Ergin, Wittoma, Mitchell and others were very embarrassed to attend the banquet in Goxinga. How can I say that the two sides were still fighting bloodily a few days ago, but now they want to drink and talk about joy, and it will be embarrassing for anyone to change, if it weren't for the fact that it was not for the sake of figuring out what Guo Xing'a was doing, Erjin and the others would not come back at all. However, after entering the hotel, they were even more embarrassed, they did not see Grant and Durant, who looked like they had survived the catastrophe, but saw the two in full dresses. Not only did the two of them not have the embarrassment of prisoners of war, but they were also drinking tea very leisurely and happily, and they were talking happily with Guo Xing'a.

"Welcome, please take your seats!" With a gentlemanly smile, Goxinga greeted Ergin and the others, and then ushered everyone into the banquet hall he had specially designed.

This banquet Guoxing Ake took a lot of thought, and the reason why he chose this hotel is because the hall here is big enough, and they don't need to eat at all. The banquet table is also a long case specially created by Guo Xing'a carpenter, if it is a Chinese-style round table or a square table, so many people from China and Britain can sit at a few tables.

In terms of dishes, it is still Guoxinga's favorite swallow wing seat, and it is the relationship between Yi Xin and the palace chef who is called. There are many people and mixed fruits, Xing'a can no longer use the eunuchs in the palace to serve, but the people who are responsible for serving the dishes are also carefully selected big guys. In order to make these men look clean and neat, Goxinga also made a new snow-white dress for all these people according to the costumes of later cooks. But the guys are not willing to wear it, the Chinese are not very fond of white, especially this white, how to look like a filial robe. In the end, they still spent money, and each person was rewarded with a red envelope of one or two silver, so that these guys changed their clothes.

Before the big dish was finished, Guo Xing'a didn't say a word of business, as if he was just looking for someone to eat today, except for frequently persuading everyone to taste this rare delicacy, there was nothing else. The British, who fried fish and potatoes every day, and occasionally salted beef pieces, naturally ate it like a fascination. The clever and thoughtful guy also made the English gentlemen feel comfortable, and Mitchell also gave a guy a pound tip. Of course, the man's thanks were very subtle, because he didn't even understand what this foreign ticket was. The only other is Grant, and the man's service is also thoughtful, but it can't compare to the eunuch in charge. And there was a panic in Beijing for a while, many ingredients were insufficient, and the swallow wing banquet was not complete, which was not as good as the imperial meal that Guo Xing'a invited him to eat last time.

After the meal, the refreshments were laid out, and the fragrant tea and the Kanto Taiwan cigarettes that Guo Xing'a got from the Old Summer Palace were served, and everyone had the meaning of talking about things. However, Ergin still didn't grab the position, Durant had already found Goxinga first, and chattered for a long time before returning Goxinga to everyone.

"A while ago, the situation was tense, there were some omissions in the preparation of the diet, and thin wine and mussels were not a tribute, I hope you don't be surprised!" Guo Xinga finally came to a very ordinary opening like a master.

"Thank you so much for your warm hospitality!" Ergin is an old politician, and he also said this kind of nonsense that has no flavor at all, and he is very sincere.

"The peace agreement has been reached, your army has begun to withdraw, and we will also fulfill the treaty and return your prisoners of war. I have been with General Grant for a long time and have become very good friends. On the occasion of parting, I specially held this farewell dinner for him, hoping that our friendship will last forever! Goxinga said and gave Gran a cigarette, as if their relationship was really good.

"Thank you!" Erjin was a little stunned, he had been in contact with Goxinga a few times, this guy has always been straightforward, why is he talking nonsense endlessly today.

"Let me tell you! General Goxinga believed that we had signed a peace treaty, and that the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire were no longer hostile, but friendly states. In addition to the provisions of the treaty, General Goxinga hopes that the two countries can have further exchanges, including economic, military, educational, religious, medical and other aspects. Grant came out very interestingly to explain what Goxinga meant, which was also what they had discussed before.

"His Royal Highness Prince Gong doesn't seem to have a similar suggestion!" Ergin felt even more inexplicable, how Grant became Goxinga's assistant and helped outsiders talk. Moreover, this kind of diplomatic affairs between the two countries should be handled by government officials, and a soldier in Goxinga followed up to make some fools.

"Mr. Minister, these ideas are only my personal opinions, and do not represent the national policy of the Qing Dynasty." Goxinga is very frank.

Ergin did not answer, but spread his hands to Goxinga, what is the private opinion of a soldier in the diplomacy of the two countries, he can't give Goxinga any answer.

"I understand your confusion very well, the diplomacy between the two countries is not something that I can intervene in my private capacity, but the Qing Dynasty is a special country, and for a long time, the cooperation between our two countries can only be carried out in the form of a local situation against the country!" Gohinga must first get Ergin to accept this kind of asymmetrical diplomacy.

"Your central government?" Ergin was receptive, but he preferred to adopt a state-to-state situation, and if the Qing continued to fight against the British, he was still prepared to open the Qing by force. However, next time you need to bring more troops, and it is best to bypass Goxinga.

"You know China very well, and for a long time, the Chinese government has been closed off from the rest of the country, which is very closed. There are still a large number of very influential officials who hold this kind of thinking, and one or two wars will not change their thinking at all, and only a great change in society as a whole and the comprehensive spread of advanced Western civilization will make it possible to reverse their attitude and that of the central government. This is a long process, not something that can be done in a short period of time, and a lot of things need to be accumulated. "Guo Xing'a began to kneel and lick, there is no way if he doesn't lick, people are better than us now!

