Rong Yuan, study.

Yan Shikuan lowered his voice and explained the situation in detail, it turned out that Yan Qichang had hoarded three thousand two hundred boxes of crows. Piece, he didn't dare to put all his eggs in one basket, but divided them into four parts, and hid them in four places, when Lin Zexu Humen sold cigarettes, that is, the crows in Guangzhou. When the price of opium reached the highest -- more than 3,000 silver dollars per box, Yan Qichang had the courage to sell more than 300 boxes of opium, which were shipped from the Pantang warehouse.

Yesterday morning, the big tobacco dealer waited for a big cigarette dealer -- that is, the tobacco dealer who had bought cigarettes from the Pantang warehouse was arrested and severely tortured, and in only half a day, he confessed the matter of the Pantang warehouse.

Fortunately, Yan Qichang is cautious, and the people who guard the Pantang warehouse have no direct relationship with Xingtaixing and the Yan family, and those who know the inside story are only the people in charge of the warehouse.

Yi Zhizhi smoked his cigar for a long time without saying a word, and Yan Qichang hoarded crows. film, this matter is indeed reminded by him, he was also kind at the beginning, hoping that the Yan family can seize this opportunity to turn the tables, Yan Qichang took a loan from Yuanqi, and he also came forward to guarantee it, and now that this is happening, he really doesn't dare not help.

A cigar was halfway smoked before he spoke: "What is the relationship between the person in charge of the warehouse and the Yan family?" ”

"The third brother of the old man's concubine." Yan Shikuan said in a sullen voice: "I used to be in Foshan, and I only came to Guangzhou last year. ”

"Where are the people?"

"Guangzhou Fuya Prison." Yan Shikuan reacted after speaking, and hesitated: "What does the third brother mean, kill your mouth?" ”

"Hoarding and selling seven or eight hundred boxes of crows. piece, do you think he can still live? Yi Zhicontent glanced at him and said, "Early death, early liberation." Save yourself a lot of pain from flesh and skin, and you will be at ease. ”

Yan Shikuan hesitated and said: "People are in the government prison, how to kill them?" ”

"Haven't you heard that money can make ghosts grind?" Yi Zhishu snatched him a sentence before he said: "Just extinguishing the mouth can't solve the problem." Tell Ling Zun. Don't leave it to chance and sell those 300 boxes of crows. All the silver of the piece was taken out, otherwise the government might not give up easily. After a pause, he continued: "In addition, tell Ling Zun that you must calm down, at this time, what to do and what to do wrong." It's the most correct thing to do nothing, just ask him to deposit the silver in Yuanqi, and I'll arrange the rest. ”

Yan Shikuan, who was waiting, left in a hurry, Yi Zhizhi sat for a while and got up and went out, rushing to Henan Island - Wu Family Garden, his background was too thin, some dirty work, and he had to ask for help from the Wu family.

Yanhui Building. Listening to Yi Zhi's contentment explanation, Wu Bingjian was a little surprised and said: "Xingtai Xing is smuggling crows. Slice? ”

Xingtai walking private crow. Piece for more than a year. Yi Zhizu didn't believe that Wu Bingjian wouldn't know, nodded his head, and then he said: "The juniors don't know that Xingtai Xing is smuggling crows. In the first half of the year, Xingtai Bank asked Yuanqi to borrow 1 million unsecured, which was guaranteed by the younger generation. ”

Wu Bingjian looked at him and said, "Now Lord Lin is the governor of Liangguang. It's too late for others to hide from this, so why should contentment take it on your body? Is it because of Yan Shikuan? ”

"It's not all about righteousness." Yi Zhishu said slowly: "The thirteen lines of businessmen are both prosperous and lossy, if Xingtai Xing is exposed to smuggling crows. Slice. The gentry and merchants of the world, who would believe that other merchants are clean? Besides, everyone knows that Yuanqi was founded by the Thirteen Banks, whether it is for the reputation of the merchants, or for the sake of the reputation of Yuanqi, we have to pull a Xingtai Bank. ”

"That's why?" Wu Bingjian was obviously a little unconvinced.

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "What other reasons does Pinghu Gong think the younger generation will have?" ”

Wu Bingjian made a gesture to invite tea, took a few sips of tea, and then said: "Lord Lin came to Guangzhou to ban smoking, and he didn't take the thirteen lines too seriously, if the Xingtai line was traced from the Pantang tobacco storehouse, it may not be a good thing for all the merchants of the thirteen lines. ”

Yi Zhizu said tentatively: "Those more than 300 boxes of crows. Do you want to spit out the pieces of silver? ”

