Lin Zexu has summoned thirteen merchants to consult and find out the bottom in the past few days, the first one to meet is Yi Zhifen of Futai Xing, only knowing that he went to Qiongzhou Mansion, and does not know the specific reason, now I know that he actually went to Qiongzhou to investigate the iron ore in person in order to reduce the cost of railway construction, and his heart suddenly had a good feeling.

After a slight hesitation, he asked, "I heard that Yi Zhishu is proficient in Yi language and familiar with the West, but is it a fact?" How does it compare to Liang Tingfang? ”

Liang Tingfang - the supervisor of Yuehua Academy, the character Zhang Ran, the owner of the Tenghua Pavilion, a native of Shunde, Guangdong, a deputy Banggongsheng in the 14th year of Daoguang, was hired into the Haiphong Book Bureau, compiled the "Guangdong Haiphong Collection", and edited the "Guangdong Customs Chronicle" in the Yuehua Academy.

For Liang Tingzhen, Deng Tingzhen is not only familiar with but also very appreciative, Liang Tingzhen's position as the supervisor of Yuehua Academy, is appointed by Deng Tingzhen, slightly groaning, he said: "Easy to know content but a child, but intelligent, to say that the understanding of the West, the world is afraid that no one can match, he is not only good at the way of Western economy, but also has a strong interest in Western machinery, and can speak fluent Yi, not Liang Tingzhen can reach, however, to say that the understanding of Guangdong coastal defense, but Liang Tingfang is slightly better." ”

Hearing that he spoke so highly of Yi Zhicontent, Lin Zexu couldn't help but be secretly surprised, he got up and took a copy of "Xiguan Daily" from his desk and said: "This tabloid, I heard that it is run by the children of the Thirteen Lines?" It is said that it is still related to the Governor's Palace? ”

"It was founded by Yi Zhizhi." Deng Tingzhen nodded and said: "At the request of the newspaper hall, the content of the newspaper is reviewed by the Governor's Office in advance, and there is no prohibition. before it is allowed to be printed. ”

That's a good idea. Slightly groaned. Lin Zexu said: "Xiguan Daily has a lot of influence, there are not a few people who buy newspapers and read newspapers, and they use it well, which can play a good role in guiding audio-visual. ”

Deng Tingzhen knew that Lin Zexu had frequently met or visited some prestigious gentry in Guangzhou in the past few days, and what he meant was that he wanted to use the influence of the newspaper, so he immediately said with a smile: "The sales volume of Xiguan Daily has exceeded 10,000, radiating Guangzhou and the surrounding prefectures and counties, and its influence is indeed not small. Adults may wish to encourage the local gentry of great prestige to write for the Xiguan Daily, calling for an explanation of the significance of the necessary impact of the mandatory smoking ban, so that the majority of the gentry will be quickly supported. ”

"Okay." Lin Zexu said with a hearty smile: "If you can get the strong support of "Xiguan Daily", you will be able to get twice the result with half the effort." As he spoke, he said with a smile: "Brother Wei Zhou, don't be an adult, get along in private, why do you need to see each other like this." As he spoke, he got up and handed over the draft of the "Decree on the Collection of Crows. The film added a draft of the gentleman's public office notice to pick up and handed it over, and said, "Brother Wei Zhou, take a look." ”

Deng Tingzhen read it quickly. After a long time, the gentry of the gentry of the provincial capital elected the gentry with influence and appeal to serve as members of the public bureau. In short, it means decentralizing power and mobilizing the urban and rural gentry to organize and participate in and even lead the non-smoking ban among the people.

After being silent for a long time, he said slowly: "Mobilizing the gentry to actively participate in the ban on smoking is conducive to quickly opening up the situation and can achieve immediate results, but the power is easy to let go and difficult to collect, besides, many gentry themselves smoke crows. and there are many discords among the local gentry, which is afraid that this move will cause local chaos. ”

"Smoking is a top priority." Lin Zexu said in a deep voice: "Smoking crows. The gentry of the film can't serve as members of the public bureau, as for chaos, don't be afraid of chaos, big chaos, small chaos, small chaos. ”

The "Ten Articles of the Regulations on the Prohibition of Smoking" opened the prelude to the ban on smoking in Guangzhou, and the official notice, the "Xiguan Daily" was full of voices of strict prohibition, banning smoking, banning, banning, and banning planting, and the soldiers went around arresting tobacco dealers, smashing underground secret tobacco houses, and an atmosphere of panic was permeated everywhere in the city, and everyone talked about the change of smoke.

Lin Zexu turned his attention to the smuggling crow at this time. The foreign businessmen of the film, blocking the source, is the top priority of Guangzhou's smoking ban, this point, he is very clear, therefore, all the way south, he has set a three-pronged anti-smoking strategy, a plugging crow. Pieces of smuggling source, pay foreign businessmen on hand crows. In addition, the tobacco houses were closed, the trade in opium was prohibited, unscrupulous merchants and tobacco dealers were severely punished, and the crows were completely eradicated. Slice of the market for buying and selling, and finally, severely punish crow smoking. The filmmaker is ordered to quit smoking for two months and eradicate the crow. piece of demand.

