Tuqing: My first love was Cixi

Chapter 124 What a diplomatic genius! So amazing!

Bao Ling and Ba Xiali were slightly shocked when they heard Su Yi's words.

Because all the data Su Yi mentioned are accurate, and although they cannot be said to be top secret, few people even in the upper echelons of the UK know it so clearly.

Moreover, Su Yi indeed revealed the essence of the Sino-British war at once.

Ba Xiali sneered and said: "Sir Su Yi, you should know that it is easy to point out problems, but the real difficulty is to solve them. I know that there are two very famous politicians in your country. Zhang Yi and Su Qin both rely on the indestructible Use your tongue to persuade the monarch of the enemy country to do all the ridiculous things. But I am very sorry, your bluff is useless in today's world. The pragmatic diplomacy we adopt, your style is outdated."

Su Yi said: "In your eyes, wars are also hierarchical. Some wars are necessary and strategic. And some wars have no strategic value, are non-essential, and belong to the end of the war value chain."

"For example, in the Crimean War, Tsarist Russia paid a war cost of 800 million rubles, and you paid even more because you had an army of millions of people to fight for the expedition. So no matter how many years it takes, you can never recoup this war. War profits. But strategically, you feel it is worth it, because you have prevented Tsarist Russia from expanding and curbed Tsarist Russia’s provocation against the overlord of the British Empire.”

"As for our country's war, it has no strategic value at all. It is completely at the end of the war value chain."

Ba Xiali said: "Sir Su Yi, your analysis is very exciting, but you have gone off topic. I have already said that asking questions is not a skill, solving problems is a skill."

Su Yi said: "Sir Basiali, are you in a hurry? If you are in a hurry, let's talk next time. But if you are not in a hurry, please let me speak clearly."

Guangzhou Consul Basia Li said: "I am indeed very busy, but it doesn't matter if I waste an hour or two. But if you really let me waste these two hours in the end, then I will let you waste the rest of your life."

Su Yi said: "There are only two ways for you to gain profits. The first is to plunder the raw materials of the colonies. The second is to use the colonies as a dumping ground."

"But the benefits brought by these two tricks are getting smaller and smaller, aren't they?"

"Besides, since this century, the colonies owned by European powers have become independent one after another. The United States is independent, Mexico is independent, Brazil is independent, and Venezuela is independent. Even India, which you regard as the crown jewel of the Queen, has seen constant uprisings."

"The United States has very few colonies in the world, but its total economic value will exceed that of the British Empire in the near future. The economic growth rate of the United States in recent years has actually been very slow, because the conflict between the North and the South has become more and more intense. , but even if the growth rate is maintained at less than 2%, it will surpass the British Empire in thirty years."

"In terms of actual control of the territory, the United States is far smaller than the British Empire. Why is it destined to surpass the United Kingdom economically? There is a reason for this. The American model is ahead of your British model."

"You plunder colonial raw materials and then dump your own products. This is a primitive plunder, a very low-level, very primitive economic activity."

"My lords, the industrial age has arrived, and the era of high value-added industrial products has arrived."

"Your low-end economic activities are outdated."

"How glorious was the East India Company? But why is it deteriorating now? I believe it will collapse before long. It's because your economic model is outdated."

"It is true that the British Empire can maintain its position as the world's hegemon for a long time, but that is because of the strong inertia, economic first, then military, and finally political and cultural. If you follow this backward model, your hegemony will eventually be eliminated. Replaced by the United States."

Having said this, Su Yi paused for a moment.

British Minister Bao Ling looked at Su Yi in disbelief.

If he closes his eyes, he seems to be listening to a lecture at Cambridge University, and the lecturer is a professor who is proficient in international politics and economics.

Su Yi's words were very advanced and even offensive even within the UK.

This radical statement is indeed correct.

But...it's a little too early.

You are right, but most people don't think you are right.

Because most people are addicted to the glory of the present.

Only elites like Bao Ling knew deeply the correctness of Su Yi's remarks.

But when these words came from the mouth of a noble from the decadent Qing Empire, they were full of magic.

Su Yi continued: "When you look at the Qing Empire, you will laugh at its pedantry and ridiculousness. When you look at the Ottoman Empire, you have the same sentiment. But in my opinion, many of your British gentlemen are gradually stepping into the Our footsteps.”

