Wetoma is speechless again!
Luo Xueyan saw that Weitoma was speechless for a while, so he was not in a hurry. Instead, he first greeted Sushun, Shengbao, Li Hongzhang and others to sit down one by one, and then ordered the servant he borrowed from Wu Jianzhang to serve coffee. , and then introduced Sushun, Shengbao, Li Hongzhang, Yuanbao, Bai Siwen and others to Wei Tuoma who was a little lost, and then asked Wei Tuoma solemnly: "Master Wei, can you answer my question now?" Is there a problem? Who owns the sovereignty of the Shanghai Concession, as well as the judicial, administrative, defense and other powers closely related to sovereignty?"
"Lord Luo!" Witoma looked at Luo Xueyan with an unhappy face, "Is now the time to discuss these issues? If you don't send troops quickly, the entire Shanghai will be occupied by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. By then, your army will lose military pay and Supply of weapons and ammunition!"
"Master Luo, Master Wei is right!" Shengbao, Jiangsu's military affairs minister, heard what Witoma said made sense, so he spoke for the foreign devils.
Li Hongzhang, who had an acquaintance with Luo Xueyan last time, also advised him: "Brother Xueyan, rescuing troops is like putting out fire... there is no need to delay!"
Imperial Envoy Sushun also nodded and said: "Xueyan, before we fight foreigners, we must first settle our domestic affairs. Now is not the time to argue with foreigners about this matter!"
Luo Xueyan would not listen to these reactionary bureaucrats. He smiled and hugged the three of them: "Master Su, Master Sheng, and Shaoquan, don't worry, I will definitely take back Shanghai. I am 100% sure! But Shanghai The issue of the concession must be properly resolved by taking this opportunity. After passing this village, there will be no such place!
What I shouldn’t say is that Shanghai will be my territory from now on, Luo. Luo’s new army’s arms and military pay must come from Shanghai! And Shanghai’s interests are all in the port, and the interests of the port are all in On the ground of the concession today.
If this concession cannot be recovered, Shanghai’s oil and water will be reduced by more than half! Oil and water will be reduced by more than half, and the New Army will also be reduced by more than half!”
Hearing what Luo Xueyan said, Sushun, Shengbao, and Li Hongzhang were all speechless. They just looked at this "foreignization wizard" with suspicion, wanting to see what he could do?
Luo Xueyan turned to Waituma and spoke English with an "Oxford accent": "Master Wei, my desire to take back the sovereignty of the Shanghai Concession does not mean that I want to expel foreign businessmen in Shanghai... In fact, not only will I not expel Shanghai's Foreign businessmen will work with them to build a larger, more dynamic and open Far Eastern metropolis!
I will also sincerely welcome businessmen from Britain, France, the United States and other countries to Shanghai to set up industry and invest in business. I will give them national treatment and protect their private property and business interests.
Moreover, I will also welcome foreign friends to participate in the daily management of this metropolis. Various judicial and administrative agencies in Shanghai will hire capable gentlemen from foreign countries as consultants or civil servants.
The primary schools, middle schools, and universities I run in Shanghai will hire foreign experts as teachers, and the hospitals I run in Shanghai will also welcome doctors from abroad.
In addition, I will also establish a consultative council in Shanghai elected by citizens with certain property as an agency to assist me in legislation and administration.
Under my management, Shanghai will become a prosperous, civilized, and progressive city like New York, Paris, and Frankfurt!
I don’t think you British people will set up a concession in New York, Paris, or Frankfurt, right?
As for the Jiangguan Customs that you are thinking about... it will also be under my control in the near future! I guarantee that the Jiangguan will be a clean, efficient, and responsible public agency! It will hire people from the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.
Consultants, run in line with UK Customs.
But you don’t want to put the customs under your control... because that is our Chinese customs!"
Weitoma now has an unreal feeling. His British soldiers were defeated by the Qing tax collectors outside the Jiangguan Office in Shanghai! He saw a "demon" who understood national sovereignty on the city tower in Shanghai County.
, are still discussing with a Chinese warlord who speaks with an "Oxford accent" how to turn Shanghai into a prosperous and progressive metropolis.
It has only been ten years since the Opium War. Has this country progressed too fast? If it continues to progress like this, imperialism will not be able to catch up!
"Lord Luo," Witoma still shook his head, "Although what you said is very attractive, I have no right to agree to the abolition of the "Shanghai Land Lease Regulations"... Only the Minister Plenipotentiary has such power."
"No, you have the right!" Luo Xueyan shook his head, "If you don't have such authorization, why do you come to me for help? There is always a price to pay for asking for help."
