On the morning of March 30 in the fifth year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the Prime Minister of Dongtangzi Hutong in Beijing was the Yamen of the Prime Minister for National Affairs.

The Prime Minister's Yamen for National Affairs walked, and Mao Changxi hurriedly walked into the yamen hall of Prince Shuogong Yixun.

"Vulgarity is waived." Prince Shuogong Yixun sat behind the public case, waved his hand to prevent Mao Changxi from saluting, "Xu Chu, why are you in such a hurry?" ”

"Lord Wang, I am the envoy of the Qing Dynasty in Japan, He Ruzhang, who has just sent someone to deliver the letter of state from the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Terashima Muneri." Mao Changxi handed over the credentials as he spoke.

"What are the Japanese people going to do?" Yixun patted the Japanese national letter in his hand and asked with a frown.

"According to Lord He Ruzhang, the main content of the credentials submitted by Japan to our Daqing Dynasty is that they will abolish Liuzhi County on April 4 this year. The time is 4 days later. ”

"Oh . . . Even the vassal kingdom of the Qing Dynasty dared to eat it, what's the matter, the Wa Kingdom is going to do against the Qing Dynasty! Yixun turned around and handed the Japanese letter in his hand to the Prime Minister and Minister of National Affairs beside him, "Dishan, you are also familiar with foreign affairs, and you have been to France and Russia to talk to foreign devils about judgment, what do you think of this?" ”

After Yan Chonghou took the letter of state, he rolled his eyes and replied, "Lord Wang, the slave thinks that the Ryukyus are a vassal country of Fanbang, and the gains and losses are really insignificant, but Zuo Zhongtang's war in Ili is related to the northwest gateway of the Qing Dynasty, and between the portal and the vassals, the portal should be the most important. In addition, in the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, the Qing Dynasty and Japan had already reached a conclusion on the Ryukyus, and the recurrence of incidents in Japan at this time was entirely due to his unfavorable handling of things and his failure to prevent the gradual progress, so he should be involved. Li Zhongtang Baoju He Ruzhang is the envoy to Japan, and he is also responsible for not investigating! ”

"Xu Chu, you have been the leader of the clear stream, what do you think about this?" Yixun turned to Mao Changxi and asked.

"Lord, the lower officials think that this matter must not be agreed, if this case is opened against Japan, not only will the Ryukyus not be protected, but even Taiwan will definitely be coveted by Japan. In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, the Japanese used the excuse that the Ryukyu fishermen were killed in Taiwan, and at that time, Ryukyu was still part of our Great Qing Dynasty, and Japan dared to act arbitrarily. If Japan abolishes Liuzhi County and gains the Ryukyus today, the lower officials really don't dare to think about what will happen to Taiwan in the future. Mao Changxi bowed and replied.

"Lord Mao is too worried!" After Yan Chonghou stared at Mao Changxi, he arched his hand to Prince Gong and said: "In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, when the Japanese invaded Taiwan, when my Qing monarchs and ministers were still in the court and the conclusion was still undecided, didn't the British take the initiative to stand up, and the British Minister Wei Tuma took the initiative to come forward to help me force the Japanese to withdraw from Taiwan, and finally my Qing Dynasty only spent a little money to recover Taiwan." I don't think the British will ignore today's affairs in the Ryukyus, and I can handle it according to the old practice. ”

"Lord Wanyan, I didn't spend a little silver in the Qing Dynasty, and the "Beijing Article" lost 500,000 taels to the Japanese! Lord, it was then, and today is today, and the British may not always come out for me. If the Japanese are allowed to annex the Ryukyus today, Taiwan will not be protected by the Japanese! This is a major event of loss of power and humiliation of the country, and if you get involved in this matter, you will be infamous for eternity, Lord Wang, you must not agree! Mao Changxi knelt on his knees and bowed his head and said.

