Ye Zhao pushed the small blue silk cloth bag in front of Marina and said, "Madam, I have already cleared your accounts in the Licha Hotel, you can live with Valya for the next few days, and I will send someone to see you off when you go back." ”

In the small cloth bag, is a diamond ring, Marlena did not feel a little embarrassed, she was with a Russian lover to Shanghai to play, to Shanghai and got acquainted with the British Jardine line's small class, immediately with the new love to fight hot, and with the new love to Guangzhou, who knows that yesterday and the new love quarreled a few words, the new love just ignored the go, in the Licha Hotel pastime expenses have to be paid by her, she was in Shanghai when the money has been squandered, no choice but to press the ring in the hotel account, but fortunately there are still a few valuable jewelry, The cost can be solved, not to mention that she is a very talented painter in Russia, she really can't do it, she can sell her paintings, but she has never worried about money.

But at this time, it can't help but be a little embarrassed, in addition to the embarrassment, Marina couldn't help but look at Ye Zhao a few more times, he is a typical oriental beautiful man, and his work is even more sweet, but unfortunately, it can be seen from his eyes, clear and clear, he has no idea about himself, I heard that Oriental men are conservative, and they don't like dew marriage, and after a romantic affair, it seems to be branded, and they don't like their women to associate with the men next to them, it's fun to think about it, and such an Oriental man's tryst must be a very interesting thing.

Ye Zhao smiled again and said to Sava: "Have you collected the money for you?" In the past few days, I have been shopping with your mother more, playing more, and I don't have enough money to ask me for it. ”

Sava sighed, hurriedly went to the purse, Ye Zhaoyi reminded, she remembered the silver ticket, forgot to bring it, don't know where to throw it? After flipping it twice, his face was relieved, and he took out the silver ticket of one thousand silver oceans, and said, "Well, it's here, it's okay." ”

Marlena didn't know what Ye Zhao and Sava were talking about, when she saw the silver ticket, she asked Sava a few words, and when Sava said that this was a thousand silver dollars given by a powerful man, the "pocket money" of shopping with her mother these days, Marina looked at Ye Zhao's blue eyes more and more deeply and charming.

"Ye, I'm not going back to Rovsk, do you say it's okay?" Marina's blue eyes were full of charm and a charming smile. But also, the family is "hungry and cold" in the ice and snow of Rovsk, but the daughter's life in Guangzhou is more nourishing than in Petersburg, and Marlena really doesn't want to leave.

Ye Zhao smiled: "It doesn't matter how long Madame likes to stay. ”

Marina's smile was even sweeter, and she stretched out her fair and slender jade hand and stroked a strand of wavy blonde hair on her cheek, "Ye, you're so good." "The sound is so greasy that it drips water.

Sava glared at her mother, but Ye Zhao said that she was not allowed to quarrel with her mother again, and she was obedient.

Ye Zhaoke scratched his head a little, this Shawa's mother is really not a fuel-efficient lamp, if it is spoken in Chinese, it will be a little skinless and faceless, but people have this surname, and there is no way.

"Let's eat!" Ye Zhao made a gesture, and the kind of momentum that he naturally cultivated that could not be rejected surprised Marlena, and the posture of this powerful person was shocked, as if it was more majestic than her father-in-law.

A few people just ate a few bites, suddenly heard a noise outside the door, a few men in green robes standing inside the door saw the master frowning, hurriedly pulled the door to see, at this time, a waitress in a red uniform screamed and rushed in, and was immediately pressed against the wall by a man in a green robe, she looked frightened, shouted: "Help!" Help me! The sleeves of the waitress were torn, revealing snow-white arms and untidy hair, and she knew that she had been insulted at a glance.

Several drunken foreigners rushed to the door, but were immediately stopped by the guards, but they grunted and rushed in, and one of them even made a gesture to grab the guard's neck.

Marina had already stood up in surprise: "Jerry!?" "It's the lover who fell out with her yesterday.

