1850 American Gold Tycoon

"California is really a promising place. It's full of energy. Being with these young people makes me, an old man from the last century, feel a lot younger."

After chatting with several young inventors for a while, Blanchard couldn't help but sigh.

Blanchard was deeply impressed by these young talents.

It seems that he has been working behind closed doors for too long. There are so many outstanding young inventors in the United States that he has never heard of before.

"I plan to set up a machinery company in California. According to my inspection in California, there is still a big gap in machinery in California. If possible, I hope to obtain a loan from Bank of America."

Blanchard, who is also an inventor and businessman, also sees potential business opportunities in California.

There was a lot of building work going on everywhere, and the tacks produced by his tack-making machine would be very popular here.

There is also his wood bending machine. Liang Yao has great market prospects whether it is used to bend wood for ships, farm tools, or building materials.

Of course, California's three-year tax exemption policy for industrial and mining companies is also very attractive to Blanchard.

Currently, the only state in the United States that has a tax-free policy for industrial and mining enterprises is California. I heard that California also has a tax-free policy for agriculture, which has also attracted many farmers from the east to immigrate.

The original destinations of many eastern immigrant farmers were Wisconsin and Missouri, but they changed their destination after hearing that California had a three-year tax exemption policy for agriculture and provided agricultural tools, seeds, and even interest-free loans. Came to California.

“California welcomes all aspiring entrepreneurs to open factories in California.”

Blanchard wants to open a factory in California, and Liang Yao naturally welcomes it. Blanchard manufactures machine tools. Such high-precision industries are rare in any state.

"For questions about opening a factory, you can submit your plan to the Ministry of Industry and consult with the staff of the Ministry of Industry. There is also an office of the Ministry of Industry in the San Francisco Industrial Zone. As for the loan, I can get a lower loan for you. Interest."

"Thank you very much."

Blanchard thanked Liang Yao and then asked Liang Yaodao.

"Do you have any new inventions recently? I heard that you just applied for a patent called a hinge. Can I take a look?"

Liang Yao nodded and asked Kony to bring the hinge.

Blanchard took the hinge from Coney's hand, inspected it carefully, and praised it.

"It's really an ingenious design. If paired with the right gears, it can make a very good transmission device. But this thing is so sophisticated, isn't it expensive?"

"It is indeed a bit expensive, and there is still a long way to go before commercial use." Liang Yao said.

This hinge was his preparation for building a chain-driven bicycle, but things were not as simple as he thought.

Hinge, a mechanical component that seems very common in later generations, was an out-and-out high-tech product in the mid-19th century. With the current mechanical processing capabilities in California, there is definitely no way to mass-produce hinges that can be put into commercial use.

The idea of ​​making a chain-driven bicycle can only be put aside for the time being. It is more realistic to just work on the existing pedal-type pedal-driven bicycle and make some improvements to the details and materials of this bicycle.

The driving method of a pedal-driven bicycle is a pedal-driven bicycle on the pedal wheel. The efficiency is definitely not as good as that of a chain-type bicycle.

That's why before the invention of the chain, bicycles grew in weird shapes, with drive wheels getting bigger and bigger. All to save effort and increase power output.

Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua, who came to see Liang Yao, were very surprised to see the smoke billowing and the machines roaring in Tingtaoyuan these days.

If it were in the Qing Dynasty, this would definitely be a typical example of losing one's spirit while playing with things.

But both Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua knew that Liang Yao was not someone who lost his ambition by playing with things. Not only did he not lose his ambition by playing with things, he could also make money.

Looking at the various roaring machines in Tingtao Garden, and thinking of the pastoral scenery of the Qing Dynasty, the two of them felt as if they were in another world.

"I am going back to Guangzhou in person this time. Regarding the "Qingming-US Free Immigration Treaty", the people below may not be able to explain it clearly to De She (Pan Shicheng). It is best for me to go back in person to talk to De She about the matter. "

Pan Zhengwei said to Liang Yao.

Although the Pan family is now favored by the court, not everyone in the Pan family has the opportunity to meet the Manchu Emperor in person. Only Pan Shicheng, a second-rank official and highly regarded imperial businessman, had the opportunity to meet the Manchu emperor.

"Then please bear with the fatigue of traveling and traveling and take a trip." Liang Yao said to Pan Zhengwei, "Take the steam ship of the Global Shipping Company back to Guangzhou. The steam ship is faster."

"But before I leave, I want to ask you for something to give as a gift to the Holy One." Pan Zhengwei said.

"What do you want?"

As long as the Manchus and Qing Dynasties could get over it and let the "Qing-U.S. Free Immigration Treaty" pass without a trace, Liang Yao wouldn't mind giving some small gifts.

"I bought some guns and cannons in the east. There is no shortage of these things. I want to ask you for some machines." Pan Zhengwei said.

During the year he came to the United States, what he saw and heard opened his eyes.

He had witnessed the speed of foreign ships and the power of foreign guns and cannons in the Qing Dynasty, but this was the first time he had seen foreign machines.

