The East India Company, England's largest deformed business organization in Asia, and the huge amount of tobacco sales can be said to be the pillar industry of the East India Company, although the East India Company is involved in the field, most of the merchants in England have complaints, but the East India Company is the largest economic organization of England in Asia, which is beyond doubt.

The so-called European business alliance, led by the East India Company and lurking in Guangzhou, was definitely a threat to Yang Meng.

The great powers, the European and American powers, the European powers, except for one Millican and half of the great powers in the Americas, the world's great powers are all concentrated in Europe, and the European business alliance is the spokesperson of the great powers in the Qing Dynasty, and these people are huddled together and have enough ability to start a war.

Yang Meng, the Frenchman who was not on good terms with England, was in contact, and Colt could also pull Yang Meng into the future of Germany, these two great powers Yang Meng was confident in winning them over, but England and Eros were not easy to win over, and Oros had a lot of maritime power, and there were not many on the Guangzhou side, and now the main enemy was England.

And the East India Company, which is the spokesperson of England in Asia, a company with its own army, after being falsely accused, did not make any unusual moves, and the only explanation is that they are brewing big moves.

Pan Shicheng sent people to negotiate with the East India Company, which was also what they could not ask for, since the price of Yunyan increased, they made hundreds of negotiation requests in the past three months, but all of them were rejected by Pan Shicheng.

Originally, the East India Company also wanted to bombard Guangzhou to threaten Pan Shicheng, but on the southeast peninsula, there was bad news, the 2,000-strong expeditionary force was wiped out, and the 3,500-strong Indian reinforcements disappeared without a trace. A strong force has emerged on the southeastern peninsula. And the target is directly aimed at the maker of cloud smoke. A mysterious person known as Lord Yang, no matter how much news there is, the East India Company will not be able to get it, and the news of the Southeast Peninsula will make the East India Company temporarily extinguish the idea of starting a war.

Ten times the price of the cloud of smoke, it didn't matter to the East India Company, but it was a huge blow to the empire's economy, buy high and sell high. Even if the price of cloud smoke was increased by a hundred times, the East India Company would be profitable, but the empire did not have so much gold and silver to pay for the skyrocketing price of cloud smoke.

Since the import and export deficit with the Qing Dynasty was reversed with tobacco, England has always dominated the trade with the Qing Dynasty, but the emergence of cloud smoke has completely reversed this situation.

A deficit of three months, ten years, which is absolutely unthinkable for the English government. It is also unbearable, and the price of cloud smoke has skyrocketed. It's not without reason, the Keno Expeditionary Force is the reason, but the top of the empire will not take this responsibility.

Now the English version is that the manufacturer of cloud cigarettes raised prices without authorization, and the task of negotiation was put on the shoulders of the East India Company. The East India Company, although it was a commercial organization, was still a state institution at its root, and sometimes the interests of the company's shareholders were not his choice, but the interests of the British Empire were what he had to protect.

The European Business Alliance, organized by the East India Company, was mainly aimed at forcing Pan Shicheng to sit down and negotiate, but without the consent of his son-in-law Yang Meng, he could not negotiate with the East India Company, and Pan Shicheng could not make his own decisions, and the only thing Pan Shicheng could do was to use the balance of interests of Yunyan and the relationship between the powers.

This time, Yang Meng proposed to negotiate with the East India Company, which was a happy thing for both the East India Company and Pan Shicheng.

After a short meeting, the place of negotiation was set on a Milican warship, and the people who entered the Lixiangyuan East India Company were not at ease, and Pan Shicheng was not at ease when they got on the English warship, and by virtue of his good relationship with the Milican merchants, the final meeting place was chosen on Millican's warship.

The meeting and negotiation were not formal, Yang Meng took Wei Zhiqing, Ding Taichen and a few translators, and then two teams of Jianxi, the commercial representative of the East India Company, or the previous one, he also brought a group of translators and soldiers.

"General Yang, you have violated the agreement between us, and have unilaterally increased the price of Yunyan tenfold without any notice, and you need a cash transaction, which we absolutely cannot tolerate!

