The opening of a foreign school and the expansion of an ironworks would have been a big deal in the past, but in the first year of Wanyan (1860), this was nothing:

Yes, originally Lan Xue was marginalized and suppressed everywhere in Fusang, but when did that happen?

Since the first visit of the Kurofune in the sixth year of Kayei (1853), the shogunate began to waver. When the "Fuso Mijin Trade Agreement" was signed in the seventh year of Kayei (1854), the important ministers headed by the then chief minister Abe

, regarding the determination to innovate, among the 37 opinions put forward, two were "familiar with orchid learning" and "promoting Western skills".

After that, the shogunate took the lead in establishing a foreign school and began to openly teach orchid studies to the children of the shogunate.

Up to now, all the vassal schools in various places have set up orchid studies courses, and private temples and houses have also taught enlightenment orchid studies.

This is quite ironic to say. Nowadays, the trend of resisting the foreigners is rising, but the saying of "learning from the foreigners and developing skills to control the foreigners" is also quite popular. Everyone is studying Orchidism while resisting the foreigners, which is quite a weird scene.

Originally it was not so smooth, but it was Naohide and others who created the orchid learning textbook that made a great contribution - the textbook explains the profound things in simple terms, and is also very vivid. Who is not a little curious, you should take a look at this colorful thing.

But just one look is not enough, just like this, I fell in love just by looking at it.

Of course, moral gentlemen still sneer at it, but people's curiosity about the outside world and nature cannot be completely suppressed, so Lanxue, also known as foreign learning, has a tendency to spread in Fusang.

Therefore, Naohide's application to establish a foreign school in Hakodate is really not a big deal - can this Hakodate be opened in Edo?

Besides, Naohide is an "outlier" who has become famous in recent years - he comes from a low background but rises quickly in the military service. The senior middle school students are also very curious about him, so they have checked him out early, thinking that Naohide is the one who founded the foreign school.

It’s not surprising at all to bring it up.

The original eldest boss, Ii Iso, was killed, and the shogunate naturally returned to the situation headed by Lao Zhong. However, Naohide returned to Fuso from overseas in the second year of Kayei (1849), and the shogunate quietly reported this matter at that time.

After cooking, now this group of old and middle-aged people were not allowed to hear from them.

Unfortunately, in the sixth year of Ansei (1859), there was another big fire in Edo Castle, and many tablets were burned, including the information about Naohide's return to Fuso.

Therefore, these shogunate bosses knew about Naohide, but they didn't know exactly how he made his fortune.

But we should be careful in everything we do. It has only been more than ten years since this incident, and many of the people who handled it are still alive and even active, such as Oguri Tadjun, who was designated as the envoy. After careful investigation, he discovered, "Oh! It turns out that the Tokugawa family still has such a

A monster."

He was born in the second half of the imperial family, and was rumored to have treated illnesses of the present-day Duke Nojia. He seemed to be a confidant of the former chief Abe. He was suspected of having gone to sea to investigate the situation under secret orders. He also helped Jiangchuan Tanan in Niray Mountain to promote agriculture and iron smelting. Later,

He was sent to the Northern Ezo Territory to guard against the Lucians. As a result, he was not only able to colonize the land, but also defeated the Lucians, so he is now followed by Hakodate.

This resume is clear, but everyone who looks at it is dizzy - there is no way, it is too legendary, can it be a real person?

The senior middlemen also looked for opportunities to make arrangements with Gongfang Yang's family. Former chief Abe tried it out, but Gongfang Yang only said that Naohide was a good minister and could not get out more information. Abe, who lived in seclusion, also contained in his letter.

He was so vague that he said, "Hide Naohide, you can't use it, but you have to be careful when using it again."

Do you hear that this is human speech?

"It must not be used". This position has been upheld by Hakodate, so why should we be cautious when talking about re-employment? Is it true that he is saying the opposite, implying that he will continue to promote this person?

In short, none of the old Chinese people understood what Zhixiu was doing - but according to the experience he found, there is no doubt that this person is a Lanxue Party member and a founding member.

Therefore, it was not surprising to the senior middle school students that Naohide suggested opening a foreign school and expanding the ironworks in Hakodate.

And it seems that Zhixiu is still public-minded:

This person first submitted a petition to resign from Hakodate's post, and asked "Edo to choose another good person to take the post" - of course, the memorial said a lot of good things about Hori Toshihi and Egawa Hidetoshi, but after all, it did not directly recruit officials for these two people.

no;

Then Naohide also offered to share the worries of the shogunate, "Hakodate is a bitter cold place, and it is not easy to run. However, thanks to the central plan of the lord Hongfu, I have lived up to expectations and have made some small achievements. Please pay tribute as usual next year."

