Chapter Twenty-Six Past Events

  Tan Yanqing smiled and said: "Nowadays, there are so many people in China who smoke opium. This medicine factory can make a profit for a long time just by selling detoxification pills. The monthly income of 30,000 to 40,000 taels of silver is enough to support the need to buy land. How about this? Every month, Uncle will take out 8,000 taels from the profit of the medicine factory to buy land, mainly in Hunan Province, and Hubei Province is also a good choice. Don't raise the price of land too high, and use the extra money to open a grain store and make more food reserves to prevent famine."

  Tan Yanqing was a Hunan native from his previous life. Although it is said that "Huguang is familiar with the world and has enough feet", in Tan Yanqing's known history, Hunan Province was also a province prone to disasters in modern times. It is said that due to the chaos of rice famine, the governors of Hunan Province in the late Qing dynasty were not very stable. Not only Hunan, but also the two lakes region has always been a very conservative area. In a short period of time, he may not be able to rely on administrative power to promote the development of modern industries like Zhang Zhidong. To manage his own old nest well, he must also manage foreign affairs. What is left is only accumulating popularity. Only when he accumulates great popularity can the resistance to doing something be reduced.

  In this era, the Chinese people don't ask for much, just enough to fill their bellies and support a family is already sufficient. However, Tan Yankai knew that even this small demand from the people was an extravagant hope in this era, let alone the warlord chaos of the Northern Expedition or the corrupt rule of the Republic of China decades later. Tan Yankai needed stability; how long he could stay in the country depended on his own development. No matter how much he developed, Hunan as his old haunt was his foundation - although now it couldn't be called a foundation, just a preliminary re-operation. But people always need a foothold; he didn't want to be a floating duckweed drifting with the current, which would have no use for the overall situation.

  Hunan needs stability, and it can't be separated from food and land. He's not thinking of getting rich overnight, but rather slowly accumulating wealth through buying land year after year. After several years, the amount will grow to an astonishing level, allowing him to control Hunan's stability through food. Moreover, during this process, he can also accumulate great prestige, as China is still an agricultural country and farmers make up the majority of the population. With this foundation, it would be easy for him to do business in Hunan, and his current funds are more than sufficient, so buying land won't give him a tight feeling. I think the old master will also strongly approve of his approach.

  "Miss, the third young master has already boarded the ship. Should we head back to Nanchang Prefecture? It's been a long time since we left, and if we drag it out any longer, Master will be unhappy!" Zhao Hengjun said cautiously.

  Fang Xuan Qing listened and simply nodded silently: "Uncle Zhao, we should also head back..."

  "He is a man with great ambitions and will not be tied down by personal relationships, but he is also a man who can make women feel at ease..."

  For Tan Yanqin, he had no idea that Fang Congqian was living not far away from him for two months. Those autumn goose-like eyes could only see the deep mansion of Xishu Hall from a distance, but couldn't see the man who was full of mysterious aura all over his body. This era is like this, although it has started to move towards enlightenment step by step, but for famous families like Tan and Fang, their children can only look at each other from afar even if they have already engaged in marriage. However, it is precisely because of the inability to cross this unattainable distance that Fang Congqian still saw a different Tan Yanqin from the side, and perhaps no one understands the pride hidden behind his cautiousness, but Fang Congqian clearly felt his "loneliness".

  Hunan and Hubei, both belonging to the Yangtze River system, are adjacent to each other. In terms of transportation, they have always been closely connected through a complex water system. The two provinces have very developed waterway transportation, which cannot be compared with trains or cars in later generations. However, looking at the whole country, it is really hard to find another pair of provinces that are so tightly connected.

  It's not thirty years ago now, and there are many small steamers running in the two lakes. Tan Yanqing and his party took this kind of small steamer to go to Wuchang, Hubei. The equipment for producing smoke-free gunpowder was attached to the Beiyang government, but the equipment for manufacturing firearms was first placed in Hubei - Zhang Zhidong and Li Hongzhang were enemies, although their hatred for each other was not as deep as theirs for Weng Tonghe, but one side destroyed the dream of achieving a great military achievement that would last for generations. On this issue, Zhang Zhidong would never forgive Li Hongzhang.

