Gordon stayed in Suzhou for only a few days, but an urgent letter was sent from the Allied Forces Headquarters in Shanghai asking Gordon to return quickly.Li Hongzhang also gave Qiao Zhiqing an urgent military order, asking Qiao Zhiqing to lead a large army to attack Songjiang and rush to aid the Huai army's siege of Qingpu.Since Li Xiucheng returned to Nanjing, the Taiping army's offensive in Shanghai has been frustrated one after another, and the Huai army has successively recovered Qibao, Sijing and other places, and has attacked Qingpu City.The Taiping army defending the city totaled more than 20,000 people, led by Li Mingcheng and Gao Yongkuan, the king of Na.The Huai army is completely inferior in numbers, but with the full armament of foreign guns and artillery, it is still like a bamboo, and it has won again and again, but every time it attacks Qingpu, Chen Bingwen, the king of Songjiang in the south, will send troops to rescue, Qingpu and Songjiang are one south and one north, each other is a horn, no matter which one the Huai army attacks, it will fall into a two-front combat situation, so Li Hongzhang still thought of Qiao Zhiqing helplessly.Since the imperial court ordered Qiao Zhiqing to be commended, Li Hongzhang has fallen into an embarrassing situation.Although Li Hongzhang was also very sure of Qiao Zhiqing's merits, the imperial court rewarded Qiao Zhiqing with the position of prefect for the first time, making it clear that he wanted to divide his military power and control Han with Han.Li Hongzhang also had to think about it for himself, and did not inform Qiao Zhiqing of the Taiping Army's military operations many times to prevent him from making military merits again.However, the front line is tight, and Li Shixian, the king of Zhejiang, has sent troops to the north, breaking through Cixi, and attacking the territory of Jiangsu, and what is even more fatal is that the commander of the Changsheng Army, Huaer, was killed by the stray bullets of the Taiping army in the battle with Zuo Zongtang, the governor of Zhejiang, to besiege Cixi.Chang Shengjun had no leader for a while, and under the succession of his deputy American Bai Qiwen, he suffered defeats in a row, and this Yankee was arrogant and abnormal, not good at cooperation, and often disobeyed military orders, Li Hongzhang hated him so much that he gritted his teeth, and drove Bai Qiwen out of the country for some reason, and after consulting with the commander of the coalition forces, He Bo, seconded Colonel Gordon as the commander of the coalition forces.After Qiao Zhiqing received the military order, he could prepare his troops to go, Gu Yunfei had just been recruited, and he was eager to make meritorious contributions, and under repeated pleas, he took the newly formed Qing Zi Army's middle division to go on the expedition, and Wang Shijie's special operations brigade cooperated with the action.Suzhou's new policy has been implemented for three months, and Suzhou seems to have been forgotten, allowing Qiao Zhiqing to toss around.The rotten confucians and scholars in the city all hoped that this demon king of the mixed world would lose the battle and leave early.But the ordinary people were full of gratitude to Qiao Zhiqing, and prayed day and night at home for the victorious return of the army.When Qiao Zhiqing took over Suzhou, he exempted all the taxes on the common people, and made great efforts to rectify the economy, providing a series of enlightened economic policies, supporting the development of the city's handicrafts and commerce, and deliberately elevating the status of merchants.In order to escape the war, the Suzhou consortium fled to Shanghai, and also returned one after another after watching and watching, and now the handicraft industry in Suzhou City is booming, a thriving scene.In the east of Suzhou, in the barracks of the Qing Army, more than 15,000 horses from the Right Division and the Special Operations Brigade were assembled and waited, all holding foreign guns and arranging in formation.At the end of the day, Qiao Zhiqing, accompanied by Gu Yunfei and Wang Shijie, went to the review stand, and looked at the soldiers in the audience with a smile, although his face was peaceful but full of domineering."
Soldiers, today is the first time that our Qingzi Army has sent troops to fight after the reorganization of the army, I hope you understand that you are no longer the rabble of the past, you are the first elite army in my Chinese land, you are the steel backbone to protect my Chinese people in the future, and you are about to shoulder the mission of reviving China.Today is the first step for you to make meritorious contributions, no matter what kind of enemy you face, I just want to say two words to you, that is, victory" The blood of the soldiers in the audience boiled when they listened, and they kept raising their hands and shouting from the bottom of their hearts, "Victory, victory, victory." ”Qiao Zhiqing smiled with satisfaction, waved at the soldiers, and applauded.After the army set out, Qiao Zhiqing returned to the mansion, Pan Qiaoyu probed his brain in the mansion and looked for Qiao Zhiqing several times, and as soon as he saw Qiao Zhiqing come back, he mysteriously greeted him."
Where has Brother Qiao gone, I can't find you anywhere."
Pan Qiaoyu pouted and blocked the door of the study, looking at Qiao Zhiqing with a dissatisfied expression."
Little girl," Qiao Zhiqing patted Pan Qiaoyu's forehead, flashed into the study, sat down at the desk, and asked with a smile, "You don't stay in the clothing store, why are you looking for me" Qiao Zhiqing stared at Pan Qiaoyu's bumpy figure, which was even more charming and moving against the backdrop of the milky white tight-fitting cheongsam, the breasts were exaggeratedly round and full, and the lower body couldn't help but move.After the opening of Pan Qiaoyu's clothing store, basically every day is like a market, after Qiao Zhiqing's guidance, Pan Qiaoyu's clothing design can be completely explored, the dark and depressed wide cheongsam is cut into a modern slim style, the use of bright color fabrics, narrowed the waist, shortened the sleeves, and showed the woman's soft curves as much as possible.As soon as the new cheongsam was made, a large number of little daughters-in-law wore them on their bodies, writhing on the street, and of course, the promotion of the women's chairwoman Yan Yuting, she is now like a person with Pan Qiaoyu, even Qiao Zhiqing secretly sighed, he couldn't guess the woman's thoughts, Yan Yuting saw Pan Qiaoyu dangling back and forth beside her, and she couldn't smell the vinegar."