Bao Ling said: "Please continue."

Su Yi said: "There are two reasons why your trade volume with China decreases year by year."

"The first reason is that our country is still a small-scale peasant economy, a closed economy, self-sufficient, and has very little external demand. Your industrial products have just opened the market, and there will be a buying wave. But most of the industrial products you dump They can be used for a long time. Once you buy them once, you won’t need to use them again for a long time.”

"The second reason is that the opium trade has strongly squeezed the trade space of other products. Our country is different from your country. Although many people are addicted to opium, in the mainstream of the entire country, opium is evil and a product of the devil. Therefore, I feel that all your British products are dark and evil. Therefore, our country has a strong sense of rejection of British products, and even all Western products."

"Of course, the British mainland, especially London, is also plagued by opium, and we don't have deep negative emotions about opium itself, but to some extent, our country has a higher moral threshold than your country."

"And you are too arrogant. You think that products that are popular in Europe will definitely be popular in our country. This is ridiculous."

"You take it for granted that by opening more ports and opening more cities, you can get a bigger market. This is true to a certain extent, but it is not true."

"Because the last wave of open port cities are already the most open and richest cities in our country. No matter how many cities and ports are opened, the result will still be the same. The trade volume will increase for three or four years, and then again Big pullback.”

“Because the market is just that big.”

“Of course, the core reason is that your industrial products are not needed in the Chinese market.

"Opium is evil and dark, so the only thing our country needs from you is weapons and ammunition."

"But my lords, even in terms of weapons and ammunition, you will soon fall behind. The U.S. weapons industry is growing vigorously. Even if you look down on it, you must admit that their arms will be cheap and easy to use in the future. In addition, in the near future, In the future, you will have a bigger competitor, the Kingdom of Prussia."

"Perhaps in your eyes, Tsarist Russia is the biggest rival, and the United States is the long-term rival. But in fact, the rising Kingdom of Prussia is the biggest challenger to your British Empire's next hegemony."

Ba Xiali said: "Your Excellency Su Yi, I admit that your words are inspiring, but it is still the same. You have been raising problems, but you still have not solved the problem."

Su Yi said: "Okay, let me tell you how to solve the problem."

"Take our country as an example. If we want to truly expand our trade volume and truly gain huge benefits, there is only one way to truly join our economic order and cultivate the market while producing what we really need."

"You produce industrial products locally and then transport them thousands of miles to China to sell them, and they are things we don't need. How can you make money from this?"

"Furthermore, the annual salary cost of a British female worker is as high as about 20 pounds. With the current economic development, the era of using cheap workers and even child labor has passed. In 1833 and 1844, the two nodes of British child labor As the law improves, you British child laborers will still be able to use it for a few more years.”

"It's completely different in China. Our labor cost is only about a quarter of that of a British female worker. If you set up your factory in China, you can not only sell directly in China, save labor costs, but also radiate Across Asia, massive transportation cost savings.”

"Two adults, although your products are still better than those of the United States, there is one thing you cannot compare with, that is, you are too arrogant and do not respect the market. Americans cater to the market better and are better at discovering people's needs."

"You only like to grab the cake, while Americans prefer to make the cake bigger."

"If the cake is fixed to be that big and industrial technology has developed to a bottleneck, then there is no doubt that the benefits of grabbing the cake are greater. But if industrial technology and the economy are booming, then the profits of making the cake bigger will be far greater than Grab the cake.”

Basharli said: "So, what is your solution to the problem?"

Su Yi said: "You provide technology and machines, we provide markets, manpower, land, and raw materials. You invest in a factory in a certain city in our country."

“Produce what we need, produce what Asia needs, and produce what the world needs.”

"This is true win-win, this is the long-term benefit, rather than your kind of killing the goose to seize the eggs."

After listening to Su Yi's words, Bao Ling and Ba Xiali were completely shocked.

I didn't expect that Su Yi's solution would be so...radical.

Of course, very, very clever.

It's just that some of them are too clever.

However, no matter from any aspect, it is indeed the best solution.

Of course it is clever, because this is the core method of later capitalist countries.

It is tens or even hundreds of years ahead of the original colonial plunder, and it is a dimensionality reduction attack in the industrial and capital era.