"Mao Changxi, what do you mean, how do you know that the British may not come forward! Have you ever tried? You blindly talk about the importance of Ryukyu, do you know that the Qing Dynasty and the Russians are about to fight in Ili, but the prince is holding the top and protecting the Zuo Zhongtang, and the Zuo Zhongtang is also carrying the coffin to Xinjiang. On the occasion of this eventful autumn, and because of the affairs of the vassals, abandon the door and ignore it, do you eat the sin! ”

"Oops! I forgot who was behind the battle for the defense of the coast. Mao Changxi lay on the ground and felt that his neck was cold and swishing, "This is not good!" ”

"Lord Wang, my lord!" Mao Changxi straightened up and said, "It's not that the lower official doesn't know which is more important than the coastal defense, but just now the prince asked the lower official what he thought of it as a clear stream, so the lower official returned to the prince from the position of a clear stream." Please Gong Prince, Lord Wanyan forgive your sins! If you look at the identity of the following officials, it is natural that the defense of the fortress is more important than the coastal defense! Since it is a matter of coastal defense, the Prime Minister's Affairs Yamen should not let Li Zhongtang withdraw from the matter and want war and peace, so Li Zhongtang should be allowed to say what to do first, and Li Hefei should not be allowed to see the liveliness of the Prime Minister's Affairs Yamen. ”

Wan Yan Chonghou glanced at Prince Gong, "Lord Mao, what should Li Zhongtang do if he wants to make peace?" ”

"Supervising the imperial history, the Hanlin Academy, the Qingliu of Taixue, and the lower officials have quite an intersection," Mao Changxi leaned over and replied.

Wanyan Chonghou nodded slightly at Prince Gong, "What should Li Zhongtang do if he wants to fight?" ”

"If you want to fight, the imperial court has already made a decision, and the coastal defense matters belong to Beiyang, doesn't he Li Hefei control the Tianjin Machinery Bureau, the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, and also interfere in the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Bureau, let him contribute! As for the silver, the imperial court also made a conclusion, and Haiphong let Beiyang raise its own funds. Northwest and Ryukyu, whether it is first to come or last, or to prioritize, the imperial court should take Zuo Zhongtang first," Mao Changxi replied.

"Haha, it's okay, it's a matter of state affairs, and the matter is so important that you can't ignore it, Xu Chu, you hurry up, this king understands." Yixin walked to Mao Changxi's side with a smile and picked him up.

"Lord Wang, the slave listened to Lord Mao's words, and he also thought it was true. Such a major military matter, why not let Lord Li Hongzhang handle it on his behalf? Wan Yan smiled flatteringly.

"That's right, Xu Chu, doesn't that Li Zhongtang often boast that he is an expert in diplomacy, let him make a break and ask him what to do about it!" Yixun touched the short mustache on his lips, "Dishan, did this cost you the face of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs?" ”

"Lord Wang, you Shengming, the slave thinks that since Lord Li is also engaged in foreign affairs as the Minister of Beiyang, it is natural to ask Lord Li about this matter! What's more, Lord Li is the minister of my Great Qing Kingdom, and his opinion is that the Queen Mother and the Emperor should also listen to it, and if you can listen to Lord Li's opinion, the slave's face will also shine. ”

"Dishan, your words of public loyalty to the country, but you also have to say it to the palace, don't bury your loyalty."

"Lord Shengming, the slave will go back to the room to write an excerpt now!" After Yan Chonghou finished speaking, he bowed to Yixun and retreated.

After Yan Chonghou left, Mao Changxi glanced at Yixun, lowered his head and gritted his teeth, took out another piece of music from his cuffs, knelt on the ground with the music fold, and said bitterly: "Lord Qiqi, the impeachment of the Qing Dynasty in Japan is making He Ruzhang lose his national body during Japan. According to Zhang Sigui, the deputy envoy to Japan, during his stay in Japan, He Ruzhang complained about the vulgarity of the food at the state banquet held by the Japanese emperor, because He Ruzhang ate a huge amount of food, and often ate more than 10 people kaiseki sushi every time he went to the state banquet. ”

"After investigation, what Deputy Envoy Zhang Sigui said is true, what Ruzhang did damage to the national body of my Great Qing Dynasty and the face of my Great Qing Dynasty! Lord Wang, the recital of the lower officials is here. Mao Changxi held the fold with both hands and kowtowed.

Yixun took the fold, glanced at it a few times, and said angrily: "Shame and shame to the Japanese country!" How can this kind of stupid pig be the minister of the Qin Mission, in the name of your Prime Minister Yamen, and then impeach me He Ruzhang for failing to protect the Qing Dynasty and losing power and humiliating the country! The excerpts were quickly sent into the palace, and they were immediately investigated! Yixun said with an angry face.

