From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 455

Zhou Yuan sat down.

He stopped talking and just picked up his chopsticks to eat.

He didn't urge Kolodiya. The words had already been said. It was up to the other party to choose.

But how could a person who always challenges fate be willing to succumb to fate?

Kolodiya looked at the young man in front of her. He seemed to have an inexplicable power. This power was full of confidence and certainty about the future, which made people want to trust him and follow him.

The next moment, Kolodiya woke up.

No, it was not that she wanted to trust him, but his words were too inflammatory.

She fell into deep thought. She had to admit that Zhou Yuan had pushed her into a dead end, especially when three cruisers were burned, almost burning away her escape route.

Damn, how did he do it!

Kolodiya was extremely irritated, but in her irritation, there was a hint of excitement.

If... Zhou Yuan can really take me to that point...

She didn't dare to think further, because she dreamed of being proud and regaining the dignity she had lost.

But that was too difficult, and it seemed impossible to do it by herself.

Zhou Yuan, will he really be my benefactor?

After this thought came up, her emotions were like a flood that could no longer be stopped.

"Why should I believe you!"

Kolodiya suddenly gritted her teeth and said, "You, the Great Jin, have ironclad ships and guns, and you will definitely recover Haojing. Even if you are a high-ranking official, you can't stop the trend of the times. By then, I will still have nothing."

Zhou Yuan said lightly, "Look ahead. How big is Haojing? There are Annan, Siam, Johor, Sulu and other countries in the south, and there are three island countries in the east. Which one is not enough for you?"

"With the help of the Great Jin Navy, you will be successful in everything you do."

Kolodiya fell silent again.

She was obviously very excited, but she lacked a sense of security.

After a long while, she said, "You said you own silk, porcelain and tea in the entire Fujian and Guangdong region, but as far as I know, this is the world of Chaozhou merchants."

Zhou Yuan nodded, then clapped his hands and said, "Huang Zuoyu, come in."

The door opened, and Huang Zuoyu and Qiao Chaiqing walked in with their backs bent.

"Master Zhou, Master Zhou..."

Huang Zuoyu was sweating profusely and knelt on the ground, trembling and said: "Master Zhou, I have offended you before, please spare my life!"

"If I knew that you were the Marquis of Zhongwu, even if I had ten guts, I would not dare to go against you!"

Zhou Yuan said lightly: "Don't talk about other things when talking about business."

"Yes... yes..."

Huang Zuoyu stood up, bowed to Kolodiya, and whispered: "Ms. Avina, I have joined forces with several major Chaozhou merchants to buy almost all the silk, tea, and porcelain sales rights in Fujian and Guangdong provinces, and all of them will be handled by Master Zhou."

"As long as Master Zhou gives an order, this business will belong to Ms. Avina."

Kolodiya's heart suddenly shook. The silk, tea, and porcelain in the entire Fujian and Guangdong provinces, what a huge number, what terrible wealth it can create.

He actually did it!

If I become the governor of Haojing, it will only take one or two years to accumulate endless wealth.

I only need to give a small part to the royal family to get at least the status of an earl.

Kolodiya's ambition and desire grew wildly in her heart.

She couldn't stop panting. She knew it was not elegant enough, but she really couldn't control herself.

"You guys go out."

Zhou Yuan waved his hand, then looked at Kolodiya and said softly: "I am a man of my word. I always keep my promises, and trusting me is the only way you can go at present. Have you thought it through?"

Kolodiya gritted her teeth and said: "I... I believe you have the ability to make me, but... Lord Zhou Yuan, I really don't understand why you choose to help me?"

"To be honest, with your ability, even if you change someone to support you, you can still succeed."

"It's not that I don't believe you, I just want to know why you choose me?"

Zhou Yuan said calmly: "I need the French Technology and craftsmanship, people of too low status can't do this, you are not of low status, at least you can complete this task. "

"This is the fundamental reason, I or Dajin, we need this, we need to control the offshore, to maintain the dignity and sovereignty of the country."

