Chapter 8, Difficulties

Perhaps constrained by the virtues expected of women in this era, although the two finally engaged in the marital relations that should have taken place "two years ago" last night, and despite Xu Lingyun feeling a mix of shyness and joy deep within her heart, she now appeared very calm. However, Zhu Yifeng still noticed the flicker of joy in her brows. Just as Xu Lingyun was about to help Zhu Yifeng put on his clothes, he hurriedly waved his hand.

As soon as the thought arose, a voice within Zhu Yifeng immediately denied it. No matter what, opium is an extremely complex presence in the memory of any Chinese person. Even now, when the Qing government encourages the cultivation of opium to replace imported opium, Zhu Yifeng simply cannot persuade himself to sell such a nation-destroying and people-harming substance domestically.

Muttering to himself, Zhu Yifeng thought of the old ship that was used to settle debts. He could completely take over that ship and then directly export raw silk to Europe.

He turned his head and saw that Lingyun beside him seemed to have already gotten up. Looking to the side again, he saw Xu Lingyun, who was already dressed and groomed, sitting on a chair. Her face was still flushed, and upon noticing that he had woken up, her expression carried a hint of shyness. It seemed she was looking at him, and when their eyes met, she appeared flustered and quickly looked away, her demeanor even more bashful than the day before.

Is there any way to earn one hundred thousand taels of silver to pay off that debt

Should we not sell opium

I thought it was a dream, but it turns out it is not. If it were truly a dream, it would be better not to wake up.

The expression on her face was truly rich; if one did not pay close attention, it would be difficult to perceive the complexity of her emotions in such a short time. Zhu Yifeng vaguely guessed that perhaps the intense sensations and various changes she experienced last night had left her momentarily unable to adapt

Zhu Yifeng's words made Xu Lingyun's heart feel sweet, but she only shyly walked out and said softly

As Xu Lingyun, holding the clothes in her hands and preparing to dress herself, looked on, Zhu Yifeng simultaneously refused and emphasized his point

Oh!

Shall we consider entrusting him to establish an office in France?

Xu Lingyun, who was combing her hair with a comb, was momentarily taken aback, and after pondering for a while, she finally responded

One day, I will have to cut off my braids!

"Lingyun, do not worry, I simply will not cut it now..."

Isn't it just a braid? Two hundred and ten years ago, we Chinese did not wear this pig's tail!

It is now December of 1852

With a soft response, recalling the scene from last night when she softly called him "husband" beneath him, her face immediately flushed with a deep crimson. She lowered her eyelids, yet her hands had already begun to untie Zhu Yifeng's braid, starting to comb his hair. In order to smooth out the hair, she applied a slight pressure with the comb, which made Zhu Yifeng feel somewhat uncomfortable. Looking at the smooth forehead and the exceedingly ugly braid in the mirror, a question suddenly arose in Zhu Yifeng's mind.

The export of raw silk is now completely monopolized by outsiders. How can one engage in this industry? Furthermore, engaging in the raw silk business requires capital; where will the money come from? Even if funds are raised, how is it possible to earn one hundred thousand taels before they come knocking again?

What exactly should be done

Lingyun, are there any Chinese people living in the concession? Are there any who have cut off their queues?

I can handle these matters myself. It's not like I don't have hands and feet, and also...

Taiping Army

No matter how he looked at it, he found Zhu Yifeng's pig tail unbearable and naturally did not wish to keep this braid. However, he was currently in the territory of "I Daqing". If he could cut off this "pig tail" that symbolized servitude, he would not mind moving to the concession.

Yes, everything has already passed, well, for the time being, it has all passed

Similarly, if one does not strive for progress, even such stable days will be difficult to endure—those enormous debts incurred during one's lifetime, although they may not lead to the death of others, can certainly result in the destruction of one's family

With his fingertips lightly tapping on the table, Zhu Yifeng contemplated to himself that if he could establish an office in France and export raw silk directly to France, he could completely procure raw silk from intermediaries, and the profit would at least not be worse than that of those foreign trading companies

Looking at Xu Lingyun's delicate beauty, Zhu Yifeng couldn't help but mutter to himself

Contacting the present-day discrimination that Europeans have towards Chinese people, Zhu Yifeng began to feel uneasy.

Is it really that easy to export directly to Europe? Skipping the trading companies and exporting raw silk directly to Europe is not as simple as just having a ship. Furthermore, a ship is merely a means of transportation; even if one does not own a ship, it is possible to use foreign merchant vessels to transport raw silk. The most critical issue is how to sell the raw silk in Europe

My lord, allow me to assist you with changing your clothes

However, the most pressing matter at hand is to first find an industry to engage in, establishing a fundamental basis for survival and livelihood, before one can discuss the so-called grand ambitions. Everything else is mere fantasy. As for what Xu Lingyun and Zhu Fucai mentioned, relying on the shops left by their forebears to be a "landlord" is certainly not the life he aspires to lead

Her complexion was somewhat pale, perhaps due to having risen early. Her expression still bore a hint of weariness, and her dark hair was casually gathered and secured with a hairpin, yet remained perfectly in place. She was dressed in a light blue floral qipao, which appeared fresh and tidy.

