The hot and humid sea breeze blew her long hair, and Ting Fang stood on the dock, looking at the moored cargo ships, and her heart was about to react to morning sickness. Thinking about her previous life, holding Erlang's legs, looking at the heroic posture of our own warship on the English Channel on the Internet, she forced other people's lining into toys. However, at this moment, it is Xu Jingchang's boat that has become a toy. Wooden sailboats, with short production cycle and low cost, can only sail near the sea, and are only one-time, and they will be scrapped once they sail away. Looking at the Westerners' Galen ship again, Ting Fang felt a liver ache for a while. Galen ships docked at East Lake relatively rarely, and they usually unloaded their cargo when they arrived in Guangzhou. After all, □□ the forbidden sea, the further north you go, the stronger the imperial court's control, and it is no good for the Westerners' ships to get closer. Not every businessman is willing to walk thousands of miles. That is, East Lake has gradually become a small logistics center, and Xu Jingchang is doing grain business with them, so that some people are willing to come.

The ships that docked here wanted silk from northern Jiangsu, and if they exchanged it for rice, it would be much cheaper than in Guangzhou. I didn't find any danger in East Lake before, but this time I came with a swagger. There are usually a few missionaries on board, who can speak Chinese and act as interpreters. Xu Jingchang was very surprised by the arrival of the Western ship, and stood aside and said to Ting Fang: "I fell asleep and met the pillow, let's borrow their boat to go south." Their ships are bigger and more stable than ours, so they are not afraid of a big typhoon. Your luck is really good, just said that you want to go to Jiangxi, there is a tailwind boat to ride. ”

Ting Fang poured a basin of cold water over: "The rules of foreigners seem to prohibit women from getting on the boat." "In these years, there have been no cruise ships, and most of the sea ships are part-time warships, and the people on board are very superstitious. Ting Fang is not sure how many years it is in the Western calendar, but it is roughly estimated that they have already had an industrial revolution. After a visual inspection of the big ship, it was supposed to be a Galen ship. Quietly breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately did not drive a steamer, it can be seen that the ship revolution has not yet begun, at least not successfully. Their technology should catch up.

Xu Jingchang stood in place, watching a number of foreigners come down from the boat in turn, and a large group of merchants rushed up when they boarded, surrounding the foreigners and peddling their goods. The people who are waiting for the rabbits at the dock are all small traders, not only foreigners, but also locals. It's just that foreigners have more silver and more precious stones, and it doesn't matter if the price of silk increases several times, and it is even more difficult to sell it to the locals. Acquaintances are always not easy to deceive. But foreigners have a big ship, and the amount of goods required is very large, so they are too lazy to buy from small traders, and usually they directly find the bulk suppliers. Undoubtedly, the largest supplier in East Lake is Xu Jingchang.

Jiangsu has been a major silk-producing province since ancient times, and women in Jiangsu and Zhejiang are weaving every day. Since ancient times, the status of women here has been much higher than elsewhere, because of the benefits of silk, not only to support themselves, but also to benefit the whole family. At any given time, the economy determines the superstructure. Harvesting silk is the most profitable and reliable livelihood in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The small traders went door to door to collect the raw silk and sold it to the shops, which continued to sell it. There is no essential difference between what Xu Jingchang does and the small traders, it is nothing more than that the amount of goods is larger, and raw silk becomes silk. They have several large warehouses in East Lake, just to deal with the merchants who come to buy goods. However, the good days are coming to an end, and once the court intervenes, the fattest layer of profit has nothing to do with them.

A missionary got off the boat, saw Xu Jingchang from a distance, ran over laughing, and greeted him very warmly: "Xu, long time no see!" You okay? I miss you! ”

Xu Jingchang smiled and bowed: "Father Hawke, hello." ”

The priest named Hawke used a thick . The strong big hand patted Xu Jingchang's arm: "The port is very prosperous, much bigger than when we first came." You're strong! Hopefully next time we can see a bigger and livelier port, and then we will have more than one boat coming! ”

Xu Jingchang said politely: "Thank you for your good words." ”

After Hawke finished speaking, he saw Ting Fang beside Xu Jingchang, and asked with a smile, "Is it Madame?" ”

Xu Jingchang nodded.

Hawke saluted, "Honorable Madam, it's an honor to meet you. Your beauty is truly stunning! ”

Ting Fang turned sideways to avoid it, but smiled silently.

Hawke has been in the Central Plains for half his life, and he knows that the Central Plains etiquette is strict, and he no longer has sex with women. talked, and said to Xu Jingchang: "Your Excellency, have you allowed me to build a church here this time?" The last time we met, his proposal to build a church was rejected by Xu Jingchang, citing the small number of people in East Lake.

Xu Jingchang pointed at Tingfang with a smile: "You ask her, this is her fiefdom." ”

Hawke was surprised: "Is Madame a nobleman?" ”

Xu Jingchang said: "Strictly speaking, it is a royal family. ”

Hawke gasped, suddenly with infinite respect, and saluted again: "See Your Highness." ”

The county lord can't seem to be called His Highness? Ting Fang didn't pay attention to Hawke's title, but asked, "Where is the priest from?" ”

Hawke replied with a smile: "I'm from England. ”

Ting Fang was surprised, Britain?

Hawke smiled and asked, "Has Your Highness heard of the United Kingdom?" ”

Ting Fang said calmly: "You! ”

Hawke's eyes widened: "Glish? ”

Ting Fang smiled: "Le." "The pronunciation seems to be a little weird, Hawke's is weird, and her own is weird, and it's hard for the other party to understand.

Xu Jingchang: "......"

