This is the same person who, a few years ago, when the British and French forces launched the Second Opium War, spared no effort to lobby and agitate the government, and when the news of the occupation of Guangzhou by the British and French forces came back to Britain, it was this person who excitedly delivered a speech of praise. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

In revolutionary terms, "Turnier cheered for the massacre of the inhabitants of Canton by the British army", a typical industrial capitalist during the Industrial Revolution, who could commit any crime for the sake of profit.

Of course, this kind of person also has the advantage that they can also sell everything, including their souls, for the sake of profit, and join them if they have it. However, Lu Xuechang didn't need Tennell's soul, he just needed Tennell not to stand with the Opium Group, and the gift he brought to Tenel made him unable to refuse, the most direct thing was to order enough wool to make 100,000 sets of clothing.

Because of this great gift, Turner warmly received Lu Xuechang with almost the etiquette of receiving a head of state, and called him an angel from China, and also turned out the account records of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce doing business with the Lu family decades ago, so as to prove that they are old friends who have worked together for a long time, and they are trustworthy business partners, and strive to win all this business.

After the welcome ceremony and warm reception, Turnier warmly invited Lu Xuechang to visit Manchester's textile industry, not only cotton textile industry, but also wool textile industry, and told Turner that it was the right choice to choose to purchase textiles from Manchester.

Lu Xuechang was very satisfied, handed over all the orders to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and said with regret that he didn't know when the next business would be done.

Turnell very much hopes that this kind of business will continue for a long time, because until now, the British have not been able to open up the Chinese textile market.

Therefore, he was very concerned about what prevented Lu Xuechang from continuing to do business with them, and Lu Xuechang expressed concern about the current tension between the Ming and the British, and he told Tennell that he would not be able to continue to purchase British textiles in the event of a war between the two countries, and he swore that the people of the Ming Dynasty liked British goods very much and were willing to buy British industrial goods.

Turnier was puzzled by this, because although Daming's imports of British textiles are increasing every year, it is far from the extent that the people of Daming like British textiles, and the British have done a detailed investigation, after the Opium War, they are very strange why the ports of China were opened, and the Chinese have not imported British textiles in large quantities like other countries, so shortly after the Opium War, they organized a delegation to investigate, As a result of the investigation, the British Foreign Office sent replies to both the Manchester and Glasgow business associations.

At that time, the survey believed that the biggest reason hindering the large number of Chinese importing British textiles was that the vast number of rural people in China spun their own homespun cloth.

Lu Xuechang disagreed with Tennell's point of view, he shook his robe made of British cotton, and told Turner that the reason why the Chinese people weave their own is not because they don't like light British textiles, but because they don't have money.

Turnier nodded, this is very much in line with his point of view, and this is the reason why they have always thought, as a British textile merchant, they proudly believe that British textiles are liked by people all over the world, and the reason why they don't sell them is either because their evil government doesn't let their people buy them, or they can't afford them.

Twenty years ago, textile associations in Glasgow and Manchester and Halifax had been staunch supporters and calls for the government to reduce taxes on tea from China, believing that buying Chinese tea in large quantities would improve the purchasing power of the Chinese so that they would buy textiles from the UK.

In 1846, the Manchester Chamber of Commerce "twice sent representatives from Liverpool and other city business groups to meet with Prime Minister Sirrobertpeel and Foreign Secretary Lord John Russell to report on the adverse effects of excessively heavy tea import duties on exports to China, and to demand that the government reduce the taxes in order to expand exports to China." (Quotation marks are quotations.) ）

British business interests lobbied the government to abolish the exorbitant tea tax, but they still did not see the explosive growth of Chinese textile exports, and it has to be said that they were quite disappointed, so they instigated a second opium war.

"It's all lies, it's all slander!"

Lu Xuechang scolded in broken English.

"That's the's deception of those opium dealers."

Lu Xuechang resolutely refused to admit that the Chinese did not buy British cloth because the Chinese people spun their own homespun cloth.

This made Turnier very confused, the investigation report was written by the British Foreign Office, and they still believed it.

So he questioned it again.

Lu Xuechang said: "The reason why the Chinese people have no money to buy British materials is because all the money of our people has been squeezed out by those opium dealers. In fact, not only our people, but also our government, and our emperor, all want the Chinese people to wear the clothes of good English tailors. ”

Turnier nodded not very convincingly, this argument is not the first time it has appeared, in fact, the British business community is also discussing this issue, many people also attribute the problem of Chinese purchasing power to the opium trade, but this argument has not formed a climate under the suppression of opium interest groups, and it is somewhat credible to say it from the mouth of a Chinese businessman at this time.

