XXXIII. Treaty of Tientsin (8)

This Huayi international order developed to a great extent in the Qing Dynasty. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. biquge。 info is embodied as "the kingdom of the Celestial Empire", "the vassal state", and "the foreign states". For Western countries like the United Kingdom, the Qing Dynasty called it "Yi" in official documents, such as Britain, France, and the United States were called "Yingyi", "Foyi", and "Miyi" respectively. According to the traditional Huayi international order, in terms of foreign relations, the Qing Dynasty considered itself to be the superior state of the Celestial Empire, and of course would not recognize countries like Britain, France, and the United States as having an equal status with itself. The institution that deals with foreign affairs is the Imperial Domain, which manages affairs such as Mongolia and Tibet. Because in the eyes of the Qing emperor, these countries were nothing more than extensions of the feudal domain. After the defeat of the Opium War, the original pattern between China and foreign countries had been destroyed, but Emperor Daoguang only made some repairs: the governor of Liangguang and the minister of trade affairs of the five ports were used to deal with foreigners. In short, we still firmly believe in and uphold this unequal Huayi international order.

Nowadays, these Yi chiefs put forward the request of the minister to be stationed in Beijing, which must be "unpredictable", because in the history books and classics read by Emperor Xianfeng, there is no permanent envoy like the West. If you insist on saying that there is, then the only people who often live in the other party's capital are the emperor such as the prison country or the mortgage such as "proton". Emperor Xianfeng knew in his heart that in the Second Opium War, he was defeated, and of course the resident envoys of the West could not be the latter, so they could only be sent by the enemy country. "The pseudo-Qin of the Zhunyi chieftain is stationed in Beijing, and he is coerced." Emperor Xianfeng was very worried. But it backfired, the more Emperor Xianfeng did not allow the minister to be stationed in Beijing, the more Britain and France asked to be stationed in Beijing, which further intensified Emperor Xianfeng's suspicions. In the end, he was forced to be helpless, and Zhu criticized the courtiers: "If you want to send an envoy to Beijing, then Russia is afraid of it, but you can send students to stay, and you can't have the name of Qincha...... Listen to China's constraints, specially ordered to learn skills, and not to have official business. "All the reasons are in it, because according to Emperor Xianfeng's understanding. These Western permanent envoys were sent by enemy countries to monitor their own envoys, and they could arbitrarily collect taxes, interfere with government decrees, demolish people's houses, build high-rise buildings, and deploy all kinds of weapons in the capital. In short, he is like the emperor, he can do whatever he wants. And China will also be reduced to a foreign guard, and he will become the second Shi Jingjiao in history. Become the child emperor. As the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, he reigns over all countries and has all nations, how can he be "hostaged" by these Yi chiefs. If the minister is allowed to be stationed in Beijing and held hostage by him, this kind of thing will be recorded in the history books of those courtiers. Not to mention that it is detrimental to Emperor Xianfeng's own dignity and face, but also to the dignity of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, in the eyes of Emperor Xianfeng, if the Zhunyi chieftain is stationed in Beijing, "there will be endless troubles, so it is better to fight." ”

The emperor was deeply impressed by Su Shun's opinion, "It's true, you go on?" ”

"In addition, foreigners are thousands of miles away, and the supply has long been insufficient. Now he has thrown away his strengths and come ashore to attack Tianjin, if the monk king has his hands free, the Eight Banners Iron Cavalry will definitely be able to sweep away the Kou! Su Shun talked eloquently, "If this is the case, it will definitely be able to cut off clowns like Yingyi and Fayi under the horse, and it will be able to show the national prestige of our Celestial Empire." ”

The emperor was overjoyed, nodded his head in appreciation of Su Shun's words, and was about to speak, when Yang Qingxi outside offered another fold. "Your Majesty, it's an expedited excerpt of eight hundred miles over there in Tianjin."

"Bring it up!" The emperor took the fold in Yang Qingxi's hand, opened it and looked at it, and his face became extremely pale. With a shake of his body, he sat down on the Sumeru seat.

