Dominate the Country

On the vast sea outside the Bay of Biscay, a thousand-ton Western-style sailing ship was fully sailing, accumulating enough power, and sailing at full speed from the southwest to Bordeaux in the northeast. A red flag was flying high on the mast.

From the flag, it was undoubtedly a Chinese ship, but on the deck, dozens of crew members were all Western faces, and their white and rosy faces clearly showed their identities.

And just three days ago, when this sailing ship named New Era passed through the Spanish waters, it was still flying the French flag.

The wind and clouds are really unpredictable.

A few months ago in China, the British were punished by the Chinese emperor for the "reckless" behavior of their allies, the Spanish. But now, when Pierre and his group drove a sailing ship to the coast of West Africa, he learned about the latest changes in the European situation from a Swedish ship that met.

——The Spaniards have abandoned the British, their new ally, and turned to the arms of the French again.

Pierre's eyes were about to fall to the ground. Is Carlos IV's brain really a pot of paste? What a stupid decision.

Even a pig as a king is more qualified than Carlos IV.

Spain will fall into a desperate situation because of his decision.

It took only one year from the collapse of the First Anti-French Alliance to the change of the Spanish position. This rotten country with completely bankrupt credibility.

Under the leadership of Napoleon, a young general who emerged from nowhere in France, the French crushed the First Anti-French Alliance in northern Italy and reaped huge benefits. Then the French began to settle accounts. They could not reach the British across the strait, so they could only point their spearheads at Spain and the Kingdom of Sardinia, which were close at hand.

As a result, the former was forced to seek peace and turned to the French camp; the latter lost all the territory of the kingdom on the Italian peninsula, and its capital Turin was occupied by Napoleon.

Pierre was confused by this change. He never expected that Europe would change so much during the half year he was drifting on the sea. So when the New Era passed through the Iberian Peninsula, he raised the French tricolor flag on the ship.

The Spanish would never cause trouble for the French!

But when the ship passed the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula and entered the Bay of Biscay, Pierre had the ship lower the French tricolor flag and raise the Chinese red flag instead.

The French would not cause trouble for the Chinese, and the British were unwilling to provoke China.

Although this ship was originally a British ship, originally named Alexander, and registered in Calcutta, it is now indeed Pierre's ship, and is also registered in Guangzhou under the name of "New Era". And Pierre himself has indeed obtained Chinese nationality. But in fact, except for five crew members on this ship who have oriental ancestry, the other crew members and the ship owner are of western ancestry. They come from all over Europe, not only Portuguese, French, but also English and Dutch. This is a hodgepodge.

Of course, Pierre may not consider himself a Frenchman now. He is trying to be a Chinese.

The Chinese do not recognize dual nationality. Although nationality is still a conceptual consciousness in this era, the Chinese attach great importance to this. Those who obtain Chinese nationality will automatically abandon their previous foreign identities. Similarly, if you have Chinese nationality, your Chinese nationality will be automatically abandoned after you obtain nationality of another country.

Pierre is of French descent. He was the ambassador of the Kingdom of France to China before, but he betrayed France during the First Central American War. Pierre had too many economic interests in China, but France was implicated by Spain and had to declare war on China. If Pierre urgently dealt with his property in China [otherwise it would be confiscated by the Chinese government], he would suffer huge losses. So he chose to leave France. After several private transactions, Pierre had the yellow book, and five years later the yellow book became the red book.

Pierre himself was a trader who made a fortune in Guangzhou with the French Indian Company. Seeing the change in China's foreign policy, Pierre took out most of his savings and bought the predecessor of the French ambassador to China from Paris - the French commercial representative in Nanjing. A small businessman laid the foundation for his rise by speculation, and then his business with an official identity was in full swing when the war between China and France began.

Pierre's success in China once made him a "star who was not present" at the Paris Salon Ball. Many people really made a fortune with him. But when the test really came, Pierre's performance made people feel that he was a pile of rotten dog shit produced by France!

Don't look at the problem from the perspective of China. From the perspective of France, Pierre is a person who lacks courtesy, righteousness, and shame, and has thrown national integrity behind his head!

But in Chinese history books, Pierre will definitely become a representative of Westerners inspired by Chinese culture.

Because his property in France was confiscated by the Bourbon royal family, Pierre hated the Bourbon royal family very much. So he supported the French Revolution and even donated 10,000 silver dollars to the French revolutionary government through the European Office.

The Alexander is a second-hand cargo ship recently purchased by Pierre, which used to travel between India, Japan and China. In name, it is a cargo ship that transports tea, raw silk, cotton and other commodities as its main source of goods, but in fact, smuggling opium is the most important source of profit for this ship.