What other goods are there besides opium

The vague term that emerged in my mind immediately reminded me of some records in history books: Wuchang! ... If I am not mistaken, they should be approaching Wuchang now, and then they should advance to Nanjing, and then ...

Yes, yes, exactly, let's do it this way

In the future, within our home, between you and me, there is no need to refer to each other as "my lord"; it feels too distant. Just like yesterday, call me Yifeng, hmm, calling me husband will suffice! This way, it feels more intimate

In distress, Zhu Yifeng tightly closed his eyes, slowly contemplating various methods in his mind. After much thought, it seemed that there were no good solutions, as he did not have much understanding of this era.

It felt like a dream, as Zhu Yifeng, in his slumber, perceived everything around him as so unreal, as if in an illusion. The carefree university life, the laughter and quarrels with friends, the kind and affectionate parents, and even the busy work—all of it had become a thing of the past

In this era, the largest import of China is opium, while the largest export is raw silk. Every year, raw silk worth tens of millions of taels is exported overseas from regions such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. However, the raw silk export industry in China is now monopolized by foreign trading firms. The so-called "Cheap Old Man" used to collaborate with foreign trading firms to purchase raw silk and sell it to them. The reason why foreign trading firms have been able to monopolize the export of raw silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang in less than ten years is entirely due to their control over foreign trade.

It may also be because the person beside him is the one he is closest to in this era, that he is able to utter such words. However, at the moment he spoke these words, he noticed that Xu Lingyun's face was filled with terror. It was then that he realized the significance of this braid in the hearts of the people of this era was likely far beyond his understanding, and thus he hurriedly offered words of comfort.

Not acceptable

In the absence of a reliable supply, purchasing raw silk from itinerant merchants is simply unprofitable unless one can directly export the raw silk to Europe like a foreign trading company

"Lingyun, where are our scissors?"

Recalling the records in the historical materials, Zhu Yifeng became entirely excited, as if he had seen an exit in a maze, murmuring excitedly at the corners of his lips, having been troubled by numerous issues.

As soon as Zhu Yifeng's words left his mouth, Xu Lingyun seemed to have guessed his thoughts and quickly said

There are indeed some Chinese people living in the concession, but at most there are only thirty or forty of them. If one were to cut off their queue, they would likely be labeled as a fake foreign devil! Earlier, there were children from the church who cut their queues, and it eventually caused a commotion at the government office

Not only must one cut off the braids on one's own head, but all Chinese people must also cut off the braids on their heads; the braids on the head must be cut, and those in the heart must be cut as well

It was that laughter that awakened Zhu Yifeng from his slumber. The sunlight had already poured into the bedroom, and tiny dust particles danced joyfully in the light. It was already past 9 o'clock when he finally woke up. For many years, he had not had the habit of waking up late, but yesterday's excessive exertion throughout the day and going to bed late at night caused him to sleep all the way until nearly noon.

This will definitely work, it will definitely work

The question is how to procure raw silk

However, it is fortunate that I did not arrive in this era out of nowhere; at least I still have a few relatives in this time, just like... Even in my dreams, recalling the scenes from last night, I couldn't help but laugh out loud

Yifeng, no, you cannot cut it. If you cut your braid, who knows what outsiders will say at that time

At the same time that doubts arose, a person emerged in his mind—Xu Shushan. Although there were only a few fragmented memories of Xu Shushan, he was the full-blooded elder brother of Xu Lingyun. Seven years ago, at the age of 17, he went to France to study with French missionaries. Two years ago, he was admitted to the Paris School of Arts and Crafts, and he is currently studying mechanical engineering there

At this time, Shanghai is not like the Shanghai of several decades later. Although opportunities abound, the Shanghai concession at this moment is merely a nascent form of a city. The foreign firms here primarily engage in re-export trade, either transporting Chinese tea and raw silk to Europe or bringing opium from countries like India or industrial products from Europe to China

What significant events occurred in 1852? ... It seems there were no major events, but ... Suddenly, a term emerged in his mind.

Should we export directly instead

Concession? Cut off the braid?

Where does the capital come from? Even if all debts are collected, from where should the raw silk be procured?

Ling Yun's words made Zhu Yifeng feel a surge of doubt in his heart, yet as he looked at the braid in the mirror, associated with terms such as humiliation and servitude, he was overwhelmed by a single impulse: the desire to cut it off.

Holding an English newspaper in his hand, Zhu Yifeng browsed through it while pondering. At this moment, the question that concerned him the most was probably what he should do next. Although, as a youth of the new era, he was accustomed to seeking employment everywhere and was not troubled by this. Moreover, he firmly believed that with his knowledge surpassing that of the ancients, even starting from scratch, he would surely be able to achieve great success.

Is it enough to just braid my hair to become a fake foreigner