Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 398: The Saxons voluntarily knelt on both knees, kowtowed three times and nine times, and converted to "Emperor Yuhuang"

Suzhou City, Daoqian Street.

Guards soldiers in red and black uniforms stood guard every 10 steps, armed with guns.

With such a grand occasion, there must be something big going on.

Five horse-drawn carriages slowly drove into the government office.

Mei Yunsong, the owner of Shunde Restaurant, pretended to glance at it casually while cutting the meat.
He happened to see a yellow-haired, blue-eyed barbarian who curiously lifted the curtain of the carriage.

Cursing secretly in my heart:

"The fake King Wu colluded with foreigners and betrayed his ancestors. He is indeed a traitor."

I was thinking about finding out as soon as possible and sending the information out~
Such a distraction,

"Ouch",
My hand is bleeding~
The blood was mixed into the poached chicken, making the dish look fresher, but it was still served to the diners.

……

When the Saxon mission's deputy envoy Staunton and translator Hong Renhui saw Captain Andrew of the Lion and Captain Howard of the Hell, their excitement was difficult to express.

Call God directly~
"I didn't expect to see you two again. I'd like to know what happened to the delegation?"

"They are all dead. The despicable and shameless Tatar emperor actually murdered the envoys. It is unreasonable. He is a madman."

Captain Andrew was calmer.
He instantly grasped the key point and asked:

"How did you escape? How did you arrive safely in Suzhou to meet us? I don't think God's servants have such great power in the Far East?"

Staunton's face suddenly changed.
Looking around, he saw Wu army soldiers standing upright in the four corners of the yard.

His face turned pale and then red, and the corners of his mouth trembled violently.

Hong Renhui nervously grabbed the corner of his clothes and shook his head firmly to signal him not to talk nonsense.

……

"God certainly doesn't have such great power in this land."

Everyone turned around in surprise and saw the female translator Zhang Xiaomei, who was wearing a tight military uniform and walking with elegant steps.

have to say,

This woman has some flavor~
Zhang Xiaomei adjusted her wide-brimmed hat and stretched out her right hand:

"His Majesty is waiting for you gentlemen inside, please!"

After all,

She walked in front, allowing the eyes behind her to admire her charm.

In just a few dozen feet of distance, the willows swaying in the wind made Andrew and Howard's hearts skip several beats.

Staunton ignored the witch.

Hong Renhui once again used his eyes to remind him to hide his thoughts. He was at the mercy of others.
……

"Greetings to His Majesty the King of Wu."

According to their country's etiquette, everyone took off their hats and knelt on one knee.

Li Yu pointed casually:
"sit down."

The act of offering a seat impressed everyone, except Staunton.

Zhang Xiaomei consciously stood aside and acted as an interpreter. She translated every sentence Li Yu said.

Minister of Economy Fan Jing, Minister of Industry Du Ren, Minister of Commerce Hu Xueyu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jia Xiaozhen, and four guards stood behind and listened with their hands hanging.

"Vice-Ambassador Si Dangdong, your country's delegation to the Qing Dynasty suffered heavy property losses and casualties. Your Majesty expresses deep regret for this~"

"However, the two of you were able to survive the clutches of the Tatar Emperor because His Majesty used intelligence personnel and paid a rescue fee of no less than 2 pounds."

Hong Renhui was stunned, and Si Dangdong's computer crashed on the spot.

all of a sudden,

I was burdened with such a heavy debt (favors).

10 pounds, the cost of a first-class battleship~
……

I could only awkwardly respond with a flawless diplomatic rhetoric, which was the same nonsense as saying nothing.

Li Yu took in everyone's wonderful expressions.

Straight to the point:
"My army has just won a decisive battle on the north bank of the Yangtze River. We have annihilated 20 Tatar troops and occupied many wealthy cities. In a few years, I will become the sole emperor of the empire."

The eyes of the dozen or so Saxons in the room lit up~
It seemed that the young king was not lying.

Andrew bowed slightly:
"Your Majesty. During our stay in Suzhou, your attendants took us to visit army drills, finished artillery, cement buildings, silk factories, and tea mountains. We were amazed at your great talent and vision."

Li Yu was not modest, but arrogantly patted the armrest of the chair:
"I am very busy, so I will make this short. Are you familiar with your country's trade situation in the Far East?"

No one knew what he meant and dared not respond.

……

Li Yu smiled and said directly:

"The trade deficit between your country and the Tatars is increasing year by year. Buckingham Palace and Downing Street are eager to solve this problem, right?"

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knows how sensitive and complicated this topic is.

Li Yu leaned back on the chair,

Looking at these fiery and suspicious eyes, he said slowly:

"For hundreds of years, European merchants have never been able to establish a truly equal trade relationship with us, because you need tea, silk, and porcelain, but we need nothing. We have everything you have, and we also have everything you don't have."

Hong Renhui couldn't help but blurt out an idiom:
“The land is vast and rich in resources.”

