Chapter 449 Oh no, the rebels of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom are going to attack Macau! (Please order, please vote)
John Bowring, who succeeded Bonham and became the fourth Governor of Hong Kong, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in Hong Kong, Commander of the Hong Kong Fleet, Vice Admiral of the Navy, and also serving as Minister Plenipotentiary to China and Commercial Supervisor, he looked like he could be used
To describe it as "delicate", it means that you look a little charming.
Classic. He has fluffy curly hair, a high and bright forehead, and looks very smart. He also wears a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and has a bookish air. His nose is as sharp as a woodpecker's beak, and his chin is also sharp.
He has an oval face and a clean shaven beard.
By the way, this British "Master Bao" was originally the British consul in Guangzhou, responsible for negotiating with the officials of the Qing Dynasty about "entering the city". What "entering the city"? Of course it was entering the city of Guangzhou. This matter is actually in
The "Treaty of Nanjing" clearly stated that there were five ports for trade, and Guangzhou was one of them.
Guangzhou was originally a treaty port, but for more than two hundred years, foreigners have not been allowed to enter the city, so they can only do business with the Thirteenth Bank outside the city. You said that the city wall of Guangzhou is right in front of you, you can see it and touch it.
Yes, but foreigners just can't get in. It's like the cake in front of you.
You can smell it, but you can't eat it. People usually want something the more they can't get it. Although there are no particularly rare things in Guangzhou, the foreigners who come to Guangzhou to do business have been stunned for two hundred years.
If you can't even get in, it's become a rare thing.
John Baoling, who was responsible for negotiating with the Qing officials to enter the city, this guy was a bit... how should I put it, neurotic. He was obsessed with entering the city and wanted to get in. As soon as he took office, he rushed to the city.
Discuss with the officials in China and make an oath
He flatly said that he must enter the city. But Ye Mingchen, who was in contact with him, was also a "ruthless character". The Chinese version of "nerve" was to prevent foreigners from entering. Xianfeng had given him a secret order, and it was clearly written on it.
:Stop blocking it and let the foreigners enter the city!
But it was good for Ye Mingchen. Even if he resisted and disrespected the decree, he resolutely refused to let the British "Master Bao" enter the city. This tortured "Master Bao" so much that in the end, he thought about it day and night, and even dreamed about it at night.
When I entered Guangzhou city, I probably had a pretty beautiful dream, and maybe I even wandered around the streets and alleys of Guangzhou in my dream.
Not to mention, a British diplomat who dreams of entering Guangzhou meets a feudal official of the Qing Dynasty who refuses to let foreigners enter. This is not a proper "two-way rush".
However, although Bao Ling was mentally "tortured" by Ye Mingchen for a long time and failed to accomplish anything during his tenure as consul in Guangzhou, this did not affect his promotion and fortune at all. He was from a well-known family in Dewenzhi County.
He is still a doctor of law from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. No, now he is firmly sitting in the seat that originally belonged to Bonham, giving orders majestically.
After Bao Ling became the British Minister to China and the Governor of Hong Kong, there were only two major things on his mind: First, he desperately helped Ye Mingchen, who had "tortured" him for two or three years, to resist the Taiping Army and the Tiandihui Rebels. Is this a legend?
The "love grows over time" in the novel? Secondly, I still continue to figure out how to enter Guangzhou without giving up. This obsession is simply more determined than Tang Monk's search for scriptures.
Coincidentally, his "old friend" Ye Mingchen was also promoted, from the governor of Guangdong to the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. After Ye Mingchen was promoted, he also had two major tasks to do: first, to suppress the Tiandihui and resist the Taiping Army; secondly,
It's still the same as before, continuing to prevent foreigners from entering Guangzhou.
Hey, these two "nerves" have reached some kind of "consensus" in this regard.
During this period, "Master Bao" was really worried about Governor Ye in Guangzhou. He searched everywhere for guns, gunpowder, and sent them all to Guangzhou to arm Governor Ye and General Guangzhou with flag soldiers and Green Camp.
, regiment training. They also dispatched steam gunboats from the Hong Kong fleet and sailed majestically to the Pearl River outside Guangzhou.
Go up and help Ye Mingchen hold the place. When he heard that the Taiping Army was divided into three groups to attack Guangdong, and that the Tiandihui elements in Guangdong were rising up everywhere, he was so anxious that he was like ants on a hot pot, spinning around. He probably wanted to take him with him.
The British soldiers in Hong Kong personally went to help his "old enemy" Ye Mingchen fight against the Taiping Army and the Tiandihui.
Not to mention, all his efforts were not in vain, they actually had some effect! During this period of time, the Tiandihui in Guangdong started uprisings everywhere, and thirty or forty counties were disturbed by them.
"The world is turned upside down." On the other side, the Taiping Army Shi Dakai
The troops marched from Jiangxi into Guangdong with great courage, and the progress was smooth. The troops were divided into two groups, and like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, they captured the entire Nanxiong Prefecture in northern Guangdong; the other group rushed into Guangdong.
Jiaying Prefecture in the east is currently attacking the city.
