Chapter 529: Dialogue between Civilized People (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Chapter 533 Let’s Sign an Unequal Treaty
In fact, the artillery only fired at four or five rows.
Hundreds of native soldiers no longer had the courage to resist, and the army collapsed. Even the Sultan and his soldiers were taken prisoners. As for the other natives, they fled faster than rabbits.
After the bombardment ended, more than two hundred armed sailors landed and directly occupied the city of Klang.
After the bombardment, the British in the port area were stunned by the audacity of the Ming people. The British telegraph director immediately reported the news of the Ming fleet's bombardment of Klang to the Governor's Office of the Straits Settlements, and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to raise the British flag. This telegraph office was a British asset.
At the same time, armed sailors had entered the city to maintain order.
Meng Qingen, commander of the squadron, did not get off the ship, but sent Lieutenant Colonel Wang Dongli, who arrived at Haishan Hall with a team of sailors and asked three questions.
"Are you all right?"
"What about casualties?"
"What should we do next?"
Then he stared at Zhao Fuyong, and Zhao Fuyong answered directly.
"Since we have occupied it, let's sign the treaty!"
After saying that, he walked into Haishan Hall regardless of anything, then he walked up to Tengku Guding and said with a smile.
"Hello, honorable Sultan, now we can have a good talk!"
Is this how you have a nice talk?
Tengku Guding thought so in his heart, but said so out loud.
"Your Excellency, the Honorable Envoy, I will agree to whatever you ask for. Please don't hurt me."
This is the survival rule of a small country: be cowardly when you need to be cowardly. If it forgets this rule, it would not have survived until now. Facing a strong opponent, the best choice is to bow down. Throughout history, what has been the end of those who are stubborn?
"Hurt? No, I won't hurt you! We are civilized people, and all I want is a chance to have a conversation, a chance for a conversation between civilized people! But what about you? How did you arrogantly reject my request?"
Some people are shameless and will not negotiate until they are pushed to the ground. But at this time, is there still a need to negotiate?
"Sir, it's all my fault, it's all my fault, sir."
Tengku Guding is like a docile little lamb, without any of the arrogance and arrogance he had before.
The subsequent negotiations were naturally extremely smooth. When Zhao Fuyong mentioned that the Chinese workers had caused the ten-year civil war due to their "instigation", Tengku Guding admitted them one by one. Under the power of power, confessing guilt is the best option.
"Since you admit this, let's negotiate how to ensure the interests of Ming citizens in the local area in the future. First, in order to ensure the safety of the Ming people, it is necessary to establish a Ming concession in Klang! Second, in view of the extortion of the Ming people by your officials, it is necessary for the Ming people to have extraterritoriality..."
In fact, all the demands are the most common demands of Europeans, well, they should be the most common demands of the great powers. The strong countries can do whatever they want to the weak countries. However, compared with other great powers, because the Chinese here are mainly engaged in tin mining, they naturally mentioned the issue of the mine. Unlike the past when mining required the approval of the Sultan, now they directly ask for the right to mine. As long as the Chinese are willing to invest, they can directly mine.
Faced with such a series of demands, Tengku Guding was dumbfounded, especially when he heard Zhao Yongfu propose that they accept the protection of the Ming Dynasty in terms of security and the guidance of the Ming Dynasty in terms of politics, Tengku Guding suddenly found it a little unacceptable and he immediately spoke loudly.
"How can you do whatever you want? Even if I fail, you can't turn me and my country into a place where you can do whatever you want!"
A strong country can do whatever it wants!
Otherwise, why would one work so hard to become stronger? Did one practice martial arts just to admire oneself in front of the mirror?
What do you mean by practicing martial arts to strengthen the body? That's nonsense. The purpose of practicing martial arts is to be stronger than others, and being stronger than others is to... bully others!
Otherwise, this strong man would be too boring!
A strong man who cannot do whatever he wants and act tyrannically...who would believe him?
Of course Zhao Yongfu wouldn't say that, he said with a smile.
"No, no, Sultan, I think you misunderstood. I came here to negotiate, not to force you to accept our conditions because of our military victory. Such political guidance is also very necessary, so that capable people can show you a good administrative system. This is also for your own good!"
Look how good and perfect this reason is. At this moment, Zhao Yongfu even admired himself for being able to come up with such a perfect reason.
"Of course, you can refuse. After all, this is a negotiation!"
Is there any possibility of rejection?
Only a fool would refuse!
Soon, a fresh treaty was signed, and the Sultanate of Kedah became a protectorate of the Ming Dynasty.
