"Kolkata is a city of the devil!"

Under the bright light, Zhu Shihai wrote on the paper in a low voice. His handwriting is extremely beautiful, and every stroke is powerful through the back of the paper, just like his determination at the moment.

He wanted to uncover the hypocrisy of the British.

The devastating Bangladesh famine was so appalling that the foolish Mughal emperor was able to reduce taxes and provide relief measures to help the victims when the famine came. The British, on the other hand, ignored the famine warnings, ignored the fact that the drought and grain production had been drastically reduced, and when the Great Famine broke out five years before Chengtian [1770] and the people of Bengal began to die on a large scale the following year, the British increased the tax to 60% to compensate for the loss caused by the reduction in the taxing population. The smaller the working population, the lower the output, which means the less the harvest. And those farmers who survived the famine were instead forced to pay twice as much tax to ensure that the British Treasury did not lose revenue.

Large tracts of farmland have been abandoned. The fields were overgrown with weeds and became unfathomable jungles.

Ironically, the British earned more in 1771, the worst year of the Great Famine, than in 1768.

"This is a bunch of devils, devils in human skin." Zhu Shihai is not a journalist, he is not a moralist, he is a jurist, but he now records the terrible disaster with his own pen.

He wants to let the people at home really recognize the true face of Xiyi - the ugly British!

The terrible famine, which began in 1769 and ended in 1773, killed 10 million people and decimated the then densely populated population of Bengal by a third.

During the reign of the Mughals, the people of India were taxed at 10~15%. Part of the money was used to support the ruling class, and part of it was used to set up security funds to prevent famine in the coming year.

When the British took over Bengal from the Mughal rulers, they not only lost security money, but also began to aggressively promote the cultivation of a single cash crop, all for export gains. Farmers who used to grow rice and vegetables are now forced to grow cash crops such as indigo, poppy and millet, which, despite their high market value, cannot solve food shortages. Under famine, there is no substitute for food. When droughts hit one disaster after another, monolithic agriculture can have catastrophic consequences. However, this was clearly a call-up, and the British did not have any active response to famine or disaster.

This is a natural disaster, and it is a man-made disaster caused by commercial interests.

And ten years after the end of this catastrophe, there was a second disaster in Bangladesh, and the number of people starving to death was not less than the previous one, but no less than half a million.

Compared with the Indians killed by the British, the easy and simple means and inputs, the aborigines who were 'crabs' eliminated by the Sinicization policy pursued by the empire in Nanyang and other places, that means are really weak.

Looking at the whale oil wind lamp in the cabin, Zhu Shihai's every stroke seemed to be carrying a thousand pounds, and a sense of historical responsibility made his blood boil.

It's a pity that few people in their 'team' don't care about this matter, and Zhu Shihai, out of his own inner Jiujiu, didn't inform everyone of what he inadvertently discovered.

The word 'fame and fortune' is always something that many people can't see through, and Zhu Shihai is the same.

……

Compared with Professor Zhu Da's notes, each of which seemed to carry a heavy sense of history, Chen Zhan, who was also writing on paper at the same time, was full of impatience, and his pen was light and fast—although compared to Zhu Shihai's critical and ironic literati travels, Chen Zhan's data were much more important - he was checking the accounts of the China Trade Bank in Jindenagar!

Chen Zhan also studied economics and finance at Chinese universities. But he learned all these two lessons, less than half a bottle.

Chen Ming also knew that his son was a little unreliable in his studies, so he decided to give him an internship class during the trip. When the mission arrived in Calcutta, it went to the commercial bank station in Kindernagar to check the accounts. Chen Zhan wants to do it himself!

Accompanied by his wife, Chen Zhan and others recently conducted a comprehensive inspection of the business situation of the Commerce and Trade Bank in Jindenagar, which can be regarded as a sudden assessment.

"There are no errors in the format."

"There is nothing wrong with the accounts. But the volume of transactions at the Kindernagar station has been declining, and have we made too many concessions to the British? ”

Chen Zhan knew very well why the turnover of the commercial bank here kept falling, and the British Bank of Calcutta played a big role in this, and even included the headquarters of the East India Company.

