Later generations commented that the "Beijing Treaty" was the first treaty signed by China since it entered modern times to "reap substantial benefits," because all the treaties signed by China with foreign countries before were all lost rights and land, and they did not know it at the time, "and since the conclusion of the special article on Taiwan affairs, China has known to abandon its false name and compete for the right to profit." This eventually prompted the Chinese to abandon the outdated "world outlook" little by little and turn to the "world outlook." Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

In the "Beijing Treaty", this transformation is best reflected in the question of the Ryukyus. Although China still referred to Ryukyu as a "subject state" in the treaty, and the word subject country still belonged to the traditional Chinese system of suzerainty and feudal concept, which was not recognized by international law at the time, the treaty clearly stated that Ryukyu was "under the protection of China", and in terms of international law, Ryukyu was no longer a "subject state" but a "protectorate" of China, and China was a "protectorate" of the Ryukyus. This means that China's traditional concept has been quietly changing, and it is no longer being played by Japan, which is familiar with both the "world view" and the "world view".

The "Beijing Treaty" is an important treaty in the political history of Asia and in the history of modern Sino-Japanese relations, and it is precisely because of the signing of this treaty that China and Japan, the two major Asian countries, have embarked on different paths.

The "Beijing Treaty" enabled China to receive a huge indemnity of 5 million pounds sterling (20 million taels of Chinese silver) from Japan, and it was with this indemnity that China laid the foundation of modern industry and opened the way for the transformation from an agricultural country to an industrial country. As a result of this reparation, Japan was burdened with a heavy debt burden and had to rely on the financial systems of Western countries, so that it was able to complete the Meiji Restoration, which was difficult.

Although the Beijing Treaty has brought great benefits to China, it has also brought great negative effects. Because of the huge amount of reparations received from Japan, equivalent to one-third of China's total annual income, "the whole country feels extremely rich", coupled with the victory over Japan, many officials of the Qing court regained the "self-confidence" of the **** Shangguo, satisfied with the results that have been achieved, and the pride and complacency have reared their heads, making China's pace of progress slow down again.

Fortunately, a group of brilliant and far-sighted officials are still awake, and if it weren't for their efforts, China would have fallen into a deep sleep once again!

In his recital to Emperor Tongzhi, Lin Yizhe summed up the reasons for China's repeated defeats to the West, as well as the gains and losses of Taiwan's expulsion of the Japanese, and once said: "...... Even if it is not, it is still a small mistake, far less than the harm of the power of the western country. As everyone knows, if you do the deeds of a countryman, people will treat them as a countryman; If you do the deeds of barbarian beasts, people will treat them as barbarian beasts. If you can't be self-respecting, you want others to be important in vain, isn't it ridiculous and generous? Lin Yizhe deeply understands that, in fact, the reason for China's long-standing tragedy is this, on the one hand, ignorance, weakness and backwardness, on the other hand, it is self-righteous and self-righteous, and the combination of these two points makes China full of rejection of foreign civilizations and outsiders, so that "the whole people are mentally handicapped". On the other hand, Japan, China's neighbor, immediately waved the banner of "civilization and enlightenment" after its doors were opened by artillery fire, and after being ashamed, it made great efforts to make the country prosperous, and within a few years it became the first in East Asia. It is often said that "backwardness means being beaten", but the Chinese have always understood "backwardness" as the power of the fist, in fact, the backwardness of civilization and the backwardness of concepts are the most fundamental reasons why China is beaten!

In fact, so far, in addition to the progress of economy and science and technology, China has been ignorant, weak and backward, self-inflicted, and self-righteous, and has hardly changed substantially compared with the Qing Dynasty during the Opium War. It was precisely because of a deep understanding of this that Lin Yizhe and a group of other people had a fundamental change in China's national fortunes.

After the signing of the "Beijing Treaty," ministers from various countries came to the Prime Minister's Yamen one after another to congratulate and celebrate the "restoration of peace between China and Japan." The Prime Minister's Yamen was particularly lively for a while.

