PS: The third update is here, ask for subscriptions, ask for monthly passes and likes! Thank you for the tip! Thank you book friends for the extreme deep-sea diving, the brilliance of the sword, and the monthly pass of the first half of the moon!

The British Legation in China is located in Jiaomin Lane, east of Beijing. After the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing, Britain sent envoys to China to safeguard the interests of the British Empire in China. However, because of the sudden war of Xinhua against the Manchu Qing, the British minister's trip to Beijing had to be postponed. However, in early January 1843, the British Minister to China, Sir Pottinger, arrived in Beijing.

After discussions between Singapore and Bonham Bunting, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Britain's foreign policy toward China began to change. Previously, the British wanted to suppress the Manchu government in every possible way to force the Manchu government to open its markets so that it could plunder a large amount of wealth from China. But now, Xinhua went to war against the Manchus, threatening British interests. Xinhua has long become Britain's greatest enemy in the South Seas and even in the entire Far East. Once the Xinhua Kingdom gained the population of China, Britain could not defeat the Xinhua Kingdom. Therefore, the enemy of the enemy is the friend, and even if it is to weaken the power of the new state, the British need to support the Manchu government.

With this in mind, the British Minister to China, Sir Pottinger, took the initiative to meet with the Manchu ministers after his arrival. It's just that most of the current Manchu ministers are wary of the British, and Sir Porttinger's visit has no effect. However, when Sir Portiter visited the Manchu Minister of Military Aircraft with a large number of gifts, the military department Shangshu Yucheng. A turning point came. Yucheng was originally very interested in the firearms of the British, and the British also hoped to make huge profits by exporting weapons to the Manchus. On the other hand, it is to support the Manchus, so that the Manchus and Xinhuaguo can fight to the death, so that they can profit from it.

On the morning of January 30, a horse-drawn carriage pulled out of the British Legation in China, its wheels running over puddles and splashing muddy water. Sir Potter, the British Minister to China, sat in a carriage, through the window. Looking at the road that has become muddy due to the melting snow, I can't help but frown.

"Beijing is really not a good place, it's hard to imagine. This turned out to be the capital of an eastern power for hundreds of years, which is too far from London. The country, like the entire city, is slowly decaying. The world of the future. It's Western. The East is already doomed to decay. Sir Portthard said secretly. He was very proud in his heart, the former great power in the East was enough to make the entire world feel fearful, and now, Britain has trampled on the big country in the East, and in the future, they will still be from this big country. further to grab more profits.

This time, Sir Portiter was invited by the Manchu Minister of Military Aircraft and the Secretary of the Ministry of War. He went to the Yamen of the Ministry of War to discuss the import of weapons from the Manchu Qing Dynasty to Britain. Emperor Daoguang had accepted Yucheng's suggestion and was ready to import a batch of advanced weapons from Britain to train a new army to resist the attack of the Xinhua army. Emperor Daoguang knew that if the Xinhua army was not defeated, the Manchu Dynasty would be all over. The Manchus had been in power for 200 years, and they didn't want to be driven back to the bitter cold outside the Guan. The current Manchurians, after enjoying a comfortable life for 200 years, must return to Guanwai, and it is estimated that they no longer have the ability to live in such a difficult environment. Therefore, Emperor Daoguang knew very well that the Manchus had no way out.

At half past nine o'clock in the morning, Sir Portlander's carriage came to the Yamen of the Ministry of War, and after getting off the car, looking at the magnificent Yamen of the Ministry of War, especially the two stone lions at the door, Sir Portiter was a little emotional. The army of this country is so vulnerable, but with such a magnificent military department, he may have found the reason why the army of this country is so weak.

Sir Portiter was taken to the meeting room by the officials who had been waiting outside the Yamen of the Ministry of War, and Yucheng, the secretary of the Ministry of War, had already been waiting there.

"Yu-sama, good morning." After Sir Potting saw Yucheng, he took the initiative to bow down slightly. Although the British defeated the Manchus, at this time, they were far less arrogant than later generations.

"Hello, Minister, please take a seat." Yucheng seems a little reserved, he is a first-class member of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the necessary etiquette is still necessary, and the shelf is also very high. After all, these foreigners have always been barbarians. No matter how powerful their military is, what good is that?

"Someone, tea." Yucheng commanded. Soon, someone brought tea.

"Tsk. Yu-sama, this tea is really good. Sir Portrichard took a sip of his tea and spoke in appreciation. Britain imports a large amount of tea from China every year, and a cup of black tea in the afternoon has become a habit for most Britons, and this is also the reason why Britain is in a surplus in the previous trade with China. However, now that Britain has occupied India, and the British and Indian colonial authorities are preparing to grow tea on a large scale in India, Britain's dependence on China for tea may not be so great.

