Section 1: Political Consultation

On October 20, 20th of the second year of Xianfeng, the large water tank outside the Yangxin Hall had iced even in the bottom. Zhongzheng Renhe Hall was as warm as a small spring, and the gaps between the doors and windows were tightly matched, blocking the cold air from the northwest. In addition, the red charcoal brazier placed at the four corners of the hall made people warm, so the king and his ministers were very calm in their discussions.

"...British Minister Wen Hanchen reported: On the occasion of the new year, he would like to extend his New Year's greetings to the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty on behalf of himself and His Majesty Victoria of the United Kingdom, and wish that the exchanges between China and Britain could last longer and last longer."

"At this time?" the emperor suddenly smiled: "I forgot that the British used the Gregorian calendar to check the timing, so it was hard for them to be so artificial. The Zongli Yamen replied: I have won the wish of Yu Ying. As for the longer-lasting interaction between the two countries, I will pass on another decree after the weather warms next spring."

"twitter."

"I know that the British have a tradition of Christmas, just like the New Year's Eve of our dynasty, which is a very important celebration in the year. As for the source..." When the words came, the emperor was too lazy to explain it in time, so he lied again: "It's really hard to tell. But since they live on the land of our Celestial Empire, it's even more a mid-year festival, the Celestial Empire always has some expression. Lao Liu?"

"My brother is here."

"Wait a moment, you will go down, use the cabinet to issue a note to the British people with the guards of the Zongli Yamen, and send a festival gift to the British ambassador in Beijing. Among them, the ministers will reward three brocades, three seals, three seals, and three seals of large rolls, eight silk satin, and one large purse. The rest of the copywriting, the clerk, and the attendants in the ministers' yamen will each reward a small purse."

"Zha." Yi agreed and met up and said, "Emperor, since the British envoy established a consulate in the capital of our Celestial Empire, Western barbarians have come one after another, all demanding to follow the British example and requesting the emperor to approve it and granting all countries permission to set up consular venues in Beijing."

"What countries are there?"

"There are Russia, France, the United States, Sweden, and Norway."

"Norway and Sweden are here too?" The emperor muttered quietly, "They saw the wind very quickly." He turned to look at Saishana and others on the side: "What about you? What about your Military Affairs Office? "

"My servants and others think that there is a contract for the five-port trade tax signed in the 27th year of Daoguang: ...If there are other interests to all countries, Sweden, Norway and other citizens, they should share the same benefits to ensure peace." Reprinted the terms of the contract that year, he said: "Yes, My servants think that our Celestial Empire should still fulfill the funds set out in the annual contract in accordance with the actual performance, and appoint the above countries to establish consulates in Beijing."

"Well, let's discuss this matter again. The whole country is almost over the end of the year, and even if I am now sure, they can't start construction when the weather is cold. But the British Embassy, ​​Lao Liu, have you been there to see it?"

"Yes, I have been to the scene many times since the British Embassy started in March this year. It was a scene of enthusiasm." Yi smiled rare, and he said: "I have asked people on the construction site. Although I don't understand the British's words, this kind of construction is just the professionalism of these people. In addition, the British pays a lot, so I don't care about the difference between China and abroad."

"That's right. The British set up a consulate in our court. Do they want to bring the construction workers themselves?" The emperor thought for a while and turned the topic to another thing: "You wait a moment, I have something to ask you."

"yes."

"Sashan?"

"The slave is here."

"How did the Military Affairs Office discuss the issue of relief in two counties under the rule of Tai'an Prefecture in Shandong?"

In the summer and autumn of the first year of Xianfeng, a drought occurred in Shandong Province, which later triggered a small-scale locust plague. The court urgently allocated funds and provided relief, and issued an order to exempt the Shangmeng Xinfu, salt courses, river labor, embankment, labour, land rent and other items in the Sansingli Xiaoxinzhuang, Laiwu County, and Tianshuizhuang, Pingyin County, etc., which were all delayed until the autumn of the following year before commencement.