He was astonished by the high efficiency of foreign machines. He hoped to bring some machines back to open the eyes of Qing officials.

If things go on like this, with the current situation of the Qing Dynasty, sooner or later it will become a piece of fish on the chopping block of foreigners.

Twelve years ago, the British invaded the Qing Dynasty's maritime territory, leaving the entire Qing Dynasty helpless. After the British soldiers landed at the mouth of the Yangtze River, they felt like they were in no one's land, and they easily captured Zhenjiang in one go.

Twelve years ago, the British were able to land in Zhenjiang. The coastal defenses of the Qing Dynasty were in vain, but they could land in Tianjin decades later. Pan Zhengwei did not dare to think about the consequences of the foreigners landing in Tianjin.

"It's useless." Liang Yao knew what Pan Zhengwei was thinking about writing.

“The shortcoming of the Qing Dynasty is not that the utensils are not as good as those of Western countries. The Manchu dignitaries in the capital will not be interested in these machines, and the Han officials dare not be interested in things that the Manchu dignitaries are not interested in.

You can wake up a sleeping person, but you can never wake up a person who is pretending to sleep. "

It’s not like foreigners never gave these things to the Qing emperor. It’s not like the Manchu dignitaries didn’t know about the power of foreign guns and cannons and the speed of foreign ships.

It is precisely because they know that they must ban these things.

The Manchus were not the main ethnic group in the Qing Dynasty. They only had a few million people, and they ruled a large empire with a population of 400 million.

What they fear most is not the foreigners with strong ships and powerful guns, but the 400 million people being ruled.

By the end of the Qing dynasty, the Manchu aristocrats pursued the rule of defending against the Han rather than against foreigners.

When foreigners come, the worst they can do is sign a contract to cede land and pay compensation. These are all negotiable matters. As long as they please the foreign masters, they will still be the rulers.

They can still ride on the heads of 40 million oxen and horses and continue to live a luxurious life of drunkenness and debauchery.

When the Han people raised their heads, what was shaken was the foundation of the rule of the Qing Dynasty. This was something that could not be discussed or discussed.

Only such a reactionary ruling class can say such stupid things as preferring friendship to friends rather than domestic slaves.

The Qing government launched the Westernization Movement to save itself, and that was when the Hunan Army rose. The ruling class of the Manchu Qing Dynasty had to use Han officials to continue to maintain their rule, and Han officials began to gradually take over military and political power.

Liang Yao was not stupid enough to count on the Qing Dynasty. It would be better to count on the Qing Dynasty than to count on Hong Xiuquan, that evil cult leader.

Of course, Hong Xiuquan, the leader of the cult, could not count on him either.

Now he only hopes to continuously transport the young labor force of the Qing Dynasty to California and attract the businessmen of the Qing Dynasty to California to strengthen his foundation.

"I still want to give it a try. I can wake up everyone one by one."

Pan Zhengwei said after a moment of silence.

"I also want to ask your help to help me find some people to pretend to be American missionaries to pay tribute. As long as the bosses in the capital are happy, the "Qingdao-U.S. Free Immigration Treaty" will be a sure thing."

"I'll have someone get you a steam engine later. From the California Railway Company, I'll also have Ward make a model train and send it to the capital as a gift for you."

Liang Yao agreed and said to Pan Zhengwei.

"Global Shipping Company's small dock in Guangzhou, I want to expand it into a ship repair yard. Last time Sven and I reported that the James Day broke down and was towed to Hong Kong for repair. Could you two please tell the Guangzhou authorities? Give it a try."

Global Shipping Company has been running the route between Guangzhou and San Francisco for a long time, and vessel breakdowns are common.

If nothing else happens, he will go on an expedition to Japan this summer. If there is a problem with the ship, it will be a big trouble.

Civilian ships can also be towed to Hong Kong or Shanghai for repair. If something goes wrong with a warship, it is not that easy to repair.

"Leave it to us to take care of the trivial matters." Pan Zhengwei was very happy to see Liang Yao agree.

"The governor of Guangdong, Ye Mingchen, and the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Xu Guangjin, have good friendships with our families."

"When I went back this time, I also prepared some gifts for Governor Ye and Governor Xu. When Ting Yu went back this time, I also asked Ting Yu to hand over my gifts to the two adults to express my feelings to the two adults." Liang Yao He nodded and said.

The current Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Xu Guangjin, will resign in September this year. After Xu Guangjin resigns, the former Governor of Guangdong, Ye Mingchen, will succeed him as Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and Minister of Commerce.

From then on, Ye Mingchen would serve as the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Minister of Commerce until the outbreak of the Second Opium War in 1858 when Guangzhou was captured and detained in India until he died on a hunger strike.

As long as the relationship with these two people was settled, at least before 1858, Liang Yao would not have to worry about how to deal with the Guangdong authorities.

Seventy percent of Chinese immigrants in California set out from Guangzhou.

It is very important for Liang Yao to handle the relationship with the local government in Guangdong.