"Your Excellency, this is the big red robe of Wuyi Mountain. Since the minister likes it, the official will give you a pound when you leave. Yucheng said proudly, as if he had a lot of face.

"Xie Lu, Lord Xie Yu." Sir Portrichard thanked.

"Your Excellency, I came to you this time because I want to buy a batch of weapons from your country." Yucheng said.

"Lord Yu, I don't know what weapons your country wants to buy? Rifles, artillery or battleships? I assure you that the weapons and equipment of the British Empire have always been among the best in the world. Sir Portrichard said hurriedly. At this time, it was as if he had become a merchandiser. began to chatter about selling British weapons and equipment to Yucheng. In particular, the British Army's previous standard rifle, the Burka-style, was the focus of his sales. The 'Burka' rifle is a kind of rifle that the British Army has been equipped with for nearly 30 years, using breech loading, flint, and an effective range of about 100 meters, and its performance is relatively advanced. It's just that through the 'Exocet' rifle equipped by the Xinhua Army on the battlefield, the British Army has developed its own breech rifle. After testing, the performance is very good. The British Army had already begun a large-scale turnaround, and the replacement of 'Burka-style' rifles, piled up, if they could be exported to the Manchus, could make a profit.

"Your Excellency, we need a rifle that can compete with the rifles equipped by the Xinhua Army, as well as artillery." Yucheng said. News came from the front that the Xinhua Army was equipped with rifles and artillery with a long range and a fast rate of fire, which made the Qing army suffer a lot. This is also the weapons and equipment that the Manchu government most wants to buy, and as for the warships, Yucheng has little interest. The Manchu Qing Dynasty has always practiced seclusion and isolation, and is accustomed to living behind closed doors, and does not attach importance to the navy at all. The sailors of the coastal provinces can only pounce on inland rivers or offshore waters.

"Master Yu, don't worry, our 'Burka-style' rifle is slightly inferior to the rifle equipped by the Xinhua Army. However, it is enough to confront the Xinhua army. The number of troops in your country is far more than that of the Xinhua Army, and it is completely possible to suppress the Xinhua Army by virtue of its numerical superiority. In addition, our 4-pounder guns and 6-pounder guns, as well as 9-pounder guns and 12-pounder guns of large calibers, are very good infantry support firepower, and they will definitely not be worse than the artillery of the Xinhua Army. "In order to make this business, Sir Potterchak began to fool around. As long as you can make money from the Manchu government, nothing else matters.

"'Burka' rifles?" Yucheng frowned. Of course, he knew about the 'Burka' rifles that the British Army was equipped with. During the Opium War, the Qing army was suppressed by the British 'Burka-style' rifles and could not hold their heads up. Therefore, Yucheng also knows that this rifle is indeed very powerful. Of course, whether it can be compared with the rifles equipped by the Xinhua Army, he is not very clear.

"Yes, Lord Yu, the 'Burka-style' rifle is the standard rifle of the British Imperial Army. This is definitely a rifle that fits your army's equipment. As long as your army can master this rifle proficiently, with its huge superiority in troops, your country will definitely be able to defeat the Xinhua army and win the war. Sir Portrichard said.

"So, how much silver does your country's 'Burka-style' rifle sell for?" Yucheng asked.

"Lord Yu, we are all old friends, although there was a brief dispute between Britain and the Qing Kingdom, we are still friendly on the whole. Therefore, we will export the 'Burka-style' rifle to your country at a favorable price. If your country wants to buy it, we will sell it for only 20 pounds, or eighty taels of silver, for each 'Burka' rifle. Sir Portrichard said. In fact, the purchase price of the 'Burka-style' rifle in the British Army was only 8 pounds. Sir Pottercha more than tripled casually. In addition, these rifles are simply the rifles eliminated by the British Army, and they simply can't afford so much money.

"Eighty taels? 10,000 strokes is 8 million taels? No, it's too expensive. Yucheng hurriedly shook his head. In his opinion, if the Qing army wanted to defeat the Xinhua army, it must be equipped with at least 200,000 new rifles. If you count it in this way, you will have 16 million taels of silver. The annual financial income of the Qing Dynasty was only tens of millions of taels of silver, and so much money could not be taken out at all.

"Yu-sama, this price is already very fair. If it were other European countries, they would not have been able to export new rifles to you at such a good price. Sir Portrichard said hurriedly.

Yucheng still shook his head, he didn't dare to agree to such an expensive price. (To be continued......)