Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 330: Alliance?

Such a large team moves slowly.

They only advanced 25 miles in a whole day. At this speed, it would take at least 7 days to reach the capital.

Macartney politely asked a Qing nobleman through an interpreter.

“Why doesn’t your country use horse-drawn carriages?”

The Eight Banners noble said in surprise:

"How can a carriage be as comfortable as a sedan? The nobles in my dynasty all travel in sedans. This eight-carriage sedan that your envoy is riding in is so majestic and authentic!"

……

There is still an hour before the sun sets. A large group of people set up camp on the spot.

This was an excellent opportunity to observe the Qing Empire's military power up close. Macartney and the two military attachés in the mission patiently watched the whole process.

dozens of feet away,

A leader from the guard camp muttered:

"What are those barbarians looking at?"

"Hey, it can't be a rabbit, right?"

The thick collar man felt a chill all over his body, and when he thought of the yellow hair, blue eyes, and overly thick hair, he felt an indescribable disgust.

"Emerson, what did you see?"

"Your Excellency, Deputy Envoy, this is a battle-hardened armored cavalry regiment. They are very skilled in setting up camps and are well-trained."

"If, and I mean if, you defeat this army, how many red shirts will it take."

Emerson, who had served in the Saxon Army for more than 20 years and was the commander of the 45th Infantry Regiment, hesitated and replied:
"With 4 ordinary infantry regiments and 2 cavalry squadrons, I can ensure that we will not be defeated."

[At this time, the Saxon ordinary infantry regiment consisted of 2 battalions, 1 combat battalion, and 1 supplementary battalion, totaling about 2000 people. The elite infantry regiment consists of 3 battalions, including 2 combat battalions. 】

"Are they horse archers or dragoons? Or hussars?"

Emerson smiled bitterly:
"Sir, I can't answer this question. They have armor, bows and arrows, and cavalry swords, and some of them also carry matchlocks. Maybe they are an all-powerful army?"

……

evening.

Dozens of bonfires were lit around the camp.

The local county government and gentry sent food and water.

Inside the big tent.

An official from the Ministry of Etiquette was amiably teaching the members of the mission "court etiquette" - three kowtows and nine bows.

Looking at this guy with a fair face and a flattering face, he knelt on his knees and kowtowed as if he was pounding garlic.

Macartney's heart suddenly went cold, and he said eagerly:
"No, no, I hope to follow the European etiquette and kneel down on one knee."

The translator immediately turned pale and stuttered as he translated.

Sure enough, the officials of the Ministry of Etiquette became very excited. First they were shocked, then angry, and then confused. After shivering for a long time, he walked away.

Macartney and a group of members of the mission looked at each other.

That night, they had a heated discussion.

A few people think it's okay to be accommodating.

Most people believe that this kind of "humiliation" is absolutely unacceptable. It was a humiliation to the Saxon Kingdom to make the dignified envoys kneel down and kowtow.

……

Because of this,
The team stopped awkwardly.

Until there is no further instruction from the capital, thousands of guards can only spend time in Yangcun with these Yi people who "do not understand the rules".

The magistrate of Wuqing County was miserable.

Rice, flour, meat, vegetables and fruits were provided every day, and all government officials were dispatched to maintain public order.

All the people and beggars in the surrounding 5 miles were driven away to prevent them from violating the taboos of the imperial court.

He Shen was so anxious that he had blisters on his lips. After shutting himself in the room and thinking for a long time, he asked someone to get the Saxon credentials and gift list, and hurried into the palace to ask for an audience.

Qianlong's complexion remained as usual, and his mentality was as stable as ever.

Even with a smile:
"Heshen, do you have any good news for me?"

He Shen's heart trembled. When he stood up, he was already smiling and holding the gift list:

"Master, this slave is bold and has a sudden military idea."

"Oh?"

Qianlong suddenly became interested. Unexpectedly, this loyal servant actually knew military affairs?
……

"Master, please see, this is the Saxon gift list."

Qianlong browsed through it and was quite surprised:

"so much?"

"Yes. Saxons are sincere at heart."

"Well, there are so many kinds of things, it's so dazzling. The Saxon King has his heart. It's hard for him."

Seeing this, He Shen quickly said:
"My slave expected that the Saxon King was just like Louis XVI, treating me as a nephew, the Qing Emperor."

This horse phrasing is very well shot.

Qianlong felt completely comfortable and happy, so he put on his tortoiseshell glasses and read the gift list carefully line by line.

He Shen continued to observe the words and expressions and said:
"My servant just learned that when the Saxon fleet sailed to the waters of Zhoushan, Zhejiang, it happened to hear that the Wu bandits were invading. Viscount Macartney immediately proposed to lead all members of the mission to disembark and fight against the Wu bandits."

"Oh? Is this happening?" Qianlong's eyes widened in surprise.

"Fu Min, the Cantonese general, was on board the ship. He expressed his gratitude to Macartney but declined the suggestion."

