1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 193 Increase your position! (4K)

Fillmore straightened his glasses and carefully examined the unfolded map.

The coastlines of the three provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong in the Qing Dynasty are very detailed, especially the areas around the five treaty ports, which are almost unobstructed.

"This map was drawn by me six years ago. Of course, I also updated the map based on the information sent back by Qichang Yangxing." Mori said.

"Based on your understanding of the Qing Dynasty, where do you think the United States would be most suitable to set up a supply station in the Far East?" Fillmore asked while staring at the map provided by Morrie.

"Islands are better. The headquarters of Qichang Foreign Trade Co., Ltd. has moved from Guangzhou to No. 9 on the Bund in Shanghai after I returned to China. The center of trade of the United States in the Qing Dynasty has also shifted from Guangzhou to Shanghai.

If you want to fight for a supply station in the Far East, the coastal cities in the provinces north of Guangdong Province are the best, and they can also avoid the edge of the British, and the islands are the best. "

Morrie thought for a while and said.

"How about Chongming Island?"

Fillmore pointed to Chongming Island on the map. Geographically, Chongming Island is the closest to the Shanghai headquarters of Qichang Yangxing.

Mori shook his head: "Chongming Island is not deep enough for large ships to enter and leave. The most suitable supply stations are Xiamen Island, Haitan Island (Pingtan) and Zhoushan Islands. It has the potential to become a large deep-water port.

At present, the most important commodity that the United States obtains from the Qing Dynasty is tea. Almost all the tea of ​​Qichang Foreign Trade Co., Ltd. comes from Fujian. Therefore, my suggestion is to use the islands of Fujian as the best. The more northern the islands, the more likely the Qing government will be alerted. "

"I will carefully consider your suggestion." Fillmore nodded, and then asked his next question.

"You have lived in the Qing Dynasty for so long, do you know the official system and officials of the Qing Dynasty? The highest official of the mission to visit the United States this time is the Minister of Rites. What kind of official is this?"

"Officials in the Qing Dynasty are all selected through examinations, which is relatively advanced and has merit.

It just seems that many of the officials selected by them are mediocre, greedy and corrupt, and they are also very arrogant, treating us as barbarians. Expenditures of local officials in the Qing Dynasty.

In the Qing Dynasty, if you don’t bribe their officials, you can’t do many things. They will make things difficult for you until you bribe them.

Most of the officials in the Qing Dynasty did not have any lofty ideals. It seemed that they became officials just to make money. "

After careful consideration, Morrie expressed his evaluation of the officials of the Qing Dynasty.

"Of course, not all officials in the Qing Dynasty were corrupt and incompetent. Lin Zexu, the imperial envoy during the ban on smoking in Guangzhou, was a relatively honest and honest official with ideal pursuits.

At first, I thought the same as the British, thinking that the imperial envoy’s silence was nothing more than an excuse to ask for more bribes. We have seen a lot of Qing Dynasty officials like this before, and we tried to bribe this man as usual. Mr. Lin, but this upright imperial envoy rejected all our bribes, and his attitude towards smoking ban is also very firm.

If I remember correctly, Shangshu is an official of the central government of the Qing Dynasty, and the central government officials of the Qing Dynasty have great power. Regardless of their official position, as long as the central government officials go to the local area, local officials are full of fear of the central government officials.

Because they are the people around the emperor, in the Qing Dynasty, the emperor has the supreme power, and the appointment and removal of officials is in the hands of the emperor, which is very different from the United States. "

"That is to say, the mission of the Qing Dynasty to visit the United States is of a relatively high standard?"

Fillmore showed a look of joy.

"You can understand it this way. The officials of the Central Committee of the Qing Dynasty are very mysterious. I have never had contact with them, and I don't know much about them." Mori said.

"I sincerely hope that the officials of the Qing Dynasty's mission to the United States this time are a group of arrogant, ignorant, and greedy guys."

Fillmore chewed and digested Morrie's words carefully.

"Corrupt and arrogant officials are better dealt with than the upright imperial envoy you mentioned. Whether the United States can bypass the United Kingdom to gain more benefits in the Far East depends on the relationship with the Qing Dynasty Mission to the United States. The meeting came to fruition."

As he said that, Fillmore dug out from the newspaper the letters that Qichang Foreign Firm had recently sent back to the White House. In order to deepen his understanding of the Qing Dynasty, Fillmore read these letters back and forth several times, trying to select valuable ones from them. information.

