The sun never sets in America

Chapter 147 British Parliament
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...

The weather in London is so unpredictable. It was sunny just a moment ago, but now it is covered with dark clouds and it is raining lightly.

"Damn..." Pedestrians on the streets of London complained daily, then picked up the umbrellas they carried with them, opened them, and walked quickly through the water-filled area.

In London, or in the UK, the first thing you do when going out is to bring an umbrella, ready to deal with the current situation at any time.

Because of the long-term habit of carrying umbrellas, there are a large number of strange-shaped umbrellas in the UK, some made into hand sticks, and some made into the shape of a walking stick. You can find all kinds of umbrellas you can imagine in London.

London also has the world's largest century-old umbrella shop. You can hear all kinds of century-old shops around the world, but you can't hear about century-old umbrella shops. This is also a characteristic of London, or the UK.

Pedestrians walk very fast on the streets, which is in sharp contrast to other European countries, because this is London, the capital of finance and trade.

Here, time is life and life is money.

squeak……

A carriage flying the Chinese flag ran through the streets of London. The pedestrians around just looked at the national flag on the carriage with some surprise.

They had never seen this kind of flag with strange monsters painted on it.

Wan Fang opened the curtains and looked at the London pedestrians on the street and the city shrouded in gray fog, with a trace of heartfelt envy in his eyes.

For those who have never been to London, London is prosperous and powerful in their eyes.

Look at the smoke coming out of the ironworks in London. In the eyes of everyone, this is a symbol of civilization and a sign of the true strength of a country.

As for the so-called pollution, in this era without environmental protection, as some people in later generations said: "Now is the time to let environmental protection go to hell!!"

For people of this era, industry represents progress. As for pollution, agricultural countries have clean air and cow dung can be seen on the streets, but what about their future? ?

As a senior official of the Han Dynasty, Wan Fang had easy access to iron output and economic data. Because of this, he was more in awe of London and Britain.

We will not be like some countries that have been abandoned by the times and are still complacent and unaware of themselves...

Although the largest industrial zone in Han Dynasty, Niuling District in Xijing, is also gray every day, with large amounts of gray smoke constantly coming out of the chimneys in the industrial zone. However, anyone with a clear eye can see that Niuling District’s The smog is only in a small area in the industrial area, but in London, it is everywhere, like a city in smog, making it difficult to distinguish reality.

(London was also called the Fog City at that time)
But these smogs are also deadly. If you stay in such an environment for a long time, the chance of getting sick will soar. Every year, people die in London due to smog, and most of them are from the lower classes in the UK.

As for the rich and aristocratic people in London, they basically do not live in the city, or in the main urban areas of London, especially near the industrial areas. They spend most of their time living in the suburbs of London, or even in the countryside.

Many foreign TV series and movies in later generations depict country houses and estates in London. It seems that these houses are luxurious and simple, with a sense of history. That is not because the rich in London are unwilling to stay in the city, but because there is simply no way to stay in the city. .

There were so many high-end apartments in London in later generations because of deindustrialization and the loss of world hegemony. You asked him to go to London in 1841 to build high-end apartments and see if anyone would buy them...

Today's London is a city that looks civilized to outsiders (the so-called civilization means industry and wealth). But in the eyes of Londoners themselves, especially the upper class in London, it is a city full of smoke of death, a city where the river is covered with water. Whoever wants to treat a polluted city can treat it, but they won’t treat it anyway.

Wan Fang just looked out the window at the city of London and the tall chimneys not far away, his eyes shining with light.

He believed that sooner or later, the Han Kingdom would be like this, and Xijing City would be the London of the Han Kingdom! !

(Xijing: The second foggy city, right??)

...............

The British House of Lords, also known as the House of Lords, is undoubtedly the steering wheel that dominates this huge empire in today's glorious era of the British Empire.

Those who hold the power are the members of the House of Lords. Most of these people are of noble origin and are also jokingly called the senators of the Senate.

Although it is somewhat exaggerated, it can also be seen that British politics during this period were very different from the civilian politics that became popular in later generations.

The biggest difference is that MPs from aristocratic backgrounds pay more attention to the overall interests of the British Empire. Although there are also intrigues, there is no doubt that these aristocratic MPs are the true mainstay of Britain and the real helmsman and navigator of this giant ship. , which is very different from those short-sighted guys in later generations...

When Wanfang's carriage arrived at the House of Lords, several soldiers wearing British red military uniforms and tall bearskin military hats immediately opened the door of the carriage.

After Wan Fang got off the carriage, he looked at the British-style building in front of him, took a deep breath, and then got off the carriage.

"Please come over here..." An old white man in a tuxedo from the House of Lords ushered Wan Fang in very politely.

