Chapter 59 Section 59 Deliberation on the Treaty

When Li Hongzhang returned to the hotel, he sent away the request booklet, then took out the treaty handed over by Date Zongcheng, and handed it to the translator who had brought him when he was insured, and asked him to translate it word by word for future reference. After breakfast the next day, the translator handed over the translated treaty to Li Hongzhang.Li Hongzhang took a look, and a ball of anger was born in his chest. It turned out that the treaty drafted by the Japanese proposed from the very beginning that "the Qing Dynasty and the Westerners should make a contract as a whole", and then proposed to "collect all the benefits of the Western Treaty and choose the best", and specifically Emphatically demand the privilege of "one body and one body".

Li Hongzhang was so angry that the treaties signed by the Zongli Yamen with Western countries were all signed by the big powers with guns, and they were all unequal treaties.Now that Japan first invited the treaty, it also asked the Qing Dynasty to follow the agreement of the Westerners. Isn't this arrogant? Li Hongzhang passed Ying Baoshi and Chen Qin over, angrily threw the treaty away, and said with a sneer: "The Japanese pirates are the Japanese pirates, and they never know the depth! You two, look at what kind of treaty the Japanese pirates handed over to the main hall! You are talking nonsense! These Japanese pirates are too courageous! They have come to my territory in the Qing Dynasty, and they dare to talk shit, it is truly abominable!"

Ying and Chen didn't know what happened, so they hurriedly picked up the treaty to read.Chen Qin read the treaty again and said: "Your Excellency's words are true, the Japanese pirates are really talking nonsense and talking nonsense." Ying Baoshi also said angrily: "Although the Japanese pirates are in human form, they still have the habits of grassroots pirates! From the point of view of professionalism, the Japanese pirates repeatedly asked to sign a contract with our country, but they turned out to have ulterior motives and ulterior motives. To say something boldly, the professionalism is the same as It doesn’t matter whether the Japanese pirates have an agreement or not. The Japanese pirates are not good people.”

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Since the imperial court has granted the Japanese people's request, this agreement will naturally be made. But we can't just say what they say, we must have our own opinions. You take this treaty back, refute it one by one, and discuss it carefully." After a while, draw up another copy and send it to the main hall.” The imperial decree was delivered to Tianjin as scheduled, and Li Hongzhang was granted the imperial envoy with full authority to handle the affairs of the Japanese trade treaty; Ying Baoshi and Chen Qin accompanied him to do it.At the end of the imperial decree, a special sentence was added: "This minister, make careful preparations and make sure that it is done properly."

Li Hongzhang then sent someone to inform Date Zongcheng and others to determine the date of the meeting and inform the venue of the meeting.Facing the official, Date Zongcheng thanked him again and again, bending his waist to ninety degrees. At the beginning of the meeting, Date Zongcheng stood up before Li Hongzhang could speak, and said in a loud voice: "The clauses of the treaty drafted by our country are all treaties after the approval of the emperor of our country. I hope that your minister will not change it. If your minister insists on changing the terms, please Only consider the small details, don't use big money. Otherwise, this minister will not be able to report to His Majesty the Emperor when he returns to China."

Li Hongzhang stood up slowly after listening to the interpreter, and said with a cold face: "The Ministry does not understand what Minister Yi is talking about. The Ministry believes that since the two countries agree to conclude a trade treaty, it should start from the common interests of the two countries. Since the emperor of your country is not allowed to change the treaty, the Ministry does not understand, why does he send your ministers to our country?" Date Zongcheng got up and said: "Your minister, please. The emperor of our country sent this minister and others to express his good intentions to conclude a trade treaty with your country. Our country respects your emperor very much, and please respect our country. The Emperor. May I ask your minister, is there anything wrong with the trade treaty proposed by our country? Our country completely imitates the example of your country's contract with Britain, France and other Western countries, and there are no additional requirements!"

Li Hongzhang said coldly: "The treaties between the Qing Dynasty and Western countries are not suitable for your country. Besides, the situation of Britain, France and your country is not the same. If your minister insists on copying the treaties between the Qing Dynasty and Western countries As the agreement has become a rule, the Ministry can only say one thing: Our country cannot agree to the request of your country to make a treaty with the Qing Dynasty. The Ministry also wants to tell the Minister of Iraq that the treaty submitted by the Minister of Iraq before the meeting has been fully implemented by the Ministry. Rebuttal. If your country sincerely wants to conclude a commercial treaty with the Qing Dynasty, it must be negotiated again, and the example of the agreement with the Western Kingdom cannot be copied."

