The arrogance started from Chinatown

Chapter 572 America: Why me again?

"Are we, the British Empire, going to make concessions to a small fry? What a joke! And he has disrupted our deployment in South America!" Foreign Minister Robert Gascoigne, Marquis Cecil, frowned in displeasure.

"You should use a more appropriate method to solve this matter!"

"You should know the effect and value of penicillin! If the other party really wants to fight to the death... considering his personality, he will definitely do so!"

"Then those nobles and wealthy people outside will be very angry! This will not benefit you or us!"

Marquis Robert Cecil frowned, but did not give in.

"I'll think about this again!"

After the other party left, Robert Cecil folded his arms and considered how to deal with the Chen Zhengwei matter.

Then someone else came to visit.

"Perhaps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should reconsider the Chen Zhengwei issue! There's no need to make things so awkward, right?"

Robert Cecil also had a headache when he saw the visitor for this matter.

A local warlord who had gained some power with the support of Britain actually dared to refuse Britain's request. It can be said that there was nothing wrong with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' approach.

However, when the other party took out penicillin, the situation changed completely.

In fact, even he knew in his heart that many aristocrats and wealthy people in the British upper class were waiting for penicillin.

The emergence of penicillin is very important to them, as it can cure some diseases that they are not convenient to let others know about.

Some of them have already collected it in the United States using their own channels.

Some other people are also waiting for imported drugs. If there is a problem with the import of penicillin, they will be in a passive position.

There will be many people attacking him.

And those who come to him now are his allies.

The one who asked these people to persuade him was also his ally, the seventh Duke of Marlborough.

In fact, the seventh Duke of Marlborough had already sent him a telegram last night.

"If we withdraw our action against the Chinese, it will be a disgrace to Britain!" said Robert Cecil.

"You can protest to the United States! After all, he is an American!" the other party said directly.

"Besides, no one dares to mention this matter. We are the most powerful country in the world! Strong ships and cannons are our strength!"

"No one mentioned it? The frogs (especially the French) must have something to say!" Robert Cecil rubbed his temple:
"I'll think about it again!"

But soon, he received another piece of news that made him angry.

The cruisers Sirius and Strong intercepted the San Francisco merchant ship in Costa Rican waters and clashed with Chen Zhengwei's fleet.

The Qiangang fired a warning shot to Chen Zhengwei, but Chen Zhengwei fired back directly in this situation and hit the Qiangang.

The Strong is currently undergoing repairs in the port of Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

This news made Robert Cecil extremely angry.

But it also made him realize that the Chinese man is now fearless!
I won't give in as easily as I originally thought.

Considering the attitude of the seventh Duke of Marlborough and other nobles, continuing would likely lead to him getting into trouble.

After thinking about it for a morning, he first telegraphed John Churchill.

Then he finally made up his mind.

"Penicillin can't protect him forever! Soon, all countries will have smokeless gunpowder, and sooner or later someone else will be able to copy penicillin! By that time, his value will be gone!"

Lord Robert Cecil then convened a meeting at the Foreign Office.

"The United States has violated the principle of neutrality. We should give them some warnings!" Marquis Robert Cecil said to everyone.

"We will raise the quality requirements for certain goods from the United States! Please give me a list! It will be announced after the cabinet discusses it!"

Other people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were all stunned.

But they soon realized that something must have happened that they didn't know about.

"Yes, Minister!"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked very quickly and came up with a plan.

The quality requirements for cotton, tobacco and some industrial products exported to the United States will be raised, increasing the costs and difficulties for American exporters.

The plan was then sent to the cabinet for discussion.

Soon, the British Foreign Office held a press conference: "Because the United States has violated the principle of neutrality and actively intervened in and influenced the wars in Chile, Peru and Bolivia, we will lodge a solemn protest to the United States!"

"In addition, due to random inspections at ports, some goods imported from the United States were found to be substandard, so we have proposed new standards for some goods!"

After the Foreign Office press conference, most British people reacted with support.

They have long been dissatisfied with the upstart United States.

They are obviously a group of prisoners and descendants of lowly sailors, but now they possess huge wealth and are on equal footing with them.

When the news and official documents were delivered to the desk of US Secretary of State William Everts.

William Everts threw the cup directly.

"Who can tell me what is happening? What are the British going crazy for?" William Everts' eyes were full of anger.

Still feeling a little aggrieved.

"Have they taken any measures against Chen Zhengwei and San Francisco?" William Everts asked after taking a deep breath.

"No! According to the information we received, they had some conflicts at sea near Costa Rica. A British cruiser suffered some damage and is now undergoing repairs in the port of Costa Rica!" said William Everts' secretary.

"They must have agreed on something!"

"Penicillin!" William Everts gritted his teeth.

Then he sat back in the chair somewhat weakly, rubbing his temples continuously.

His headaches have been getting worse recently.

Sometimes I feel pain even in my dreams. "We do not recognize any of the British accusations! Their actions are creating conflicts and will make the relationship between the two sides tense..." William Everts said as he asked his secretary to take notes and prepare for a press conference.

