In the third year of Bunjiu (1863), Fuso was disturbed, and with the obstruction of the plan of the rebellion, the combination of public and military forces was on the verge of collapse, and the conflicts between the imperial court, the shogunate, and the princes continued, and all parties finally began to go their own way.

After ten months of hard work, Oguri Tadashun and others, who returned to Fuso at the end of the second year of Bunhisa, finally spread the "Proposal for the Cultivation and Development of Fuso" within the shogunate.

By the time Naoxiu came to the door on October 25, the matter was about to come to light:

It is said that as long as the matter of the shelling of the Three Kingdoms is settled peacefully, and there is no big quarrel with foreigners, then a public discussion will be held.

To hold a public discussion, Naohide knew that this meant that the shogunate had made up its mind - the parties had already colluded in private countless times before, and this public discussion was just a reputation for selflessness on the part of the shogunate.

Therefore, if Oguri wants to get what he wants, his most urgent thing at present is to first solve the three countries' artillery bombardment of Shimonoseki, that is, the blackmail carried out by the Western powers.

In fact, the negotiation is almost the same, and it is mainly stuck on money at present, and Naoxiu came to the door this time, in fact, in order to solve this problem - he took the initiative to send money.

The details of the previous negotiations are as follows:

Since mid-July, the shogunate has made frequent negotiations with the British, Buddha, Mi, and Lan countries over the shelling of Shimonoseki.

On the shogunate side, there were four people, who were the foreign commissioners Kawaji Seimus, Iwase Tadase, the Kanjo Oguri Tadajun, and Mimetsu Mizuno Tadatoku.

The representatives of the four countries were the Acting Minister of England Neil, the Minister of France, Belcout, the Minister of the Mi Pleuin, and the Governor of the Territory in Fuso, Pols. Brooke.

At first, the price offered by the foreigners was either 620,000 pounds in compensation for military expenses and losses, or the immediate opening of ports in Hyogo, Edo, and Osaka, but the latest result was either 200,000 pounds in compensation, or the immediate opening of Hyogo.

This result is only one-third of the earliest lion opening of the foreigners, and it can be negotiated like this, highlighting the ability of Oguri and others.

What did Oguri and the others talk about?

The main thing is to take the means of individual breaking.

It's been nine years since the founding of the country and four years since the opening of the port, not to mention that Oguri has just returned from Europa, and everyone already has an understanding of the reality of foreigners.

The country of Lan, which used to be the coachman of the world, is now basically abolished and has been reduced to the point of being a follower of the British.

Besides, it was originally a monopoly on the Fusang trade, but now there is only a little leftover leftovers left, how can the Lan people have no complaints!

Therefore, when the shogunate promised to make a certain tilt towards the Lan country in trade, the chief governor Brooke hinted that he would help the turn of the circle - in fact, the Lan people are weak and can't do much if they want to help, but he is also a head after all, and it is good not to stop making trouble.

Then there are the rice people.

In fact, the rice people are not very willing to do much, after all, the war between the north and the south is in full swing at home, and the north is very difficult, and even the trade with Fusang has begun to decline.

But the more cowards they are, the more they have to pretend to be bullies, this donkey pulls hard, and it has been like this since ancient times, everything is the same.

As a result, the shogunate had no choice but to promise to send envoys to Yonesu to apologize.

After receiving this assurance, Minister Priuin no longer deliberately entangled.

The rest is that the two are not easy to do, England and France, especially France, which does not relent, not only asks the four countries to advance and retreat together, but also insists, "620,000 pounds, one can be less!" ”

Isn't that stuck?

But who doesn't understand the truth of avoiding the truth, the Buddha is not easy to talk about, so find the British first.

The acting minister of England, Neil, was actually the first time to come to Fuso, and the original minister Ali Guo was on vacation, and he came to the top tank, but as soon as he arrived on the ground, he spread the second Dongzenji Temple incident (June 26, 1862), which is reasonable.

In fact, the shelling of Xiaguan by the Three Kingdoms this time has little to do with him, and it is completely behind the scenes:

In May, Choshu began shelling foreign ships, but did not dare to provoke the British ships at all.

Therefore, Neil was originally playing soy sauce to watch the excitement.

But the bad thing is that because Neil has just arrived, in order to avoid omissions (shirk responsibility), he gave an order to the Admiral of the Navy in a weak heart:

"The military situation is entrusted to you with full authority, so as to be foolproof."

Isn't this taking the initiative to find abuse, the admiral pondered, "You can do anything with feelings, and the boss is behind the blame", so as soon as the Buddha asked for help, the British sailor took the warship away in the name of watching the battle, and when he got to the next pass, he rolled up his sleeves and started to work, fully carrying forward his subjective initiative!

Afterwards, the shogunate negotiated with Neil:

"I treat you as an ancestor, and I have to give a reason for this beating."

Although Neil is a retired lieutenant colonel and a proper military person, but now his identity is a foreign affairs officer, which is too arrogant, it's not that you can't say it, but it depends on the occasion:

Now that the shogunate has come forward, it is Oguri Tadashun, so it is a bit bad to use strong words.

A husband and wife doctor left behind in England are now not titled royal medical advisers, but they are actually doing the same.

Isn't this the end of the calf when this gossip reaches the ears of the queen—have you heard of it? The big guy doesn't care about the evidence or anything, as long as he thinks it's like this, he can't find fault anywhere!

But after all the fights, he can only stiffen up now, so he said to Oguri with righteous words:

"Believe it or not, it was actually Changzhou who made the first move, and we were just forced to fight back in self-defense.

If you don't have any evidence, you are not allowed to talk nonsense everywhere.