The affairs of the five treaty ports of the United States in China are handled by Qichang foreign company. Qichang foreign company actually performs the duties of the consulate, and the espionage work of intelligence collection is naturally not left behind.

Fillmore deftly took out three letters from it and handed them to Murray.

"I heard that the Qing Dynasty was not very peaceful this year. There were riots in the southern part of the Qing Dynasty. Do you think it is because of this that you sent a mission to the United States to seek help and support from the United States to suppress their internal disturbances? ?” Fillmore conjectured.

"Well, I have been away from the Qing Dynasty for too long, so I don't know."

Morrie said that the Qing Dynasty suddenly sent a mission to the United States, which also surprised Morrie, and he was also unclear about the purpose of the mission.

Inside the estate on the banks of the Hudson River in New York City.

There was an endless stream of local celebrities presenting generous gifts at the gate of the manor.

Liang Yao's attitude towards these New York celebrities who asked to see them was that he didn't see them, and told Pan Zhengwei and others that meeting the New York celebrities in advance would lose the dignity and dignity of the envoys from the previous country.

These New York celebrities still have to see them for the last time. After all, they also want to open up the New York market, so they can't get around these New York celebrities.

Liang Yao decided to whet the appetite of these New York celebrities first, and then meet with them after the meeting with President Fillmore.

As for the gifts of the celebrities in New York, they are accepted in full, because not accepting them is not in line with the image of officials in the Qing Dynasty.

Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua secretly forged the credentials of the Qing Dynasty in the manor.

No one has seen what the Qing Dynasty's credential looks like, but it doesn't matter, neither have Americans.

"The United States has great ambitions, and there is a high probability that it will also ask for a port like Hong Kong Island as a stronghold like the United Kingdom. If Fillmore makes this request, you must show a very tough attitude and refuse it sternly. "Liang Yao said.

"This must be rejected. Besides, we are not a real mission. If we really want to agree to this condition, even if we have all-powerful abilities in the court, we will anger Longyan." Pan Zhengwei said.

Although the identities of the missions are false, as long as the terms of the treaty are equal, the Qing Dynasty will look good and the Holy One will be happy. With their contacts in the court, it is not like they have passed the treaty and received money from the court. to a formal treaty instrument.

"Free immigration between the Qing Dynasty and the United States, and tariff relief for California. As long as these two things are negotiated, our goal will be achieved."

Liang Yao folded his hands and watched with great interest that Pan Zhengwei, Wu Yuanhua and others forged credentials.

The free immigration between the Qing Dynasty and the United States was the main purpose of Liang Yao's letting Pan Zhengwei, Wu Yuanhua and others pretend to be a Qing mission to visit the United States.

As for the tariff reduction and exemption for California, it is to facilitate the export of California industrial products in the future.

The power to formulate tariffs for the states of the United States rests with Congress, which is also one of the most important powers of Congress. Congress has always been very strict about tariffs.

For California's tariff reduction, Liang Yao didn't expect too much, and it was a great surprise that Liang Yao could negotiate the best deal, and Liang Yao could accept it if the negotiation failed.

"What about the mutual establishment of consulates between the two countries?" Pan Zhengwei asked worriedly.

"That fellow Webster came to me time and time again, hoping that the two countries can send consulates to each other. This is definitely something that cannot be avoided, and President Fillmore will definitely make this request."

"What Ting Yu said is very true. These American officials are better than each other. This is something that can't be avoided no matter what. And the imperial court is most annoying to deal with Westerners. This is definitely not possible on the Qing side. "

The problem that Pan Zhengwei was worried about was also the problem that Wu Yuanhua was most worried about.

"Neither refuse, nor agree." Liang Yao said, "You just say that this is beyond your authority, you have to go back and ask the emperor, and the officials can discuss it before making a decision. You will have to ask again in the future, which has been dragging the high-level officials of the United States. Just patience."

"drag?"

Pan Zhengwei and Wu Yuanhua's eyes lit up.

"That's a good idea."

"The president of the United States has a term of office, and it will be delayed until the next president takes office. If it is not done properly, it will be forgotten." Liang Yao said.

"It's Mr. Liang who understands America." Pan Zhengwei praised.

"Americans have opened Qichang Foreign Firm to Shanghai, can we also open our firm to New York?
If it is possible, we will sell the goods of our firm directly in New York in the future, and the profits will be very rich, especially the tea. The Americans have a soft spot for our tea. "Wu Yuanhua said.

"You can discuss this kind of trivial matter with the New York State authorities after meeting with President Fillmore," Liang Yao said.

