Although Humen said that the Western artillery was replaced and the forts were added, Yi Zhizhi did not have much confidence in the Guangdong naval division, and he knew very well that Guangzhou was only one of the battlefields in the Opium War. ”

Wu Bingjian didn't care where the British army would attack when it went north, all he cared about was Guangzhou, and he hurriedly asked: "What does contentment mean, as long as Humen is well defended, Guangzhou can avoid becoming a battlefield?" ”

Yi Zhizu shook his head and said: "Guangzhou's smoking ban is the fuse that triggered the war, and Guangzhou is a major foreign trade port, a big war is inevitable, and there is no luck." ”

A big war was inevitable, and Wu Bingjian said in a deep voice: "Is contentment really sure to protect Guangzhou from losing?" ”

"Yes." Yi Zhi said confidently: "Although Pinghu Gong can rest assured, Yuanqi's foundation is in Guangzhou, how dare the younger generation let Guangzhou lose?" ”

Wu Bingjian said suspiciously: "Just rely on the merchant group? ”

"Pinghu Gongbei Little Care Business Group." Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "Three thousand Yuejia can swallow Wu, and three thousand merchant groups can't keep Guangzhou safe?" ”

"Well, since contentment is so confident, the old man is relieved." Wu Bingjian nodded slightly: "If you have any needs, even if you open your mouth, the old man will not allow anything within his ability." ”

"With the full support of Pinghu Gong, the younger generation will be more confident." Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "Now the top priority is still a soldier, there is a new warship this year, and two more will be delivered together next year, plus the expansion of the merchant group." The soldiers were seriously unable to keep up. Recruitment of volunteer students. I also hope that Pinghu Gong will urge one or two. ”

The students are basically recruited from other provinces, Wu Changqing interjected: "The officers and soldiers of the Merchant Regiment, why do you have to recruit from other provinces? With Yuanqi's current prestige, as long as the news is released that apprentices are recruited, the surrounding prefectures and counties will inevitably flock to it, so why worry about no one? ”

The officers and soldiers of the Merchant Corps, why did Yi Zhishu insist on focusing on Yixue students? Naturally, out of loyalty and other considerations, the students of the school are almost always bought—in other words. It is to sell themselves into slavery, Yi Zhizhi not only returned them to freedom, but also gave them the treatment of Yuanqi staff, which is a great kindness, with this group of students as the backbone, no matter how large the scale of the army expands in the future, there is no need to worry about loyalty.

He naturally couldn't say this clearly, so after taking a sip of tea, he said: "Yuan Qi is already a big tree now. How can recruiting another apprentice not lead to suspicion? As for the military resources in Guangzhou and nearby prefectures and counties, it is naturally impossible to waste them.

Once a conflict broke out between the sailors and England. Feeling the imminence of war, Guangzhou and the surrounding prefectures and counties will inevitably set up a regimental training, when the time comes, Yuanqi can also take the opportunity to expand the scale of the merchant group, we can directly draw capable from the various regimental training, which saves trouble and effort, and does not make people suspicious. ”

Wu Bingjian glanced at him and said slowly: "After learning that the imperial court appointed Lin Zexu to come to Guangzhou to ban smoking, the old man has already ordered to increase the number of students recruited. ”

Thirty oceans, you can only buy a maid in Guangzhou, the small maid generally costs fifty yuan, for the price of other provinces, Yi Zhicontent is not very clear, but I think it should not be more expensive than Guangzhou, thirty or forty yuan should be a reasonable price, he nodded, said: "This silver, it should be produced later, no matter how high the price is, it doesn't matter, but it is best to be sixteen or seventeen years old." ”

"I deliberately confessed, fifteen years old and above is the best." Wu Bingjian paused as he spoke, and said: "These children can enter the Yuan Qiyi School, which can be regarded as a blessing from the previous life, this move can be described as a good deed and accumulation of virtue, and the Wu family is also a well-known family of benevolence and generosity in Guangzhou. ”

"Thank you, Pinghu." Yi Zhizhi is not humble, he now has a lot of money, and the Wu family shares it, he is naturally happy, paused, and continued: "However, don't buy all boys, girls too, Yuan Qi will open a girls' school later, otherwise it will be a big trouble for these children to start a family in the future." ”

"Brother contentment thinks really long-term." Wu Changqing joked with a smile.

Yi Zhishu said with a smile: "It's not okay not to think about the long-term, in the future, these Yixue students will be the backbone of Yuanqi, and all aspects must be considered for them." ”

Wu Bingjian nodded in agreement, and then asked, "Besides, what else does contentment need?" ”

"No need." Yi Zhishu said with a smile, he is not short of silver now, weapons and ammunition are only waiting for American machines and mechanics to arrive and install, even if the Americans do not agree, he is not worried, the rifled barrel of the 3,000 Hall muskets has been obtained, the Mini bullet can be made by himself, the gunpowder can also be produced by himself, what needs to be purchased, only the fire cap, the land artillery does not have and does not demand, now, he only needs to strengthen the training of the merchant group, sit and wait for the situation to change.

