As early as two years ago, preparations began, and it was expected that Britain and France would enter the war, and it was calculated that Russia needed this batch of Mini guns! Putiyatin was shocked in his heart, even when Russia launched the war, he could not predict that the war situation would change so much, but Yi Zhicontent, who was far away in Shanghai, could accurately predict it, how could he not be shocked?

However, he was still a little incredulous, and said slowly: "Crimea is basically in a state of truce now, and Vienna has put forward a four-point proposal to end the war, why is Mr. Yi so sure?" ”

This question is not easy to answer, Tang Bingcan was silent, Feng Renxuan said: "The authorities are confused, the bystanders are clear, with the strong military strength of your country, it is impossible for His Majesty the Emperor of your country to accept the four points proposed by Vienna in humiliation, and we have heard that the British and French forces have broken out of terrible cholera and malaria. Pen %Fun %Pavilion www.biquge.info"

The Anglo-French forces did indeed have a terrible outbreak of cholera and malaria! Putiatin knew this very well, nodded slightly, and then said, "Your information is very accurate. After waiting for the translation, he continued: "However, with such a large amount of guns and ammunition, we cannot transfer ....... in time. ”

"We've taken that into account." Tang Bingcan said in a relaxed tone: "We have prepared 20,000 camels. ”

Twenty thousand camels! Putiatin couldn't help but be overjoyed, a camel can hold 400 pounds of cargo, and 20,000 camels are 8 million pounds of cargo, for the Russian army, this is simply timely rain!

In a war involving hundreds of thousands of troops, logistical supply is undoubtedly the most important, and the Crimean battlefield is far from the political and economic center of Russia, although Russia has had many wars against Turkey, but supply is still the main problem that restricts the movement of Russian troops.

The Danube River shipping is developed, and the use of sea transportation has become an inevitable choice for logistics supply on both sides, but as the Russian army retreats and loses the black sea supremacy, it is facing serious logistics supply problems! The 20,000-peaked camels in Ili are definitely a charcoal in the snow!

Twenty-thousand-peaked camels? Kovalevsky was frightened by this huge number, and Putiatin was silent, and he hesitated: "It seems that we don't need such a large camel caravan...... ”

"In addition to munitions, we have also prepared a large amount of war readiness materials for your country." Tang Bingcan said with a smile: "Grain, jerky, tea, cigarettes, medicines, sedatives, blankets, tents, etc., I believe they are all ....... that your country urgently needs." ”

"Twenty thousand camels are too few." Putiatin hurriedly said: "Can you provide 40,000 or 60,000 camels?" ”

Forty thousand, sixty thousand? Tang Bingcan was taken aback, camels are not cattle and sheep on the grassland, but Feng Renxuan said: "Preparing 20,000 camels, is to consider that your army's logistics and supplies can't keep up, we can try our best to collect more camels for your army, however, the camel team only goes to the Caspian Sea, and in addition, the camel team will arrange a strong armed force to protect it." ”

"No problem!" Putiyatin said briskly: "We will also send troops to escort all the way to ensure the safety of the camel caravan." ”

Both sides were overjoyed, and then began to get into the details, one by one to determine the quantity, price, and freight of each type of goods, and so on, until dusk, when the two sides roughly finalized the first transaction after the beginning of the spring -- a huge trade of more than three million silver dollars.

After carefully reviewing the negotiation records, Putiyatin slowly spoke: "This transaction is too huge for us to provide cash ...... ”

As soon as he heard this, Tang Bingcan's face darkened on the spot, "More than 3.4 million silver dollars, this is not a small amount, there is no silver, how can this business be done?" ”

Puti Yatin sneered: "We didn't expect that Yuan Qi actually hoarded so many goods in Yili, so he was naturally not well prepared. ”

The scene became cold, and after a while, Feng Renxuan said: "Your Excellency, please go back to the inn first and wait for the news, we have to ask Shanghai for instructions." ”

After coming out of the general's mansion and returning to the inn, Kovalevsky said: "Your Excellency, most of the trade between Chinese merchants and the Qing State is barter, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to raise more than three million silver dollars. ”

"Raise as much as you can, preferably a million." Putiyatin said: "The goods can also be converted. ”

Even if it's one million, it's only worth thirty percent, Kovalevsky said worriedly: "One million, Yuan Qi will agree?" ”

"There is a saying among Chinese businessmen that the goods are told to die on the ground." Putiatin said with a smug face: "Don't worry, that Mr. Yi in Shanghai will agree." So saying, he commanded, "Go and get a bottle of vodka." ”

Shanghai, Zhenhai Mansion, Changle Book House.

