Chapter 32 The Battle of the Two Crows (2)

On August 8th of the seventh year of Xianfeng, the coalition forces of Britain and France were docked at the Hong Kong Pier in warships, with a total of 3,400 British and French Expeditionary Forces, under the jurisdiction of James Herbert Grant, former Canadian Governor Erkin, Admiral Sima Ingrid (English), Lieutenant General Glody Globe, Mentoban (France). Lieutenant General Rigo, the commander of the fleet stationed in Indochina, and others, they embarked on the land of Hong Kong. In addition to the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Bao Ling, the British Consul General in Guangzhou, were also Bashari.

After two days of rest, Grant, Erkin and Gros, as commanders of the expeditionary force, accompanied by British Consul General in Guangzhou, Bashali and French Agency Corsey in Guangzhou, they arrived in Guangzhou to visit Lu Jianying, Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. Regarding the "Arro" merchant ship dispute that occurred in Guangzhou last year and the Malay incident that occurred in Guangxi Province, China, the two countries were put forward conditions: First, Ma Cong, a province of China, personally went to Hong Kong to apologize to the Hong Kong Governor; Second, His Majesty the Emperor of China personally apologized to His Majesty the Queen of England and promised that there would not be another similar incident; Third, compensation for the losses of the merchant ship of the Arro, totaling 300,000 taels of silver.

As for the French, the conditions were too harsh. Zhang Mingfeng, the county magistrate of Xilin County, Guangxi, was to be handed over by the Chinese government, and the French temporarily established court was tried for murder, and to ensure the safety of French missionaries in China. Finally, compensation of 100,000 taels of silver was paid for as a pension.

(In real history, France sent troops to war more for political rather than economic considerations, which is related to France's national policy of "protecting children". This is probably understood by readers who know some of the history of the Second Crow.)

This is a condition that a leader with a little self-esteem would definitely not agree to. Bamaitun did not seek to resolve the Yaro dispute through a peaceful road, but was just a pretext. Once the negotiations broke down, force would be needed! The ultimate goal of sending troops to deter the enemy country and enabling the smooth recovery of the opium trade was Bamaitun's ultimate wish.

Sure enough, Lu Jianying stood up with a slap in his face, his face turned red with anger: "Your country is bullying our heavenly dynasty. If our heavenly dynasty agrees with such harsh conditions, what kind of face will there be between heaven and earth in the future? Your country relies on the strong ships and cannons, and bravely presses against each other with force. It is important to know that the artillery on the front lines of Humen, Haikou, etc. are not placed there as decorations!"

"If you say this, your Governor will not agree? As far as I know, you must always inform your country's emperor to wait for his ruling?"

"Take care more! The rules of our Celestial Empire do not need to interfere in our interrogation. But I can tell you that our Celestial Empire will never agree to these conditions."

The British left with a satisfied smile. Lu Jianying drafted a memorial overnight, recording the descriptions of the representatives of Britain and France who were arrogant and unreasonable and roaring in the court. He reported his life to Jiangning. Before that, he sent a telegram to send a telegram to Jiangning.

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The emperor put the memorial aside, looked down at the kneeling ministers, "Have you read this memorial?"

"Yes, I have seen it all."

"In this way, it is inevitable to fight with the British." The emperor smiled distressedly and turned it out from behind the imperial case: "Since I ascended the throne, I have always treated the innocent people of the Celestial Empire. I don't know that the wolves and their wolves are ambitions and dissatisfied with desires. Is it really intolerable to those who are intolerant!"

"The emperor treats the people like their descendants, and the people also treat the emperor like the Emperor of Heaven. What the British do now is a clear proof of their lack of etiquette and law. As long as the emperor gives an edict, the people of our heavenly dynasty will unite and think that the British, French and barbarians, and the clowns who jumped into the beam, how can they be afraid?"

The emperor sneered, "Don't the British want to use force? I will accompany you to the end! Bai Wei, go down and draw an order: I will fight against the British! Even if I fight to the last one, I will never take a step back!" He turned around suddenly and his tone increased: "In addition, the Military Affairs Office has drawn up another clear edict to spread to the world. The governors and governors of all provinces have the responsibility to defend the territory. If anyone dares to take over the enemy and abandon the city and leave, Qinglin during the reign of the Emperor, Yu Buyun is a role model."

"Zha." Bai Wei repeated the words intact, but didn't leave, but touched his head again: "Emperor, I think that the country has a conquest and the emperor is outside, and the people and soldiers are uneasy. Is it true that the emperor asked the emperor for his oral order? After returning to the capital, will I pass the decree on the world?"

This matter was the common thought of several military officials of Bai Wei and had discussed it many times below. The emperor was outside and was in Shanghai with waterways. Once he met a police officer, it would be a big event that would collapse! Therefore, you should persuade the emperor to return to the capital first.