"Isn't it more profitable to sell drugs than to sell tea in New York?" Zeng Jinsong said.

"Foreigners can sell fushou cream in Qing Dynasty, so why can't we sell fushou cream in New York? Fushou cream can be addictive, and the profit is far beyond that of tea."

"What brother Zeng said is true, how could I have forgotten this!" Wu Yuanhua stroked his forehead.

These peddlers are not law-abiding people, and there are many opium halls in China to sell drugs.

"Just where do you get the drugs?" Wu Yuanhua temporarily put down his work, scratching his head and said, "When I was in Guangzhou, all the companies bought drugs from the British, and the drugs from the British are not cheap. .”

"Mr. Liang, why don't we plant blessings and longevity flowers directly in California and sell them ourselves?" Zeng Jinsong said with narrowed eyes.

"Whoever dares to grow longevity flowers and sell longevity ointment in California, don't blame the knife in my hand for being ruthless!" Liang Yao snapped angrily.

This excessive request has touched his bottom line, and he hates drugs.

After the establishment of the California state government, he immediately wrote the anti-drug regulations into the state law, and withstood the pressure to close all the opium dens in California.

Whoever dares to let drugs and other related drugs resurface in the California area, he dares to have his head, and he will never tolerate it.

"You stupid man, the prohibition of planting happiness flowers, the ban on the sale and smoking of happiness medicine is written into the state law, how dare you grow these things in California?" Pan Zhengwei reprimanded Zeng Jinsong righteously, and then said.

"If you really want to sell this thing in New York, wouldn't it be the same if you sent people to Mexico and Nicaragua?"

"What Ting Yu said is very true. Why didn't I think of it? It's not illegal to plant seeds in these countries."

After Pan Zhengwei's dialing, Zeng Jinsong seemed to see the sun through the clouds, suddenly enlightened.

"Mr. Liang, the price of gold has gone up!"

While several people were talking, Kony ran in excitedly and informed Liang Yao of the news of the rising gold price.

"How much has it increased?"

Liang Yao asked calmly.

Liang Yao was not surprised at the news of rising gold prices.

Before arriving in New York, he asked people to spread the news in New York that he had brought a large amount of gold to New York, asked for directions, and tested the reaction of the New York gold market.

As expected by Liang Yao, the gold market in New York fluctuated slightly, which also showed that the gold market in New York was not stable, and gave Liang Yao the confidence to leverage the price of the gold market.

"The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and gold has increased from the original 117.6:100 to 119.1:100." Kony asked excitedly.

"Sir, should we sell the $1000 million gold futures in our hands now? Now that gold futures are more popular in the market, it is easy for us to sell these gold futures."

"You good-for-nothing guy, do you think I'm a beggar? After working for a long time, you're earning this hard money for this?" Liang Yao gave Kony a bad look.

Due to the outrageous leverage ratio of the New York gold futures market, the actual value of the $1000 million gold futures in his hand is only $10, so my husband can't make much money.

Furthermore, his goal is the gold in the federal treasury, not the petty profits in the gold futures market.

This little money is not enough for him to plug his teeth.

"Yes, sir, what should we do next?" Kony asked for instructions.

"Is there any reaction from Minister Ke Wen?" Liang Yao asked.

"Your Excellency Kewen's mood is very stable, His Excellency Kewen's attention is now entirely on the Qing Dynasty mission to the United States, and is anxiously waiting for the arrival of Mr. President.

Moreover, although the price of gold has risen, such a small increase is very normal. Most of the speculators on Wall Street have not noticed this, let alone Mr. Corwin. said Kony.

"very good."

Liang Yao nodded in satisfaction. This at least shows that the broker Kony found for him is reliable. If the Ministry of Finance enters the market too early, the room for him to operate will be limited. The profits he can get by selling gold futures and gold will be not enough.

Liang Yao thought for a moment, then continued: "The price of gold is not high enough, so continue to add [-] million US dollars of gold futures, or leave it to the original two brokers.

Tell them, don't buy so many gold futures at one time, buy them quietly, and buy them in batches slowly, so that the people in the Ministry of Finance will not be aware of the abnormality. "

"Understood, sir." Coney carefully memorized every word Liang Yao said, "Buy quietly, slowly, and in batches, and don't alert the people in the Ministry of Finance. Sir, I hope the price of gold will slowly increase. go up?"

"You'll understand later."

With that said, Liang Yao took out a check for [-] US dollars that he had already prepared, and handed the check to Kony.

"Here's a check for $[-] from Barings, get to work."

(End of this chapter)