At the end of June of the 6th year of Ansei (1859), the Hamhyung foreign company ran away, and the secret trade with the shogunate, which had been in place since the 3rd year of Kaei (1850), was suspended.

Because there was no warning before, the shogunate center was shocked when he heard the news.

After about a month and a half of tossing and turning, the Survey Office, the Nagasaki Office and the Metsuke Office found out that there were early signs of this matter:

First, the personnel of the company had already begun to evacuate, but the shogunate was slow to be unwary of this.

In the Tsushima Navy Training Institute, which was established in the 7th year of Jiayong (1854), there were originally eight professors of Western naval forces, all of whom came from Xianheng & Co. However, in the fourth year of Ansei (1857), the shogunate opened the Tsukiji Gunship Training Institute in Edo and abolished the Tsushima Suijun Training Center, and the eight foreigners left Fuso.

At the same time, there were also some Western technicians in the Jiushan Iron Smelting Institute, which were also provided by Xianheng Foreign Company, but they all left later, and the time was also in Anzheng for four years.

As for the people who do business, because Hamhyung & Co. is engaged in secret trade, the procurement and sales are entrusted to the Nagasaki Office, and there are only three permanent employees in Tsushima. But this time, these people also slipped away with the merchant ship in the name of visiting relatives.

Looking at it now, leaving no one behind, of course, is extremely suspicious.

But the two sides were close and glued like paint before, who would have thought that Xianheng Foreign Bank would suddenly withdraw? In response, the shogunate severely punished the people in charge, but it still did not help.

Another symptom is a change in the types of commodities traded by both parties.

Originally, in addition to importing books, newspapers and periodicals, machinery, and ordnance, Xianheng would also import some cloth and other orchids. However, since the second year of Ansei (1855), when the "Fuso gold was exchanged for overseas silver", the share of these ordinary goods gradually decreased.

It stands to reason that the decline in the volume of trade was a clear sign of the disruption of trade, but because the number of gold and silver exchanges between the two sides was increasing year by year, no one noticed this - because the volume of trade appeared to be rising.

In fact, it is not that no one is aware of the danger in advance.

When Oguri Tadashun was in office in Nagasaki, in view of the importance of the Hamheng foreign company, he proposed to Edo several times:

"Since the signing of the agreement between the three countries and relatives in the first year of Ansei, there have been many exchanges between Western ships, and because of secret affairs, it has been inconvenient for the Hameheng ships to travel to and from Nagasaki. Please choose Niigata or another place as a hidden port to prevent accidents. ”

In fact, Oguri had already discovered one reason for the suspension of trade by the Hamheng Foreign Company, that is, the inconvenience of travel.

Since 1854, when Fuso signed a peace agreement with the Mi people, England, and Lan, the number of Western ships coming to Fuso, especially the port of Nagasaki, has increased, which has caused a lot of inconvenience to the company.

You must know that at that time, the agreement was only signed for the content of the port of refuge and the port of supply, and the only one who could nominally trade with Fusang was Lan Guo. Therefore, although the secret trade done by Xianheng Foreign Company is the shogunate, it must be done secretly, otherwise the protest of the Lan Kingdom is a trivial matter, and if the other Western countries provoked this as an excuse to ask for trade, it will be a big trouble.

Originally, it was not without blindfolding, at the beginning, Xianheng Foreign Company was under the banner of the Tang Dynasty, but now there are more Western ships, in case the warships block it in the port, then the truth will be revealed to the world.

To tell the truth, the Languo Commercial Hall really moved this aspect at that time, even if he didn't do it himself, he could notify the Mi people and the British people, and the cadres could naturally be removed quietly. But after thinking about it again, in view of its interests in Fusang, in the end, the Lan people still did not act rashly - although some people robbed themselves of business, if they defeated this weak one, and then summoned a group of hungry wolves to grab food with themselves, it seems that it would not be possible.

Oguri's first relevant letter was in the summer of the 7th year of Kaei (1854), when the secret trade with Hamhiro had been transferred to the port of Taro Saki in the Tsushima Islands.

"Nothing!"

The shogunate felt that Tsushima was secluded and safe enough, so Oguri's letter went unanswered.

Actually, Oguri is a piece of loyalty, this trade is a way of wealth, as Nagasaki pursued, he suggested a land exchange, this is to push gold and silver out.

But others don't think much of it.

He can write anything, but he should never mention the place "Niigata":

First of all, near Niigata Port, there is a shogunate's heart, Sado Kanayama. As the largest source of gold and silver in Fuso at the time, Sado Island was the lifeblood of the shogunate, and whoever touched it died. This put Xianheng Foreign Company in Niigata, what if other Western hungry wolves are summoned?

Another one, Oguri Tadashun's father, Tadaka, has served as Sado for many years, and this land exchange is a way of giving up a fortune for others, and for Oguri, isn't this moving from the bowl to the pot?

