Tuqing: My first love was Cixi

Chapter 88 Pretending to be too advanced! Conquer the British Minister!
  Zhang Yuzhao and Shen Baoer, who had not seen each other for two days, finally showed up.

The two men disembarked first.

Shen Baozhen's eyes immediately fell on the two of them, and then followed their figures. The two sides got closer and closer, and stopped.

Zhang Yuzhao and Shen Baoer saluted Shen Baozhen, and then seemed to be telling something.

Shen Baozhen's face suddenly showed an expression of shock, and then he spoke to comfort Shen Baoer.

Next, several people did not leave, but waited for Su Yi to get off the boat.

Su Yi and Bai Feifei got off the boat.

Shen Baozhen immediately came up with Zhang Yuzhao and Shen Baoer.

"Thank you Brother Su Yi for saving your life." Shen Baozhen bowed down.

Although Shen Baozhen tried his best to hide his inner emotions, when he saw Su Yi, he still felt that fate was playing tricks on her.

A few years ago, this man was still his future son-in-law and was still making suggestions for him.

Repeated defeats and battles, false claims of military exploits, and escapes before battle are still vivid in my mind.

Even when he was about to be executed in the end, Shen Baozhen refused to save him. Su Quan knelt outside and he pretended not to be there, indifferent.

But he didn't expect that when they met again, the other party would already be a fourth-grade official.

Just less than a year.

Of course, Shen Baozhen can't say he has any regrets.

Different road non-phase plan.

After all, Su Yi is a banner man and a red belt.

Su Yi cupped his hands and said, "I am saving your concubine. Things only harm their own kind."

Then, he cupped his hands towards Zhang Yuzhao and left.

From the beginning to the end, he did not say one more word to Shen Baoer, nor did he communicate in any manner.

There was no verbal pull because he saved her.

Someone also came to pick up Bai Feifei and Su Yi.

"Miss, Mr. Su Yi." The person who came was very strong, short in stature, and had dark skin. He obviously traveled frequently on boats.

Bai Feifei said: "This is Li Gong. He has been following his father since he was a child. Now he is leading dozens of boats. This time they are following us north."

Got it, it’s the smuggling captain.

Next, Su Yi has a lot of convenient and inconvenient supplies, which he can give to Li Gong.

Bai Feifei's father also has a house in Shanghai, a big mansion.

The group of people moved in directly.

At this time, Shanghai had only been a concession area for about ten years, but it was already showing extraordinary prosperity.

The ten-mile foreign market has also begun to take shape.

Only here did Su Yi truly feel the atmosphere of modern times.

It’s not just foreigners here who wear formal wear, many Chinese also wear suits, ties and top hats.

Hong Renli did not disembark with him, and did not even say a formal farewell.

I don't know where she lives.

After taking a good bath and changing clothes in the house, I felt refreshed.

Then, he also changed into a suit and a top hat.

After arriving in Shanghai, Bai Feifei seemed to become more lively and put on relatively fashionable clothes.

Su Yi strolled on the streets and experienced the customs of Shanghai at the end of 1855.

Suddenly, there was another person next to him.

"I asked a Western doctor, and he said he had never heard of where the injection should be given, or even heard of the need for injection." Hong Renli said: "How should I retaliate against you?"

Su Yi once again lamented that this woman had such a good figure.

For a moment, he instinctively thought of cheongsam.

I wonder how much better her figure will look after wearing it?
  "Your injury hasn't healed yet. Are you in such a hurry to come out?" Su Yi said.

Hong Renli said: "I have nothing to do and don't know where to go."

Su Yi suddenly said: "I want to design a set of clothes for you. The clothes belong only to you. They will definitely look good."

If Qingqing heard this, she would definitely spit in secret.

"Are you going to Jiujiang or Tianjing next?" Su Yi said, "I advise you not to go to Tianjing."

Hong Renli said: "Probably go to Jiujiang."

Su Yi said: "Then you leave a few days later. I will go to the tailor shop and sew several sets of clothes for you, and you will take them with you."

Hong Renli didn't reply and walked away.

