After finalizing the basic cooperation intention, Takashima solemnly asked Scrooge a question:

"Mr. MacDonald, I have heard that Cheung Chau or Satsuma have also sent personnel to contact your company. Is there such a thing? ”

"We've been contacted by some other Asians lately. Well, Elizabeth, who are the people who have come from Asia lately? Scrooge asked.

"Mr. MacDonald, first the representative of the Governor of Manchuria, who brought a contract for the purchase of a line of rifles and a set of steel-making equipment. Then there were some Arab and Turkish businessmen who ordered some heroin from the company, and then there was a businessman from Japan who offered to buy a batch of Dianabol from us, and the business was not very large, the amount was very limited, so it was just on file and did not inform you. ”

"What kind of Dianabol pills? Is it a military version? Takashima quickly asked.

"Partly yes." Elizabeth replied.

"Mr. MacDonald, you may not know that behind this Japanese merchant were the Nagasu and Satsuma domains, which were rebellious. So I want you to be able to control the transactions between zhì and them. Takashima said.

"Mr. Takashima, I'm afraid this matter won't go as you wish." "As far as I know, even in Japan, the status of Nagasu and Satsuma is legitimate, and it is recognized by your shogunate. Even in Osaka, where your shogunate is located, there are a large number of merchants doing business with Nagasu or the Satsuma clan. Since the shogunate did not even prohibit merchants under its direct jurisdiction from trading with Satsuma in Nagasu, what reason did you have to make such an unreasonable request to me? Don't say that they came to order some medicines, even to order weapons, it is also completely legal. I don't have any reason to say no. If the shogunate wants to cooperate with me, don't make these ridiculous demands that may even have very harsh consequences! ”

"I'm sorry! It's me asking too much! Takashima immediately apologized, because Takashima knew that the shogunate was the weak side in this deal, and the weak did not have such power.

"Well, I can forgive you for being unreasonable this time, but don't have a next time!" Scrooge said.

"Hay!"

……

"Mr. MacDonald, didn't you say before that the customer was our God?" After the negotiations were over, Elizabeth suddenly asked Scrooge, "Why are you so harsh with that Japanese man today?" ”

"Oh, it's different." Scrooge replied, "There is a premise to say that the customer is God, and that is that the state of the market is a buyer's market. Today is different, in this market, we are on the strong side. In fact, when dealing with uncivilized or semi-civilized countries, we are naturally on the stronger side. When you are strong, you must make good use of it. Also, you have to know that Japan is a hierarchical place, and they are all used to being humble to those in high positions and strict to those who are in low positions. But when they come to us, they face a problem, that is, they can't find their own position. At this time, if you are strict with him, he will feel that you are a superior and will be very humble, on the contrary, if you are too polite and tolerant to them, he will unconsciously think that you are a subordinate, and he will be arrogant, and he will make all kinds of trouble. So, if I explain it euphemistically, it may be more troublesome, because the person in the upper position does not need to listen to the explanation of the lower level. And when I hit him so hard and sue him, I was very angry, and the consequences were very severe. Then he knew his place, and then I said that I would not pursue his gaffe, and he would be grateful for my leniency. ”

"How could there be such a person? Isn't that too cheap? ”

"Yes, sluts are hypocrisy."

……

A little more than a month later, Takashima returned to Japan with the intention he had finalized with Scrooge.

"Takashima-kun, it's been a hard work." Katsu Kaishu, an important minister of the shogunate, was very satisfied with the draft agreement he brought back. Well, it is true that the much-needed weapons were bought without ceding Japan's sovereignty, and even to alleviate the troubles caused by too many people in the country not being able to eat, and the wages given by the Americans were not directly to the Japanese workers, but to the shogunate. In this way, the shogunate may be able to make some money in it, and anyway, it doesn't cost money to hire those poor ghosts in the country who don't even have surnames, and it is absolutely enough to sue them and go to a foreign country to have food. Well, no, maybe you can take the opportunity to get those poor ghosts to pay some more registration fees.

"The general is very satisfied with your performance this time." Sheng Haizhou said, "How's that?" How did it feel to walk around the United States? ”

"Teacher, it's shocking. If you don't go out and walk, you won't know that the gap between Japan and the rest of the world is so big. Takashima replied respectfully.

"Well, tell me what you saw."

"Hay!"

……

"Jiro, there's no food at home?" Michiko said helplessly to her husband.

