The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 314: British Running Dog Luo Xueyan (Request for subscription, request for votes)
"Your Majesty, Mr. Luo has also carefully prepared a gift for you."

Wang Libin raised the tray in his hand again and said to Li Hongzhang, "Lord Li, please help me."

Li Hongzhang immediately walked to Wang Libin and opened the beautifully carved wooden box. Inside was a small figure carved from mutton-fat white jade - a bust of Queen Victoria!

Li Hongzhang carefully held up the jade statue with both hands and presented it to Queen Victoria. The Queen recognized it as her own jade statue at a glance and praised it at the time: "It's so beautiful. Is it carved based on my portrait from ten years ago?"

The portrait of the Queen of England was hung in the Governor's House of the British overseas colonies and the British embassy abroad. However, the statue Luo Xueyan gave to Victoria was a meticulous painting copied from a picture collected in his "Tongtian Mirror" and carved by the best carver in Shanghai.

Wang Libin quickly continued Victoria's words and said, "I don't know about that. I only know that there is a portrait of you hanging in Mr. Luo's office. It is a Chinese fine brush painting. It is said that it was copied from your portrait in the Governor's Palace of the Straits Settlements. This white jade statue should have been carved according to that painting."

"Oh? There's still a portrait of me hanging in his office?"

Queen Victoria seemed very happy. While asking questions, she took her jade statue from Li Hongzhang.

Wang Libin smiled and said, "Mr. Luo grew up in the Straits Settlements. Strictly speaking, he is also a subject of Her Majesty the Queen!"

"Really?" Queen Victoria smiled and looked at an old man standing beside her who was wearing a tuxedo, tall, with a serious expression, and white hair and beard.

This old man is the number one promoter of the Opium War, Henry John Temple Palmerston, the eternal number one hardliner in the House of Commons and the British government. Although he is now the Home Secretary in Gordon's coalition cabinet, because he advocated the launch of the Opium War more than ten years ago and won, he has become a recognized "Qing Dynasty expert" in British politics. Therefore, he was invited to Windsor Castle today to accompany the Queen to meet the Sushun delegation and serve as an advisor.

Of course, this "Qing Dynasty expert" had never been to China, did not understand Chinese, and had never even seen a Chinese person before today! His channels for understanding the "Qing Dynasty" were the same as those of other ministers in the cabinet, through diplomats who helped the Qing Dynasty, such as Wenxian, Alcock, and Wade.

Seeing the Queen's look, Palmerston, the "Qing Dynasty expert", took a step forward, then turned and bowed slightly to the Queen: "Your Majesty, according to Minister Bonham's report, Mr. Luo Xueyan was born in the Straits Settlements. He belongs to a ruling family in the Lan Fang Republic on the island of Kalimantan. This small republic was founded by his ancestors more than 70 years ago."

"Lan Fang Republic?" Queen Victoria thought for a moment. "I haven't heard much about it. If I remember correctly, the Dutch East India Company has always coveted Kalimantan Island, right? Does that Asian republic still exist now?"

Palmerston replied: "Your Majesty, this little republic still exists, but it is in a very bad state. Only a small piece of land remains, and there are not many people left. Perhaps in a few years, it will be annexed by the Dutch East India Company unless this country can get strong foreign aid!"
Luo Xueyan was actually a warlord with some European thinking. He relied on successful speculation in the chaos in China and, with the support of the British, American, French and other consuls stationed in Shanghai, he controlled a European army of thousands of people, which enabled him to have his current position. "

"Oh" the Queen of England seemed to understand something.

Minister Luo Xueyan, who hung her portrait in his office, was not a stubborn traditional Chinese official, but a vassal of the Chinese emperor who wanted to cling to her thick legs.

Moreover, his own family also had a small republic on the island of Kalimantan in Southeast Asia that was in urgent need of support from the British Empire.

Obviously, this is a running dog that the British Empire can win over and use!
Thinking of this, the Queen of England smiled and said to Wang Libin: "Mr. Wang, I will personally write a reply letter to Minister Luo Xueyan and give him a gift in return." Wang Libin immediately followed the Queen of England's words and made a request on behalf of Luo Xueyan: "Your Majesty, Mr. Luo Xueyan told me that if Your Majesty wants to give him a gift, he hopes to get a portrait of Your Majesty. This portrait will become a family heirloom of the Lan Fang Luo family!"

