Chapter 008: Hunan Youth Song

This "grandfather" is quite amusing, Li Guoyong chuckled as he sat down

When it came to this, Li Guoyong quietly glanced at Yang Du, only to see Yang Du slightly nodding, his expression unchanged. It seemed that these words had not truly moved him. Li Guoyong gritted his teeth and continued, as if gambling: "In this world, it all boils down to two words: 'strength.' Without strength, everything is mere talk; our Emperor Guangxu still wishes to achieve something, but he cannot appoint ministers of the second rank or above in civil matters, nor can he mobilize the court's military forces. The real power in the court lies elsewhere;" Li Guoyong pointed upwards: "It is that old lady. Our Emperor still cannot endure it. If he does not hasten to reform, but instead maintains the existing structure of the court on the surface while gradually cultivating his own power beneath, solidifying his imperial authority, or waits until that person above has passed away in a hundred years to implement reforms, the tide of victory will surely turn. After all, our Emperor is still younger than that person above."

The current Li Guoyong can be said to be deeply grateful to Li Hongzhang, as it seems that this elder had long since planned everything for the sake of his grandson

Li Hongzhang, upon reaching this point, did not continue: "Mingyi, governing Jiangsu cannot rely solely on your own strength; it is essential to make the most of foreign assistance. The consuls of various countries in Shanghai, as well as the German De Cui Lin from the Tianjin Customs, the British officer Magri, and the American Bidger, are all old friends of mine. I have already written a personal letter to each of them. After you take office, make sure to visit them one by one; it will be greatly beneficial to you."

Satisfied, Li Hongzhang nodded: "This Jiangsu can be considered the place where my grandfather made his fortune. In the past, when the Taiping Rebellion broke out and attacked Shanghai, my grandfather, as the Governor of Jiangsu, engaged in three fierce battles at Hongqiao, Beixinjing, and Sijiangkou, which ultimately preserved Shanghai, the largest trading port of the Qing Dynasty. After that, I focused on examining officials, reorganizing the army, raising funds, and pacifying the region. By the time we attacked the Taiping's false capital, Tianjing, my Huai Army had already amassed seventy thousand troops. If it weren't for the concern of overshadowing General Zeng's achievements, Tianjing would have certainly been the first city to fall to my Huai Army."

At this moment, Li Guoyong thought of a question: "Grandfather, what is the first thing I should do after I arrive in Jiangsu?"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Li Guoyong, who said: "Guoyong has long admired you, sir. It is a great fortune to meet you today. If you do not mind, please feel free to call me by my courtesy name Mingyi, and I shall also address you as Xizi, if that is agreeable to you"

Yang Du, who had recently settled down, learned that Li Guoyong had been promoted to Governor of Jiangsu. He congratulated him and then asked, "What is your opinion on the current situation in China, Mingyi?"

After delivering such eloquent words, even Li Guoyong could not help but admire himself

He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Grandfather, I made a friend on the way and arrived late. Please scold me, Grandfather."

I am originally from Hunan, and I sing the songs of Hunan. The youth of Hunan possess great skills, yet what can Hunan do in times of crisis? ... In the critical moment of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, I seek to fight for survival, risking everything. All of you shall serve as national soldiers, and I shall be a soldier under your banner

Li Guoyong was about to faint. Boss, what is going on? You just found me a wife, but what if that woman is an ugly monster? However, there is no choice; in this era, it is indeed the command of parents and the words of matchmakers! Moreover, this marriage clearly carries political implications, which made Li Guoyong feel somewhat resigned to his fate.

After providing further details, Li Hongzhang instructed Li Guoyong to return and prepare for his official duties

The American Bidger was actually the private secretary of Li Hongzhang, originally serving as the deputy consul and translator at the American consulate in Tianjin. The British Magri was originally a military doctor in the British Army, serving in the 99th Regiment, and later became an aide to Li Hongzhang, diligently and loyally serving him until 1875, when he resigned due to a dispute with his Chinese colleagues. The spider has allowed these two individuals to appear with different historical images, and esteemed viewers need not take this seriously. As for the Wang family of Wuxi, its prototype is the renowned "Wuxi Rong family"

Who would have thought that Yang Du suddenly slammed the tea table heavily, scaring Li Guoyong half to death, and then sighed: "I only thought Ming Yi was just a martial artist, but I did not expect him to have such insight. If China had more people like you, Yang Du would not have to be a young singer from Hunan!"

Observing Yang Du's uncertain gaze, Li Guoyong earnestly fabricated, "This 'Hunan Youth Song' is something I occasionally heard; the entire song's demeanor and literary quality, passionate and stirring, left me in awe, and from that moment on, I firmly remembered the gentleman.

What excited Li Guoyong even more was that Li Hongzhang continued: "As for the Jiangnan Arsenal, the Nanjing Machine Bureau, the Shanghai Telegraph Bureau, and so on, all founded by my grandfather in Jiangsu, you can get involved there. The heads of those places are all old subordinates of my grandfather. He will also provide them with instructions one by one."

I am Li Guoyong, and I have met Mr. Yang

Li Guoyong from m.hetushu.com approached with a smile and said, "Brother Yang Du, why bother arguing with these ordinary folks? Come, come, let me treat you to some tea." Without waiting for Yang Du to respond, he grabbed Yang Du and, amidst a chorus of insults from behind, led him out.

