The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 502 I run the industry, you perform magic, he leads the heavenly army, we both have a bright future
The copper crane incense burner in the side hall of Qixian Temple exhaled wisps of green smoke, and Feng Yunshan gently pushed the "Plan" to the center of the table. The sandalwood tabletop reflected the puzzled expression on his face. The Southern King, who pioneered the early situation of the God Worshipping Society through preaching, was now increasingly unable to keep up with the thoughts of "Brother Tian".

"First, we must vigorously promote The Heavenly Kingdom and describe the introduction of Western machinery and technology to open factories, mines, build railways, and manufacture all kinds of novel foreign gadgets as the only way to build the Heavenly Kingdom on earth. We must equate 'establishing industry' with 'building the Heavenly Kingdom.' Secondly, we must do everything we can to suppress public opinion that is not conducive to 'establishing industry and building the Heavenly Kingdom.'" He suddenly spoke, his eyes fixed on the tiny calligraphy on the unfolded thread-bound book, "Why is this? If establishing industry is a good thing, how many opposing voices would need to be suppressed?"

Luo Yaoguo gently turned an exquisite Jingdezhen tea bowl, which was filled with a pool of yellowish clear tea, exuding a pleasant fragrance. Hearing Feng Yunshan's question, his hand paused slightly, and then he sighed: "Brother Tian said that only by enduring hardships can we achieve industrialization. Although industrialization is the only way to build the Heavenly Kingdom, it is not so easy to achieve. Especially now that our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is poor and white, with a large population and limited land, we can't even eat, and we have to squeeze out money to run industry, infrastructure, and education. Tell me, how hard is this?
In addition, the production power of industrialization is amazing. Once a factory is established, it will be difficult for small handicrafts in the same industry to survive. For example, if a weaving factory is closed, handmade cloth will not be sold! Once a silk reeling factory is established, the handmade silk reeling industry will collapse. By then, I don’t know how many people will lose their jobs and livelihoods because of industrialization. It is understandable that some people will oppose it.”

There was silence in the side hall, and after a long while, Xiao Chaogui's rough laughter and scolding came out: "Damn it, what's the point of such industrialization?" He threw the "Plan" he was struggling to read on the table, and took out a revolver produced by the Shanghai Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, which Luo Yaoguo had given him, and started to play with it.

Hong Xuanjiao crossed her legs, holding a copy of the Plan in her hand and yawning. She glanced at Xiao Chaogui and sneered, "The revolver in your hand was made by my ninth brother in Shanghai using foreign machines, molds, and raw materials. We hired foreign masters and brought our apprentices to imitate them according to foreign drawings. This is industry! Without industrialization, where would foreign guns and cannons come from?"

"I'll buy it with money. I have plenty of silver!" Xiao Chaogui slammed his revolver on the table, making the teacups clink. "There are already two million taels of silver stored in the treasury of the West Prince's Mansion in Wuchang." Speaking of silver, he suddenly fell silent and looked at Feng Yunshan with a guilty conscience. Feng Yunshan was short of money, food and munitions in Hunan. He had wanted to borrow money from Xiao Chaogui before, but he was evaded by Xiao Chaogui on the grounds that the treasury was empty.

Luo Yaoguo stood up at the right time to pour tea, and said to Xiao Chaogui with a smile: "Two million taels of silver is not a lot. The Shanghai Customs can now receive one million taels every month. But if we can't produce these foreign guns and cannons ourselves, we will have to rely on others when a war really breaks out. At that time, we can't just buy them with silver. In addition, the Western powers are all industrially prosperous countries. They can produce warships and guns by themselves, and the output is amazing. Maria, am I right?"

Maria was holding a notebook and taking notes quickly with a quill pen. When she heard Luo Yaoguo's question, she nodded and said, "That's right. In today's world, a country is strong if its industry is strong, and weak if its industry is weak. Without industry, a country will perish!" A trace of sadness suddenly flashed in her blue eyes: "My Doria family's country, the Republic of Genoa, was eventually destroyed by others because it had no industry, only trade, and could not build a strong army!"

It turns out that Maria is a princess of a fallen country!

Feng Yunshan sighed, "The world is in chaos, unlike heaven where all nations are under the glory of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Brother, and there will never be bullying."

Hong Xuanjiao had already closed the "Plan" that Luo Yaoguo had given her, and she chuckled as she held the book: "When our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom rises to become the leader of the great powers, Third Brother will be able to establish a covenant for all nations. But before that, we still have to endure the pain of industrialization!"

Feng Yunshan sighed again, took back the "Plan" spread out on the table, flipped through a few pages, pointed at the tiny calligraphy on it and asked, "Why do we want to build a steel plant in Xuzhou that produces 80,000 tons of iron and 40,000 tons of steel per year? Xuzhou is located in a place where four wars are fought, and the Huaihe River and the Yellow River often flood. Isn't it unsafe to store all our steel there?"

Luo Yaoguo took a sip of tea from the tea bowl, then explained in detail: "Xuzhou has high-quality iron ore and coal mines, and is close to the canal and Haikou. It is the cheapest place to open a factory, and it is also the easiest to make money. And we are not putting all the steel production capacity in Xuzhou, but opening a model factory in Xuzhou. When Xuzhou's steel mills, coal mines, iron mines, and railways are all well-established, and the relevant technical schools and colleges can train batches of engineers and technicians for us, we will open a larger-scale steel plant in Daye, Hubei."