When the Queen of England heard this, her eyes curved with laughter: "Okay, I agree."

Wang Libin bowed 90 degrees again: "On behalf of Minister Luo Xueyan, I would like to thank Her Majesty the Queen for her support!"

Queen Victoria smiled and nodded, obviously accepting Wang Libin's statement - she supported Luo Xueyan!
With the support of Queen Victoria, Luo Xueyan could firmly hold the position of a lackey of the British Empire. After all, in the Far East, it seemed that there was no one more suitable than Luo Xueyan to be a lackey of the British Empire.

Naturally, one could gain some benefits by being a running dog of the British Empire in the 19th century. Didn't Japan in history start out by being a running dog of Britain?
Therefore, before the Sushun delegation left Shanghai, Luo Xueyan discussed with Wang Libin three plans to fleece the British Empire - which plan to use depended on Queen Victoria's attitude towards Luo Xueyan.

While Luo Xueyan's staff and representative Wang Libin were thinking about what plan to take next to fleece the British Empire, the British queen smiled and said to Li Hongzhang: "Mr. Li, I will invite you, Prince Sushun, and Mr. Wang to dinner. I would like to know some interesting stories about the Qing emperor and the court. I heard that he has 3,000 beautiful wives. Is this true?"

That night, Sushun, Li Hongzhang and Wang Libin had dinner with the Queen Mother of England and Prince Wang Fu in a restaurant hung with portraits of successive British prime ministers and decorated in a somewhat nouveau riche style.

The restaurant was not particularly large, with a long table that could seat many people, and the table was piled with flowers and candles. The Queen and Prince Albert sat at each end of the long table - because there were too many flowers and candles on the table, they probably couldn't see each other while eating.

Sitting on the two long sides of the long table were the accompanying British officials and Sushun, Li Hongzhang and Wang Libin - all of them were sitting, on an equal footing with the Queen of England, talking and laughing, looking quite happy!

Of course, it was mainly the conversation between Her Majesty the Queen and Mr. Li Hongzhang.
"I really didn't know that foreigners have hot air balloons that can carry people to the sky! It's all because of my shallow knowledge and ignorance of foreign affairs. I thought that the Taiping rebels really had some magical powers, so I thought about preserving my strength for the future. Who knew that I would be defeated and lose the territories of Yangzhou, Tongzhou, and Haimen Hall in succession. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

In the quiet Haiyan Hall of the Old Summer Palace, a young man in his twenties could be heard sobbing. Emperor Xianfeng, who was rumored to have 3,000 beautiful wives, sat on a Western-style sofa, leaning his body, and no one knew what he was thinking. His pockmarked face was filled with helplessness.

The one kneeling before him was none other than Prince Gong. The ruby ​​top of his hat was gone, and the feathers on the back of his hat had been plucked out. He looked dejected as he kept talking and crying, and when he got emotional, he kept banging his head on the ground.

After waiting for Prince Gong to finish his sobbing, Emperor Xianfeng slowly said, "This defeat will open the way for the Taiping rebels to march north. What should we do next? Our father-in-law always praises you for your ability and your many ideas. Now, tell me, how should we two brothers deal with this situation? The Qing Dynasty will not really perish in our hands, will it?"

"No, the Qing Dynasty will not fall!" Prince Gong cried with his forehead on the ground, "The long-haired Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had a fight with the Catholic Church and the London Missionary Society in Shanghai a few days ago, and beat the Catholic Bishop Zhao Fangji to death, causing a religious incident, which offended the foreigners. So the foreigners are willing to support our Qing Dynasty. As long as there is the support of foreigners, the Qing Dynasty will not fall! The only one who will fall is the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!"

Xianfeng raised his eyelids and said, "Just because a foreign bishop was killed by the Taiping rebels, all foreigners will support our Qing Dynasty? Is that possible?"

"Your Majesty." Prince Gong gritted his teeth and said, "I can sell the Qing Dynasty. I can sell the country! I can sell China! I have reached a secret agreement with the British in Shanghai to open several northern ports including Tianjin, jointly manage customs, agree on tariffs, and completely liberalize the import of foreign cigarettes."

(End of this chapter)