Fire trees and silver flowers never sleep, it is another New Year's Eve.

Listening to the crackling sound of firecrackers outside, Zhang Zhidong, who was alone in Beijing for the Chinese New Year for the first time, truly felt the feeling of missing his family more during the festival. Thinking of his parents, brothers and wives far away in Guizhou, I felt so uncomfortable.

Zhang Xi knew that he was homesick, so he cleaned his desk while deliberately making a conversation: "Young Master, do you remember Mr. Huang Zhongyin and Mr. Huang who we met at the Chongqing Guild Hall when we first came to Beijing?"

"Remember, Mr. Han asked me to send him a letter. What's wrong with Mr. Huang?" Zhang Zhidong asked subconsciously.

"I heard from Lao Yu that I knew in the afternoon. It turned out that Mr. Huang was promoted to the top of the Chongqing Guild Hall just after we moved here. He was originally sent to Lei Qiongdao, Guangdong. In the end, Mr. Huang was probably still on his way to Guangdong to take office. The emperor issued another order to order Mr. Huang to act as the Guangxi Censor!"

Zhang Zhidong was just a little surprised and didn't think it was very strange. After all, Huang Zhongyin was originally a Hanlin official and had been a censor for so many years. He said enviously: "Then you can't call Master Huang anymore, you have to respectfully call Master Huang or Huang Nietai."

"Young Master said that I don't understand the rules. I have to change my words when I mention Mr. Huang in the future."

If you are in Guizhou, it is really a big deal for whoever is appointed or actually appointed as a censor.

But in the capital, the Censor is not really a high-ranking official.

Zhang Zhidong followed Zhang Xi to the flower hall, looked at the table full of wine and food, and asked, "Where is Zhang Xi, Mr. Wang and Guard Yuan?"

"Mr. Wang is still here in the afternoon, Mr. Yuan... Mr. Yuan just fired a cannon in the yard, why don't I go in and shout."

Yu Youfu, who had just changed into new clothes in the afternoon, washed his hands and walked in and learned: "Brother Zhang Xi, don't call me anymore. Datou has something to do, so he can't come. Mr. Wang is also busy. Mr. Wang told us to accompany Mr. Zhang to have the New Year's Eve dinner first."

Wang Naizeng had no family and was also alone in the capital. Zhang Zhidong felt that it would be difficult to eat first, so he subconsciously asked: "Old Yu, did Mr. Wang say when will he finish his work? Should we start the meal after he finishes?"

"Yes, today is New Year's Eve, how can you not wait for Mr. Wang?"

"When Mr. Wang is busy, no one knows when he is busy. I really don't have to wait. Master Zhang, please sit down, I'll pour you wine."

"No, no, I'd better wait."

Their master and servant insisted on waiting, but Yu Youfu had no choice but to take the excuse to see how the banquet in the inner house was held. He came to the small door leading to the backyard of the bookstore in the dark, knocked on the door three times, and waited for the people inside to open the door, and then asked in a low voice: "Bigou, when will Mr. Wang be done? Mr. Zhang is waiting for you and Mr. Wang to go over and have a banquet!"

The other guards are all back home for the New Year, and Datou will be on duty tonight.

Datou didn't dare to leave his post without permission. He looked at the brightly lit exhibition hall and said in his ear: "A distinguished guest just came. Not only did Mr. Wang not leave, but even Master Wen rushed back to accompany him. He was talking about the important matters, and I don't know when it was going to be discussed!"

"Disciple, should you hurry up and have a banquet?"

"No, that distinguished guest came with food and drinks, saying he came here for a special reward." Datou turned around and looked at it, and then whispered: "Mr. Cao and Chongshi, Chonghou are here, and they are all talking inside. Mr. Wang and I really can't leave. Please let Mr. Zhang eat first and tell him not to wait any longer."

"Okay, then I'll go back first."

...

On New Year's Eve, the banquet was not just a distinguished guest, but Wen Qingwen Zhongtang, the head of the military aircraft minister who could not believe it!

As for the brothers Zuo Zan Shan Chongshi and Chonghou who were studying and walking in the Ministry of Revenue, one was sent by Wen Qing half a year ago to "learning and walking", and the other was a friend Wen Xiang later made. Cao Yuying was originally the shopkeeper of the Han Da of the "Houyi Hall". Lord Zhongtang came to reward him on New Year's Eve, so he, the shopkeeper of the Han Da, naturally had to be away.

