At night, the Dotai Mansion is brightly lit, and the oil lamps shine brightly, reflecting the Dotai Mansion as bright as day. In the living room, the sound of chatting and talking is endless. Li Zhen's strategists and generals were all present, including Liu Taiping, Lan Weiwen, Dai Yuanhua, Huang Shihai, Yang Banhou, Zhou Xiuying and others, as well as Maas and craftsmen and experts from Italy.

Everyone gathered in the living room, but Li Zhen had not yet appeared.

"Your Excellency has arrived!"

Suddenly, the shouts of soldiers were heard outside the hall.

After Liu Taiping, Qi Zhenhai and others heard this, they reflexively stood up and looked out of the hall. Maas couldn't understand what was being said, but he immediately heard Smith shouting in English that Li Zhen was coming. Maas didn't dare to hesitate, and quickly stood up and looked out of the hall, and the rest of the craftsmen and experts followed suit, all of them got up from their seats, closed their mouths, and looked out of the hall with their eyes.

The hall, which was as noisy as a bazaar, suddenly fell silent.

Under the gaze of a pair of burning eyes, Li Zhen strode into the hall.

Li Zhen held his head high, his eyes did not squint, and his eyes were like electricity, giving people a sense of momentum. However, Li Zhen still had a faint smile on his face, which gave people a gentle feeling. The two senses are superimposed, feeling gentle but a little distant. Li Zhen walked into the hall, walked to the seat, picked up his robe and sat down.

Immediately, Li Zhen waved his hand and said, "Sit down, tonight is dedicated to everyone to pick up the wind and wash the dust, no need to be formal." ”

After Li Zhen finished speaking, Smith immediately translated.

After everyone sat down, Li Zhen raised his glass and said, "I welcome you all from thousands of miles to China. I would like to say that your coming to Shanghai is the wisest decision of your life. You can make money in Italy, but you can make more money in Shanghai. As long as everyone works together, they will definitely get more rewards. ”

After Smith's translation, the eyes of craftsmen and experts alike were bright and shining.

"Goo-dong!"

Many people swallowed their saliva, clenched their fists, and became excited. These people followed Maas across the ocean to China, not for ideals, but to make money. Li Zhen said what they wanted and wanted, and all the experts and craftsmen felt that Li Zhen was upright and upright, thinking that this trip was the right one.

Li Zhen took everyone's eyes in his eyes, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Everyone, please!"

Li Zhen raised the wine glass in his hand, raised his head and drank it all.

After Smith translated, everyone cooperated, drinking and talking together.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely lively, which was exactly what Li Zhen needed. Next, Li Zhen walked down the hall again, communicated with the experts one by one, drank and laughed with the craftsmen in the hall, and said a few words of English from time to time to show his own level, which impressed the experts in the hall. A reception banquet, harmonious and lively, did not disperse until late at night.

……

Guangzhou, on the blue sea.

Ships docked silently, like ancient beasts lying on the sea.

These warships were planted with British and French flags, and they were the combined forces of Britain and France.

Flagship, in the cabin.

On a rectangular conference table, on the left and right sides sat the main figures of England and France. The first person to sit on the left is the British Minister to China, the first person to sit on the right is the French Minister to China, Bulllon, and the commander of the British fleet, Adams, and the commander of the French fleet, Lawell, also sit on the left and right sides of the conference table.

The four main figures gathered here to discuss things.

Adams looked grim and said in a deep voice: "Ye Mingchen's old guy has been prevaricating and does not agree to revise the contract. Such people seriously hindered the expansion of the interests of the empire, and it was best to get rid of it, or go directly to attack Canton. ”

Adams was deflated everywhere in Shanghai, his self-esteem was hit, and he was holding back his anger, and he had long wanted to find a place to vent. Now that Ye Mingchen did not agree to revise the treaty, Adams had a reason to send troops.

"I agree with His Excellency Adams's suggestion to send troops into Canton. ”

Both of them were deflated in Shanghai.

Adams was captured by Li Zhen, and Rawell was wounded in the leg, both humiliated.

After listening to Bao Ling, he shook his head and said: "The sages of China once said that the soldiers who surrender without a fight are also the good ones, and this is the highest state of the art of war. We want to revise the treaty to expand the interests of the empire, and the first option is to revise the treaty without using soldiers, so as to obtain more benefits for the empire. Moreover, the empire could not spare troops to attack Guangzhou in a short period of time. Therefore, I insisted that it would not be possible to negotiate with Ye Mingchen first, and then let the Anglo-French combined fleet go north and ask the emperor to change the treaty. ”

Bouron nodded and said, "I agree with Your Excellency Bao Ling's proposal to try to reach an agreement privately first." If you can bypass the emperor's interference, you can bypass the emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty; If war can be avoided, war will be avoided. The use of force is a last resort, and it cannot be used until the critical moment. ”

When Adams and Spicel heard this, they both looked depressed.

The two were commanders of their respective national fleets, but they had to follow the advice of the minister in China.

"Report!"

Suddenly, a British soldier walked in and saluted the four men.

Immediately, the soldier reported: "Commander Adams, Mr. Bao Ling, there is news from Shanghai that the British consul in Shanghai, Ali Guo, and the French consul in Shanghai, Aitang, have both been killed, both of which were committed by the pirate Lu Shaochuan in Shanghai. Speaking of this, the soldier again told the speculation of the British lieutenant colonel and the French colonel, pointed the finger at Li Zhen, and mentioned the proposal to cut off Lu Shaochuan.

When the soldier finished speaking, there was silence in the cabin.

The four main figures of the Anglo-French alliance were all stunned and frightened by the news.

The killing of Ah Liguo and Aitang is too appalling.

After a long time, Bao Ling recovered, his face was pale, he slapped the table, and said coldly: "The interests of the empire cannot be violated, and the people of the empire cannot die in vain." Li Zhen was so arrogant that he instigated pirates at sea to attack the consulate, this wind cannot last, and the revenge of Aliguo and Aitang must be avenged. ”

"Must report!"

Bulon clenched his fists, anger in his eyes.

The killing of the British and French consuls in Shanghai was simply appalling. Adams and Lywell looked at each other and wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads, angry in their hearts but also in danger. If the two did not go south but stayed in Shanghai, it is likely to be the same ending as Ali Guo and Aitang.

Bulon looked at Bao Ling and asked, "What do you think should be done?" ”

Bao Ling said in a deep voice: "The matter of repairing the treaty is put on hold for the time being, and the fleet will immediately go north, first exterminate the pirate Lu Shaochuan, and cut off one of Li Zhen's arms." Then, we attacked Shanghai and killed Li Zhen to take revenge. After solving Li Zhen, he used the matter of Aliguo and Aitang to coerce the emperor of the Qing State and ask the emperor to revise the treaty, otherwise he would start a war. In this way, the expansion of interests can be completed. ”

"Good idea, just do it."

Bao Ling nodded in response, with an expectant look on his face.

The four of them discussed it carefully, and then made a plan against Lu Shaochuan. After settling on the plan, Searl and Adams went directly to convey the order for the combined British and French fleets to sail towards Shanghai.

ps: Two of the three, the update is late, sorry. In the morning, there was an accident at home, and I rushed to the hospital before coming back. It will not be interrupted, and the character is guaranteed.