Dozens of local Shanghai officials at the Gaochang Temple Wharf did not pat Xu Yifan's ass. No one knows what phlegm Xu Yifan had, when the ship arrived at the dock, seeing such a situation, he actually sat firmly in the cabin and refused to get off the ship!

Outside, the big gongs and drums were still lively to the extreme, and the officials of all sizes were preparing to see Xu Yifan's demeanor, but the "Jiang Shun" wheel was Zhang Peilun, who was smiling awkwardly, and he exchanged a few words with the customs on Shanghai Road, and passed Xu Yifan's edict, all reception and honor guards were exempted, and he Xu Dashuai rushed to Shanghai to negotiate with the British This time was nominally a secret matter - although for the south and even the Yanjing officialdom, it was a cover-up and stealing the bell. Shanghai officialdom is engaged in such a pomp, for fear that the whole world will not know, what is the intention?

Xu Yifan is powerful, and Shanghai officialdom is naturally scattered. As Xu Yifan's status, it is reasonable to put on this kind of style, and no one will have any thoughts about Xu Yifan. On the contrary, he sighed to himself and was unlucky to catch up with Xu Dashuai, who was in a bad mood.

Could it be that there was something wrong in Yanjing City, which made Xu Dashuai famous, and as a result, they were slapped on the horse's legs? These people can understand the situation in front of them, they have to live under Xu Yifan's hands for a long time, Shanghai officialdom is the world's first-class fat shortage, and under Xu Yifan's feet, now they haven't rectified the Shanghai officialdom because Xu Yifan can't take care of it, and when Xu Yifan frees his hand, it will be too late for them to think about it!

Under Zhang Peilun's explanation, these Shanghai officials, speculative figures from the north had to disperse, Xu Yifan couldn't see it, and there were more than a dozen invitations to Zhang Peilun's dinner and wine, but they were rejected by Zhang Dacai one by one with a smile. These brilliant characters left one by one in their hearts, and they were all thinking about what kind of outstanding things they had to do to scratch the itch of this handsome?

The two Taoist platforms in Shanghai joined forces to prepare for the temporary trip to honor the marshal, which naturally did not come in handy, and even Xu Yifan did not go to the mansion that Li Xuan bought in Shanghai. In the concerned eyes of Shanghai officialdom, Xu Yifan was on Jiang Shunlun all the time and did not leave a step.

Anyone who cares knows that Xu Yifan came to Shanghai for negotiations, and it is said that the British Empire sent a prime minister's envoy to contact him. What a sound and light decentness this is! Many people think that this is the world's top revolution, and Xu Yifan is in good luck. The British Empire is the world's first-class power, and the world map made by various Western-style printing houses represents the colors of Britain all over the world. Not to mention the British ironclad ships that sailed the waters of China. A single naval division was called the original naval division, and the Beiyang naval division painstakingly operated by the Qing Dynasty was almost completely annihilated, and almost all the warships of the naval division were bought in Britain. Moreover, the scale of this sailor is far less than a fraction of that of the British sailor!

Originally, the speculation in everyone's minds was that Xu Yifan was still respecting the banner of the Qing Dynasty, and the central strength was no longer afraid, and after Liu Kun's death, the last bit of hope for maintenance was gone. As for Tan Sitong's changes, discerning people are not very optimistic. Xu Yifan has not corrected his reputation for a long time, most of them are still worried about the containment of the powers, and the attitude of the powers, after dealing with foreign devils over the years, the big guys have somewhat understood. The great powers still hoped that such a large and weak empire would maintain a certain degree of stability, with a central political axe with a certain authority, but they did not have much ability to resist their powers, and all parties negotiated mainly with weakness and concession, and the Qing Empire was heavily taught by the Legions for decades, except for occasional small resistance, which basically met this requirement. In particular, the great powers have seen that the Qing Dynasty, as a racial regime, is most afraid of arousing the people's morale and resisting the actions of the great powers! Arousing popular sentiment and confronting Western powers with nationalism is an out-and-out double-edged sword for the Qing Dynasty!

Xu Yifan's strength was already unique in the Qing Dynasty, and he also defeated Yuben's army on land. But everyone thinks that Xu Yifan's strength is still incomparable compared to the powers. If he wants to go further, he must obtain the understanding of the Great Powers!

The character who abandoned his post and went south from Yanjing, ready to hug Xu Yifan's thick legs, has already brought about the current performance of the Yanjing Imperial Court towards the great powers. Whether it is the old man who used to negotiate with him, or the Qingliu who is now in power at the beginning, they are all desperately trying to connect with the great powers. Kang Youwei even said that if he had full authority to handle foreign affairs, then the northeast of Korea could be jointly managed by the great powers, south of the Yangtze River, anyway, it is now Xu Yifan's land, and a large number of rights and interests can be ceded, as long as Xu Yifan can fall, what if there is another ten times more concession south of the Yangtze River?

