When Han Xiufeng was the first in the guild, he rarely even came to the inner city, let alone Xiyuan. He thought Xiyuan was just a garden in the royal family, but he didn't expect Xiyuan to be so big (Zhongnanhai). He followed the little eunuch to turn left.

Turn right, his legs almost broke, and then he arrived at the legendary Ziguang Pavilion.

The emperor, who had been away for nearly a year, was sitting in front of the palace watching the Eight Banners soldiers practice martial arts such as striking. Sushun, Minister of War Bai Wei, Minister of Works Peng Yunzhang, and two other princes and ministers who had never seen before were listed in the imperial case.

On both sides, the imperial guards in yellow jackets formed a circle from afar, and even the eunuchs could not get close to them.

Under the leadership of a guard, Han Xiufeng stepped forward and bowed.

Xianfeng knew that Han Xiufeng rushed to the capital in a hurry, and had not slept for one night. He did not blame Han Xiufeng for his disheveled clothes. While watching the Eight Banners soldiers perform martial arts, he said lightly: "Here

It’s not the palace, let’s get up and talk.”

Seeing Sushun and others standing, Han Xiufeng hurriedly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xianfeng picked up the teacup and said lightly: "Prince Zheng, don't you have something to ask? Ask it quickly."

"Yeah!" The prince closest to the imperial case bowed to the order, then looked at Han Xiufeng who had just stepped aside at Sushun's gesture to ask: "Han Xiufeng, I heard that you have dealt with Western barbarians and are well-versed in the relationship between the barbarians?

”

Han Xiufeng realized that he was Sushun’s half-brother, Prince Zheng Duanhua, and hurriedly bowed and said, “Report to the prince, if you want to be familiar with the barbarians, you are ashamed of being a good official. However, the official is acting as the Minister of the Sea Defense of Songjiang Prefecture.

When I was supervising the customs of Jiangjiang, I had been dealing with the Western Yi for several months."

Duan Hua was not very relieved about the person recommended by his younger brother. He looked up and down at Han Si who was a little embarrassed and asked expressionlessly: "Your Majesty has you watched all the movies you have watched?"

"Report to the prince, I've seen it all."

"Then you say that the Western Yi wanted to trade but there was no trade port, so why did you have to make a settlement?"

"Report to the prince, as far as the officials know, Ying Fomi and Sanyi are profit-oriented, but they think that there are too few trade ports and that I don't make enough money from the Qing Dynasty."

"A man's heart is not enough to swallow an elephant?"

"It should be."

"But as far as I know, they made a lot of money from my Qing Dynasty."

Han Xiufeng peeked at Sushun, Bai Xun, Peng Yunzhang and others, and realized why the emperor summoned him in this way. Because the emperor was inconvenient to speak for many words, he could only ask Prince Zheng to help him ask. At the same time, Bai Xun and Peng Yunzhang

When the Military Minister cannot know nothing about the Western Barbarians, and not everyone can go there, it is most appropriate to call him here to ask the Military Ministers.

Thinking that the emperor was listening, Han Xiufeng sorted out his thoughts and said with great pain: "As the prince said, Yingfumi Sanyi made a lot of money from the Qing Dynasty. Before the New Year, the officials were ordered to go to Shanghai to get grain, and it has been more than once.

Disguised as a commoner and went to the British Pier by the Huangpu River to investigate. He watched the brides ask the porters to carry ships of opium to the shore, and he saw the brides and merchants earned a box of silver from my Qing Dynasty or from my big ones.

The bags of raw silk tea and other goods purchased in Qingcai were transported on board.

At that time, the officials were wondering, thinking that they had made money, why did they not act like they were good at getting cheap? Later, they acted as the chief of the Marine Defense Department of Songjiang Prefecture and the Supervisor of the Customs of Jiang. They were ordered to negotiate with the consuls of the British and Fomi Kingdoms and had contacted several times.

Only when the British and Fomi were doing serious business found out that the three countries of England and Fomi focused on business but not agriculture, and the people did not want to farm, or opened workshops with hundreds or even thousands of people to weave cloth, or built ships and trade abroad."

This was the first time Prince Zheng heard about these things, and was stunned for a moment, while Bai Xu, Peng Yunzhang and others were thinking about it.

