Chapter 377 Falling out and taking action

Liu Xin was appointed as an envoy by Liu Xiang and came to the Guangdong Office for negotiations alone, which shows that he is not a mediocre person, and he is still somewhat smart. However, the Haihan people have one trick after another, and various methods are emerging one after another. There are so many

At this time, even normal people have been confused by the torment. After Liu Xin argued with Malik for two days at the General Office of the People's Republic of China on the scope of the arms ban, he realized that he had been delayed in vain by the other party for no reason.

Two days of precious time.

Seeing that it was the last day of the negotiation time limit, and he had to rush back to Chaozhou to resume his duties, Liu Xin had no intention of arguing with Malik anymore, and gritted his teeth and simply had a showdown - if it is found that there are still Haihan weapons flowing into Fujian in the future, then "

"Eighteen Zhi" may have to take some tough measures against Haihan.

"Tough tactics? Are you preparing to go to war with us?" The look on Malico's face was a slightly exaggerated surprise. He turned his head and exchanged glances with He Xi sitting next to him before continuing: "

Once you start using force, it's not easy to stop. Has Mr. Liu really thought about it? Can Mr. Liu afford the consequences?"

Liu Xin said with a straight face: "Whatever the consequences are, you are responsible for them. You cannot blame others!"

Maliko pretended to be frightened and said: "Then how can I make you change this decision?"

Liu Xin shook his head and said: "There is no room for negotiation on this matter. But if you are willing to sell weapons to us, it wouldn't be a bad idea to say a few good words for you when you get back next time."

Regarding the arms sale, the two parties have been arguing for more than ten days. Various exchange conditions have basically been discussed. Liu Xin has already discussed the matter of asking Haihan to sell weapons to his side.

It was put forward as a condition. However, the Executive Committee has had relatively strict control over weapons from the beginning. It just does not want a large number of weapons produced by itself to flow into the hands of "Eighteen Zhi". It is even more impossible to sell them directly.

, so Liu Xin hit a snag immediately after he proposed this condition, and Malik rejected him without even being interested in discussing it.

At this time, Liu Xin brought up the matter again, also with the idea of ​​treating a dead horse as a live doctor. The Haihan people were rambling before and refused to agree. Maybe they have changed their minds now under the pressure of starting a war?

Maliko smiled and said: "Selling weapons is not non-negotiable, but the price may not be acceptable to you."

"Oh?" When Liu Xin heard that Maliko's tone was loosening, he immediately cheered up and asked: "Boss Ma, you might as well talk about it first. Although my master doesn't dare to say that he is so rich that he can rival the country, he can still spend a little money.

of."

"One hundred taels of silver for each rifle, two thousand five hundred taels of silver for each artillery piece, ammunition, accessories, and operational training, the cost is extra." At this time, Maliko calmly showed the knife, and Liu Xin

If he dares to ask for it, he will take this opportunity to stab "Eighteen Zhi" severely.

Liu Xin jumped up from his chair: "What? Boss Ma, please don't talk nonsense! Haven't you asked me about the price of Haihan's weapons? Why don't you just tell me!"

Haihan has sold more than a thousand matchlocks, so the price is no secret. Twenty-two matchlocks each and eight hundred cannons each. Liu Xianghua previously purchased dozens of them from the black market at a high price.

The matchlock guns were only forty-two pieces each, which was quite generous compared to the sky-high price quoted by Malik. Liu Xin originally thought that if Malik’s quotation was reasonable, then it would be okay to discuss the matter again, but after hearing this

With the terrible price, he naturally understood how sincere Maliko was.

"How can this be called robbery?" Maliko responded with a sneer: "When we open our shop, we pay attention to fair transactions and never force buying or selling. If you don't like the price of our products, then don't buy them."

"Boss Ma is teasing me so much. It seems that he has no intention of continuing the conversation." Liu Xin clasped his fists angrily and said, "In that case, there is no need for me to continue to waste my words here! You and I will discuss today's matter another day.

!”

"I'm sorry to send you away!" Now that he had openly turned against him, Malik had no intention of continuing to make jokes and sent Liu Xin away.

"You guy... just fall out when you fall in love, and you even stepped on someone before leaving!" After Liu Xin left, He Xi said with a smile: "When you come here, he will only add fuel to the fire and make Liu Xiang hate him when he returns.

Our hostility is even greater!”

"It's only a matter of time before we start a fight. There's not much use in trying to create goodwill now." Maliko had already put away his previous playful expression and said seriously: "Although we are not afraid of the 'Eighteen Zhi' coming ashore, we still have to be on guard against it.

