This seemingly absurd idea put forward by Hong Yuner made Xiao Yungui fall into thought, is it possible for the five-party negotiation? Will Britain and France agree? Would the Manchus agree? Seeing his hesitant look, Hong Yun'er knew his intentions, and continued to analyze: "What Britain and France seek is to maximize their interests in China, what is the greatest benefit of Britain and France?" It is the need for a more open Chinese commodity market, the need for lower tariff rates, the need for the legalization of the opium trade, and so on. Although we inherited the old treaty of trade between the five ports and opened two new ports, Zhenjiang and Tianjing, this certainly could not satisfy the appetite of Britain and France. They went to war with the Manchus in the hope of revising the Old Testament and making the Chinese market more open, so after they signed a new treaty with the Manchus, it will be their turn to negotiate with us, with the same purpose, to open more markets to the Heavenly Kingdom under our rule. So if we proposed to negotiate a new treaty together, to have a five-party talks, and to implement the same new treaty in both the south and the north of China, Britain and France would be very happy. ”

Hong Yun'er paused and continued: "As for whether the Manchus agree or not, it doesn't matter, our purpose was originally to sabotage the negotiations or delay the negotiations, it would be better if they didn't agree, anyway, as long as we get Britain and France to promise to revise the new covenant, we must negotiate with the five parties, otherwise we will only fulfill the existing agreement, not recognize the new covenant, and lay down the territory of the Manchu Qing in the future, and we will not recognize the new covenant on the new territory." ”

Xiao Yungui touched his chin and said: "You have a bit of a thief's logic, I'm afraid that Britain and France will not give in, will it cause a war?" ”

Hong Yun'er said firmly: "War is the final solution, since we have the intention of negotiating to solve the problem." Moreover, the five-party negotiations are not a difficult issue to reconcile, Britain and France will certainly not give up the opportunity to solve the problem at the negotiating table, and the strength of our army is stronger than that of the Manchus. Therefore, Britain and France would rather suppress the Manchus and succumb than risk war with us. On the contrary, if we miss this opportunity to negotiate, we will be passively faced with a situation in which the British and French have received great benefits from the Manchus, and then they will ask us to make the same concessions, and if we do not agree, they will unite with the Manchus to go to war against us. So the five-party negotiations we have to facilitate, and then in the negotiation process. Only then do we have the right to bargain, and even the possibility of disrupting the negotiations. ”

Xiao Yungui hummed and said, "This idea is very unexpected, and it's worth trying." But before that, Britain and France had to agree to accept American mediation. Before the Yankees start mediation, we can actually start with sabotage mediation. The Yankees have recently jumped up and down to help the Manchus order munitions equipment. Levian has also recently wanted to expand our share of trade. I think Britain and France must have been dissatisfied with the construction of more railways, and we can stir up a relationship between them. ”

Saying that, Xiao Yungui took out an official document and said: "This is a note sent back by Lu Xianba from Guangzhou, specifically about the order of arms equipment and equipment by the American commercial bank on behalf of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, I want to inform Britain and France of this matter to see how they will react." ”

Hong Yun'er said with a smile: "The economic crisis in the United States has not yet passed, and the British have suffered heavy losses in their investment in the United States, and the two sides will definitely not look at each other." That's also a way to do it. Speaking of this, Hong Yun'er's expression changed, and she said gloomily: "Since the Manchu Qing can order arms and equipment." It shows that our two old classmates will not give in so lightly, they will definitely use what they know to do everything possible to maintain the power in their hands, just like me, I have no power in my hands for a few days, and I have no bottom in my heart. Alas, it's really sad that the classmates and friends who were good back then are going to face each other today. ”

Xiao Yungui shrugged his shoulders indifferently and said, "I don't have any friendship with Lu Sixuan. Hong Yun'er raised her head and glanced at him and said, "What about Qingyun?" Xiao Yungui's expression was stunned, speechless, and only after a while did he sigh lightly: "She has taken a new path, she now represents the interests of another class and another group, and this group is a mortal enemy with the group we represent, and there will be no ......more friendship or anything."

……

At the same time, thousands of miles away in the East Warm Pavilion of the Forbidden City's Heart Cultivation Palace, Xingzhen quietly read the letter sent back by Li Ding, and didn't say anything, and ordered someone to reward Li Ding, let him go down to rest first, and asked An Dehai to find a place for Li Ding to settle outside the palace, and also arranged more than a dozen guards from Shangyu's reserve place to guard Li Ding.

After Li Ding left, Xingzhen took out the letter again and read it carefully, a sad look gradually appeared on her face, and she said to herself: "It turns out that I have never had a place in your heart, and you are writing these things just to arouse my attachment to you and let me give up all the qiē here to go to the south?" Do you still think I was the little girl who didn't understand anything? I've worked so hard to get into this position, and no one can snatch it away, not anyone! ”

The slender jade white hand opened the lid of the purple jade incense burner on the table, picked up the letter and wanted to put it in the incense burner to burn, but at the end, the trembling jade hand did not let go of the letterhead, a bitter smile floated, Xingzhen laughed at herself and said: "You think you can put it down, why do you still refuse to let go in the end?" Are you willing? Why was Yun'er able to cross over with him, while you were here alone? ”

A headache struck again, Xingzhen endured the pain and still put the letter in a jade box, followed the jade hand to hold her forehead and said loudly: "Xiao Anzi! Let Cheng Lingxiu apply the needle! An Dehai hurriedly ordered someone to summon Cheng Lingxiu, followed him to Xingzhen's back, rubbed his hand lightly on Xingzhen's forehead, and said: "Master, take care of yourself, Miss Cheng will be here soon." ”