"Of course you have to vomit." Wu Bingjian said: "Now Lord Lin is in urgent need of silver, if this silver is not spit out, he will definitely not give up, eight hundred boxes of crows. How can there be no traces of the piece of transfer and storage? If the government really wants to chase after it, Xingtai Bank will definitely not be able to cover it up. After a pause, he continued: "That amount of silver, Yuan Qi will donate it to the Governor's Palace, this is a tacit matter, there is no need to hide it." ”

Yi Zhixiang originally thought the same, and immediately said with a smile: "The junior has asked Xingtai Xing to deposit that silver into the Yuanqi General Account. ”

Wu Bingjian nodded approvingly and said, "This matter can't be delayed, hurry up." ”

Yi Zhifu rushed to the Governor's Palace, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon, and as soon as he handed over the name sticker, he heard someone greet him: "Yi Da shopkeeper." Looking back, it is really an acquaintance, the alternate prefect Yu Baochun, this person was originally the governor of Nanxiong, and then as the alternate prefect accompanied Lin Zexu to Guangzhou to ban smoking, quite reused by Lin Zexu, in the negotiation time with Yilu, Yi Zhicontent dealt with him, knowing that he was thoughtful and cumbersome.

When even smiled and arched his hand: "Lord Yu-." ”

Yu Baochun was about fifty or sixty years old, with a three-sheep beard, wearing an official robe, and he walked quickly before he arched his hand and said: "Contentment to come at this hour, but to invite two ministers?" ”

This is really a meal, Yi Zhizhi smiled, and asked instead of answering: "Lord Yu came to banquet the two ministers?" ”

"The shopkeeper of Yi Da laughed, how can he be qualified to invite two ministers to invite the two ministers, it is the prefect Zhuerhanga who has a banquet." Saying that, he said in a low voice: "I heard that Lord Zhuerhanga is about to be transferred back to the Beijing Division. ”

Zhuerhanga wants to be transferred back to Beijing? This is good news, Yi Zhishu immediately arched his hand and said, "Congratulations to Lord Yu." ”

Yu Baochun shook his head and said, "Where does the joy come from?" ”

Yi Zhizu said softly: "Is it gratifying to remove the word alternate?" ”

Yu Baochun's heart jumped, does this mean that he will act as the Guangzhou Mansion? Not only did he know that Yi Zhizhi was deeply valued by Deng Tingzhen and Lin Zexu, but he also knew that Yi Zhizhi was extremely accurate in judging people, so he hurriedly lowered his voice and said, "Contentment is not a joke? ”

Yi Zhixiang smiled. At a glance, he caught a glimpse of the door coming out, and said, "I have to go first in the next place." As soon as he said that, he hurriedly walked into the door, Yu Baochun hurriedly chased in, stuffed a silver ticket to the door, and said, "I'll accompany the shopkeeper Yi to go in." ”

Stay for the door to leave with interest. He also said step by step: "Don't hang the old man's appetite if you are content, is it really not a joke?" ”

"How dare you make such a joke with an adult?" Yi Zhixiang smiled: "I hope that adults will take care of it more in the future." ”

"Contentment says this, but you will see the outside, no." Yu Baochun said happily: "It should be enough to take care of the old man after knowing enough." ”

"Lord Yu is polite, let's take care of each other in the future."

The two talked all the way to the courtyard of the signing room, and Yu Baochun hurriedly gave in: "Be content and go in first." ”

Lin Zexu and Deng Tingzhen were busy handing over all day, and Yi Zhizhi came in, and after he saw the salute, Lin Zexu said with a smile: "The price of merchant ships has been counted, what is the total?" ”

Yi Zhizu bowed slightly and said: "There are twelve ships in total, with a total displacement of 14,000 tons. A total of $1,120,000. ”

"Twelve?" Lin Zexu said: "Including artillery? ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "The twelve-pounder and eighteen-pounder cannons are a total of sixty. ”

"What about recruiting sailors for Western sailors?"

"Lord Hui, in the name of the sailor, a notice has been posted in the name of the sailor, recruiting at the salary of 12 Spanish silver dollars a month, and from yesterday to this morning, more than 140 people have applied for the job."

Lin Zexu said: "Eleven or two people on a boat, will there be a lot." ”

"Sail is enough, but if you count the gunners. But it's not enough. Yi Zhishu said slowly: "Western warships have high requirements for gunners, and the gunners of naval warships may not be able to adapt in a short time. It is estimated that at least more than 100 people must be recruited to serve as gunners, and most of the crews and sailors of Western merchant ships are excellent gunners. “

Hearing this, Deng Tingzhen interjected: "Only one million yuan was raised, should I be content with another 200,000 yuan?" ”

"I originally wanted to buy a few more merchant ships, but unfortunately the remaining ships are a little dilapidated and not suitable for conversion into warships." Yi Zhizhi said and took out a promissory note. got up and handed it over, and said, "This is another million yuan donated by Yuan Qi, and the Lord of the Ministry doesn't need to worry about not having enough silver." ”

