What Emperor Hua thought about was how to gain support from international public opinion and how to use the assassination just now to make a fuss. Before visiting France and Britain, Emperor Hua had completely lost his fantasy about these two super powers.

There is an old saying in China that is to use tigers to seek skin. China, Britain and France have serious conflicts of interest in the competition for colonies. If no opponent is hurt, no one will be willing to let go. In the end, things in the world must be solved by fists, by knives and bullets. This is always the case. The essence of human beings is cruel. Otherwise, why is the fundamental essence of Confucianism and Taoism advocates self-cultivation and character cultivation?

The speaker was Crown Prince Edward: "Dear friends from all over the world, good afternoon! It is very honored to host today's celebration. Let us express our warm welcome and sincere thanks to all the guests with warm applause!"

Everyone applauded together, and Emperor Hua lazily applauded. Although Emperor Hua had experienced this perfunctory scene for the first time, he did not catch a cold. On this occasion, almost all the countries that could stand on the international stage in this era were gathered together.

"After all, it's the British royal family, the queen and the crown prince are quite majestic." Princess Katrina Kaif said to the cute CEO with a chuckling.

The cute president smiled indifferently, "Majesty is supported by national strength. If they were not the imperialist country that ranks first now, how many people would come today?"

Princess Katrina Kaifu smiled and nodded, trying to persuade Emperor Hua to give up the idea of ​​using force against Britain, but she didn't speak out. Although Princess Katrina Kaifu knew that Emperor Hua wanted to attack, she just thought that Emperor Hua would use economic and political infiltration, but she didn't expect Emperor Hua to use force directly.

Emperor Hua was also forced to do nothing. If political and economic infiltration alone could achieve the goal, why did he risk the threat of the destruction of the entire country and use force? The power came out of the gun. This sentence would not be wrong in any era.

The ceremony was held one by one. After Crown Edward's speech, what was left was ambassadors from various countries toast the Queen of England alone.

Of course, the queen can just say it. Ambassadors usually drink it all. This is respect and it also shows that the queen's status is beyond everyone.

When envoys from all countries toast, everyone kept a quiet chat. Although this occasion was grand, it was true that at most a few small parliaments regarded Britain as very, very noble. Most countries had direct relationships with Britain, but at most they were fearful and respectful, but not much.

It was originally a boring thing for Emperor Hua to watch all this quietly, but at this moment, Emperor Hua found it very interesting because the attitudes of various countries towards the Queen of England and the Queen of England towards individuals are all worthy of fun.

Especially British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraelli, who is beside the Queen.

Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraelli once said a very famous saying: there        three     kinds   of   lies:                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

This sentence is very appreciated by Emperor Hua.

Seeing British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraelli also reminded Emperor Hua of Comrade Li Hongzhang again.

In the history of later generations of China, Master Zhongtang said that he was a paper maker who had pasted a paper house all his life.

Foreigners have high praise for Li Hongzhang because they saw that it was a house, and at least there was a housekeeper in the house, and the housekeeper could communicate at least, unlike the owner of the house who went crazy to declare war on the whole world. As for us, we all saw paper covered with air leaking from all sides. The Chinese living inside were just hungry and cold.

Of course, foreigners also have low evaluations of Li Hongzhang, but they are missed by selective amnesia. Those with high evaluations are basically the heads of government and heads of state who praise and sing out of official etiquette needs, and the diplomatic level praises others, saying something on the surface and saying something behind the scenes, which is just a matter of interests.

Another situation similar to Li Hongzhang is Mr. Benjamin Disraelli, the current situation in front of Emperor Hua, who is now. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraelli has a high evaluation in the Western political circle. Western countries have never been hesitant to praise him with gorgeous words.

In the original history.

The Germans spared no effort to praise Li Hongzhang because the guns and cannons of the Huai Army and the main warships of the Beiyang Navy, especially the gold-eating beast Dingyuan and Zhenyuan ships were ordered from the German Krupp Company. The silver in the Qing Dynasty treasury was an important source of wealth for the Krupp family, and the Krupp family was an important source of wealth for Bismarck and Germany. No one can offend anyone.

The United States praised Li Hongzhang because as a late imperialism could not catch up with the last bus that divided China's sphere of influence and had limited ability to deploy in the Far East, so it could only adopt a roundabout strategy, starting from business, economy and education, actively advocated openness in China and shared interests. Therefore, it needed the support of important officials of the Qing court, especially the Han bureaucratic group in the wealthy provinces in the southeast coast. Therefore, its representative Li Hongzhang naturally had to actively win over it.