The agreement between China and the British played a large role in this matter.

The operation of the Kindernagar station can be seen at a glance by reading these accounts, before the agreement was signed, the turnover of the Kindernagar station was rising, and after the agreement was signed, it continued to decline.

But before sorting all this out, Chen Zhan had to look at them one by one.

"The loan business limit has increased a lot, but can the borrowed funds be recovered? This Hampton, and Dural and Porter, you alone have lent more than a thousand pounds to these Englishmen. It's too much, it's already up to the maximum amount you can borrow per person, now notify them and let them all come to see me! ”

When Chen Zhanban raised his face, he still had a little momentum. The manager of the commercial bank in Jindenagar nodded again and again, not daring to say a word of rebuttal.

……

On the other side, in a hotel in Kindernagar.

Zhu Wu, accompanied by guards, was talking to a 30-year-old European with a face full of vicissitudes. In the corridor outside the room, a dozen people were waiting - all of them former British and French soldiers, sailors, and merchants.

These people don't care much about concepts like the state, the nation, or even religion – they don't come here.

But to be honest, most Europeans in these years still have a little bit of national and democratic consciousness.

At the same time, these people are also relatively peaceful and self-contained. It's not been a day or two in Kindernagar, and I've been carefully observed by observers, and they're all people who can follow the rules.

In addition, these people have family or relatives and friends in Kindernagar, and according to observers, those who have family and relatives and friends are always more worried - when they want to betray.

Jerome ...... Former French Navy Major, I heard that you are still a French nobleman? ”

Zhu Wu, the commander of the fleet going to Europe this time, looked at the information in his hand and compared it with the tall and burly white officer in front of him, while waiting for the interpreter next to him to convey his question to the other party. Zhu can speak a few words of English and a few words of Swedish, but he does not know French.

At the behest of the interpreter, Jerome stood up and saluted - imitating the military salute of the Wehrmacht, but a bit nondescript.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Can you tell us why you joined our team? You know, you're a nobleman. ”

Zhu Wu continued to ask, and the other party's answer was also very frank:

"I need money, honorable general. My wife is seriously ill, and although the kind Dr. Zhang snatched her back from the clutches of death and has not yet charged us for medical treatment, my wife's recuperation still costs a lot of money. ”

Zhu Wu looked at the information in his hand - the situation of everyone here was investigated in great detail. This Jerome's wife, who was indeed her wife, had come to India from Europe with her children after the war to look for him, because Jerome had been placed in Kindernagar after the war, where he had distinguished himself and was put on a French-Indian company dhow as a captain.

At that time, the life of their family was very generous and beautiful.

Although Jerome still served at sea, his dhow was around Kindernagar, and he was able to return home often.

However, when the Great Revolution broke out in Paris, Jerome's property in his hometown was confiscated by the People's Army, and even his wife's maiden family could not be contacted. Indian companies called on all their armed ships in India, retracted their forces, and withdrew from India to prevent 'unforeseen dangers'.

Jerome, however, could not leave his wife, who was very emotionally unstable at the time, and had a pair of young children.

Jerome chose to leave the ship and stayed in Kindernagar. In the days that followed, Jerome's wife fell ill, which made the family's living situation worse.

By now, Jerome's family has become poor and white. He had to step up and work, and his son was 12 years old and his daughter was 10 years old, so he could already take care of their mother.

Therefore, Jerome does not care whether the next team he joins belongs to France or China, he feels a sincere dislike for the current France, but is full of affection for the motherland of Dr. Zhang, who has helped him, China.

In the evaluation of observers, Jerome is a qualified naval officer, and he is also a man who loves his family and has a certain cultural connotation, and these four words can be used as his label.

As the 'guides' of the European fleet in Europe, the qualifications of the selected objects are very strict, and the dozen or so people selected by the observers are all morally upright people, no matter what organization they are in, such people are always more trustworthy.

