With the salt quotation as collateral, the wealthy merchants in the city: foreign merchants, salt merchants, and merchants of the Cháo Prefecture were gathered together to divide the loan according to the capitation, although the interest rate of this loan was not high, but with the salt quotation as collateral, there was no risk of losing money, and the 400,000 taels of silver were quickly apportioned. He could not help but boast about himself, and his prestige among the merchants of Guangzhou also increased.

The matter of Gao Ju's borrowing money to make up the ransom fee was quickly passed on through Meng Xian's channels. As one of the largest exchange banks in Guangzhou, Delong also lent 5,000 taels of "redemption fees" in this collective loan.

Gao Ju received the silver, except for the 300,000 taels sent by Li Fengjie to send people out of the Australian military camp outside the city in batches, the remaining 100,000 taels, according to his wishes, Gao Ju deposited 30,000 taels to Delong, and Delong sent a ticket to Governor Li's hand.

Boxes of silver were counted in the barracks and loaded onto ships one by one -- this cash would greatly alleviate the current problem of insufficient reserves for precious metals in Lingao.

Gao Ju personally went to the military camp outside the city several times, gave a large number of gifts to Wen Desi and others, and sent a lot of sheep wine for the three armies. This time he is more and more respectful to the Australians, who are not only rich and capable, but also robbers armed to the teeth. Luckily, they are also businessmen who keep their promises, and Australians are exemplary as business partners.

Gao Ju is happy that he can maintain a good cooperative relationship with Australians, in addition to Yang Gonggong, Australians can also become a great backer, and compared to the insatiable Yang Gonggong, Australians obviously belong to the kind of people who are "rich and wealthy".

The value of the gifts given by the exaltation is very high, most of them belong to the luxury goods and enjoyment of this era, Wen Desi was very satisfied with it, and the caregivers accepted all of them, and listened to a bunch of compliments, and the two sides talked freely about the future to carry out "larger" and "deeper" cooperation. Originally, he held up the political and business channels of Jingshi, which he had been twisting and refusing to provide, and he was also very willing to provide it.

Zuihou visited and He Chengzong also went with him, and the two sides reached an agreement on the second phase of negotiations in Australia, and according to Li Fengjie's intentions, Li Luoyou will be specifically responsible for the negotiations in Australia. As for the timing of the return of the Australians themselves to Canton, Li Fengjie requested that it be in mid-December, when the sāo movement had subsided a little.

Subsequently, Wen Desi and others pretended to be the place of the jīng house and feasted Gao Ju and He Chengzong and their party. The two sides pushed the glasses and exchanged glasses, toasted several times in a row, and then gave gifts, including Li Fengjie and others, all of whom had valuable Australian goods to send. The guests and hosts parted happily.

The ransom fee has been paid, and there is no need for the contingent to remain outside the city. Chen Haiyang and others levied a "reasonable burden" outside the city and fully declared the protest before they chose a day to withdraw from the provincial river.

On 20 November, the task force fired 24 cannons. The whole army boarded the ship and left the camp. The task force arrived at Tiger Mén in the evening of the same day. Rendezvous with Tiger Mén's remaining troops. Most of the facilities have been dismantled, supplies have been transferred to Hong Kong, and only two squadrons of special service boats and one company of marines have been left to remain stationed -- a bargaining chip reserved for the next step in negotiations with the local government of Guangdong. After resting for the night, Chen Haiyang and others led the fleet to leave the anchorage of Hu Mén, and at noon on the 21st, they passed through Macao Mén and Modaoyang, and entered Victoria Bay, and the fleet anchored at the Central anchorage. The two-month-long "crusade in the Pearl River Basin" has come to an end.

In the past two months, the construction of the 852 base in Hong Kong has begun rapidly - a large number of prisoners have enriched the labor force. When Chen Haiyang and the others returned to the 852 base, several outposts and batteries covering the entrances and exits of the waterways around Hong Kong had been completed one after another. The construction of the first major road near Central is under intense construction. The main road unfolds roughly along the coastline. Hong Kong's first wharves, warehouses and trading houses will be carried out along this main road.