After that, Yixun patted Mao Changxi on the shoulder and said with a smile, "This Zhang Sigui is also your countryman at Xuchu, right, he really did an errand in the country of Wa with his heart!" Later, you write an excerpt to ensure that he is a messenger. ”

"Lord Wangming!"

March 30, 1879, evening. Queen Victoria's bedroom, Westminster, London, 2nd floor, northwest corner of Buckingham Palace.

Queen Victoria handed two telegrams to her Scottish valet, John Brown.

"John, this is a telegram from Wiki yesterday asking for a private tutor in England for my mischievous crocodile grandson. This is a telegram sent at noon today, and it is also about my grandson's private tutor, but today's telegram wiki focuses on what kind of private tutor she wants to hire, and the wiki wants to invite my grandson to physics, chemistry, engineering, shipbuilding.... aspects of private tutors. Oh my! ”

The queen shook her head, and said half-complainingly, "I remember that a few days ago, Vikki just wrote to me to complain, saying that she, the crown princess, is running out of money? ”

"Yes, Delena, the letter from the eldest princess, I remember it in the second drawer to the left of your dressing table." John Brown replied.

"And what is this?" The queen pointed to the telegram in Brown's hand, "The wind is blowing?" ”

"If you stand in the perspective of the eldest princess, she really wants these private tutors to be blown to the palace by the wind." John Brown raised the telegram in Young's hand, "The eldest princess only said who she wanted to hire, but she didn't mention the cost of hiring, but she didn't mention a penny commission. ”

"John, I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Albert and you, both have high hopes for the eldest princess and his wife, and have always hoped that they will bring British liberal ideas to Prussia." John Brown pointed to the telegram in his hand, "It has always been Albert's dream to let the English go to the German court to teach, Delina, the eldest princess now gives you a chance to fulfill Albert's dream." John Brown said to the queen with an affectionate face.

Queen Victoria also looked at her manservant with a smile, "Okay, tomorrow I will ask Prime Minister Disraeli to discuss this matter, and I will pay this dowry." John, keep an eye on this! ”

March 30, 1879, nightfall. The entrance of the womb of Potsdam.

Joey stands in the doorway with the crown princess, ready to welcome his father home. In the night, a carriage came galloping, and before the carriage could stop, a tall man in a three-piece dress and a top hat jumped out of the carriage, stepped forward with a smile on his face, picked up Joey with open arms, and asked, "Is little Joey well?" ”

"Fritz, Jojo is totally fine." The crown princess said to her husband with a smile.

"Let Daddy see my little Joey" Crown Prince Frederick held Joey in one hand and stroked Joey's hair with the other. Joey found himself giggling involuntarily.

In the midst of laughter, Joey took a closer look at his father, with neatly parted blond-brown hair, black eyes, and a bushy beard, typical of a Highland German. The father's height is considered tall by the standards of modern Germans, and the mother who inherited the grandmother's height is less than the father's shoulders.

Crown Prince Frederick walked into the palace with Joey in one hand and the crown princess in the other.

"Vikki, Prince Alexander, the emperor's chamberlain, sent a message to his father in the afternoon, saying that if little Joey is well, his father wants to meet Joey"

"Okay, I'll arrange that." The crown princess replied with a smile.

Frederick looked at his wife, who was in a good mood, "What's the joy?" ”

The crown princess glanced at Joey and said with a smile, "Jojo made a bet with me with the pocket money he saved up of 300 gold marks, and he said that he could receive at least 6 tutors, and he could get 1 point in the final exam." I bet on Jojo."

"300 gold marks? Well, if our little Joey doesn't get a point, not only will he go bankrupt, but I'll also tell the Marquis of Sigmaringen in Hohenzoremberg not to give Pinocchio Joey an invitation to the Oktoberfest," Frederick and Joey tapped their heads.

Joey said in her heart, Dad, are you a stone......

"Vikki, did you finally decide to hire a tutor for little Joey, has the list of tutors been prepared, and when I go to work in Berlin, I also visit these tutors."

"Fritz, the list has been drawn up, it was made by Jojo himself, all British, and I have sent a telegram to my mother for help. In addition, Jojo's education is not all tutoring, in addition to receiving tutoring, Jojo will also go to middle school. ”

"What kind of arrangement is this?" Frederick looked at his wife in amazement.

"My dear, we'll talk about it in the evening, and then I'll sue your son."