"And your special experience proves that you need support too much, you need me, I need you, both sides need each other, can cooperate sincerely."

"McPherson doesn't need my support, others can't afford my support, you just happen to be."

Kolodia said: "Just that?"

Zhou Yuan smiled slowly and said: "It's not easy to achieve such conditions, and you are really beautiful, aren't you? It is always more pleasant to support a beautiful girl than to support an old man. "

Kolodiya pursed her lips and whispered: "I can understand that while you support me, you also want to get me, right?"

Zhou Yuan said: "Who doesn't want to get you? After all, I have praised your beauty many times."

"But this is not a necessary condition. I, Zhou Yuan, am not a person who uses power to force beauty. I hope to get things done. "

"And I think you are capable enough to get things done. After all, you are smart. What limits you is gender, not ability. "

Kolodiya curled her lips and finally looked up at Zhou Yuan.

She looked dim and asked softly: "Lord Zhou Yuan, can Kolodiya trust you?"

Zhou Yuan stood up, stretched out his right hand, and said slowly: "It is an honor to have your trust. "

Kolodiya held Zhou Yuan's hand and kissed the back of his hand gently.

Zhou Yuan felt relieved and said, "The result of this negotiation is that Haojing must release all the Han laborers on the island and sign a peace treaty before we release the remaining prisoners."

"Of course, the peace treaty is not important, but Haojing has stockpiled a lot of goods that need to be dealt with urgently, and McPherson has no energy to invade again."

"This will at least buy us half a year of peace."

"This result is also what McPherson wants to see. He has made enough money this time."

"As a diplomatic envoy, you have won this negotiation."

Kolodiya nodded and said, "I need about ten days to get the design drawings of the ironclad ship and the drawings of the guns and cannons, including the craftsmen."

Zhou Yuan said, "Okay, the time for exchanging prisoners will be set in ten days."

Kolodiya looked at Zhou Yuan and whispered, "I need money. "

"McPherson wants me to pay for the repair of the cruiser, which requires a lot of money. To be honest, I don't have that much money anymore."

"Also, although I have my confidants in Haojing, it also takes money to dig out technical craftsmen to help you."

Zhou Yuan said: "How much does it cost?"

Kolodiya calculated that it would take at least 40,000 taels of silver to repair the hull of a cruiser, and the craftsmen would have to pay 1,000 taels each.

Adding up to 120,000 taels, this amount is really too large.

She was embarrassed and finally gritted her teeth and said: "It will take 100,000 taels of silver."

Zhou Yuan looked at her and smiled slowly.

Kolodiya was anxious and said quickly: "It really needs that much. I didn't ask for more. Since I chose to trust you, I won't mess around."

Zhou Yuan smiled and said: "You are wrong. I don't think you want too much, but 100,000 taels... your appetite is too small. "

"I'll give you 200,000 taels of silver, and you can keep the rest for yourself, spend it however you want."

"After all, you will eventually become the governor of Haojing, and you have to start buying people and building relationships."

Kolodiya's eyes lit up. Two hundred thousand taels, is he that rich!

Zhou Yuan whispered: "Kolodiya, I will never treat my friends badly. I hope you won't let me down. I hope to see the birth of the legendary French baroness."

Kolodiya took a deep breath and said: "I can do it!"

Zhou Yuan took out a box from his arms and handed it to her.

Kolodiya was stunned, took it and opened it, and saw that there was an extremely exquisite necklace inside, white jade with gems, it was a rare treasure at first glance.

No woman can resist this, her breath stagnated, and she murmured: "Is this for me?"

Zhou Yuan smiled and said: "It's for Daisi, she is sixteen years old, and she should have a treasure of her own. "

Kolodiya's heart trembled slightly, and her nose felt a little sour.

She forced herself to control her emotions, stood up, and saluted Zhou Yuan: "Thank you, Lord Zhou Yuan, Daisi will definitely like it."