Russia praised Li Hongzhang because it was engaged in strategic confrontation with Britain and Japan in Central Asia and the Far East respectively. With Japan's victory in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the trend of becoming a dominant in the Far East became increasingly obvious. The northward expansion momentum was bound to collide with Russia's southward expansion momentum, which seriously hindered Russia's vested interests in the Far East. Joining China to check and balance Japan became Russia's primary choice. Therefore, the "Secret Treaty of China-Russia" and "Manchuria Treaty" that shocked Li Hongzhang and Werte for a while.

Japan praised Li Hongzhang because he was one of the few powerful ministers who understood diplomacy in the late Qing Dynasty and the general representative of the Han bureaucratic group. His existence could facilitate communication with the Qing court very easily. When interests were not met and implemented, Li Hongzhang was a good guarantee, so he praised him for understanding the general trend and understanding the overall situation.

As we all know, Li Hongzhang was a student of Zeng Guofan, and he was well-known in his official career and affairs. However, what Li Hongzhang did was not as good as his teacher Zeng Guofan, and perhaps, he was not as good as Zuo Zongtang.

Lord Li Hongzhang, who was reserved by Emperor Hua, had a dream when he was young, which was to be named a marquis three thousand miles away. Zeng Guofan once rudely commented that Li Hongzhang only wanted to be promoted, stand out, and be an utilitarian.

Li Hongzhang's fundamental purpose of conducting Western Affairs, promoting education, training navy, and building factories was to make the country prosperous and strong. The fundamental purpose of making the country prosperous and strong is to continue the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Only the continuation of the Qing Dynasty can ensure that he is the highest official, general and prime minister, and his reputation is kept in history. However, he did it.

Li Hongzhang was the biggest beneficiary of the Qing Dynasty system. The glory and power of the Li family and the national destiny of the Qing Dynasty prospered and suffered losses. Even when the Southeast protects each other, he never thought of replacing the Qing court.

Public opinion after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 said that Li Hongzhang's treason was biased and irresponsible. However, public opinion strongly criticized Li Hongzhang for his mistake in the country, which was completely worthy and unforgivable.

The first mistake was that the country was too big to lose. After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was destroyed in 1864, the Hunan Army was dismissed, but the Huai Army was preserved. The Huai Army has always been regarded as Li Hongzhang's private property. From senior generals to grassroots battalions, they were basically from Hefei, and the soldiers were all from the same village. The Huai Army only obeyed the orders of the boss Li Hongzhang and were only responsible to the Li family. It was a very typical private army and the founder of Chinese warlords in the future. If the soldiers were in general, the generals were only responsible to the commander rather than to the court.

It was precisely because Emperor Hua could easily defeat the Qing court because of this loophole that he easily dealt with Li Hongzhang's Huai Army.

Since the founding of the army, the Huai Army has not been an army to defend the country. Soldiers joined the army to grab money, grain and territory, and officers joined the army to get promoted and make money. Such an army was an expert in civil war and an expert in foreign wars, but it was the capital for Li Hongzhang to play with the emperor and Cixi.

After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising was suppressed, it marked the full rise of the Hunan-Huai Han bureaucratic group on the domestic political stage. The representative figure of the Hunan clan was Zeng Guofan, and after Zeng's death, it was Zuo Zongtang.

The representative figure of the Huai clan is Li Hongzhang. The eldest brother Li Hanzhang is the governor of Huguang. The two Han brothers served as the governor of real power together, which is extremely rare since the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Their rise marked the complete formation of the Qing government's loss of control over the south, and the situation of focusing on the outside and neglecting the inside.

Most of the Southern Governors and Governors who formed friendships during the civil war were from the same hometown, the same clan, and at the same time, comrades and relatives were all over the officialdom, and the younger generations were intertwined with each other, and their relationships were mixed together, forming a strong community of interests. They could not be inserted into the needle or poured into the water. It was Li Hongzhang who inherited this network of relationships from his teacher Zeng Guofan and created a community of interests that was consistent.

The second thing that Li Hongzhang misled the country was that most of the people he used were mediocre people, and when he reached a critical moment, he became a waste. In addition to his staff, his primary criteria for hiring people and promoting officials were not about talent and morality, but about relationships and money. People at that time used this to mock Li Hongzhang for being "the prime minister Hefei is thin in the world."

