Chapter 35 Section 35: Expulsion of the Americans

On this day, Li Hongzhang was sitting in the governor's yamen, sipping tea while looking through the resumes of students reported by the Cantonese Dialect Office.A master came in quietly with a piece of official document in his hand and said, "On the case, I just received a message from the General Administration, which is about Bai Qiwen." When Li Hongzhang heard the words "Bai Qiwen", he was stunned immediately. After receiving the message, he saw that it was indeed about Bai Qiwen, but it was not a statement of arrest, but a message about forgiving Bai Qiwen's crimes and bringing back the Changsheng Army as appropriate. Stamped with the seal of the Prime Minister's Office.

Li Hongzhang's mind went blank, staring at the conference speech in a daze. The master asked in a low voice: "Master Futai, your boss should have something to say. Will this document be issued or not?" Li Hongzhang suddenly became sober. He put the message on the table, waved his hand and said, "You go down first. Let the department think about this matter." Master Nuonuo withdrew. Li Hongzhang passed Guo Songtao and Qiao Songnian over, clapped his hands on the message and said, "Bai Qiwen has committed a heinous crime, yet the General Administration actually forgives his crime! He also wants him to be the leader of the ever-victorious army! Take a look, both of you."

Guo Songtao read Bi Ziwen and handed it to Qiao Songnian. Qiao Songnian glanced briefly, and said: "Don't ask, this must be a good job by Xue Shilang! Maybe even Prince Gong may not know about forgiving Bai Qiwen." Guo Songtao said: "Master Qiao has the same feeling about his career. Everyone in the world knows that Xue Shilang, A Liguo, and Pu Anchen are like brothers, and when Bai Qiwen was the leader of the Changsheng Army, he spent a lot of money to buy him Xue Huan bought a few urine jars in Xue Huan's antique shop. Xue Huan is now the minister of the General Administration, so can he not help with Bai Qiwen's matter?"

Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "What you two said coincides with what the department wants. The department then decided not to send out the message from the General Administration, and wait for Bai Qiwen, a bastard, to throw himself into the trap and embarrass Xue Huan. White Thieves rejoiced." Guo Songtao pondered for a while and said: "There seems to be something wrong with what Zhong Cheng said. If Prince Gong really didn't know about it, we would have done a great job capturing that Bai Qiwen. But what if Prince Gong agreed to this matter? If Bai Qiwen was captured, the embarrassing one might not be Xue Huan, but Prince Gong. The official thought that Zhongcheng would still send out the message from the General Administration, and when Bai Qiwen came to report to him, he would be given a no. So what can Bai Qiwen do?"

Li Hongzhang thought over and over again, and said: "What Guo Dao said is very true. For the sake of Bai Qiwen, there is no need for this department to offend Prince Gong. This matter is still safe." On the same day, the general administration's message was sent from the governor's yamen to the checkpoints and Haikou, and the notice to arrest Bai Qiwen disappeared overnight.That night, Li Hongzhang wrote to his mentor Zeng Guofan to report the matter. In the letter, Li Hongzhang wrote angrily: "...received a letter from the General Administration's Yamen, ordering Bai Qiwen to lead the Changsheng Army again. Although the British and American ministers did their best to protect it, is there no law in China?...The imperial court rules and regulations must be preserved, that's the case Ambiguous and timid, how can we tell right from wrong? It is discouraging." Except for those around him and Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang dared not say this to anyone else.

After Li Hongzhang sealed the envelope, he ordered someone to make a pot of tea. He sat alone in his study, pouring himself a drink, while thinking about the establishment of the Shanghai Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. A month later, Bai Qiwen came to see Li Hongzhang proudly with the eight-line paper he had obtained from Xue Huan.Li Hongzhang was discussing with Liu Mingchuan, Zhang Shusheng and others how to break out of the siege of Changshu by the Taiping Army. When he heard the report, Li Hongzhang smiled slightly and ordered him to come in. Bai Qiwen walked in swaggeringly, and saw many civil and military officials sitting on the hall, but he didn't seem to notice it, so he just said to Li Hongzhang in the middle, "How is Master Futai?"