After reading the telegram sent by Feng Renxuan from Ili, Yi Zhixiang did not hide the joy in his heart and showed a bright smile, the Russians finally took the bait! 100,000 mini guns, 5 million rounds of ammunition, huge logistical supplies, this is definitely a lure that the Russians can't refuse... Confuse! As long as the Russians take the bait, the follow-up will be easy to operate!

He believes that even if the Russians have this arms and logistical aid, they will not be able to completely reverse the outcome of the Crimean War, but it will definitely change the course of this war!

For the Qing Dynasty, the longer the Crimean War lasted, the greater the casualties, and the more brutal the better! The best three countries of Britain, France and Russia were greatly damaged, and the Qing Dynasty had a chance to take advantage of it.

Putting down the telegram, Bao Shichen said worriedly: "Sir, if you support the Russians on such a large scale behind your back, I'm afraid you can't hide it, will Britain and France be angry and declare war on us?" ”

"Even if it hadn't happened, Britain and France could have provoked a war after the end of the Crimean War." Yi Zhizhi said disapprerovingly: "It is a good thing to take this opportunity to use the Russians to weaken the strength of Britain and France, there is no need to look forward and backward." ”

Bao Shichen listened to it, "The lord refers to the matter of repairing the contract?" ”

"Not exactly." Yi Zhicontent said and lit a cigarette, "Our Qing Dynasty is rich and vast, with a large population, and weak military strength, how can there be anything that is not remembered by thieves?" ”

Bao Shichen said worriedly: "The British and French navies are strong, and once a war starts, I am afraid that the South Seas will not be guaranteed." ”

"Sir, don't worry." Yi Zhizhi said disapprehantly: "Our navy is weak, but the army is not bad, it is not a soft persimmon that can be kneaded at will, after the end of the Crimean War, Britain and France also have to take a breath and rest, we have time to prepare." ”

Three days later, Feng Renxuan sent someone to the inn to invite Putiyating to him, and after greeting him, he said straightforwardly: "The chief treasurer has taken into account the financial difficulties of your country during the war, and allows your country to owe seventy percent of the payment on credit, but a formal agreement needs to be signed. ”

"Thank you very much! We will keep Yuanqi's friendship in mind. Putyatin said with a happy face, only need to pay 30% in cash, which is tantamount to a charcoal in the snow for Russia!

After sending Putiyating away, Feng Renxuan ordered: "Invite those Jin merchants to the council room." ”

Hou Congyuan and other Jin merchants had long been eager to see through the 'Anji Inn', and when they heard that the general's mansion was invited, they were very happy one by one, and hurriedly packed up and rushed over.

Several large pots of charcoal in the council hall are burning, and there are some dried fruits, hot tea, and cigarettes on the long table, seeing this situation, all the Jin merchants are a little frightened, they have always seen officials, the more polite and thoughtful, the more good things are, this Feng Renxuan is not only the counselor of Yili, but also the commander of the new army in the northwest of Yuanqi, and he is the emperor of the soil in Yili, so polite, what good thing can be?

Just when everyone was nervous, Feng Renxuan walked in with Chang Kunning and Tang Bingcan, and everyone hurriedly got up and knelt down to salute, "You don't have to be polite. Feng Renxuan said kindly: "Sit down." ”

Everyone got up and sat down, and he didn't beat around the bush but said straight to the point: "All of you have a large number of camel shops and camel teams in Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Xi'an.

Starting next year, Yuanqi has a large number of goods that need to be transferred to Ili through Xi'an, and then transferred from Ili to the Caspian Sea in West Asia, which will require about thirty or forty thousand camels, or even more. ”

In the past two years, Yuanqi organized a large-scale immigration to the northwest, and Yuanqi's power in the northwest also expanded step by step, and after a few years, Yuanqi broke the monopoly of Jin merchants on northwest commerce and trade, and became the largest business group in the northwest.

The Jin merchants present are actually close to Yuanqi, however, when they heard that the goods were going to be transferred to West Asia, they all had some drums in their hearts, and no one spoke when they saw it, Shi Da'an said slowly: "My lord, since it is Yuanqi's goods, we have nothing to say, but from Ili to West Asia, we are not familiar with it, and we can't get together so many camels." ”

Feng Renxuan glanced at him and said, "I heard that Da Shengkui is the largest business in the northwest and the largest camel farmer in the big grassland.

With six or seven thousand clerks and 20,000 camels, is it possible that the rumors are not true? ”

Shi Da'an is one of the three major shareholders of Da Shengkui, and when he heard this, he said with a wry smile: "My lord doesn't know, although there are many camels in Da Shengkui, but they also have a wide range of activities, including the four major Khalkha departments, Kobdo, Kulen, Kyakhta, Inner Mongolia Alliance Flags, etc., and even as far away as Siberia, Russia, Moscow and other places.

