Elliot was worried that France would return to the Far East at the invitation of Vietnam, and that Yuanqi had reached an agreement with France for Vietnam, which would harm British Geely's interests in the East. At the same time, he did not want the Qing court to increase control of its vassal states through Yuanqi. After all, countries in Southeast Asia were basically vassal states of the Qing state, which would affect British Geely's interests in Southeast Asia.

After hearing Yi Zhizu's words, he forced a smile and said, "You should know that Europe pursues a policy of balanced power on the mainland. Although our country's relationship with France has always been bad, it will not over-weak France's strength, which is not conducive to European peace."

"This is not an era of peace." Yi Zhizu didn't want to talk in depth along this topic. In order to strengthen the strength of Yuanqi Group Training, Annan made up his mind to fight.

After pausing, he smiled and said, "Let's change the topic of relaxation. According to the Treaty of Jiangning, my country opens four trading ports and allows your country to open factories at trading ports. Yuanqi welcomes your country's merchants to invest in factories. He hopes that your country's government will vigorously promote it in China and encourage merchants to build factories. We welcome any factory."

Elliot looked at him and said, "So for France and America?"

Yi Zhizuji said first: "France and the United States have a strong interest in the Treaty of Jiangning. His Majesty, the Emperor of Our Country, is unwilling to go to war with the two countries. Naturally, he treats them equally and equally." As he said, he smiled, "You should know that there are many Americans in Guangzhou, who have great interest and willingness to open factories in Guangzhou, and France is the same.

However, in today's world, in terms of the development of industry, you should first recommend your country. Machine manufacturing, metallurgy, mining, textile, railway, shipbuilding and other technologies. Your country is in the world's leading position, and Yuanqi attaches great importance to cooperation with your country."

Elliot looked speechless. Western countries have begun to carry out industrial revolution. If Britain blocks these technologies to the East, it will undoubtedly be cheaper for both the United States and France. If they spare no effort to support the East in promoting the industrial revolution, the East, this huge market will probably be lost.

This is a difficult and headache-inducing choice, but thinking about the current situation in Guangzhou and the relationship between Yuanqi and the United States and France, the Qing Industrial Revolution was probably unstoppable. After pondering for a moment, Elliot said: "As your country's trading partner for two hundred years, for the long-term development of trade between the two countries, I think Her Majesty the Queen and London politicians will be very happy to help your country develop industry."

"This will definitely be an extremely correct decision." Yi Zhizu smiled.

Elliot turned his head and said, "A few days ago, I have officially notified your country's Governor in Guangzhou in writing, hoping to imitate Shanghai and open a concession in Guangzhou..."

"No problem." Yi Zhizu said readily: "I will support it very much." As he said that, he glanced at Liang Xingyuan and said: "This time, we came here mainly at the invitation of Lord Liang, the magistrate of Xin'an, to talk about the rent and management of Hong Kong Island."

After a dispute, the two sides finally reached a preliminary draft agreement. The British side paid 1,000 silver dollars a year. China could set up a government office on Hong Kong Island and dispatch officials. The British could set up a deliberation bureau on Hong Kong Island and establish a guard team. It declared that Hong Kong was a free trade port. The guard forces, including sea and land forces, must not exceed 3,000 people, and the British fleet was allowed to temporarily be stationed.

It was not until he left on a boat that Guan Tianpei said in confusion: "How big is Hong Kong Island? Why did the Lord allow the British guards to reach 3,000."

Yi Zhizu said in a muffled voice: "It's better than letting the British openly station troops on Hong Kong Island."

"It's just a cover-up of the bell, what's the difference?" Liang Xingyuan murmured softly.

"The meaning is different." Yi Zhizu did not care about him, but instead explained patiently: "No matter how many guards there are, they are still guards. They are different from the military. This is the same as the British side paying rent. What does one thousand silver dollars count? But having this thousand silver dollars means that Hong Kong Island is still from the Qing Dynasty, which is a declaration of sovereignty."

Guan Tianpei said in a deep voice: "Speaking one thousand and telling ten thousand, it is still our Qing Dynasty too weak. Whether it is cedes or forcing the concession, it is essentially a loss of power and humiliation of the country!"

"What I said!" Yi Zhizu agreed: "As long as we are strong enough, we can take it back whether we are forcibly concessions or ceded, and we can even go to other countries to ced and forcibly rent territory."

The next morning, Yi Zhizu rushed back to Guangzhou and went straight to Changzhou Shipyard to implement the order of coal transport ships for the Guangdong Navy and form a fleet for the Guangdong Navy. This matter was urgent. He not only planned to let the Changzhou Shipyard build ships, but also planned to purchase a batch of ocean-going merchant ships directly from Citigroup and form the fleet first.