Basia said politely: "Your Excellency Su Yi, I have two questions."

Su Yi said: "Please tell me."

Basharli said: "The first question is that the people in your country are very backward and ignorant, and I am afraid they cannot engage in this kind of industrial production."

Su Yi said: "That's really ridiculous. How well educated are the child workers in your country? How many of the female workers in your country have read? I can guarantee that our workers are the best workers in the world. .”

"I can responsibly say that most of the current industrial production only requires the most common basic workers, which is not what you call difficulty at all."

"There are three points to measure whether a worker is excellent: obedience, hard work and being cheap enough."

"You might also want to say that your British Empire has many colonies, and there is a lot of cheap labor. So which colony do you plan to use for labor? Those lazy racists in India, or the descendants of those prisoners in Australia?"

"Perhaps you can think of it yourself, and I can honestly say that there are only two countries that are most suitable for this role. One is China, and the other is Japan."

"But we are much superior to Japan. Our market is more than ten times larger than Japan's, and our manpower is more than ten times larger than Japan's."

At this time, Su Yi finally figured it out and started planning the future of China as a whole.

And the destruction of Japan's future will start from now on.

Why Japan was able to rise? On the surface, it was the Meiji Restoration, but in the final analysis, it embraced the thigh of Britain and embarked on the road of industrialization.

However, as Su Yi said, China is more suitable than Japan in every aspect.

Su Yi continued: "You have always regarded Tsarist Russia as a serious problem, because he is constantly challenging the world order dominated by the British Empire. That's why not long ago, we fought a Crimean War that will never return to its origins, using the Millions of troops, astronomical military expenditures.”

"Tsarist Russia has been frustrated in its expansion in the West, so there is no doubt that it will turn its attention to the East. You need a strong ally to curb Tsarist Russia's greedy expansion. Who is more suitable for this role? Is it Japan? Of course not, it is too small, we China That’s the most suitable role.”

Historically, this character is indeed Japan.

This is even the core reason for Japan's rise to become a great power.

At this time, Bao Ling and Basia Li were really shocked.

They originally thought that Su Yi was here to talk about revising the contract and about withdrawing from the army.

As a result, Su Yi didn't say a word.

What he came to discuss turned out to be the core national policies of the two major powers in the future.

What we are talking about is actually the international order in the next 30 to 50 years.

Is this more than far-sighted?

It even sounds a bit ridiculous. A Qing man is designing a grand blueprint for future hegemony for the British Empire.

However, Su Yi's words are correct no matter which direction you think about them.

Su Yi said: "Your Excellency, Minister, it is difficult to find countries in this world that are as complementary as China and Britain."

"We are far enough apart that we don't have any strategic contradictions. Instead, we have huge strategic overlap."

"Your strategic enemy is Tsarist Russia, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the United States."

"We in China are a God-given ally of the British Empire."

"When a war breaks out in the future, China will be able to provide almost unlimited troops."

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At this point, the two sides paused briefly.

You need to digest Su Yi's words and sort out your emotions a little.

Sir Bowring took out a pipe and took a puff.   Then, he drank the red wine in the glass in one gulp.

Then he pointed the mouth of the bottle at the mouth of Su Yi's cup and said, "May I?"

This was the first time that the British minister poured wine for Su Yi.

Su Yi leaned forward, turned the cup sideways and said, "Thank you."

Bao Ling poured half a glass of wine for Su Yi.

The two clinked glasses and took a sip.

Next, Minister Bao Ling began to brew his emotions.

"Sir Su Yi, Wytoma and Henry have all written to me to praise you, but I must tell you honestly that those compliments are a little frivolous and arrogant."

Of course Su Yi understood what Bao Ling said.

Witoma and Henry still looked down on Su Yi from the bottom of their hearts, looked down on Su Yi, and felt that they were the benefactors.

If you talk about Shakespeare and sing opera, they will think you are a qualified jester.

A standard pleaser.

"But today's conversation, you made me feel amazing, even shocked."

"I can't imagine that in the decadent Qing Empire, there could be a genius like you, who has such a deep understanding of international politics, economics, and order, and has extremely clear ideas."

"Through your eyes, it's like seeing the next fifty or one hundred years."

