Wang Yide, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, appointed Zhang Zhongxing to have a long talk with Fermar all night.

Zhang Zhongxing and Fermar reached a preliminary agreement that the Fujian Navy Division would form a new fleet of foreign ships and recruit a large number of European and American sailors, gunners, and musketeers to defend Xiamen; The Western powers will acquiesce in the participation of European and American ships in China and Europeans and Americans in the form of civilian volunteers. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

This agreement was a lifesaver for the Manchus, and even more important for the European and American powers. Fermar was only the British consul in Fuzhou, and this agreement had to be approved by the legations of Britain, France, and the United States in China.

The situation was so urgent that early the next morning, Captain Dent rushed to Hong Kong with the "Edmont".

The Fujian side also sent this secret agreement to the yamen of the governor of Guangzhou and Guangzhou, with an expedited report of 600 li.

As the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, Wang Yide has the right to dictate the military and government. However, Ye Mingchen was the governor of Liangguang, and he also served as the minister of trade and commerce of Wukou, responsible for handling negotiations with Xiyi.

On April 8, at the Governor-General's Office of Hong Kong, the British Minister to China summoned the French Minister Cousin and the American Minister Bo to hold urgent consultations.

Bao Ling, Gu Si, and Bo Jia deeply felt that the Ming Dynasty was expanding too fast, and the momentum had spread to Ryukyu and Japan, and now it was aimed at Korea and the mainland, which completely violated the original commitments, seriously threatened the interests of Europe and the United States in the Far East, and the existing order in the Far East was facing serious challenges.

They unanimously agreed that at this critical juncture, it was necessary to intensify cooperation with the Manchus.

The ministers of the three countries decided that if the peaceful "revision of the treaty" proceeded smoothly and the trade issue could be resolved smoothly, Britain, France, and the United States would work together to maintain the dominance of the Manchus and stop the situation in the Far East from getting out of control.

In this time and space, because Tamsui was opened up as a free port, Taipei was thriving, and Taiwan seemed to be a civilized country, and French missionaries such as Marais gathered in Taipei to spread the gospel of God throughout Taiwan.

At the end of last year, Ma Lai illegally traveled to Keelung, where he was captured and imprisoned alive.

The French government was furious at this, expressed strong protest, and demanded that the Ming Dynasty immediately release the missionary Marai, and sent a new minister, Gu Si, to adopt a new tough policy against the Ming Dynasty.

The US minister has just taken office.

Based on the principle of unanimity among the great powers, Bo Jia said that the United States had no objection.

The United States and the Ming Dynasty have deep interests in each other, and it is impossible for Bojia to agree to borrow teachers to help suppress them, but he will not interfere too much. Destroy the Manchu Qing Dynasty and replace it with a hedgehog-like Ming Dynasty, which is absolutely impossible!

If the Far East becomes the sphere of influence of the Ming Dynasty, the privileged interests of the United States in the Far East, such as concessions, extraterritoriality, and internal navigation of the Yangtze River, will be all in vain.

In addition, in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, Wang Yide, as the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, had the right to dictate the military and government. However, Ye Mingchen was the governor of Liangguang, and he also served as the minister of trade and commerce of Wukou, responsible for handling negotiations with Xiyi.

Wang Yide also sent this secret agreement to the yamen of the governor of Guangzhou and Guangzhou, with an expedited appointment of 600 li.

Through the thread of the intermediary, Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangzhou, issued a warm invitation, and the envoys of Britain, France and the United States took a warship together and came to the city of Guangzhou.

On the morning of April 12, on the wharf outside the south city of Guangzhou, a number of arches and color buildings were temporarily erected...... and other facilities, red and green silk ribbons are decorated everywhere, making people look at the flowers.

A large group of Manchu officials, gentlemen, wearing yarns and hats, well-dressed gathered here, and there were jugglers dancing dragons and lions next to them, singing and dancing to help the fun.