But this is not enough to impress Turnier, in fact, Turner has been calling on the Chamber of Commerce to submit a memorandum to the government these days, hoping that the government can take this opportunity to once again crack down on Daming, an emerging country that seems to be a little unruly, to see if it can further reduce tariffs.

In terms of pushing the government to choose war, the interests of industrial and opium interests are identical, and Turnier will never rush to overturn cooperation with opium interests without absolute guarantees.

So he said, "But even if the opium merchants do not export opium to your country, how can we guarantee that the consumers of your country will use their money to buy our other goods?" ”

Lu Xuechang was in the name of doing business, but he didn't come for business, and he immediately heard what Turner was thinking.

Immediately said: "This is not simple, it is a big deal that my country will cancel all textile tariffs." ”

Turnier's eyes couldn't help but light up, if all textile tariffs could be abolished, then it would have little to do with them whether Britain would fight with the Ming Dynasty, and they would not care about the promises given to them by the Opium Group.

But he is not yet reassured: "Is your government really willing to give up all tariffs on textiles?" ”

Lu Xuechang said confidently: "This is natural, I and my country's businessmen are very happy to promote their own people to buy high-quality British materials, our emperor is an enlightened saint, if our chamber of commerce petitions the emperor, I believe the emperor will definitely take into account the wishes of the people." ”

Turnier laughed and raised his glass: "I also have an idea, for example, our chamber of commerce can jointly organize a British commodity fair with the chamber of commerce in your country, and promote British goods in Daming." ”

Lu Xuechang waved his hand: "It's a pity that your government is aggressive, and now because of the opium matter, if you don't get it right, you will have to fight again." Unless your government is willing to ban opium in our country, the matter will not be raised. ”

Turnier smiled mysteriously: "Please rest assured that my government is also an enlightened government, and I believe that it will not ignore the interests of its own businessmen, and I, this chamber of commerce, and other chambers of commerce, will make peace proposals to our government, and I believe that my government will also take into account the interests of its own businessmen." ”

As the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Turnier's experience in playing politics is more than a step higher than that of Lu Xuechang, and he has long seen Lu Xuechang's intentions, and he knows very well that Lu Xuechang is lobbying for their government.

He doesn't think about this, he is the president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and what he needs to consider most is the interests of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, especially the interests of the main textile industry, as for the rest, he doesn't care, as long as the Chinese can feed them, he is willing to cooperate with the Chinese.

Lu Xuechang touched the glass and took a sip of the British red wine that made him uncomfortable.

"Then it's decided, we will ban opium and sell materials, and we will make a decision!"

Lu Xuechang thought that the British were too simple, and he thought that by taxing the textile industry, he could exchange Britain for not interfering with the Ming Dynasty's ban on opium trade. If such an effect can be achieved, it will be tantamount to a great achievement for him, and he has personally met the emperor before leaving, so he has now positioned himself as an official identity, and does not regard himself as a businessman.

Turnier shook his head.

"No, no, no, we need a guarantee!"

Lu Xuechang asked, "What guarantee?" ”

Turner said: "Your country's reduction of opium trade will be used to develop textile trade, that is to say, based on your country's current import amount, not to reduce a certain amount of opium imports, to increase a certain amount of textile imports, if your country can agree to this, I believe that our country will also agree to your country's reduction of opium trade." ”

Lu Xuechang didn't expect the other party to give himself such a problem, he didn't receive such instructions, but when he thought that the emperor gave them an order, he didn't think it was a big problem, because before they set off, the emperor personally gave them some instructions (Zhu Jinglun thought that he was giving them training, they thought it was an instruction), telling them that Westerners value interests, and any problem that can be solved with money is not a big problem, and give them the power to act cheaply on money.

Lu Xuechang thinks that the current problem is not the problem of money, and he also thought of what the emperor said, instead of turning the silver of the Ming Dynasty into opium for the big smoker to smoke, it is better to turn it into material and wear it on the body of the people, according to Lu Xuechang's understanding, the emperor will not refuse to exchange the opium trade volume for the textile trade volume.

So he thought deeply for a moment and nodded in agreement.

He didn't know what a big problem he had for Zhu Jinglun. (To be continued.) )