The entrained opium is not only sold in Japan, but also in China. It’s just that the risks of selling in China are extremely high. Once discovered, the serious ones will lose their heads immediately, and the minor ones will have to go to labor camps to catch up with eight, nine, or ten years.

The Chen-Han government had long promulgated a smoking ban. Once those who traffic in opium are caught, they will be severely punished, regardless of whether they are Chinese or foreign. But China is so big and rich, and there are always some people who cannot withstand the temptation and become addicts, especially in Guangdong Province, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin, these wealthy and economically developed places, opium is just like It's like drugs in later generations. The more strictly you ban them, the more people will become curious.

Likewise, the tighter China's investigation becomes, the higher the profits from opium will be.

What does Marx say: If there are 100% profits, capitalists will take risks; if there are 200% profits, capitalists will flout the law; if there are 300% profits, then capitalists will Trample everything in the world! How profound!

That's the case with China's opium trade now. That is no longer 100% or 200% profit, but five times or ten times profits.

Chen Han was not the red dynasty in the original time and space when New China was first established. A powerful autocratic iron fist could wipe out "pornography, gambling and drugs" within three months, wipe out all the flies and dogs, and return the land of China to unprecedented purity. Chen Han simply couldn't do this.

Therefore, it is the greater interest of opium traffickers to bring opium to Siam and Annam, and then find ways to transport it bit by bit into Guangdong and Guangxi, or directly into Guangdong Province. The profit is far greater than transporting opium to Japan.

Japan's national power is not unified, and the loopholes in local laws and management are much higher than in China. At the same time, Japan's high-level power class is also more corrupt than the newly established Chen Han, so it is not too difficult to transport opium into Japan. In contrast, how to get the opium through a series of random inspections by Malacca and Nanyang ships, and how to transport the opium to Japanese waters is even more difficult. Then, Japan’s opium profits are naturally far inferior to those of China.

However, no matter how high you climb, you will eventually encounter ghosts. The Alexander was eventually found to have prohibited items by the Guangdong Provincial Customs, and more than a hundred people on and off the ship were all sentenced. Pierre stepped in and bought the ship.

It stands to reason that Pierre has already made a lot of money just from his legitimate business. During his years in China, he organized a construction company specializing in the construction and decoration of Western-style houses, which really made a lot of money. But money makes people obsessed. It may be the influence of the past, or it may be the conscience in his heart that prevents him from completely forgetting France. Pierre not only bought the Alexander, but he also personally traveled to Europe with the ship.

His purpose was to transport a shipload of dry military rations to France.

This is not the most profitable business, but it is what the French need most.

The poor governance ability of the Paris Directory made countless French people hungry, and even left some French troops without supplies. Pierre felt that what France needed most at this time was food, and there was an ordinary ship of food. Military compressed dry food is the best.

If outsiders talk about Pierre's current mentality, he is doing this business more to atone for his sins.

"Goddess Mazu bless me and protect my disciples from encountering the British."

Seeing that Bordeaux was not far away, crew member Huang Hongen's inner nervousness did not disappear at all. Bordeaux is one of the largest ports in France, and the British must have warships blocking it. Although the flag of the New Era is China's red flag, and all the procedures are followed, it is definitely an authentic Chinese ship, but such a ship filled with dry food is always Heading towards Bordeaux, it’s clear what you’re going to do.

If he was caught by the British, it would be different from being encountered by a British ship in the Bay of Biscay.

Now that the situation is over, there is no excuse at all. If you are caught, and a little interrogation is required, it will be a solid case, and the Chinese government may not be able to do anything about it.

Huang Hongen prayed to Mazu, while other Westerners prayed to God. But it is impossible for all the crew members in the East and West to be high-quality people.

"The British boy who jumped on the street will die early. Only then can everyone live a good life." The Chinese crew member with a rude face said angrily.

"Ah Quan, don't say that. We are in the West now, and the court has no control over this place. There are also British people on the ship. If people hear about it, there will be trouble."

Many Chinese people still do not have the domineering attitude of later generations and the Americans. Even if they know that their country is extremely powerful, they will not cause trouble or make trouble on foreign soil. In a certain sense, they are 'timid and afraid of trouble'.

It is really very, very different from the British, French, Germans, and Japanese who showed off their power on Chinese soil one after another when China suffered a century of humiliation.

Perhaps this style of work still needs time to develop. Anyway, Huang Hongen does not have this style.