Yang Du was originally an open-minded person. Upon hearing this, he laughed and said, "Then it is better to comply than to be respectful, Ming Yi."

Li Hongzhang did not mind: "Get up and sit down, young people have their own matters, it is not necessary to always accompany this old man, is it"

Li Guoyong was aware that although his relationship with Yang Du had become much closer, if he did not reveal his abilities now, he feared that this talented individual would look down on him. At that point, trying to win him over would be akin to dreaming. Thus, he took a sip of tea to clear his throat and said: "As Fang Zixi argued in his discussions, present-day China is like a patient suffering from a long-term illness. If strong medicine is administered, it will not only be ineffective but will also exacerbate the patient's condition. Reform is not inherently bad, and change is not impossible; on the contrary, it is essential. But how should it be done? Mingyi's view is that we should first stabilize the imperial power and then gradually divide and dismantle the forces of the conservatives."

Yang Du, feeling utterly bewildered, was almost as if he had been kidnapped, as Li Guoyong abruptly took him to another tea house that appeared to be quite refined. They requested a private room and ordered a pot of fine tea. Li Guoyong respectfully performed a bow.

Upon hearing these four lines, Yang Du was even more astonished, as they were precisely from his proud work "Hunan Youth Song". How did the esteemed Li obtain this information?

This statement is utterly rebellious; once it reaches Empress Dowager Cixi's ears, even eight Li Hongzhangs would be unable to protect themselves. Li Guoyong anxiously gazed at Yang Du.

Since ancient times, countless people have been flattered, yet flattery does not penetrate; even Yang Du could not help but reveal a self-satisfied expression: "Lord Li..."

After temporarily parting ways with Yang Du, Li Guoyong suddenly remembered that he needed to hurry to pay a visit to his "grandfather" Li Hongzhang. He rushed to Xianliang Temple and found Li Hongzhang still looking composed and leisurely as ever.

This time it was Yang Du's turn to rise respectfully and perform a bow: "The achievements of Lord Li are a blessing for our China. I, Yang, have heard of it and am deeply impressed. I just wonder how you, my lord, came to know of me, Yang Du?"

Li Hongzhang immediately said: "Go visit the Wang family in Wuxi"

This seems to be Li Hongzhang reminiscing about the past, expressing self-congratulating words, yet Li Guoyong understands that this is his grandfather imparting his experiences in governing Jiangsu; indeed, managing officials, reorganizing the military, and raising funds are lessons he must learn well

Wang Family of Wuxi

"Ming Yi," Li Hongzhang said, "What are your thoughts on becoming a governor at the age of twenty?"

Be prepared to flee at the first sign of trouble. In the aftermath, Li Guoyong, who would later deny everything, felt relieved, as it seemed that his nonsensical ramblings had made an impact

The four characters "威震京师" made Li Guoyong feel somewhat embarrassed; "notorious" would be more fitting. He cleared his throat twice and said, "Oh, no, no, this is all thanks to the strategic planning of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor; I merely took advantage of the situation."

Li Hongzhang nodded slightly: "The Wang family is indeed a wealthy household in Jiangnan. The owners of various factories and shopkeepers in Jiangsu all look up to them. The head of the Wang family, Wang Guanrong, is an old friend of my grandfather. You may not know this, but his granddaughter is seventeen this year. A few days ago, my grandfather already sent the betrothal gifts. You can take this opportunity to get closer to the Wang family."

The two individuals, increasingly in sync with each other, locked themselves in a private booth, not even allowing the waiter, who came to change the tea, to enter. They talked for a full two hours. Then, all the guests in the tea house heard the singing of two madmen from within the private booth:

This statement hits the nail on the head. Although Yang Du later became famous throughout the world, the current Yang Du can truly only be considered a minor figure. However, Li Guoyong, who had already calculated how to speak nonsense, first recited: "If the Chinese nation were to perish, it would only be if all the people of Hunan were to die. Even if heads were to be thrown, it would not be enough to cause pain; no one in power should take even the slightest bit."

Upon hearing this name, Yang Du was moved and said, "Could it be that the infamous rebel, the one who struck fear in the capital, Li Guoyong, the guard?" He, of course, was still unaware that Li Guoyong was now the Governor of Jiangsu.

Li Guoyong paid no attention to their arguments; his mind was entirely occupied by the name Yang Du. This Yang Shizi, who had been a disciple of Wang Kaiyun since childhood and was deeply influenced by the "study of emperors," was indeed an important figure in modern Chinese history. Yuan Shikai's later claim to the throne could be said to be half the result of Yang Du's schemes. Now, he was standing right here in front of Li Guoyong, who was determined not to let him go; otherwise, if Yuan Shikai were to take him away later, he would surely regret it.

The two exchanged a smile.

These two time periods proved to be of lifelong benefit to Li Guoyong. With his historical knowledge from future generations, political insight, and a touch of appropriate nonsense, Li Guoyong finally won over the talented Yang Du, who agreed to accompany him to Jiangsu to create a new world together

Li Guoyong quickly humbly said: "This is entirely due to my grandfather's prestige in the court, as well as the abundant wealth of the Li family. Otherwise, how could Ming Yi have such an opportunity"