After meeting the foreign merchants and people that day, Ruan Yuan went to Shu Daoguang and explained the facts of the Guangzhou fire one by one. He also suggested that Daoguang reduce taxes on merchants and asked Daoguang to approve the establishment of a new charter. Daoguang saw Ruan Yuan's report and quickly approved it.

Following Ruan Yuan's suggestion, two months later, the Guangdong Customs officially informed all Western merchants in Guangzhou that taxes for the three years of Daoguang would be exempted. The reconstruction work in the west of Guangzhou was also carried out in an orderly manner. Until then, some people who were interested in Ruan Yuan that day

The British and American businessmen who were dissatisfied with the firefighting and even maliciously slandered him gradually changed their attitude towards Ruan Yuan. But even so, many East India Company businessmen who had always been dissatisfied with the Qing government still held prejudice against Ruan Yuan.

However, Ruan Yuan was unable to understand what these foreign merchants were thinking at this time, because just as winter began, another major event happened on the Lingding Yangtze outside Humen.

"Cheng Zhongcheng, please explain to me the incident on Lingding Island again. If this incident is indeed true, and two people on the island were indeed shot to death, then we will have to go to the Yingjie Public Bank.

Let's go." At this time, Cheng Hanzhang, the governor of Guangdong, had arrived and was discussing an important matter with Ruan Yuan at the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor's Office. Judging from Ruan Yuan's expression, this matter seemed quite difficult to explain.

"Yes, this is the confession we received." Cheng Hanzhang also took the confessions of people in Nanhai County that had been recorded in advance and said to Ruan Yuan: "On November 21, there was a ship named 'Tabasha'

The British warship arrived at Lingding Island. The sailors on the ship disembarked to find the local people, saying that they wanted to buy some water and food. Unexpectedly, when they disembarked, they brought a goat with them. When they were trading water and food, the goat had already

The local people ate a lot of sweet potatoes planted by the local people. Moreover, while the goat was eating the sweet potatoes, it dug out a jar of rice wine that the local villagers had hidden in the ground. The goat was ignorant and kicked the jar over. Local citizen Huang Yitong

Brother Huang Yiming saw that the goats were naughty, so they were unwilling to give the sailors water and food. Instead, they wanted them to compensate for the loss of sweet potato and rice wine. So they got into a dispute with the English sailors. Both sides called people to beat each other, each with injuries.

Or. But on the morning of the 22nd, those British sailors actually called helpers to retaliate again, and this time they brought guns. During the fight, Huang Yiming was shot and died on the spot. Huang Yiming's son-in-law Chi

Seeing this, Dahe stepped forward to fight with the British, but was also hit in the vital part. It is said that he also died yesterday. In addition, many local villagers and British sailors were injured."

"In this way, it is undeniable that the British sailors fought with the people of Lingding Island because of their disagreement with each other, and even shot at the people, resulting in the death of two people." Ruan Yuan listened to Cheng Hanzhang's words and understood the key point.

There was no possibility of fraud, so he said to Cheng Hanzhang: "Cheng Zhongcheng, please go to the Yingji Bank with me now and tell the directors there that the British sailors came ashore to buy water and grain without any reason. This is already against the laws of the Qing Dynasty, let alone

There are still such fights. Since they don't obey the law, we need to deal with them strictly according to the law!" After saying that, Ruan Yuan immediately ordered Yuan San to prepare the sedan chair. After a while, Ruan Yuan and Cheng Hanzhang got on the sedan chair and went to the sedan chair.

Coming from the direction of the British Emporium.

When he arrived at the British Commercial Hall, Ruan Yuan also told the people in the commercial hall to temporarily set up a screen, and he met with the British directors behind the screen in the reception room. At this time, under the old system of the Qing Dynasty, officials could not directly meet with Western merchants, and had to rely on the thirteen merchants to turn around.

It can convey government orders. Previously, Ruan Yuan went to the "Emily" because of a murder case, and there was a criminal trial. Something unexpected happened on the day of the fire in the Thirteenth Bank, and he had to issue an order first. These are not considered direct interactions between officials and businessmen.

, but this time Ruan Yuan saw a representative of the East India Company. It was a formal interview, so he had to "avoid" according to the Qing Dynasty regulations. Soon, Armston, the chairman of the China Affairs Department of the East India Company at this time, was invited.

In the reception room, Ruan Yuan and Ruan Yuan were sitting across the screen from each other. Ruan Yuan also immediately said to Armston:

"Over there, the English Taipan, I have asked the broker to translate the details of Lingding Island into foreign languages ​​for you. You should have read it clearly. What I want to say is that I have an old system early in the morning. If you and other Western businessmen do not follow the law,

Du, you should be severely punished by the laws of the Qing Dynasty. Now that you and other warships and sailors are fighting with the people of the Qing Dynasty, causing two of our people to die from serious injuries, I shall temporarily stop all trade with you and others in accordance with the laws of the Qing Dynasty.

It's a matter! You should first inform the warship and ask them to hand over the offending sailors. If they don't hand over the offending sailors, we will not be able to accept the trade." The so-called "taipan" was what the Qing officials said to the representatives of British merchants at that time.

title.