"Well, this slave Fumin did the right thing."

……

Qianlong seemed to be very emotional, and actually sighed quietly.

Unexpectedly, this Saxon nephew is quite loyal. He actually took the initiative to fight for the Qing Dynasty and the Wu bandits, which was quite sincere.

The gift list was translated by the Ministry of Rites.

Qianlong muttered:

"Large-scale orreries, celestial spheres, globes, moon phase demonstrators, air vacuum pumps, mechanical ingenuity stands, and large concentrator mirrors are all fancy tricks, and machines are ultimately not the right way."

He Shen answered immediately:

"My master is wise. Once machines replace manpower, people will cause trouble if they are idle."

Qianlong appreciated it very much and pointed to the stool next to him with a smile:
"Sit, sit and talk."

"Western silk fabrics, woolen fabrics, cotton fabrics, gold thread blankets, steel products, tapestries ~ I have all these things in Qing Dynasty, and the quality is better."

"What the master said is true. The slaves have also seen those gifts. The Saxons took out their best treasures, but still~"

At this point, He Shen suddenly laughed.

Qianlong was surprised and asked:

"why are you laughing?"

"The slaves laughed at them as beggars and the Dragon King playing tricks on themselves."

Hahahaha, Qianlong laughed happily.

The eunuchs waiting outside the palace heard this and were filled with admiration. You and I are the only ones in the world with such abilities. We deserve to be sitting on rockets and be favored by the emperor every day.

……

Qianlong grunted and got off the kang.

"Come on, take me to have a look."

The Ministry of Internal Affairs temporarily vacated five rooms to display the tribute gifts from the Saxon mission.

Qianlong looked at them one by one and commented on them one by one.

He had the highest opinion of naval binoculars and gold blankets.

Arriving at the last room,
He suddenly stopped, turned around and asked:
"Heshen, are these the military ideas you are talking about?"

"There is no sage like a master."

Qianlong picked them up one by one, and they were all labeled with Chinese characters, which he could tell at a glance.

"The flintlock gun is exquisitely made, but it is not suitable for our country's conditions in the Qing Dynasty."

"The copper cannon is pretty good. It's almost the same as my Qing mountain-splitting cannon."

"A handgun? It's small and exquisite. But it's useless on the battlefield. At least it can be worn by deputy generals and above."

"Hey, what is this?"

……

Qianlong picked up a warship model and was quite surprised.

He Shen quickly explained:

"This is a Saxon naval battleship model. They call it a first-class sailing battleship. It has hundreds of guns."

"This is impossible. How many kilograms do hundreds of cannons weigh? Can the ship still float on the sea? Can the hull of the ship withstand the impact of hundreds of cannons?"

He Shen answered immediately:

"What the master said is true. The barbarians must have exaggerated. I estimate that there are only fifty or sixty cannons, which can reach the sky."

There was sudden silence in the room. Qianlong took the model and looked at it over and over for a long time, and suddenly he said:
"If there are really fifty or sixty cannons, they should not be underestimated."

He Shen also quickly suppressed his smile and nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, Qianlong whispered:

"Heshen, send a few reliable people to Dagokou to take a look. What do the Yi people's ships look like?"

"Master Shengming, why didn't I think of this? Seeing it is better than hearing it. I will send a few painters to draw it for the emperor to see."

Looking at He Shen with a regretful look on his face, Qianlong smiled proudly.

Instruct Qin Si:

"Take this wooden thing back to my bedroom."

"Whoo."

……

Qianlong was very tough on his words, but he stayed in this room patiently for half an hour.

Finally, he fell in love with a strange object.

air gun!

The introduction note stated that this object is powered by air and can continuously fire 40 rounds of lead bullets within 15 breaths without any movement.

"Come here, let's test the gun."

"Whoo."

The square was temporarily cleared of some idle people.

A highly educated imperial guard studied for half an hour and finally figured out how to use the air gun.

When Qianlong was about to lose his temper, he finally began to test the gun.

Thirty feet away, there was a thick wooden board standing upright.

The imperial guard gathered his breath in a deep voice and pulled the trigger of the flat-end air gun.

Poof, there was a very slight movement. There was no smoke or fire from the muzzle, and people around were surprised.

The guard next to the target immediately stepped forward to check and loudly reported:

"In the middle, the lead bullet penetrated the wood 1 finger."

Qianlong was instantly shocked, and He Shen was also quite surprised. Is this world going to change?
……

Immediately afterwards, the guard fired six shots in a row, hitting the target.

Qianlong's face became visibly serious.

Poof, another shot.

The guard reporting the target shouted:
"Missed."

The guard with the gun immediately knelt down and said awkwardly:

"Your Majesty, it's not that this slave's marksmanship is bad. It's that the gun seems to have lost its strength."

Qianlong quickly stood up and went to check the target.