Su Yi entered a roadside coffee shop, sat down and ordered a cup of coffee.

Most of the people in the cafe are foreigners.

After a while, Hong Renli also walked in.

Suddenly, it attracted a burst of astonished looks.

She also found a table to sit down and ordered a cup of coffee.

Su Yi picked up the coffee and drank it.

Hong Renli also picked up the coffee and drank it.

then……

Her beautiful face was almost slightly distorted, wearing a mask of pain.

How come...it tastes so bad?
  Su Yi came over, added milk and sugar to her coffee, and said, "Now try again."

Hong Renli took a sip and said, "It's a little better, but it still doesn't taste good."

Su Yi said: "I just got here, how do you feel?"

Hong Renli said: "It's very easy and fast."

Su Yi asked: "Do you have a place to stay?"

Hong Renli said: "It didn't exist originally, but it did exist later."

Uh!
  Another violent method.

Su Yi asked: "Is there any money?"

Hong Renli said: "It didn't exist in the first place."

Su Yi said, "How about having dinner together tonight?"

Hong Renli said: "We haven't reached that point yet."

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night!

Su Yi took Hong Renli to a French restaurant.

At this time, French food was not that rich, and steak was not popular either. It is still considered vulgar American food.

Of course Su Yi used the knife and fork well, but unexpectedly, Hong Renli also used it very well for the first time.

"I'm used to killing people." Hong Renli said: "This foreign food is not bad to eat."

Next, Su Yi asked for a bottle of wine, which he only drank by himself.

But Hong Renli also asked for a drink.

"Your wound is not suitable for drinking." Su Yi said.

Hong Renli said: "Then I'm not suitable for robbing money and killing people."

Ok.

"Shen Baoer was your former fiancée, and she even broke off the engagement to humiliate you. Why did you save her on the boat a few days ago?" Hong Renli said.

Su Yi said: "I can't see it, isn't it the same for you?"

Hong Renli said: "I met and dealt with Bai Feifei before. At that time, she did a lot of killing and selling goods, and we also bought a lot of things from her."

Su Yi said: "Yeah."

Hong Renli said: "On the ship, why didn't you take the opportunity to kill Zhang Yuzhao?"

Su Yi thought for a while and said: "Talents are rare. I always feel that his existence will leave some valuable value to this world. Or articles, or calligraphy, etc."

"Or maybe I want to prove something, that one day I can conquer many Han elites and use them for my own use."

Hong Renli didn't expect to receive such an answer.

"Brothers Jingtai and Jinglong, you must have killed them in my name," Hong Renli said suddenly.

Su Yi said: "Yes."

Hong Renli asked: "Why?"

Su Yi said: "For Qingqing Dagege, do you know her?"

Hong Renli said: "I know, she is the most talented woman in Manchuria."

"Is she your woman?"

Su Yi said: "Yes."

She ate meat very quickly and finished it in a short time.

"In your opinion, what will happen to our heaven?" Hong Renli asked.

Su Yi said: "It will fail."

Hong Renli suddenly fell silent.

Su Yi said: "You are decaying too fast, much faster than the Tatars."

Hong Renli said: "What about our people? Should they all die?"

Su Yi said: "No, there is a group of you who are very good. I really hope that we can fight alongside them in the future."

"Who to hit?" Hong Renli asked.

Su Yi said: "I want to change the destiny of this country, and I will beat anyone who obstructs me."

Hong Renli said: "What if it is a powerful Western power?"

Su Yi said: "Then beat them."

Hong Renli fell into silence again.

"I don't know where to go." Hong Renli said: "The Tianjing side makes me sick. I don't want to go back. I don't know if I should go to the Jiujiang side."

"It turns out that I only wanted to go to the capital. I didn't care about anything. I just killed people. It didn't matter when I was caught or when I was killed. All I was thinking about was..."

Su Yi said: "Destruction."

Hong Renli said: "Yes, destruction."

Su Yi said: "In comparison, I am much luckier, because I always know how to take the next road."

Both of them finished eating.

"I'm going back," Hong Renli said.

Su Yi said: "Want to go to the theater together?"

