"Well, one million and a half million silver is a bit much. I guess if we find someone to come back to our house to get it now, we won't be able to get it out for a while. So... I guess... you have to let us go back to raise the money. ." Yang Yingju rolled his eyes and said as calmly as possible.
"Yes, Zhang...Sixth Brother, you also know that this one and a half million taels of silver is not a small amount. It is probably difficult to raise this money without me and the governor." Sitku echoed Yang Yingju's words.
"Is that so?" Zhang Rui looked a little confused.
"That must be the case. Think about it, these 1.5 million taels of silver must weigh nearly 250,000 jins. Even if it is loaded on a big ox cart, it would take more than a hundred carts to pull it, so Most people will definitely not be able to raise the money if they go back, but it will be a waste of your sixth brother’s time, right?" Yang Yingju said to Zhang Rui one by one.
"It makes sense for you to say that, but do you two want to go back?" Zhang Rui asked again
"Of course it takes two people to go back. I can't do it alone as a civil servant. I need a general to stop those people from paying... money." Yang Yingju suddenly felt that he had spoken too quickly and had made some mistakes.
At this moment, Yang Yingju was slapping himself hard in the heart, and at the same time, he kept reciting silently:
"The Great Merciful and Compassionate World Sound Bodhisattva1 will protect him from hearing anything and ensure that he does not notice it."
However, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva seemed not to be interested in Yang Yingju’s prayers. If Yang Yingju could continue speaking smoothly, maybe Zhang Rui wouldn't notice, but he stopped and paused for a moment.
"Those people? Provide the money? Who provides the money? What's going on." After hearing Yang Yingju's words, Zhang Rui couldn't help but asked in confusion
"Um, no one. Haha... let's talk about how to give you money!" Yang Yingju was a little embarrassed and was about to go there with a careless look.
"No, you have to make it clear to me first. Don't put all the money you want to give me on those poor people. Then I won't be implicated by you and let those who don't know the truth curse me to death." Zhang Rui Said without ambiguity
"Hey, you, a rebel, are still afraid of being scolded? What a big joke." Yang Yingju secretly complained in his heart: "But the extra calculation is for civilians? I really didn't think of this. I can try it next time."
"We definitely don't dare to let your sixth brother's reputation be damaged by this. Besides, how much money do those civilians have?" Yang Yingju explained
"We are just asking the wealthy families in Guangzhou for ten thousand or a thousand taels, so that we can raise enough money to give it to your sixth brother."
"Is it really just as simple as raising enough money to give me?" Zhang Rui said with a tone of disbelief in his tone.
"It's really that simple." Yang Yingju replied with an affirmative look.
"Have you ever thought about making some money?" Zhang Rui stared at Yang Yingju's face and said without mercy.
"This... this... we work so hard, we still have to earn some hard work... but definitely not much..." Yang Yingju looked at Zhang Rui's eager eyes and was a little panicked, but he didn't feel anything was wrong.
"Actually, it's up to you to ask for more. Don't worry! I've already set the price and won't add more, so there's no need for you to hide it." Zhang Rui said slowly to the two of them, and at the same time I also found a stone nearby and sat down.
"You two should come and sit down next to me!"
After Zhang Rui reminded them, Yang Yingju and Sitku realized that they were still kneeling on the ground. So, the two of them helped each other and stood up. When he came to the two stones opposite Zhang Rui, he brushed the dust on them with his hands and then sat down.
"I'm curious, how much money can you get for doing this?" Zhang Rui asked, looking at the two people who were already seated.
"Since Sixth Brother has said that, it seems unreasonable if we don't talk about it anymore!" Yang Yingju said with a righteous face.
"Indeed." Sitku agreed.
"Actually, we can't raise much. After calculation, it's only about three million taels. And with so many people dying this time, the pension money will be quite a lot." Yang Yingju said, looking a little sad. , I don’t know if it’s for the money or for the dead people.
Zhang Rui pretended not to notice the sadness shown by Yang Yingju, and just lamented that the Qing Dynasty's love of paying money started so early.
It’s no wonder that before the Opium War even started, those officials were shouting for money to settle the matter. It turns out that the money was provided by neither officials like them nor the Qing court, but the big merchants who were regarded as "fat pigs" by the Qing Dynasty. 2
"No wonder our country, the Qing Dynasty, has always been keen on ceding territory and paying compensation. The things we have to compensate for emotionally are not theirs, and we can also make money." After hearing Yang Yingju's words, Zhang Rui couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"Brother Six, what are you talking about?" Yang Yingju looked at Zhang Rui talking to himself and asked with some worry.
"Oh, it's okay. How much money you can get from this is also your ability. As long as it's not for those poor people, I can't say anything." Zhang Rui replied
"Yes, yes, those poor... people don't have much money, so there is really no need. So what does Sixth Brother mean to let us two go back?" Yang Yingju asked cautiously.
"Let it go, why don't you let it go? You won't be able to get any money for me if you don't let it go!" Zhang Rui replied firmly to Yang Yingju
When Yang Yingju and Sitku heard this, they immediately became overjoyed and asked involuntarily again: "Really?"
"Really, not only will I let you go, I will also let some of your soldiers go back with you to protect you." Zhang Rui replied more firmly.
After hearing this, Yang Yingju started to doubt his life. Can there be such good things and such stupid people in this world?
If we were released, both of our soldiers would also be released. Even if we get the money, will we still send it to you? We really think we are true gentlemen who stick to our word.
In order to make sure that this was not an illusion, Yang Yingju secretly pinched his thigh.
"Oh, it hurts."
It seems that it is not an illusion.
"No, I still have to ask again, how can such a good thing happen in this world? Just capture a few soldiers and let us go back like this without having to press anything on us?" Yang Yingju still didn't believe it.
So, Yang Yingju asked again
"Brother Six, are you really going to let us go back like this? No need to press anything more?"
"I really let you go back, but if you don't tell me, I haven't paid attention yet. I need to press something." Zhang Rui seemed to suddenly remember
"Damn it, I should have known better than to ask." Yang Yingju felt a little regretful and then asked:
"What should I press?"
"It's very simple. What can I say to you?" Zhang Rui looked very easy-going.
"A word? What word?"
"Yes, what is it?"
Not only Yang Yingju was stunned, but Sitku who was listening to their conversation was also very confused.
"You each take a piece of paper and write for me, 'Aisin Gioro Hongli is a pig, Qianlong is a big stupid pig.' Then just sign and stamp it." As he spoke, Zhang Rui couldn't help but smile. .
1: The Eight Banners of Manchuria stationed in Guangzhou also had a Guanyin Tower, located on Xihao Street (today’s Haizhu Middle Road). The Guanyin statue enshrined in the building was a gilded wood-carved seated idol. People say that when the Manchu Eight Banners officers and soldiers left Beijing and came to Guangdong, Emperor Qianlong specially gave them a Guanyin statue to bless them, which was brought to Guangzhou and became the "family temple" to bless the Manchus stationed in Guangzhou.
2: See Baidu, Wu Bingjian.
In 1842, the Opium War ended with China's defeat. Among the compensation for the defeat, the Wu family was required to pay 1 million yuan, the Hongshang Company subscribed to 1.34 million yuan, and other Hongshang companies were apportioned 660,000 yuan.