Since the negotiations had not yet been formally concluded, the Military Governor's Court sent a telegram to the task force to rest in Hong Kong, and that some of the ships in need of repair and maintenance could return to Lingao, while the personnel of other ships continued to be on standby. As soon as the negotiations broke down, they re-entered the Pearl River and started fighting.

As Li Luoyou watched the Australian fleet sail out of the mouth of the Pearl River, escorted by smoky xiǎo boats, he knew that the situation was decided—the most urgent thing now was to clean up the mess. Sure enough, an order came from Canton to immediately begin negotiations with the Australians.

Li Luoyou's mood for this negotiation was both resistant and expectant. Naturally, the expectation is that after this negotiation, trade can be restored, and the normal order of life on both sides of the Pearl River will return to the right track, and the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Australians is of great significance from the perspective of his personal interests and the interests of the people.

The reason why he felt resistance was because he already knew what the Australians had been doing in the past two months on a rampage on the Pearl River. The officers and men once again showed their absolute incompetence, and the Australians wreaked havoc on both sides of the Pearl River with dozens of boats and 1,200 men as if they were in a no-man's land, extorting "reasonable burdens" everywhere, killing many local squires, taking thousands of prisoners, and taking away a large amount of property.

The actions of the Australians are like another slave. Of course, they are more polite to the people than the beastly Jiannu, and do not arrest people casually, nor rob and kill people everywhere. It's just that it's especially ruthless to those who resist. Li Luoyou is keenly aware that Australians are much more clever and dangerous than Jiannu.

The location of the negotiation was chosen in Huang Shunlong's private residence. Huang Shunlong felt honored to serve both the shopkeeper Li and the Australians, and vacated one of the most Haode courtyards for their use.

The negotiator sent by Lingao was Skaide, chief of staff at the Ministry of Colonies and Trade. In the past, this lord and faction had always advocated making peace with the Ming Dynasty as soon as possible, and even accepting Zhao'an. This time, the Executive Committee agreed to allow him to negotiate peace, but it was not allowed to engage in any "recruitment."

In addition to the conditions already reached in Guangzhou, Skede also put forward six demands:

First, Australians are free to buy and employ people, and they can dispose of the population for export at will, and the government must not interfere.

Second, all ships in the name of Australians entering the Canton trade are not taxable. Cargo on board is exempt from chōu shares, that is, exempt from paying customs duties.

Third, the purple brand and other Australian industrial and commercial enterprises continue to pay various official business taxes, but they should be exempted from bad regulations.

Fourth, Australians enjoy extraterritorial jurisdiction in Guangzhou, and all arrests, detentions, and interrogations involving Australians must be subject to the consent of Australians.

Fifth, Australians are free to buy land and build houses in Guangzhou.

Sixth, Hong Kong Island and the surrounding outlying islands are controlled by Australians. Prospective Australians are free to act on it.

Skade finished reading the six. Li Luoyou was in a slightly calmer mood - there were no such things as terrible indemnities and annual coins. Because of the lessons of the Two Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was extremely wary of this kind of thing. But Zuihou has attracted his attention, and this so-called "control" does not mean that it is to occupy Hong Kong Island?

In the history of the Ming Dynasty, this place of Xiangshanao is far less famous than Haojingao, even a businessman like Li Luoyou, who has been doing business in the coastal areas of Guangdong for a long time, is not very familiar with it, but whether it is familiar or not, it is absolutely impossible to cut the land.

"The cession of Xiangshan Ao is absolutely impossible." Li Luoyou knew very well that this little-known island was probably under the control of the Australians now, and their request to add this one to the negotiations was nothing more than a clear way to confirm their power.

Skade did not speak, continuing to listen to his statement.

“…… This request for the cession of Hong Kong Island, not to mention that Lord Fujun did not dare to agree, even the emperor did not dare to mention the word 'land cession'. Li Luoyou said, "Moreover, this article of Lord Fujun will never dare to go to the court to listen to the heavens." ”

Skade continued to remain silent, these problems were also mentioned by Yu Eshui of the Great Library when the terms of negotiation were drawn up - in the current state, it was institutionally impossible for the Ming Dynasty to sign a treaty such as the "Treaty of Nanjing". No governor or governor would dare to sign such a document.

