Dominate the Country

To the north, on the undulating sea, a fleet from America is sailing towards Nanjing.

Li Kun didn't know where Chen Ding was now, and even if Chen Ding had arrived in Jiangnan, he wouldn't be able to come to Hangzhou or Tonglu right away. The reason why Li Kun was late was because something unexpected happened.

Since last year, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions have been preparing to launch a "railway" on their own, although the traffic here is not really blocked. Although there are many mountains in the territory, there are many rivers connecting it. The transportation is better than that in southern Jiangxi and western Hunan, as well as in the Central Plains and northern Anhui. But this cannot stop people from having money in their hands. Jiangsu and Zhejiang are definitely one of the richest provinces in China. In recent years, as the total revenue of the national treasury has increased, the local tax stratification has also become higher and higher. In the hands of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang governments Got money.

Moreover, there are many wealthy businessmen in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Do you have the nerve to spend nothing on such a major event that benefits the hometown?

Even though this railway line does not go through the eastern area near the sea, because there is a developed maritime transport there, there is no need for railways at all.

The "railway" line in Jiangsu and Zhejiang starts from Chuzhou in southern Zhejiang and connects to Quzhou in southwestern Zhejiang. It does not even take Yanzhou Prefecture because there is the Qiantang River there. It goes directly from Jinhua Prefecture in the middle of Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the Universiade in Shaoxing. By the river, then there will be no need for carriages and horses again.

Li Kun also had a specialized construction company, and relied on the eldest prince's deep roots in Jiangsu and Zhejiang to successfully bid for the project.

However, the iron and wooden rails used for road construction were taken from Foshan, Lingnan.

The latter is an "old industrial base" that Guangdong Province plans to revitalize in recent years. Foshan Town, which was once famous throughout China, was the center of metallurgical ironmaking in Lingnan. Now that it has become money-laden in recent years, everyone should start making tinplate.

The new prefect of Guangzhou wanted to change this situation. After gaining the approval of the provincial government, he spent a lot of money to poach a large number of technical backbones from other metallurgical and iron-making industries. The key point of poaching is Qiongzhou Prefecture.

Because the distance between the two sides is too close, Foshan's desire to revitalize the "old industrial base" has an innate positioning conflict with Shilu in Qiongzhou Prefecture, the emerging southern metallurgical ironmaking base.

Li Kun had deep feelings for Qiongzhou Prefecture, but when determining the supplier of iron and wood rails, his subordinates chose Foshan instead of Shilu, and Li Kun did not interfere. Because Foshan's quotation was 20% lower than Shilu's, the quality of the iron and wood rail samples was almost the same.

Li Kun is a businessman. Even if he has feelings for Qiongzhou Prefecture, he cannot lose money because of feelings.

Just pay it off if it's a little less strict. But this is 20%, 20%. For a rail line that stretches for hundreds of miles and thousands of miles, this is a lot of money.

However, the large-scale goods supplied by Foshan now have quality problems. Although there are not many, those inferior goods are completely different from the samples.

"According to the feedback from the construction site, the proportion of inferior products in Foshan among the large goods is about 5% (5%)." This number is not small.

"And after experimental comparison, the inferior product is 30% harder than the sample." The secretary was reporting to Li Kun.

It is true that iron and wood rails need hardness, but they cannot rely entirely on hardness, otherwise the rails may be easily damaged. The most qualified iron and wood rails have the right softness and hardness, which is neither absolutely hard nor absolutely soft, but hard with a certain degree of softness, just like the barrel of a big gun, which can reduce friction. and damage, it is also suitable for replacement and repair of iron and wood rails.

Nowadays, the hardness of the large sample provided by Foshan Haifei is 30% higher than that of the sample. This is completely nonsense and absolutely unqualified.

"First of all, I have done some research on that company. Like Haifei, this Juding company in Foshan also has the Guangzhou government's shareholding, but it only holds 20% of the shares, which is not as high as Haifei's 60% holding. But I think This company still has some strength. According to the bidding, they can also provide qualified iron and wood rails. The quoted price is much more expensive than Haifei, but it is still five points cheaper than Shilu.

If the supplier changes to Juding, I think there shouldn't be any big problem.

After all, we are the victims. No matter how domineering the Guangzhou Prefecture and the Guangdong Province are, they cannot ignore the three points. Standing behind us is His Highness the First Prince. "

"But if we use Juding's goods instead, Hai Fei will have no choice but to let them fly. Otherwise, Guangzhou Prefecture will have no objections."

Li Kun listened quietly to his staff's words, his right hand clenched into a fist unconsciously. But his nephew is only the eldest prince, the person who may eventually succeed the emperor, rather than having already occupied that position.

Therefore, Li Kun really didn't want to offend Guangzhou Prefecture. Even if it is Guangzhou that loses this time. Even this time, he was sure that Hai Fei was colluding with one or even several of the other princes. But so what?

This Haifei is the heart and soul of the Guangzhou Prefecture. After the current Guangzhou Prefect took office, the Guangzhou Finance Department has successively injected four to five million into it, and has provided a large number of non-monetary promises to recruit talents. It can be said that it supports The intensity is sparing no effort.

Of course, the Guangzhou government will also give an explanation to the Li family, but it will be over after the explanation. It was impossible to follow the clues and cut off Haifei's way of survival.

If he doesn't break his skin, Haifei's boss will be moved or even sent to jail. This depends on the respect the Guangzhou government has for the eldest son of the emperor.