However, Luo Gang's troops who came from Hunan to attack Shaozhou Prefecture were not so lucky. It is said that they were "repulsed" by the army sent by Guangzhou General Gilhang'a and retreated all the way back to Hunan.
Just two days ago, the good news from Shaozhou flew back to Guangzhou as if it had wings. Ye Mingchen was guarding Guangzhou City and was fighting with the Red Army leaders Li Wenmao, Gan Xian and Chen Kai who were entrenched in Fuling City in the north of the city. This good news
As soon as they arrive, the military spirit is screaming
With a great boost, Ye Mingchen saw this opportunity and immediately sent a team of 5,000 foreign rifles out of the city to start a fierce battle with the Red Army. He actually defeated more with fewer people and drove all the Red Army soldiers in the northern suburbs of Guangzhou back to the Fuling Camp.
By the way, Sanyuanli was recovered!
Now the news of the Shaoguan and Sanyuanli victories are all in the hands of "Master Bao" in Bao Ling. This foreigner finally showed a happy smile on his face, thinking to himself: "That Master Ye really
With some ability, you finally didn’t let me and the British Empire down!"
Now the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has taken the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the richest region in China, into its hands. If Guangdong, which is second only to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in economic terms, is also included in its hands, at least 70% of China's wealth will belong to it.
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom took over. The Qing Dynasty relied on the remaining 30% or even less of their income. I am afraid that life will be difficult. I guess they will have to tighten their belts and be extremely poor!
By that time, a unified, progressive, and powerful Taiping Heavenly Kingdom may quickly rise to become the master of East Asia and Southeast Asia! By then, the interests of the British Empire in the East will be greatly threatened.
According to the instructions from "White Hall", "Master Bao" must try his best to avoid this situation from happening... The situation looks good now.
"Master Bao" had just put down the report sent by the British Consulate in Guangzhou, and was wondering whether to take advantage of the heat to mention "entering the city" to Mr. Ye Mingchen. Suddenly, there was a smell of curry.
English came in from outside his office: "Mr. Governor, Mr. Lei, Secretary of the Shanghai Consulate, would like to see you."
This "Mr. Lei" is Li Taitai. This is his Chinese name. His real name is Horace Nelson Lei. His father was the first British consul in Guangzhou, and he stayed in China with his father for quite some time.
Years ago, he could speak Chinese and Cantonese like a local. Later he worked as a translation secretary under "Master Bao", and he and Bao Ling were old acquaintances.
"Invite him in quickly." When Bao Ling heard this, he quickly ordered the servant Ah San outside to invite his old subordinate Li Taitai in. When he saw this young man coming after a long journey, "Master Bao" proudly picked up the
The two "good news" on the table were compared with him!
I saw him smiling and saying to Li Taitai: "Horace, you came at the right time. Maybe we will have a chance to visit Guangzhou soon!"
As for Li Taitai, he actually also wants to enter Guangzhou. After all, he grew up outside Guangzhou and has been looking forward to going to the city since he was a child. However, even if his father is the consul, he cannot satisfy his small wish. However, he is
This matter was not so serious. He did not answer Bao Ling's words at all, but hurriedly said to Bao Ling: "Mr. Minister, something bad is going on. The rebels from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom are going to attack Macau by sea.
!”
"Ah?" Bao Ling was stunned when he heard this, "Horace, what did you say?"
"Mr. Minister, King Wu of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is bringing a fleet and at least 8,000 infantrymen to the south from the sea to attack the Portuguese Macau!" Li Taitai said as he hurried from
He took out a wax-sealed envelope from his pocket and handed it to Bao Ling.
Bao Ling took the letter, picked up a knife and opened the wax seal, took out the letter inside and took a look. After reading for a while, his jaw almost dropped: "What? King Wu of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is going to attack Tianjin?"
"No, it's not Tianjin," Li Taitai quickly shook his head, "It's Macau, it must be Macau!"
Bao Ling raised his head and looked at Li Taitai with confusion, as if to say: "Tianjin for a while, Macau for a while, where are you talking about?"
Li Taitai was so anxious that he quickly explained: "Mr. Minister, Consul Ali and I thought King Wu's goal was Tianjin at first. After all, King Wu himself claimed so. But I was sitting on the clipper of Jardine Matheson.
When we were heading south, we happened to encounter the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fleet led by the Dingyuan on the sea outside the Yangtze River Estuary... I even secretly followed them all the way to the vicinity of Hong Kong Island."
There is no mistake, every song is published and every content is read one by one!
"They went to... Macau?" Bao Ling asked tentatively.
Li Taitai nodded quickly: "It must be Macau. There are Qing army forts over Humen, and it is difficult for the Taiping fleet to pass. And I personally saw the Dingyuan and eleven other steamships heading west, so it must be going there.
Macau is gone!”
When Bao Ling heard this, his face instantly turned livid, and he couldn't help but curse: "Damn the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom..." As he said that, he picked up the quill, took another piece of letter paper, and began to write letters, mouthing
Li also muttered: "I will never let this happen. I have to remind Governor Suarez quickly..."
Chapter completed!