"Ah! Boss Zhao actually wants to take action himself?"
At noon two days later, Lu Qi, who had just returned to Kinmen Town, was ecstatic after seeing the telegram. Boss Zhao came to help him solve his problem. Since the leader is coming, why should he do something to save his face? Should he ask an Indian girl to send flowers, or should he lay out a red carpet at the entrance of the fort?
"Chief, that guy named Baranov is here again. Do you see him?"
Lu Qi's random thoughts were interrupted by the report of his guard. He pondered for a while and said: "See you. Invite him in."
After a while, the door opened, and a tall, fat guy with a red face and a dark face walked in followed by the guard. This man looked to be in his forties, with triangular eyes and high brows. He walked to a place about two meters away from Lucci and stood there. He took off the top hat made of beaver felt on his head, revealing his Mediterranean-style bald head and a ring of light yellow and sparse hair around it.
"Hello, Your Majesty the Governor, I'm here to disturb you again." The visitor spoke in English, but because he was afraid that Lu Qi couldn't hear clearly, he spoke very slowly.
"Please take a seat, Mr. Baranov." Rucci stood up to greet him and also asked him to sit down in English.
Mr. Baranov's full name is Alexander Andreevich Baranov, and he is the general manager of the Russian "Northeast America Company" in Alaska. This company is actually the predecessor of the "Russian-American Trading Company" in another time and space. It is currently mainly engaged in the fur business from Alaska and the whaling business at sea.
Twenty years ago, a Russian merchant fleet set out from Okhotsk on a commercial trade voyage to the Kuril Islands and Aleutian Islands. Five years later, in 1783, the year when Zhao Xin first met the Liji couple, the fleet finally expedition to Alaska, and the following year established its first stronghold on Kodiak Island in the northwest Gulf of Alaska. .
In the spring of 1790, the 41-year-old company leader Shelikhov returned to Irkutsk due to health reasons. Before leaving, he appointed Baranov as the general manager of the company.
In August of the same year, the "Battle of Usolye" broke out between the town of Beihai and the Tsarist Russian Empire. After the battle, Okhotsk was completely lost, which cut off all land and water transportation from Tsarist Russia to Eastern Siberia. Shelikhov heard that After hearing the news, he fell ill due to desperation.
You must know that since the establishment of the navy by Peter the Great, the Tsarist Russian Empire has formed a world strategy including the "Six Seas and Three Oceans", and all subsequent monarchs have followed it as a model. The loss of the eastern seaport forced Russian merchant ships to take the Baltic Sea, or the route from Crimea to the Black Sea, or the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean.
At this time, the Russians have not yet opened up the Arctic Ocean shipping lanes. Unless something unexpected happens, it will not be realized until at least a hundred years later. And even if it were opened, it would be useless. The harsh natural environment made the east and west waterways unfeasible commercially until the 21st century.
Therefore, in the previous negotiations between Tsarist Russia and Beihai Town, the return of Okhotsk was one of the main conditions. As a result, it was ruthlessly rejected by Zhao Xin every time.
In order to completely make Okhotsk a sphere of influence in the Chinese territory, the Civil Affairs Committee renamed it "Shaohai Town" based on the records in the "Tongdian" of the Tang Dynasty; the Northern Navy Staff also dispatched a company of land troops there. The team rotates its personnel every summer when the supply ship arrives. Every winter in the past three years, Zhao Xin would spend a few days traveling back from another time and space to deliver a large amount of fresh vegetables, rice, flour, grain and oil to the local garrison to ensure the health of the soldiers and prevent them from getting damaged. blood disease.
In addition, in order to naturalize the local Evenki and Yakut people, the Education Committee also specially allocated funds to build a Chinese school in the local area. Compared with the Russian missionary schools, the schools in Beihai Town not only provide food, clothing and housing, but also provide four sets of clothes, shoes and hats, and scholarships every year. The teachers who were sent there were also paid double their salaries and were also provided with various subsidies.
While waiting for tea, Rucci chatted for a while. Although Baranov was anxious, he could only respond with a smile. When the guard brought tea, the two finally got back to business.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for several days. I also just came back from Lushui Town. Please understand that as the governor of a newly developed area, there are too many things that need to be handled personally." After Lu Qi finished speaking, he made a He shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
"Sir, I know you are busy with work. However, this year's beaver hunting season is about to arrive in one month, and many things need to be prepared in advance. If you can allow me, I hope to come back next spring to discuss cooperation between the two parties."
After hearing this, Lu Qi thought about it. Zhao Xin will come next month, and that person's Russian is much better than his own, so he said: "Mr. Baranov, I fully understand your idea of forming a joint venture." However, I very much hope that you can stay. Because in a few days, a big shot will come to the Golden Gate Fortress. In addition to presiding over our negotiations with Spain, he himself will also be able to resolve your matter."
"Really?! Exactly how many days?" Baranov's eyes lit up and he stared at Lucci intently.
"Well, no more than ten days."
Baranov frowned and considered for a moment, then said decisively: "I can wait for ten days. But your Excellency, Governor, I have a small request."
