The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 92 Assassination Before the Expedition

Hu Xueyan, the leading figure in Southeast China's business community and president of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang General Chamber of Commerce, possessed wealth that was difficult to quantify precisely, but wealth was not his most dazzling calling card.

He had a close private relationship with Wang Youling, the governor of Zhejiang. He was adept at social maneuvering, had a wide circle of friends, and was unfathomable.

The business he runs is one that no one else dares to touch.

People like Hu Xueyan are generally referred to as political businessmen.

Mitsui is also a typical example of a businessman in politics. He was previously a merchant employed by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and now he has transformed into a merchant employed by the civil administration.

each other.

Hu Xueyan looked around at the crowd and spoke: "Gentlemen, although we have some disagreements with the North, we cannot be ambiguous on matters of national importance. Some money can be earned, and some cannot. From this day forward, all shops and factories under my name, Hu, will officially sever all business ties with Dong Sang."

"Chairman Hu, please think it over. Thirty percent of the net profit is no small amount." Mitsui Hisashi was both surprised and angry.

"Mr. Mitsui, don't you know that my family, Mr. Hu, has a treasure trove?" After this little joke, there was a certain...

The principled Hu Xueyan laughed loudly and turned away.

He is a proud man!

Although he's very good at making money, he's not interested in it!

A boatman lowered his light boat and carried the God of Wealth of the Southeast to the shore.

on board.

Everyone looked at each other.

"What treasure basin?" Mitsui Hisashi was completely bewildered.

According to folklore, a few years ago, Chairman Hu unearthed a treasure bowl from the foundation of his old house in Hangzhou. The treasure bowl kept flowing out gold and silver treasures every day, and he could never use them up, which is why he became the richest man in the empire.

"Is that so?" Mitsui Hisashi suddenly turned his head and said, word by word, "Then, does Chairman Zheng also have a treasure bowl at home?"

""

Zheng Guanying hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Yes, it's free money, should we accept it?

-

The atmosphere was slightly awkward.

Behind.

Sheng Xuanhuai, vice president of the Jiangsu Textile Association, cleared his throat: "This is a matter of great importance. Regarding the raw silk cooperation, we cannot give you an immediate reply. Mr. Mitsui, the sun has already set. Why don't we put aside our troublesome business for now and enjoy a stroll along the Qinhuai River?"

"Respect is not as good as obedience."

Not refusing is itself an attitude.

Painted boats were ancient yachts.

The pleasure boat that everyone was traveling on was particularly luxurious, wider and longer, with carved beams and painted rafters on the upper deck, and a spacious interior that could even accommodate a 30-person song and dance performance.

Despite it being winter and the wind was biting, the boat was not cold. Openwork bronze stoves were scattered throughout the pleasure boat, filled with animal-shaped charcoal, which continuously emitted heat.

The upper level of the painted boat was covered with light gauze curtains, which slightly obscured the view.

The lower deck is lined with small, exquisite gas lamps. As the boat sails on the dimly lit Qinhuai River, the girls on the boat, dressed in light, appear to be singing and dancing in the distance, creating a dazzling spectacle.

Xiaoxiaosheng once said: Rich people are very abnormal, and rich people with culture are especially abnormal.

The common people stood on the shore, craning their necks and staring wide-eyed, only able to see the officials and girls playing and chasing each other. They couldn't see clearly; it was all blurry and they had to rely on their imagination for the details.

Being watched is also part of the pleasure boat play.

Full of charm.

It's full of charm!

If Professor Shen were here, he would surely exclaim in surprise:

The world has never changed!

Never!

The brothel madam and the designer of the exclusive Disneyland tickets are from the same school; they both treat ordinary people as NPCs (player-versus-player characters).

The patrons on the ship were overjoyed to see the NPCs craning their necks on the shore.

Watching the NPCs who only paid the regular ticket price line up in front of the entertainment attractions, the VIP users who didn't have to queue and could play whenever they wanted were extremely happy.

Although spring was in full bloom, Mitsui Hisashi had no time to appreciate it and was even filled with worry.

