Shanghai, Zhenhai Mansion, Lotus Garden. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

By the lake, in front of the pavilion, Yi Zhixiang and his wife and a group of concubines and children stood neatly in three rows, Huang Wengui and Fang Deyou, who graduated from Yale University, stood behind a bulky portable wooden box camera with an excited face, Fang Deyou stammered: "Principal, all ladies, young masters, and young ladies, please look at me here, smile naturally, and ....... naturally." ”

Yi Zhishu doesn't like to take pictures very much, and he rarely takes pictures, today is Mrs. Zaitong's birthday, and the other party proposed to take a family photo, he naturally didn't want to sweep the other party's interest, however, it was said that it was a family portrait, in fact, people did not come to Qi, Xu Yixuan did not come, Bai Zhi, Lin Xuan, Xia He were not in Shanghai, even so, there were many people.

For the sake of insurance, I took several photos in a row before it was finished, and Yi Zhishu smiled and said: "It's rare to take pictures in ordinary times, and the opportunity is rare, so you might as well take a few more photos." As he spoke, he beckoned to Fang Deyu and slowly walked into the very shady corridor.

Fang Deyou hurriedly followed, and said cautiously, "What does the principal command?" ”

"You should understand that photos can't be circulated." Yi Zhizhi said and took out the jade cigarette holder and lit a cigarette.

"Students understand." Fang Deyou hurriedly said: "All the negatives and photos today will be sent without leaving them all." ”

These two people are both international students from Yuan Qiyi, Yi Zhishu naturally trusts them, otherwise he would not let these two amateurs come to take pictures of the government, there are professional photo studios and photographers in Shanghai, he asked casually: "Like to take pictures?" ”

Fang Deyou didn't dare to talk nonsense, worried that Yi Zhizu would accuse him of not doing his job, after all, there are not many international students returning to China now, so he hesitated and said: "Go back to the principal, that is, fiddling with it in your spare time." ”

"It's good to have hobbies." When Yi Zhishu said this, his heart moved, why not build a camera factory? This thing also has a huge market demand and tenacious vitality, has been popular for at least 100 years, and is also conducive to promoting the development of chemistry and optics.

Seeing that Yi Zhizhi did not object to them not doing their job, Fang Deyou secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to retire, but Yi Zhizhi who listened to it said contentmently: "Yuan Qi plans to build a camera factory, are you interested?" ”

Fang Deyou was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "Although students like to take pictures, and the structure and principle of the camera are clear, they have no experience ....... setting up a factory. ”

Yi Zhifen smiled: "Hobbies and interests are the best motivation...... ”

Before she finished speaking, Lin Meilian came quickly and reported: "Sir, Prince Hui is here." ”

Qing Dynasty officialdom, Mrs. life is often a rare opportunity to accumulate wealth, Yi Zhicontent has never disdained it, the reason is very simple, he is afraid of trouble, and he does not look down on the idea of gift money, it is to carry through the living, outsiders do not know at all, Prince Hui came, obviously there is something else, he ordered without thinking: "Invite him to the study, Huifu will accompany him first, I will come later." ”

A quarter of an hour later, Yi Zhifen slowly paced into the study, and when he saw him come in, Mianyu got up and said with a smile: "Yizeng 800 li is urgent, and the new army soldiers of the Eight Banners in the northeast are divided into three routes, and all the Russian strongholds along the Heilongjiang River from Shile Kazawod to Boli have been cleared. ”

Afraid that Yi Zhizhi would not understand, he added: "Shilkazavod is the starting point of the Russians' armed voyage to the Heilongjiang River, and Boli is the deputy capital of the three surnames, located in the ...... on the east bank of the confluence of the Heilongjiang River and the Ussuri River. ”

For the war in the Northeast, Yi Zhishu is actually not too concerned, and has never asked, if the 10,000 Eight Banners New Army of Yizeng still can't sweep the Russian stronghold in the Northeast, it should buy a piece of tofu and kill it, after all, the Russians' strongholds along the Heilongjiang River are mainly near the mouth of the sea, and they have been encircled and suppressed by the Nanyang Navy and the Beiyang Naval Division.

However, when he heard the good news from Yizeng, he was naturally happy and said: "After this battle, the Russians will definitely not dare to offend the Northeast again. As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to give up his seat.

