Chapter 44: Ghost Hand
Lord! If we build a railway from Fuzhou to Shanghai, with a 400-horsepower steam locomotive as the standard, pulling 10 carriages at a time, it can transport over 100 tons of goods and reach its destination in just one day. And if it's carrying passengers, it can carry at least 200 people at a time. The speed of the steam train is dozens of times that of horseback riding, and the transportation of goods reaches 20 times that of horse-drawn carriages, and the speed of the train far exceeds that of ships, especially in inland areas. Nowadays, long-distance transportation in Western countries basically relies on railways.
Shen Baizhen was overjoyed and said, "Foreigners are indeed amazing! If the Qing dynasty had trains running everywhere, it would be a wonderful sight!" Hu Xueyan asked in confusion, "Brother Zixuan, won't the wheels fall off the tracks?" Deng Zixuan smiled and said, "Look, brother Hu, the iron wheel has a hub inside that will keep it on track, even when turning. And the steam engine runs very smoothly on the rails. I've experimented with it in my free time and seen it with my own eyes - it's very effective!" Then Deng Zixuan ordered his servants to bring up a wooden box.
Deng Zixuan opened the wooden box, laid out the steel rails on the table, and then placed the steam locomotive model on the rails. He pushed it with his hand, and the model train started to move quickly under inertia. When making the train model, Wang Tiechui put in a lot of effort and spent half a month working on it according to Deng Zixuan's drawings before completing the manufacture of the model train. The model train and carriage were vivid and lifelike, basically a miniature replica of steam locomotives running on railways in the United States and Britain.
Shen Baoyan watched with great interest, and Hu Xueyan was also amazed. Suddenly Shen Baoyan's face turned somewhat gloomy and he said: "Deng Gongzi, the steam engine is indeed good, but for now we can't do it. Not to mention that the imperial court won't approve of it, even the conservative faction will criticize us. When we were planning to build the Mawei Shipyard, Left Grand Secretary encountered great pressure before it became what it is today. Deng Gongzi, I'm not trying to dampen your enthusiasm!
Obviously, Deng Zixuan had prepared his words: Your Excellency, this matter cannot be rushed. After a few days, we can lay down a railway between Mawei Shipyard and Fuzhou City, and then let the steam train run on it. There is a need for goods transportation between Mawei Shipyard and Fuzhou City. Seeing is believing, let people truly see its benefits, once the people are stirred up, at that time, Your Excellency's memorial to the throne will be easily approved. Please rest assured, I will unite with merchants to provide silver support, without the need for the imperial court to invest a single penny. This move will make Your Excellency's name last for eternity.
This is what a great honor, Shen Baizhen heard with great joy, and unexpectedly got drunk that day. Deng Zixuan's goal was for the Qing Empire to enter the steam age in coastal areas within the next few years, which was crucial for his future plans. The steam age also meant the arrival of the industrial age, and at that time, the Chinese people's mindset would also change. Deng Zixuan was well aware that the Sino-French War had strangled the rise of China's modern industry, an undisputed fact. After the Sino-French War, the Qing Empire gave up its chance to manufacture warships on its own and abandoned the popularization and development of modern industry. Although it purchased ironclad ships and claimed to have the world's second-largest fleet, the Qing Empire lacked its own industrial foundation and relied entirely on foreigners, laying the groundwork for its defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War.
Deng Zixuan was well aware that the imperial court seemed calm on the surface, but beneath it was a cauldron of hidden turmoil. The Tongzhi Emperor was a useless and incompetent ruler who would soon succumb to illness. Prince Gong was cunning and ambitious, with his sights set on the throne. Empress Dowager Cixi was young and insecure in her position, skilled at manipulating power politics, she had to navigate treacherously between internal instability and the threat of Han ministerial rebellion.
Currently, the Empress Dowager is supportive of reformers such as Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and Shen Baozhen when it comes to Western things. Therefore, consolidating her own position is a major matter for the Empress Dowager at present. As long as business and industry do not involve her core interests, she will turn a blind eye, having no time to attend to such matters. Moreover, with the western border being unstable, once the rebellion in the west begins, the imperial court will be even more preoccupied. As for foreigners, if steam locomotives appear on Qing territory, which aligns with their interests, they will offer mutual assistance.
The next day, Shen Baozhen personally accompanied Deng Zixuan and Hu Xueyan to visit the naval warships. Although 10 warships had been launched, four of them were deployed in coastal areas for defense tasks, leaving only three warships anchored in the harbor. Women were not allowed to visit the warships, so Yuanner stayed at Shen's residence. The reason was that it was unlucky for women to board a warship, which was a rule of the Qing Navy.
