Xiao Yungui was not surprised by Bao Ling's diplomatic rhetoric, the naval plan was not something he could decide alone, the last warship exchange and shipbuilding plan was discussed in the British Parliament for a long time, and finally it was only through the secret efforts of the Rothschild family that it was able to get through, this time the king of the West had a bigger appetite, he was not satisfied with the three civilian shipyards and docks in Shanghai, he wanted a navy that could sail far, and what he wanted was a shipyard and dock that could build larger warships.

But Bao Ling's next words made Xiao Yungui feel unhappy, "But if Your Excellency Xiwang can consider handing over the right to build railways from Shanghai to Nanjing and Wuhu to Nanchang, as well as the right to mine minerals along the road, to Britain, perhaps the Prime Minister and the Parliament will not fail to reconsider your country's naval plan." ”

Xiao Yungui frowned after hearing this, he found that the British never seemed to have given up plundering China's raw material market, and at the same time had never given up the original intention of turning China into a dumping ground for commodities, but after thinking about it, China seemed to have only these two points to attract the great powers, and in the situation of comprehensive backwardness in industry and science and technology, China only had these two interests to attract them.

"Is it not that the tariff agreement and the legalization of the opium trade are all the conditions for Britain?" Xiao Yungui's tone was a little cold, Bao Ling seemed to notice the unhappiness of the king of the west, and said with a slight smile: "It is undeniable that the tariff policy of the two customs offices in Shanghai and Jiangning has been greatly improved compared with the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and a lot of chaotic miscellaneous taxes have been removed, but Your Excellency the king of the west must also know that the tariff rate set by your country is very unfair to us foreign merchants, and your country's policy seems to be more inclined to protect the interests of your own merchants in the country." Therefore, after discussing with the British Chamber of Commerce in China, we unanimously hope that your country can reduce the tariff. In particular, we in the UK hope that your country can make fun of this kind of trade barrier and make the market more open. ”

Bao Ling paused and continued: "As for the legalization of the opium trade, we also want. After all, there is still a market for opium in China, and although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom banned smoking in the mainland, it has not restricted the import of this goods, has it? ”

Xiao Yungui said with a faint smile: "Although we have not restricted imports, the opium trade volume of the four ports of Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, and Fuzhou this year has set a record low, while the ports under the Manchu Qing Dynasty in Guangzhou have millions of pounds of opium trade last year and this year. It's just that now you are at war with the Manchus, and the port of Guangzhou is closed. The opium dealers have lost so much that you want to find a new market with us again, right? ”

Bao Ling was slightly embarrassed. As King Xi said, because of the ban on smoking under the rule of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, it was true that the sales of opium in the treaty ports under the control of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fell sharply, but in turn, the sales in Guangzhou surged. The Manchu Qing Dynasty was the route through guò Guangdong and Hunan to transport opium internally. The Hunan army stuck in the middle naturally made a lot of money. Moreover, because of the narrow sales channels, the price of opium increased, and opium merchants in various countries were also happy to do so, so that even if the Taiping Army banned smoking in the interior, it did not affect the opium trade too much.

Due to the declaration of war with the Manchus, the mouth of the Pearl River in Guangzhou was blocked by the British Far East Navy, and the only lucrative port for opium was closed, and opium merchants from various countries suffered great losses. The governments of Britain and France, which had provoked the war, were under considerable pressure. Originally, the two countries imagined that the war against the Manchus could be ended within six months or ten months, but now due to the defeat at Dagukou and the impact of the great Indian uprising. The military campaign was postponed indefinitely, and God knows when the great Indian uprising would be suppressed.

Under these circumstances, Britain had the intention to renegotiate with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and some British parliamentarians even proposed to provide guns and ammunition to the Taiping Army, and Britain sent the Navy and the Taiping Army to form a coalition to jointly crusade against the Manchus, which could not only continue the war, but also solve the dilemma that Britain could not send a large-scale army to participate in the war, and at the same time minimize British losses.

