When Gu Yongyuan saw the returning group of soldiers, he suddenly realized the situation. They occupied the Jianghai Customs and resisted the assault of the foreign gun squad for two full hours. In addition to Wang Yuanqing, Qi Busongao, and Amba Lingwu, there was also a fourth person to participate, Lin Wanxue, wearing a tuxedo, chic and charming, exuding a unique and seductive charm.

Next to the fountain in front of the courtyard gate, Gu Yongyuan saw Lin Wanxue and said with a smile: "Wife, you really scared me, are you okay?" ”

In front of so many people, Lin Wanxue's face couldn't help but turn red. She felt that this little rascal didn't know how to win people's hearts at all. Why didn't he inquire about his subordinates first? However, inexplicably, she felt a hint of sweetness of being cared for.

"I'm fine." Lin Wanxue responded lightly, turned around and walked towards the western-style building, planning to go back to her room to freshen up.

At this moment, Wang Yuanqing's heart was full of awe and fear. He couldn't believe that the person who suddenly appeared to save them turned out to be the young master's wife. He just thought that no young master could be so handsome, almost otherworldly, but he had such a charming temperament. Moreover, her skills are indeed very good. No ordinary man could come close to her. She also brandished a short spear, and Wang Yuanqing was amazed by the accuracy. Western firearms, if used skillfully, are indeed very powerful.

But he never expected that his life-saving benefactor would be the young master's wife. Wang Yuanqing was stunned for a moment, suddenly knelt down, and shouted: "My subordinates are unforgivable, my subordinates have led my wife into danger, I will die a thousand times to atone for my sins, and my subordinates are deeply guilty." "Please also ask the master to punish me!"

As for Qi Bu Songao and Amba Lingwu, they had already knelt on the ground and covered their mouths with their hands. They did not recognize the powerful man who had come to their rescue as a mistress. Normally, they don't even dare to look at it. If they have the opportunity to meet her, they will surely greet her respectfully; How dare they peek?

At this time, Gu Yongyuan was in a good mood. He laughed: "She likes to carry knives and guns, but you are also too careless, I have no authority in your eyes?" ”

Wang Yuanqing lowered his head and didn't dare to answer. The two Dahasu warriors covered their mouths even more intently.

Gu Yongyuan glanced around and continued: "Okay, you can stop, who are you showing off to at this time?" With that, he waved his hand and went into the courtyard.

Qi Bu Songao and Amba Lingwu shyly stopped their movements, their faces red and swollen. The three exchanged a look suspiciously, and obediently knelt at the gate of the courtyard, waiting for the decision of fate.

Half an hour later, a Qing army arrived in a hurry. The office of the garrison office was located on the edge of the concession, and the business consortium did not obstruct this Qing army detachment. The leader of the detachment was a guerrilla officer with the surname Chen. He reported that Master Yan and Master Fan of the Border Guard Office had gone to Suzhou the night before. Due to the complexity of the military deployment, reinforcements arrived late.

Gu Yongyuan would not embarrass these infantrymen. Old officials are always good at protecting themselves. Even if Feng Tianhan did not provide reinforcements, it was within Gu Yongyuan's expectations. Whether Feng Tianhan went to Suzhou or not is not something that needs to be investigated.

In a sense, Gu Yongyuan benefited from this incident. Although Wang Yuanqing was reckless, they inadvertently did him a great favor. It seems that Alain and his party must reassess the strength of the Qing army.

...

While eating dinner, Gu Yongyuan finally instructed Mo Ba to let the three kneeling people get up to eat, and said, "If you make the same mistake again, you will be punished twice." ”

The servants had already prepared wooden food boxes with meals and delivered them to the dining room on the second floor.

Western-style oil paintings, snow-white lace curtains, a long dining table covered with white and green checkered tablecloths, and two wooden chairs with plum blossom-shaped hollow backs. The restaurant has a Western-style atmosphere.

Seeing the plates of distinct meat dishes, Lin Wanxue showed a hint of surprise on her face. She didn't say much, though. She looked at Gu Yongyuan with a puzzled expression. Gu Yongyuan smiled, moved his usual sitting position back a square, and said, "Madam, please take a seat." ”

Lin Wanxue was used to the title of "madam", but Gu Yongyuan's actions surprised her. She gracefully moved to the wooden chair and found that it had bruised her leg. It turned out that Gu Yongyuan gently pushed the chair forward.

"What are you doing?" Lin Wanxue asked in surprise after sitting down.

