Chapter 229: The Four Gods of the West (Requesting Subscription and Tickets)
The emperor actually brought out the Governor-General of Liangjiang and the Governor of Jiangsu as empty promises!
When the ministers below heard what Xianfeng said, they all sighed in their hearts – the prerequisite for Luo Xueyan or other militia leaders to become the Governor-General of Liangjiang or the Governor of Jiangsu is to recapture the city of Jiangning!

And Jiangning City has not been lost yet, it is just under siege. Isn’t it too early to talk about recovering it?

Although everyone knew that Jiangning City was beyond saving, no one was willing to say it out loud. Unexpectedly, Xianfeng himself would break the window paper today.

However, no one in the hall bothered Xianfeng about this matter. If there was any difference between Xianfeng’s current situation and Chongzhen’s hanging on Jingshan Mountain, it was probably that the servants under him did not dare to argue with him, and whatever he said was what he meant.

Therefore, he could now break the window paper of “Jiangning will definitely be lost” – and the advantage of breaking this window paper was very obvious, that is, Jiangsu Governor Yi Liang and Anhui Governor Zhou Tianjue would not have to search for troops everywhere to send to Jiangning, a battlefield where they were bound to lose.

They couldn’t gather many soldiers in the first place, and if they sent them all away, everyone in Anhui and Jiangsu provinces would have the surname Hong!

Therefore, Xianfeng has lost all his face, but he can still save some of his integrity.

After figuring out what Xianfeng was thinking, the ministers below once again shouted in unison: “Your Majesty is wise!”

Shengming doesn’t care about his reputation anymore!

Xianfeng, who was already shameless, continued, “The third piece of good news I want to tell you today is that the consuls of England, France, and the United States, as well as the abbot of the Nanjing diocese sent by the Western Roman Church, have all confirmed that the Bull Demon King is a monster that escaped from the Western Paradise of their Christianity. Moreover, the Roman Church has a special exorcism department that is specifically responsible for exorcising demons!”

When Xianfeng said this, his pockmarked face was full of joy, as if the Eight Bannermen who were bound to be killed by the Taiping Army in Jiangning City had nothing to do with him. Then, Xianfeng’s pockmarked face with rich expressions showed melancholy again: “But the exorcists and demon hunters of the Roman Church are very arrogant. They are willing to come to the Qing Dynasty to subdue demons and monsters only if I send an imperial envoy. If I don’t send an imperial envoy, they will not come. Let’s discuss it together. What should we do? Should we send an imperial envoy or not? Who is willing to go through this journey?”

After hearing Emperor Xianfeng’s question, the cunning ministers immediately understood the emperor’s intention – the emperor must want to send an imperial envoy to the West!

But it’s not easy to make this “foreign difference”!

Because the foreigners had been tinkering with the “revision of the treaty” for several years, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Ye Mingchen, was almost annoyed to death by the foreigners. He could not give the foreigners what they wanted, and he could not defeat them, so he did not dare to turn against the foreigners. He was really worried.

This was the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, who were still in the territory of the Qing Dynasty. If he had sent foreign envoys to the foreigners’ territory, wouldn’t he have been forced into a desperate situation by the foreigners and have to sign an unequal treaty obediently?

Perhaps the foreigners in Europe think that the Qing officials are all upright, and in anger they may even “behead the envoys”!
Even if you resisted the pressure and didn’t sign an unequal treaty, and didn’t have the envoys killed, and returned safely, there is still the hurdle of clear criticism!
Those Qingliu people don’t care how difficult it is to get a foreign job, they just keep criticizing.

This is how the “foreign taxes” related to the Opium War in the early years ended up. The pro-war factions, the pro-peace factions, and the double-dealers all suffered misfortune, with few exceptions.

Therefore, most ministers were unwilling to touch this foreign mission.

Of course, there are exceptions, but they are rare, not nonexistent.

“Your Majesty, I think we should show some sincerity when we ask for help. If the Vatican is not willing to send an imperial envoy, how can it send people to help us exorcise demons? Even when the Tang Emperor in Journey to the West wanted to obtain Buddhist scriptures, didn’t he send his brother Tang Sanzang to lead Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Monk Sha to complete the task?”

The person who brings up “Journey to the West” is the one who is not afraid of criticism from the public, because he is Prince Gong Yixin, the second-in-command of the Qing Dynasty!
The only thing that can be discussed by the nobles is the slaves and the officials who are not qualified to be slaves. Who dares to discuss the master? If the master and the slave do not know the difference between them, how can they be officials?

“Your Majesty, I, Sushun, also think that we should send envoys abroad. Even if it is to convey the imperial edict to the Roman Church, someone has to go. We can’t let the envoys from England, France, or America convey it, right? This is not in line with the ancestral system of our Qing Dynasty. There is absolutely no reason for the imperial edict of our Qing emperor to be conveyed by foreigners.”

