Continue to call: Please follow! Please click! Please collect! Please recommend!

...

In the early morning of the 11th day of the first lunar month, Zhao Zhenzhong and Li Yuntian came to visit the official residence of Tianjin Mayor Cui Tingxian based on the guidance of James's Tianjin colleagues.

Before arriving in Tianjin, Zhao Zhenzhong didn't know who Cui Tingxian was. In his itinerary, Tianjin was just passing by. At most, he would visit the Tianjin security commander Fu Zuoyi. Just be familiar with him. However, when Zhao Zhenzhong read the brief information about Tianjin politicians compiled by James's colleague Mobil, he became interested in the old man Cui Tingxian and temporarily changed his itinerary and decided to visit the mayor first.

Cui Tingxian is also a legendary figure. In 1875, Cui Tingxian was born in a poor peasant family in Kucang Village, Yinlingzhi Town, Shouyang County, Shanxi Province. He relied on his father and younger brother to farm for him to study in a private school. He became a Jinshi in the late Qing Dynasty at the age of 26. However, after experiencing a series of shocks such as the Sino-Japanese War and Xinchou, and hearing the corrupt and incompetent Qing government, influenced by the Reform and Reform Movement and the Democratic Revolution, Cui Tingxian went to Japan's Law and Political University to study politics, economy, law and other subjects in 1904, seeking ways to resist and strengthen the country. In Japan, Cui Tingxian was influenced by Sun Yat-sen's Tongmenghui and transformed from a Jinshi in the late Qing Dynasty to a person who pursued democratic revolution.

After returning to China, Cui Tingxian participated in the mine competition and was elected as a representative of the mine competition. He went to the Beijing government to ask for help and negotiate with the British. Finally, at the end of 1907, he drove the British out of Shanxi and won the victory of the mine competition.

After the Xinhai period, after Yan Xishan took control of the military and political power of Shanxi, he recruited talented and prestigious people to participate in the construction of Shanxi. Cui Tingxian became Yan Xishan's supporter and was the sponsor of the good governance strategy that Yan Xishan implemented in Shanxi. From the Director of the Internal Affairs Department and the Director of the Finance Department of Shanxi to the Secretary of the Governor's Office, the Director of the Six Political Assessment Department of Shanxi, the Speaker of the Shanxi Provincial Assembly, the Director of the Shanxi Government Affairs Department, the Yin of the Hedong Dao, the Chairman of the Peace of the Beijing Special City, and the Mayor of Tianjin Special City since September 28, Cui Tingxian's resume during the Republic of China was deeply imprinted by the Yan family.

Zhao Zhenzhong went to visit Cui Tingxian, and it was precisely because he saw that the old man had a deep relationship with Yan Xishan that he made a decision temporarily. If he could get his help, it would benefit a lot whether it was to carry out disaster relief or start industries in Suiyuan, Shanxi and other places. And if these actions could be implemented smoothly, the development of the second base area would be much more convenient in the future.

After the notice, Zhao Zhenzhong and Li Yuntian were taken to a rather simple reception room and met an elderly man in his 50s with a clear face.

"Boy Zhao Zhenzhong, is it Mayor Cui in front of him?" Zhao Zhenzhong asked after holding his fist to the old man.

The old man smiled and nodded and asked, "Young man, I heard that you are going to the disaster area to provide relief to the victims. How much food do you have? Where do you want to transport it to? Where are you two? "

"This time we shipped nearly 3,000 tons of grain and 30 trucks. I would like to ask Mayor Cui for help to see if we can arrange a train to transport these materials from the railway to Suiyuan?" Zhao Zhenzhong said, "As for us, I am the chairman of Qingdao University and Sihai Industrial. Yuntian is the general manager of Sihai Industrial."

"Oh? Qingdao University? Sihai Industrial? I seem to have heard Zhu Ziqiao mention that you have done a good job in disaster relief in Shandong. However, there are disasters in Shandong, Hebei and Henan now. Why don't you provide relief nearby? Instead, you have to go to Suiyuan to rescue disasters? In terms of the number of people affected, there are more disaster victims in Gansu and Shaanxi than in Suiyuan, even more disaster victims in Shanxi than in Suiyuan." Cui Tingxian was a little puzzled.

"In Shandong, Yuntian and Mr. Sui and others from Qingdao Chamber of Commerce have helped a lot. This time, the food I brought back from the United States has also been left in Shandong. It should be possible to help many more victims." Zhao Zhenzhong explained, "As for our thoughts on Suiyuan to go to disaster relief, first, based on the proportion of the local population of the disaster victims, Suiyuan is the worst-hit disaster, which can be seen in the reports of American reporters; second, the train to Suiyuan is convenient, and the Yellow River waterway can be used from Suiyuan to transport food to northern Shaanxi and northwest Shanxi to rescue victims, which is also a win-win situation; third, the order in Suiyuan is better than that in Shaanxi, at least there is no such thing as Feng Yuxiang's troops intercepting disaster relief supplies in Tongguan."

