Xiyuan.

Through the several salons and tea parties held between the minister's wife and Cixi by Yu Deling as translator, the relationship between Cixi and foreign envoys has been eased.

This kind of "women's diplomacy" made the Qing court ministers stunned that international relations could still be conducted like this.

The person who came to see Cixi today was American Minister Connor.

"Dear Queen Mother, I solemnly submit my credentials and hope that you can participate in the St. Louis World's Fair to be held in our country this year."

Cixi had long heard from Yu Deling that the World Expo had been held many times around the world and was a major international event.

Cixi said: "Mr. Minister's invitation is sincere. Unfortunately, at this age, the Ai family is no longer able to travel across the ocean, but we can send a delegation composed of princes to participate."

Connor said: "That's fine."

Americans have invested heavily in this World Expo and are eager to demonstrate their strong industrial strength. If there are no spectators, it will be a night parade. Therefore, they are desperately inviting all countries to participate.

Cixi asked Prince Yikuang of Qing, who was also in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Who do you think is appropriate to send?"

Yikuang said: "It is best to understand Western affairs. Beizi Zaizhen or Prince Chun Zaifeng who have been abroad before are more suitable."

Cixi said: "Zaifeng has just been appointed as the Manchu commander-in-chief of Zhenghong Banner, and Zai Zhengang has just taken charge of the Ministry of Commerce. I am afraid that he will not be able to escape."

Yikuang replied: "That's what Lafayette said."

Cixi asked Yuan Shikai again: "You are in Beiyang and understand Westernization. Do you have any recommendations?"

Yuan Shikai thought for a while and said: "If you choose someone who is smart and yet does not lose the national integrity, Beizi Pulun should be suitable."

Railway Minister Sheng Xuanhuai later said that Pulun was good.

Cixi thought that Pu Lun could indeed do it, so she agreed.

Yuan Shikai added: "Those who follow can choose those who have studied in the United States."

"This is natural. We must also instruct each province as soon as possible to select outstanding items for the exhibition," Cixi said. "By the way, since it is the World Expo, don't we have a genius in Western learning, Li Yu, let him go too."

Connor is also very interested in Li Yu: "Li Yu is very suitable. He has a company in the United States, and his company's products will definitely be the most eye-catching at the World Expo."

"Oh?" Cixi asked in surprise, "Li Yu also opened a company in your country of America?"

Connor said: "Yes, the Queen Mother, and his company has even been listed on the market, with the full support of Mr. Morgan, the greatest financial tycoon in our country."

"Morgan? Are you a businessman?" Cixi asked.

Connor nodded: "Yes, but he is not an ordinary businessman."

Cixi felt that a businessman was just a businessman. No matter how powerful he was, he could pull off any tricks. He immediately felt that Li Yu was no big deal. By analogy, it was nothing more than gaining the attention of Hu Xueyan or Sheng Xuanhuai.

Cixi asked: "The Morgan you are talking about is just a businessman, doesn't he have any official position?"

Connor shook his head: "No."

After saying this, Cixi felt that Morgan was in trouble, so she didn't take it to heart and just said: "Then let Li Yu go with the group."

After all, Li Yu is still just a craftsman and businessman.

Connor added: "One more thing, we hope to draw another portrait of you and put it on display at the World Expo."

Cixi was surprised and said: "Exhibition? Portrait painting? Isn't it appropriate?"

Connor quickly explained: "Dear Queen Mother, you may not know that portraits of heads of state from various countries will be on display, including the King of England."

In the hearts of Chinese people, the most powerful country in the world is still England. Being placed with his portrait, Cixi felt that it was justified in terms of face, but she still asked: "Have I not painted many portraits?"

Connor said: "Before, it was only used for indoor exhibitions. Now it needs to be displayed in public. The size of the painting is naturally larger and more solemn. For this purpose, I specially found a very outstanding female oil painter from our country.

Home."

Cixi asked: "Is it better than your lady?"

Connor replied: "Yes, my dear Queen Mother."

Cixi was a very nice person and said, "Okay."

Connor said: "Then I will take my leave first, and I will let the painter come to the beautiful Xiyuan as soon as possible."

After Connor left, Prince Qing Yikuang quickly flattered him: "Lafayette, Li Zhongtang caused a great sensation in the United States back then. This time he will definitely be able to demonstrate our country's prestige again."

Yuan Shikai secretly laughed in his heart, not knowing what he could do to prove his country's prestige. He brought up business again: "Queen Mother, regarding the abolition of the imperial examination, we have received reports from Shengjing General Zhao Erxun, Huguang Governor Zhang Zhidong, Liangjiang Governor Zhou Fu, and Liangguang Governor Cen Chunxuan.

