Volume 2: Eagle vs. Dragon Chapter 44: Opium
Milton followed Wu Qi to the pavilion and said in stiff Chinese: "Qi, where is Haoguan?"
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Here! Mr. Milton."
Milton looked at Wu Chengjian and said in surprise, "Hao Guan! It's you. Why are you wearing this makeup?" After all, he has been in Guangzhou for quite some time and is considered an expert on China. He immediately realized, "Ah, are you going to perform on stage?"
He actually speaks quite a bit of Chinese, and can even distinguish between Cantonese and Mandarin. The last time he asked someone to translate, it was partly a show.
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Yes. You're here before I even go on stage. I can't even take off my makeup in time to see you."
Milton said, "Thank you, Hao Guan, for your hospitality." Then he looked at Zhou Yijin next to him and exclaimed, "The lady next to you is so beautiful, more beautiful than any actress I have ever seen. She is simply a star."
Zhou Yijin laughed and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Milton. Long time no see."
He didn't use a tone of voice, and Milton was surprised: "Ah! Are you a man? Ah, your voice is familiar. Ah! You are Zhou!"
While he was making a fuss, Wu Qi had already prepared the snacks, and Wu Xiaojiu stepped forward and set the tea stove.
The three of them were old acquaintances, so they exchanged pleasantries and started drinking tea. After Zhou Yijin's training, Wu Xiaojiu even knew the British tea-drinking habits, so he used black tea and added milk and sugar this time.
After taking two sips, Milton praised the tea and said, "The newly grown tea in India is still a little inferior to the Chinese tea, but the quality of the tea there is catching up now."
When Wu Chengjian heard this, his pupils shrank slightly, but the smile on his face remained unchanged.
The matter of the other party stealing tea seeds and planting them on a large scale in India has always been a sensitive topic. In the past, both sides have deliberately avoided it. Unexpectedly, Milton actually revealed it himself today . As soon as Zhou Yijin heard it, he knew that the other party would not let the secret slip. Every word of Milton, this old fox, is calculated.
Sure enough, Milton said, "Hao Guan, when the tea plantations in India are fully operational, I'm afraid our company will have to cut back on tea imports from China. We are friends, so I'm telling you this news here. You'd better make plans early and have Yihehang prepare some other profitable products."
Wu Chengjian didn't respond, as if he wasn't worried at all. He smiled and said, "Our Chinese tea, from planting to production, has hundreds of processes that have been refined over thousands of years. It's not easy for Indians to surpass us in just a few decades."
"We don't need to surpass them, we just need to get close." Milton said, "Others may not know, but you should know, Haoguan, that we Europeans don't drink tea with just tea leaves like the Chinese do. We also add sugar and milk, so to be honest, most Europeans can't tell the quality of the tea. In a few years, when the quality of Indian tea reaches a similar level and the output increases, merchants from all over Europe will definitely choose that place as their source of goods. After all, the freight distance there will be shortened by one third, and the export price will be less than one tenth of Chinese tea. If the total cost is reduced to one fifteenth of the original, it will be equivalent to a fifteen-fold increase in profit. This kind of profit will drive merchants from all over Europe crazy."
He paused, then smiled, as if looking forward to a bright future: "By then, Chinese tea can only be exported as a top-level luxury product with very little demand. I think you understand the difference between luxury goods and bulk goods, Haoguan."
A small amount of luxury goods naturally cannot support large-scale ocean trade, nor can it support Yihehang. Wu Chengjian naturally understood this principle.
At the same time, he did not believe Milton 's exaggerated "15-fold profit". If the British could really do it, they could just do it directly without having to advocate it in front of him. However, he did not understand Milton's intention for the time being, so he remained silent.
In order to avoid an awkward situation, Zhou Yijin said, "Mr. Milton, thank you for bringing us this information. We will try to verify the situation in India."
Milton said: "Hao Guan also has connections overseas, of course you can verify it. I won't brag about this kind of thing. Because it will be exposed if you poke it."
Wu Chengjian laughed and said, "Mr. Milton, you have learned Chinese very well. You can even use this kind of colloquialism."
Milton said: "I can use not only some colloquialisms, but also some idioms. For example, you Chinese have an idiom called 'prepare for a rainy day', which I think is very good. Since there are thick black clouds in the sky, although it has not rained yet, if you don't prepare an umbrella before going out, it will be too late when it rains heavily on the road."
Wu Chengjian said nothing.
Zhou Yijin smiled and said, "Trade between China and foreign countries has been established over the past few hundred years. There are only a few major commodities, such as tea, silk, ceramics, etc., and each one has an owner. If the Wu family does not make tea, what else can they do? Compete with other families for other businesses?"
"This is really not a good idea." Milton said, "Although Haoguan and I are good friends, I also have a good relationship with Qiguan and Maoguan. I don't want a business war to break out between you."
Zhou Yijin said: "If this is the case, how can we prepare for a rainy day?"
Milton said: "There are two ways to prepare for a rainy day. One is to seize old territories, and the other is to develop new products. I think the latter method will be better than the former."
"New commodities?" Zhou Yijin shook his head and said, "Whether it is tea, porcelain or silk, they have all gone through hundreds or thousands of years of development to reach their current scale. Mr. Milton, you are making it sound too easy. Commodities that can be used as bulk goods cannot be developed just by saying so."
"Times have changed." Milton said, "You Chinese rely on history and like to stick to old traditions, but we Europeans rely on technology and can create new changes. Today I am here to recommend a new product to you, Haoguan. If this product is successful, I guarantee that within ten years, you will completely surpass Qiguan and become the Qing Dynasty... No, you will become the richest man in the world!"
