Just when Huang Feipeng was worried, there was a beeping sound from the gray upper reaches of the Luo River, which was the sound of a steamboat, but the fog was very big, and he couldn't see the incoming boat.

But as long as a boat passes by, then you can call for help.

He didn't have the confidence to sail on this canopy boat that didn't even have sails, relying only on a pole, and he couldn't even rely on the docking.

The best thing to do is to change to a passing ship!

Not long after, Huang Feipeng faintly saw a huge black shadow coming slowly from the dense fog, this steamship is so big.

Immediately, Huang Feipeng hurriedly waved at the bow of the ship, and even shouted, trying to let the people on the big steam ship find themselves.

However, at this time, the fog on the river was very thick, and the people on the huge ironclad ship didn't seem to see the small canopy ship in front of them, let alone Huang Feipeng.

When the distance was only a few tens of meters, there seemed to be sailors on the boat who found a small boat in front of them, but at this time, the huge steamship was too late to slow down or avoid, and tried it directly at high speed, although it did not directly hit the awning boat at Huang Feipeng's feet, but just passed by the side, and the huge wave it set off directly overturned the awning boat.

Before falling into the water, Huang Feipeng's face was dark, because he remembered something more important than that he couldn't drive a boat, not only did he not know how to sail, he couldn't swim!

It's over!

I can't swim!

At this time, on the steam-ironclad ship on the ship, Zhou Li heard the sailor's report: "Manager, it seems that we knocked over a small boat just now, and the fog on the river is too big, so I didn't see it at all!" ”

Zhou Li frowned slightly when he heard this: "Why are you so careless, go and see the situation, if someone rescues you!" ”

Huang Feipeng may not have died, when he fell into the water, he just grabbed a wooden plank on the boat, and he was able to float on the water by relying on the plank.

After a while, it was discovered by the small boat that had been lowered on the big steam ship, and then pulled it up.

After getting on the ship, I learned that this was a steam-iron-hulled merchant ship of the Nanzhou Bank, well, this is what they called themselves, and Huang Feipeng could see at a glance that this thing was a serious ironclad ship.

But it has nothing to do with him.

He didn't care about the other party capsizing his boat, but thanked the other party for saving him.

At the dock next dock, Huang Feipeng got off the ship, and then re-boarded a steam passenger ship of several hundred tons to the county town.

Not to mention Huang Feipeng, and to say that Zhou Li's steam-iron-hulled merchant ship directly crossed the county town of Luo'an, and continued to anchor in a small port, but the next day it was to escort three steam cargo ships against the current to the north.

On a steam-iron-hulled merchant ship with the Nanzhou Bank on it, Zhou Li was talking to a captain in civilian clothes.

I saw the captain say: "Manager Zhou, according to our agreement, this is the last time my ship will escort you for transportation." ”

Zhou Li said: "Well, after the escort is completed this time, the agreement between our two sides will be executed, and Fang Shaoqing, you can return!" ”

That Fang Shaoqing was a little interested in talking: "But your bank has no plans to renew the escort agreement?" You know, the price is good to say! ”

Zhou Li said: "It's not up to me to decide this matter, you county guards can talk directly to our bank executives!" ”

Fang Shaoqing didn't give up: "Aren't you worried that without the escort of the battleship, it will affect your business?" ”

Zhou Li said: "The impact must be there, but it is also within the controllable range, besides, isn't it that I have already asked you to escort it, if those feudal towns dare not give us face from the Nanzhou Bank, we can let the navy of your county dispatch next time!" ”

When Fang Shaoqing heard this, he laughed: "This feeling is good, if your bank encounters any trouble, as long as you say hello, my Yangzhang County Navy can be dispatched at any time!" ”

Zhou Li smiled and didn't speak!

This hired naval warship, especially this thousand-ton ironclad ship, costs money, and it is not cheap.

This time, because of the chaotic situation in Luo'an County, the interests of Nanzhou Bank and many cooperative commercial banks were affected, so Nanzhou Bank spent money to hire such an ironclad ship to escort it.

said that it was an escort, but in fact, it only lasted for half a month, and the purpose was to show off its muscles and tell those feudal towns that you fought yours, but it could not affect our Nanzhou Bank and its partners to do business.

If anyone dares to influence us to make money, we will dare to sink all of your small broken ironclads.

There is a huge Nanhai state, that is, only their Nanzhou Bank has the confidence to say this.

If you provoke Nanzhou Bank, people will directly throw money at them!

Zhou Li's fleet went all the way to the north mountain, and when he passed through the county town, he unloaded a batch of goods, which was a transport ship of one of their bank's partners, which was full of all kinds of military supplies, food, clothing, weapons and ammunition.

Subsequently, the fleet continued to go north, but it didn't take long to arrive at a small port, and a large number of supplies were also unloaded, and it was Feng Haozhong who sent people and horses to receive this batch of materials.

Continuing north, another batch of supplies was unloaded in a small port, which was handed over to the Guang'an people.

Finally, the fleet arrived at Sanyo Town and anchored.

Seeing the arrival of the fleet, Lin Ziran on the dock was also relieved.

Lin Ziran was waiting in Sanyang Town a day in advance, because Zhou Li had promised before that a large number of military supplies would arrive today.

Lin Ziran can't afford not to pay attention to it, because this is the largest order since the transaction between the two parties, with a total value of more than 300,000, and it is also the first batch of several huge orders placed by Lin Ziran recently.

Well, the previous batch of urgent orders does not count.

Lin Ziran is waiting for this batch of military supplies to the troops.

Now that he has urgently expanded the army and recruited so many soldiers, many troops are short of guns and cannons, and the muskets are quite good, Lin Ziran has made thousands of muskets before, and after successive modifications, he can barely equip the existing troops, but he has no strategic reserves, and at the same time, the new troops that are now ready to be expanded have no guns.

Once there is training and combat attrition, there is no way to replenish it.

Even more lacking were artillery and shells.

He now has more than 5,000 people, and the number of field guns is too small, and at least more than 10 more guns have to be built to barely arrange it.

Not to mention the shells, in the previous battle of Nanguangcheng, the battle between the two sides was mainly an artillery battle, and a large number of shells were consumed, which urgently needed to be replenished.

In addition to conventional ordnance and ammunition, there are also regular military supplies, such as marching quilts, military boots, military uniforms and even military water bottles, and there is a huge shortage.

In today's 5,000-strong army, at least one-third of them don't even have a uniform.

After the arrival of the fleet today, Lin Ziran also breathed a sigh of relief, at least for a short time, there was no shortage of ordnance and military supplies.

Ding Quankun, who was on the side, sighed: "This time they are too dark, not to mention the temporary price increase, and the price increase is too large, a Fuyuan musket is sold for thirty yuan, and they can figure it out!" ”

Lin Ziran didn't care, this time Zhou Li's ordnance offer was much higher.

But Lin Ziran also knew that this was the normal situation.

In the past, he used to purchase in small quantities, and it was naturally cheaper for people to sell him some shady goods.

But now, his purchase volume is too large, just tens of thousands of Fuyuan muskets, dozens of artillery, such a large number is impossible to get at a low price through underground channels.

It can only be procured through regular channels.

In this way, the price will naturally become the market price.

Besides, now that Luo'an County is in chaos, the ordnance gunners are naturally more expensive.

But for Lin Ziran, the price of some things is not important now, the important thing is to get these ordnance and military supplies now!

More people and more guns is king.

Now he has people, and there will be more in the near future.

What is missing is guns.

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