The Guangdong Navy was stationed in coastal prefectures and counties in Guangdong, with a total force of 20,000. It also garrisoned heavily at Humen and guarded Haikou. It is not only a barrier to Guangzhou, but also a major threat to Yuanqi. This time, the Guangdong Navy and Yuanqi were tied together through the Annan Hongji Coal Mine and the transport fleet, which is of great significance.

With the help of coal transport fleets and the family of a navy soldier who worked in Hongji Coal Mine, Yuan Qi was able to control the entire Guangdong Navy within a few years. Even if the navy admiral and general and other senior military generals were replaced, it would not be possible to reverse and change the situation. In addition, Yuan Qi could also win over the family of a Guangdong Navy soldier who was tens of thousands. It can be said that with the help of this chain of interests, Yuan Qi was enough to control the entire coastal prefectures and towns in Guangdong.

Of course, this move will also help the promotion and use of Annan coal in coastal prefectures and towns in Guangdong, and increase the sales of Annan coal. With such a large territory, even for domestic coal and handicraft coal, the sales in one year are quite considerable.

At dusk, Yi Zhizu returned to Leiyuan. After washing and eating, he was about to take a walk in the backyard. Li Wang hurriedly came to report, "Report to the Lord, Lin Da'an is looking for a meeting outside."

Lin Da'an asked for a meeting at this time. Is there anything important? Yi Zhizu immediately ordered: "Take him to the study."

When he entered the study, Lin Da'an respectfully saw the ceremony, Yi Zhizu sat down straight and said, "What's the important thing?"

"Sir, there is an abnormal situation in Huaxian County." Lin Da'an said in a deep voice: "Recently, Hong Renkun, a child born in Huaxian County, has colluded with others to create worship of the "God Church", also known as "Taiping Christianity". He has been prosecuted in Guanlubu, Wumaling and Lianhuatang in Huaxian County, recruited believers, and other rebellious actions such as knocking down the tablets of Confucius."

Hua County is a county where Yi Zhizu specifically reminded Lin Da'an to focus on surveillance. After hearing the report, Yi Zhizu frowned and said, "Hong Renkun?"

Lin Da'an hurriedly said, "This man is only thirty years old, a little tall and fat. He has failed the imperial examination four times. After hearing that he failed, he was excited and had a high fever for several days. After he woke up, he wrote a poem." As he said that, he bowed and presented an envelope.

"Hold the power of killing the universe in your hands, killing evil and leaving the righteous and helping the people. Your eyes are clear outside the northwest of the country, and your voice shakes the sun and the moon in the southeast. Its claws seem to be like a small road in the square, so why should you be afraid of the deviant journey of the Han Dynasty? The wind and thunder inspire three thousand waves, and it is easy to be like a flying dragon in the sky."

This poem is unintentional, but in terms of style, it can only be considered a four-and-five-story. Yi Jingzuo slowly put down the letter in his hand, Hong Renkun, "Worship God's Church"? The poem is unintentional, this guy should be Hong Xiuquan!

After pondering for a moment, he said, "Does this Hong Renkun have other names?"

"Yes, this person is also known as Hong Huoxue, Hong Renkun is a clan name, a big name." Lin Da'an said calmly: "This person has a convex cheekbones and concave eyes, a plain appearance, about thirty years old, and a slightly fat person."

Hong Huoxiu? The name Yi Zhizu is sure that this landed Tong Sheng must be Hong Xiuquan who excavated the first tomb of the Qing Dynasty! Unexpectedly, in the 23rd year of Daoguang, Hong Xiuquan had already established the "God Worship Cult".

Should I kill Hong Renkun in the cradle? Yi Zhizu hesitated for a while. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom uprising brought an almost extinct blow to the Qing Dynasty. What Yi Zhizu couldn't bear was that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom uprising caused an almost devastating blow to Jiangnan, and tens of millions of people died in this uprising!

He slowly took out a cigar and placed it on the nose. Yi Zhizu slowly leaned his head on the back of the chair, took a deep breath, and the fragrance of the cigar was soaking the lungs and spleen. After a long time, he spoke: "Put this person and his backbone members all in the portraits of the person, and dispatched a special person to follow him, and repay him at any time, but do not alert the enemy!"

"I understand little." Lin Daan hurriedly bowed.

After Lin Da'an retreated, Yi Zhizu sighed. The vigorous Taiping Heavenly Kingdom uprising severely hit the Qing court's rule, but it also seriously damaged the Qing Dynasty's economy, caused immeasurable economic losses to the Qing Dynasty, and caused great casualties. With this alone, Yuan Qi could not tolerate the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!

