"Everyone, please stop arguing. If you want to elect Yuan Shikai, you have to be willing. Now Yuan Shikai is still the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty. We can't live without a leader. Let's vote and decide!" Huang Xing stood up when the two sides were arguing.
, Huang Xing has been in low spirits since his defeat in Wuhan. This time he thought that Sun Wen's appointment as interim president was expected by the public, but he didn't know that there were a large number of people supporting Yuan Shikai even within the Revolutionary Party. Tao Chengzhang had always been against the Tongmenghui, and he
It is normal to come out to oppose, but representatives from Song Jiaoren and Sichuan and Hubei provinces could not help but Huang Xing did not pay attention to it.
There were a total of seventeen provinces, with one vote in each province. The results of the voting were soon announced. There were seven votes against, one abstention, and nine votes in favor of Sun Wen. Huang Xing was relieved to see this result. After all, Sun Wen
Wen still became the interim president, but nearly half of the provinces opposed it. Although it was a secret vote, Huang Xing also knew clearly that Sichuan and Hubei provinces were among them. Huang Xing was not sure whether Sun Wen could successfully command the south.
, and in history, Sun Wen received sixteen votes, with only one vote against.
The wheel of history is still moving forward according to the general trend, but there have been completely different changes in the details. After receiving the telegram from Wang Dongcheng, Qiao Yu also shook his head. It seems that some things are not so easy to reverse. Fortunately, Sichuan is now
The development is going very smoothly. Wu Hengchang has negotiated well with the United States. The United States will provide equipment and technology, help train skilled workers, and cooperate with Sichuan to establish the Chongqing Steel Plant. Of course, the Americans will also make huge profits. Sichuan will pay American businessmen 2 million
Two taels of silver, and then half of the dividends for the next ten years would be distributed to the United States. Fortunately, the Americans did not make any other excessive demands, so Qiao Yu agreed to them all.
According to the plan, the annual output of Chongqing Iron and Steel Plant can reach 50,000 tons of steel and 300,000 tons of iron sand. As far as the whole of China is concerned, after completion, it will be ranked only after Hanyang Iron Works and will be the second largest steel enterprise in China. However, this scale does not require
Compared with the scale of tens of millions and ten thousand tons in later generations, it is less than a fraction of that of Europe and the United States at the same time. However, this is the maximum that Sichuan's finance can bear, and the imported equipment is still second-hand goods from the United States.
But even such a small steel plant has caused trouble.
The British Consul General in Chengdu, Fu Shan, found Qiao Yu. Fu Shan was a short, fat little old man with a big rosaceous nose. He looked unattractive, but he was an out-and-out China expert.
"Governor Qiao, first of all, on behalf of the British Empire, I congratulate you on becoming the master of Sichuan. I hope you can adhere to the policy of friendship with Britain!"
"I am very happy to be recognized by the British Empire, and I am also willing to develop economic and trade cooperation between the two sides!"
"I'm very pleased that Governor Qiao has such an attitude, but your actions are different from what you said. I heard that you have reached an agreement with the United States to establish the Chongqing Steel Plant, and I also heard that you are planning to cooperate with Germany in its transformation.
Sichuan Machinery Bureau!”
Qiao Yu secretly cursed the British guy with such a good nose, how could he even know about the Sichuan factory? But since he knew it, there was no need to hide it, so he smiled and said: "Yes, I have this plan, Sichuan
We need to develop our own industry and have our own defense force. I think this is a normal demand and the UK will not interfere?"
Fushan's face suddenly became serious, and he waved his hands repeatedly: "No, this is not a simple matter. Arsenal is different from civilian industries such as textiles. This is related to the balance of China's situation, and with all due respect, you should not rely on Germany.
Too close, this is a dangerous behavior!”
Qiao Yu has finally seen the so-called hegemonism. The British today are even worse than the Americans of later generations. They are all equally overbearing and rude. They will oppose anything that is not good for them, but Qiao Yu knows that now
I don't have the strength to fall out with the British yet, so I can only try my best to make friends, so I suppress the anger in my heart...
"Mr. Consul General, this kind of cooperation has absolutely no intention of targeting the United Kingdom, and I am very willing to cooperate with the United Kingdom. However, both steel plants and military factories must be established in Sichuan, but in order to show my sincerity in cooperating with your country
I am willing to cooperate with your country to build explosives factories, fertilizer factories, machinery factories, etc.! Our cooperation prospects are very broad!"
Fushan listened carefully, and after Qiao Yu finished speaking, he showed an incomprehensible smile: "Mr. Governor, establishing an arsenal has violated the interests of the British Empire. Of course I hope to carry out more cooperation, but we do not
If it can reassure us enough, I have a suggestion, we can start financial cooperation, for example, our British Empire can provide a certain amount of loans to the Sichuan government!"
As soon as Qiao Yu heard this, he knew that the Fushan in front of him could not be bought with a small profit. He was eyeing the financial power of Sichuan. As long as he agreed to the loan, he would be able to use this to control Sichuan's finance, and he could also supervise it.
The financial impact in the name of loans can be said to have put the lifeblood of Sichuan into the hands of the British to a certain extent.
However, Qiao Yu had this plan before. Now he will suffer a little loss. As long as he can relieve the British's wariness, he can then develop with peace of mind for a few years. Once he arrives in the UK after the war, he will no longer be able to control himself!
"Thanks to the generosity of the British government, I happen to be short of money, but I don't know what to use as collateral?"
"Sichuan's salt tax! Your Majesty the Governor, I think your salt policy reform is very successful. It has ensured the collection of salt tax and at the same time lowered the price of salt. This is a great achievement! Therefore, using the salt tax as a mortgage, we
It's very reassuring, but we need to send some personnel to supervise the use of the loan, and also supervise your tax status to ensure the normal operation of your finances."
"Thank you for your kindness, Consul General. I plan to borrow 1.5 million pounds. As for the specific interest discount, I will send someone to discuss it with you. I hope to develop deeper cooperation with the British Empire!"
Fu Shan knew that the loan must be what Qiao Yu wanted, but the last two conditions were a bit harsh. There is no doubt that once he agreed to these, he would be handing Sichuan's economic lifeline into the hands of the British. They could dictate what they wanted.
What he thought was that Qiao Yu actually agreed, and Fu Shan was overjoyed. He thought that judging from Qiao Yu's actions, he had a clear understanding of the world. But now it turns out that there is no essential difference between him and those Manchu bureaucrats.
They are just more capable. It is best for such people to be able to win over Britain without paying too much attention.
Fushan got what he wanted and left. Qiao Yu felt uncomfortable looking at this guy's back, but it's never too late for a gentleman to take revenge. You will soon be unlucky.
"Old Wu, the more humiliated we are, the more we must strive for strength. Steel is the backbone of Sichuan and must be developed, otherwise both the British and other powers will be able to bully us!"
Wu Hengchang found out about Qiao Yu's signing of the alliance under the city, and felt very uncomfortable. He used his own resources to build factories on his own land, and to develop industry, he had to look at other people's faces and pay protection fees. The cruel reality was like
It was a thorn that pierced Wu Hengchang's heart.
"Don't worry, Commander, I will definitely build the steel plant. When our backbones are hardened, the British will also have a taste of it!"
"I'm waiting to use our steel and the weapons made by our military factories to crush the British and let them taste the feeling of being bullied!"