It was the end of August when Xu Rongcun arrived in Shanghai, when Prussia and France were still at war on the European continent, and the British Parliament was debating whether to form an expeditionary force. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Whether Xu Rongcun can successfully mediate may determine whether Britain wants to launch the Third Opium War.

But his method of mediation was very informal, and as soon as he arrived in Shanghai, he met Li Xiucheng.

At this time, Li Xiucheng was still in Shanghai, after conquering Shanghai, he stayed here to sit in the town, let the soldiers rest and recuperate, and began to launch an offensive against Taicang, and conquered Baoshan and other counties under Taicang Prefecture, which was to completely drive the Qing army out of the south of the Yangtze River, and if Zuo Zongtang was not driven away, Shanghai would not be stable enough, and the foreigners would make trouble from it, so it could not become a steady source of wealth for Li Xiucheng.

"Shanghai's total import value last year was 4975.10 guan taels, and the total export value was 35.3724 million guan taels, totaling more than 80 million taels. I didn't go to the Ming Dynasty until this number, and a Shanghai arrived in my Ming Dynasty. ”

Xu Rongcun drank Li Xiucheng's West Lake Longjing while introducing Shanghai's economic situation to Li Xiucheng.

Li Xiucheng didn't care about this: "Just tell me, how much silver can I get a year?" ”

Xu Rongcun said with a smile: "It depends on what the nine thousand years old do." ”

Li Xiucheng snorted: "Do whatever you can get the silver, do it!" ”

Xu Rongcun sighed: "Guarding such a vault in Shanghai, how can you get silver, it's just a little difference." ”

Li Xiucheng was impatient: "Then you calculate for me, how much can I get at most?" ”

Xu Rongcun said: "With my Ming method, I can get 30 million taels!" ”

Li Xiucheng couldn't help but gasp, last year, the annual income of the entire Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was nothing more than this, it was still the result of scraping the land, what tariffs and land taxes add up to so much, and the main thing is to collect the people's land and silver, a Shanghai, without scraping the land, can double the income of the heavenly treasury every year? Li Xiucheng was a little unconvinced, of course he fought Shanghai because Shanghai was rich, but he also knew that the tariffs that the Qing court could get in Shanghai were only a few million taels, how could he take more than the Qing court. Li Xiucheng is ready to collect a little less, after all, after a battle, a large number of foreign businessmen have run away, and the tax revenue will naturally be less.

"Da Ming's method, what is it?"

Li Xiucheng couldn't help asking.

Xu Rongcun said: "A few years ago, I began to pay heavy tariffs on opium, and the tax ratio was as high as three times the value of the goods, and the internal levy of opium tobacco houses was as high as five times the value of the goods. ”

Li Xiucheng nodded: "That's eight times!" ”

He knew that the opium cigarette trade was large, and opium was the main one imported from Shanghai, accounting for seventy or eighty percent.

Xu Rongcun shook his head: "It's fifteen times!" ”

The tariff and the business tax of the opium tobacco house are not additive, but multiplierative.

Li Xiucheng was shocked again: "Then there are still people who eat smoke?" ”

It has multiplied fifteen times, and the opium has become a sky-high price.

Xu Rongcun nodded and said, "Naturally, there are fewer people who smoke, but there are still people who smoke." In the past, I bought as many as 20 million taels of foreign cigarettes next year, but in the past few years, the imported foreign cigarettes are only about 200 taels, but the tax on them is as high as 30 million taels. It's the first big tax in my Ming Dynasty. ”

Li Xiucheng was a little worried: "So, if Shanghai imposes heavy taxes, won't there be less foreign cigarettes?" ”

Xu Rongcun nodded: "Naturally, it is less." But there are hidden foreign cigarettes, some people always can't quit, the poor smoke less, and the rich still smoke. Taxes will increase quite a bit. Last year, the value of opium was at least 28 million, and even if it was reduced by 90 percent, it would be about 3 million, and the tax would be 10 times that of 30 million taels. ”

"Ten times?"

Li Xiucheng frowned.

Xu Rongcun said: "The tariff doesn't need to be so high, if the tariff is too high, there will be outlaws smuggling across the border." I have suffered greatly in the past two years. However, opium studios can also be taxed. I heard that there are many opium smoke houses in Tianjing, which are not as bad as me. ”

These opium smoke houses are the reason why Li Xiucheng frowned, because these smoke houses are basically opened by various princes, although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom as a whole is poor, but there are a large number of people who are suddenly rich, thousands of princes, and the treacherous giants who collude with these powerful people, and the speed at which they use their privileges to grab wealth, it is simply amazing.