The tall foreigner at the front also saw Marina and smiled, "Darling, why are you here?" "Wobbly and squeezing over.

Ye Zhao nodded slightly, and the guards let a few foreigners into the pavilion, and one of the guards gently closed the door again.

The waitress became even more frightened when she saw a few foreigners, and struggled to say to the guard who restrained her: "Uncle, let me go, I won't drink with the foreigners when I die." ”

Today's folk customs are different from later generations, if you want to sleep with ghosts, many women are ashamed, only the most lowly people will not talk about these taboos, and as for the hostesses in Xiguan, there is no way to serve wine and food to foreign devils, to support their families, they can only barely endure fear and disgust.

When the foreigners heard the maid's call, all of them had flames dancing in their eyes, obviously drinking too much, and they didn't know how to chat and laugh to arouse their desires.

Marina smiled and said, "Dear Jerry, how did you become a pervert?" Forget it, don't joke with other girls. "Marina naturally wants to calm things down, to say Jerry's despicable behavior, she wants to step on him a few feet now, but Jerry is the manager of Jardine Matheson, and he has a lot of weight in Jardine Matheson, and this Jardine has a great influence in the Far East, it seems that Chinese men are not fuel-efficient lamps, and there was a conflict for a while Marina is afraid that Chinese men will suffer in the end, and the British are not easy to mess with.

Not to mention that several of Jerry's companions are now tall and tall, and they are members of the business group, and they all carry firearms, on the other hand, the subordinates of Chinese men, some are thin and thin, and some are fat, if they start, they are afraid that they will suffer a big loss immediately.

Jerry had a flirtatious smile on his face, and he wanted to come over, and said, "Dear Marina, of course I listen to you, but you want to introduce the beautiful lady next to you to me......" After walking two steps, he was stopped by a man in a green robe who stretched out his arm, Jerry frowned and pushed down the arm, but he didn't want to be as iron as a stone, and he didn't want to move.

Ye Zhao had already turned to the waitress and asked, "Are they insulting you?" Seeing the waitress nodding with a pale face, Ye Zhaoyi waved his hand: "Take it!" ”

Several men in green robes immediately pounced, and in the bang, several foreigners fell down one by one like stupid cows, and one of the foreigners reached out to touch the short gun, and then his wrist clicked, and he screamed in pain like killing a pig, but it had been dislocated by the thin man with a slight twist.

Jerry bore the brunt of the blow, a heavy leg on the shoulder and neck, and his eyes turned black, and he fell down first, almost suffocating.

Marina was stunned, her small mouth opened, and she couldn't close it anymore, and the conflict just started, the curtain in the lounge was raised, and more than a dozen blue-robed men quickly came out, and in front of Ye Zhaosha Wa Marina's banquet, the Chengren wall was arranged, and each took out a spear, a short gun like a forest, and pointed at the few foreigners who fell to the ground.

Marlena was dumbfounded, she had been here for a long time, she didn't know that there was anyone in the lounge, and there was no movement at all, which was unbelievable.

But Sava is beautiful, and he has seen it when he is powerful, and he is not surprised.

Jerry was dizzy, and when he looked up and saw the dense black hole muzzle pointed at him, his face changed, but he said loudly: "Who are you, do you know who I am?" I'm the steward of Jardine House! Anxiously speaking in English, he immediately said in blunt Chinese: "I am the manager of Jardine Bank, you guys quickly let me go!" ”

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Yihexing? As soon as he spoke, the guards in front of him automatically divided into two columns, making way for the gap, but Ye Zhao, Marina and Sava could see a few foreigners pressed to the ground.

"Yes, you let go of me quickly, otherwise it will cause very serious consequences......" Before the words fell, he was slapped in the face, and the man in the green robe scolded: "Be careful when you speak!" Pigs and dogs who don't know whether they are alive or dead! ”

Ye Zhaoxin said human rights, human rights, but now in this world, it can be as warm as a spring breeze to the Chinese people, and some arrogant foreigners, who are too polite to him, will think that you are weak and can be bullied, not to mention that this foreigner intends to violate the girl.

