Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 657 Hamilton's Journal
Something strange happened: the cabinet suddenly became very enthusiastic, especially regarding Li Yuan's investiture of Li Heng as the King of Xinhua, in which they actively cooperated.

Anyone with eyes to see knows that the current cabinet's term is coming to an end, and whether or not they can remain in office depends entirely on His Majesty's decision.

Having handled Li Heng's affairs single-handedly, I thought there would be many obstacles, but I found that no matter where I went, I had a smooth journey.

Private intelligence indicates that cabinet members have secretly given instructions to fully cooperate with this matter.

Jia Lian was quite moved by this, thinking how truly remarkable the ancients were, possessing a skill that Jia himself could never learn.

When the Americans arrived in Tianjin and saw the cannons on the Dagu Fortress, Hamilton remained silent. The trip to the Great Zhou was his initiative, and his purpose was not to gain any benefits, but to elevate his status.

We are currently at the peak of the European intellectual community's adoration for the University of Tokyo, and it seems that only the University of Tokyo can solve all the problems in reality.

The events in France and the wars in Europe made the West even more eager to visit the East.

Thus, a trend emerged: any country that failed to establish friendly relations with the University of Tokyo was considered a third-rate country.

The newly established United States was not of high status to begin with, and was looked down upon by old Europe. Various derogatory titles were finally pinned on the United States by the stirring up trouble and the British.

The country was already quite fragmented, and after the War of Independence, it was essentially a loose alliance. It wasn't until they realized that trade and diplomacy were neglected that they began to think about forming a proper nation.

Americans react quickly, especially when it comes to matters of interest; their efficiency is extremely high. As a result, a government was established, a foreign ministry was formed, and a trade ministry was created.

When it comes to the most difficult department to establish in the United States, it has to be the central bank. There are many videos online about how the Federal Reserve came to be; everyone can watch them. In short, it's quite a mystery.

Another point is the US dollar. Even though it's the 20th century, it's not a true legal tender. This is also mentioned online.

This country is so outrageous in some ways that it should really thank Lincoln and Roosevelt for becoming a world superpower.

These two managed to unite a disorganized group; they're truly amazing.

Because the Court of State Ceremonial did not take it seriously enough, a junior official named Wei Lan was sent to greet them.

After learning about Shaoqing's rank in the Zhou Empire, Hamilton felt very uncomfortable, but he did not show it at all.

It can only be said that Americans of this era truly lack self-confidence. Even in the United States before and after World War I, many impoverished European nobles were still highly sought-after marriage partners.

A rumor still circulates in Europe that the Tsar wanted to marry his daughter to the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, but the Emperor refused, citing her already being married. In reality, those familiar with the Zhou Dynasty know that while the Emperor had only one Empress, he could legally have many wives. Therefore, the conclusion is that the Tsar's daughter wasn't even qualified to be a concubine of the Zhou Emperor.

The origin of this rumor is unknown, but according to speculation among European high society, it was definitely orchestrated by the British. This country is truly despicable; if they can win, they'll swagger in and attack; if they can't, they'll just disgust you.

For some purpose, the Court of State Ceremonial still held a military parade. Hamilton, who was reviewing the guard of honor with Wei Lan, watched the soldiers moving in perfect unison to the commands and secretly compared them to the American army. Oh, the United States didn't have a regular army at this time; they were all militia.

Such a majestic and awe-inspiring effect gave Hamilton a thought: he must copy this when he got back. It's said that European countries have already done so, while the United States is already too late.

After the inspection, Wei Lan led the waiting cars to the train station. As the carriages traveled on the cement roads, the gap in urban construction made Hamilton feel truly ashamed.

I really feel like I'm just a country bumpkin who came to the city from a remote village.

Thanks to the development of maritime transport and industrialization, the importance of Tianjin Port has been increasing day by day. In terms of urban construction, Tianjin has truly taken the lead over cities other than Beijing.

The smooth, paved road, with rows of green trees lining both sides, is something I've never seen even in Europe, let alone in the United States.

The most fatal flaw is its cleanliness!

There was absolutely no smell of urine along the way, not even a trace.

Let alone Hamilton, even if European missions came to Tianjin and encountered this level of infrastructure, they would feel like country bumpkins.

When Hamilton saw the train, he was even more disheartened. After boarding, he finally calmed down a bit and looked out at the countryside, realizing that even East University had its wilderness.

