The Red Mansions

Chapter 784 Don't Call It Unpredictable!
In the front hall of the post house, several Portuguese men with red beard and red hair and wearing bunt costumes stood on the left and right, with vigilant expressions on their faces.

The small officials and postmen in the posthouse did not pay attention frequently, because there were many red barbarians in Guangzhou and other places who trafficked goods into the city.

This is what Jia Heng said earlier about the strict enforcement of the sea ban, which has long existed in name only and was caused by the confusion of government orders. The Guangdong Navy's ban on Xue's family is itself a selective law enforcement, taking the opportunity to extort property.

Carlos, the envoy of Bucar Road, was sitting on a chair with a straight body, in the sunken bird's nest, with piercing eyes, looking at the layout of the post house, his face was indifferent, and the small table next to his hand The teacup was steaming from its own beep.

After a while, only hearing the sound of footsteps and voices outside, Bujialu followed the prestige and saw a tall boy with a stern face walking into the post station under the guard of Jinyifu. museum.

Jia Heng looked indifferent and walked in.

Chen Xiao was dressed in a flying fish suit, and stood holding a knife, with Xue Baoqin beside him.

Carlos got up, walked towards Jia Heng, and saluted: "His Royal Highness, Sir Boogaroo asked me to greet you on your behalf."

The man speaks Portuguese.

In fact, there are local staff in Guangdong who can speak the language of Hongyi, but in the city of Guangzhou, it is not easy to find it if you are eager to find it.

Xue Baoqin on the side took over the conversation, with a sweet smile on her pale face, and the translator said: "Brother Heng, he said that Sir is greeting you."

The girl traveled with Xue Jun in Nanyang and Western Yi countries since she was a child, and she knew the languages ​​of many countries, even Xue's father also knew Portuguese, otherwise, if she didn't speak any language abroad, what business would she be doing?
And benefiting from the training of his father Xue Jun, Xue Baoqin is also proficient in classical poetry.

Among the original works of the Red Chamber, Xue Xiaomei compiled ten new nostalgic poems, which are not far behind Xue Lin and others.

Because I have traveled to many places, my poems are not limited to the grievances and thoughts of boudoirs in the pavilions and pavilions in the courtyard of the Red Mansion, but have a somewhat broad vision of a strange woman.

Jia Heng looked at Carlos, and said with a blank expression: "Tell him, I accept his compliments, and ask him why Sir Boogaroo didn't come?"

Xue Baoqin spoke softly, and quickly translated a paragraph according to Jia Heng's words.

Carlos said: "My governor mentioned that if your country wants to buy firecrackers, you can go to Haojing to discuss. Sir is waiting for His Royal Highness the Earl in Haojing. In addition, Sir wants to discuss the lease of Haojing."

Jia Heng frowned, and asked: "You have occupied our Dahan territory for more than [-] years, and the renewal of the lease should be negotiated in Guangzhou. As for guns and guns, our country has been interested in your country's firearms since the Taizong Dynasty. As a matter of business cooperation."

In fact, I really have to go to Haojing.

Carlos said: "Your Royal Highness, the Sir has renewed the contract with your country with infinite sincerity, and does not want to hurt the friendship between the two countries for nearly a hundred years."

If counting from the reign of Chen Han Taizu, the Portuguese came to Haojing, Guangdong under the name of "borrowing land to dry flooded goods", and they really have a century-old friendship with Chen Han.

Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "Since you said that you have unlimited sincerity, then you have stolen the Haojing land in our country for many years and still have not returned the rent. You should first show these as sincerity."

With Xue Baoqin's translation, the expression on Carlos' face changed, and he said: "Your Highness, the lease agreement between our country and your country was automatically terminated 24 years ago. , but the government of your country has been procrastinating, thinking that it is legal and reasonable for our country to occupy Haojing, and the rent during this period should not be raised again."