Xingzhen hummed, An Dehai rubbed for a while, the headache was slightly relieved, Xingzhen simply closed her eyes and enjoyed it quietly. An Dehai smiled softly: "Master, yesterday, the Queen Mother summoned Lord He Guiqing, the servant of the Ministry of Officials, and it seems that Lord He intends to let Lord He serve as the deputy envoy to negotiate with the Americans. ”

Xingzhen's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she still closed her eyes, and said, "He Guiqing? Daoguang was born in Kunming, Yunnan Province, and successively served as editor, cabinet bachelor, military department waiter, Jiangsu Xuezheng, and etiquette department. is also an operator, since my sister intends to let him serve, it is okay. ”

An Dehai kept his hands on it, and replied cautiously: "Lord He has a very close relationship with Guiliang, a scholar of Dongge University, and Hua Shana, a scholar of the Ministry of Officials. This time he discussed a major matter with Meiyi, Prince Gong was already in the post of envoy, and He Guiqing was appointed as the deputy envoy again, but I was afraid that the master would not be able to control the situation. The slave recently heard that Lord Yiliang was at home, although this old man was old, he was still worried about state affairs, and he had dealt with Yingyi and other foreign Yi more in the past. Why didn't the master use Lord Yiliang as a deputy envoy? ”

only heard the sound of crackling, followed by the crisp and pleasant sound of porcelain breaking, and An Dehai's voice fell. Xingzhen suddenly opened her eyes and smashed the tea cup on the table like An Dehai, An Dehai didn't dare to dodge, and was smashed heavily on his forehead, bluffing An Dehai regardless of the tea stains on his face. Hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.

Xingzhen's face was like frost and said coldly: "I see that you are getting bolder and bolder!" An Dehai couldn't stop kowtowing. Frightened pleaded: "The slave doesn't dare, the slave doesn't dare." ”

"Do you think Hongu doesn't know? Yiliang gave you three thousand taels of silver, and asked you to say a few kind words in front of the palace, so that you can come out again! This palace tells you that when Yiliang was the governor of Liangjiang, he was a party of Sushun, what did you do with your brain? ”

An Dehai couldn't stop kowtowing, and said with a mournful voice: "The slave also knows, but Yiliang has found the slave many times." The words are sincere, and the bitter denunciation of the past wrong. I hope there is a chance to reform himself, but the slave is very pitiful to see his age, so he dares to speak for him. ”

Xingzhen sneered: "What is your identity, and you dare to accept money from others to run for officials?" You're getting more and more presumptuous these days, don't you know when this palace? In your hometown, you let your clan brothers bully men and women, and occupy other people's land. In the palace, all the new little eunuchs and palace maids have to offer you regular offerings. It's good now, you're starting to collect money and run for office, do you have the power to collect money when the palace gives you trust? ”

An Dehai couldn't stop kowtowing, and said with a wail in his mouth: "The queen mother is gracious, and the slave doesn't dare to ......"

Xingzhen kicked An Dehai and scolded angrily: "Don't fight for something, do you think you can cover the sky with one hand?" My sister has already begun to pay attention to your every move, and you'd better solve the trouble you have caused, and don't restrain yourself, don't blame this palace for not remembering the old love in the future! Get down and get fifty sticks! The errand of Shang Yu's spare place was handed over to Li Lianying! You don't have to worry about it yet! ”

An Dehai tears and snot flowed down his face, and he went with a thousand thanks, Xingzhen's chest was undulating and wheezing, looking at An Dehai's back when he left in despair, a sense of powerlessness suddenly hit his heart, and he said to himself: "Why is it so difficult to find someone you trust?" ”

At this time, Nuan Wai Cheng Lingxiu's timid voice floated over: "Queen Mother, Lingxiu is here." ”

Xingzhen snorted, for some reason, hearing Cheng Lingxiu's voice, Xingzhen felt relieved, and secretly thought that at least this girl was a person who could be trusted, and she had never brushed her heart for acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. Cheng Lingxiu opened the curtain and walked in, and after making a big salute in a proper manner, she asked, "Does the Queen Mother feel a headache again?" ”

Xingzhen walked to the soft couch and lay down, and hummed again, Cheng Lingxiu opened the medicine box and began to apply needles to Xingzhen's head, and said softly: "In fact, the Queen Mother's disease is not difficult to cure, you just need to have a good rest, Lingxiu prepared a medicine pillow for the Queen Mother, which contains some soothing medicines, and the Queen Mother will sleep on her pillow in the future, as long as she rests well, the headache will naturally heal herself." ”

Xingzhen snorted, and couldn't tell whether she was happy or unhappy, and after a while, Xingzhen suddenly said, "Your eldest brother Li Ding is back safely." ”

Cheng Lingxiu's hand paused slightly, and he sighed softly, although he didn't say anything, but a smile appeared on his face.

Xingzhen opened her eyes and glanced at her, then closed her eyes and said, "Do you like Li Ding very much?" ”

Cheng Lingxiu's face was slightly red, and she hummed softly, Xingzhen smiled and sighed lightly: "I can see that he likes you too, tomorrow's palace will let Xiao Lizi take you out of the palace to meet him, he lives outside the palace." ”

Cheng Lingxiu suddenly knelt on the ground and said: "Queen Mother, Lingxiu doesn't want to see him, Lingxiu is willing to serve the Queen Mother in the palace for the rest of her life, and only begs the Queen Mother to let Brother Li Ding go." ”

Xingzhen smiled faintly and said: "Silly girl, this palace left him, it is to protect him, as long as he continues to send letters to the south for this palace, he will be safe, if this palace lets him leave, this palace dares to say that the south side will immediately take his life!" (To be continued......)