He suddenly paused and waved to Maria: "Put on the map."

"Yes." Maria immediately took out a map and spread it out on the table.

Luo Yaoguo took out a red pencil and drew a red line between Daye and Pingxiang on the map: "When the time comes, we will use the iron mines in Daye and the coal mines in Pingxiang to make iron and steel! However, Daye Factory cannot be built in the first plan, and must be put in the second or third plan. After all, the railway from Pingxiang Coal Mine to Daye alone is at least 700 miles long. Before the Xuzhou Iron and Steel Plant is completed and put into production, we can't afford to build this railway. As for whether Xuzhou is safe, the worst case scenario is to station an army there!"

Feng Yunshan nodded, then pointed to a page in the "Plan" and asked Luo Yaoguo: "Ninth brother, what are the Institute of Gewu and the Planning Institute for? Also, why are the steel mills, arsenals, and shipyards all "Shengku Direct-operated Factories", and the Railway Administration, the Post and Telecommunications Administration, and HSBC are also Shengku Direct-operated, while spinning, reeling, match, and flour factories are encouraged to be run by businessmen and even foreign investors are allowed to invest in these industries here? Why do we have to set up two special economic zones, Shanghai and Guangzhou, to welcome foreign investors to invest there?"

"The Institute of Gewu is responsible for selecting scholars, Western technology, and magic skills passed down from heaven." Luo Yaoguo tapped the table with his fingertips. "In the future, our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will also hold imperial examinations to select scholars, but we will not test the Four Books and Five Classics. Instead, we will test mathematics, the study of things, and the classics of our Heavenly Kingdom. As for the Planning Institute, it is responsible for a lot more. Brother Tian's "Plan" only stipulates a general outline. I don't know how many specific policies, regulations, and methods are needed to implement them one by one. I also don't know how much money, food, and laborers we need to raise, how much land we need to occupy, how many roads and ports we need to build, and how many rivers we need to dredge. There must be a special government office to handle this matter."

"What a hassle! My Western Prince can't do this!" Hong Xuanjiao smiled and winked at Xiao Chaogui, "Prince, I think you are only good at fighting and killing. When you go to the central government, you can only be a peaceful prince." Xiao Chaogui started playing with his revolver again. He chuckled when he heard his wife's words and said to Luo Yaoguo, "Ninth brother, I can't be the prime minister, and I'm not interested in being the speaker. I really want to send the patriarch." He kept talking to the Southern Prince Feng Yunshan, "Let my third brother do it, and I'll be a marshal leading troops!"

How could Luo Yaoguo not understand Xiao Chaogui's thoughts? He wanted to hold on to the military power tightly!

He didn't comment, but turned his head and looked at Feng Yunshan: "Third brother, what position do you want to take? Or do you want to be like your brother-in-law?"

Feng Yunshan said: "It seems that I can't do the job of Prime Minister. Brother Tian's "Plan" makes me dizzy. It's too complicated. As for the National People's Conference, it's not interesting. I am a little interested in the True Contract Party. I just don't understand what this True Contract Party does?"

Luo Yaoguo smiled and said, "The Prime Minister is responsible for internal affairs, and the Patriarch is responsible for external affairs!"

"Master outside the home?" Feng Yunshan looked at Luo Yaoguo and asked in confusion, "Why is it Master outside the home?"

Luo Yaoguo explained, "Third brother, the True Covenant sect is in charge of the external spread of our God Worshipping Religion! We need to export population, expand our influence overseas, take over all the spheres of influence assigned to us by the great powers, and establish power in places where the great powers do not allow us to openly occupy territory. We have to use the name of the True Covenant sect. Hong Rengan was doing this before, but he took Hong Tiangui to the Eastern King a while ago. The position of Patriarch is vacant. If third brother wants to do it, I would be more than happy!" He glanced at Xiao Chaogui again, "As for your brother-in-law, he can be the Minister of the Army!"

Feng Yunshan stroked his beard and asked, "Who will be the chairman of the National People's Congress?"

"Seventh sister," Luo Yaoguo looked at Hong Xuan and said with a smile, "How about you come and sit here?"

"Me?" Hong Xuanjiao jumped up as if on fire, "How can I be the speaker? I'd better help Sanniang manage the women's camp."

Luo Yaoguo waved his hand and said with a smile, "How about this, the position of speaker will be reserved for the East King. Seventh sister, you can take his place first! Sanniang is enough for the women's camp. If they are too busy, don't we still have Maria?" He looked at Xiao Chaogui again, "West King, are you satisfied with this arrangement?"

Xiao Chaogui stroked his beard, squinted his eyes, thought for a while, then smiled and said to Luo Yaoguo: "Then what about my Hubei and my third brother's Hunan?"

"The frontier officials of Hubei and Hunan are recommended by you and my third brother," Luo Yaoguo patted his chest, "I will definitely support them! As for the front and rear armies, they will also be reorganized into the central army. My third brother and my brother-in-law can both nominate one army commander and three division commanders."

"So... what about the new king?" Xiao Chaogui stared at Luo Yaoguo, "You really don't want to do it?"

"No!" Luo Yaoguo said firmly, "This position will always belong to our second brother in heaven!"

(End of this chapter)