The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 359: The Road to Saving the Nation (Please Subscribe and Vote)

Today's Shanghai is actually still far from being considered a Far Eastern metropolis or an international metropolis. Its population and urban area are far from being among the "first-tier" even in the south of the Yangtze River. The population and urban area of ​​Hong Xiuquan's little paradise, Tianjing, and Suzhou, where Luo Yaoguo's Wuwang Palace is located, are far larger than Shanghai.

However, the area on the west bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai has a kind of prosperity that is not found in Tianjing and Suzhou, with a mixture of East and West, facing the world and the future. Especially in the area north of Shilipu Wharf, which was developed after Shanghai opened its port, rows of tall and brand-new buildings have sprung up, including both Western-style and improved Chinese-style buildings.

On the banks of the Huangpu River, there are Western-style floating docks and shipyards for repairing and building ships that have been built or are under construction, as well as warehouses, warehouses and factories that have been built or are under construction. They are everywhere, densely packed, from Shiliupu all the way to Yangshupu!
There were ships and sailboats from all over the world moored everywhere on the river, of all kinds, loading or unloading at the docks, or queuing up in long lines to go in and out. The sound of whistles blew, making a humming sound.

Sailors from various countries and in various uniforms were crowded on the deck, curiously looking at this oriental port city that had only been opened for a short time but had already shown signs of prosperity.

The whole of Shanghai now shows a vitality that is rarely seen in other cities in the Far East.

Inako from Japan, a middle-aged Japanese samurai with thick eyebrows, big eyes, thin face, goatee and a "thief-like" look whom she met on the "Yuefa", several other "patriots" and a large group of petite girls, were standing on the deck of the "Yuefa", staring blankly at everything in front of them.

"Daozi, look how good it is here? It's prosperous, with merchants and merchant ships from all over the world. It's ruled by the most outstanding feudal lord in China, full of vitality and vigor, and has the most powerful army in East Asia. Do you still want to go to Tianjing, the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom?"

The one who asked Inako the question was the samurai with thick eyebrows, big eyes, thin face and goatee. The prosperity of Shanghai and the strength of the New Nanyang Army obviously made him believe that he could find a way to save Japan in Shanghai.

Inako glanced back at him, smiled and said firmly: "Lord Sakuma, I know you came to China to find a way to save Japan, but my sister and I are not interested in this. I came to China for faith. Our faith is in Tianjing, where the Son of God is!"

This "Sakuma" was named Keinosuke, and he was well versed in Confucianism, so he also learned from Chinese Confucian scholars to give himself a "character" and "name". His character was Ziming and his name was Xiangshan, and he currently acted under the name of Sakuma Xiangshan.

He was a samurai of the Matsushiro domain and also opened the Zozan Shoin in Kanda, Edo. He had many disciples and served as a staff member when the domain lord Sanada Yukinuki was the shogunate's elder councilor. He was responsible for planning coastal defense and proposed the "Eight Strategies for Coastal Defense". After the black ships came to the pass last year, he proposed the "Ten Strategies on Current Affairs".

This time, he was persuaded by his disciple Yoshida Shoin to secretly board the "Yuefa" ship and go to Shanghai to find a way to save the country - this was probably the side effect of Luo Xueyan's invasion of Japan together with the Qing Dynasty and the three powers of Britain, the United States and France.

Originally, if these Japanese patriots wanted to find a way to save their country, they had to find ways to "lure" Europe and the United States. Now it is easy. They can buy a boat ticket and board the ship in Osaka or Nagasaki. They can reach Shanghai in a few days, and Tianjin in two more days. If all else fails, they can go to Tianjin.

There are three ready-made "roads to save the country" right there, but which one to copy and which one to be able to copy is a big problem!
After all, China's size is there. Once China is industrialized, what industrialization route can Japan take?
How could Japan, with its agricultural technology from the 19th century or even the early 20th century, feed to million people without relying on industrialization?

However, these issues are not what Inako, a low-class Japanese mixed-race woman, needs to consider. She only needs to follow the orders of her "master" Hong Daquan and send herself to Hong Xiuquan's Sun Palace.
So when the Yuefa arrived at a passenger terminal on the Bund, Inako, who was wearing a Western dress, bowed deeply to Sakuma Shozan and said, "Lord Sakuma, we will not disembark in Shanghai. I hope we can meet again in the future."

Sakuma Shozan also returned the salute, and then watched Inako and a group of teenage girls turn around and return to the cabin.

At this time, the Yuefa blew the whistle and lowered the gangway. Several Chinese sailors held tin trumpets and shouted, "We've arrived in Shanghai, we've arrived in Shanghai!"

