Shanghai!

Since Ma Derang Li Fu built a seaport here, after several years of development, coupled with the advantages of Yangtze River transportation and the Yangtze River Delta's economic development, the time, place, people and everything are available, so it has been the world's largest port. At the same time, due to Made's more "enlightened" local trade policy, it is also the general distribution center of commodities in the entire Yangtze River basin and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin. The number of ships coming in and out of the port every day is a huge number.

After Li Fu left, Tian Wenjing, who succeeded him as the prefect of Songjiang, had already set a goal for himself. That is, to serve as many terms as possible, and to strive to make the total amount of taxes in Shanghai exceed 10 million taels during his term of office. When Ma De heard the news about it, he almost thought that Tian Wenjing had made some mistake of "left-leaning and aggressive line", and he hurriedly reprimanded people. However, Tian Wenjing did not buy the Governor who had single-handedly raised himself, but instead explained the feasibility of his plan from various aspects.

And just one "Shanghai connects most of the world through the Yangtze River and canals" almost knocked all of Ma De's words back into his stomach.

However, in recent times, Tian Wenjing has not been busy with his plan. Because, the Governor's Mansion sent someone to send news that the Westerners were coming again, so that he could prepare for them. Although Tian Wenjing didn't think it was important, at present, Westerners could be regarded as the God of Wealth who threw money at his Songjiang Mansion treasury, and with Ma De's face, he had no choice but to do so.

………………

"I haven't been back for more than ten years, I'm really homesick!"

Just when Tian Wenjing was busy on the shore, there was still a considerable distance from the port of Shanghai, and several sailing ships were sailing north with all their might, and one of the ships was hanging the famous "rice" flag.

"The feeling of coming home is really wonderful. I can relate to that! Your Excellency, I would like to ...... As a successful person who has made great achievements in a faraway country. Your hometown will be proud of you, and the officials here will definitely welcome you with sincerity! ”

On the sailboat flying the "rice" flag, two people were talking. In terms of physical appearance, one of them is a typical Oriental, and the other is an authentic Westerner, but, interestingly, they both speak in Chinese. And it's an authentic Beijing official dialect.

"Welcome? Sir, you think too highly of me. And, how do you know I'm going to be welcome? The Oriental who was called "Earl" burst out laughing when he heard the words of his fellow Westerner.

"Isn't it? It's hard to cross the Eurasian continent and reach Great Britain, and accomplish so many great things along the way...... Heroes like you deserve a warm welcome, if not when they return home, but somewhere else! Westerners were puzzled by the laughter of Orientals.

"Hahaha...... Sir Sir you are such a funny person. But. I'm to blame for that. You studied Oriental culture with me for a few years. It seems that I haven't taught you well yet. And you don't know who I am in the East......" the East laughed.

"Can you tell me now, what is your identity in the East?" The Westerner asked in the Oriental dialect.

“no！” The Oriental answer is very "refreshing".

"Your Excellency, the Earl. You've always been so taboo to talk about your past, didn't you have a bad background in the past? …… It's simply nothing. In our Great Britain, even pirates can become Admiralty, and I won't make fun of you for that. What's more, we're still friends! Isn't it? The Westerner said.

"That's right. We're friends. However, there must be some secrets between friends. Otherwise, it's easy to get into trouble! The Oriental smiled and patted the Westerner on the shoulder, "I'm doing this for your own good." My dear Sir Richard! ”

"Okay. If you don't want to say it, I won't force it! But. I hope you can help me a lot on this mission! "Sir Richard, an Englishman, once went to China to do diplomatic relations with Mader. However, judging from the current performance, it is obvious that this old man is a little afraid of coming to the East as an envoy.

"I'll help. However, with the ugly words ahead, I can only do my best. In China, there are many people who are good at strategy. I...... It's just a little person with a little level! The Oriental gestured a short distance.

"No, Count. Don't say that. You're beating my faith! Richard shouted disgruntled to the Oriental.

"Oh, okay then. Let me say a few nice words...... Break a leg. Sir! The Oriental laughed.

"Hmm......" Richard let out a heavy breath in his nostrils.

"Alright, I'm going to rest. It's better to think about how to deal with the next negotiations. By the way, when I was at Temasek, I inquired about it, and your negotiating partner this time is still that Mader! The Oriental man smiled, and without waiting for Richard to respond, he turned and walked towards the cabin.