After Mianyu sat down, he continued: "Yizeng has reported success, and I implore you to station the ....... of the Eight Banners New Army in Shilekazawod, Aihui, and Boli. ”

Is this asking for his opinion? Or is it a disguised want of arms? Yi Zhishu groaned slightly, and then said: "Each of the three places can stay a company, recruit troops on the spot, train according to the training method of the Eight Banners New Army, and then map the northeast after the war against Britain is over." ”

Map the Northeast again? What do you mean? Mianyu said tentatively: "The Northeast still needs to expand? ”

"Of course." Yi Zhixiang said without hesitation: "If the Russians can occupy our territory, we can't occupy their territory?" At present, Russia is weak, and it is a good opportunity for us to plot the expansion of the northeast! ”

This heart is really big, Mianyu sighed secretly, the battle with England, I don't know what the result is, I just want to expand in the northeast, he came this time mainly to ask Yi Zhixiang's opinion, and he was in a hurry to reply to the imperial court, and he was not verbose at the moment, and got up to leave.

After Mianyu returned to Shanghai this time, he came diligently, and he was naturally not so polite, Cao Gensheng, who had been waiting in the wing next door, saw Mianyu out of the yard, and then hurried over, and reported: "The big shopkeeper, Nanyang Penang called, a big victory." ”

"Reading ——。"

"Yesterday afternoon, the main force of the navy led by the Rank Department completely annihilated 25 warships of the British East Indies Fleet in the waters near Penang, eight British ships were sunk, and 17 British ships -- four third-class battleships, eight fourth-class ships, and five small warships -- all scuttled and sank, capturing more than 3,200 officers and men, killing more than 500 officers and men, killing and wounding more than 500 officers, destroying three warships, and damaging 16 warships of varying severity."

Seventeen British ships scuttled and sank! Yi Zhi couldn't help but be stunned, he fought several battles with the British army, most of the British troops would choose to surrender in a desperate situation, why did the East India Fleet choose to scuttle the ship and sink itself? Is it worried about surrendering and strengthening the strength of the Nanyang Navy?

Zhao Wenlie was also shocked when he heard it, and he was speechless for a long time.

Cao Gensheng then recited: "In addition, the Russian plenipotentiary Putiyatin led a delegation to Penang and wants to go to Shanghai, will he be allowed to go?" ”

Russia sent envoys to Shanghai, Yi Zhixin was not surprised, it was strange not to send envoys to come, and only after a little muttering did he speak: "The Russian mission is coming, there is no reason not to let it go, let it go." ”

After a pause, he continued: "From today, the ban on foreign merchant ships will be lifted, except for British merchant ships. Malacca is also free of blockade and is allowed to sail freely. In addition, Temasek connected to the external cable telegraph and resumed cable telegraph communication with Europe. ”

Zhao Wenlie nodded slightly, the British East Indies Fleet was wiped out in Malacca, and there was no need to hide the Qing Dynasty's declaration of war on Britain, and it couldn't be concealed, Britain was no matter how sluggish it was, it was time to react, and besides, it was autumn now, because of the monsoon, even if Britain wanted to send troops, it would have to wait until next year.

Cao Gensheng, who was waiting, stopped writing, and Yi Zhizhi continued: "The telegram ordered the Gong Deshu Department to be stationed in Sikkim and lead the troops south to attack Calcutta. The telegram ordered Chen Hongming's department in the strait to lead the main force of the fleet to the north to attack Calcutta, and it was necessary to capture Kolkata and return within this year. ”

"Inform Yin Youcai of Cheli in Yunnan about the situation of the north-south attack on Kolkata, and the Taiping army of Burma must rush to Kolkata before the end of this year to converge."

Attack on Kolkata? Zhao Wenlie couldn't believe his ears, Kolkata was the capital of British India! He looked at Yi Zhicontent with a stunned expression, and couldn't help but speak: "Big treasurer, there are at least tens of thousands of British soldiers ...... Calcutta. ”

Yi Zhifen glanced at him and said, "The British forces in India are mainly concentrated in Calcutta, Mumbai, and Madras. Although it is claimed that there are 240,000, in fact there are only 40,000 British troops, and the other 200,000 are Sipa soldiers, that is, mercenaries, soldiers recruited by the British in India, with little combat power and backward weapons and equipment.

Moreover, since the invasion of Burma by the Taiping Army, the British army has transferred a large number of troops from Calcutta into Burma, and the current Kolkata troops are not much, but about 30,000 troops, so there is no need to worry. ”

At this point, he stood up and lifted the curtain on the wall, revealing a large map inside, pointing to Sikkim, Bhutan, and Calcutta, and said: "This place is a bridge and a hub connecting India and Southeast Asia, and its strategic position is very important, and controlling this place will completely curb the British expansion into Southeast Asia."

