The rain poured down and hit the straw shed of the gazebo. Mixed with the warm smell of hay, the rain splashed into the air and drifted into the people inside the gazebo along with gusts of hot wind.
In front of them was a simple military table with folding stools. On the table were two plates of beef and mutton and a small hill of steamed potatoes. The seasoning bowl next to the mutton was garlic juice, and the dish of potatoes was sparkling salt. Everyone had a glass in front of them filled with "Cold Emerald" brand absinthe. Although it was the same rainy season as Britain, the Zulu Kingdom had a heatwave. Some of the mist fell on the people present, which made them feel very comfortable.
The roof of a traditional African hut was naturally thatched, and the Zulu king Yu Cun in the gazebo had added a lot of China mugwort to the thatched roof. This kind of mugwort was different from the "foreign wormwood" used in absinthe. In China, mugwort could actually be called mugwort. The top of the gazebo was covered with this sweet-smelling plant introduced from China, so small insects dared not approach.
First, Yu Cun picked up a cooked lamb rib, dipped it in garlic juice, and put it into his mouth to chew. Then, he picked up the emerald green absinthe and drank it in one gulp. A wave of comfort made the Zulu king close his eyes and shake his head. When King Yu Cun opened his eyes, he peeled a potato and threw it into his mouth. After chewing for a while, he nodded repeatedly. "Delicious! Better than cassava! "
Among the people present, there were China people and black brothers. Of course, no one was stupid enough to openly oppose the Zulu king, so they all nodded in agreement with the king. Moreover, the variety of potatoes was indeed superior. After steaming, it was extremely fresh and sweet. The praise came from the bottom of their hearts.
"Mr. Zhong, can your country guarantee our food supply during the war?" Yu Cun asked in Zulu.
After listening to the translation, Mr. Zhong, the China representative, felt a burst of displeasure. He knew that Yu Cun's Chinese was only so-so because most of the conversation between the two sides was in Zulu. Now, he didn't know what Yu Cun was thinking. He was actually putting on airs in Zulu. But Yu Cun was the African black uncle with the title of king. The British expeditionary force had arrived in Southern Africa, and war was imminent. Although the Transvaal Republic looked like they could fight, the black uncle armed with rifles and artillery was also a fighting force. Moreover, the Zulus had won a battle against the British army. Just by looking at his battle record, he was stronger than Manchu Qing.
"Your Majesty, the food supply for your troops will not be a problem," Representative Zhong replied.
"What about the alcohol supply?" Yucun asked in Zulu.
"There's no problem with the normal supply of alcohol for the troops," Representative Zhong continued to answer.
"What about this wine?" Yucun suddenly asked in Chinese.
Representative Zhong looked at Yucun and asked such a question while looking at the empty bottle of "Jadeite Cold", and he immediately became unhappy. COFCO's Erguotou Group had invested in a wine company called "Gem Wine" in Italy. This Gem Wine had a total of four branches that sold alcohol in different regions. The Zhong brothers were both working in the Gem Wine Industry, and they were both working as representatives.
Erguotou, rum, and absinthe. The Gem Wine Industry specialized in these three highly distilled liquors. Africa was so big and there was so much land suitable for farming. It was not a problem to supply ordinary sorghum liquor to the Zulus. However, "Jade Cold" was a high-end product. It was not a problem for it to be given as a gift to the higher-ups, but it was not possible to supply it to the soldiers.
"Other kinds of absinthe can be exchanged with Erguotou at the same price," Representative Zhong replied immediately.
Yucun could see the dissatisfaction in Representative Zhong's eyes. He laughed heartily and said, "This wine is used as a reward for the bravest soldiers. Without good wine, the soldiers would lack the will to fight. "
Representative Zhong smiled after hearing this. "Your Majesty, this is possible. Can you give me a quantity? "
Although he was smiling, Representative Zhong was sneering in his heart. The reward for the bravest soldiers was good wine. Was a human life only worth a bottle of wine?
"A thousand bottles." Yucun was very happy that his wish had been fulfilled.
"Yes." A thousand bottles of Jadeite Cold was not a problem for Representative Zhong. China had a large number of alfalfa fields near the Nile River Valley in Sudan. As alfalfa naturally improved the local land, many alfalfa fields began to be turned into legumes and economic fields. It was the same in Tanzania and other places. China had opened up a large number of land, including sugarcane fields. The raw materials for the Jewel Wine industry came from Africa. Under the industrial production model, a thousand bottles of wine was nothing.
Every British lobster soldier went to Southern Africa to fight, provide them with military training, and bear the cost of their transportation. Although he did not know the internal price in Britain, Representative Zhong believed that the British officials had to provide at least 100 pounds. 100 pounds could produce at least a thousand bottles of Jadeite Cold. If a thousand bottles of wine could allow a thousand Zulu soldiers to exert unparalleled combat power and kill a thousand British expeditionary forces, Representative Zhong felt that it was a big profit.
Representative Zhong took advantage of the situation and said, "Your Majesty, our friends here hope that you can open the mine as soon as possible. If you can agree immediately, let alone a thousand bottles, even two thousand bottles won't be a problem. "
"Two thousand bottles? Stop joking! " Yucun's dark green eyes were full of smiles. "If you want me to agree, it won't do without five thousand bottles!"
"Five thousand it is." Representative Zhong was naturally most concerned about the gold mine. No matter how the British fought, they would not dare to forcefully attack China's gold mine. The earlier they opened the mine, the earlier they could increase their income and expand China's military stronghold. Compared to this, Jadeite Cold was even more worthless. Rice, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, fennel, wormwood, etc., were all cultivated in the vast African region. Every year, the cycle of planting, harvesting, planting, and harvesting was repeated. However, the gold mine was not good. If the foreigners mined it, China would not be able to mine it. Comparing the two, it was naturally clear which was more important.
It was obvious that King Yucun was not as relaxed as he looked. This king, who had seen the industrialized world, was not the kind of impulsive person who thought that bravery alone could win. Therefore, although it looked like he was bargaining, King Yucun cleverly allowed the Chinese to open the mine in several sensitive areas. These areas were either at the border between Zulu and Britain, or at the border between Zulu and the Transvaal Republic. The intention of using the gold mine to make a statement was very clear.
Representative Zhong did not care. It was not a bad thing to let Britain and the Transvaal Republic know that China was greedy for gold. Money had a standard that was almost universal. China told other countries that China would fight to defend its commercial interests. Other countries could easily be sure after learning about it. Whether they supported China's position or not, at least they would not doubt China's sincerity.
After the negotiations, Representative Zhong got up and left. King Yucun was a very interesting guy. He allowed China to build a railway in the Zulu Kingdom, and through documents confirmed that China had some privileges over the railway. Therefore, when returning from the Zulu Kingdom to the seaside port, Representative Zhong could take the train.
In the summer, even sitting by the window, he still felt hot. In his drunken stupor, Representative Zhong suddenly remembered what his teacher emphasized before he graduated. "Remember, diplomats are diplomats, and they have to protect the interests of China. Don't you want to learn from Hong Ren? He is a negative example. He became a translator for the country's diplomacy. Let's not talk about the diplomatic seniors Zhang Qian and Ban Chao, even Li Taibai, who knows the barbarian language, wrote a book to scare the barbarians when he was drunk! Remember this clearly, if you can't do this, then don't say that you're a student of our school! "
Coincidentally, a few days ago, Representative Zhong received a letter from his teacher. Translator Wu, whom he admired, was killed in a car accident. Translator Wu was Zhong's junior high school senior. Representative Zhong's teacher seemed to be very happy.
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