Moreover, the imperial court was extremely wary of people overseas, and the debate between the ban on Shanghai and the ban on the court never stopped. You still have to come to Guangzhou with the banner of Australians, not to mention that Lord Fujun can't cover the sky with one hand -- there are several officials in this city who can play directly with the imperial court -- even if he can do it, what if the governor of Guangdong changes people? ”

Skade was convinced: "What do you see? ”

"This matter can only be known to you and me, and it must not be told to the world." Li Luoyou said.

Li Luoyou said that the local government of Guangdong could only secretly agree to the various conditions put forward by the Australians, and the two sides could make a fortune in a muffled voice, and they must not be able to use the words in a grand manner, still less can they brazenly raise the banner of the Australians.

The Ming Dynasty forbade all foreigners to live and do business in Guangzhou, and no foreigner could live in Guangzhou except for the Portuguese, who had the privilege of entering Guangzhou twice a year to trade. Australians, of course, can't.

If this power is forcibly demanded, even if Li Fengjie is willing to play for it, the back and forth of the court alone will never come to fruition without three or four years of hard work.

"Fortunately, Australians are also descendants of China, and their appearance is no different from that of the Ming people, why don't you continue to be a Ming citizen?" Li Luoyou made suggestions to let them impersonate the natives in Guangzhou.

As long as the identity problem is solved, everything can be solved.

As for the large-scale export of people, Li Luoyou believes that as long as the outflow of displaced people from other places is carried out, the government will not only not obstruct it, but will also welcome it very much -- otherwise, they would have prevented Australians from exporting population from Guangzhou a few years ago.

As for the second article, the issue of ship taxation, since the Australians are considered to be the natives of Guangzhou, and the ships sail between Lingao and Guangzhou, it is an authentic domestic coastal trade, so naturally there is no need to pay the chōu share and water taxes required by overseas merchant ships and foreign ships.

As for the third issue of tax exemption, as long as a tacit agreement can be reached with the government, of course it will not be a problem -- the commercial tax of the Ming Dynasty is not high in the first place, as long as the merchants have a certain amount of backing, and the local officials do not dare to extort too much money, there is not much pressure on the merchants to pay the taxes. Of course, some necessary bad rules are inevitable, but with the reputation of Australians who kill people without blinking, I am afraid that no one will want to take this money without opening their eyes.

Extraterritoriality and other requirements, Li Luoyou smiled bitterly: "You still care about this? There is no one in Guangzhou who is so blind that he can cure your sins. You are now a gentry, and if you send a piece to the Yamén, even the Jiangyang thieves who kill people and set fires can be saved. ”

On the issue of Hong Kong Island, Li Luoyou resolutely opposes their occupation of Hong Kong Island. It is impossible for the governor to agree to this.

"The army can only turn a blind eye to this, and it is impossible for you to be allowed to rent this place like the Portuguese." Li Luoyou said, "This matter is not the same, the Portuguese can enter the Haojing Macao, and the time is also lucky, and it cannot be forced." ”

After more than ten days of bargaining and the exchange of letters and telegrams between the two sides to Guangzhou and Lingao, the two sides finally reached an agreement in principle in Australia. It was later known as the Treaty of Australia, but there was a great deal of controversy among the historians of the empire as to whether this agreement was a real treaty. The prevailing view is that this treaty could only be regarded as a memorandum of understanding between the empire and the Ming magistrate. The text of the treaty has not been officially signed and sealed, and even the text retained by the Ming Dynasty has since been found. It was not an international treaty in the true sense of the word, and this document was only implemented in Guangdong by relying on the strong military force of the empire's ships and artillery.

Since the Guangdong government concluded this treaty privately, of course it would not openly deposit it in the shelves. It was only stored in Li Luoyou's mansion as a top-secret private document for reference. And this text has long been lost. According to the texts preserved in the Grand Library, there are eleven paragraphs of the entire Australian Mén Treaty

1. Australians are free to go to Canton and certain surrounding prefectures and counties under the control of the governor of Canton, and to do business, to farm, and to bring their families, slaves, and companions. However, they must pretend to be the aborigines of Guangdong, and they must not openly claim to be Australians.