Gu Yongyuan returned to his seat, calmed down, and said with a smile: "This is to show a gentlemanly demeanor." Ah, I almost forgot, since I met you these days, I've remembered how men should treat women. ”

Lin Wanxue couldn't help laughing. "What kind of gentlemanly demeanor is this?"

Gu Yongyuan looked serious and said: "Treating women gently is the style of a gentleman, and men should accommodate women." ”

Lin Wanxue chuckled: "So, is Master Rabbit a model of this style?" If you ask me, a true man should have the qualities of a man - conquer the battlefield and make great achievements, this is the real hero. "At least you should be respected at home, always revolving around women, pouring tea and water for them, what kind of man is he?"

Gu Yongyuan felt a little lost in his heart. Well, he's like a bright moon illuminating a rudimentary ditch. It is indeed strange that women in this world think. Even a capable person like Lin Wanxue is used to the rules of machismo.

"Alright, let's eat." Anyway, Gu Yongyuan felt a little bored. He was also in no mood to introduce various dishes. He just said: "Western food, the taste of those Western devils, I don't know if it suits your taste." ”

"What's wrong? Angry? Lin Wanxue looked at him with a smile.

"Nope." Gu Yongyuan replied, his anger somewhat real. He soon found it interesting, though. No wonder Lin Wanxue looks down on him; He behaved childishly.

"Okay, so be it, don't be angry." Lin Wanxue didn't know how to use a knife and fork, but she easily cut off a piece of foie gras and put it on Gu Yongyuan's plate with a shiny fork.

Gu Yongyuan snorted. "Are you trying to make amends? Afraid I'll miss the taste? ”

"What more do you want?" Lin Wanxue looked at him with a smile. This guy ...... Although it is a bit naïve, the insights and insights on certain things are intriguing. He was experienced in dealing with Western countries and court officials. But show what you're capable of...... His performance did not seem appropriate.

Looking at Lin Wanxue's coquettish and slightly annoyed expression, Gu Yongyuan's heart began to beat wildly again. He blurted out: "Call me husband, and I won't be angry!" ”

Lin Wanxue spit out: "Dream! After saying that, she was stunned. What is she doing? Why does she look like she's flirting with this man? Why did she act so shameless? Moreover, how could she justify the tall brother under Jiuquan?

Gu Yongyuan didn't know what Lin Wanxue was thinking. He just smiled, holding a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, and said, "Come, I'll teach you how to use a knife and fork, so it's more convenient to hold." ”

Lin Wanxue glanced at Gu Yongyuan, with complicated feelings in her heart. She lowered her head and silently began to cut the black roast on her plate. She's so sorry for Big Brother Gao. Since she was mistaken for this guy's wife that day, she has betrayed Big Brother Gao.

Maybe she is just a woman who has no interest and is not worthy of the title of "Mrs. Gao". But when she returns to Guixi, how will she face Brother Gao's family?

"Matchmaker, why did you save Wang Yuanqing and them? They were all paid by the Qing Dynasty. Seeing that Lin Wanxue's mood was suddenly low, Gu Yongyuan no longer called her "wife" every now and then.

Lin Wanxue cut the meat on the plate expressionlessly, and said, "You have helped me so many times, I have to help you once, it's nothing." ”

Gu Yongyuan glanced at her a few times, and really didn't understand why she suddenly became so cold. He scratched his head and reluctantly lowered his head to eat his raw steak.

...

In the next half month, Gu Yongyuan handled things very smoothly. If there is any regret, it is the feeling that Lin Wanxue has been avoiding him. Even when it was time to eat, she would enter the restaurant half an hour later than him.

Over the course of ten days or so, he successfully negotiated the charter with the various consuls, albeit with some minor problems along the way. The other side further compromised, and the customs affairs of Jianghai were still managed by Qing officials. However, the office will have three consultants, one from the British, French, and American immigrant communities. "Any disputes related to tariffs will be supervised by Jianghai Customs in conjunction with consultants from various countries."

As a result of the occupation of the customs by the "four guards of the Qing Dynasty", the consuls of various countries also felt a sense of urgency. This latest skirmish could easily be seen as a defeat for the merchant group. Four Qing army guards completely subdued more than 30 riflemen of the consortium. In the end, they had to be left unharmed. This incident was an embarrassment to everyone involved.

Of course, the consuls feared that such a conflict could become a recurring problem, which could endanger the security of the concession. After all, the Shanghai Public Concession was not guarded by regular Western troops. Next to the settlement was a huge Qing military camp with countless flags on it.