In addition to these necessary measures, the emperor also ordered the Ministry of Revenue to broadcast more than 63,000 taels of disaster relief funds to purchase grain and distribute them to the people who were affected. Everything was handled properly. It was just like this kind of life-saving money that some people were suspected of taking relief.

There was a Sichuan native named Cui Jingnan, whose courtesy name was Qingjiang. He was a Jinshi in the 27th year of Daoguang. After the Sanguan, he was admitted to the Censorate of the Censorate and served as the Censor of Shandong Dao. After hearing the news, he was given a bullet.

In fact, the fact that the prosecutors had been around for ancient times was only a matter of the conscience of the prefectures and county officials. The conscience still existed, but only a few points were deducted. The emperor also knew about it. Therefore, although the content of the memorial was vague, it attracted the attention of the emperor. The Military Affairs Office now discussed the matter.

When the emperor asked about this, Sai Shanga looked back and signaled to Jia Zhen to answer: "Reply to the emperor's words, I think that the magistrate of Tai'an, Tian Shuyuan, was a disaster in Laiwu, Pingyin County Magistrate Xiang Jin and Zhao Guang were both well-read people. Judging from their character, they should not do such invasion and relief. Censor Cui had the responsibility of a censor, and the news of the news was just heard. I am afraid that it would not be accurate."

While speaking, he looked up at the emperor's face. The young man's face was as usual, with no joy or sorrow. Jia Zhen dared not look at it anymore and said, "However, if the emperor thinks that this matter is not caused by no reason, he can send a special mission to Shandong for investigation, which will be a law."

"It's fine for Tian Shuyuan, Xiang Jin... I remember that in the past year, he impeached and removed from office for the sake of empty warehouses and empty warehouses, but later he made up for his original position. I think..." He said: "Hey! This method of Xiang Jin is really quite good."

Jia Zhen blushed and replied, "The wise and wise are not as good as the emperor. In this kind of local prefecture, Chen and Chen should have solved the bad habits of Chen and Chen for a long time."

The emperor waved his hand and said in a very tired tone: "Even if the law is brilliant, it is hard to stand these people waiting for each other!" He was too lazy to waste their time with a small magistrate. He waved his hand and said, "Since the bulletin was made by Cui Jingnan, let him investigate it on the spot."

Everyone was stunned at the same time: There is no precedent for doing this, but if you think about it carefully, it is a very clever move. First, there is no need to send a special official out of Beijing, while Cui Jingnan was originally in Shandong, so he investigated it secretly without any trace. Secondly, Cui Jingnan was impeached and sent him to investigate it secretly, which was equivalent to asking him to make a more detailed report and report it as a continuation of the original memorial, as if he had never investigated Tian Shuyuan, which was also considered a preservation plan.

Jia Zhen thought about it and believed that the best way to do this is to not have a third party investigated and dealt with under the order. In the future, the case will be controlled easily, whether large or small, or severely condemned or preserved. Therefore, he readily accepted the order and sincerely praised the sage.

"There is one more thing." The emperor said: "Du Shoutian, the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace, was my master who had made great contributions to the state affairs. When I ascended the throne, Master Du went to Shandong to investigate and handle the river engineering in Henan, and relied on many important points. He was promoted to the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace and took care of the two departments of households and officials."

Everyone knew that the emperor was the teacher who helped him ascend to the throne. Who dared to say that at this time? Everyone nodded and praised the emperor's wiseness in unison. Even if there were those who thought that Du Shutian had many old officials and were in charge of two departments, they were afraid that they would be old friends and powerful officials who appeared in the court, so they chose to shut up.

The emperor continued, "But, considering that Master Du's horse's teeth are getting taller and his physical appearance has become weaker recently, I feel so unbearable. From the day of the order, Du Suotian does not have to join the class every day. He should follow the example of Wen Yanbo of the Song Dynasty and go to the court to see things in ten days."

"Zha." Saishana touched his head and said, "After the slave goes down, he will immediately draft an order and hand it over to the cabinet for trial."

"You go down. I have a few more words to say to the General Administration Office."

It took a long time to meet this morning. Sai Shanga was old and knelt for more than half a day. He felt it was difficult to stand up for a while. Peng Yunzhang supported him and the group withdrew from the Palace of Harmony.

