The British Embassy Attaché Delaney had been waiting at the door for a long time. They did not dare to go out to greet him and could only wait here, because once the British soldiers left the embassy and took the initiative to escort Prince Qing and others, the nature of the whole thing would change. .
Political asylum is not a new term. There have been governments in exile in Europe for a long time, and the tradition of political asylum has been around since the Middle Ages.
As long as Prince Qing and Prince Chun enter the embassy area, you can make any excuses to the outside world. You, the Qing Dynasty, would not dare to attack the embassy directly.
But the premise is that you have to walk through the door yourself, rather than having the British army escort you in, so that the British can pick it clean.
"Quick, quick, quick...speed up...don't you Chinese have kung fu? Where is your kung fu?"
Isn't that fast enough? The rubber wheels were almost smoking due to friction, and the spoked wheels were almost deformed during the bumps of the vehicle.
Bang bang bang... bullets were fired behind them, and Fujin and the children let out a scream!
"Don't shoot...don't accidentally injure people from the British embassy..." When the pursuing Qing army officer saw that his subordinate had fired, he was so frightened that he quickly stopped him. This foreign devil could not be offended. The fear has come from the bottom of my heart.
Four foreign cars almost crashed into the steps of the embassy. The people in the cars rolled and climbed like balls and rushed into the gate. Prince Qing even hit his head directly on the door frame like a dog.
The adults asked the children to cry, and the British guards immediately rushed forward to protect the prince's family members with their bodies. At this moment, the Qing army rushed to the door.
Delaney puffed up his chest and said, "You can report to the court and say that Prince Chun, Prince Qing and their families have encountered serious threats and their lives cannot be guaranteed!"
"They sent a request for political asylum to the British Embassy! According to the traditions and diplomatic etiquette of British aristocrats, if a prince-level noble is in danger, all countries will extend a friendly hand to provide protection..."
These young officers were stationed at the Qing Gate. They didn't dare to challenge the British. They didn't even know what to say, but they also knew that going back to resume their duties like this would definitely not work.
"This... this foreigner... you say that we can't do business! You said that the two princes have encountered a life threat? What kind of life threat is it? We must tell the truth before we can tell the long live Lord Report!”
At this point, the young officer even stretched his neck and rushed into the door and shouted, "Prince Chun...Prince Qing...Can't you two princes tell me anything you want?"
"What's going on? You must have something to say so that we can take it back..."
Prince Qing inside the gate was so frightened that his face turned pale. The line between life and death just now made others almost collapse. He leaned against the wall and breathed back and forth.
Prince Chun could still hold on more or less. He coughed for a while and said, "You... you go back and report to the court. It's not that our two families betrayed the Qing Dynasty, but that we really have no choice but to have difficulties!"
"I can't explain it clearly now. You just tell Long Live Lord that we are loyal to the Qing Dynasty. We are afraid of being harmed by some fanatical lunatics..."
"Let's put it this way, I guess it's either tonight or tomorrow, Long Live the Lord himself will understand!"
Delaney nodded, "Did you all hear it clearly? Go back... We must be on guard!"
The door of the British Embassy was slowly closed. This embassy originally belonged to a prince of the Qing Dynasty, and this prince was Prince Chun Yixuan!
It's ironic, it's really ironic. When Yixuan returned to this familiar palace, he came as a political asylum seeker.
The British had a permanent embassy in the Qing Dynasty since they invaded Beijing in 1860. Before that, they had no right to establish a permanent embassy in the capital.
British diplomats can only live in those few cities along the coast!
After the British and French forces invaded Beijing, the British army quickly occupied Prince Chun's Mansion in Dongjiaominxiang as a temporary headquarters. After that, they never returned it to Prince Chun, and instead directly changed it into an embassy.
That is to say, from then on, Prince Chun Yixuan went to live in the new Prince Chun's Mansion on the Shichahai Sea!
The French first seized Prince Su's Mansion. Due to Yi Xin's negotiation, the French finally went to Chun Gong Mansion in Dongjiao Min Lane. This was a prince's mansion to expand the embassy!
"Sixteen years...I haven't stepped foot here for sixteen years. I never expected that I would return to the old location in this capacity today!" Yi Xuan said quietly.
The layout of the old palace has not changed, except that the flowers, plants and trees have changed a little, with some Western varieties of flowers added, and the furnishings in each room have also changed to a combination of Chinese and Western styles.
The people who came in and out were all foreign devils with high noses and deep eyes. Fujin and the children were a little scared when they came here.
Delaney knew that Prince Chun was in a bad mood and said with a smile, "There is an old saying in China, the old will not go and the new will not come! This palace is much smaller than your current Prince Chun's palace. In fact, the prince is taking advantage!"
"Haha... Taking advantage? I would rather not take advantage of this... How did our Qing country end up like this..." Yixuan felt so uncomfortable that he wanted to cry.
Delaney didn't know how to answer, so he could only say nonchalantly, "This...maybe it's the price that must be paid for change! There is no such simple reform as the reform, it is all made of blood and fire... "
The gunshots on Qipan Street shocked the officials from various ministries on duty late at night. The Ministry of War and the Yuwang Police Headquarters did not dare to neglect. People including Ma Ming of the New Army also knew the news.
The three parties quickly conveyed the news to the Forbidden City. At this time, Emperor Tongzhi was still correcting the memorials and busy with countless government affairs of the huge empire.
"It's eleven o'clock... Your Majesty, you have to rest. Let's approve these papers tomorrow..." Da Sixi said distressedly beside him.
"No, there are too many things. I can't do anything until I finish the six tasks. They are still waiting for my criticism! Pour me a cup of coffee..."
"Oh... Your Majesty, don't drink the foreigners' bitter tea. You'll have insomnia every time you drink it. Why don't you drink hot milk instead?"
"No, pour me some coffee...cough cough cough..." Zai Chun was so tired that he had dark circles under his eyes. At this moment, the hurried footsteps of guards suddenly came from outside.
"Your Majesty...the secret passage has been opened again...Prince Yu, General Ma Ming, and Lord Baojun request to see you!"
"Ah! Cough cough cough... cough cough cough..." Zai Chun is now afraid of this secret passage. Emperor Yongzheng built this secret passage for the purpose of conveying emergency military information late at night. He opened it after he took office. How many times? There is bad news every time!
"Cough cough cough... call in... cough cough cough cough... call in quickly..."
The three ministers walked in quickly and were about to kneel down. Zai Chun waved his hand, "Don't kneel down. It's not a court meeting at this time. Why bother with this? What's the bad news..."
The three of them looked at each other. Ma Ming and Bao Yun both looked at King Yu's true nature with their eyes. King Yu is so angry. Are you asking me to take the lead if you don't open your mouth?
But he has the highest title among these three people. If you don’t say anything as a prince, who will?
Prince Yu said cautiously, "Your Majesty... just now... gunfire rang out on Qipan Street... and there was a brief firefight!"
"Huh? Qipan Street! How brave, who actually makes trouble here?" Zai Chun's eyes widened.
"Your Majesty, please calm down and be mentally prepared...I...we just got the news...Prince Qing and Prince Chun..."
"Defected! Defected and hid in the British Embassy!"
ah! Zai Chun shouted, and his body turned to the side as soon as his vision went dark!
