Jingyi Garden, Qinzheng Palace.

This is the first of the 28 scenic spots of Xiangshan, and it is also the residence of Zhu Jishi and Mathilde in Xiangshan. Just as Emperor Zhu returned to the Qinzheng Palace, Weng Tongyong, the chamberlain of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the vice minister of the Imperial Study, was already waiting there.

"Mathilde, he is Weng Tongyong, my Deputy Foreign Secretary." Zhu Jishi walked into the hall by the arm of the French beauty, and introduced Weng Tongyi to her with a smile. Mathilde smiled and nodded at Weng Tongyi, who greeted Weng in French: "Hello, Your Highness Princess." ”

Weng Tongyi doesn't speak English, but he can speak a few words of French. Clementina and Madame Duran both greeted in French. Therefore, the two French women had a good impression of him, and often spoke for him in front of the emperor, otherwise how could he become a waiter in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at such a young age?

"Your Majesty, great joy! Navy victory! Ryukyu victory! The Russians sank two third-class battleships and one fourth-class battleship, and only one of our ironclad ships was damaged. Weng Tongyi handed over the military report he had just received in the imperial study with both hands, and was panting slightly. He rode from the Old Summer Palace and drove all the way, and he hadn't even breathed out yet.

"Jason, what's the good news?" Mathilde asked with interest. When reporting the military situation to Emperor Zhu just now, Weng Tonggong spoke Chinese that she did not understand.

"Yes, my navy defeated the Russian fleet at Ryukyu and sank two battleships...... Emperor Zhu answered Mathilde's question in German while reading the military newspaper, and suddenly stopped halfway through speaking, and only after a while did he switch to Chinese and asked Weng Tonggong: "Does Zuo Xiangdao know what to do?" Did the British ambassador get the idea? ”

"Pan Zaizhong has already gone to inform Zuo Xiangye, and the British Embassy has been notified by Shen Xiaoshan." Weng Tongyi hurriedly replied.

Pan Zaizhong is Pan Zuyin. Pan Shien's grandson. He studied law at Yingtian Jishi University for three years. After graduating early, I returned to the Imperial Study. He was also promoted to vice minister, and he was a third-rank official. And Shen Xiaoshan is Shen Guifen, and he is also a Jinshi in the 27th year of Daoguang, he is a native of Tongli Town, Jiangsu, and he came out after the Ming Army received Jiangnan. Because he has a Jinshi fame, he is quite reused, and he has been the prefect of Songjiang in Jiangsu for several years, and his political achievements are remarkable. He often socializes with foreigners. can be regarded as a "foreign talent", and after Wu Chunqiu and Guo Songtao went to Europe, they served as the waiters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Jason, what's going on?" Mathilde asked curiously, and then added, "If it's inconvenient, I'll go and rest first." ”

Zhu Jishi pressed his forehead: "There is nothing inconvenient, it's just that our war with Russia may affect the Kingdom of Hawaii!" ”

"The Kingdom of Hawaii? What do you mean......"

"My British chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Asborne, thought that the Russian fleet, which had lost the battle at the Ryukyus, might retreat to Hawaii, so he decided to borrow a regiment from Japan and occupy that island nation!"

"After the occupation...... To whom? ”

Hearing Mathilde's question, Zhu Jishi knew that this French princess was not completely ignorant of politics. He smiled bitterly, "That's a problem, I don't think the British will allow me to be the master of Hawaii." ”

Aspen clearly didn't have any good intentions. This is to use the seizure of the Russian fleet as an excuse to use China and Japan as villains to expel the United States in Hawaii. And the United States will certainly not give up, and may pull the fleet back to find a field. When the time comes, Britain will pull France out to mediate, and the Americans will certainly not dare to go to war with Britain, France, China and Japan, but the British will certainly not allow China or Japan to occupy a strategic place in the Pacific such as Hawaii......

"Mathilde, I can't stay away from military affairs for too long, but thank you very much for accompanying me in Xiangshan for the past two days." Zhu Jishi looked at Mathilde, "It seems that I am going to have an emergency meeting for the night." Okay, while Prime Minister Zuo hasn't come yet, let's have dinner together first. ”

At this time, Zuo Zongtang was preparing to leave the yamen of the Cabinet Office located in the Old Summer Palace. As soon as I walked out of my office, I saw Qiu Fatzi and Will. The two of them had already arrived at the waiting room. Will. Hemming is now the representative of the British Army in Beijing, tasked with coordinating the Chinese and British military operations against Russia. However, Aspen had no prior knowledge of the command of the South Ocean Fleet towards Hawaii. So when he saw Zuo Zongtang, he immediately asked.

