What made Nguyen Ching Gui feel jealous was not only the volume of trade between the two countries, but more importantly, there were many contents in the exchanges between the two sides that South Vietnam had always wanted but never obtained, such as the arms produced by Haihan, the South Vietnamese court tried all kinds of ways to ask people to buy them on their behalf, and even sent ships to Guangzhou to buy second-hand arquebuses produced by Haihan at a high price. Unfortunately, the ships carrying the weapons were intercepted by the warships of the Hai Han people in the open sea when they returned to Hue, and the ships were cleaned with the goods, and now the weapons have been distributed to the Portuguese after a simple refurbishment. (Baidu search update is the fastest and most stable)

And the return given by the Portuguese also had the items that the South Vietnamese court longed for at the beginning, such as craftsmen from the distant Europa region, and even valuable shipbuilders! I think that in order to be able to introduce the shipbuilding technology of the Portuguese, the South Vietnamese court really put in a lot of effort, and a lot of silver was also sent out before and after, but until Hue City was attacked by the Hai Han militia, the shipyard jointly built by the two sides was not seen at all. Because Ruan Jinggui understands Portuguese, he also participated in the whole process of the negotiation of the shipbuilding project with the Portuguese, and he also knows that the Portuguese have always cherished themselves and are unwilling to share their shipbuilding skills, but why did those arrogant guys choose to bow their heads in front of the Haihan people?

Since Schneider took the initiative to inform him of these things, Ruan Jinggui had nothing to fear, so he asked the doubts in his heart. Schneider smiled after listening to this: "Doing business is about mutual benefit, and it is beneficial for both sides for the Portuguese to exchange their shipbuilding technology for our monopoly on arms exports, and of course they will not refuse such a good thing." ”

"But at the beginning, I was ...... Hue Province is also willing to pay a high price for the Portuguese shipbuilding skills, why do they delay again and again and refuse to agree to it?" asked Nguyen Jinggui unconvinced.

"Church apprentices, starve to death Master!" Schneider patiently explained: "The nearest shipyard of the Portuguese is nearly half a year's voyage from Annam, if you are taught, I am afraid that within a few years the number of ships in Annam will surpass them, and then the shipping business to Manraka, Batavia and other places will have one more competitor out of thin air, why do you think they do such a stupid thing?"

"But why are they willing to cooperate with you? Isn't it also a competition between Haihan and Portugal?" Ruan Jinggui was not persuaded by Schneider's explanation. Continue to ask.

Schneider responded: "There is competition, but win-win cooperation is more important for both parties. The Portuguese need our weapons, and they need us to support them politically, because the Dutch and Spaniards are their real competitors compared to us, after all, their battlefield is not only in the South Seas, but in the whole world! Choosing to cooperate with us is actually equivalent to one less opponent in this area. One more partner. Do you understand what I mean?"

Ruan Jinggui did not seem to understand what he heard, and he did not have a clear understanding of the relations between Western countries, so how could he understand the complicated international competition relations that Schneider was talking about? However, he understood the last sentence of Schneider's remarks -- the fundamental reason why the Portuguese chose to cooperate with the Haihan was that they did not want to be enemies of the Haihans.

Schneider continued: "It is also important to note that we have far more advanced shipbuilding skills than the Portuguese, and what we lack is only skilled craftsmen who can do so, who do not have to worry about revealing the secrets in their hands, but can try to see if they have the opportunity to learn more advanced shipbuilding techniques from us." ”

Ruan Jinggui said: "In this way, wouldn't it just happen to be the disciple of the church that Mr. Shi just said." Starve Master's sentence?"

Schneider turned his head to look at Ruan Jinggui and smiled: "Even if we are willing to teach, we can't learn it in a short time if we want to." Even if you could learn it, there would be a lot of things on this ship that you wouldn't be able to build anywhere else. And the shipwrights sent by the Portuguese have signed long-term contracts with us, and we are not allowed to leave for five years, and after five years...... Maybe they won't be able to get rid of them when the time comes. (Baidu search update is the fastest and most stable)"

Although he didn't know where Schneider's confidence came from, Ruan Jinggui was also very interested and did not ask any more questions. He was well aware that his identity would not allow access to certain technical aspects of the insider. Haihan's shipbuilding technology is absolutely unique in the South China Sea, so how can it be easy for outsiders to learn it. The Portuguese chose to send craftsmen to Sanya to join the shipyard of the Haihan people, if they really had the idea of stealing the teacher, they were afraid that they would really become meat buns and beat dogs, and there would be no return.

Schneider's statement about shipbuilding is really not bragging, according to the agreement between the parties. The Portuguese sent more than thirty shipwrights to work at the Port Victory shipyard and signed a five-year contract. During this period, the Haihan side was responsible for the living arrangements of the shipwrights and gave them the agreed remuneration for their work, and after five years, the shipwrights were free to decide whether to leave or stay. But such a long period of time is enough for the relevant departments to wash the minds of these foreign craftsmen several times, without waiting for the expiration of the five-year period. Presumably, there will be a group of Europeans who will voluntarily join the naturalized population.