The incident of "the Four Qing Guards disrupting the public concession" inadvertently made the Qing army camp look terrifying.

Although the drafted charter seems to have won more face than the historical charter, it still takes more than a month of negotiation to discuss the customs affairs of a sovereign state, even if shared by countries. Moreover, given the addition of the unconventional concept of advisors, this can hardly be called a victory.

According to the new customs regulations, Gu Yongyuan did not intend to sign and seal in a hurry. Instead, he and Alleyne and others proposed a temporary treaty. From now on, tariffs will be officially levied on goods entering and leaving the Shanghai terminal. However, this only applies to the trial period. A formal agreement could not be reached until the official documents he sent to the capital were authorized.

In the history of the late Qing Dynasty, it was very dangerous to deal with foreigners, and it was even more dangerous to sign treaties with foreigners. When you sign the treaty and say goodbye to foreigners, you may find yourself a scapegoat, accused of pacifying hard-liners and angry voices in the public. As for being labeled as a traitor by future generations, it is worse than death.

Gu Yongyuan did not want to repeat the mistakes of those officials. That's why he discussed and proposed this interim treaty with people like Alleyne. This allowed them to quickly begin imposing tariffs to prevent silver from being lost, while also leaving room for manoeuvre. The specific terms and conditions of the treaty were sent back to the capital without any modifications. You agree that it is not my business to disagree or not. In the future, if there is a dispute, it will not come to my door.

Alleyne and the others understood the concerns of the Qing envoys. Despite their reluctance, they also wanted to end the matter as soon as possible. They agreed to Gu Yongyuan's request.

Gu Yongyuan's methods were obviously much more clever than Storm Jade Mountain's deceptive methods. Even Feng Tianhan, the governor of Jiangsu, an experienced official, couldn't help but feel powerless. He felt that although this little prince was not very old, he was meticulous in his work and much more shrewd than us. Why didn't we realize that signing a treaty could also involve a provisional agreement and a "probationary period"?

At the banquet hosted by Jiangsu officials to entertain Gu Yongyuan, Governor Feng Tianhan couldn't help but mention the matter, praising Gu Yongyuan as a "talented young statesman" who would undoubtedly become a trusted minister of the Qing Dynasty in the future. Other officials chimed in, and the flattery was endless.

This is the Willow Garden in Suzhou, which is the place to entertain Qing envoys. The owner of the garden was very pleased with its splendor. The garden is picturesque, with countless lattice windows and hidden doors, and the lake and mountains are hidden from time to time. Looking from the second floor of the Huanbi Mountain House, the beautiful scenery in the park is breathtaking. The pond next to the pavilion reflects the mountains and trees, creating a picturesque scene of water reflecting the blue sky and red trees.

The dishes on the banquet table are exquisite, and the cups are luxurious. The governor of Jiangsu, below Feng Tianhan, was seated according to his rank. The banquet is grand and sumptuous.

Listening to the endless flattery, Gu Yongyuan just smiled and took a sip of wine. Although it was not easy to detect, he knew that Feng Tianhan's attitude towards him had changed a lot compared to before.

Once seen as an innocent, empty-minded young master, he is now a potential future elite among the privileged.

After the banquet, the ministers took their leave, and Gu Yongyuan chose to spend the night in Liuyuan, preparing to return to Shanghai the next day.

In the bedroom, there is an air of luxury. Behind the screen embroidered with yellow warblers is a bed covered with tulle. The layered and intricately designed wooden bed is truly stunning.

"Master, would you like to take a break or go for a walk?" Mo Ba came in with a basin of water, and after Gu Yongyuan rinsed his mouth, he handed him a towel and asked.

"I'll take a break, I'll be tired after drinking." Gu Yongyuan dried his hands, threw the towel to Mo Ba, and said, "Don't wait outside, go to the next room and sleep for a while." ”

"Yes, yes, the master treats the slave and the maid better than my parents, and following the master has brought me great blessings." Mo Ba was full of gratitude, with tears in his eyes. Gu Yongyuan kicked his ass lightly and said with a smile: "Sycophant, get out!" ”

That kick seemed to make Mo Ba feel extremely relaxed. He said loudly: "I'm gone, I'm gone!" He bent down and exited the room.

...

Lying on the soft bed, the air was filled with fragrance, Gu Yongyuan couldn't help but think of Lin Wanxue. As this mission draws to a close, the day of separation from her draws nearer. The day he returned to Beijing was also the day they parted, wasn't it?

