‘Bang…’

Yi? threw the film in his hand on the table next to him and sneered: "Americans also want to get insulted?"

Xu Yongyi, who was sitting at the bottom, said seriously: "Return to the prince, the Americans learned that Britain and France have been allowed to open shipbuilding, iron smelting, machinery and other factories in my country, and Germany is also actively negotiating. Gu Yi's ambassador to Beijing quoted the "Pu'anchen Treaty" and hoped that our dynasty would also be able to obtain a contract for railways, shipbuilding, etc.."

On July 28, 1868, Pu Anchen, the plenipotentiary of the Qing Dynasty, and US Secretary of State Siwald, signed the first reciprocal treaty in modern Chinese history, the Sino-US Tianjin Treaty, the Treaty of Renewal. The "Pu Anchen Treaty" established the reciprocal status of the two countries in the form of Western international law, which mentioned that in "railway, telegraph and other construction projects, if the Chinese government decides to launch such projects and hopes to use Western technology, the US government will designate engineers to accept employment by the Chinese government."

Now Americans rely on this article, believing that the treaty means that when "the Chinese government decides to launch such projects and hopes to use Western technology", the US government has the right to give priority to "designate engineers to accept employment by the Chinese government."

Yi? Snorted coldly and said, "Americans still have the face to mention the "Pu'anchen Treaty"? Didn't they unilaterally amend the treaty five years ago? Since they were unwilling to continue to abide by the treaty at the beginning, don't talk about the treaty anymore."

It was precisely because of the "Pu'anchen Treaty" that Chinese workers knocked on the door to immigration to the United States. But soon the fierce rejection of Chinese workers began in the United States. In 1880, the US government revised the immigration clauses in the "Pu'anchen Treaty".

"What the prince taught me is," Xu Yongyi bowed, "Zhang Yinhuan has already sent a message to the US Congress. Unless the US government terminates the discriminatory "Chinese Exclusion Act" and returns to the framework of the Pu'anchen Treaty, China and the United States can negotiate further industrial cooperation."

Yi? nodded, "Tele to Zhang Yinhuan, asking him to protect the interests of the court in the United States and not to take a step back! The court is now negotiating a treaty with Germany and Italy. The Tianjin Treaty signed by China and the United States was beneficial to me - the "Pu'anchen Treaty" is an equal treaty. Yi?, who is used to signing unequal treaties, naturally it is 'benefit for China'. The court intends to sign a treaty with Germany and Italy based on this treaty to ensure the interests of the court, so the treaty must not be easily modified!"

"Yeah~" Xu Yongyi nodded quickly.

After answering Zhang Yinhuan's post, Yi? Turns the focus again to Kungang. Based on the current world's international status and national strength, the "British stock" that Kungang is responsible for is the focus. The British still occupy Juwen Island and have not returned it, not to mention that the emperor plans to build a large-scale naval commander, how can he leave this world's largest maritime power today?

"King Chun arrived in Tianjin yesterday and met with Li Hongzhang. The comments sent back said that on the issue of Juwen Island, the British have already let go. As long as our North Korea can ensure that Juwen Island or any key port in North Korea, the island will not be occupied by a third party to form a threat that is unfavorable to the British Empire, Juwen Island can be returned."

In May, the British fleet commander in China-Japan, Tawell, called the British Navy, saying that it was not in national interest to continue to occupy Juwen Island and build a naval base here.

Tawell believes that building a fortress on Juwen Island requires huge investment, which will weaken the navy's combat effectiveness. In fact, when China agrees to release coal exports, it will be more convenient to equip the fleet with coal ships and storage ships during wartime. Moreover, Britain now has Hong Kong in China, which is enough to serve as a base to deal with possible threats from the Russian naval forces.

To this end, the British Admiral Hamilton further asked the opinions of Lieutenant General Hamilton and former Chinese Fleet Commander and current Admiral Weilis, and conducted extensive investigations among the front-line fleet commanders. Both officers from the Far Eastern Front and the two generals agreed with Tawell's opinion. Weilis even said: "The Navy will not oppose the construction of a North Korean island into a fortress like Gibraltar, but from a military perspective, this is unnecessary and will have adverse political impact."

While the British Navy launched an investigation into whether to build a coal station on Juwen Island or to convert it into fortification, the conflict between Britain and Russia caused by the "Pingdi crisis" showed signs of easing. After the British House of Commons rejected the war bill, the Russian government also accepted the British side's suggestion that "negotiation on the Pingdi issue and asking Germany to arbitrate the British-Russian dispute", and the relationship between the two countries began to ease.

Against this backdrop, and the trade negotiations with the Qing government are in full swing, the British government decided to give up Juwen Island with conditions to ease the conflict between China and Britain.

After hearing Kungang's reply, Yi's face was not at all happy. He knew that the British were still worried about Russia, but with the current military power of the Qing Dynasty, what can we use to ensure that "there will not be occupied by a third country"?

After all, we still have to go back to the "coastal defense". After so many years of handling Westernization and diplomacy, Yi? has clearly known that only by increasing his own strength can he ensure that his own interests are not violated.

So both him and Yihuan, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang all supported the emperor's efforts to build a naval commander. This time, Yihuan went to Tianjin to negotiate with the British to transport naval personnel to the UK to "train" and send personnel to learn ship design and construction technologies.

"Lao Qi has arrived in Tianjin. I hope he can reach an agreement with Li Hongzhang this time, and even more so he can reach an agreement with the British." Yi? thought silently.

