As expected by the ancestors of the Wu family, although the warships had sailed into the Huangpu River and fired gunfire to show their deterrent, these did not affect the import and export trade of the Shanghai concession in the slightest, and the next morning after the Wu family was rescued, the merchant ships of various Western countries docked at the wharf to load and unload their cargo.

The consuls of various countries were completely worried, except for the Shanghai garrison with only a few hundred green battalion soldiers, except for lying on the city wall and looking at the wharf, no one dared to go out of the city to fight with the foreigners, the four gates of the county town were closed, the shops outside the city were basically closed, and the people living outside the city almost did not dare to go out, and there were few pedestrians on the road, and there was no bustling and busy scene in the past.

Fortunately, Liu Lichuan, the gang thug of the old Wu family, was quite effective, and he still managed to get more than 200 workers to take over the work on the wharf, so that the Western merchant ships would not even find the workers who loaded and unloaded the cargo, and the Shanghai wharf could barely maintain some normal operation.

Liu Lichuan and Wu Chaoyue were very shocked by the tariff collection situation predicted by Wu Jianzhang, although the ancestors and grandchildren of the Wu family were rescued from the Qing army only yesterday, but when Wu Jianzhang negotiated with the ministers and consuls of Western countries and asked the merchant ships of various countries to continue to pay tariffs, Burbulon and Aliguo and others actually agreed to let Wu Jianzhang continue to pay taxes to the merchants of their countries.

Of course, the mercenary Western businessmen did not and did not think about getting rid of the tariffs, and even the British businessman Billy, who had signed a contract with Wu Chaoyue to build a joint venture factory, also ran to Ali Guo to oppose letting Wu Jianzhang continue to impose tariffs, but Ali Guo directly told Billy: "My dear Mr. Billy, relying on the tariffs now will only benefit you for a while, but in the long run, it will make you suffer huge business losses, because once the tariffs are abolished, it will definitely trigger vicious competition among businessmen from all over the world. Bad for market stability, do you want to make a profit in a volatile market? Or do you want to do business in a stable and orderly market? (Historically, that's what the historical Ali Kingdom said and did.) ）

The French Minister Plenipotentiary to China, Bourbulon, who had greater diplomatic authority, agreed to pay taxes as usual, and it was precisely because of the full support of these long-term ministers and consuls that Wu Jianzhang, who had even his seal carved out overnight, was able to continue to perform his duties and continue to collect the Shanghai tariff, which was becoming more and more important for the Manchu court. -- At the same time, in order to curry favor with the Manchu court and win more hope for the reinstatement of officials, Wu Jianzhang also took the initiative to restrain himself in the area of corrupt tariffs.

In this regard, Wu Chaoyue, who was not familiar with the customs history of the late Qing Dynasty, was taken aback, but inevitably secretly admired the self-discipline of Westerners. However, Wu Jianzhang did not have any strangeness about this matter, and when Wu Chaoyue and Liu Lichuan complimented him for his foresight, Wu Jianzhang said with great disdain: "What is this? When the old man followed Wen Zhonggong, even the war had already started, and the old man still persuaded foreign ships from all countries except Britain to continue to pay taxes to our Guangzhou Customs in the Qing Dynasty? ”

"When did this happen? Why haven't you heard from grandpa before? ”

Wu Chaoyue was both confused and curious and asked Wu Jianzhang: "Also, who is Wen Zhonggong?" ”

To Wu Chaoyue's disappointment, Wu Jianzhang didn't seem to be willing to mention the previous incident too much, and changed the topic: "If you don't know about the past, you don't need to know." By the way, you can honestly stay in the concession for me, and just go to the old man to collect taxes outside the concession, and I have to prevent Weng Xincun from sending people out of the city to arrest people, and it is convenient for the old man to get out alone. ”

After that, Wu Jianzhang led Liu Lichuan and a few customs officials who lived outside the city to hurriedly leave the concession, leaving Wu Chaoyue to ponder in place, and said secretly: "Who is Duke Wen Zhong?" It doesn't seem to have such a name in history, right? ”

Wu Jianzhang was also worried in vain, and after more than a day, although Zhilou County, Songjiang Prefecture sent hundreds of green battalions to reinforce Shanghai, but after these green battalions arrived, they didn't even dare to approach the dock, and lived directly in Shanghai City, and then never left the city again. After a few days, although the gate of Shanghai has been closed, the residents outside the city who have been closed for fear of war have gradually gained the courage to go out of their homes again, or continue to do business, or continue to work on the wharf to survive, and the Shanghai wharf has gradually returned to its former busy scene.

During this period, Wu Jianzhang also sent people to Jiangning twice and submitted two notes to Lu Jianying, the governor of Liangjiang, but Lu Jianying never gave any reply. In this regard, Wu Jianzhang was a little worried that his baby grandson's plan would not succeed, but Wu Chaoyue said very confidently: "It's normal to have no reply, such a big matter, before the court has no attitude, Lu Jianying will definitely not dare to stand in line casually, but I am sure that Lu Jianying will definitely pass on the fold for your grandfather, otherwise grandpa, your second performance fold will not be sent to the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion, and Lu Jianying will never accept it." ”

felt that the words of the baby grandson were reasonable, Wu Jianzhang also patiently continued to wait for the news, but Wu Jianzhang, who was accustomed to the efficiency of Manchu officialdom, was patient, but Burbulon and Aliguo and others had little patience, and after waiting for ten days without reply, a large group of foreigners such as Burbulon and Aliguo simply found the ancestors of the Wu family to negotiate, and asked as soon as they met: "Wu, why is your court so slow?" It's been ten days since our note was delivered, so why hasn't your court given us an answer? Did our note reach your emperor? ”