During the emperor's hesitation, Weng Xincun Yue's prelude answered: "Your Majesty, I also agreed. The emperor is outside and the subjects in the world are uneasy. Please ask the emperor to return to the palace immediately. After arriving in the capital, he will return to the world. If my emperor commands it, then the British and French coalition forces will not be a problem."

"Okay." The emperor nodded: "Since that's the case, let's arrange the return to the palace first, and then issue an order when you arrive in the capital."

When an emergency occurred, it was impossible to make a big spoiled appearance. He took the imperial boat north and only delayed the road in Shandong for one day. Then he returned to Tongzhou.

Originally, according to the results of Bai Jue's discussion, he went straight to the capital. However, the emperor had an order and had no choice but to stop in Shandong for a day. The emperor issued an order, and the Guangwuying in Tianjin led Yishan, Zeng Guofan and Jiang Zhongyuan; Heilongjiang garrison General Te Deng'er, Jilin garrison General Yi Zhi, Shengjing garrison General De Chong'er, Chahar's garrison Prince Zairui, Rehe garrison General Beizi Zhongshan, and immediately went to Beijing after receiving the order.

In addition, he recruited Shandong Governor Chunshou and the vassal officer Lao Chongguang to the imperial boat, and retreated to the eunuchs and palace maids around him. Even Jingyu, who never leaves his body every day, sent him out. The three kings and ministers discussed in the boat for two hours, and no one knew what they said.

When Chunshou and the other two knelt out, their faces were gloomy and their expressions were a little nervous, and others dared not ask more questions. They had to continue their journey with a lot of questions in mind.

There was nothing to say on the way, and when he arrived in Tongzhou, he changed his Yulu Grand Race and entered the city from Zhengyangmen, Beijing. The left-behind military minister Yi, Sun Ruizhen, and the eldest prince who was the prince to supervise the country, Zaili, and the civil and military officials in the capital were welcomed for ten miles outside the city: "My son is grateful to the emperor for his peace, long live long live long live long live long live long!"

The emperor stood up from the jade line and waved his hand: "Well, let me get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The emperor waved: "Lao Liu, come to the car, I have something to say to you."

"Yes." Yi also had a lot of words and wanted to answer the emperor. He then took a few steps to get on the imperial carriage. The king and his ministers entered the carriage. The emperor rested leisurely on the throne paved with bright yellow and soft satin, looking at his younger brother: "Lao Liu, thank you so much for this month."

Yi hurriedly met, "I dare not. The emperor entrusted the country with national affairs. How dare I not do my best to ensure that my Qing Dynasty will last forever?"

"You are still like that back then. You have something in your heart and can never hide it." The emperor chuckled and said, "I ask you, are you dissatisfied with the British attacking the border, and I have been dissatisfied with the fact that I have been ignoring and not taking any measures?"

Yi was stunned for a moment, didn't say anything, but just met her head frequently - it was clearly a default.

"I have some words. Before today, I don't tell you. It's not that I don't believe in your character, but it's important, and I don't have a decision to make arbitrary decisions. I ask you, in your opinion, is there any way to avoid the British people coming across the ocean?"

"This..." Yi was stunned for a moment. Since November last year, after hearing about the preparations for war in Britain, what he has been thinking about is how to resolve the war invisibly. The best way is naturally to go through international mediation, but what specific result can be achieved is unpredictable.

Today, when the emperor asked, Yi thought about it and replied: "My brother thinks, if it is the United States, Denmark will be willing to..."

"Do you know? Lao Liu, the British did not hesitate to provoke wars, but the goal that I could not agree to at any time was to restore the opium that I had sold and consumed in my Celestial Empire! If it was a matter of other things, we could always use the strategy of using barbarians to control barbarians and seek solutions, only opium!" He shook his head: "Once the ban is lifted, there will be endless troubles."

"Then, if we, the Emperor, must we distinguish between the Celestial Empire and the British by force?"

The emperor was not angry at Yi Yu's recklessness and continued to explain to him, "Do you know how many similar or similar treaties have been signed between our Celestial Emperor and Lieyi after the "Jiangning Treaty"?"

"This, please go down and add it in detail..."

"No need, I will tell you, there are eleven copies in total! This is the ironclad evidence that the barbarians from all walks of life regard our Celestial Empire as fish after the incident in Guangdong!" The emperor's face was blue and slim and ugly. He said, "This time I decided to fight with the British. In addition to the import of opium, I also want to let all countries see that the Celestial Empire is not a wild country that is slaughtered and humiliated, and I am not a devastating king who ignores government affairs!"

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Sai Shanga was sent to Tianjin Green Camp in the fifth year of Xianfeng, together with Beizi Yishan, Gushan, together with Beizi Yishan, Gushan. This was also a compromise that could not be done. The Han people led the troops. Since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, it has been the biggest taboo in the court. Zeng Guofan and Jiang Zhongyuan practiced the new army in Tianjin, and the memorials were endless. The emperor knew that the new army was effective in pursuing it, but the more this happened, the more they were jealous of the relatives and nobles of the royal family in the court.

