Outside Shanghai City, the Qing army continued to attack for four days and nights, in a vain attempt to seize Shanghi County. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info But the Little Knife Society rebels, knowing that the city is broken at this moment, is a death, but it provokes the bloody nature of desperate fighting. Coupled with several days of fighting, many of the originally lazy and untrained rebels began to transform and become full of combat power. Under the tight defense and fierce counterattack of the rebel army, the Qing army suffered repeated defeats.

Seeing that the city gate was difficult to break, the Qing army began to think about other things.

Xu Naizhao, the governor of Jiangsu, and Gil Hang'a, the political envoy of Bu, led the way

……

On that day, US Commissioner to China McLene, former Commissioner Marshali, British Minister to China Baling, Shanghai Consul Aliguo, French Minister Bourblon, and French Navy Commander Sociard held a meeting at the US Consulate to meet the new and old US commissioners in China.

It's also a tradition. As several ministers were in Shang, the outgoing Marshali invited them to the U.S. Consulate to witness his official handover to the new commissioner, Marien.

The handover ceremony was very simple, Marshali handed over a copy of his credentials to the Manchu court only last year, and handed it to Mai Lian, and the two hugged each other, and it was completed.

Seeing that the ceremony was completed, everyone drank whiskey and chatted tacitly.

The French minister, Bourblon, provoked the topic: "Sir Bouling, and Mr. Merryn, I am very puzzled, for the current dispute in Shanghi, could it be that you two countries really want to remain neutral like this?" ”

"Haha, Mr. Minister, are you in a hurry?" Bao Ling said with a smile: "Of course not, now, although the Qing army has the advantage, the rebels in the city would rather fight to the death, and the Qing army will not be able to break the city for a while." The more urgent the Qing is, the better it is for us! However, we still have to add more fire to make the Manchus realize our importance. ”

"That's right!" Ali Guo then chimed in: "Mr. Minister, our British have already made a plan, and next, the commander of our British fleet in China, Admiral Grace Will, will show the strength of our world's number one power!" Let these stupid and self-righteous Manchu emperors and officials deeply realize that the only option is to obediently agree to the conditions we put forward and modify the contract. ”

Mashali, who had already left his post, asked casually and casually: "Mr. Consul, can you reveal the specific plans of your country?" ”

Ali Guo glanced at Ma Shali and said proudly: "It's very simple, that is, our British soldiers will deliberately create some conflicts with the Manchu soldiers, and then take the opportunity to defeat the Manchu soldiers and beat them up, and the arrogant governor outside Shanghi City will obediently come to us in person." We can achieve our goal! ”

Marshali understood that the purpose of Ali Guo's statement was to seize the opportunity of the rebellion of the Shanghai Chengzhong Party to seize the opportunity to seize the customs duties of the Manchus in order to expand their privileges in China, and to put forward a demand for a comprehensive revision of the treaty, demanding that the Manchus completely open up the port cities along the coast and along the river, allow trade and missionary work, and even garrison troops.

Hearing Ali Guo say so bluntly, Bao Ling frowned a little unpleasantly, while the French minister Bourblon and the new US Commissioner to China, Mailian, looked at each other with a wry smile.

……

That night, a black shadow flashed from the American concession area, bypassing the Qing army's barracks and patrol sergeants, and came to the city wall outside the north gate of Shanghi City. After a whistle, a small hanging basket was lowered on the city wall and the black shadow was pulled up the tower.

After a stick of incense, the lights were brilliant in a private house next to the north gate.

Fan Dequan and Fan Deshui and a few people dressed as sergeants of the Knife Society gathered together.

"Reliable news from the foreigners is that tomorrow afternoon, Britain and the United States will send troops to attack the Qing army outside the city. At that time, it will be a great opportunity to defeat the Qing army. Fan Dequan looked at a crooked Chinese note in his hand, was a little excited, and asked, "Is there any news from the south?" ”

"Stationmaster, I received news from the former Taizhou Mansion on the third or fourth day, saying that the Tenth Division sent by the Holy King has passed the sea off Taizhou and should have arrived near the sea outside Songjiang Mansion. In addition, the 5th Division B, which is stationed on Jeju Island, should also be coming soon. An ordinary-looking knife rebel replied respectfully.

"Well, then let's go back to the camp and find a way to advise and guide their respective leaders. Let's go! ”

Soon after, the house fell into darkness, and several black figures flashed out of the room, blending into the night of Shanghi City.

……..

"What? Foreigners want to attack the Qing army? Is this source reliable? Pan Qiliang's eyes widened and looked at Fan Dequan: "Didn't the foreigners say that they would remain neutral, and even favored the Manchus, why did they attack the Qing army, it's really strange!" ”

"Right Marshal, this matter is really not true, Dequan dare not guarantee it, but as the saying goes, it is better to be prepared, and it is better to believe it than to believe it. Let the brothers be ready to go out of the city to fight, there is nothing to lose, in case the foreigners really fight with the Qing army, our knife will take advantage of the situation to rush and kill, and completely defeat the Qing army, wouldn't it be good? Fan Dequan persuaded.

"Makes sense!" Pan Qiliang nodded: "Since this is the case, tomorrow Lao Tzu will lead his brothers to kill happily!" Let the brothers rest early tonight, and make a good meal tomorrow, put more meat, and kill the enemy tomorrow! ”

…….

