Han Xiufeng didn't believe Lin Qingyuan's words very much, but he couldn't have an interpreter who knew foreign language around him, so he simply used it first, let Datou, Su Jueming and Zhang Guangsheng stare at him together, and never let him leave his sight until the matter was done. But when I entered the English Concession, I found that I couldn't keep an eye on it.

The last time I came, the concession was deserted, there were few people on the road, and there were not a few foreign soldiers in sight. The scene I saw today was completely different from the last time, not only was the concession overcrowded, but also foreigners patrolling with foreign guns could be seen everywhere, Lin Qingyuan knew a lot of foreigners from the foreign gun team, as long as he wanted to run, he had a chance, and he couldn't stop him if he wanted to.

Seeing that Lin Qingyuan finished greeting a foreigner, and nodded and went to talk to another foreigner, the big head was so anxious that Han Xiufeng realized that it was too simple to think before, so he simply grabbed the big head and asked him to stop staring so closely.

rushed to Xiangmao Foreign Bank with such trepidation, didn't see the Johnson last time, talked to a foreigner who looked like a steward for a long time, and repeatedly confirmed that not only the foreign guns were not in stock, but even the arquebuses were not in stock, even if the order was not the same price as last time, Han Xiufeng could only say goodbye and go to the French concession with Lin Qingyuan.

If you don't go, you don't know, and when you go, you're surprised.

I ran a few French foreign companies, but without exception they couldn't buy guns.

Lin Qingyuan inquired about a few foreigners who had dealt with him before, and ran back and said helplessly: "Fourth Master Han, foreign guns are not tobacco soil, and these foreign companies have nothing in stock." When there was such a disturbance in the county town, no one knew whether it would affect the concession, and several consuls did not dare to take it lightly, so they asked the foreign bank to sell all the tap firebird guns and gunpowder lead in stock to the international merchant group. It is said that the International Chamber of Commerce is recruiting people and plans to go to the racecourse to practice from tomorrow. ”

Han Xiufeng stood in the corner, looking at the party members who were blatantly wearing red turbans on the dock and asked, "What about the arquebus, didn't you say that the arquebus was in stock last time?" ”

"I had it last time, but now it's gone, and it's all sold."

"Sold to whom?"

"Who else but those who make trouble?" Lin Qingyuan looked back, and said with a wry smile in Han Xiufeng's ear: "I heard from a friend in France that Liu Lichuan and they carried several large boxes of silver to buy guns and cannons last night, and not only bought all the arquebuses in the concession, but also bought dozens of cannons. ”

Zhang Guangsheng was taken aback and couldn't help asking: "Aren't foreigners worried that the concession will be affected, why do they even dare to sell foreign guns and cannons?" ”

"Mr. Zhang, foreigners are worried, but they can't leave the business delivered to their door. What's more, the consuls of foreigners are different from our officials and masters of the Qing Dynasty, and those foreigners who do business can listen to their words if they want to, and they don't listen to them if they want to. Lin Qingyuan paused, and couldn't help but say: "Fourth Master Han, the French friend just now said, you have to hurry up if you want to buy guns, their business is very easy to do now, with Liu Lichuan's big customer, no matter how many guns they have, they can sell them." ”

"What do you mean?" Han Xiufeng asked in a low voice.

"If you want to buy it, order it quickly, otherwise you may not be able to buy it, and even if you can buy it, it will not be at the current price."

"They will really sit on the ground and raise the price," Han Xiufeng pondered for a moment, then turned around and said: "Since the price has risen, it is not easy to buy, then I will not buy it, anyway, the silver is in my hand." There are a lot of people here, so let's go back first. ”

"Not buying?" Lin Qingyuan asked in surprise.

"Don't buy it!"

Han Xiufeng's tone was unquestionable, and after speaking, he turned around and walked back.

Thinking that there are not many long hairs in Yangzhou City, it would be good to be able to defend the city, even if they rushed out of the city, they would run to Jiangning, and it was unlikely that they would go to Taizhou, Zhang Guangsheng and Xiao Wuzi suddenly realized that this gun could be bought or not, and immediately pulled the big head and chased after it together. Lin Qingyuan didn't expect Han Xiufeng to say that he would buy it if he didn't buy it, and when he looked back at the two French friends who were waiting for news across the street, he reluctantly arched his hand, and chased after him after thinking about it.

……

Back at the house, Pan Er was guarding the gate.

Han Xiufeng was about to speak, but Pan Er greeted him and said, "Fourth brother, Mr. Wu is back and has brought a few guests." ”

"There is a guest ......" Han Xiufeng suddenly realized who was coming, and immediately turned around and said: "Mr. Lin, what I just said was angry, I came here, how can I go back without buying anything." I bother you to go to the Citi Concession with Guangsheng and Jueming to see if those Citi foreign companies have any goods. ”

Lin Qingyuan was afraid that there would be no business to do, so he said without thinking: "It's not tiring to talk, it's a small matter." ”

"Fourth brother, what about me?" Big Head couldn't help but ask.

"You don't have to go, Guangsheng, Jueming, there are mixed fish and dragons in the concession, you should be careful on the road."

"Fourth master, don't worry, we won't be fine, let alone cause trouble."

Walking away from Lin Qingyuan, Han Xiufeng followed Pan Er into the courtyard, only to see Wood Quan, who had heard the movement outside, and a middle-aged Confucian student came out of the flower hall, and there were still seven or eight sturdy men standing at the door of the east wing.

