In the twentieth year of Daoguang, autumn and September, twenty-three, Tianjin Zhigu Wharf.

After a few autumn rains, the weather is as cold as a day, but the Zhigu wharf is not because the weather has become cold and deserted, although it has passed the peak season of sea trade, but the transport has not ended, at the end of September, it is the last batch of grain ships arrived in Tianjin, the north and south of the boat gathered in Tianjin, whether it is the Beitang Cao Yun Wharf or the Zhigu Wharf are full of large and small boats, the wide river, the ships shuttle endlessly, a busy.

A pointed bow, the waterline is slender and graceful, the mast is extremely high, and the Western sail with a white sail slowly approached the pier, and attracted the attention of everyone on the riverbank when it landed.

Some time ago, the British fleet was anchored in the sea of Tianjin, although there was no war, but it really made the people inside and outside the city sweat, and then the British fleet attacked the coastal port city on the southeast coast to burn and loot the news, at this time suddenly saw a Western sailing ship appear in the port of Tianjin, how can it not arouse people's vigilance.

Soon everyone put their minds at ease, because they saw clearly that the boat was full of Chinese people with braids, and there were also officials on the dock to greet him, and he came to greet Yi Zhicontent and his entourage was Qishan Governor Biaohou Battalion guerrilla Luo Yingao, he really didn't expect the other party's ship to come so quickly, he only received a letter yesterday, and the ship arrived in Tianjin today, and arranged for someone to vacate the berth, and after the beautiful sailboat docked, he hurriedly strode forward and said to Yi Zhicontent: "Supervise the battalion of the rear camp to guerrilla Luo Yingao, and I have seen Lord Yi." ”

As soon as he heard that it was a guerrilla superintendent, he knew that it was arranged by Qi Shan, and secretly thought that Qi Shan was quite kind, and specially arranged for someone to receive him, so he immediately returned the salute and said, "Lord Lauro came to greet him." ”

"Lord Yi is a distinguished guest of Qizhongtang, and he is a distinguished guest of Tianjin, how can the last general not come to greet him." Luo Yingao said and raised his body to look at the other party, seeing that he was only in his early twenties, he couldn't help but secretly say to himself, he was rewarded by the imperial court with the rank of general at such a young age, and the third-class light car captain, the future is afraid that it will be immeasurable, retracting his gaze, he bowed slightly and said: "The last general has prepared a banquet for the adults to catch the wind and wash the dust, and I hope that the adults will appreciate the light." ”

"That's it." Yi Zhixiang smiled and said, "It's still early, my concurrent journey to Jingshi, if it is convenient, I hope that Lord Luo will arrange a ship." ”

"Now is the season of water transportation, the river is congested, if you are in a hurry to enter Beijing, it is better to take the land route." Luo Yingao said with a smile: "All the sedans are ready-made. ”

"Then there's Lord Lauro." Yi Zhisan smiled and thanked him, he really didn't want to stay in Tianjin more, one was not used to the entertainment in the officialdom, and the other was afraid that Tianjin officials would talk to him about business, Tianjin's Dagukou Fort was even more important than Humen, and he couldn't sell artillery to them at the moment.

"A little thing, the end will be at your own service." Luo Yingao said and ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair, and then said in a sincere tone: "The adult is in a hurry to enter Beijing, and the last general is inconvenient to keep, and when he returns, I hope that the adult will give the last general a chance, a little bit of the friendship of the landlord, the ship is in Tianjin, although the adult can rest assured, the end will arrange someone to guard properly." ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhizhi couldn't help but smile bitterly, it seems that it is inevitable to deal with Tianjin officials, I hope Qi Shan just let him guide the construction of the fortifications of the Dagukou Fort, if he wants to buy artillery, he is also a clever woman who has no rice.

All the way through the city, Yi Zhi's impression of Tianjin is not very good, prosperous is true, but the streets and alleys of the city are dirt roads, there are many people and livestock, three words - dirty and messy, but think about it, Guangzhou does not seem to be much better, these years, as long as it is a prosperous place, almost the same.

The little girl Jin Ying came to the north for the first time, and she looked at everything fresh all the way, and kept looking around, asking non-stop, and he asked naturally not Yi Zhicontent, but a slave in Qishan's family, Jin Ling, who got two limited edition gold watches, was interesting enough, and sent a personal slave - Chang Gui, to accompany them into Beijing as a guide.

All the way out of the north gate, through the South Canal through the North Pass, set foot on the Jinjing Guanma Road known as the Xigu Stacked Road, Yi Zhizhi only noticed that this official road is not only wide and straight and the road surface is also quite good, it is actually paved with stones, this is very rare, it seems that for the official road of Beijing and Tianjin, the imperial court is not generally important.

