Guan Zhuofan got off duty and returned to the palace in the north street of the inner court, an important visitor had been waiting in the flower hall for a long time. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

British Minister Alle.

Yesterday evening, the First Secretary of the British Legation, Li Zhan, came to the door and asked Sir Ah to visit Prince Xuan the next day, and requested that Sir Ah be placed first on the list of visitors after Prince Xuan's duty.

Xuan Wangfu replied, the prince said, it is okay to meet Ming'er, after the duty, there is no problem with seeing Sir A first, the question is, when the prince will return to the house after duty, it is uncertain.

Li Zhanmo said, there is no problem, Sir Ming'er will arrive at Prince Xuan's palace on time at half past ten in the morning -- that is, at two o'clock in the morning, and if His Royal Highness the Prince has not yet been on duty, Sir will be waiting in the palace - look, is it okay?

Well, since Sir is willing to wait, then ...... Okay.

If a request for a meeting was made in the evening, and he did not mind a possible long wait, there must have been a very important matter on the part of the British Legation to discuss with Prince Xuan.

Guan Zhuofan and Ali Guo met, and they exchanged pleasantries with each other, and Ah Li Guo made it clear:

"Your Royal Highness, yesterday there was bad news from London - Prince Albert's condition has deteriorated, and the doctor has issued a critical illness notice."

Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria.

Guan Zhuofan let out a soft "ah" and said, "This is really sad news - why, no...... Hopeful? ”

Ali Guo nodded solemnly: "Judging from the telegram - I'm afraid so." ”

"In any case," Guan Zhuofan said, "I still hope that there will be a miracle, and Prince Albert will be in a good place. ”

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your best wishes, but—"

Ali Guo shook his head slightly, "Perhaps, while we were talking, Prince Albert had already passed away, ascended to heaven, and met the merciful God. ”

"Although I have never met Prince Albert, we have been friends for a long time!" Guan Zhuofan sighed and said, "From the letter he wrote to me, it can be seen that His Royal Highness is not only knowledgeable, but also an honest, tenacious, kind-seeking, and truth-seeking person!" If such a wise man leaves us so early, it would be really-"

Speaking of this, he also shook his head slightly and sighed: "Alas! ”

"Your Royal Highness, you are really Prince Albert's confidant!" "When Prince Albert was sick, he said more than once that if he could not visit China, meet with you, or preside over the opening ceremony of the Beijing Expo, the crystallization of Sino-British cooperation, with you due to health reasons, it would be his lifelong regret. ”

Yes, when he was haggling for the Beijing Expo, he said that if Britain were to participate in the "Expo" project in China, Prince Albert promised that he would personally take charge of the project and visit China as a result.

But -- we've said enough about the scene, haven't we? You rushed over in a hurry, just to inform me that your queen's husband was going to hang up, right?

I thought so in my heart and said this in my mouth: "This is also my lifelong regret!" I am saddened that I am about to lose a great friend, and even more so by the people of England and Her Majesty the Queen! ”

"Well, speaking of Her Majesty," said Aliko, "Your Highness, to tell you the truth, this is the one thing that worries us most now!" ”

After a pause, "Her Majesty and Prince Albert are very affectionate, Prince Albert is seriously ill, Her Majesty is worried and worried, the signs are not good, if His Royal Highness finally dies, I am afraid that ...... Her Majesty cannot accept this fact! Alas, when the time comes, Her Majesty will mourn too much, in case ...... Tired of work, the country's major politics, even hindered! ”

Ah Liguo said such a thing in front of Guan Zhuofan, it seems that he really didn't treat Prince Xuan as an outsider.

Guan Zhuofan pondered for a while and said: "It is understandable that the love between husband and wife is difficult to get out of the shadow of grief for a while. However, your country is different, and even if Her Majesty is temporarily tired, His Excellency the Prime Minister is enough to support the overall situation, and I personally think that Sir need not worry too much. ”

Ali Guo's eyes flashed, and he nodded and said, "What His Royal Highness said is very true! Although there are slight differences in the national systems of our two countries, when it comes to 'supporting the overall situation' -- hehe, my colleagues and I think that China's 'overall situation' depends on His Royal Highness the Prince's ears! This 'overall situation', as long as it is presided over by His Royal Highness the Prince, well, to take a Chinese proverb, it is...... 'stable as Mount Tai'!" to thrive! ”

This remark is both a boast and a temptation, Guan Zhuofan smiled faintly: "This is too much." ”

I thought to myself, you old boy, don't you get down to business?

"Your Royal Highness," Ali Guo finally began to say "business", "Your country and the diplomats of Prussia are arranging for Frederick **** to visit China-"

After a pause, "Regarding His Royal Highness's trip to China, our country ...... Hey, there's a reluctant please. ”

Guan Zhuofan was slightly stunned: How did you get involved in this matter?

