The fifth watch is presented, Rollo has been five watches for two consecutive days, and the fourth watch will be resumed from tomorrow. Here, ask for another monthly pass

"Enming, this article ...... Truth to say? ”

Li Zongxi put down the newspaper and asked with a faint smile. Seven or eight out of ten of the current affairs commentary articles submitted to the "Qingliu Daily" were against the Ming court. However, most of the contradictory articles cannot enter Li Zongxi's eyes, and this article, which uses the pseudonym "Mr. Zhanhe", puts forward a very new viewpoint.

The article did not use Confucian principles to teach Emperor Zhu to rest with the people and not to be reckless. Instead, based on the famous words of the British minister Viscount Palmerston, "There are no eternal friends and no eternal enemies, only eternal interests", he pointed out that there is only one greatest common interest between the Ming Dynasty and Great Britain at present, that is, opposition to Russia!

But what about after Russia's defeat? If Russia was defeated by China, Britain and France, it would lose the strength to expand into the Balkans and Asia Minor. Then the contradictions between Britain and Russia do not exist, and the relationship between the European powers changes extremely quickly, and such as Britain and France, which have been bitter enemies for hundreds of years, can also become allies, then it is not surprising that Britain and Russia are aligned.

And the object of the Anglo-Russian alliance must be China! Because a strong China poses a threat not only to Russia's eastern territories, but also to the British colonial system in the East. Moreover, China itself is a rich power no less than India, how can it not attract the covetousness of the Western powers?

In the past, Britain supported Zhu Ming, in fact, they wanted to use Zhu Ming's rise to cause chaos in China, so as to split China. And then break them down individually. Make China the second in India. But the European Revolution that began in 1848. and the serious antagonism between Britain and Russia that began afterwards gave Britain no time to interfere in China's internal affairs for the time being, which gave Zhu Ming the opportunity to get rid of British control and quickly unify China's Han land.

However, after acquiring the Han land. The Ming Dynasty did not adopt a policy of resting with the people and consolidating its interior. Instead, a series of hasty reforms were introduced. Including law, taxation, imperial examinations, education, immigration and many other aspects, the movement is too big and the steps are too fast. has offended the gentry of the world.

In this case, the Ming court was again involved in the disputes of the European powers, and it would put itself in an extremely dangerous situation.

Because the contradictions between the great powers are not irreconcilable. Britain and France had no intention of destroying Russia, but only wanted to contain Russian expansion in Europe and the Near East. Therefore, it is very likely that a peace agreement will be reached between Britain and Russia, and then it is nothing more than two possibilities. First, Britain and France withdrew from the war and let China and Russia fight a protracted war in Siberia; Second, Britain and Russia joined forces to deal with China, with Russia attacking by force in the north, and Britain supporting Zhu Ming's opposition with arms and funds in the south, provoking a civil war.

Considering that the current Zhu Ming court has almost become the public enemy of the gentry in the world, the opposition supported by the British only needs to propose to respect Confucius and Confucianism. The slogan of sharing the world with scholars and doctors, and then giving scholars the privilege of tax exemption and exemption from military service. It must be supported by the gentry of the world. When the time comes, Russia will attack the outside and the gentry will be chaotic inside, and this Zhu Ming's world will definitely repeat the mistakes of 200 years ago.

Therefore, the Ming court could only choose between reform and war against Russia. If the imperial court must carry out the "Westernization reform", then it should not fight a war with Russia, but should be friendly with Russia, form a relationship of interdependence, and let Russia contain Britain and France. Otherwise, it would not be possible to carry out reforms that would unite the gentry to the outside world......

However, Bai Enming did not agree with this Mr. Zhanhe's article, he shook his head and said: "What kind of facts, it's all alarmist, although it is not copper and iron, but it is not a little insect carving skill can be messed up." These are all poor sours who were stepped on by Emperor Zhu's tail and are telling right and wrong, such articles can't be published again in the future! ”

Saying that, Bai Enming took out a copy of the telegram and put it in front of Li Zongxi: "Look at this, the imperial court has decided to set up a national education and propaganda department, and Luo Zenan will be the secretary of the book, ready to control public opinion during the war." If "Qingliu Bao" still wants to run, it must pay attention to the scale of the article in the future! ”

"This is going to open a literary prison!" Li Zongxi's brows immediately twisted.

"It's better to be careful, the newspaper can't run or it's light, in case you put your head in it, it's not worth it."

"Enming, you are now British, and you are still afraid of Emperor Zhu?"