"Mr. Governor, you may have made a mistake?" Armston was a little surprised when he heard Ruan Yuan's words to cut off trade. He didn't believe that Ruan Yuan dared to make such a firm decision, but he quickly calmed down and asked

Ruan Yuandao: "I am a businessman of the East India Company. The 'Tabasha' that you said committed the crime is actually a warship of our country's Royal Navy. I remember that the captain is also a colonel. You asked me, a businessman, to go with us

The country's colonel negotiates the case, and the colonel is required to hand over the murderer. This... isn't it difficult for you to make things difficult for me? "

In fact, what Armston said was meant to be a shirk. Although the East India Company was only a company in name, many of its members were actually British officers, and many of them were even British aristocrats. They were not completely independent of the British official business organization.

. However, under the Qing Dynasty system, Ruan Yuan did not need to think too much about these issues. He only said to Armston: "According to the laws of the country, if there is a conflict between you and the Western businessmen and the people of the Qing Dynasty, what I am looking for is

As for what you said about the warships, I would like to ask you, why did these warships come to the Lingding Ocean? This is our outer ocean of the Qing Dynasty? Isn’t it because you were waiting to tell Emperor Renzong about the pirate plunder?

Suffering, Emperor Renzong is so lenient that he allows you and other warships to escort overseas? In this case, in the eyes of the Qing Dynasty, you and other warships are dependent on your merchant ships. If they have problems, they will naturally turn to you for public service.

I have taken responsibility. There is no need for you to shirk this matter. You should inform the warship of our intention as soon as possible. If they can hand over people, I will restore all matters of trade here as before. But if they are unwilling to hand over people over there,

Then I won’t be polite!”

Armston listened to Ruan Yuan's words, but was unable to argue immediately, so he had to go to the "Tabasha" on the Lingding Ocean and convey Ruan Yuan's order to Captain Richardson.

Not wanting to listen to what Armston said, Richardson had no intention of letting go and only said to Armston: "Mr. Chairman, you don't want to surrender to the Chinese after listening to a few words from the governor, do you?

You represent our United Kingdom! There are so many corrupt officials and cruel punishments in China. Do you just want to hand over our people and let them torture indiscriminately? Also, I will listen to what happened on Lingding Island.

The crew members told me that it was just an inconsequential dispute, but the Chinese people insisted on using force against my crew members, and then they started fighting each other. So what did the governor say that two Chinese people were killed?

, there are also fourteen people on our side who were seriously injured! In this way, they should also be responsible for the fourteen of us! So this time, we will never hand over anyone, just tell the governor like this!"

Seeing that Richardson did not agree to Ruan Yuan's request, Armston returned to Guangzhou and informed the Governor again. But this time, Armston also felt a little uneasy.

After Ruan Yuan received his notification, he did not resume trade. Several British merchant ships preparing to enter Humen were told by the officers and soldiers of the Humen Fort that they were not allowed to enter the inner sea, otherwise they would be regarded as violating Qing Dynasty laws.

So, a few days later, Ruan Yuan and Cheng Hanzhang were once again invited to the British Commercial Building by Armston.

"My Lord Governor, it seems to me unreasonable for you to force the Tabatha to hand over the prisoners?" When Armston saw Ruan Yuan, he argued with Ruan Yuan: "First of all, you keep saying

We need to catch the murderer who shot Huang Yiming and Chi Dahe, but I have already asked Captain Richardson. The captain has no idea who shot him, and none of his subordinate seamen can explain it now. Under such circumstances, how are you going to find him?

Where is the murderer who fired the shot? You can't confirm who actually fired the shot? What's more, we should all be responsible for this. Two of the people who did it on your side did die.

Some people were also injured, but a dozen people aboard the 'Tabasha' were also seriously injured? So... can you make a compromise decision, even if we give it a 50-50 split, we don't want to compensate.

Can you let them go instead? Otherwise, Captain Richardson still wants the people here to compensate the dozen soldiers." As for the compensation for the Chinese people, because according to the law, the Thirteenth Bank is responsible, not the British side.

As for money, Armston ignored it.

"Fifty-fifty, a compromise? Mr. Taipan, do you think this is a fifty-fifty split?" Ruan Yuan listened to Armston's words and retorted to him: "A dozen people on your warship were injured.

It’s true, but two of the Qing people on Lingding Island have died after being shot! Do you think these injuries and deaths are the same? Then let me tell you, according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, fighting

Death is a punishment that should be paid with life. This is the Qing Dynasty sea area. Naturally, our national laws must be used to decide this case! Go tell the captain again. If you can't find the murderer who shot the gun, you can wait for the warship to arrive.

We are all one, and someone has to take responsibility! Whoever went ashore and participated in this fight should know about it, right? Ask him to hand over two people and let me, Guangzhou Yamen, conduct the trial. In this way, I

How about resuming trade?"

"You...you are using strong words. Our country does not have such a law!" Naturally, Armston could not accept Ruan Yuan's suggestion, and said to Ruan Yuan: "Do it...according to your method, then if we hand over

What to do with two innocent people? Aren’t you asking us to give up the lives of two United Kingdom sailors casually? We will not accept such a request!"

"Then you should make it clear to the captain whether you accept it or not. I will listen to his reply. But if you cannot find the murderer and solve the case, we will not reopen trade here!" Ruan Yuan also refused to give in.
Chapter completed!