Li Hongzhang formed the Beiyang Navy at that time, from the beginning, to consolidate his position in the court, and secondly to national coastal defense.

The Beiyang Navy has always been regarded as Li Hongzhang's private navy, and it is absolutely forbidden for outsiders to control it. Deng Shichang, who has both talent and morality and has a background in studying abroad, nor has other naval generals from professional backgrounds. Instead, he chose a loyal retainer Ding Ruchang. Ding Ruchang had neither experience in naval battle nor naval experience, and was completely an old-style officer. His task was to faithfully execute the boss's orders. He made too many fatal mistakes in the entire Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, but the most fundamental mistake was to obey Li Hongzhang's remote control command, without any opinion, and implement the strategy of avoiding war and protecting ships, and eventually ruining himself and the Beiyang Navy.

There are also major organs of the Beiyang Navy, which are also controlled by Li Hongzhang's confidants. These people are greedy and stupid, and they are not enough to succeed.

Zhang Shiyan, the chief officer of the ordnance logistics of the Beiyang Fleet, was Li Hongzhang's nephew, and the real power behind the scenes was Li Jingfang. The performance of these two people made an indelible contribution to the victory of the Japanese in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

The third thing that Li Hongzhang misled the country was that he was self-righteous and thought that his power struggle in the officialdom could also show his skills in the diplomatic field.

But practice has proved that he was harassed countless times by the great powers. The first is to argue with Zuo Zongtang about which is more important than barrier defense or coastal defense.

Li Hongzhang suggested giving up Xinjiang, but was strongly opposed by Zuo Zongtang. After Zuo expeditions to the west, he tried his best to obstruct his action to recover Xinjiang. The most typical example was to intercept the tariffs on the southeast coast and not turn them over to the court.

In order to raise food and money, Zuo Zongtang had to raise funds from foreign banks through Hu Xueyan. Cixi allocated funds from the royal treasury, so she barely guaranteed the military expenditure of the Western Expedition Army. However, Zuo Zongtang's money bag Hu Xueyan was grudged by Li Hongzhang and was eventually destroyed by Sheng Xuanhuai's United Nations foreign companies.

In the war to recover Xinjiang, Zuo Zongtang was most worried about not the frontal enemy, but the source of military expenditure and the cold arrows from the court.

In the Sino-French War in 1885, he sought peace with France at the end of his power when he was victorious, which led to China's victory and defeat, losing its southwestern vassal states Vietnam, South China, and Southwest barriers, and French forces advanced to China's hinterland.

After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, in order to check and balance Japan, "bear" was brought into the house and formed an alliance with Russia, hoping to get protection from Russia. It was used by Nicholas II, accelerating Russia's expansion in the Northeast. The contradictions over the Northeast between Japan and Russia around the Northeast were increasing day by day, and the Russo-Japanese War broke out, which in turn intensified Japan's expansion and ambitions to China.

In 1896, Nicholas II ascended the throne, and Li Hongzhang participated in the coronation ceremony as a representative. Russian Minister of Finance Witt was determined to "maintain China's territorial integrity" and determined to "help China with force" and conveyed the long-planned railway plan, which was built by Russia and reached Vladivostok in northern Mongolia. Li Hongzhang sent back a secret message, "China and Russia have the most closest friendship, and the Eastern Province is connected to the land, which is actually a quick and fast dispatch in the future. If China has something to do, it will help, not just Leslieus." Li tried his best to promote this matter and finally convinced the highest level. This was the Sino-Russian Secret Agreement railway built and operated by the Russian Daosheng Bank and established the Middle East Railway Company, but in fact it was unilaterally controlled by Russia. Wherever the railway went, it became Russia's sphere of influence, and used this to control Dalian, Lushun, and Liaodong Peninsula fell into the Russian bear's paw. Then Russia changed it to "Kanto Province" and became the country among the Russians.

Everyone knows that the railway is a good thing, but it depends on who it controls. This incident aroused fierce opposition from the government and the public, because it was decided and handled by him in person throughout the whole process. The cunning Russian foreign treaty was signed and soon they sang a double act with Germany. Germany took Jiaozhou Bay from the Qing Dynasty, and Russia took Lushun and Dalian.