"Thank you..." Wan Fang thanked him, and then walked into the largest power center in the UK besides Buckingham Palace.

After passing through several corridors and looking at the closed door in front of him, Wan Fang went from being nervous at the beginning to feeling relieved in just a few seconds.

squeak……

The door to the House of Lords was pushed open, and what came into view was a seemingly small square area. In this area, there were green sofas on the left and right sides. Sitting on the sofas were a group of British nobles. These people were dressed extremely well. Sophisticated.

Their hair and beards were neatly trimmed, and some older aristocratic members even had to use tent poles to support themselves in order to sit upright.

In the middle is the podium, which is actually the stage where members of the House of Lords debate.

When the door opened, everyone looked at Wan Fang outside the door, making Wan Fang feel like his whole body had been seen, and there was no secret at all.

clap clap clap...

But soon this gaze turned into applause, which was also the respect these noble members had for Wan Fang, the foreign minister of Han Dynasty.

Although the British aristocrats of this period were far more arrogant than those of later generations, the biggest difference between them and the British of later generations was their rationality. They knew when and what to do, and eliminated all things that were not in the interests of the United Kingdom, even if they were in the interests of the United Kingdom. You are a bandit who cares about human life. These British nobles will also regard you as their friend and praise you as a robber like Robinson.

But if you are not in line with British interests, and even threaten the interests of the British Empire, then you will soon see what the iron fist of the empire is... It will definitely make you miserable.

"Hello...Mr. Minister." Speaker of the British House of Lords Cexitin stepped forward and shook hands with Wan Fang warmly. "It's hard to believe that you actually crossed the entire Atlantic to come here. This makes me very touched." Cexitin said to Wan Fang. Fang talked about the scene.

"Although the Atlantic Ocean is far away, it cannot hinder the relationship between our two countries." Wan Fang shook hands with Cexijin and replied with a smile, "Just like God is far away from us, we will still be with Him. Let’s meet, isn’t it?” Wan Fang used the analogy of God in Christianity to Cexi Jin.

Using the Christianity that the British believe in to answer the questions raised by the British is also a diplomatic skill of Wanfang.Bang bang bang...

As soon as Wan Fang finished speaking, the entire parliament burst into applause intermittently. This applause was for Wan Fang and also for Han...

"Of course, each of us will eventually see God..." After hearing this, Sai Xijing agreed to Wan Fang with a happy face, and the eyes he looked at Wan Fang also became a little softer.

Before Wan Fang came, many people were worried that Wan Fang didn't understand English, or even British culture, or that there would even be things they couldn't understand. But now it seems that all their worries are over, and Wan Fang uses him Fluent English and a language that the British can understand told the noble members present that Han was by no means a closed country and that Han people could communicate with the British.

This is very important. Although the UK has invited some European countries to the House of Commons for visits and exchanges, there are actually very few countries outside of Europe. In the final analysis, it is still cultural isolation.

For example, the United Kingdom once invited Indian kings who were loyal to the Queen to visit the House of Lords, a place of great significance to the British. However, because of their Indian English and their occasional dialect, few non-European countries came since then. The Han Dynasty was the first since then.

This is also the British recognition of the alliance between Han and Britain.

"Please..." Cexitin then invited Wan Fang to come on stage to speak, and he returned to the green sofa seat. This is also the tradition of the British House of Lords.

"Good morning, gentlemen..." Wan Fang greeted everyone in fluent English.

clap clap clap...

Even the meanest British aristocrat gave everyone applause at this time. After all, the other party's performance just now was indeed impeccable from the aristocratic point of view.

"We are living in a great era, an era led by a great country... Let us applaud the international order governed by the British Empire..." Wan Fang continued to flatter Britain, and he did so just right, not too much. Quite a few.

clap clap clap...

There was another burst of applause, and Wan Fang also clapped a few times.

"I come from Han, a place that you may never have been to in your lifetime, a place called the West Coast. Of course, it is different from the English Channel. There is no France there..." Wan Fang betrayed the French without hesitation.

"Ha ha……"

"Ha ha……"

When Wan Fang mentioned France, everyone present laughed. In front of the British, nothing could make the British happier than mocking the French.

"Next to our country is Mexico, a country with little potential." Wan Fang mentioned the Republic of Mexico, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes, "And above us, there are rude Americans. Fortunately, they were The Mexicans are separated..." Wan Fang hinted to the congressmen present about the distance between Han and the United States, as well as the relationship between China and the United States.

As expected, some congressmen who didn't know much about the relationship between Han and the United States frowned when they heard this. Even those British congressmen who knew the map of North America had something wrong with their expressions.

