Songjiang Mansion, Shanghai County, on the bank of the Huangpu River, in a low warehouse, a group of people in simple clothes hold meetings here, a kerosene lamp is lifted from time to time, a cigarette roll or a cigarette pouch is stuffed, and the lamp is lit and smoked.

"Mr. Li, you can't go. If you are detained by the Dog Emperor, what will you do brothers? ”

Said a shirtless, unkempt man.

A middle-aged man sitting at a table, wearing glasses and looking like a scholar, waved his hand.

"Third brother, don't be persuaded. If the dog emperor is willing to talk, I will talk. For this day, how many good brothers were exiled to Africa by the dog emperor. The dog emperor has already been reported, and I won't go, it seems that we are afraid. ”

The scholar said in a resolute tone, casually slapping a newspaper on the broken wooden table.

The emperor sent them invitations, invited them to the palace for a talk, and also published a newspaper to declare that the emperor was willing to negotiate with representatives of all parties, and invited not only their trade unions, but also chambers of commerce, gangs, and dozens of others.

"Mr. Li!"

There was a knock on the door, and the bare-chested third man moved quickly, stretched out one hand to the oil lamp, and leaned over his mouth to blow out the light.

"Third brother, don't be busy."

Mr. Lee blocked.

A voice sounded at the door: "Mr. Li, it's time to go!" ”

A young man by the door suddenly opened the wooden door, and a wealthy middle-aged man fell in.

Oops, he hurriedly shouted: "Brothers, don't get me wrong, your own people!" ”

Hou Sheng watched the fat middle-aged man get up by himself coldly, and the other party's smile on his face did not please Hou Sheng at all, and he spat on it.

"Phew, who's with you is your own person, you dog!"

"Aquatic, don't be rude."

Mr. Li said lightly.

The latter snorted and stepped aside, obviously the scholar had a high prestige.

"Mr. Li, the emperor's people are urging, I'm afraid that the road will not be safe."

The fat middle-aged man continued to smile all over his face, smiling at everyone, and especially nodding to Mr. Li.

Mr. Li nodded and said, "I know." You go out first, there are still some things to explain. ”

"Alas! Not too long. ”

Seeing that the fat middle-aged man walked out, the posterior closed the door, and everyone started talking again.

"I've said everything I have to say. When I was away, everyone listened to the third brother when they had something. I can't use it here, so I'll have to change places. And try not to party. If something happens to me, we have to keep fighting. ”

"Mr. Li, don't say that, you are the backbone of everyone. Alas, if you want me to say, this trip should not have been. The dog emperor wants to talk, let him come to us to talk! ”

The third brother didn't know what to say.

Mr. Li smiled and shook his head: "Let the emperor come to us?" He carried a sedan chair eight times, dressed in brocade clothes, and sat in our broken warehouse? ”

Everyone laughed.

"Mr. Li, it's really time to go!"

The knock on the door rang again.

Hou Sheng opened the door violently, grabbed the fat middle-aged man outside the door, but suddenly felt that he had an extra hand on his wrist, and then a gravity hit his chest, and he suddenly lost his footing and fell into the house.

Two strong men in black robes and melon-skin hats walked in and stood on either side, with no smile on their faces and an aura like a mountain.

Everyone in the audience stood up, and some people immediately picked up stools in their hands.

Mr. Li stopped everyone: "Stop." ”

"Don't move, be careful, they have guns!"

The third brother reminded in a whisper.

At this time, everyone realized that the right hands of the two men in black were in their pockets.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and the fat middle-aged man walked in from outside with a smile.

"Brothers, misunderstandings, misunderstandings. These two adults were sent by the emperor to greet Mr. Li. ”

The two men in black nodded.

One of them said, "Please go." It's not early, and the car can't wait. ”

"Can't go. Now it's so arrogant, if you get to the capital, maybe what will happen? The opposition grew stronger. ”

Mr. Li said: "The kindness of your brothers, Li has received it. Don't worry, I'll be fine. ”

After speaking, he nodded to the two men in black: "It's hard work." ”

The man in black also nodded, got out of the way, and made a gesture of please.

Mr. Li strode past the men in black.

Everyone followed and sent to the river, and understood that Mr. Li got on an inconspicuous mail boat, and the steamer kept on fire, started up, and drove away with a bang.

"Brothers, everyone's recent tricks have been highlighted. Greet all the workers, and Mr. Li can't take the risk alone. If the Dog Emperor doesn't let people go, everyone will fight with them! ”

The third brother finally arranged, and his arrangement was very kind to everyone's thoughts.

Mr. Li wondered why he didn't take the more convenient train, and the emperor used a boat to pick him up instead.

He asked this question on the boat, and the man in black said that it was inconvenient to answer, the fat middle-aged man was very familiar with him, this was a dock broker, with a wide range of contacts, and he was familiar with both black and white. On the Huangpu River, he does everything he buys and sells, imports and exports, goods from the north and south, and even some illegal transactions, all in private.