If he were in India, he would still dare to shout a few times, and in the Tianfang world, he would also dare to shout a few times, but this Europe is too far away from China's scope of influence.

"God bless, let all the damn British die." On the bow of the boat, a thin Frenchman in his thirties said uneasily.

This man is the patriot that Pierre contacted in Guangzhou, and he has lost some weight!

Pierre stood beside him and encouraged him, "Don't be afraid of the British. They are a group of shameful robbers. I am a citizen of the Chinese Empire, we are a Chinese ship, even if the British meet us, they dare not do anything to us." Pierre was also uneasy in his heart, but he deliberately added "don't care" in his words.

Pierre's friend pursed his lips and said nothing. For some reason, he felt a little uneasy, always feeling that something would happen today, but he also knew that he was free on the ship, but he had no rights. He had to lower his head and silently recite "God bless, merciful Lord".

But what you fear is really what will come. In the distance, a sail rose from the horizon, and then a very urgent bell sounded from the mast. Soon, a cruiser [level 5] flying the British flag approached the New Era.

This is a small level 5 sailing warship, with a total length of 130 to 150 feet, 32 to 44 guns, a displacement of 600 to 800 tons, and a crew of about 250 people. They are mainly used to attack merchant ships at sea, cruise in the ocean, and serve as the vanguard for the main battleship. But because there is gold to be gained on this kind of ship, some of the crew members are enthusiastic volunteers.

But the Union Jack flying on the mast indicates the power behind them!

That is the British who dominate the seven seas!

Of course, the New Era is a Chinese ship, and the owner Pierre is Chinese. The red flag flying on the mast is a force that the British dare not ignore.

"Stop the ship for inspection!" When the two sides approached about a mile, the British sailors on the cruiser sent a flag signal.

"Lower the sails, stop the ship." Pierre had a ghost in his heart, so he really didn't want to stop. But he knew that this was outside the port of Bordeaux. Once the guns sounded, other British warships would come over immediately. And even if he had to hold the hard top, the merchant ship could not outrun the fast cruiser.

So after hesitating again and again, he still accepted the order from the UK. At this moment, he could only pray that the red flag above his head was really useful.

The two ships approached, and the British were extremely bold. Although the New Era did have rockets, Pierre would not dare to focus on the British warships even if he had ten times the courage. Twenty or thirty British soldiers climbed up the New Era with ropes, and they saw Pierre at first sight.

"This is a Frenchman!"

Just like when Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans meet in later generations, Europe and the United States can't tell them apart, but they can feel it very clearly.

This kind of thing happened in Europe as well.

In the eyes of many Orientals, Europeans all look the same. But in the eyes of the British and French, each other's taste can be distinguished from a distance of ten miles.

This is not only because the big nose, high cheekbones and red face of the British are the characteristics of the national cartoon level, nor is it that the French are mixed with some characteristics of the Mediterranean race. Although they also have big noses and straight lines, their skin color and hair are dark. It is a pure feeling of cognition.

The British sailors who climbed onto the ship immediately perked up, and the lieutenant officer in the lead looked at Pierre like a thief.

"I am a subject under the rule of the Chinese emperor. You British have no right to inspect my ships."

This was an agreement made several years ago during the Sino-British War. The political landscape at that time has changed a lot from the current political landscape.

Does London and China have such an agreement?

The leading lieutenant officer was a little confused. But he could clearly hear his "pride" and "contempt" for the Kingdom of Great Britain from Pierre's words. Pierre's arrogant attitude made the British very dissatisfied.

"Who are you? Don't you know that the Kingdom of Great Britain is blockading France?" The British actually searched a large amount of Chinese military dry food from the ship, which could not be counted.

If the things carried on this ship were all military dry food, it would be enough for 100,000 French soldiers to eat for three months.

The British have already picked up their muskets, and the black muzzles are aimed at the crew.

For British officers and soldiers, maintaining the dignity of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the interests of the British is a discipline engraved in their bones.

"How dare you treat me like this? This is a Chinese ship. I am a subject of the Chinese emperor and a Chinese citizen protected by the emperor. You have no right to arrest me. You are violating the rights of Chinese citizens. Is London going to go to war with China?" Pierre struggled, but it was useless.

"Will the Chinese think you are a Frenchman and go to war with the Kingdom of Great Britain?" The British leader said with a little disdain. "Remember, this is Europe."

"Take all the people away." Even if the Chinese European Office came to the door, they would release all these people. At most, the ship and the manpower would be returned to the Chinese, but the full ship of military dry food here is enough for everyone to make a small fortune.