Now it is a two-pronged approach, this third pipe, Lin Zexu naturally will not delay, and he does not dare to delay, but he has to pay the crows in the hands of foreign businessmen. It's not an easy task, it's not good to come to the martial arts, and the sailor doesn't have the strength to encircle and suppress the crows. Piece pump ship, then it can only be written, for this, he has a plan.

On the fourth day of the first month of February, the Qin Cha Xingyuan issued two edicts one after another, "Ordering Foreign Merchants to Submit Tobacco and Soil Drafts" and "Ordering Merchants from Various Countries to Submit Tobacco and Soil Drafts", urging foreign merchants to transfer tens of thousands of boxes of crows on the pump ship as soon as possible. All the pieces are handed in.

Of course, Lin Zexu knew that with a piece of paper, it was impossible for foreign businessmen to obey obediently, and the merchants of the Thirteen Lines might not do their best to supervise them, so in the afternoon, he summoned the merchants of the Thirteen Lines together with Deng Tingzhen, Yiliang, Yu Kun, Guan Tianpei and other local officials.

Seeing the two edicts, the merchants of the Thirteen Lines immediately realized that they were in trouble, how could a foreign merchant easily take the crows on the pumping boat. Pieces handed over, 20,000 boxes of crows. The piece is 10 million silver dollars, and the minister Lin Zexu obviously won't stop easily, what are they caught in the middle? Isn't that fatal?

Just when everyone was panicking and discussing how to deal with it, when they heard that Lin Zexu had summoned them, they were even more sincerely afraid, but they didn't dare to delay at all, and hurriedly changed their official robes and went to Yuehua Academy. ”

Lin Zexu casually glanced at the merchants, didn't shout, and asked directly: "The two edicts issued by Ben Qincha today, have you read them all?" ”

Wu Shaorong hurriedly replied: "Lord Hui Qincha, the "Edict to Foreign Merchants to Submit Tobacco Drafts" and "Instructions to Merchants from Various Countries to Submit Tobacco Manuscripts" have been carefully read at the lower level. ”

"Then what does it mean that Ben Chin sent to summon you and others today?"

Just get it. Then you have to understand that pretending to be confused is not. Wu Shaorong hurriedly returned: "In the inferior stupidity. I don't dare to speculate on the meaning of Lord Qincha. ”

The response was quite decent, Lin Zexu said lightly, and said, "Come, give him the "Edict to Foreign Merchants to Order Foreign Merchants to Submit Tobacco and Soil Drafts", and let him read it aloud. ”

Wu Shaorong didn't dare to disrespect his order, and he didn't know what the other party's intentions were, so he took the order and immediately read it aloud. "Guangdong Huayi mutual market, so there must be foreign merchants, originally for the sake of preventing fornication...... The import of the ship was all claimed by the merchant and others, and he did not carry opium, and he was ordered to open the cabin for import, and did not reject a ship. It is said that there is no entrainment on the ship, isn't it a dream? ”

An edict. Accusing the thirteen merchants of colluding with foreign businessmen, secretly establishing shares, colluding with foreign businessmen, and wantonly smuggling crows. film, to the foreign businessmen to ventilate, false reports to barter, deceive the court, so that the outflow of silver, crows. The film is overflowing, and there are several large and small crimes, all of which are fatal.

After Wu Shaorong finished reading aloud, Lin Zexu spoke: "Can you be convinced of the crimes charged in the edict?" ”

Other accusations are no more, involvement in the smuggling of crows. The crime of the film is not trivial, Wu Shaorong immediately kowtowed and said: "Lord Qincha Mingjian, the thirteen merchants do not dare to participate in the crow. piece smuggling, please also ask Lord Qincha to investigate. ”

Hearing this, Yan Qichang, who was kneeling on the ground, jumped in his heart, and his heart was raised to his throat, for fear that these words would anger Lin Zexu, and Xingtai walked privately. Although the film is hidden and extremely cautious, how can there be no mistakes, once thoroughly investigated, there must be nothing to hide.

"So ——。" Lin Zexu said for a moment, and said sharply: "Or did Ben Qin wronged the thirteen lines?" Well? ”

Lin Zexu has banned smoking by thunderous means in the past few days, Wu Shaorong is really afraid and afraid of him, listening to him with a huge coercive tone, Wu Shaorong trembled, and hurriedly bowed down, not daring to reply.

Seeing this situation, Deng Tingzhen spoke: "Wu Shaorong, you dare to say that there are no smuggling crows in the merchant ships insured by the Thirteen Merchants. Slice? Do you want the main department to remind you? ”

Hearing this, Wu Shaorong immediately broke out in a cold sweat on his back, and he also remembered that in the twenty-first year of Jiaqing (1816), several boxes of opium were found on Citigroup merchant ships insured by Jardine Matheson, and Jardine was fined 160,000 yuan in silver, and other firms were fined 5,000 yuan, which was 50 times the value of the seized opium.

