Deng Tingzhen came abruptly, in a hurry, did not have much impact on the guests of Lei Garden, a group of guests or listening to books, or watching plays and juggling, or staying in their respective circles to drink tea and talk, Lei Garden covers a wide area, the courtyard is layered on top of each other, each circle is distinct, do not interfere with each other, a group of guests are happy.

Seeing Deng Tingzhen's sedan chair walking away, Wu Changqing reminded: "Brother contentment, don't be lazy at the door, you are the master, and you can greet the guests inside." ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "Everyone else is easy to say, Xuehaitang Nanshan Gong and them, really go and say hello in person." ”

Zhang Weiyun and the three of them like to be clean, and chose a secluded courtyard to drink tea and chat, and the tea they saw had been replaced by two pots, Liang Tingfang took out his pocket watch and looked at it, and said: "I never thought that there are so many guests in Lei Yuan today, and I am afraid that I will have no time to withdraw." ”

"Zhang Ran doesn't need to be anxious." Zhang Weiyun said slowly: "That kid is more refined than a monkey when he is stained with hair, and he will definitely come to greet us." ”

Before the words fell, a little guy walked in quickly, bowed down and said, "Three gentlemen, Shopkeeper Yi is here." ”

"It's really accurate for Nanshan Gong." Liang Tingfang smiled, got up and paced to the door of the room, Yi Zhishu strode over, and before he entered the door, he smiled and said: "The greeting is not good, and I hope that Mr. Sanwei Haihan." ”

Zhang Weiyun smiled and said, "You kid is also a layman, so you have a good end to a Lei Yuan, see what you have become like if you have ruined it?" It's just a matter of setting up a stage to sing, and there are juggling and storytelling, you can really spoil it. ”

Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "The guests who come here are not all elegant people, and the way to treat hospitality is to appreciate both elegance and vulgarity." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and said, "Please be seated." ”

The three of them all knew that Yi Zhixiang was busy today, and after the ceremony was seated, Lin Botong said straight to the point: "I heard that Contentment wants to recruit scholars to lead Yuanqi to practice. Why did contentment have this idea? ”

It was really for the Yuanqi group to practice, Yi Zhixiang smiled and said: "It is the practice of all dynasties to unify martial arts with literature, and it is just a routine in the future. ”

Zhang Weiyun said bluntly: "Contentment is not a person who follows the rules of everything. ”

Yi Zhishu glanced at the three of them and said, "The three of them are so concerned about Yuanqi group training. But there are scholars in Xuehaitang and Yuehua Academy who want to come to Yuanqi to practice and apply? ”

Slightly muttering, Lin Botong said: "Xuehaitang has always advocated the application of the world, advocating and encouraging learning to govern things and save the world as an urgent task. ”

Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "Yuan Qi is very welcome. ”

Zhang Weiyun glared at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense. ”

He took out a cigar and lit it slowly. Yi Zhifencai said without hurry: "Yuanqi group training is different from ordinary local group training, not only is the scale large, but all the group warriors are recruited from various prefectures and counties in the name of Yuanqi, and Yuanqi has to be responsible for these young people."

The reason why the soldiers were recruited to lead the Yuanqi group training was very simple, fighting a war did not rely on the courage of flesh and blood, and not only needed experience, but also wisdom and strategy. How many years has it been since the Eight Banners Green Battalion in Guangzhou experienced a battle formation? Moreover, this time it is not an ordinary pirate, but an English navy that dominates the seas.

So. The younger generation does not hire military attachés from the Eight Banners Green Battalion for training, but recruits soldiers to lead the Yuanqi regiment to practice, and the soldiers who dare to come to the Yuanqi regiment to train the commanders and lead the regiment will read some military books to some extent, although they lack experience, but the younger generations think. They are more suitable than the military attachés of the Eight Banners Green Battalion. ”

Liang Tingfang opened his mouth and said: "If you are content, you can rest assured that you will hand over the Yuanqi group training to those scholars?" ”

"Of course not." Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "The Yuanqi regiment trains 10,000 people, divided into 20 battalions, and the test is taken once a month, and each battalion competes to survive the fittest." The battalion is divided into companies, platoons, and squads, and all adopt the system of competitive selection. As he spoke, he smiled, "It's not easy to command troops in Yuanqi. ”

"Yuanqi regimental training adopts the Western military system?"

"Yes, Yuanqi regimental training will imitate the Western method of military training, there are many Citigroup retired soldiers in Guangzhou, and the younger generation is ready to hire them to teach Western military training skills."