After hearing Zhao Zhenzhong's explanation, Cui Tingxian smiled and nodded, and praised, "I thought it was pretty good." Then he asked, "However, although you have a lot of 3,000 tons of grain, you may not be enough to help the victims of Suiyuan, northern Shaanxi and northwestern Shanxi?"

"We will have food to ship in succession."

"Then why don't it come in one go? If you can transport the food to the disaster area one day earlier, you can save more lives of the victims." Cui Tingxian said anxiously.

"Of course we want to transport it all at once." Zhao Zhenzhong said with a wry smile, "But we are not familiar with the situation in Tianjin. When we were about to drive the ship yesterday, we realized that the dock in Tianjin could not dock with a 10,000-ton cargo ship, so we had to temporarily rent a cargo ship with a load of more than 3,000 tons and transport the grain first."

"Ten thousand tons of cargo ship? Do you have ten thousand tons of grain?" Cui Tingxian was moved.

You should know that 10,000 tons of grain is not a decimal, but it can be 20 million kilograms in total. If calculated according to the standards for maintaining the lives of disaster victims, it can be used by millions of people per month.

"There are 10,000 tons of grain." Zhao Zhenzhong nodded, "In fact, it's more than that. After hearing the news of the disaster in the United States, I joined forces with Chinese groups in the eastern United States to buy a large amount of grain. This time I returned to China, and only brought back less than a small part. The others will be shipped there one after another. However, the docks in Tianjin cannot dock with 10,000 tons of cargo ships, and they can only be transferred through Qingdao Port. This is time-consuming and labor-intensive."

"Mayor Cui, if we set up our own large tonnage terminal in Tianjin, can you approve it?" Zhao Zhenzhong raised the question based on the problems arising from grain transportation.

"Building a wharf is a good thing to increase trade and increase taxes. It is beneficial to the development of Tianjin. Why don't I approve it?" Cui Tingxian smiled, "However, it's a bit unworthy for you to build a wharf in Tianjin just to save disasters and transport grain, right?"

"To be honest, Sihai Industrial and the Huamei Company established by Chinese in the United States are both enterprises and they need to make profits to maintain. We want to build a wharf here in Tianjin. In addition to using labor for relief and rescuing some disaster victims, we are also preparing for future investments in Tianjin, Suiyuan, Shanxi and other places." Zhao Zhenzhong said, "Disasters can indeed survive if they have food to eat, but this kind of relief is just to teach people fish. The relief food will always be eaten, and there will still be natural disasters in the future. So why not start some industries in the disaster area, teach people fishing, and let the disaster victims learn some ways to make a living and live better?"

Cui Tingxian looked at Zhao Zhenzhong for a while and smiled and said, "You are so good Zhao Zhenzhong! No wonder Zhu Ziqiao praised the actions of Sihai Industry you founded over the years, saying that it is very popular with Mengchang. It is true that I saw you today."

"This, Mayor Cui, who is the Mr. Zhu you mentioned? I can't think he praised this." Zhao Zhenzhong asked embarrassedly.

"Huh? You haven't even heard of Zhu Qinglan and Zhu Ziqiao?" Cui Tingxianqi said, "He praised you very much."

"I have heard of Mr. Zhu Qingxi, but I don't know that Zhu Ziqiao you mentioned is also him." Zhao Zhenzhong was a little embarrassed.

"Ziqiao is his name." Cui Tingxian said, "If you want to say that among the people I admire, Zhu Ziqiao is one. He is willing to give up his high-ranking officials and generous salaries. He has been busy with helping domestic victims for many years. He is the number one charity person in China now. If Mr. Zhao is willing, I can recommend it to you. If you go to the disaster area to rescue the victims this time, if you can get Zhu Ziqiao's help, it will be very smooth."

Zhao Zhenzhong smiled and said, "I have been famous for Mr. Zhu for a long time. If I can get Mr. Zhu's help, it would be a great thing."

"Haha, since you are all determined to help the victims, I will write a letter to recommend you. I heard that he is lingering in Cichen in Peking these days. If you take the train to Suiyuan and pass by Peiping, you can meet him." Seeing that Zhao Zhenzhong didn't understand who Cichen was, Cui Tingxian said again: "Cichen is Xu Yongchang, the current chairman of Hebei Province. If you can visit him by the way, it will be beneficial to your disaster relief activities."

Zhao Zhenzhong was overjoyed. He didn't understand who it was for the time being, but Xu Yongchang was a person who accepted Japan's surrender in Missouri on behalf of the Chinese government in history, and had a very small relationship with Lao Chiang and Lao Yan. If he could get to know him, it would definitely be beneficial to some future activities.