The lead bullets were densely embedded in the wooden target, but at different depths.

The guard whispered:

"Your Majesty, the first three shots were quite powerful. The power gradually became less powerful after that. The lead bullets could not even embed in the wooden target."

Qianlong said nothing.

Pointing at the guard holding a gun:
"continue."

"Your Majesty, you need more gas, please add it now."

……

The guard pressed the air pump at full speed, several hundred times at a time. The speed gradually slowed down and he was exhausted.

"How many times does this pump up take?"

"It takes 1500 strokes to return to the emperor."

Qianlong simply pointed at the other guards present:
"You guys, change it."

So, the four guards took turns pressing the air pump, and finally managed 1500 times! Everyone was tired and sweating profusely.

Qianlong suddenly laughed and said:

"What's the use of this gun? It's too time-consuming."

The manager Qin Si smiled and said:

"The time it takes to reload after a round is enough for me to make a trip from the Forbidden City to Gaobeidian."

The guard installed the inflated butt-type air cylinder again.

This process may be due to lack of proficiency.

The connection was slightly deformed and it actually couldn't be installed.

Qianlong was in a good mood:

"That's all, they're all just sideshows, so don't bother watching them. Although I'm not the emperor of the world, I understand that complicated weapons are the most taboo on the battlefield. Such a fragile and complicated air gun is not as reliable as a big blade."

……

Qianlong turned around and left, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

The Saxon mission's gifts were rich, and except for the model battleship, the rest were just sideshows.

"Heshen, how much do you think the gifts of these five rooms are worth?"

"No matter what, I still need 10 taels of silver."

"Well, I accept this favor from the King of Saxon. You must receive the deputy envoy named Ma well. By the way, where is the envoy?"

"Your Majesty, I am recovering from an illness I contracted during the voyage."

Qianlong's steps stopped for a moment, and he suddenly felt sad.

He ordered:
"A reward of 500 taels of mourning silver will be provided to meet the needs. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will co-organize it."

"The Emperor is merciful."

After returning to Yangxin Hall,

He Shen proposed the idea of ​​​​purchasing and imitating Saxon warships.

Qianlong did not refuse this time, but just said:
"If it's true, I have nothing to do with it. You guys should come up with a charter first."

The monarch and his ministers tacitly understood that warships might be the weapon to break the situation against the Wu Kingdom in the south of the Yangtze River.

if,

The Qing court could possess dozens of Western-style sailing battleships, which could sail south along the monsoon winds in winter and defeat the Wu navy in one fell swoop.

Then we can regain control of the Yangtze River.

The thousands of miles of coastline south of the Yangtze River were immediately on fire, and Qing officers and soldiers could land at any place. No matter how hard Wu Jun fought, he still couldn't defend Jiangnan.

……

He Shen could be said to have devoted all his energy and heart to the Qing Dynasty.

Except for greed, everything else is an advantage.

After leaving the Forbidden City, he immediately rode to Yangcun, Wuqing County, and met with Macartney.

There are 50 feet around the big tent and no one is allowed to get close.

inside the account,

Each side brought an interpreter and discussed the issue of "court etiquette" head-on.

"Your Excellency, I cannot follow such unreasonable etiquette. Otherwise, I will not be able to explain to the King and Parliament when I return to London. In the words of the Qing Dynasty, this is called an insult to the country."

"Your Excellency Macartney, what is your ultimate purpose for traveling thousands of miles to the Qing Dynasty?"

"It's natural to have trade and friendship. The Qing Dynasty and the Saxons are the two most powerful countries in the world. If we work together, the world will be ours."

He Shen felt bored for no reason.

If it weren't for the fact that the imperial court needed money to quell the chaos, people would have driven this Huang Maoyi out of the Qing Dynasty long ago.

As the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, no one understands better than himself how important the customs tax and the effect of the Thirteenth Line are to the current situation. This is almost a sum of money falling from the sky, and it will have no negative impact on the country.

The act of raising Wu's salary is equivalent to drinking salt water when you are thirsty.

If you keep drinking it, you will have adverse reactions.

Donating and losing is okay once or twice, but if you continue, the resistance will get bigger and bigger. It's okay for merchants, but the gentry will definitely be alienated from the court.

……

He took a deep breath and spoke slowly:
"In terms of commerce, we, the Qing Dynasty, are rich and self-sufficient, and do not need the Saxons. On the contrary, it is the Saxons who need the Qing Dynasty. Do you agree with what I say?"

Macartney hesitated for a moment, then nodded in acquiescence.

The beautiful filter of the Qing Empire in my heart was shattered.

"Considering that your envoys are working tirelessly from thousands of miles away, my emperor is benevolent and instructs his ministers to sympathize with your painstaking efforts. It is not necessary to expand the commercial ports, but we can purchase some expensive goods from your country."

Macartney captured the word "expensive" keenly.

asked:

"What product?"

"Sail Battleship!"

(End of this chapter)