However, the reaction of the eastern suburbs was very strange, and many of the benefits promised by the Manchu center were those they diligently pursued. But now that the Manchu Qing is broken and broken, they don't want to take it. Many people just saw the ambiguity of the attitude of the great powers, so they simply decided to leave the broken ship of Yanjing. Although I don't necessarily have to get on Xu Yifan's ship, it is best to look at the scenery in the Shanghai Concession.

No one expected that looking at the results, they saw the British Prime Minister's envoy come to negotiate with Xu Yifan!

Qing intellectuals, even older diplomats, still struggled to understand the global geopolitical dynamics. The Great Game between Britain and Russia in Asia, they have a vague feeling at best, but it is still difficult to establish in their minds a political model of Asia in which everything is connected. That's why they find it so difficult to understand the changes in the attitude of the great powers, especially Britain, and in the end, it can only be attributed to Xu Yifan's qi.

If they were Xu Yifan, when they arrived in Shanghai, they would have to go to visit the prime minister's envoy immediately, who knows where the wind will blow in the hearts of these eccentric foreigners in a few days?

But they are not Xu Yifan after all.

Xu Yifan never got off the boat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The marshal hasn't gotten off the ship yet?" ”

The Shanghai Customs Road Yamen is the most magnificent of the various yamen in Shanghai, and this errand makes the famous one minute into an ingot, and the money is so much that no matter what officials do not repair the old practice of the Yamen, they simply repair their own official offices to be magnificent. Half Chinese, half Western, and a palatial hall.

After touching Xu Yifan's nail at the Gaochang Temple Wharf, these officials did not return to their own offices, and gathered in this customs office. Those who can go to meet Xu Yifan are all ready to board Xu Yifan's big ship, and they are most concerned about the outcome of the negotiations between Xu Yifan and the British. Since these people have come out to be officials, they are not afraid of hitting the nails of their bosses. They don't care, but the handsome can't be two hundred and five to the foreigner at this time!

In the hall of the Guandao Office, a banquet was set up for these officials, although the eight treasures of water and land were gathered, but not many people had the heart to chew on the case, and the people of Guandao couldn't stop passing the news from the Gaochang Temple Wharf. The big guy's face is getting more and more ugly, Xu Yifan really put the shelf all the way to the bottom!

Sitting at the main table are the two local Taoist platforms, as well as a few southbound capital nobles, the big guys are looking at each other, Shanghai Customs Road is faintly the head of Shanghai officialdom, and it is the landlord, at this time the first to speak, fell to the foot and sighed: "The handsome and powerful temperament, everyone knows it, but at this time, it is better to bear with one step first!" At a critical juncture, is Da Shuai a bit of a surname? Hi............ It's also that there are not a few old Chengren around the handsome to remind him, if the princes can be by the side of the handsome, I'm afraid it won't be this result! ”

The last two sentences were said to the few characters who came out of Yanjing City, one of them was still a household servant before he resigned, and when he arrived in Shanghai, he was not allowed to enter Xu Yifan's group, and it was when he felt empty, as soon as a few warm words came out, several people nodded their heads, and looked disapproving of Xu Yifan's actions.

After all, Shanghai Daotai is an insider, and at this time, his face was also full of worry, and he asked Guan Dao: "Brother, you have always dealt with foreigners, do you see if we are going around in it?" If you don't make up for your boss, who do we make up for? I wonder if the British consul in Shanghai, Lord Barnadba, has a hard waist enough to speak in front of the British Chincha? Brother heard that the Ba master has a reputation for greedy money and good goods, and at this juncture, we have broken tens of thousands of silver, and we have to make up the sewing of this matter............"

Before he finished speaking, Guan Dao shook his head: "Brother, this matter still depends on the handsome!" is talking about such a big thing, not tens of thousands of silver can make foreign devils nod............ This is the luck that involves this country! If you want my brother to tell me the truth, see if I can work the people around the handsome, we can't speak, but someone can talk! If it doesn't work tonight, tomorrow at the latest, we have to persuade the marshal to visit the foreign devil Qincha, and the fortress silver, we have to stuff it at these people, we should be members, and we can do our best to be loyal, just on this top! Brother is here to say a crazy thing, as long as you can move the people around the handsome, 100,000 silver, the brother is out alone! ”

A few words were so good that the southbound officials sitting next to Guan Dao couldn't wait to stretch out a hand in their eyes. Now that Xu Yifan's luck has reached such a point, as long as the people around him are willing to move their mouths, they will have such benefits! Why aren't the people around Xu Yifan them?