  In Tan Yankai's words, both of these two men have great significance. If you want to do big things, you can't lack contact with them. However, he absolutely won't easily lean towards either one - Li Hongzhang's Beiyang, even after the disastrous defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War, is still the most powerful force with the richest resources. At least from Yuan Shikai's development in Beiyang, there is no doubt about this. As for Zhang Zhidong, he is naturally good, but his foundation can't compare to that of Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang who have worked hard for two generations.

  "The Beiyang Army is ready to use; Zhang Zhidong's Huguang is his old nest, and the legacy he left behind has great potential for appreciation in value!" Tan Yankai thought to himself. He didn't dare hope that he could gain an advantage from both sides, but at least he wanted to take advantage of one side as much as possible, and it was clear that Zhang Zhidong's weight was a bit heavier in his heart - after all, his old nest was right under the other person's nose!

  According to the old man's guidance, Tan Yanqing knew that Zhang Zhidong had been doing official business for over a decade and his temper had also risen exponentially. Among the governors across the country, this Hanlin scholar-turned governor of Hubei was considered the most arrogant. All officials in the two lakes region, from provincial administrators to lower-ranking officials, were intimidated by him. Zhang Zhidong's temper was notorious, but there were those who didn't take it lying down. One such person was Tan Yanqing's distant cousin, Tan Sitong's father Tan Jixun. This was because Tan Jixun was older and had also risen through the ranks as a young man, having fought his way up from the imperial examination hall. His seniority in the Hanlin Academy far surpassed Zhang Zhidong's, so even if Zhang tried to throw his weight around, Tan wouldn't be impressed.

  "Although Zhang Xiangtao has no other sons, he is still very polite to people who are truly capable. This time you go to Hubei to see him, and it's unlikely that you will be cold-shouldered by him... However, if you really want to get something from Zhang Xiangtao, you must make a trip to Chiji Mountain, where an old friend of mine is hiding. Thirty years ago, we were both appointed as officials in Suizhou Prefecture, and later, when the eight senior ministers including Suizhou were killed or exiled overnight, we two parted ways. He followed Zhang Xiangtao afterwards and became his chief aide, earning Zhang's trust..." Wang Kanyun said leisurely from his rattan chair.

  "Could it be that Master is referring to Sang Zhiping?!" As for Sang Zhiping, the former chief aide of Zhang Zhidong, Tan Yanqian had not only heard of him from Wang Kuan's mouth for the first time, but also the old man had mentioned this person many times - the old man and Weng Tonghe were on good terms, and when Weng Tonghe secretly plotted against Zhang Zhidong, the old man was very clear about it. It was precisely Sang Zhiping who came to Beijing as Zhang Zhidong's representative and met with Zhang Zhiwan, the Minister of Military Affairs at that time, and unexpectedly settled the matter of Zhang Zhidong being "dismissed from office" without making a sound, showing that this person's courage and strategy were not comparable to those of ordinary people.

  "It's him! This man has a great article in his heart that can bring peace and prosperity to the country. I, on the other hand, am skilled in the art of 'horizontal and vertical tactics', but when it comes to handling practical matters, I am not as good as he is. In our younger years, we were both disciples of Su Xun, but he was more favored by Su Xun. Unfortunately, he misjudged people for half his life... Later, after he joined Zhang Xiangtai, he was reused and even came to invite me to join him in serving Zhang Xiangtai, but I refused. However, our friendship has continued on and off over the years... Take this letter from me to Chi Ji Mountain to find him, and he will guide you on what to do..."

  Thirty years ago, the treacherous political struggle between Cixi and the eight trusted ministers was a ready-made teaching material for Wang Xianqian to instruct Tan Yankai. The two greatest setbacks in Wang Xianqian's life were when Su Shun was killed and when Zeng Guofan rejected his suggestion to claim kingship, after which Wang Xianqian thoroughly abandoned his ambition to achieve great fame and turned to studying, becoming the most renowned scholar in the Lianghu region. The disciples of Lianghu took pride in being able to enter the Shuanshan Academy, now headed by Wang Xianqian.