2. The affairs of Australians in Guangzhou are all in charge of the purple shopkeeper. All commercial and civil disputes are fully authorized to intervene with the government.

3. All Australian properties in Guangzhou shall be taxed as usual in accordance with the regulations of the government, except that miscellaneous and various fees shall be exempted.

Fourth, Australians can buy land and real estate in Guangzhou.

5. The ships of the Australians entering the Canton trade shall be exempt from all water charges, chōu shares, and fees. However, it must be a Ming ship, and it is not allowed to call itself an Australian ship. Otherwise, no tax payable will be exempted

6. Australians shall freely carry on any trade in Canton, and shall freely transport goods, gold and silver in and out, without interference from the government.

7. Australians are allowed to hire and buy people in Guangzhou. And freely take them wherever Australians wish.

8. Australians are repairing ships in Xiangshanao, and the Guangdong government will not interfere.

9. All the property, land, trade and goods of the original Australians in Guangzhou shall be returned. Because some of the goods have been sold and some of the money-making equipment has been destroyed, the two sides have reached an agreement that the Guangdong side will pay Kuping 30,000 taels of silver for compensation at one time.

10. All the Ming people implicated in the previous arrest of Australians shall not be further violated and arrested by the government, and all those who have been seized will be released. The property infringed by it shall be compensated by the government at a one-time payment of 5,000 taels of silver to Kuping.

11. After all the reparations, releases and restitution work has been completed, all Australian garrisons in Tiger Mén will be withdrawn.

In addition to paragraph 11, treaties and a number of agreements are supplemented. Many of the details were drawn up by the arbitral tribunal's waistcoat himself, and the format of the writing was very grand.

On the whole, the Executive Committee did not attach much importance to this treaty, because it was nothing more than a private agreement between the Senate and Li Fengjie. The binding force on the Ming government was limited to the period of Li Fengjie's Fuyue. Once Li Fengjie leaves office, the entire agreement will be invalidated.

However, the traditional characteristic of Chinese officialdom is that the inheritance of bad rules is extremely serious, and as long as this agreement has been running smoothly for a few years, a certain interest group has been formed around it, and the new Yuefu can only be helpless. Moreover, according to the current development momentum, it is still unknown how long the Ming Dynasty's rule in Guangdong can be maintained, and how many Yuefu can be replaced.

The reason why this low-ranking memorandum had to be detailed and solemn was that the main intention of the vest was to satisfy the Senate -- to give the senators a sense of satisfaction in signing an unequal treaty. In Ma Jia's opinion, the countless goods, people, and ransom fees of 300,000 taels brought back by the task force were worth all the treaties.

Although the treaty itself was of little significance, after the telegram of the signing of the "Australian Mén Treaty" reached Lingao, the Senate still ordered 24 cannons to be fired at Bopu and a whistle to be sounded for one minute as a celebration.

The Australian Mén Treaty did not address the disposal of the remnants of He Rubin who were trapped in Qiongshan. Li Fengjie thought that this matter had nothing to do with him, and so far, no state or county in Qiongzhou had reported that he had fallen wrong, so he was happy to pretend to be deaf and dumb.

It was the day after the signing of the Treaty of Macao that news came from Guangdong: Wang Zunde, the governor of Liangguang, died of illness in Zhaoqing, and the governor of the Great Seal was temporarily cared for by Li Fengjie.

In this way, the task of how to clean up the mess in Qiongshan and rescue He Rubin's department fell to Li Fengjie. Of course, he could continue to pretend to be deaf and dumb until a new governor of Liangguang came to take over and let him deal with it. But Li Fengjie has an idea in his heart: I hope that I can change from "nursing" to "acting", and Zuihou will simply turn positive. For this reason, on the one hand, he sent Pegasus to pass the book into Beijing, so that the master of his excerpt study would immediately be active in Beijing, and on the other hand, he sent Li Luoyou to Lingao again, striving to reach an agreement with the Australians as soon as possible on the rescue of He Rubin's remnants.