Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 331: A small demonstration, Qianlong was shocked!

Macartney was stunned for a moment.

The translator Hong Renhui was also stunned and trembled with fear.

He Shen was not in a hurry, but drank the tea slowly.

For a long time,

Macartney broke the silence in the tent and said carefully:
"In Europe, sailing battleships are the overlord of the sea, the aggregation of science and technology, a symbol of national strength, and the guarantee of trade routes. In principle, countries will not sell their most advanced sailing battleships to foreign countries. However~"

He paused, wanting to see He Shen's reaction.

How shrewd He Shen is, nodding to indicate that you can continue.

……

Helpless, Macartney could only tell his bottom line:
"In Europe, we divide sailing battleships into six levels based on hull size and the number of guns on board. If your country wants to buy the first three levels of sailing battleships, I'm sorry. But level 6, level 4, level 5, I can call the shots."

He Shen was dissatisfied and stared at him:
"I, the Qing Dynasty, always want the biggest and the best in everything."

Macartney thought sharply for a while, and suddenly an idea occurred to him.

He thought of the scene he witnessed in the Zhoushan Islands and the lagged and slow warship of the Guangzhou Navy of the Qing Empire that was escorting it, and he roughly guessed it.

God-given opportunity!

This is an excellent opportunity to open up the Daqing market.

He suppressed his excitement and began to introduce:
“请允许我介绍。6级巡航舰，载炮20门到28门，船员150人到200人。5级巡航舰，载炮30到34门，船员200到300人。4级风帆战列舰，载炮50到60门，船员320到420人。”

"Based on my experience, level 4 sailing battleships are enough to deal with your country's southern rebels."

……

He Shen's disgust for Macartney rose again.

Don’t you understand the rules of seeing things through but not telling them?

So he sneered and said:
"Are you afraid that the Qing Dynasty cannot afford the money?"

"No, no, everyone in the European royal family knows that the Qing Empire in the East is rich beyond imagination. Let me give you a price first. A fourth-level sailing battleship costs about 15 taels of silver. We also need to consider the transportation cost. Even if it is 16 Two."

After quoting this price, Macartney almost blushed.

In fact, the cost of a fourth-level battleship at Portsmouth Shipyard is about 7 taels, and the profit has doubled.

[Calculated based on 1 pound, equivalent to 3 taels of silver. There is no fixed exchange rate, it can only be roughly estimated based on the purchasing power of food and the exchange ratio for gold. 】

Perhaps, construction could be started at the colonial Calcutta shipyard, and the cost could be reduced by at least 2%.

With Calcutta's current shipbuilding and cannon-casting capabilities, it must not be a big problem.

He Shen smiled contemptuously:
"I can tell you that 10 ships will come first."

"No problem. But the shipbuilding cycle is very long. We can sit down and discuss the specific contract details slowly."

He Shen frowned:

"You don't have any in stock?"

……

In the end, the two sides reached a tentative consensus.

First, squeeze out no less than five level 5 battleships and level 4 cruisers in service from the Southeast Asian colonies, as well as Calcutta and Bangladesh.

The Qing Dynasty is impatient.

The shrewd Macartney took the initiative to invite officials of the Qing court to board his flagship "Portsmouth" at Dagukou, which was a typical third-level sailing battleship.

Of course He Shen would not condescend and leave, but simply asked the Ministry of Industry and War to form a group together with naval officers.

Regarding the etiquette of kneeling and worshiping, both sides also took a step back.

Macartney could only kneel on one knee to worship, citing "sickness in his legs" that prevented him from bending them.

And Heshen also hinted that it is not appropriate to talk too much about the lifting of the trade ban on the Thirteenth Bank of Guangdong.

Macartney understood, they are all nobles, understand!
If everything about colonial affairs was told truthfully, it would be very troublesome for the parliamentary gentlemen in London. They are aloof and full of strange ideas.

It's easy to understand if you replace the master of the parliament with the emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

……

East Nuan Pavilion of Yangxin Hall.

