The sun never sets in America

Chapter 233 European Visit: Britain

Port of London, UK -——

In May, the Port of London was filled with merchant ships from all over the world, many of which were steam sailing ships with chimneys. This was very different from the shipping methods in other parts of the world, which were still dominated by ordinary sailing ships.

The main reason for this is the huge colonies of the British Empire and the need for foreign trade, which forced the reform of the entire British shipping industry, which has a completely different development from other parts of the world.

If the booming shipping industry in Han Dynasty is a growing tiger, then the British shipping industry is a lion in its prime. The gap can be imagined.

In such a developed shipping industry, there are not without problems. The biggest problem is that the market is gradually saturated and monopolized by a few large shipping companies. The companies often own hundreds of cargo ships. In essence, the entire London, The maritime trade of the entire British Empire was actually in the hands of a few people.

These people have complex backgrounds, including prominent nobles, some newly rising wealthy businessmen, and even the power of the House of Lords involved.

The forces behind it are so powerful that even the British Prime Minister has to seek their opinions on trade issues.

This is also the ultimate fate of an empire as it develops to the end! !

This situation is actually very common throughout the UK in this mid-stage of the first industrialization.

This is true for The Times, which is mainly in the newspaper industry, the same is true for the British shipbuilding industry, and the same is true for the textile industry, which is the mainstay of the economy.

At this time, the British Empire seemed far from reaching its peak, but the seeds of its decline had actually been sown.
-

Woohoo——

A whistle sounded from outside the port. A steam sailboat flying the dragon flag of the Han Dynasty was slowly docking at the port. The dock workers on the shore were commanding and guiding the steam ship to dock.

bump---

The cabin door opened, and first a few guards wearing Han-style gray military uniforms walked out, and then Yan Jun, wearing Han's round purple official uniform, stepped on riding boots and slowly got off the ship.

The British workers on the dock couldn't help but peek at Yan Jun, who was wearing strange clothes, and the soldiers they had never seen before.

Yan Jun was not surprised by this. After all, he had dealt with these foreigners a lot. In their eyes, these guys could only see themselves and not other countries or other civilizations.

"Prime Minister Yan--" A secretary named Ma next to Yan Jun shouted from the side, and Yan Jun immediately turned around.

"Mr. Yan, why didn't these British people send someone to greet us? This is too rude!!" Secretary Ma is a relatively upright young man. When he saw that no one was greeting them, he immediately said to Yan Jun Dissatisfied, in Secretary Ma's view, the British did not come to greet them, which showed that they did not pay attention to them, and not paying attention to them meant that they did not pay attention to the Han Dynasty. This is a very serious diplomatic incident.

After Yan Jun heard Secretary Ma's words, he disapproved on the surface, but in fact he was extremely angry in his heart. After all, he was the prime minister of Han, equivalent to the prime minister of the United Kingdom. It was too much for the United Kingdom to be so negligent.

"Go to the legation -" Yan Jun ordered expressionlessly, and then got on the carriage that had been prepared.

Secretary Ma and a group of people got into the carriages at the back.

When the motorcade carrying the Chinese flag entered London, it aroused a lot of sideways glances from people on the street. Many people did not even know that it was the Chinese flag, but only guessed that it might be a certain European country.

Although the name Han is no longer unfamiliar to many people, it is still an obscure country for most Westerners. It would be good if you can remember the name. As for the national flag, it is the one with four legs. Snake? ?

Yan Jun sat in the back seat of the carriage, looking at the busy city of London and the clock tower under construction. He always felt like he was back in Xijing, except that there were not so many Western-style buildings. (Due to the influence of the Imperial Bank of Han, Big Ben during this period could only be ranked second)

Yan Jun looked at the ordinary British people wearing gray-brown work clothes and velvet hats on the street, and then looked at the gray smoke in the sky.

Recalling that Britain's pig iron production was nearly twice that of Han's, the original arrogance of college students in Han was gone. He knew that it would take some time for Han to catch up with Britain, the most powerful empire in the world. time.

And this period of time is exactly where Han needs to work hard the most. After all, Britain will not stop and wait for Han.

The only thing that makes Yan Jun feel gratified may be the bicycles with obvious Han logos on the streets. This represents the dominance of Han Rubber and the bicycle industry in the world. Even the United Kingdom, which has the strongest industrial strength, has to It is admitted that in this field, Han is the well-deserved overlord.

This is why the British have recently tried their best to plant rubber trees in the Straits Settlements and the Caribbean. They also do not want such important economic and even war resources to be in the hands of the Han Dynasty.

This will make British people very insecure.

Yan Jun, who was sitting in the back seat of the carriage, knew all of this. This was even an important reason why the Xijing Futures Market was recently allowed to open.

The most important thing is to master rubber futures, or the dominance of the rubber industry, and use the huge production capacity, mature supply chain, and finance to attack potential competitors, including the British! !

Yan Jun withdrew his gaze and took out a congratulatory form that he had prepared a long time ago. Inside was nothing more than a letter written by Liu Peng to Queen Victoria. Yan Jun did not dare to open it, but just to see if there was anything there. Mistakes.

