In May, the sky was cloudless in the imperial capital of the Nanxiang Basin, and as the heart of the Chinese Empire, the city has received the world's attention in the past six months, it is a new city built on a field of land, as the capital of the empire, it does not even have thick, tall walls, which is very different from traditional Chinese cities. Pen, fun, and www.biquge.info

But this radical difference also seems to send a message to the people that the Chinese Empire must be very different!

It's a city unlike anything it used to be!

When walking around the city, Hurd, who was the deputy general of the Customs and Excise Department, no, his current name should be Robert, and Robert was no longer his name, but his name, his surname was Luo, his name was Bert, and as a naturalized person, he was not much different from most Chinese except for his appearance.

A few years ago, he was just an ordinary British, but now, he is the deputy chief of the Imperial Customs, during which he assisted the Chinese people in establishing the modern Chinese Customs, and established a set of strict customs management systems such as taxation, statistics, dredging ports, and quarantine.

It is precisely because of his contribution to the customs that he can become the title of "Duke", although it is the most inferior title in the Empire, like the English knighthood, more often than just an honorary title, but it also expresses the importance that the country attaches to him.

As an answer, Robert's choice is to join Chinese nationality and become a Chinese as a naturalized person, it is not easy to become a Chinese citizen, China implements a strict "patrilineal nationality law", and the naturalization of foreigners has formulated the premise that no naturalization can be naturalized except for "imperial amnesty", that is, anyone naturalized in China needs to pass the holy decree of His Majesty the Emperor himself.

It seems to be rigid, but in fact, when it comes to operation, it is very flexible, and every year the Ministry of the Interior submits a list, but His Majesty decrees that those from various countries who have "contributed" to the empire will be granted naturalized in China through amnesty.

It is for this reason that naturalization by the Imperial Amnesty is an honor in itself.

And Robert, who was one of the first naturalized people, felt honored and willing to be a loyal subject of the Empire, but now, as a subject of the Empire, he could not concentrate after reading the newspaper articles.

Relations between China and Britain have suddenly become strained by conflicts in the colonies and elsewhere, especially after Britain said it would never accept the Chinese occupation of Panama. For Robert, this is undoubtedly the biggest test he has faced since becoming a naturalized Chinese citizen, and it has tested him.

On the one hand, the country where he was born, and on the other hand, the country to which he swore allegiance and gave him honor and status. Because of this, from the time he got up in the morning until now, his heart could not be calm for a long time, so he walked on the street as usual, and he did not know how long he walked.

So when he found himself in the city centre, he couldn't help but be shocked that he didn't expect to be here - because the British Embassy was opposite. The tall building is frequented by people coming and going from time to time. It's already 9 o'clock in the morning, and the British Embassy has already started work.

Standing on the side of the road in a daze, Robert looked at the fluttering rice flag, his expression became more and more complicated, and at this moment, suddenly a newspaper seller shouted hoarsely, which only shook his whole person.

"Look at the British ultimatum to the empire demanding that our country withdraw from Panama......"

Robert, as the deputy general of customs and taxation, naturally knew that Britain did not issue an ultimatum, at least at the official level, they only said that "Britain will not tolerate the annexation of Panama by any country", while Chinese public opinion understood it very simply - it was an "ultimatum".

In the face of this ultimatum, what choice will China make?

This is exactly what Robert is bothered about, what should he do if the two countries end up at war?

Robert's brows furrowed, he didn't know what he should choose, England was where he grew up, and China, it gave him honor, status and wealth. In his heart, these two countries are his homeland.

"Why can't Britain make concessions? Don't they know that by doing so, they are forcing China to make a final choice? ”

Robert muttered to himself that if he could, he would even rush in and tell the ambassador that the war between Britain and China must be stopped at all costs, because Britain is likely to suffer!

As half Chinese, Robert made such a judgment because he knew very well that compared to Britain, China's national strength may be far inferior to Britain, but China has what Britain does not have - a powerful army, and only they are willing to invade India through Burma at any time, and then occupy India.

Even if Britain won the naval battle, what could it do?

The Royal Navy could not have entered the Yangtze River, nor could it have come to land, and the war would have been fought where the Chinese were best at it, and at that time, would Britain have to fight another decades-long war, as it did against Napoleon?

But how is the current Europe of the Napoleonic era, when the power of Britain is plunged into Asia, France and Russia will take the opportunity to rise, especially Russia, as far as Robert understands, now the Chinese are easing relations with Russia, they may even have reached some agreements, if Russia does not forget the pain of Crimea also joins, then what will the world become?

What awaits Britain?

When this emotion was brewing in his heart, Robert only felt a wave of anger welling up in his heart, he was angry at the short-sightedness of those officials in London, couldn't they face the reality?

Do we face up to the fact that China has become a member of the club of great powers?

"Britain will be ruined sooner or later at the hands of those people!"

When Robert spoke so secretly, he finally sighed and stopped the idea of rushing into the British Embassy, after all, he is a Chinese and a Chinese official!

Hope...... There is still room for redemption!

There's no going back!

In the face of Li Ziyuan, who was wearing a black official uniform, Pruce, as the British ambassador to China, had such emotions in his heart.

"Your Excellency, you must understand that this is an ultimatum!"

In the face of the diplomatic letter submitted by the British ambassador, Li Ziyuan's tone seemed a little calm, but there was anger in the calm, and the reason why he was so angry was because of the coercion of the British in the official letter.