Cotton fabric is alright; it can't be sold for the time being, so it can be stockpiled in the warehouse.

However, if raw silk cannot be sold, it will quickly rot. Domestic raw silk production is too large, but factory consumption is too small, so large quantities can only be exported.

After several rounds of drinks...

Sheng Xuanhuai suddenly leaned closer: "Mr. Mitsui, do you think it's possible for a large-scale naval battle to break out between the two countries?"

"I have no idea."

"If a war breaks out at sea, there are many things that cannot be discussed."

That's quite a blunt way of putting it!

"Although Mitsui is a zaibatsu, it has no right to influence the Kyoto court, just like you have a lot of money but cannot influence the central government."

-

"Although we cannot control the central government, we can persuade the governor."

"President Sheng, please speak frankly?"

"You must have a direct channel of communication with the Kyoto Imperial Palace, right?"

"have."

"Fine, business is business, everything has a price, and war is no exception. We hope your country will deploy a joint fleet to severely damage the Northern Fleet, and we are willing to pay the price for it."

"What kind of bargaining chips?"

"Any bargaining chip. First, both of us must be willing to cooperate, and then the price is negotiable."

"I understand. I will definitely pass on the message to the relevant departments in Kyoto after I return to China."

"6

"Cheers~"

Plan

Suddenly, shouts came from inside the cabin.

"Fire! Fire!"

Mitsui Hisashi stared intently and saw five naked girls running on the deck, their braids hanging down their backs, the ends of their hair on fire, sparks falling down their braids.

The guests cheered, chased after each other, and raised their glasses to splash the wine.

One cup after another.

Alcohol, the smell of burning, screams, laughter~

"What kind of project is this?" Mitsui Hisashi was greatly shocked.

"This is called burning the rattan armor soldiers. These bitches from the Qinhuai River always manage to come up with something new and interesting."

"As expected of a great nation, even its brothels and entertainment surpass those of Shinmachi in Osaka."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Xuanhuai burst into laughter. Dongsang, a tiny, insignificant country, with tens of millions of citizens struggling to even afford rice, dares to dream of entertainment?

He looked down on Dong Sang from the bottom of his heart, but he couldn't bear to part with the money, and he coveted things beyond money.

at the moment.

The navy was the last chain binding the gentry of Southeast China.

Putting aside the distant past, the Southern Fleet stationed in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Xiamen, and Zhoushan, directly under the command of the imperial court, is a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads.

Shen Moqing understood the significance of the fleet, and the gentry of the southeast understood it even more clearly.

Sudden.

A wealthy businessman named Xu Run got carried away and took off his boots, hat, and silk shirt on the spot. He then picked up the nearest female rattan armor soldier and they both jumped into the Qinhuai River.

thump~

Water splashed everywhere.

Holy crap, everyone was stunned, especially since it's winter!!

"Quickly, go down and rescue them! Each person who goes into the water will be rewarded with 100 silver dollars!" Sheng Xuanhuai was also startled by the winter swimming enthusiasts and shouted at the stern of the boat.

Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

Four boatmen jumped into the icy Qinhuai River and pulled Xu Run ashore in no time.

"Xu the Madman, are you looking for death?"

"Exciting, so exciting!"

-

Xu Run, nicknamed "Crazy Xu," grinned foolishly. He had only been in the water for a short while when he was shivering from the cold. He took a cup of hot yellow wine from Sheng Xuanhuai.

Why did you jump into the river?

"I don't know, I just suddenly wanted to find some excitement."

A few minutes later~

The boatmen pulled a woman's body out of the water and threw it onto the deck. She was as white as paper; though she had drowned, her arms were outstretched and her eyes were wide open in anger.

"My poor daughter~" The madam knelt beside the cold corpse, sobbing uncontrollably. The grievances had a source, and the debts had a debtor.

Haha, even if she had a hundred lives, she wouldn't dare to curse these creditors.

Inside the cabin, the girls were either weeping, turning their heads away, or numb. Only one girl, with a plump figure and spirited eyes, took off her clothes and covered the corpse with them.

