The next morning, Su Chen came to the train station on the north bank of the Weihe River.
Li Er is going to Guanzhou by train tomorrow, and Su Chen feels it necessary to come in advance to see how the preparations are going.
"Old Xu, why are you here?"
Su Chen walked into the train station and found Xu Jingzong lecturing a group of workers.
"Hey, Lord Protector! I'm going to find you!"
"Your Majesty's northern inspection tour is such a big event, and you don't tell us in advance!"
"If Baiqisi hadn't suddenly found us..."
Seeing Su Chen's arrival, Xu Jingzong immediately ran over and poured out the bitter water when they met.
"There is someone who is responsible for your Majesty's trip. Besides, when I got the news, Baiqisi was already on his way to inform you. How did you get there?
.”
Xu Jingzong replied: "Last night."
"Baiqisi took a train to Guanzhou the night before yesterday and asked me to prepare the train for His Majesty as soon as possible. Xiaguan and Ma Zhou set off before dawn the next day."
"After arriving here, Ma Zhou followed Baiqi into the palace to meet the saint,"
"Leaving the official here alone is really too busy!"
Su Chen glared at him: "Just ask the workers to prepare the train. Leave the rest to Baiqisi. What's there to do?"
Xu Jingzong wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Duke Protector, I have to let my subordinates know the specific time and number of people accompanying me, right?"
"You don't even know this?
Where are the people from Baiqisi?"
Xu Jingzong looked around: "Here! Over there!"
Su Chen followed the direction of Xu Jingzong's finger and saw that he was an old acquaintance!
"Liu Qingshan?
Come here, come here!"
Liu Qingshan ran over and asked, "What are the Lord Protector's orders?"
"Lao Liu, if you don't tell Lao Xu the time of His Majesty's trip and the number of people accompanying him, how can you ask others to prepare for it?"
Liu Qingshan smiled bitterly and said: "Duke Protector, it's not that the lower officials didn't tell Minister Xu, it's just that the lower officials didn't know either!"
"Um?
Forget it!"
Su Chen waved his hand towards Liu Qingshan and looked at the time again.
"Lao Xu, please wait for a while. Someone will probably notify you shortly."
Seeing that Xu Jingzong still looked confused, Su Chen said helplessly: "Your Majesty probably hasn't made a decision yet!"
Xu Jingzong: "This..."
"Your Majesty's visit to Guanzhou was originally a temporary decision. There is nothing surprising about it."
Xu Jingzong said helplessly: "Your Majesty is going on a tour for such a big event, this is too hasty!"
Su Chen said: "Actually, there is nothing to prepare for. As long as there is nothing wrong with the train, it is just a matter of how many carriages to hang. It will not be too late to prepare when the notice comes."
After Su Chen said this, Xu Jingzong had no choice but to wait.
"For the sake of your busy schedule, I have some good news for you!"
"Your position as Minister of Industry is saved!"
Xu Jingzong smiled bitterly and said, "Thank you so much, Lord Protector, for your support!"
"how?
Not happy yet?"
"Duke Guo Guo, it's not that you don't know how to promote yourself when you're a low-ranking official. I heard that the imperial court is going to set up a new government office..."
"You are quite well informed, yes! His Majesty will make an announcement when he arrives in Guanzhou!"
Seeing Xu Jingzong looking at him expectantly, Su Chen smiled: "The chief officers of the new department should be you and Ma Zhou!"
"Some support from the Protector!"
Xu Jingzong said happily and saluted Su Chen.
Regarding the list of officials for the new yamen, Li Er and a group of ministers have basically drawn up the list.
Su Chen looked at it, and it was pretty much what he expected.
In fact, Li Er and the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty did not have much choice!
"You don't need to thank me. You did a good job in the railway construction, and there are really no outstanding candidates for the court ministers, so I have to give you and Ma Zhou an advantage!"
Xu Jingzong cupped his hands and said, "If it weren't for the promotion of protecting the country, where would this opportunity come from?"
"And if it weren't for the Duke Protector's back, even if the official had a small amount of credit this time, he would not be able to get into the eyes of the courtiers."
"The Lord Protector is so kind that I will never forget it!"
Su Chen said seriously: "The credit should be yours, it's yours!"
"Just work seriously for Datang from now on!"
Xu Jingzong immediately said: "I will remember the teachings of Lord Protector!"
Su Chen didn't know what to say to Xu Jingzong.
This man's ability and knowledge are absolutely top-notch. If he can do things seriously, he will definitely be an official of the country.
However, the problems of being greedy for power and playing tricks cannot be changed, at least that is what is recorded in history.
And judging from the current evaluations of him by Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling and others, Xu Jingzong is indeed not a good person!
But there are not many good people who hang out in the court!
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were in a dilemma over the selection of candidates for the new department, and Su Chen was also in a dilemma. Apart from Xu Jingzong, the group of officials sent by Li Er to the Governor's Mansion were really looked down upon.
In the end, Xu Jingzong could only get a big deal!
Fortunately, Xu Jingzong is quite honest in front of him!
"Duke Protector, I heard that the new minister of the Ministry of Industry is Changsun Wuji?"
Xu Jingzong asked in a low voice.
"Well, I recommended it!"
"ah!"
"Ah what! Changsun Wuji originally came for the railway!"
"Oh! Lord Protector is so clever!"
Su Chen said: "Everyone in the court wanted to have a hand in the railway, but in the end they got the advantage of you and Ma Zhou!"
"You should also be careful, Changsun Wuji will not let go easily!"
Xu Jingzong nodded and said nothing.
It's not that Su Chen has any grudge against Changsun Wuji,
It's just that Fang's plan was blocked, and Wei Zheng and others were unwilling to let Changsun Wuji intervene.
In Su Chen's view, there is not much difference between Changsun Wuji and Wen Yanbo. They are both old-style bureaucrats. If the railway falls into their hands, it will be difficult for it to play its due role!
That's why Su Chen proposed to form a new department!
It's just that the professional management team has not yet grown up. Xu Jingzong and Ma Zhou know more than others, so they can temporarily leave it to their management.
…
At noon, Ma Zhou hurried back on horseback, and also brought the number of people and the specific time of Li Er's trip.
"Your Majesty is taking most of the imperial court to Guanzhou!"
"Leave at dawn?"
Ma Zhou nodded: "Your Majesty wants to get to Guanzhou City before dark."
"Isn't time a bit tight?"
Ma Zhou said helplessly: "Your Majesty heard that Shilang Xu and I arrived in Chang'an in one day, so..."
Su Chen said: "Okay, time is tight, it is better than staying overnight on the way, Lao Xu, get ready to go!"
Just as Xu Jingzong turned around, Ma Zhou said again: "Oh, by the way, I have a concubine accompanying me!"
Su Chen was stunned: "Queen?"
Ma Zhou shook his head: "Probably not. It was the Queen who told me that I have a concubine accompanying me."
"Then I just need to prepare a carriage!"
Xu Jingzong frowned and said: "Guo GuoGong, you have forgotten that we only have one special class carriage and two first class carriages..."
"Where is Princess Jinyang's carriage?"
Xu Jingzong slapped his head: "Fortunately, luckily we dragged that carriage from Binzhou last time!"
After saying that, Xu Jingzong and Ma Zhou hurriedly went to prepare. The emperor was going to be in trouble!