"Hey! Wait, Count! I want to ask you one thing! Richard suddenly stopped the other party.

"What's the matter?" The Oriental man stood still, turned his head and asked.

"You had short hair in London, why do you have long hair now, not only shaved the hair on your forehead, but also braided it? Isn't that beautiful? Or, is it to keep the people back home from being unrecognizable? Richard asked.

"This ...... How so? The Oriental hesitated for a moment, then replied with a smile: "Indeed, I don't think this hairstyle is pretty. However, I do it...... Perhaps, for safety! I don't want to be grabbed and decapitated as soon as I get off the boat. ”

"Cut off the head? Why? You are now a citizen of our Kingdom of Great Britain! And a noble count! Who would be so cruel? Richard asked.

"There are some things that don't make much sense to say, so I haven't told you all this time. But, sir, don't forget, I'm a Chinese! Although I do not agree with the current "government", this does not change the fact that I am a Chinese! So, when I got home, I had to go back to the way I was. The Oriental replied.

"No, no, no. My Count. You are now a nobleman of the Kingdom of Great Britain, an earl! Moreover, you are also a knighthood granted by Her Majesty herself! Richard shook his head.

"Sir! A Chinese, wherever he goes, is still Chinese. Whether he has joined other nationalities or not! This can not be changed by just the title of nobility! The Oriental laughed and turned away.

"Are you still Chinese everywhere? But you are indeed an English nobleman now......

What a strange guy! Looking at his companion's back, Richard shook his head. Muttered quietly.

"Sir! It seems that our esteemed Earl Tiger Blu will not be able to help you in this negotiation. I wonder what your plans are for this? After the Oriental disappeared into the cabin, another Westerner came out of the other side of the ship.

"Our Honorable Minister of State, Viscount Bolingbrock, approached me alone before leaving, and he told me that the Navy only needs to fight for two years!" Richard glanced at the visitor with a little disdain and said lightly.

"Two years? Hehe, the Qing fleet had defeated the Dutch and occupied the island of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), and their young general was a good conquest. And a soldier who is full of desire to conquer...... My Dear Sir. Do you think he will give you two years? The visitor didn't seem to see Richard's coldness, and said with a smile: "Although our navy is taking advantage of the fire to rob. When the Dutch were defeated by the Qing people, they took the Maldives and made it a protectorate of the kingdom, but the Qing people have firmly occupied the north of India, and they have convenient logistics and strong backing, but what about us? In India, we have no development in our local forces, and we can only bypass Africa and cross half of the Indian Ocean to support our fleet......"

"Our Royal Navy is invincible. Now that the war in Europe has stopped, Louis XIV has completely conceded defeat. Just wait until the Imperial Royal Navy recovers. When the time comes, the Indian Ocean will be ours, and India will be ours! Richard said with some resentment.

"I hope it is as you say. But, sir, as a good diplomat, I hope that this time you will not be limited by a narrow gaze and fall for the tricks of others! The visitor smiled again.

"The world is so big, my friend! The same thing won't happen to me again. Richard's face flushed slightly. The tone is also getting worse. The last time he came to China to negotiate with Ma De and Lao Jiuyinyu, everything went well, and on behalf of the British "government", he agreed to send technicians and scholars in exchange for the opportunity to trade with China, but he did not expect that the Chinese would suddenly kill from Tibet to India! It's a slap in the face. India was a transit point for the British to the East, and it was a set colonial goal for the British, but the hand of the Chinese made the British "government" fail to calculate for many years. Originally, after learning of this situation, some people in the British House of Commons also suggested taking advantage of the fact that the Chinese had just begun to invade India and had not yet gained a foothold in China. This is an emergency idea, and many people can think of it, but the truth is always so undesirable. Louis XIV, the madman, actually provoked a war, and dared to go to war with almost all of Europe for the sake of a Spanish throne, and no one thought that this fight would be thirteen years! (12 years in history) If it weren't for the fact that France and United Russia fought several big battles with Turkey before, I'm afraid this time would have been even longer! Once again, the whole of Europe is filled with gunsmoke. Under such circumstances, how could their Kingdom of Great Britain dare to send a main navy to the Indian Ocean at will? You know, although Louis XIV's allies, the Netherlands and Spain, withdrew from the war, France, the hegemon of the European continent, was not easy to deal with. Therefore, they can only watch as the fat that should belong to them is robbed by the Chinese. Originally, the British "government" still thought that the Chinese should not be too fast, and by the end of the war in Europe, India would still have a lot left...... However, the Chinese's methods are too powerful. It didn't take a few months to gain a foothold in the invasion of India, and then, a year later, the Indian royal family was sent into the long river of history, and after that, half of the land of India was swallowed! Moreover, this half is still the richest half.