Yi Zhizhi said goodbye and left, Wu Bingjian got up and paced slowly back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back, Citigroup's warships are similar to the English warships, and the artillery and muskets are not much different, Yi Zhizhi has already seen it, but he is still so confident, it is obvious that he has something to rely on, but I don't know what he is relying on?

The queue training of the merchant group, he has personally seen it, it should be an imitation of the Western army, there is nothing surprising, the eight training troops, according to Wu Changqing's report, is nothing more than a strict order, this hastily trained soldier can compete with the soldiers of the English Hundred Battles?

Seeing Wu Changqing send Yi Zhishu back, he beckoned, called the other party over, and said, "Eight training institutes, musket shooting training, have you seen it?" ”

"Yes." Wu Changqing nodded and said, "It's all live ammunition." After a pause, he said, "My grandson doesn't know anything about muskets, and it's the first time I've seen muskets shot in my life." ”

After a deep groan, Wu Bingjian said: "Those people in the garden have muskets, ask people to shoot a few shots, you try to compare, don't talk too much, just know in your heart." ”

"Grandpa suspects that the Guardian Merchant Group's musket is unusual?"

"Otherwise, where does Yi Zhi's contentment come from?"

Two hours later, Wu Changqing walked back to Yanhui Building quickly, and said excitedly: "Grandpa is wrong this time. The muskets of the Troopers made no difference. But bullets are different. Farther than the guards of the home's muskets. ”

"Bullets are different?"

Wu Changqing nodded and said, "It's obviously different, their bullets are long, and the bullets of the nursing home are lead pellets." ”

The bullets were different, they hit far, Wu Bingjian slightly bowed his head, and sure enough, he relied on the weapon, and groaned slightly, before he said:

"Take the time to ask for contentment. It also makes your grandfather relieved, in addition, this matter must not be mentioned to anyone, especially in front of your fifth uncle, this should be the killer weapon of the merchant group, and it will not work if it is leaked out. ”

"My grandson understands." Wu Changqing said with a smile.

On the sea outside the tiger's gate, several crows. The pump boat is quietly moored on the sea, and dozens of barge ants move a box of crows. The pieces are transported from the pump boat to the barge and each box of crows. The pieces do not have to be numbered and weighed. Check the grade, organize and pack. Later, it was carried onto the barge, and a group of civil and military officials, merchants, stewards, soldiers, and migrant workers in shorts were busy in an orderly manner according to the division of labor.

The barge is collected and transported from the barge outside the mouth to the wharf of Humen Town, and then the wharf will be crow. The piece was carried to the vicinity of the Admiral Yamen of the Humen Village Water Division for storage, and there were civil and military officials and soldiers along the way to monitor it.

The place where the cigarette is stored, the outer wall is enclosed, the high shed is added, the 12 civilian Zhengzuo guards are assigned to the shed, and the 10 military personnel are sent to lead 100 soldiers to patrol day and night, and the entire collection process is monitored, which is extremely meticulous and does not have the slightest loophole.

Collect the crows. There are onlookers on the sea, on the shore, and at the wharf of Humen Town, and many foreign businessmen in Macao have also heard the news and come to watch, and Humen Town is also very lively.

In the afternoon, a fast boat slowly sailed into Humen, and before it got close to the dock, a sailor patrol ship rushed over, and a military attache stood at the bow of the ship and shouted loudly: "The ship is evading, the cigarettes are being paid, and all the big and small ships are avoiding, go to the front and dock." ”

There is a lot of way to go to the front to dock, Yi Zhishu is naturally unwilling, so he immediately got out of the cabin and arched his hand: "My lord, I am easy to be content, go to Humen Village to meet Lin Qincha and Guan Junmen." ”

Seeing that it was Yi Zhicontent, the military attache hurriedly smiled and said: "It turns out that Yi Da's shopkeeper is here, forgive the sins, forgive the sins." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and said, "Yida shopkeeper, please." ”

"Thank you." Yi Zhizhi smiled and thanked him.

"Don't dare to be, don't dare to be." The military attache hurriedly returned the salute, stretched out his hand again and said, "Yida shopkeeper, please." ”

Retreating into the cabin, Jin Ying, who was dressed as a man, smiled like a crescent moon with big eyes, "Young master has such a big face, look at them politely." ”

"Be quiet." Yi Zhizu reprimanded lightly, this girl heard that he was coming to Humen, saying that he wanted to come to see the grand occasion of paying cigarettes, and he had to follow her, but he couldn't resist her, and he was afraid that she would sneak away alone, so he had to bring her with him.

