Eunuchs who traveled through the Qing Dynasty

An extremely traditional woman at heart, when she marries Xianfeng, she only hopes to be able to comfort the Queen.Take care of the harem and share your worries.But Xiao Ran's appearance completely disrupted her peaceful life.Even she herself couldn't believe that this glib little servant had captured her heart so easily.The feelings for Xiao Ran grew deeper with time, which meant that the guilt for Xianfeng became more and more difficult to let go.For a long time, she has been in pain and restlessness and condemnation of conscience.

She once tried to give up this relationship, forcing herself to forget it, or deliberately indifference and alienation.She has made all kinds of efforts, but in the face of this sudden emotion, the so-called reason seems so weak and powerless.Fortunately, he is a eunuch, so he shouldn't be considered a man, right?This lame excuse, of course, became Mei's only reason to defend herself.

Unexpectedly, while she was struggling in the emotional vortex, an accident happened again.The sudden funeral of Emperor Xianfeng completely shattered her already fragile line of defense.If it hadn't been for Bao Lu's unintentional smashing of the suicide, the Empress Dowager Ci'an would have become a ghost long ago, and she would have disappeared.

Fortunately, Xianfeng died.It's a little-known secret.Mei buried all of this deeply in her heart, and after returning to Luan, she devoted all her energy to government affairs, intentionally or unintentionally alienating Xiao Ran, in order to forget this unbearable memory.Unexpectedly, a sudden change occurred.This nightmare-like memory was revived again, and the carefully guarded secret was revealed. Lan'er, the gentle and virtuous Empress Dowager Ci'an, was actually the culprit who made Xianfeng mad!

What made her even more unacceptable was that Xiao Ran was a genuine man!Once the flowers are blooming before the moon is under.The lingering tenderness turned into the most bitter irony at this moment, piercing her heart fiercely like a steel knife.The majestic mother of the Qing Dynasty, what face does she have to live in this world? ...

eyebrow thoughts.Xiao Ran can roughly guess it.The reason why he never dared to tell her his true identity was because he was afraid of exposing the scars in her heart.Unexpectedly, by mistake, things have come to this point today.The imperial doctor of the imperial hospital tried several prescriptions, but none of them turned out to be good, so he invited Li Jingchou to the palace for a diagnosis and treatment, but unfortunately even the famous doctor of the capital was at a loss what to do.

The Empress Dowager's symptoms include chest tightness, shortness of breath, yin deficiency and night sweats all day long, and she often wakes up from nightmares and sits for a whole night.Xiao Ran stayed by her side all day, seeing her lose weight day by day, felt as uncomfortable as being pricked by a needle.All the words of comfort have been said, but Mei turned a deaf ear to him, and was always indifferent to Xiao Ran, even unwilling to look at him.

Xiao Ran knew that her own existence would only bring back sad memories for her. Instead of this, she might as well choose to be separated for a while, hoping that time would dilute everything.Fortunately, there is Concubine Li Yanlin, who is by Mei's side to take care of her.

Contrary to Mei, Princess Ning Wei's condition seems to have stabilized a lot.In order to take care of her conveniently, Ning Xin left her in the Xiao Mansion and stayed by her sister's side all day long.Talk to her, tell her stories.After all these changes, Ning Xin, a childish and mischievous little girl, has completely changed herself, and she is no longer mischievous everywhere.Ning Wei seemed to have gradually gotten used to being with her, and would cry non-stop if she couldn't see her.

With Ning Xin's care, Xiao Ran felt relieved a little, even though every time he thinks about it, he still feels inexplicable heartache.Maybe it was to clear up the depression in his heart, for the next time, Xiao Ran stayed in the same hall all day, and devoted himself to business.

The branch of Tongran Hall has been established, with Mei San as the manager, and the imperial court decreed that he be promoted to the director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, adding a top five rank.The previous pyramid scheme of health care products and massage sticks was successfully handed over, and a capable confidant was selected to handle the finances.Mei San only wanted money, and didn't care about anything else at all, just leisurely and leisurely being his shopkeeper, carrying cages and birds all day long, and teasing cats and dogs.