In fact, it was because the Portuguese had just defeated the invading Dutch, and it was the time to show off their power. After the local officials in Guangdong reported to the court, Emperor Longzhi was dealing with the political turmoil after the defeat in Liaodong, and had no time to pay attention to what happened in Guangdong. Fanbang matter.

The local officials in Guangdong naturally avoided talking about it, but in the following twenty years, they gave the Portuguese more confidence and began to build an army in Haojing, recruiting pirates to fill the navy, setting up ship cannons, and Expel the officials sent to Haojing by Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, and dismantle the gates.

The resident population of Haojing has also changed from a few thousand in the early days to 5 to [-] now.

Jia Heng pondered for a moment, and said without detours: "Greetings to Sir Boogaroo, the Land of Haojing has been an inalienable territory of our country since ancient times. Your country has lived here for many years and traded on it without paying rent. Now Our country will take back the governance of Haojing, send officials to manage it, and collect city taxes."

Carlos listened to Xue Baoqin's translation, his expression changed, his eyes gradually turned cold, and he said, "His Royal Highness intends not to renew the contract and expel us?"

Jia Heng shook his head and said: "If your country wants to renew the contract, our country agrees in principle, but our country must first resume exercising sovereignty over Haojing. The terms of the lease contract are to return the rent arrears over the years, which should add up to 120 million taels of silver."

Haojing has been occupied by Hongyi for too long, and it is not easy to solve it in a hurry, but once the war starts, the navy from Guangdong, Fujian and other places will be mobilized to blockade and surround Haojing and other places.

When Carlos heard this, he felt resentful, and said, "A large number of our expatriates live in Haojing, and pirates are invading all around. Without the armed protection of the army, with the strength of your navy, it is impossible to undertake the important task of protecting our expatriates. "

Jia Heng said: "Our navy can expel pirates and ensure the safety of your overseas Chinese. As for your concern about our country's combat power, we have a large number of elite soldiers, and we can send [-] troops at any time to expel pirates along the coast."

Sovereignty issues cannot be discussed.

Hearing the [-] soldiers and horses, Carlos's heart trembled slightly, his eyes were fixed, and he said: "Our army cannot be withdrawn, and your navy's combat power is low, and it is impossible to drive out the pirates."

Jia Heng pondered for a moment, and said: "Then your country can convert the artillery and ships into rent and entrust them to us to manage. Your country can retain a small number of magistrates to adjudicate disputes among overseas Chinese, but disputes with our merchants must be accepted." Mediation, trial by local officials.”

As a matter of fact, regarding the issue among overseas Chinese, the Tang law stipulated the system of "communication between aliens", and judicial sovereignty itself is an inseparable part of national sovereignty.

However, at this time, the judicial immunity under the principle of reciprocity for diplomats has not yet been formed, and the international legal system in the modern sense has not yet been established.

Carlos' expression changed suddenly when he heard the words, and he looked aggressively at the boy in the python suit, and said coldly: "Your Highness, we have realized the land of the mirror, from a desolate and remote place with few people to the present trade, your country wants to take it back now."

Jia Heng said: "At the beginning, our country gave you a temporary residence for business and trade, not to cede the land."

Even the Ming Dynasty in a parallel time and space has undisputed suppression of the Portuguese.

Carlos said: "His Royal Highness's rude request, we cannot accept."

Jia Heng sneered and said: "Our Guangdong Navy is preparing for war and is committed to restoring Haojing's territorial sovereignty. Besides, it is unacceptable for troops from other countries to appear on the land of any country. I'm telling you, don't say that you are unpredictable!"

Xue Baoqin was translating, but she blinked suddenly, she clearly didn't know how to translate the last sentence, but after thinking about it, she still translated in a certain way.

"Is His Highness the Earl going to fight with us?" Carlos asked in a deep voice, feeling the will to fight in the words of the boy in the python suit on the opposite side.

Not being able to station troops means that there is a risk of being expelled at any time, which is absolutely unacceptable to them.

Jia Heng said: "Guangdong Marine Corps is ready to recover Haojing at any time, but if you are willing to renew the lease, as in the story of the lease in the past, our country will increase trade with you and open commerce."

