The degree of customs and management chaos under the rule of the Qing Dynasty is unimaginable to modern people, and there is not even a unified taxation standard for more than 200 years. According to historical records, once a British merchant ship entered the port, the customs surveyors first measured from the bow to the stern, and once bribed, they immediately changed to measure from the foremast to the rear mast, and then the tax should have been 2,000 taels, but after the owner of the merchant ship bribed again, it immediately became a mere 500 taels.

Because of this, friends should know why the old Wu family is so rich, right? is also because of this, coupled with Wu Jianzhang's bookkeeping genius, although he knows that Wu Jianzhang's hands and feet will definitely not be clean in the customs tariff silver, but Weng Xincun led more than a dozen money and grain masters to check the accounts for two days and two nights, but he couldn't find the slightest clue of Wu Jianzhang's embezzlement of tax silver. At the same time, no matter how much coercion and temptation Weng Xin had, the other officials of the customs yamen refused to let go and provide evidence of Wu Jianzhang's corruption - this is not that Wu Jianzhang is too popular in the customs yamen, but that the customs yamen, which is rich in oil and water, is too dirty, so dirty that even a supernumerary servant has seriously unclean hands and feet, and they are afraid of pulling out radishes and bringing out the mud, so naturally they do not dare to easily betray Wu Jianzhang, who took them to make a fortune and knew all their details.

Wu Jianzhang's corruption evidence could not be found, but the evidence of the old Wu family's collusion with foreigners to preach and build factories was a lot of grabs, and there were as many eyewitnesses who witnessed Wu Chaoyue helping foreigners preach on the dock, and Wu Chaoyue could not find evidence of instigating foreigners to sue everywhere, but Wu Chaoyue and British businessman Billy signed a joint venture contract to build a factory was easily found in Wu Chaoyue's bedroom, and there was Wu Chaoyue's autograph on the contract in duplicate in Chinese and English, which can be regarded as ironclad evidence and cannot be refuted.

In view of these two points, Weng Tonggong seized the opportunity to make a statement to his father, suggesting that Weng Xincun first send someone to escort Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren into Beijing, so that the officials of the customs yamen would know that Wu Jianzhang was dead, and they would not dare to take chances, so that they could easily break down and force them to confess Wu Jianzhang's corruption crimes. Weng Xin, who had a much better character than his son, did not know the true intentions of his precious son, and felt that Weng Tongxi's suggestion was reasonable and effective, so he quickly decided to arrange for people to escort Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren into Beijing first, so as to completely smash the luck of other officials in the customs yamen, and then slowly and thoroughly investigate Wu Jianzhang's corruption crimes.

By the way, Weng Tongyi also had a bit of a conscience, and pointed out that the local officials in Shanghai may not be reliable, and suggested that Weng Xincun send a Goshha to lead the team to lead some local green battalion soldiers in Songjiang to escort Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons into Beijing, and keep reliable manpower in Shanghai as much as possible to investigate the case. Weng Xincun felt justified and agreed to the same, but he didn't know that this was his precious son preparing for him to replace the dead ghost, and was ready to push the black cauldron that caused the prisoner to be killed by the enemy due to poor escort to the Songjiang Green Battalion.

After a day of hurried preparations, after being locked up for more than three days, the ancestors of the Wu family were finally able to get out of the dirty firewood room, but before Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue could see the scene outside, they were immediately forced to change into two prison clothes, and were escorted out of the customs yamen with shackles and bracelets, and the shelves were locked by the prisoner car tightly guarded by the Green Battalion soldiers. After receiving the news, Wu Jianzhang's concubine and the housekeeper of the Wu Mansion who came to see off were crying outside the customs yamen, but they didn't even have a chance to get close to the prisoner car and talk to the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family, Wu Jianzhang could only shout loudly, so that the housekeeper and a few little wives who were not much older than their grandsons could take care of the house, waiting for Wu Chaoyue's father Wu Xiaoping to come from Guangdong to preside over the family affairs, and several concubines and housekeepers cried and agreed.

Then, Liu Lichuan appeared in the crowd of onlookers, and shouted loudly: "Uncle Shuang, transcendence, don't worry, I will take someone with you and send you to the capital." ”

Wu Jianzhang nodded tearfully in agreement, but the officials under Yuan Zuchuan immediately took out water and fire sticks to drive Liu Lichuan, who had lost his backer, away, and at the same time, Yuan Zubi, who was at the scene, also quickly made up his mind and decided to let Zhou Lichun, who had already turned against Liu Lichuan, take action, and pestered Liu Lichuan to prevent him from giving him a chance to protect the Wu family's ancestors and grandchildren from entering Beijing.

At this time, Weng Xincun and his baby son Weng Tongyi also walked out of the customs yamen, and walked directly in front of Wu Jianzhang, as if he was very sorry and said to Wu Jianzhang: "Lord Wu, I have offended, the holy order is in the body, and the official has to act according to the order." Rest assured, this official has already given an account to Goshha, who escorted you, so that he will take good care of you on the road and will not let you suffer on the road. ”

I have already suffered losses and have been deceived, and I don't dare to believe in these so-called clear streams of honey-bellied swords, but Wu Jianzhang still thanked him repeatedly, and Weng Tongyi smiled and said: "Lord Wu doesn't have to be polite, Zhou Shangshu of the Criminal Department is a family friend of my family, I will write a letter to him, asking him to instruct the prison of the Criminal Department to take care of you and entertain you." ”

Wu Jianzhang didn't even dare to say anything this time, his legs trembled involuntarily, Weng Tonggong was very satisfied with the intimidation effect, and smiled and turned his eyes to look at the big enemy Wu Chaoyue, but to Weng Tongrong's disappointment, Wu Chaoyue not only did not have the slightest look of fear, but also looked at him with coldness, Weng Tonggong was angry in his heart, and secretly scolded: "Bastard, I wish you no place to die!" ”