Since then, they have been in different places, not knowing when they will be able to see each other again.

In a daze, Gu Yongyuan seemed to hear movement outside. Slowly opening his eyes, he found that this was not a dream, and there was indeed a commotion outside.

"Mo Ba, Mo Ba." Gu Yongyuan made two phone calls, and then remembered that he had let Mo Ba rest. He was a little frustrated – he was used to having him around.

The door creaked open, and Moha's monkey face peeked in through the crack in the door. "Master, I just checked, it's a crazy woman, she said she was going to play the decree, she was crazy, I asked her to drive her away!"

Gu Yongyuan nodded slightly. Mo Ba is indeed witty, faster than anyone else.

Seeing that Mo Ba was about to withdraw, Gu Yongyuan beckoned, "Mo Ba, come in and talk to me." ”

"Okay!" Mo Ba walked into the room with brisk steps and closed the door, even though Gu Yongyuan was awake, he still tiptoed to the side of the bed, half-kneeling, so as not to be above his master.

"Master, what do you want to talk about? Or may I sing you a little song? Mo Ba's tone was cautious.

Gu Yongyuan scolded him with a smile, "You are singing now?" I might send you to Lao Yang's Dongtai Opera Troupe, you learn from him, and come back after you practice. ”

Mo Ba hurriedly lowered his head, "I will do everything the master orders." If you think I'm a good girl, that's a favor for you. Even if you let me be a drama for the rest of my life. I'll do as you tell me!"

Gu Yongyuan looked at him and asked calmly, "Is this your sincerity?" ”

Mo Ba was taken aback. Occasionally, the master will also show such an expression, which makes people feel cold down their spines. This also made him realize that the young master was by no means as simple as it seemed.

"Bang bang bang!" Mo Ba kowtowed repeatedly: "My loyalty to my master is clear!" ”

Gu Yongyuan half-sat up and leaned on the headboard of the deep sandalwood bed. He said, "Get up." ”

"Understood." Mo Ba also stood up slowly, but his waist was still bent. Seeing Gu Yongyuan's posture, he quickly brought a cushion and put it behind Gu Yongyuan.

"Mo Ba, do you know what it's like to like a woman?" Gu Yongyuan asked, then shook his head. Isn't that talking to a brick wall? But he really didn't have a friend with whom he could talk privately.

"Does the master have anyone in his heart?" Mo Ba was stunned, but when he saw his master's expression, he also found that he had not succeeded. He gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master, who is this maid you have in mind?" Give her to me, even if she's a throne beauty, I'll promise to catch her for you! The master was thinking about a woman he couldn't get, Mo Ba really tried his best, didn't he? Isn't that too much? If the master wants to love women, then what is the use of me as a slave?

Gu Yongyuan couldn't help crying and laughing. He scolded: "Love starts with love, ends with courtesy, don't make trouble!" ”

"Yes, yes, my master is right." Mohachi smiled awkwardly, but he noticed this and was determined to find out who the master was interested in, and he would help the master fulfill his wish.

"Young master, look at today's income." Mohachi pulled out a piece of tissue paper from his pocket. It lists the tributes received from various officials today.

Gu Yongyuan glanced at it. Okay, okay, it's more than 10,000 taels again. The first place is Feng Tianhan, with two thousand taels. After that, the names, titles, and amounts of various officials were clearly recorded.

It is no wonder that court officials liked to be stationed outside the capital. As an envoy, he only dealt with customs affairs, but he had ten thousand taels of silver in his hand. It's faster than doing business to make money.

Of course, Gu Yongyuan also knew that if it weren't for his crown title, they wouldn't have spent it so luxuriously.

"Accept." Gu Yongyuan waved his hand. He was about to say something more when the commotion outside rang out again, and the rebuke of the soldiers and guards grew louder and louder.

Gu Yongyuan frowned slightly. "You go and see what's going on."

Mo Ba was also a little annoyed. He thought, "Don't they want to show respect?" It's the same with Feng Tianhan. Why choose such a shabby place to entertain the host? Nodding, he hurriedly retreated.

It took a while for the commotion to subside. Anything that Rece handles, it always does more with less.

Estimating that it was time to make a pot of tea, Mo Ba cautiously walked in. The noise outside has long since died down. Seeing that Gu Yongyuan was about to get up, Mo Ba hurriedly walked a few steps and helped Gu Yongyuan sit up. He said: "Master, that crazy woman is the master's aunt, her son died, she made trouble, asked to submit a petition to the special envoy, she accused the Suzhou government of killing her son, I took the petition from her. She is not noisy anymore, the master's surname is Liu, and she wants to kowtow to you.