It's been three months, we've given you enough time, and we've paid a huge price for it, and you need to compensate me! Otherwise......"

As soon as he saw Yang Meng, the commercial representative of the East India Company slapped the table, and the one with a full face and beard roared, and he also looked like a lion.

"How else? Do you continue to send expeditionary forces to Yunnan? We don't have such a clause in our agreement, do we? ”

In response, Yang Meng did not back down, and the word of the expeditionary force made the business representative's face change.

"What expeditionary force? I don't know that even if there were, it wasn't sent by the East India Company? It is a commercial act between us, and as for the act of the state, it is not something that our agreement can bind! ”

Admit? That's impossible! Although both sides know that the Tao is indeed true, it is good to understand it in their hearts, and when it is brought to the table, they can only take the facts and talk about it.

"What expeditionary force? Keno Expeditionary Force! There are also 3,050 reinforcements from India, such a big move, you East India Company don't know what to do? I know your purpose, and you know the reason for the price increase.

Ten times the price, is my response to the Keno Expeditionary Force, since we are both sitting here, it means that we have to ignore these two things, Mr. Commercial Representative, do you say yes? ”

Pointing to the situation on the Southeast Peninsula, Yang Meng didn't say much, since he sat down, many things need to be revealed whether he wants to or not.

"You can call me Smith, Mr. Commercial Representative? Am I not even worthy of a name? ”

This Smith can be regarded as a veteran at the negotiation table, and he knows how to grasp the rhythm and the importance of the momentum of the road.

"In my eyes, Mr. Commercial Representative, to sit with you is a debasement of my identity and status, and the East India Company can barely be compared to me, and as for you, you are really unworthy! It would be an insult to me if I were to call you by your first or last name! ”

As a result, Wei Zhiqing handed over the tea cup, waved her hand, filled the house with the fragrance of tea, and savored the tea soup. Yang Meng responded to Smith's roar slowly.

"It's an insult to me. An insult to me is an insult to the East India Company. General Yang, don't you want to negotiate? ”

Despised by a native of the Qing Kingdom, Smith also slapped the table, thinking that it was a lion roaring, but these were just barking in Yang Meng's eyes.

"Insulting you? I don't have this in mind, the negotiation is not fake, I am here to talk to you about how to cancel the agreement! Because of the irrationality of your government, I have decided to sever commercial relations with England. All merchants who sell English goods in the Qing Dynasty are also treated equally! ”

The lethality of these words was more hitting, and before Smith could speak, the members of the negotiating team behind him became noisy, and as soon as the south-to-north tone came out, Yang Meng knew the origin of these people, members of the European Business Alliance?

"General Yang, you are responsible for what you say and cut off business with England. The loss is also huge for you! ”

Ignoring the person behind him, Smith clenched his fists and said in a deep voice. Cutting off business contacts, this is a topic he has never thought about, and the imposing question just now is gone, replaced by a low suggestion.

"Losses? No! Presumably, France is willing to accept this condition, a hundred times the price, I account for 90 percent, and then give 10 percent to the French merchants, presumably I want the goods, they will be ready for me as soon as possible.

If France can't do it, there is also Millican, maybe Austria in Europe also has such a demand, and interests come first! ”

A sentence of interests first, Yang Meng interpreted the true meaning of the business alliance, compared with Yunyan, the benefits that England promised to European countries, can not be compared at all, if it is really according to Yang Meng's statement, then this European business alliance is undoubtedly a big failure for England.

The business alliance has been built, but the French are cheaper, which is really a capital enemy!

"General Yang, you are also a member of the army, do you know the consequences of this decision?"

Now Smith, how can he still have the heart to care about those people behind him, this General Yang is likely to be Lord Yang who eliminated the Kino Expeditionary Force in Yunnan and blocked Indian reinforcements, which shows that this General Yang has a strong enough army under him.

For the geography of the Qing Kingdom, Smith also has a certain amount of research, what is the location of Yunnan, he couldn't be clearer, connecting India to the southwest gateway of the Qing Kingdom, this is a better choice than the Tibetan border, and the overall situation is the choice to enter the Qing Kingdom.