The rain is coming over there, and the factory construction is being stepped up.In addition to the original pharmaceutical factory and bicycle factory, the newly established steel factory and sewing machine factory were also officially launched.Fulai foreign company also shipped Jenny spinning machine, hydraulic spinning machine, and mule spinning machine (that is, "mule machine") that combines the characteristics of the two, as well as Arkwright power loom, And the most advanced shuttleless loom in the world at that time.The arrival of these machines will undoubtedly bring earth-shaking changes to China's textile industry.

The so-called basic necessities of life.The textile industry even ranks ahead of the agricultural land, especially in that era, its importance to a country's economy is self-evident.But in China after the two Opium Wars, the country's gates were opened wide, and treaty ports were added.It aroused a massive influx of foreign goods, which quickly pushed China's natural economy to the brink of collapse.Among them, the massive dumping of woven foreign cloth, mainly from Britain and the United States, had a particularly prominent impact on the Chinese economy.

Xiao Ran, who was born as a Ph.D. in trade, is very familiar with this period of history.In fact, this is also the throes period when China's natural economy is about to suffer catastrophe.This period of history contains the humiliation and blood and tears of too many Chinese people!

At that time, the Chinese society was basically an economic self-sufficiency with a solid combination of small-scale agriculture and cottage industry.Among the cottage industries, hand spinning and hand weaving occupy a dominant position.China in history.The handicraft industry is world-renowned, and China's homespun cloth exports account for a large proportion, which is called "Nanjing cloth" by foreigners.

However, since the 20s, with the gradual establishment of the textile center in the Northeast of the United States and the further development of the British textile industry, a large number of strong and cheap woven foreign cloths have poured into China, such as the British East India Company In 1820, a total of 1831 pounds of cotton yarn was shipped to China, which surged to 95 pounds in 620: 20 million pounds.Over the past 40 years, the input of cotton yarn has increased to [-] times!And the United States since the [-]s.Among the industrial products it exports to China, cotton products are in an overwhelming position, accounting for almost nine tenths of all its industrial products exported to China!

China has a vast territory, and cotton textiles are generally used as a sideline in rural areas. The dumping of foreign cloth from Britain and the United States has destroyed China's handmade textile industry.it goes without saying

.During the year and a half after the British consul arrived in Xiamen in November [-] to open the market, the impact of foreign cotton cloth on the export of homemade cloth in the vicinity of Xiamen, as well as the hindrance to the export of cotton cloth from Jiangsu and Zhejiang to Fujian, is written in the memorial:

"...In September (referring to 1843) the Yingyi faction...], most of them were cloth, feathers, cotton, cloth, etc.... Merchants in Xiamen have always sold cotton and cloth from Zhangzhou Prefecture and Tongan County in this province. etc., are transported by sea to Ningbo, Zhapu, Shanghai, Tianjin, Jinzhou, Gaiping, and Lukang, Taiwan, for sale. Then buy cotton cloth from Jiangsu and Zhejiang in Ningbo and other places and sell various goods to Xiamen for sale, and merchant ships from other provinces come to Xiamen. The same is true for those who travel around in the same way....Nowadays when barbarians come to Xiamen to open the market, all foreign goods are transshipped by barbarian merchants themselves....In addition to selling foreign goods, the barbarians also transport foreign cloth and foreign cotton, and their goods are accumulated in the In Xiakou, merchants in the interior all transported to various prefectures for sale in Xiamen. The quality is beautiful and the price is cheap. There are ten households of foreign cotton in the folk. As a result, the cotton cloth in Jiangsu and Zhejiang is no longer popular. Merchants Most of them are not trafficked, and the homespun native cotton produced in Fujian is also stagnant because of this, and cannot be exported..."

