After a full month of sailing, Xu Qing finally took a ship from Guangdong to London, the legendary capital of the British Empire, this time in his capacity as the director of the London office of the Qing Customs, and the head of China's first foreign agency. However, his rank and status in the Manchu Qing Dynasty was only seven grades, which was obviously a very low status, and he had no political status within the Manchu Qing Dynasty at all.www.biquge.info The vast majority of the Manchu people regarded this foreign station as an unlucky errand, and would rather spend money than come.

When Xu Qing got off the boat, the first thing he saw was a burst of black smoke.

"This is the legendary fog capital London, and it's really the fog capital! It's all smog! Xu Qing complained.

At this time, the smog in London was also very serious, compared to the capital of later generations. However, the Londoners of this era are not only not hated by this, but on the contrary, they are very proud, and consider it a sign of industrialization.

After Xu Qing got off the boat, a middle-aged man actually walked over.

"Mr. Xu, I have come to greet you on the basis of the British Empire Government. I'm a member of parliament, I'm John Russell! The middle-aged man took the initiative to say.

"John Russell? Next year's British Prime Minister? This Englishman really thinks of me! But they may not know that my status in the Manchu government of China is so low! Xu Qing thought with a wry smile in his heart.

Britain really looked down on him, the director of the Manchu Qing Customs Office in London, and actually sent a politician qualified to become the prime minister to greet him, which is enough to show that it is a very important courtesy. But if the British knew that their rank and status in the country were only less than the rank of a county magistrate, then they didn't know what they would think.

"Hello, Mr. John Russell! I'm Xu Qing, Director of the London Office of China Customs! Xu Qingyong introduced in English and took the initiative to shake hands.

Under the arrangement of this John Russell, Xu Qing first stayed in a hotel in London.

"Mr. Xu Qing, I have always advocated free trade in our British Empire, since a few years ago, China and Britain signed the Jiangning Treaty in your Jiangning, agreeing to open more ports for trade between our two countries, but why is your Chinese government still openly and secretly blocking our merchants from trade?" John Russell asked.

Xu Qing took the initiative to introduce: "Mr. John Russell, I would like to first identify myself. I'm just a person from China, or a customs office sent to London by the Qing Dynasty, not our Qing envoy to the UK, so I don't have the authority to speak on behalf of our Qing Dynasty, I can only express my suggestions in my personal capacity, but this does not represent the opinion of our Qing Dynasty, do you understand? ”

John Russell was also very depressed, and finally caught a person sent by China to the British overseas agency, but he did not expect that the other party was actually just a staff member of a customs office abroad, not a minister. Since he is not a minister, he cannot speak on behalf of the country.

"Well, since Mr. Xu Qing is from China Customs, I want to hear your opinion. Why, even though you signed the Treaty of Jiangning, are you still openly and covertly preventing merchants from trading with our British Empire? John Russell asked.

Xu Qing took the initiative to explain: "Since you asked me to say it, then I will also tell you my opinion." First of all, the first point is that in our country, the vast majority of the people think that the war between the Qing Dynasty and Britain five years ago was a war fought by you Britain for the benefit of a group of opium merchants. As for opium, it is a forbidden product in our country, and even our people have suffered greatly from it, but you have launched this war on the pretext of protecting the interests of opium traders, so that our people are already very disgusted with you in Britain in the first place. ”

"Second, according to the provisions of the Treaty of Nanjing, that is, the Treaty of Jiangning, you demand the cession of Hong Kong, which represents the cession of land in our traditional culture. This is also something that the vast majority of us in China hate very much, and it is a great shame, so this will also create a big problem. ”

"Third, regarding the military expenses for returning to China and asking for compensation, this is even more hateful to many people in our country. Because in the eyes of the vast majority of the people in our country, it is actually you who took the initiative to loot our house, and then asked us to compensate you for the cost of looting, which is simply unreasonable. After all, you can't expect any of us to understand the meaning of these diplomatic words, and most ordinary people will think that you are robbers who have tried to rob us. ”

"So taking into account all aspects of the situation, this has caused many of our people to have a great misunderstanding of your merchants, so they are reluctant to trade."

John Russell quickly explained: "In fact, this treaty is not just for opium traders, we just want you to open the country to do business." As for Hong Kong, we actually want a transit point for goods and a base for all kinds of commerce, not that we have to be Hong Kong. As for the consular jurisdiction, we just think that your Chinese judiciary cannot completely deal with the contradictions and conflicts between the two sides, so we will ask for it. ”

"As for compensation, this is a common thing in our West, and it does not violate our Western rules."

Xu Qing shook his head and retorted: "Mr. John Russell, I would like to make an attitude first of all, it is a great shame in our Chinese culture. We in China have always paid attention to fighting for every inch of land, so you have done this, which has seriously made our whole country feel a great shame, so including businessmen, will not be willing to take the initiative to do business with you. As for you doing things according to your Western rules, how can you ever respect our Eastern traditions? ”

"We have a saying in the East, which is called following the customs of the locals. As for you in the West, I remember there is also a saying that is called being in Rome, doing it like the Romans. The meaning of these two sentences is actually the same. You don't understand our Oriental customs, and you just take things for granted with your own assumptions, which will only make things worse. So you're taking your own blame for doing this. The first is that you want us to open up the country, not that we are actively begging you to do business. But you don't respect our traditional culture, so how dare you make us businessmen do business with you? ”

"It's like if I were here to send lilies to you Queen of England, I think you'd expel me. Because in our China, the lily represents a hundred years of good harmony and is the best blessing for a newlywed. But in your UK, the lily represents death, so that's the difference. You didn't want to respect our Chinese cultural traditions, but now you blame us, do you blame me for this? ”