Qianlong carefully looked through the appearance pictures of the "Portsmouth" and the "Lion", thoughtfully.

"Congratulations, master."

"Where does joy come from?"

"The Saxon mission is in awe of the Qing Dynasty and is willing to pay tribute to their most advanced maritime warships at a price of only 20 taels each. It has a full 65 guns."

Qianlong was stunned:

"Two hundred thousand taels for a state-of-the-art warship with 20 guns? This price is indeed fair."

"Yes."

The quotation for a large-scale rushing ship supervised by the Ministry of Industry, including the ship and the cannon, is 5 taels.

The shipping price quoted by Lushun was even more outrageous, a full 8 taels.

If you take into account that the wood did not cost any money, and most of the laborers did not spend any money, then all the officials in the Ministry of Works should be killed.

Qianlong did some mental calculations,
There are 65 cannons. If the cost of each cannon is 1000 taels of silver, then the artillery alone is close to 7 taels.

In an instant, Long Yan was filled with joy:

"Heshen, the errand was well done."

"Thank you, Master."

He Shen talked about a few more guns. This is not to brag, but the Royal Navy has never included deck mortars in the artillery organization.

……

Taking advantage of Qianlong's happiness, He Shen finally revealed his ultimate goal:
"Deputy Macartney, he has rheumatism and can't bend his legs."

"Oh? Then send a royal doctor to take a look."

Seeing that Qianlong didn't understand, Heshen continued:
"This slave is worried that he will behave inappropriately before you!"

"Ok?"

"When I went there, I saw him imitating the kneeling ceremony of the Qing Dynasty. As a result, he fell to the ground and couldn't get up for a long time."

Qianlong chuckled.

Tears of laughter came out, maybe because I thought of that scene.

After a long time he said:
"Then what should I do? You can't just kneel down and worship me when you see me, right?"

"That's what my slave thinks. He has severe rheumatism in one leg and mild rheumatism in the other. When the time comes, he will kneel down on one knee."

Qianlong's smile gradually faded and he suddenly asked:
"Are you telling the truth?"

"My slave pledged his life. The Saxon mission wandered at sea for more than half a year and traveled tens of thousands of miles before arriving in the Qing Dynasty. He died of illness and is still sealed in an iron coffin. The deputy envoy named Ma is considered to have a good fortune. ”

……

For a long time,

Qianlong took a deep breath and waved:
"I am not an unreasonable person. That's right. Before I summon them, I will take them around to see the prosperity of our Qing Dynasty."

"Whoo."

When he walked out of Yangxin Hall, He Shen looked up at the sky.

In my heart silently:

Master, don't blame me, this is all for the sake of the Qing Dynasty, and the slave's starting point is good.

The quoted price was tens of thousands taels higher, not because the slaves were greedy for money and taking kickbacks, but because they wanted to leave redundancy.

All in all, I have a clear conscience~
Walking into the military aircraft, everyone stood up quickly.

"Everyone performs his duties and does his job well."

"Whoo."

Minister of Military and Aircraft, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Household Affairs, and Flag Affairs, Heshen can be said to be a celebrity of the day. He couldn't quite remember how many official positions he held concurrently.

Which yamen's seal he is most concerned about now.

That must be the infantry commander's office!

……

Under his instruction, the Ministry of Revenue delayed the payment of food and salary to Huguang, but never delayed the payment of food and salary to Jiangsu.

Moreover, he has been paying attention to the whereabouts of Wang Sansong, a gentry in Fuliang County, Jiangxi.

This person is very crucial, or the key figure in bringing down Agui. He has instructed his subordinates to try their best to keep this person and hand him over to the Ministry of Punishment if necessary.

When Agui falls, no one in the government or the public can check him.

Yu Minzhong is old and Han. You can give him whatever he wants in exchange for his support. Fukang'an died, Mingliang made meritorious deeds in Anqing, and the Fucha clan no longer had a leader.