"Don't go!"

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There was a lot of excitement in a theater.

Su Yi and Hong Renli sat in the middle, drinking tea and eating fruit snacks.

Ugh!
  Duplicity is nothing more than this.

Hong Renli is so cool and powerful like you, but he is no exception.

What was performed on stage was Peking Opera, not the Yue Opera that is common in Shanghai.

Because Beijing opera is more lively, with lots of fighting and killing.

The two watched a Beijing opera for two hours and then walked home.

A child was buying flowers at the door.

"Sir, buy your wife a bouquet of flowers. Your wife is so beautiful."

This is probably a scene only found in concessions.

Su Yi bought a bouquet of flowers and handed it to Hong Renli.

The other party was stunned and instinctively handed over the bouquet of flowers.

Then, Su Yi sent her back.

She lived not far from Su Yi, and the house was not stolen because a kind-faced old lady came out to greet her.

Su Yi stood at the entrance of the alley, waved to her, and watched her walk into the house.

This scene seems to transcend the times.

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next day!

Su Yi put on the official robe of the Qing Dynasty, took the imperial edict, and went to visit one of the British giants in Shanghai, Wade.

In fact, the Customs and Taxation Department has now been replaced by Li Taitai, but he is not in Shanghai today, and is in the process of over-handover at this time.

Therefore, at present, the Department of Taxation still has the final say with Vetomax.

This person is a British diplomat who has lived in China for more than ten years. He is proficient in Chinese and can even be regarded as a sinologist.

He studied in Cambridge, joined the British Army, served as the counselor of the British Army in China, and served as the British Deputy Consul in Shanghai.

In the future, he will also serve as the British Minister to China.

In short, he is definitely a big shot.

Su Yi met an old acquaintance at the door of his office.

Shen Baozhen and Zhang Yuzhao.

Shen Baozhen also wore the official uniform of the prefect.

The situation was not good, two people appeared in front of Weitoma's office at the same time.

Presumably, it's because of the same thing.

..................................................................

At this time, Weitoma had two official documents in front of him.

One was sent by someone from the Qing court in advance, saying that the emperor's imperial envoy would come to see him and request that part of the customs money be transferred to purchase arms.

In addition, this member will purchase guns and ask for Lord Wade's cooperation.

The other official document was sent by the Hunan Army. The contents are almost the same.

Purchase arms and hire Western instructors.

It just so happened that Wetoma had both of these things in hand at this time.

However, he can only give it to one family.

Therefore, he could only accept one of the two invitations in front of him.

In his heart, he was more inclined to cooperate with the Hunan Army, because the Qing court in the north was really too conservative and corrupt, and he didn't like dealing with the northern court.

On the contrary, the Hunan Army is much more open-minded.

Moreover, there was a poem placed in front of him.

This is Zhang Yuzhao's work, with first-class calligraphy and first-class poetry.

Witoma is a sinologist with very high attainments, which can be fully appreciated.

He had already made up his mind, but this Su Yi was an envoy sent by the emperor after all, so he had to send him away decently.

Then Witoma came to the door.

Su Yi, Shen Baozhen, and Zhang Yuzhao stood up immediately.

"Is this Mr. Su Yi, the imperial envoy of the Qing Dynasty?" Witoma asked.

Su Yi stepped forward and said, "Su Yi, I have met Sir Wetoma."

Witoma said: "I have received the official document from your country, but unfortunately, I am no longer in charge of your country's Customs and Taxation Department, so you need to go to Mr. Li Taitai."

Are you kidding me? Although you are no longer the tax secretary, you have been promoted.

And now during the transition, you still hold the power.

Moreover, what are Shen Baozhen and Zhang Yuzhao doing?

The current attitude of Weituma is obviously more inclined to cooperate with the Hunan Army.

Su Yi said: "Oh? That's such an unlucky coincidence. What about the two colleagues next to me? Do they have the honor to meet Mr. Witoma?"

Witoma said: "We are not meeting about politics, we are discussing literature and poetry."

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Sir Su Yi, in addition to being a diplomat, Sir Witoma is also a litterateur. We are here to discuss literature and poetry."