  Compared to Zeng Guofan, Su Shun was far inferior. As for that period of history, Wang Xianqian didn't take it too seriously either. The main reason was that at the time, Sang Zhigong was playing the leading role, and Zeng Guofan's refusal to listen to his advice and strike out on his own was a heavy blow to his ambition. Tan Yankai wasn't very interested in Wang Xianqian's history - those things were regrettable, but after all, they were someone else's affairs; once the opportunity was missed, there was nothing more to say. What he valued was being able to learn from Wang Xianqian's experiences and not making the same mistakes himself.

  In comparison, Tan Yankai attaches more importance to the old man - "For example, people like Wang Renqiu, although they are talented and famous in the world, but they are just a piece of floating duckweed, relying on others for their success or failure. Whether it is Su Shun or Zeng Wenzheng, whether they succeed or fail, it is only a matter of achieving fame. Even if they succeed, it belongs to Su Shun or Zeng Wenzheng, and their outcome may not be better than now... A great man wants to establish himself and achieve success, he must first stand on his own feet, otherwise he will only become the second Wang Renqiu..."

  As for the old man's evaluation, Tan Yanqing had nothing to say and could only raise his thumb in admiration - in this chaotic world, if you want to do something real, you must learn from Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong. They grasped their own development direction, whether to stay or leave was up to their own heart's desire. When they reached that level, even if the Qing court was dissatisfied, they still had to treat such high-ranking officials with courtesy. The old man naturally couldn't compare to Zhang Zhidong and others, it was just that his own luck wasn't good enough to have this opportunity, nor did he have the brains or guts to take the route of dominating a region like a king, so he could only take a mediocre path.

  The old man was very concerned about Tan's growth, after all, this is related to the key of whether the Tan family can continue to be glorious in the future. The old man had bluntly told him that the person he most admired and respected was Zeng Guofan, who, as the governor of Liangjiang, had divided the central power into local areas, setting a precedent for the confrontation between the feudal lords and the central government. Later, it was also because of Zeng Guofan's legacy that people like Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong emerged, otherwise, even if these two men had great talents, they would not have had a stage to display their abilities.

  "Is the old man trying to force me into making a choice?!" Tan Yanqin stood at the bow of the boat, gazing out at the Yangtze River shrouded in night.

  "Wang Kuaiyun and Sang Zhiping are not the kind of people I would follow. Their path is not viable in this era where the strong prey on the weak, even if they succeed, it's just a matter of choosing a good master. If I, Tan Yanke, were to do so, it would be more advantageous to go and join Yuan Datou before he rises to power. However, I will definitely not become Yuan's lackey or his burial object! As for emulating Zeng Guofan...I ask myself if I have the ability to achieve that, those who can are already defying heaven, most likely they won't have a good ending..." Tan Yanke thought to himself.

  Fortunately, the old man did not require Tan Yanqian to make a clear choice, after all, he was still struggling on the path of imperial examination, at least until he passed the provincial and palace examinations and obtained the title of Jinshi before making this choice. It's just that Tan Yanqian is now going to see Zhang Zhidong, which is his first time meeting the big BOSS who has had a profound impact on modern Chinese history since his rebirth, and for a while, he is somewhat unaccustomed - in some way, he stole Zhang Zhidong's rice bowl, bringing out what was originally written by Zhang Zhidong several years later, "On Education", it's really unknown what Zhang Zhidong would think if he knew.

  "But at least one thing is certain, this big BOSS I met for the first time must think I'm his confidant and said everything he wanted to say in his heart!" Tan Yanqian thought with a bit of mischief.