Of course, Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue couldn't answer this question, so they could only try their best to persuade and comfort Burbulon and Aliguo and others to wait patiently, but Burbulon and Aliguo still didn't comply, and said, "Wu, can you find a way to let your court deal with our note request quickly?" We can wait, but our fleet can't wait, especially those armed merchant ships, they have to pay economic losses for every day they wait, and if they continue to wait like this, who will bear their losses? ”

"Nine out of nine, it's the wild boar skin family, who bears the hard-earned money of the Chinese people." Wu Chaoyue muttered in his heart, but he didn't dare to say it, so he could only spread his hands and said: "Honorable ministers and consuls, this is also a helpless thing, you also know that the transportation and communication of the Qing Kingdom are very backward, there is no railway, there is no telegraph, and the transmission of news depends on the post station, so our imperial court's reply will definitely be very slow." Also, maybe our court doesn't know what is happening in Shanghai, so you'll have to be patient for a while. ”

Wu Chaoyue's words were both prevarication and statement of facts, but a group of foreigners stopped doing it, and all protested and complained in various languages, and one of the white men with a big face had the loudest voice and shouted in English: "I don't think there's any need to wait, just fire!" Use the cannon to let the Qing court give us an answer immediately! ”

Not to mention, the roar of this white-faced white man really resonated a lot, and immediately several consuls agreed with it, and the Spanish consul Laurio also came up with a bad idea with the attitude of watching the excitement and not being afraid of big things, and suggested: "That's right, we should open fire, like the Qingpu lesson plan four years ago, drive our combined fleet directly under Jiangning City, bombard Jiangning City, and force the Qing court to give us an answer immediately!" ”

As soon as the white-faced man heard the applause, he immediately asked the consuls of other countries to agree to do so, and Wu Chaoyue, whose conscience had not been eaten up by dogs, was frightened and said that Nanjing was miserable enough in history, if I really came like this, then what face would I have to go to Yanhuang Ancestor in the future? So Wu Chaoyue also hurriedly threw his hand at the big white man and said, "This gentleman, please calm down, please listen to me." By the way, may I ask your name, why haven't I seen you before? ”

"Matthew Perry! Brigadier General of the United States! The big white man replied proudly. (Friends who are familiar with the history of devils should know what kind of goods this guy is.) ）

"It turned out to be General Perry." Wu Chaoyue hurriedly bowed his hand again and said: "General Perry, please calm down, you are still too unfamiliar with the imperial court system of our Qing State, the incident in Qingpu four years ago was a local civil administration, and it was managed by the Liangjiang government, so the British warship sailed to Jiangning City and immediately got an answer." However, only our Qing court can decide how to reply to your request for the construction of factories, trade, and free entry and exit from the port city this time, so even if you send the combined fleet to Jiangning City, the Liangjiang government will not have the means and authority to give you any reply. ”

After that, Wu Chaoyue hurriedly told Perry about the general system of the Manchu court, and finally let Perry understand that it was useless to drive the warship to the city of Nanjing. However, what Wu Chaoyue never expected was that although Perry accepted his explanation, after a little consideration, Perry actually proposed again: "Gentlemen, since it is useless for us to drive the warship to Jiangning, how about we directly drive the combined fleet to the vicinity of the capital of the Qing State and directly put pressure on the Qing court?" ”

"Wouldn't it? Isn't this the early establishment of the Eight-Nation Alliance? ”

Wu Chaoyue was even more bitter when he heard it, and when he just wanted to continue to oppose it, Laurio, the Spanish-stirring stick who was afraid that the world would not be chaotic, had already preemptively opened his mouth to applaud, "Good way!" I agree! I remember that during the Opium War, the British warships drove directly to the Qing Dynasty's Tianjin Dagu Mouth to open fire, and only then did they successfully force the Qing court to negotiate with the British representatives, which was only less than 200 kilometers away from the Qing capital, and it was very convenient to contact the Qing court, and it was the most direct and convenient to exert pressure on the Qing court there! ”

Of course, Lauriou's instigation was because there was only one Spanish armed merchant ship in the combined fleet, and even if the combined fleet drove to the mouth of Dagu, it really turned against the Manchu court and started a war, there were warships from Britain, the United States and France in front, and the losses were not big if they lost, and the benefits were evenly distributed. Although Bourblon and Ali Guo and others are very aware of Laurio's intentions, but now that things have come to this point, if they retreat from the battle, they will not be able to explain to the country, so Bourblon and Ali Guo and others not only did not point out Laurio's sinister intentions, but on the contrary, they also seriously discussed the feasibility of directly driving the combined fleet to Dagu Pass to directly put pressure on the Qing court, and their own ships have never been to northern China, Burbul Bulon and Qi Liyun and others also took the opportunity to use the British ** ship to help familiarize themselves with the northern route. Therefore, it is very inclined to the plan of opening the combined fleet directly to the mouth of Dagu.

The ministers and consuls of Western countries were discussing hotly, but Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue's ancestors were pale when they heard it, and after thinking about it, Wu Jianzhang also trembled and whispered to Wu Chaoyue: "Grandson, if the situation is not right, you will run to Hong Kong immediately, don't worry about me, it matters if you run out first!" Also, until this is over, you are not allowed to leave the concession for a single step! ”