Of course, Wu Chaoyue is not pretending to be cool, let alone having a good idea, but Wu Chaoyue is too aware of Weng Tongxiao's hypocrite virtues, and knows that it is useless to beg for mercy and bow his head, so he simply hardens to the end. However, Wu Chaoyue still slightly underestimated the sinister character of Weng Tonggong, although he should go out of the city through the West Gate when he was escorted to the capital, first go to Suzhou to board the ship and then take the canal into Beijing, but in order to humiliate the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family, Weng Tonggong proposed to Weng Xincun, suggesting that the prisoner car loaded with the ancestors of the Wu family should go out of the city through the adjacent East Gate, and let the workers on the foreign wharf outside the East Gate see if learning foreign education is the end, and then detour to Suzhou to obtain the effect of vigilance.

Of course, Weng Xincun knew that this was a precious son who wanted to make the ancestors of the Wu family suffer some more humiliation, but after all, his son was a son, Weng Xincun still agreed to Weng Tongxiao's request, and ordered Goshha, who led the team to escort the ancestors of the Wu family, to act according to his son's suggestions, and at the repeated invitations of Weng Tongyong and Yuan Zuyi, he climbed the East Gate Tower and condescendingly admired the effect of escorting the ancestors of the Wu family through the dock to show the public.

In this way, in front of everyone's eyes, the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family, who had been in Shanghai for a long time, were escorted out of the city, wearing heavy shackles and locked in the prisoner car and escorted out of the city, both grandparents and grandchildren were the same dry and thin, Wu Jianzhang, who was over sixty years old, still had to be gray, and looked extremely miserable under the backdrop of the shackled prisoner car, so that several Wu Jianzhang's concubines and Wu Fu's subordinates who were blocked on the side of the road couldn't help but cry out in pain one after another, and also made the onlookers of Shanghai people talk about it, constantly pointing at the prisoner car of the ancestors of the Wu family, There are those who applaud, and there is also a lot of sympathy. Only Weng Tongyi and Yuan Zubi on the city wall were smiling and smiling just as happily.

Out of the east gate is the Huangpu River of the foreign wharf, Wu Chaoyue originally hoped that a few foreign friends could come to comfort him, but to Wu Chaoyue's disappointment, at this moment, not only can not see half of the foreigners on the foreign wharf, but also do not even have a foreign ship flying foreign flags, only many dock workers are looking at the probe. What made Wu Chaoyue laugh and cry was that he clearly saw that several dock workers were still drawing crosses on their chests, as if praying for God's blessing to guide them to accept Western culture.

A familiar figure appeared in the crowd on the side of the road, Zhou Xiuying, who was almost taken advantage of by Wu Chaoyue last time, stood on the side of the road carrying fishing gear, although there was still no expression on her pretty face, but Wu Chaoyue clearly saw that her eyes were no longer so cold, and she still had a little sympathy and guilt. After colliding with Wu Chaoyue's gaze, Zhou Xiuying pursed her cherry mouth and suddenly nodded to Wu Chaoyue.

"What did she do with her nodding at me?" Wu Chaoyue was a little confused for a while, but he immediately came to his senses again and said secretly: "Does she mean that she has successfully sent my blood book to Father Yang for me?" ”

Thinking of this, Wu Chaoyue hurriedly looked around again, looking for foreign friends who should appear, but still found nothing, Wu Chaoyue's heart couldn't help but be disappointed again, and said secretly: "Foreign devils are really unreliable, I believe they will help me so hard, I'm really naïve!" ”

"Woo————!"

The sudden sound of the steam whistle replaced the ancestors of the Wu family, attracting the attention of all the surrounding people, so that Wu Chaoyue also followed the crowd to turn his head and follow the sound, but saw the thick smoke of the Huangpu River, it seemed that there was the most advanced steam sail hybrid ship in this era sailing towards the Shanghai wharf, and then before everyone woke up, there was a flute of whistles in the distance, and more smoke also appeared in everyone's field of vision.

Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue's ancestors and grandchildren are both people who know goods, and they know that the steamships of this era are mainly used by foreign armies, and there are few commercial steamships, and the foreign merchant ships that come and go to and from the Shanghai docks are basically sailing ships that rely entirely on wind power, and the sudden appearance of so many steamships is the first time since Wu Jianzhang took over the Shanghai Customs, so they are all surprised. However, Weng Xincun and Weng Tongyi, father and son on the city wall, had never even seen a steamboat, and when they heard the whistle, their faces changed color, and they exclaimed together: "What is that sound?" Why is it so huge? ”

"Don't be afraid, this is the voice of a foreigner's fire-breathing ironclad ship." Yuan Zubi, who had seen a few steamships next to him, comforted him, and then said in a very strange way: "How can there be so many fire-breathing ironclad ships sailing into the Huangpu River?" What's wrong? ”

In the gaze of countless astonishments, six smoke-emitting paddle steamer sails and more than a dozen large sailing ships appeared in everyone's field of vision, six paddle steamers are all warships, two of them fly the American flag, two fly the French flag, the other two hang the British flag, and the remaining dozen or so large sailing ships are all armed merchant ships equipped with artillery, lined up on the water surface of the Huangpu River outside the east gate of Shanghai, and then another whistle sounds. Six steamers and more than a dozen armed merchant ships opened the gun windows on the side of the ship, pushing hundreds of guns out of the ship's side, and the muzzles of the black hole were aimed directly at the east gate of Shanghai.

It was also at this time that Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue's ancestors reacted together and screamed together: "Run!" Oh no! The foreigners are going to attack the city of Shanghai! ”