When the kings saw the emperor's face, they knew that it must be bad news, could it be that Tianjin had fallen? Everyone didn't dare to speak, only the foreman Peng Yunzhang had the courage to ask: "Your Majesty?" What is the military situation from Tianjin? ”

The emperor shook his head and closed his eyes. The candles in the hall lit the floor as if it were day, and after a long time, he spoke, but suddenly, the emperor didn't even realize that his voice was already hoarse, and a bitter and hoarse voice sounded in the Qinzheng Palace.

"The military aircraft department has a plan: Guiliang, a scholar from the university, Hua Shana, a scholar from the Ministry of Rites, Qinghai from the Ministry of Rites, and Qiying will go to Tianjin to negotiate with various countries, and I will admire this."

Su Shun couldn't believe it, looked at Emperor Xianfeng and walked a few steps on his knees, and said loudly: "Your Majesty?!?!?! "I was already made sense by myself, how could I suddenly change my hexagram!

The emperor opened his eyes, his eyes were full of powerlessness, and he felt that his strength had been exhausted in the bad news, "The British fleet attacked the Cao transport ship from Shanghai on the Bohai Sea, and claimed that if there is no peace negotiation, it will be blocked until the Qing Dynasty is willing to negotiate peace," Emperor Xianfeng closed his eyes, "Do it this way, I am tired, you kneel in peace." ”

"The name of obedience on the outside, and the skill of demand on the inside...... Tianjin County, no day's water, no overnight food, outside the city is adjacent, the river road is complicated, the battle and defense dilemma, the last resort is still to be appeased, but so that the county can be restrained for a day, and the Beijing division is prepared for a day...... The ministers and Jin have sworn to survive for a long time, and they dare not retreat to survive with words. ”

In the Qinzheng Hall of the Old Summer Palace, a little eunuch quietly walked into the Qinzheng Palace, holding a stack of newly arrived folds in his hand, and when the eunuch who lifted the curtain lifted the curtain, the queen read the excerpt loudly from the East Warm Pavilion, and the little eunuch slowed down and walked to the inside, and the Shuangxi who was waiting inside took the fold and put it on the small few on the kang, Xianfeng closed his eyes, frowned, and listened to the voice of the queen sitting opposite.

After reading the excerpt, the queen put it down, and looked at the emperor in silence, "Your Majesty, Tan Tingxiang's excerpt, what do you mean?" ”

"If you want to stop trade and close the four treaty ports of Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, and Ningbo, this method will not work," Emperor Xianfeng shook his head and vetoed Tan Tingxiang's proposal, "Now no matter what the tariff is, the Western artillery bought by Ningbo is indispensable, how can trade be stopped," Now that the rebellion has been suppressed in the Jiangnan area, if trade is stopped, I am afraid it will be rampant again.

"Is war declared...... It's not yet time," the Emperor continued to shake his head.

Xingzhen hurriedly said, "Huang Zonghan of Liangguang said that it is proposed to quickly recover Guangzhou, so that Britain and France and other countries can be shocked and enlightened...... "For the legal students who produced the most public elites in the previous life, he is a relatively unique exception, and he is a typical person who puts the interests of the country first, Xingzhen clearly understands that it is indeed unwise to go to war with Britain and France now, and the Taiping Army and the Twist Army in China are all rebellions in the era of cold weapons, and the imperial army has not exterminated Hong Xiuquan in Jinling with the strength of the whole country. How can you beat the steam power that rose in the Age of Discovery, and hit the two powers of Britain and France at the doorstep?

"Your Majesty, the concubines think that declaring war is not about really using swords and guns with foreigners," Xingzhen said what she meant, "Declaring war is just an attitude of our Qing Dynasty, to be tough to the end, the Celestial Empire is extremely benevolent and righteous, even if it is a foreigner who is not educated, we should also salute first and then soldier," Xingzhen spoke to round the emperor's face, and it can't be said that the emperor is afraid of losing the battle so he refuses to declare war. (To be continued.) )

PS: A and B don't know each other, A asks B what his surname is, and B answers, "Sun." ”

B asked A what his surname was, and A said, "Don't dare." ”

B said, "Ask your surname, why is you so humble?" ”

A still said, "Don't dare." ”

B asked again and again, and A said, "Ancestor." ”

B suddenly realized: it turned out that he was using his surname to bargain, so he said, "What does it matter? Your ancestors, my grandson, your ancestors

That's it. ”