"Please say."
"Can you be accommodating and let my crew go ashore during the day to go to the market? They have been on the ship for many days. Don't worry, I promise they will not cause you any trouble."
This person has been in Kinmen Town for a week and lives on a dhow moored in the port. Except for himself, who could bring one of his followers ashore to seek an audience, the rest of the crew were not allowed to disembark and wander around. Although the fortress would send people to the ship every day such as fresh water, tea, radish, etc., the rules of not allowing them to land were suppressed. They could only drink and fish on the deck every day, or wash the deck to pass the time, watching people's hearts. More and more impetuous.
"Well," Lu Qi thought for a moment and said, "It's not impossible to go ashore, but you have to promise me two things. Once someone violates the rules, not only will he be arrested for hard labor, but others will also be driven back to the ship."
Baranov hurriedly said: "Please tell me."
"First, you are not allowed to force or molest Indian women after landing." Rucci stretched out his fingers in turn and continued: "Second, doing business with Indians must be fair and there must be no fraud."
Baranov may not offend the British, Spaniards and Americans, but he will never dare to offend Kinmen Town. The disastrous defeat of the Spanish army made the overseas corps like a scourge along the entire northeastern Pacific coast, not to mention that Beihai Town had occupied the entire Siberia, blocking their way back to Europe. So he immediately swore to the sky: "Please rest assured, I guarantee in the name of Our Lady that we will definitely comply with your requirements and local laws."
Well, he came to North America thousands of miles away from home to seek wealth. He also hoped to establish a joint venture trading company with Beihai Town. How could he dare to make Governor Lu unhappy.
It is said that in the early Qing Dynasty, China had always been the world's largest trade surplus country, and a large amount of silver poured in. As a result, most European countries were short of precious metals. At the same time, they also wanted Chinese tea and silk fabrics. Therefore, starting from the 1850s, many commercial companies specializing in the Pacific fur trade sprung up; such as the Russian Trading Company of Constantinople, the Persian Trading Company, and the Bukhara and Khiva Commercial Company. ", "Lebedev-Rastochkin Company", and "Northeast American Company" founded by Shelikhov and Ivan Golikov.
Each company wanted to monopolize the fur trade in the Pacific, so fierce competition began. In the past few years, the Tsarist Russian government had intended to establish a unified company to avoid the involution of fur resources and at the same time strengthen the management of the colonies to cope with the penetration of Britain and Spain.
Originally, this matter had been included in the agenda of the Council of State. Unexpectedly, the appearance of Beihai Town completely aborted the plan of the Tsarist Russian government.
Even though Siberia was wrested from Tsarist Russia by the Northern Navy, the huge profits from the fur trade still attracted Tsarist Russian merchants, especially guys like Shelikhov who were the first to conduct commercial expeditions and make a lot of money. give up easily.
In the history of another time and space, the Russians relied on large-scale fur sales in the Pacific to obtain sufficient goods and funds from the Guangzhou and Kyakhta trade, so that by the beginning of the 19th century, Russia already had The strength to compete with the European powers at that time, otherwise Alexander I would not have the confidence to go to war with Napoleon.
In the more than forty years from 1747 to 1791 alone, Russian merchants shipped furs worth more than six million rubles from the Aleutian Islands, most of which flowed into China and then turned into tea and rhubarb. , silk and porcelain were sold to Europe and made a lot of profits. For example, Zhao Yi once received a seal skin fur as a gift. He once recorded: "The fur came out of the Russian country in the north of the Great Wall. It was black in color and densely hairy. The people in the middle country called it Sea Tiger. I don't know the name of the other country."
In the past two years, the northwest coast of North America seemed calm and calm, but in fact, the waves were undercurrent, sometimes even leading to fights between hunting teams. Especially now that someone from Beihai Town is stirring up trouble, things are even more chaotic.
You must know that Britain lost a considerable part of its colony after the War of Independence, so it stepped up its expansion into western Canada. Five years ago, Britain and Spain nearly declared war over the small Nucat Sound, which was a direct manifestation of this policy.
Fortunately, after intense talks, Britain and Spain finally signed the first "Treaty of Nootka" four years ago in October 1790, eliminating the risk of war. Otherwise, both Tsarist Russia and the United States would be forced to end.
By this year, because the British obtained Nucat Sound and occupied Vancouver Island through the fulfillment of the contract, the Hudson's Bay Company expanded its scope of activities to around Alaska; businessmen in the New England region of the United States also through Robert Gray's exploration activities, The tentacles stretched out. A melee is about to begin over the possession of fur resources and the acquisition of indigenous fur franchises.
In the spring of this year, Shelikhov, who was lying on his bed, learned from Baranov's letter that Beihai Town had actually seized the Golden Gate Strait from the Spanish. He was keenly aware that there was a rare opportunity in this crisis. .
The British, Americans, and Spaniards are all scum! Only by clinging to the thick leg of Beihai Town will it be possible to monopolize the fur trade from Alaska to Guangzhou.