Suddenly, he remembered someone:

"What is Fu Changan doing?"

Butler Liu Quan immediately whispered:

"Supervise the construction of artillery in Dutong Yamen."

"What cannon to build?"

"It is said to be an imitation of a Western artillery piece. I don't know the specific details."

"Well, what's going on in the capital recently?"

"The price of rice has stabilized for the time being, but the price of tea has skyrocketed."

……

Yutai Tea House, the shopkeeper has a sad face.

There are so few people around!

The price of tea has increased so much that even the Eight Banners men with hard-core crops cannot afford to drink it.

A fat man cursed:

"I came to this Sijiu City after my great-grandfather. The family tradition has been passed down for more than a hundred years, and it is all about food and drink. Hey, now you are drunk enough to drink high foam?"

The people at the next table joked:
"Don't tell me that this is the first time in our lives that we drink high foam."

Gaomo is actually tea stems.

The price of tea in Jiangnan has tripled, let alone the capital. Since last year, the price has been rising, and rare goods are available.

As soon as the guest enters the teahouse, he opens the curtain.

The waiter immediately shouted: "Here you come, I'm a distinguished guest. Please come inside."

Dr. Tea held a copper teapot with a long spout and shouted:
"Have a bowl of high foam and refill water at any time. There is enough hot water pipe."

Guests who have stock at home bring their own tea.

The fragrance of tea spreads, not to mention how envious the people around it are, the fragrance is so authentic.

The teahouse owner sighed and complained to the regular patrons:
"Tell me, how can I do this business? Yesterday, a customer said that the teahouse should be changed into a waterhouse."

A poor-tongued regular customer smiled and said:
"It's not so bad for you. I have a cousin who was even worse than you. The stall was closed immediately."

"What kind of business does he do?"

"Selling tea eggs!"

……

The tea leaves are in the hands of both parties.

Eight Shanxi merchants took the lead in forming an alliance and hoarded astronomical amounts of tea.

The Wu State also hoarded an unknown amount of tea, and there was also a tacit understanding that everyone would advance and retreat together and never cause trouble.

The tea farmers in Wuyi Mountain were smiling from ear to ear.

This year’s harvest is double that of previous years, which is so satisfying.

The tea merchants were even more delighted. Everyone was making a lot of money. Many people were not satisfied and simply used part of their funds to book the production for the coming year with the tea farmers!
The deposit is 3% upon purchase!

As the most economically savvy and keenly aware Shanxi merchants in the Qing Empire, they almost simultaneously inquired about the progress of the imperial court and the foreign envoys.

Especially the Saxon Kingdom and the Netherlands!
Businessmen from these two countries are the most eye-catching in Guangzhou Thirteen Banks.

Good news comes one after another, and it stays true.

The minister of the Lifan Yuan, the steward of Heshen's mansion, and a small military aircraft all revealed to the Shanxi merchants stationed in Beijing:

When all nations came to court, the barbarian envoys were respectful, and the emperor was very satisfied!

Guangzhou's sea trade business is likely to reach a new peak, and the future is promising.

……

Shanxi merchants make money very efficiently.

On the day He Shen and the Saxon mission secretly reached an agreement to purchase the sailing warship, the homing pigeon carrying the information took off from Sijiu City. It arrived in Shanxi one day later and Wuchang four days later. Ten days later, the Shanxi Merchant Alliance began a new round of shopping.

Wu Guo is very calm.

Fucheng flatly rejected those Shanxi merchants who came again, saying that everyone was bullish and reluctant to sell. If you wait another three to five months, it can double. It's about huge profits and there's no way to accommodate.

at the same time,

Some gossip spread in Guangdong:
The Saxon King George III is celebrating his 60th birthday, and the businessmen planning the birthday will arrive in Guangzhou in the second half of the year.

King Louis XVI of the Franks is getting married, and the Louvre, Versailles, Elysee Palace, and Fontainebleau Palace all need to be replaced. Good for silk and porcelain.