"Xu Jingshi meets the fourth master."

Han Xiufeng hurriedly went up to support Master Xu, clasped Master Xu's arms and said, "Uncle Xu, what are you doing, you can't help it, don't do this, you will break my life like this!" ”

Master Xu didn't expect Han Xiufeng to be so modest as a deputy from the fifth grade, and couldn't help laughing: "Fourth master, this time is not as good as in the past, you are now a master from the fifth grade, and your status is noble, if I don't bow, then I really don't understand the rules." ”

"No matter how noble my status is Han Si, can I still have Qiao Futai's dignity?" Han Xiufeng asked with a smile, and asked with a smile while beckoning him in: "Uncle Xu, now is really not the time to be polite, why did you come here to me, do you know that you came here Qiaofutai?" ”

"It was my young master who asked me to come." Master Xu recognized the big head, raised his hand to greet the big head who was grinning and smirked, and then said straight to the point: "Fourth master, although my young master is the prefect of Songjiang, he can't control the affairs of Shanghai, but now the party will make chaos, as the prefect, he can't ignore it, and he can't leave the city without permission, so I can only ask the fourth master to help find out the news here." ”

"Please ask me, a person who has just arrived in Shanghai for a few days, to help find out the news, is there no one in Songjiang Mansion?"

"There are people in Songjiang Mansion, but my young master has just arrived a few days ago, and the state and county officials under his rule have not recognized all of them. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't find someone I could trust, how could I rush here overnight to beg the fourth master. ”

Thinking that he wanted to resign last time but was left behind by Guo Peilin, and Guo Peilin was no one available at that time, Han Xiufeng realized that Qiao Songnian's current situation was not as good as Guo Peilin, who had just moved to Taizhou.

Master Xu didn't know what he was thinking, and said eagerly: "Fourth Master, they all say that they rely on their brothers at home and their friends when they go out, my young master is just such a friend as you in Songjiang Mansion, who else can you ask if he doesn't come to beg?" ”

Han Xiufeng was willing to help but didn't want to be involved, so he sat down and asked, "Just to help find out about the thief?" ”

"You can rest assured of this, not to mention that the fourth master is not an official of Songjiang Mansion, even if you are an official of Songjiang Mansion, my young master will not let you go to quell the chaos. After all, it is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, and it is useless to change anyone without soldiers in her hand. ”

"So your young master has already moved the rescuers?"

"If such a big incident happens, of course my young master must quickly send someone to report to Futai and Lord Zhitai."

"Since this is the case, I am relieved, Mr. Wu has been in Shanghai for so many years, and it is not difficult to find out the news outside the city, especially in the concession. If you want to find out the news in the city, there is a person on my side, he knows those chaotic parties, and he can swagger into the city and get out of the city, but I don't know what the character is, and I don't know if he will turn back. ”

As soon as Han Xiufeng's words fell, Wu Dequan couldn't help but ask, "Fourth Master, do you mean Lin Qingyuan?" ”

"Well, that's him."

"Mr. Wu, do you recognize it too?"

"Yes," Wood turned around and said with a wry smile: "Mr. Xu, the Lin Qingyuan mentioned by the fourth master is a donor from left to right, not only does he know the leaders of the party, but also many foreigners, no one can say whether he is reliable or not." ”

"Fourth Master, do you think this person can be used?" Master Xu asked again.

"There's something you can't use, but it depends on how you use it," Han Xiufeng said in a deep voice while beckoning the two of them to use tea: "You can find an opportunity to ask him if he is willing to serve the imperial court and go to the city to help investigate." But I have to tell him somewhere else, and you and I must not reveal who you and I are. ”

"I know that Fourth Master, you have a way." Master Xu immediately put down the teacup and arched his hand.

Han Xiufeng couldn't help but smile and asked, "Uncle Xu, are you relying on me, and you plan to be a hands-off shopkeeper?" ”

"Fourth master, what are you talking about, people and ghosts know themselves, I am an errand runner, how can I do this big thing." Master Xu arched his hand again, and then changed his words: "Fourth master, you asked the shopkeeper Wu to give me a letter to my young master, and my young master received it, and he also asked me to ask." The instructor you mentioned in the letter met with the professor of Fuxue on the eighteenth of last month, and then went to Jiading to take office, but you should have heard of the situation in Jiading, the former magistrate was beaten away by a gang of chaotic parties, and the one sent to act did not dare to enter the city, and no one knows what it is like in the city now. ”

"Jiading has no officials until now?" Han Xiufeng asked in surprise.

"It is said that ...... It is said that Xu Yao and other rebellious parties occupied Jiading County again, and it is rumored that Zhou Lichun, a rebellious party in Qingpu, also went with a group of rebellious people. But rest assured, reinforcements will arrive in ten days at most. ”

Master Xu's tone was a little insincere, and Han Xiufeng's heart was heavy, especially not a taste. After all, Ren Yaen's lack was found with his help, and if Ren Yaen really had three longs and two shorts, he really didn't know how to explain to Yu Sangu and Ren Yu'er.

Wood didn't know what Han Xiufeng was thinking, so he muttered: "Those chaotic parties are getting bolder and bigger, at first they just went into the city to rob people, but when they saw that the county lord ran away, and the court did not send troops to quell the chaos, they went and returned, and even occupied the county seat." ”

Master Xu put down the teacup and gritted his teeth and said: "So as long as you find a chaotic party, you must suppress it, and you must not tolerate the traitor and let it sit big!" ”

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