Gao Yi's destination is Ningbo. Julaida has always wanted a specimen of a black-faced spoonbill, and the tidal flats of Hangzhou Bay near Ningbo are a haven for herons, which migrate from February onwards, and in May and June, thousands of herons gather here from afar to enter the peak breeding season, and there is no better opportunity to hunt the black-faced spoonbill.

It is about 180 kilometers of sea route from Chongming Island to Ningbo, and it takes eight hours for the boat to run even if it reaches 12 knots. However, after the ship started, Julaida went to rest in the cabin and did not come out of it until the boundary of Ningbo.

Gao Yi leaned over to chat with him twice in a row, but before he said a few words on a topic, the other party found an excuse to avoid it.

Gao Yi could only turn to De Gray depressedly, "So, does he know that this trip was actually arranged by me?" Do you know what I'm going to talk to him about? He asked, glancing at Madame de Grey, who was making a great gesture in front of Madame de Grey.

"Of course, although it is more subtle, I have clearly conveyed these two points to him, and I think that since he agreed to your invitation, it is a very clear signal that he wants to talk to you about this."

De Gray was also confused.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him when the boat comes to shore and see what he wants to do. There's a good chance he's trying to get your appetite, these diplomats, they know how to bargain to get the most out of it. ”

Gao Yi expressed his gratitude, and he could only wait for de Gray's arrangement, if he showed too eagerness at this time, he would probably put himself at a disadvantage in the next negotiations.

By about ten o'clock in the evening, the sailors who had landed in advance had lit two huge bonfires at the beachhead, and the tents were quickly erected, and a simple trestle for the paddles had been erected. The "Patterson" and the "Betsy" were both ships of more than 1,000 tons—in this age of riveting, a ship of less than this tonnage could not go far—and the two ships together had more than 60 sailors, and they were well manned and could do everything very quickly.

Guests first descend from the boat to the dinghy and then ascend to land via the trestle. The trestle rests on piles driven into the mud, and this beach is a muddy tidal flat, and the piles driven into the mud are more reliable than the sand, but in order to be sure, two drainers stand in the water on both sides of the trestle, more than half a man, and carry the stakes on their shoulders to prevent them from collapsing.

The supper around the campfire was ready, and Gresheng's gang of friends were all wine bags and rice bags, and they quickly shook off their cheeks and ate and drank.

Gao Yi was holding a roasted quail and gnawing absentmindedly, and as soon as Ju Laida got off the boat, he returned to his tent under the pretext of old age and fatigue, but as long as he watched his servants bring food and wine into his tent in a steady stream, he knew that the so-called lack of body was just an excuse.

De Grey was also helpless about it, and could only suggest waiting until tomorrow. But tomorrow after the bird hunt, the two ships will part up, and the "Patterson" will return directly to Shanghai, while Gao Yi will return to the "Betsy" according to the original plan, and go to the Shengsi Islands with Gresheng and them to stay for two more days. So the only time left to talk was tomorrow morning, and during the hunt.

"What's wrong? My friend, look at your sullen look. Mrs. Grison came up and said in French.

"I'm just a little tired and don't have much appetite."

"Really? It seems to me that you have something on your mind. You know, I heard a little secret about you from Betsy. ”

Betsy is Madame de Gray, and before Gao Yi contacted De Gray for help, he actually took the lady route, because he heard that De Gray had always been obedient to his wife, so he visited Madame de Gray first. So Madame de Grey was clear about him.

"Well, I must admit, I'm a little annoyed."

"Do you want me to help you deal with him?" As she spoke, Mrs. Grison glanced in the direction of the Julado's tent.

"Solve what? Oh no, of course not, I mean, there's no need to bother you at all......" Gao Yi didn't react at first, and when he figured out what kind of help she was going to provide, he hurriedly spoke up to stop her. Just kidding, things are already a mess, and if you mix a woman in it, is it not big enough?

"Still, I insist!"

Like a little girl, Mrs. Grison jumped back two steps on her tiptoes, then turned and walked briskly towards the tent of the giant.

Gao Yi didn't dare to reach out to grab it, and it was impossible for him to catch up with her and drag her back in public, so he could only watch her walk to the entrance of the tent, and then Julaida rushed out and kissed her hand again. The two of them talked for a few words, and Gao Yi noticed that Ju Laida glanced in his direction, and quickly turned his gaze to the sea, pretending to look at the scenery. When he turned his gaze back to the tent again, he found that Mrs. Grison had followed Jurada inside.

Not long after, Mrs. Grison came out of the tent, walked briskly to Gao Yi, and leaned over to him in a whisper, "He invites you to breakfast to-morrow morning." ”

"How did you do that?" Gao Yi couldn't help but ask curiously.

"You men are really, sometimes more squirming than women, can you just say no to this kind of thing?" Mrs. Gresheng looked at Gao Yidao triumphantly, "Of course, you still have to pay attention to strategy in language-"

"I told Mr. Ryttard that a friend of mine was very interested in a piece of land in the hands of the Board of Directors, but he did not know who to talk to about it, and you, as Consul General, would certainly be able to point us on this. So he said that something like this should go to his friend Edward Bloom, and that Bloom was the director who had enough authority to make it happen. ”

"Neither General Dong Baochang nor Vice President Dong Clark, but Brun?" Gao Yi wondered.

"Well, yes, it's Blune. What you need to know, though, is that Brune was elected to the board last year, and I hadn't heard of that person before. ”

Madame Grison answered Gao Yi's doubts, and then, she continued:

"I asked Mr. Riebard again whether Mr. Brunn would heed his advice in this matter. If so, I beg him to listen to our views on this matter, and then to make a corresponding suggestion to Mr. Bluhn, for we have little friendship with him. ”

"So he promised to hear your plans on the matter tomorrow at breakfast."

"It's as simple as that?"

"yes, so what do you think, how complicated is this going to be?"

Gao Yi shrugged his shoulders, completely unable to understand how Ju Laida's attitude suddenly changed so much, could it be that this guy is a pervert who can't take a step when he sees a woman? He glanced at Mrs. Grissen, and saw the other man looking at him with a smile.

"Don't you understand?"

"Understand what?"

"Think about it, Monsieur Ryttard is an old man in his fifties, with a salary of 2,000 francs, and is about to face the embarrassment of retirement. And you? He is only as old as his grandchildren, but he is so rich and famous, and he is welcomed by people everywhere he goes. So he's ashamed to take money from you. At this time, just show your urgency directly, and make him feel that he is helping you, not coercing you. ”