Su Yi said: "That's a coincidence. I met Mr. Witoma to discuss poetry."

Su Yi persisted in lingering, which was not the behavior of a gentleman, and immediately made Weitoma feel very unhappy.

"Mr. Su Yi, are you a Manchu?" Weitoma said: "It's not that I have any discrimination against your ethnic group, but your poetry and literature are indeed at a disadvantage, and our small salon today has a threshold. .”

Su Yi said: "I happen to have a few short poems here that I would like Sir Witoma to appreciate. I don't know if they can meet this threshold."

Weitoma frowned and took it, opened it and took a look.

It's actually in English?
  This Manchu noble from the Qing court actually knew how to write English?
  Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves.
  Life is as gorgeous as summer flowers, and death is as quiet and beautiful as autumn leaves.

If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars.
  If you cry because you have lost the sun, you will also lose the stars.

The world has kissed my soul with its pain, asking for its return in songs.
  The world kisses me bitterly and asks me to sing in return.

Read on, a dozen poems in total.

Weitoma was stunned and looked at Su Yi in disbelief.

A decadent aristocrat from the Qing court actually knew English and wrote such beautiful poems?

Can it not be beautiful?
  These are all from Rabindranath Tagore's "The Birds", which are top-notch in the world.

After all, Wytoma is an Englishman. Although he appreciates Zhang Yuzhao's poems, he still has a distance.

And...these little poems in front of me have no distance and resonate instantly.

But he didn't believe it was written by Su Yi, so he said: "Purpose is but the slave to memory, of violent birth, but poor validity." (Determination is but the slave of memory, it will change at will according to your memory.) )
  This is Shakespeare's classic line, and Wade used it to test Su Yi.

Su Yi replied directly in fluent English: "Brevity is the soul of wisdom. Tediousness is the limbs and outward flourishes." (Brevity is the soul of wisdom, verbosity is superficial decoration.)
  Also from Shakespeare.

Although the accent is slightly different, Su Yi's English is still quite standard.

Weitoma looked at Su Yi with great surprise and exclaimed: "Oh my God? I actually met a Manchu royal family who likes Shakespeare thousands of miles away in China."

This country is so corrupt, and the Qing royal family is even more decadent.

He never expected that Su Yi, a member of the Qing Dynasty clan, would talk to him about Shakespeare directly in English.

This...this is such a surprise, so ridiculous.

Su Yi said: "I like Shakespeare very much. Survival or destruction is a question worth considering. To endure the cruel poisonous arrows of fate silently, or to stand up against the boundless sufferings in the world and sweep them away through struggle, this is Which of the two actions is nobler? Death, sleep, everything is over."

Witoma couldn't help but applaud, and then said to Shen Baozhen and Zhang Yuzhao: "I'm very sorry, it seems that our poetry exchange will be rescheduled."

Then, he stopped caring about the two of them and directly invited Su Yi into the office, showing his arrogance.

Then, he asked Su Yi: "Coffee or tea?"

Su Yi said: "Of course it's tea. I prefer Cambridge to Oxford."

Witoma was even more surprised.

You, you even know this allusion?
  Because the coffee club at Oxford University is very famous, and Oxford and Cambridge are competing for excellence.

Witoma, from Cambridge University. Su Yi said to drink tea, indicating that he was siding with Cambridge.

"Oriental, you are a devil." Weituma pointed at Su Yi and said with a smile: "You have studied so deeply, it seems you are determined to win."

Su Yi said: "I am not the devil, coffee drinkers are the devil."

While leading Su Yi into his office, Weitoma made tea himself and said, "Where does this sentence come from? Is coffee the legendary devil's drink?"

Su Yi said: "Not only that, coffee was the first to become popular among Arabs, and Arabs like sheep the most..."

Wetoma suddenly showed an exaggerated expression.

"Wow, wow..."

"Sheep are the incarnation of the devil, hahaha." Witoma said: "But this sentence does not come from Arabia."

The next words would be difficult for Su Yi to answer, because they involved Christianity, which happened to be the other person's belief.