Boarding the Yangfan warship, this wooden steam-powered warship has a displacement of 1,400 tons and is 125 meters long. The ship is 4.5 meters wide and has a crew of over 300 people. The warship was Shen Baozhen's pride and joy, as he inspected the ship while introducing its cannons at length. There were also foreign naval instructors on board. Deng Zixuan asked a British naval instructor in fluent English about the training situation for the sailors.
When asked about the actual firing of warship cannons, the foreign instructor shrugged and told the Qing Empire that they were afraid to spend money and rarely conducted live-fire training. Deng Zixuan knew that modern naval warfare relied mainly on solid shot and shrapnel, and if the shooting level was too poor, it would not pose a threat in sea battles. After inspecting the warships, he returned to Shen's residence. Deng Zixuan advised: Sir, when warships fight at sea, the duel between cannons is the only way to fight. But I asked the British naval instructor on the warship, and they almost never conduct live-fire training, why is that?
Actually, Deng Zixuan was asking with full knowledge. He knew that naval training required spending money, and the imperial court would not spend a large sum of silver to fire cannons casually. Shen Baozhen said helplessly: "Deng Gongzi, how could I not know about live-fire training? But without silver, what can I use for training?" At present, all the cannonballs are purchased from foreigners, and cannonballs are just white silver. Deng Zixuan said: "Your Excellency, I can provide 20,000 taels of white silver each year for training, but I require that it must be used entirely for live-fire exercises. Can Your Excellency agree to this?"
Haha! I'm overjoyed! Mr. Deng is indeed a man of vision. If one-third of the merchants in our great Qing Empire were like you, we would surely dominate the world. Shen Baozhen was delighted and got drunk again that night. Deng Zixuan generously pulled out silver coins, and Hu Xueyan couldn't fall behind, personally spending 10,000 taels of silver each year to purchase cannonballs for training purposes.
Two days later, Shen Baozhen accompanied Deng Zixuan to visit the Mawei Shipyard. Deng was shocked during his visit, in just 4 years, the scale of the shipyard had become extremely grand and it was absolutely one of the most modern shipyards of its time. Deng sighed, the potential for creativity among Chinese people is enormous, the key is that you have to provide a platform for them to play their wisdom.
Within two days, Deng Zixuan inspected the entire Mawei Shipyard and offered suggestions on how to improve work efficiency. Of course, such a shocking move was attributed by Deng Zixuan to something he had read in foreign books. Shen Baozhen deeply believed it and even sighed: "Nowadays, not understanding foreign languages in the Qing Dynasty is like being blind in industry." And praised Deng Zixuan for knowing foreign languages as if adding wings to a tiger.
Deng Zixuan took the opportunity to say: Sir, I have dozens of book boys under my command, and they are currently learning foreign languages. If you need it, two years later, he will send a book boy to serve as an interpreter. Shen Baizhen was overjoyed again, and without hesitation, he readily agreed. Having a personal interpreter by his side every day would make communication with foreigners much more convenient. Before leaving, Deng Zixuan ordered two 100-horsepower steam engines and paid the fee in advance. He planned to install these two steam engines in his estate, and next, Deng Zixuan was going to start researching military weapons.
Hu Xueyan decided to take the steamship back, and naturally had to go with Deng Zixuan and his wife. Shen Baozhen personally saw them off at the dock, seemingly reluctant to part ways. These few days were the happiest time in Shen Baozhen's life, and he seemed to have grown younger by a few years. Deng Zixuan's goal had been initially achieved, so he left with satisfaction. With one whistle of the steamship's horn, the small steamer departed from Fuzhou dock and set off on its return journey.
Hu Xueyan and Deng Zixuan stood side by side on the deck, waving goodbye to Shen Baoyan. As the dock receded into the distance, Hu Xueyan said with mixed emotions: "Zixuan, you are truly one of a kind. Governor Shen has never trusted someone he didn't know in such a short period of time. You are the only one. I've known Governor Shen for many years, and he's always been very proud."
Deng Zixuan smiled and said: "Brother Hu, the difference between you and me is that you wear official robes while I am a commoner. You have too many thoughts, whereas I am carefree and at ease. It seems that Brother Hu's thoughts are quite profound!" Hu Xueyan thought for a moment and said: "Younger brother has spoken wisely, being in high positions can be overwhelming and exhausting! Moreover, one must also be cautious. However, I can only walk this path until the end, whereas younger brother, you live so freely and effortlessly. Do you know? It's precisely because of this that Governor Shen particularly likes you!"