Even if a very small number of diehards can survive these five years, all they can take away by that time is the technology of the Haihan people in making wooden sailing ships, and the key components such as the metal keel, the steel core mast, the transmission gear set of the steering wheel system, and the artillery gun mount on the warship are not produced in the shipyard. What's more, five years later, Haihan's steam engine sailing ship has already galloped over the South China Sea, and the complex mechanical transmission system of the steam engine is not something that can be mastered by shipwrights just by looking at it.

While the two were talking, they came to the door of a shop, and the guy who was soliciting business at the door obviously recognized Schneider as a nobleman, and hurriedly beckoned him in.

When he came to Shengli Port for peace talks last year, Ruan Jinggui also learned some about the situation around Haihan through various channels, and among Haihan's partners, the most famous was the "Fu Ruifeng" firm. Since this business house with roots in Guangzhou has been linked up with the Haihan people, it has immediately become one of the top merchants in Guangdong. Almost all of the new products launched by Haihan to the market are the first to be sold by "Fu Ruifeng" in Guangdong, and a considerable part of the various materials and immigrants that have been transported from the mainland to Sanya have always been organized by "Fu Ruifeng".

Although the Haihan people later established "Qiong Lianfa", a larger giant business organization, the cooperation with "Fu Ruifeng" did not stop, and "Fu Ruifeng" not only became the main shareholder of "Qiong Lianfa". Moreover, the cooperation with Haihan is also more extensive and deeper, and the Haihan people helped the Li family, the owner of "Fu Ruifeng", to engage in the "Golden Shield Escort", an officially recognized private army, and the Li family also carved out a piece of land for the Haihan people in their hometown Panyu County to build a large-scale immigration transit base.

Of course, in addition to this, there are actually many inside stories that Ruan Jinggui has not known, such as the children of the Li family who have been sent to Sanya to receive various short-term and long-term training, and now there are more than 30 people. The personnel who belonged to an intelligence agency under the name of Haihan and were stationed in the local branch of "Fu Ruifeng" under various names. It has reached three digits. Of course, these personnel are not spies in the ordinary sense, and a considerable number of them are really just naturalized subordinates engaged in commercial and trade activities, but according to the work regulations formulated for them by He Xi, they must report to the Guangzhou Office every month in a prescribed secret manner, reporting on the civilian and military conditions in the locality, and information that certain intelligence agencies will be particularly interested in.

After Ruan Jinggui entered the store, he noticed that almost all the things sold here were products from Guangdong, but there were no precious things, and the store was not lively, only one or two customers were inspecting the goods. It seems to be a little inconsistent with the name of "Fu Ruifeng". The man led the two men through the shop, and went straight to a reception room in the back courtyard to take their seats, and hastened to inform the steward.

"Mr. Shi, long time no see!"

As soon as the two sat down, a young man in a blue satin robe appeared at the door and greeted Schneider.

Schneider got up and said with a smile: "Li Sangongzi, you haven't seen you for a long time!"

This young man is none other than Li Nai, the third son of Li who has the closest relationship with Haihan in the Li family. Ever since he first visited Shengli Harbor, Li Nai has become a loyal supporter of Haihan culture -- of course, many people in Guangzhou believe that he has been poisoned by the Haihan people. Li Nai once lived in Victory Harbor for a while. When he first arrived here, it was when Shengli Port opened and the Executive Committee decided to set up a business zone, and it was at his insistence that "Fu Ruifeng" became one of the first Ming merchants to invest in Shengli Port, and thus took a ride on Haihan, driving the industry under the name of the Li family into a period of rapid development.

Li Nai has witnessed the whole process of how the place of Shengli Port has developed from a small fish port that no one knows about to the thriving commercial center it is today. For him, spending more time in Victory Harbor than in Guangzhou would probably make Victory Harbor his main residence if he had a choice.

However, since Li Nai took up the leadership position of this organization after the establishment of the "Golden Shield Escort", even if he was only a nominal leader, he had to sit in Guangzhou for a long time, so he could no longer go to Shengli Port to live for two or three months like he did two years ago. Li Nai himself did not have much interest in private armed affairs. Therefore, he basically left aside the daily operation of "Golden Shield Escort" and became a shopkeeper. Fortunately, the office location of this "Golden Shield Escort" is also connected with the Guangzhou Office, and Li Nai's working hours are basically sneaked to the Guangzhou Office to mingle with Mariko, He Xi and others, which is not too boring.

Schneider greeted: "The last time I saw the third prince, it was half a year ago, and it has always been good?"

"What's so good, it's boring to death, every day in the courtyard by the Pearl River, watching the instructors you sent train the militia...... I've long wanted to come over to have fun and visit my old friends by the way, but my father is holding me and I can't get out!" Li Nai replied with a sigh. For him, guarding the family business in Guangzhou every day is far less interesting than coming to Shengli Harbor to consult all kinds of strange things with the Haihan people.

Schneider smiled: "If you really don't want to do this, then I'll go back and talk to the Guangzhou Office, and let Lao Ma go to your father to talk." ”

"If that's the case, it's the best, the little brother has thanked Mr. Shi here first!" Li Nai didn't mean to excuse himself at all, and immediately thanked him.