That's not all, though!

The most hateful thing is that the Chinese actually took advantage of the war between Britain and France to invade Canada in North America! Of course. This would have been nothing, because Canada was a French colony. But not now. After the defeat of Louis XIV, he ceded the Netherlands to Austria, but ceded Gibraltar and Canada to the Kingdom of Great Britain. This is a classic frame-up. It is to let them go to war with the Chinese in North America! It's hard to imagine what it would be like if we actually fought. I heard that there are tens of thousands of Chinese troops in North America now, and there are a large number of Indians who have been diverted! God knows how the barbaric and uncivilized Indians could have been subdued...... However, it has to be admitted. This enemy in North America is really not optimistic.

"It's okay, we're not as unlucky as Russia!" Richard looked at the uninvited guest who was still smiling at him, and secretly comforted himself. Although Russia has been recognized as a great power in Europe because of its performance for more than a decade, it has to admit that this country has lost too much for the name of such a powerful country. What especially makes Richard unable to see is that Russia has also been calculated by the Chinese. The Dzungars and Turkuts have almost severed Russia's ties with the territories of the Far East, believe. In a few more years. All of Siberia will be swallowed up by China. That's a territory that the Russians spent more than 200 years exploring, so huge...... The Chinese actually took it away without much effort, which is really hateful! And what made Richard feel even more hateful. Tsar Sophia of Russia has so far had no intention of reclaiming the land that was rightfully her own, and this woman seemed to be interested only in handsome and strong men and in the territories of the surrounding countries in the west and south. Just like now, when Turkey had just ended a war with France that had lasted for more than ten years and the country's strength had dried up, the Cossack cavalry had rushed into Ottoman territory.

"Sir, what are you thinking?" A call woke Richard from his musings, but he didn't answer the man in front of him.

"It's embarrassing, isn't it? Friend. Although our kingdom is a world power, it is too small compared to such a behemoth as the Qing Kingdom. Moreover, the Qing Kingdom is at its peak, and although we have never been afraid of any strong enemy, we have just experienced thirteen years of great war! So, war. It should not be our choice. At least, not at the moment, not for the past two years, not until we regain our strength and make significant improvements! The man said again.

"I know what you're thinking. Yes, the Qing Kingdom is indeed very large, but this time we are fighting for the ocean! As the Special Envoy of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Duke of Shrewsbury, your task is to negotiate trade with the Qing State, and my task is to establish the dividing line between the Qing State and our sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean between Ceylon and the Maldives within the next two years. I think there is no contradiction between us! Richard said displeased.

"Your Chinese teacher, our esteemed Count Tiger Blu, once said that China is a country that talks about face. My friend, even if you can win this negotiation, if the two countries go to war in two years' time, then you will cut off all trade between our Kingdom of Great Britain and the Qing Kingdom. This will cost us a lot! You will also be rebuked by the parliamentarians! The man said.

"I know that very well." Richard wiped his eyelids slightly, "But, according to my research, China is also a generous country. As the Count of Blu once said, there is a saying here, 'Knowing mistakes can be corrected, and good is great!' After the fight, whether we win or lose, as long as we put ourselves in a lower position, we still have a chance to restore relations with China. Maybe we'll get more! ”

"You are stubborn! Since you're insisting, though, good luck! Seeing that persuasion of Richard was ineffective, the man could only sigh and admit defeat.

"Thank you!" Richard smiled and nodded at the other party.

………………

"'Knowing that mistakes can be corrected, and being good is greater?' Yes, there is this sentence, but unfortunately, sometimes, we also talk about another sentence here: 'Chop the grass without removing the roots, the spring breeze blows and grows,' Richard, don't blame me, as a teacher, for not reminding you, because I don't know what path the Qing court will give you. Over the years, the country seems to have changed! It becomes a little ...... Eating people doesn't spit out bones. ”

In the cabin, the Oriental man stepped away from behind the hatch, muttering as he went, "This is Latin!" ”