Similarly, Shanghai's textile industry has also been hit hard.The cotton textile handicraft industry in Songjiang, Jiangsu, China has been famous all over the world since the early Yuan Dynasty. "Song (Jiang) Ta (cang) produced, is the world's best", and the cotton cloth of Shanghai is "the best in Songtai".Shanghai cotton cloth was sold in "Qin, Jin, Beijing, Bian", "Huguang, Jiangxi, and Guangdong and Guangxi roads" in the Ming Dynasty, and it has a large domestic market.After the opening of the Shanghai market, the dumping of British cotton cloth hit the local homespun cloth hard. In 1846, someone recorded the situation of the textile and handicraft industry in Jiangxi and Taicang, saying: "Kapok shuttle cloth is the most profitable in the southeast....Nowadays, foreign cloth is popular, and the price is comparable to shuttle cloth, but it is three times as wide. Therefore, the sales of cloth are reduced. ... Merchants are not good, and the livelihood is short." He also said: "Song Taili is in cotton and woven cloth... Recently, foreign cloth has become popular, and the price is only one-third of that of woven cloth. My village specializes in textiles. I heard recently that There is no more yarn to spin. In Songtaibu City, more than half of it will be cut.” Less than three years after the opening of the Shanghai market, handicraftsmen who are engaged in textiles have no yarn to spin.

The influx of cheap woven fabrics caused a large number of bankruptcies in the Chinese hand-woven industry, and also caused a large outflow of Chinese silver.The arrival of new textile machinery is undoubtedly a timely help for China's precarious textile industry!For this reason, Xiao Ran specially summoned Yu Lai, Li San, and the technical backbone of the factory, and made a detailed plan for the next step.

The disintegration of self-sufficient cottage industries is an inevitable trend of this industrial revolution.To save China's textile industry, the first step is to find a way to expel British and American foreign cloth from the Chinese market.This will be an unprecedented commercial war, and it also means that local woven fabrics must be scaled up and industrialized.So first things first.It is to mass-produce spinning machines and looms and promote them smoothly.

The production link is not a big problem. On the one hand, the factory has trained a large number of technical backbones. On the other hand, the establishment of the steelmaking plant and the application of large-scale machine tools have solved the problems of raw materials and technology.One point of improvement.The textile machinery shipped by Fulai Matheson is all powered by steam engine or hydraulic power, and only needs to be changed to electric drive.

Factory construction, this burden is handed over to Li San to complete.Regarding how to promote the product, it takes some twists and turns.Although Tongrantang has established good distribution channels across the country, after all, it is a custom of men farming and women weaving that has been passed down for thousands of years. The sudden use of machinery to replace hand-woven weaving must be difficult for the common people to accept for a while.So the key step is how to encourage private investment.

this time.Xiao Ran, who has always regarded money as his life, unexpectedly gave up profits for the first time. All machinery, including generators and motors used as power, are sold at cost prices.At the same time, in order to encourage private investment in the construction of textile factories, the local government is used as a guarantee to allow investors to borrow money from bank accounts; Except for local transactions, all are collected by the government, and the sales channels and prices are unified; all textile factories.Tax exemption for three years.

After such a plan is implemented, it is estimated that it is impossible to prevent the development of the national textile industry.The current minister of the Ministry of Industry is Airen from Manchuria. This person is considered upright as an official.Report to the court.

The approval of the memorial is just a matter of course. There is no need to wait for the approval. The Textile Machinery Manufacturing General Factory has already broken ground.Yu Lai formulated the bidding plan for the textile factory, notified the business of each area, and started the preliminary preparations.

With regard to the selection of investors, Yulai urges the salesmen from all over the country to strictly check, not only the funds and relevant experience.You must also have good business ethics and concepts.Those who passed the first round had to make a special trip to the head office of Tongran Hall in Beijing for unified training and then a re-examination.Those who fail to meet the standard will be eliminated.

The almost harsh conditions did not affect investors' pursuit.As expected, the impact of this incident on various places can be described as an earthquake.Merchants and gentry from all over the world wished to break their heads for a while, poach doors and thieves to entrust connections, and compete for the golden rice bowl of Tianzihao.

Using the same method, Xiao Ran plans to join the steelmaking plant, machinery manufacturing branch, bicycle and sewing machine branch in other places.Relevant technologies are guided and trained by dedicated personnel from Tongran.A series of preferential measures, coupled with the escort of the government, quickly attracted a large number of investors.

Another piece of good news came from Jiangnan Zeng Guofan.Since the establishment of Anqing Ordnance Institute, it has been able to mass-produce bullets.What is particularly exciting is that after Zeng Guofan's efforts in many ways and mediation negotiations with foreign compradors, he succeeded in introducing a steam engine!

