The sky is as clear as the wind is bright and the winter sun shines on your body warmly. This is a rare good weather for Shanghai in winter. A huge airship that looks like a giant spindle slowly rises into the sky, flying higher and higher.

Yi Zhizu, wearing a thick tweed coat, looked up at the airship rising and higher with a worried look on his face. What he was worried about was Yi Zhengde, the eldest son who was riding in the airship. No one knew better than him how likely the airship would be to have an accident. However, despite his concern, he did not stop the young man from boarding the airship. He could not stop some things at all, so he might as well let go.

Seeing the airship flying higher and higher, Yi Zhengxing whispered with concern: "That's high, can the parachute be guaranteed to be safe?"

"The use of parachutes must reach a certain height to ensure safety." Yi Zhizu comforted him. Although parachutes are still novel things, the French invented parachutes at the end of the last century and successfully landed on a 600-meter-high hot air balloon, but they were not widely promoted. After all, the use of hot air balloons and airships is not widely used.

However, during this period, Paris, which was besieged by Prussia, frequently used hot air balloons to convey information or carried people to break out from Paris. However, I have never heard of using parachutes.

Because he cared about Yi Zhengde's safety, Yi Zhizu began to order people to design and make parachutes when Yuanqi tried to build an airship. After trying, he deliberately planned a parachute training. However, it was his first attempt today to jump from the airship. To be honest, he was also worried.

When the airship rose to a height of 600 meters, it stopped and continued to rise. Then four small black dots jumped from the airship one after another. Soon, four parachutes unfolded in the air, descending slowly like four white clouds.

There were many people inside and outside Shanghai paying attention to airships. After all, airships were rare in the Qing Dynasty, and they were also a natural habit of being lively. When they saw four umbrellas falling on the airship and living people hanging under the umbrellas, the whole Shanghai was in full swing. People either climbed up the roof, went to the balcony or rushed to a place with a wide view to witness this Western scenery that they had never seen before.

On the balcony on the second floor of the British Consulate in Shanghai, British Minister Weituma followed the four parachutes with a telescope. It was the first time he saw this parachute, but he didn't take it in his heart. The hot air balloons and airships themselves do not have much practical value, and this parachute naturally does not have much value.

However, Shanghai has been emerging in many new inventions over the years, which has put a lot of pressure on him. In the past two years, Europe is in turmoil and the American economy is in a downturn. Yuanqi has attracted many scientific and technological talents with its generous rewards and huge research funds. Shanghai has a large number of talents, showing great vitality and catching up with London and Paris.

In the battle of French Propaganda, Paris may not be able to recover its former prosperity in ten or twenty years. Today, Shanghai may be second only to London, and even in many aspects, London is far from Shanghai.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The result of the French-Prussian War was doomed, and the unification of Germany was unstoppable. A continental overlord who was stronger than France was rising strongly. Europe was probably trapped in endless wars again. With the development speed of the Qing Dynasty over the past 30 years, it was probably a surprise that it would soon surpass Europe. Such a huge Eastern empire is not a good thing for Europe and England.

"Tu tuk tuk" a light knock on the door, and Witoma turned around and walked back to the room and said, "Please come in."

Li Weihai, the Consul in Shanghai, pushed the door open and handed in a telegram: "Your Excellency, the war in Gansu has subsided."

After looking at the content of the telegram, Weituma sighed lightly, "With telegrams and railways, especially the existence of the Yuanqi New Army, it is impossible for the Qing Dynasty to have a large-scale civil strife like the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."

After pondering for a moment, he put down the telegram and said, "The information about Yuanqi's construction of ironclad ships and new artillery in Qingdao has not been collected yet?"

"No." Li Weihai shook his head slightly, "Yuan Qi is very strict in guarding Qingdao and has no way to contact it." As he said that, he asked tentatively: "The Franco-Prussian War is about to end?"

"It should be almost over." Weituma said: "Prussian army used 500 heavy artillery to bombard Paris. The French Northern Army lost near Saint-Continent, and the Eastern Army failed near Belfort. It was in a difficult situation and should not be supported for long."

