African Nationhood

Chapter 103 Journey to the East (Part )

Since its opening as a port in 1841, Hong Kong has always been a window for British and Qing trade.

As time went by, Hong Kong's trade changed from opium smuggling in the beginning to a collection of various industrial products in just a few decades.

When Hong Kong first opened as a port, trade was sparse. By 1880, Hong Kong accounted for 37.1% of the Qing's total value of imported goods and 21.3% of exported goods. Ten years later, Hong Kong's share jumped to 56% and 37.8%.
  In view of Hong Kong's important status, Shi Jintang arrived at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on February 1882, 2 on the Jinshan Town.

The reason why he did not continue taking the Anhai Town was because there were too many immigrants exchanged for trade between Pontianak and Dongwanlu.

The Anhai Town has a large tonnage and carries the largest population, so Shi Jintang changed the cruise ship.

The Anhaizhen was rated to carry 1080 people, so he cruelly loaded an additional 600 people.

若是专业的贩奴船，额定1080能装2400-2500人，不过路途上必定要承受20%-40%的损耗额。

What he pursues when transporting immigrants is the survival rate, and moderate overloading is the most appropriate.

When he came to Hong Kong this time, setting up a trade point was only the second priority. The most important thing was to investigate the source of Chinese immigrants.

Hong Kong is a colony directly under the British Colonial Office, so after disembarking from the ship, Shek Kam Tong was warmly received by the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir John Hennessy.

During the dinner, Shi Jintang asked Governor Hennessy about the trafficking of Chinese laborers. This question embarrassed Governor Hennessy.

Because the Hong Kong government promulgated a bill banning Chinese labor trade in 1873, and neighboring Macau also promulgated a similar law in 1874.

So Shi Jintang made a mistake, but Governor Hennessy was still a good friend.

He told Shi Jintang that it would be fruitful to visit the Qing treaty ports of Shantou and Zhanjiang.

Shi Jintang thanked Governor Hennessy and presented the outgoing governor with a solid gold lighter and a box of "Queen Victoria" brand cigarettes.

This is a new type of high-quality cigarette produced in the Cape Town factory, and its main export destination is the Far East.

In addition, he also presented Governor Hennessy's wife and daughter each with a new ladies' bicycle.

The bicycle factory in Stuttgart is already on track, producing both men's and women's bicycles.

The men's model is characterized by its large load capacity, while the women's model is characterized by its elegance and lightness.

Men's bicycles will be the bulk of production. After all, in this era, whether in Europe or Asia, transportation tools are scarce.

The women's model is mainly a light luxury line, and its target customers are the emerging female class in Europe.

The goods he carried this time were mainly cigarettes, lighters and bicycles.

In this way, his shipping cruise ship can be fully loaded and will not run empty.

In addition, capital can be accumulated to facilitate future expansion of shipping capacity.

Governor Hennessy liked the gift from Shi Jintang very much and immediately expressed his intention to return the gift to him.

Shi Jintang readily accepted it. When choosing gifts, he rejected the gold pocket watch and gold pen recommended by Governor Hennessy and directly chose a blue and white porcelain vase.

After the meeting with Governor Hennessy, Shi Jintang ordered his men to prepare a business point in Hong Kong.

And he took Shi Ming and others on an operating passenger ship to Guangzhou City.

……

The city of Guangzhou at the end of the 19th century was simple and outdated.

Most of Shi Ming and other members of the security company came to this famous Far Eastern city for the first time.

Although they were happy, they still kept their mission in mind, so they were very worried about Mr. Shi's safety while walking.

Seeing this, Shi Jintang comforted them to relax. This is the country of the Chinese.

And he has nothing to worry about here, and there is no way he has any enemies.

Trudeau did not come this time, mainly because this strong white man fell ill in Pontianak and was infected with malaria.

There was no choice but to let him go back with the ship to recuperate.

Shi Jintang has many stereotypes about "ancient China" in this time and space, so he just took this opportunity to experience it.

In ancient society, nothing could tug at the heartstrings of men more than brothels.

Almost every man has fantasized about being surrounded by a group of beauties in ancient costumes and listening to their charming voices.

"Uncle, come and play~"

The one Shi Jintang picked was, no, the one he was attracted to was a carved boat moored by the Pearl River.

This painting boat is three stories high, and there are seven or eight girls accompanying guests inside. It looks quite impressive from a distance.

Arriving at the cabin, Shi Jintang was disappointed.

The women here have old-fashioned makeup and even more old-fashioned clothes. There are few prostitutes whose beauty can catch Shi Jintang's eye, and the prostitutes here even offer to smoke opium with their guests.

This move directly scared Shi Jintang.

Their three-inch script made Shi Jintang awkward, and now he couldn't stand it anymore.

So he drank a few glasses of wine on the boat and took the initiative to get off the boat.

If they don't get off the boat, Shi Ming and several of his men will make a fool of themselves.

These guys were so turned on by the maids and maids of the prostitutes on the ship that Shi Ming almost couldn't help but beat them.

These girls look young, but they are very familiar with the body structure of men...

After Shi Ming and his men got off the boat, they didn't dare to stand upright.

Shi Jintang didn't care about this, thinking about where to go next for fun.

Suddenly I heard a scolding voice not far away: "Get out, get out of here, you bastards!

I've been owed rent and house rent for several months. I don't have a penny and I still want to live in vain. Get out now! "

Then I heard a woman crying and begging: "Boss Yang, Boss Yang, please give me a few more days!

We all came from out of town, and the class leader was arrested and sent to the county government. We really had no money to pay the rent. "

"Get lost, everyone get lost, don't bother me anymore."

The woman's voice became deeper, and she continued, "Boss Yang, if you don't miss the old relationship, at least give us our clothes back, let's..."

"The outfit, you still want the outfit?
  How did your fire burn down my restaurant?
  If this little bit of clothing wasn't worth a lot of money, I'd have you bunch of scoundrels sent to jail. "

"boom"

After the door closed, the woman's voice stopped, leaving only the voices of a few children.

"Master Wife, what should we do?"

"Master's wife, I'm hungry."

"Master Wife, I'm scared."

……

Hearing this, Shi Jintang immediately became interested. He said to Shi Ming, "Go over and have a look."

Shi Ming walked closer with a lantern, and under the light of the lantern, he vaguely saw a woman in her thirties huddled against the wall with seven or eight half-year-old children.

They cling to each other full of desolation.

The woman and child were startled when they noticed someone approaching.

"Who are you? We have no money and no food. Don't come here!!!"

Listening to the woman's nervous trembling, Shi Jintang stopped approaching.

"Madam, we are passing by. We heard that you suffered a disaster. Our boss wants to find out what happened?"

After listening to Shi Ming's words, the woman had a grateful smile on her face.

"Thank you for your concern. The little woman is from Hui Province, and she and her husband have a Peking Opera troupe.

When Mr. Yang saw that our couple was good at singing, he invited us to come here to sing in the opera.

When I first came here, there were people who cheered me up, and I was able to sell out the seats. Boss Yang was also very kind to us and my wife.

Unfortunately, one day a young apprentice accidentally knocked over the stove while making tea, and burned the restaurant to ashes.

And because I burned someone to death, my husband and several other people in charge were arrested and sent to the prison cell.

And I, a woman living in an unfamiliar place, have no way to support myself.

And Boss Yang has been collecting debts every day for three days, and even asked me to compensate his restaurant. Where can I get the money?
  The county government even insisted that my husband was guilty of serious crimes, and if he didn't pay me, he would be beheaded.

Woohoo~~~”

When the woman cried, the children around her also started crying, and there was a burst of crying for a while.

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  (End of this chapter)