"Your Excellency Shangshu, I prefer to understand that this is a diplomatic wording!"

Pruth still kept everything within the limits of "diplomacy".

"We all know very well that New Glenada is an independent country, and Britain, as the defender of the world order, will not tolerate any country occupying an independent country, or appropriating a part of an independent country as its own, therefore, London's attitude is very clear, they want your country to withdraw from Panama, as for other issues, they can be left to future negotiations, and Britain is willing to be full of mediators to resolve the differences between you and the two countries for the Chinese Empire and New Grenada!"

London's attitude is very clear, and in Pruos's view, it is this clarity that destroys the last ray of hope, because he knows what choice the Chinese will make.

"Reparations, to ensure the safety of overseas Chinese, this is the most basic bottom line of our country, if we withdraw now, then can Britain guarantee that New Glenada will compensate us for our losses?"

Holding back the dissatisfaction in his heart, Li Ziyuan said in a calm tone, but only he knew that he would already want to kill people in annoyance.

"If Britain can guarantee this, perhaps, the Panama problem can be solved!"

Of course, this is not a concession, because Li Ziyuan knows that it is impossible for Britain to accept this, which is close to 100 million yuan in compensation, and New Glenada also does not have so much money to compensate.

"Your Excellency Shangshu, you must understand that the negotiations have not yet begun!"

Negotiations, of course, did not begin and will not even begin!

Because for China, from the very beginning, there was no thought of settling the issue of overseas Chinese through negotiations, and for China, the issue of overseas Chinese was nothing more than a pretext for seizing Panama.

"Then I can only regret that we cannot accept this kind of blackmail from the British!"

Standing up, Li Ziyuan looked at Pruss and said.

"Mr. Ambassador, you must understand that it is the natural right of any normal country to protect its citizens, no matter where its citizens are, and if his government fails to protect its nationals when its citizens are attacked, then this government is undoubtedly a failure!"

Facing Prus, Li Ziyuan's tone became a little excited, but he still calmed himself down as much as possible. "Now, I can tell you with certainty, Your Excellency, that in the case of Panama, the withdrawal should be after reparations, and not on the condition of negotiation, for the presence of military force under public international law allows them to seriously consider our terms, but as a diplomatic secretary of the Chinese Empire, I can assure you that the Chinese Empire will not attack the other provinces of New Glenada, unless our army is attacked on its own initiative!"

The differences between China and Britain are very great, and Li Ziyuan is of course very clear about this, just as he knows that Britain has sent a fleet to Panama, in fact, now the whole of China is paying attention to the Panama incident, after all, this is China's first confrontation with the Western powers in the true sense.

"Your Excellency Shangshu, you are making a mistake!"

Pruss reminded,

"No!"

Shaking his head, Li Ziyuan looked at Pruss and replied.

"It is you who are making mistakes, it is Britannia who refuses to face reality! Mr. Ambassador! ”

Then he continued.

"Since July 4, 1857, in the Buckland River Gold Mine in the Victorian Colony of Australia, more than 2,000 Chinese gold diggers were robbed by whites en masse, and more than a dozen overseas Chinese were killed, Britain has always refused to face the reality, facing today's China, not the reality of yesterday's Manchu Qing Dynasty, when you choose to treat China with arrogance, and try to let us be at your mercy according to your wishes, Your Excellency, do you think this is possible?"

Li Ziyuan's rhetorical question made Prouss suddenly realize a problem -- China has never forgotten, they have not forgotten the anti-Chinese incident that happened in Australia, they have not forgotten Hong Kong, and they will not forget, for them, this current intensification has made them believe that there can be no long-term peace with Britain.

"Your Excellency, we all know very well that peace, if necessary, we should keep peace! Peace in the world, peace between China and Great Britain, as in the past, and not an unpleasant event between our two countries that no one wants to see! ”

Pruss hurriedly reminded.

Is it really irretrievable?

As ambassador, Prussia knew very well that for Britain, Britain did not want a war with China, and after Napoleon, Britain preferred to solve problems through balance, unless it was forced to do so, just like the Crimea, in order to block Russia's expansion to the West, Britain and France even cooperated with infidels, but for that war Britain paid a very heavy price.

This time the same is true, Britain chose deterrence, but Pruce did not expect that sometimes deterrence is a disguised war, which can easily lead to war.

"Unpleasant!"

Sneering, Li Ziyuan replied.

"From your brutal and brutal demands that we withdraw from Panama, from your dictation of our cause in Africa, from the time you tried to get us out of Africa, all the unpleasantness that has taken place, if we let you dictate your cause in India, if we let you leave Southeast Asia, what will be the response of Britain? Mr. Ambassador! ”

Looking at Pruss, Li Ziyuan continued to ask rhetorically.

How will Britain respond to this unpleasantness? I don't think Britain has the patience to face such accusations, the Chinese Empire may be a weak country, and our strength may be far inferior to that of Britain, but Mr. Ambassador, please don't question our courage. There is a sentence in "Confucianism" that can be used as our answer......"

Stretching out a finger, Li Ziyuan looked directly at Pruss and said word by word.

"Confucianism is amiable but not robbed, but close but not forced. It can be killed but not humiliated! ”

In the face of Li Ziyuan's answer, Pruth's mind sank, China's toughness was expected by him, but it was also unexpected, and then he suddenly realized one thing - London ignored China's dignity in this incident!

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