As soon as the British left, Marshali, who had a strained face, had already put on a bright face full of smiles and greeted Feng Yunshan again. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Your Highness, Your kindness to American businessmen and missionaries has been conveyed to me. Thank you very much for your friendship with the United States! Mashali smiled, and the hooked nose didn't seem so annoying. And the uncle next to him was gesturing with his hand while translating.

"It was Mr. Bojia's sincerity that moved this king!" Feng Yunshan replied: "Mr. Mashali, under the same conditions, this king will definitely give priority to cooperating with your country. ”

"Thank you very much, Your Highness the Holy King! I have come to Guangzhou to visit His Highness because I have heard that His Highness intends to purchase weapons and other commodities in large quantities. Marshali continued, "Perhaps I can help Your Highness and provide you with what you need." ”

"Yes, Mr. Marshali!" Feng Yunshan had been looking forward to the meeting with Ma Shali for a long time, but in order to grasp the initiative, he pretended not to care, and said flatly: "This king has tens of thousands of troops and needs a lot of weapons. However, the French minister Bourblon and the Prussian consul Ricky . Karenwei had promised to provide the king with a large number of weapons at a low price. So...... However, if your country's weapons are advanced enough and the price is not suitable, this king can buy another batch. ”

"Your Highness, please rest assured that the weapons of the United States are certainly the most advanced in the world. I heard that the Holy King has some interest in the Colt revolver, I can help contact a batch! And rifles, I have friends, and I have access to a new batch of Springfield shotguns, exactly the same as those in our most elite army. In addition, our warships and artillery are also very good, and if the Holy King needs it, we can supply it at a very good price! Ma Shali introduced earnestly, so enthusiastic that Feng Yunshan once thought that he was not a foreign commissioner, but an authentic businessman.

"This!" Feng Yunshan was overjoyed when he heard that there were so many weapons for sale, but he still asked calmly: "Mr. Marshali, I remember that last time, Mr. Bojia also said that he couldn't openly express his support for this king, I don't know what you think?" Now that you are selling so many weapons, does your country not dare to openly declare their support for us as the French feared to cause displeasure to the Manchus? ”

"No, no, no, I have the same opinion as Bo Jia! Your Highness, I can help contact the sale of these weapons, but this is just a normal business dealing, and I am not openly proclaiming my support for your army on behalf of the U.S. government! It is only American businessmen who sell weapons to your army, not the US government! I hope the Holy King will understand this. Marshali explained.

"The U.S. government follows the same international practice as other countries, and as long as it does not harm the interests of the United States, we will not intervene in disputes between your army and the Manchu government. Therefore, although I cannot declare my public support for you on behalf of the United States Government, I am very supportive of your military myself! Mashali waved his hand exaggeratedly and continued, "We hope to establish more and more comprehensive cooperative relations with Nanyang." I hope that when there is a need to purchase goods in the future, Shengwang will notify us in time and give priority to us. ”

"No problem! Mr. Mashali! Your sincere friendship touched this king. Therefore, on behalf of Nanyang Company, this king decided to purchase another batch of weapons for self-defense! The Springfield firing smoothbore gun you said is very good, and a batch can be purchased. However, I have heard that a new rifle called 'Sharps' in your country is more advanced, and I would like to purchase a batch of it! And, of course, that Colt revolver, and the warship artillery you were talking about, also needs a large batch! ”

Feng Yunshan is completely nouveau riche. captured the city of Guangzhou, seized countless people, plus confiscated the property of the officials and gentry in the city, as well as the property donated by Wu Chongyao, the cash in the holy treasury alone was more than 10 million taels.

It is no wonder that Feng Yunshan is rich at this moment.

Ma Shali was surprised by Feng Yunshan's well-informed, he couldn't help glaring at Bo Jia, suspecting that he had told Feng Yunshan the information about the Sharps rifle, blaming him for being troublesome.

In his opinion, in this backward country, the rebels fought with the Manchu government army with primitive arquebuses, and it was enough to use flintlock pistols, and Springfield fired the smoothbore gun or two arms dealers in the United States, because the government army did not have enough funds and gave up procurement, so he was entrusted to find overseas buyers, and he recommended it.

As for the Sharps rifle, he happened to have heard of it. The rifle was a single-shot breech rifle made by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, and because the four partners disagreed, Sharps, the developer with the least shares, and another accomplice were preparing to leave the company.

A friend of Marshali's arms dealer just wanted to buy the "Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company", but this breech-loading rifle was expensive and the production was low. After being approached by a friend of an arms dealer, he gave up the acquisition.

Anyway, the other party has so many procurement needs, and Mashali is suddenly overjoyed.

