Chessboard Street, Rite Department, Signature Room, Host and Guest. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The host is Wan Qingqui, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and the guest is Qian Dingming, the secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Dingfang," Wan Qingqu said suspiciously, "this Spanish weird! Since there has not yet been a legation in Beijing, why bother with the excitement of the enthronement ceremony? It's still ...... Well, 'Congratulations from France'? This one...... Is there a rule for this? ”

Qian Dingming nodded, "Asking other countries to act as agents of foreign affairs is not too rare in the international community, and it is also allowed by the public law of all countries; Spain did not have a serious diplomat in China, so he originally wanted to find a priest to act as a 'congratulatory envoy', and I was told to refuse; now, he has asked the French legation to 'congratulate me on his behalf,' so we have no reason to refuse." ”

"That's weird!" Wan Qingquan said, "Why is Spain so energetic? If Westerners really attach so much importance to the friendship between China and Spain, they should ...... Set up a legation! ”

Qian Dingming smiled, "The establishment of a legation costs money, and the current Spain is financially tight, and the domestic political situation is like a messy porridge, and it is not Spain that is excited about this kind of thing." ”

"That?" Wan Qingqui asked tentatively, "Could it be the Fa-"

"Lotus root guessed right!" Qian Dingming said, "The real excitement of this matter is the French. ”

After a pause, "Before, the royal family of France and the royal family of Spain were of the same origin, and it was not impossible to count them as a family; Later, although the emperor of France changed, he still regarded Spain as his own forbidden territory - the French emperor Napoleon III always regarded himself as the protector of Spain. ”

"Oh......"

After a deep sigh, Wan Qingquan said: "In this way, France is a little ...... on behalf of Spain to 'congratulate the event' The eldest brother came forward on behalf of the younger brother. ”

"Yes!" Qian Dingming said, "In addition, France's move is also quite related to the current political situation in Spain. ”

After a pause, "The Queen of Spain has never had an heir, she has reached middle age, she should not be able to give birth anymore, and it will be a big trouble for her to be the heir in the future." At present, the great powers of Europe, such as England and Prussia, have faintly hinted of interfering with the Spanish heir, which the French will never tolerate. ”

"Yes—by the couch, where others can sleep?"

Qian Dingming smiled, "Therefore, France 'congratulated Spain' on behalf of Spain, and it really also had the intention of declaring its rights to Britain and Prussia." ”

"Well, I see."

Wan Qingquan nodded and curled his fingers, "In this way, England, France, the United States, Prussia, Russia, Austria, the Netherlands, and Spain - when the time comes, there will be a total of eight countries who will enter the palace to watch the ceremony, meet them, and congratulate them." ”

"Yes."

Wan Qingqu sighed softly and said, "Dingfang, this is an unprecedented thing!" ”

Qian Dingming smiled silently.

"In the past," Wan Qingli said slowly, "In the major ceremonies of this dynasty, there will also be 'foreign envoys' who will bow to it, but the so-called 'foreign envoys' in the past are all envoys of 'foreign vassals' such as Korea and Vietnam...... A real 'foreign envoy'! ”

"Actually, it's not the first time that 'above' has seen Taixi's envoy," Qian Dingming said, "and it's not the first time. The Empress Dowager of the Two Palaces and Emperor Mu Zongyi have all met - the Empress Dowager of the Two Palaces has met the guest secretary of the United States, Du Lide; Later, Emperor Mu Zongyi received the envoys of Britain, France, Russia, and the Netherlands at the behest of the Empress Dowager of the Two Palaces. ”

"Yes," Wan Qingquan said, "however, the enthronement ceremony is always our own business, and has nothing to do with diplomacy, and foreign envoys enter the palace to observe the ceremony, meet with them, and congratulate them...... A no-compromise first time. ”

"This ...... Quite yes. ”

"Dingfang," Wan Qingli said in an emotional tone, "Before, on the day of the enthronement ceremony, the ministers of Britain, France, the United States, Prussia, Russia, Austria, and the Netherlands sent the news of entering the palace to observe the ceremony, meet and congratulate the Ministry of Rites. Or should we increase the forehead with our hands and cheer 'Holy Zerufu, come from all directions'? ”

Qian Dingming's eyes jumped, and then he smiled, "This guy's emotion is interesting!" ”

"Who is this 'dude'," Wan Qingli said, "I don't have to say it, his words haven't been finished yet, and then, he also said this, 'Actually, if you think about it carefully, there are some things that are just a thought! ’”

Qian Dingming's eyes jumped again, however, this time, he didn't smile, silently savored for a moment, and said solemnly, "'One thought difference' - incisive!" Was...... Not a word! ”

"yes!" Wan Qingqu said, "Many things are actually seen horizontally as peaks on the side of the ridge, and if you think about it well, it is a good thing; Thinking in the bad is a bad thing - a thought is a bad thing! ”

