The neat British laborers dressed neatly lined up in two long queues, boarded the Jiujiang wharf in an orderly manner, strode towards the sky and shouted neat slogans around Jiujiang City three or four times, and then drove into Chang Zhenbang's flour warehouse, with Silas standing upright, all the laborers immediately leaned back with their hands, and presented themselves to the world with a kind of naval pride, breaking the doubts in everyone's hearts about the decline of the British Empire in the European war like the sun appearing to dispel the dark clouds. All of a sudden, the related items related to the British Empire once again became the most sought-after goods of the rich and noble families in Jiujiang City, that is, Chen Die and Lu Xiaozhu, the two viscountesses, also broke their heads and bleed in order to snatch a British-made handbag. All of a sudden, British goods once again became the best-selling goods in Jiujiang City, and the Dongying merchants who had just recovered from the '21st' boycott of Japanese goods were hit head-on again, and their sales volume fell off a cliff, because Yuan Shikai ascended the throne as emperor, and the Japanese consul Xiong Gong, who had just arrived in the British concession of Jiujiang, was even more angry and vomited blood.

Accompanied by Chang Zhenbang and Dehai, Basili quickly counted all the flour in the warehouse, and then mobilized British laborers to carry bags of fine flour to the cart like ants moving mountains, and quickly whipped them to the warships flying the rice flag.

"There are 36,000 sacks of flour, which is equivalent to 67,000 oceans." After a while, the British accountants counted the value of these flours, 67,000 oceans is really a lot, if this is placed on the eve of the European war, it is definitely a good deal, but unfortunately the price of everything in the war has risen, and now 60,000 oceans can't buy such flour at all, without Chang Zhenbang changing his face, Dehai has already stopped doing it, he said a little unhappily: "Your Excellency Brazil, is that all?" ”

Basiri said mockingly: "Is there anything else that is needed for the other than the payment of money and the delivery of goods with your country?" ”

"What about the guns?" Dehai said: "In addition to these 67,000 oceans, your country should have 3,600 guns!" ”

“NO！ NO！ NO！ Basili stretched out his right index finger and shook it in front of Dehai, and said very arrogantly: "As we all know, the British Empire is fighting against Germany, the world's most evil empire, for world peace, and now the war is urgent, and the allied France has been bombed by the German evil airship, and the empire has decided that all the guns that have been replaced must give priority to supporting France, so I'm sorry for my two old friends, the empire does not have your share in the process of gun diversion this time!" ”

"Thank you for your honesty, but this time the price is too low for the British Empire, and I'm afraid this will be the last deal."

Basili glanced at Chang Zhenbang and said, "Doesn't Yuan Shikai need the support of the empire when he becomes the emperor?" I think it's the opposite, at this time, the emperor of your country needs the empire to provide him with a guarantee of security, I'm afraid you're too stingy to be so careful! ”

Chang Zhenbang smiled bitterly: "Old friend, you are different from other English gentlemen, you have lived in China for a long time, you should know how much the market price of a bag of flour is now?" Even if it is a wholesale price, it can only be the same as the price you give, the cost of the warehouse, the cost of manpower, all of which add up, it really makes me a little difficult! Of course, I know the current situation of the Empire, and I understand that the Empire is doing this, but in business, I can give you flour at a low price or even a low price to get those guns and ammunition as income, but ordinary people can't do that! They won't sell me flour and grain without making a profit, and my flour mill can't work without grain! This is not a stinginess, nor is it a threat, but a very cruel reality, I hope His Excellency the Consul can understand! ”

Basili thought for a moment and said, "How about we go over there and talk, old friend?" Maybe I can convince you to put aside the boring money business and choose the righteous and solemn side! ”

Chang Zhenbang glanced at Dehai and said, "I hope that the statement Your Excellency gave me can make my subordinates happy and convincing!" Seeing this, Silas was furious, pulled out his gun and said fiercely to the horses who were blocking the British laborers: "You damn yellow monkeys, how dare you stop the British Empire from running errands?" ”

Basiri turned back to Basiri and said, "Your Excellency Lieutenant Colonel Silas, I have something to say to Chang Daoyin, you can let the gentlemen rest for a while!" ”

Silas reluctantly put the gun back, let those British laborers rest in place, some of these laborers sat on the ground when they rested, some lay on the ground, and so on, it was no different from the yellow monkey in their eyes when they rested, but these people's posture no matter how strange their personalities, but they spoke very slightly for fear of disturbing others, some individual laborers wanted to smoke, and after being seen by those foreign supervisors in the warehouse, they taught a lesson and no one had the idea of smoking, Seeing this scene in Dehai's eyes, he couldn't help but nodded, and he summarized in his heart that it was no accident that the British Empire was able to defeat the Qing Empire in a short distance, and this kind of execution standard for orders alone was almost impossible for anyone except for the generation of Emperor Taizu Nurhachi.

Chang Zhenbang and Basiri walked to a few flour piles in the distance, and said: "This price is unacceptable to me anyway, you can be regarded as half the boss of the British Lease Flour Mill, the income and purchase are more important than I see, how much is the grain, how much is the salary, how much does it add up, how much is it to sell, you know better than me in your heart, if you bid like this, the flour mill in the British Concession will not be able to maintain it for another three months!" ”

"Zhenbang, I also know your difficulties! But I can't help it, the British Empire is now in an unprecedented predicament, the German Navy, the Italian Navy and the Turkish Navy are not opponents of the Imperial Navy in the frontal battlefield, but they are harassing the Imperial routes in the Atlantic, in the Pacific, and in the Indian Ocean, and a quarter of the strategic materials purchased by the Empire will be hijacked or lost in the deep sea by these damned pirates! Sooner or later, the vast wealth accumulated by the Empire will be consumed by these evil nations, so the Foreign Affairs Department of the Colonial Secretary requires us overseas personnel to obtain a large range of strategic materials at the cheapest local prices, so as to maintain the Empire in a longer war until the final victory. I hope you can understand and support the empire. ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "I didn't expect the empire to be so difficult, but my old friend, you should also know that Chinese businessmen are mercenary, even in the face of me, the town guard, they will not push the price too low, after all, businessmen are also people, and they also have to support their families and have children!" Even if the official uses his right to forcibly requisition flour, I am afraid that it can only be solved for a while, and it is suspected of killing chickens and taking eggs. Because no matter how powerful the British Empire is, it cannot end the war in three months, but these mercenary merchants will reduce their production in the second month if they do not increase their money in one month, and if they do not make money, they will transfer it in the third month! At that time, even if Emperor Yuan came in person, he would not be able to see this pile of flour mountain. ”

Basili sighed and said, "When it comes to business, no one knows the law better than the British, and in the face of this policy of the colonial minister, the consuls stationed abroad are very resistant, and I believe that it will not be long before something changes." ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "With all due respect, Mr. Basiri, you are too optimistic, the two sides of this war are in a state of stalemate, and there is no sign of defeat on either side, I am afraid that the future days will be more difficult, and the conditions for buying flour will become more and more harsh, so I think this flour transaction should be stopped!" Wait for both parties to have a proper explanation before proceeding! ”

"Impossible!" Basiri reluctantly refused: "These flour empires are bound to be obtained, if they can't be traded, Lieutenant Colonel Silas will be hijacked by force." ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "This is a flour mill!" You can't do that! ”

"I know this is a flour mill!" "But the empire needs flour, and it needs to use it to save this world that is about to fall," said Basiri. Even if it is to use force, it will not hesitate! ”

Chang Zhenbang said helplessly: "This is a flour mill, is it really good for you to use force?" ”

This article is from the novel of Kanshu.com