After the signing of the treaty, Lin Yizhe's "full powers" were withdrawn, and on this day the edict was issued, removing Lin Yizhe from the post of "Minister of Plenipotentiary First Class Negotiations" and changing it to "Minister of Taiwan Affairs, Prime Minister Yamen Walking", and adding the title of Prince Shaobao, and did not grant him another position.

"You want to get such a huge amount of money back this time, and the credit is no less than Taiwan's expulsion of the Japanese, and the treaty is settled, so it is a bit too much."

In the residence of Guo Songtao of Xianliang Temple, Guo Songtao and Lin Yizhe were drinking tea and chatting.

Through this period of cooperation to deal with the Japanese, Guo Songtao and Lin Yizhe have already hit it off at first sight, and they have become New Year's friends who have nothing to talk about.

"Hehe, I was just a small assistant member of the Harbour Master before, but in six or seven years, I moved here, and the court's reward is not insignificant, I know enough." Lin Yizhe did not say the promise given to him by the Empress Dowager Cixi in the "Heaven and Earth Family Spring", but smiled and comforted Guo Songtao and said, "Don't worry, the imperial court will definitely not abandon us and others." ”

"Kunyu, do you know that this foreign affairs are notoriously thankless, and when you need to employ people, you and I will be temporarily summoned to come, and I am afraid that it will be idle again. What's more, someone is secretly framing, this time, I'm afraid you don't know whose way again. Guo Songtao recalled his previous officialdom experience and sighed.

Seeing Guo Songtao's depressed appearance, Lin Yizhe knew that he should have remembered the story of being removed from the post of governor of Guangdong because of Zuo Zongtang's four excerpts, and he just smiled slightly.

He is familiar with China's modern history, and of course knows this public case.

It's just that Guo Songtao wouldn't have thought at this moment that soon, he would get a very important appointment!

The two were chatting, and the porter came to report that "Liu Yunsheng" was visiting.

Hearing the words "Liu Yunsheng", Lin Yizhe became vigilant in his heart.

He was quite familiar with this man!

For the name "Liu Yunsheng", people in later generations may feel unfamiliar, thinking that it is a little-known person in history, but if it is replaced by "Liu Xihong", I am afraid that many people will know it.

Liu Xihong's original name was Liu Xiren, the word Yunsheng, a native of Panyu County, Guangdong Province. Originally from Xinhui, Guangdong. His father was a fish seller. His brother Liu Xipeng was a member of Daoguang for 23 years. Liu Xihong was a well-known "anti-Westernist" during the Westernization Movement in the 60s of the 19th century, and was one of the representatives of China's conservative forces at that time. In 1876, he served as deputy envoy to Britain and minister to Germany, as well as minister to Austria-Hungary and the Netherlands.

Liu Xihong received orthodox Confucian cultural education since he was a child, and took "self-cultivation, Qi family, governing the country and leveling the world" as his life ideal. In the 28th year of Daoguang's examination, he was a man of negative spirit, and he had the potential to be invincible. After he was admitted to the examination, he served as a staff member to suppress the peasant uprising. He later joined Guo Huitao's shogunate and became his confidant and right-hand man, and Guo and Liu were friends for a time. Later, Guo Huitao was appointed minister to the United Kingdom, and the post of deputy envoy was vacant at this time. As a result, Guo Huitao nominated Liu Xihong to accompany the envoy, and Liu Xihong became a diplomat, which was regarded as the first batch of diplomatic envoys in modern China to go abroad. However, Liu Xihong was very dissatisfied with Guo Huitao's nomination of him only as a counselor instead of a deputy envoy, which laid a hidden danger for the two of them to turn against each other and accumulate deep grievances.

In 1877, the two visited England as Chinese envoys to Britain, and their relationship was quite harmonious. However, the incident of not listing the name of the deputy envoy and the incident of receiving a salary caused the contradictions between the two to finally erupt. The two attacked each other, and he successively participated in Guo Huitao's "three major crimes" and "ten paragraphs", and Guo Huitao participated in his excessive expenditure, and finally the two were "each beaten fifty boards" and were recalled to China at the same time in 1878. After returning to China, Guo Songtao was dismissed from his official position and was never used again, while Liu Xihong continued to serve as the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, and was finally dismissed by the Empress Dowager Cixi for criticizing and attacking Li Hongzhang for "being domineering and unsubordinate, like an imperial system", and died of depression in 1891.

