On October 14, 1854 in the Western calendar, the shogunate and the British signed the "Fuso-English Peace and Marriage Agreement". The British signed the Hong Kong Squadron Admiral Shi Tailin, and the Fuso side signed the Nagasaki Admiral Oguri Tadjun.

This was a big deal, and Mr. Tan'an certainly knew about it - although he had resigned from the post of surveyor and ginmi officer, he was still serving as a coastal defense officer. However, Oguri had not written such details in his previous letters, so he listened with great interest.

"Shi Tailin received 30,000 taels of gold? Are there any internal agents? You didn't even mention it in your previous official documents and private letters!"

Faced with Mr. Tan'an's questioning, Xiaoli could only respond with a wry smile. Can this be written?

The shogunate was leaking like a sieve. If word spreads in the future, no matter how many Westerners dare to act as internal agents and collect money! If they don't collect money, their attitude will naturally be particularly tough, and it's not Fuso himself who will suffer!

What's more, this money wasn't collected in Nagasaki - Stalin was a great general of the British Navy and had achieved great success, so he would definitely not accept such unclear money, otherwise his reputation would be ruined if it spread! So the person who gave the money would be ruined.

It was Xianheng Foreign Company, and it was said that it was established in Xiangjiang. As for the specific plot, Oli didn't ask.

Logically speaking, it shouldn't be impossible to ask, but now Oguri can't see people from Hamoyo & Co., and the subordinates who went to meet him didn't dare to ask too much, so he didn't ask - because more and more Western ships are coming to Nagasaki, and for

To keep it secret, Xianhei & Co. is now delivering goods at Tomozaki Port on Tsushima Island. From then on, Nagasaki's subordinates go to trade with Nagasaki Mesuke, so Oguri can't see anyone.

However, Oguri Tadatsun did not doubt that this was empty talk, because one was that Xianheng Foreign Company had always had a good reputation, and the other was that there was evidence:

The British admiral Shi Tailin deliberately let the water go, and he could feel it - when he was suffering, although Shi Tailin sometimes pretended to be angry and walked away, he was only tough on the surface, but in fact he made many concessions. The agreement was written in black and white. This lie

There are no people.

In addition, many of the English captains and attendants winked at me and cooperated in the negotiations. Some people also privately asked about their relationship with Sanjiang Yang Company, implying in their words that they would continue to take care of the company's business.

Although I have never dealt with Sanjiang Yangxing, and I don’t know what the hell Sanjiang Yangxing is, as long as I have some scheming, I can understand that Sanjiang Yangxing is most likely a painting of Xianheng Yangxing, so I quietly make a fortune.

, just deal with it vaguely.

In addition, the British had an interpreter who called himself Yamamoto Otoyoshi. He privately showed a letter from Xianheng Yangxing, saying that he was a drifter, and then expressed his gratitude to himself, saying, "The Fuso family has been taken care of by adults. I am grateful and it will be engraved in my heart." Later.

During the negotiations, although Yamamoto was unable to influence the situation due to his humble status, he also revealed a lot of inside information in private, which was of great help.

Therefore, while Xiaoli was confused, he confirmed that the amount of thirty thousand taels of gold from Xianheng Matheson Company was correct. This was so carefully planned from top to bottom. Thirty thousand taels was not much. Even if he did not spend so much, he would admit it! It was worth it.

However, Xianheng Foreign Company spent this small judgment of 30,000 yuan, but how to repay it later became a big problem!

Tell Edo to pay back the money? I'm afraid that's not possible.

Because there is no proof for what he said, once the report was submitted, when faced with the whereabouts of such a huge sum of money, the shogunate must have asked three questions: "Where did the money come from, how was it delivered, and who were the witnesses?" At that time, Oguri only said

It can be said that it was given by others. Then it must be three consecutive attacks, "Why are others so generous? Then how do you know so well? Did you get a commission?"

When the time comes, I won’t be able to explain it with all my words, and when the good things turn into bad things, why bother!

Therefore, Oguri Tadatsun did not report this expense. The account to the shogunate was that he spent more than 40,000 Tianbao small deposits. This was borrowed from various wealthy merchants in Nagasaki. The purchase list was also clear, and the accounts were not afraid of checking at all!

As for the fee for Shi Tailin, he had only told Nagasaki Mefu Nagai Iwamai before - there was no other way. To make up for the hole in the money, Nagai had to cooperate, and it would be impossible without telling him.

"If you're not in Nagasaki, how did you send this huge sum of money?"

Egawa Hidetoshi couldn't hold it in anymore and asked directly - after listening for a long time, Oguri kept talking in circles, which was too torturous!

"Xianheng Foreign Trade Co., Ltd.!"

