Chapter 42: I am the real master here

  Shanghai, with a long history, already existed in the Spring and Autumn period. During the Warring States period, Shanghai began to build city walls. In the Tang Dynasty, Shanghai was an independent small town as part of Huating County. By the Yuan Dynasty, Shanghai County was established. As Shanghai is a natural coastal port with a superior geographical location, it was opened up by Britain and France as a concession, and suffered from oppression.

  The Qing government is corrupt, foreigners are arrogant, and the people are suffering unbearably.

  It is precisely this that led to Liu Lichuan's rebellion.

  After the Small Swords Society uprising, they controlled areas including Shanghai, Baoshan, Nanhui, Chuansha and Qingpu, and also occupied the British, French and American concessions. For the Small Swords Society, the Manchu government had to be overthrown, and foreign barbarians should also be expelled, so Liu Lichuan drove foreigners out of Shanghai and did not allow them to stay in the city.

  Liu Lichuan also did not want to thoroughly confront foreigners and ordered his soldiers not to kill them.

  However, Liu Lichuan did not know that his occupation of Shanghai had touched on the interests of foreigners. The British, French and American consuls in China intervened, urging the Qing army to attack the Small Swords Society.

  The Qing army suppressed the Small Swords Society, causing Liu Lichuan and Zhou Xiangying to move to Shanghai and continue their resistance.

  East of Shanghai County, Qing army's large camp is stationed in the military camp.

  Li Zhen arrived with 920 soldiers, and was met outside the camp by Shanghai Circuit Intendant Yang Nengge, accompanied by Lan Weifen, the county magistrate of Shanghai County.

  Yang Nengge was over forty years old, with small eyes, a nose red from drinking, and three short mustaches. His body was plump, his face full of flesh, and when he smiled, it jiggled. He puffed out his big belly and, seeing Li Zhen, looked as if he had seen his own mother, speaking humbly: "General Li, you've finally arrived, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

  Lan Weiwen, with a slender figure, bowed to Li Zhen and said: "General Li, now that you're here, you can punish those arrogant bandits. The officials and soldiers were forced to stay outside the city, what a shame!"

  Li Zhen glanced at the two men and said expressionlessly, "Your Excellencies, I have led my troops to come here, and our main task is to quell the internal unrest in Shanghai, a responsibility that cannot be shirked."

  "Alright, alright!"

  Yang Nengge nodded repeatedly, excitedly saying: "General Li, Mr. Ali Khan, Consul of the British Consulate in Shanghai, Mr. Ma Hui, American Consul, and Mr. Ai Tang, French Consul, have been waiting for a long time in the camp, please come in."

  Li Zhen's face suddenly turned black when he heard this.

  What an arrogant foreigner!

  Laozi led his troops to quell the rebellion, but these three consuls actually hid in their camp and refused to come out.

  Li Zhen's expression suddenly turned serious and solemn, and he ordered: "Huang Hu, you lead all the soldiers to camp in the barracks. If anyone provokes us, kill them without hesitation. Huang Shi Hai, Yang Ban Hou, you two come with me to meet this mysterious foreigner."

  When speaking, Li Zhen was full of murderous intent, completely opposite to his gentle demeanor just now. Yang Nengge secretly thought it was not good and knew that Li Zhen was dissatisfied with the consuls of Britain, France and the United States.

  Yang Nengge's eyes rolled around, and he hastily said: "General Li, the foreigners are arrogant and used to getting their way. You absolutely cannot be impulsive and must not get into an unpleasant situation with the consuls of England, France, and America. If you provoke the consuls of England, France, and America, they may help the Small Sword Society, and our situation will become even more difficult."

  Lan Yingwen also said: "General Li, Director Dao is right, you must remain calm."

  Li Zhen said in a low voice, "Do they dare to help the Small Knife Society? They don't dare. Hmph, the great Qing Empire's military camp has been occupied by a few foreign devils, can I remain calm? Let's go and meet our foreign friends."

  Yang Nengge's face turned black and he was very unhappy.

  I thought he was someone who came to help quell the rebellion, but now it seems like he's just a fool.

  The British, French and American consuls are all cunning, they have all set their sights on the benefits of Shanghai and want to seize more benefits. Yang Nengge and Lan Cuiwen both understand the intentions of the foreigners, but neither of them interferes, firstly because they do not have the ability to stop it; secondly, they also benefit from it.