"Madam, it's my fault today. How about ten thousand silver dollars?" Xu Run rubbed his nose.

-

"Thank you, Manager Xu." The madam finally stopped crying.

Ten thousand silver dollars!

A few more could even die.

"Crazy Xu, you still have to give each boatman 100 yuan, 100 yuan, the reward I promised you." Sheng Xuanhuai pointed at the group of wet boatmen.

"200!"

Xu Run held up two chubby fingers.

What is money? Money is a bastard.

"Thank you, Master Xu." The boatmen were overjoyed.

"The river water is too cold." Xu Run sneezed loudly, touched his nose, and went inside to warm himself by the fire.

The presence of a corpse on the deck dampened everyone's spirits, and after a few words, they all said goodbye and left.

The cups and plates were scattered everywhere, and the people were gone and the boat was empty.

Mitsui Hisashi approached the righteous girl who had taken off her clothes to cover the body. Seeing her heroic demeanor and a hint of stubbornness, he couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards her.

"What's your name?"

"Sai Jinhua".

"Come with me tonight, I'll pay you 400 yuan, is that enough?"

"Too many."

"No, you deserve it," Mitsui Hisashi said in a low voice. "I'm from Dongzang, do you mind?"

"Singing girls know not the sorrow of a fallen nation, still singing 'The Flowers of the Rear Courtyard' across the river. Generation after generation has sung this song; home and country are ultimately too distant for us singing girls."

"In your country's parlance, it's the meat-eaters who plan it."

The painted boat slowly returned to port.

Looking at the scenery on both sides of the river, Mitsui Hisashi suddenly realized that there were huge contradictions among the various levels of the United Empire. It was a disorganized mess, seemingly powerful but unable to work together.

The education system in the imperial country has great potential.

can win!

We will definitely win!

That night.

Jiangsu-Zhejiang General Chamber of Commerce.

Hu Xueyan was playing mahjong with his three concubines, sometimes winning and sometimes losing, and they were having a great time when his trusted steward suddenly pushed open the door and quietly entered.

"Sir, there's an urgent telegram."

"Give it to me."

With just one glance, the smile on the God of Wealth's face froze, and he pushed the ivory mahjong tiles away with a clatter.

"Get the car ready quickly."

"Master, which vixen are you going to see so late at night?" a concubine complained in a coquettish voice.

"If you say another word, I'll divorce you."

Hu Xueyan's expression was serious. He casually stuffed the telegram into the stove. The telegram came from the capital and its contents were brief and to the point: The Northern Fleet has been dispatched! Details unknown!

Although the telegram was unsigned, he knew who it belonged to. Every word was worth a fortune, a promise he would fulfill later.

Great.

The Northern Fleet has finally been deployed.

Ideally, they should all go out, and ideally, both sides should suffer heavy losses.

Driven by a simple sense of patriotism, Hu Xueyan hoped that the naval battle would result in mutual destruction rather than a unilateral victory for the Eastern Sangha.

In that case, the chains binding the southeast would break.

A cold winter night.

Despite the howling north wind outside, the God of Wealth, sitting in the carriage, was filled with burning desire. In a daze, he saw the power he had always dreamed of.

Night had fallen, and the streets were deserted, save for the sound of rubber tires crunching over the snow.

Sudden.

bang~

A crisp gunshot shattered the silence of the night sky over Nanjing, followed by a barrage of gunfire.

The next morning.

-

Beijing.

The area near Xizhimen Railway Station is heavily guarded, with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps.

Dressed in all black, resembling school uniforms, the young naval cadets, with their belts fastened and leather backpacks slung over their shoulders, embraced and kissed their childhood sweethearts who had come to see them off.

Let the pure white cherry blossoms fall on your shoulders, let the girl's tears drip onto her uniform.

The atmosphere was inexplicably tragic.

War is imminent!

The Navy issued an emergency mobilization order, and apart from the first-year students, two-thirds of the remaining students volunteered to come.

Although the noble sons of the United Empire were spoiled and dissolute, at least they dared to draw their swords.

To dare to board a ship shows courage and determination.