But can these people's tobacco houses be taxed? Even if it is not opened by the prince, there are often various princes behind it, especially the prince surnamed Hong is the big one among them, and there are fewer princes who are really leading troops outside.

"Just collect tariffs!"

Li Xiucheng said categorically. He can't move the tobacco house, according to the reason, those smoke houses should not have at all, the law of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom so far, the sale of opium is to light the sky lantern, and the trade treaty signed with the foreigners, has never recognized the legitimacy of the opium trade, they are in the Qing court and the Ming Dynasty, the only official ban on smoking, but unfortunately, the official strong ban is only superficial, but let those who dare to smuggle more than the legitimate trade of the prince, make a windfall.

Xu Rongcun still doesn't know enough about the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, he doesn't know these situations, he only knows that Li Xiucheng is 9,000 years old, and he has monopolized power in the past few years, since he has to levy huge tariffs, it is up to him.

He nodded and said, "Since the nine thousand years old want to collect tariffs, then collect tariffs." It is only a matter of imposing tariffs of 10 times, and smuggling is bound to be prohibited, and I am afraid that it would be good if 2 million people can go to customs every year, and a maximum of 20 million tariffs under 10 times will be tariffs. ”

Li Xiucheng nodded, 20 million is not a lot, the problem is not how much, but that the money is given to him Li Xiucheng, the reason why he has cooperated happily with Daming in recent years, in addition to knowing that Daming is strong, the most important reason is that the tariffs collected by Daming in Ningbo are handed over to the heavenly government in his charge according to formal channels, not through those princes. This is the same reason that the Manchus relied on the customs controlled by the British, and once the money passed through the officials of the country, there were basically few left, which was the biggest problem.

"Then the customs will be handed over to you Daming, I don't care about the tax collection, I only care about the money."

Li Xiucheng said.

Xu Rongcun said the right thing: "Shanghai is not as simple as Ningbo. I'm afraid I won't be able to collect this tax. ”

Li Xiucheng frowned: "Why is this?" ”

Xu Rongcun sighed: "The British will not agree." ”

Li Xiucheng snorted: "Could it be that you are still afraid of foreigners?" ”

Xu Rongcun said: "It's not a question of being afraid or not. ”

Li Xiucheng sneered: "What else can it be, if you are afraid, my heavenly kingdom will come forward." ”

Xu Rongcun said: "The question is, if the Kingdom of Heaven can fight foreigners in Shanghai, can you go to Britain to fight foreigners?" ”

You can only be beaten passively, and the best thing you can do is not to defend, and that's the big problem.

Li Xiucheng snorted: "If he doesn't come to provoke me, I naturally can't beat him." ”

Xu Rongcun knew that Li Xiucheng was stubborn: "But this is going back and forth, what kind of tax is collected." ”

Li Xiucheng understood: "Are you here to be a lobbyist for foreigners?" ”

Xu Rongcun shook his head: "It's not a lobbyist. It's just mediation. Would you like to listen to me? ”

Li Xiucheng snorted, pretended to be impatient, and waved his hand to signal Xu Rongcun to hurry up.

Xu Rongcun said: "I, Daming, have always been with the nine thousand years old, and I will not hide it from the prince. My intervention in Shanghai at this time will only make it more troublesome. What the emperor means is that the customs are still in charge of the British, and whoever moves the customs, the British will not stop. ”

Li Xiucheng frowned: "What about the tax?" ”

The reason why he fought Shanghai was not because the British collected taxes from Shanghai, all of which were given to the Manchus, which made him greedy and angry, and now they are handed over to the British, and how to collect this tax is a problem.

Xu Rongcun said: "Naturally, it will all be handed over to the kingdom of heaven. Although foreigners are unreasonable, they have one point, they are quite particular about doing business, and they will not falsify their accounts. If the foreigners can hand over the taxes of Shanghai to the Kingdom of Heaven, then it makes no difference to the Kingdom of Heaven whether the foreigners will collect it or the Ming Dynasty will collect it. ”

Li Xiucheng thought that this was also the case, but he hesitated in his heart: "Then what good can you Daming do?" ”

He never thought that Daming's group of people were upright gentlemen, he knew it from the first time he dealt with Zhu Jinglun, at that time, Zhu Jinglun sent him military rations, but he collected money, and Daming's group of people would not do anything that was not beneficial.