Jerry was not convinced, stared at the guard who slapped him viciously, and said, "You have to pay for everything you did today......

"Smack!" He was slapped in the face again, if it weren't for the prince beside him, I am afraid that this guard would have beaten him to cry and call his mother.

"Ye, Ye, forget it......" Marina gestured to Ye Zhao anxiously, Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Take a few of them to the next room for me first, don't disturb my guest Yaxing, and then dispose of them after eating." ”

"Yes!" The green-robed men agreed, gagged the foreigners, and carried them into the lounge, and someone sent the waitress to the boss, and after a while, the pavilion was restored to its original state, three or four green-robed men retreated to the back of the door, and the rest entered the lounge.

Ye Zhao said apologetically to Marina: "Madam, the security in Guangzhou is still good, you can rest assured that you can stay, what happened today is very rare." ”

Marina said to Ye Zhao: "Ye, I don't know who you are, but Jerry's matter is still a big deal, he is going to Hong Kong tonight to pick up a shipload of goods from Jardine Matheson, I heard that they are all guns and opium, if something goes wrong, Jardine will hold you accountable." ”

Ye Zhao's eyes lit up when he heard this, "Firearms? ”

Marina nodded.

Ye Zhao immediately shouted to the inside: "Bring me the foreign devil who hit the head." ”

Soon, two blue-robed men dragged Jerry out, pulled out the rag from his mouth, and knelt in front of Ye Zhao's feet.

Jerry naturally felt greatly insulted, although he was pressed on the head, he struggled to himself, and said loudly: "You will regret it, you will regret it!" ”

Immediately, he was kicked twice on his waist and eyes, and he snorted, almost fainting in pain.

Ye Zhao smiled: "Raise your head." Immediately, a guard grabbed Jerry's hair and raised his face, Jerry wanted to spit Ye Zhao, but this gang was so fierce, he was afraid that if he spit on this Chinese man, it would be possible to cut his tongue, so he hesitated, but he didn't dare after all.

Ye Zhao shook the folding fan, looked at him, and asked, "Are you going to Hong Kong to pick up the goods tonight?" Foreign guns and opium? ”

This matter was originally confidential, but when Jerry saw that Marlena told him, he snorted coldly: "It's good that you know, hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, something happened, be careful of your head!" The guard next to him wanted to whip him again, and when he saw the prince waving his hand, he hated it.

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "Let's not talk about opium first, is this gun shipped to Shanghai to equip the Huai Army?" ”

Jerry was even more arrogant, he was new to China, and he was not very clear about the differences between the North and the South, and said loudly: "It's good that you know, it was sold to you Chinese political axes to deal with the Taiping army, let me go quickly!" Settle accounts with you slowly! ”

Ye Zhao smiled: "I'm afraid that your head can't be saved." He waved his hand and said, "Pull it down first." ”

At this time, there was a gentle knock on the door, and a guard hurriedly entered, whispering a few words in Ye Zhao's ear, Ye Zhao sighed, got up and came to the window, and Marina and Sava hurriedly followed.

On the street, twenty or thirty foreigners armed with rifles were walking towards this side, and two patrol officers in black uniforms stopped and persuaded them, and then the patrol police blew their sirens.

Marina's face changed color and said, "It's someone from the Jardine Carteran?" ”

Ye Zhao folded the fan and said with a smile: "Eighty percent is yes." ”

Jerry also heard it, and immediately his face was overjoyed, and he said loudly, "Let me go!" If you ......" and "pop", you will get two more mouths on your mouth.

Ye Zhao smiled, looked at Jerry, his face was very kind, beckoned him with a folding fan, and said, "Bring him over." He said to Jerry: "Jerry, Guangzhou is not Shanghai, and today I will let you see what the rule of law is." ”

The two guards quickly pushed Jerry to the window.

At this time, several patrolmen rushed over with their hats covered, and the first two patrols blocked in front of Wanghailou, not allowing the foreigner merchant group to enter, and each pulled out a short gun to confront the merchant group.