Sure enough, Bao Ling then put forward the idea of jointly sending troops, and also put forward a lot of favorable conditions, it can be said that in addition to the naval plan, Xiao Yungui can think of everything that Britain can give, whether it is technology, investment or diplomatic support, Bao Ling has put it forward, at first glance, Britain is going to ally with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Moreover, the alliance between Britain and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the implication of curbing Russia's eastward development in the Far East seem to be very reasonable.

After listening to Bao Ling's words quietly, Xiao Yungui pondered for a moment and said: "If we become allies with Britain, will every action of the coalition forces ultimately depend on the interests of the two countries?" ”

Bao Ling smiled: "This is natural, since as allies, we must take into account each other's interests, and we can't harm the interests of our allies because of our own interests." Bao Ling's bite is very heavy, as if to remind the king of the west of the unpleasant experience after the last time the coalition army fought against Russia, that time was a typical Taiping Heavenly Kingdom for its own interests did not take into account the interests of Britain and France, but that time the Taiping army and Britain and France were not real treaty allies, but temporary mercenaries, so Bao Ling especially reminded the king of the West to pay attention to the difference.

Xiao Yungui was noncommittal, but said lightly: "Then if after the alliance is formed, the Northern Expedition of the Coalition Army, and the British suddenly feel that the Manchu Qing Dynasty can maximize her interests, will the British prevent us from continuing the Northern Expedition?" ”

Bao Ling was stunned for a moment before he said: "There is no need for a barbaric and backward regime, in my personal opinion, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will definitely replace the Manchus to unify China, but the future is really unpredictable, and I never like things that have no basis for assumptions." ”

Xiao Yungui touched his nose and smiled and said: "Mr. Minister, I need to think about the re-signing of the treaty and the alliance of the alliance, let's meet again in a few days, Mr. Minister will take a good look at the scenery of Tianjing City in the next few days." ”

Bao Ling also knew that diplomatic negotiations were the most time-consuming game, so he nodded his head in response, and the two chatted a few words about the international situation, Xiao Yungui seemed to be very interested in the Indian uprising, and regretted that Britain could not quell the chaos soon. Bao Ling didn't notice the schadenfreude hidden under the eyes of King Xi, and after a few words of thanks, he got up and took his leave.

Then Xiao Yungui met Hu Xueyan who rushed back from the United States. In the Battle of Taizhou last year, Wang Youling and Hu Xueyan were sent back to Suzhou after the Manchu officials who surrendered in Taizhou. Xiao Yungui and Hong Yun'er both met this famous red-capped businessman in history. After talking, this Hu Xueyan was really business-minded, so he asked Hu Xueyan to work under Zhu Changling.

Zhu Changling also has a lot of errands. In addition to dealing with Shanghai's commercial affairs, he also has the errand of Guiyun firm, although he also has Wei Helin's help, but with the increase of customs affairs, Wei Helin is also a little busy. So Hu Xueyan took over the affairs of Guiyun and concentrated on being the owner of his business, but in fact, he was operating the private property of King Xi.

At the beginning of the year. Xiao Yungui received a letter from Field in the United States, saying that the laying of the Atlantic submarine cable was progressing smoothly, and the third phase of the project would begin immediately. He hoped that the partner of Dongfang would send someone to attend a phased completion celebration. Xiao Yungui also knew that it would take a few years for the entire submarine cable to be laid, and also thought that the domestic investment projects of Guiyun Firm had begun to generate profits, and the small commodities such as cigarettes, soaps, and perfumes they produced could be promoted to a broader market, so Xiao Yungui asked Hu Xueyan to go to the United States with some of Guiyun Firm's capable generals. Their mission is to open up the American market. Established a branch of Guiyun in the United States.

