I don't know how long I was silent in the dark, Yi Zhishu suddenly became conscious, heard the sound of the river flowing, faint talking, and smelled a faint fragrance of fat powder at the end of his nose, and wanted to open his eyes, but found that he couldn't open his eyes, not only couldn't open his eyes, but also couldn't make a sound, and he couldn't even move his little finger, as if he had no body.

Is this really dead? Still not dead? Is it an out-of-body soul? He felt a wave of panic.

The faint voice gradually became clear, "...... Hearing about the upheaval of Baoshun Foreign Bank, he has recently lobbied some Hong Kong businessmen to jointly submit a letter to the Governor's Office, accusing Xingtai Bank of ....... ”

"It's going to rain, my mother is going to get married, what can I do? Can you still let him sue? ”

"There's no room to turn around?"

"Round? Those bastards, whether they have blue or green eyes, only recognize silver, how to turn around? ”

“…… Brother Shikuan doesn't have any other ideas? ”

"Thoughts? owes more than two million, Guangdong Customs and the Thirteen Lines are staring at them like thieves, what else can they think? ”

Thirteen lines! Yi Zhixiang was stunned, as a native of Guangzhou, how could he not know the principle of the Thirteen Elements? The thirteen lines that monopolized the foreign maritime trade of the Qing Dynasty had a very glorious history, and the thirteen merchants and the Shanxi Jin merchants and the two Huai salt merchants were known as the three major merchants of the Qing Dynasty, but unfortunately, the thirteen lines disappeared after the first ** war.

Bumpy ground? Isn't it the big ** dealer in Lin Zexu's smoking ban? Guangdong Customs, Turbulence, Governor's Palace, Xingtai Xing....The Thirteen Lines have not been disbanded? This is Guangzhou on the eve of the first ** war?

Yi Zhishu faintly gave birth to a trace of fear in his heart, who were the two people who spoke? Listening to the tone, it seemed to be thirteen lines, and just as he pondered the identities of the two, the voice sounded again; "Brother Yi is okay, right? Although it was summer, the river was cold in the morning and evening, and he was drunk and fell into the water ....... ”

"Don't worry, it's going to be fine, good people don't live long, bad people last forever, Le Zai will be fine...... In one more hour, the sky will be bright, go and squint, here is called the little maid to guard. ”

Drunk overboard! Yi Zhifen suddenly came to his senses, didn't he just hire a small boat with his friends to cruise the Pearl River at night after drinking, and the boat fell into the water in the middle of the river! Hell, it's wearing....more... Finish? There was a bang in his head, and countless fragmented images came to him like a flood that burst the embankment, and then he passed out.

The day is getting brighter, and the little servant Li Zhonggui is anxious to stay by the bed of Yi Zhicontent, sighing in his heart that he is unlucky, who would have thought that the young master would drink a flower wine on the flower boat and even fall into the river, I hope the Bodhisattva blesses, the young master can be safe and sound, otherwise he will be beaten half to death when he returns home like this.

The sun was rising, and seeing that Yi Zhizhi still had no sign of waking up, Li Zhonggui was a little worried, and leaned over to the bed and called softly: "Young master, young master." ”

Seeing that there was no response, he shook it boldly, but he felt that his hand was hot, but Yi Zhishu did not react at all, he was startled, and hurriedly opened the door and ran out to the next room, banged the door vigorously, and shouted: "Yan Gongzi, Yan Gongzi, my young master is not good!" ”

Soon, Yan Shikuan, who had a fat head and a fat brain, a big nose and small eyes, poked his head out and said, "What's wrong?" ”

Li Zhonggui said with a crying voice: "The young master is so hot that he can't shake ...... awake." ”

As soon as he heard this, Yan Shikuan immediately became anxious, he didn't have time to put on his shoes, and ran into Yi Zhi's room with bare feet, and then rushed out again, kicked Li Zhonggui over, and shouted with a hideous face: "It's all burned like this, how did you wait?" Why didn't you say it earlier? After kicking Li Zhonggui a few more times, he shouted: "Don't hurry up and invite Langzhong!" ”

This time, the people up and down the flower boat were alarmed, asked about the situation, the boss of the flower boat was also anxious, and hurriedly sent someone to invite Langzhong, and then, returned to his own room, and put three incense sticks on the Guanyin Bodhisattva to worship, and prayed in a low voice.

A few thirteen line disciples who stayed on the painting boat also gathered one after another, one by one they were worried but helpless, and no one could make up their minds.

Lang Zhong came quite quickly, but half an hour later, an old man with gray hair walked quickly on the flower boat with the two little guys, and after finishing the pulse, the old man sat down for a long time, then got up, waved at everyone, and said: "The old man's medical skills are shallow, and I hope you will be smart." ”

What do you mean? Everyone was stunned, Yan Shikuan hurriedly stepped forward and said, "But the condition is dangerous?" ”

"I'm afraid that my life is worried, so you should ask for another skill." After the old man finished speaking, he separated everyone and left quickly.

Fear for your life! Yan Shikuan's face turned pale and stunned, and he hurriedly shouted, "What are you still doing in a daze?" Hurry up, send him back to the house, and divide two people to invite the best Langzhong in Guangzhou City and Xiguan to go directly to Yifu. ”

When everyone was in a mess, a little guy ran up to the flower boat panting, saw Yan Shikuan at a glance, and hurriedly called: "Young master, young master." ”

Yan Shikuan was anxious about himself, glared at him angrily, and said, "What's the matter?" ”

"The master told you to go home immediately."

"Something with no eyesight, didn't you see that I was busy?"

