Wen Xiang and Bao Jun were all shocked in their hearts, like pressing a big stone.

"Sixth Master's words," Wen Xiang said in a deep voice, "I don't agree!" In the year of Xinyou, the country suffered great changes, internal and external difficulties, wind and rain, and the heir was chongling! The whole situation, it is not too much to say that it is 'dangerous', it is not too much, the matter is expensive and powerful, for the sake of the world, it is impossible not to make a difference! ”

Bao Jun said: "What Bochuan said is very true! Adapting measures to local conditions and changing with the times, how can it be said that the 'council king' of the sixth master is 'not in line with the ancestral system'? Besides, I said two words of 'taboo' too! ——At the beginning of the country, the 'ancestral system' was the 'Eight Kings Discussion', and after the Yongzheng Dynasty, the 'ancestral system' became 'the king did not involve the center', which one is the 'ancestral system'? ”

These few words were extremely sharp, King Gong nodded at him with a weak hand, and said helplessly: "You mouth!" ”

sighed and said: "It's still better to say the word 'subordinate' by Bochuan - since it is 'subordinate', it is an expedient measure, and it will be changed back as time passes—I mean, when the time comes, I, the hereditary prince, should follow the ancestral system and withdraw from the center, otherwise——"

After a pause, he said the following words with difficulty: "Some people are really relieved!" ”

Wen Xiang and Bao Jun's hearts sank, as if a big stone had been pressed again.

Both of them understood the meaning of King Gong's words, "Some people are really not at ease" is: with King Gong's background and power, after he grows bigger, he may threaten the imperial power, and even-

Thinking of the two brothers Wenzong and King Gong, all kinds of grievances back then, Wen and Bao couldn't help but shudder slightly. Wen and Bao duo. Loyalty to King Gong in matters. Of course, I believe it. However, standing at the point of "someone", it really cannot be said that this kind of worry is purely groundless!

King Gong said slowly: "Last time, I was rude in front of the king and was sent to all the messengers, so naturally I was to blame, I don't dare to complain, but ......"

Speaking of which. King Gong hesitated for a moment, stopped talking, and Bao Jun said: "In this way, that time, the 'top' is actually a play on the topic!" Originally, I wanted to use this to drive the sixth master out of the center, so that I could completely 'put my mind at ease', but later found that I couldn't do it, so I took out the sixth master's 'council king' - anyway, I had to take something away! So, hum, at least. Half of my heart down! ”

Wen Xiang groaned and said, "But, on the other side of the north street. It's also a prince, and it's also a ...... King Zong......"

"His surname is not Aixin Jueluo."

King Gong's seven words were said very calmly, Wen Xiang and Bao Jun listened to them in their ears, but they were like thunder, looking at each other and nodding slowly.

"Yes," Bao Jun gritted his teeth slightly, "He doesn't have the surname Aixin Jueluo, so the 'boss' will never have to worry about it, he will seek her son's ......"

After a pause, he breathed through his nostrils: "So, don't worry! ”

Bao Jun's words are becoming more and more "taboo", but this is a place where "God knows and earth knows".

The three of them fell silent for a while, and in the "small house", it was so quiet that you could hear a needle falling to the ground.

"I think," Wen Xiang broke the silence, "the 'clan' in the north street of Chaonei, in the final analysis, is an 'honorary title' in the words of foreigners. ”

"Exactly," King Gong smiled faintly, "So, he can stay, and I, I must go." ”

"Sixth Master!"

"Sixth Master ......"

King Gong waved his hand and said, "I'll go, it's good for all sides; For myself, too. ”

"Otherwise, sooner or later, someone will learn from Cai's old wisdom."

Wenxiang and Baojun both knew that the "Cai" in King Gong's mouth referred to Cai Shouqi.

After a pause, King Gong continued: "The matter has come to this, you don't have to feel sorry for me, and don't do anything more...... Unnecessary thoughts. ”

After another pause, he said solemnly: "You have to think about the situation after I leave." ”

Wen Xiang and Bao Jun didn't answer him.

King Gong smiled reluctantly and said, "I mean—well, it's okay for anything else, the key is the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen, it's me...... It should be said that it was the three of us who created it together, and I ...... It's not very reassuring. ”

In King Gong's words, there is quite a meaning of "entrusting the future", Wen Xiang's heart fluctuated, Bao Jun was even more excited, and his eyes were slightly red.

Wen Xiang pressed his agitated mood and said, "Please ask the sixth master to command." ”

"The Prime Minister's Yamen for National Affairs," said King Gong, "at the beginning of the grass, I was very ambitious, thinking of putting all the foreign affairs and new policies into it, so the plate was made very large, and now it is ......."

After a pause, King Gong's words brought out bitterness: "Time is changing, and if you look at the plate of the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen, it will inevitably seem ...... Big and too bad. ”

"Sixth Master, this ...... How so? ”

King Gong sighed softly: "Advisory Committee! ”

Wen and Bao glanced at each other.

"In my opinion," King Gong said, "this 'Gu Committee' and the 'General Administration', the two are actually the same way, the structure and the difference in duties, and they overlap with each other...... Not quite proper. ”

The Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen, referred to as the "General Administration", or the "Translation Agency".