Bai Enming snorted: "Why can't Emperor Zhu tolerate such an article?" The Hong Kong Governor's Office has also spoken, asking us to pay attention to the impact of our remarks......"

"I'm afraid you hit us in the sore spot, right?"

Bai Enming's face sank, and he just wanted to get angry, but Li Zongxi grinned: "Okay, this is the end of our warning words, I believe that the emperor has also read this Mr. Zhanhe's article, and if you believe it or not, he will go." ”

"Yes, yes, let him go." Bai Enming nodded again and again.

Li Zongxi also took out a telegram from the desk drawer and handed it to Bai Enming: "This is Zhang Luanpo's telegram, he is going to Hong Kong on business in a few days, ask me to go to the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel for a while, Enming, can you come with you?" ”

"Zhang Luanpo?"

"Zhang Zhiwan, the champion of Ding Moke, has just become the deputy minister of Emperor Zhu's imperial study."

"Is that him?" Bai Enming was stunned for a moment and muttered, "I'm afraid that I came to Hong Kong to recruit our "Qingliu Daily", right?" That's ...... you have to see."

……

"Zuo Xiang, have you read this article by Mr. Zhanhe?"

Old Summer Palace, Zhengda Guangming Palace. As soon as Zuo Zongtang walked in, Zhu Jishi beckoned to him with a smile next to the sand table, holding a copy of the just-published "Qingliu Daily" in his hand.

"I've seen it, although it's biased, but it's also a virtuous person in the opposition, if it can be used by the court."

Zuo Zongtang said as he walked to the edge of the sand table. Now the Zhu Ming court implements a semi-cabinet responsibility system - that is, the cabinet is responsible for daily affairs, and the emperor controls the policy and the overall situation, a bit like the administrative system of China in later generations. And in this time and space, most European countries are now in the same system. As for the division of power between the cabinet and the emperor, it is actually relatively vague, Zhu Jishi sometimes interferes with the power, while Zuo Zongtang tries to find time to report specific affairs to Emperor Zhu as much as possible. During this time, Zhu Jishi's main energy was spent on the military, so Zuo Zongtang reported to Emperor Zhu in the Zhengda Guangming Palace, which was diverted as an "operational command center".

"It's too late for the imperial court to use, this Mr. Zhanhe is Yao Ying, the former Qing Dynasty Taiwan military commander, although he has lived in seclusion for the past two years, he has carefully paid attention to the situation in the world, but unfortunately he is now terminally ill."

Zuo Zongtang's eyebrows moved slightly when he heard this, and the efficiency of Jinyiwei is really getting higher and higher!

"Your Majesty, there seems to be some truth in this Mr. Zhanhe's article, once Russia is defeated, Britain is afraid that we will be regarded as opponents, right?"

Zhu Jishi propped his hands on the edge of the sand table, and his eyes were fixed on the twenty or thirty new "small castles" that had appeared on the sand table, which were left by the Southern Route Army and the Eastern Route Army on the way to Kulun.

"The affairs of Europe are far more complicated than Yao Ying knows, and we Chinese always like to distinguish camps by skin color, thinking that the white people in Europe must have ambitions for me, and the yellow races in Asia as potential allies. As everyone knows, Europe is far away and Asia is near, and as long as the white race is not united, it will not be able to help the Ming Dynasty, but Asians are sometimes more dangerous. However, the contradictions between European countries are so deep that it is difficult to truly unite as one. Therefore, the principle of Ming European diplomacy is that it is necessary to have powerful countries in Europe as allies, now Britain and France, in the future it may be France and Russia, it may be Austria, or it may continue to maintain an alliance with Britain.

In addition, the European countries attach much more importance to the Covenant than we in the East. Because there are many powerful countries there, and international diplomacy is extremely frequent, no one dares to believe those countries that do not believe their words. So this time, taking advantage of the war against Russia, the Ming should be able to sign a 20-year alliance with Britain and France. This covenant is extremely critical to the future of the Ming Dynasty, and it must be signed no matter what! ”

When it comes to signing a contract, Zuo Zongtang knows the way. Among the tasks of Wu Chunqiu and Guo Songtao's visit to Europe, Zuo Zongtang is the prime minister, how can he not know the way? But he didn't quite understand why Da Ming had to hug the thighs of Britain and France?

Zuo Zongtang was silent for a moment, he somewhat agreed with Yao Ying's point of view. It is believed that Britain needs to be guarded against as the next adversary. However, Zhu Jishi showed signs of "pro-British and French...... (To be continued......)