"Thank you, Mayor Cui, for your worries." Zhao Zhenzhong stood up and bowed with fists.

"Don't do this. I also think you care about the victims and help you." Cui Tingxian sighed, "In these days, the dignitaries and nobles ignored the lives of the people and fought for power and profit. Instead, they wanted you young people to rescue the victims. I feel ashamed."

"Although I have never been to Tianjin before, I have heard from some business people in Qingdao that Mayor Cui has done a lot of good governance in Tianjin in the past two years and has done many things that are beneficial to the people. This is not something we can compare with." Zhao Zhenzhong comforted.

"You can speak." Cui Tingxian smiled and asked again: "You said before that you want to open industries in Suiyuan, northwest Shanxi and other places. Can you tell me which industries you are planning to open?"

"This is nothing to say. The livestock conditions in Suiyuan are good, and the northwest Shanxi is mountainous. Our Sihai Industrial opened canned food, cement and other production in Qingdao. It is adapted to local conditions and developed corresponding industries in two places. In addition, Huamei Company may set up an automobile parts processing and automobile assembly company there."

"I thought it was pretty good." Cui Tingxian nodded, "The products can be transported out of Suiyuan by railway, but it is almost the same as the northwest Shanxi. It is not easy to transport the east and west of the production."

"It's a bit troublesome." Zhao Zhenzhong nodded and said, "Actually, Shanxi can build a railway. I heard that Tongpu Railway Company was established before Xinhai and also conducted measurements, but it was left alone in the end. If a railway is built now, it will not only change the economic situation in Shanxi, but also use labor for relief and rescue many victims."

"How easy? It takes tens of millions of dollars to build a railway. I won't talk about the matter in the Qing Dynasty. More than two years ago, Chairman Yan specially hired Germans to complete the survey work along Tongpu Road. However, after accounting, it was found that it needed more than 90 million yuan. According to the freight volume at that time, it may not be able to make a profit for more than 50 years. The construction plan of Tongpu Railway had to be put on hold again." Cui Tingxian sighed, "Chairman Yan and I are both native Shanxi people. We both thought that Shanxi could have built their own railways, but the central government did not invest and rely on Shanxi itself alone, it would be difficult to support such a large amount of expenses."

Zhao Zhen moved in the center and said, "If someone is willing to provide this fund, will the Shanxi Provincial Government be willing to build this railway?"

Cui Tingxian was stunned and said, "Sihai Industrial probably doesn't have that much money, right?"

"Sihai Industrial naturally does not have that much capital, but Huamei Company can have it." Zhao Zhenzhong said.

"As Mr. Zhao said earlier, although Huamei Company is a company established by Chinese Americans, it is also a foreign company. Foreigners must seek various rights on both sides of the railway construction in China, which is not something we can agree to." Cui Tingxian said seriously.

"Mayor Cui is too worried." Zhao Zhenzhong smiled, "Although Huamei Company was established in the United States, the company definitely belongs to the Chinese. If you provide funds to build a railway, you will never mention any rights along the railway. I think it will be enough as long as the Shanxi Provincial Government can agree to be handed over to Huamei Company for 20 years after the railway is completed." Zhao Zhenzhong said, "Railway operation income is part, and the income from opening an industry in the local area is part. As long as there is no loss in the overall situation, that's fine."

"If this is the case, you can consider it." Cui Tingxian pondered, "However, Chairman Yan has to decide on the matters in Shanxi, and Mr. Zhao may not be able to decide on the matters in Huamei Company, right?"

"Huamei Company will open some branches in China in the near future. Before I returned to China, they had entrusted me to handle some business affairs on their behalf." Zhao Zhenzhong said, "If Mayor Cui can't believe me, it will be the same when Huamei Company's people come and then negotiate with them."

"This is not a question of whether you believe it or not, but I can't make the decision on railway construction. That requires Chairman Yan to decide." Cui Tingxian waved his hand and said, "Let's do it this way. Since you can recommend you to Zhu Ziqiao, I will write another letter to introduce you to Chairman Yan. Whether the agreement can be reached depends on how you are talking about."

Zhao Zhenzhong didn't expect that when he came to visit Mayor Cui Tingxian today, he would encounter such a good thing. He was overjoyed and said, "That's great thanks to Mayor Cui!"

"There is no need to thank me. Disaster relief is a major event that lives a life, and building a railway is also a major event that benefits Shanxi. If all of it can be done, I will be considered to have done good deeds and accumulated virtue." Cui Tingxian said with a smile.

...

With Cui Tingxian's support, Zhao Zhenzhong and others easily loaded nearly 3,000 tons of grain and 30 cars in two trucks. Under the escort of a battalion of troops sent by Tianjin Garrison Commander Fu Zuoyi, they set off on the afternoon of the 12th day of the first lunar month to travel northwest through the Beijing-Tianjin Railway.
Chapter completed!