Trumpets blow, gongs and drums are noisy, and firecrackers are ringing in unison.

The British Minister Bao Ling, the French Minister Bourblon, the American Minister Bo Jia, as well as the interpreters and the entourage, disembarked under the disturbing noise, stepped on the red carpet, and got on a sedan chair.

The sedan chair guard of honor was prepared in accordance with the regulations of the envoys of the vassal state.

Eight sedan chairs, flags and honor guards, gongs to open the way, blowing and blowing, the Manchu green battalion soldiers on both sides of the guard, came to the Qing country for seven years, Bao Ling finally entered the city of Guangzhou for the first time today.

Sitting in the sedan chair, he saw through the gap in the sedan curtain the incomparably deep doorway of Guangzhou City, the long stone streets, the criss-crossing alleys, and the uneven houses with blue bricks and white walls. The stone bricks, winding alleys and thick walls of the house seem to be filled with a strong atmosphere of vicissitudes, which gives Baoling a sense of making history.

The yamen of the governor of Liangguang, in the flower hall of the superintendent's office.

"Fourteen years have passed since the signing of the 'Treaty of Jiangning,' and we, the British merchants and diplomats, have not been able to enter the city at the treaty ports."

Bao Ling took a sip of fragrant tea, "The spirit of contract is the foundation of civilized society. Resisting the entry of Westerners into the city is entirely the stubborn arrogance of your government and the unteachable ignorance of the people, which must be thoroughly corrected. ”

"Aren't we all sitting in Guangzhou City now!" Ye Mingchen lowered his head slightly and turned the tea bowl on the desk.

Ye Mingchen said that the imperial court has issued an edict to allow Westerners from Europe and the United States to freely enter and leave the treaty ports, and to allow the diplomatic embassies and consulates of friendly countries in Europe and the United States to enter the cities of the treaty ports.

Why are these foreign devils still chattering, endlessly! It's disgusting.

Bai Gui, the governor of Guangdong, coughed hurriedly, "Everyone gathered together today to seek common ground while reserving small differences, which is originally a sign of respect for the 'Jiangning Treaty'. If you have any requests, please be outspoken. ”

Bao Ling smiled gloomily, "Our requirements are very simple, all your coastal and inland cities must be opened, your government must recognize the opium ~ trade as legal trade, and diplomatic envoys must be stationed in Beijing." ”

The new French minister, Gu Si, stared at the yellow and green eyes, "We in France have one request, you must allow missionaries to preach the gospel of God freely. ”

The U.S. Minister Bo Jia shrugged, "The U.S. government hopes that your government will enact regulations to regulate the legal and orderly immigration of Chinese laborers. We also hope that US merchant ships and warships will be able to sail freely in your internal waters. ”

The translator on the side translated these words into Chinese one by one, Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangzhou, Mukdena, the general of Guangzhou, and Bai Gui, the governor of Guangdong, looked at each other.

Alas! Ye Mingchen's face twitched slightly.

Ye Mingchen is from Hanlin, a dignified and upright two-list jinshi, and the most authentic Confucian elite! He learned benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom and faith, and all he said was loyalty to the monarch and serving the country, and he looked down on these Xiyi from the bottom of his heart!

It's just that the long hair is crisscrossing the Yangtze River, the Ming bandits are ravaging Taiwan, and Fujian and Guangdong are in danger. In this chaotic world, in the face of such a declining situation, he can only endure for the country.

"Ask for a price, pay it back on the spot!"

Ye Mingchen's face was expressionless, "You have a lot of requests, I can responsibly agree to one thing here, the Celestial Empire government promised to negotiate with Britain, France and the United States to revise the treaty, and the emperor will send a minister to Guangzhou to take charge of the negotiation of the treaty." ”

Did Lord Manchu agree to negotiate a treaty amendment?

It's not just another excuse to delay, is it?