After listening to Li Hongzhang's words, Yi Da Zongcheng was speechless for a while. Maemitsu Liuyuan stood up and said, "Minister, my country is very friendly to your country just like the western countries. Your country should treat everyone equally and not do anything that would disappoint our emperor." Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Minister Liu's words made the main hall even more incomprehensible. Our two countries have not formally signed a contract. I wonder why the emperor of your country should be disappointed? Could it be that Minister Liu is telling jokes with the main hall?"

Before Liuyuan Maekiro could speak, Date Zongcheng got up and said: "This minister and his party have indeed come to your country with good wishes in accordance with the will of our emperor. I hope that your minister can forward our request to you. Emperor Guoda, please agree to our request to conclude a trade treaty with your country." After listening to the translation, Li Hongzhang smiled and said to Chen Qin: "Chen Dao, you can talk to him, and let the headquarter have some tea." Chen Qin hurriedly got up and said: "Minister Rong, my imperial envoy Mr. Li has already stated that the emperor of our country has agreed to conclude a commercial treaty with your country, but he cannot copy the example of the contract between our country and the West, and must draft it again. Your minister No objection, we both discuss the plan and discuss the amount of the treaty to be concluded."

Date Zongcheng exchanged ideas with Liuyuan Maemitsu in a low voice, and finally agreed with Chen Qin's words. The negotiation went on for more than 20 days, and the two parties almost reached an agreement word for word on the upcoming treaty. Li Hongzhang considered it over and over again, and after confirming that it was feasible, he wrote the copy clearly and quickly delivered it to the capital. On behalf of the Qing Dynasty, he reached a total of 31 treaties with Japan, mainly including the following: "1. Japanese goods are sold at designated ports and are not allowed to be shipped into the mainland (the Qing Dynasty opened 14 ports, and Japan opened 8) ; 2. Japan is not allowed to enter the mainland to buy local goods; 3. The lands of the two countries are not allowed to invade slightly; Local officials will deal with it separately, or they will strictly deal with it; 6. When traveling with each other, you are not allowed to carry knives..."

There is another article in the treaty: "When the goods of the two countries enter each other's port, they shall pay taxes according to the customs tariffs of both parties; the two countries may set up consulates at the ports designated by the other party to restrain their own merchants and people, and civil cases shall be heard by the consul, while criminal cases shall be handled by the consul in conjunction with local officials. joint trial." Compared with the previous treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty with Western countries, the trade treaty signed with Japan this time is relatively reasonable, and it also reflects the sincere desire of the Qing Dynasty to reconcile with Japan.But Date Zongcheng and Yanagihara Maemiko were dissatisfied with this relatively equal trade treaty from beginning to end. They agreed to sign the contract against their will. In fact, it was just a stopgap measure, and they were planning a bigger conspiracy. The imperial decree was issued quickly, and the imperial court approved the terms of the contract one by one. So the two sides sat together again to do the painting, deposit and seal, and then they held a reception, and invited consuls from various countries in Tianjin one by one to report the news. Yida Zongcheng and his party bid farewell to Li Hongzhang on the second day. Accompanied by Chen Qin and Ying Baoshi, they rushed to the capital by land, and visited the Prime Minister’s Office and Prince Gong according to Li. At the same time, they discussed with the Prime Minister’s Office to establish Japan The embassy in the Qing Dynasty is for the purpose of being able to understand and grasp the military and political developments of the Qing Dynasty at any time in the future. Li Hongzhang sent a team of soldiers to escort him bravely in accordance with the etiquette system. After the signing of the Sino-Japanese Commercial Treaty, Li Hongzhang really breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't know that because of this relatively equal treaty, in the eyes of Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Gong, Li Hongzhang was no longer the old Li Hongzhang. He has been included in the ranks of diplomatic ministers by Empress Dowager Cixi. Prince Gong praised him in front of the princes and ministers for several days in a row: "This Li Shaoquan is really a first-class diplomatic figure, and my king finally saw him right!" Empress Dowager Cixi lamented in private: "I never imagined that this Li Hongzhang is so young, but he is so mature in doing things!"