These Portuguese are obviously unwilling to give up the benefits they have obtained, and he is not blindly xenophobic, using Haojing as a window for communication to observe changes in the world.

Carlos's face was ashen, with frightened and angry eyes, he said angrily: "I will convey the threat of war from His Highness the Earl to Sir!"

Clearly, there is outrage at Jia Heng's demand to disarm the army.

In the later Portuguese notebooks, it is also recorded that the Earl of Han clamored to launch a war and drive us into the sea.

Jia Heng looked indifferent, waved his hand, and asked Carlos and his party to be sent away.

Under Bao Qin's beautiful eyebrows, her bright eyes saw worry, and she said with concern: "Brother Heng, is there anything wrong?"

Some people don't understand, why did they froze when they were talking well just now?
Jia Heng said: "It's okay. Negotiations between the two countries are like this. Use power to overwhelm others. You come and go. If it's a maritime trade business, you can still talk about it, but sovereignty cannot be talked about."

The Portuguese in Haojing possess sharp firearms, but the biggest problem is still unresolved, that is, Haojing itself is at the foot of the big man, and it is impossible for Portugal to conquer the ocean, and the firearms at this time have not yet been crushed by generations. the point.

He had just inspected the Guangdong Marine Division. The Guangdong Marine Division was also equipped with the Franc cannon and other guns, but the range and accuracy of the Hongyi cannon might not be enough. But why did the Guangdong Marine Division fight the Portuguese? naval battle?

Xue Baoqin reminded: "Brother Heng, they will definitely not be reconciled, there are many Portuguese people in Haojing now."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, and said: "These are all historical issues accumulated over hundreds of years."

In the parallel time and space of the Ming Dynasty, in the 32nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, the Portuguese bribed Wang Bai, the deputy envoy of the Guangdong Procuratorate to inspect Haidao, with 500 taels of silver, and obtained the right of residence in the south of Macau.

In the fifth year of Longqing in the Ming Dynasty, the Portuguese bribed Haidao's deputy envoy as usual. Because the chief envoy of Guangdong was present at that time, they called 500 taels of silver for land rent and collected it into the national treasury.

At that time, the Guangdong government still sent officials to manage Haojing, and did not lose its sovereignty.

In the history of this world, the pattern was still the same in the early days of the Taizong Dynasty and the Longzhi Dynasty until the outbreak of the Battle of Liaodong.

In the reign of Chongping, the Portuguese people multiplied and formed a state within a state in Haojing, which seriously violated the territorial sovereignty of the great Han.

In fact, it was not until the end of the Qing Dynasty that Haojing was completely in the hands of the Portuguese, because at that time, after the baptism of the two Opium Wars, the Qing government had already changed its face when it heard of foreigners.

At this time, the big man was still the kingdom of heaven, and the Portuguese took advantage of the negligence of the Han court's management of the whole Haojing to steal Haojing, and their power was not enough to fight against the whole big man.

Although the Portuguese's firearms are sharp, they have not yet reached the point where there was a technological gap in the late Qing Dynasty.

The Portuguese entrenched in Macau and other places were actually aware of this, so they actively sought to negotiate a lease treaty with the Han court, and wanted to clearly fix the governance of Haojing in the form of a treaty.

Chen Xiao looked worried, and said in a low voice: "How is the combat power of the Guangdong Navy? Once a naval battle starts, can it withstand Hongyi's attack?"

Jia Heng said softly: "I'll have to look again in the next few days, and I'll report to the imperial court to try to solve the Haojing problem."

Although it is inclined that the Portuguese will not break out of war, they are not expected to win, but they are expected to lose first. If the Portuguese in Haojing insist on fighting, then the active preparation here can also win the war.

"Once there is a war between the two sides, Zhao Yi and Xu Tingye, who are in Haojing, have to come back as soon as possible." Chen Xiao said softly.

Jia Heng said: "That's what I mean too, send someone to bring them back later."