The two carriages galloped forward, and when they approached, a dozen rifle patrolmen jumped out of the carts, and the muzzles of their guns were pointed at the merchants.

Then, Ye Zhao saw an acquaintance, Zhu Sisi, who led several patrols to run over, and the patrols saluted her one after another, and Zhu Sisi walked to the front of the patrols and talked to those foreigners.

After saying a few words, I suddenly saw Zhu Sisi slam her crotch legs, and the foreigner who was tall and tall in the front of the merchant group immediately fell, thinking that the foreigner had said something ugly. Ye Zhao laughed, and said in his heart that this little spicy man had gone abroad.

The rifles of both sides were pointed at each other.

But the effort was not great, and several horse-drawn carriages came, and there were more and more rifle patrols, surrounding the merchant group foreigners, and a bespectacled patrol stood on the carriage and shouted in English: "Jardine Merchant members, put down your rifles immediately, otherwise you will bear all the consequences, you have violated the law of the merchant group, and carried firearms into the residential area, if you do not put down your rifles, you will be regarded as a mob shooting!" ”

In Guangzhou, members of merchant groups carrying firearms are only allowed to operate in a limited area of the Huangpu port area, but these members of the merchant groups are ordinary employees of foreign companies, and they cannot be checked individually, and there are not many people who carry short guns in and out of Xiguan, but this is the first time that a crowd carrying rifles has broken into Xiguan in this way.

Those foreigners, all of whom were staff sailors of Shanghai Jardine House, followed a cargo ship to Guangzhou, and heard a member of the merchant group run back to report that Mr. William, who was in the merchant group, had met his old friend Jerry, and was beaten and detained by several Chinese during the meal.

Who knows that this Guangzhou is quite different from Shanghai, less than a quarter of an hour, surrounded by dozens of patrols with long guns and short guns, seeing that the patrols are gathering more and more, this matter is afraid that it will become more and more troublesome, and I heard people announce the law in English, looking at the cold faces of those patrols, as if they really had the intention of shooting, these foreign staff are a little afraid, among them, the blonde man who took the lead in making the most fierce trouble is the most fierce, but the first to put down the rifle, and then the ruffle is thrown to the ground.

Zhu Sisi turned her head and ran to this Wanghai Tower at this time. Ye Zhao knew what she was doing as soon as she thought about it, since he was investigating the beating of foreigners, he couldn't meet her, although he didn't wear a beard, but he got along with her for a long time, and he was afraid that she would recognize herself.

It didn't take much time, a guard entered the house, his face hesitated, and Ye Zhao smiled: "What's wrong?" ”

The guard said cautiously: "The governor of Xiguan is called Zhu Sisi, and he must see the palace steward, and the little one told her that today it is a four-grade steward of the palace who is eating wine here, and wants her to go on her errand, but she must see the steward, and said that she must ask why she is imprisoning foreigners." ”

Ye Zhao smiled, Zhu Sisi is good, if it weren't for her young age, he would have to promote her again. He said to the guard: "You are all arrogant, don't you know what to do?" Show her your waist card and documents, just say that the palace is on an errand, and tell her that there will be an official document sent to the patrol room in the palace secretary's room when she goes back, and the reason for the explanation will naturally be explained to her, and she can't know the confidential things, right? ”

The guards hurriedly agreed, in fact, this is a very normal procedure, but when it comes to saying that the palace guards are running errands, who dares to ask? Today is the first time I have encountered a broken casserole to ask the end, but the guards don't know how to deal with it, and they can't arrest people, right?

After a while, I saw Zhu Sisi's soft figure out of Wanghai Tower, and the patrols were busy separating the foreigners and taking them away one by one.

Looking at her back, Ye Zhao shook the folding fan and nodded again, although he blew his beard and glared at himself every time, but this little spicy man was admirable.

The people who were watching the excitement from a distance nearby suddenly applauded and cheered, this was the first time they had witnessed our Chinese patrols arresting groups of foreign riflemen, so wasn't it exciting? I'm afraid that this matter will become a talking point in the streets and alleys of Xiguan and Guangzhou.