"So, Sir Su Yi, you are not here to talk about treaty amendments or treaty ports. In your eyes, these are not worth mentioning." Minister Bao Ling said: "You are here to talk about China. the future of China, even the future of Sino-British relations, and even the future of the East Asian order.”

Su Yi said: "Yes, Mr. Minister."

Minister Bao Ling said: "I also consider myself to be one of the best people in the world. I agree with your point of view, so a truly strong dialogue between us is of course just a strong person in thought. After all, Your country is still very weak and corrupt."

Su Yi said: "Of course, I never deny this."

Minister Bao Ling said: "The diplomatic framework and future development framework you designed for your country are undoubtedly the best. They also have huge benefits for our British Empire."

The next step is but.

"But..." Minister Bao Ling said: "The framework you designed is too high. Although it is very beautiful, it cannot be implemented. It is completely a castle in the air."

"Sir Su Yi, although you are highly valued by the emperor, everything you do is actually against his will. He is essentially a corrupt and ignorant monarch."

Of course Su Yi knew this.

The emperor was essentially repulsive to the new army, but because of his ability to win battles and his trust in Su Yi, the emperor could tolerate the new army.

However, the new army was already the limit of the emperor's tolerance.

Su Yi and the emperor had essential contradictions and contradictory strategic lines.

Therefore, 1860 was an extremely important node for Su Yi.

There were many things he needed to accomplish before 1860.

Only when Cixi, the concubine, listened to politics behind the curtain could Su Yi really show his talents.

Because the emperor had a very stubborn political stance, which was conservative and closed.

However, Xingzhen has no political stance.

Her only position is power.

As for Baby Ci'an, she has no position and is easy to bully at first glance. But to a certain extent, she will also be important to Su Yi in the future.

"Your Excellency Su Yi, your proposal is very good, and I am almost amazed. However... your power is too small, your status is too low, and it is not enough to support your proposal." Minister Bao Ling said. : "When will you take charge of your country's highest governing power? We can't talk about it until it's too late, but now we can only put it on hold."

Su Yi shook his head and said, "No, no, no, Minister Bao Ling, you are too negative."

"Waiting is the most negative behavior, and by the time I take full power, it will take at least several years. By that time, you will have retired."

Sir Baoling smiled and said: "As long as it is for the benefit of the British Empire, why should I succeed?"

Haha, you are just saying this.

Su Yi said: "I have a proposal."

Sir Baoling said: "We are all ears."

Su Yi said: "My framework is indeed too high at the moment. With my power and status, it is difficult to put it down."

"But we can miniaturize it and make a small test area first for verification."

Sir Bao Ling's eyes lit up and he said, "Tell me about it, I'm very interested in this topic."

Su Yi said: "We are looking for a city, a city that I have complete control over, to be designated as a test area. We will pay for the land, labor costs, administrative costs, raw materials, and part of the capital costs, accounting for 51% of the shares."

"You provide technology, senior engineers, and machines."

"We cooperate to set up several factories to tailor products for the entire East Asian market."

"If it is a big success, it proves that this route is correct. After I take power in the future, it can be replicated on a large scale in our country."

Bao Ling said: "There are still two questions. The first question is that your step is very radical. Your emperor is too conservative. He does not even allow our businessmen to operate in cities in your country, nor is he allowed to set up consulates in several other cities. Our British capital is setting up factories in your country? That is completely contrary to him."

Su Yi said: "So we have to hide it from the emperor. What we signed is a secret agreement. I signed it with you so that no one knows about it. From the outside world, this factory belongs completely to me and the imperial court, and it can bring a lot of benefits to the imperial court." Taxes. I just hired a lot of foreign engineers, just like my army hired foreign officers. Although the emperor is not comfortable, he is willing to tolerate it."

Duke Bao Ling said: "Your country does have a culture of deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth from the inferiors, and Ye Mingchen is the master of it."

Ye Mingchen, haha!

His memorials to the emperor were indeed concealed to the end and false reports of great victories were made countless times.

There are countless ways to deceive the emperor.

Bao Ling sighed: "The power of the emperor of your country is really too great. He has the power to make a final decision on almost everything. So Sir Su Yi, it is very dangerous for you to place your power entirely on the Holy Family. of."