Simultaneously,

Europeans generally suffer from a disease called "gastrointestinal problems if you don't drink tea." The prescription prescribed by the doctor over there is: 2 taels of green tea, decoction in spring water for three consecutive days!
These news spread with nose and eyes, and it is reasonable.

Moreover, some kind people helped explain it,
The Louvre is equivalent to the Forbidden City, the Palace of Versailles is equivalent to the Summer Palace, the Elysee Palace is equivalent to the Palace of Nourishing Heart, and Fontainebleau is equivalent to the Old Summer Palace~
With this explanation, everyone suddenly understood.

The emperors of Europe are working together, and a good opportunity to make a fortune has arrived.

Even if they are as smart as Shanxi merchants, no one can see the hidden crisis here.

Li Yu's 800-kilometer-long sword has not yet been unsheathed. As soon as it is unsheathed, it can kill the thirteen lines of Guangzhou in the south, and Qianlong's money bag in the north.

……

The officers of Shuntian Mansion have been very busy recently.

A policeman holding a gong shouted along the street:
"Shuntian Prefecture has issued an order that on the way to Beijing for the Saxon mission, there should be no garbage on the roads. Shopkeepers along the street must be neatly dressed and have a red face."

The shopkeepers looked at each other in confusion, wondering what the criteria for judging this red face were.

The owner of a roast duck restaurant accompanied me and asked carefully:

"Master Chao, do you think I'm well-dressed and glowing like this?"

The servant smiled and said:

"Tomorrow we will go door to door handing out some powder, rouge, and pig skin. We will ensure that your face will be glowing and your mouth will be full of oil."

"How much does it cost?"

"30 cents per shop."

"It's okay."

This price is affordable for shops in Beijing.

The officer also said quite proudly:

"Under the emperor's feet, everything must be done according to the rules. I am not boasting. This matter has to be moved to Baoding Mansion. It will cost at least 300 Wen. That is called a black man."

"That's what you said. As the old saying goes, even if it's a dog, it has to be born in the Forty-Nine City."

……

The officer was quite pleased and patted the owner of the Roast Duck Restaurant on the shoulder.

It's not easy for people who can make a living in the Forty-Nine Cities. At least they have the foresight.

suddenly,

Shuntianfu Cheng came riding on horseback and shouted sharply:
"Your Majesty the Governor has an order that the Saxon envoy must not see a single beggar on its way to Beijing."

The officers quickly knelt down on one knee and shouted:

"Whoo."

The first target of action is the Chenghuang Temple, then the Tutu Temple, the Guandi Temple, and the Niangniang Temple~
A large number of unkempt beggars were beaten with water and fire sticks and rushed towards Nancheng.

Nancheng, also known as the outer city. Just after leaving Zhengyangmen.

……

"The east is rich and the west is noble, the south is poor and the north is humble" is the most true portrayal of the Four-Nine Cities.

The so-called Biaoye from Nancheng and Wenye from Beicheng were even worse than dogs when they went to Xicheng.

If you offend any housekeeper, the housekeeper will give you a look. The officers in soap uniforms immediately beat Master Biao into pieces and tore Master Wen into pieces.

The task of driving people away is too great.

Given the huge number of residents in the inner and outer cities, even all Shuntian government officials dispatched could not clear every area.

So the infantry commander's office also dispatched 4000 soldiers to help drive them away. Solve the inner city first, then the outer city.

Admiral Jiumen frowned and looked at the people running around in Nancheng. He saw many of the laborers bare-chested and barefoot. It’s not that it’s hot, it’s that the coolies are afraid of wearing out their clothes while working. Save!
A heartbeat:
"It is unsightly and inconsistent with the grand ceremony."

"Tell the people in Nancheng to give them a stick of incense. Anyone who cannot bring out a complete set of clothes with less than 2 patches will be regarded as a beggar and will be driven out of Nancheng by me."

(End of this chapter)