"War! After all, you still want to use war to solve problems, right?" Gladstone was really angry, including the members of the Liberal Party behind him. They also started making noises, and bursts of boos made the entire Parliament Building noisy. No peace.
"You have determined that Xiao Letian is a careerist, so you must get rid of him quickly? Let's not talk about whether Xiao Letian is really a careerist. Even if he is, are there still few careerists in this world?"
"We live in such a savage jungle world. People without ambition have long been eaten like sheep. How can they survive to this day? If Xiao Letian was not an ambitious man, then he might not be able to survive even a day in East Asia. !”
"What is our British Empire? We are the shepherds of the entire world, and what are those careerists scattered around the world? They are wolf dogs, wolf dogs that need to be tamed by us..."
"Xiao Letian is not harming the interests of the British Empire at this moment. On the contrary, he is still actively cooperating with us. So why do you think he is a threat?"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen here, I think many of you here have business in East Asia, and as long as you do business in Jiangnan and Southeast Asia in the Qing Dynasty, you will more or less inevitably have to deal with the Chinese..."
"Let me ask you, have the Chinese people given you any trouble? Answer me, have you ever..."
The sharp questions caused the MPs present to whisper among themselves. Gladstone looked at them and then at the angry Benjamin and said coldly.
"War is always the last resort to resolve conflicts. The two wars that attacked the Qing Dynasty were because all diplomatic efforts and negotiations could no longer solve the problem, and war was chosen as a last resort..."
"After all, our country in the UK is based on business. What we want is commercial interests. We are not fanatical executioners. There is nothing to be proud of in killing people. If the problems can be solved at the negotiation table, why go to war?"
"Tell me, why is there a war?"
"At that time, the Manchu Qing Dynasty refused to negotiate with us. Even the emperor was unwilling to meet our ambassador. Not to mention the door to commercial negotiations, even government-level negotiations could not proceed. Only then did two conquests against the Qing Dynasty take place. The war of empires!”
"We are victorious, but don't you see the risks in victory? Throwing troops across half of the world, and a typhoon can destroy everything in the expeditionary force. That is a big gamble. Do you know it is a big gamble? "
"But now, the Chinese have not closed the door to negotiations at all. They live in the East Palace, and they communicate with private groups every day. How many times have they organized various charity activities?"
"People have extended an olive branch, but as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, you are not even willing to open the door to negotiations. What is the difference between what you did and the decadent Manchu Qing Dynasty before?"
Gladstone's mouth was as dense as a Gatling heavy machine gun, giving Benjamin no chance to fight back. His smooth London accent was almost as good as tongue twisters.
"The Chinese have never refused us British businessmen to invest and do business. So far, our British capital has controlled 25% of the shares of the East Asia Telegraph Company, and the annual dividends now exceed more than one million pounds..."
"This is still before all submarine cables are popularized. If the East Asia Telegraph Company's submarine cables can be connected to North America and can be expanded five or six times, how much profit do you think there will be here?"
"You want to start a war? First ask the British businessmen who hold the East Asia Telegraph Company if they agree?"
"Is it just a telegraph company? Now various banks in the City of London have begun to select sites in Ryukyu. Even the Chinese in the banking industry have not banned us from entering, let alone heavy industry, light industry, and commercial trade..."
"Countless British merchant ships dock in Ryukyu every day. Even though it is just a small island country, with the huge influence of the Chinese in Asia, you can purchase goods on the Ryukyu island that cannot be found elsewhere. goods!"
"Without the businessmen who are experts in leading us, who would have thought that there are so many classifications and grades of tea? Who would have thought that silk is not only produced in Jiangnan, but also silk in the Sichuan Basin is also a top-grade product?"
"With the support of these Chinese businessmen, our British businessmen's business is much smoother than before. If you want war, go and ask those businessmen if they agree?"
"Even! Even the Chinese have opened up the arms market. They even allow our arms companies to build factories on their territory. How much profit is there from arms?"
"You don't want to make money, but you insist on war? Is there something wrong with your mind?"
"Shut up!" Benjamin retorted angrily, "You are the one with the problem! These businesses you mentioned are all funding the enemy! Xiao Letian will use the short-term profits in front of him to numb your nerves, and then use these businesses to steal the British Empire. technology, and then turn it into their strength..."
"The Chinese call this a daring thing. They use money to blind your eyes, and then slowly accumulate strength. When they become stronger, they will go to war with us and challenge the status of the British Empire. Can't you see through such a simple conspiracy? "
"Are you all idiots? Can't you see through such a simple thing?"
Everyone didn't like hearing what he said. Even the congressmen listening in the corridor outside frowned, thinking to themselves, is Benjamin crazy? If you debate, debate well. Why attack everyone?
Look at Gladstone, he has concentrated his firepower on Benjamin alone from beginning to end, and he will never expand the target of his attack by using sideways tactics.
Let’s make a decision on this point! Not only did these congressmen frown, but Prince Edward in the royal hall also frowned, "Why is Benjamin behaving like this today?"
The prince brought six stenographers with him, and they shuttled back and forth like a revolving lantern to deliver the records of the confrontation between the two top politicians. Xiao Letian and Prince Edward could see first-hand information at any time.
Xiao Letian put down the shorthand paper and smiled lightly, "I'm confused. With all due respect, Benjamin is also an outstanding person. He can feel the pressure. If he wasn't confused, how could he make such a low-level mistake?"
Edward looked at Xiao Letian meaningfully, "But our Prime Minister's accusation against you is still a bit interesting? I have heard that story. It seems to be a fable of your China for thousands of years, right..."
"No, no, no, we call that an idiom!"
"Well, I don't know what the idiom is. In the West, we usually call this kind of ancient story a fable. What do you think of Benjamin's accusation? Or maybe you are just lying on your back..."
"Hahaha... How do you want me to respond to such hypothetically sinful remarks? There is also an idiom in China called Suspicious Neighbor Stealing an Ax. Have you heard of this story?"
"A family lost an axe, but they suspected that a neighbor had stolen it. As a result, the family looked at the neighbor like a thief. All the neighbor's words, expressions, and actions seemed to be hiding something. The more they looked at it, the more suspicious they became... "
"But a few days later, the lost ax was actually found in their own home. It turned out that the family had accidentally put it in the wrong place... At this time, they looked at their neighbors again, and found that the neighbor family had become cute, friendly, and worth it again. A good person to be close to!"
"Man, what he sees with his eyes is actually controlled by his heart...Now that Benjamin has gritted his teeth and predicted my guilt, how else can I tell the difference?"
Edward laughed when he heard this, "Hahaha... That's the truth, it's very interesting..."
:. :chapter;
