Charles looked directly at Palmerston standing on the podium with a smile, "Foreseeably, what I'm talking about is that once the Prime Minister launches on China, not only will the sales of 10 million pounds be disappointed this year, but in the next few years, or even more than ten years, we will never receive an order from the Chinese government!" You must know that in the port of Ningbo, we are very competitive with the French and American arms dealers, and as long as we are squeezed out, the arms dealers of the two countries will certainly be eager to fill our remaining vacant positions, and our excellent arms commodities will no longer have a chance to enter the huge Chinese market! ”

"Mr. Charles, as Prime Minister, I have to remind you that in the whole British Empire, not only the arms merchants contributed to the country, but also many opium merchants who provided strong support for the taxation of the British Empire, and many merchants were very dissatisfied with the openness of China, and they believed that the treaty signed with China in 1840 could not allow their goods to enter the Chinese market effectively and smoothly, and we could not afford to lose a big deal because of a small thing. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ”

"I continue to maintain my opinion, Prime Minister," Charles is neither humble nor arrogant, he is the largest arms dealer in the United Kingdom, and at this time he naturally has to strive for more rights and interests for his business, "I insist that the only, legal and effective measure now is to get the Chinese government to apologize and compensate a certain amount of compensation, but this can be done through diplomatic means, not through military means, I would like to remind the Prime Minister that since the British fleet attacked the city of Guangzhou last year, Our trading site in Guangzhou, Thirteen Lines, has been burned down by angry Chinese, and since then, trade in silk, tea, and porcelain has plummeted, and representatives of many industries have come to me to complain about the government's unreasonable behavior. ”

"It is precisely because of this that we need to use tough means to teach those Chinese who do not know what to do!" Palmerston hurriedly excused himself, the wind in the House of Commons was a little wrong, and many parliamentarians nodded at the hateful Charles, "I launched a war against China during my tenure as Foreign Secretary, and achieved very good economic and political results, and now more than ten years have passed. The Chinese have probably forgotten how powerful the guns of our British Empire were. ”

In the evening, it finally stopped raining in London, but the thick iron-gray fog spread again, and Palmerston's face was the same as the weather now, and he walked out of the House of Commons with a black face. He walked to the carriage and took a deep breath, and after a heated debate, he passed a motion of no confidence in Palmerston's cabinet, which was a conservative at home and militarily expanded at home.

Palmerston stopped. Calmly commanded the attendant behind him: "John, tomorrow we will dissolve this unreasonable House of Commons!" ”

"Prime Minister, I have to admit that this move is a bit risky." If he loses the election, Palmerston will be forced to resign as prime minister.

"It doesn't matter, John, we Tory have a lot of seats in the House of Commons, and Charles's arms business, many people are jealous."

"Okay. Your Excellency Prime Minister. ”

In September 1857 (the seventh year of Xianfeng), Palmerston dissolved the House of Commons, and after the re-election of the House of Commons, Palmerston's faction won a majority of seats in the House of Commons, passed the proposal for a war of aggression against China, and sent an army to China.

In an earl's mansion in the 7th arrondissement, several Whig stalwarts were drinking tea and afternoon tea in the tea room, and after the servants had brought black tea and delicate pastries from Chinese porcelain, they curtsied and retreated, a few people smoked cigars in silence, and a small man in a velvet vest with a shrewd face looked around. Seeing that no one spoke, he couldn't help but speak.

"Charles, what are we going to do now? Damn hardliners! Palmerston's kid has been re-elected to the House of Commons, and now we can't stop him from using force against China! "This man is the second largest supplier of gunpowder in the UK. I've always worn the same pants as Charles.

Charles finished his pipe and tapped at the corner of the table with sour branches, "Yes, this is a big problem for us right now, and if we can't stop Palmerston in the House of Commons, it means that our business is about to fail." ”

"There is now a high opinion of what Palmerston said in his speech in the House of Commons. You know, Charles, there is no eternal friendship between nations and nations, only eternal interests," the little man exaggeratedly repeated Palmerston's quote in an aria, "Listen, what a blunt and naked word! The Times wrote it in huge bold letters on the front page, as if no one knew it was Palmerston! ”

"Some time ago, when Palmerston was besieging Canton, the father of the Chinese emperor's concubine in Ningbo, yes, that Lord Mu, had tactfully expressed his extreme dissatisfaction with the military policy of the British Empire through my agent in the Far East, God, know that we will never find a better buyer than the Chinese, and know that the gap between the Chinese and our weapons is more than a century! They never cared about the price, and they were happy to give money, and the only requirement was a constant supply of weapons and gunpowder to suppress rebellions in their country! "This is a typical person who is stupid and has a lot of money.

"You're right, but now we can't stop Palmerston, Paul," said another white-haired man who had been listening for a long time, helplessly spreading his hands. In the current House of Commons and the Cabinet, the textile industry and the opium cultivation industry are very powerful, and the arms industry is now completely unable to compete with them.

"Of course we can't just watch Palmerston mess up our business," Charles said slowly, lighting the tobacco again with a match, and his whole face faintly hidden behind the smoke, "Now we must first ask for the understanding of that lord in Ningbo and the more powerful people behind him, Paul, is your man in Ningbo reliable?" ”

"Don't worry, Charles, he has served our family in my house since his grandfather, and he can be trusted." Little Paul snapped his fingers.

"Well, then use your stamp in his hand, don't tell me you don't, write a letter to the adult, tell us about the British government's position on waging a morally unrighteous war and the helplessness of trying to change it, and," Charles looked around and smiled slightly, "our idea of doing business with China remains the same. ”

"Charles, this is not very good, Palmerston has already warned us in the House of Commons that we can no longer sell firearms to Chinese."

"'This will cause unnecessary casualties among the valiant soldiers of our country~' These are the words of Palmerston after the reorganization of the House of Commons," Paul spread his hands, "I really can't get used to his pretentiousness!" ”

"Of course, the interests of the British Empire also need to be safeguarded by us," Charles said in a smooth official tone, "but of course the interests of the country cannot infringe on the rights and interests of each of our citizens, so we must find a balance in the middle, that is, as long as we do not sell heavy weapons such as cannons to the Chinese, and even ask the Chinese to issue a certificate that they buy these muskets to counter the rebellion and will not use them in the war with the British Empire." ”

Everyone laughed understandingly, "Charles, your idea is fantastic." "When the time comes, as long as the money is earned in vain, it doesn't matter what the muskets sold are used for.

"The French Emperor Napoleon III has issued an order in Fontainebleau to punish China together with the British." After negotiating their own business, everyone began to talk about the imminent war.

"My dear Smith, leave them alone, we are not even as good as the French, and the French are for the sake of the saints, the war! A war for religion, a war like our Prime Minister Palmerston is waging a war thousands of miles away for the expansion and legalization of the opium business! "In the Second Opium War, France did not start this war for economic interests, and France was very dissatisfied with the Xilin teaching case, and the crowd was turbulent, and unanimously demanded a war against China.

"Actually, as arms dealers, we want as many wars as possible," Charles shrugged, "but for now, as glorious British citizens, let's wish the heroic and invincible British Fleet victory!" Everyone involuntarily raised the bone china teacup, clinked glasses one after another, and raised their glasses in flickering words. (To be continued.) )

PS: Commuter Pass, Commuter Pass, Commuter Pass! Roaring to be!