The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 299: Ministers, see God! (Please subscribe, please vote)
British Embassy, ​​Shanghai.

On the afternoon of the day Yang Xiuqing arrived in Shanghai, British Minister to China John Bowring was having a small gathering with American Minister to China Charles Marshall and French Minister to China Charles Bourboulon in his own embassy, ​​and they exchanged views on future changes in China's domestic situation.

"Gentlemen, according to reliable intelligence, the Shanghai Military Governor's Office has reached an agreement with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to surrender, and will pay tribute in exchange for the autonomy of the six counties of Shanghai, Jiading, Baoshan, Chongming, Nanhui, Fengxian and Chuansha Hall under its jurisdiction. Although the Shanghai Military Governor's Office will continue to maintain its loyalty to the Qing court for some time to come, the development of the situation is obviously very unfavorable to the Qing Dynasty."

British Minister to the Kingdom, Sir John Bowring, was filled with worry about the future. He paused and continued, "There are two possible outcomes in the future. One is that the Qing Dynasty will be defeated in the decisive battle and China will be unified by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!"

"This is simply a disaster!" French Minister Bourboulon shouted, "We must stop this from happening!"

British Minister Bonham turned his head and looked at American Minister Marsali. Marsali tilted his head and asked: "What is the other possible direction?"

"North-South confrontation!" After saying this, British Minister to the United Kingdom, John Bowring, picked up the coffee cup on the coffee table and began to sip it.

Mashali raised his eyebrows. "That sounds great! If a country with a population of more than 400 million is unified by a vibrant military-political group, it would not be a good thing for us anyway, right? If they are always in the Civil War, it will undoubtedly be the most beneficial to us!"

Bourboulon shrugged and said seriously: "Although our French Empire has always been ruthless to the enemies of Catholicism, the confrontation between the north and the south of China is acceptable!"

When Bonham and Marsalis heard that "France is merciless to the enemies of God", they could not help but smile mockingly.

Who was it that allied with the Ottoman Empire to fight against the Holy Roman Empire? Wasn't it the French?

"Okay," Wen Xian muttered to himself for a while, then put down his coffee cup, picked up a stack of documents beside him, and handed them to Marsali and Bulblom with a smile, "Take a look at this. This is the supplementary agreement to the Treaty of Jiangning that Prince Gong and I reached. There are six articles in total. By the way, he is in Shanghai now, living in Wu Daotai's Tongshun Building."

"What? Prince Gong is coming to Shanghai?"

When Marsali took over the copy of the supplementary agreement to the Treaty of Nanjing, he seemed a little surprised. He seemed unaware that Prince Gong Yixin had already arrived in Shanghai.

The French Minister Bourboulen took the document handed over by Bonham with a calm expression, took out a pair of glasses, put them on, and began to read them carefully.

The "Supplementary Agreement" consisted of only six short articles. Marsalis and Bourboulon read through it quickly. The American then showed an expression of surprise, while the French envoy looked delighted.

"30,000 flintlock rifles, 100 cannons, 600,000 rounds of ammunition, and 10,000 barrels of gunpowder. What a big deal!"

"We also need to provide officers to help train at least 50,000 new troops? We also need to help the Qing Dynasty build a gun factory and a cannon factory in Tianjin. Salioer, are you in Britain really ready to side with the Qing Dynasty?"

Bonham smiled and said to his American and French colleagues: "Britain is obviously neutral! But the interests of the empire in China must be maintained. If the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is truly willing to protect the interests of the empire in China, we don't mind watching these heretical Christians unify China."

"So what does it mean that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is truly willing to protect our interests in China?" asked American Minister Marshall.

Wen Xian smiled and said, "Of course, it is to allow free trade in opium, open more trading ports and allow us to set up concessions at these ports, grant us extraterritoriality, grant us unilateral most-favored-nation treatment, negotiate with us to set a reasonable low tariff, and jointly manage the customs. These are all I can think of at the moment. What about you?"

French Minister Bourboulon said: "France will never support the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to unify China! Unless they are willing to give up their wrong heretical beliefs!"

Wen Xian said "Oh" and did not comment.

Marsali thought for a moment and said, "Major General Matthew Perry hopes to obtain an island near the Chinese coast as a trading base."

"Where does he want?" asked Wen Xian.

"Taiwan!" said Marsali.

"Ah?" Wen Xian stared at the American in surprise, "Is he serious? That's China's second largest island!"

Mashali nodded: "I think he is serious! But this is not an instruction from the US State Department, just his personal suggestion. If the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom agrees..."

He stopped talking halfway and then looked at Wen Xian with burning eyes.