The emperor casually searched the imperial desk with his hand and took out a note: "I have read this note."

It was a matter of no end. Yi, Li Hongzhang, Baojun, Wenxiang and others understood that three days ago, China and Yi Wenhan, led by the General Administration's yamen, were renamed the first British ambassador to Beijing, and Yi Oswald Hubert Artillery Company, Weston Artillery Company, and George Delais Artillery Company, had preliminary results in the consultation on the purchase of artillery by the Qing government.

The British received the news that the Chinese government wanted to purchase advanced artillery brought back by Lord Birmingham, which made British merchants engaged in this business ecstatic. After some operation, representatives sent by the above three companies brought sample artillery and came to Hong Kong by boat with Lord Birmingham's handwritten letter.

When he went north to Beijing with such heavy weapons, he was easily frightened by the Chinese who had already given British ships and cannons and sharp guns. Wen Han dared not take the liberty and discussed it with his successor Hong Kong Governor John Bao Ling, Sir, and decided to explain this to the Chinese side in advance in a note, so as not to have any disputes in the future.

When the note arrived in Beijing, the emperor immediately issued an order: The British brought artillery to Beijing, which was originally in accordance with the request of the Celestial Empire. The governors and governors of various places were not stopped by the officials.

In this way, the British were able to travel, and according to the way they came from the previous year, moored at the Tianjin Port, unloaded the artillery from the ship, took a dry road, and went directly to Beijing.

According to Tianjin magistrate Liu Jie, the report of Tianjin Dao Hu Linyi: The British people flocked to see the appearance of barbarians, and the situation was better than when the British first entered Tianjin last year. I visited them a little, and the people all said: It was not to see the British, but to witness the wonders of British artillery.

When the British entered the city, they placed the artillery in advance in the Shenjiying barracks in Xiyuan and sent special personnel to take care of them. No matter they were princes, ministers, ministers, or civil servants, or the common people, they were not allowed to approach them. Those who violated the orders were severely punished and refused to lend them.

This time, there were three types of artillery carried by the British, twenty-nine. The most noteworthy one was a spiral rifled gun that was originally successfully studied by the Italian Major Cavalli in 1846. The technology was passed to the UK and the British used it and improved it to create a long explosive bomb that could fire cone-headed cylinders.

I heard from the British that this kind of artillery can rotate the projectiles and fly stably, greatly improve the power and shooting accuracy of the artillery, and increase the range of the artillery. The rate of fire also reaches six rounds every two minutes. It fires solid shells of 3,6,12 pounds. Of course, the price is also very high. Each of these artillery will cost 5,700 pounds. It costs 6,500 taels to be converted into the silver of the Qing Dynasty.

The second type is a mortar, which can fire explosive bombs; the other is a howitzer, which according to the British, is a standard equipment for royal artillery, with shells of 24 pounds, 12 pounds and 9 pounds. This is a dual-purpose gun, which is placed on a land-based position, and can prevent the enemy from outside the country's gates; it is installed on a ship, which can attack enemy armed ships and land targets.

Yi said: "The British came with so many artillery, and although they criticized each other, I thought they could not listen to what the other party said. I would like to make a slight judgment and always ask people who are familiar with military affairs to visit on the spot and verify them personally before I can guarantee what the British said."

"I also think that what Prince Gong said is very true. I also want to ask the emperor's will: This time, check whether the artillery brought by the British cannons can be recruited by the generals of Tianjin Town and Dagu Fortress to the schoolyard. These people are all in the defense of the Heavenly Dynasty. They must rush on the road, so they can make more targeted suggestions."

"I also think that what Lord Li said is very true. Moreover, even if the details of the use of British artillery are a little unknown to our soldiers in the Celestial Empire, you can also discuss it."

"This is a good idea. Changrui, Sui Daoyuan and others are all good at military service. When they came to Beijing, they brought their soldiers who were familiar with artillery firing and discussed with the British nearby."

"twitter."

"There is another section, which is the method of growing cowpox..."
Chapter completed!