He hurriedly kowtowed and said, "The merchant smuggles crows. film, imposed a fine of 50 times, since the accident of the Citigroup merchant ship, no one dares to risk his life, and if the merchant is involved in the smuggling of crows. film, will not be due to serious business and frequent bankruptcy and bankruptcy, please also ask your adults to be clear. ”

Deng Tingzhen said unhurriedly: "Nowadays, crows are strictly prohibited in Guangzhou. Tablets, in the past, harbored smuggling or smoking crows. The civil and military officials of the film are all investigated as one, so why can't you and other businessmen be investigated? ”

Lin Zexu said in a deep voice: "Guangzhou crow. Smuggling is so rampant, Ben Qincha really doesn't believe that the Thirteen Lines are so clean. ”

How could the thirteen lines be so clean and withstand Lin Zexu's strict inspection? Before he finished speaking, Wu Shaorong kowtowed in fright and said: "The little one has no words, and I also ask Lord Qincha to forgive his sins, and Lord Mintang to forgive his sins." ”

A group of merchants also hurriedly kowtowed: "Please forgive Lord Qincha." ”

Seeing that the merchants were soft, Lin Zexu was no longer concerned with himself, he didn't have time to compare with the thirteen lines at the moment, and it was impossible for him to serve the thirteen lines in one pot, so he immediately snorted coldly and said: "Ben Qin sent you a chance to atone for your sins, and immediately rushed to Yiguan to read out the "Edict to Merchants from All Countries to Submit Tobacco and Soil Drafts" and instructed foreign merchants to pay the cigarettes and knots according to the edict, and within three days, take the settlement.

There was no movement after the expiration, and Ben Qincha immediately asked the king to order, correct the law of one or two foreign businessmen, copy the property into the official, and take Zhao Jiong's precepts, Wang'er and so on. ”

This is not a possible task at all, Wu Shaorong was stunned for a moment, and then kowtowed: "Yingyi has always been stubborn, he doesn't know etiquette, he doesn't know what to do, and he hopes that Lord Qincha will see it." After a slight pause, he said quickly: "In the inferior class, I am willing to repay the family with my family resources." ”

"Bang" Lin Zexu slapped the table and said angrily: "That's how you used to treat Qincha who came to Guangzhou to ban smoking? Ben Chin doesn't want silver, he wants your head! Within the three-day limit, if the foreign businessman does not pay the cigarette, Ben Chin will take the head of the person and get out! ”

A "roll" frightened the faces of the merchants, and they quickly kowtowed and bowed to withdraw.

Lin Zexu didn't want silver, and all the merchants realized that this time the trouble was not ordinary, so they hurried back to the merchant office in Xiguan to discuss, and sent someone to send a group of English crows from the merchant house. The smugglers called in to discuss with us.

"Boom-boom" The newly purchased fast cruiser that Yi Zhifen personally named "Qiongzhou" sounded one after another, and Yi Zhizhi and Wu Changqing stood on the deck and grabbed the side of the ship tightly, looking at the shore.

On the shore, more than 500 officers and men of the merchant regiment were divided into five neat squares in a company, and as soon as the artillery rang out, they saw shells visible to the naked eye flying towards them from the boat.

As soon as he saw that the formation on the shore was scattered, the guns on the battleship immediately stopped firing, and Yi Zhixiang laughed and said: "The recruits are afraid of artillery, as expected." ”

"How can you train like this?" Wu Changqing said loudly: "In case one of the artillery pieces misses." ”

"Rest assured, they are all experienced and skilled gunners." Yi Zhishu said loudly: "This is called psychological quality training, go through it a few more times, just get used to it, and when they encounter artillery attacks on the battlefield, they will not panic." ”

"That's it, but it's too expensive."

"Time waits for no one, you can only take a pile of silver." Yi Zhishu said and ordered in a loud voice: "Send the flag, let them organize the team, and come again." ”

Seeing the flag, Yan Yangtian hurriedly shouted: "Trumpeter, blow the trumpet, blow the assembly trumpet." He shouted twice, but there was no response, he looked back, the trumpeter didn't know where to run, he couldn't help but be angry and annoyed, took out the whistle and blew violently!

Listening to the sharp and familiar whistle, the officers and soldiers in a mess seemed to have found the backbone, which can also be said to be a conditioned reflex, and they stopped to look over, Yan Yangtian made a standard queue assembly action, and the company commanders of each company reacted quickly, hurriedly ran back, and shouted loudly, "Bugler, blow the assembly number!" ”

As soon as the loud and rapid trumpet sounded, he quickly stabilized his position, and the officers and soldiers of the chaotic pot of porridge and the merchant regiment quickly returned to their teams, and soon formed a five-square team, Yi Zhizhi looked at the pocket watch, and saw that the chaos had been for three minutes, and couldn't help shaking his head, and said, "Let's go, go ashore." ”

The group went ashore on a small boat and walked quickly to the front of the queue, and Yan Yangtian ordered a 'rest' before trotting to Yi Zhizu and saluting: "Please give the principal a lecture." ”

"Commander of the first battalion!"

"Yes." Chen Aguang, who was standing in the first row, hurriedly replied loudly.

Yi Zhishu walked up to him and said expressionlessly: "From now on, dismiss you from the position of commander and hand over the military number." (To be continued.) )