  Li Zhen led Huang Shi Hai and Yang Ban Hou into the main military account, where bursts of laughter came from inside.

  "Wow!"

  Huang Shi Hai lifted the curtain and Li Zhen walked in with big strides.

  In the entrance, a long rectangular conference table was placed in the big tent.

  This conference table was arranged by the British, specifically for meetings. The British Consul, Harry Parkes, sat in the main seat on the side of the tent, with the French Consul, Henri de Bellonet, to his left and the American Consul, John S. Mosby, to his right. After Li Hongzhang entered, he could only sit in the main seat opposite Harry Parkes, but this position was close to the entrance of the tent and not a main seat.

  From inside and outside the tent, the position close to the inner side of the tent is the main seat.

  Li Zhen stood still at the entrance of the camp, and Yang Banhou and Huang Sihai also stood behind Li Zhen, motionless like sculptures. Not only that, but the two men also had a cold and stern expression, with a hint of murderous intent. Lan Yuwen and Yang Nengge walked in with their backs slightly arched, smiling as they approached the consuls of England, France, and America, introducing Li Zhen's identity.

  Yang Nengge immediately walked over to Li Zhen's side and introduced Ali Guo and others.

  Li Zhen nodded slightly, but didn't say a word, nor did he take a seat.

  Ali Guo glanced at Li Zhen with a slanted eye and waved his hand, saying: "General Li, please take a seat." This guy had been the British Consul General in Shanghai for several years and had learned Chinese.

  Li Zhen stood still, unmoving and silent on the spot.

  Yang Nengge and Lan Weiwang saw Li Zhen motionless, and their hearts became tense. After a long silence, Li Zhen pointed to Ali Guo and said: "Mr. Ali Guo, do you understand the meaning of 'a magpie occupying a crow's nest'? I am the real master here."

  "Is the magpie's nest occupied by a dove?"

  A Li Guo murmured and shook his head, not understanding.

  He turned to the translator standing beside him, and after the translation of Li Zhen's words, Ali Khan said sternly with a straight face: "General Li, we are here to assist the Qing Empire in quelling the rebellion. What do you mean by your words? Are you saying that you don't want the help of the British Empire? Your words not only insulted the subjects of the empire but also created a rift in Anglo-Chinese relations."

  "What a big tone!"

  Li Zhenlang sneered and said: "You are just a consul stationed in Shanghai, can you represent the British Empire?"

  A Li Guo heard this, and for a moment he was speechless.

  The French consul, Mr. Love, tapped the table and said calmly: "General Li, I know you brought more than 900 soldiers and also brought 900 guns. To be honest, even with your 900 guns and 900 soldiers, it's not possible to quell the Small Swords Society rebellion, let alone break through the city walls of Shanghai County. Without our artillery support, the Qing soldiers cannot enter Shanghai. If you want to quell the rebellion, you'd better be polite."

  This guy's Chinese is really awkward, Li Zhen can't help but want to laugh when he hears it.

  The American consul smiled and said nothing.

  Li Zhen stood with his hands behind his back and said in a deep voice, "The matter of pacifying the rebellion can be put aside for now. We'll discuss how to fight slowly, no need to rush. As for now, it's better to clarify the main and secondary positions of both sides. This is the Qing army camp, yet you're sitting in the main seat without any scruples, what does this mean? Yang Banhou, Huang Shihai, go and invite Ali Guo to come up, that's the commander's position."

  When it comes to status involving both parties, Li Zhen will not yield in the slightest.

  "Ah!!"

  Yang Nengge let out a low cry, immediately reacted and found Lan Weiwen nodding, stood up with Lan Weiwen, blocked Huang Shihai and Yang Banhou, and shouted loudly: "Li Zhen, don't be reckless!"

  Li Zhenzhong cupped his ear and said: "Huang Shihai, Yang Banhou, didn't you hear the order?"

  Yang Banhou's mouth curled up with a hint of a smile, and he walked briskly to Yang Neng's side. He raised his right hand and lightly swept it in front of Yang Neng, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Huang Shi Hai was not so polite, stretching out his hand to press on Yang Neng's Jianjing acupoint, rendering Lan Cuixi's upper body numb and unable to move.

  With Yang Nian'er and Lan Xiuwen out of the way, the two strode towards Ari Country, Ma Hui, and Ai Tang.

  Li Zhen walked behind, relaxed and comfortable, as if strolling in a leisurely courtyard.

  PS: 2 o'clock in the morning