Chapter 236 Luo Xueyan, we can still cooperate with Luo Yaoguo! (Request for subscription, request for votes)

After listening to Luo Yaoguo’s description of the possible gains of Britain, France and the United States in “Oxford accent” English, British Consul Alcock and Vice Consul Wade frowned.

What kind of “most wonderful” deal is this?

There was no increase in privileges, no expansion of concessions, and no one was even talking about the monopoly free trade they wanted.

The British Vice Consul Wade had a gloomy face and spoke in Chinese: “Lord Luo, Lord Wu, you ask for too much, and what you give is too little and too uncertain.”

“Oh,” Luo Yaoguo said with a smile, “I don’t want you to give it to me as a gift, but I want to buy the gun factory, cannon foundry, shipyard, and gunpowder factory from you. I will pay for all the equipment and engineers. This is a deal that is beneficial to both of us! And I haven’t even made an offer! How can you say that I’m giving too little now?”

“Lord Luo, your purchase of machinery and equipment and hiring of engineers are commercial activities, and the price you pay has nothing to do with the consulate.” Wade explained, “The consulate has entrusted the legation with the right to perform commercial supervision! So we have the right not to approve these transactions, because these transactions may undermine the neutral position taken by our three countries in the Chinese civil war.”

“Oh,” Luo Yaoguo looked at Wade with a half-smile, “So you are neutral?”

“Brother Xueyan,” Wu Jianzhang said to Luo Yaoguo in Hakka, “Lord Wei’s intention is to further expand the concession, allow the free import of opium and negotiate tariffs.”

Luo Yaoguo looked back at Wu Jianzhang and asked in Hakka: “I am not the governor of Susongtai and the supervisor of Jianghai Customs. You are in charge of the expansion of concessions, trade and tariffs!”

Wu Jianzhang said with a smile: “Brother Xueyan, I am in charge of these matters, but you have elite soldiers. Without your approval, I can’t do those things!

Moreover, what the foreigners want most is not the private manipulation, but the open sale of opium, the reduction of tariffs, the expansion of concessions, and the freedom of preaching, etc., which must be signed in black and white through the “revision of the treaty”. The court will not agree to it if I just talk.”

Luo Yaoguo sneered: “Sir Wu, the court doesn’t agree with you, but it agrees with me?” Then, he said to Wade in Oxford English: “Mr. Vice Consul, if what you want is the same as what Sir Wu just said, then I’m sorry I can’t comply with your order! I am only the Jiangnan Salt Administration and the Prefect of Jiangning of the Qing Dynasty. I can’t manage those things.”

After hearing what Luo Yaoguo said, A Liguo frowned even more tightly and said, “Lord Luo, you misunderstood. Regarding the revision of the treaty, we will send the envoys of the three countries to discuss it with Lord Su who is about to leave Shanghai.

All we want from you and Mr. Wu is to jointly manage the Jianghai Customs and have jurisdiction over the Shanghai Concession. In the future, without our permission, the Qing army will no longer be able to enter the concession, and the Qing government will not have the right to arrest fugitives in the concession.

In addition, the American consul also hoped to obtain a concession area exclusively for Americans, just like the British and French. The French side hoped that Roman Catholic missionaries could preach freely in Songjiang and Taicang and receive protection from the Qing government.

As soon as A Liguo’s words came out, even Wu Jianzhang’s face changed.

The judicial jurisdiction within the Shanghai Concession was fine, but not allowing Qing officials and soldiers to enter the concession and jointly manage the Jianghai Customs was crossing Wu Jianzhang’s bottom line.

Because the Jianghai Customs Office was inside the concession! The Jianghai Customs tax collectors also had to collect taxes at the Bund Pier. If officers and soldiers were not allowed to enter the concession, those tax collectors would definitely be treated as officers and soldiers and not allowed to enter the concession.

And if the tax collectors of the Qing Dynasty cannot enter the concession and “co-manage” the Jiang Customs, doesn’t that mean the customs will be handed over to foreigners for management?
The foreigners took over the Jianghai Customs, so who would Wu supervise? The foreigners? How could he continue to embezzle in the future?

However, Wu Jianzhang did not dare to turn against the foreigner, so he could only look at Luo Yaoguo with a sad face.

Luo Yaoguo said categorically: “The judicial jurisdiction of the concession, the power of Qing officials and soldiers to enter the concession, and the autonomy of the customs are not negotiable.”

Aliguo said coldly: “Lord Luo, Lord Wu, I hope you can face the reality. Now it is you who need the support of Britain, France and the United States more than we three countries need you more! Without our support, your army will definitely be crushed by Luo Yaoguo, the King of Wu of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and even your life will be in danger!”