More than half a year passed, and Hu Xueyan returned to China, and Xiao Yungui couldn't wait to meet Hu Xueyan. At this time, Hu Xueyan was wearing a Western-style tuxedo, with a bow at the neckline, a civilized staff in his hand, his hair had been braided, and he did not comb his long hair like the Taiping Army, but cut it into a very spiritual short haircut. The whole person looks a lot younger.

Xiao Yungui laughed out loud when he saw Hu Xueyan dressed like this: "I thought the minister of which country was coming." ”

Hu Xueyan blushed slightly and said, "Your Highness, everyone in the United States wears it like this." Not long after returning to China, I didn't get used to it for a while. ”

Xiao Yungui waved his hand and smiled: "It's not a big deal, it's normal to wear the right clothes in the right scene." However, we are always Han Chinese, we can't forget Hanfu, although we are learning the West at the moment, it doesn't mean that we have to learn even the clothes and meals together, beware of becoming a Handan toddler in the future, others have not learned the essence, and their own things have been forgotten. ”

Hu Xueyan's old face was even redder, and Xiao Yungui didn't blame him very well, so he changed the conversation and asked, "How are things going in the United States?" ”

Hu Xueyan said: "We visited Mr. Field's company, and also took a boat to see the cable laying on the spot, the cable has been laid in Canada, and the rest is to cross Greenland and continue eastward. ”

It turns out that Field's cable is laid along the eastern coastline of North America, not directly across the Atlantic, think about the current technical conditions are still not up to this kind of deep-sea laying, along the coastline offshore laying is still more in line with the current technical conditions, which is why it takes thirteen years to complete.

Hu Xueyan saw that Xiwang did not interject and continued: "It will take several years to complete the cable laying, and then we registered a company in New York, USA with the help of Mr. Field, and the name is Guiyun Investment and Trading Company. Recently, the company made an investment in the construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad from St. Louis to Kansas, the first investment of about 500,000 silver dollars. ”

Xiao Yungui touched his chin and said, "In the early stage, I also asked Field to make similar investments for me, have those investments been transferred to the name of Guiyun Company?" ”

Hu Xueyan said: "The formalities have been completed, and the direct transfer from the name of the field company is the investment in the railway construction project from Hannibal to St. Joseph. With those, we have invested a total of 1.5 million silver dollars in American railroads. ”

Xiao Yungui hummed and said: "Increase investment in the American railway, the investment of 1.5 million silver dollars is still too little, in the future, all the profits of the American branch will be invested in the railway, and at the same time, you have to pay attention to some factories in the United States to see which ones can be acquired." ”

Hu Xueyan responded, but there seemed to be some doubt on his face, Xiao Yungui understood what he was thinking, and said with a smile: "Are you strange why this king wants to use the money to invest in the railroads of the United States instead of investing in the railways of his own country?" ”

Hu Xueyan nodded honestly, Xiao Yungui smiled faintly, sighed lightly and said: "Railways are still new in the country, the investment is slow, and the cost is more than that of the United States, the cost of a Jiangsu-Shanghai railway is quite huge, which also involves a lot of disputes over people's livelihood, and the workers and technologies for building railways in China are not yet mature." After a few years, the country's railways will gradually be accepted by the Chinese people, and the technology and workers will also mature. ”

Hu Xueyan seems to understand but doesn't seem to understand, how does Xiwang know that the American railroad will be able to recoup its investment and make a profit in the next few years? But Xiao Yungui knows that once the railway through the North American continent is completed, investors will get ten times or even more profits for a long time! And what about domestic railways? In addition to a small amount of civilian passenger and freight transportation, the current Jiangsu-Shanghai railway is more occupied by the army, and the people's acceptance of the train still stays on the understanding of the gods, so the maturity of railway transportation still has a long way to go.

The domestic railway is to be built, but it cannot be spread too wide all at once, otherwise it will provoke a civil uprising, and there is no such worry about investing in the United States, as Xiao Yungui said, after a few years, the investment money can not only be recovered, but also have huge profits, and then to invest in the domestic railway is the most appropriate time. (To be continued......)