Li Yu nodded:
"You are right. For hundreds of years, silver from all over the world has been flowing into our country, and the trade deficit has been getting bigger and bigger. Does Mr. Staunton know this number?"

Staunton calmed down and said:

"The official data from London is a deficit of 2500 million taels of silver, but I personally think the actual figure may be twice that."

……

Everyone was immersed in the huge figure of 5000 million taels and couldn't extricate themselves.

A mountain of silver!
Li Yu picked up the tea bowl and slowly pushed aside the tea leaves:

"I am different from all the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. I fully support industry and commerce and do my best to suppress the gentry class that isolates the country from the outside world."

Staunton suppressed his excitement and asked:

"But this does not change the fact that your country does not need European goods and dislikes missionaries~"

Li Yu put down the tea bowl and paused for a while.
Stand up:

"I am prepared to import large quantities of your cotton, wool, saltpeter, machinery, ships, navigation instruments, spices, horses, metals, as well as sailors, retired officers, artists, and bards."

Zhang Xiaomei finished translating this sentence.
The room suddenly exploded with excitement, the Saxons even forgot about etiquette and started discussing as if no one was around.

Many people were so excited that their faces turned red and they danced with joy.

……

Maybe some people don’t understand why?
Back in London, everyone will become a respectable "hero" for their contribution to the successful opening of the vast imperial market in the East.

Since then,

They were all able to rise to prominence and become respected London gentlemen, wealthy and generous.

In particular, there is a great chance that Staunton, Hong Renhui, Andrew and Howard will be awarded the "noble title" by the king.

The Saxon Empire's noble titles were a dizzying existence.

Once you obtain it, you will be able to enter the highest gaming field in the empire.

Endless gold coins to spend, endless banquets to eat, endless dances to dance to, and endless ladies to play with.

This is by no means an exaggeration, but a fact.

The 17th to mid-19th century was the golden age of the aristocracy, who held their heads high, looked down on others, were leaders of their time, and stood out from the crowd.

Talk and laugh with ru, no contacts STOMATOLOGY.

Andrew's face flushed with excitement. He knelt on one knee again and asked devoutly:

"Your Majesty, are you serious?"

"The emperor's word is as good as gold. We can sign a formal commercial treaty."

……

Staunton also changed his previous cautious mentality and knelt on his knees:

"May the friendship between our two countries remain unchanged forever."

Li Yu smiled:

"I support all the interests of the Saxon Empire in Europe and hope that the two countries can become the most steadfast allies in commerce and military affairs."

"Well, everyone, I have arranged a luxurious banquet for you as a gift before you set sail. I hope you will have a smooth and pleasant journey back home."

"Farewell to Your Majesty."

Si Dangdong took the lead, and everyone knelt on the ground in unison, kowtowed three times and bowed nine times to see Li Yu off.

Qianlong was right: "Barbarians will not kneel on both knees. This is just an excuse. I don't believe it~"

Today, their kneeling posture is very standard, which is enough to show the "etiquette education of officials from the Ministry of Rites of the Qing Dynasty."

……

Staunton never mentioned any "conspiracy theory" or "poisoning theory" again.

He excitedly asked for paper and pen.
The drafting of the "Saxon-Dawu Comprehensive and Equal Commercial Alliance" began.

At the same time, he reminded Hong Renhui:
"You understand the ways of the world here. Write a congratulatory letter quickly, praising your Majesty's enlightenment as much as possible, and write in Chinese characters to show respect for your Majesty."

Hong Renhui nodded.

He shook his head and went to the next room to draft a congratulatory message.

Andrew and Howard talked, sometimes loudly and sometimes quietly, imagining their bright future in the Royal Navy.

No, it should be the Navy Department.

No, maybe the House of Lords.

Andrew groaned:
"Which do you think has more development prospects, the bureaucrat of the Admiralty or the congressman? I've had enough of being a captain. It's not decent to be squeezed on a ship with a bunch of dirty sailors and mentally retarded goats."

"I'd rather be a member of parliament! If I could be a baronet, I'd be satisfied."

"I think there should be three barons and one viscount among us. Otherwise, the factory owners in London will not agree, and the newspaper industry in Europe will not agree. Can you believe it? We have just ushered in an era!"

The two looked at each other,
Suddenly opened his arms enthusiastically, hugged madly, cheered, and jumped for joy.

……

Li Yu did not show up at the banquet.

But he accepted the congratulatory message and signed and stamped the "Comprehensive and Equal Trade Alliance between the Two Countries" with his imperial seal.

Foreign Minister Jia Xiaozhen was ordered to host the dinner.

A manor on the shore of Yangcheng Lake is brightly lit, with music and fine wine and delicious food at your fingertips, making everyone happy.

The ship's doctor of the Hell claimed to be a mechanical enthusiast and had once opened a small machine workshop, which later went bankrupt due to poor management.