Han Xiufeng took a deep breath and continued: "Compared with the serious businessmen, the number of businessmen doing opium trading is the minority. And as far as the officials know, Western businessmen know that opium is a harmful thing, and their country is not allowed.

The barbarians who trade opium and trade opium have made a fortune, but the barbarians who traded serious have not made much, so they naturally would not be happy, so they wanted to make an appointment, open more trade ports, and buy cloth and other merchants.

Sell ​​the goods to the people of Qing Dynasty.”

Bai Wei reacted and frowned slightly and said, "Han Xiufeng, you are quite considerate of those barbarians!"

"The Lord Zhongtang misunderstood that the Lord has received great grace from the Emperor, so how could he speak for the Western Yi? The Lord just talks about the matter and reports the knowledge of the Lords to all the masters."

"The ancients said that the truth is unpleasant, what's the point of listening to the truth?" An old man took over the conversation and stared at Han Xiufeng and asked: "Saying this, the roaring masters named De Ling and other barbarians were called "revision of the agreement, but they actually came for business.

?”

"Han Xiufeng, this person is Wenqing Wenzhongtang." Su Shun suddenly reminded.

Han Xiufeng bowed quickly and said, "Report to the Lord of the Central Hall, the lower-ranking official has been transferred to Zhili for nearly a year, and I don't know the situation in Shanghai. However, the following officials' understanding of Western barbarians, Zhu Ling, Ci De Ling and other barbarians should do this time

It came for business. However, the Western barbarians were extremely cunning and capricious. As far as the officials knew, their civilians in Shanghai had had a fire with the official army in the first half of this year. In order to quell the rebellion, Lord Jierhanga could only take the overall situation into consideration.

It is hard to say whether it has encouraged its arrogance, and it is hard to say whether they will take risks and start a light battle this time."

Bai Wei realized that the emperor summoned Han Xiufeng to hear the truth, so he couldn't help asking: "Han Xiufeng, you have dealt with Western foreigners and led troops to fight wars. If you want to roar, you can give Deling and other foreigners.

If the chief starts a quarrel, can we win this battle and can we fight back it?"

"Reported to the Lord Zhongtang, the film said that the roar brought five gunships this time. The Western barbarian ships were strong and powerful. If they fought a naval battle, the subordinate officials would say something disheartening, and they would not win. But no matter if the ship had one, they would have one.

No matter how strong the cannon is, even if it is too advantageous, it will not be able to reach the shore. The officials estimate that there will be no more than 300 soldiers who can reach the shore. As long as the soldiers from the Shanhaiguan Dutong Yamen and Tianjin Town use their lives, it will not be difficult to defeat them." Before Han Xiufeng came

So he made up his mind that he could not say death no matter what he said, so he paused and continued: "But the ancients said that war was a major event for the country. The officials thought that before the Guangdong bandits were settled, it would be better not to start a war with the Western barbarians.

.”

Wen Qing felt that Han Xiufeng's words made some sense, and thought about it and asked again: "You have seen all the films, and you also know the unreasonable conditions proposed by the Yimai. Naturally, the court cannot agree. You say that if they are

What should I do if I am angry and embarrassed?”

"Reported to the Lord Zhongtang, the officials of the government really don't know what to do about such a big matter. However, the officials thought that the capital of the country brought five gunships, and the subordinates had only three or four hundred soldiers. Even if they were angry, they would consider whether they would be fine.

He will bring shame to himself." Han Xiufeng peeked at the emperor who was still silent, and then said: "The officials think they are very good at urging words. For example, if the court does not agree to their conditions, they will help grow hair.

Wait, but they have been in contact with Changmao in recent years, and have sold guns and cannons to Changmao!”

"In this way, we should make a stern and correct statement, and explain the pros and cons, so that we can know that I am not afraid of being timid?" Wen Qing asked.

"Reported to the Lord Zhongtang, since it is a negotiation, the barbarians can naturally go ashore, but the barbarians cannot, and the barbarians can only stay on the ship. As far as the officials know, the water and food prepared on the barbarians can be used for shipmen, sailors and soldiers?

?It takes two months. As long as you strengthen coastal defense and strictly prohibit them from doing business with our people, at most one and a half months, they will return to the south honestly, otherwise they will die of thirst and starvation."