Because I was quarantined in Guangzhou, there is no quarantine period, and I can go directly to Beijing.

The locomotives on the Beijing-Tianjin Railway are all state-of-the-art, with speeds increasing from the initial 15 kilometers per hour to the current 50 kilometers per hour. They do not stop along the way, and the journey to Beijing Railway Station takes only three hours.

Looking at the ancient, thick, sturdy, and towering city walls, every European and American who saw them for the first time couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

Hamilton was no exception; after a series of exclamations, he was already somewhat numb, but he still managed to utter, "Oh my God!"

The delegation consisted of only fifty people. After checking into the inn, Wei Lan, exhausted from a long day, told them to rest well and await an audience. If they wanted to go out for a stroll, they would need someone to accompany them.

Sending someone to accompany them wasn't out of concern for their safety, but rather to prevent them from getting lost. Not only is Beijing vast, but many areas are also restricted zones.

Although Hamilton was exhausted, he was very excited. He imagined the inner and outer walls of the capital city as two completely different worlds.

The outer city has many tall buildings, while the inner city has very few; the tallest buildings are only two stories high.

They entered the city from the South Gate Railway Station, where there are more multi-story buildings, making the contrast more obvious.

Since he couldn't sleep, Hamilton opened his notebook and began to record his observations along the way.

The Zhou Empire's power was so great that no one dared to harbor any covetous thoughts...

The opening line seems to be a warning to oneself not to have any bad thoughts about this country, otherwise one could not bear the consequences.

From this perspective, Britain and the United States are truly like father and son.

The leaders of both delegations were the same kind of people; once they saw that the enemy was too powerful, they obediently put away their evil thoughts, and their eyes became crystal clear.

Such a powerful civilization inspires awe at first sight. Perhaps the accounts of Alexander the Great of ancient Rome in books are...

Hamilton didn't finish writing the last sentence; the answer lay in his heart.

The inn was located in the western part of the city, so there wasn't much noise in the surrounding area in the morning, making it relatively quiet. The usual travelers weren't around. Hamilton woke up close to noon and, upon leaving the delegation leader's private courtyard, was greeted by a minor official at the gate.

The interpreter relayed a message, inquiring whether Hamilton needed a paid grooming service and offering a price of three silver dollars.

Originally, these related services were free, but Jia Lian abolished them. He could provide the equipment, but the personnel services for daily life had to be charged.

Hamilton had no silver coins on him, but after handing a gold coin to the clerk, he received change, which was something he hadn't expected.

This was Jia Lian's rule: even those who provided services were not inferior to the barbarians and were not allowed to accept tips; otherwise, they would be dismissed.

In any case, this can be considered a new source of income for the minor officials of the Honglu Temple's post station.

Toothbrush, tooth powder, hot water from a copper basin, a clean new towel, a bar of soap for washing your face, and a young man standing to the side to serve you.

Hamilton felt the service was very attentive, but he thought it was a bit expensive. In the United States, his farm was staffed with maids or female slaves.

However, after washing his face with soap, Hamilton no longer felt it was expensive; it seemed the money was well spent.

On his first day in the capital, Hamilton was eager to go out and see the sights. He rented a carriage and, accompanied by a minor official, went to the east side of the city.

After a day of exploring the bustling East End, Hamilton reluctantly left, still wanting more. Looking at the young man who accompanied him, he realized that the three silver dollars he spent were well worth the price.

While writing alone in his room that evening, Hamilton's first words were: "Even in the capital of Tokyo, there are poor people, but they seem quite well-off; their clothes are clean, their faces are smiling, and their eyes are full of hope. It is said that this country prohibits opium, and many have paid a heavy price for it. I didn't see any shops selling opium, nor did I dare ask my companions to confirm. Everything at Tokyo is fine, except I can't understand the newspapers, which is a real pity. Upon returning home, I should suggest that universities offer Chinese language courses; otherwise, we will be left behind by the times."

The guesthouse provides free room and board, and guests can choose their own food using communal utensils. All the dishes are incredibly delicious; the students from Tokyo University are eating exceptionally well!

Pirates could appear at any moment on the high seas, and Europe was at war, drawing in more and more countries. The people of Tokyo University seemed so peaceful; it's said they'd show a different face when facing war. Who knows? Perhaps the Spanish will remember it most vividly. A storm is brewing in Latin America and South America; Europe is unable to attend to the Americas, and perhaps it can take Florida from the Spanish for free.