Seeing that nothing was missed, Yan Jun closed his eyes, leaned on the soft chair in the back seat of the carriage, and took a nap.

It wasn't until there was a "thud" that Yan Jun opened his eyes.

When I opened the curtains, I saw the Chinese characters for the Chinese Embassy were engraved on the plaque on the front, and the words in English were written in small letters below.

Minister Zhang, who was waiting outside, stood respectfully, not daring to show any slightest indifference. After all, he was the prime minister, the boss of the cabinet, and the second-ranking figure in the court. Although he was in name only, the prime minister was the prime minister. He is not something that a minister can compare to.

"Prime Minister Yan..."

When the car door opened, everyone outside the embassy greeted them in unison, as if they had been trained.

"Fucheng, you are doing well. When I was in the palace, I often heard His Majesty praise you..." Yan Jun stepped forward and patted Minister Zhang on the shoulder, calling him by his first name and talking. When Liu Peng arrived, he still clasped his fists to show respect. After all, etiquette cannot be broken. If there is even the slightest mistake, if it is passed back, I don't know what those officials will say about me! !

After serving as an official, especially as a prime minister, when you reach a high position, be careful in everything, which is Yan Jun's motto.

"Thank you very much, Prime Minister Yan, for your kind words. I am deeply grateful." Minister Zhang could clearly tell that this was Prime Minister Yan using His Majesty to support him.

"It's your own hard work and it has nothing to do with me." Yan Jun seemed to be brushing aside his relationship with Minister Zhang, but he highlighted the relationship at every turn.

Minister Zhang also said very politely: "Mr. Yan, I have informed the British authorities recently that they have arranged the time for your visit to the UK and invited you to attend Queen Victoria's birthday dinner..."

"Yes, Fucheng, you did a great job!!" After Yan Jun heard that he could attend Queen Victoria's birthday dinner, a long-lost smile appeared on his face. After all, this was the most important purpose of his trip.

"This is what a lower official should do." Minister Zhang lowered his head and said to Yan Jun humbly.

Then Yan Jun, Minister Zhang and others walked into the embassy.

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

Number 10 Downing Street...

Swipe...

British Prime Minister Archie Bolton is reviewing documents quickly with a gold-plated pen.

"Fogg, bring me a cup of tea!!"

When he saw that there was no black tea next to him, Archie Bolton immediately shouted to the door.

Soon, a middle-aged housekeeper carrying a tray opened the office door and walked in.

"Prime Minister, your tea, and the refreshments I prepared for you." Fogg placed the black tea with milk in the tray in front of Archie Bolton, and then placed a plate of cookies next to him.

"Fogg, you always know what I want." Archie Bolton picked up the black tea and took a sip. Then he picked up the freshly baked cookies that were still hot and praised Fogg with a smile.

"Prime Minister, it is my honor to serve you." Fogg showed how elegant a British butler should be.

dong dong dong...

Archie Bolton frowned when he heard the sound, and then motioned to Fogg to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, a young man walked in. That was Archie Bolton's secretary, or rather, his nephew.

"Mr. Prime Minister, this is something just sent by the Chinese Embassy." This young man named Sanka, according to Downing Street rules, did not call Archie Bolton his uncle, but the Prime Minister. This was also the case with Archie Bolton before. Bolton warned him many times.

Archie Bolton opened the document, and there was only one thing in it, which was the diplomatic dinner to be held in the Han Legation tomorrow night.

Archie Bolton would either refuse this kind of dinner or ask his subordinates to do it, but after seeing the name of Han Prime Minister Yan Jun, he hesitated.

After all, he knew that Yan Jun was coming today, but he wanted to show off these Han people, so he didn't go to greet them. But now the Han Prime Minister was going to hold a diplomatic dinner in London, and he would go even if it was both reasonable and reasonable. Just make a show. "Reply to the other party, I will arrive on time tomorrow night." Archie Bolton finally made up his mind to attend this dinner.

"Uncle...Mr. Prime Minister, can I come with you??" Sanka swallowed his words before finally swallowing them. He begged Archie Bolton with some curiosity. After all, to him, Han was like a country. Mystery, now that he can see the big shot from Han, he certainly doesn't want to miss this opportunity.

Archie Bolton looked up at his nephew Sanka, and finally agreed: "Yes, but you must shut up!!"

Hearing this, Sanka's face turned red instantly. After all, he knew what his mouth was.

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

London time, May 23rd, the day before Queen Victoria’s birthday.

In front of the door of the Han minister in London, a large number of carriages were crowded, and the carriages were all decorated with national flags, including the tricolor flag of France, the black eagle flag of Prussia, and the double-headed eagle flag of Tsarist Russia.

"Hello, Mr. Minister..."

"Hello, Your Majesty the Prime Minister!!"

"Hello……"

Outside the embassy, the lights were brightly lit, and Yan Jun stood outside the door, welcoming the visiting diplomats from various countries.

Among them, the Prussian minister to the United Kingdom was an old friend of Yan Jun. He once served as minister to Xijing and was later transferred to London.