Li Weihai said carefully: "By your judgment, will the Empire declare war on the Qing Dynasty after the end of the Franco-Prussian War?"

Slowly shook his head, Vitoma said: "If a large-scale civil strife broke out in the Qing Dynasty, there might be a little possibility. In this case, it is completely impossible. The Qing Dynasty's strategic depth is too great and the war potential is beyond imagination. Moreover, it can threaten India's security at any time. The empire cannot declare war on the Qing Dynasty."

On the sixth day of Qixiang, after being besieged by Paris for four months, the Third Republic of France signed a treaty on Paris surrender, and a truce agreement was signed on the eighth day of Qixiang. Most of the forts in the Paris Fortress, together with artillery and ammunition were handed over to the German army, with 200 million francs of reparations. The French-Prussian War officially ended.

On the tenth day of the lunar month, Yi Zhizu received a telegram from France's surrender. Seeing that the compensation was only 200 million francs, he couldn't believe his eyes. The French-Prussian War and the French War reparations were 5 billion francs. He remembered this very clearly. How could it become 200 million? The gap is too big!

Seeing that his expression was different, Zhao Liewen tentatively said, "But I feel that something is wrong?"

Yi Zhizu laughed and said, "Prussia actually only asked for 200 million francs of compensation, which seems to be too kind."

For Yuanqi, this should be a good thing. Zhao Liewen looked at him in confusion. Yuanqi purchased a huge amount of French national debt. Naturally, the less war compensation, the more conducive it is to repay the national debt. How could there be any reason to dislike the lack of accompanying? After pondering for a moment, he said: "Is the shopkeeper worried that France will quickly recover from its strength?"

After hearing this, Yi Zhi couldn't help but smile, "If Germany wants to dominate the European continent, how can France recover easily? We don't need to worry about this. Germany should worry about it." After a pause, he ordered: "Ask the exchange and see what the situation is in French national debt?"

France's defeat and surrender can be said to be expected, but the war reparations of 200 million francs were more or less beyond people's expectations. Although the French-Prussian War did not last long, the scale of the war was not small. The forces of both sides of the French-Prussian side were 550,000 and 500,000 respectively, and the casualties were not small. The Prussian side, as the victorious side, had more than 100,000 casualties.

Two hundred million francs are not a decimal, but compared to such a large-scale war, it is really not enough to see. As soon as the news spread, the price of French bonds rose instead of falling. Anyone with a little bit of vision can tell that in the face of a small amount of war reparations, the new French government may not refuse to admit the previously issued national bonds for credibility.

It is precisely based on this judgment that some people began to take a lot of French bonds with extremely low prices. However, for more than half a year, because France lost again and again on the battlefield and changed to the government, French bonds plummeted in the securities market of several major financial centers in Europe. The actual value now is only equivalent to 25% of the face value. Once the new French government admits repayment, it will be four times the profit at one time. The huge profit is enough to make many brokerage companies and speculators take risks.

For a time, French bonds became a hot commodity in the securities markets of major financial centers, and prices rebounded all the way, and the same was true for the Shanghai Stock Exchange. French bonds, which were originally unwelcome, rose from the price of 4.5 yuan, and soon broke through the six yuan mark.

As soon as the market closed in the afternoon, Huo Qizheng hurried into the Zhennan Prince's Mansion and the study. After seeing the ceremony, he said straight: "Big shopkeeper, the French government bonds are currently rising well, but the amount circulating on the market is not much. Is it necessary for us to sell some? One is to activate the market and the other is to recover some funds."

Because of fear that French government bonds would be worthless waste paper, when Yuanqi made a large purchase of 30% publicly, most people threw out the French government bonds they originally held. Yuanqi's public acquisition lasted only half a month. The news spread. In the last two trading days, many people who had been watching could not withstand the torture and threw away the chips in their hands. The chips circulating in the market were less than 20%.

After a little silence, Yi Zhizu spoke: "If it is confirmed that the new French government will recover these bonds according to the face value, will you still insist on selling them?"