Presumably the French also have such an awareness, in Smith's opinion, the French and this General Yang, who has a strong army, are definitely the best combination, how to weigh such a proposal, Smith knows in his heart, no matter how stupid the French will not refuse.

"It's nothing more than war! It's not the first time we've been in contact with each other, the beach battle back then, and now the war situation on the Southeast Peninsula, have I ever been afraid? ”

Due to Yunyan, Smith is at an absolute disadvantage at the negotiation table, and the only thing he can do is the means of war, but war is not something that a small business representative can decide, in Yang Meng's eyes, he is just a mouthpiece!

"General Yang, don't forget, we have the most powerful navy in the world, and the advantage on land, just a little, without the advantage at sea, how can you carry out with us?"

In Smith's eyes, Yang Meng was a general of the Qing State, and once Yingji used the naval battle, then he would have no hole cards to negotiate.

"Naval battles? My territory is inland, and naval battles are useless to me! ”

"You're not a general of the Qing Kingdom?"

"What do you say?"

Speaking of this, Smith's face also sweated, the most unpredictable thing happened, the relationship between this General Yang and the French, Smith was not surprised, this general who was not a Qing State was what surprised Smith.

The East India Company traded a large amount of arms with this General Yang, and if a country used them, these arms were just a drop in the bucket, and if they were used by a province, the consequences would be extremely terrible.

General Yang, who has Yunyan, has a huge amount of wealth in his own right, plus a huge amount of ammunition and enough strong men, the result is very terrible.

"General Yang, can this meeting be regarded as a business meeting? Can we talk about Yunyan?

Ten times the price is too high, and the cash transaction is a problem for both of us, you see, can we make some concessions on both sides? ”

The voice behind him was gone, and Smith also knew what kind of choices these people behind him had made, he thought that he could demonstrate this time, but he didn't expect that these people with the business alliance would be a complete burden.

"Yes! Of course, you can, talk about business! ”

It is enough to force the British to rush over the wall, forcing them to jump off the wall in a hurry, the harm to Yunnan is the greatest, the strength of the sea, is undoubtedly an absolute shortcoming, once the British ignore it, raid the Qing Dynasty's maritime frontier, then the matter will be troublesome.

"What about the conditions?"

At the negotiating table, Smith is at an absolute disadvantage, and this General Yang is willing to make concessions, and I am afraid that the conditions are also difficult to accept.

The loose organization of the European Business Alliance has been broken up by General Yang's few words, racking his brains, and Smith has not been able to touch General Yang's train of thought, and now he can only listen.

"Arms and warships! If England provides me with 10 new warships and 200,000 active munitions at one time, Yunyan can reduce the price by 50% on the original basis! ”

"It can't be!"

This is a joke, arms, the East India Company can almost do it, but ten new warships, this is absolutely impossible, the foundation of the British Empire is the navy, ten new warships, this is a condition that the empire will never agree to.

"This can be discussed! Those people in the back, you also listen well, the latest battleship, half the price of Yunyan, if you can, I can still give you a discount!

As for the English side, it is okay if there are no new warships, and there are thirty old warships, and the original price will be maintained! ”

At this time, Smith realized how much of a mistake it was to bring the people of the business alliance with him, the battleship was very important to England, but to some countries, it was not so important, and the huge profit temptation was enough for these countries to sell the warship.

The cloud of smoke exchanged for one warship, after making a profit, is enough to build three or four new warships, even if the governments of these countries do not agree, the navy is likely to secretly trade with this General Yang.

I thought it was an advantageous business alliance, but it became the biggest disadvantage, speaking of this, Smith knew that there was no need to continue talking, and it was impossible for him to grasp the overall situation, so he could only send people at a higher level to negotiate.

As for the war, now England has lost its advantage, although the British Empire's navy is invincible, but against all European countries, England will not be able to do it!

Yunyan has now become a link, and as for how to decide, it can only be handed over to the upper echelons of the empire! (To be continued......)