Understand? ”

Oguri Tadashun smiled slightly after hearing this, and said that whoever made the first move should be put aside first, and now, he should pay attention to how to deal with the aftermath.

Neil thinks Oguri is sensible:

Since Prime Minister Temple came to power in 1859 and Russell became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the same year, Little England has been in vogue.

What is "Little England"?

That is, "no territorial expansion, secession of colonies, and development of free trade".

The background of this strategy is that at that time, England was overwhelmed, there were too many overseas territories, and some places could not make money at all, which became a financial black hole.

Of course, China in the Far East is too important to be in this case.

But Fuso, the island country is much worse than the widows, so the "Little England" policy must be strictly implemented.

In Naohide's original world, it was the Shikoku bombardment of Shimonoseki that occurred in 1864, and it was the British minister Ali who presided over the event. Afterwards, Ali Guo was transferred from Fuso, and although he continued to serve as minister to China, his journey was not smooth.

In particular, in 1869, the famous Arleigh Agreement was rejected by the British Parliament, which became a big laughing stock in the foreign affairs circles at that time.

Although Neil didn't know this, he knew that Oguri signed a contract with the local government in Thames and ordered two warships and a large number of machinery, which meant that the relationship between the shogunate and his country began to warm up, so the bombardment of Shimonoseki by the Three Kingdoms was really extraneous - Buddha and Mi Ai fought as much as they wanted, anyway, England was the strongest, and it was the right way to find the right and profit from it.

Therefore, Oguri suggested that "big things are turned into small things, and small things are turned into small things", which is a human word, and it is better to listen to it.

But Neil also has concerns:

One is to scruple with Ali Guo.

Minister Ali Guo has always been tough, and if he wants to take off the hat of "acting minister", in order to get his approval or even recommendation, I am afraid that he will have to follow Xiao Gui Cao and continue to implement a tough strategy without retreating.

The second one is that it is difficult to get into the sheath.

It's all fought, can it still be like this?

Besides, the Francis minister Bercourt promised to pay the reparations and take the lion's share, and he didn't want any of the achievements he had in hand, so when would it be his turn to be the minister?

What's more, it may be difficult to convince the public with this noble hand - the subordinates are counting on promotion

wealth, if you dare to block it, it will be a public anger, and you will definitely lose people's hearts.

Neil hesitated, and the matter dragged on for two months.

And then, the turnaround happened.

The matter dragged on for a long time, and the British box house pursued John. Brian also came to Yokohama to join in the fun. After meeting, he began to pour Neil with ecstasy soup.

Originally, there was a discord between the two before, but the matter has passed:

Before the second Dongchan Temple incident, Brian reminded Neil, but Neil didn't care - you are a nouveau riche businessman, and the Celts are not from the right way, why do you listen to you chasing the wind and talking nonsense!

It stands to reason that Neil should have become angry and even more hostile to Brian after this incident.

But the cautious can't get along, and if you want to be an official minister, you have to be magnanimous.

After all, Neil learned a valuable lesson from Admiral Neil, "You like people, but people don't necessarily like you!" ”

Neil, who arrived in the Far East in 1861 as a clerk to the British minister to China, was not ignorant of Brian:

He was born as an adventurer, made a fortune in trade with China and Fuso, and founded Huitong Bank and Foreign Bank, which were quite powerful in the Far East.

Later, in the Far Eastern situation of the Crimean War, his people played an important role and came to prominence.

It is said that he also colluded with many Imperial staff in the Far East, especially in the Xiangjiang Navy of the Empire.

For a person like this, it is enough to despise him once.

What's more, if you think about it carefully, after you arrived in Fuso, only Brian kindly reminded herself that others just read jokes, and those respectful and respectful now seem to be all appearances!

When Brian met Neil this time, he first offered a big gift - a number of shares of Fuso Huitong Bank and foreign banks.

This greatly dissolved the knot between the two:

Many employees of Fusang and even the Far East are suspected of holding Huitong's dry shares, and this Neil has long heard of it. But after he arrived in Fuso, he didn't hint, and Neil didn't say it, just giving some gifts was insincere, which clearly looked down on people!

Now that Brian has given him shares, Neil has finally put his mind at ease - the money is actually what I call it, mainly because I care about this heart.

As for Brian's statement that some shareholders admired him for the sale, Neil said, "Sensei, I understand! ”

In fact, he knows a hammer!

Naohide knew that Neil was a passing fairy, and after the future minister Ali returned to Fuso, Neil returned to his homeland in disgrace. Later, Ali Guo was transferred, and it was proposed that Neil take over as minister to Fuso, but he suffered losses in Fuso, and finally refused to go to the post on the grounds of physical discomfort.

Therefore, Naohide suggested that Brian and Neil keep their distance - as for the second Tozenji incident, it is related to the relationship between Fuso and Yingji, so it can't be done without reminding him.

But isn't the world changing a lot now, the shelling of Shimonoseki happened a year earlier, and he had to find Brian to change his words:

"I thought about it carefully, how can the icing on the cake be as good as the favor in the snow.

Now that Neil is on wax, you have to help, and there are many benefits. ”

Be a teacher and a ghost, there is you!

But Brian can understand that Naoxiu will definitely not be able to sit still if the shelling is not resolved, so after asking in detail how to operate, he feels that it is indeed feasible, so he comes to fool poor Neil.

After handing over the shares, Brian pretended to have inadvertently brought up the Shimonoseki shelling negotiations.

Neil always felt that it was not good for England to be too involved in this matter - after all, he violated the petty Anglia set by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he was weak in his heart to do it against his boss and the big boss.

Therefore, as if meeting a loved one, he told Brian about his hesitation in 1510.

Brian was delighted when he heard it:

"What's so hard about this, don't forget, there's someone above you!"