"Daming does not occupy Guangdong for the time being?!" The merchants didn't believe their ears, and they all looked at Jiang Li with wide eyes. Several of the young men couldn't help but bow their hands.

"My lord, isn't the Ming army fighting Guangzhou City?"

"When the Ming army first arrived, were they ready to return to Taiwan?"

"Wars are fought for money and food." Jiang Li's expression was very frank, "The Ming army has as much manpower, financial and material resources as it has, and it will fight as big a battle." If you don't know how to advance or retreat, you will not only destroy the great cause of recovery, but also hurt a large number of ordinary people who care about the Ming Dynasty. ”

These businessmen on the field are all veterans in the business field, and there are many cases of Qing court officials turning their hands into clouds and turning their hands into rain. They said in their hearts that the Ming army neither attacked the city nor wanted money, but also thought about the people everywhere, is this possible!

Wu Chongyao was the intermediary of the Guangdong government, and he knew the plans of the Ming army, but he couldn't say it, and he didn't dare to say it, so he could only keep his mouth shut and listen to his companions muttering to each other.

"Look, the war is about money and food, this is clearly reaching out for money and food, how beautiful the scene of the leader of the Ming army is!" There were many "smart people" among the representatives of the merchants, and they bit their ears with each other, and this word quickly spread throughout the audience.

"Ahh

These businessmen on the field were all celebrities in the Guangdong business circles, and Qing court officials repeatedly came to extort money, and they had long been accustomed to it. Although the leader of the Ming army said it vaguely, the merchants did not dare to slack off, if they pretended to be stupid, maybe when the bloody knife was delivered!

Not to mention the rest, if the war drags on indefinitely, the business of the commercial bank should not be thought of, and it can only be closed.

"Please!" Yang Shiyi stretched out his hand and beckoned the merchants to come over one by one to count the gifts and settle the accounts according to the price. The businessmen's legs and stomachs were weak, and no one dared to be the first to go over, so they all glanced at Wu Chongyao, the leading brother in the Guangzhou business community.

"Lord Jingluo!" Wu Chongyao walked to the front and gave a deep salute, "The Ming army is benevolent and righteous!" I care for the people of Guangdong in every way, and take care of them in every way. We should eat pot pulp to welcome the king, and the contemptible people are willing to donate 10,000 taels of silver to replenish the military funds. ”

"We should eat pot pulp to welcome the king." A group of businessmen followed and begged in unison, expressing their willingness to donate silver taels to replenish military funds.

Jiang Li's head was big, and he immediately shouted, "Don't make any noise!" We are not the kings of the mountain. ”

This voice frightened everyone, and the merchants didn't dare to make a sound.

Jiang Li took a deep breath and said slowly, "I have great respect for the business community in Guangzhou, you are the window to the overseas people, you are the Chinese elite and the pillars of the country. ”

The merchants said in their hearts, what kind of soup is this?

In ancient China, the status of merchants was very low. The society generally agrees with the concept of "cultivating and reading heirlooms", even if it is developed when going out to do business, no one thinks that this is a "heroic entrepreneurship", but feels that his face is gloomy, and he is afraid that he will be investigated by the court and that it will affect future generations. Therefore, the thirteen merchants who deal with foreign merchants do not want others to know their real names, either change their names and surnames, or use their father's name, or several brothers share the same name, like the Wu family has been called Wu Haoguan to the outside world for several generations, and the business name of the Liang family in Tianbao Xing has always been Liang Jingguan.

Jiang Li saw that everyone was unimpressed, and he casually said that thirteen firms such as Jardine Matheson, Guangli Bank, and Tongfu Bank had invested heavily in the United States and the East India Company, "Some people say that the Chinese people will only be in the nest, but they don't know that the Guangdong business elite is in the Pearl River, and they are suppressed by the Qing court, but they still care about all directions, lay out the world, and have no less vision than Europa merchants." ”

Wu Chongyao's face changed suddenly, and few people in the senior management of Jardine Bank knew the data information, how did this Da Ming Jingluo know! Daming Jinyi is too powerful!

Pan Shaoguang, the boss of Tongfu Bank, thought that the knife of the Ming army was coming, and immediately knelt on the ground, "My lord, please let us go with kindness and righteousness, I am willing to sacrifice all the belongings of Tongfu Bank to replenish military funds." ”

Jiang Li was a little helpless and glanced at Yang Shiyi.

"Mr. Pan thinks too much!" Yang Shiyi stepped forward with a smile and helped Pan Shaoguang up, "The Ming Dynasty established the holy king at home and abroad, served the people internally, and defended the dignity of China externally. ”

Yang Shiyi was eloquent and preached the content of the booklet of the Central ~ Propaganda Department vividly.

“…… Agriculture is the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, and without food, we will all starve to death. Industry is the pillar of the Ming Dynasty, without production workshops, we have no farm tools, no houses, and no strong ships and cannons. Commerce is the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty, without merchants, everyone can not communicate with each other, you must dig by yourself, strike iron by yourself, make farm tools by yourself, raise cattle by yourself, spin and weave cloth by yourself to make clothes, ......, otherwise everyone can only wear bark and carry wooden sticks to farm. ”

He glanced at the crowd, "Only when business is developed can people focus on their own work, and the country's economy can function normally." Lord Jingluo said that you are the elite of China, the pillars of the country, and you deserve it! ”

Yang Shiyi's remarks were unheard of by the representatives of the merchants, but they didn't expect our businessmen to have such a high status, and they couldn't afford to belong to the countries of Europa, which were particularly business-oriented, and they did not hesitate to use strong ships and cannons to support the merchants.