Xu Rongcun said with a smile: "Like Qingdao Dalian, I am the manager of the Ming Dynasty, and foreigners collect taxes. ”

The Ming Dynasty occupies land in Qingdao, Dalian and other places, Li Xiucheng naturally knows that the Ming Dynasty manages those ports, and the foreigners collect customs duties, but other taxes in the local area are collected by the Ming Dynasty, and it is said that they did not withhold any money, and they were used to build ports and other things, but Li Xiucheng did not think that they would do such a thankless job.

Even so, Qingdao and other places are the territory of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and now Shanghai is the land of heaven, but he Li Xiucheng's territory, he conquered Shanghai, how can he hand over the place, how can he rest assured that he has never trusted the foreigners, and of course he does not trust the Ming Dynasty.

"You mean, let my Heavenly Army hand over Shanghai to you?"

Li Xiucheng said unhappily.

Xu Rongcun knew his concerns, and said with a smile: "Nine thousand years old, there is no doubt that I will occupy this place in the Ming Dynasty, and it will not damage the prestige of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the place is still the place of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is just a matter of changing someone to take care of it." The key is that I am here, so that foreigners can dare to do business with confidence, so that they can collect their taxes. If the kingdom of heaven is here, the foreigners may not be at ease, and the British will never give up. ”

Li Xiucheng said angrily: "Are you afraid of foreigners coming here, are you really afraid that the world will laugh at you?" ”

Xu Rongcun sighed: "Nine thousand years old, don't worry. If the Heavenly Soldiers stay in Shanghai, foreigners can also pay taxes according to the regulations, but who will hand over Shanghai to, can you rest assured that you are nine thousand years old? ”

Li Xiucheng was suddenly choked by this sentence, he felt a sudden thump in one breath, and his face turned a little red, as if he had been punched in the chest.

Yes, even if you take care of this place yourself, who can take care of it? He couldn't rest assured that he would be handed over to others, such an important place, such a big piece of fat, he knew that there would be a lot of people to rob, and he would definitely have to hold it firmly in his hands. Even if it is handed over to his cousin Li Shixian, he can't rest assured, not because he is afraid that Li Shixian will be greedy for money, but he can't rest assured that Li Shixian's subordinates are at ease.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty was militarized, and the princeization of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was even more serious, and Li Xiucheng could not find the words to refute Xu Rongcun's words for a long time.

"Then you're going to garrison troops in Shanghai?"

After a long time, Li Xiucheng also asked, asking this sentence means that he has tacitly let Daming intervene in Shanghai.

Xu Rongcun said: "If my Ming army is not here, the foreigners will not rest assured, and my Ming army is no longer here, and the foreigners will have to garrison their own troops." Please be considerate of the nine thousand years old. ”

Li Xiucheng waved his hand: "That's it, if you love to garrison, you can garrison troops, but it can't exceed 10,000 people." ”

Xu Rongcun said: "I don't have the money to feed so many soldiers. However, the navy has to have a fleet. ”

Li Xiucheng snorted: "If you don't stay in the navy, foreigners will be stationed, right?" ”

There was disdain in his expression, and he didn't say it, "You Daming are really foreigners' lackeys".

Xu Rongcun was not annoyed: "Nine thousand years old and wise." ”

Li Xiucheng waved his hand, he was really impatient, and before he could say "sending off", Xu Rongcun continued to speak.

"Nine thousand years old, after the business is finished, there is a reluctant request below, I want to ask for a favor from nine thousand years old."

Although Li Xiucheng is not happy in his heart, he is actually quite satisfied, according to the meaning of the Ming Dynasty, let them station 10,000 people here plus a navy, he can collect tens of millions of taels of silver every year, isn't it just for this to fight Shanghai, to be honest, he still doesn't care about that little soldier, as long as he can receive money, Shanghai is his Li Xiucheng's.

When the heart is happy, the person is happy: "If you have something to say, say it." ”

Xu Rongcun said with a smile: "A silk factory run by foreigners in Shanghai has closed down, and my brother intends to take over, hoping that it will be convenient for nine thousand years old." ”

Before the defeat of Shanghai, the foreigners were almost gone, where was the factory, since the Xu family wanted it, Li Xiucheng was happy to be a favor.

"This king is approved."

Xu Rongcun waved his hand: "It's not about this matter, the foreigner's factory closed down because it couldn't collect cocoons, so what my brother meant was to find a place with cocoons to reopen the silk factory." The meaning of asking for 9,000 years old is that my brother wants to move the silk factory to Suzhou. ”