Because naval warfare is different from land warfare, once combat begins, the captain's chances of survival are not much higher than those of a boiler operator.

The empty station square.

The chimes of the clock echoed as the hour struck.

Playboy Fang Boqian had his fiancée, a noblewoman, on one arm and held the hand of a literary young woman from another household with whom he had shared a deep bond for several years on the other.

"I won't allow you to be with her." The voluptuous and proud wife had tears in her eyes.

"Boqian, it's alright. I just want to see you return safely. As long as I see you are well, I will leave the capital on my own."

None of the women in the outer quarters are easy to deal with; this is a clever tactic of feigning retreat to advance.

"After we get married, you can take concubines, you can take any of them, but it can't be her." The first wife stomped her feet in anger as she looked at the gentle and delicate concubine.

"Boqian, please don't be troubled, don't go to the battlefield with your mind on it. Wherever I go in the future, no matter which honest man I marry, I will always pray for you in my heart. I believe you will become a great hero." The maid's eyes were red, and her words were like knives.

Fuck!

The thought of such a delicate, pure girl who idolized him being pinned down on the bed by another man made Fang Boqian feel so miserable he wanted to die.

Two meters away.

The well-behaved Deng Shichang watched this scene with curiosity. He was from Guangdong and was a rare honest man in Guangdong, so he had neither a childhood sweetheart nor a betrothed woman, nor any romantic entanglements to see him off.

roll~

Fang Boqian kept gesturing with his eyes, "Get out of here!" But instead of moving away, the bachelor took a step closer.

Sudden.

Protests could be heard from outside the cordon in the distance.

"I am a journalist, an exclusive correspondent for AFP in Yanjing. My name is Louise Michel." A blonde, brown-eyed, and quite beautiful woman repeatedly explained her identity, even pulling out a badge issued by the Ministry of Rites.

"Back off! Anyone who trespasses will be killed without mercy!" The soldier didn't want to pay any attention to him.

"Michelle, let's forget about it."

Behind him, his round-faced, bearded assistant, carrying a camera, whispered words of comfort. These days, cameras are enormous; only a strong man could handle them.

"Could I ask your superior?" she asked, taking a step forward, unwilling to give up.

"Step back."

-

Seeing the soldier suddenly point his gun at her, Michelle tensed up and froze like a statue. Fortunately, her assistant pulled her back in time.

Click.

Click.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Michelle turned her head and saw a handsome and dashing naval officer with sharp eyes walking towards her, his appearance quite remarkable. He wore knee-high military boots, a military officer's uniform, and a black fox fur coat with a bright red lining.

At first glance, his attire makes one think that the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet has arrived.

"Senior Shen!!"

Deng Shichang recognized him from afar and waved and shouted excitedly.

Like father, like son; like brothers in arms; if only I could operate artillery with my senior!

"Identification documents!"

Shen Moqing glanced at Michelle, the unfamiliar woman who was being held back outside the blockade, and took out the gold seal of identity issued by the Forbidden City Front Command from his pocket.

The soldiers stood in awe.

"Sir, please~"

Behind.

The assistant whispered, "Look, a big shot has arrived."

Looking at his imposing senior, Deng Shichang resisted the urge to salute, swallowed hard, and softly called out, "Senior."

Fang Boqian frantically winked at him.

Picking up girls, juggling two relationships, getting into trouble, being a wingman, having a daddy, helping your buddies out, get it?

At Haishi, senior students have an obligation to care for junior students.

Shen Moqing only glanced at it, but he understood the chaotic situation. Men, you know, are two-timing, and then the two boats accidentally collided.

It's nothing special.

At worst, we can just pick both the garden flowers and the wildflowers.

-

"Sergeant Fang Boqian, you volunteered to board the most dangerous Super Brave Ship for this expedition, which is excellent. However, the probability of death is very high. Did you leave a will?" Shen Moqing raised his chin and asked loudly.

"I kept it."

"Did you save the seed?"

"what?"

Even the shameless playboy Fang Boqian was stunned by this ultimate shamelessness, while the women around him, both his wife and mistresses, lowered their heads shyly.

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