You must know that as long as he introduces the domestic arms dealers to Feng Yunshan, the two sides can not only get the favor of both buyers and sellers, but also give him a little dividends. Don't look at this dividend, that's a lot of money!

If Marshali knew the meaning of the phrase that the customer was God, he would definitely shout that Feng Yunshan was his God.

Therefore, with a smile on his face that he thought was very charming and bright, Mashali asked cautiously: "Your Highness, I wonder how many muskets and artillery you plan to procure?" And warships? ”

"It depends on how much you can offer? A little more if the price is right. ”

"Your Highness, I know a lot of American arms dealers, and they should be enough to meet the needs of the Holy King. If you really don't have it in stock, you can still make a reservation, and it won't take long to produce it. You know, the United States now has a device called a steam engine, which is much more productive. Marshali patted his chest proudly.

"Then, Nanyang Company bought 20,000 shots from Springfield; Colt revolvers 2,000; Sharps, well, I want the latest model, 5,000 Sharps M1852 military rifles, 10,000 carbines, and 2,000 medium and long-firing rifles. Feng Yunshan paused, and suddenly saw Marshali, who had listened to Bo Jia's translation, his eyes widened, his lips trembled, and he was excitedly arguing with Bo Jia, and couldn't help but be stunned.

"Mr. Marshali, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine! I'm just so excited! God, my dear Highness the Holy King, you have astonished me so much! Mashali suppressed his excitement and calmed himself down: "Are you sure you want to purchase so many weapons?" ”

Marshali really thought this rebel leader was incredible! Too much appetite!

You know, even the U.S. government will purchase no more than 20,000 muskets at one time, which is still a cheap shotgun. For such an expensive rear-loading rifled gun as Sharps, the American army simply did not dare to procure it, and it simply could not afford it.

"Of course! Mr. Marshali, do you think this king is joking? Feng Yunshan continued dissatisfiedly: "You can quote a price!" This is just a gun, and the supporting ammunition is all fully prepared, and the king has to purchase them together. In addition, there are the warships and artillery that you just mentioned. I wonder if you can tell us about it? ”

"This? Your Royal Highness, I am not very familiar with warships and artillery, and I do not know how much they will cost. I have a friend who sells arms and happened to be on Hong Kong Island, so I contacted him to come to Guangzhou and introduce his products in detail in person. "Mashali couldn't help but hate himself, he usually knew too little about warships and artillery.

"That's fine! When he arrives in Guangzhou, he will go directly to the Nanyang Company and wait, and this king will ask his subordinates to negotiate with him about the purchase of weapons. Feng Yunshan thought about it, he couldn't be like a comprador and deal with these foreign businessmen all day long, right?

Many things should be handed over to his subordinates to do, and his own ability is just like that, just an extra piece of knowledge.

Thinking about it this way, Feng Yunshan felt more reasonable. The excitement of buying and selling weapons, which I had just come into contact with, also slowly subsided.

After the negotiation was completed, Feng Yunshan talked to Marshali about the war between the United States and Mexico, and mentioned the Colt revolver.

Masali suddenly realized, as if he remembered something, patted his head and said: "I'm very sorry, Your Highness the Holy King, I originally prepared a gift for you, ten new Colt revolvers, but I forgot them on the warship that came to Hong Kong Island. When my arms dealer friend arrives at Nanyang, I'll make up the gift! ”

Feng Yunshan couldn't help but laugh dumbly, he already knew from the express report sent back by Lin Fengxiang that ten short and delicate pistols had been seized from a captured warship, and Lin Fengxiang also sent someone to Guangzhou afterwards.

Ma Shali may not have imagined that the gift he gave would be delivered to Feng Yunshan in this way.

Marshali also asked about Nanyang's invitation to foreign investors to come and invest.

The last time he opened the Nanyang Company, he issued a prospectus to American businessmen in the Far East. Many businessmen were very interested in this, but because of their status as rebels, they were worried that in the event of a war, they would lose all their money, so they did not dare to invest easily, so they entrusted the American Commissioner to China, Marshali, and the chargé d'affaires Bo Jia to investigate the strength of the Holy Army.

Being able to easily defeat the Manchu Qing army in Liangguang and occupy the city of Guangzhou is enough to prove the combat power of the holy army. In addition, this time, a part of the Holy Army's army was able to defeat a heavily armed British fleet and thousands of soldiers. This strength is beyond doubt.

In particular, when Ma Shali heard about the arms that Feng Yunshan was going to procure, he was completely relieved. The firepower of these procured arms alone is enough to firmly occupy the two Guangzhous.

By then, hehe...... Mashali had a calculating accomplishment that was about to succeed. (To be continued.) )