As for Uriya Sutai, Dihua, Kucha, Ili and other places, they only account for less than 30% of the range of activities, but since the adults have opened their mouths, there are 3,000 camels in Wusu Yalitai and 5,000 camels in Kobdo, and the small ones are transferred as much as possible, but they are just ...... The situation in West Asia is really unfamiliar to Da Shengkui. ”

"You don't need to worry about the situation in West Asia." Feng Renxuan didn't hide it, and he couldn't hide it anyway, "The so-called bulk goods are all military supplies, and Russia and the Northwest New Army have joined forces to ensure the safety of the camel caravan." ”

As soon as they heard that it was military supplies, all the Jin merchants even became short of breath, for the Jin merchants, war means huge wealth and opportunity! Many of the famous and well-known big businessmen in Shanxi have made their fortunes and grown by war.

Hou Congyuan immediately said: "My lord, the Jiexiu Hou family is willing to do their best to help and do their best to form a camel team!" ”

The two people who saw it expressed their positions one after another, and where were the others willing to lag behind, the Jiexiu Fan family, the Yuci Chang family, the Sun family and the Wu family in Taigu followed closely and were willing to do their best to help.

Feng Renxuan slowly glanced at everyone, this time to help the Russians transfer arms and food and other baggage is actually to familiarize the camel team with the situation in Central Asia and West Asia, and the future northwest expansion will also require a huge camel team to follow the army to fight in Central Asia and West Asia, so he chose the Jin merchants who had a close relationship with Yuanqi.

After a slight sigh, he said: "The amount of goods that Yuanqi needs to transport this time is huge, and the time may be very long, the camel team is the more the merrier, although you let go of the camel team, Yuanqi will never treat his friends badly, and the benefits of this time may be beyond your imagination." ”

He said vaguely, but the more vague it was, the greater the expectations in the hearts of everyone present, Shi Da'an groaned, and then said: "My lord, Da Shengkui can properly compress Mongolia's business and send as many camel teams as possible, but it will take time." ”

Feng Renxuan said in a deep voice: "Next year's task is very heavy, I hope that Da Shengkui can come forward and try to transfer all the camel teams in the big grassland." ”

Shi Daan hurriedly bowed down and said, "The villain must do his best." ”

Feng Renxuan smiled and said, "Didn't you Da Shengkui always hope to be able to buy a batch of Mini guns, after this matter is done, I can sell you a batch, as long as you do it honestly, you will have a share." ”

For the camel caravan, the biggest enemy is the bandits in the desert and the steppe, and there is no camel caravan who does not want to buy Minny guns.

After sending everyone away and returning to the study, Feng Renxuan instructed: "Send a report to all parts of Xinjiang, and requisition all local camel farms and all camels from the people as soon as spring begins, and let the local government cooperate." ”

Jingshi, Qianqing Palace, Xinuan Pavilion.

Xianfeng put down the secret telegram in his hand with a gloomy face, and was speechless for a long time, Yuan Qi actually colluded with the Russians and secretly signed an agreement to sell the Russians 100,000 Mini guns, 500 rounds of ammunition, and a large amount of food, what did Yuan Qi want to do? What shocked him even more was how many mini guns could Yuan Qi make in a year?

"Your Majesty." Mu Zhang'a said cautiously: "The slave secretly thinks that Yuan Qi sold Mini guns to the Russians in order to make the Russians lose both the battle with Britain and France in Crimea...... Yuan Qi has no reason to collude with the Russians, and there is no need for this. ”

Lose both? Xianfeng frowned, "It's too far-fetched, Yuan Qi doesn't want the Russians to be defeated in Crimea, and then take the opportunity to recover the lost territory in the northwest and greatly expand in the northwest?" ”

Mu Zhang'a also really couldn't figure out the idea of being content, and immediately said cautiously: "Or, how about being content with Yizhi?" ”

Xianfeng glanced at him dissatisfiedly and said, "Isn't this clearly telling Yi Zhixiang that the imperial court is closely monitoring every move of the Northwest New Army?" ”

"Minions are confused." Mu Zhang'a said so on his lips, but in his heart he secretly slandered himself, could it be that he was content and didn't know that the imperial court was watching?

"Let Su Shun go to Shanghai to find out the situation, what is the scale of Yuanqi's military factories in Guangzhou and Shanghai." Xianfeng said and asked, "There is no news about Citigroup's machine yet?" ”

"It should be soon." Mu Zhang'a hurriedly said: "It's not the end of the year, it's the beginning of the year." ”