The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 643 Xianfeng: I am a hard-working and positive long-haired person! (Please vote and subscribe)

Shanghai County, Yu Garden.

When Xianfeng stepped down from the carriage on the bluestone slab, he suddenly saw a familiar figure from the corner of his eye. He raised his head and met Wanzhen's suddenly widened almond eyes standing inside the gate of Yu Garden - this woman was the biological sister of Concubine Yi, Nara Lan'er, and had seen Xianfeng many times!

"Huang, Huang, Huang" Wanzhen's voice trembled, and her fingers twisted the handkerchief tightly. Behind her, the maids and dancers of the Wu Wang Mansion stood in two rows with their hands hanging down, and now they were curiously looking at their fourth wife - although this fourth wife was the youngest among the wives of Luo Wu Wang, she had always been the most well-behaved. Why was she so out of control today?
Xianfeng secretly cried out that it was not good, and quickly turned his face to the shadow while adjusting his long gown. At this time, Luo Yaoguo's scolding sounded just in time: "Wanzhen, what are you doing? Didn't you see that Third Brother Feng is here? Why don't you kowtow to Third Brother Feng!"

Wanzhen finally woke up from her dream, knelt down, and kowtowed to Feng Yunshan, who was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe. Feng Yunshan smiled and waved his hand: "Sister-in-law, please get up quickly." He turned his head and asked Luo Yaoguo, "Is this the younger sister of the Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty?"

When he asked this, Wanzhen and Xianfeng shuddered at the same time.

Luo Yaoguo said with a smile: "Don't be surprised, Third Brother. Wanzhen is just short-sighted. She must have seen that Zhao Si looked a bit like that salty monster, so she was frightened. Zhao Si, don't be surprised."

Xianfeng was sweating profusely on his forehead - Luo Yaoguo was too dangerous here! But he didn't dare to run away now, so he could only laugh at himself: "My head is not salty at all, how come it looks like that salty monster's head?"

As everyone laughed, Xianfeng saw Wanzhen had regained her composure and stood up to direct the maids and dancers to lead the guests into Yu Garden. But seeing the look she cast from time to time, Xianfeng knew that this woman would definitely tell tales later.

"Wanzhen, the welcoming banquet will be held in Deyue Tower. Please have someone send some tea and snacks to Sanshui Hall." Luo Yaoguo gave Wanzhen a few instructions and led Feng Yunshan and the others to Sanshui Hall.

"Wait a minute!"

Luo Yaoguo and Feng Yunshan had just walked a few steps together when Xianfeng, who was limping, suddenly took two steps forward and blocked the two of them. He then bowed to Feng Yunshan and said, "I, your son-in-law, dare to ask Uncle Jiu to let me face you alone - this is about the fate of the United States for a hundred years!"

Yu Garden, Yuhua Hall.

When Maria lit an English glass lamp, Luo Yaoguo was drinking the coffee brewed by Wanzhen in a Jingdezhen blue and white bone china cup. Feng Yunshan was sitting in a Huanghuali armchair drinking tea, and Rinzi was standing behind Feng Yunshan.

Xianfeng stood trembling in front of Luo Yaoguo and Feng Yunshan - it was said that he was facing off alone, but in fact, Xianfeng was facing Luo Yaoguo, Feng Yunshan, Maria, and Rinzi alone.

"Tell me about your 'America's Hundred Years of Destiny'." Luo Yaoguo took a sip of coffee, suddenly looked up and stared at Xianfeng's lame leg, and said thoughtfully: "You can accept Lehman and Morgan as your disciples, so you must be someone who knows beauty, right?"

"If Uncle Nine can trust me," Xianfeng straightened his back, his triangular eyes gleaming with brilliance, "within five years, America will be reduced to the loose sand it was before 1787!"

Feng Yunshan chuckled: "You are just bragging! It's ok for you to use the words in the Book of the Minor Prophets to deceive Americans, but your uncle Jiu is an angel who knows everything in heaven and on earth!"

Xianfeng pulled out a yellowed copy of the 1787 Constitution from his bosom and unfolded it in front of Luo Yaoguo: "Uncle Jiu, this is the Constitution of the United States of America passed in 1787. It is the ancestral family law of the United States. It is the key to the United States becoming a united federation rather than a loose confederation. It is also the source of many domestic disputes in the United States!"

interesting!
Luo Yaoguo immediately became interested. There aren't many Americans who understand the ancestral rules of the United States these days, let alone the Chinese?

This Zhao Si is not simple!

"Tell me about it!" Luo Yaoguo nodded.

Seeing Luo Yaoguo's interest, Emperor Xianfeng calmed down a little, and then poked the Tenth Amendment with his index finger: "Look here, the Tenth Amendment - 'The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.'"

"What's the use of this Tenth Amendment?" Feng Yunshan frowned. "It sounds a bit vague. How much power do the United States, the states, and the people have? It seems that it is not clearly stated!"

"This ambiguity is what we want," Xianfeng explained. "If it is made clear, it will be difficult to manipulate people from top to bottom. If it is not made clear, it will be easier for the central and local governments to argue. The current domestic controversy over slavery and abolition in the United States stems from the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. How much power should be reserved by the states or by the people? The upcoming American Civil War is actually a dispute over which has more power, the federal government or the states."