After Bai Qiwen finished speaking, he took out Xue Huan's letter from his arms and wanted to pass it to Li Hongzhang.Li Hongzhang stared at him, and asked calmly, "Who are you? Where did you come from?" Bai Qiwen might as well Li Hongzhang asked this question, he was a little flustered immediately, and replied: "This is Bai Qiwen, I just came from the court. Master Li knows me!" Li Hongzhang asked with a smile: "You said you are American Bai Qiwen?" Bai Qiwen hurriedly replied: "I am Bai Qiwen, an American. However, I have become a citizen of your country. Master Li also knows this."

Li Hongzhang sneered and said: "Bai Qiwen, the Ministry is now asking you, how can you not obey the laws of our country even though you have become a citizen of our country? You robbed the Wu Mansion, wounded Yang Fang, and took one month's salary of the Changsheng Army For your own sake. You have committed such a serious crime, but you did not come to the governor's office to plead guilty, you are too courageous!" Bai Qiwen waved the eight-line paper with his hand and said: "Lord Li calm down, I admit my fault. But my fault has been forgiven by the Prime Minister's Office. Didn't Your Excellency see the official document? This is Master Xue writing to Sir Li on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office." of."

Li Hongzhang stood up suddenly and shouted, "Presumptuous! Who are you talking to?" Bai Qiwen was taken aback for a moment, and said, "I am talking to Mr. Li. Mr. Li, did I say something wrong?" Li Hongzhang pointed at Bai Qiwen with his finger, and said word by word: "Bai Qiwen, listen to the Ministry. Since you are from the Qing Dynasty with me, everything should be handled according to the rules of the Qing Dynasty. When you see the Ministry, you will not Saluting, not saying hello, talking and gesticulating, and holding a piece of paper in your hand, how decent! Come, drive this Bai Qiwen, who has no authority and messes with my law, out!"

Two guards came in at the sound, pulled Bai Qiwen and left.Bai Qiwen yelled: "Lord Li, you should listen to me to explain clearly. If you act like this, the imperial court will dismiss you. You will be beheaded! You will be beheaded!" Li Hongzhang turned his head to one side and ignored him.Bai Qiwen was pushed and shoved out of the Yamen by the guards, and the eight-line paper in his hand was long gone. Bai Qiwen was so angry and hated that he simply threw the half of what he was holding on the ground, and yelled at the gate in blunt Chinese: "You wait, I'm going to do something earth-shattering for you to see!"