"Wang has always admired Mr. Li's character, and I used to think that with your ability, it is not difficult to make a fortune. But you've been messing around with mud legs all day, and now you know that you're doing something big. The ambition is not to make a fortune, this time the emperor summoned him, I am afraid that he is going to enter the court to be an official. My Lao Wang is also fortunate to be able to go to the palace with you, Sansheng is lucky! Mr. Li, I didn't understand before I went down, there is food and drink here, which one of you is wrong? Now I know that you are really a master. ”

The fat middle-aged man sighed.

Mr. Li smiled: "We are not all the way, you won't understand." ”

The fat middle-aged man retorted: "Look at what you said, there is a way that all brothers are brothers in the four seas, and I am heart-to-heart with all the brothers on the dock, why am I not all the way." ”

Mr. Li said: "You eat on your knees, we eat standing up. ”

The fat middle-aged man sneered: "Mr. Li said he was joking." It's all about begging for a living, I, Wang, eat Jianghu rice, and my friends give face, so I can eat this meal. Mr. Li said me, naturally I have nothing to say, but which of those mud-legged people under your command can compare to me? ”

Mr. Li said: "Boss Wang, we are union brothers, and there is no difference between the top and the bottom. Each of us eats with our own hands, and we eat clean food. ”

Boss Wang snorted coldly: "I know you look down on me, but what can I do?" I have three concubines, how many of you can afford to marry a daughter-in-law? Look down on me, it's ridiculous! ”

Boss Wang, a Jianghu person, also lost his flattery and turned to make friends with two poor people. But the two poor men did not have the heart to speak, and they were careful along the way, and if there was any wind or grass, their hands would reach into their pockets.

This scene made Boss Wang start to worry.

He was born as a bastard on the dock, his grandfather was born as a slender man, and his father's area began to mix his feet, and he came out of Mingtang, and when he came here, he was already a local figure with a head and a face. But they still can't get on the stage, the officials look down on them, and the workers are afraid and hateful of them. But they can't be separated from them.

Eating the food in the rivers and lakes, his eyes were bright, and he immediately noticed that this trip was afraid that it would not go so smoothly. He originally thought that Mr. Li was going to succeed if they were murdering and setting fire to be recruited. If the government can't help them, they will give them high-ranking officials. Now it seems that there is a lot of danger.

Thinking of this, Boss Wang excused himself to be sleepy, shrank to a corner of the cabin, and quietly hid, but he was always ready in his heart.

Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with the night, and they successfully arrived at the Shimonoseki Wharf, quickly got on a special train, and drove to the palace.

After entering the palace, different people came to receive them, and the two black-clothed messengers let go of their nervousness at this time and talked and laughed with their colleagues who received them.

After Boss Wang was arranged, taken to a side hall, there was a table of wine and food waiting for him and some other people, under inquiry, they were all followers with heads and faces from all walks of life, Boss Wang couldn't help but feel aggrieved, he followed Mr. Li, but he was not a follower.

Mr. Li didn't think about it so much, he felt that he was frank and open, others were nervous last night, and he slept soundly. At this time, he followed a palace guard all the way to the emperor's upper study.

The emperor set a table of wine and food and waited for him.

Nor did he feel honored.

After meeting, the emperor sat upright, and he didn't salute, the two looked at each other, but the emperor nodded first, and Mr. Li nodded casually.

"Mr. Lee, right? Have a seat! ”

Mr. Li sat down immediately, not at all humble.

Zhou Lang continued: "Mr. Li is tired of traveling, and a table of thin wine catches the wind for Mr. ”

Mr. Li didn't say anything, picked up the chopsticks and ate the sea.

Zhou Lang looked at this person, but still started to speak: "Mr. Li." Mr. Li Lide. Born in the fourth year of the Great Zhou, the three generations of his father and ancestors are craftsmen, and in the seventeenth year of the Great Zhou, the official sent to study engineering in the United Kingdom. Seven years later, he received his doctorate and returned to China to work as a helper in the Navy Yard. Two years later, he left his job to set up a factory, and half a year later he went bankrupt. After that, he worked in large and small shipyards in the area of Songjiang Prefecture for a long time. Insist on running free night schools for workers all year round. Quite loved by workers. ”

Li Lide has been eating.

Zhou Lang was puzzled: "With Mr. Li's background, it seems that he should not hate the government. You can study abroad, it is an official choice, even if you don't feel grateful, at least you won't feel resentful. ”

At this time, Li Lide put down his chopsticks: "Your Majesty." I will not be grateful to the government for sending me abroad for the funds to be taken from the people. The government is just an intermediary, so why should I be grateful to the government? They are just servants of the people, but they ride on the heads of the people and do power, and it is not bad that I don't hate them, so how can I talk about gratitude? ”

Zhou Lang smiled awkwardly, opening his mouth and closing his mouth about the people, public servants and the like, he hadn't heard it for many years. The officials in these years really feel that they are superior to others, and they dare to speak out, they do not feel that they should be equal to the people, they feel that they are parents and officials, and the parents of the people, which may be the true portrayal.

Thousands of troops crossed the single-plank bridge and said that they were vying to be servants for others, which is too untrue.

Zhou Lang smiled: "Okay, Mr. Li is really a talent in the UK, and he sees things thoroughly." I'm not going to come with you, I want to ask sir. How is the establishment of a parliament and the formulation of a constitution intended to limit the imperial and official powers? ”