Although there are some reasons why Guo Songtao was deposed and not used in history, Liu Xihong was instructed by Li Hongzao to frame him for no reason, but it is undoubtedly one of the main reasons!

"Yun Sheng came just in time, hehe, hurry up, please." Guo Songtao didn't think about how much trouble Liu Xihong would bring him in the future, but said happily to the porter.

The porter took the order and left. Seeing a guest coming, Lin Yizhe was about to get up and say goodbye, but Guo Songtao said to Lin Yizhe with a smile: "Yunsheng is my friend in the past, I haven't seen him for many years, but I have been reading and writing endlessly. Since I entered Beijing, I have come to visit from time to time. Yunsheng has been with me for many years, he can be described as a confidant, and his knowledge is also good, Kunyu might as well meet him and just chat. He is also very respectful of Kunyu! ”

Hearing Guo Songtao say that Liu Xihong was "very respectful" of himself, Lin Yizhe couldn't help but sneer in his heart, but on the surface, he still smiled slightly and nodded.

He knows that Liu Xihong's "respect" for himself should be based on another foundation!

Not long after, Liu Xihong came in, and also brought gifts, seeing that Lin Yizhe was there, without waiting for Guo Songtao to make an introduction, Liu Xihong stepped forward to greet Lin Yizhe with a smile on his face.

"I have been looking up to Lord Lin for a long time, and I am really fortunate to be able to see it in person today!" Liu Xihong said very respectfully.

Hearing Liu Xihong, who was much older than himself, call himself an "adult", Lin Yizhe couldn't help but laugh secretly in his heart.

"Fortunately, fortunately." Lin Yizhe smiled and got up to return the salute.

"Yunsheng, come on, come on! Sit here! Guo Songtao said happily.

Taking advantage of Guo Songtao's beckoning Liu Xihong to take a seat, Lin Yizhe carefully glanced at Liu Xihong, who was smiling.

Liu Xihong is not tall, thin and small, with an inverted triangle face, slightly sunken eye sockets, a large nose, a goatee, a leather robe, and a beautiful jade hanging from his waist.

But what made Lin Yizhe feel uncomfortable was Liu Xihong's eyes!

Liu Xihong's gaze always seems to flicker!

Such a look shows that he should be a person who is good at riding walls!

The struggle between the Westernists and the conservatives divided the Chinese officialdom into two camps, both at the top and at the middle and lower levels. Is there a middle way? I want to ride on the wall and see where the wind is going, but they can't ride on the wall, and the wind is more than the wall.

So which faction is stronger? Although the Westernists have a far-sighted vision, and a set of methods for enriching the country and strengthening the army is not unreasonable, they are after all a faction that is not uneasy with reality, and they want to smash the pots and jars, and they want to change the law of their ancestors, especially they do not even bother to do it, and openly advocate taking the West as a teacher, thinking that the original set is not good, and that it is not good, and the rules and regulations of the country and society that have not changed much for thousands of years, and the things that everyone is accustomed to must be changed, reformed, and even what the dolls learn must be changed...... In short, the world is going to be in chaos, how can this work? Those who ride on the wall are the most observant, looking at the attitude of Emperor Lafayette and looking down at the eyes of the older generation, they are too easy to draw conclusions.

Lin Yizhe knows that Liu Xihong is this kind of person who rides on the wall!

Liu Xihong, who entered Beijing from Guangdong, can be said to be promoted and reused by Guo Songtao, and he should be grateful and unforgettable to Guo Songtao. When Guo Songtao ran downwind, he was happy; When Guo Songtao went to Maicheng, he also felt sorry for Guo Songtao. He acted as Guo Songtao's eyes and ears, passed on many messages, and for a long time, he did not change his mind. When Guo Songtao left his post several times and returned to his hometown, he also wanted to go with him, stay together, accept Guo Songtao's teachings, and be willing to serve Guo Daren. Just as Liu Xihong said to his sick wife back then: "If someone has a confidant, I will be a dog and a horse." At that time, he decided that Guo Songtao was a confidant, and he was willing to serve Guo Songtao as a dog and horse. However, the word "fixed" is rarely interpreted as "lifelong", but a variable word, it may only be three or five years, seven or eight years, the surrounding environment changes, the situation of all parties changes, and the "determined" person will also change. This is not Liu Xihong alone, but many people who are "old and sophisticated".