"now it's right."

Mr. Tan'an nodded slightly. Xianheng Foreign Company now monopolizes Fusang's foreign trade with Languo Commercial House, Tang Dynasty, and Goryeo. He definitely does not want others to get a share of the pie. This motive is very clear.

"It's only 30,000 taels of gold, which is a lot of money. Is Xianheng a foreign company willing to pay this amount of money? Is the Nagasaki trade so profitable? Moreover, a wealthy foreign company can control the British Navy. It has such vast magical power, it is worth pondering."

No one responded to the question. Mr. Tan'an looked up and found that the other two people were looking at him meaningfully - when Oguri mentioned his concerns just now, Yingmin didn't agree with it, but now he fully agrees! The two families are die-hard allies, and his father

Still suspicious, if this was reported to the shogunate, several layers of Oguri Tadashi's skin would have to be peeled off!

"Of course Xianheng Foreign Company has conditions. I thought about it again and again, and finally agreed. Mr. Tan'an also needs help in this matter."

After some explanations, Jiangchuan and his son understood that Xianheng Foreign Company had a request, and this request was not simple. It could even be said to shake the foundation of Fuso. And this request was to ask the shogunate to agree to the export of gold!

The gold-silver ratio in Fuso was 1:5, while overseas it was 1:15. Therefore, Xianheng Foreign Company focused on this piece of fat and was willing to pay an initial price of 30,000 pounds.

"It's such a huge profit, why has no one mentioned it before?"

Yingmin is acting cute - Zhixiu has been doing this three years ago, but because the trade volume of Bai Zhu is small, he has always been secretive. He knows this.

But Mr. Tan'an was so shocked that he didn't notice anything wrong with his son's expression.

“This is absolutely impossible!”

There is a big problem with the gold and silver price ratio. The Xianheng Company has mentioned it many times, but the shogunate has never commented on it because it involves people's livelihood and is of great importance.

"Kanto gold, Kansai silver."

This sentence means that gold was widely used in the area in the center of Edo, while in Osaka and west of Osaka, silver was the main medium of trade - of course, no matter where, the common people and town residents still used copper coins.

Even though they knew that there was a chance to resell it and make twice as much profit, the reason why the shogunate didn't take action was because they were concerned about people's livelihood:

If silver triples at once, then prices in Kansai will definitely skyrocket, and if gold decreases, prices in Kanto will inevitably drop. There are too many things involved, so the shogunate has been unable to make up its mind - after more than two hundred years of singing and dancing, peace and prosperity

, although the shogunate has become cumbersome, but as the Fuso ruler, he still has a sense of responsibility. After all, this is his own Fuso, and he cannot let it go unnoticed for no reason.

Mr. Tanan also held the same attitude, so he expressed firm opposition when he heard it, "Exporting gold in exchange for silver will benefit the shogunate but it will do great harm to the people. This must not be done!"

But then Oguri Tadjun put forward detailed reasons, and Mr. Tanan was speechless. He had no choice but to agree and made it clear, "If Edo asks for his opinion, I will definitely support it."

However, Mr. Tanan's eyes were filled with tears, "Once this case is started, the consequences will be endless! The common people will be in dire straits, and the Kansai vassals will also be separated. I don't know what future generations will say about you and me!"

In this regard, Oguri said, "Even if the shogunate does not do anything, someone will do it if it is beneficial! It will be too late to regret it by then."

The three people present, Mr. Tanan, Oguri Tadjun and Egawa Hidetoshi, were all relatively sober among the shogunate. Naohide also kept reminding them that despite the fact that the "Fuso America Peace Agreement" did not involve trade, trade was inevitable in the founding of the country unless the shogunate was involved.

If we can cheer up within three to five years, at least the warships and ordnance can catch up with Western standards, otherwise there will be no need to talk about anything else.

Is it possible to catch up? It’s difficult! It’s basically a fantasy.

Oguri Tadatsun just used four reasons to persuade Mr. Tanan, "lots of disasters", "authoritarianism is falling apart", "Lanxue industry is not prosperous" and "strong branches and weak trunks", among which "industry is not prosperous" involves this:

In the fourth year of Jiayong (1851), the Xianheng Company sent 3-inch rifled guns, breech-loading rifles Sharpes 1848 and Colt-Patterson revolvers, and the following year sent trigger mines, but so far

Even the shogunate failed to imitate it successfully.

As for the reasons, there are many.

The reason on the surface is that the Nirayama Iron Works was split in the fifth year of Kayei (1852). At that time, the "Totori" Katsuiguni ran away and took away a large number of key personnel to prepare for the establishment of the Yokohama and Yokosuka Iron Works, which almost caused the Niruyama Iron Works.

