At this time of year, Hong Xiuquan was not the only one who was worried. All the officials in Guangdong City were like ants in a hot pot.
Baigui, the governor of Guangdong, said: Six thousand British and French troops are heading up the Pearl River and will arrive in Guangzhou in a few days. Whether it is war or peace, it will be decided immediately.
Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, said: My emperor has repeatedly ordered not to discuss the word "harmony", and not to open quarrels. This ambiguous behavior is really worrying! Master Zitai, may you have a good strategy to persuade the barbarians?
Baigui said: "In the battle last year, trade was interrupted, wages were difficult, the brave people were scattered, and the soldiers did not dare to move. How could we resist the barbarians?" Look at his prosperous Shanghai, and regret my declining Guangzhou.
Mingchen said: "How can I, the heavenly dynasty, rashly deal with the barbarians?"
Bai Gui said: "Can the emperor be held responsible when the barbarians invade Shanghai?" When the barbarians live in Shanghai, is there any killing? According to the established agreement, whether to buy or sell, just to make a profit!
Off the coast of Oak Harbor, at the end of the Pearl River.
Elgin, the commander of the Anglo-French allied forces and the British minister, said: Our British Empire does not ask for anything more than to station an envoy in Beijing, enter the city in Guangzhou, conduct trade everywhere, and have priests broadcast broadcasts. The officials of the Qing Dynasty were ignorant, ridiculous and hateful. A mere treaty could delay my visit for three years. A small matter like entering the city was blocked for fourteen years. I should not argue with the people of the Qing Dynasty anymore.
French Minister Grotto said: The Qing people have harmed our priests and poisoned our citizens. For such a barbaric people, the only thing they can do is use cannons.
Elgin said: Within ten days, Ye Mingchen and others will present the city and surrender. Otherwise, they would invade Guangzhou, seize the governor and surrender him, destroy the city, take the people hostage, and force the Qing emperor to revise the treaty.
When the ten-day deadline was up, Ye Mingchen smiled and said, "Nothing will happen here. It will go away at dusk." However, all red single boats and patrol boats in the provincial river can be ordered to collect their flags. When enemy ships enter, they are not allowed to fire back cannons.
The British and French forces entered Guangzhou without any effort and captured Ye Mingchen, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi alive. Baigui, the governor of Guangdong, and Mukdene, the general of Guangzhou, welcomed him with a smile, and temporarily formed a coalition committee with Britain and France to jointly manage Guangzhou affairs.
Emperor Xianfeng angrily rebuked: Ye Mingchen has insulted the country and brought disaster to the people. Life is worse than death, and he has no regrets. Baigui, Mukdene, etc. were actually under the control of the Yi people. He could not leave the city and lead his troops in a decisive battle; nor could he encourage the gentry to support him. You are in trouble yourself, and there is nothing you can do about it. He is afraid of being incompetent and will be surprised. He also secretly ordered Huang Zonghan, the imperial envoy and the newly appointed governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, to recruit people to train in regiments, arrest the people and repel the barbarians; fight a fierce battle, and negotiate peace in camera. Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan Province, was then ordered to forward an edict, instructing Luo Dunyan, the former Minister of Household Affairs of Guangdong Province, Long Yuanxi, the former Minister of Taipusi Temple, Su Tingkui, the former Minister of Engineering, and others: to issue instructions to the gentry and the people, to organize tens of thousands of people, and to denounce them. The British and French broke the treaty and attacked the city, and expelled the barbarians from the provincial capital. If the barbarians dare to resist, my soldiers will be brave enough to crush them. If the gentry and the people can unite and punish them, because they respect the state and comply with the sentiments of the people, I will definitely not blame them for initiating external provocations, and be careful not to hesitate to move forward.
Elgin captured Guangzhou. After two months of suspension, there was no news of the renewal of the treaty. So he ordered Parkes to garrison Guangzhou and led his fleet northward. In half a month, he arrived in Shanghai. Elgin and the envoys of France, the United States and Russia sent a note to He Guiqing, the governor of Liangjiang. ：Repair the treaty and stop fighting.
He Guiqing did not dare to contact him, so he rushed to report.
Emperor Xianfeng issued an edict: This time the Yi people claimed that they were rebels and occupied the capital of Guangdong Province. Now they came to Shanghai to deliver a note and said they wanted to go to Tianjin. This was obviously a false threat and they wanted to indulge in their unsatisfactory demands. Shanghai is not a place to organize barbarian affairs. China has its own people who specialize in organizing barbarian affairs. The three envoys from Britain, France and the United States should return to Guangdong and wait for Huang Zonghan to investigate and deal with justice. The Russian envoy still went to Heilongjiang and other places to hold meetings.