When you saw this, all the senior middlemen were shocked, Nani? Nowadays, everywhere is complaining, and it is becoming more and more difficult to collect the annual tribute. Why does someone suddenly appear and ask for payment!

Since the start of minting coins in May, there is no one in the far country who has not complained. They all say that prices are boiling and the common people are living in poverty, so it is difficult to collect the annual tribute this year. But look at Naohide Hoshi, this realization,

Take the initiative to demand "pay tribute as usual"!

You must know that Hakodate has been pursuing the following principles since its establishment in the first year of Ansei (1854).

It has been a financial black hole since then, and we don’t know how much it needs to be filled in every year. However, within two years of Naohide Hori taking office, it has turned a profit. It’s so miraculous! Can’t we ask this clearly?

Therefore, when the senior middlemen summoned Naohide, they mainly wanted to find out how the money was earned - as for the Western Institute and the Ironworks, that was not urgent.

In 1859, the total income of the private account of the Hakodate Office was 820,000 small deposits, but 77.1% of it came from the Konobu Gold and Silver Mine (28.4%) and the Hoxon Treasure (48.7%), and 820,000 Li also included

The last subsidy from the shogunate that year was 100,000 gold.

But private mining of gold and silver mines is a serious crime - the shogunate took over the Fuso gold and silver mines, and the Hoxon treasure was also secretly dug in England. Neither of these can be said, so Naohide can only attribute the cause to the ironworks.

"The construction of Wulingguo was stopped, and expenditures were greatly reduced. Farming has also begun to bear fruit, and the iron smelting plant is also prosperous."

In fact, the profit of the Hakodate Iron Works in 1859 was only 30,000 koku, which was actually reported to Edo. But 30,000 koku was not much. According to outside estimates, the output of the Hakodate Iron Works was about 60,000 koku.

, calculated according to the five public figures and the five citizens, that is, the annual tribute of thirty thousand gold is just right.

But all the old and middle-class people know this information. What they want to ask is, if Hakodate officially pays tribute, then if the income of 30,000 gold is gone, can Hakodate still be able to support it, so as not to cause any trouble - not that they are special

Love the people, but to the north of Hakodate are the Lucians, and nothing can be done except for taking advantage of the chaos.

"Isn't this about expanding the iron smelting plant?" Zhixiu said that after the expansion, the income will increase significantly, which can completely cover the gap.

Speaking of which, the Hakodate Iron Works was planned to be established by Hori Toshihi when he was a minister. At that time, it was not only for iron smelting, but also for the manufacture of ordnance. Because it was the front line to resist the invasion of the Lu people, the shogunate agreed.

Now that Naohideo proposes expansion, the senior middlemen should ask clearly whether it is to expand ironmaking or to increase the production of ordnance - if you accidentally end up supporting troops, it will be troublesome. If you continue to sell ordnance everywhere, isn't it nonsense? For 30,000 gold per year

Totally not worth it!

"Ordnance? Can this be taken out? It's pretty good."

After talking for a long time, the seniors realized that the expansion of the Hakodate Ironworks was to expand the production of farm tools and machinery. As for the ordnance, it was enough for them to use themselves - on the surface, the Hakodate Ironworks could only make flintlock muskets.

and bronze cannon.

Hearing Naohide swear that there was no problem, the big guys here were dubious - how did these people know that per capita consumption of steel was one ton in modern times, and the market here was huge.

I seem to understand, but actually I'm still a little dizzy. Anyway, that's it. The middle-aged and middle-aged people also have a lot of things to do, so they don't have the time to ask questions. After asking, they let Naoxiu go.

Later, when Hori Toshiki saw that Naohide was determined to resign from the post, he also started to take action - after all, he had moved to the left from the post of Hakodate. Wouldn't it be a shame to take up this post again and then develop his ambitions?

In fact, Hori Toshiro is also 43 years old this year. His father Hori Toshiro really doesn't want him to continue to wander away, but there is nothing he can do if his son is stubborn, so Hori Koshiro, who is a left-behind man, also works hard for it.

During this period of time, Gongfang Jiading, who was usually not seen by anyone, finally summoned Naoxiu.

Since he suffered a serious illness in the fifth year of Anzheng (1858) and then escaped from death, Jiading has let himself go even more. In the past, he did not do much in politics because of his poor health, but now he entrusts everything to the elders, no matter what decisions he makes.

