At noon, the Swards family stayed in the courtyard for dinner. Wen personally cooked and made a few Cantonese specialties. Although there was no seafood, Emily and they ate deliciously.

After a short rest, Qian Jin invited Shi Huade to sit in the study. He himself laid a clean white paper on the table. After a little thought, he picked up a thin wolf pen on the table and wrote a letter on the paper, all the contents of which were written in block letters. When the ink was dry, he brought the letter to Sward.

Sward glanced suspiciously, and carefully took the letter. The letter reads:

Most respectful Your Excellency the Queen Mother,

Eight years ago, the minister and his wife went on a pilgrimage to meet the first emperor. Coming to the capital again today, the first emperor has been summoned by the Lord to enter the ideal country. Recalling the first emperor's voice and smile, the ministers were related.

Over the years, the ministers have been temporarily living in Guanhai City by the grace of God. Some strangers asked: How was the first emperor? How about the Queen Mother? The ministers all replied: The first emperor was benevolent and kind, and he was an immortal king; The Queen Mother is elegant, and she has the posture of sinking fish and geese. Today, the glory of the first emperor and the queen mother has long been spread in foreign countries. Different people look up to the prosperity of my Da Chen, the benevolence of the first emperor, the demeanor of the queen mother, and the endless flow of people who worship the kingdom of heaven.

However, last year, Da Chen reopened the sea ban, and since then the road of worship has been cut off. When he thought about this, he was always panicked. For the first emperor and the queen mother, the minister implored the queen mother to reopen the road of worship. Stop! Your eternal loyalty, Sward.

After reading the letter, Shi Huade's face was full of incredulity: "This is to write a letter to the Queen Mother in my name?" Can you tell me why? ”

Qian Jin paced a few steps in the study with a smile and asked rhetorically: "Mr. Sward, you have lived in Chen Guo for eight years, have you ever heard such a sentence: Foreign monks are good at chanting?" ”

"Monk? You even compare me to a monk? Sward touched his hair and said displeasedly.

"Mr. Sward, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm just making an analogy. You are a missionary, and it is your mission to spread the gospel of the Lord; Monks chant sutras to the Buddha, and what they do every day is to help people eliminate disasters and solve problems. In Chen Guoren's eyes, there is really no difference between you, the only difference is that the gods you believe in are different. Qian Jin patiently explained.

Shi Huade didn't answer, still thinking about what Qian Jin just said.

Seeing this, Qian Jin continued: "I have already heard Xu Shibo tell you about the purpose of Yiren's coming to the capital this time. If you want to trade, you can, but you have to break the sea ban first. You must know that the sea ban is a rule set by the founding emperor of Chen State, and the current Queen Mother and His Majesty restart the sea ban is also based on the ancestral system. If the Queen Mother agrees to trade, she will not be under much pressure, and you must at least give her a sufficient reason. ”

"That's the reason you say, this letter?"

"It's not enough." Qian Jin said with a smile: "At most, this letter can only give you the opportunity to meet the Queen Mother." Only when you meet the Queen Mother in person can you have the opportunity to state everything you have seen and heard in a foreign country. When the Queen Mother heard about the new things in a foreign country, she naturally yearned for it. If you strike while the iron is hot and tell us about the trade, there will be half a chance that the ban on the sea will be broken. ”

"But not a single word of your letter from beginning to end has anything to do with trade?" Sward asked, puzzled.

"Uh...... Mr. Sward, you may not be accustomed to Chen Guo's customs. If you want something, the less you can say it so bluntly. Be subtle...... You know? Qian Jin explained with a smile.

"What if...... The Queen Mother was furious when she read this letter, what should she do when the time comes? ”

Qian Jin walked up to Sward, pointed to the letter and said, "The letter said that you are the person you have met with the first emperor and have baptized the first emperor." Based on this, the Queen Mother will not do anything to you. Besides, you praised the Queen Mother's beauty so much that the whole world knew about it, was she embarrassed to ask you for it? ”

Sward always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out the key for a while. However, he still trusted Qian Jin, and in the end he agreed to it.

After sitting for a few more moments, he got up with the letter and took his leave, and led Jenny and Emily back to the temple. The money was delivered to the door. Looking at the family who was far away, he said in his heart: This time, the Queen Mother should give Shi Huade a face, there are not many other requirements, just open a treaty port.

In the evening, Qian Jin prepared to go to the Guangdong Fellow Townsman Hall to discuss the matter of the sea ban with Xu Baolu again.

As soon as he arrived at the door, he saw a covered carriage slowly moving in the direction of the courtyard.

The carriage stopped at the gate ......of the courtyard, and a blonde woman got out of the carriage with two burdens, who was it not Emily?

"Why are you back?" Qian Jin looked at the burden in Emily's hand and said strangely: "Is this preparing to move?" ”

"yes. I'm going to come and stay with Boa. Emily struggled to carry the burden, so she shouted at Qian Jin, "Come and help." ”

Qian Jin hesitated for a moment, and finally stepped forward to grab the two bags in her hands and walked into the yard, but her face was a little unnatural. Thinking of Emily's running out of the yard today, and the smiles on his mother and sister when they came back with Emily, he always felt that this was strange, so he asked in a deep voice, "Is it inconvenient to live in Honglu Temple?" ”

"Of course. How inconvenient it is for so many men to live in it. I heard Bao'er say that you also have a special place to take a bath here. Emily observed Qian Jin's expression as she walked, for fear that he would drive her away.

Bao'er heard the movement in the courtyard and had already come out. When she passed by Qian Jin's side, she stuck out her tongue, but she didn't dare to face her brother.