King Gong's words were very subtle, but Wen Xiang and Bao Jun both understood what he meant, the General Administration was established first, and the Advisory Committee was established later, and the so-called "overlap" means that the "Advisory Committee" has usurped the functions and powers of the "General Administration".

"They're doing theirs," Bao Jun muttered, "let's do ours, the well water doesn't interfere with the river water......

"Pei Xuan," said King Gong with a wry smile, "stop deceiving yourself, how can it be that 'well water does not interfere with river water'?" ”

"The sixth master is right," Wen Xiang said, "The General Administration has five units: Britain, France, Russia, the United States, and Haiphong....... ”

Bao Jun was silent.

Just as King Gong said, the original intention of the establishment of the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen was to handle "all foreign affairs and new policies", and the affairs under its jurisdiction were extremely extensive, and the five subordinate departments of Britain, France, Russia, the United States, and Haiphong could not simply be as the name suggests.

Well, "look at the past one by one" and see what "overlap" there is between it and the "Advisory Committee"?

The British unit is responsible for negotiations with the United Kingdom and Austria, as well as trade and customs affairs for various ports.

China and Britain jointly organized the Chinese Navy, the British Parliament passed a bill to return the Old Summer Palace artifacts, and the United Kingdom and the United States jointly organized the Beijing Expo, a series of major events occurred one after another, and the focus of Sino-British exchanges gradually shifted from "respect" to "relationship" -- specifically, from the Prime Minister's Yamen for National Affairs to the Advisory Committee.

In negotiations with Britain, the power of the "British Unit" of the General Administration has actually disappeared completely, and it has been reduced to a role only responsible for delivering official documents.

A similar situation has arisen in the Austrian negotiations. Guan Zhuofan came forward to mediate the Austro-Prussian War, which not only did Austria a great favor, but also shined in the international community, which was comparable to the French Emperor Napoleon III, and the "guanguan" had a great say in Austrian affairs. As for Austria, people are not stupid, and they are more willing or even only willing to deal with Prince Guan and Prince Guan's people when it comes to China.

However, the powers and responsibilities of the "British Unit" of the General Administration for foreign affairs have basically been hollowed out by the Advisory Committee.

Let's take a look at the "trade between the ports".

At that time, China's trade was divided into two parts, the north and the south, the north was in charge of the three trade ministers, and the south was in charge of the five trade ministers, that is, the later Beiyang trade ministers and Nanyang trade ministers.

It should be pointed out that although the "three ministers of international trade" and the "five ministers of international trade" are nominally under the General Administration, the relationship between the General Administration and them is only a kind of "business guidance", and the structure, powers and responsibilities are parallel to each other, and the influence of the General Administration on them is actually limited.

At that time, the position of the five ministers of trade was more important than that of the three ministers. This position was concurrently held by the Governor of Liangjiang, after Zeng Guofan was transferred to the Governor of Zhili, the Governor of Jiang was acted by Zhao Jingxian, and the position of the Minister of Commerce and Trade of the Five Mouths naturally sat under the ass of Zhao Cripple, which was Guan Zhuofan's die-hard loyalist, Jiangsu, the most important of the two rivers and three provinces, and the place where Guan Zhuofan started, so the General Administration could not intervene in the trade affairs of the port in the south.

As for the Minister of International Trade and Trade of the Three Mouths, the officialdom in Beijing has a saying in private: "The head" is becoming more and more impatient with Chongdi Mountain, and he may not be able to sit in this position for too long - this has almost become an open secret, and the only person who does not know about it is probably Chongdi Mountain himself. After Chonghou's resignation, the North Exit was traded, and it was likely that the Governor of Naoli was also the Minister of Trade of the Three Mouths, following the example of the South Exit.

If this is the case, with the eyebrows of Zeng Disheng and Guan Yixuan, the General Administration should not expect to be able to meddle in the affairs of the three trades.

All that's left is the tariff.

The hand of the advisory committee did not reach the tariffs, but the problem was that the hand of the General Administration could not reach into them - China's tariffs were all in the hands of the British. The taxes paid by the British, how to spend it, the General Administration said that it does not count, it is the matter of the "superiors" and the big military aircraft, that is, the governors of the provinces, can also intervene, but it is the General Administration above the six ministries, and its role in tariff affairs is actually a miscellaneous one.

The "British stock" was originally the most important of the five stocks of the Prime Minister's National Affairs Department, but now, it is basically an empty shelf.

What about the rest of the stocks?

The French Unit organizes negotiations with France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil, and also manages the management of parishioners and the recruitment of Chinese workers.

France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Pakistan, and most importantly, of course, France. However, everyone knows very well that since there will inevitably be a war against France in the future, and this battle will be completely dominated by the Xuan Di, it is only a matter of time before the negotiations with France will be transferred from "respect" to "relationship."

Not long ago, when Prussia and Austria were fighting, China issued a statement in support of Prussia, and the French acting minister Borone took the lead for Austria and asked China to withdraw the statement.

At that time, some things had already been revealed.

*(To be continued......)