However, Yuan Qi also needs the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising, which will bring unparalleled development opportunities to Yuan Qi! Of course, all this depends on the speed of Yuan Qi's development. In which year was the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising? 1850 or 1851? It is only seven or eight years before now. In just seven or eight years, how far can Yuan Qi develop? At least, under the current circumstances, he cannot kill the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the cradle!

Thinking of this, he suddenly realized that the era of Daoguang was not far from the end. If he remembered it well, Daoguang's death was still before the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising. At this time, a new round of the throne dispute in the capital would begin one after another.

Is he capable of participating in the dispute over the throne now? Yes! Absolutely! He is not only the shopkeeper of Yuanqi, but also the minister of the South China Sea with heavy troops, and is also capable of threatening the safety of the capital at any time! His support is even better than the admiral of the Nine Gates of the capital! If he supports any prince with a clear attitude, Daoguang will definitely consider it seriously!

But is it necessary to get involved in the dispute over the throne? Yi Zhizu cut a match to light a cigar and slowly spit out a cloud of smoke. After Daoguang was Xianfeng, the fourth son of the emperor, Aisin Gioro Yizhu, which was also considered as the establishment of the legitimate and the eldest son, because the three sons in front had all died, and Yizhu was born to Empress Xiaoquancheng and had a noble status.

The strongest competitor to the throne is the sixth son of the emperor, Aisin Gioro Yixin. Of course, there is also a fifth son of the emperor, but Yi Zhizu has no impression of this fifth prince. As for the seventh son, he is probably only two or three years old now, so it is naturally impossible to compete for the throne.

Yi Zhizuo naturally had no good feelings for the short-lived ghost of Xianfeng. It was precisely because of Xianfeng's short-lived life that the Empress Dowager Cixi was created. However, it is undeniable that Xianfeng's succession to the throne was a rare good thing for Yuan Qi.

It seems that there is no need to interfere in the prince’s dispute over the throne. Let everything go naturally, which is the most conducive to Yuanqi’s development!

The huge mixed fleet formed by Yuanqi Tuanlian and the Guangdong Navy's majestic expedition to Annan not only attracted great attention from Guangzhou officials, gentry and merchants, but also attracted the attention of Hong Kong Island and Macau. It was beyond everyone's expectations that Yuanqi Tuanlian continued to increase troops on a large scale after the victory of Annan Hongji, which was indeed beyond everyone's expectations.

For a time, various discussions broke out, some said that Yuanqi was going to sprint Annan in one fell swoop, and some said that Yuanqi's regiment suffered a defeat in Annan, so he had to make a large increase in troops. However, the dispute between the two sides quickly subsided because the first returned coal transport fleet brought a detailed situation of Hongji's victory, and the return of the coal transport fleet itself was enough to illustrate the problem.

Yi Zhizu also received a detailed battle report from Feng Renxuan: Annan's 100,000 troops faced the Yuanqi regiment, which had a advantage in geographical advantage and firearms, and adopted passive defense when the attacks were frustrated, digging trenches from south to north to prevent the Yuanqi regiment from advancing towards the Honghe Plain. Feng Renxuan won a great victory in the naval battle, and took the whole army to attack, lure the enemy head-on, and cooperated with sea and land along the coast, breaking through the Annan Army's defense line from the south, and then advancing from south to north. If the momentum was destroyed, the siege of the Annan Army was smashed in one fell swoop.

After reading the battle report, Yi Zhizu was very pleased. Feng Renxuan, who stood out from hundreds of scholars, really lived up to expectations. When he first conquered Annan, he showed outstanding military talents. The scholars of the Qing Dynasty were indeed more capable!

He was relieved, and Li Wang came in quickly and reported: "Sir, the capital is urgently handed over."

What Li Wang sent was not a court letter, but a secret decree from Daoguang, just four words - to go to Beijing to report on his work.

Yi Zhizu couldn't help but frowned and went to Beijing to report his work? What's the position of the story? As the counselor of the expedition to Annan, the war in Annan has just begun. What's the position of the story? As the minister of Nanyang, the garrison at the Sitong Trade Port has not started yet, and the naval recruitment has not yet ended. The Naval Academy, military factory, shipyard, etc. are now not a single word, so let him go to Beijing to report his work?

Moreover, it is the peak season for sea trade. Whether in Guangzhou or Shanghai, the affairs are complicated. At this critical moment, what is the reason why he asked him to come to Beijing to report his duties? Did the court realize that the Yuanqi regiment was enlarged in Annan? Or did the Yuanqi regiment be enlarged in Annan's victory, which caused the court to be afraid? No, Daoguang's news could not be so well-versed. It shouldn't be known that the Annan victory was really caused by the expansion of the army?
Chapter completed!