Han Xiufeng thought that the anti-rebellion army would be able to reach Shanghai in three days at most, but he waited in the Citi Concession for four days without waiting for the anti-rebellion army, only waiting for two officials who were also from the background of donation, an official document from the acting governor of Songjiang Prefecture and the superintendent of the border defense of Songjiang Prefecture and the superintendent of the customs of the Liangjiang Prefecture with the seal of the governor of Liangjiang, as well as a donation license from the household department.

The superintendent of the gate is now generally concurrently served by the Taoist platform, and the superintendent of the Chongwen Gate is even concurrently served by the princes and ministers, and this grade naturally cannot be low, no matter how low it is, it cannot be lower than the five grades. Therefore, Xu Naizhao took the initiative to help donate a positive five-grade Tongzhi, and asked Han Xiufeng to act as the Tongzhi of Songjiang Mansion and the supervision of Jiang Customs.

Han Xiufeng put down the official document and the household license and said with a smile: "Uncle Xu, it's just enough to let me be ordered in danger, but it is really unreasonable to ask me to accept the order in danger and spend money to donate the top belt." ”

Master Xu was already apologetic, but he was even more embarrassed to hear Han Xiufeng's words, and said embarrassedly: "Master Han, you don't have to pay for this silver, my young master has already helped you put it on, otherwise how can you have this license." ”

"I used to owe a lot of debts, and I was afraid of it, so I didn't owe anyone money first."

"You don't have to pay back this silver, this is a little bit of my young master's heart."

"Mind?"

"Master Han, don't let me laugh anymore, my young master knows that this thing is not authentic, and when he arrives in Shanghai, he will definitely make amends to you."

"Where can I go to get a glass of wine to eat?" Han Xiufeng glared at him, and pretended to be unhappy and said, "Although your young master helped me donate a positive five-grade top belt, I won't thank him, let alone receive him this favor." You must know that my previous top belt from the fifth grade was given by the emperor, which is much more noble than the five grades donated by your young master with silver! ”

"That is, the top belt given by the emperor is naturally noble."

"It's good to know." Thinking that it was useless to say these things again, not to mention that the Jiang Customs Supervision was not acting in vain, at least he had earned more than 30,000 taels, Han Xiufeng changed his words, picked up the teacup and asked with a smile: "Uncle Xu, what's going on with those two outside?" ”

Master Xu hurriedly sat up straight and explained: "A surname Sun, single name Feng, he is from Jiexiu, Shanxi, and I are also a fellow villager, born as a prisoner, my young master asked Lord Xu to order him to act in Shanghai County; A surname Wu, single name Xu, a native of Qiantang, Zhejiang, it is said that his family has been a curtain for generations, he has not only been a scribe in the yamen but also a friend for a few years, and he is proficient in criminal names, Qian Gu, and Li Cao. Daoguang donated to the official for 25 years, and was sent to Jiangsu for probation by the officials. In the twenty-ninth year, he donated rice stone to obtain the title of governor and served as the assistant judge of Suzhou Prefecture. Later, he acted in Jingxi, Zhenze, and Jiading Zhi County. ”

"Come to think of it, he is the Jiading Zhengtang who didn't dare to take office!"

"Exactly."

"Didn't Jiading recover, why didn't he go and continue to be the county master?" Han Xiufeng asked puzzled.

Master Xu explained with a wry smile: "Master Han, Jiading has fallen, he can't escape the blame, it's good that he hasn't been investigated by the imperial court, how can he continue to be the county governor of Jiading." Now that he is guilty of self-efficacy under the command of Lord Xu, Lord Xu feels that although he is a donor, he is also a capable official, and he is worried that there is no one under you to use, so he sent him here to listen to it. ”

"That Sun Feng also listens to me?" Han Xiufeng asked with a smile.

"This is natural, you are now not only the supervisor of the Jiangxi Customs, but also the governor of Songjiang Prefecture and the coastal defense. Yang Daotai didn't arrive, who did they listen to if they didn't listen to you? ”

"Yes, I'll see them later."

"Master Han, there is one more thing."

"What's the matter?"

Master Xu said with a bitter face: "Master Xu said that those foreigners not only always run to Jiangning, but also transport foreign guns and cannons to Jiangning one after another. In the past, the soldiers of the Jiangnan battalion could still use shotguns, lifting guns and mountain splitting cannons to shoot at Changmao, but now those Longmao use sharp foreign guns and foreign cannons, and Xiang Shuai doesn't know how many soldiers have lost because of this. ”

"Isn't Jiangyin not falling, there are sailors of the imperial court on the river, just stop those foreign ships!"