Nagasaki pursues two causes

Another Nagasaki minister vehemently opposed this proposal:

"Not to mention Nagasaki, which is like an iron bucket, and Taro Saki is not known to outsiders, where is it used to change land!

If you're really worried, aren't there many small islands near Nagasaki? It's good to choose a place to make a deal. ”

This is how standing and talking without backache, how hot Tsushima is, and it is a key point of sea traffic, how can it be regarded as "unknown to outsiders"; And there are indeed many desert islands near Nagasaki, but if they can be used as trading places, why did the shogunate go all these years?

Besides, in the future, Western countries pressed Fusang to open a port, and the proposed locations were a total of five ports and two capitals, that is, seven ports. These are Nagasaki, Hakodate, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Niigata, Edo, and Osaka, and from a subtle point of view, Niigata is an alternative place to move – the rest of the places are either too prosperous to be kept secret, or there are many Western ships.

Therefore, Oguri Tadashun is really out of a public heart.

But what he said doesn't count! Over the years, Hamheng has taken the initiative to request many times, and Oguri Tadashun has also repeatedly submitted letters, but the place of this transaction has not been changed, and it is fixed at the Taro Port in the Tsushima Islands.

In the fifth year of Ansei (1858), after Oguri stepped down from his post in Nagasaki, Hamhiro also accepted his fate.

But the place of trading is in the port of Tarogasaki on Tsushima Island, which can make Xianheng foreign company suffer:

Although it is a maritime merchant of the rice people, but Fusang and the rice people have not officially traded, which is a big taboo to leave their companions to eat alone!

Moreover, although there is no explicit provision, the import of advanced weapons, machinery, and technology to a non-Western country like Fuso is a Judas-like act, and if you are really caught, even if you are not hanged in public, it will be the end of a group attack and disrepute.

Because of this, in 1855, the company changed its skin to the four seas, and did not dare to notify the shogunate for fear of leaking secrets.

At the same time, in order to establish a firewall, in the same year, Songjiang Huili Foreign Company was also established, completely dividing the overseas forces of the Naoxiu series into light and dark.

But even so, things are still going in a bad direction.

In the second year of Ansei (1855), the news of a Western professor in the Tsushima Naval Training Institute leaked.

I don't know how the Mi and British navies knew, anyway, there were occasional ships blocking the ships of the Hamhyung Shogun in the waters near Tsushima Island - but fortunately, the two did not officially tear their faces with the shogunate, so the unfortunate thing of going to the island to arrest people did not happen in the end.

Xianheng Foreign Company used a steam sail hybrid merchant ship at the beginning, not to mention the flexibility, but also deliberately modified to increase the speed, so although it was found several times, it escaped smoothly - in fact, it was not specially to catch himself, Xianheng Foreign Company did not confirm, anyway, it is always right to run when you meet.

Later, in order to save his life, Xianheng Foreign Company began to perform - not to mention changing the name of the ship, pretending to be a merchant ship from other countries is a routine operation, and his whereabouts have also begun to be secretive, and he no longer sails according to the monsoon law.

After the trade volume of "exchanging Fuso gold for overseas silver" increased, fortunately, even ordinary goods were not loaded much, and a fast ship appeared like a ghost.

By the fifth year of Ansei (1858), there were more foreign ships in Fuso, and at this time, the Hamhyung foreign company had been forced to do nothing, and even began to seriously discuss with the Nagasaki Commission, "Tsushima Island doesn't look reliable anymore, aren't there many small islands near Nagasaki, where can I trade?" ”

However, according to the trade agreement signed that year, Nagasaki, Kanagawa (Yokohama), and Hakodate were officially opened to the outside world from June 2, 1859 (July 1, 1859), so the shogunate only advised the Hamhyung foreign company to change its skin.

Pit daddy, standing and talking doesn't hurt your back!

In fact, Xianheng has always been doing a head-killing business, but it does not pay enough attention to this contribution to the shogunate.

Think about it, too, over the years, Fuso natural and man-made disasters, internal and external difficulties, and the Edo bigwigs have been fighting incessantly, where do they have the leisure to care about this - the only one who pays attention to this matter is Oguri Tadashun, but others think that he has gained great benefits, so he is reluctant to let go.

Going to the pole is not a sale!

Xianheng Foreign Bank's loss of money and shouting was not understood, "If you don't make money, or even make a lot of money, why are you working so hard?" ”

Really speaking, Xianheng has really made a lot of money over the years:

It is said that it is selling at a loss, but ocean trade is a huge profit, even if the price is set fairly, but it is impossible not to make money.

In addition, the ordnance and other goods are from their own industries in the United States, and the price of supply is very advantageous.