However, at the same time as the treaty was signed, Governor Ward was dumbfounded when he learned that the Ming fleet had fired at the Sultanate of Kedah, and he almost shouted out loudly at the first moment.
"Damn it! How dare they fire at us? Quick, quick, immediately request the fleet to go to Klang. We must stop them from getting their hands in here!"
That was the sphere of influence of the British Empire. How dare they have such courage! In his anger, he urgently summoned the Ming consul in Singapore. They seemed to have been prepared for Ward's angry protest.
Xu Tianlei, the newly appointed temporary consul, answered directly,
"Your Excellency, Governor, I really don't see any conflict with your country. Before this, we had protested to you about the safety of local Chinese workers, but how did you respond to us? That place has nothing to do with Britain. No matter what happens, Britain has no obligation to do anything. Since you can't do it, we can only do it ourselves. What's the big deal?"
This simple answer made Ward dumbfounded. He simply couldn't believe that the other party was actually using his words to stop him. It seemed that at this moment, he understood why Zhao Fuyong was pestering him, because the other party was deliberately provoking him and forcing him to say something that had loopholes.
"Haha, you guys... really think that you can make Britain make concessions just because of my words? Have you forgotten about the British navy?"
Faced with such a threat, Xu Tianlei answered straightforwardly.
"Sir, we have never thought of making any concessions, but please do not ignore a country's determination to protect its own expatriates. Since you cannot protect our expatriates, then our fleet and our soldiers will protect our people! I think this is what any normal country must do! If anyone dares to stop it, then there will be a price to pay!"
cost!
What a price!
Everyone knew that the price would most likely be war. Faced with such a threat, Ward even felt a little dazed.
What did he say?
Does he know what he is talking about?
Just in the early morning of the next day, the cruiser "Thalia" and two gunboats departed from Penang and sailed directly into Port Klang. Although the leading "Thalia" had a displacement of only 1,459 tons and the other two were just wooden gunboats, they sent a signal as soon as they entered the port.
"You must evacuate this area immediately, or we will be forced to take action!"
Facing the threat from the British Royal Navy, Meng Qingen gave direct orders.
"Answer them, now that the Sultanate of Kedah has accepted the protection of the Ming Dynasty, our fleet has the right to enter and exit freely!"
In reply to the order, Meng Qingen said again.
"Order the fleet to prepare for battle!"
As the side plates were lowered, the twin 254mm guns in the two turrets were pointed directly at the British warships. This was the first time in Asia that the Royal Navy was threatened in this way.
"He, how dare they..."
Faced with the unyielding Ming fleet, the British were even a little overwhelmed to react. In any case, they could not imagine that someone in Asia would dare to challenge the authority of the Royal Navy.
Is it a war, or?
Faced with the black muzzles of the guns, even the British Royal Navy, which was known for its "fighting on sight of the enemy", became scared. When they chose to leave, Zhao Fuyong in the city couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Now, he had overcome the most difficult hurdle.
The British, the British Royal Navy, did not fire at the Ming fleet!
While Meng Qingen breathed a sigh of relief, he looked at Zhao Fukuo with a complicated look. How could this guy calculate so accurately? How could he be so sure that the British would not fire?
"In conversations between powerful countries, naval guns are rarely used, unless it is to fire. The reason why the navies of powerful European countries dare to fire at other countries is, to put it bluntly, they are bullying the weak and afraid of the strong. If Your Majesty had not demonstrated his strength in Europe, the British would definitely have opened fire, even though their strength is far inferior to ours!"
This is the rule of the world. The strong will only respect the strong. As for the weak? Of course, they will be bullied by the weak!
"Bully the weak and fear the strong..."
Meng Qingen nodded and said.
"Indeed, the strength of a country is behind the fleet's firing. Otherwise, firing at will will only bring disaster to the country. The strong will not easily start a war because no one will do such a loss-making business as killing one thousand enemies and losing eight hundred of their own!"
“That’s exactly the truth. Besides, this is Kedah!”
Zhao Fukuo laughed.
"How could the British go to war with us just for a tiny piece of Kedah?"
In fact, this is a very simple truth. Britain will never risk going to war with South China to protect the chieftain for the sake of Kedah, even though this place is within their sphere of influence. Are these chieftains worthy of it?
"Too!"
Meng Qingen nodded and asked.
"Special Envoy, what should we do next?"
"Next, of course, it will be the same as now..."
Zhao Fukuo smiled as he looked at the Sultan's Palace which had been razed to the ground.
"Of course, it's a conversation between civilized people..."
The chapter number was wrong, I was in tears, the content has been modified.
(End of this chapter)
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