"Really? Where did you get the news from? Why did the foreigners attack the Qing soldiers? Changsheng General Xu Yao grabbed an ordinary-looking rebel soldier and asked.

"Oh, General, it hurts so much that you scratch a small one!" The volunteer soldier called.

"Brother Xu, why are you asking so much? Don't you believe your brother's words? Standing next to Xu Yao, there was a heroic Peugeot woman, dressed as a man, who was the daughter of the dead Zhou Lichun, the Zhengyin general Zhou Xiuying. She was very unhappy with Xu Yao's long and short questions.

"No, Sister Xiuying, I'm worried that this will be a trick by foreigners and the Qing army!" Xu Yao grinned and grinned.

"It doesn't matter if he's a conspiracy or not, anyway, I want to avenge my father, and I'm trying to go out of the city to kill him, just right! Tomorrow, no matter whether the foreigners attack the Qing Demon or not, I will lead the troops out of the city, and if I don't kill the two dog officials, Xu Naizhao and Ji Hang'a, my father will not be blind to death! As soon as Zhou Xiuying mentioned her father, her eyes began to turn red, and in an instant, pear blossoms brought rain, which made Xu Yao, the person next to her, infinitely loved.

He couldn't resist it, and hurriedly said: "Okay, herald, brothers in Jiading and Qingpu, tomorrow you must show the courage of the old master, and you can't embarrass his old man." Kill all the demons and avenge the old master! ”

……

On the afternoon of 24 April, in the northwest of Shanghai City, outside the camp of the Qing army besieging Shanghai City, which was stationed west of the mud city, there was a burst of gunfire.

Soon, the commander-in-chief of the Qing army in the battalion, Gilhang'a, received a report from the sentry of the former battalion, saying that Britain and the United States had formed a joint army and were demonstrating to the Qing military camp, demanding that he come forward to apologize to him and hand over ten Manchu soldiers who had infiltrated the concession and injured people.

Gilhanga was a little confused! He had just wanted to order to find out what was going on, and then explain it to the foreigners. Unexpectedly, in less than half an hour, a group of 70 or 80 American troops took the lead in opening fire on the Qing barracks, and the British army also immediately shelled the Qing army.

Gilhanga hurriedly called Wu Jianzhang, the Taoist who commanded the sailors, and went to the lease to meet the foreigners, apologized in person, and made a promise that "the concession is inviolable", handed over several "soldiers" who made trouble in the concession, and promised to transfer his willingness to amend the treaty to the imperial court.

The foreigners relented a little and promised to temporarily stop attacking the Qing army, but asked Xu Naizhao, the governor of Jiangsu, and Yiliang, the governor of Liangjiang, to personally come to discuss the matter of revising the treaty. Otherwise, the attack will be carried out again.

Gilhanga had a headache, but Wu Jianzhang understood the true purpose of the foreigners. Amending the treaty is a long-term demand of foreigners, and expanding the Shanghai Concession and controlling the tariffs of Shanghai Customs by the way can allow foreigners to determine how much tariffs there are, which is the real intention of foreigners in the near future.

However, this matter controlled by the customs and foreigners, it is difficult for him Wu Jianzhang to call the shots.

Just as he was discussing with Gilhang'a, he heard the news that the rebels in Shanghai City had gone out of the city to attack the defeated Qing army.

As early as when the foreigners first attacked the Qing army, the rebels on the city wall discovered the movement.

At first, the rebels on duty couldn't believe it, but soon, the leader of the rebels also heard the movement. The rebel armies from all walks of life, who had been prepared for a long time, rushed out of the city from the west gate and the north gate, armed with broadswords and spears, and cooperated with the artillery of foreigners, to flank the Qing army from behind, causing the Qing army to ignore the front and back.

The Qing army was defeated and fled back to the camp to defend it, but the soldiers of the righteous army who were becoming more and more brave rushed into the camp tent, and there was chaos, and even the soldiers and horses of Xu Naizhao's headquarters next to him were also affected, and there were heavy casualties.

Fortunately, at this time, the foreigner stopped attacking. Hu Songlin and Bo Chengsheng hurriedly came to support and stabilized their positions, so that the Qing army would not be wiped out. But there were also nearly three or four thousand dead and wounded, of which more than 1,000 were injured by the artillery of the foreigners, and the rest were slashed from behind by the rebels.

The rebels fought for a while.

Hundreds of Qing troops fled into the French Concession area in the northeast corner of Shanghai City, and the red-eyed rebels also rushed into the French Concession for a while.

For a time, the commercial and residential areas where the French were located were jumping, many houses were also burned down, and more than a dozen French people were injured by accident.

The French minister, Bourblon, was furious and ordered more than 100 French soldiers to shoot back with guns, regardless of whether they were Qing or Rebel.

The rebels were caught off guard, suffered heavy casualties, and hurriedly withdrew from the French Concession.

When Generalissimo Liu Lichuan heard about this, he was taken aback and hurriedly sent someone to the French consulate to express his apologies and express his willingness to compensate. At the same time, he also stated that he was the generalissimo of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and asked Mr. Minister to do not pursue this matter for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

There was a temporary truce on all three sides.

On the side of the Qing army, Wu Jianzhang rushed back to the Qing army camp and met Xu Naizhao, and the idea of uniting foreigners to suppress the rebel army began to brew.