The next person to speak after Prince Gong was Sushun, the son of Prince Zheng, a member of the Aisin-Gioro clan, and the current emperor’s confidant, who was not afraid of criticism. Moreover, he would find excuses, saying that the imperial edict of the Qing emperor could not be passed on by foreigners!
Which clear stream dares to say it is wrong?

Moreover, he said going to the West to “convey the emperor’s order” instead of “going to the West to invite gods”. At first glance, it sounded as if the Roman Church was a vassal of the Qing emperor.

“In fact, there is a precedent for the emperor sending edicts to Rome!”

The third person to speak was a “filial son” dressed in white. He was Du Han, the son of Du Shutian. He is now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and is learning to walk on the military plane – that is, the Minister of Military Affairs!
“Oh?” Xianfeng looked at his mentor’s son with a smile, “Is it the precedent set by Emperor Shengzu or Emperor Gaozong?”

“Neither,” Du Han said. “According to the Secret History of the Mongols, the Mongol Khan Guyuk once sent an envoy to Rome to convey the Khan’s imperial edict to the Archbishop of the Roman Church at that time! Your Majesty, you are not only the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, but also the Bulun Zasak Khan of the Mongol Empire! You can follow Guyuk Khan’s precedent and convey the imperial edict to Rome.”

“Haha!” Xianfeng laughed loudly, “That makes sense! I am still the Great Khan of Mongolia, and I can follow the precedent of Guyuk Khan. Since there is a benefit to follow, I have decided to send an envoy to Rome and ask the Roman Church to send wizards to my Qing Dynasty to fight against the demons together!”

“Your Majesty!”

Since there is a precedent to follow, the ministers below can only call on the emperor to be wise.

Xianfeng was in a good mood, nodded, and asked with a smile: “Then who can go to the West, no, to the West?”

There was complete silence down there!

No one is willing to take on this task. Shouting “holy wisdom” is one thing, and “going to heaven” is another.

What’s more, without Monkey King, Zhu Bajie and Monk Sha to accompany them, what should they do if they encounter monsters from England, France and America?
Xianfeng’s expression suddenly turned from bright to gloomy, and his eyes slowly slid across the group of ministers and servants kneeling below, and finally fell on his confidant Sushun.

Sushun had been secretly glancing at Xianfeng, and naturally noticed the expectant look from Xianfeng!

Moreover, Sushun thought about it and felt that he was the only civil and military official in the court who could make this trip.

First of all, Han officials are definitely not suitable. All Han people who can kneel in the Qinzheng Qinxian Hall to participate in the court are leaders of the Qingliu. Qingliu leaders go abroad to sell out their country? If they do this, won’t they be criticized to death?

Now, the only Manchus and Mongolians with enough weight and clear minds in the court were Prince Gong, Prince Seng and him.

Prince Gong could not go abroad, although he was very keen on Western affairs. However, he was now the “foundation of the country” – although someone in Emperor Xianfeng’s harem was pregnant, as long as a son was not raised, Prince Gong would be the “foundation of the country”, that is, the number one heir to the throne.

If Xianfeng died accidentally, the emperor would have to be Prince Gong. How could he go abroad? The country cannot be without a ruler for a day!
Secondly, the monk king is not suitable to go abroad. The monk king still has to train troops to protect the Qing Dynasty!
Since Prince Gong and Prince Seng are both unsuccessful, he is the only one left!
“Your Majesty, I, Sushun, am willing to visit the Western Rome!” Sushun kowtowed and asked Emperor Xianfeng for the job of “leader of the Western Heaven Summoning Gods Group”.

Xianfeng nodded with satisfaction: “Well, Sushun, you are indeed my loyal minister!”

“Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty!” Sushun said modestly.

“We have the chief envoy, but we are still short of a few deputy envoys. Who can take the position?” Xianfeng asked again.

“Your Majesty,” Prince Gong suggested, “Second-class guard Yuan Bao witnessed the demon’s arrival and fought with it, so he should serve as deputy envoy.”

Xianfeng nodded and said, “Yuanbao is fine. But one deputy envoy is too few. We should have at least one chief and three deputy envoys, right?”

One principal and three deputies, “four masters and apprentices”, very auspicious.

“Your Majesty,” Sushun himself thought of someone, “Bai Siwen, who is in charge of Luosha affairs in the Lifanyuan, knows Luosha language and Christianity, and can also serve as a deputy envoy.”

Xianfeng nodded and said, “We are still short of one person. Let’s recommend a Han Chinese. It would be best if he is a young talent, similar to Luo Xueyan. When he returns from overseas and has broadened his horizons, he will be of great use. He may become another Luo Xueyan.”

“Your Majesty,” Senggelinqin immediately thought of someone when he heard what Emperor Xianfeng said, so he recommended, “Your servant Senggelinqin recommends Li Hongzhang, the editor of the Hanlin Academy, to accompany Sushun, Yuanbao, and Bai Siwen on a diplomatic mission to the West!”

(End of this chapter)