The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 504: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs land in the sun, and Prince Albert needs to prolong his life

The dense spring rain in London soaked the cracks of the stone slabs on Whitehall Street, and Wu Chongyao's official boots stepped on the potholes of puddles. The bronze lions on the columns of the British Foreign Office held their heads high in the rain, and in the main hall, Prime Minister Viscount Palmerston used the silver-handled letter opener handed to him by Foreign Secretary Earl Granville to cut open the copy of the Treaty of Nanking on the table.

"Mr. Special Envoy, I think you are familiar with this treaty. You also contributed to its conclusion!" Viscount Palmerston scratched a fine line on the treaty with his silver-handled letter opener. "Of course, I am the real initiator of this treaty. If your Prime Minister hates this treaty, then let him curse me with his most vicious curse! I am already 71 years old this year, and I am not afraid of his curse. Otherwise, please ask him to recognize this treaty first, and then we can seriously discuss how to modify and improve it."

Wu Chongyao stroked his enamel tobacco box, his eyes sweeping over the copy of the Treaty of Nanjing pointed at by Viscount Palmerston's letter opener: "Mr. Prime Minister, to be honest, our Prime Minister did predict your life span, and you can live beyond 80 years old. Of course, the future can be changed! If you can maintain a moderate life, don't smoke, drink less, and always maintain a good attitude, you may be able to live a few more years."

The British Prime Minister exhaled lightly, extinguished the cigar in his hand, glanced at the whiskey on the table, and suddenly laughed, revealing a rare gentle expression: "There are indeed many unreasonable parts in the Treaty of Nanjing, such as the cession of Hong Kong Island. Now it seems that this island is meaningless, except for humiliating the Chinese. If you can participate in the war against Russia, this island can be returned to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom immediately."

The bells of Westminster Abbey rang from outside the window, and Wu Chongyao continued to play with his enamel tobacco box. He remembered what Luo Yaoguo said when he handed the tobacco box to him: The Treaty of Nanjing cannot be a bargaining chip in the Sino-British negotiations. What the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs is land under the sun.

"Mr. Prime Minister, as you said, Hong Kong Island is meaningless," he picked up the Royal Doulton bone china teacup and took a sip of the fragrant milk tea. "It doesn't matter whether you are willing to hand it over to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In short, you will not get even a penny of positive income from Hong Kong! Moreover, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is not bound by the Treaty of Nanjing, just like the Ottoman Empire would not recognize the treaties signed by the Eastern Roman Empire as valid for it."

"Mr. Envoy, this is not in compliance with international law!" British Foreign Secretary Earl Granville solemnly reminded, "The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is the successor of the Qing Dynasty, and the Ottoman Empire is not the successor of Rome."

"Inherit what?" Wu Chongyao's eyes swept across the brass globe on the wooden table, looking at the red-painted Qing territory on it. "Every inch of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's land was stained red with the blood of the Heavenly Kingdom's warriors. We have never inherited anything from the Qing Dynasty. Moreover, Britain still maintains diplomatic relations with the Qing Dynasty to this day! If Britain recognizes that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is the successor of the Qing Dynasty, then it should not recognize the Qing Dynasty diplomatically, let alone sell weapons and equipment to the Qing Dynasty to oppose China's legitimate government."

As if he had grasped something, Earl Granville said, "We can withdraw our diplomatic envoys from Tianjin, and we can also promise not to sell guns and cannons to the Qing Dynasty as long as you recognize the Treaty of Nanjing, and then negotiate on the basis of the Treaty of Nanjing."

Wu Chongyao shook his head firmly: "Count, please do not discuss any content related to the Treaty of Nanjing anymore. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom does not need you to withdraw your envoys from Tianjin, nor does it need you to suspend the arms trade with the Qing Dynasty. This is not what the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs!"

Lord Palmerston closed his copy of the Treaty of Nanking and asked, "So what do you Taipings want from the British Empire?"

Wu Chongyao turned his gaze to the colorfully painted brass globe, and then said word by word: "The biggest problem facing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom at present is not how to eliminate the Qing Dynasty entrenched in the north, but the excessive population in the country! The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs land under the sun!"

Sparks suddenly flew from the oak in the fireplace, and Viscount Palmerston winked at the Foreign Minister beside him, who stood up and moved the large and heavy globe between the Prime Minister and Wu Chongyao. The British Prime Minister moved the globe, and then tapped his knuckles lightly on the location of Southeast Asia: "Is it here? Is this what your Prime Minister wants?" He looked at the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's envoy with sarcasm, "But you don't even have a decent navy, and you don't even need our Royal Navy. The small fleet of the Dutch in the East Indies can stop your expansion to the south!"