These businessmen have always regarded Jiang Li and Yang Shiyi as bandits and pirates, and thought that "opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty" was just a propaganda banner. Now they really feel that the Ming Dynasty is really unusual, not only the ships are strong and the guns are sharp, the major political strategies are extraordinary, but also the merchants are regarded as masters.

Pan Shaoguang asked sneeringly, "Since your army is responsible for the revival of China and everything is for the sake of the people, why did it only be a few days after entering Guangdong, and it said that it was going to launch the Pearl River." ”

"The major affairs of the country are in worship and Rong." Yang Shiyi said slowly, "Our Ming army takes 'driving out the Tartars and restoring China' as its own responsibility, and the purpose of raising troops to come to Guangdong is also to calm the civil strife in Lingnan and let the people live and work in peace and contentment." As for why the Ming army didn't directly occupy Lingnan, to paraphrase the jargon of your business circles, because the capital of the Ming Dynasty was not enough. ”

Yang Shiyi was very frank, "The establishment of the Ming Dynasty is a big government, a government of the whole people. First of all, all the land in the world was redeemed and nationalized; The industrial system is also under the control of the government, and countless large mines and factories are state-owned, or state-controlled. The examination system is at least a million times larger than the current imperial examination. All the people, whether they want to or not, must go to school and learn knowledge. Since ancient times, the imperial power was not lower than that of the county, and the Ming court could directly control anyone in the village. ”

Someone in the crowd murmured, "Build a high city, accumulate grain, and slowly become king"

"That's it." Yang Shiyi nodded heavily, "Within a few years, the Ming Dynasty will train millions of soldiers in Taiwan, and then it will definitely be a decisive battle." ”

One by one, the soldiers of the Ming army presented pamphlets such as "The Fall of the Iron Curtain", "The Baath Party Manifesto", and "The Wealth of Nations".

Holding the propaganda brochure issued by the Ming Army in his hand, Pan Shaoguang's expression was much more relaxed, but he still said, "Lord Jinglu, the army is dedicated to the rejuvenation of China, and it is natural for us to donate some military funds as Chinese people." ”

"Military!" Jiang Li said lightly, "I'm not looking for you, I'm looking for Ye Mingchen and Bai Gui to ask for it." ”

Belch! Wu Chongyao pricked up his ears.

Yang Shiyi briefly talked about the letter from the Ming army to Ye Mingchen, and he told everyone that as soon as they received 5 million taels of silver, the Ming army would immediately return to Taiwan, and the Hong soldiers would also be taken away, and the Hong soldiers who were unwilling to go to Taiwan would also be driven out of Guangdong.

"The Ming Dynasty withdraws from the Pearl River, and the war is completely subsided, Ye Mingchen and Bai Gui can ask the Qing court for merit and reward, and they don't pay more real money, so how can they do it!" Yang Shiyi said with a smile as he glanced at the crowd.

Wu Chongyao seemed to feel that Yang Shiyi was nodding and smiling at him, as if his identity as an intermediary in the Qing army had been known by the Ming army.

5,000,000 taels of silver! The merchants stopped talking, the wool came out of the sheep, and the 5 million taels would find their heads sooner or later.

The Ming army arranged very well, and Wu Chongyao was the first to be invited out by Yang Shiyi.

Here, one by one, the businessmen ran to Yang Shiyi's place, counted the gifts one by one, and settled the accounts according to the price. The businessmen who have already settled over there and have not had their turn to listen to ~ the propaganda department officials promote the Ming policy.

Suddenly, "Bang bang bang!" sounded in the direction of Xiguan! "A few gunshots.

The representatives of the merchants did not know what was happening, and they were a little panicked. Jiang Li and Yang Shiyi soothed everyone with kind words, "Don't worry, there will be no big deal!" ”

Soon Zhang Dabao sent someone to report that the Hong soldiers had taken captivity and plundered Xiguan, and the Ming army garrison was organizing an encirclement and suppression.

On Fengyuan Street, Xiguan, one of the most prosperous streets in Guangzhou, several Hong soldiers forcibly looted shops, and Ba Liwei led the garrison patrol to collide with it.

Three Hong soldiers who tried to escape were killed on the spot, and more than a dozen other Hong soldiers trembled with fear and fell to their knees. The big man at the head shouted, "We are Hong Bing, our own people." ”

"Shame on your mother! Hong soldiers, can Hong soldiers take the people captive? Ba Liwei proudly inserted the revolver ~ pistol into his waist, and looked at his subordinates with a smile, "Comrades, it's good!" I asked you to hit the thighs, but I didn't expect to kill three at once. ”

"Captain, don't blame us for that." Several team members hurriedly shouted, "These rabbit cubs fled too fast, and the bullets didn't have eyes." ”

"Boss, good fight!" The merchants on the street all flocked to him, "Boss, this guy is looting and looting everywhere, doing all kinds of evil!" ”

"You bastards, you're full! Enough captives! also molested and molested people's girls! An old gentleman rushed over and kicked the big man a few times, "I'll kick you to death!" ”

The big Han avoided left and right, and shouted repeatedly, "Lord Ming Army, these are all Diao people, they donate money to Ye Demon Head to fight against our Hong soldiers, they are all of the same heart as the Manchu Tartars!" ”

"Boss, wronged!" The surrounding businessmen were so frightened that they hurriedly shouted injustice, "We are bent on the Ming Dynasty, and the donation to the Manchu Qing is also caused by the persecution of the Tartars." ”

"All of you folks are Chinese people!" Ba Liwei remembered the political education before the departure, "Everyone fell under the iron hooves of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and suffered and suffered, it was not easy to survive, no matter what they said or did, it was a last resort." Da Ming fully understands sympathy! ”

Looking at the surrounding businessmen's gratitude to him, Ba Liwei waved his hand proudly, "Take them all away!" ”