Deng Zixuan smiled and said: If you want to live in a world of your own, it's just a state of mind. People have to do something while they're alive, whether it's for the public good or personal gain. The key is to have fun or follow some kind of behavioral code. My principle is to be generous and not bother with trivial matters. I work hard to earn money and spend it lavishly. As the saying goes, wealth doesn't last beyond three generations. It's enough to leave behind a legacy for future generations. Life is short, and if you die without spending all your money, that's what's truly sad. They say there's an afterlife, but I don't believe in such nonsense!
Deng Zixuan spent a lot of money on himself, and Hu Xueyan was surprised: "Brother Zixuan's idea is a bit strange, but it makes some sense. One should indeed be carefree in life, but I couldn't reach your level. Our life experiences are different, so our goals are naturally different. From ancient times to the present, who doesn't hope for both fame and wealth, and to leave a name in history? Emperors, generals, and ordinary people all want this. Brother Zixuan can see through the world's complexities and is mature beyond his years, which makes me admire him.
At this time, a sailboat passed by, looking so small and helpless, but not losing its tenacity. Looking at the distant sailboat, Deng Zixuan thought to himself: Brother Hu, a person's journey is just like that sailboat, sailing in the vast ocean, perhaps he will encounter storms and waves, but he must press on to reach the other shore, perhaps he will perish in the sea, disappearing tragically. I feel that Brother Hu is just like that sailboat!
Those who know me, brother Zixuan, my fate may be that sailboat! The topic is a bit heavy, and the two of them fell into silence. Deng Zixuan thought to himself: Brother Hu! Our fates are already tied together, if that earth-shaking day comes, how will you face it? After a long time, Hu Xueyan regained his composure and said: Brother Zixuan, this time I went to Xi'an, your suggestion to reclaim land and hoard grain in the west was highly praised by Governor Left. And my plan to build a glass factory in Xi'an is also going very smoothly, I estimate that the glass factory in Xi'an has already started production. According to Rui Sheng, the glass factory on the Guangdong side is very popular.
Deng Zixuan said: Glass is still a seller's market, can it not be hot? Brother Hu! Sheng Huaixuan is about to set up a textile factory in Shanghai using foreign cotton yarns. Although the quality of foreign cotton yarns is good, the cost of transportation across the ocean is very high. Therefore, I plan to set up a yarn factory in the Jiangbei cotton production area, do you have any interest, Brother Hu?
Hu Xueyan was taken aback: "Sheng Huai Xuan? I don't want to get mixed up with him." Merchants pursue profit as the highest realm, in the eyes of merchants there are no enemies only profits, Brother Hu is so clear-sighted and can't see this point?! Sheng Huai Xuan can raise funds to build a textile mill, why can't I raise funds to build a textile mill? Hu Xueyan said stubbornly.
Deng Zixuan shook his head and said, "Brother Hu, it's not advisable to always put yourself in a position of competing with interest groups. If you compete with Sheng Huaixuan, one side will ultimately lose, while the other side will be left with scars, which can be described as 'killing a thousand enemies but losing eight hundred oneself'! What do you mean by this? Hu Xueyan was shocked.
Deng Zixuan added: At present, the development momentum of the Qing Dynasty's national capital is good. If brothers engage in cruel competition and even life-and-death struggles, the final outcome will be two losses. Who would be most happy to see this situation? It would be foreigners. At that time, foreigners not only would clean up the mess but also would gain a huge advantage. Foreigners like us to fight among ourselves and will always push waves to help them.
Hu Xueyan looked thoughtful, and Deng Zixuan continued: In business, a win-win situation is the most ideal outcome. For example, when we set up a yarn factory, we can purchase equipment from Sheng Huai Xuan's machine factory, while Sheng Huai Xuan sets up a weaving factory, they can procure our cheap cotton yarn. The raw materials are something that foreigners cannot compete with us on. You have me and I have you, this way we can achieve a balance of interests and form a united force. A win-win situation also means taking the middle path.
Hu Xueyan was clearly moved and said: "Zi Xuan, my brother, I seem to have misjudged you. A win-win situation! You've put it perfectly, but just because I have this idea doesn't mean that Sheng Huai Xuan will agree with it."
"Brother, I can act as a mediator and take care of everything without you having to intervene," he said.
Hu Xueyan was overjoyed and said: "Zi Xuan, my brother, let's do it this way. As soon as I return from Xi'an, I'll start setting up a silk factory in Zhengzhou, and you can be in charge of purchasing the machinery."
History has changed again at this moment, Deng Zixuan used his invisible hand to mix Hu Xueyan and Sheng Huaixuan together, internal consumption is gone!