Zhou Yijin was full of disbelief when he heard this, but Milton had already taken out a box and pushed it in front of the two of them.
Zhou Yijin waved his hand, and Wu Qi took Wu Xiaojiu downstairs.
Milton then opened the lid of the box and pushed it in front of the two of them. Inside the box was a dark mass.
Even though Zhou Yijin was knowledgeable, he didn't recognize it at first. Wu Chengjian's face changed drastically.
Changzi braved the severe cold and dived out of the fish pond. After getting outside, he put on his coat and slipped out of Yejiayuan, asking for directions along the way.
Although he was young and stuttered, he used the small change he had saved to pave the way and actually found out that Haoguan was not in Xiguan but in Henan Island.
Wu Chengjian looked at the things in the box coldly, with a cold light in his eyes.
Milton saw Wu Chengjian's expression and said with some surprise, "Officer Hao, do you recognize this thing?"
Wu Chengjian said coldly: "This is the longevity ointment used by Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty to relieve the pain of gout."
"Hao Guan is really knowledgeable." Milton said, "This thing is actually a very good medicine. A doctor in China gave it a very good evaluation. I memorized it on purpose: 'There are thousands of volumes of divine prescriptions and eight hundred names of medicines. The yellow pill can cure thousands of diseases and is good at curing all diseases.' So the doctor called it opium, or opium. Originally, the production of opium was very low and very precious, but after the research of our British scientists, it can now be mass-produced. After being adjusted, a new form of smoking has been developed. Now this opium can not only cure diseases, but also be enjoyed by ordinary people like tea. After smoking it, you can hear and see clearly, feel refreshed, and it is a better and more advanced enjoyment than tea. If it is promoted, I believe it will soon be popular throughout China."
Wu Chengjian looked up at the sky and chuckled. He looked up at the sky because he didn't want to lose his temper. He was afraid that he would not be able to bear it when he looked at Milton's face.
Milton therefore did not notice his almost completely distorted facial features, and continued to say, "How about this gift, Officer Hao? Perhaps you have not discovered its value yet, but I assure you that once this business is established, it will push your Yihe Bank to the pinnacle of world wealth. By then, I am afraid that even the East India Company will not be as rich as you."
Wu Chengjian adjusted himself for a while before he lowered his head and faced Milton again and said, "Since this business is so profitable, why doesn't the East India Company do it itself?"
Milton said: "We need your help to do this business. Without your help, our opium cannot enter the Chinese market."
Wu Chengjian said: "If you can't enter the Chinese market, you can go to Europe. The European market should be open."
Milton's face flashed with embarrassment, but he immediately returned to normal and said with a smile: "Europeans are too poor to afford opium."
"Is that so?" Wu Chengjian said, "In fact, there are more poor people in China, so I think opium is not suitable for China. I'm sorry, Mr. Milton, I won't do this business."
Milton narrowed his eyes, with scrutiny and vigilance in his eyes, wondering if Wu Chengjian actually knew the deep strategic significance of opium? This is impossible, it should be just the habitual conservative attitude of a Chinese businessman when facing new things.
"Officer Hao, are you sure? This business is very profitable. If you don't do it, someone else will sooner or later. If someone else takes it over, then soon your Yihe Bank will face the biggest commercial rival. I'm afraid you will regret it then."
Zhou Yijin felt a little bit of hostility when he heard this. Although he was well-read, he did not have a deep understanding of the harm of opium. Therefore, he looked at Wu Chengjian and hinted that he should not be so tough. When it comes to business, everything should be discussed.
Unexpectedly, Wu Chengjian said, "Mr. Milton, you'd better give up this idea. As long as I am in the Thirteenth Hong, it will not be easy to import opium into China!"
Milton raised his eyebrows, as if he realized something, and said with a soft click of his tongue: "Hao Guan, I still underestimated you. It seems that you understand the value of opium very well."
Wu Chengjian said: "Yes, I know it very well, better than anyone else."
Milton said: "In this case, I don't understand what you are insisting on."
Wu Chengjian had already stood up and poured some tea onto his face. The makeup pigments were mixed up and made his entire face look hideous - as if he had suddenly turned into a demon.
Milton leaned back in surprise.
Wu Chengjian said with a ferocious face, "Mr. Milton, I'm in a bad mood right now. Let's talk about this for today. I don't want our friendship to be affected by a business that will never exist."
Milton sighed in disappointment and said, "That's a shame."
He stood up, but did not say goodbye. Instead, he said, "Officer Hao, if the intelligence I received is correct, you and the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi seem to be in a stalemate in a secret war. The last time you fought against the Governor-General of Guangdong Customs, if you had not relied on the power of our East India Company, you would not have been able to overcome the difficulties. This time you are facing a more powerful opponent. If our East India Company not only does not help, but is forced by you to stand on the front line of your enemy... I think you should know what kind of situation that will be."
Milton's last words were no longer about business, but a naked threat.
However, until he left, Wu Chengjian didn't say a single soft word, and his ferocious face became even more ferocious.
Milton sneered twice and finally left.
The pavilion fell silent. Zhou Yijin looked at the table, where there was a box of opium that Milton had not taken away.
"I don't know what my master is going to do..." Zhou Yijin said, "It would not be wise to offend the East India Company now."
Wu Chengjian said angrily: "Do you know what this thing is?"
Zhou Yijin was stunned. Since they met, Wu Chengjian had never lost his temper with her like this.