Saying that, she turned to look at Xue Baoqin, and said in a warm voice: "Sister Baoqin, you should rest at the post house for the past few days, Haojing may send someone over, and there is still room for borrowing from Sister Baoqin."

Xue Baoqin nodded and said with a sweet smile: "Brother Heng, what do you need to call me?"

As Jia Heng said, he came to the back hall, picked up a map and flipped through it, which marked the terrain around Haojing.

In fact, Haojing is not far from Zhuhai at all, and it can be regarded as inland, but it just gives people the illusion of being alone overseas and traveling far away.

Chen Xiao said with a worried face: "I think it's only necessary to fight again, otherwise Hongyi won't quit Haojing easily."

Jia Heng nodded and said: "It's about the same. I don't know how powerful the Hongyi are at Haojing."

"I'll ask someone to inquire about it." Chen Xiao said in a deep voice.

Jia Heng nodded, and said in a deep voice: "There are 1 Guangdong Mariners. Even if there are [-] people, if the plan is right, this battle may not be impossible. If there is a real fight, it will be to clean the house and treat the guests."

As he said that, he looked at Chen Xiao and said, "I'll go to Yuehai Navy again in the next two days."

In case of a fight, if this navy cannot take on important responsibilities, it will be quite troublesome.

Chen Xiao frowned, and said: "Now it seems that Zhou Zao is about to go out of hiding, probably because he expected Hao Jing's difficulty, and he has the intention of avoiding disaster."

Jia Heng frowned, and said coldly: "This old fox."

While the two were talking, the outsider came into the hall and reported: "Captain, Liu Xiaoyuan, the chief secretary of Guangdong, has handed over a famous assassin, and I have something to do with the governor."

Jia Heng turned to look at Chen Xiao, and said in a low voice: "Liu Xiaoyuan is not in Guangzhou, what is he doing here at this time?"

Chen Xiaoqing had a thoughtful look on his cold and beautiful face, and said, "Go and have a look."

At this moment, in the flower hall, Liu Xiaoyuan, Chief Secretary of Guangdong Province, was sitting on a pear wood chair, his elegant face was full of dignity.

Following the sound of intensive footsteps, Jia Heng and Chen Xiao left the back hall and came to the post house.

Liu Xiaoyuan stood up, bowed his hands to Jia Heng and said: "I have seen Uncle Yongning."

Jia Heng looked at Liu Xiaoyuan. This middle-aged official was wearing a scarlet gown official uniform, under a black black gauze hat, with a fair complexion and bright eyes under two slender eyebrows. He asked, "Liu Canzheng is not in Guangzhou, why did he arrive in Panyu?"

Lin Ruhai's letter was still in his hand, and he didn't take it out immediately, the purpose was to observe this Liu Shenzheng.

Liu Xiaoyuan looked solemnly, and asked: "Uncle Yongning wants to start a war with Haojing's Hongyi?"

Jia Heng's face was like dark water, and his silence was like a deep pool, and he asked, "Why did Liu Canzheng say that?"

Liu Xiaoyuan looked worried, and said: "Uncle Yongning hastily inspected the Guangdong Navy when he first came to Guangdong, and I heard from the post office clerk that Uncle Yongning has seen the envoy from Hongyi who came from Haojing."

Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "I'm just planning for the worst. Once the negotiation between the two parties breaks down, it's inevitable that we will meet with each other after recovering Hao Jing."

"Uncle Yongning, the Hongyi firearms in the Haojing Land are so sharp, I'm afraid it will be difficult to fight against them with the power of the Guangdong Navy." Liu Xiaoyuan explained, "This battle cannot be won."

Jia Heng frowned, and asked: "The Guangdong navy has [-] to [-] soldiers, and the Guangdong side has nearly [-] cavalry. Even though the combat power is unbearable, but with my backing, it's not like these red barbarians can humiliate you lightly." of?"

Liu Xiaoyuan looked at the surrounding Captain Jinyi, with a look of hesitation on his face.

