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Chapter 257: Shanghai Warlord and Minister of Commerce of the Five Countries please order, please vote

Forbidden City, Qianqing Gate, Royal Gate to listen to politics.
On the second day after paying homage to his ancestors in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Emperor Xianfeng, who never liked to see people in public, called the imperial gate to listen to the government.
The so-called imperial court hearing is a "meeting", usually held in the morning. The ministers participating in the royal court hearing mainly include cabinet bachelors, six ministers, ministers, ministers of military aircraft, commanders of the Eight Banners, ministers in charge of bodyguards, imperial ministers, etc. Usually, Not all of them were called at once, but only some of them were called to participate in the imperial review.
This group of people gathered outside the Meridian Gate early in the morning before dawn. After waiting for the emperor's imperial edict, they entered the Qianqing Gate. They knelt down at fixed positions and then kowtowed more and talked less - the kind of people who used the Imperial Gate in the Ming Dynasty. It was unlikely that someone would offend Yan Zhijian and make the emperor angry during the Qing Dynasty's imperial court hearings, because they were not allowed to speak freely. Only when the emperor called his name, could he stand up and kneel on the white marble steps outside the Qianqing Gate. Wait, and then the emperor can answer after asking questions.
Even if this form of imperial court listening was done, Emperor Xianfeng did not do it very often. On average, he only did it a few times a year. He usually did not talk nonsense with the ministers below, but only asked the cabinet bachelor to recite the contents of the memorial that needed to be processed. , and then recite the emperor's decree to the relevant ministers, and that's it.
For those officials who are qualified to participate in the imperial government, this is almost a way to open their eyes and increase their knowledge - many officials, especially Han officials, such as Li Hongzhang's father, may have served in Beijing for more than ten years. In years, I haven’t had my turn to listen to government affairs once... It seems like I have become a fake court official.
However, today's imperial court hearing seems to be a bit interesting. First, there are more people here. All the high-profile officials in Beijing are alive and waiting outside the Meridian Gate early in the morning. It is very lively.
Second, the emperor actually called six Manchu and Han ministers, ministers, and Prince Gong together to kneel on the platform outside the Qianqing Gate. This was a large group of people! Last time we went back to the platform outside the Qianqing Gate. When there were so many people kneeling on the ground, it might have been the time of Emperor Qianlong! Thirdly, the emperor actually spoke in front of all the ministers while listening to the government at the Imperial Gate. He talked a lot!
I saw that the emperor, who had the same numb face as the saint ancestor Kangxi, showed a rare smile and said with a smile: "I am calling you today just to tell you about the news of Luo Xueyan's victory... I have been growing hair ever since. Since the rebellion, I have received many good news, but none of them can compare with Luo Xueyan's good news! Because this good news was endorsed by foreigners, if it is not a real victory, how can foreigners be so easy to talk to? From Shanghai Both the British Concession and the French Concession were handed over. I am in Beijing and don’t know the situation in Shanghai, but they saw it with my own eyes! Taking back the concession rights is something that has never happened in ten years... This Luo Xueyan is really a military wizard. , a genius of Westernization!"
In fact, Emperor Xianfeng was not that stupid. He had long known that the ministers leading the troops were very "multiple"...otherwise, how could the good news keep coming, and Changmao is getting closer and closer to Beijing?
We have already "lost to Nanjing". If we lose again, will we lose to Beijing?
But Luo Xueyan's good news must be true! Because good news can deceive people, but the benefits spouted by foreigners cannot deceive people.
Without tangible results, how can foreigners spit out the fat in their mouths? This is impossible!
"However, this military prodigy and Westernization prodigy also has a dark heart. He actually submitted a petition to me, asking for the title of governor of Shanghai, governor of Songjiang Prefecture and all the officers and soldiers in Taicang Prefecture, regiment training, and supervision of Jiangnan Salt Law Road, Jiangnan Customs Road, Songjiang Prefecture Yamen, Taicang Prefecture Yamen... and the Yamen of Songjiang and Taicang counties. In a word, Songjiang, Taicang, Yanfa Road, and Customs Road are all placed under the jurisdiction of the Shanghai Governor Yamen. Everyone What do you think? Tell me!"
When he said this, the ministers below were a little dumbfounded.
Why do they still need to express their opinions? The emperor can make up his mind on this kind of matter. They just kowtow and call the saints. The people below didn't say anything, and they looked a little cold. Emperor Xianfeng's face sank when he saw it. Okay. Du Han, the son of his good teacher Du Shoutian, was well aware of the holy will. Seeing the silence, he hurriedly spoke: "Your Majesty, I thought Luo Xueyan wanted less." Still less?
The ministers below were stunned when they heard this.
No matter how much you ask for, you have to be the governor of Jiangsu, right?