"Yaga! There is no food again! Sasaki Jiro was very ashamed. Sasaki is a low-level samurai, and now the samurai is having a hard time. When Sasaki's father was in the time, there was still some rice balls to eat at home during festivals, and occasionally, once a year, there was still a fish on the table. It's just that now it's completely different. The amount of rice given above is always very small, and it is often in arrears, and the price of rice in the market is often frighteningly high.

The taste of an empty stomach was really bad, but there was no way to stay at home, so Sasaki hung up his sword and went out to see if he could borrow some money from those black-hearted merchants. Well, last month, I also taught the owner of the Kikyo House a lesson to the street thugs who tried to blackmail him, and now I ask him to borrow some rice, it shouldn't be a problem, right?

The streets were full of people, and everyone had a look on their faces that they were about to starve to death. Nowadays only the merchants have food to eat. Well, it's like the bellflower house, and now it's long gone to stop doing the bellflower business, it seems to have started the business of the ghosts, and now life seems to be pretty good, I heard that this guy has rice balls to eat every day at home. That's really ...... Even these lowly merchants have food to eat, but the dignified samurai lord has to starve.

At this time, Sasaki suddenly appeared, and many people ran towards the vegetable market.

"What's wrong?" Sasaki thought. But since so many people are running there, of course it must make sense, so Sasaki didn't think much about it, spread his legs and ran over there.

At the entrance of the vegetable market, a notice was posted, and a table was placed next to it, and several people were sitting there talking something. There were already people around them, and Sasaki squeezed inside, and a person who was squeezed aside by Sasaki was about to scold, but seeing that Sasaki was carrying a knife and was a samurai, he shut up again.

"The role of the samurai status is only so little." The man's concession did not make Sasaki happy, but instead led to such a rather literary exclamation.

But now is not the time to sigh, Sasaki continued to squeeze in hard, he inserted the katana in his hand with the scabbard into the crack of the person, and then pulled hard, pulled the person away, and then squeezed in.

"What's going on? What's going on? Sasaki asked.

"The American Club recruits workers, eats and shelters, ensures that you are full, and can you earn ten catties of rice for your family every month?" It was said.

"Really?" Sasaki was quite moved, but, damn it, he was a samurai, how could he be a hired man, it would be an insult to the family, it would be better to cut the stomach.

"It's a pity that if you want to go, you have to pay a training fee of 20 catties of rice first, and of course you will be deducted from your salary after you are selected...... Ah, it's Sasaki-sama. The man turned his head and recognized it as Sasaki, so he said, "My lord, there is still a need to recruit guard overseers, I heard that the conditions are better, and they are limited to samurai." ”

"Really?" Sasaki's eyes lit up suddenly, "Where?" ”

"Say yes in ......"

"On the other side of the agency." Torajiro, who was standing under Bangwen and taking care of Bangwen, said.

"Thank you!" Sasaki quickly squeezed out of the crowd and ran in the direction of the town office.

There are a lot fewer people on the agency side. After all, there are only samurai here.

"Sasaki? Do you want to go to the Americas too? It's far away. It would take a month to get on the American ship. I don't know when I'll be back. And I've heard that there are a lot of wild people in that place, and they all eat people. If you don't get it right, you won't be able to come back. That's why the overseer is required to be a samurai, and the salary is so high. If you really can't come back, what will you do if you call Michiko? The civil official called Qing Bingwei in the acting official office chattered and said.

"Qingbei, you also know my situation." Sasaki said, "Today's rice is not enough for me. If you go to that America, you can really give your family 25 catties of rice every month, even if it is the best rice, it will be better than now. I can't live anymore. I'm a samurai and can't do a lot of things. If you don't try it in the Americas, you're really going to starve to death at home. Well, do you think I'll be able to pick it this time? ”

"Yes. You can. Seibei said, "Sasaki, your swordsmanship is so good, it must be fine." And this is the first batch, and there are not too many people who can make up their minds like you. ”

"Hopefully, though, the era of swordsmanship has passed." Sasaki said, "Ryoma-sama said that now is the age of firearms. Otherwise, the samurai would not have fallen to this point. Oh, if I'm gone, help me take care of Michiko. ”

"Don't worry, Sasaki, we're friends, your ...... Your business is my business. I'll take care of your wife. Kiyobei said. rg

Tips: The new domain name "biquge.info" has been launched by Biquge, and the original domain name is about to be discontinued. Please tell each other, thank you!