Liang Tingfang asked, "What about the equipment?" ”

"Naturally, firearms are the mainstay." Yi Zhishu said without hesitation: "The Yuanqi regiment was formed in a hurry, if you still use broadswords, spears, bows and arrows to fight against the muskets and artillery of England, it is better not to form it." ”

What a big breath, Yuanqi group practice is 10,000 people, all with firearms? Zhang Weiyun and the three of them were secretly shocked in their hearts, and after glancing at each other, Lin Botong said: "Contentment can get so many firearms? ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "Yuan Qi has released news to the merchants of Citigroup and France, as well as the Portuguese merchants in Macau, to buy firearms at a high price. ”

Liang Tingfang said with some doubts: "Now that the English are blockading Haikou, there are still foreign businessmen who dare to come to Guangzhou to trade?" ”

Yi Zhizhi said: "It's luring to make a lot of profits, hoping that someone will take risks." ”

Speaking of this, the room quieted down, took a few sips of tea, and the two people who saw it were no longer silent, and Zhang Weiyun said: "Be content and go to greet other guests first, you don't have to always accompany us." ”

Yi Zhishu was not polite, and immediately got up to say goodbye, Xuehaitang and Yuehua Academy were interested in Yuanqi's group training, which was not a good thing for him to Yuanqi, the reason why he openly recruited scholars to serve as Yuanqi's regimental training military attachés at all levels was not only to refuse Deng Tingzhen's involvement in Yuanqi's regimental training, but also to eliminate the suspicion of the local government and gentry about Yuanqi.

Although most of the shareholders of Yuanqi are gentry, but the status of businessmen is low in these years, and the gentry do not have much sense of identity with Yuanqi.

There are scholars from the two major academies of Xuehaitang and Yuehua Academy who have entered the Yuanqi group training, which is undoubtedly an excellent publicity opportunity for the Yuanqi group training, and the scholars who are waiting and hesitating in various prefectures and counties will inevitably come to compete for the position, and what is even more rare is that the vigilance of these local officials in Guangzhou against the Yuanqi group training will be reduced to the minimum.

As for the control of Yuanqi's group training, he is not worried about this, the salary and logistics supplies are in his hands, and there are many righteous students who share power, and those scholars of the academy can still turn the sky?

In the yard. Zhang Weiyan glanced at the two of them and said, "Don't you speak, are you tempted?" ”

"Can you not be tempted?" Liang Tingfang said with a smile: "Young and strong, well paid, Western-style training, equipped with firearms. Competition for office, where is this team training, and the Eight Banners Green Battalion may not be able to catch up, how can it not be tempting? ”

Lin Botong nodded approvingly, and said: "Yuanqi group practice is quite innovative, I'm afraid it is promising, and it is worth trying for those boys." ”

Zhang Weiyun smiled: "Since this is the case, then it is settled." ”

In the blink of an eye, it is the winter solstice. The smell of the New Year is getting stronger, and the panic about the war seems to have faded a lot, people's topics are more about the New Year, rather than the war, after the New Year is the Lantern Festival, after the Lantern Festival, the smell of the New Year has disappeared, and everything is back to normal.

this year. It's not easy to be content, because the English don't live too much. On the second day of the first lunar month, the Yilu warship "Hai Ah Xin" sailed into the inner harbor of Macao, and on the third day of the first lunar month, Lin Zexu sent troops to Macao, but the Portuguese consul in Macao prevented the Qing troops from stationing, and the two sides almost misfired.

Fortunately, the Portuguese authorities in Macao are interested. After mediating with Yilu, the British battleship "Hai Ah Xin" withdrew from Macao, and the matter was temporarily settled, and Lin Zexu was greatly dissatisfied with the Portuguese authorities in Macao, and ordered Gao Lian Dao Yi Zhongfu to go to Macao to negotiate. He also ordered the Portuguese authorities to expel the British from Macao, and not to allow a single person.

The Portuguese did not want the British to affect their interests in Macao, and in response to Lin Zexu's toughness, they lowered their posture quite lowly, completely complying with Lin Zexu's wishes, and began to expel the British in Macao again, finally allowing the officials, gentry, merchants, and common people in Guangzhou to spend the New Year in peace.

On the twentieth day of the first month, Yi Zhishu came back from Huadi and Henan to inspect the newly built regimental training camp, the sedan chair just arrived at the gate of Lei Yuan, it was stopped by the human fence, and when he got off the sedan chair, he saw that it was Yu Baochun, he hurriedly smiled and said: "Lord Yu is." ”

Yu Baochun said with a wry smile: "The lord of the ministry is invited, the old man can't find the shopkeeper of Yida, so he has to wait here." ”

"What's going on?"

"It's about Yingyi." Yu Baochun said succinctly: "Get up in the sedan chair, don't let the ministry wait for a long time." ”

rushed all the way to the governor's mansion, entered the signing room, and after the ceremony, Lin Zexu handed over a document and said, "Be content and take a look." ”

This is an original English document, which is a letter of protest sent by the British Foreign Secretary Palmerston - "Letter of Protest to the Manchu Prime Minister", calling for the opening of ports, the establishment of consuls, the cession of islands, compensation for tobacco prices, the abolition of foreign banks, compensation for military expenses, freedom of residence, and so on.

