Xiguan, Thirteen Lines Commercial Hall District.

Although British businessmen have agreed to smuggle crows. The piece of the pump boat sailed to Humen to surrender the crows. piece, Lin Zexu has also led a group of civil and military officials to Humen to start collecting crows. However, the Thirteen Merchant Pavilion District is still under martial law, and all the streets and alleys leading to the Merchant Pavilion District are still tightly sealed, and there are officers and soldiers of the Navy Division patrolling and checking each street day and night.

A four-person sedan chair stopped at the intersection of Doulan Street, Yi Zhizhi came out of the sedan chair and glanced at the patrolling soldiers, but did not come forward, he was going to the British Pavilion with Wu Shaorong, Pan Zhengwei, and Lu Jiguang today to meet Yilu, and urged Yilu and all British businessmen to issue a knot not to bring opium to China -- that is, a document guaranteeing that they would never bring opium to Guangzhou in the future.

For this sweet knot, Yi Zhishu is very disapproving, he knows very well that in the crow. Of course, the main reason why he didn't want to come was that he didn't want to see the law of righteousness, but not only Wu Bingjian strongly asked him to come, but Lin Zexu also asked him to come by name, and he couldn't shirk it at all.

It was not yet summer, but it was already very hot in Guangzhou, and the sun was out early, Yi Zhifen glanced back, saw that there was no sedan chair, and did not want to go back to the sedan chair to wait, thinking that the sedan chair was too stuffy, so he instructed the little servant: "Go find a chair and sit on the edge of the street." As he spoke, he took out a cigar and lit it slowly.

Since martial law, the originally lively and noisy Doulan Street has been deserted, and all the shops have been closed, Li Wang looked at the deserted street, so he had to come to a few patrolling soldiers, and said with a smile: "A few soldiers, can you borrow a chair for our young master." ”

One of the soldiers glanced at him, then at Yi Zhi, who was smoking a cigar. said: "Your young master is a foreign businessman?" "Now that the merchant hall is under martial law, the people who come are either foreign businessmen or officials, and it is not the ordinary gentry who dare to sit in a sedan chair for four people.

"Yes, yes, yes." Li Wang smiled and said, "The young master of our family is Yi Kunguan of Futai Xing. Yuanqi's big shopkeeper. ”

As soon as he heard that it was the shopkeeper of Yuanqi, the attitude of the soldiers changed, and who did not know that the shopkeeper of Yi Zhizhi was the god of wealth of the sailor, and even Guan Junmen saluted him, and he hurriedly said: "Little brother later." As he spoke, he hurried to report it.

Soon, a young military attache of twenty-five or sixteen walked out quickly, arrived at Yi Zhisuff, and arched his hand: "Hong Haitao, the commander of the middle battalion, has seen Yi Da's shopkeeper. ”

"Lord Hong doesn't have to be polite." Yi Zhishu hurriedly returned the salute.

See him easy-going. Hong Haitao said with a smile: "The shopkeeper of Yi Da wants to wait for someone, so it is better to go to the house and sit for a while." ”

"Don't bother, just sit here."

Seeing that he was reluctant to enter the house, Hong Haitao waved his hand, and several soldiers hurriedly moved tables and chairs over, and after inviting Yi Zhizhi to sit down, he ordered again: "Brew a pot of tea." ”

Seeing him so attentive, Yi Zhixiang smiled. "How is the situation in the merchant hall?" ”

"Most of the Citi merchants have left the merchant house, and now only English merchants remain." Hong Haitao said: "All the food and drink are also sent in on a daily basis. Those foreigners are quite honest and don't toss. ”

Yi Zhishu nodded, it was he who persuaded Lin Zexu to let the American businessmen evacuate the merchant hall, smuggling crows. The film is mainly British, there is no need to overturn a boatload of people with a pole, and it is necessary to pull and pull out for foreign businessmen. Moreover, now Yuanqi is working closely with the Americans, and the Changle Machinery Factory, the Changzhou Shipyard, and the Focan-Guangzhou Railway now employ a large number of Americans, and the Americans and the British must be treated differently.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Hong Haitao said boldly: "I heard that Yuanqi has built a new shipyard in Changzhou. In recruiting craftsman apprentices, there are a few cousins in the next hometown, and they are also smart and clever, can they enter the factory as apprentices? ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhi couldn't help but smile, it was strange that he was so diligent, it turned out that he was asking for something, it seemed that Yuan Qi's high salary was quite attractive, and he immediately asked: "Where is Lord Hong's hometown?" ”

"I am originally from Hengzhou Mansion, Hunan."