"Here we come..." Secretary Ma said in Yan Jun's ear. Yan Jun immediately packed up the collar of his Western-style dress and stood tall outside the door.

When a luxurious black carriage with a Union Jack flag parked outside the embassy.

As soon as the door opened, a middle-aged man with an extremely British appearance walked out. The man's hair was a little sparse, which was more in line with the water quality in the UK.

"Hello, Mr. Prime Minister..."

"Hello, Your Majesty the Prime Minister!!"

As soon as Archie Bolton and Yan Jun shook hands, they were recorded by a Times reporter on the side. That is to say, there is no camera now, otherwise a shutter would be taken.

Then the two of them walked into the embassy together. This paragraph alone was enough for these unscrupulous reporters from The Times to write a paragraph.

When the two came in, the hall of the embassy was already full of people.

After seeing the two of them, their eyes lit up, but due to their identities, they could only smile and show concern.

"Good evening, everybody……"

clap clap clap...

Yan Jun's first speech on stage was met with bursts of applause. It seemed like he had a good start, but most of it was just habitual.

After all, we are all human beings, and we know when to applaud and when to pause with great precision.

"Welcome everyone to attend tonight's dinner. In fact, this is the first time I have attended such a diplomatic dinner. After all, some things can be left to the people below..."

Hearing this, everyone showed a knowing smile.

"Although our Han country is far away in America, we are still very concerned about matters in Europe. After all, this is the center of the world!!"

clap clap clap...

There was another burst of applause, this time much longer than last time, which showed that Yan Jun hit the heart of these Europeans.

After all, this period was indeed Europe, or rather white Europeans, in an era of crazy overseas expansion. Coupled with industrial and economic success, it is definitely not an exaggeration to say that it is the center of the world.

"Although we are separated by an ocean, this cannot prevent us from cooperating..."

Yan Jun then talked about the economic and trade data of Han and other countries. Among them, the most important trade with Britain was frequently mentioned by Yan Jun.

The diplomatic ministers from various countries below had different expressions, especially the Prussian minister and British Prime Minister Archie Bolton, who were the strangest.

The Prussian minister attached great importance to the trade between Han and Britain, and even quietly ordered people to write down all the items awarded by Yan Jun and send them to the country.

The reason for this is that Han Dynasty is equally important to Prussia.

Not to mention anything else, the trade volume alone, which is growing at 30% every year, is enough to attract the attention of Prussia, which has not yet unified Germany.

For the current Prussia, Han rubber is an important supplement to its industry. The Prussian army relies heavily on bicycles to reduce the wear and tear of horses.

In addition, the military exchanges between the two countries also benefited the Prussians a lot. They did not expect that the war could be fought like this. Compared with the Han Army, they were like children who had not yet grown up.

Even the strength of the Han State as a result of its national strength and its distance from Europe can add more flexibility to Prussia's diplomacy. This is why the Prussian envoys attach so much importance to Sino-British trade. They hope that by analyzing the Sino-British trade, they can increase the Han State's and Prussia, greater space for cooperation.

To sum up, for the current Prussia, Han Dynasty

The mentality of British Prime Minister Archie Bolton was completely opposite to that of the Prussian Minister.

He understood that what Yan Jun meant by those foreign trade data was to remind him of the importance of Sino-English trade, and to express his dissatisfaction with not being welcomed today.

Yan Jun on the stage was still talking about his speech: "We in Han have a saying, it is better to travel thousands of miles than to read thousands of books. This is why I traveled thousands of miles to come to Europe..."

"Next, I will visit countries across Europe that are willing to be friends with the Han people, and tell Europeans that the Han people are different from Americans. We are not rude cowboys, but truly civilized people..." Yan When Jun said this, he didn't forget to pull the American out and mock him.

"Ha ha……"

There was a burst of laughter in the audience. Yan Jun's words reminded them of the current relationship between China and the United States. It seems to be cooperation, but in fact it is competition.

"America is a beautiful continent and a precious wealth for mankind, but it also has its own culture and country..."

“Just as the Europeans are the home of the Europeans, America is the common home of our American nations, and that is what the Quad Treaty is all about!!”

As soon as Yan Jun said this, many Europeans' expressions changed.

Prime Minister Archie Bolton, in particular, was a little angry. After all, mentioning the Four-Nation Treaty now was not a warning to other countries not to pursue plans for the Americas, otherwise they would be like the United Kingdom, losing both their wives and their troops! !

"We should establish a new US-European relationship that is cooperative and win-win, instead of being barbaric and plundering the other. This is immoral and against the will of God..." Yan Jun pulled God out. As a shield.

"This is a glorious era. We live in an era full of opportunities. I believe that America and Europe will bring peace and light to mankind..."

"This is what we should do and must do. This is the meaning of Han coming to this world and the meaning of every country..."

clap clap clap...

Yan Jun is indeed a master of high hats, even British Prime Minister Archie Bolton has to admit.

And followed with applause! !

The next day, speeches about Yan Jun filled the British newspapers, letting all the British know what kind of person Yan Jun, the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, was! !

The Times even printed: (Yan Jun: American Lion)

Since then, Yan Jun has gained another title.

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(End of this chapter)