"By the way, this Mr. Nguyen Jing Gui Ruan, a native of Annan, used to be an expert in maritime trade, and now he is in the Ministry of Commerce, for the time being...... My assistant, you will be closer and closer in the future. After Schneider's greetings, he didn't forget to introduce Ruan Jinggui next to him to Li Nai. For Schneider, an Annan was replaced as an assistant. Li Nai is not surprised at all, two years ago, when Schneider was still in the Guangzhou Office, he also used Yu Xiaobao, a half-grown son from a fisherman, as an assistant.

After the salute, the three of them re-seated. Let's get down to business.

It has been a year since the establishment of the "Golden Shield Escort", and during this time, Haihan has been in the name of training dart guards. At the camp by the Pearl River, four batches of training for a total of more than 700 people have been completed one after another. Two-thirds of them are armed from the clan militia formed by the Li family, and the rest are personnel selected by the Guangzhou Office from the locals and immigration camps, and after the training is completed, the ownership of these people will naturally be hung under the name of the Military Commission and become part of the armed forces of the Haihan militia in Guangzhou.

The "Golden Shield Escort" was established for two purposes: first, to train armed personnel in the mainland, and second, to expand the prestige and information channels of the Haihan military in Guangdong Province through the guò armed escort business. Therefore, this part of the trained armed personnel also continued to carry out various escort tasks during the year, escorting the money or valuables entrusted by the customer to the designated place by land. Of course, a considerable part of the goods are actually "contraband of the imperial court" operated by Haihan himself. For example, refined salt, weapons, and so on. Neither the shipper nor the consignee can rest assured that this kind of goods will be handed over to ordinary caravans for transportation, and the "Golden Shield Escort" has legal procedures approved by the government, and it can be smuggled and sold in a grand manner.

In this process, it is not uncommon to encounter some people who want to find trouble, bandits, road rage, patrol inspection and card setup, and methods up and down the table have all appeared. It's just that the Haihan people are rich and powerful, and most of the stumbling blocks have been solved by various peaceful means, and occasionally a few diehards can't get anything good in front of the muskets of the escort. In the year of operation of the "Golden Shield Escort", there were five or six green forest heroes who were easily destroyed during the escort, although the intensity of the battle was far less than the original siege of Lijiazhuang by rogues from all walks of life. But to some extent, it also gave these militiamen a real combat opportunity to exercise their combat skills.

Li Nai personally came to Shengli Port this time, first, the cooperation between the two sides has been completed for one year, according to the original agreement, he, the person in charge, will come over to make a face-to-face work report to the executive committee, and at the same time discuss the cooperation plan for the next year. Second, let's see if the Executive Committee can put out another batch of new flintlock pistols to replace the Type 27 arquebuses currently used by the armed personnel of the "Golden Shield Escort."

After listening to Li Nai's description, Schneider nodded and said, "I will help you arrange time for the interview with the executive committee." It's probably two or three days, and I'll have someone let you know when it's settled. But the second thing may be a little more complicated, although the arms trade is not in charge of me, but can I hear your reasoning first?"

Li Nai naturally didn't hide anything from Schneider, nodded and said: "Actually, the reason is very simple, the environment in which the armed escort personnel perform their tasks is mostly in the field, and once they encounter rainy weather, the fire rope is easy to get damp, and it is often not easy to fire. Last month, an escort team encountered bandits in Qingyuan, and it was a rainy day, so our people had to fight with the bandits, and in the end five or six people were broken, and many goods were also robbed. This is not the first time that something like this has happened, and the younger brother has also talked to Xiao Liang and Yu Yao, the two military masters stationed in the Guangzhou Office, about this matter, and they believe that the most effective solution can only be to replace the weapon with better adaptability, and there is no other way. ”

"Since they mentioned this to you, you must have asked them to write you a proof?" Schneider asked with a smile.

Li Nai responded: "Mr. Shi really expects things like a god! The younger brother thinks that there is no basis for his words on this matter, and if I say it alone, how can the Executive Committee believe it? Therefore, I implore the two military masters to write written materials, and they are signed by Director Ma and Deputy Director He of the Guangzhou Office.

Schneider waved his hand and said, "You don't need to look at it now, you can just take out the materials when you talk to the executive committee." Since there is a written certificate from the Guangzhou Office, it will probably not be difficult for you to do this, but the order may need to wait for a while to get the goods. Recently, the flintlock pistols produced here have basically been taken away by Annan. ”

"Speaking of Annanguo, after the junior brother arrived in Hong Kong, I heard that the militia army had captured Hue City last month and wiped out the puppet court of South Vietnam, but I forgot to say hello to President Shi!" Li Nai arched his hand and said: "In this way, Annan is already in the hands of Haihan, so why should we increase the intensity of arming it? Isn't the executive committee worried about raising tigers?"

Schneider's eyes swept a glance at Ruan Jinggui next to him, and saw that his face was calm and there was no displeasure, so he responded: "Raising tigers is a problem? Whether they can become tigers or not, it is not up to them to decide." ”