The British Prime Minister turned the globe again. Wu Chongyao's eyes swept across the orange-yellow of the small Kingdom of the Netherlands on the European continent and shook his head gently: "No, they can't. As long as Britain does not stand on the side of the Netherlands and does not let the Dutch navy interfere with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's maritime trade. Of course, we will not make excessive demands. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom can recognize Britain's Straits Settlements, Lower Burma, and the Netherlands' interests in the East Indies outside Borneo, and Spain's colonies in the Philippines. But the expansion of Western powers in Southeast Asia must be stopped, and you cannot prevent the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's expatriates from entering your colonies in Southeast Asia, let alone use violence to exclude Chinese immigrants there."

"You mean, Southeast Asia is the Southeast Asia of East Asians?" Viscount Palmerston interrupted Wu Chongyao. "The Prime Minister of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has a big appetite!"

Wu Chongyao gently turned the globe and pointed the North Pacific Ocean at Viscount Palmerston and Earl Granville, then pointed his finger at an archipelago belonging to the Russian Empire off the coast of North America: "The Prime Minister also hopes to obtain the Alexander Archipelago after defeating the Russian Empire. It is just a barren land."

"Haha," Viscount Palmerston sneered, "A springboard to the American continent! I still underestimated your Prime Minister!"

Wu Chongyao shrugged: "Now every year, 100,000 Chinese cross the ocean to enter the North American continent. They are all God's people. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs to protect their interests. Our goal is limited to this."

"But that is the territory of the Russian Empire!" Palmerston's eyes were cold, and the corners of his mouth still maintained a sarcastic smile. He looked at the vast white Tsarist Russia on the globe, "When the war is over, you go and negotiate with them! If the Russian bear is willing to cede land, we have no objection." "Okay, it's a deal!" Wu Chongyao said, and took out a yellow silk package from his briefcase. After untying it, there was a scroll inside, "Mr. Prime Minister, this is the proposed text of the new Sino-British Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation proposed by our Prime Minister. Please have a look!"

Viscount Palmerston took the scroll and gently unfolded it. Beautiful English cursive characters appeared on the white silk.

Viscount Palmerston's leather shoes and the second Duke of Wellington's military boots knocked on the marble floor of the Turquoise Room. Queen Victoria held Luo Yaoguo's handwritten letter, her face livid.

"The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's envoy said that Prince Albert will be in 1861." The second Duke of Wellington's bald forehead was covered with sweat. "After research, the experts of the Magic Committee believe that you and Your Highness must not ignore this prophecy or curse!"

The Queen stood up suddenly, her blue silk skirt brushing against the shiny marble that could reflect people's shadows. "Quick, go and get Albert, and the chief royal doctor!" The Queen roared, and then muttered in a low voice, "1861. Six years later! How is this possible? My dear Albert is only 6 years old this year! Only 36 years old, and he will only be 36 years old in six years."

The prince and the royal doctor quickly rushed to the queen's side. Prince Albert, who was only 36 years old this year but looked almost 46 years old, seemed frightened. He trotted over and asked his petite queen with an extremely concerned tone: "Queen, what's wrong with you? Why did you call me and the royal doctor? Oh, and the Viscount and the Duke!"

He saw the Chairman of the British Magic Council and immediately thought of something: "No, the Queen is cursed?"

Victoria shook her head with a sad look on her face, "No, it's not me."

"That is." Prince Albert looked again at the old, staggering Palmerston.

"Prince, the Prime Minister of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom said that I can live to be over 80 years old." There was no joy in the British Prime Minister's tone, but rather it sounded very sad.

"It's not the Queen, and it's not you." The prince looked at the second Duke of Wellington again - he didn't seem to be worth cursing, "Then who is cursed?"

"Doctor, please check the prince's body quickly!" Victoria said with tears in her eyes to the doctor who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was a bit older and looked experienced.

"Give it to me?" Prince Albert felt dizzy. "Me, me. Why?"

The power of the "curse" is really strong! Prince Albert, who was just a little tired, suddenly felt unwell, dizzy, blurred vision, back pain, and weak legs. It was just like the feeling after serving the Queen two or three times in bed at night!
"Prince, please don't be nervous." The second Duke of Wellington hurried forward to support the much younger prince. "According to the prophecy, you can live for another six years, and the future can be changed! This has been proven by Viscount Stokes through calculations and logical deduction."

"Six years." Prince Albert breathed a sigh of relief. "Is it only six years that I have?"

The British Prime Minister shook his head and said in the gentlest tone possible: "Prince, it may depend on more than just garlic and coptis root."

(End of this chapter)