Zeng Guofan did not disappoint Xiao Ran. The first time he got the steam engine, he didn't use it as a power source and put it into production. Instead, he recruited a large number of skilled craftsmen to conduct research and dismantle it, and started to imitate it by himself.From this point of view alone, it may not be possible to find a visionary like him in the entire imperial court.

Xiao Ran dispatched several technical backbones from the factory, and asked them to

Type machine tools, as well as new power equipment such as generators and electric motors, are of great help to An Zengshuai.The blueprint of the steam engine was also urgently sent back from Jiangnan, so that Li San in the capital could also try to develop the steam engine.

As a gift, Xiao Ran also gave Zeng Shuai a luxury bicycle.From then on, Zeng Shuai did not ride a horse or make a sedan chair, but this is a digression.

China's own industrial revolution has just started in full swing.At the same time, the Shanghai branch of Tongrantang has basically completed preparations and will open for business in ten days.The news has been sent to Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, and at the same time, 10 taels of silver have been allocated from the household department to supplement military expenses.Li Hongzhang's Huai army has also stepped up its deployment and will soon march to Shanghai.

As one of China's important ports, getting involved in Shanghai is also an indispensable part of Xiao Ran's overall plan.The establishment of the Shanghai branch also marks Tongrantang's expansion into comprehensive trade.The business here will no longer be aphrodisiacs or massage sticks, but bicycles, sewing machines, and various new machinery and cloth; the trading objects will not only be Chinese compatriots.Xiao Ran believed that before long, there would be a Chinese caravan crossing the sea.Go to those western countries on the other side of the ocean, take the money that the foreign devils have tried to plunder and seize from China, and earn back every penny from their pockets!

Foreign trade is exactly Xiao Ran's housekeeping skill. ***, I, Hu Hansan, are back again!What did I eat, what did I take.Spit it all out for me!Thinking of these words, Xiao Ran felt extremely happy in his heart.

For a long time, the Manchu and Qing government pursued the ignorant policy of closing the country to the outside world, promulgating a sea ban and prohibiting trade with foreigners.Until the signing of the "Nanjing Treaty" and the opening of the five treaty ports, the maritime ban policy has existed in name only.But the opening of the sea ban does not equate to a fair deal.The huge gap in productivity has made the trade between China and foreign countries red all the way, and the huge trade deficit has caused a lot of money to flow into the pockets of foreigners every year.

What is even more outrageous is that the opening of the sea ban has failed to increase China's tariffs by a single penny, and the customs of the great China have become an eternal shame in the hearts of the Chinese people!After the Second Opium War, Britain, France and other countries passed the "Tianjin Treaty", forcing China to establish a customs tax department system and appoint foreigners as the general tax department and tax department.Thus controlling the customs administration of the whole of China.Since 1858, this kind of shame has lasted for half a year><: General Taxation Department, British Hurd, can not help but manipulate China's customs administration, and influence China's finance and economy, meddling in China's internal affairs and foreign affairs!And even more unbelievable.The Qing court actually regarded him as a "meritorious official", and not only rewarded him many times, but when he died of illness in the UK, he was even conferred the title of Prince and Taibao!

Let this humiliating history end in my hands!Xiao Ran was full of ambition for a while, and wrote a couplet with a penny: those who earn money but not compatriots have the ability to deceive foreign devils!

Although the handwriting is a bit miserable, it is not much better than Xiaoqiang's crawling; although the grammar is really rough.It's worse than the vernacular, but when everyone saw this couplet, their expressions immediately became solemn.

All the work is being carried out intensely and orderly, and more than ten days have passed without knowing it.In this period of time.Xiao Ran's average sleep was less than two hours a day, and he never even went home.As long as you open your eyes, you will start busy with business, focus on production, and never let yourself be idle for a moment.In less than half a month, the whole person had unknowingly lost weight, and Yu Lai refused to listen to Yu Lai's repeated persuasion.Yu Ting, Lin Qing'er, and her younger sister Xiao Ying came to visit him every now and then, seeing his haggard appearance, they couldn't help crying secretly.