Hawke was so excited that he turned to the people in the fleet and shouted in English, "Lady Xu is an English-speaking royalty!" ”

Xu Jingchang asked Tingfang: "What is he shouting?" ”

Ting Fang smiled: "I'll just say a few words and tease him." "They are not allowed to build churches, they can stay and teach, astronomy, geography, physics and chemistry, anything." But churches are not allowed. ”

Xu Jingchang asked: "Is there an obstacle?" ”

Ting Fang said in a low voice, "Their pope power is greater than that of the king. God is above all. It can't be tolerated here with us. England is slightly better Protestant, and Catholicism is more domineering in other countries. I don't think there's anything, it's just that a new inspection is coming soon, and who knows what he'll say to the people in Beijing. ”

Xu Jingchang understands that now East Lake is serious and it is better to have more than one thing.

Hawke smiled again and said to Ting Fang, "Where did Your Highness learn English?" ”

Ting Fang said: "I will say two sentences, is the priest interested in writing a textbook?" ”

Hawke said, "Oh, Your Highness, you know that to learn a language, it is better to have someone to teach it." I wonder if I can have the privilege of being a tutor? ”

Ting Fang smiled: "I'm going to leave East Lake for a while. Also, it's better for you to call me the county lord. In our country, His Royal Highness is the title of prince and princess. ”

Hawke didn't quite understand the composition of the Central Plains royal family, and changed his words from the good. Ting Fang had seen a lot of foreign devils in her previous life, and she was not interested in them either, she was more concerned about the boat. Pretending to be curious, he asked, "Does your ship have a name?" ”

Hawke laughed, "Yes, USS Field." Field is the last name of our captain. ”

Ting Fang asked again: "Are you guys the queen's ship?" ”

Hawke exclaimed again: "County Lord, you really know a lot!" ”

Xu Jingchang said: "She is very talented. ”

Hawke complimented: "Is Your Excellency showing off?" ”

Xu Jingchang smiled: "Yes." ”

While speaking, another brown-haired man came over, still saluting Xu Jingchang, and said straight to the point: "Does Your Excellency have enough silk?" ”

Hawke immediately helped translate and introduced Tingfang by the way, which was His Excellency Captain Field. Ting Fang listened with great difficulty, comparing Hawke's translation and guessing the meaning of the words. Forget so much! What a pity!

Xu Jingchang said: "I want to take my wife south, can I take your boat?" ”

Hawke hesitated, but gave it to Field. Field refused without thinking about it: "I'm sorry, it's taboo for women to get on board." ”

Hawke lowered his voice and said, "That's His Highness. ”

Field still shook his head: "No one!" That's unlucky. ”

Xu Jingchang frowned, in fact, women are not allowed to go up on local cargo ships and military ships, and I don't know who set the rules, whether they are Central Plains or foreigners, they are all following.

Ting Fang didn't care, she persuaded Xu Jingchang to make the decision to go to Jiangxi, and the couple sneaked to the dock to see the boat. The encounter with a Western ship was an accident. If you don't let it go, you can't let it go, and there is nothing difficult about offshore navigation technology. If you want to make a Galen ship, you will be a copycat in the future. She cared more about something else, seeing that the two foreign friends had been arguing in a low voice for a long time, no one could say anything. Ting Fang said: "I take the liberty of asking, how many years is your calendar?" ”

Hawke was stunned and blurted out, "1795." ”

Ting Fang's face suddenly changed color! 1795 year! It's 1795 now! She always thought it was only the beginning of the eighteenth century, so she asked, just to confirm the specific year, but now someone told her that it was the end of the eighteenth century! In 1795, only 45 years from 1840! Ting Fang looked back at Donghu Town, a purely agrarian society, with some horror, could she see the Opium War? Her child, can't escape a hundred years of humiliation? Ting Fang stumbled, and Xu Jingchang hurriedly stretched out his hand to help: "What's wrong?" Under the weather? ”

Hawke was about to build a church, but he didn't know which sentence offended Tingfang, and hurriedly stepped on Field: "Do you know what a nobleman is?" In China, the aristocracy had absolute power! You her off and didn't end well! We are businessmen, and businessmen should not be so taboo! ”

Field was expressionless: "The businessman is me, and you are the priest." ”

"Yes, I'm a priest!" "I'm going to preach," Hawke said, "and we're going to have to please her, and we've got to please the master here!" ”

Tingfang was no longer in the mood to practice hearing, her heart was beating wildly, and she grabbed Xu Jingchang's arm and said, "I want to go back." ”

Xu Jingchang hurriedly called for someone to prepare the car. It's hard to say what is next to the pier, there are all kinds of transportation. As long as you are not picky, there will be a carriage in no time. Xu Jingchang half-supported Tingfang and got into the car. hurried home all the way, and Xu Jingchang called for a doctor. Ting Fang hurriedly said: "No need, I'm just a little tired and want to lie down." ”

Xu Jingchang was willing to listen, sent Tingfang back to the room, and put him down on the bed. , and asked softly, "What's wrong?" ”

Ting Fang smiled bitterly, how should she explain? Just over 40 years later, the Opium War broke out, marking the beginning of a century of humiliation. The history of China has changed, and perhaps the history of the West will not be the same. If you're lucky, they're still silent, but if you're unlucky, the Opium War might even be brought forward. Huge sailing ships and powerful munitions all show the vigor of the industrial revolution in the West. And in the land of China, the mediocre emperor is still playing with power!

In the past 45 years, the succession has been seized, bandits, and scientific and technological revolutions have been ...... There are so many things to do, are they in time? 166 Reading Network