Donate another 1 million? Lin Zexu and Deng Tingzhen are all the same, which one is this singing? Yuan Qi has a lot of silver and has nowhere to use it? After a moment's pause, Lin Zexu said, "What's the matter?" ”

"Twelve ships. At least four hundred artillery pieces are needed, which cost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Yi Zhicontent said with a smile: "Lord Lin took over as the governor of Liangguang and purchased Citi merchant ships to be converted into warships, this news can't be concealed at all, Yingyi doesn't need to think about it at all, he knows that the warship artillery comes from the Humen Fort, therefore, the artillery of the Humen Fort must be cast and supplemented in time by the Foshan Artillery Bureau." ”

Lin Zexu suspected that there was something strange in this, but the defense of Humen really could not be taken lightly, and Yuan Qi had also taken the initiative to donate two million to the Humen Fort before, he really didn't dare to be suspicious, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "That is the case, this silver will be accepted by the headquarters first." ”

That night, Lin Zexu and Deng Tingzhen received a report from Guangzhou Mansion in the signing room, He Dachun, the main culprit of the Pantang Tobacco Warehouse, was tortured to death, Lin Zexu understood as soon as he thought about it, what happened to the one million yuan sent by Yi Zhizhi, and his face was a little pale.

Deng Tingzhen glanced at him and said slowly: "Yuan Qi doesn't smuggle crows. Piece, this little Brother Mu does not need to be suspicious, smuggling crows. The piece is the trader. ”

"Brother Wei Zhou is so sure?"

Deng Tingzhen bowed his head and said, "Yuan Qi doesn't need to rely on smuggling crows. Pieces to make money, on the ability to make money, easy to know the second, I'm afraid that no one dares to admit the first, like a smuggling crow. The kind of thing that is risky, has a bad reputation, and is low in profits, that kid doesn't bother to do. ”

Lin Zexu smiled at what he said, "Smuggler crows. Slice profits are still low? ”

Deng Tingzhen nodded and said, "Crow. The profit of the slice is high, which is the result of changing hands layer by layer, in fact, the profit of each seller is not high. ”

Lin Zexu has been in Guangzhou for more than a year. The various situations of the film can be said to be well understood, knowing that what he said is the truth, and changing hands wholesale crows. The profit of the piece is indeed not high, it is better than the large quantity, and it is confirmed that it is not Yuan Qi who is smuggling crows. piece, he was a little relieved in his heart, the merchant smuggled crows. This was already expected by him, and he said in a relaxed tone at the moment: "Brother Wei Zhou's appreciation of Yi Zhicontent is not ordinary. ”

Hearing this, Deng Tingzhen said with a smile: "In the five years in Guangdong, the thing I am most proud of is that I did not suppress Yuan Qi back then, but let Yuan Qi sit big and unify the money industry in Guangzhou.

To be honest, I am really a little reluctant to transfer from Liangguang at this time, and I really don't know how far Yuanqi will develop in three or five years. ”

As he spoke, he looked at Lin Zexu and said: "Now that Brother Shaomu is in charge of Liangguang, he also hopes to take proper care of Yuan Qi, Yi Zhizhi is young and bold, but he has a lot of ideas, these factories he drummed up have advantages and disadvantages, but there is no doubt about one thing, that is, he can make money, and he is different from the general mercenary businessmen, he actively pays taxes, and also pays high salaries to craftsmen, even silk reeling women."

Yuan Qi's approach is very innovative, Brother Shao Mu may wish to spend some effort to ponder it carefully after finishing the war, if Yuan Qi can be implemented in other provinces, it will be a great blessing for the imperial court. ”

Lin Zexu shook his head slightly, and said: "Brother Wei Zhou said far away, whether I can stay in Guangzhou until the end of the war, it is still difficult to say, the more I know about England, the more I have no bottom in my heart, Brother Wei Zhou is going to Jiangning, and he must prepare for the war with all his might, the world has been peaceful for many years, and the Green Battalion of the Eight Banners is a cowardly and weak army, which is really worrying." ”

Early in the morning of the second day, Yi Zhishu learned from Yan Shikuan's mouth about the death of He Dachun, the main culprit of the Pantang Tobacco Warehouse, and was secretly jealous of the Wu family.

waited until noon, and saw Lin Zexu send someone to summon him, so Yi Zhishu completely relieved his heart and said to Yan Shikuan, who was in his study: "What are you still doing with me?" Do you still want me to take care of the food? ”

Yan Shikuan's eyes rolled and said tentatively, "Are you okay?" ”

"Lord Lin is a resolute character, so he should be fine." Yi Zhizhi said: "I don't come to Rongyuan these days, go to Lei Garden to help Zhang Luo, treat you the day after tomorrow, everyone gets together, and you should go back to Shanghai." (To be continued.) )