The wives naturally guessed Xiao Ran's thoughts, and they all felt distressed, but they didn't know how to comfort him.It is said that passion is always annoyed by ruthlessness, who made this fake eunuch born with the seed of passion?

On this day, it happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival.When the year is round, it is a good day for every family to reunite.Early in the morning, Yu Ting sent a message to Xiao Ran, telling him to go home for the holiday no matter what.Xiao Ran didn't intend to join in the fun, but he thought he couldn't make a group of wives unhappy just because he was alone, so he agreed.

After finishing the work at hand, it is already the last moment.Unable to bear Yulai's repeated urging, Xiao Ran went out of the Tongran Hall together with him, and rode a bicycle to look at Yuqian'er Alley.At this time, the sky was already dark, and there was no cloud in the sky, only a big round moon, as bright as a silver plate.The moonlight was like washing, illuminating the streets and alleys brightly.

Yu Lai was very excited, he and Xiao Ying hadn't formally paid homage to the hall yet, and he was very busy these days, so it was rare to have this reunion.Seeing the joy on his face, Xiao Ran couldn't help but wry smile.It seems that sometimes monogamy is not a bad thing, at least it is easier to manage if there are fewer wives.There are not so many troubles, simple and happy.

While thinking wildly, he had already arrived at the Xiao Mansion before he knew it.A servant came over to pick up the bicycle long ago, and just as Xiao Ran stepped into the threshold, he didn't expect a sudden voice from the side: "Bring the red envelope!"

Xiao Ran trembled in fright, turned his head to look, and was furious.The one who dared to talk to him like that was no one else, but Bao Lu, a bastard.Xiao Ran grabbed his ear and said angrily: "You bastard, you are getting more and more courageous! Why don't you want to mess around? There are no red envelopes, and there are ready-made human meat barbecued pork buns. Do you dare to ask for it?... Hey, you Why did I come here, it's a big festival, why don't you take care of the queen mother in the palace?"

Baolu was not annoyed, and flexibly broke free from his arm, and said with a smile, "You guess."

"Guess your size...Ah, the Queen Mother! The Queen Mother..."

Xiao Ran suddenly remembered something, turned his head suddenly, and saw two people walking side by side in the corridor.Under the light, the pink-faced girl on the left is smiling, charming and charming, it is Yan Lin; the one on the right is wearing a long skirt and has a graceful figure.Her head was full of black hair and her face was slightly haggard, but she still couldn't conceal her beauty.

"Queen... sister?!"

♂ Volume 8 in the harem ♀

→Chapter 112 - Hate and Happiness←

The sudden appearance of a person who was worried and longing for day and night made Xiao Ran a little forgetful that there were people around him, so he wanted to get a bear hug when he rushed forward.Mei was so frightened that she hurriedly dodged to dodge, and with so much strength, she couldn't help bending over and coughing softly.Only then did Xiao Ran realize that he had lost his composure, and shrank his hands embarrassingly, and said, "Why did my sister come here today, and she didn't ask someone to send a message in advance. Are you feeling better?"

Eyebrows faintly said: "I'm here to see the princess."

Although his voice was low, his tone was indifferent like never before, Xiao Ran couldn't help being stunned for a moment.Yan Lin hurriedly smoothed things over and said, "Yes, isn't it a festival today? I discussed with the queen mother, and came to join in the fun with everyone. Little Sanzi, why don't you wait?" As she spoke, she raised her eyebrows Mouth.

"Oh, yes, yes!" Xiao Ran came to his senses.He knew that Mei could not let go of the distress and grievance in his heart, but no matter what, he was able to come to our three-acre land today, taking advantage of the festive season, and with a mouth that could tell the dead, Xiao Ran was confident that I can persuade her to be good.

Just at this time, the old lady Xiao Yushi, supported by Yu Ting and Xiao Ying, walked over with all the wives, but dinner was ready, and she came to invite the Queen Mother to enjoy the moon.Xiao Yushi was waiting for the big gift of kowtowing, but his eyebrows were not willing to accept it, so he hurried forward and held it with both hands.All the wives knelt down one after another. Ning Wei and Ning Xin are princesses, and according to the rules, there is no need to perform such a grand ceremony, but Ning Wei only thought it was fun; Knock down.