Seeing everyone thinking, Han Xiufeng struck while the hot, "But the officials thought this was just a temporary solution. With the nature of the Western Barbarians, they would not give up after they returned in a defeat, so the officials beg you all to return.

You have to prepare early.”

He thought a long time ago and knew that he had to prepare for the future. Wen Qing thought that the Tongyizhi recommended by Sushun was good, and felt that he had not recommended the wrong person. He couldn't help but ask: "Han Xiufeng, what preparations do you think the court should make?"

"Reported to the Lord Zhongtang, although the lower officials have not read a few military books, they also know that only by knowing oneself and an enemy can one win a hundred battles. The reason why the frontier of our Qing Dynasty is stable is because there is a Lifan Courtyard. It is said that there is even a Russian Pavilion in the Lifan Courtyard.

Not only are there people who communicate with Russian and Japanese languages, but they also have special people to inquire about Russian and Japanese news. On the other hand, we know very little about British and Buddhists."

"Aren't you now?" Wen Qing asked with a smile.

"The Lord of the Central Hall has raised the officials. The officials have only dealt with the Western Yi for several months. They have not understood the language and writing of the Western Yi, nor have they been to the Western Yi territory. Therefore, the officials thought they should prepare early or be smart.

The capable work went to Shanghai, Macau, Guangzhou and even Hong Kong to find out the movements of the Western Barbarians, or to order local officials from Jiangsu, Fujian and Guangdong to find out the feelings of the Barbarians."

Seeing that Emperor Wen Qing looked at him, Han Xiufeng continued: "The key to marching and fighting is to move the troops before they move the food and grass. If Ying Fomi returned home in a defeat, he thought of the provocation. Now this little soldier is far from enough.

, the troops could only be dispatched from Europe and Asiatica, where their territory was located. Those soldiers crossed the ocean to Hong Kong and other places not only had to rest and replenish food. If the imperial court could grasp these military information in advance, they would be able to be timely

If you deal with it, at least you won’t be caught off guard like this time.”

What surprised everyone was that before Wen Qing spoke, Xianfeng, who had not spoken, suddenly turned around and said, "It is correct to report, and you will handle the matter of inquiry about the affairs of the barbarians."

"I obey the order!" Han Xiufeng hurriedly knelt down and said.

"Get up and have a good time, go back and write a note, and I will hand in the sign tomorrow."

...

The emperor obviously wanted to discuss with the princes and ministers how to deal with the Western barbarians who had reached Dagukou, and Han Xiufeng's goal was achieved, and he respectfully accepted the order and returned.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked out, Sushun caught up, and as soon as he caught up, he patted his shoulder and smiled: "Zhixing, Zhixing, you really make me look at you with admiration. You can find out the job of "Brief" in the world, otherwise it would be difficult.

I don’t know how long it will take for the Tongzheng Department of the People’s Republic of China that I have helped you to do. Don’t worry now. Inquiring about the situation is not a matter of a day or a night. You have something to do now, hahaha!”

"Thank you for your support."

"I have anything to thank for, don't be so disgusted." Su Shun looked back and then changed the subject: "Military affairs, don't talk about you, even I have to avoid it. But I will also take advantage of it.

As an errand, the emperor asked me to ask you how to inquire about this situation, how many people should be sent to Shanghai, Macau, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other places, and how do you plan to select these people?"

Han Xiufeng subconsciously asked: "Your Majesty is serious?"

"This is still false," Su Shun sighed lightly and said helplessly: "The emperor knows that the local officials are pedantic and unwilling to deal with Western barbarians, so he does not intend to issue an order to inquire about the barbarians. In short, inquire about the barbarians' feelings.

You proposed the idea, so you should quickly find a detailed plan for school selection and design.”

"Sir Su, I want to select the school, but I have no power or money for a small senator. How do you ask me to send me?"

"Isn't this me? The emperor asked me to help you solve your worries."

"I'm not afraid with you," Han Xiufeng thought for a while, looked at Sushun and asked, "Sir Su, if you want to find out the information, I have a few of them here, but I won't let them go too much

Suitable. Do you think you can reward them with one or half positions? For example, the Jiang Customs Assistant Committee, the Guangdong Customs Assistant Committee, the Shanghai Inspection Office and other small officials. In this way, we not only don’t have to worry about the money, but they are deeply grateful to the emperor.

Can serve the court with all your heart.”
Chapter completed!