Do you see the joint signature of six senior officials from Hunan Governor Duanfang?"

Cixi sighed, it was really a troublesome thing. She liked to hear good things like national prestige being promoted, so she asked Yikuang: "Yikkuang, what do you mean by the Military Aircraft Department?"

Yikuang said: "Except for Wang Wenshao, everyone agrees to abolish the scientific examination."

Cixi said helplessly: "What else can I say? But we are so well prepared this year, so let's hold one last imperial examination."

Yuan Shikai knew that he could not push beyond the limits. This was Cixi's bottom line, so he replied: "The Queen Mother is wise!"

After Cixi made this decision, she felt empty in her heart, "I don't know if I am worthy of my ancestors."

Yuan Shikai followed suit and said: "The Queen Mother made wise decisions and did things that can be described in eternity. The end is also the beginning of another great thing."

Cixi smiled and said, "You still know how to speak."

Yuan Shikai added: "Queen Mother, there is another thing that will be of great benefit to the present generation and will benefit the future."

Cixi felt better and asked: "What good thing?"

Yuan Shikai said: "I heard from Tang Shaoyi and Li Yu in Tianjin Daotai that a crop called tobacco can be widely promoted, which can not only replace the seriously poisonous opium, but also provide more tax revenue."

"It sounds like a good thing. Is it really so effective?" Cixi asked.

Yuan Shikai said: "Nowadays, all Western countries have given up smoking, and even the upper class celebrities are choosing cigarettes made from tobacco."

Cixi asked: "I have wondered before whether foreigners smoke opium."

Yuan Shikai said: "I don't think so, otherwise how could there be tobacco."

Cixi said: "If this is the case, you can draft an edict together with Prince Qing and order it to be implemented in various places."

Yuan Shikai said: "I obey the order."

In fact, Yuan Shikai's answer is not correct. Europeans also smoke opium.

Before the First Opium War, Lin Zexu wrote a letter to the Queen of England. The general meaning was that you British people do not smoke opium, but you use opium to harm us. It is too shameless.

But in fact, the British were also troubled by opium for a while, and many people smoked opium.

However, they did not smoke opium cigarettes, but drank opium wine.

Britain had two George IIIs in the past, and George IV was both an opium addict.

It is said that opium caused George III's madness.

One more thing, those who sell opium and wine in Europe are also Jews.

Well, I can vaguely sense a reason why Europe was so anti-Semitic before World War II...

It's just that opium is not that harmful in Europe. After all, they have many other entertainment activities to kill time.

There was a British drama "Whale Dreams" released before, telling the story of a British whaling ship during Queen Victoria's time. The male protagonist in it went to buy opium wine at the beginning.

Later, Queen Victoria herself hated opium, believing that it would make men in her country lose their masculinity.

The promotion of tobacco would be easier with Cixi's nod.

Planting must begin in the southwest, especially Yunnan and Guizhou (in later generations, the planting area in these two provinces alone accounted for more than half of the country). Coincidentally, Ding Zhenduo, the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, happens to be determined to promote the New Deal, and he will definitely spare no effort

Promote this matter.

Even the neighboring governors of Guangdong and Guangxi, Cen Chunxuan, and the governor of Sichuan, Xiliang, in the Sichuan-Sichuan region where opium was rampant, were both promoters of the New Deal and anti-smoking advocates.

——

On this day, Li Yu received another heavyweight letter, which was sent by Einstein from Switzerland. It contained the paper he had revised several times.

Einstein also attached a letter, specifically discussing the famous mass-energy formula, because it is really amazing.

Einstein wrote:

"Mr. Li Yu,

You previously sent me a telegram and mentioned that mass and energy are the same thing, two sides of an object.

At this time, oh, I am talking about this moment when I wrote this letter, it is night.

The nights in Switzerland are very long and the lights need to be on for a long time.

Then I thought, if energy and mass are the same thing, then is electrical energy also a kind of quality?

When my wife took out last month's electricity bill, I suddenly thought, can't electricity be calculated by weight?

For example, one kilogram of electricity?

This sounds a bit confusing."

Li Yu put down the letter. If he were not a time traveler, he would certainly not be able to accept the ridiculous statement "one pound of electricity" upon hearing it.

But since Einstein's mass-energy formula came into being, don't tell me, in theory it can be so electric and it can really weigh in weight.

According to the mass-energy formula, it can be easily calculated that one kilogram of electricity is approximately 12.5 billion kilowatt-hours, and one kilogram is 25 billion kilowatt-hours.
To be continued...