Huo Qizheng has been following Yi Zhizu for some years, and he can understand some of the other party's thoughts. He smiled and said, "The shopkeeper has always been disdainful to compete with the common people for profit. This manipulation has made a profit of 30%, so it's okay to throw out some."

"Then let it go one after another." Yi Zhizu smiled and said, "Don't throw too much, at most 20% is enough."

Only 20% was sold? Huo Qizheng was a little surprised and immediately said tentatively: "Does the shopkeeper plan to maintain a high position?"

"How high can it be maintained?" Yi Zhizu said disconcertingly: "Not many people are brave enough to take risks if they exceed 50% of the face value. After all, this has great risks and requires enough profit to stimulate them to take risks."

After a pause, he ordered: "Send a telegram to Hu Xueyan, urging him to sell at a price of 40% to 50% of the face value, and he can sell as much as he can."

After hearing this, Huo Qizheng was stunned. If selling in China is to make concessions to gather popularity and cultivate the market, then why is selling in Europe? You can't be so kind-hearted. Is it because of the new French government's admission of repurchasing treasury bonds? Or will there be repeated treasury bonds in France?

After hesitating for a while, he said hesitantly: "Is it still repeated?"

"There will definitely be repeated." Yi Zhizu's tone was very sure. Although Prussia only requested 200 million francs of war compensation for the Paris Armistice Agreement at present, he was sure that he could not remember the amount of compensation incorrectly, 5 billion francs, and territorial cedes, which could not be remembered wrongly.

The next morning, the hall of the exchange was crowded with people as soon as the market opened. Whenever there was a market, the trading hall would become very lively. For many brokerage companies, brokers, and speculators, every wave of market is an opportunity. French treasury bonds rebounded strongly, and the expectation of two or three times profits stimulated everyone's nerves.

As soon as the market opened, when we saw a small amount of French government bonds sold, the entire trading hall suddenly became restless. After all, although the French bonds rose well yesterday, the trading volume was not large. Those who hold chips in their hands were reluctant to sell. Moreover, looking at the rise, as long as they can earn money, they will make sure to make money and not lose money. Of course, this refers to the short term.

After all, buying and selling can bring more popularity. With the subsequent sale of small French government bonds, the atmosphere on the entire exchange has become more enthusiastic, and the price of French bonds has also risen steadily. By the end of the afternoon, the price had risen to 6 yuan and 5 yuan.

Compared with the increase in Shanghai's French bonds, the city of London's French bonds rose even more. The price of French bonds with a face value of 100 has soared from the 25th. After breaking through forty, the rise slowed down. At the close, it had risen to 45th, almost doubled.

Zhennan Wangfu, Changle Bookstore.

"After Seth was defeated and Metz was surrendered by the French army, the French regular army could be said to have suffered losses, but they could temporarily piece together the army. Without the support of allies, without food and clothing, lack of training, and harsh climate, they could maintain morale and fight fiercely with the German coalition for several months, causing huge casualties to the German army."

Yan Yangtian looked serious and his voice was a little low, "If Metz's French army did not surrender, if France could be united, if Paris did not revolt frequently, the war might continue, and France would not lose so badly. This is a nation with awesomeness and high patriotic enthusiasm."

Yi Zhizu was silent for a while while smoking, before speaking: "For four months in Paris, no European country has extended a helping hand. Isn't this the sorrow of France? Under such circumstances, it is not a wise move to end a war that is doomed to be irreversible as soon as possible."

After a pause, he continued: "Collection of all the information of this war as much as possible, sort it out carefully, and summarize the gains and losses of the two countries in this war."

"Student understand." Yan Yangtian responded quickly.

After pondering for a moment, Yi Jingzuo said: "Diplomatism has a great impact on wars. The diplomatic methods shown by Prussia in the three unification wars are really remarkable. The reason why France lost so badly is related to its diplomatic isolation. The General Staff should study it with the Prime Minister's affairs offices."

"Student obeys the order." Yan Yangtian bowed slightly and paused. He asked tentatively: "I heard that the Zongli Yamen is moving to the capital?"
Chapter completed!