This is still the era when the British Empire dominates the oceans!
The United States has just used black ships to "ram" Japan's national gate, and now it covets China's second largest island. Its ambition is really too big.
When Wen Xian was thinking about whether he or Luo Yaoguo should stop the Americans' ambitions, his secretary, a young man who looked very young and handsome, walked in quickly, handed him a note, and then stood aside politely.

"What is this?" Wen Xian was stunned when he picked up the note.

"Salyor, what happened?" asked the American Minister.

Wen Xian frowned and said, "It seems that the God of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has come to Shanghai and is now living in the Huang Family Garden next to Tongshun Building!"

"What?" The French ambassador looked surprised.

"What is he doing in Shanghai?" The American minister was interested in the purpose of this "God".

Wen Xian said: "He is here to see us!"

"No, I absolutely cannot see him!" The French ambassador shook his head and said seriously, "unless he is willing to give up his heresy and sincerely repent to God!"

The American envoy said "hmm" and did not comment.
Shanghai Yu Garden.

The location of the Shanghai Governor's Mansion is now in chaos.

Now that Luo Xueyan is not in Shanghai, the Governor-General's Office is presided over by Wang Dalong, Wang Kuiyi and Xu Yuegui. These three people are the heads of the military, political and special forces in Shanghai respectively. Logically, there is nothing they cannot handle.

But this time, an unexpected event occurred that they couldn't deal with!
Just this afternoon, Ye Zhifa, the attendant of the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, arrived at Yu Garden and specifically asked to see Xu Yuegui. Xu Yuegui certainly dared not refuse to meet the Eastern King's envoy, and after meeting him, Ye Zhifa told Xu Yuegui that the Eastern King had come to Shanghai incognito and ordered her to go to Huang's Garden to meet him immediately!
The King of East has come to Shanghai!

And he lives next door to Prince Gong Yixin!
Did they agree on this?

Now that Luo Xueyan is not here, Yang Xiuqing suddenly visits Shanghai. What exactly does he want to do?
Could it be that they were here to capture Prince Gong Yixin and force Luo Xueyan to reveal his identity and break with the Qing Dynasty?
Xu Yuegui couldn't make up her mind, so she had to order people to call Wang Dalong, the chief of the Shanghai New Army, and Wang Kuiyi, who was in charge of government affairs while Luo Xueyan was away from Shanghai, to discuss the matter.

As a result, just as Wang Dalong and Wang Kuiyi arrived, someone else came to report that the Prime Minister of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had received the favor!

Xu Yuegui, Wang Dalong and Wang Kuiyi had no choice but to invite Meng De'en into Dianchun Hall immediately.

then
"What? The king is coming to Shanghai?"

"The king has left the capital?"

"Where is the king?"

After hearing Meng De'en convey Hong Xiuquan's secret order, Xu Yuegui, Wang Dalong and Wang Kuiyi all jumped up.

To be honest, they were already overwhelmed by Prince Gong, and now there was Yang Xiuqing, and they didn’t know how to deal with him. Now Hong Xiuquan was coming again!
Is Shanghai that fun?

What are you all running here for?
Xu Yuegui couldn't help but wonder: "Who will be next? Will it be Xianfeng?"

Meng De'en saw the three people's big reactions and couldn't help but frowned slightly: "The King of Heaven is only visiting incognito. He is coming by water and should be here in two or three days.

You just need to arrange some foreigners to read the True Testament in the church! Oh, it would be even better if you could arrange some beautiful foreign sisters to read the True Testament.

Meng De'en noticed that Xu Yuegui, Wang Dalong, and Wang Kuiyi were all dumbfounded, so he frowned and asked, "Why? Can't you do it?"

Huang Family Garden.

Yang Xiuqing had just finished dinner and was leaning on the second-floor balcony of the Huang Family Garden building, observing the situation in the Wu Family Garden next door. A melodious singing voice came to his ears. It was still the "Thin Horse" sent by Huang Xiqing singing a little tune.

Of course Huang Xiqing had reported to him that Prince Gong of the Qing Dynasty lived next door to him, but Yang Xiuqing did not order anyone to arrest Prince Gong - he was "God", after all, so of course he knew the principle of "loving his enemies". How could he not take good care of such an incompetent enemy?
But he was still very curious why Prince Gong hid in Shanghai?

Is he afraid of having to explain himself when he returns to Beijing if he loses the battle?

At this time, a four-wheeled carriage suddenly stopped outside the Huang family garden. A foreigner got off the carriage and patted the gate of the Huang family garden. A servant of the Huang family opened the small door installed on the gate, stuck his head out to ask a few questions, and then ran towards the Huang family building. After a while, Huang Xiqing was seen trotting to Yang Xiuqing with his robe in his hand, kneeling down and saying respectfully: "Your Highness, the Eastern King, the French envoy Bourboulon wants to see you!"

(End of this chapter)