As soon as the two Daotai looked at each other, they wanted to greet the messenger to prepare a sedan chair, and they wanted to go to the dock in person and hand a post to Zhang Peilun beside Xu Yifan. Before he could get up, he saw a man with a big head running into the hall, and seeing his hurried appearance, the officials in the hall stopped their movements and just looked at him. The messenger seemed to be Guan Dao's henchman, and no one looked at him, but hurriedly walked to Guan Dao's side and whispered a few words in his ear.

With a clang, the silver spoon in Guan Dao's hand fell to the ground, and he also stood up with a pale face, and sighed: "The marshal sent a Goshha leader to get off the ship and bring a letter to the foreigner Qincha in the British Concession!" Although he gave us a note, he might as well scold our ancestors for eight generations, how could he make trouble to give a note to foreign devils! Isn't that a joke? ”

The people in the hall were silent, just looking at the frightened pass, and the hall was silent!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Consulate General of Shanghai in the British Concession. The night is falling.

The news of Xu Yifan's arrival is almost mixed up in China, and Minister He Bo naturally knows about it. After He Bo arrived, Shanghaidao got in touch with him as soon as he arrived. seems to be Xu Yifan's agent in Shanghai. Southern officialdom, it is reasonable for Xu Yifan to be so keen on contact with the British, and He Bo is not surprised at all. In China for decades, especially in recent years, he has become more and more accustomed to the old country's admiration and stammering towards them, and the more the atmosphere is opened, the more so. Even in the center of the northern land of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, there are still some hard-nosed old officials who have always put their nostrils up to the sky in the diplomatic personnel of these powers, and he also understands in his heart that behind this arrogance, there is still a fear of being behind the times.

As for Xu Yifan, he and Waters have also communicated, and they will not pretend. The Manchu center had no strength to act as a pawn in the layout of the British Empire in East Asia, and that was the only reason. It is said that Ben has no strength, and the only East Asian power that can be borrowed is Xu Yifan. The British Empire needed this force, and it now needs the British Empire. As a diplomat in China for decades, he also knows the country's history and how much the usurper is willing to make concessions to gain control of the country. About a thousand years ago, didn't an emperor surnamed Shi cede hundreds of thousands of miles of land to people of a foreign race who wanted to support him?

As a diplomat, his natural mission was to extract maximum benefits for the British Empire.

Thankfully, the young Salisbury family seemed to understand this as well. It's not like the people in the heart of the British Empire, who don't know anything about Asia, come here and treat their old diplomats as indigenous, idiots, and just give their own unrealistic opinions.

In fact, they were ready for Xu Yifan to come overnight, for no other reason, the British Empire was the world's most powerful force. At this time, Xu Yifan has reached the point where he can win the world with the support of the British. As an indigenous warlord, it's normal for him to look ugly............ He Bo and Waters changed into pajamas very tacitly and returned to their bedrooms, ready to frustrate Xu Yifan's sharpness to win the game with a most lazy attitude.

It doesn't matter whether you have defeated a country in East Asia or not, but in front of the British Empire, you Xu Yifan can only listen to our arrangements and beg for our help!

In his bedroom, Minister He quietly flipped through a Russian novel. The flame of the bedroom fireplace danced, shining on his already gray hair.

I don't know how long it took, but the sound of the wall clock striking twelve o'clock in the hall came faintly. He Bo put down the book in his hand and stood up and stretched.

You're old............ After sitting on the couch for a few hours, I already felt sore. Maybe after the current situation in East Asia is arranged, it is time to retire? I miss the bad weather in London............ If you feel that the weather in London is not suitable for the retirement of an old man, maybe you can buy a ranch in Brazil and enjoy the sun and beaches there?

At this time, he suddenly felt that Xu Yifan had made him wait for half a night!

He Bo shook his head and smiled bitterly, walked out of the bedroom, and thought of pouring a glass of white wine in the wine cabinet in the hall. Pushing the door open, he saw the Messenger Walt walking out wearing a noble silk pajama and holding an empty wine glass. The old and the young looked at each other and couldn't help but smile. Envoy Wo shook the empty wine glass in his hand and nodded to Hober.

The two were about to walk to the front of the wine cabinet to chat for a few drinks when they faintly heard the sound of a bell on the iron door outside the consulate. Not long after the bell rang, Consul Barnard rushed out of the smoking room, still wearing a formal dress with a stiff collar pulled down, and rushed out sleepily. He Bo and Waters can lie high, but he Barnard can't sleep, since He Bo and Waters feel that Xu Yifan is coming, he has to be ready to receive him!

His poor work in Shanghai is estimated to have been figured out to Uncle He, a China expert, and if he doesn't work these things, then he Mr. Barnard really doesn't have to mess around!

Barnard probably didn't even see the two big men walk in front of the wine cabinet, and rushed out as if the wind was blowing the door. Hober and Waters looked at each other and smiled.

"This little Barnard, he came to China at the age of twenty-nine, and in the blink of an eye, it has been eleven years, but he is still like the hairy young man he used to ............"

