May 1, 1874! At dawn in the capital, the people woke up from their drowsiness. The city gate had been opened. Many vegetable vendors outside the city came into the city with their picks, selling essential solar terms such as rice dumpling leaves, glutinous rice, and red dates.
The Dragon Boat Festival is just a few days away, and celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival in the capital is considered a very important festival, and no one can afford to slack off.
Just as every house opened its doors to welcome the new day, suddenly bursts of noise came from the street, and people who had just woken up rubbed their eyes and asked each other.
"What's wrong? You got up early in the morning. What's the fuss about?"
"I don't know! I'm just messing around every day..."
Women don't care what happens on the street. They are more concerned about whether the price of the ingredients for making rice dumplings has increased before the festival and whether they are fresh.
The man who refuses to hold the bottle of oil at home when it's overturned is what matters most is what he eats this morning!
"My daughter's mother? You don't cook yet? You only know how to talk about it... Where are the scrambled eggs I want?"
"Eat, eat, eat... Just eat. If there are no scrambled eggs, I will go back and pluck one from the chicken butt for you!"
"Hey... Why do you old ladies like you keep picking fights every day? The money from the shares has been returned to you, and you're still not happy?"
"Bah! I asked you to go to the teahouse when I came back. What can I leave behind at home? Tell me..."
Mr. Fu and his wife had an argument again in the morning. It seemed that Mr. Fu still couldn't eat the scrambled eggs he ordered. This woman was really fierce.
Just at this time, a child came running from the street outside, "Master Fu! Master Fu... let's go quickly, go quickly... there's something big happening, there's a big happy event coming!"
"San'er came here again. You said you two could stick together all day long..."
Mr. Fu ran to the gate holding the bird cage, "San'er, what's wrong? What's the fuss about..."
"My dear Mr. Fu! Why don't you go out yet? Just sleep in every day. You let others know the really good news first. Mr. Qin has already gone to the teahouse!"
"Hurry up and go, the Qing Dynasty has a big happy event!"
The neighbors looked at the two running out and shook their heads, "Oh... the banner people are free. They don't have to work all their lives, just listen to the news and have fun. What a blessing this is!"
After exiting the alley, turn left and there is a small teahouse. At this moment, many people are crowding in. Mr. Qin, an old acquaintance, took out a roll of newspaper from his pocket and said in a conspiratorial tone.
"Look, I asked you to order a copy of the Qing Dynasty Times in advance, but you just refused to spend the money. What now? Are you begging me?"
“This little money can’t be saved!”
"Master Qin! Don't be so pretentious. If you have any good news, tell me directly. It's really good news and I'll treat you to tea!"
"Okay...this news needs to be replaced with a pot of frightening incense. Dr. Tea is ready..."
Master Qin looked at Master Fu and Master San who were panting tiredly, smiled, crossed his legs, and gently unfolded the roll of newspaper.
"Listen up! The headlines on the front page of the Qing Dynasty Times!"
"On April 10, the Prime Minister's Office was closed for a day, allowing Tsarist Russian Minister Ulan Geli and our Qing and Chinese people to discuss the ceasefire together. Do you all know about this?"
"I know! Most of the people in the Prime Minister's Office had a day off that day, and everyone who had nothing to do with them went home to rest... Just tell me directly, our negotiations with the Rakshasa ghosts are not just a day or two, but every other day. After negotiating once, it’s nothing new!”
"Haha...it's not fresh anymore? I'll give you a fresh one today!"
"Today's newspaper has announced that April 10th was not a negotiation, but a treaty was signed directly. The armistice agreement has been signed!"
"The Qing Dynasty, the Chinese and Tsarist Russia signed the "Final Treaty on Demarcation of the Qing-Russian Boundary" between the three parties! These Rakshasa ghosts... have given up!"
With a loud bang, the crowd suddenly exploded. Fu Ye rushed over and supported the table and said, "Admit defeat? Did I hear you right? During the Chinese New Year, didn't the Yili Valley still have two fierce battles? They gave up so quickly. Yes, what are the conditions?"
"Listen up! Tsarist Russia has given up all the land in the Ili Valley and retreated to the west of Lake Balkhash. The most fertile valley pastures in the east belong to me, the Qing Dynasty!"
"Okay! Long live the Qing Dynasty, long live the Emperor!" The crowd suddenly became excited.
"There is good news! The land in the Outer Xing'an Mountains that was ceded by the Qing Dynasty during the Kangxi period has also been recovered! Even Lake Baikal, which we call Beihai, has also recovered one-third of it!"
"The Rakshasa ghosts have vomited back all the land they took away over the past two hundred years. They've all vomited it back!"
This was really great news. As soon as they heard the news of the expansion of the territory, everyone shouted like crazy. The voices inside and outside the teahouse were shouting "long live the emperor and long live the Qing Dynasty!"
Mr. Fu burst into tears, "What about the other conditions? Are there any more? How much money did our Qing Dynasty lose?"
Mr. Qin's eyes widened, "What kind of money should I pay? You don't have to pay a penny! The Rakshasa ghost has been defeated, how dare you ask for money? You don't have to pay a penny!"
People are going crazy, crying, laughing, and being stupid! I don’t even know how to face this news!
At this moment, the sound of crackling firecrackers suddenly came from the distance. "Oh, let's set off firecrackers! Why did we forget this time! Let's set off too..."
On May 1st, the sound of firecrackers in the capital had been going off non-stop since the morning. The people spontaneously bought up all the firecrackers in the city and set them all off, just to vent their joy.
This result made me laugh or cry. Many families who were planning to get married were unable to buy firecrackers!
All the restaurants were full, and all the drinks in the capital were completely sold out within one day. The amount sold in one day was as much as the previous ten days!
The major wineries outside the city began to work overtime to transport wine to the city, and all the festivals and big happy events were gathered together.
Emperor Tongzhi chose this day to release the news, which made the holiday atmosphere even more intense. He hosted a banquet for the ministers in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to celebrate the signing of the treaty.
Not only that, during the banquet, he announced that all officials would receive an extra half-year salary. This is called happy money!
Eight Banners' hardcore crops also grew for half a year at a stretch, making everyone a little happy!
The Han people in the capital cannot give money, so no one over sixty can give him a bottle of wine and ten pounds of meat, which is considered a token of appreciation!
The whole world celebrates, and the capital congratulates you!
By the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, the news had spread to all counties and counties in the Qing Dynasty. Except for the remote mountain areas, as long as the plains had developed transportation, the people had received the good news.
This was a rare external victory for the Qing Dynasty since the Opium War! After the Opium War, the Qing Dynasty never won a victory in foreign wars, especially against foreign devils. It always had to cede territory and pay compensation!
But today, I was able to take away the land from the mouth of the Rakshasa ghost. This is simply unimaginable ecstasy!
The entire Qing Dynasty was rejoicing. Governors from all over the country organized celebrations and distributed various gifts to the capital to congratulate those who accompanied the imperial court!
"Have you heard? Have you heard? Wulan Geli committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake!"
"What great news! The Rakshasa ghost who has been rampant for many years jumped into Kunming Lake and drowned!"
The fifth day of May, the Dragon Boat Festival! The desperate Ulan Geli finished all his errands and reached the end of his life!
Before signing the contract, he had already sent a telegram to the Tsar, and he decided to take away all responsibilities with his own life!
He is using his own life to protect the dignity of the Tsar!
When the Qing Dynasty got the news, it was like a raging carnival!
But Guiziliu, who was in Xiling, looked coldly in the direction of the capital: "Since ancient times, everything must be reversed! Your good days are coming to an end, so I will let you laugh for another year!"