The Shan Iron Works was in ruins.

But in fact, even if there is no such thing, it should be impossible to create it.

Fuso's foundation is too weak. Although the Nirasan Iron Works, which was built with the efforts of the shogunate, is said to be "full of talents," it is actually "a big one among the weak".

Therefore, every small progress requires a lot of hard work.

Thanks to the Xianheng Company, there is no shortage of machine tools and other tools, but the casting and processing technology cannot be improved. No, Jiushan only succeeded in imitating the Napoleon cannon last year. You must know that this is just a bronze front-loading smoothbore cannon with a more complicated process.

, it is estimated that it will take one or two years to successfully imitate rifled guns - this is the result of Mr. Tan'an's personal evaluation.

Moreover, it doesn’t work even if there are cannons but no cannonballs.

There is no problem with live ammunition, but this grenade is manufactured, but it is also a deaf ear - a decoration, which cannot be mass-produced at all.

As for ammunition with metal shells, it is even more difficult to find.

The raw material of the flash cap, mercury fulminate, requires alum oil and other raw materials. The manufacturing method seems not difficult, but the output is not high, it is impossible to mass-produce, and the quality is not good. It misfires five times out of ten, so it is not practical at all.

There were several accidents during this period. No one died, but several people had their fingers blown off. Now everyone at the Niushan Ironworks is in danger, and no one is willing to do it. There is no way to improve it!

Today's achievements of Niushan Iron Works are:

Nearly 2.7 million pig irons (10,000 tons) are smelted every year;

In terms of large barrels, Napoleon cannons can be mass-produced - hundreds of them a year. Live ammunition can be supplied by oneself, while grenades need to be purchased from outside;

As for the iron cannon, the lead-fired flintlock Minie rifle, that is, the front-rifled rifle, can be mass-produced. The annual output is five to six hundred. More can be made with more manpower, but the shogunate disagrees and thinks it is outdated.

Yes, the future is the era of breech-loading guns;

Mines can also be made, but the quality is hard to say. Anyway, the Uraga navy said "please distribute these self-produced goods to places where they are more needed" - no matter who wants it, we don't want it anyway.

Egawa Tarozaemon jumped in hastily and wrote many times asking for more manpower and an increase in the budget. However, the survey office's reply was just four words, "It's better to buy than to make." The ordnance of Xianheyang Company was large in quantity and cheap, so why bother - fortunately

The senior middlemen are still relatively sober and have been gritting their teeth and allocating funds, so the ordnance manufacturing of the Jiushan Iron Works can still move forward.

The progress of the Nirayama Iron Works was the result of the efforts of the shogunate, and also the input of the connections accumulated over many years by Mr. Tanan, a giant of orchid studies and an important minister of the shogunate. Therefore, other orchid studies industries of the shogunate did not go so smoothly.

For example, the Yushima Cannon Foundry has always been an important ordnance production area for the shogunate. It is still casting traditional bronze smoothbore cannons compared to Nirayama. Not to mention live ammunition, the best shooting range is only ten ding (one thousand meters).

Completely out of date.

As for the two newly built ironworks in Yokohama and Yokosuka, due to manpower shortage, Yokosuka completely stopped work, and the personnel were assigned to Yokohama. The Yokohama Ironworks was not that good either. Not to mention frequent accidents, the pig iron output was only that of Nirayama.

As for the level of ordnance casting, it is almost the same as that of Yushima Forge, which can only produce flintlock Miniature rifles and old-fashioned large barrels.

Even the "Tatsutori" Katsuyoshikuni ran away and became the head boy of the Tsushima Naval Training Center and also the teaching supervisor - the "head boy" is equivalent to the student leader "Jukutou" and "teaching supervisor" in a private school.

"The gentleman in charge of ethics and discipline, the good leader of the Yokohama Iron Works, doesn't do it. When Mr. Tan'an mentions him, he shakes his head and sighs, "Why doesn't this person want to be down-to-earth?"

Furthermore, there is no orchid science industry worth mentioning in the shogunate. Now the shogunate is mainly engaged in iron-making and ordnance, and the people's livelihood orchid science industry has not been invested at all, so it is not worth mentioning. Overall, there are only three or two big cats, which is very desolate.

, no wonder Oguri Tadjun said "Lanxue industry is not booming", Mr. Tan'an nodded in agreement.

However, when Oguri Tadatsun persuaded Mr. Tan'an to agree to "exchanging gold for silver", he used a total of four reasons, "lots of disasters", "authority is falling apart", "Lanxue industry is not prosperous" and "strong branches and weak trunks", and the remaining three reasons
Chapter completed!