"Exactly as you say!" The term advanced civilization in the West made Erjin very comfortable, and no one in the Qing Dynasty had ever said this, they would only say barbarians.

But not all people in the Qing Dynasty have this stubborn idea. In our previous negotiations with Russia, your country has fully embodied Britain's image as a world leader, which has convinced many Qing officials, and I am grateful to your country! "Guo Xing'a put his face at home today, and all the nice nagging. None of the Qing officials were grateful to the British, and these bastards demanded four million from China and cut off Kowloon.

"This is what we should do!" Erjin is happy to blossom, and the term world leader is the British themselves to think about it, and this is the first time that an outsider has said this.

"So there are already some officials, including me, who hope to have further exchanges with the UK. But as you can understand, Mr. Minister, our power is not strong enough to influence the decisions of the central government, so our in-depth exchanges with your country can only start at the private level, or in the areas that we can control. Of course, after achieving certain achievements in these areas, I believe that we can have the ability to influence the central government's decision-making. "Although Guo Xing'a has used us, he is still talking about him alone.

"Your Excellency, your proposal is very creative, but if we start to implement it, what kind of inputs and outputs will we have?" Ergin was also a little awkward, and he wanted to ask Goxinga what kind of benefits Britain would get.

"The British Empire is currently the most developed civilized country in the world, while the Qing Dynasty is relatively backward, and the exchanges between the two sides in various fields may indeed become Britain's aid to the Qing Dynasty. However, the Qing Dynasty has a vast land area and a huge population base, which is not only a rich agricultural production area, but also an incomparably large market. If we can reach some consensus, the treaty ports will no longer be an obstacle to our cooperation, British goods will circulate freely within the Qing Dynasty, and anti-foreign goods will no longer affect British goods. "The European colonists simply could not afford to eat a unified empire like the Qing Dynasty, so they could only use dumping goods to absorb the cream of the Qing Dynasty, and Guo Xinga could only use this to attract the British.

If the national strength is too weak, there will be less room for operation, and the existing market can only be used to attract the rich and skilled British. When you have learned the technology and have a foundation, who is the dumping ground, then you will study it again. With heavy industry and education, there are guns, cannons, and research and development, so there is no need to be afraid of these dead foreigners.

"That's a great offer!" Erjin is happy to blossom again, they bully the Qing Dynasty just for the origin of raw materials and the dumping market, and now Guoxinga is willing to take the initiative to provide, why don't they do it.

"Your Excellency, what are the places where we can cooperate at the moment?" Wittoma was also overjoyed, eager to know where it would be open to them.

"I'm the only one at the moment! And my current territory is limited to Gu'an! "Goxinga is a little embarrassed.

"How are we going to work together?" Erjin also said strongly, if it weren't for the good things that Guo Xing'a said just now, he would have wanted to slap the table and leave. After talking about how beautiful the prospect is for a long time, in the end, it's just your brother, you tease us!

"My territory is not near the sea, it is very small, it really doesn't mean much, and what I just said is just our vision of the future. I am a soldier, and in addition to the territory, I have a large army, and I can start with the exchange of technology and related industrial products in the military field. In the future, when I have an area under my control, we will work on other things. Guo Xing'a was also a little embarrassed, he was a little empty of gloves and white wolves.

"We very much agree with your proposal, and we will also provide assistance to your troops, including military technology, military production machinery, medical care, etc. But since this is an exchange, we also hope that you will provide us with your high-velocity firearms, which have the technology of rear-loading rifles! When Elgin still felt that it was not worth it, Grant had already agreed and made his request.

Although Grant was a little overstepping his authority, Elgin and others did not refute him, and Grant's request was of great significance. In this war, they suffered endless losses in guns, and the cavalry brigade was completely wiped out by machine guns. If the British Empire could secretly acquire Goshinga's firearms technology, it would be of great strategic importance. They are not like Goxinga who can only make small fights, they have a huge industrial system, and with advanced technology, they can quickly produce a large number of equipment, and these equipment will be enough to change the strategic balance of the entire world.

"Of course, as long as we can reach a consensus, I will sell a full set of production processes and drawings to your country!" Goxinga agreed that Schneider and Gatling were backward equipment for Goxinga, and as long as there was British steelmaking and precision machining equipment, Goxinga would immediately change their outfits* and Makqin.

After some haggling, the sale and purchase agreement was quickly released. The wealthy British bought 1,000 Gatling machine guns from the Gu'an Arsenal at a high price of 300 taels and 1,000 machine guns, and the complete set of production processes and drawings for the machine guns were included in the list of rushed deliveries. In addition, Britain also purchased 10,000 Schneider rifles at a price of 3021 shots, which also included production processes and drawings. In exchange, the British army will provide military and medical technical assistance to the Gu'an Army, and provide steel-making technology and equipment to the Gu'an Arsenal free of charge, as well as a number of precision machining machinery.

"Our first collaboration was very pleasant, but I still have an offer for our second collaboration. I hope that your country can train a group of naval talents for our army and provide me with a medium-sized fleet free of charge! Guo Xing'a made his whimsical request, and the joyful smiles of Erjin and the others were a little more surprised.