If the relationship is torn, then the board will probably only hit a scapegoat who can't be any smaller, and Haifei's boss will still be the boss. Although after that, the current Guangzhou prefect will definitely be hindered from climbing up the position, he may also gain other benefits from it.

This is the current political situation in Chenhan.

The real power in the hands of the princes is really pitiful. And even if the central leaders, including the ministers of various ministries, are dissatisfied with their subordinates, it is not easy to find their faults if they can't find the real mistakes.

The emperor is very strict about this.

Although Chen Ming dare not guarantee how long this can really last, he hopes that it can last as long as possible.

"It's just that the locals in Guangzhou are very dissatisfied with our insistence on severely punishing Haifei, especially Nanjian [railway construction party]. They think that Nanjian tampered with the test and used inferior products as good ones, which was intended to harm Haifei. Now there are rumors about us all over Lingnan, including Shanghai. There are even rumors specifically targeting those foreign businessmen, encouraging them not to do business with us, saying that we have no integrity at all."

This is really a conspiracy.

If the quality inspectors were not serious and responsible, if the 5% inferior product rate had not been found, it is possible that the enemy under the shadow would have buried a time bomb in the money bag of the eldest prince.

"Nonsense! They secretly made trouble, and we found them, but they shouted that we had tampered with it, which was too much. Don't pay attention to them, we are not afraid of the shadow! Now write them down one by one, and wait until we have time to settle accounts with them in the future." Li Kun was very angry, but he couldn't get angry, and he couldn't overturn the table regardless of everything.

"But the general manager of Haifei must not be let off easily. You should reply to the Guangzhou office immediately. We can transfer the agreement to Juding, but Haifei must deal with it. Guangzhou owes us an explanation."

"As for the foreigners who followed the commotion, if they don't want to do business with us, then let them go! Humph, do we still care about them? There are countless foreigners waiting in line to do business with us!"

"But Juding must be closely watched and not be careless. After the large goods are delivered, they must be carefully checked." This is also a troublesome matter. How much trouble has it added to Nanjian.

Before, it was just a random inspection, but now it is checked one by one.

But Li Kun knows businessmen. Each of them has an endless desire for wealth. Inferior products are like maltose on the tip of a needle. They must be kept a close eye on. Otherwise, although it is very dangerous, it is also a sweet treat for them, which is also beneficial.

You give him a little sweetness, and after eating it, he will ask for more next time, and that will never satisfy them.

So this barrier must be tied up at the beginning.

Chen Ding was about to come back, and Li Kun really didn't want to cause trouble at this critical moment. But this time it was really disgusting to him. The other party's goal was definitely not just Nanjian, nor was it just the Li family, but the Prince of Yu.

They were not interested in wine, but Li Kun really wanted to stop all the companies under the Li family and carefully check the past work. He was really frightened by this sudden news.

So at this big gathering, while he was guiding everyone to imagine a better future, he would definitely blow cold wind and pour cold water on everyone. Don't make a fuss at this time.

...

In Europe, the Battle of Toulon had been going on for several months, but it did not end, but continued.

An interesting change was unfolding within the French army. Countless royalist officers were crossing the border in an endless stream to Austria and Prussia to join the ranks of the intervention army.

But the revolutionary team did not collapse because of this. On the contrary, people with revolutionary ideas were given important positions one by one.

Official positions are given to talented people. This has become a motto in France today.

Just like Napoleon, the mistakes he made the year before last and last year - hoping that his hometown Corsica would take the opportunity to become independent, not only were he forgiven and pardoned, but his position was also quickly promoted by one level.

He is now a major in the artillery.

There are thousands of young people like "Napoleon" in the French National Guard. Their talents cannot be as great and rich as Napoleon's. Many of them are still sponges that have absorbed water, but they support the National Guard.

European countries are watching France, waiting for France's self-destruction, but they are surprised to find that France has been newly enriched and strengthened as if it had been cast with magic.

Perhaps later European countries will understand that this is a giant Antaeus-like power.

In Greek mythology, Antaeus is the child of Gaia, the goddess of the earth. Whenever he fights with the enemy and feels difficult, he will lean on the earth, just lean on the earth, that is, lean on the mother who gave birth to him, and a new force will arise.

The rapid recovery and growth of the French army's strength is the power of thousands of patriots and countless citizens on the land of France.

As long as they are organized and have a wise leadership, this force will be fully exerted, and thousands of patriots are the most powerful army.

Today, Napoleon is showing his edge in Toulon. Although his time has not yet come, he is already shining with his own brilliance.

Originally, he was assigned to a coastal defense unit and happened to pass by the revolutionary army station. His fellow countryman and old friend Saliciti, who was a special commissioner of the National Convention at that time, happened to be in the headquarters of General R. Erto. Recommended by Saliciti, the young Napoleon replaced Major Martin, who was injured in the battle, as the artillery commander of the Toulon rebellion suppression force. This appointment was quickly approved by the military authorities in Paris. No one would have expected that it was such a chance that gave Napoleon a stage to try his hand.

Napoleon had already stepped onto the stage where he could shine, but Chen Ding, who was several years older than Napoleon, was still looking for a stage where he could try his hand.

This has to be said to be a tragedy.

One was an ordinary junior officer from the bottom of the society, and the other was the eldest son of the emperor of the most powerful empire in the world, but the turning point in the latter's life journey did not come faster than the former.

Judging from the entire life score, Napoleon now scores higher than Chen Ding and is one step ahead.