That's right. During the European wars, the United States spent money to buy several colonies. Later, its ambitions grew, and it set its sights on Canada, only to be thwarted by the British.

In a sense, without the pain of being thoroughly defeated by the British, a regular army would not have been born.

The delegation stayed in the capital for half a month without being summoned. Hamilton, who was indifferent at first, became anxious after a week and frequently visited the person in charge of the post station.

The information they received was the same: Duke Jia, who was in charge of diplomacy, was too busy to attend to them for the time being.

Actually, it wasn't that they couldn't take care of it; at least Jia Lian had entrusted the entire matter to the Court of State Ceremonial. It's just that the Court of State Ceremonial didn't take it seriously because Jia Lian showed no interest in it.

They're all barbarians, barbarians from the West. If Lord Jia doesn't care, then we'll just have to go through the proper procedures.

Despite receiving only the bare minimum treatment, with meals consisting of only four dishes and a soup, the entire US delegation had no complaints about the food.

Hamilton was probably the only one in the delegation who was anxious, after all, it concerned the status of the newly established United States in the world.

Jia Lian wasn't in a hurry; he was busy with Li Heng's affairs. Through subtle questioning by the staff at the guesthouse, he finally figured out the general purpose of the American delegation's visit.

It's useless to reason with Western barbarians; you have to beat them up first before they'll understand human language.

This was the first admonition Jia Lian gave to the staff of the Court of State Ceremonial.

In Jia Lian's view, the idea of ​​enhancing the country's status by establishing formal diplomatic relations with the Zhou Empire was indeed a very clever strategy.

Therefore, in his memorial to Li Yuan, Jia Lian pointed out that the treatment of the American delegation, given that this relatively unknown and emerging country, should not be treated in the same way as the European powers and should be classified as third-class.

The diplomatic hierarchy was also created by Jia Lian. What was the situation with the third tier? It allowed them to rent a house in the Guangzhou business district and leave one or two permanent representatives.

The first two ranks are Ministerial and Consul. Ministerial-level officials can buy or rent houses in Beijing to set up a legation, while Consul-level officials can buy houses in Guangzhou to set up a consulate.

Currently, only the UK, France, Russia, and Turkey are allowed to establish legations in Beijing. Representatives from other countries must reside in Guangzhou and may visit Beijing once a year to pay their respects and present their credentials.

Austria was very dissatisfied with this and lodged a strong protest. After all, Austria was now one of the better European powers, and the Holy Roman Empire still existed.

Unfortunately, neither Austria nor Austria-Hungary had a good impression on Jia Lian, so he was not given the rank of minister.

They could only stay in Guangzhou, sitting at the same table with the consuls from Prussia, Spain, and the Netherlands. Portugal was in an even worse situation, having to rent a place in the representative business district.

Westerners' activities in mainland China are still restricted; they can only operate in business districts of cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Songjiang, and Guangzhou. Diplomatic personnel, on the other hand, can operate in Beijing and Guangzhou.

As for missionaries, they were strictly prohibited from entering the country. The reason was simple: Tokyo University did not go to Europe to preach, and Europe did not allow them to come to Tokyo University to preach.

As for freedom or not, Jia Lian clearly wrote it down when he first formulated the rules.

In short, come if you want, get out if you don't.

If diplomats want to pray, they can simply set up a prayer area in their room.

This is probably the biggest point of contention for European and American countries, but unfortunately, the University of Tokyo is too powerful now. What can they do if they oppose it? They don't care about you at all.

Unbeknownst to Jia Lian, preoccupied with domestic affairs, the Second Coalition against France had dissolved in Europe due to defeat. All his efforts with Ying had resulted in a complete mess.

Fortunately, Britain was isolated overseas and pursued a policy of balancing with the mainland, so its own strength was not greatly affected.

At the same time, Napoleon began to actively contact the Ottoman Empire, expressing his support for it.

The Ottoman Empire, which was forced to recognize Tsarist Russia's access to the Black Sea during the last Russo-Turkish War, gradually increased its strength after receiving military cooperation and support from the Zhou Dynasty. Consequently, it began to look down on France. After all, France did not have a monarchy, and they were fundamentally different.

If it weren't for the fact that Dongda University was so far away, the Turkish Pasha wouldn't have bothered with France at all. Fortunately, Napoleon proved decisive and defeated the anti-French coalition, which changed Türkiye's attitude, and the two sides strengthened cooperation.

(End of this chapter)