After reading it quickly, Yi Zhizhi said: "Britain has appointed George Elius, commander of the Navy at the Cape of Good Hope, as minister plenipotentiary for negotiations with China, and Charles Yilu as deputy envoy, which is a letter of protest written by British Foreign Secretary Palmerston that they forwarded. As he spoke, he translated it according to the original meaning, and then said, "Do you want to copy a copy of the ministry?" ”

This original Lin Zexu has already been translated, and the meaning is probably not very different, listening to this, he shook his head slightly, and said: "Transcription is not in a hurry, what does Contentment think about this?" ”

"This letter of protest is actually an ultimatum." Yi Zhishu said in a deep voice: "If they refuse, the British will start a war." ”

Lin Zexu said slowly: "What does contentment think about this? ”

After hesitating, Yi Zhizhi said, "To be honest? ”

Hearing this, Lin Zexu said with some amusement: "Is it wrong to be content? ”

"Not really." Yi Zhizu said in a deep voice: "Cutting the land, paying compensation, is it tolerable or unbearable, the Qing Dynasty has never suffered such humiliation, even if it is a bloody battle to the end, it will not hesitate!" But. ”

Lin Zexu said in a deep voice: "Say, there is no need to scruple, this department does not scold people." ”

Yi Zhizu looked up at him and said, "England is ready for war, can the Qing Dynasty be ready for war?" It's not Guangzhou that's talking about next, it's Jingshi! ”

"What is contentment worried about?"

"I'm worried that the imperial court doesn't have the determination to fight to the end, and it doesn't have the courage to fight to the last soldier!"

Hearing this, Lin Zexu was speechless for a long time, and after a long time, he sighed and said: "The imperial treasury is empty, and I don't want to provoke lightly. ”

"If this is the case, then it is better not to fight, at least to retain a sense of dignity, so that the people of the Qing Dynasty can immerse themselves in the dream of **** Shangguo for ten more years."

"What does it mean to be content, after ten years, you still have to fight in the end?"

"There's no doubt about that." Yi Zhizhi said in a deep voice: "How can you be satisfied with the aggressive nature of England? Seeing that the court is weak, it will inevitably gain an inch, and eventually push the court to a dead end and have to fight! This kind of situation is not uncommon in our Chinese history. ”

After a while, Lin Zexu said in a sullen voice: "Since this is the case, it is better to fight late than early!" ”

On the 27th day of the first lunar month, Lin Zexu changed his passive defense, and sent the water warriors and sailors formed by the fishermen to take the initiative to attack, advance in the middle of the night, sail close to the place where the British ships were staying, and set fire to them by surprise, set fire to them together, threw the nozzle fire canisters, and threw them in the wind, burning a total of 23 ships of the size of the traitors to buy tobacco and soil and help the enemy, and together with a British three-board burned, burned down six places on the beach in the sea, and killed a number of traitors, and captured ten enemy bandits.

Hearing this news, Yi Zhizhi smiled heartily, Lin Zexu replied to the English ultimatum with practical actions! At this point, there is no possibility of relaxation between the Qing Dynasty and England!

On the morning of the fourth day of the second lunar month, Yu Baochun hurriedly dared to come to Rongyuan, and said with a slight greeting: "Lord Ministry will go to inspect the Changle Machinery Factory and the Naval Division Ammunition Bureau this morning, and be content to prepare quickly." ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhizu breathed a sigh of relief, he finally came, and after Lin Zexu finished inspecting, he could boldly produce guns and ammunition! He immediately smiled and said, "Do you go to the factory to wait, or go with the minister?" ”

"Naturally, I went to the factory and waited." Yu Baochun said without thinking: "Two things, one is safety, and the other is diet, there can't be the slightest difference, otherwise we won't be able to speak." ”

"Don't worry, sir." Yi Zhishu said and took out the beautifully packaged gift box from the drawer, opened it and took out a pocket watch, and said, "This is a pocket watch produced by Tianbao Watch Factory, and adults help advertise it." ”

"Advertise?" Yu Baochun was stunned and didn't understand what he meant.

Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "The adults use our Tianbao pocket watch, which is a live advertisement, and when others look at it, the prefect uses the Tianbao watch, so let's buy one and wear it." ”

"Gift-giving can be so innovative, contentment is the first one." Yu Baochun took the pocket watch with a smile and asked casually, "How many Tianbao watches are sold?" ”

"My lord, this is a handmade pocket watch." Yi Zhixiang said with a smile, "It's worth 10,000 oceans." ”

Yu Baochun's hand shook, almost didn't hold it steady, and asked eagerly, "How much?" ”

"Twenty years later, the value of the guarantee is tens of thousands of oceans." Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "However, the current price is only three thousand oceans, this is a gold watch, and it is limited, only a hundred yuan is produced, and it is sold very well in Jingshi and Jiangning, and the one on Lin Butang is this." ”

Three thousand is not cheap, Yu Baochun is now saying that it is good to be the alternate prefect, to say that it is ugly, it is an errand, and it is easy to be content to treat him so politely, he is full of gratitude, and immediately arched his hand and said: "Contentment and hospitality, the old man smiled." (To be continued.) )