At this time, Jerry finally hung his head like a defeated rooster, and Ye Zhao smiled and said to Sava: "You accompany your mother to dinner, I have something to do." Sava nodded obediently.

Ye Zhao said to Marlena again: "Madam, I say goodbye, you can rest assured that you will play in Guangzhou, everything is with me." ”

Marina's beautiful eyes were like waves, and she smiled and said, "Then I will rely on you." ”

Ye Zhao smiled, and was about to leave, but he didn't want Sava to walk two steps in front of him with long and beautiful legs, wearing high heels, she was about the same size as Ye Zhao, her charming and deep blue eyes were in front of Ye Zhao's eyes, and the pair of ** on the chest of the snow-white gauze skirt was about to come out, making people squirt nosebleeds.

Ye Zhao smiled: "What's wrong? ”

Sava said, "I, I'll show you the next time I dance." ”

Ye Zhao smiled and wanted to touch her gorgeous blonde hair like a waterfall, but he was stunned to find that Sava was about to catch up with him unconsciously, and bowed his head slightly, and said, "Okay!" ”

Sava immediately nodded happily.

Ye Zhao smiled and strode out.

…… The huge gun muzzles of several forts in Humen were twisted high, at the mouth of the Pearl River, several gunboats confronted each other, and on the Zhenhai guard tower, the flag soldiers were waving flags to the two British [***] ships in the distance, saying, "One step further, our side will return fire with artillery fire." ”

On the deck of the Zhenhai, Pei Tianqing put down the clairvoyant mirror in his hand and shouted, "Prepare to fire." ”

Immediately, the whistle of Zhenhai, Jinghai, and Lingbo sounded, and the huge hull slowly turned sideways, forming a line, and the dense black hole and cannon muzzle were all aimed at the British [***] ship in the distance, just like a hedgehog with a charge, as long as it was slightly provoked, ten thousand thorns would immediately fire at once.

"The Chinese seem to really be able to fire!" In the captain's room of the battleship Wellington, the first mate reminded Captain Hawke with a nervous face.

"I don't believe that the Chinese will only bluff." A staff officer-looking officer snorted coldly, with a look of disdain.

Captain Hawke looked at the Chinese [***] ship in the distance, hesitated, for the first time in China, the British Imperial Navy, which was free to enter and exit the Neijiang River, encountered a real threatening obstruction.

Hawke slowly raised his hand, and the first mate suddenly grabbed his wrist and said loudly: "Mr. Captain, you have no right to provoke a war with the Chinese!" Have you thought about the consequences? ”

Hawke's eyelids jumped.

The first mate said loudly again: "Moreover, do you want to send our warriors to death in vain?" The Chinese have long-range battery support, and we are no match for them. ”

Hawke hesitated, and finally sat back in his chair, "Turn the rudder, turn back." ”

At this time, in the flower hall of Suwangfu, Ye Zhao was sitting opposite Jackson, the consul of Guangzhou, and Jackson's face was extremely serious.

Last night, the Guangdong Navy seized a merchant ship of Jardine Hong Kong near Hong Kong Island and escorted it back to Guangzhou with the merchant ship, and Mr. Taipan Mello of Jardine Hong Kong was furious and went to find Governor Bao Ling, who happened to have two gunboats of the Far East Fleet on Hong Kong Island to rest, and Bao Ling and Merlot sought help from the navy, and the two gunboats immediately sailed to Guangzhou in a vigorous manner.

Jackson said very sincerely: "Your Excellency, you know, you have always been a very respected friend in my eyes, and Guangzhou and the area you rule are also a very respected trading partner of our British Empire. ”

Ye Zhao nodded slightly, but unfortunately this is just Jackson's private opinion, if China becomes a respected trading partner in the eyes of the countries of Europa, then it can truly interact with the West on an equal footing.

