[Chapter Word Count:3275 Last Updated:2014-10-0908:13:51.0]

The spring of the fourth year of Tongzhi passed quickly, and in the eyes of the people, the Qing Dynasty still had no change, and the officials in the court were still governing the huge empire according to the past experience. And the grass people are struggling to live in bitter water, and they can eat two days a day, as long as they can eat their stomachs.

The only change that can be felt is that the number of foreign goods in life has gradually increased, not to mention the daily necessities such as foreign oil, foreign cloth, soap, Western cigarettes and foreign nails, and even wind lamps, mining lamps, crystal ornaments produced by foreigners have appeared in the world, and even foreign guns are sold in the black market.

In the big cities of the empire, especially near the land and water docks, there are gradually more foreign devils in suits, often with the camera swinging out, in exchange for a group of adults and children scattering.

The classic car of the Qing Dynasty is still stubbornly moving along its own track, but now the power outside the country has become stronger and stronger, which is especially felt by the people in the coastal zone.

In particular, Tanggu, the earliest port in northern China, can feel this powerful force of change. In just over four years, Tanggu Port, a small town with a population of more than 10,000, has more than doubled in size with the input of domestic and foreign capital.

Outside the harbor were full of anchored ships, and big-nosed foreigners walked across the borders of the Qing Dynasty in Chinese with strange accents, without any diplomatic formalities. The coolies of the port kept loading and unloading the goods, while the ruffians in the dark corners stared at those who had just finished their money, and behind them were the half-closed brothels, casinos, and large smoke houses.

New houses are being built everywhere in the city, freight stations for trading with foreigners are rising on the ground, spacious warehouses are stockpiling goods from overseas, and all kinds of foreign money are floating back and forth in the hands of merchants like flowing seawater.

The humiliating Treaty of Beijing turned out to be a deformed prosperity that the Manchu court could not give. Relying on this deformed prosperity, a small number of people have begun to profit from it.

Huang Juren, a native of Tanggu, is one of the most beneficial, the big landlord who hangs a thousand hectares of cards in the local area, more than a thousand hectares of fertile land, and there are more than a dozen shops, with the light of overseas trade, Huang Juren only rents out land to eat rent a year, and the name of Huang Ye is a golden sign in Tanggu City.

"Thanks to the love of the man, we borrow flowers to offer the Buddha a cup of Huang Ye......" The people in the private room of the hotel raised their glasses to toast to Huang Juren.

"You're polite, you're really polite, I, Huang Juren, can make a fortune thanks to your care, as long as you get rich, I can make some scattered silver flowers! Come on, come on, have a toast......"

Today's banquet is attended by the famous merchants on the ground in Tanggu, as well as the gangsters who eat the ground. The sitting tiger has such a benefit, black, white and gray are all-in-one, and today, except for the absence of officials and foreign adults, the representatives of powerful factions in other places have already asked him to invite them all.

After three rounds of drinking, the topic began to turn into a regular one, Huang Juren suddenly looked at the harbor scenery outside the window with compassion, looked at the endless fleet on the sea, and said sadly, "Although we have made some money, but look at the day of the Qing Dynasty, what has become of it......?

Hey, the old man actually started crying while talking? Now everyone present was stunned, and their hearts said What kind of show is this? Why didn't you cry when you counted the money, and now you actually worry about the court. But anyway, the host has already started acting, and the guests have to accompany the acting.

"Oh, Huang Ye is really worried about the country and the people, he is really a model for us......"

"It's a pity that the situation is like this, even the emperor has to forbear, and we can't do anything about the foreigners......"

"That's it, the artillery battle at Dagukou four years ago, I'm still scared, let's not make trouble for the court......"

The crowd couldn't get to the point, and finally Huang Juren snorted coldly, "Foreigners, of course I know that foreigners are powerful, but compared to the hatefulness of foreigners, those traitorous devils are more hateful." Gong Banlun four years ago and Xiao Letian now, they are all shameless people who have forgotten their ancestors......"

Huang Juren knocked on the window and pointed to a cargo station that was being renovated not far away, "Do you know who opened the newly renovated cargo station?"

This time, everyone can understand the purpose of Huang Ye's wine, Huang Juren, who usually has half a duck egg and half a catty of wine, is willing to hold a wine banquet in the coastal building today, it turns out that he is going to make a break behind his back.

"It's Xiao Letian, that arrogant overseas lonely ......" Huang Juren saw that the news of this group of wastes was so slow, and he was angry and didn't fight.

When Xiao Letian's name came out, there was a buzz in the room at that time, and everyone was talking to each other. Tianjin and Beijing are so close that Xiao Letian's story makes people's ears hear the cocoon.

"Oh my God, Xiao Letian, the author of "Journey to the West"? My son is already crazy about his books......"

"But no, haven't you noticed it recently? The storytellers in the teahouse have begun to adapt the jokes of the Westward Journey, as long as they start talking, the venue will be full......"