Qian Jin knew what their idea was, and he didn't break it, and after putting the burden in Bao'er's room, he went out of the room, and left a sentence before leaving: "It's okay to live here, but you can work when the time comes." ”

Emily was naturally extremely happy to see that Qian Jin didn't drive her away.

…………

Half an hour later, Qian Jin came to Xu Baolu's fellow villagers' hall. I heard that this is a wealthy businessman in Guangdong, in order to facilitate Guangdong students to go to Beijing to catch the exam, there are a total of 40 rooms, like a modern guest house, food and accommodation can be solved here.

At this time, Xu Baolu was drinking alone in the room. There were three side dishes on the table, and a small pot of wine next to it. Seeing Qian coming in to visit, Xu Baolu raised his glass and asked, "Has the nephew had dinner?" Why don't you have a few drinks with me? ”

"That's exactly what I mean." Qian Jin took out a blue and white porcelain wine jug from behind him and put it on the table: "The wine is mine." ”

Xu Baolu opened the wine jug and sniffed it, his eyes lit up, and he wanted to call Xiao Er to order a few more side dishes, but Qian Jin had already preemptively said: "Shibo just sits, when he just went upstairs, the junior had already ordered the dishes." With that, he picked up the flask and poured a glass of wine for both of them, raised his glass and said, "Shibo, this time is hard, and the junior will accompany you to drink one." ”

Xu Baolu followed his words, and after drinking it, he praised it repeatedly: "Good wine." I'm afraid that after drinking your wine, it won't taste good if you drink other wine. ”

"Shibo rest assured, as long as you want to drink, the juniors will have enough." Qian Jin said with a smile.

Xu Baolu was alone in Beijing, except for official business, there was no good place to go after dealing with political affairs, and it happened that Qian came to accompany him today, and he was happy in his heart, so he drank a few more glasses. The two of them pushed the cups and changed the lamps, and after a while, they were a little red-faced.

After eating some dishes, Qian Jin told the story of writing a letter to the Queen Mother, so that Xu Baolu could be mentally prepared, in case the Queen Mother asked, he could also deal with it.

After a while, Xu Baolu said that it was feasible. He looked at Qian Jin and said meaningfully: "No wonder the teacher often praises you, it seems that you really deserve it today." You are better than me in this man's mind. ”

"Shi Bo praised it, I have some small tricks, and I can't get on the stage." Qian Jin paused and continued: "The key step is still with you, Shibo. ”

"Oh? Let's hear it. ”

"Think about it, after Sward bragged in front of the Queen Mother. According to the queen mother's habit, she must carefully verify it to see what strengths this stranger has. When the time comes, Shibo will have to come up with some dry goods here. ”

"Hahaha...... I can't believe that you kid has already thought of this step. Xu Baolu was in a good mood, took a glass of wine and drank it all, and then said: "I won't tell you, there is another friend of mine among the strangers who came to Beijing this time, and his name is Dou Mali." Although he was a missionary, he knew everything from astronomy to mathematics. With him, the Queen Mother will not be disappointed. ”

"It's better to hold a cocktail party, let's Chen Guo and Yiren each have a few capable people and strangers, and give them a collision of ideas. When the time comes, please ask the Queen Mother and Her Majesty to testify together. Qian Jin proposed.

"It's a wonderful method." Xu Baolu's face couldn't hide the excitement, and after a while, he seemed to feel that something was wrong: "Yiren is proficient in astronomy and mathematics, although I Da Chen also dabbles in this, but I am not focused, and I am afraid that I will lose the face of the Queen Mother when the time comes." ”

Qian Jin took out a book from his arms and handed it to Xu Baolu, which was the "Heavenly Examination" written by the second senior brother Song Tianxue: "As soon as this book comes out, I am afraid that the stranger will not admire it." After a pause, he continued: "When the time comes, if the stranger asks Shibo for this book, the younger generation has a condition. ”

"Nephew, please speak."

"You have to stay in Chen for ten years to do it, and you have to sign a contract."

This "Tiangong Examination" can be said to be a big encyclopedia, which involves smelting, agriculture, light industry and other aspects, and its value in today's world is immeasurable. If this book is spread overseas, I am afraid that it will be detrimental to Chen Guo.

In the previous life, there was country M that made things difficult for its own country everywhere. As long as it is an advanced technology, country M will have a technological monopoly on its people. I have every reason to do that today.

Xu Baolu only flipped through a few pages of "Tiangong Examination" and found the value of this book. If it weren't for the success of the reception and Chen Guo's face, he wouldn't even want to take out this book. After a long time, he said in a deep voice: "The value of this book is indeed immeasurable. But why did the nephew agree on a ten-year period? ”

Qian Jin replied with a smile: "Ten years later, if I, Chen Guoru, are still at the stage of this book, it is better to be cheaper." ”

Xu Baolu nodded and said, "Don't worry, the aliens pay great attention to contracts, and I won't be too late to deal with them when they ask for books." After a pause, he asked again: "There is no problem with holding a cocktail party, but this language exchange is a bit troublesome." I heard that you have a younger sister who can speak foreign languages? ”

"Uh...... Shibo, a Chen Guo of Mo Feinuo, can't you even find a few people who can speak foreign languages? ”

"It's not that I can't find it. If your family has such talents, why should I go far? Xu Baolu laughed.

Although Qian Jin was reluctant to show up for Bao'er, he reluctantly agreed in the end because of Xu Baolu's face. Who told me to mention such a thing as a drinking party?