Moreover, light "gold for silver" one

Because the capital was paid by the shogunate, the gross profit of Xianheng Foreign Company reached nearly 600,000 US dollars - equivalent to 150,000 days of small judgment.

Although the money of Xianheng Foreign Bank is not lost, there is no Hongzhiwu gold and silver mine, these large gold and silver exchanges are enough to defeat the Xiangjiang market, but the shogunate does not know, only saw a lot of money fall into the hands of foreign companies - besides, the gold and silver ratio is 1:15 overseas, but not 1:5 in Fusang, so it is 450,000 gold, and it is not so fast!

Daddy, how can there be such repeated calculations.

The money earned by Xianheng Foreign Company can be exchanged for a lot of silver, but the price of silver overseas is low, and the gold given by the shogunate has not changed, so the gross profit is still nearly 600,000 US dollars - math teacher, take care, the world needs you very much!

Of course, after the company ran away, the shogunate carefully turned over the ledger, and this common misunderstanding was finally dispelled.

The reason for this is that Xianheng is too sensible.

Because every transaction is very thoughtful, from the official to the government, Edo Shigeto, Nagasaki, the person in charge of Tsushima, and the person in charge, every time there is no omission, and he is very diligent, it is inevitable that he will be suspected of earning a fortune like a sea of gold and silver.

But the hallucinations will go away.

It was not until the end of June of the 6th year of Ansei (1859) that the shogunate made a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the incident, and realized that "it was originally a matter of mutual benefit, but it may have been a matter of mutual benefit, but it may have been a mess because of its own high self-esteem." ”

Of course, it can be thought of but not so said, the shogunate center still pinched its nose and "firmly believed":

"Since Xianheng Foreign Company left a book 'forced by the situation', it must have encountered other difficulties. The shogunate has always had no problem with this, and it's a lot of fun.

Maybe in the future, people will go and come back, and this business will continue. ”

This kind of "I am lucky; No, my life", not everyone has it-Kanju Oguri Tadashun regretted it, and he felt that after returning to Edo to serve the government, he did not pay enough attention to it due to his busy official duties, for which he was very sad:

Hamhyung Yoko's help to the shogunate was too great!

In terms of wind storytelling and timely reporting of overseas news, Bilan Guoshang has done too much. Although the shogunate did not take advantage of it when dealing with Western countries, it was not as strong as others, and it was inevitable that "people are swordsmen, and I am fish and meat", and the results would definitely be worse without Xianheng and foreign companies;

Moreover, from the beginning of the provision of advanced ordnance to the later help to improve the Lanxue industry, the steel-making, casting of large cylinders, iron-making cannons and mines, all of which are the result of the great help of Xianheng Foreign Company;

Even if it is trade, it is a fair price and never deceives, not to mention the previous comparison with the Languo Commercial Hall, just look at the foreign trade situation that began in June this year, it is simply a model of good quality and low price;

Moreover, such a major event as "exchanging Fusang gold for overseas silver" was done quietly, and the people of the Western countries in the Far East were unaware of it, and this strength was really terrifying and terrifying;

More importantly, Oguri Tadashun is now in charge of the finance department as the commissioner of the survey, and it is only then that he finds that the views on the construction of related industries and foreign trade put forward by Xianheng Foreign Bank are really clear-sighted, and they are expected to score exactly the same as the situation after the opening of the country and the opening of trade.

Therefore, running away from Xianheng is a painful loss of a big help!

Considering that there were no familiar faces to be found in the pack of Western tigers and wolves, a feeling of loneliness lingered.

Hamhyung and Hakodate Naohide have a great relationship - although Naohide has never admitted this, the default attitude is to himself, so Oguri is ready to send someone to ask Naohide, "What grievances can you say directly, can Hamhyung come back?" This time it will certainly not be taken lightly. ”

However, after the death of Mr. Tanan in June of the fifth year of Ansei (1858), before I knew it, the political opinions of Oguri Tadashun and Naohide Hori began to differ, and although the friendship was still there, there was a gap between each other. I can't go to the box house myself, so just send someone to it, this kind of life-threatening topic, I'm afraid Naohide won't easily touch on it - maybe he won't even talk about it.

What a sad person!

From the middle of July to September, which allowed Oguri to find an opportunity:

The shogunate exiled the prisoner to the north, and ordered the six daimyo to help reclaim the box hall, he hurriedly found someone to operate the henchman Matsuzen SF as an envoy, I believe that with Matsumae's cleverness, he will definitely be able to do this matter well!

But when Matsumae arrived at Hakodate, he also scratched his head:

"This Kankai pursues Oguri Toyo Gomori's words are unclear.,It seems that it's a Western businessman who makes Naohide Hori hook up effectively.。 But find another Xianheng foreign company, it's so easy!

Besides, this is the sin of destroying the family, without the will of the shogunate, people are willing to do it? ”