The guards guarding the gate and the guards standing guard all covered their mouths and laughed. Bai Qiwen was ashamed and left quickly.That night, news spread to the governor's office: Bai Qiwen left Shanghai on a British ship and headed for Shaoxing. When Li Hongzhang received the secret report, he immediately sneered and said, "Don't talk about going to Shaoxing, even if he goes to Beijing for the second time, the headquarters is not afraid of him!" A teacher whispered at this time: "My lord, Bai Qiwen didn't become the leader of the Ever Victorious Army, and was ridiculed by the lord again. Will he throw long hairs in a fit of anger?" Li Hongzhang snorted and said, "The white thief has no money and no soldiers, so Changmao is willing to take him in? He must be dreaming!" When the master saw Futai saying this, he immediately changed his words and said: "Think about it, the long hair is the most snobbish, and the white thief has no soldiers, no pay, and no guns. If he is a fierce Zhang Fei, they will not take him in. Maybe, if you give him a few more whips, he will suffer a lot!" But Li Hongzhang underestimated Bai Qiwen this time. In a rage, Bai Qiwen not only really voted for the Taiping Army, but was also entrusted by the loyal king Li Xiucheng with the important task of serving as the most effective musket battalion commander of the Taiping Army to fight against the ever-victorious army led by Gordon. After Li Hongzhang learned the truth, he urgently reported the news of Bai Qiwen's defection to the court, and told Gordon, who was fighting in Shaoxing, that if he found the whereabouts of the white thief, he must be shot to death with a musket, and he must not be tolerated. Li Hongzhang and Guo Songtao expressed emotion on the same day: "The most snobbish is not the long hair but the foreigners. I am strong and the thief is weak, and the foreigners help me; I am weak and the thief is strong, and the foreigners help the thief! If Bai Qiwen hadn't been helped by Yinglun, how could he have thrown himself into the enemy Camp! From the perspective of the future situation, after the long hair disappears, foreigners will be a big problem for me!" After Bai Qiwen took over the Taiping Army's Huoqiang Battalion, he vowed to train the Huoqiang Battalion into the strongest and toughest army in the world. Shanghai won it, allowing the loyal king Li Xiucheng to replace Li Hongzhang as the master of Jiangsu. Bai Qiwen's oath made Li Xiucheng overjoyed, and praised him again and again.Bai Qiwen regained his confidence from Li Xiucheng, and began to practice the musket battalion with all his heart. A spies report to Gordon urgently, and Gordon decides to take advantage of Bai Qiwen's military training and kill him by surprise.In the middle of the night, the land was quiet, the moon was thickly wrapped by large dark clouds, and there was no light in the sky.Gordon led the ever-victorious army to the Bai Qiwen camp. Bai Qiwen, who was sleeping, was awakened by the sound of the guns. He got up and ran out of the big tent wearing shorts. There was a lot of flames, and it was clear that the gunpowder depot had been hit. A large number of Taiping soldiers were burned and ran around, unable to meet the enemy at all.Seeing that the general situation was over, he hurriedly turned back and walked back to the big tent, hurriedly put on his clothes and hat, took his bag and put it under his arm, and took the battle knife in his hand, bent over to avoid the gunfire, and quickly Step into the big tent of the musketeer camp. Liangtai was also in a hurry to get dressed, and when he saw Bai Qiwen coming in, he hurriedly said, "My lord, the guns are ringing loudly outside, could it be that the Qing demons came here?" Bai Qiwen took a step forward, chopped the grain platform to the ground with a backhand knife, and said, "Go to hell with you. Chinese are all monsters!" Bai Qiwen kicked the corpse of Liangtai aside, and began to rummage around, until he found a large pile of silver.He packed all the silver in his bag and slung it over his shoulder, then cut a piece of white cloth with a knife and held it in his hand, and left the camp to find Gordon.At that time, thick smoke was billowing, and the fallen corpses of the Taiping army were everywhere, and Bai Qiwen went out of the camp without anyone noticing. In this battle, most of the Musket Battalion that Li Xiucheng worked so hard to manage was killed, and only a few hundred people escaped.The Changsheng army won a complete victory, and Bai Qiwen was added.Bai Qiwen gave half of the money robbed from the Musket Camp to Gordon, and expressed his willingness to follow Gordon for life and never have two hearts. Bai Qiwen said: "Your Excellency, you are the pride of the British and us Americans. I don't believe in the Chinese, because they are all devils, but I believe in you. You are here to save the devil, and you are my big brother." Your savior. I am willing to follow you forever, charge into battle, and make great contributions for you, so that you can become the most famous general in the world. In the future, whoever dares to compete with you for the position of the leader of the Ever-Victorious Army, I will fight him desperately! As long as I By your side, no one dares to do anything to you. General, trust me." Bai Qiwen's rhetoric made Gordon's heart burst with joy, and he immediately patted his chest and boasted that he was willing to go to Shanghai to recommend him as the deputy leader of the Changsheng Army. Gordon took Bai Qiwen and left the camp on the Changsheng warship to go to Shanghai. When he arrived at the port of Shanghai, Gordon left Bai Qiwen alone on the boat, and brought only a few soldiers, and came to the governor's office in a sedan chair to intercede for Bai