1850 American Gold Tycoon

"Xinjinshan is the territory of the British. Ordinary Chinese have no support. It is impossible to get rich by gold mining in Xinjinshan," Liang Yao said.

"I do have some connections in Yingjili. If Hong Junmen is interested in Xinjinshan's gold, I am willing to contribute. It's just Liang's business in Guangdong. I hope Hong Junmen can facilitate it and take care of it in the future."

"Hahaha, you and I are from the same hometown, so we should take care of each other, but is there really gold in Xinjin Mountain?" Hong Mingxiang became interested, but he was still skeptical about whether Xinjin Mountain was rumored to be rich in gold.

"Whether there is gold or not, I don't have to say, Hong Junmen will only know if he sends someone there personally." Liang Yao said with a smile.

While the two were talking, Hong Mingxiang's soldiers boarded the Roland carrying a few fish: "Master Junmen, the fishermen just now sent us some sea goods to thank you for driving away the British ship. "

Hong Mingxiang looked ashamed. He looked at the fish in the soldier's hand, then shot his sharp eyes at the soldier, and asked in a deep voice: "Did you give me the money?"

"Master Junmen, this is what the fishermen gave to us as a thank you. Besides, the brothers have not received their salary for three months. The family is almost in trouble. Where can we get the money?" The soldier said with his head lowered. .

"Damn! How do I tell you on weekdays! Shuisheng, you are also from Xiangshan, and your ancestors also relied on the sea to make a living. You should know how difficult it is to make a living on the sea!" Hong Mingxiang reprimanded sternly.

"It is true that ordinary navy brothers cannot survive without being paid for three months, but you guys, this military sect has never treated you badly!"

The Guangdong Navy's military pay was in arrears for three months. Hong Mingxiang knew this, but his soldiers could still receive a certain amount of silver rice every month. It was nonsense to say they had no money.

"Master Junmen has been as kind to me as a mountain!"

The soldier hurriedly knelt down and said.

"Okay, don't embarrass yourself here! Collect the overseas goods and collect some money to send them to the fellow villagers. We will treat these overseas goods as ours." Hong Mingxiang waved his hand impatiently and said.

"Subordinates resign!"

The soldier stood up and handed the fish in his hand to the soldier beside Hong Mingxiang, and then left the Roland.

"This fish, Hong, deserves it!" Hong Mingxiang glanced at the fish in the soldier's hand, and then suggested, "Master Liang, how about you and I having a drink with this fish as an appetizer today?"

"Liang has this intention." Liang Yao said.

Three days later, Hu Jinchen handed Liang Yao the list of purchases for these days: "The supplies needed for the expedition to Japan have been purchased and shipped.

Liang Sen, who rushed back to Guangzhou from Nagasaki, also reported to Liang Yaohui: "Big dragon head, the Cantonese and Fujian merchants in Nagasaki have asked me to tell you that they have stocked up rice, flour, livestock and seasonal vegetables at the Tang Dynasty Hall in Nagasaki, and they can prepare them at any time. They can all provide logistical support for your army."

After Liang Yao carefully looked at the list in his hand, he handed it to Hu Jinchen and asked, "Where is General Perry?"

"General Perry has boarded the Mississippi and is preparing to weigh anchor and leave the port." Hu Jinchen replied.

Liang Yao nodded, and then said to Liang Sen beside him: "Liang Sen, come with me to the Mississippi to report to General Perry about the situation in Japan."

"Yes!" Liang Sen said.

After that, Liang Yao walked towards the Mississippi not far away. Soldiers from the California Infantry Regiment and the Arizona Infantry Regiment were lining up in neat lines to board the ship in an orderly manner.

Hong Mingxiang, who was ordered by Xu Guangjin to monitor Liang Yao, looked at this elite division with serious military appearance and clean and tidy clothes, and felt mixed emotions in his heart.

Hong Mingxiang knew clearly that even the military strength of Guangdong Province might not be able to stop Liang Yao's elite division.

Hong Mingxiang said to Kang Enze, his confidant and lieutenant on the side: "Enze, you pack up and go to Japan with Liang Yao's ship."

"Going to Japan?" Kang Enze was a little confused.