When they launch a surprise attack, you have to pay close attention to defense matters."

He Xi nodded and replied: "Of course. Xiao Liang and Yu Yao and I have rearranged the security duty rounds of the Guangdong Office last night, and they will be implemented from now on."

The Office in Guangzhou is not the only one that has started to get busy. Wanshan Port is also noisy at this time. The first fleet stationed here from Victory Port has arrived today. In addition to the shipment of coastal defense artillery,

In addition to the combat effectiveness of the port's coastal defense facilities, there are also 400 navy and three companies of the army stationed here to defend the Pearl River Estuary together with the original garrison on the island.

"Starting from tomorrow, two ships will be patrolling the port every day, and the troops stationed on the island have also begun to enter the third level of combat readiness. In addition, all merchant ships entering Wanshan Port must also increase inspections to prevent pirates and spies from sneaking into the island." Just now.

Shortly after arriving at Wanshan Port, Wang Tom immediately convened a meeting with local military officers to arrange combat preparation tasks.

Although his opponent was the "Eighteen Zhi" who had been feared by the Executive Committee for a long time, Wang Tom had strong confidence in the war that might break out in the future. From his professional perspective, military technology and tactics were backward and lacking.

It will not be easy for an opponent with sufficient intelligence to attack Wanshan Port by sea. Without hundreds of ships, they may not even have a chance to reach the shore.

Even if the battle is to be fought at sea, Wang Tom's judgment of the war situation is far more optimistic than other executive committee members. If the advantage of "Eighteen Zhi" is that the sailors have rich navigation and maritime combat experience, then the Haihan Militia

The advantage lies in its advanced equipment. Even if it cannot skillfully rely on artillery to sink the opponent's ships on the sea, it can at least rely on the good maneuverability of its own warships to deal with the opponent. Even if Zheng Zhilong can borrow armed equipment from the Dutch

Lun ships are also difficult to compete with Haihan, a super-era warship built with advanced technology. If Haihan wants to escape, the opponent can fly a kite on the sea just by the speed of the ship.

Of course, Wang Tom also did not forget what Tao Donglai and Yan Chujie specifically warned before setting off - to despise the enemy strategically and to pay attention to the enemy tactically. Although he had full confidence in the troops under his command, Wang Tom still participated in the process very carefully.

He has participated in the formulation of the defensive alert plan, and will be stationed at Wanshan Port as the top local military commander for some time to come. As for how long this temporary position can be fulfilled, it depends on the subsequent changes in the situation.

Liu Xin was full of resentment when he left Guangzhou, and this resentment turned into action. Half a month later, news came from a customer in Chaozhou that Liu Xiang had blocked the road from Chaozhou, Guangdong to Zhangzhou, Fujian.

In the coastal waterways of Hainan, all merchant ships bound for Fujian are prohibited from entering. All merchant ships affiliated with "Qiong Lianfa" are directly plundered. When Haihan received the news, there were already three "Qiong Lianfa" ships.

The merchant ship under the name of the shareholder "Fa" was robbed by Liu Xiang's men at sea.

"Liu Xiang probably knew that our bones were too hard to bite, so he picked soft persimmons." Chen Yixin said at the intelligence analysis meeting: "But their method can have some effect. Now

Several shareholders who lost their boats have filed lawsuits with the Guangdong Office, and it seems that it doesn't make sense for us to ignore this matter."

"It is impossible for us to send troops to Zhangzhou. They are unwilling to take the initiative to attack us, so the situation can only continue as it is now. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. These businessmen who were robbed by Liu Xiang are here to complain.

He never forgot to order a batch of arms from us, which can be regarded as a disguised promotion of our arms sales." Wang Tom will not be as impulsive as Chen Yixin. Merchant ships going to Fujian will be harassed by the "Eighteen Zhi".

This was a situation that was expected to happen, but if Liu Xiang thought that he could make Haihan surrender with this trick, he would be thinking too simply.

"If we don't send troops to stop them, how will we fight this war?" Li Dou, who was observing the meeting as the civil affairs chief of Wanshan Port, asked curiously.

"It's very simple, he fights his side, I fight mine. We don't need to go as far as Chaozhou, and we don't need to take the risk to attack Liu Xiang's home base directly. We can base ourselves on the local area and slowly arrange for him to be on the shore first.