As he spoke, he said to Wu Ruxiao: "Ruxiao, show the agreement I prepared to Mr. Wei."
"What agreement?" Witoma frowned.
"Don't worry," Luo Xueyan said with a smile, "This is a fair and just treaty... According to this treaty, the British Consulate and the French Consulate will transfer all the judicial, administrative and defense rights of the concession to me! And I will
Accordingly, we will send troops to restore order in the original French Concession and British Concession areas and protect the lives and property of nationals from various countries."
At this time, Wu Ruxiao had already submitted the Chinese-English bilingual text of the "Abolition of the Shanghai Land Lease Charter and Related Follow-up Agreement" that had been prepared long ago to Weituma.
Witoma took the text of the treaty and read it carefully. It was indeed an "equality treaty."
As a diplomat of the British Empire in Asia, I am really not used to signing "equality treaties"!
"Lord Luo," Weitoma said to Luo Xueyan reluctantly after reading the treaty, "I am just a vice-consul. Even if I sign the treaty, as long as the Consul of Ali and Minister Wenxian object, the treaty will have no legal effect.
.
Moreover, the paddle-wheel gunboat on which Minister Bonham is riding will arrive in Shanghai soon, and a battalion of British troops will arrive with him!"
Luo Xueyan smiled slightly and said to Wade in English: "Master Wei, please sign. Only after you sign can Minister Wenxian arrive in Shanghai, a city that welcomes him. Moreover, I believe that when he returns from Jiangning Mansion
After that, they will fully recognize this agreement and support me in building a Shanghai open to everyone."
Witoma was stunned, looked at Luo Xueyan in surprise and asked: "But...how did you know that Minister Wenxian planned to go to Jiangning?"
"I guessed it," Luo Xueyan shrugged, "What else could I do? I'm not Luo Yaoguo."
..
Shanghai County Town, Yuyuan Garden, Dianchun Hall.
A large flag of "Saint Angel Wu Wangluo of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom" has been hung high in the courtyard outside Dianchun Hall.
"Fake Devil" Zhu Ba was sitting in the dianchun hall eating steamed dumplings with a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy who looked a bit tiger-headed. The boy was growing up and had a great appetite, and several steaming buns were served. As soon as the small cage was brought to him, he devoured it wholeheartedly. Because he ate so fast, his mouth was burned several times, making a "hissing" sound.
Zhu Ba looked at his greedy appearance and kept smiling: "Ah Bao, eat slowly, there are some... eat them with some vinegar to relieve your tiredness."
This young man turned out to be Zhang Bao, one of the Twelve Disciples. He and Wang Xier were the youngest among the Twelve Disciples. Because these two were young, they were not assigned any positions. After graduating from the lecturer class, they continued to study with Luo Yaoguo. By the way, I handled some paperwork. Later, Wang Xier filled in the vacancy of Ji Chunhua and became one of the four female guards. Now she is with Su Sanniang. Zhang Bao has been following Luo Yaoguo, and he can be regarded as a "little secretary".
This time Luo Yaoguo came to Shanghai in the name of Luo Xueyan and naturally took him with him, but he did not let him go to Kunshan with him. Instead, he was sent to Zhu Ba's side and was responsible for teaching Zhu Ba to "pretend to be a devil" and meet foreigners.
Although Zhu Ba looks "very devilish", the devil Luo Yaoguo is a progressive devil who is educated and understands Westernization. Zhu Bayi, a devil from the Hunan countryside, has no problem killing and killing, but pretends to be a cultural devil, but is still a devil of Westernization.
Therefore, Luo Yaoguo personally wrote a "Devil's Guide" for Zhang Bao to take with him and give it to Zhu Ba, giving him guidance so that Zhu Ba would not understand it.
While the two were eating steamed dumplings, a soft and pleasant female voice in Wu language suddenly came from outside the Dianchuntang courtyard: "Prince Holy Angel is cutting inside? I'm here to pay my respects to Zhou Xiuying, the servant."
Zhu Ba and Zhang Bao looked at each other. Zhang Bao quickly put down his chopsticks, stood up and walked to stand behind Zhu Ba, looking as if he was Zhu Ba's guard.
"Come in."
Seeing Zhang Bao stood up, Zhu Ba shouted.
Zhou Xiuying responded in a low voice, then quickly walked into the Dianchun Hall. After entering the room, she knelt down towards Zhu Ba who was having breakfast and kowtowed respectfully.
"What's the matter?" Zhu Ba asked.
Chapter completed!