I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

In an era before the invention of steam engines and firearms, a very few martial artists possessed the wondrous power to subdue people "without them even in the most intangible way."

Legend has it that the weak simply cannot remain sober in their presence!

Today, with the advent of the industrial age, guns have completely replaced swords.

The idea that "it's better to study and take exams than to practice swordsmanship" has become a common understanding.

Martial artists have lost their means of survival.

Nowadays in Britain, nobody practices martial arts anymore.

Therefore, this "power" became a legend, existing only in word of mouth.

Neil never imagined that he would personally experience this legendary "power" in his lifetime!

The more he thought about it, the more horrified and appalled he became!

The pressure from the "power" further fueled his fear!

Despite being deeply shaken, he never forgot his duties as minister.

He blinked hard a few times, trying to straighten his back and put his hands behind his back, so that he could regain his dignified posture.

However... he was never able to restore his pale complexion to normal.

"I...I am John Neil! Mr. Orange, it's an honor to meet you!"

He made a fool of himself the moment he opened his mouth...

His lips and tongue seemed numb, he stammered, and almost bit his tongue.

Knowing he had lost face, Neil felt embarrassed and indignant, but there was nothing he could do.

Thus, his meticulously planned "welcome ceremony" completely failed.

The sailors lined up at the boarding gate were all sprawled out and out of formation.

And needless to say, he and Colonel Jocelyn were even more so.

He couldn't even speak fluently during the important established procedure of "meeting of envoys and introductions to each other".

I intended to embarrass the other person, but I ended up being the one who lost face!

Qing Deng's goal of "giving the British a warning" has been achieved.

Continuing to use "power" to pressure the other party is meaningless.

So, Qingdeng silently withdrew his "power".

In that instant, Neil felt as if he had surfaced from the deep sea! The tightness in his chest was gone, and he could breathe smoothly again!

Feeling greatly relieved, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

His tense nerves suddenly relaxed, his body went limp, and he almost fell to the ground, nearly making a fool of himself again.

The others also felt as if they had been granted a pardon.

Some were wiping away sweat, some were panting, and some were groaning.

Chaos reigns.

At that moment, both Katsura Rintaro and Manjiro blinked hard, one after the other.

The two subconsciously exchanged a glance—both of them saw a strong look of shock on each other's faces!

They were used to the British being arrogant and overbearing.

When have we ever seen the British side suffer a setback?

Upon realizing this, they involuntarily turned their heads and gave Qingdeng a look of reverence.

At the same time, Neil, Colonel Jocelyn, and all the sailors present also raised their incredulous eyes and looked at Qing Deng.

Qingdeng became the focus of the entire event, which inadvertently diminished the prestige of the British side.

Before today's negotiations even began, the British side had already lost the initiative and was at a disadvantage.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qing Deng spoke softly:

"Your Excellency, there is no time to lose, let's begin our negotiations immediately."

……

……

Julius, cabin—

Led by Neil and Colonel Jocelyn, Qingdeng and the others descended the steps and moved to a room in the ship's cabin.

A long table has been placed in the very center of the room.

On the long table, there were candles, ink, calligraphy brushes, quill pens, and other items, all readily available.

The two sides, Mu and Ying, sat facing each other on either side of the long table.

As soon as he sat down, Qingdeng immediately said:

"Your Excellency, we both understand each other's intentions, so there is no need for further unnecessary pleasantries and small talk."

"I'll get straight to the point."

“The ‘raw wheat incident’ is not our fault.”

"When commoners encounter the procession of a daimyo, they must kneel and yield – this is the rule of our country."

“The four Englishmen not only ignored the advice, but also disrupted the Samo Lord’s entourage.”

"Their tragic end was entirely their own fault."

"Therefore, your actions of demanding compensation from the shogunate and Satsuma are simply unreasonable."

“We will not hand over a single penny to Samoa. Please go home.”

Qing Deng succinctly explained his proposition.

As soon as he finished speaking, Katsura Rintaro and Manjiro, who were sitting on his left and right sides respectively, widened their eyes in shock.

It's no wonder they acted that way.

Previously, their demands on the British were simply that "if you have a grievance, you should ask Satsuma for money. As long as you don't cause trouble for the shogunate, everything is negotiable."

The "Namamugi Incident" was entirely Satsuma's fault and had nothing to do with the shogunate.

Therefore, the shogunate's request was perfectly reasonable.

As a result, this perfectly reasonable request was still resolutely rejected by the British side.

The British are so domineering, yet Qing Deng still makes outrageous demands!

Not only did they claim that "the shogunate will not pay compensation," but they even asserted that "Satsuma will not need to pay compensation either!"

Manjiro was stunned on the spot, unsure whether to translate Aoto's words truthfully.

Qing Deng glanced at him and said indifferently:

"Manjiro, what are you standing there for?"

Aoto's oppressive gaze caused Manjiro's face to fill with hesitation and doubt.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and translated Qingdeng's words with a forced smile.

Unsurprisingly, this time it was Neil and Colonel Jocelyn who were stunned.

Neil frowned, his expression darkening.

He sat up straight and braced his hands on the table.

"...Your Excellency, your rule of 'giving way to the daimyo's procession' is aimed at the commoners of your country."

"The citizens of the British Empire have no reason to follow your backward customs."

The Code of Hammurabi states: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

“You have brutally murdered our citizens, and we naturally have the right to retaliate.”

"We've already done more than enough by only making you pay with money and not taking your lives."

Neil paused for a moment at this point.

"Don't think I don't know about the political landscape in Japan."

"The shogunate was the most powerful separatist force in Japan and the leader of the various domains."

“The younger brother made a mistake, so the older brother should bear some responsibility.”

"Therefore, what is wrong with us demanding compensation from Satsuma, which made the mistake, and the shogunate, which governs the various domains?"

Neil has recovered from the shock and fear he felt when he was overwhelmed by the "power".

So what if they possess wondrous "power"?

Even the most skilled martial artist cannot possibly be stronger than a powerful ship and cannon.

What cannot be won on the battlefield cannot be won back at the negotiating table.

As long as we still possess overwhelming military power, we can always be invincible at the negotiating table!

With this thought in mind, Neil felt much more at ease and resumed his "ministerial mode" of "wholeheartedly fighting for Britain's interests."

Faced with Neil's aggressive questioning, Qing Deng did not react strongly.

He remained calm, simply shrugging his shoulders.

"Your Excellency, please understand—if you persist in your actions, we also have the right to retaliate."

Upon hearing this, Neil and Colonel Jocelyn burst into laughter as if they had heard the funniest joke.

Colonel Jocelyn laughed so hard that his dark red gums were showing.

Neil went even further, bursting into laughter and slapping the table with his hand.

"Counterattack? What do you plan to use to counterattack? The knives at your waists?"

As he spoke, Neil shrugged dismissively.

"Your Excellency, please forgive me, I did not mean to say anything unpleasant."

"In short, please remain calm."