However, although it was New Year's Eve, although everyone was filled with delicacies, there was no festive atmosphere in the exhibition hall that was supposed to be during the New Year.

Wen Xiang said worriedly: "From the Xiyi residence newspapers in concessions such as Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai, since Bamaitun became the Prime Minister of England last spring, the British ministers, consuls, missionaries and merchants in our Qing Dynasty have become increasingly restless. Although they unanimously agreed that even if the hair wins, they will not be able to make any money from it, and they have even decided to be neutral and not interfere. But they are dissatisfied because the amendment of the contract was rejected."

Wen Qing came here tonight just to hear the truth and asked in a low voice: "Why are you dissatisfied?"

"Reported to the Lord Zhongtang, Shanghai Branch Detective learned that Bashali had just returned to Hong Kong from the English mainland on the eighth day of last month, claiming that British Prime Minister Bamazun had agreed to his proposal to "raising his voice" to the Qing Dynasty. He clamored in public in Hong Kong more than once, asking me to "apologize immediately for even the smallest insults."

He even brought back a note from Parmesun. Xin'an and the South China Sea sub-collection have found out that the Governor General of England was stationed in Hong Kong. The special and full-power minister Bao Ling sent to Lord Ye on 16 last month, saying that 'No matter what happens between the two countries in the future that is unfavorable to China, their mistakes will fall on the Chinese government'."

Thinking of Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Minister of Trade in Wukou, was busy quelling the rebellion. Even if there was news about the Western Barbarians, most of them were to copy the number of people in the British land and colonies reported on the Western Barbarians. Which foreign merchant's ship sank in the storm again. He only knew how to report the victory, but only did not report the good news but not the bad news. Wen Qing realized that the Military Affairs Office would probably not see the note.

Among the people present, the second son of the former governor of the Hedao, Wanyan Linqing, was studying and walking in the Ministry of Revenue. In the 29th year of Daoguang, he was the youngest and most daring to say. He couldn't help but look up and said, "Sir Zhongtang, as far as the officials of the Xiaguan knew, at the beginning, officials in Shanghai, Ningbo and Xiamen did not refuse the British to enter the city. But after those Western barbarians entered Shanghai, Ningbo and other cities, they found that the city was too dirty and messy, and they retreated one after another to find another place to live outside the city."

His implication was clear, that was, he asked the emperor to order Ye Mingchen not to be clever with foreigners, and simply let foreigners enter the city openly. It was impossible for foreigners to find that Guangzhou city was as dirty and messy as those foreigners in Shanghai were unwilling to stay in the city, and would voluntarily withdraw from the city.

Wen Qing stared at him for a while, then turned around and asked, "Chongshi, what do you think?"

Chongshi was stunned for a moment and hurriedly bowed: "Report to Master Zhongtang, this matter must not be done!"

"Why not?"

"Shanghai is only a county town under Songjiang Prefecture, and Guangzhou is not only a provincial capital in Guangdong, but also a seat of the Governor General of Guangdong and Guangxi. The Governor General of Guangdong and Guangxi is also the Minister of Commerce of Wukou. If foreigners are allowed to enter the city, wouldn't foreigners go to the Governor's Office to ask for a meeting with Lord Ye at any time?"

Chongshi thought for a while and then said, "With the nature of foreigners, if Lord Ye doesn't see him, they will block the government office, so that Lord Ye can't go anywhere and can't do any official duties. Where is the imperial court's majesty? Guangdong and Guangxi are not peaceful, and Guangzhou City has even been besieged by the Tiandihui Rebellion Party. If he really takes that step, how can Lord Ye convince the public? How can he supervise the military and civilians to suppress the thieves and quell the rebellion?"

Chonghou couldn't help but say, "Then he was foolish with foreigners and always avoided them. What else should he, the minister of trade in five places, do? Besides, if this lasts, it will only make foreigners unable to bear it. If a war really starts, he, Ye Mingchen, can't even suppress the Tiandihui Rebellion Party. Could it be that he can still defeat the foreigners?"

"But if foreigners are allowed to enter the city, and foreigners will propose to revise the contract as they did when they came to Tianjin the previous year, will Lord Ye agree or not?"

"Tiyu, what are your opinions?" Wen Qing asked again.