"Prime Minister Zuo, why will the Nanyang Fleet march to Hawaii? Was it a pre-planned plan, or was it an impromptu decision? ”

"It's not a plan in advance, it's Lieutenant Colonel Aspen's suggestion, and he also proposed borrowing troops from Japan." Zuo Zongtang and Haiming are very familiar with each other, so they don't feel that the other party's questioning is rude.

"So, will the Japanese agree to borrow troops?"

"It's hard to say, Mr. Hemming, Mr. Churchill, this official is about to go to Jingyi Garden to face the saint, you might as well go to see the emperor with this official."

After Zuo Zongtang said this, he asked one of his secretaries to go to the restaurant of the Cabinet Office (Zhu Ming's official office has a canteen) to buy a few steamed buns and send them to the carriage.

"Let's go, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Eat on top of the carriage and talk. Zuo Zongtang said with a smile, "Today, the official invited the two of you to try the steamed buns of our Cabinet Office, which have thin skin and big filling, and are very delicious." ”

The steamed buns in the Cabinet Office are all made by Hunan chefs, including rose white sugar buns, mushroom fresh meat buns, white sugar and salt vegetable buns, crystal white sugar buns, mushroom buns, golden hook fresh meat buns, scallop fresh meat buns and barbecued pork buns. It tastes great, but it's not free, and you need to spend money to buy it. Zuo Zongtang's secretary bought a few, loaded a few cages, and put them in the carriage of the carriage.

"Don't hide it from the two of you, the official has just received the news about Hawaii. It couldn't have been Xue Dingyue's doing, his eyes couldn't see that far. ”

When the carriage ran up, Zuo Zongtang took a bite of a mushroom bun and said lightly: "Mr. Churchill, Mr. Hemming, this matter is really not planned by you in advance?" ”

Churchill and Hemming looked at each other, but neither could be quite accurate. One of them was a diplomat, the other was a colonel, and they didn't know whether the British Navy was plotting to seize Hawaii.

Zuo Zongtang said again: "With this official's understanding of Concubine Ming, she will lend troops to the Nanyang Fleet." With just one regiment plus the main force of the Nanyang Fleet, can you take Hawaii? ”

"There is no problem with this, the army of the Kingdom of Hawaii is less than 1,000 people, and there is no combat effectiveness at all. The Americans, although they have a fleet there, are no match for the South Sea Fleet either. ”

"War with the Americans!?" Zuo Zongtang's brows suddenly twisted. "Daming has now provoked Russia, plus an American ......"

"No, no, there won't be a fight." Churchill waved his hand and said, "Hawaii is not the focus of American expansion at the moment when the domestic situation in the United States is unstable, the abolitionists in the North and the slave states in the South are at odds with each other, and President Pierce is seeking to expand into the Caribbean and Central America." In particular, the Ming Empire was a military power and was supported by Britain and France. ”

Hearing this, Zuo Zongtang's brows furrowed even tighter. It seems that Da Ming was still used as a gun by the British this time!

"So, what is Britain going to do with the Kingdom of Hawaii?" Zuo Zongtang then asked. Well, when you are a gunman, you are a gunman, but you can't call it in vain, right? You have to give something good, right?

"The Kingdom of Hawaii is an independent state under the protection of the British Empire." Churchill said in a deep voice. Hawaii can't give to the United States, and likewise it can't give to China! Because the geographical location of this archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is so important that it should be turned into a British colony if possible!

"What can Da Ming get?" Zuo Zongtang's face also sank.

Churchill and Hemming exchanged glances. Churchill said: "Until the end of the war against Russia, the Ming or Japan can garrison troops in Hawaii." At the same time, the Ming Dynasty could sign a treaty with the United Kingdom, the United States, and France to jointly ensure the sovereign independence and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Hawaii. ”

Zuo Zongtang's face was long, what kind of benefit is this, garrison troops...... Isn't that what you can't eat? And I can't stay forever, this time it's a big loss! (To be continued......)