Luo Yaoguo said with a righteous face: “I am not afraid, loyal subjects are not afraid of death!” Wade threatened: “You don’t think that with thousands of foreign guns and dozens of cannons, you can stop his tens of thousands of troops? Our three countries are neutral! Neutral countries can sell weapons to you, and they can also sell the same weapons to him! If he has 10,000 foreign guns and dozens of advanced cannons, can you still defend Shanghai?”

Luo Yaoguo snorted coldly: “Mr. Vice Consul, you don’t have to threaten me here! If you British people want to sell weapons to Luo Yaoguo, just go ahead and sell them to me, Luo Xueyan, I’m not afraid!”

Wade looked at Luo Yaoguo with regret: “Lord Luo, you are more stupid than I thought!”

“You are the fool!” Luo Yaoguo retorted, “If the Taiping Army enters Shanghai, there will be no more concessions, and they will not recognize the treaty signed between the Qing Dynasty and you!”

Wade smiled sarcastically: “We, the British Empire, have dealt with too many rebels in various parts of the world. In order to gain our support, these people have always been easy to talk to.”

This time Luo Yaoguo said calmly: “Then go and give it a try, compare prices. If Luo Yaoguo offers more, you can go and make a deal with him, otherwise come and talk to me, Luo Xueyan. I welcome you anytime. But before you go to negotiate with Luo Yaoguo, you still have to help me resist his army! Am I right?

Let’s talk about those long-term deals later. Now, you guys help me defend the port of Shanghai. You don’t want to talk to Luo Yaoguo after the Taiping Army occupies Shanghai, right? Believe me, he is really not that easy to talk to!

I know him very well. He is different from the feudal lords you see in other countries. Because he may really be a devil!”

Alcock and Wade wanted to say some more threatening words – the British Empire has no eternal enemies, even if it is the devil, as long as there is benefit, we can cooperate!

But as soon as Luo Yaoguo came up with the argument that “Luo Yaoguo is a devil”, the Frenchmen Aitong and Pierre had already made the sign of the cross – they and Luo Xueyan had a common interest, that is, the “Great Prophecy Book”! They couldn’t go to the “devil Luo Yaoguo” to ask for the latest version of the “Great Prophecy Book”, but Luo Xueyan could help them collect it.

Then Consul Aitong said firmly: “France will not cooperate with the devil, absolutely not! This is also what Minister Bourboulon meant! Moreover, Lord Luo is a devout Catholic. He firmly opposes the blasphemous Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He is a friend of France!”

Old Pierre on the side chimed in: “France is always loyal to God. We French will never make a deal with the devil!”

When Luo Yaoguo heard the French statement, he immediately gave him a friendly smile, nodded slightly, and then turned his gaze to the American consul.

This American consul and Luo Xueyan, a Qing republican and admirer of General Washington, whose family owned a Republic business, shared common values ​​- they both loved the “white pound”!
So the American Major Ma Hui immediately said solemnly: “Consul Aliguo, our Minister Ma Shali recently instructed the Shanghai Consulate to find a way to assist Lord Luo in defending the Shanghai port. The Minister believes that it is in the interests of the United States for Lord Luo and Lord Wu to control the Shanghai port! And I think that trading with Lord Luo and Lord Wu will benefit all of us greatly. He will definitely make Shanghai a prosperous oriental metropolis.”

After hearing what Consul Aitong and Consul Ma Hui said, Aliguo and Wade were both stunned. Then they got so angry that their necks turned red. The English white faces were about to turn into American red necks.

What happened to the “unity of the great powers” you promised? Isn’t it just the publication of the “Great Prophecy Book” and a devil who can predict the future? Is this what you are doing to make you give up the “unity of the great powers”? How pathetic!

However, as a diplomatic official of the British Empire, you can’t be thin-skinned!

So the necks of the two men only turned red slightly, and then returned to normal. Consul Aliguo said with a wry smile: “In fact, Minister Wenxian also believes that ensuring the stability of the Shanghai port is in the interests of the British Empire. So, Lord Luo, Lord Wu, we will continue to support you in defending the Shanghai port without violating neutrality! We will send engineers to help you build trenches and wooden walls to defend Shanghai County and the concessions, and we will continue to allow my citizens to help you train the army, but our citizens will not be allowed to directly participate in the battle with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!”

Wade gritted his teeth and smiled as he asked the French and Americans: “Consul Aitong, Major Ma Hui, I think this is also the position of the French Empire and the United States of America, right?”

The French and American consuls both smiled and nodded. The principle of unity among the great powers has now returned!

Aliguo and Wade both breathed a sigh of relief – ever since the devil Luo appeared in China, it has become difficult to lead the imperialist troops!

I wonder if Lord Sushun and his three deputy envoys, Yuan Bao, Bai Siwen and Li Hongzhang, will be easier to deal with?
(End of this chapter)