Tianjin is not far from Jingshi, two hundred and forty miles, all the way through the Ziya River, Daqing River, through Xigu, Dingzigu, Yangcun, Hexi Wu forward, on the morning of the third day, Yi Zhizhi saw the tall and majestic Jingshi city wall in the distance.

After entering the city through Chaoyang Gate, Chang Gui followed behind Yi Zhifen and said tentatively: "Where do you want to stay?" ”

Yi Zhizhi entered Beijing to finalize the matter of the national debt, which was mainly to deal with the household department, and when he said: "Find a place close to the household department, the requirements are not high, and it will be clean and clean." ”

Chang Gui is an old Beijinger, and immediately said without thinking: "Then find an inn outside Zhengyangmen, there are six in Zhengyangmen, and it is convenient for adults to play and do things." ”

"Done." Yi Zhizhi said with his jaw, he was the first time to come to Beijing, where did he know what was good, and it was impossible for Jin Ling to pit him.

Seeing that he agreed, Chang Gui continued: "There is still a long way to go from Zhengyangmen here, is it called a sedan chair." ”

"No, you don't." Yi Zhishu walked on the road, the first time he came to Jingshi, he naturally wanted to take this opportunity to feel the taste of Jingshi, yes, the taste, Jingshi is not better than Guangzhou, there are more horses, more donkeys and more mules on the street, there is a lot of livestock manure on the street, and even the air is filled with a bad smell.

The streets are also dirt roads, but they are straight and wide, and the buildings on both sides are also unique and magnificent, and the momentum of the imperial city is overwhelming.

At dusk, Yi Zhishu and his entourage finally settled down, and chartered a single courtyard in Da'er Hutong called "Matou Inn" outside Zhengyang Gate, and behind the courtyard is the moat, which is also clean.

The group walked all the way from Chaoyangmen, all of them were tired enough, even the most restless Jin Ying was shouting to rest early, but Yi Zhizhi called Chang Gui and asked: "Wang Ding Wang Zhongtang Mansion, do you know?" ”

"I don't know where the six departments are, and I can't know Wang Zhongtang's mansion." Chang Gui said poorly: "Wang Zhongtang is a household name in Beijing, and he is well-known for being honest and upright. As he spoke, he said tentatively, "Your Excellency is going to visit Wang Zhongtang?" ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "Is it appropriate to go at night, or is it appropriate to go during the day?" ”

"It's night, naturally." Chang Gui said: "I can't see Wang Zhongtang in the daytime, and when I go, I sit in the side room and count the bricks on the wall." ”

What are you doing counting bricks? Kill time? Yi Zhixiang smiled and didn't ask much, he knew that this guy had a poor mouth, and he couldn't finish talking, so he groaned slightly, and then he ordered: "Then accompany me to the palace, call the top sedan chair." ”

Rushed to the palace and handed over the post, Yi Zhishu was led to the east wing, and when he entered the wing, he saw that six or seven officials were talking softly, and he couldn't help but secretly complain, when do you have to wait? He was also reluctant to talk to those officials, find a remote place to sit down, and wondered in his heart what to say when he saw Wang Ding, as early as the year before last, when Wang Ding was still the head of the household, he asked Deng Tingzhen to pass him, he refused without hesitation, this time meeting, I don't know if the other party will mention this stubble.

He sat alone in a robe and horse coat, and he was very eye-catching in the wing, and several officials in the room were a little surprised, and looked at him a few times, but they couldn't figure out what his identity was, of course, one by one, he thought about his identity, and no one came up to disturb him.

However, during tea time, a long attendant walked in quickly, walked directly to Yi Zhi, bowed and said, "Yi Da shopkeeper, there is an invitation in the middle hall." As he spoke, he straightened up, waved his hands at the officials, and said, "Everyone, please go back today, Zhongtang has ordered, if there is something urgent, leave a post." ”

Obviously, Wang Zhongtang wanted to have a long talk with this big shopkeeper, so he asked them to go back first, where did this big shopkeeper come from? Worthy of Wang Zhongtang's attention?

Yi Zhixiang didn't expect Wang Ding to value him so much, and he actually ordered to expel guests for him, so he didn't dare to slack off, got up and followed the long entourage into the courtyard, and entered the room, he quickly glanced at Wang Ding, who was sitting still under the candlelight, an old man with a tall figure and an angular face, he knew that the other party was already seventy and two.