Later, Zeng Guofan saw that it was not a problem, so he took the initiative to submit a memorial, saying that he was "working day and night, and his illness was difficult to support himself, and his eyes were dying, and his daily dizziness, and his official documents were not read, and he relied on books and recited them all.... After giving some reasons, Zeng Guofan asked the emperor to "remember that he was old and weak, and to relieve his military officials from the responsibility of training ministers, and to use his talents as a military service."

On the ninth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of Xianfeng, the emperor celebrated his birthday. Zeng Guofan went to Beijing and after he was free, the emperor called him to the imperial court. "This memorial is not only my and you, but also those who are accused of the scholars who receive their salary all day long and do not do anything about human affairs, but also know the reasons."

"Your Majesty, it's not that I am afraid of jealousy. But I am not the director of the military affairs. Please ask the emperor to choose another talented person?"

"It is impossible to choose a virtuous person. War is a major matter for the country. Do you not hand over such a heavy burden to those who truly believe in others, and have the ability to do things and have the hearts of a king and a father? Should you give it to scholars who talk big and have no plans to offer me, and will only sacrifice themselves to repay me at the last moment?!"

The emperor said loudly, and then his voice lowered a little, "But I understand your difficulties very well. Let me let Sai Shanga and Yishan go there. Sai Shanga is not good at leading troops, and there is still a way to train troops. As for Yishan, he was the admiral of the Green Camp at the time, and this time he was reinstated, he was also a meritorious service. Let him go and help you. You should take the big idea."

After thinking for a while, he thought to himself that Zeng Guofan, a master of Neo-Confucianism, was well aware of the way of doing things by a gentleman, and sent two people to do it. If he was not good, he gave up everything on the grounds of being in lingering illness. The result he finally achieved would be wasted in the hands of Sai Shanga and Yishan.

Therefore, he said: "Zeng Guofan, I want to tell you that if you are conservative of your feelings, or if you have the fear of being afraid of you because I sent Sai Shang A and Yishan over there, and it will affect and delay my military training plan, I will not forgive you!"

"Yes. I will definitely break the face of love and not fight against personal feelings. I will train the soldiers of Guangwu Camp into our Iron Army of the Celestial Empire!"

Sure enough, the emperor sent a Mongolian nobleman and a Manchu army commander to Tianjin. The imperial edict was passed on with Zeng Guofan's military training matters. The sound of criticism of Zeng Guofan's training for soldiers was immediately reduced.

This time, Zeng Guofan, Sai Shanga and others knew that the court was about to use troops against Britain, and this newly trained Guangwu Camp would probably take the lead.

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It was already the time when the autumn wind was blowing, so it was not convenient to stay in the Old Summer Palace again. The emperor drove into the city and placed it properly. The emperor called Daqi in the Qianqing Palace. Military aircraft, cabinet, and six ministers and nine ministers arrived as soon as they heard three sounds of whips in the quiet palace. The emperor was promoted to the Nine Dragons mouth. After the ministers knelt down, he performed the great ceremony of the monarch and ministers who knelt three times and kowtowed three times, he nodded silently. Liufu, who was standing aside, raised his voice and shouted: "Get up!"

The emperor looked down leisurely and said, "I have visited Jiangnan. Prince Gong Yi, Minister of Military Affairs, and others stayed in Beijing to manage government affairs. Thank you in many ways."

"I dare not. I am entrusted by the emperor to the extreme. I dare to do something accidentally and comfort my master's heart?"

"If you have this intention, the gods will definitely protect you from all walks of life. Yi and Sun Ruizhen stayed in the capital and made outstanding contributions. They will be rewarded with each other for one year's salary; Yi and Batulujia are awarded with Sun Ruizhen's yellow jacket."

"I'm waiting for you to thank the emperor for your kindness."

"Get up." The emperor waved his hand and asked the two of them to stand aside. He continued with a smile, "This time I went to Jiangning, it was really a big eye. Not to mention the speed and convenience of the railway, just looking at the place where the literary styles of Jiangnan gather and the people have enough food and clothing, you can know that every policy that benefited the people over the past few years has been implemented."

"This is the result of the emperor's holy heart and the local governor's sincerity in doing his job."

"This sentence cannot be wrong. In the Liangjiang administration, the two governors, Lu Jianying and Gui Liang, can be called my loyal ministers. Lu Jianying was given the title of Prince's Taibao, and the three-eyed peach feather was granted the construction of the Merit Temple in his hometown as a commendation. As for Gui Liang, he was even more rewarded in the court, and was given the title of Batulujia, and the title of Prince's Taifu. He was granted the title of Second Class Nemesis."
Chapter completed!