Cao Yuying complained, thinking that it was the instructed by the late emperor and the emperor that the Westerners did not allow the Westerners to enter the city. If the Westerners were really allowed to enter the city of Guangzhou, what Chongshi said would definitely happen. He could only hesitate and say: "Mr. Zhongtang, the lower officials thought that the war between Guangdong and Guangxi was in a tight position, so Lord Ye should put the suppression of the bandits and quell the rebellion first."

"Mr. Cao, what should we do with the foreigner?" Chonghou couldn't help asking.

"As for the foreigners' provocation, the officials thought they should be tolerant now. When Lord Ye cleared the rebellious parties in Guangdong and Guangxi, they would be able to deal with the foreigners wholeheartedly."

Seeing that the old Zhongtang was not angry, Chonghou was even more courageous, and asked again: "Sir Cao thought that the world and earth in Guangdong and Guangxi would be rioting. Can Lord Ye wipe out the party within one or two years?"

Cao Yuying thought to himself that a hairless playboy knew what he said, "Brother Dishan, the two barbarians of England and Buddhism are fighting against Russian barbarians. I don't know that this war will be fought until the year of the Monkey and Horse Month."

"Mr. Cao, you are betting that the two British and Buddhist barbarians dare not fight two battles at the same time, but how dare I, the Qing Dynasty, fight with the Western barbarians while suppressing the thieves and quelling the rebellion? You have not seen the urgent report sent by Xin'an and the South China Sea branch. You should know that the British barbarians are on the string! If you don't come up with a strategy, the consequences will be unimaginable!" Chonghou took a few deep breaths, and then gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Cao, you are betting on the national destiny of the Qing Dynasty!"

Seeing that Cao Yuying's face changed, Chongshi hurriedly said, "Dishan, how could you talk to Lord Cao like this? You don't understand the rules at all, go out for me!"

"Brother, I..."

"Okay, okay, it's the New Year, why are you quarreling?" Wen Qing looked back at their brothers, then turned around and said, "Bochuan, you can talk too."

"Reported to Master Zhongtang, Master Cao and Pu Shan who should be said, Di Shan said that in the face of this crisis, there is no good way for the officials to do so. However, the officials thought that the court should prepare for the future, and the officials should prepare for it."

“What preparations are made?”

How could Wen Xiang miss this opportunity? He bowed and said, "There are no outsiders here, this is a bookstore, and it is not a court. The officials dared to say something depressed. If the British Yi really couldn't bear the war, they would definitely attack Guangzhou City, and Lord Ye would probably not be able to defend it. Guangzhou was in trouble, and the political situation in Guangdong and Guangxi, which was already full of chaos, was even more terrifying. We cannot clean up the mess without reliable officials. In addition, if foreigners do not do it, they will lead troops to invade north, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong and even the coastal areas of Zhili, they cannot be without any preparation."

Wen Qing also knew the importance of coastal defense, but now the court has no time to take care of it. After a moment of silence, he looked up and said, "It is feasible to send personnel to Guangdong. If he really goes to that point, even if the people he sent cannot clean up the mess, the court will not know nothing about what happened in Guangdong."

"That's what Xiaguan thinks."

"Who do you think is suitable to send?"

"Reported to Master Zhongtang, when Shanghai fell, civil and military officials around Shanghai died and fled. In a radius of hundreds of miles, Han Xiufeng, who went to Songjiang Prefecture to handle grain under the order of the Lianghuai Transport Department, was the imperial official. If Han Xiufeng had not summoned the gentry to raise food and pay and helped to inquire about the thieves, Xu Naizhao, the then governor of Jiangsu, led his troops outside Shanghai, I am afraid that his soldiers and brave men would not even be able to eat, let alone suppress the thieves and quell the rebellion."

Wen Xiang paused and continued, "And Han Xiufeng is well-versed in the barbarians, unlike those pedantic people who disdain to deal with foreigners, nor are they who are greedy for life and death and dare not fight with foreigners. Therefore, the officials thought it was the most appropriate for the emperor to ask Han Xiufeng to transfer filial piety and loyalty to work in Guangdong."

This is really not a good job, Cao Yuying said without hesitation: "Mr. Zhongtang, the lower official also thinks that there is really no better candidate except Han Xiufeng."

"Han Xiufeng is both capable of leading troops and understanding the situation. He is indeed the only candidate. He asked the emperor to order him to move filial piety and loyalty. I guess the emperor should also be merciful. But... just..."