Halfway through his speech, William Everts waved his hand. "I'm going to the White House first!"

In a study in the White House, Secretary of State William Everts sat on the sofa and said:
"That guy has been causing trouble recently, but those countries always protest to us!"

"Colombia, Chile... and the UK. The UK's actions are more drastic. They want to raise the quality standards for our products, which will increase the export costs and difficulties for our merchants!"

After hearing what the Secretary of State said, President William Wheeler also began to have a headache. He felt that he was one of the most frustrated presidents in American history.

Second only to Rutherford Hayes.

"After all, in the eyes of other countries, he is an American!"

"The British had a conflict with him, but because of penicillin, in the end the British did not cause trouble for him. Instead, they put pressure on us!" William Everts continued.

"What do you think we should do?" William Wheeler asked directly.

"I deny all accusations and reserve the right to retaliate!"

"That's it!" President William Wheeler nodded in agreement.

Soon, the Secretary of State held a press conference and said very firmly:

"The UK's accusation that we violated the principle of neutrality is completely untrue. It is a false accusation! They elevated the behavior of some businessmen to the national level, which is a wrong behavior!"

"I hope the UK will not go further down the wrong path. If the UK changes the quality standards for our goods, we will also consider raising tariffs on some of the UK's goods!"

The reporters below all looked a little strange as they took notes quickly.

Journalists are the most informed, so they all know what is going on.

However, now that Britain and the United States are at loggerheads, no one seems to have mentioned the culprit.

Everyone walked around him as if it had nothing to do with him.

However, everyone knew that he was the one who started all this.

……

While Britain and the United States were engaged in a verbal battle, the fleet transporting supplies replenished in Panama and then set off again for Peru.

This time, it was escorted by Chen Zhengwei's fleet.

At the dock, those Chinese who were still staying in Panama watched a fleet of dozens of ships leave the Panama port.

"It's so spectacular!" Rong Kui exclaimed.

"Yes, it's really spectacular!" Yung Wing agreed.

"Only when a country and a nation are strong can this country and its people have confidence!"

"Although San Francisco is not a country, it is no different from a country to us. It is precisely because of the strength of San Francisco that we can stand here now! That is why we have such a large fleet!" Yung Wing smiled with some pride.

"Uncle, aren't you going back to the Qing Dynasty?" Rong Kui turned his head and asked.

Yung Wing was silent for a moment, looking into the distance without saying anything.

After all, the Qing Dynasty was not a place for him to stay.

This is especially true after staying in Los Angeles for a long time.

Although the United States is far away from our homeland, it is truly building a place where Chinese people can find a place to stay and be proud of.

……

When Yung Wing was overwhelmed with emotions, he was in a dim house in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

An old man with a braid, a beard and a mandarin jacket was curled up on the couch smoking opium.

"Third Master, there hasn't been a ship here for a year! All the supplies are gone!" said a sturdy man beside him.

It has been a year since any ship from the Qing Dynasty arrived here.

Most of Xieshengtang’s business here has been cut off.

Their original business was human beings, brothels and opium, but now the piglets and opium are gone, leaving only the protection fees, casinos and brothel business.

"What can we do if the ships don't come? They're all in the south! Business is booming over there, but all the ships have gone there!" The old man said unhappily on the couch.

"Third Master, I heard that the status of Chinese people there is much higher than here! What do you think, brothers? Should we…"

“Ma Liu, do you remember who took you in?” The old man on the couch looked as sharp as an eagle.

"Third Master, I haven't treated you unfairly, have I? Now that you've grown stronger, are you looking for a better job?"

"Third Master, you know that's not what I meant! I will never forget your kindness to me in my life! It's just that some of my brothers are feeling uneasy now! Now the boat won't go this way, we have to think of a way!" the sturdy man said hurriedly.

The old man's eyes flickered, he knew that people's hearts were unstable now.

Although there were no ships coming here, there were still some people who occasionally took ships to and from the United States and Canada, and they could hear some things from the people there.

Over in San Francisco, Chen Lao Hu is very powerful.

The status of the Chinese is also high.

In addition, life is difficult in Canada. Although I can have enough food to eat, my two most profitable businesses are now closed, and I don’t have much money left.

The number of Chinese people here is decreasing as each one dies.

So people's hearts began to waver.

"It's not that I don't want to go! That Chen Lao Hu is not a good guy and won't tolerate us!" said the Third Master after his eyes flashed for a moment.

"Third Master, there are so many cities in the United States, can he really cover the sky with one hand? With brothers like us around, he can carve out a name for himself anywhere." Seeing that Third Master seemed to be softening a little, Ma Liu immediately advised.

"The Chinese have a high status over there. As long as we don't provoke that Lao Hu Chen, we can make a name for ourselves in any city!"

"That Chen Lao Hu thing has only been going on for the past two years."

"After all, there are many Chinese people there, more than 100,000. As long as we gain a foothold, recruit some more people, and expand our business, why should we care about him?"

(End of this chapter)