"Do you know? Xiao Lotian is the most important person in Prince Gong, and it is said that he once promised him the position of a squire in the Ministry of Works, but he didn't do it......"

The people at the table were talking a lot, all talking about the legendary story of Xiao Letian, and Huang Juren's face was almost blue. At this time, he relied on his dog's legs to support the scene.

"Hey, hey, what do I mean? Huang Ye's words, didn't you listen to it, or are you pretending to be confused? My little pigtail grandson put his words here, who is against my Huang Ye, don't say I'm not welcome......" The little pigtail grandson who spoke stood up and stepped on the chair with one foot, and ate the ground with a mixture of anger.

Little pigtail Sun is a famous big brother in Tanggu City, according to himself, he also has the identity of a small leader of the Cao Gang, but no one has ever seen the Cao Gang take care of him. But in any case, the pigtail grandson is definitely a man of his word in the ninth rate of Tanggu, and none of the businessmen present are willing to offend him.

"Hahaha, what is this Grandpa, we have also been friends for many years, of course we have to be with Huang Ye. "The cattle shopkeeper of the Sihai Cargo Station is the businessman with the most financial resources here, and he quickly played a round when he saw that the limelight was wrong. Immediately afterwards, the group of businessmen who didn't open their eyes also nodded and echoed.

Huang Juren smiled and said, "We are all good people of the imperial court, so naturally we have to share the worries and solve problems for the imperial court." We don't have the ability to deal with foreigners, and the court doesn't count on us. But to deal with these two devils, we can't lose the face of the Qing Dynasty!"

"I'm here today, this Xiao Letian dares to come to Tanggu to do business, I'm going to let him lose all his pants and get out of the ......."

In a word, everyone present was dumbfounded, now Xiao Letian is not an overseas lonely guest without roots, it is just a code name. How could this kind of unparalleled warrior who is famous in Jinghua and will soon be famous in the world, how can this group of businessmen be able to afford it.

"Huang ...... Huang Ye, we all understand the truth you said, but Xiao Letian is not an ordinary person, can we move? Xiang Shaolong, a big tycoon in the Northland, can't help him, Wang Shizheng and Wang Lao Hanlin are not his opponents, just rely on our group of businessmen?"

The other businessmen present were even a little dumbfounded, even the pigtailed sun, they thought that Huang Juren wanted to deal with ordinary businessmen, and this kind of thing had not been done before. But against a super-prestigious Western Sect Master, the people present were all bold.

Huang Juren looked at them with disdain, and quietly drank a glass of wine, "The people present are all my friends for many years, and I won't let you do anything that you are not sure about." Let me tell you the truth, without the instructions of the people above, do you think I would have done it?"

With that, he waved his hand to gather all the people around him, and after a whisper, everyone's eyes widened.

"Huang Ye, what you said is true? Is it really that big man in the capital who wants to deal with Xiao Letian? The emperor and the queen mother are also tired of Xiao Letian? How is this different from what is spread in the world......

"What do you know? A group of businessmen with no reputation, the real inside story of the court is only qualified to be found out by us scholars. Do you still remember more than two months ago, when the inspection team sent by the Prime Minister's Yamen was surrounded by the people to petition?"

Huang Juren looked at this group of stinky businessmen with poor brains triumphantly, "Let me tell you the truth, those people were the ones I instigated, not only me, but also our Zhou Tongzhi and Ma Xietai also contributed." Think about it, if it weren't for the big people protecting us, I would dare to besiege the Eight Banners noble Qing Sanye with the courage of the two of me?"

At this time, the people in the box were already stunned, they looked at Huang Juren's eyes with little stars, sure enough, he was the head of the four people of Shinong Industry and Commerce, just one of them did not let go of the foreign appointment, and they were able to pass through the imperial court.

A group of people muttered for a long time, and then the shopkeeper Niu picked up the wine glass on behalf of everyone, "Since Huang Ye has a bottom in his heart, what else do we have to say about this group of traders, as long as we don't kill people and set fires, the run on the business will be handed over to us, and we have a way to bring him down......"

"Okay, let's have this drink!" The battle alliance against Xiao Lotian was announced in this glass of wine.

Coincidentally, the day after the banquet, Xiao Letian came to Tanggu under the protection of more than a dozen guards, and his own business was about to open, how could he not come in person. This is not just an ordinary foreign firm, but also an important link between Xiao Lotian and other countries, how can he not look at the world as a traveler.

"Well, what does it smell so good? Damn, is this a dog ignoring buns, give me two catties of ......."

"Sir, why are you dismounted here? The old shopkeeper has already set up a banquet, and Lord Yang is going to meet you...... Oops, you've really eaten it......"

At this time, Xiao Letian could not care about seeing any foreigners, he never expected that the Goubuli founded in the Xianfeng period would open a branch in Tanggu after only a few years of hard work, this is a delicious taste two hundred years ago, absolutely green pure natural and pollution-free food, a bite of strong fragrance and oil.

Xiao Letian's mouth was full, and he said heavily, "Come on, come on...... You're welcome, I'm in for ......."