Luo Yaoguo looked at Xianfeng and said, "Zhao Si, do you mean that we should support the independence of the southern states of the United States?"

In Luo Yaoguo's view, splitting the United States is naturally the best option, but he thinks it is a bit difficult.

毕竟美国北方有2000多万人口，南方只有900万，其中350万还是黑奴。这是一场550万对2000多万的战争，而且2000多万一方已经有了相当不错的工业基础。

It's hard for the South to win!

"It's even better than that!" Xianfeng licked his dry lips. "We don't want them to be independent, but we want the states to take back the right to conscription, the right to mint coins, and the right to tariffs. By then, the Chinese in California will form their own militia, the New York True Tenants will control the ports, and the cotton plantation owners in the South and the factory owners in the North will fight in Congress." He deliberately imitated the tone of Americans, "God bless, America should be in bulk!"

Can you do this?

Luo Yaoguo never thought that the Civil War could create a loose America. He had only thought about letting the South hold out for a few more years - to be honest, this is quite difficult! How can an agricultural country with a population of 550 million fight a protracted war against a powerful country with a population of more than 2000 million in both industry and agriculture? It is impossible.

"Go on." Luo Yaoguo became interested.

"Today, the United States is generally a situation where the north is strong and the south is weak. The northern abolitionist states have overwhelming advantages in population, finance, and industry!" Xianfeng said, "So if the protracted war continues, the South will surely lose. This situation is similar to the Three Feudatories Rebellion of the past. The South is the Three Feudatories, and the North is the Qing Dynasty demons. The Three Feudatories cannot seek a long-term solution, but a quick decision! Because the Three Feudatories are weak in national strength but strong in military strength, and the same is true for the southern slave states of the United States. In the southern United States, the rich are farmers with abundant martial virtues, while the poor are brave and aggressive cowboys. Moreover, in the United States Federal Army, there are many officers and soldiers from the southern slave states. In addition, the militias in the southern states are also doing very well.

In contrast, the rich in the North were mostly factory owners, while the poor were the urban poor and factory workers. They rarely touched weapons and had little interest in joining the army, so it was difficult to form a strong army in a short period of time. If the South could launch a quick attack at the beginning of the Civil War, capture Washington and New York, and then force the northern abolitionist states to agree to strengthen state rights and limit federal power, the United States would still be a whole in name, but in reality it would be like, like.”

Maria’s blue eyes lit up. “Like the Holy Roman Empire!”

"Right!" Luo Yaoguo slapped his thigh, "Three hundred vassal states will argue with each other and nothing will be accomplished! By then, only the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's gunboats will be able to sail freely in the Pacific Ocean. The route from San Francisco to Manila, Zhao Si, you are really a genius!"

Xianfeng heaved a sigh of relief - he was under great pressure now! He dared not be a genius!

"Uncle Jiu," Xianfeng struck while the iron was hot, "If you trust me, I will bring Chiyoko back to the United States tomorrow and work hard for the Kingdom of Heaven. I will definitely help Senator Davis get promoted!"

Feng Yunshan added with a smile: "Zhao Si used the location of the mineral deposits written in the Book of the Minor Prophets and the Japanese beauty to win over many senators and representatives from southern slave states. Senator O'Connor's estate on Long Island is often full of guests, and all of them are American dignitaries!"

Ah, isn’t this Lolita Island?
"He is indeed a talent!" Luo Yaoguo nodded, "But this is not enough! Zhao Si, you will go to Luoyang camp to serve tomorrow!"

"Go to Luoyang?" Xianfeng was a little disappointed.

"That's right. You have to have real military experience to know how to help Davis." Luo Yaoguo's next words shocked Xianfeng. "Now the Western King is fighting Zeng Guofan, and Zuo Zongtang has also led his troops to Luoyang. You should serve under Zuo Zongtang and learn from General Zuo."

It's over if I go to serve Zuo Zongtang! Xianfeng thought to himself, "I kept Zuo Zongtang in Beijing for a long time and summoned him many times. If I go to Luoyang, he will definitely recognize me!"

Xianfeng was just thinking about how to refuse when Luo Yaoguo spoke to Feng Yunshan again: "Third brother, are you willing to give it up?"

Feng Yunshan laughed: "Why are you reluctant? Zhao Si, you and Chiyoko will get married tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow you two will set off together to the Luoyang Army!"

Finished!

Xianfeng felt so miserable!

"Little, I obey your order!" He didn't dare to say no! Who told him not to be the emperor now?
After arranging Zhao Si, Luo Yaoguo turned his attention to Lin Zi and said to Feng Yunshan with a smile, "Third brother, how about lending me your daughter Lin Zi as well?"

Feng Yunshan was a little amused by this. Although Rinzi, the "daughter", was fake, she was no longer an ordinary "fake daughter". She was the real Countess of Mount Temple in the United Kingdom and the mistress of Prince Napoleon of France. You, Luo Yaoguo, wanted to "borrow" just one sentence. Is this appropriate?

Thinking of this, Feng Yunshan looked at Linzi, and Linzi clasped her fists towards Feng Yunshan and said, "Father, I am a retainer of the King of Wu. If the King of Wu wants to use me, I will serve him wholeheartedly."

Feng Yunshan nodded: "Okay, Ninth Brother, Rinzi is now in your hands. You must take good care of her!"

(End of this chapter)