With a quick glance, he retracted his gaze, swung forward, knelt down and said, "Guangzhou Yi Zhixin meets Lord Zhongtang." ”

Wang Ding looked him up and down a few times before he spoke: "It's hard for you to come to Jingshi, get up." ”

Listening to his loud voice, full of energy, it seems that not only is his body good, but his spirit is also good, but the meaning of these words is worth savoring, Yi Zhishu simply pretended not to understand, got up and said: "Yingyi has increased its troops on a large scale, the situation is tense, and the imperial court has no precedent for issuing treasury bonds. ”

"Well, sit down." Wang Ding said and instructed again: "Serve tea." After a slight hesitation, he asked, "Yingyi has increased his troops in a big way, but is it true?" ”

Yi Zhixin said cautiously: "It should be true." ”

Wang Ding said in a deep voice: "The emperor has always been thrifty, and the transfer of the army is expensive, if there is a mistake in the information, a false alarm, you should know the consequences, at least a lie about the military situation, and at worst it is a big crime of bullying the king." ”

Is it so risky to provide information? Yi Zhizhi said simply: "Then I didn't say it." ”

Seeing him speak like this, Wang Ding was quite surprised, and secretly thought that this kid was really not suitable to enter the officialdom, and after a little groaning, he said: "Tell me, how did you know." ”

"In order to return the Yingyi prisoners of war, I met the commander of the Yingyi fleet twice in private." Yi Zhishu said that he briefly said the situation of testing Yilu, and as for Huang Dianyuan providing him with news, he didn't dare to mention it.

It seems that Yingyi's increase in troops is true, Wang Ding pondered for a moment before he said: "Before the war is over, it is not appropriate to privately return thousands of Yingyi prisoners of war." ”

Yi knew where he was willing to bear the burden in this matter, and immediately said without hesitation: "The matter of returning the prisoners of war, who is qualified to call the shots, it was Lin Butang and Lord Qincha who decided to return it in exchange for half a year of peace on the southeast coast. ”

Wang Ding didn't know the specific situation of this matter, and he didn't bother about it at the moment, so he stretched out his hand and said, "Take it and take a look." ”

Yi Zhishu naturally knew that he was going to undertake the contract of the national debt, so he quickly took out his hands and presented it to the past, took the contract, Wang Ding added two candles, put on reading glasses, and then looked down carefully, Yi Zhishu had the leisure to look at the furnishings in the room, the furnishings in the room were very simple, but the fragrance of the book was very heavy, whether it was incorruptible, he did not dare to assert, but it was very simple It is certain, Dongge University Scholar, Minister of Military Aircraft, can be so self-disciplined, it is indeed not ordinary.

After carefully reading the contract, Wang Ding took off his reading glasses and said: "The monthly interest rate is eight percent, and ten million taels a year is one million interest, which is tantamount to adding insult to injury for the imperial court. ”

"Eight cents can't be less, there's no room for negotiation here." Yi Zhizhi said: "This is the first time that the imperial court has issued treasury bonds, the interest rate is slightly higher, which is conducive to smooth issuance, and if it is issued in the future, the interest rate can be gradually reduced. ”

Wang Ding lazily considered his tone, changed his words, and said: "I'm afraid Yuan Qi's life is not easy, is it profitable to undertake this national debt?" ”

"Lose money and shout." Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said, "In this business, Yuan Qi is expected to lose millions of taels." ”

"Why?"

Yi Zhizhi smiled, "If you want to say that it is for the country and for the king, do you believe it?" ”

Seeing that his tone was relaxed and unrestrained, Wang Ding was a little surprised, and said in a muffled voice at the moment: "It's better to be like this." ”

"Expressing difficulties for the country and sharing worries for the monarch is what it should mean." Yi Zhizu looked up at him and said: "In business, knowing that he is losing money, Yuan Qi is still doing it, mainly to promote the imperial court to take the first step in issuing treasury bonds, not only in the event of a large-scale war can it issue treasury bonds, and large-scale economic development can also issue treasury bonds." ”

Wang Ding said with a smile: "Isn't it to keep Yuanqi's group practice? ”

Yi Zhi was content for a moment, and asked rhetorically: "If you undertake this national debt, you can keep Yuanqi group training?" ”

Interesting, how long has no one dared to talk to him like this, Wang Ding didn't think he was angry, stretched out his hand to ask for tea, and took a few sips of the teacup, this kid can ask so rhetorically, it can be seen that he sees this very thoroughly, indeed, if the court can't tolerate Yuanqi's group practice, even if Yuanqi undertakes this national debt, the court will not be a little soft on Yuanqi's group practice.

Putting down the teacup, he said, "Say, go on." (To be continued.) )