C1983 Contest of etiquette

Sometimes, diplomatic etiquette was not about etiquette itself, but about a kind of respect between the two parties. Many times, it seemed as if the two sides were in a meaningless dispute over some trivial matters, such as the color of the negotiating table, the pattern of the drinking cup, and the arrangement of the people when taking a picture.

This sort of trivial matter shouldn't matter to politicians who were high and mighty. However, contact between countries was sometimes like this. They were arguing over a cup of tea, a dish but at the core, it was still a matter of respect.

The negotiations between nations were extremely important, and sometimes even a small amount of concessions could represent a question of the ownership of millions of dollars. These were all Real Gold and Silver s, and the nineteenth century was even more cruel.

Many countries might be able to expand by a million kilometers with a single treaty, while others could lose half their land or even their country overnight.

Money, wealth, and territory were topics that could not be avoided, and the war at the negotiating table was more brutal than the real one.

For example, the Sha Russian Army could use deception and coercion to take away the Haishenwai from the Qing Dynasty and take away millions of square kilometers of land. However, under the circumstances, it was impossible for them to achieve that goal with war.

This was the power of negotiations. This was the rule of the game between the nations of nineteenth century.

Xiao Letian did not care about kneeling down in respect. Kneeling before the Chinese had already been restricted to a large extent, and the kneeling between officials of different ranks had all been abolished. Only nobles like King Shang Tai could enjoy one subordinate's kneeling during the New Year ceremony.

The majority of kowtowing ceremony within the Chinese clan was reflected in the offerings. For example, the Temple of War s still had the Heaven and Earth Ancestors that they had to pay respects to during the new year, and such a ceremony did not exist.

However, this kind of leader, on one hand, abolished the kneeling ceremony of the Chinese race, but on the other hand, gave Zai Chun this face. Not only did he give Zai Chun face, he was actually giving the entire East and Asian countries equal bargaining positions.

Xiao Letian was afraid that when Zai Chun went to Europe, he would not receive the proper treatment. Although the UK would hold a grand welcoming ceremony, the UK was very calm at the negotiating table.

Only by being tough, only by making the opponent not dare to look down on him, would it be easy to come up with an opinion on the negotiating table in the future!

Zai Chun was currently trying his best to act like an emperor, and it looked like he could still hold on. However, the four eunuchs and a few guards behind him were already starting to lose control of their emotions, and their eyes turned red with tears.

Only Hairy # 2 could handle this. He came from the Forbidden City, so Hairy # 2 understood the rules here.

Ever since the Sin-uni coup d'état, envoys from the United States and Russia had always wanted to enter the Forbidden City to meet the empress dowager and the young emperor, but they couldn't agree on this form of etiquette.

Relying on the might of the Second Opium War, the foreign devils were very arrogant right now. Not to mention kneeling down on both knees, they weren't even willing to kneel down on one knee, but insisted on using bows instead.

Great Qing saw that this was impossible, if you all play like this, how can we spread the news of our status as the one and only country in the entire Great Qing Dynasty? How am I supposed to promote the idea of the Center of the World to the people?

As a result, the Forbidden City used the little emperor's lack of personal authority and widows as an excuse to not show his face, and did not see any foreign officials at all.

Both sides were stuck in a deadlock because of this formality, but there was one side of the Forbidden City that they were worried about, and they knew that the day that Zai Chun took personal control of the city would be the day that the Qing Dynasty would have to face this problem.

At the very least, you have to meet the ambassadors from the English and French, Russia, America and other European countries at the ceremony, right? This was an unavoidable problem. Temporarily pretending to be an ostrich would not solve the underlying problem.

Xiao Letian had heard Er Mao mention it before, he also recalled some of the scattered memories from his previous life. It seemed like in the dark history of the late Qing, the debate on kneeling ceremony between the Great Qing and the European envoys was actually the conclusion drawn at the personal ceremony of Tongzhi.

At that time, when the European envoys entered the Forbidden City, they had all bowed and completed the entire ceremony. The war between the Qing Empire and Europe that lasted for decades had ended with the defeat of the Great Qing.

This was true history, Xiao Letian remembered it clearly.

Hairy # 2 had heard his foster father talking to himself before, and said that he wanted to help Zai Chun get back at him.

Why were Da Sixi and the others crying? They were very clear about this kind of competition of etiquette. They were very clear about the state of anxiety within the Forbidden City regarding this issue. When the elders of the Ministry of Rites heard this topic, they would immediately have a headache, and no one could solve this problem.

The foreign devil bowed his head and actually kowtowed to the emperor. Although it was just a simple kowtow, it was an unprecedented action for the Great Qing who was being conservative and bullied.

With this precedent, he would have something to say if he wished to meet the Emperor in the future. But in this situation, Zai Chun, you are being too arrogant, you are overestimating yourself!

Xiao Letian saw the eunuchs and guards clearly, and his eyes revealed a hint of gratitude. This was not the fear and flattery from before, but was instead the true feelings he felt from the bottom of his heart.

"Alright, dear gentlemen, I've prepared the best Chinese cuisine for all of you. Today, we are reunited on the Mediterranean Sea. This is the fate of three lifetimes …"

"Please take a seat!" Under Xiao Letian's call, all of Jie Sen's generals sat down, the white cloth covering their legs, and the attendants started to pour wine for each and every one of them.

As the glasses of wine intertwined, the host's friendship deepened. After all, soldiers were not politicians. They did not have the playfulness of diplomats. In their hearts, it was a very normal etiquette for them to see the Queen and the King kneeling on one knee.

No matter what, the Great Qing's emperor was at the same level as the female king, it was just that there was a huge difference in national power. According to status, it was not a problem for him to kneel on one knee.

Furthermore, during the banquet, Zai Chun and King Shang Tai each gifted a precious gift to everyone. Zai Chun bestowed a beautiful, embroidered cloak, as well as a sword for the palace, and King Shang Tai gifted each of them a small box of pearls, including a precious black pearl.

A few British generals could not come empty-handed. Some of them gave statues of the ancient Greece, some gave Renaissance paintings, and some even gave a full suit of noble armor from the Middle Ages.

All the men in the world were the same. As long as they passed the wine and gifts, their relationship naturally increased. The atmosphere of the feast was no longer so formal.

"Oh, my dear old friend, you have just come from the Atlantic Ocean and may not have tasted the delicacies of China... "This type of sour and sweet meat is very tasty. I can eat a big plate by myself. Come, come, come. You must taste it …"

"There's also this kind of beef made in China. The taste is also very unique …"

General Jie Sen was trying to persuade them to drink, but he did not know that the soldiers in charge of the first class cabin had already started moving towards the deck like ghosts, soundlessly and soundlessly.