After a pause, "In the past, some things, as soon as I was obsessed, I couldn't get out of the horns - including me, now, in retrospect, how ridiculous!" ”

"This time, that time!" The smile returned to Qian Dingming's face, "Besides, the envoys of these eight countries actually have to kneel - they have to kneel down on one knee to go up today." ”

"Yes, yes! So...... Or 'His Majesty from the ancient palace, all kneeling ministers'! Hey, hey, haha! ”

"Haha! Hey! ”

The two Shangshu laughed a few times, and after laughing, Qian Dingming said, "Oh, by the way, this is a list of congratulatory gifts from the eight countries, except for Spain, which is a little shabby--the rest of the countries can still be seen." ”

After a pause, "Spain's share is probably also sent by the French - you can make a person for Spain, and if you pay more, the French will not do it." ”

As he spoke, he handed over a white fold.

Wan Qingquinoa took it, opened it, and looked closely, most of the gifts were decent, not gold and jewelry, but there were also many surprising-

"Hey, the Americans actually sent a ...... Locomotive? ”

Wan Qingqui raised his head, "Dingfang, the 'locomotive' on the gift list should be the locomotive, right?" ”

"Yes," Qian Dingming said with a smile, "it's the locomotive." ”

After a pause, "The Pacific Railroad in the United States is almost completed, and this is the project he is most proud of -- a total length of more than 6,000 miles!" Naturally, I want to think about it—"

Before he finished speaking, Wan Qingquio was taken aback, almost thinking that he had heard it wrong, and couldn't help blurting out: "More than 6,000 miles? ”

"Yes, more than 6,000 miles."

Wan Qingquinoa's mouth was slightly open, and she couldn't close it for a while.

Qian Dingming smiled, "Also, our Beijing-Tianjin Railway was built by the Americans; Moreover, just like a table full of Han people, the Beijing-Tianjin Railway is just an appetizer, and the big meal is still to come! -- What the Americans are staring at is our entire 'two vertical and two horizontal' railway network! I think that this locomotive is not only used by the Americans to congratulate Jinshang on his accession to the throne, but also to pay tribute to our 'two vertical and two horizontal' railway network! ”

Wan Qingqu sighed and nodded, "Those who plan are far, and those who plan are deep!" ”

Look at it any further, hey, the British also sent a locomotive?

Uh, no, it's not a locomotive—

"A small train, including: one locomotive, one excellent car, two first-class cars, two medium cars, and one luggage car"——

It's a whole train with a head and a tail!

It was also noted: "Within five miles, the railroad tracks will be built." ”

Isn't that what it is...... A whole railway?

However, the length of the railway ......

Also, the train is the train, why is it called a "small train"?

"This is really a 'small train'," Qian Dingming explained while gesturing, "the locomotive and carriage are smaller than the serious train, and the rails are narrower than the serious rails, called the 'narrow gauge railway' or 'meter-gauge railway', that is, the distance between the two rails is one meter -- about three feet of ours." ”

After a pause, "In the Summer Palace, there is such an identical 'narrow-gauge railway', an identical small train......"

"Huh?"

"The Summer Palace is vast," Qian Dingming said, "the sleeping palace of the Queen Mother of the two palaces is not together, and with this small train, it is much more convenient to travel to and from each other and to other places in the garden." ”

"Ah......h

"The little train in the Summer Palace was also sent by the British," Qian Dingming said, "However, it was not publicized before, and after the completion of the construction, the trial operation was quite satisfactory, so I sent another one - the one in the Summer Palace belonged to the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces; This one is today, and it is intended to be placed in the three seas. ”

"Oh, that's it......"

In the Summer Palace, Wan Qingquinoa naturally has never been there, but he has been to Xiyuan, that is, the Three Seas, including the South China Sea, the Middle Sea, and the North Sea; Also, before the fire, the Old Summer Palace, I have also been there, I really can't imagine it, among the green mountains and green waters, Biwa Zhuyong, carved beams and embroidered columns, layers and platforms, Feige Liudan, suddenly, a "small train" swallowed the clouds and spitted fog, whistling, hey, what kind of scene is that?

Wan Qingqui glanced at the god for a while, and said: "I just said that the Americans 'plan is far away, and what is plotted is deep', and now it seems that if you talk about 'far' and 'deep', it seems that the British are slightly superior." ”

"Americans," Qian Dingming said, "are younger." ”

"Younger?"

Wan Qingquan was slightly stunned.

What do you mean? Say...... Is the American minister younger than the British minister?

"I mean," Qian Dingming said, "the United States has been established less than a hundred years ago, and in terms of diplomatic means, it is naturally not as profound as England's." ”

"Oh, the founding of the United States, so far...... Less than 100 years old? ”

Qian Dingming nodded, "Yes." ”

After a pause, "However, the intersection between the two countries is more expensive than sincerity, but it is not that they are not young or have no means." ”

*(To be continued.) )