In Hengzhou, Hunan, Yi Zhishu nodded, and said happily: "Okay, not only Changzhou Shipyard, Yuanqi will open several large factories this year and next year, and it is people who want it, but apprentices are generally only recruited between fourteen and fifteen years old - eighteen years old, and those over eighteen can only be workers." ”

"Do apprentices get paid? And how much do workers get paid? ”

"Yes, apprentices have one ocean a month, ordinary workers, two oceans a month, after a long time, they can still increase their wages, and the wage standards of the factories under Yuan Qi's name are the same."

Listening to the ordinary workers can earn more than 20 oceans a year, Hong Haitao is excited, farming at home, how many oceans can he earn a year? He arched his hand and said, "I'll send a letter here, and ask them to bring more people over." ”

"You're welcome." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "People have arrived in Guangzhou, you come to me, and I will arrange it for you." ”

"Xie Yida, the shopkeeper."

Li Wang stepped forward at this time and reported: "Young master, a sedan chair is coming." ”

Yi Zhizu looked sideways, and saw a sedan chair slowly coming, immediately smiled at Hong Haitao, got up and said, "Lord Hong, go and be busy, I will welcome them." ”

The sedan chair landed, the first to come out was Wu Shaorong, followed by Pan Zhengwei, Lu Jiguang, and the last one was Wu Changqing, he couldn't help but smile, he didn't expect Wu Changqing to come to join in the fun, a few people greeted each other slightly, then abandoned the sedan chair and walked into the business hall area, walking slowly all the way, Yi Zhicontent deliberately left behind, smiled and asked Wu Changqing, and said: "Changqing doesn't go to Changzhou Shipyard to supervise, what are you doing here?" ”

Wu Changqing said in a low voice: "The old man forced me to come." ”

Yi Zhixiang was speechless for a while, it seemed that Wu Bingjian was really unwilling, and let Wu Changqing follow, obviously to mediate between Yilu and Lin Zexu, and try to avoid the outbreak of war, he didn't want to talk about this topic, and immediately changed his head and said: "How long will it take for the Changzhou Shipyard to be built?" I'm in a hurry to build a steam clipper. ”

Wu Changqing glanced at him and said, "None of those Citiboat boatmen have experience in building steam clippers. ”

"What's so hard about a steamboat? It is nothing more than a steam engine for power. Yi Zhishu said this, but his heart was a little empty, to say that the ships of the future generations will use propeller, which he knows, but the problem is that he doesn't know the professional stuff, the propeller is at the bottom of the stern. How to seal waterproof?

And now, whether it is the United States, the United Kingdom, or France, steam ships use paddle wheels instead of propellers, which is not that the propeller was not invented, Stephen invented a propeller with 4 windmill blades, but in the end the paddle wheel was used, and he doesn't know what caused the propeller to be eliminated. It seems that some skilled workers with experience in building steamships have also been aroused.

Although Wu Changqing didn't understand steamboats, he had inquired about some steamships, and immediately smiled: "What Brother Situde said is lightweight, so simple, steamships have long been popularized." ”

The two talked all the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the British Pavilion, don't look at the strict blockade outside, but there were no soldiers in the merchant hall area at all. The Thirteen Merchants Pavilion area of Nuoda seemed very deserted and empty, and there was no one in the beautiful garden.

Seeing that Yi Zhixiang and Wu Changqing were also there, Yilu's face showed a smile, and Wu Shaorong and the three of them were simple and polite, and then stretched out his hand to Yi Zhixiang, and said with a smile: "I can see Mr. Yi at this time." It's a real pleasure. ”

The evacuation of American businessmen from the merchant district was entirely the result of Yi Zhi's persuasion of Lin Zexu. He had heard about it, and he was quite happy that Yi Zhi's contentment had arrived.

Yi Zhizu smiled and shook his hand, saying, "I'm sorry, I couldn't bring you good news. ”

"It's good news that Mr. Yi can come." Yilu said and shook hands with Wu Changqing. Then he stretched out his hand and said, "Gentlemen, please." ”

The group went up to the second floor and came to a small living room, and after taking a seat, Wu Shaorong, who was easy to see, signaled to him that he was not hypocritical. Explaining the meaning simply and straightforwardly, Yilu shook his head and said, "Mr. Yi should know that as the director of commerce of the British Empire in China, I cannot issue this knot without the authorization of Her Majesty, and as for other businessmen, I have no right to interfere." ”

What Yilu said is indeed not unreasonable, he represents British politics. Fu, it is impossible to issue this knot, Yi Zhizhi nodded, and said: "Our imperial court has promulgated a new anti-smoking ordinance - Article 39 of the Regulations on the Prohibition of Opium Tobacco, which stipulates the smuggling and trafficking of crows in the form of law. All foreign businessmen who come to Guangzhou to trade, as long as they violate the laws of the Qing Dynasty, will abide by the laws of the Qing Dynasty and be punished according to the law. ”

Hearing this, Yilu hurriedly said: "No, this is impossible, Mr. Yi, the laws of your country are too barbaric, and the government of your country cannot achieve a fair trial, and the people of the British Empire cannot accept it, we should enjoy extraterritoriality." ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said sarcastically: "Excuse me, does England enjoy extraterritoriality in France, in the United States, in Prussia, in Russia and other countries?" ”

"What Mr. Yi said is a civilized country."