In addition, if you control this place, you can transfer troops or supplies from the sea, which is extremely conducive to consolidating Tibet, and if you can occupy this place, Britain will also die for Tibet! ”

Zhao Wenlie hesitated: "The strategic position is so important, how can the British give it up easily?" Moreover, Calcutta is also the seat of the British Viceroyalty of India, and once the war starts, it may be an endless situation, and the British army may send troops to recover Calcutta first. ”

"It's not possible, it's certain!" Yi Zhizhi said: "India is known as a pearl in the crown of the British Queen, and its importance is naturally self-evident, Calcutta has fallen, and the British army invading China will inevitably recover Calcutta first." ”

What do you mean? Zhao Wenlie looked at him confused, "What kind of medicine is sold in this gourd of the big shopkeeper?" ”

"Let the British understand that the Qing Dynasty is capable of threatening his rule in India at any time!" Yi Zhizhi said slowly: "Calcutta will not be the main battlefield, the British army is coming, let's retreat, 100,000 Taiping troops are enough for them to have a headache." ”

Zhao Wenlie couldn't figure out his thoughts for a while, it was obvious that sending troops to fight Calcutta would never be as simple as he said, but the other party refused to say it, and he didn't want to ask deeply.

Yuan Qi forcibly forbade all foreign merchant ships to leave the treaty port, all foreign merchant ship owners complained, several times a day to the consulate of their respective countries to ask and inquire about the situation, when Yuan Qi announced the lifting of the ban, a group of ship owners are not in a hurry to leave, everyone knows that a big war is about to break out in the Far East, God knows whether you can continue to do business in the Far East next year, this trip must be fully loaded.

When foreign merchant ships were concentrated in Guangzhou and Shanghai, there was a frenzied sweeping scene, one by one foreign businessmen brandished silver stamps or promissory notes to sweep goods one by one, and the prices of hot-selling commodities such as tea, raw silk, silk, rhubarb, sugar, and rubber rose for a time, but they were still all out of stock, and everyone knew that once a war broke out, the absolute prices of these commodities would skyrocket.

A hybrid merchant ship with a black, yellow and white flag fluttering on the top of the mast sailed quickly and flexibly on the Huangpu River, and Putiyatin, the plenipotentiary minister of the Russian envoy to the Qing State, stood on the deck and looked at the still prosperous and peaceful scene, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

The last time he came to Shanghai, Russia was still a world power, known as the 'European gendarme', and it was completely a high-minded attitude towards the Qing Dynasty, but it was already a earth-shaking change, Russia was no longer a world power, and the 'European gendarme' had become a joke.

In just a few years, the Qing invaded their Kamchatka Peninsula, swept away the territory they had spent hundreds of years encroaching on in the northwest, and uprooted all their strongholds in the northeast.

What shocked him even more was that the Qing State actually directly declared war on England, captured Hong Kong, and forced the surrender of 3,000 British troops stationed in Hong Kong, not counting, but also annihilated the British East India Fleet in Malacca, it is foreseeable that once the Qing State survived this war, no one could stop the strong rise of the Qing State!

It is true that the Qing navy could not be the opponent of Britain and France, but it is difficult to say that the army is far away, because the distance makes it impossible for Britain and France to send a large number of troops as in the Crimea.

Qing Guo is the big treasurer of Yuanqi, not only has a brilliant vision, but also is very good at seizing opportunities, Russia was stabbed a few times by him in the back, this time it is the turn of Britain and France, from the point of view of pulling out the three supply ports of England in Hong Kong and the Strait of Malacca, Britain and France have to be careful with their logistics supply lines.

Russia had no concession in Shanghai, and after going ashore, Putiyating chose to rent a house on Zhenhai Road, because of the shortage of funds, he could only choose a house, not a garden, although he was anxious to see Yi Zhi, he also rested for one night, and only went to Zhenhai Mansion the next morning to ask for a meeting.

After hearing the news, he personally went to the gate of the courtyard to greet him, and when the two sides met and greeted each other, he asked directly: "In the Crimean War, how much did your country spend on the war in total?" ”

Listening to the translation, Putiatin's face was a little ugly, was he laughing at them for the poor place where the Russian mission lived? Or is it schadenfreude that Russia was on the verge of bankruptcy after the war? Then it occurred to him that the other party might be trying to demand the arrears of the Ili arms deal.

After a little hesitation, he said vaguely: "The specific war expenses are not clear, and the total expenditure is estimated to be as high as several hundred million rubles. As he spoke, he showed a very regretful expression, "The arrears for the Ili arms deal may take several years to be repaid." ”