Jackson added: "But your armed seizure of merchant ships on Hong Kong Island will seriously damage your image and damage the bilateral relations that I have worked so hard to maintain, and now that the two gunboats of the Far East Fleet have sailed to Canton, I hope that Your Excellency the Prince will settle the matter peacefully before it deteriorates further." ”

Ye Zhao said solemnly: "Mr. Jackson, I don't say polite words, I have always thanked you for your efforts, and I also treat you as a good friend, I hope that one day when you retire, we can not talk about politics, and welcome you to settle in Guangzhou." ”

Jackson nodded and said sincerely: "I also hope that there will be such a day, and I hope that our friendship will not be affected because of the relationship between the two countries." ”

"No, no!" Ye Zhao said with a smile: "We Chinese have a clear distinction between public and private, no matter how difficult you are to keep me, it will not damage the friendship between us." ”

Jackson was a little embarrassed, and Ye Zhao laughed: "Just kidding, Tom, I see you, just resign from this consul in Guangzhou and come to be my diplomat." ”

Jackson smiled, "Thank you, Prince, for your love, but I know you're just joking." ”

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Regarding the seizure of the merchant ship of Jardine House, I will say three points, first, the merchant ship was intercepted outside the waters of Hong Kong Island; Second, since your country maintains neutrality, the sale of arms to the Southern Dynasties is smuggling, and in Chinese waters, the Guangdong Navy has the right to intercept smuggling ships; Third, I fully respect your country's rule over Hong Kong Island, including the sea area demarcated by your side on Hong Kong Island, and I also hope that your country will also respect my Guangzhou political axe, and I will not allow any military ship of any country to enter the area around the mouth of the Pearl River in Lingdingyang, and if anyone insists on going his own way, it will be tantamount to declaring war on me. And I, on the other hand, have never been afraid of war. ”

Jackson silently said that His Excellency the Prince was indeed a visionary leader, but under his leadership, with the strength of China, the actions of the British Empire's navy in the China Sea would inevitably be restrained, but he did not want this day to come early, although it was only a small sea area at the mouth of the Pearl River in Lingdingyang, but this signal was extremely strong, and I did not know what kind of reaction it would cause when it reached China.

"Your Excellency, are you really not afraid of war?" Jackson stared at Ye Zhao and asked.

Ye Zhao smiled, "I'm afraid, I'm not afraid, how can I say it?" If you are blindly afraid of war, you will not be able to avoid war, and if you want to avoid war, you must not be afraid of war. Who is not afraid of war, especially me, you don't know that this Guangzhou is blockaded by your Far Eastern Fleet, and soon my regime will encounter unprecedented difficulties, but what good is it for your country to do so? The Chinese will be more xenophobic, even if you help Yanjing to win the eventual victory, I believe that the Yanjing regime will never trade with your country in an enlightened manner, and I think that your country does not have the ability to help the Yanjing regime defeat us, and intervening in the war in China will only plunge your country into the swamp of war. I have heard that the African continent has vast resources, that your country is preparing to compete with Portugal and France for dominance on the African continent, that the Baltic Sea is eyeing the reborn Rakshasa country, and that the Far East has never occupied a very important position in your country's political map. ”

Jackson nodded silently.

Ye Zhao said again: "I hope that your country's political axe understands my situation, and I also hope that your country's businessmen can understand my position." Thinking about Ye Zhao and said: "Mr. Consul, let's do it, in order to avoid the same misunderstanding in the future, Mr. Consul can sign a treaty with me, for the merchants who smuggle arms, once my Guangdong Navy Division is found, I can repatriate the smugglers, but the goods must be confiscated, this is my bottom line." ”

Jackson pondered for a moment and said, "Your Excellency, as you know, I have to listen to many people's opinions. ”

Ye Zhao smiled: "I understand. "The confrontation at the mouth of the Pearl River, Ye Zhao knows that it will come sooner or later, and it will be better to come a day earlier, so that the countries of Europa will gradually adapt to the requirements of a sovereign country in the Far East for offshore sea rights.

(To be continued)