The sun was setting in the west and the moon was rising in the east. The combined fleet was getting closer and closer to the heart of the British Empire. After bypassing Cape Forland and passing through the Strait of Dover, Xiao Letian and the others finally saw the waves of the North Sea again.
All the veterans who participated in the first European tour were in tears. Many of them thought of their comrades who died in Europe and couldn't help but shed tears.
Xiao Letian recalled every detail of the Austro-Prussian War, recalling the scene when he was besieged by the French fleet in the North Sea and the Prussian civilian ship risked his life to save him. His nose became sour and he almost shed tears.
"Back again, back again! I'm back again..."
Just when he was sighing, Zai Chun's voice suddenly sounded behind him, "Master... The Duke of Newcastle has returned to the Glory on a barge. Just now, Senior Brother Xiang Ying said that we will reach the Thames Estuary in two hours..."
Xiao Letian quickly rubbed his sore nose, suppressed the sore feeling in his eyes, turned around and said, "I know, you also ask Da Sixi and the others to prepare your belongings as soon as possible..."
"Since you want to go deep into the tiger's den to find out the truth about the British, I can't stop you, master, but you must be prepared! Don't lose the majesty of the emperor when you go out. The gifts brought out of the Forbidden City must be distributed carefully. We are in Europe There are more countries to go to than just the UK, so don’t use up everything at once…”
"In terms of money, I asked Jin Sanshun to send you another two hundred thousand pounds in cash. Although the UK takes care of all your expenses, some necessary rewards cannot be missing. If you have too much money, you will not bite your hand..."
Xiao Letian was like a father. He was teaching his son to leave home and live alone in school. His eyes showed real emotions. Zai Chun truly felt the reluctance in his master's heart.
"Master...I...or I won't go, I will still study with you..." Zai Chun is still a child after all, and his temperament is not stable.
Xiao Letian smiled and patted Zai Chun on the shoulder, "Go! Isn't this the independence you have long wanted? Do you think the Forbidden City and the Forty-Nine City are prisons, so the Chinese have no restraints? In fact, they are all the same... "
"It's a pity that you are the emperor and you shoulder this unshirkable responsibility. If you were an ordinary child or a child from a noble family, I would not let you go. I would definitely let you mature for a few more years..."
"But you are Emperor Tongzhi after all! In two years you will definitely have to return to Beijing to take charge. Time is running out for you. You have to learn to be on your own!"
There was a hint of bitterness in Xiao Letian's smile, "I won't stop you anymore. I won't stop you anymore. The dragon is about to fly into the sky. Don't be afraid of what you have to face. Keep moving forward!"
Zai Chun couldn't hold back his tears and fell down. He was flirting with the British behind his master's back, but his master was not angry and took good care of him.
Two hundred thousand pounds doesn't seem like much, and it's not a big sum of money in terms of the size of the Chinese economy. However, Zai Chun knows that the master's career is in a difficult period of growth, and the money he makes is high, but the expenses are also high.
Industrialization and the navy are both industries that require huge investments in the early stage to see benefits. There is plenty of gold and silver in Xiao Letian's warehouse, but unfortunately they all have plans and arrangements. All departments have already looted them all, which can squeeze out 200,000 pounds for Zai Chun. It’s really not easy to come out.
"Master..." Zai Chun choked up all of a sudden. He was not only moved by the master's money, but also of course by his heart-warming words. When he came out of the Forbidden City, E Niang didn't even hold his hand and talk about home affairs.
No one cared about his warmth or coldness, and no one taught him how to deal with various emergencies. Maybe in the eyes of the nobles in the Forbidden City, it didn't matter whether Zai Chun was cold, hungry or in a good mood. The eunuchs are in charge.
But people are emotional creatures after all, especially teenage children, who are on the verge of rebelliousness. Xiao Letian knows all too well that children who lack love will eventually develop into all kinds of weird personalities.
"Okay, okay, don't look like you have no future. You shouldn't suffer a loss when you go to Buckingham Palace. After all, Britain needs to cooperate with you. They don't have the ability to control Asia on their own. As long as you are careful and calm down, there will definitely be success. Harvested……"
Zai Chun twitched his nose a few times and said to the master, "You just had such a wonderful business negotiation with the Duke of Newcastle. I know that this is the master who is teaching me! I will definitely learn from the master and be careful when negotiating." We must compare, and we will never let them deceive us..."
Xiao Letian was happy when he heard it, and thought to himself, why are so many people trying so hard to interpret what I am doing? Director Wang said I was committing suicide. Zai Chun said that I was teaching him by words and deeds. Why are every idea so confusing? Why don't I want to make some money?
But he couldn't say this directly, so he had to follow Zai Chun's words, "Don't think too much, negotiation is a university subject, and your current skills are really not enough!"
"When bargaining, you must learn to fight without breaking. People can easily become emotional when talking to each other. Can you control your emotions and not get angry? This is a university question!"
"Master, I can only tell you that when you can't make a decision, just shut up and don't speak... You must know that previous negotiations between countries often take several years. It is completely normal to delay! "
"As long as you master this trick, I think you won't suffer too much loss..."
As the sun set, the master and apprentice on the bow of the boat leaned together, pointing at the farms, hills, towns, and factories on the distant land... Xiao Letian was doing his best to instill some negotiation skills into Zai Chunduo. He knew that his hard work might not be of much use, but he had to fulfill his obligations as a master.
Everyone else on the Zhiyuan subconsciously avoided the corner where the master and apprentice were, because everyone knew that in an hour and a half, Zai Chun would break up with the head of state and take his subordinates to the British soil in advance.
Give them some time alone. No one wants to disturb the master and disciple. The afterglow of the setting sun shines golden on the two of them.
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