"Master Han, you said it lightly, that's a foreigner, who dares to stop it, even if you dare to stop it, can you stop it?" Master Xu sighed and said helplessly: "Those foreign businessmen are becoming more and more unscrupulous, and those civil and military officials who are responsible for river defense are helpless. It is said that someone once had a bad idea to propose to intercept and kill those foreign businessmen who sold guns and guns to long-haired merchants. ”

"What do you mean, Lord Xu?" Han Xiufeng asked knowingly.

"Lord Xu is in a letter to my young master, asking Master Han to negotiate with the foreign consul, and let the foreign consul strictly control those foreign merchants."

"Let the foreign consul control the foreign businessman?" Han Xiufeng asked with a smile.

"Hmm." Master Xu nodded subconsciously.

"Uncle Xu, don't be funny, what is the difference between this and a thief shouting to catch a thief, you must know that it is not only foreign businessmen who always run to Jiangning, it is not only those foreign businessmen who sell foreign guns and cannons to Longhair one after another. Let's put it this way, those foreign consuls who run the most diligently to Jiangning and sell guns and guns the most, do you think it will be useful for me to negotiate with them? ”

Looking at Master Xu's suspicious look, Han Xiufeng continued: "Just yesterday, Liu Lichuan asked the English consul to help him send a letter to the Heavenly King in Jiangning. intends to return to Hong Xiuquan, and no longer fights the banner of the Ming Kingdom, but the banner of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. ”

I learned that those chaotic parties in Shanghai County were under the banner of "opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty", and what kind of "Ming Kingdom" was established, not only Qiao Songnian breathed a sigh of relief, but even Master Xu felt that Liu Lichuan and other chaotic parties could not become a climate. Now hearing that Liu Lichuan was going to collude with Hong Xiuquan in Jiangning City and was about to change to the banner of long hair, Master Xu was taken aback and asked eagerly: "This is a hundred thousand urgent military information, I have to hurry up and report to my young master." ”

"Uncle Xu, even if you are in a hurry, you are not in a hurry for a while, not to mention that there are several mountains in the city, he Liu Lichuan wants to defect to Changmao, and the other bandit leaders don't want to. As far as I know, Chen Alin of the Fujian Gang did not agree, although they did not turn their faces, but it was not much different from falling out, Liu Lichuan set up the nest in the Confucian Temple, Chen Alin set the nest in Dianchun Hall, one changed to the banner of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and the other still played the banner of the Ming Kingdom, each doing their own thing, you say it's funny. ”

"It's funny, it's a good thing!" Master Xu couldn't help but laugh.

"If I'm not mistaken, Liu Lichuan's change to the banner of long hair is not really intended to serve Hong Xiuquan, but he feels that Shanghai may not be able to hold it, and wants to beg Hong Xiuquan to divide his troops to save them. Besides, how strict Changmao is in internal control, no matter what everything has to be handed over to the Holy Treasury, no matter how men, women, and children all have to believe in the Heavenly King, they will not believe that Liu Lichuan and the others will be sincere in their efforts, so they will not divide their troops to save them. ”

"If it were me, I wouldn't have believed in their gang of bad guilds."

"That's it, Liu Lichuan will let him change his flag when he changes his name, there's nothing to worry about. It's just that I can't negotiate with foreigners. ”

"Master Han, you are already a Tongzhi of Haiphong and the supervisor of Jiang Customs, and you have been living in the Citi Concession for three or four days, why can't you negotiate?"

"Foreigners pay attention to reciprocity, my grade is too low, my official position is too small, let alone to negotiate with the foreigner consul, and I don't even have the qualifications to meet the foreigner interpreter!"

"How many products do you need to negotiate with them?" Master Xu asked with a bitter face.

Han Xiufeng got up and said with a smile: "The foreigners said that the consular officer is of the same quality as the Taoist platform, and the vice consul and the interpreter are of the same quality as the prefect, your young master really wants me to negotiate with the foreigner, so you have to help me donate another belt from the fourth grade, and I have to ask the master of Futai and the Taiwan to sign me a big shortage." By the way, there are no alternates and registered ones, and foreigners don't recognize them. ”

"From the fourth grade, it is the prefect, not to mention my young master, even the master of the Taiwan industry can't be the master!"

"So don't make it difficult for you to be strong, negotiate this kind of thing with foreigners, or wait for Yang Daotai to take office."

"I have to go back and report quickly, and see if I can ask Lord Xu to urge Yang Daotai and let Yang Daotai take office quickly."

"On this point, as the new sub-inspector Su Songtai is preparing for the army, it is an eventful time, what is it to procrastinate and not hurry up to take office, isn't this a disappointment of the emperor's grace."

Speaking of this, Master Xu couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Ten have a thousand Jiǔ who don't want to come or even dare to come, after all, dealing with foreigners is not a trivial matter." ”