Li Hongzhang has been deliberately deified by some people in China today, and some books have even put him on the altar. An encyclopedia even calls him the "three great men of the 19th century". I wonder what Bismarck and Grant feel in the midst of the nineteenth century. Li Hongzhang is a professional talent and a typical realist. As he himself said, he is just a "pasting craftsman" who repairs the Qing government's house that leaks everywhere in the "great changes that have not been seen in three thousand years".

Emperor Hua believed that Li Hongzhang had never thought of pushing down a house. The education he received since childhood and his life were all to maintain the existence of this house. He neither had the ability to push this house nor could he rebuild the house. He knew that the house would collapse, but he had to accept the reality painfully.

Judging from the traditional elite education he received, letting the Qing Dynasty perish in his own hands was a humiliation - becoming a "member of the destruction of the country."

When Li Hongzhang opened his eyes to the world, established the Western Affairs Bureau with practical actions, organized industry, learned advanced Western technology, and performed his responsibilities within his ability, even though he could not help himself in many things.

Therefore, the Emperor Hua used Li Hongzhang, on the one hand, to win over and accelerate some of the intellectuals left over from the Qing Dynasty who could be transformed into the new knowledge system of China as soon as possible. On the other hand, Li Hongzhang did have a unique vision in diplomacy and judging the situation.

If one person had to be used, the dwarf was raised. Emperor Hua believed that Li Hongzhang was one of the few important officials of the Qing Empire at that time who knew some of the Westernization affairs and how to deal with foreigners. It was normal for him to be valued by foreigners. Of course, Li Hongzhang also had great limitations. For example, the strategy of joining Russia to control Britain was part of the great failure of Chinese diplomacy at the end of the 19th century, and it was also true that he accepted bribes from the Russians.

Li Hongzhang may not have seen much respect from foreigners at that time. Many verbal praises in person should not be taken seriously. Hirobu Ito respects Li Hongzhang in person and said something like "You will definitely do better than me when you work in Japan", but would Hirobu Ito say "Hokkaido is not the essence of our country, so it is better to throw it to the Russians"? Li Hongzhang once said that he had explicitly said that he would give up Xinjiang to the Russians to avoid consuming Chinese resources in vain (the dispute over coastal defense and barrier defense). If Zuo Zongtang had not opposed the public opinion and led his army to expedition to Xinjiang with his senior age and took this territory back from Agubai, wouldn't Li Hongzhang's reputation as a traitor?

Li Hongzhang is very rich and famous, and has raised a lot of vacancies. When he was alive, the market helped him brag about it, creating public opinion, such as the great man of the 19th century, the Oriental Bismarck, and so on. But in fact, the title of "Oriental Bismarck" was timid, and Bismarck didn't look down on Li Hongzhang very much. He told Li Hongzhang in person, "Some people say you are "Oriental Bismarck", but I myself can't expect to get the title of "European Li Hongzhang."

Although Li Hongzhang had many shortcomings, he was a decent figure in the dark officialdom of the late Qing Dynasty. This can only show how decadent and pitiful China was in the late Qing Dynasty, and it cannot be said that Li Hongzhang was so great and excellent. It was appropriate for people at that time to give him the nickname "paper craftsman".

In that darkest era in China, Li Hongzhang naturally had some sour smells of the times. He could only do it slightly better than most people - this is his tragedy, and of course it is also a tragedy of the entire Chinese nation. Now the trend of reversing verdicts is popular, and every person who has been determined likes to play with reversing verdicts. After all, it is so interesting, and he can show off his face and say, "You actually believe in textbooks?" But history is history after all, it is not that legendary, but it is full of sadness and sadness.

Emperor Hua felt that the most important thing was, and the most important thing was that Li Hongzhang seized the opportunity of the Prime Minister's affairs offices that were unwilling to be at that time. Later, he managed almost the entire diplomacy and military, industry and other modern parts, and became a minister of Beiyang. Diplomacy was his top priority, and foreigners naturally became familiar with him.

In addition to being smart and capable, Li Hongzhang knew foreigners, looked down on foreigners, treated foreigners as sinister villains, and used clever, calculating and cunning means to deal with foreigners and protect the interests of the Qing Dynasty, which often achieved miraculous results. Foreigners admired and feared him. Conservative and pedantic ministers could not do such a thing.

Li Hongzhang founded the Huai Army in Shanghai and started his career. He was influenced by Western civilization. He had an open mind and studied quickly, so he was naturally popular among foreigners.