"Without Your Excellency in China, I really don't know what kind of loss will be made to the interests of the British Empire............"

The two exchanged unnutritious conversations, but their hearts were full of energy. Who else came from the night, except for Xu Yifan! I wonder what kind of groveling expression this new Chinese power holder should have when he saw them here?

In the uncivilized world, dealing with these natives is probably the only pleasure............ The door was pushed open again, Barnard rushed in again, his face was faintly a little blue, and then he saw He Bo and the two of them, he walked to the front of the wine cabinet, and whispered to He Bo: "Mr. Minister, it is not Xu Yifan who came, but his entourage, his guard, his servant!" This impudent indigenous warlord! ”

He Bo suddenly closed his mouth and waved his hand vigorously. Even the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, the prince and minister of the Yamen of various countries, did not dare to send a guard to find him! He wanted to order that guard to be driven away, and if possible, to throw him into the British Concession to patrol the yamen for a night!

Short-lived anger swept through the hearts of old diplomats, and the most intolerable thing about diplomacy was emotionality. His eyes were on Waters, after all, it was the young Salisbury who presided over the negotiations with Xu Yifan this time.

Waters stood there, smiling reservedly, as if he was a little surprised. He looked up and smiled, "This Lord Xu is really an interesting character, isn't he?" We can see what kind of message his guardians have for us. ”

was brought in by Barnard's ugly face, it was Pu Yang. He was dressed in the uniform of the Praetorian Guard, standing straight in the hall with a straight face, and when he walked in, he deliberately dragged the ground heavily with the spurs behind his riding boots, making a fresh mark on the floor.

Lord Belle doesn't seem to have a good impression of foreign devils.

Waters looked at the brave young man in a full Western-style military uniform with admiration, leaning on the top of the wine cabinet and motioning for Barnard to speak.

Barnard spoke the official dialect with a Shanghai accent, and he spoke it in a scattered manner.

"What kind of information did you bring with you? If Xu Yifan is not sincere, the representatives of the British Empire are not very willing to meet him. The empire has too many choices in the Qing Kingdom, and Xu Yifan is far from being ranked first among these choices! ”

Pu Yang snorted, and replied with a hard mouth, and even the military salute was disrespectful: "I don't know anything, the marshal sent me to deliver the letter, I will send the letter, what kind of attitude do you have, it is none of my business, if you want to see it, you will see it, and you will not look at it." In the winter, the hot air in the bed is sleeping round, who is willing to come here is you to raise! ”

He Pu Yang was so stubborn that his sister took him to see Lafayette, he dared to talk nonsense, except for Xu Yifan, who could clean him up all day, he Pu Lao Si was really not scared!

One sentence made Barnard roll his eyes, and Uncle He naturally understood Pu Yang's official words. But he stood silently and did not speak. In my mind, I was analyzing and summarizing like a flash.

Xu Yifan sent such a stunned young man to deliver the letter with such a posture. He should understand that he is facing the Prime Minister's envoy of the British Empire! Why would he do this? Did he really think that the British Empire needed him more than he needed it? Yes, London is very worried about the chaotic situation in East Asia, and even more afraid that the chaotic situation here will involve the northern double-headed eagle to pounce more ferociously to the east, and the movement of this double-headed eagle will have a profound impact on Europe, which has become like a powder keg. If the empire did not desire for East Asia to stabilize quickly and have a certain strength for self-defense, it would never have reacted to Xu Yifan's contact so quickly, and sent members of the Salisbury family as the prime minister's envoy!

But he He Bo didn't think that Xu Yifan, as an official of the Qing Empire, could understand the truth!

Barnard whispered Pu Yang's words, and Waters smiled tolerantly, still leaning against the wine cabinet Bibi gesture. Barnard stretched out his hand to Pu Yang, and Pu Yang also took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Barnard, Barnard opened it and looked at it, and handed it directly to Salisbury without translation.

On the white Dowling paper letterhead, there is beautiful English written with a hard pen. It was practiced by Xu Yifan when he was studying. Waters glanced at it, the gentlemanly and reserved smile on his face stiffened, and he silently handed over the letterhead to Ho Bo.

"You want me to send Russia back to Europe and support me. You have no other choice, now in the land of East Asia, the only force you can rely on is me, Xu Yifan. Of course, if the British Empire is willing to send more than 200,000 troops to Manchuria and Russia to wage a large-scale war, I don't care............ But with the Boers stirring up in South Africa, the Sudan in chaos, the crisis in Morocco, and the growing and expanding Germany, could the British Empire abandon it? I am willing to negotiate, I am waiting on my own ship, concession, I am really not interested in a trip. Again, those who can resist Russia can help you win the big gamble between the British Empire and the Russian Empire in Asia, and can make Russia turn its attention back to Europe. ”

(To be continued)