In order to reach cooperation with Beihai Town, Shelikhov sent his confidants to Okhotsk, took a fast boat to Kodiak Island, and sent a secret letter to Baranov, ordering him to immediately go to Kinmen and The Chinese discuss cooperation.
The thought of monopolizing the fur trade in Alaska and Guangzhou in the future would make Shelikhov laugh out of his dreams in St. Petersburg. Forget it, he woke up with a cough.
Although this guy is not even fifty yet, his days are numbered due to the damage done to him in the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. According to the historical trajectory of another time and space, if nothing unexpected happens, this person will die next year, and his huge property and company shares will be left to his 14-year-old daughter to inherit.
Rucci listened to Baranov's promise with a smile on his face and said to himself that I didn't let you go ashore just because I was worried. If I hadn't received the telegram from Boss Zhao, I would have asked you to get out now.
He makes sense. The life of sailors at sea in these days was very boring. Once they docked, they would inevitably go ashore to find women to have fun, get drunk, and even fight and cause trouble.
There are no brothels here in Kinmen Town, not even bars. In addition to a basketball court, there is also a library that is not open to the public as entertainment facilities. In addition, every Saturday night, as long as there is nothing wrong, Lu Qi will play an outdoor movie in the open space inside the fort, which the officers and soldiers love to watch.
Movies usually start with a news documentary about the construction achievements of Beihai Town and the appearance of the countryside, followed by a drama film about Peking Opera or Henan Opera. The content has been trimmed and trimmed in advance, and the producer and actors are hidden. For example, Peking Opera's "Wild Boar Forest" and "Lin Chong Runs at Night", Henan Opera's "Mulan", "Back to the Boots to Visit the Commander", "Mu Guiying Takes Command" and so on.
Although there are currently no women in Kinmen Town, many officers and soldiers of the overseas corps have families. The reason why they were not sent here before was because their families were in Liaodong. Now that the Shengjing area has been captured, it's time for them to reunite. As for Lu Qi's fiancée Hu Yingying, he plans to wait until next year's Spring Festival when he returns to Beihai Town to get married first, and then come over together.
Time passed like this day by day, and in a blink of an eye it was the eighth day after Lu Qi received Zhao Xin's telegram.
In the early morning, when the sun had just risen from the horizon, white smoke had already risen over Katata's tribe, and the busyness of a new day had begun again.
Katata also woke up. She stood up and rubbed her eyes. When she realized that her mother was not in the room, she started to get dressed. Before leaving the house, she hesitated, turned around, and took out a pair of small black leather boots from where her floor was next to the wooden wall.
The boots were given to her by a young officer at the Golden Gate Fort and were of the right number. Katata likes it so much that he is reluctant to wear it and wipes it off every night before going to bed. The young men and women in the tribe are all envious when they see it. She thought that she was going to see her father on the other side of the strait today and was more likely to meet the officer, so she decided to put it on. In this way, when the two of them stand together, they can look taller.
After her father, Bai Bai, and more than a dozen other tribesmen participated in the "Battle of San Bruno Mountain" a few months ago, they were recruited as the "militia" in Kinmen Town and are currently receiving military training there.
The Miwok people are very curious about the combat methods and weapons of the overseas corps, believing that this is a magic weapon to defeat the white devil. When the militia was first recruited, young men from all tribes signed up very enthusiastically. But after practicing for two days, many people couldn't stand it any more. Turning around, standing at attention, turning left, right, and back, etc., made them dizzy. They thought to themselves, what does this have to do with fighting? !
If it weren't for the good treatment, many people would have been unable to persist. They are given four sets of clothes, shoes and hats a year. Food is not counted during the training period. Thirty kilograms of wheat flour are given every week. After the training is over, they have to go back to the tribe, so they are given one hundred and twenty kilograms of flour every month.
The Miwok Indians had no need for money. Their transactions with various tribes were barter, and they had no place to spend the money they gave them. Since many people have eaten steamed buns made with flour, they think it is the best food in the world.
In the past, the Miwok people often migrated during winter due to food shortages. Since the barter market was opened in Kinmen Town, coupled with the food provided to the militia, many families no longer have to worry about insufficient food.
As for the chiefs of each tribe, they now wear "golden blankets" exchanged for furs, wear protective shoes on their feet, use the iron pots they exchanged to cook food, smoke cigarettes produced in Beihai Town, and drink a few sorghums. Brewed Shaodaozi, hey, my little life is so beautiful!
Seeing Katata emerge from her house, the men, women and children nearby all greeted her with a smile. Ever since the Thor came to the Golden Gate Strait and drove away the Spaniards, no one has laughed at her anymore. At the same time, many people also began to miss the late "Soaring Eagle", believing that he was really the messenger of "Wolf God Kaknu".
When Katata got on the canoe and paddled with her friends, she was filled with indescribable expectations. At this moment, the boat is a red rope connecting the two sides of the Kinmen Strait. As the wooden paddle continues to move the water, the distance between it and the person is getting closer and closer.
(End of chapter)