Li Hongzhang was brave enough to face it, dared to take responsibility, and gritted his teeth and insisted on doing it well, so that he always stood at the forefront of history in the great changes that had not been seen in the late 19th century.

Li Hongzhang negotiated with foreign countries in the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China and took the lead in organizing Southeast Mutual Protection. If foreign countries abandoned the Qing Dynasty and established another president, Li Hongzhang was the only candidate.

In fact, Li Hongzhang was never successful enough in the Qing Dynasty system, far inferior to Yuan Shikai in the late Qing Dynasty. He was actually not as good as Yuan Shikai in his official position. He was hit and constrained, and was blocked from doing things, which prompted him to focus on diplomacy and Westernization and improve his status.

There is another paragraph that makes Emperor Hua most moved by that Li Hongzhang said that only his own name is the most difficult to write in the world.

Li Hongzhang wrote that he took the blame for Aisin Gioro, Weng Tonghe and Yuxian. Zhang Zhidong could not do this kind of courage, Yuan Shikai would not do it, and Kang Youwei did not do it. In that chaotic era, he was so wise and loving, loyalty, righteousness, courtesy and filial piety. All the things that Chinese people admired were done in the middle hall. In his seventies, the old and the old cried blood. The reason why Emperor Hua felt infinite emotion and admiration whenever he thought of Li Zhongtang.

In the turbulent times of the late Qing Dynasty, the three of them worked together to support the tripod to extend their lives to the Braided Kingdom. First, Cixi, who brought the people to revive the country through the world, second, Zeng Guofan, set a precedent for modern education, and third, Li Hongzhang, who almost fought against the great powers with one person, did not hesitate to gain the reputation that literati valued the most to exchange for the mountains and rivers. Although the country was not prosperous and the people were safe, he also tried his best. His eyes were outstanding and far-sighted, and Zhongtang had already seen through everything.

Therefore, now that Li Hongzhang is in the system of Emperor Hua, Emperor Hua feels that he is so easy to use. Half of the military achievements Xuan Jianzhang has achieved in Japan have to be given to Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang's diplomatic strategy and grasp of timing are not something that those officials who have just finished elementary school in Emperor Hua can do.

Emperor Hua's appreciation of Disraelli was also confirmed by history to be accurate because of Disraelli's political vision. Disraelli once said that Britain and Russia are both major powers on the edge of Europe. If we do not work together, Berlin will control Europe. It cannot be said during the Cold War, which is an ideological issue.

One of the British's big hobbies is to prevent European integration. This strategy is not just aimed at the Russians, but to target those who have the ability to unify Europe, which is an offshore balancer to avoid being marginalized.

As a maritime country in Europe, Britain always avoids the situation of dominance on the European continent. Therefore, when Napoleon dominated the continent, he opposed France, and after Germany rose, he opposed Germany. If he maintained a situation of equal strength, he could reap profits.

When it was Emperor Hua's turn, the cute president stood up from his seat and smiled and said, "I wasn't killed by the bomb just now, otherwise I wouldn't have the chance to toast Her Majesty the Queen here."

From the time Emperor Hua stood up to Emperor Hua's speech, everyone had already stopped talking softly and looked at Emperor Hua's unanimously. Who among the people present was not a politician? Even if they were not politicians, they were at least old politicians. After being in any circle for a long time, they would naturally have a sharpness. These politicians expected that Emperor Hua's toasts were different, so from the time Emperor Hua's stand up, everyone was waiting to watch the show.

"Is something happened?" Although Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom expected that Emperor Hua might mention the assassination just now, the possibility that Emperor Hua would say it in public was only half and half. The Queen was still a little surprised that Emperor Hua made a move in public.

Emperor Hua smiled and said, "Except for the United Kingdom, newspapers from all European countries, and even newspapers from all American countries will report on the news that I was assassinated in the British capital tomorrow."

After hearing what Emperor Hua said, Crown Prince Edward and British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraelly all stared at him, not sure what else could Emperor Hua say amazing things. In fact, it was already very rude that Emperor Hua said this, which was a provocative element.

Princess Katrina Kaif was suddenly nervous, her palms were covered with sweat. Although the possibility of Britain being openly unfavorable to the Emperor of China was almost zero, it was in Buckingham Palace after all. Such an environment and such an atmosphere were indeed terrifying.
Chapter completed!