How could Wen Xiang not know that Master Zhongtang could not think of any shortcomings in Guangdong. Han Xiufeng was so suitable for Han Xiufeng. He said while the hot, "Mr. Zhongtang, Han Xiufeng had been the deputy of the two Huaihe River Transportation. The subordinate thought he could let him go to the office to manage Chaoyun and manage Chaoqiao salt affairs."

Wen Qing was both the Minister of Army and the Minister of Revenue. The Guangdong-Guangdong Salt Transportation Department was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue and was not unfamiliar with the salt affairs of Guangdong-Guangdong. Thinking that the Yuntong Office was located in Chaozhou instead of Guangzhou, Chaoyun-Guangdong, although Chaoyun-Guangdong was under the jurisdiction of the Guangdong-Guangdong Salt Transportation Department, it was actually not under the jurisdiction of the Guangdong-Guangdong Salt Transportation Department. He pondered: "This shortage is really suitable for him. It is not conspicuous, and he can do something after taking office. He doesn't have to be busy dealing with Shangguan, nor do he have to worry about local officials' constraints."

Wen Xiang couldn't help but say, "And you can take charge of Chaoqiao Salt Tax. As long as you have silver, you can do a lot of things!"

"I think about it again after I go back. Oh, I said I was here to reward you, but I just went to talk about business. Look, the food was cold. When I came, I filled my wine. I toast you with a glass of wine."

...

Wen Qing drank three glasses of wine and a few sips of food, then got up and went home.

As soon as he saw off the Lord Zhongtang, Chonghou couldn't help asking: "Brother Bochuan, what exactly is the lack of Chaoyun Tong?"

Before Wenxiang could speak, Cao Yuying picked up the wine glass and smiled: "In the 30th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi, the court sent a salt inspector to station in Guangdong and set up a salt courtyard. Two years later, it was renamed the Guangdong-Guangzhou-Guangzhou-Tu-Salt Transportation Commission, stationed in Guangzhou, and managed the salt affairs of the whole province. Since Chaozhou has been rich in sea salt since ancient times, it has been widely sold to the surrounding prefectures, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, the court has set up a salt transportation branch in Chaozhou. The full name is "Chaojiating Ganyu and Ganyu, and it is from the fourth rank, so it is called "Salt Transportation or Chaoyun and is in charge of Chaoqiao salt affairs."

"No wonder Wen Zhongtang said that you don't have to be busy dealing with Shangguan when doing this luck. It turns out that it's far from Guangzhou!"

"It's not just far from Guangzhou."

"Brother Bochuan, what do you mean?" Chongshi couldn't help asking.

In order to help Han Simou, Wen Xiang racked his brains and couldn't help but laugh: "Because it's far away, it's different to attract land. Since then, Guangdong's salt service has become a salt transport commander in charge of the provincial river, that is, the salt service in the Pearl River, and Chaoyun is the same as Chaoqiao salt service in charge of Chaoqiao.

The 159 ports in the rivers of the province were divided into six gates in the east, west, south, north, and middle, which was divided into six gates, which was called the change of the gate. Later, because the gate was not handled properly and the gate was exhausted and the pay was owed. In the 17th year of Jiaqing, the change of the Gang Bureau was rectified. The change of the Gang Bureau was appointed as the public office, and six transportation merchants were selected to be responsible for the six counters, and a commissioner was sent to supervise the site, which was called the change of the Gang Bureau.

Chaoqiao salt management is independent of the provincial river, and Chaoyun is in charge of the production, purchase, transportation, taxation, anti-smuggling and other salt management of Chaoqiao. It is under the jurisdiction of seven salt fields, including Hexi, Longjing, Dongjie, Haishan, Huilai and Xiaojiang, and is divided into three roads: Dahe, Xiaohe and the bridge. Among them, Dahe Jiubu, the Dahe, which is a subsidiary of Chaozhou Prefecture and Changting, Ninghua, Shanghang, Wuping, Qingliu and Yongding, which are affiliated to Tingzhou Prefecture in Fujian;

The twelve ports of Xiaohe are sold in Jiayingzhou and its Changle, Xingning, Pingyuan, Zhenping, and the twelve prefectures and counties under the Ganzhou Prefecture of Jiangxi Province. The eight ports under the bridge sell in the Haiyang, Fengshun, Chaoyang, Jieyang and Puning of Chaozhou Prefecture. They are not affiliated with the salt transport envoy of Guangdong and Guangxi Province, as long as they obey the orders of Guangdong and Guangxi Province, which are also the salt transport envoy of Guangdong and Guangxi Province."
Chapter completed!