People have something to tell you, my uncle Pan Yongquan came back from Shanghai and said he wanted to visit you."
Pan Qiaoyu was lying on the desk, her round buttocks were pouted high, her hands were holding her little head, and she looked at Qiao Zhiqing playfully."
Pan Yongquan, are you talking about the uncle who lives in Shanghai and opens a foreign bank?"
Qiao Zhiqing seemed to have heard Pan Qiaoyu mention this uncle."
Yes, it's him, Brother Qiao's memory is really good, he said that he has some business to talk to you."
Pan Qiaoyu gave Qiao Zhiqing a wink as she spoke."
Then you ask him to come over, it just so happens that I am free now."
Qiao Zhiqing made an excuse to support her, and hurriedly lowered his head and looked at the official document, if he looked at her more, I am afraid that he would not be able to help but make a mistake."
Alright then, I'll call him."
Pan Qiaoyu smirked, deliberately twisted the tight little waist and went out, causing Qiao Zhiqing's lower abdomen to be angry, and he couldn't wait to press her on the desk immediately.After Pan Qiaoyu left the mansion, she found her uncle on a nearby stone bridge, and shouted sweetly, "Uncle, Brother Qiao asked you to go over." ”Pan Yongquan stood on the bridge and sighed, "It's changed, it's changed, everything has changed." ”Hearing Pan Qiaoyu's shout, he turned his head and smiled at her."
Qiaoyu, what kind of person do you say this prefect is, is he easy to get along with" Pan Yongquan kept asking his niece about Qiao Zhiqing on the road."
Don't worry, uncle, Brother Qiao is a very reasonable person, he doesn't have any shelf at all, and he is not as old-fashioned as you think."
Pan Qiaoyu comforted sweetly."
That's good, that's good."
Pan Yongquan was a little relieved and followed his niece into the Suzhou Mansion."
Brother Qiao, my uncle is just outside the door, are you free now" Pan Qiaoyu stood outside the study and shouted sweetly, now that Qiao Zhiqing is in a high position, she doesn't dare to bring a stranger in."
Let him in."
Qiao Zhiqing put down his pen and ink, raised his head and soothed his spirit.Pan Yongquan pushed open the door and walked into the room, Qiao Zhiqing pointed to the chair tiredly, and motioned for Pan Yongquan to sit down and talk.Ma Xun just asked people to present some military expenses, and now the reconstruction work is being carried out, and all undertakings have to spend money, and the two million silver deposits in the silver treasury have been used up for 500,000 taels in only three months, and Qiao Zhiqing's forehead has wrinkles."
Master Qiao is above, and the grass man Pan Yongquan is polite."
Pan Yongquan bowed and sat down in his chair."
Welcome Mr.
Pan back to his hometown for development, I thank the people of Suzhou on behalf of one million."
Qiao Zhiqing smiled at him, walked down and poured him a cup of tea.Pan Yongquan hurriedly stood up, respectfully held the tea bowl, and said politely, "Master Qiao is serious, and the grass people can't afford it." ”During the Qing Dynasty, the status of merchants was very low, and Pan Yongquan's panic was not faked."
Hey, why can't you stand it, this official has said in the new policy before, as long as you are willing to come back to participate in the reconstruction of Suzhou, you are the benefactors of the people of Suzhou."
Qiao Zhiqing sat down on the chair beside him."
The grass people have long heard their niece praise Lord Qiao, but I didn't expect that today's sight is really worthy of the name, Lord Qiao's sincerity to the people is enough to make the grass people embarrassed, and the grass people are still worried that they will be afraid of being in Shanghai for many months before coming back, ashamed, ashamed."
Pan Yongquan praised sincerely, he has been traveling south and north for many years, and even he has never seen a good official like Qiao Zhiqing who cares about the people abroad."
Mr.
Pan came back this time, not only to visit relatives in his hometown, but also to ask if he needs help."
Qiao Zhiqing no longer came to the hypocrisy, and went directly to the topic, Pan Yongquan's business was very big, and the commission paid by Chang Shengjun, who hired Wall, was jointly funded by Yang Qitang's Taiji Silver Account and Pan Ji Foreign Company."
Then I won't hide it from Master Qiao, I want to join forces with several businesses in Shanghai to open a modern textile factory in Suzhou, all powered by foreigners' steam engines, and plan to recruit 3,000 employees."
This is a good thing for the benefit of the neighbors, what is the difficulty of Mr.
Pan, just speak" Qiao Zhiqing frowned."
Adults don't know, this foreigner's steam engine burns a kind of black ore, foreigners call this kind of thing coal, a day the machine is fully opened, to burn more than a dozen tons of coal, only a few provinces in China produce this kind of thing, so far I have only seen it in Shuozhou, Shanxi."
Pan Yongquan sighed."
I've heard of this, Mr.
Pan started to build the factory as soon as possible, recruit workers, and leave the coal matter to the official.This official is from Shanxi, and our Qiao family has also run some coal business. ”Qiao Zhiqing is also having a headache about coal, he hired Mr.
Yang from abroad many inventions and ideas are needed steam power to support, but there is no energy, can only give up, the steam engine introduced by Suzhou Ordnance is also thrown in vain in the factory, has not moved for a day, it seems that the problem of coal must be solved now
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