He said it was no problem.

As the eldest son of the shogun, Iemo Tomaru is only fifteen years old. He has been given the title of supervisor by his unreliable adoptive father, and he has been working hard every day to learn how to fight with his ministers.

Seeing Zhixiu coming, the family must be very happy. Zhixiu presents a lot of new things every year. This is a rare loyal minister - the best among ministers is "understand me!"

After playing with the master for half an hour, Naohide saw that the master was a little tired, so he left quickly - he knew that the master didn't care much about political affairs, so he didn't say much.

After Naohide was out of sight, Iatesada said to the prince Iemomo who had been looking bitter, "This is the person who must make me prosperous. Tokugawa must be destroyed by this person."

Jia Mao was shocked at that time. Could it be that it was Prime Minister Cao who left? He wanted to ask, but Jia Ding had already gone to rest unsteadily. It was really troublesome to have such a mysterious and mysterious father!

Naoxiu, who returned to the mansion, continued to live and drink, being entertained every day and inviting others back from time to time.

Only then did he realize why the ministers were so enthusiastic about him - it turned out that his resignation letter had been leaked early, and everyone was either eyeing the position of Hakodate Chief Minister, or heard that he might become a foreign minister or designated minister.

, are all for heating stoves.

After the opening of the Yokohama port, the trade has been prosperous, and it can be said that the flow of gold and silver is like gold and silver. Even if this box museum is bad, I think it is a place where daily profits are made. Plus Fuso

Over the past few years, shipping has been booming, and everyone in the North is no longer afraid of it.

Moreover, the wave of resistance against foreigners is getting higher and higher, and Naohide is extremely favored as a pioneer. Today, it is implemented by a foreign country or designated by a foreign country, and he may not become a big payer tomorrow. Even if it doesn't work, is there any harm in making friends with a thirty-five-year-old important minister?

Of course, Naohide's reputation as a "pioneer against foreigners" was not worthy of his name. He was very friendly with Westerners in Hakodate, but outsiders didn't know it. Moreover, Naohide realized the benefits of it, and gradually he couldn't let go of the name.

Speaking of which, Naohsiu has always had a blind spot - he knows that the Westerners are now powerful, so subconsciously he thinks that resisting the foreigners is nonsense. But in fact, how many people in Fuso can clearly understand the Western situation?

In recent years, especially after opening up trade with foreign countries, Fuso has become increasingly difficult. Before having a few real battles with Westerners, Fuso was still very enthusiastic about resisting the foreigners.

Originally, the Lucian invasion of the Northland might have been a good opportunity to wake everyone up, but the Battle of Hakodate was defeated, but the two battles of White Master were won, which in turn inspired the enthusiasm to resist the foreigners - in the final analysis, it was still Naohide who had invaded.

pot.

During these days in Edo, Naohide felt earnestly that the fight against the foreigners was really what the people wanted, and everyone was united. Everyone except the top officials were discussing how to deal with the Westerners.

In August of the sixth year of Ansei (1858), two sailors from Lucia were assassinated in Yokohama; on February 5 this year, a captain and his entourage from Lan Guo were also killed in Yokohama. The "patriots" involved in this incident were praised.

It is enough to illustrate the general trend of people's hearts at this time.

Understanding this, Naohide had to revise his original plan. This was because the Westerners must not get too close to each other. Otherwise, the label of being a thief would be firmly buckled, and then

It means that God is resentful and everyone is angry, everyone is shouting and beating, and it is difficult to move even an inch.

After realizing this, Naohide immediately lowered his profile a lot, saw fewer guests, and declined dinners if he could - otherwise? If his political views were revealed, he opposed force to resist the barbarians, and then became a street rat, wouldn't he be asking for his own fault?

.

But the people who should be seen must still be seen.

Neighbors and friends of the Zaoya group, Mr. Xuan Pu, the Egawa family, the Oguri family, the Katsuie, the Nakajima family, Kinokuniya Rihachi, Kiji Shigeya Kanta, etc., etc., are all maintained by Naohide over the years. He returned

Edo naturally wants to meet one by one.

As for Hori Toshi's relatives and friends, they are all in the same group now, so naturally they have to move around a lot.

As for the familiar acquaintances between the various clans in Edo, well, meeting them rashly would be suspected of collusion, so Naohide could only find a chance to meet them by chance - but even if they didn't meet by chance, there was still a gift to give.
To be continued...