot miss this opportunity, after all, a pleasant situation has emerged. I will go to Beijing immediately, you return to Guangzhou and set up a railway company, hire foreigners to survey the route and collect funds."

  Li Hongzhang had his reasons for being so eager to lay down railways. He not only saw the huge profits of railways but also saw their great political and military effects. Once a north-south railway line appeared in the coastal areas, it would have extraordinary significance for the movement of goods and troops, especially for solidifying sea defense. Foreigners had opened up the country several times with their powerful ships and sharp weapons, and the importance of sea defense was a heart disease for the imperial court. Li Hongzhang was very confident in obtaining the right to lay down railways.

  What followed was a big surprise, Li Hongzhang's prepared speech was not used. The reason is that officials from various provinces in the south have petitioned for the construction of railways, and the appearance of the Fuzhou model railway has unconsciously reached a consensus among Manchu and Han officials in the south. This is like the special zones during the reform and opening-up period, when people's ideas are changed without persuasion as soon as they see the benefits in front of them.

  Li Hongzhang not only held a high position, but also had the advantage of being close to the emperor, and he himself had real power. Since the imperial court did not have to spend money on this, it was most tempting. Soon Li Hongzhang obtained the priority right to build roads and the authority to requisition land. In order to take care of all parties' interests, Shen Baozhen was authorized to formally establish a steamship factory, and Deng Zixuan's desired situation had appeared.

  To everyone's surprise, a month later, the imperial court approved the requests of the governors-general of Guangdong and Guangxi and Hubei and Hunan, authorizing the construction of a railway from Guangzhou to Wuhan on the condition that the imperial court would not spend a single penny. This alone caused many provincial officials who had been making a big fuss to retreat in disarray. On this day, colorful flags fluttered in front of the North China Industrial Corporation's headquarters in Shanghai and drums beat loudly as the North China Industrial Railway Construction Company was officially established.

  Sheng Huai Xuan, dressed in official attire and with a spirited demeanor, took office as the chairman of the road construction company and publicly announced the construction of the railway line from Fuzhou to Shanghai. Deng Zixuan invested 1 million on behalf of his father-in-law, while Shen Rui Sheng invested 1 million under the name of Hu Xueyan. Many wealthy businessmen followed suit, and by that day, Sheng Huai Xuan had raised a total of 5 million silver taels.

  The Sheng Huai Xuan government office was bustling with excitement, with officials coming to congratulate him in an endless stream. By this time, Sheng Huai Xuan's value had doubled. In the evening, after the congratulatory crowd dispersed, Sheng Huai Xuan still looked radiant and refreshed, as if he had encountered a joyful event. "Zi Xuan younger brother, let us drink to our hearts' content, we must celebrate!" "Elder brother Sheng, don't be too excited too early, the railway line is not yet visible, it's too early to celebrate!" Deng Zi Xuan poured cold water on him.

  "What does it mean!" Sheng Huai Xuan was puzzled. "The foreigner proposed a construction period of three years, and you need to know that during these three years, you will be throwing away silver coins like crazy. What if the silver coins run out?" "Just increase the shares, what's there to worry about running out of silver coins!" Deng Zi Xuan shook his head and said: "The small shareholders are investing because they trust your reputation and Hu Xueyan's prestige. If the small shareholders don't see any actual benefits, they won't follow suit, so it will be very difficult to raise funds in the later stages."

  "What's your suggestion!" "The construction period must be advanced, I suggest completing it in two years!" "Foreigners have rich experience in building roads and need three years, we can't complete it in two years at all." "It's not that it can't be done, but rather that you can't think of it. If the construction period is advanced by one year, how much silver can you save? If you advance the operation by one year, how much profit can you get?" "Zi Xuan, my brother, I suppose you have a way to advance the construction period?"

  Deng Zixuan smiled and said: "Building bridges over rivers along the way is a difficult point, so after the route survey is completed, the roadbed and bridge construction will be carried out simultaneously. Moreover, the roadbed construction can be divided into three major sections: Fuzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. The two ends will advance simultaneously, and the middle section will be opened up, thus speeding up the construction period. I think that by doing so, the construction period can definitely be completed within two years. In addition, you should assign a special person to supervise the construction period and speed it up."

  "Zixuan young brother, what you said makes sense, I'll adopt your suggestion!" Sheng Huai announced, taking his advice.