All kinds of hidden piles need to be cleaned up first." Wang Tom smiled and explained: "Regarding this matter, Director He Xihe of the Guangdong Guangdong Office is already working on it, and we only need to cooperate with the action."

"Spy war?" Li Dou immediately cheered up after hearing this: "I heard that Director He is very capable in Guangzhou, and I really want to see it."

"You'd better do your civilian job well. Being 007 in this era is not as easy as in the movies." Wang Tom stood up and put on his military cap: "I will take the ship out of the harbor now and come back before dark. Things on the island will be settled."

Please give it to you."

November 13, 1628, the eighteenth day of the tenth month of the first year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, Guangzhou City.

The heavy rain a few days ago caused many waterloggings in Guangzhou. Although the water has receded, there are still smelly mud pits everywhere in the city. Fortunately, the weather has gradually cooled down, but there are no problems due to this sudden outbreak.

Natural disasters caused epidemics.

"Guangshenghao" was also one of the victims in this natural disaster. This small shop specializing in Zhangzhou specialties was completely flooded in the heavy rain because it was located in a low-lying area. It took several days to clean up.

The store was thoroughly cleaned. Although it has been open for the past few days, because the smell of mud in the room has not yet dissipated, there are not many customers coming in.

Seeing that it was getting dark, the waiter who had been sitting at the door and dozing all afternoon stood up and was about to move the door panel and close it. At this time, two men suddenly came to the door in a hurry. One of them raised his hand and said, "Don't be busy."

close the door!"

"Do you two want to buy something? Please come in there!" The waiter didn't suspect that he was there, so he led the way and led the two people into the store. However, as soon as they entered the store, the two men stepped forward and grabbed the waiter from behind.

He put his arms and knees and put him down on the ground. Just as the waiter was about to shout loudly, a ball of linen was stuffed into his mouth, and he couldn't make any sound for a while.

"If you don't want to die, don't move!" one of them said in a low voice.

The guy felt something cold and sharp pressed against his neck, and immediately stopped struggling, fearing that he might accidentally destroy himself. He only felt that he was being tied up quickly by the arms twisted behind him.

After a few turns of rope, I heard the sound of chaotic footsteps entering the store, but no one said a word. Just when I was about to look up and take a peek, a black cloth bag was placed over my head, and my vision suddenly became dark.

There were more than a dozen people who poured into the store, all of them young and strong men dressed in black. They all carried two-foot-long waist knives in their hands. The last two people who entered the room immediately turned around and started to install the door panels. The others

The other people walked quietly through the store and headed towards the courtyard behind the store.

As soon as I entered the yard, a black dog suddenly jumped out from the shadows of the corridor. But as soon as it barked, the person who led it had its neck cut off with a knife. It fell to the ground before it even had time to whine. But this time

It still alarmed the people in the room, and someone from the side rooms on both sides immediately opened the door and came out to check the situation.

"Do it!" When the leader saw that the situation was about to get out of control, he immediately issued the order. As he spoke, he stabbed the unlucky man in the stomach who had just walked out of the door next to him.

The fight did not last long. After a while, several guards were chopped to the ground by the group of unknown swordsmen. The leader kicked open the door of the main room and grabbed the shivering boss who was huddled on the bed.

came out.

"Hero, spare your life..." This person thought because he had met a strongman who was robbing his house. He did not dare to look up at their faces at the moment, but he hurriedly begged for mercy: "There is seven hundred taels of silver in the red wooden cabinet in the west wing. It's the shop's

What little property there is, all heroes, you can take it for your own use, please let the villain live this miserable life!"

"We don't want your life, we want the roster in your hand." The leader put the knife edge against the boss's throat and said in a deep voice, "Hand over the roster in your hand, and your life will be saved."

"I don't know what the good guy means by the roster..." The boss trembled and quickly said he didn't know.

The leader sneered and said: "There is no need to reenact the drama. Since we have come to the door, of course we already know your details. What we want is the roster. If you refuse to confess, then your life will be of no value to us."

.”

"You...who are you?" The boss knew that his identity had been exposed, and his expression became even more frightened.

"You don't need to know this. Recruit quickly, so you still have a chance to leave this compound alive!"

Half an hour later, this group of people carrying a few boxes quietly left the yard from the back, and then got into several carriages. These carriages went straight to the east gate, and the soldiers guarding the city gate were about to get on the carriages.

Upon inspection, the man escorting the car had already stuffed a silver coin into his hand: "It's just an empty car. I won't bother you, Master, to check it."

The soldier quietly weighed the silver in his hand, waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's go!"
To be continued...