"Yes, you should observe the performance of Liang Yao's army in Japan for me, and report it to me in detail when you come back." Hong Mingxiang said.

If he wasn't busy with official duties and couldn't get away, Hong Mingxiang would also like to go to Japan to see the performance of Liang Yao's army in person.

"I obey my orders!" Kang Enze said, cupping his fists.

In the captain's room of the Mississippi, Liang Sen nervously reported to Perry and Liang Yaohui in English with a Japanese accent: "Under the wise guidance of His Excellency the Colonel, after two years of development, Nagasaki, Hyogo, We have people in big cities such as Osaka and even Edo, ready to provide support to our American army at any time."

"Two years ago?" Perry couldn't help but interrupt Liang Sen, "You mean you came to Japan to collect intelligence in 1850?"

Two years ago, California had just been established as a state. It was the moment when the conflict between the slave states and the free states in the United States was at its most acute. An expedition to Japan to force Japan to open its borders was even more unlikely.

At that time, Liang Yao sent spies to Japan to collect intelligence? Did Liang Yao have a plan to expedition to Japan two years ago and put it into practice?

Thinking of this, Perry felt more and more incredible, and he felt like he was being led by Liang Yao. Perry even once doubted whether he was the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Expeditionary Force or whether Liang Yao was the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Expeditionary Force. .

"I want to do some opium business in Japan, so I sent Liang Sen to Japan for inspection and development." Liang Yao gave a very perfunctory rhetoric, "Liang Sen, continue talking and tell General Perry Let’s talk about the situation of each feudal clan in Japan.”

Faced with this rhetoric, the shrewd and experienced Perry naturally would not believe it. However, since major cities in Japan had their own spies, the chances of winning the expedition to Japan would be greater. This was very good news for him.

"Japan has always said that there are three hundred vassals, big and small. However, these three hundred vassals are just an imaginary number. In fact, there are no three hundred vassals, but there are still more than two hundred vassals. Among the vassals, there are also twelve strong vassals. , the twelve powerful feudal clans are Kaga Domain, Satsuma Domain, Sendai Domain, Kumamoto Domain, Fukuoka Domain, Hiroshima Domain, Choshu Domain, Hizen Domain, Tottori Domain, Tsu Domain, Okayama Domain, and Dozuo Domain.

Most of these powerful vassals are located on Kyushu Island, Shikoku Island, and the southeastern part of Honshu Island. They are relatively strong and economically developed. The Tokugawa Shogunate's control over these powerful vassals is also relatively weak. Some vassals, such as the Choshu vassal, have always been at odds with the shogunate."

As he spoke, Liang Sen took out a carefully drawn map and spread it out on the table. The map detailedly marked the locations of each vassal, as well as the proven troop deployment.

Liang Yao looked at the map. He was very satisfied with Liang Sen's work. As expected, to spy on Japan's intelligence, it was still necessary to use the Japanese who were most familiar with Japan.

Liang Sen sent maps to Liang Yao several times, and these maps became more detailed every time. It can be seen that Liang Sen is very concerned about his work in Japan.

Perry's aide-de-camp, Colonel Miller, suddenly felt agitated when he heard so many unpronounceable vassal names: "What the hell are the vassals! Our army is pressing down on the border. If Japan doesn't know how to commend itself and refuses to found a country, they can directly attack Edo and kill them." If the king is captured and forced to establish the country, won’t it be over?”

Liang Yao couldn't help laughing and said: "Colonel Miller, the one who is in Edo is the Shogun of Japan. The Emperor of Japan is not in Edo, but in Kyoto."

Japan knew nothing about the West, and the West's understanding of Japan was not much better. Perry had previously believed that Japan was a country with a system similar to that of the Qing Dynasty.

In fact, the Japanese system is very different from that of the Qing Dynasty. Take the emperor of the Qing Dynasty and the emperor of Japan as an example. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty had real power, but the emperor of Japan had no real power. He was more of a It exists as a mascot and a god in the eyes of the Japanese people.

"If we capture both of them, won't it be over if we defeat both Kyoto and Edo? There are so many vassals in Japan. Without the emperor and generals, wouldn't we be leaderless?" Miller said.