Chapter Thirty-Nine: Breaking the Engagement

  Having received the task, Li Mingfeng also gained an advantage and did not dare to slack off. He hurriedly went to the residence of the Qing court's envoys to meet Gui Liang and others. Gong Cheng was extremely disgusted with the Qing officials for some reason, and this time he refused to go no matter what. Li Mingfeng had no choice but to go alone.

  After meeting with Gui Liang, Hua Shana and the two Jiang governors He Guiqing, Li Mingfeng explained his intentions in detail. Gui Liang listened to the statement, looking embarrassed, saying: "This is a breach of contract, I don't want to do it either, but this is the emperor's order, we dare not disobey."

  Li Mingfeng had long expected that Xianfeng would go back on his word, otherwise the officials below him wouldn't have dared to alter the contract between countries. He just didn't know why Xianfeng suddenly changed his mind. Li Mingfeng cautiously asked: "Mingfeng has known Guizhong and Huadai for some time now, we're not strangers to each other, can Guizhong tell me a thing or two about the inside story? So I can take appropriate measures."

  Guiliang hinted that Huashana would speak out, and Huashana could only explain with a bitter smile: "As for opening trade, compensation and other important matters, the Emperor has indeed agreed. However, the three clauses that foreigners' merchant ships and warships are free to navigate on the Yangtze River, mutual establishment of envoys, and exchange of treaties in front of the imperial palace, the Emperor is extremely opposed to and demands revision."

  "It's understandable that foreign warships are not allowed to sail on the Yangtze River, after all, it concerns the sovereignty of our great Qing dynasty. The establishment of mutual embassies is for the sake of future communication between China and foreigners, to avoid misunderstandings. The exchange of treaties in front of the imperial palace is also a common diplomatic practice, there's nothing wrong with it, so why doesn't the Emperor allow it?" Li Mingfeng asked in puzzlement.

  In his view, the establishment of embassies between the two countries and the presentation of treaties between nations by foreign envoys to their monarchs were all perfectly normal diplomatic practices. Why would Xianfeng oppose this?

  Hua Shan'a shook his head, bitterly smiling: "The foreign warships sailing on the Yangtze River, this is not strongly opposed by His Majesty. The problem lies in the mutual establishment of envoys and the exchange of treaties at the imperial court. After I and Gui Zhongtang left Beijing, the Ministry of Rites and some of the pro-war faction's bigwigs tore these two clauses to pieces. They said that our celestial dynasty has been majestic for five thousand years, and we have always only managed foreign affairs, what is this talk of diplomacy? The exchange of treaties at the imperial court would be a humiliation to the great Qing, allowing foreigners to exchange treaties in Shanghai would already be a great favor, how could they come to Beijing?"

  Li Mingfeng finally understood, it was a disaster caused by saving face.

  Before the Industrial Revolution began, due to technical limitations, all countries in the world were confined to their own small regions, and China was no exception, with all its perspectives focused on East Asia. Within this region, except for Japan, all other countries were vassal states of China, and although Japan was not a vassal state, it also showed sufficient respect during interactions with China.

  In this way, in fact, China's diplomacy is unequal diplomacy, all of which are tributary in nature, so only the Li Fan Yuan was set up to manage the four barbarians, and there was no institution for equal treatment with other countries' daily affairs.

  The establishment of mutual legations proposed by Britain and France was actually a completely equal diplomatic relationship, which greatly stimulated the conservative faction in the imperial court.

  Moreover, in front of the emperor, what etiquette should British and French envoys follow? During the Qianlong period, the British envoy Macartney only performed a half-kneeling ceremony. This was because he had previously blown his nose in front of the Mongolian kings, saying that there were barbarians outside the Great Wall who came to pay tribute. As a result, Macartney would only kneel halfway, and Qianlong had no choice but to say that foreigners were stupid and didn't know how to kowtow, so they could only half-kneel, thus saving face.

  This time, the foreigners relied on the prestige of their victory in Tianjin and it was even more impossible for them to kneel down. In order to maintain the dignity of the Heavenly Kingdom, the courtiers unanimously disagreed with the envoy's entry into Beijing, and Xianfeng also fully agreed with the opinions of the group of ministers.

  Li Mingfeng is most frustrated with this issue. The biggest problem in China today is not the backwardness of technology, but the backwardness of thinking. After suffering a defeat, these old guys still stubbornly think they are the greatest in the world and number one globally. Without reform or seeking to synchronize with the world, China can only see its gap with powerful countries growing larger and larger.

  The more he thought about it, the more his head ached. As for national issues, Li Mingfeng didn't dare to think deeply about them anymore. He didn't have the ability to change the current situation. Relatively speaking, what was most crucial at present was how to finalize the commercial charter.

  "Let's put these two aside for now, and we'll discuss them again when the British envoy arrives in China. For now, let's first establish the trade regulations, so I can also have something to report back to the foreigners." Li Mingfeng said helplessly.

  Governor-general He Guiqing replied, "The commercial regulations are easy to discuss. The foreigners have already handed over the specific clauses to us. After discussing with the two gentlemen, I feel that there is nothing inappropriate and they can be implemented."

  "With the signing of the trade agreement, I can also be considered to have done right by foreigners. As for other matters, let them handle it." Li Mingfeng said with a sly smile.

  After bidding farewell to the three adults, Li Mingfeng reported the "good news" to Weitama again. Old Wei was very happy and praised Li Mingfeng for his ability. With a stroke of his pen, he wrote a letter to Elgin, resolving the matter of Li Mingfeng's foreign gun team, which can be considered as a reward for Li Mingfeng.

  Back at the Gong's house, Li Mingfeng saw Gong Half-Lun reading a history book about the English and French Revolutions. He thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile that future historians should write about this: although Gong Half-Lun was a big traitor, he was also one of the first people to open his eyes to the world.

  He told Gong Cheng about the foreign gun team's affairs. In the future, he would inevitably need Old Gong's help, and Li Mingfeng didn't dare to keep it from him again this time.

  Gong Cheng didn't respond, and directly got up to walk to the shelf. He took out a map of Shanghai from above and put it on the table. Gong Cheng pointed to a place with his hand and said: "I've already bought this place. Two months ago, when I heard you say you wanted to build a foreign gun team, I organized people to build a military camp here. It's completely built in the style of a Western military camp, which can accommodate about 1,800 people."

  Ignoring Li Mingfeng's astonished expression, Gong Cheng continued: "That Su Songtao Daolan had owed me a few favors in the past, so neither land nor house cost much silver, you don't have to worry too much about it."

  Stunned for a moment, Li Mingfeng finally came back to his senses and grabbed Gong Cheng's hand, shaking it non-stop: "Gong big brother, you are really my big brother from now on, we brothers will be one family"

  Gong Cheng couldn't take this, and the usually calm him asked Li Mingfeng how many people he could actually bring. Li Mingfeng answered truthfully that it would be around one or two hundred. Gong Cheng heard this number and furrowed his brow for a long time before saying: "Too few."

  Li Mingfeng spread his hands and explained: "Even if there were more, they could still be pulled out. But that old man Erlang would definitely not agree to it. This is digging at his corner, he can let these people go and it's already a big concession."

  Gong Cheng sighed, he also knew that forcing it wouldn't work, and could only focus on building up the team first, and talk about expanding and growing later.