He Guiqing quickly informed Elgin and others of the holy will.
Elgin said: "We are not familiar with Huang Zonghan, the imperial envoy of the Qing Dynasty. If Ye Mingchen is second, we can't afford it in vain."
Russian Minister Putyating said: Mr. Elgin, Russia is willing to mediate and find a compromise.
American Minister William LeBron said: We in the United States of America really do not want war to break out and destroy all living beings. I would like to go to Beijing with Mr. Putiyating first to meet the Qing Emperor.
Elgin said: Mr. Geluo and I will go ahead with the two of you, and the combined fleet will follow to provide strong backing for us.
The four envoys from Britain, France, Russia and the United States arrived in Tianjin. As soon as the ship docked, the Russian envoy Putyating ordered people to fly north and reported to the governor of Eastern Siberia Muravyov: The war in Beijing is about to start. It is the perfect time to capture Heilongjiang now.
Emperor Xianfeng ordered Tan Tingxiang, the governor of Zhili, to control the beautiful barbarians, show favor to the Russian barbarians, persuade the French barbarians, and severely reprimand the British barbarians; use the barbarians to control the barbarians, divide and transform them.
Tan Tingxiang said to the four envoys: Mr. Huang Zonghan, the Imperial Envoy in Guangzhou, is responsible for the affairs of revising treaties. My emperor has also made it clear. If the four of them go south to Guangzhou, they may be able to achieve success in one fell swoop.
William Lieber said: The United States, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and Italy all practice free trade. Countries exchange what they need and benefit from each other. Countries also set up envoys for each other to facilitate relations and promote exchanges. Please tell the Emperor Qing that the general trend of the world is irreversible.
Putiyating said: The combined fleet will arrive soon, and there will be no need for verbal disputes. My emperor has recently ascended the throne and is very interested in re-exploring the territory of Russia and China. I would like to ask the Qing emperor for his permission.
Tan Tingxiang was furious and scolded Putya Ting: The border between China and Russia has been defined by the Nerchinsk Treaty. Stop chatting with me! Ten years ago, the Covenant of All Nations had already defined the trade matters at the five ports. Talking again will be useless.
Elgin said: "Mr. Tan is very angry and has no grace. Let's change the person and let's talk again."
Tan Tingxiang reported: The British and French yang showed their evil, while the United States and Russia helped their treachery. They were different in strength and weakness, but they were all greedy. The Russian envoys were especially cunning and wanted to use the British and French for their own selfish purposes. What they said was that they were willing to help. Close and disconnect are unreliable.
Emperor Xianfeng disagreed and said: Dagu has strong artillery, strong soldiers and strong people; the barbarians are attacking from thousands of miles away, and it is difficult to supply, but Tianjin is not difficult to defeat.
Elgin waited for a long time without any news, so he ordered the British and French forces to raid Dagukou. The Qing army failed and the fort fell. The British and French forces moved up the river and arrived in Tianjin.
Emperor Xianfeng was in panic all day long.
Sushun, the Minister of the Lifan Academy, said: Guiliang, the great scholar, Huashana, the minister of the Ministry of official affairs, and Qiying, the minister, can be sent to Tianjin to negotiate peace.
Yi Xin, the Mongolian capital commander with a red flag, has a single title: Qi Ying used to handle barbarian affairs, either reluctantly or obediently, that is, vaguely agreed, fearing the barbarians like tigers, and treating the people like grass, which resulted in huge disasters that have been poisoned to this day. Those who are afraid of standing in front may not be able to cheer up behind. This is the emperor's arbitrary rule, and all conditions that must not be allowed, even if there are hundreds of demands, cannot be compromised just because the senior elite is begging for mercy. This officer should be strictly ordered to clear his name and answer the charges, then submit to the barbarian sentiments and not make the same mistakes as before. If you just show weakness or end up perfunctory, then only the seniors can ask. In addition, negotiate with the barbarians and do not just show weakness; if the British, French and barbarian troops land, they will attack together bravely.
Emperor Xianfeng once again told the senior officials: They must respect the state and be wary. If they do something that is absolutely impossible to do to beg for favor, the senior ministers have a good conscience and should not be disobeyed by others. I have entrusted you with a heavy responsibility, and I hope that you will look up to him. My heart is filled with shame! Be careful!