Bao Ling has been dealing with the Manchu people for seven years, and he is well aware of the routines of these guys doing tai chi, so he immediately asked to sign the minutes of the talks, demanding that "negotiations on the revision of the contract must be carried out within three months, and an agreement must be reached within six months" should be clearly written into the minutes of the talks.

"Well said! Say! It's just that I have a question for you, Mr. Minister. Ye Mingchen leaned forward slightly, "Will you support Changmao and Ming bandits to mess with my Qing Dynasty?" Do you support our Qing Dynasty? ”

"We, the Great Powers, believe that the Qing government is still the sole legitimate government of China. The Great Powers will maintain a neutral stance on the current civil war in China. ”

Bao Ling said without hesitation, "But the British government does not interfere with the righteous actions of British citizens." ”

Gu Si was even more blunt, "All our ships and soldiers in China, as long as they volunteer, you can deploy them, and the legation will not interfere." ”

"Now that the war is burning all over the north and south of the Yangtze River, the grain entering Beijing has been cut off, as long as your country is willing, our merchant ships can transport it on your behalf." As soon as he opened his mouth, he sought commercial benefits.

The main purpose of his trip was to sign and follow the Manchus to bow their heads and seek the possibility of signing a new covenant.

Bo Jia is not stupid, he will only be optimistic about his success and sit back and watch the ups and downs.

Ye Mingchen, the governor of Liangguang, Mukdena, the general of Guangzhou, and Bai Gui, the governor of Guangdong, all breathed a sigh of relief, and this is good!

"China and foreign countries are united in their ambition to destroy thieves!" Bai Gui's face was bright, "We will be the same as Fujian, change the name of opium ~ tablets to foreign medicine, and ban the whole territory of Liangguang and Guangzhou, and use it as a military salary for borrowing teachers to help suppress it." ”

Bao Ling, Gu Si, and Bo Jia nodded yes with a smile.

Ye Mingchen glanced at Bao Ling, Gu Si, Bo Jia and the others with disdain, these Xiyi are really rude, as long as the interests are enough, everything can be traded.

Ye Mingchen, who had read the books of sages and sages, really looked down on Xiyi, and the cruel reality forced him to bow his head, admit the power of foreign guns and cannons, and seek the possibility of borrowing teachers to help suppress him.

Although the invasion of the Ming bandits was imminent, as long as there was enough silver, a dozen ships and dozens of Western ships were hired to form a foreign fleet, and the coastal areas of Guangdong and Fujian would be in turmoil.

The next day, Chinese and English propaganda was posted everywhere at the wharf and market on Hong Kong Island, saying: "Recruitment Notice: Breeding Mao Cantonese bandits and Taiwan thieves are rampant and becoming more and more rampant; in order to protect the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong from bandit intrusion and protect the legitimate interests of European and American countries, Captain Leborough Dont of the French Navy hired a large number of Western-style ships and recruited sailors, gunners, musketeers, and other volunteers to join the foreign fleet, and they were given preferential treatment." ”

Hong Kong is home to a large number of European and American outlaws, all of whom are homeless and bankrupt businessmen who dream of making a fortune in the Far East. The lucrative recruitment advertisement caused an immediate sensation.

Under the covert leadership of the Governor-General's Office of Hong Kong, the French Legation, and the U.S. Legation, European and American adventurers in Hong Kong responded in the air. French Navy Captain Lebourg Don sat on the wooden-hulled cruiser "Colbert" and hoisted the banner of recruitment.

Lebourg Don was the captain of the French Far East Fleet "Colbert".

"Colbert" is a wooden-hulled cruiser, a third-class cruiser belonging to the French Far East Fleet, with a displacement of 1,200 tons.

The company took the lead in handing over the armed opium ~ film ship of "Aemont" to Lebreton, and armed merchant ships such as "Wildcat" and "Water Duck" also came one after another.

Within three days, the Fujian Naval Fleet under Leborough East had twelve ships.