When Guo Songtao stepped down from Guangdong, returned to Xiangyin, and was idle at home, Liu Xihong observed the rise and fall of officialdom. Although he himself was a "Westernist" background, he participated in the reform of the regimental training work, supported the drastic reform measures taken by the governor Guo Songtao, rewarded those good parents and officials who were dedicated to the public service, and severely punished those corrupt old-style bureaucrats. But when he arrived in Beijing, the Westernists sang opera with a nest - he couldn't have seen the fact that the play was not good-looking and thankless. Can he not weigh the gains and losses?

In fact, just a year before Guo Songtao's comeback, a gradual process of change happened to Liu Xihong.

One day, by chance, Liu Xihong went to the official residence of Li Hongzao, Minister of Military Aircraft and Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is a key member of the dynasty, a hot top person, amazing! Li Hongzao was the emperor's teacher, and for a period of time even approved the excerpts on behalf of the young emperor and drafted the edict, which can be said to be the shadow of the young emperor. When the Empress Dowager Cixi saw that he was also called "teacher" and "master", she respected him in every way and obeyed his words. In particular, the gossip officials regard Li Hongzao as the leader, and they are the only ones who look forward. But Li Hongzao himself is not easy to put himself in the camp. He has always been a main battle faction to the outside world, and he does not make peace lightly, but he has also supported some measures of the Westernists. But Lafayette's words are supreme to him, and he will absolutely implement them if he can't figure it out. He and another emperor, Weng Tongyi, have the same political philosophy, and they are not the kind of heavyweights who can clearly distinguish which camp to return to. He was in charge of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Households, served as the Imperial History of the Left Capital of the Imperial Palace, awarded the Ministry of Works, and had the title of Prince Shaobao; He has also served as the secretary of the military department and the secretary of the ministry, and it can be said that there is no big official he has not been.

Liu Xihong went to meet such a great man, he was naturally careful and careful, prepared and prepared, and required himself to have a good performance, to show that he was a cultivated talent, to speak extraordinarily, to have a noble bearing, and to have outstanding insights into big and small things inside and outside the court. If you ask about his promotion level, he will also take the opportunity to act, or say or not talk about his many years of relationship with Guo Songtao. And according to his understanding, Li Hongzao and Guo Songtao are not outsiders, and he doesn't seem to need to disobey Guo Gong and betray his conscience.

Changing the door is also a university question!

But Liu Xihong, with intuition, seems to feel that Li Hongzao and Guo Songtao may not be able to get together.

The next contact with Li Hongzao made him determined to change his court.

After dealing with Li Hongzao a few times, Liu Xihong's "traditional knowledge-based speech and demeanor" played a certain role, and Li Hongzao seemed to have a good impression of him, which made Liu Xihong keenly feel that Li Hongzao also had the characteristics of a "confidant", and the Liu family's outlook on life of "someone who knows his confidant, I will be a dog and horse" is active in his mind again. It turns out that his "someone has a confidant, I will be a dog and a horse" does not have a standard of right and wrong, that is to say, whoever is a "confidant" will be "a dog and a horse for whom"!

Now, the bigwig who dominates the officialdom is a "confidant", and if he changes his court, there is nothing to be sorry for Lord Guo. Anyway, Master Guo is still idle, and he can't be loyal to his old boss.

And after that, there was one more and more diligent doorman Liu Xihong in Li Hongzao's house, until he became Li Hongzao's cronies and confidants!

But around this time, because the imperial court needed people who understood foreign affairs to negotiate the Taiwan issue with Japan, Guo Songtao, who had been idle at home for many years, was able to make a comeback and came to the capital.