The little guy said with a sad face: "Young master, a group of foreign businessmen went to the Taiping Gate early this morning to hand over the post, and sued the master, the entire Xiguan is now spreading, the master strictly ordered, and the young master will return to the house immediately." ”

So fast? Several thirteen line disciples couldn't help but look at each other, Yan Shikuan was stunned for a moment, and said to a few people: "Bother a few people to send Le Zai back to the house as soon as possible, and take the next step." He stomped his foot and walked away quickly.

A.D. 1837, the seventeenth year of Daoguang, April 20.

The British businessmen hurriedly submitted a letter to Deng Tingzhen, the governor of Liangguang, accusing the Xingtai Bank of the 13 Banks of owing 2.58 million yuan (silver dollars) in debt and being unable to repay it, and imploring Deng Tingzhen to give permission to the 13 Banks to determine the compensation plan according to the usual practice of the unbankrupt merchants' meeting.

Outside the Taiping Gate, Xiguan - the location of the Thirteen Lines Commercial Bank and the Waiyi Commercial Hall, the most prosperous commercial center in Guangzhou City.

Xingtai Bank was sued by foreign businessmen for a huge amount of business debts, and as soon as the news spread, it immediately caused a sensation in Xiguan, and the whole Xiguan tea houses, Chinese and foreign companies, business names, guild halls, Yi halls, and colleges were all discussed in the streets and alleys.

It is not uncommon for the thirteen banks to go bankrupt, but it is rare to see such a Xingtai bank, which is not ranked high in the thirteen banks, and it has not been in the industry for a long time, but it has only been seven or eight years, and it has owed such a huge amount of debt, which is naturally very eye-catching.

Some people with a keen sense of smell and a smart mind have a hunch that the Thirteen Elements, which have been calm for more than ten years, may usher in another catastrophe, and it is likely to be a life-and-death catastrophe related to the survival of the Thirteen Elements!

Xiguan, Jingyuan Street, Futai Bank.

Yi Yunchang, a Kunguan over 50 years old, held a copy of the "Guangzhou Weekly" in his hand, and paced back and forth in the room with a frown, although Xingtai Bank was accused by foreign businessmen, although he had expected it, but once it became a fact, he still felt extremely uneasy.

Most of the merchants of the 13 banks are heavily indebted, and Fu Tai Bank is no exception, owing about 400,000 yuan to foreign businessmen.

Since the Qianlong Dynasty, there have been almost no exceptions, and the debts left over by the bankrupt firms have been compensated by the non-bankrupt firms of the 13 banks -- this is a joint and several mutual insurance system formulated by the imperial court.

Yi Yunchang is worried that with the current situation of the Thirteen Banks, it will definitely not be able to repay such a high debt in the short term, which will inevitably cause panic among foreign lenders, so they will come to collect debts.

If the creditors come to the door to force debts, the Futai Bank will immediately follow in the footsteps of Xingtai Bank, and take a step back, even if only half of the creditors come to force debts, Futai Bank can only hold on to this year's failure at most, and next year it will still not be able to escape the end of bankruptcy and bankruptcy.

I don't know how many times I paced back and forth, Yi Yunchang stopped and commanded to the outside world: "Come on." ”

has been waiting outside the door, Yi Zhishu, who assisted in managing the business, hurriedly pushed the door in, he is the eldest son of Yi Yunchang, just after the year of establishment, since the establishment of Daoguang ten years of Futai Bank, he has been assisting in the management of the firm, not only familiar with business, but also fluent in Cantonese English.

Seeing him come in, Yi Yunchang raised the newspaper in his hand and said: "The British businessman's accusation against Xingtai Bank was published in the headline of the "Guangzhou Weekly", which will inevitably arouse the panic of foreign businessmen, and it is inevitable that someone will come to collect debts. ”

It's like quenching your thirst! Yi Zhishu's face turned extremely pale, and he hesitated for a moment before he whispered, "Can you think of borrowing ......?" ”

Yi Yunchang stared at him and said, "In this situation, it's too late to collect loans, who dares to lend to us?" ”

Yi Zhishu didn't dare to talk nonsense, nodded and said, "The child will do it immediately." ”

"Tell below, if there is a merchant coming to visit, you don't need to report it, just bring it in to see me." Yi Yunchang said and waved his hand, "Go ahead." ”

Listening to the sound of the door closing, Yi Yunchang looked up to the sky and sighed, the strength of his whole body seemed to be taken away, and the whole person was shriveled, buying tea and raw silk on credit at a high price, selling and hoarding goods at a low price, not to repay debts, but to prepare for bankruptcy and bankruptcy, making this decision, he seemed to have aged ten years all of a sudden.

Since bankruptcy and bankruptcy are inevitable, and it is only delayed until next year, it is better to go bankrupt late than to close down early, and next year's closure will not be this year's closure! Passive bankruptcy, it is better to actively bankrupt!

With the collapse of Xingtai Bank, the 13 commercial banks will not say half of the closure, but at least three or four percent of the closure, taking advantage of this trend of bankruptcy and taking the initiative to go bankrupt, it is easier to fish in troubled waters.

The thirteen commercial banks went bankrupt in arrears, not only did they have to confiscate their family property, but the merchants had to be exiled to the frontier on charges of fraud, and what was even more unbearable was that their families had to sell all of them to pay off their debts.

The reason why Yi Yunchang took the initiative to make the decision to go bankrupt was that he was unwilling to drag down all his family members, and he wanted to plan to send some of his family members to Nanyang to avoid trouble, at least to leave some hope for the Yi family.

Suddenly, the door was slammed open, and a middle-aged man rushed in with a pale face, and said breathlessly: "Master...... Third Young Master...... Something happened! ”