Qiwen. Li Hongzhang had received a secret report from Li Hengsong, and knew about Gordon's intentions. After Gordon saluted, Li Hongzhang took the first step and said: "General Gordon has made extraordinary achievements, and I heard that he has captured the rebel Bai Qiwen. It is really gratifying! The headquarters is drafting a memorial here to ask for credit for the general. Come, please Bring the top official uniform prepared by the headquarters for General Gordon!" A guard walked in with an official uniform in his hand. Li Hongzhang said: "General Gordon, this department wants to recommend you to be the second-rank general of the Qing Dynasty. Would you like to go inside and try on the top-wearing official uniform?" Gordon was so flattered by Li Hongzhang that he didn't know anything for a while. He said nothing but thank you, obediently followed behind the guards, and happily went to the inner room to change clothes. Gordon quickly swaggered out in his official uniform.When Li Hongzhang saw it, he almost burst out laughing. Gordon's headband was of a moderate size, but his trousers and coat did not match his figure.Gordon is tall and tall. After wearing the official uniform, a large part of his arms and calves are exposed. He himself is white and hairy. From a distance, he looks like a New Year pig that has been slaughtered and beaten! Gordon, on the other hand, was full of joy. He stood in front of Li Hongzhang, turned around and said, "Master Li, thank you, I feel very good wearing this dress!" Li Hongzhang quickly stopped laughing, and said: "The general can't wear this suit right now, because there are a few things that don't fit well, and I need to ask the tailor to change it so that it will look more energetic." "Okay, okay!" Gordon laughed, "I just do as Master Futai orders." Li Hongzhang nodded, and suddenly said: "General Gordon, please sit down, let's talk about business. Where is Bai Qiwen now? Have you brought him to Shanghai?" Gordon was stunned for a moment, then remembered his mission, and hurriedly said: "Master Li, I was about to tell you about this matter. In fact, Bai Qiwen was not captured, he surrendered himself. He has sincerely repented and is willing to continue Serve the Qing Dynasty. Please see him for his meritorious service, forgive him this time, give him a chance, he will become a strong general." Li Hongzhang's face darkened, and he said angrily: "The general's words are wrong! Bai Qiwen's defection to Changmao is an unforgivable crime! Our department has prepared the king's order, and we will execute him when Bai Qiwen arrives. Don't you know that Bai Qiwen committed a crime?" What crime have you committed?" Gordon was taken aback, got up and said: "Master Li, you always have to figure out that Bai Qiwen came here by himself, not by us! It has been said since ancient times: the person who surrendered will not be killed. You can't kill him!" Li Hongzhang didn't expect that Gordon, who had always spoken in silence, would say such a big truth, and he couldn't find any suitable words to refute him for a while.The atmosphere was suddenly a little dull. After a long time, Li Hongzhang asked, "General Gordon, how do you plan to arrange Bai Qiwen?" Gordon said: "Master Li, I have already talked with Bai Qiwen. He knows the formation of Changmao very well. I intend to recommend him as the deputy leader of the Ever Victorious Army." Li Hongzhang shook his head and said: "General Gordon, this department can give you face and save the white thief a life, but let him be the deputy leader of the ever-victorious army, this department absolutely cannot agree. This department hates betrayal and surrender to the enemy the most in my life. , A person who only cares about profit. Bai Qiwen has no law, and he can beat the court officials, but he should not turn his back on Changmao. Only this end, even if the Ministry is willing to open the door, the court will not agree. Bai Qiwen was in my university Qing Dynasty, we can no longer stop here!" Seeing Li Hongzhang's solemn expression and firm tone, Gordon knew that it was impossible for Bai Qiwen to be the deputy leader of the Changsheng Army, so he had no choice but to say: "As long as you don't kill Bai Qiwen, you can do whatever you want. I will go to the boat and take Bai Qiwen now." Come." Li Hongzhang smiled wryly and said: "General Gordon is so deeply aware of the righteousness, the headquarters is very relieved. Please go back quickly, the general, and the headquarters is waiting here." Gordon put on the ill-fitting official uniform, swayed out of the yamen, and rushed to the ferry in a sedan chair.Bai Qiwen was soon taken into custody by the Shanghai County Prison.Li Hongzhang went up all night and asked to drive Bai Qiwen out of the country and never set foot in the land of the Qing Dynasty.The imperial decree approved.A month later, under the guard of officers and soldiers, American Bai Qiwen boarded a ship returning home and left China reluctantly. Seeing off Bai Qiwen, Li Hongzhang seemed to have won a big victory, and he felt comfortable and extremely happy.He handed over military affairs to Liu Mingchuan, Zhang Shusheng and others, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the preparation of the Shanghai Machinery Manufacturing Bureau.During this period, the Netherlands sent envoys to Shanghai to request a treaty for trade.The imperial court specifically ordered Li Hongzhang to handle the case in accordance with the agreement between the Qing Dynasty and the Belgian State. After Li Hongzhang received the order, he immediately sent the Dutch envoy to the Commercial Office for consultation. According to the commercial treaty signed between the Qing Dynasty and the Belgian State, the two countries quickly reached an agreement.