Chapter 296: California’s Dilemma

December 25, 1852, was Christmas in the West.

Although Liang Yao was very strict in managing the army, he was not unkind.

On Christmas Day, Liang Yao gave all the officers and soldiers of the Arizona Infantry Regiment and the artillery company of the California Infantry Regiment a day off, allowing them not to train today and allowing them to celebrate Christmas to their heart's content.

In addition to the holidays, Liang Yao also gave each of the officers and soldiers who participated in the war, including the crew members of Global Shipping Company, a $5 bonus as a reward.

Five dollars in the mid-19th century was not a small amount of money. Even in California, where per capita income was much higher than other regions, five dollars was still a considerable amount of money.

An average worker in a factory in the eastern United States earns only $10 a month if he works for 30 days a month.

Liang Yao originally wanted to give out a bonus of US$10 directly, but thinking that the Spring Festival of 1853 would be more than a month later, he planned to give Chinese soldiers a day off on the Spring Festival and give all soldiers a bonus of US$5.

At present, various ethnic groups in California have not been well integrated. After all, ethnic integration is a long-term matter, and it does not mean that integration can be achieved immediately.

The composition of Liang Yao's soldiers is relatively complex, including Chinese and white.

If you want soldiers of different races to fight for him in the same trench, in addition to giving enough money, it is also important to level a bowl of water and not to create a gap between the soldiers of different races.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire more than sixty years later is a lesson learned.

The officers, soldiers and crew members who received the bonus were very happy. They praised Liang Yaokang one after another and shouted long live the Colonel!

For these soldiers, whose general level of education is not very high, sending them heavy dollars is far more practical than false Christmas greetings.

Liang Yao noticed that after receiving bonuses, a few officers and soldiers were happy but could not hide their homesickness.

Needless to say, these officers and soldiers must have started families in California and want to go home.

Liang Yao calculated with his fingers that it had been more than half a year since he left for the war, and it was time to return to the United States.

Liang Yao went to the Liang family compound to say goodbye to Liang Weiming. Liang Weiming hoped that Liang Yao would spend the New Year in Xiangshan before leaving, but Liang Yao declined.

These days, he has received letters from Robinson, Strauss, Deng Wenyu and others.

Liang Yao learned from the letter that California's current financial situation is already in deficit, and the situation is becoming increasingly pessimistic.

The state assembly has been arguing for more than two months on how to solve the financial problems of the California government without any result. They hope that Liang Yao can return to California as soon as possible so that Liang Yao can make the final decision to help California overcome the crisis.

Of course, this also means that Liang Yao will take the blame. Liang Yao formulated many California policies, and a large part of California's fiscal revenue was spent on these policies. For example, financial subsidies for compulsory education, subsidies for skilled immigrants, wages for the California militia, etc.

Liang Yao still understands those politicians in California. It is not so much that they cannot come up with a result in the debate in the state assembly and cannot think of a way to solve the fiscal deficit problem. It is better to say that no one in the state assembly is willing to bear the consequences of making decisions.

In addition to California's financial problems, the decision on whether to start construction of the Pacific Central Railway will also need to be made after Liang Yao returns. …

The construction of the Pacific Railway is a national super project. Although Liang Yao is one of the few richest people in the United States and has strong financial resources, the super project of the Pacific Railway is still beyond Liang Yao's ability and cannot be completed by his own efforts. .

Liang Yao needs to cooperate with other railroad tycoons, capitalists, and investors, and he also needs the strong support of the American state machine.

Seeing that Liang Yao had decided to leave, Liang Weiming couldn't force Liang Yao to stay.

"Now that you have decided to leave, I can't keep you. It's just that you were overseas when you were twenty years old, and you haven't had a crown ceremony and a title before you leave." Liang Weiming was a little reluctant to leave. said.

"I forgot about this incident, so just listen to grandpa and bow before leaving." Liang Yao agreed.

"Third brother, please take me with you when you go to America this time. I also want to go to California with you to have some adventures."

After Liang Yaogang and Liang Weiming finished talking about the crown ceremony, Liang Yi came up and asked Liang Yao to take him to California.

Liang Yi is the son of Liang Yao's second uncle, Liang Shaocong, and ranks sixth among the grandchildren of the Liang family.

Although Liang Yi is the sixth eldest, there is not much age difference between the Liang family's grandchildren, and they were all born in that same year. Liang Yi is only four years younger than Liang Yao.

Among the grandchildren of the Liang family, Liang Yi is considered outstanding.

There are only two famous people among the grandchildren of the Liang family, one is Liang Yao and the other is Liang Yi.

"California is not as comfortable as Xiangshan, and I don't support your third brother." Liang Yao reminded Liang Yi.

"I'm not an idler. I heard that many of Third Brother's businesses have to deal with foreigners. I specially learned English from a master from Tongfu Bank, hoping to be a helper by Third Brother's side." Liang Yi said hurriedly, for fear that Liang Yao refused to take him.

"Whether you go to California or stay in Xiangshan, it doesn't matter what I say, it depends on grandpa's wishes." Liang Yao handed over the decision to Liang Weiming.

After his fifth uncle Liang Weiming participated in the team training, Liang Yi was the only good candidate in the imperial examination in the Liang family.

"Grandpa, just let me go." Liang Yi begged Liang Weiming.

Although Liang Weiming was reluctant to give up, in the face of Liang Yi's begging, Liang Weiming hesitated for a moment and said helplessly: "Even if I let you stay, you have no intention of studying to take the scientific examination, and the most taboo thing about reading is distraction."

Liang Weiming, the feudal patriarch, rarely thought it through. Instead of forcing Liang Yi, who had no interest in the imperial examination, to continue reading the Four Books and Five Classics and end up with nothing, it would be better to let Liang Yi and Liang Yao go out and try their luck.

After all, Liang Yao had proved to him with his actual actions that there was more to the world than the imperial examination.

"Why don't you thank Grandpa quickly." Liang Yao winked at Liang Yi.

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Liang Yi thanked Liang Weiming happily.

"You young people want to go out and try your luck, Grandpa can't stop you. Just don't forget Grandpa's old bones when you are free, and come back to see Grandpa." Liang Weiming squeezed out a bitter smile.

Three days later, Liang Weiming held a ceremony for Liang Yao to become a crowned head. Liang Yao, who was about to turn 23, finally had his name: Zhaoming.

After the ceremony, Liang Yao sailed across the Pacific Ocean and returned to California.

Liang Yao's original plan was to follow the same route as Perry, take the Indian Ocean route, pass the Cape of Good Hope, and finally drop anchor in Baltimore, Maryland, and go to Washington to report to President Fillmore on the expedition to Japan.

However, plans cannot keep up with changes. The situation in California is urgent, so Liang Yao decided to cross the Pacific Ocean directly and return to California as quickly as possible. After finishing his work in California, he went to Washington.