Seeing this, Jia Heng's heart moved slightly, and he gave Li Shu a wink. The latter came out of the flower hall and called all the captains in Jinyi to be on guard.

In fact, the post house had been guarded inside and out by Jia Heng's Jinyi Tiqi before, and it was used as the place where Jia Heng worked on festivals.

Liu Xiaoyuan said: "Uncle Yongning, many generals of the Guangdong Navy are engaged in smuggling business, and many local officials in Guangdong also profit from smuggling. They thought that Uncle Yongning came to ban smuggling. Hide and go out."

Speaking of which, it was Jia Heng who made trouble in the south of the Yangtze River by investigating and banning the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou on the basis of the case of smuggling the eastern captives, and the local officials in Guangdong also rejected Jia Heng, the military minister himself.

Jia Heng said: "I know a little bit about the smuggling of the generals and schools of the Guangdong Navy, and I will not tolerate any connection with the barbarians in Haojing."

This time is different from Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps, because he went south to rectify the soldiers of the two battalions, seconded Henan soldiers and horses, suppressed Jiangbei camp, and then suppressed Jiangnan officialdom one after another.

So is it repeating the old trick and dispatching a cavalry army from Jiangnan Daying to go south to Guangdong?
I'm afraid that the time will not be able to catch up. At most, the Fujian navy can only be transferred to Guangdong.

So now we still have to hold on to Wu Tao and let the Guangdong Marine Division contribute.

Liu Xiaoyuan pondered for a moment, and reminded: "Uncle Yongning is going to fight Hongyi, and he needs to mobilize the entire Guangdong capital's troops, and the only way is to advance by land and water."

Jia Heng looked up at Liu Xiaoyuan, feeling somewhat surprised, and asked: "What Liu Canzheng said is reasonable, a lion fights a rabbit with all his strength."

As he said that, he took out a letter from his sleeve and said, "Master Liu, this is a letter from Yangzhou Yanyan Yushi who entrusted me to deliver it to Liu Canzheng when I came here."

When Liu Xiaoyuan heard the words, his face changed after plastic surgery, and he asked in surprise, "Brother Lin's letter?"

Hastily reached for the letter and opened it to read.

Jia Heng didn't bother Liu Xiaoyuan to read the letter, picked up the teacup, took a sip, thinking about how to play this chess game in Guangdong.

Although he came here for Hongyi's firearms technology, if he had to fight a battle, and once there was a fight, he had better recover Haojing completely.

As Liu Xiaoyuan said, the strength of avoiding the enemy is the weakness of attacking the enemy.

After reading the letter in his hand, Liu Xiaoyuan looked up at the young man opposite, and asked, "Uncle Yongning, why didn't you deliver the letter before?"

In Lin Ruhai's letter to Liu Xiaoyuan, he mentioned the relationship between Jia Heng and himself, and also mentioned Jia Heng's views on the sea ban and the re-opening of the Shibo Lifting Department.

Jia Heng said: "I am a minister in the same dynasty. Besides, if you take out this letter as soon as possible, how can you see that Liu Shenzheng is anxious and righteous, and come to Panyu to remind me?"

Liu Xiaoyuan praised: "Bo Zhenzai of Yongning is also a privy secretary."

Jia Heng smiled, but didn't take this seriously.

He didn't believe that this Liu Xiaoyuan didn't know about the in-law relationship between him, the patriarch of the Jia clan, and Lin Ruhai, um, he was the in-law of Daiyu's mother Jia Min.

Therefore, there are no little white rabbits in the officialdom, they are all old foxes.

Jia Heng said: "I will inspect and supervise the training of the Guangdong Navy and the Guangdong Metropolitan Division."

From what I saw in the morning, the Guangdong Marine Division has a relatively complete number of troops. It may be because they often go to sea to help generals smuggle. Many officers and soldiers are actually in good spirits, and there are not many old and weak. It's enough to press Hao mirror.

(End of this chapter)