He hopes to stay in Suzhou Prefecture and contribute to the friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Jia Xiaozhen expressed his welcome.

When Captain Howard found out about this, he could only appear magnanimous, but in his heart he cursed this traitor.

Staunton was very calm, knowing that he would be a hereditary noble when he returned.

It is not unreasonable for a subordinate to want to stay and earn some gold coins for retirement. Look, the hearts of nobles are so broad.

the next morning,

The drunk crowd staggered south on a boat along the Grand Canal.

……

As soon as we arrived in Ningbo Prefecture, something unexpected happened again.

More than a third of the 800 ordinary crew members refused to leave.

Especially the young officer cadets and the slightly older lower-level sailors on the ship, their attitude was very firm.

They somehow learned about the commercial alliance between the two countries.

He said:

"Stay for the sake of the kingdom."

Andrew was shaking with anger. The sailors' behavior was tantamount to mutiny and they could be executed directly at sea.

The accompanying officials of the State of Wu expressed surprise and repeatedly stated that it had nothing to do with them.

It is suggested that both parties sit down and negotiate calmly and rationally to resolve the issue. The use of force cannot solve the problem and will only intensify the conflict.

Andrew was furious.
It's not that he doesn't want to use force, but that he doesn't have the force.

The two warships were anchored at Zhoushan Port, and neither cannons nor muskets were brought ashore.

……

Witt, a 12-year-old officer cadet with five years of sailing experience, said firmly:

"Sir, I volunteered and I will never leave."

"You are treasonous!"

"never mind."

"Your family will be disgraced by this!"

"They were working 18-hour days at the Honourable Wool Mill in Manchester and I don't think they had time to feel ashamed."

“They’re going to be thrown in jail for this.”

"There is no such law in the kingdom. And I think they are already in hell."

……

Andrew's nose was crooked with anger, and he asked in a low voice:
"Did Wu promise you anything? To make you an officer? To live in a big house? Do you think that's possible? You didn't even pass the warrant officer exam!"

Witt shook his head and repeated:

“I found love here.”

Andrew was speechless.
He was young once, too, and realized that there was no going back to this cheap and useful officer cadet in front of him.

So I changed the wording:
"What will you do if you miss home in the future? There is no wine, fried fish, French fries, or soft and delicious bread here~"

Witt couldn't help laughing:
"Sir, I have only had a sip of wine in my life, because I polished my boots very hard, and a distinguished guest in the stern cabin gave me that wine. I have not tasted the last three kinds of food you mentioned."

……

Similar conversations continued for three days.

Those who stay have various reasons, such as being old, being tired of sailing, having found love, wanting to make a little money, wanting to learn advanced culture, etc.

have to say,

The efficiency of subversion work is extremely high.

Although we don't speak the same language, our human nature is the same.

Someone once said:

If she is not very worldly-wise, take her to see all the splendor of the world.

If she's been through a lot, take her on a merry-go-round.

In fact, it would be just as useful if you replaced her with him.

……

The young officer cadets of the Royal Navy are mostly between 9 and 17 years old and have little experience in the world.

Two measures are targeted:
First, they promoted the rank of warrant officer directly without taking any exam. Second, they urgently hired a group of widows who had no children and no means of living, and offered them conditions.

My sister took action and killed everyone.

A girl three years older than a student, holds a gold brick. A girl six years older than a student, holds two gold bricks.

Language is not a problem, age is not a problem, all I need to do is let my brother fly.

These widows fighting for survival dressed up in their best clothes and roamed around the camp every day, using their gentle eyes and smiles to win over these officer cadets.

After success, the government immediately promised to fulfill the conditions.

Three tiled houses and one set of furniture were given as gifts. In the future, she could rely on the man's salary to support her family.

Everyone in Jiangnan knows that the officers of the Wu army have high incomes.

……

There is another strategy for older sailors.

Stay~
You will be given a pension equivalent to that of a serving second lieutenant, which you will receive until your death.

Which middle-aged person can resist such "romance"? There is no resistance at all.

then,

These people all volunteered to become instructors of the Wu Army Navy, responsible for teaching and training apprentices.

The rest period in Ningbo was the most comfortable time in these sailors' lives.

A clean and tidy house, beautiful bedding, delicious meals, plenty of alcohol, a safe environment, and surprises and temptations everywhere.

……

260 people is the result of restraint.

If you swing the hoe hard, there will be at least 660 people.

No one is born with a love of adventure and hardship; it is just that life forces them to do so.

In the 18th century, the Saxon Kingdom had made rapid progress in science and technology, and its colonial business was thriving. However, this did not affect the fact that a large proportion of Saxons lived worse than pigs and dogs.
Sheep eat people!
Machines eat people!

The nobles also eat people!
Therefore, as long as the treatment is adequate, these sailors can say bye to God and convert to "Emperor Yuhuang".

(End of this chapter)