Li Wang smiled on the side and said softly: "Sister Ying doesn't know, our young master has an extraordinary relationship with Admiral Guan Junmen. ”

Li Wangping didn't talk much, but he was very stammering with Jin Ying, Yi Zhixiang glanced at him, and naturally understood this kid's thoughts, but Jin Ying was not an ordinary maid, and he secretly wondered if he would throw this kid into the merchant group to avoid falling into it.

The boat docked at the dock, Yi Zhizu took a few people ashore, Jin Ying glanced at the pier with a faction of slaughter, and said disdainfully: "If you don't pay a cigarette, it's like facing a big enemy." As she spoke, she glanced at Yi Zhizhi and said, "It's past noon, and the young master is hungry." ”

After her mention, Yi Zhishu really felt a little hungry, and immediately said: "Looking for a tavern, fill your stomach." ”

There are a lot of teahouses and taverns near the wharf, a few people walked not far away, and they entered a restaurant called 'Linhai Building', went straight to the second floor, and the guys were arranging tables for them diligently, but Yi Zhizhi glanced at an acquaintance, the fat Yao Qichang - the shopkeeper of Yiyuan Silk Satin Line, and then looked at it, the same table sitting on the top was actually Su Mengdie's brother - Su Yunhai, he couldn't help but smile, stepped forward and said: "There is Brother Rong, Yao shopkeeper, fortunately I will be lucky." ”

Seeing that it was easy to be content, Su Yunhai frowned slightly, and hurriedly got up and smiled: "How could Brother Contentment come to Humen?" ”

Yao Qichang and the other three people at the same table hurriedly got up and bowed their hands, Yi Zhixiang glanced at the three of them, returned the salute, and then said with a smile: "I am a businessman, I came to meet Lord Lin, why is Brother Rong here?" ”

Su Yunhai smiled, "Passing by Humen, I heard that Lord Qincha is collecting foreign crows here. piece, just take it ashore to take a look, but I don't want to meet a contented brother here. As he spoke, he hurriedly instructed his men and said, "Withdraw the table and reorganize a table." ”

"I don't dare to drink today." Yi Zhicontent smiled: "There are still errands to do." ”

"Since Brother Contentment has an errand on his body, then let's go back to Guangzhou and get drunk again." Su Yunhai said with a smile: "It's just right, we are also full of wine and food, and we should hurry to Guangzhou." ”

Seeing that Yi Zhizhi met an acquaintance, Li Wang picked a table nearby, Jin Ying glanced at Su Yunhai and a few people, turned his head casually, and asked, "How can the young master know them?" ”

Li Wang hadn't seen Su Yunhai and Yao Qichang, so he shook his head a little dazedly, and said suspiciously: "It's not appropriate?" ”

Jin Ying glanced at him and said, "I'm starving, order food, order Humen's specialties, and order the signature dishes in the store." ”

Yi Zhizu sent Su Yunhai and his party out of the restaurant before turning back to the second floor, Jin Ying got up and went to the window, looked sideways and looked out, and saw that Su Yunhai and his party had gone away, so he returned to the table and sat down.

Seeing her reaction, Yi Zhixiang was a little strange and asked, "What are you looking at?" ”

"Look at the scenery." Jin Ying tilted her head and smiled.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, Yi Zhizhi didn't ask, and when the food came up, Yi Zhixiang ordered: "You don't need to make rules, eat together." Jin Ying naturally didn't care, and Li Wang didn't care, he knew that the young master was not like the young master of an ordinary big family, and he didn't pay attention to the rules of the master and servant not eating at the same table.

Yi Zhizhi wanted to go to Humen Village, naturally he couldn't take Jin Ying with him, after eating, he found an inn, he knew that the little girl was good, and the experience in the rivers and lakes was far richer than he imagined, so he naturally didn't worry, he picked a single courtyard, he left ten oceans, and he was ready to leave, but he didn't want Jin Ying to say: "Young master and so on." As he spoke, he glanced at Li Wang and went out to guard, and then said softly: "How did the young master know those people?" ”

"You mean Su Yunhai's people?"

"That person's name is not Su Yunhai." Jin Ying said: "It's called Huang Dianyuan." ”

Kana? Yi Zhizhi was content, and then reacted, what is Jin Ying's identity, most of the people she can know are gang figures, and he groaned slightly, and then he asked, "Which gang is this Huang Dianyuan from?" ”

"The second leader of the Fujian Three-Point Society, also known as the second brother, is in charge of the finances of the Three-Point Society."

"Three o'clock?"

"Outsiders call it the Heaven and Earth Society."

"What about the triads in Guangzhou? Also belongs to the Heaven and Earth Society? ”

Jin Ying nodded and said, "Yes, the Heaven and Earth Society has a lot of power in Fujian and Liangguang. (To be continued.) )