As a Japanese Confucian scholar, Sakuma Shozan could understand some Chinese, so he immediately said to the students who followed him to Shanghai: "Yoshida-kun, Takasugi-kun, Sakamoto-kun, Katsura-kun, we have arrived at our destination! Now hurry up and get your luggage, and then get off the ship with me. Let's take a good look at Shanghai, the first port city in the Far East, because this is Luo Xueshuai's base!"

"Hai!" Several of Sasama's students bowed to their teacher together, then turned to their respective cabins to get their luggage.

At the same time, on the Dingyuan steam frigate not too far from the Yuefa, Wang Libin, who had returned with a full load after a tour of Europe, also met Wang Kuiyi, Cheng Fupei, Xu Yuegui and Yu Wanqing, who had come after hearing the news, and whom he did not know.

"Lord Wang, Lord Cheng, and Miss Xu Libin have finally fulfilled their mission and lived up to Marshal Xue's trust by buying back a complete set of Prussian elementary, middle, and university textbooks!"

When Wang Libin pointed at the suitcase carried to the deck by several British sailors and reported to Wang Kuiyi, Cheng Fupei and Xu Yuegui, his eyes were a little moist.

"That's great." Cheng Fupei smiled and said, "Mr. Wang, Xue Shuai mentioned to me a few days ago that you went to Europe to buy textbooks! He said that when you buy the textbooks, he will translate them himself, and after the translation is completed, he will print them immediately and distribute them to people to study on their own!"

Wang Kuiyi also smiled and said, "Marshal Xue also said that these textbooks you brought back are related to the path of progress for China and must be promoted with all our strength. Therefore, the next Shanghai Prefecture's college entrance examination will test Western mathematics!"

Wang Libin was stunned for a moment: "The next exam? Is it that urgent? Western mathematics is also very profound. If you want to learn it thoroughly, you must study it for ten years!"

"Really?" Wang Kui said, "But Xue Shuai said that after the books are printed, he will invite some Western teachers who can speak Chinese to give a few lessons to talented people from all over the country who are interested in taking the imperial examinations. He will also print some books to assist self-study, and then let the talented people study on their own. After studying for a few months, they can take the exam. Xue Shuai also said that a true genius can pass the exam in a few months."

"Really?" Wang Libin thought, "Isn't this too much of a rush? I have Mr. Moore and Mr. Friedrich as my mentors, and I also learned a little from Mr. Legge before. Now I have only finished the sixth grade Prussian elementary school mathematics course. I don't know if I can pass the exam?"

Thinking of this, he asked Wang Kuiyi, Cheng Fupei and others, "Lord Wang, Lord Cheng, Sister Xu, I wonder if Marshal Xue is in Shanghai? I want to report to Marshal Xue as soon as possible about my visit to Europe. In addition." He pointed to a British officer beside him who was wearing a neat British naval uniform and looking up at people with his head held high, and said, "This is Colonel Asben. He is the captain of the Dingyuan and the chief adviser sent by the British government to help our country build a navy. He also wants to be the commander-in-chief of the Qing Navy!"

Wang Kuiyi glanced at the tall foreigner, smiled and clasped his fists, then said to Wang Libin: "Lan Qing, Marshal Xue is supervising the army in front of Anting. You should rest in Shanghai for two days. I will arrange a steamer tugboat to take you to Anting as soon as possible."

Wang Kui bowed one by one and said, "Okay! Thank you very much."

At this moment, in Beijing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty, three or four thousand miles away, a disturbance concerning the future of the Qing Dynasty's path to saving the country and how the Eight Banners descendants of the Qing Dynasty would live was growing bigger and bigger with the petitions submitted by Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Jiang Zhongyuan, Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, Hu Linyi and other local military leaders.

I don't know what's wrong with these military leaders. They actually petitioned the court to request troops - asking the Eight Banners soldiers to come south to help in the battle!
What is he trying to do? Are he trying to kill the young and old men in the city?
What made the group of Eight Banners masters in the city a little uneasy was that the emperor seemed to agree with the suggestions of those treacherous people, and discussed with a group of princes and ministers almost every day about sending the Eight Banners soldiers to the south.

Yesterday they said they would send 50,000 Eight Banners soldiers south, and today they said they would send 80,000 Eight Banners soldiers south!

He also said that he would send the Eight Banners Army to attack Jiangning, Wuchang, and Suzhou to fight the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This is really scary!

Fortunately, the top military leader of the Qing Dynasty, Nanyang Minister and Shanghai Governor Luo Xueyan, has not yet expressed his opinion on this matter. Now all the men in the city are counting on this man to leave a way out for everyone!
And just as they were expecting, a "northbound official-buying group" led by Weng Tonghe and Ronglu finally arrived at the residence of the Qing emperor.

(End of this chapter)