In the British Consulate, Consul James and Duan Yelin were at loggerheads, and the presidents of the chambers of commerce sitting on both sides looked at each other in bewilderment.
There are only three docks in Hezhou City. If foreigners want to do business here, they rely on these three chambers of commerce. However, for many years, they have avoided many inspections by relying on their foreign nationality, so some of them have started to do some shady business with ulterior motives.
Now that it has come to Duan Yelin, he will naturally not tolerate any disturbance if he finds any sign of trouble.
James was very angry: “Mr. Duan, our British ships have never been inspected for problems. We cannot accept your request!”
Duan Yelin crossed his legs and said, “I am not here to ask for your consent today, but to tell you. From now on, all ships of all sizes will be checked at the three docks, no matter what flag they hang. It’s a thing of the past that we didn’t check before, but If we find anything in the future, I won’t be so easy to talk to.”
Gu Yueshan, the president of the Pengyun Chamber of Commerce, put down his teacup, narrowed his eyes, and tried to smooth things over: “In my opinion, the Commander just wants to establish a new rule, and we can’t ignore it. Mr. James feels that your country has been neglected, which is understandable. Why don’t we all take a step back and conduct regular spot checks on all ships of the British consul? This way, Commander Duan can report to his superiors, and Mr. James can also give an explanation to our government. What do you think?”
After listening to the translation, James looked much better. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment: “This is not unacceptable either…”
“I won’t accept it.” Duan Yelin curled his lips, making the old fogies in the Chamber of Commerce feel a chill down their spines. “I said, no exceptions. As long as it arrives at the dock in Hezhou, even a paper boat must be turned over and checked!”
“You… I want to call your Chief of Staff and report this to your President! This is discrimination against our Great British Empire! We have been granted access to this pier for four years, so it is naturally our pier!”
Duan Yelin’s thick heels hit the ground with a click. He suppressed the smile on his face and touched the brim of his military cap: “You already dare to say it’s yours after using it for only four years? Ha…” He stood up and looked down at James, “Laozi has been standing in Hezhou City for 35 years, and I didn’t even dare to say it’s mine. Who do you think you are?”
After saying that, he turned around and walked out, leaving a sentence as he walked: “Starting from tomorrow, we will do this! Anyone who doesn’t comply will be punished for endangering public security and will be shot!”
James, who was in the consulate’s meeting room, was so angry that his beard stood up high, and a group of chamber of commerce presidents were whispering and discussing future plans.
Only Gu Yueshan touched his chin, and even smiled appreciatively while glancing attentively in the direction Duan Yelin was walking. Then he waved his hand, and the assistant beside him leaned over, and he whispered a few words in his ear.
After a while, an invitation was delivered to Xiaotong Guan’s desk.
The invitation was well-intentioned, saying that a troupe from the Baihua group had come to the Hezhou South Theater to perform a Yue Opera, inviting the commander to go and listen to a performance of “Romance of the West Chamber” tomorrow.
But the person who will attend to watch the opera performance together was very interesting, she was the daughter of Pengyun Chamber of Commerce, Gu Fangfei.
This is obviously an attempt to have them perform The Romance of the West Chamber, not an invitation to have them listen to it.
“This President Gu really knows how to curry favor with others. It looks like he wants to be a matchmaker.” Qiao Song glanced at him and asked, “Commander, are you going to refuse?”
Duan Yelin touched the dark pattern on the invitation and suddenly thought of his cold little thing. The more he thought about it, the more interesting it became. Then he threw the invitation into Qiao Song’s arms and said, “Tell them I’m going.”
“Ah?”
“Make another invitation similar to the one above and send it to Jinyan Tang, just say that I asked him to go.”
Qiao Song held the invitation in his hand, struggled for a moment, and asked, “What if Young Master Xu says… he doesn’t want to go?”
Duan Yelin was silent for a moment. Seeing Qiao Song lower his head, he smiled and said, “Then tell him, if he refused to go out when I asked him to, then he won’t be able to go out even if he asks me to in the future.”
To be honest, if Qiao Song really had to be the messenger between these two people, he would rather lead his troops into the mountains to suppress the bandits.
He drove to Jinyan Tang, and Xu Hang had just returned. When Qiao Song walked into the front hall, Xu Hang was eating. There were only two dishes and one soup in front of him, which were stir-fried vegetables, Qingming Guo, and tofu soup.
Qiao Song put down the invitation and couldn’t help but blurt out, “Huh? Didn’t the Commander say that you don’t eat Qingming Guo…”
As soon as he said this, he regretted it.
Because Xu Hang raised his head and his eyes suddenly fixed on him, he understood at once—it’s not that this Young Master Xu doesn’t eat Qingming Guo, he clearly doesn’t want to eat Qingming Guo sent by his commander!
Xu Hang lightly said, “Adjutant Qiao, are you planning to file a complaint?” He looked fearless.
When Qiao Song saw his expression, he would think of the first time he met Xu Hang. At that time, he was sent to Duan Yelin by Jin Hongchang like a gift, and it was Qiao Song who drove him there.
He had this expression all the way. He did not have the joy that people in the secular world could have of climbing to a high position, nor did he have the resentment and humiliation of being forced.
When he saw the solemn gate of Xiaotong Guan, he raised his eyes slightly and said with a sigh and unwillingness, “So this is the place?”
For example, now, it was obvious that if Qiao Song said something more, Xu Hang would probably feel uncomfortable for the next few days, but he was still calm and composed.
Qiao Song shook his head and said, “I just came to deliver the invitation. I didn’t see anything else. Young Master Xu, please take a rest. I will go back and report to the Commander!”
Xu Hang looked at Qiao Song’s withdrawn back figure, then looked at the stack of green Qingming Guo and bright red invitations on the table, and held his forehead.
Duan Yelin ah, Duan Yelin, this person has been doing the same thing for four years. But, but Xu Hang just can’t do anything to him.