The look on Xianfeng's face had already relaxed, and he immediately asked with a smile: "Du Han, tell me what other benefits I should give him?"
Du Han lay on the ground and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, I think you should give him not benefits, but responsibilities!"
"How do you say this?" Xianfeng asked.
"Your Majesty, everyone wants the benefits, but everyone avoids the responsibilities." Du Han said, "Now the commander-in-chief of Songjiang, Taicang military affairs, supervising the customs, and salt law are not the responsibilities of everyone." The benefits you want.”
Xianfeng nodded lightly: "It makes some sense." He then looked at the minister kneeling below him, "Which of you wants to go to Shanghai to replace Luo Xueyan?"
No..
Shanghai is like a dragon's pool and a tiger's den. There are foreigners outside and hairy people inside. Whoever goes there will die!
Seeing that no one answered, Xianfeng asked again: "Du Han, you mean these responsibilities are not enough for Luo Xueyan?"
"Not enough," Duhan said.
"How much more burden do you want to add to him?" Xianfeng asked.
"Your Majesty, I also know that an official position that everyone avoids is just right for Luo Xueyan."
"What official position?" Xianfeng asked again. "Minister of Commerce of the Five Countries." Du Han said.
The Five Trade Ministers are the so-called Nanyang Ministers. They are responsible for managing the trade and customs affairs of the five treaty ports of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Ningbo, and Xiamen. They are also responsible for handling foreign affairs. Of course, trade and customs are lucrative, but foreign affairs It's really too painful.
Since this "minister" is a part-time job, held concurrently by the governor of Guangdong, Guangxi or Liangjiang, he has been pushed back and forth by the governors of Guangdong, Guangxi and Liangjiang. This time, the five-port trade minister is the unlucky Ye Mingchen. Who is he? Minister? He was simply the imperial "foreign card" used by the Qing Dynasty. The foreigners were pressing harder, but he could not force the court to make concessions to the foreigners, so he had no choice but to lie down and die in Guangzhou. Historically, he was punished by foreigners for this. Arrested and taken to India...
If he could be allowed to hand over this unfortunate official position, even if it cost him one hundred and eighty thousand taels, he would still have to celebrate with a drink in the governor's office!
Xianfeng actually knew that Ye Mingchen could not serve as the five ministers of trade, but there was really no one left, so history allowed this guy to serve as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi for six years... If he hadn't been kidnapped by the British, he would still have been
I can do it for a few more years.
"What do you think?" Xianfeng naturally intended to let Luo Xueyan take over as the five-port trade minister, but Luo Xueyan was promoted too quickly. How many days did it take? He was promoted from a seventh-rank candidate to a fourth-rank Taoist priest. In the past two days, because of Shanghai's
When the good news came, Xianfeng had already planned to give him the title of imperial envoy, and in a blink of an eye he was made the Minister of Commerce of the Five Countries!
Although this minister does not have a rank, but exists as a concurrent job of the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi or the Governor of Liangjiang. But if the concurrent job of the Governor is stripped away, why would he have to be appointed a second-rank official, right?
This is equivalent to being a waiter!
Zeng Guofan's eight years as a minister was already a miracle in the officialdom, Luo Xueyan's one year as a minister... even if his "Luo" is Aixinjue "Luo", he can't be so fast!
Therefore, Xianfeng had to seek advice from his ministers—mainly from Prince Gong Yi?, the second-in-command of the Aisin Gioro family.
"Your Majesty," Prince Gong Yi? immediately understood and said, "I feel that Luo Xueyan can be the Minister of Commerce of the Five Kingdoms. Although he has little qualifications and is not from a decent background, there is no one who can handle negotiations better than him."
.Since he is the best in foreign affairs, there will be no criticism in appointing him as the Minister of Commerce. After all, the errands of negotiation have always been feared by officials. It is not easy to find someone who can take care of the governors of Guangdong, Guangxi and Jiangjiang.
Officer, if his qualifications are lower, then he should be lower... If he works for a few more years, he will have enough qualifications, right?"
"That's right!" Xianfeng nodded, "Who can't do it with mixed qualifications? If you work for a few more years, you'll get it, but he's the only one who knows how to handle foreign affairs! Now I just want to employ talents in an eclectic way, and also give talents to the world.
Set an example... Let him be the Shanghai Warden and the Five-port Trade Minister! His rank... Let's first assign the Five-port Trade Minister a minor second rank, which is as big as the chief envoy. After he has merit, he will be promoted to the second rank.
From Yipin!
In addition, Luo Xueyan defeated Chang Mao in Shanghai and subdued the foreigners. Although he was a civil servant, his military service was no less than that of any military attaché today, and he can be awarded the title of Loyal and Brave Batulu!"
Chapter completed!
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