"A civilized country will allow its own merchants to blatantly smuggle crows. Slice? ”

"Crow. Tablets are legal commodities in European countries, as well as in the United States. ”

This is not a quibble, except for the Qing Dynasty, the crow. Films are legal commodities in other countries, and Yi Zhixin knows this, and he immediately said: "But in the Qing Dynasty, it is expressly forbidden." ”

Yilu spread his hands and said, "Let's not discuss this issue." ”

"Okay, move on to the law." Yi Zhizhi said: "I think Your Excellency the Director should be very clear that the people of England enjoy extraterritoriality in the Great Qing Dynasty, which is a violation of the sovereignty of the Great Qing Dynasty!" If the laws of the Qing Dynasty were too barbaric and the officials were unfair, they could have sat down and negotiated, or the Qing court could have set up a special court in Guangzhou to try foreign-related cases. ”

"This is a good suggestion, and I am in favor of setting up a special court in Guangzhou to try foreign-related cases." Yilu glanced at Wu Shaorong as he spoke, and instructed the vice consul to say, "You take a few gentlemen to the first floor to inquire and see how many businessmen are willing to issue a sweet knot." ”

Wu Shaorong knew that he wanted to talk to Yi Zhixiang alone, and after glancing at Wu Changqing, he got up and said to Pan Zhengwei and Lu Jiguang: "We don't understand the matter of the law, and it is our errand to issue a sweet knot." ”

Wu Shaorong and the three of them left, Yilu glanced at Wu Changqing, who was not moving, and Yi Zhizhi smiled and said, "If Your Excellency has something to say, just say it directly, it's okay." ”

After a slight groan, Yilu said: "Your country sent us to surrender the crow. Pieces of things, presumably Mr. Yi is very clear that nowadays, our crows. The piece pump ship is handing over the crows at Humen. pieces, but the tea promised to us, but there is no movement, Mr. Yi should know, this is tens of millions of dollars of crows. Piece, to be honest, I'm worried. ”

"Who promised it to you? Chincha-sama? ”

"Your Lord Qincha has never been able to see you, and what you promised is the Wu Zongshang of the Thirteen Lines, this is the only thing we can trust, and it is also the only person we can contact who can represent the officials of your country."

"Why didn't Your Excellency ask General Merchant Wu?"

"He didn't dare mention it to Lord Chincha."

"How much tea was promised?"

"A box of crows. Slices of five quintals of tea. ”

"Five quintals, five hundred catties?"

Seeing Yilu nodded, Yi Zhizhi said with a full jaw: "I can help Your Excellency ask Lord Qincha." Before he finished speaking, Wu Changqing, who had been sullen like a gourd, spoke: "It is impossible for Lord Qincha to agree to exchange five quintals of tea for a box of crows. Slice. ”

"Why?" Yilu hesitated: "Could it be that Mr. Wu deliberately deceives?" ”

"Such a big thing, how dare Mr. Wu deceive Your Excellency?" Wu Changqing glanced at Yi Zhizhi as he spoke, and said, "If Lord Qincha is unwilling to cash in this batch of tea, we can compensate in private, in full." ”

Yilu looked at him and then at Yi Zhicontent, a little incredulous, more than 100,000 quintals of tea, this is more than 4 million yuan, from the Wu family and Yuanqi Bank?

Being held hostage by Wu Changqing, Yi Zhishu couldn't object, nodded before he said: "However, Your Excellency must keep it absolutely confidential and not let anyone know, otherwise, not only the Wu family and my Yan family will be beheaded, but even the entire thirteen merchants will be implicated, and Your Excellency has to guarantee that in the future, English merchants will no longer be able to smuggle crows. Piece, of course, the thirteen lines will also resolutely resist the crow. piece smuggling, we don't have the money to compensate again. ”

Hearing this, Yilu knew that Wu Changqing was not joking, and he was silent for a long time before he said: "This matter is too big, please give me a few days to think about it." ”

Out of the British Merchant House, seeing that Yi Zhimu was silent all the way with a wooden face, Wu Changqing said timidly: "Don't blame Brother Contentment, it's all the old man's meaning." ”

"Yilu will not agree." Yi Zhicontent said in a deep voice.

Wu Changqing said: "What if you agree?" ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said, "If Yilu agrees, we don't agree." ”

Hearing this, Wu Changqing smiled and said, "This is exactly what the old man said." (To be continued.) )