Gu Yongyuan waved his hand. "Don't kowtow, it's not his fault today, you can go back to him." Still still confused, he asked, "What the hell is going on?" What other petitions? ”

Mo Ba did ask, explaining: "The petition was prepared by someone else for the crazy woman in advance, and the host did not know about it. This happened half a year ago, and it is said that the mad woman's mental state fluctuated. Today, I heard that the envoy was staying in the mansion, and for some reason he came to his senses and slipped here to complain. ”

Gu Yongyuan shook his head. He thought to himself, as a special envoy, it was impossible for him to meddle in such a matter. What's the use of her complaining to him? But he was still curious, and said, "Let me see." ”

Mo Ba took out the petition from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands.

The petition accuses Lu Xing'an, the governor of Suzhou, of "embezzlement, distorting the law, and falsely accusing the innocent." As the reading deepened, Gu Yongyuan gradually understood. The complainant's son's surname is Zheng and his name is Jinshi. He was a well-known scholar in Suzhou who had organized a local militia in Jiading. He once eliminated the bandit gang led by Liu Zhiguo who supported the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, killed 138 gang members, and captured Liu Zhiguo. Later, he co-opted Liu Zhiguo and his group, and even reported to the authorities that they had "stopped their misdeeds and asked for leniency."

But at the beginning of this year, the Wind Sword Society rebelled, and Liu Zhiguo turned against them. Lu Xing'an, the prefect of Suzhou, immediately accused Zheng Jinshi of fornicating with bandits. Zheng Jinshi's head was cut off.

After Gu Yongyuan finished reading it, he understood that this was likely to be a personal revenge incident. Although the complainant's story is pitiful, her son's hands are not clean.

Moreover, this matter is not within the scope of his involvement.

"Return the petition to the host." As soon as Gu Yongyuan's words fell, the voice of the guard came from outside the door: "My lord, Suzhou Mansion asks to see you." ”

Mo Ba muttered, "They came so quickly." It makes sense. Although the master and the old woman are relatives, the master does not explicitly side with the old woman against the Suzhou Mansion. In this case, wouldn't they be the first to send someone to report to the house? This was to prevent the old woman from being hanged with any consequences. Later, I don't know how much it will cost to appease the Suzhou Mansion.

"Please come to the reception hall." Gu Yongyuan got out of bed, and Mo Ba quickly knelt down to help the master change his shoes, and then went to fetch water to wash the master.

Lu Xingan is not yet forty years old, with a square face and thick eyebrows, giving people a sense of honesty and straightforwardness. However, his expression was not as calm as he pretended to be when he spoke to Gu Yongyuan. Of course not. Eradicated the Wind Sword Society, Lu Xing'an, as the Taishou of Suzhou, will definitely get a rich reward in the merit book. Just when he was about to be promoted and crowned, who would have thought that such a thing would happen? If the envoy of the capital criticized him a few words, his great future might disappear in an instant.

During the chat, Lu Xingan did not mention Zheng Jinshi's case. Instead, he turned to Koo for advice on Western countries. At the dinner, Feng Tianhan praised Gu Yongyuan for his "keen insight into dealing with foreign countries," which made all Jiangsu officials aware of the envoy's extensive knowledge of Western countries.

Whether Lu Xing'an liked this topic or not, he thought that a young nobleman like Gu Yongyuan would definitely like to show off his knowledge and appreciate his flattery.

Unexpectedly, Gu Yongyuan just chatted about this topic briefly, and then said with a smile: "County Magistrate Lu, I'm already tired!" After speaking, he served tea and took Lu Xing'an out.

Lu Xingan was a little surprised, but he didn't dare to bother anymore. He hurriedly bowed and said, "I take my leave." ”

Not long after Gu Yongyuan returned to the bedroom, Mo Ba appeared with a flattering smile. "Master, Lu Xingan sent five thousand taels of silver, should I accept it or return it to him?"

Gu Yongyuan smiled, "Why do you want to return it?" They are local officials and have their own way of making money, and it is only natural that we should take some money. ”

"Understood, understood, it is their blessing that you are willing to accept their silver." Mo Ba said, and said: "The mansion master also gave a gift of two thousand taels, so I dare to accept it on your behalf." ", mastery.

Gu Yongyuan nodded slightly and said with a smile: "This trip to Suzhou has indeed gained a lot. ”