At this moment, a Zhang Jing hurried in, "Prince, an emergency military telegram from Fujian!"

Teng...

Yi and the ministers present immediately raised their hearts to their throats!

The comprehensive retreat of the maritime forces in the Sino-French War. The long-standing dispute over "maritime defense" and the "block defense" finally came to an end. Just as Li Hongzhang said, with Zuo Zongtang's memorial, the court had completely made up its mind to strengthen maritime defense.

"This time I go to Beijing to meet the saint, I will definitely finalize the coastal defense matter. At that time, I will resign as the Minister of Beiyang."

Li Hongzhang suddenly made a shocking statement!

Everyone was shocked, "The imperial court is about to set up a navy, and it is about to put Beiyang first. Why did the Lord give up the victory at this time? Isn't our more than ten years of hard work in vain?"

Li Hongzhang said slowly: "It was my idea to ask the court to set up a naval yamen. If I still control the Beiyang Navy, what is the difference between setting up a naval yamen or not? You are still too short-sighted. You must know that once the naval yamen is in power, it may be a new opportunity for the next ten or twenty years. What can we do if we stick to Beiyang now? If the court insists on supporting Nanyang and Guangdong, it will only take three or five years. Do we really have to support the Beiyang fleet? If Beiyang is given up now, we may gain the Nanyang and Guangzhou naval yamen in the future. Why not do it?"

Everyone suddenly realized and breathed a sigh of relief. But they threw a strange wonder, "If it were the navy, we would hand over the navy and Qingdao. Why should we resign from the position of Beiyang Minister who was responsible for the business of the five ports?"

"Haha, since you want to give up, just give up cleanly, so that no matter how many people gossip, there will be no more Beiyang Trade Ministers in the future. The emperor has re-activated the Sixth Prince. It is said that the emperor intends to change the Zongli Yamen to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Commerce. Using the Sixth Prince's method, it is of course familiar to do this. Do you think there is still a need for this Beiyang Minister to keep it?"

The sixth prince Yi was implicated in the "Jiashen Grand Sect Case". Not only did he hand over the position of Minister of Military Affairs, but he also handed over the position of Prince Yili of Qing County. Unfortunately, Yili was very capable of making money, and his diplomacy was incomplete. Over the past year, all foreign exchanges have been relying on Li Hongzhang.

However, as the Sino-French war stopped, some people in the court were worried that Li Hongzhang was both the governor of Zhili and the Beiyang Navy, and then actually took over diplomacy. No one in the court could restrain him and he could not lose his tail.

Since ancient times, powerful ministers have been the most jealous of the lonely family. This is why Li Hongzhang proposed to establish a naval yamen in the "Application for the Navy to Control the Navy" to solve the military power of the navy. However, some people are still unhappy. Taking advantage of Zuo Zongtang's resignation from his post, he encouraged the only official who could challenge Li Hongzhang to write a letter to the emperor to appoint the Sixth Prince in order to completely remove Li Hongzhang's right-hand man.

Without the two fists of Beiyang Navy and Foreign Trade Merchants, Li Hongzhang, who only relies on the two legs of Zhishen and Huaibu, is obviously more reassuring. As for what will happen in the future, whether Yi can revive the Zongli Yamen or the new Foreign Trade Merchants Ministry, who can have the ability to eat the north and south, that's just a look.

"This time Zuo Manzi really harms others and is not good for himself. He can't do it anymore and wants to pull the adults off. But he doesn't want anyone to support the court in the past two years!"

Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang had been fighting openly and secretly in the court for decades, and it had become a dispute between the Hunan and Huai dynasties of the Qing court. The people around Li Hongzhang naturally had no good words to this old man.

Li Hongzhang was unwilling to take advantage of his words and smiled and said, "Although Zuo Jigao's move was a bit insulting, it was really good. He exchanged his own retreat for my arms. Without the convenience of trading in the future, our Huai Army's life will be important. Then it depends on whether you can build the light and heavy industries assigned by the emperor. If you do it well, our Huai Group will be proud for another twenty years. If you don't do it well, it will probably be five or six years."

Everyone was cursing the Hunan farmer secretly, and saw the old housekeeper coming quickly, holding a telegram in his hand, looking disgraced. "Sir, an emergency military telegram from Fujian..."

The old butler worked in Zhongtang's house for a lifetime, and had never seen any storms. At this moment, his expression was serious and everyone immediately knew that something was wrong.

Liu Shaoqing, Yang Yong and others who had been traveling in Guangzhou for a day, carrying large bags and small bags and playing and returning to the inn, but they saw that the imperial envoy, who had originally planned to "rest" in this flower world for two days, was hurrying to pack up his bags, as if he was about to run away.

Liu Shaoqing went over and bowed respectfully, "Sir" first.

"Oh?" The somewhat absent-minded imperial envoy, the sixth-rank 'master' of the Ministry of Rites, saw a group of people jumping around.

"My dear nephew is back. Can you have fun this day?"

"It's okay that Lord Lao is worried about it. The prosperity of Guangzhou City is far beyond what Tokogami can match, which opens Shaoqing's eyes."

"Oh, that's good. I'll stay for two more days if I'm happy. I've already greeted the governor, and he will take care of you."

Listening to this insincere perfunctory, Liu Shaoqing would not be concerned about whether the governor of Guangdong would take care of the "order" of the sixth rank chief. Instead, he pointed to his luggage and said, "Sir, this is..."
Chapter completed!