China and Prussia, although they have not yet made public the plans of Frederick **** to visit China, but for the United Kingdom, this is naturally not a secret - the **** concubine also wants to accompany the **** to visit China, and this **** concubine is the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Victoria.

At the same time, Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Princess Victoria's younger sister, will also visit China with her sister and brother-in-law.

"Prince Albert is critically ill," said Aliko, "Princess Victoria, who has returned to London......"

Speaking of this, he hesitated for a moment, glanced at Guan Zhuofan, and showed a look of embarrassment on his face.

"I see," said Kwan Zhuofan, "Prince Albert is seriously ill, and Princess Victoria, together with her siblings, is serving the decoction; If Prince Albert has something to hide, Princess Victoria ...... Well, there is also Princess Louise, who naturally has to attend the funeral and give the funeral to her deceased father...... Oh, by the way, Frederick ****, probably going to Prince Albert's funeral too? ”

Ali Guo showed a wry smile, "On the Prussian side, it seems that there is no plan to change the itinerary of Frederick's **** trip to China, so His Royal Highness **** may not be able to attend Prince Albert's funeral, but Princess Victoria and Princess Louise ......"

Speaking of which, I stopped again.

"It doesn't matter," said Kwan Zhuofan, "if Princess Victoria and Princess Louise can't make the trip because of this, I personally and the Chinese government fully understand." ”

Ali Guo hurriedly waved his hand, "Your Royal Highness, you have misunderstood!" ”

After a slight pause, "Her Majesty's government and Her Majesty the Queen herself believe that Frederick's trip to China is not only an important measure for China and Prussia to develop friendly relations, but also a good opportunity for China and Britain to further strengthen friendly relations, so Princess Victoria and Princess Louise's trip to China, no matter what, should be a success!" ”

When he Chinese "China and Prussia," he used the phrase "developing friendly relations," and when he used the words "China and Britain," he used the phrase "further strengthening friendly relations," implying that the friendship between Britain and China was earlier than that between China and Prussia.

That is, Guan Zhuofan thought to himself, you burned my house earlier than Prussia.

On the surface, it is natural to make a touched look: "Your country, you can feel the hospitality!" Well, I see, what Sir meant, isn't it, Frederick's trip to China, it's best to ...... A push back? This, waiting for Princess Victoria and Princess Louise? ”

"Yes, yes!" Ali Guo nodded again and again, "It's all in the insight of His Royal Highness the Prince!" This, hey, reluctant please, reluctant please! ”

This is indeed a "reluctant invitation".

Frederick's **** plan to visit China has actually been postponed, and the original arrangement was at the turn of summer and autumn, because the little emperor was seriously ill, the government and the opposition were in a mess, and it was really not suitable for receiving important foreign guests, so it had to be postponed.

However, China and Puton have reached a consensus that in any case, Frederick's visit to China must be completed within this year, otherwise, it may affect the next preparations for war against France.

However, this layer, in any case, is not humane for the British.

Also, the recent visit to China is also the most suitable in terms of diplomatic etiquette: Princess Rong'an is about to ascend the throne and practice Zuo, and Frederick's visit to China, although it may not be in time to "watch the ceremony", but the name of "congratulating the new monarch on his accession to the throne" is just right.

If you miss this heat, it's not so interesting.

Push back ten days, eight days, it doesn't matter much, but who knows, how long this Prince Albert can last? If his vitality is tenacious, and he dies and dies, he just can't die, can everyone just wait and wait for his old man to breathe?

The British must have probed Prussia's tone and didn't know the essentials before they came to find Guan Zhuofan.

That is natural, Prussia is only concerned with "the development of friendly relations between China and Britain", so how can it be interested in "further strengthening friendly relations between China and Britain"?

Guan Zhuofan was muttering, and Ali Guo said slowly: "Originally, Prince Albert had already made a plan to visit China, but unfortunately it could not be done, and the Prime Minister of our country deliberately suggested that Her Majesty the Queen send His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to replace Prince Albert, so as to compete for his father's ambition." ”

Oh?

The Prince of Wales, namely Prince Edward, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, the future King of England, Edward VII.

Well, it sounds, it's still quite attractive.

"In my opinion," said Aliko, "Princess Victoria, sister and sister, after all...... Hehe, already married to a Prussian; Princess Louise, as a friendly envoy between China and the United Kingdom, is a brother and a forerunner, but it is a beautiful thing! ”

Said ...... Also.

"Also," a vague smile appeared on Aliguo's face, "Your Royal Highness, you don't know that Princess Louise can be regarded as your admirer. ”

*(To be continued.) )