"Haven't you tried to find another job?"

"I am a military man and am more accustomed to using weapons and fighting on a warship. Other than these, and those aristocratic etiquette, I don't know any other life skills. "His temperament and size are not suitable for a retinue or a butler.

"The Chinese treat the army very favorably. Your soldiers and officers are well paid. This salary is enough for my wife and son to live a stable and prosperous life. ”

Zhu Wu nodded, quite satisfied in his heart - the feeling between people is actually very simple, it is nothing more than whether it is pleasing to the eye.

Jerome's resume made Zhu Wu admire it very much, and he liked the person in charge of the family and relatives. Because Zhu Wu himself can't spare too much time to spend with his family, but he is also a person who loves his family very much.

He felt that Jerome was the same person as him.

Ticking a tick on this name, Zhu Wu raised his eyes and looked directly at the other party - the soldiers are always straight to each other, and there is nothing vain:

"You've been admitted, but only from the most basic third-class advisor—we don't recognize the French ranks, nor do we recognize your title of nobility. So your current military salary is not very high, and of course, it is okay to be satisfied with your requirements. It's just that your wife is still sick, isn't it?

We can lend you a sum of money for the treatment of the family and the resettlement of your family, and if you wish, you can send your wife and children to China. This loan can be repaid slowly in the future, this is an interest-free loan, we will deduct a part of your future salary to pay off the debt, and it can be paid off in three years.

But you need to master Chinese as soon as possible, at least have the minimum language communication skills, and there will be no translator on a warship. ”

"If you speak Chinese well, maybe you can still get that 'translator' salary."

Jerome's tears were about to flow out, and the treatment given by Zhu Wu was really beyond his imagination, "Of course I am willing to send my wife and children to a peaceful and stable China." Thank you for your concern, I understand, and I will repay with my life, Your Excellency! ”

When these last four words were spoken, tears could no longer flow uncontrollably from the corners of Jerome's eyes. The Chinese are willing to lend themselves a sum of money to settle their families, which is really God's mercy.

The treatment of this army is really good, even the lowest level of military pay is not a lot, and it is enough to support his wife and children. All the pressure, all the sorrow, all the sorrow was swept away at this moment.

In his excitement, he said a few more words:

"China's navy is very strong, you have the most powerful first-class battleships in the world, and more than one. I would love to serve in such an army. Jerome's eyes lit up when he spoke of a first-class sail battleship, and as a navyman, no one wanted to be able to one day command a first-class sail battleship as large as a hill across the seas.

It's just that Jerome has a slight misunderstanding of his position as an 'adviser', and he didn't go to serve on a warship, but to explain to a group of people in the delegation a lot of European social, cultural and economic, historical, philosophical, and religious issues.

Jerome was born in the aristocracy, and it was really a necessary candidate.

At the same time, in an ordinary building on the other side of Kindernagar, the observer was smiling and talking to a young white man. Compared with Zhu Wu's serious and unsmiling head, the observer is much more amiable, and there are even two cups of steaming coffee on the table, with sugar cubes and milk next to them.

But the white lad seemed rather uneasy, with his back straight, and from time to time he reached out to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead, or touched the silver cross hanging around his neck, as if to resist the temptation of the devil.

This is indeed a temptation from the devil.

Just pass on the message, and depending on the importance of the message, you can get pounds ranging from 10 to 100 pounds. If only he could crook his mouth in his uncle's ear, he could have hundreds of pounds.

China is going to devour the five unarmed French colonies in India.

Nanjing didn't want to wait any longer.

And this requires the cooperation of the Indo-French themselves.

The uncle of the young man in front of him is the mayor of France in Kindernager.

At the same time, there are many, many things happening in the world. It is impossible for the old man of time to let one thing take over all of himself.

In India, in Jindenagar, Chen Zhan is checking accounts, Zhu Wu is making up for shortcomings, Jerome is surprised to find his heart, and observers are also pulling a young man who has already entered the water deeper into the pool.