So Su Yi smiled and said: "Oh, does this sentence come from Magellan?"

Because of their long voyages, sailors often used sheep.

Therefore, Su Yi picked up the joke perfectly.

"Oh my God." Witoma laughed so hard that his face hurt, and he couldn't help but rub his face: "Sir Su Yi, I now very much doubt that there is an Englishman living in your body."

"When I received the official document from your country, I thought I would meet a corrupt nobleman who was narrow-minded, arrogant, stupid, ignorant, and blind, but I never expected that he would be such an interesting soul."

"You are even funnier than the British. You know people from my country are mean and think they are humorous."

Su Yi said: "Then thank God for letting two boring souls get together here."

Wei Tuoma picked up the black tea and Su Yi took it.

The other party raised the black tea and said: "To this boring world."

Su Yi said: "Respect this lonely life."

Witoma said: "Life is wonderful, how can it be lonely?"

Su Yi said: "All brilliance will eventually be repaid with loneliness, and people are born lonely."

Next, the two of them chatted happily.

From Shakespeare, to Tagore, to Marquez, Su Yi's golden sentences kept surprising the other person. He first drank tea, then drank wine, and finally drank whiskey.

"Back to the subject, my friend." Witoma said: "Your country wants to transfer a sum of money from the Taxation Department. This is of course no problem, because it is your money. But you want to hire the best officers. , purchasing a large amount of arms supplies involves political interests."

"Friendship is friendship, and interests are interests." Wetoma said: "We have the outstanding officers and a large number of arms and supplies you want, and it is exactly what you need most, including advanced Mini rifles, and A considerable number of carbines, Whitworth 12-pounder field guns, etc."

"But what we have now can only be provided to one party, either you or the Hunan Army."

"I'm not afraid to tell you that we are more inclined to give it to the Hunan Army because they have more interests with us and they are much more open-minded."

"Friendship is friendship, and interests are interests." Witoma repeated: "I'm very sorry, my friend."

Su Yi said: "Friendship is benefit."

"Sir Witoma, you are right. The imperial court is corrupt, no one opens their eyes to see the world, it is ignorant and chaotic." Su Yi said: "But I appeared, and my enlightenment is unmatched by the Hunan Army. Once I rise , the benefits it will bring to you are immeasurable. Because once I rise, I will represent the entire central government, not just a few southern provinces."

"For the same business, if you do it with the Hunan Army, you may get a guaranteed profit of [-]%. But if you do this business with me, you may get no profit, but it is more likely to be [-]%. A profit of one thousand.”

In fact, Wetoma is already very excited.

"My friends, how about you give us a day or two to think about it?" Witoma said.

Su Yi said: "Of course!"

Then, Su Yi said goodbye and left.

Witoma walked him out personally.

................................................

Bai Feifei is very busy in Shanghai. He has to purchase a lot of supplies and spend money like water.

These supplies are what Su Yi will need next. Some are for troop training, and some are for other places.

And she contacted her connections and channels to recruit those foreign mercenaries who came to the East for adventure.

Although not a professional officer, he can be a good supplement.

Then, Su Yi continued to date Hong Renli while waiting for news from Weitoma.

Even though she didn't even know it was a date.

She is very powerful, and perhaps has an almost idol-like reputation within her circle.

So in just a few days, there were already more than a dozen people around her, all of them desperadoes.

There seemed to be a charm about her.

Madness and destruction naturally attract many desperadoes.

In the past few days, Su Yi and he listened to plays, drank tea, drank coffee, ate, and took walks.

Of course, I also got two injections, the serious kind.

Her constitution was so good that she recovered quickly.

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Seven days later!
  Weituma officially sent an invitation to Su Yi to go horse riding together.

He said that the real owner of this batch of arms, Sir Henry, was still more inclined to do business with the Hunan Army.

It was difficult for Weituma to convince him, but he was willing to make an appointment to meet and let Su Yi convince him personally.

This is the best opportunity and the only opportunity. I hope Su Yi can seize it.