Of course Su Yi knew this, so he repeatedly emphasized that 1860 was an important node.

"Second question, which city do you want to place this experimental area in?"

Su Yi said: "Jiujiang!"

Bao Ling frowned and said, "Why not Shanghai, Xiamen, or Guangzhou?"

Of course it cannot be these places, because these places are close to the coast, and the navies of the Western powers are too strong. They can take away or even destroy these industries at any time if they want.

Jiujiang is close to the Yangtze River, so transportation costs will not increase much, and it is also an inland city, making it easier to defend.

Guangzhou Consul Basia said politely: "If I remember correctly, Jiujiang should be in the hands of the Taiping Army at this time."

Su Yi said: "So next, my goal is to capture Jiujiang."

In Jiujiang, there is also a troop source that Su Yi covets the most. It is almost the best troop source in the whole of China.

Su Yi's new army is not good at close combat, but Jiujiang Lin Qirong's men are extremely fierce in close combat and have experienced countless death tests.

Marksmanship can be practiced, but the will and murderous aura honed through countless lives and deaths are difficult to develop.

Minister Bao Ling said: "Okay, assuming you have captured Jiujiang, how much money do you plan to invest in this experimental area? How much annual profit do you expect will be attributed to us?"

Su Yi said: "I plan to invest 20 million taels of silver. After it is completed, the net profit attributable to you will be million taels in the first year. After that, it will increase by more than % year by year, and it will last for at least nearly ten years."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Bao Ling was shocked.

"Sir Su Yi, you are so exaggerated that it is unbelievable."

"I can't imagine that what kind of factory and what kind of products will have almost 100% profit in the first year after it is built."

"If all this is true, then what does the profit from the opium trade mean? But in fact, opium is already our biggest profit-making product."

"Do you know how much net profit these factories will have in ten years based on this calculation? Almost 30 million taels!"

"And your entire Qing country's annual fiscal revenue is only 40 million taels!"

Su Yi said: "So, I say that you are outdated. Your understanding of industry and products is too low-level, so you cannot produce products that are popular and sweeping the world."

"Actually, I haven't said a word. In my design, in the Jiujiang Experimental Zone, we will cooperate to build four or five factories. The biggest asset here is not your technology, nor the funds I invested. But my wisdom!”

"The products I design and build are destined to be popular all over the world and create huge profits."

The British Minister Bao ordered: "Then, Sir Su Yi, which factories will you build? What products will you produce?"

Su Yi said: "Of course this is confidential."

The Guangzhou consul said: "Sir Su Yi, in the first half of today's conversation, you brought us great surprise and shock. But in the second half, you brought us disappointment because it was too exaggerated."

Of course they didn't want to believe that the products designed by Su Yi could become popular around the world and earn so much money.

Minister Bao Ling said: "In other words, you want to sign a secret contract with us in your own name in exchange for our unconditional withdrawal and the unconditional release of Ye Mingchen and others."

Su Yi said: "Yes."

Ba Xiali said: "In other words, you don't intend to pay any substantial benefits, and you want us to withdraw our troops? The only thing we got is a secret agreement? A secret agreement like a castle in the air?"

Su Yi said: "Yes."

Basharli said: "It's too whimsical and ridiculous. In Chinese terms, you are completely empty-handed, using empty promises in exchange for our actual withdrawal."

Sir Bao Ling said: "Sir Su Yi, let me reiterate, our British Empire adopts pragmatic diplomacy and interest diplomacy. If we can't see the actual benefits, even if we talk about it in a garish way, we will only applaud at most and will not invest half a penny. .”

Su Yi said: "Of course, of course!"

"Just now, I just used words to convince you, but now, I want to conquer you with the fruits of real wisdom."

"What I am about to launch will be my first product. It is destined to sweep the world. It is destined to be as valuable as gold."

Then, Su Yi took out a glass bottle from her arms and placed it on the table. There was a little light yellow powder in it.

"This is a drug that is ahead of your time in the UK. I call it penicillin. It will be more precious than gold for a long time to come."

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Note: This is the second update. My benefactor, I need monthly tickets urgently. It’s the end of the month. Don’t waste it. Can you give it to me?

Pastries keep up the good work.

(End of this chapter)