Wu Changqing took the lantern from the little servant and ordered, "You go back first." After the little servant left, he laughed in a low voice: "I heard Brother Zecheng say that Miss Jin is Tianzu." ”

Tianzu is a big foot, Yi Zhizu is slightly flustered, he really didn't notice that Jin Lanxiang is a big foot, no wonder she and Xu Yixuan can come out dressed as a man, seeing that he is silent, Wu Changqing smiled and said: "The little foot lady is easy to find, but Miss Tianzu is rare, although there are big women who do not bind their feet, but most of them are covered up in every way, and it is easy not to know, and the contentment brother can cherish it." ”

Yi Zhicontent glanced at him and said, "Don't make fun of this, how can marriage be a child's play?" ”

"It's not a joke, it's a concern." Wu Changqing said with a smile: "As the so-called starting a family and starting a business, Brother Contentment is already in the age of a weak crown, and as the treasurer of Yuanqi, he has not yet started a family, which is easy to criticize." ”

"Provoked?" Yi Zhizhi said disapprerovingly: "We have caused less criticism?" There are a lot of them now, and there will be more in the future, so I don't care about this one thing. As he spoke, he asked, "You didn't tell me what I like about Tianzu, did you?" ”

"Nope." Wu Changqing hurriedly said: "This is not a good thing, how can you talk nonsense." ”

Yi Zhizhi said: "It's not a good thing, it's not a bad thing, and it's okay to say it." ”

As soon as he thought about it, Wu Changqing reacted and said with a smile: "King Wu is a good swordsman, and the people are full of scars. The king of Chu has a thin waist, and he starves to death in the palace. The shopkeeper of Yuanqi likes Tianzu, and when the news spread, I am afraid that the trend of women's foot binding in central Guangdong will change. ”

"Give me less top hats." Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "I am not the king of Wu, nor am I the king of Chu, I don't have that much influence." ”

"Why should a contented brother be humble." Wu Changqing said with a smile: "With Yuan Qi unifying the Guangdong money industry. The name of Brother Contentment has resounded throughout Guangdong. Next year, the construction of the Foshan-Guangzhou railway will begin. The machine silk reeling factory is fully promoted, and the reputation of the brother will rise to a higher level. ”

He didn't say it, Yi Zhishu really didn't realize that he was not too big or too small to be a person now, but as a businessman, it was not a good thing to be too famous. Fortunately, he had a lot of contacts with the governor Deng Tingzhen, the governor Yiliang, the admiral Guan Tianpei and other military and political officials in Guangzhou, and the imperial court intended to use Yuan Qi to try out the issuance of treasury bonds and inspect the construction of railways, otherwise there must have been many people who made his idea.

"People are afraid of being famous, pigs are afraid of being strong." As he spoke, he smiled to himself and said: "It's not a good thing for a businessman to be famous, the tree is a big trick, Yuan Qi has now reached the point of attracting the wind, and he has to grow up as soon as possible." Otherwise, there is a possibility that it will be blown by the wind. As he spoke, he turned his head around. Is there any news about Evergreen's investigation into the economic crisis in England? ”

"Look at me, I almost forgot about it." Wu Changqing said with a smile: "I invited a few British businessmen to the banquet last night, and I carefully inquired during the banquet, and there was indeed an economic crisis in England, and the scale was not small, much larger than the previous ones." ”

"How many times ago?"

"Yes." Wu Changqing said: "England has broken out several economic crises in recent years, last year's economic crisis was more severe than the outbreak of war between Britain and the United States in 1811, the price of agricultural products rose sharply, the price of industrial products fell sharply, because to build the Foshan-Guangzhou railway, I specially asked the price of iron, the price of high-quality iron has fallen from 20 pounds a ton to 8 pounds, the price of various machines has also fallen sharply, I have asked them to count the specific prices of various types of machines in detail, it is estimated that it will take a few days to deliver." ”

How much does high-quality iron cost eight pounds a tonne? That is, thirty-three yuan, Yi Zhizhi raised his eyebrows, the price of iron in Foshan is one hundred and forty yuan a ton, the difference is more than four times, and it is certain that Foshan's iron is inevitably inferior to Britain in terms of quality, this business is done, you can talk to Yilu.

After a slight groan, he said, "Let them count the price of the machine as soon as possible, and the fleet of Qichangxing should be almost there." ”

"Okay." Wu Changqing said excitedly: "We can push the price down this time." ”

"There's no need to be so ruthless." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "We have to make them profitable, we not only want machines, but also need all kinds of technical personnel to help us build factories, we want to make the Americans feel that Guangzhou is stupid and stupid, and it is a good place to pan for gold, so as to attract a large number of technical talents from various industries to Guangzhou." ”

"No wonder Brother Si Si is so generous to American businessmen and mechanics." Wu Changqing smiled happily: "Then we will be stupid for two years." ”

The two talked all the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the dock, Wu Changqing glanced at it, didn't see Li Wang, and couldn't help asking, "Brother Si Yu didn't bring a little girl?" ”

"Leave him in Yixue, let him hang out with those students." Yi Zhizhi said and arched his hand: "Changqing go back." After getting on the boat, he whispered: "Little Liu, go to the flower field." ”

"Yes, young master." Fang Xiaoliu hurriedly responded, hung the lantern on the bow of the boat, Fang Xiaosi at the stern shook the pulp silently, and the boat left the dock, the Fang family brothers on the boat were refugees from Hunan, and the family of seven was in the resettlement village near Yixue.

The fast boat was moving slowly at night, and Yi Zhizhi sat in the cabin smoking a cigar and thinking about his thoughts, giving the officers and soldiers of the merchant group a reward for their stocks, and giving preferential treatment in terms of stocks, which was not only out of his own needs, but also a test for Yi Zhicontent, and he wanted to take this opportunity to test Wu Bingjian's reaction.

The salary of the merchant group is a piece of ocean a month, which is not as good as the salary of the green camp sailor, but if it is on top of Yuan Qi's stock, even if it is only a percentage of the body, the annual income will be several times higher than the salary of the green camp - at least five or six times, and the preferential treatment given to the merchant group in terms of body shares, plus the merchant group is trained by him, it can be said that no one can take away the control of the merchant group from him in the future.

This point, with Wu Bingjian's old spiciness, it is impossible not to see it, but Wu Bingjian has no objection at all, and he has no intention of meddling in training, and he didn't even ask a word, Wu Bingjian is disdainful of the merchant group? Or are you worried about getting into trouble by controlling the Guardian Merchant Group? Or is there another reason?

Yi Zhishu is quite puzzled, the construction of Yuan Qi Yixue, the order of four warships, the recruitment of Yixue students, the Wu family has spent a lot of effort and a large amount of silver, but now they don't even have the slightest intention of getting involved in the merchant group, which is indeed a bit intriguing and unreasonable.

The wealth of the Wu family has accumulated to the point where it is rich enough to rival the country, what does Wu Bingjian desire most now? Of course, it will no longer be wealth, but power! From rich to expensive, extending to future generations, this is the idea of all rich people, Wu Bingjian is no exception, in the face of the private army at his fingertips, he is not moved, isn't this a strange thing? (To be continued.) )