Conquer Sir Henry as he conquered Wytoma. But unfortunately, Sir Henry did not like literature and poetry.

Su Yi, you need to change your approach.

Both Witoma and Henry will bring female companions, and Su Yi is also asked to bring a female companion.

After hesitating for a while, Su Yi invited Hong Renli and presented him with special riding clothes.

After putting on riding clothes and putting up her hair.

Su Yi was stunned!
  This figure is so explosive.

A real devilish figure.

Full of power, full of curves, and full of temptation.

Ups and downs, perfect and charming.

Sure enough, when he appeared on the racecourse.

Hong Renli's Western girl's dress stunned everyone.

"Wow, is this your Juliet? Mr. Su Yi?" Witoma asked.

Su Yi said: "Yes."

"No, no, no!" Witoma said: "Juliet is not as beautiful as her, nor as mysterious and powerful as she is."

"Let me introduce you, this is Sir Henry." Wytoma said: "I am just the middleman. He is the real owner of the arms and officers. He is a big shot from London and one of the culprits of the imminent dissolution of the East India Company."

The bald Sir Henry stepped forward, took off his hat and said: "Nice to meet you, Sir Su Yi. You should reflect on it. The female companion you brought is too beautiful and has seriously raised my aesthetic threshold."

"These are the most elite and outstanding officers I have found, including British and Prussian officers. There are infantry, cavalry, and artillery."

What appeared in front of Su Yi was the entire officer corps, a total of twenty people.

The highest military rank is colonel and the lowest is major. They are very average. Of course, they are all retired officers.

Sir Henry said: "This time our arms and officer corps are packaged together. Sir Wytoma tried very hard to persuade me to give up the Hunan Army and do this business with you. But my officer corps is very Objection, do you know why?"

Maybe you yourself are opposed to it, because businessmen only care about money and don't care much about political interests.

So if you want to get this batch of arms and this batch of officers, you need to make a surprising move.

Su Yi said: "I would like to hear the details."

Colonel William, the leader of the officer corps, said: "According to my understanding, the Hunan army is more elite and more enlightened. The Qing army in the north is extremely corrupt. Even if we become instructors and help you train troops, it will be a waste of our talents." Because you don’t understand the new army at all, I just heard that you are the first in the military examination?"

Su Yi said: "Yes."

Colonel William said with disdain: "You spend your infinite years on those ridiculous things, bows, arrows, and broadswords? They are simply ridiculous existences for modern warfare, just as ridiculous as the Indian's blow darts."

"Mr. Su Yi, you know nothing about the new army, and you know nothing about guns and artillery. And as you, a martial arts expert, are about to become the commander-in-chief of this new army, then I am very not optimistic about the future of this new army, so I Not wanting to join your new army will also dissuade Sir Henry from doing this business with you.”

Su Yi looked at this group of upright, professional, and arrogant officers.

After being quiet for more than ten seconds, his expression became even more arrogant and he said slowly: "There is something I need to correct."

"No one in this world understands the new army better than me, no one understands shooting better than me, and no one understands artillery better than me."

"Gentlemen, you may be very good officers, but compared to me, you are nothing."

"Gentlemen, how about this."

"Just use the Enfield rifle you have, shoot thirty shots continuously from a distance of [-] meters."

"Twenty of you come together. If one of you is better than me, then this deal will be cancelled."

"But if none of the twenty of you is better than me, then I'm very sorry, you will belong to me, and this batch of arms will also belong to me."

As soon as these words came out, the twenty officers present were completely shocked, and then felt insulted.

Wytoma, Sir Henry, and even Hong Renli were completely shocked.

Are you crazy?

This is an outstanding officer who has served for more than ten years. Even in the Western world, he is a top-notch professional soldier.

And as an official of the corrupt Qing court, have you ever touched an Enfield rifle?

Two hundred and fifty meters, do you know what this distance is?

Are you challenging twenty people by yourself?
  It can't even be described as crazy, but a daydream.

Ridiculous!

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Note: The first update is here. My handsome benefactors, check your pockets. Maybe you have monthly tickets?
  Will you vote for me? I bow to you.

(End of this chapter)