  "Talking about China's heavy industry cannot forget Zhang Zhidong." Tan Yankai had this sentence in his history textbook from his previous life. In the "Strong Country" chapter of "Exhortation to Study", Tan Yankai wrote according to the introduction of Zhang Zhidong in later historical books. Now, the largest project on Zhang Zhidong's hands is the Hanyang Iron and Steel Factory. Tan Yankai naturally knew that Zhang Zhidong's attempt at a "late Qing version of state-owned enterprises" ended in complete failure. This Hanyang Iron and Steel Factory became the biggest stain on Zhang Zhidong's life due to its large initial investment. However, it is absolutely right that Zhang Zhidong had the idea of developing heavy industry; he just made mistakes in management methods. The moral standards of late Qing officials were already too low, and if they were put in charge of running the steel factory, they would definitely lose even their own underwear.

  The Hanyang Ironworks had great significance. According to Tang Yan's recollection, Zhang Zhidong later encountered major problems with the ironworks' funding and was forced to transfer it to Sheng Xuanhuai. Sheng Xuanhuai was able to leave behind twice as much wealth for his descendants than Li Hongzhang did. The ironworks deserves credit for this achievement. Although Tang Yan had never met Zhang Zhidong, he had heard that the old man's temper was a real problem. He had his heart set on the Hanyang Ironworks, but he wouldn't take action until Zhang Zhidong got into trouble and was left with a bloody head. All he needed to do was get his hands on the ironworks before Sheng Xuanhuai did.

  However, this is just a rough idea. Considering that the steel mill is still under construction, it's unclear when Zhang Zhidong will transfer the Hanyang Steel Mill to Sheng Xuanhuai and Tan Yankai. But thinking about it, after its completion, within four or five years, Zhang Zhidong should still be able to hold on. This period would be the best time for Tan Yankai to accumulate funds and build a good relationship with Zhang Zhidong. Once Zhang Zhidong has the intention to retire, that's when Tan Yankai will take over the steel mill. As for Sheng Xuanhuai, he has an innate flaw - he is an important figure under Li Hongzhang. If not for Zhang Zhidong being unable to find someone else to take over, it would be impossible for Sheng Xuanhuai to get a share of this cake.

  "Is Mr. Renqiu doing well now?" A man in his late fifties sitting on a taishi chair asked faintly. This old man was Sang Zhiping, who had left Zhang Zhidong and lived in seclusion at the foot of Chiji Mountain since the year before last. As the chief aide who followed Zhang Zhidong for twenty years, he understood Zhang Zhidong deeply, and his influence was naturally self-evident. He was also a close relative of Zhang Zhidong's family.

  "For decades, our family master has been teaching at the Shushan Academy and writing books at home in his spare time. He is very healthy, but rarely goes out..." Tan Yanqian said respectfully.

  "Ren Qiu is still the same as before, we two have been separated since Xin You year, although we often keep in touch by letter, but it's almost thirty years since we last saw each other!" San Zhi Ping was still nonchalant, but he put emphasis on the three words "Xin You year".

  Tan Yanxin listened and said with a stir in his heart: "My family master often talks to me about the years he spent with Mr. He, after Mr. He went to Rehe in the year of Xin You, he suddenly encountered great changes and couldn't help but sigh... lamenting that human affairs are unpredictable!"

  Wang Xianyun and Sang Zhiping had a long acquaintance, it is impossible not to know Wang Xianyun's "Emperor's Learning" and "Horizontal and Vertical Techniques". Tan Yanke estimated that Sang Zhiping's "Xin You Year" was also testing whether he was Wang Xianyun's inner disciple. If not, then this meeting would mean nothing gained.

  After listening, Sang Zhiping's face turned serious, and Tan Yanqian noticed that his hands clenched the armrests of the chair tightly. It was clear that this old man still had strong feelings about what happened back then. The Xin You coup was just a minor setback for Wang Kejun, but it was a huge blow to the old man in front of him. Those who could follow Su Shun to the Rehe Palace at that time were naturally the core figures of Su Shun's faction. From this, it can be inferred that Sang Zhiping was Su Shun's confidant and ranked above Wang Kejun. This point was also what Wang Kejun had been thinking about for many years, combined with the style of Su Shun's initial memorials against Empress Dowager Cixi. Wang Kejun even believed that those memorials were written by the old man in front of him.