After all, the reason why they support Han is to deal with the United States. Now that Han and the United States are not bordering, wouldn't it mean that the war will never start? If the war does not start, then what is the point of supporting Han? Isn't this a loss? ? ?
"The only chance for our country of Han to border the United States is the Oregon region." Wan Fangtu briefly mentioned the Oregon region. This was the real purpose of his trip.

"Oregon is a place only one-tenth the size of Australia." Wan Fang compared Australia to the Oregon region, hoping to use the British's contempt for Australia to further devalue the Oregon region.

When the British MPs around heard about Oregon, they had no reaction. After all, the British Empire had too many colonies. A place with little output like Oregon was actually of little value in the eyes of the British, but if someone If you want to buy it, adhering to the spirit of exploding a few drops of oil and water, the British still hope to sell it at a higher price. This is the main reason why they couldn't reach an agreement before.

They may not understand Oregon, but these congressmen must understand Australia, because that is where the British exiled prisoners. Every year, a large number of prisoners from all over the United Kingdom are exiled to Australia. It can be said that Australia during this period was basically There are no good people, they are all scum, and the whole place is a gathering place for scum.

Chaos and savagery were everywhere, and until later generations, Australia was also one of the more rustic in the Western world.

"When I learned that the territorial transaction between Han and Britain was blocked, I was very surprised..." Wan Fang talked about Oregon for a while, and then returned to the issue of territory, "What's so good about that damn place?" ??" Wan Fang asked the British MPs present.

For a long time, no one spoke. In fact, they themselves couldn't say anything good about Oregon. Because they just compared Oregon to Australia in an opportunistic way, many congressmen present also compared Oregon to Australia. .

But everyone present knows what Australia has. It is the British open-air prison, and those who cannot be controlled at home are sent there.

It can be said that if India is the bottom treasury of the United Kingdom, Canada is the British base in the Americas, and the key to controlling the Atlantic Ocean with the Royal Navy, then Australia is an out-and-out toilet.

As for Oregon? ?
The function and status of that thing in the eyes of these arrogant aristocratic members may not be as high as any toilet in Australia! !
"But that's the territory of the British Empire..." Just when Wan Fang was about to continue speaking, a voice sounded from the parliament. A young aristocratic member named Lehman stood from the third row of seats. He stood up and retorted to Wan Fang in an authentic London accent.

"Mr. Minister, please remember that Oregon is an American territory of the British Empire. They are not dispensable trash." Lehman looked at Wan Fang and retorted, "Oregon still has a large number of citizens of the British Empire. We will not abandon them. Them!!" Lehman then talked about the colonists and their descendants.

"Congressman, are you talking about the Oregon Territory, which has less than 4000 people?" Wan Fang asked Lehman with a smile, not affected by what he just said, "Let me tell you this, just last month In March, the population of the entire Oregon region has dropped from less than 4000 to 2000. It is expected that by the end of this month, there will be no one left..." Wan Fang said to all the British aristocratic members of the House of Lords in a funny way, with a look in his eyes. There was a trace of ridicule, as if he was mocking this so-called British Empire territory. At this moment, there may be no people left.

"Is what he said true? Is there really no one in Oregon??"

"You ask me, how do I know, Oregon, this name, I have never even heard of it."

The two British congressmen started whispering because of what Wan Fang had just said about Oregon's population.

Other congressmen around them are not much better. Originally, some people who opposed the Oregon trade would use immigration as an excuse, but now they don't even have the last excuse.

Because there is really no one left in Oregon.

And Lehman, who just stood up to object, was also a little confused by Wan Fang's words, as if the cards he was planning to play were directly confiscated by the opponent. How could he still play? ?

"To be honest, what does Oregon have? Does it have gold, gems, cotton, tea, porcelain??" Wan Fang asked all the noble members of the House of Commons one question after another, "Oregon has nothing. , it only has one thing, and that is emptiness, as emptiness as Australia, and it seems to be a good place to exile prisoners..." Wan Fang mentioned Oregon and continued with disdain.

Directly reducing Oregon to the point of being worthless is actually a different kind of price reduction, serving as an outpost for subsequent negotiations on territorial transactions.

When buying something with someone, you will definitely find faults with it. You will not explain in front of the boss why this thing is so good or why he likes it. That is not called bargaining, that is called raising the price.

Prison, such an ironic word. When they heard that Oregon was compared to a prison by the foreigner Wan Fang, although some congressmen wanted to refute it, in the end they did not say a word or take any action to oppose it.

This means that, objectively, Wan Fang's definition of prison in Oregon is accepted.

"And don't forget, who is the real opponent of the British Empire..."

At the end of his speech, Wan Fang said something meaningful to everyone.

　Please order in full, please give me a reward
　　
　
(End of this chapter)