On August 9, 1840, a group of uninvited guests arrived at Dagukou, Tianjin: they were a British fleet led by the British plenipotentiary Yi Lu.
The British army came to Tianjin in order to send envoys to the capital to meet Emperor Daoguang. Emperor Daoguang resolutely did not allow it. Instead, he sent Zhili Governor Qi Shan to Tianjin to negotiate with the British army, and “came properly.”
Qishan, whose name is Jing’an, was born in 1786, born in 1786, from the Borzijit family and from Manchuria Zhenghuang Banner. In 1806, Qi Shan was appointed by Yinsheng to be a member of the Penalty Department, and entered the official career. He successively served as Henan Procurator, Jiangning Chief Envoy, Henan Chief Envoy, Henan Governor, Shandong Governor, Governor of Liangjiang, Governor of Donghe, General of Chengdu, and Zhili Governor, co-sponsored bachelor, Wenyuange bachelor and other positions.
Everyone knows that Lin Zexu is a staunch anti-smoking activist, and his “cigarette sale in Humen” is famous all over the world. However, Qishan also advocated smoking ban. After he became the governor of Zhili province, he launched a vigorous anti-smoking campaign. From August to November 1838, in just three months, Qishan seized 150,000 taels of soot in Tianjin.
After the ambitious Qi Shan arrived in Tianjin, he did not personally meet with the British envoys, but sent people to the British warships to make negotiations. While negotiating, secretly check the British military’s armament. After the person sent to negotiate returned, Xiang Qishan gave a detailed report. At this moment, Qi Shan felt that things were not that simple.
In Qishan’s imagination, how can the British army be more powerful? However, the negotiators reported that the British military ships were strong and powerful, especially the gunboats, which were three stories high. “There is no wind and no tide, and they can fly with the current.” Moreover, under the gun position, “there is a stone grinding disc and a machine shaft in the middle. Just move the grinding disc and the gun will follow its direction.” Obviously, the British army is not a good crop. If a war really breaks out in Tianjin, it will surely cause endless trouble for him, the governor of Zhili. The most urgent task at the moment is to deceive the British army and leave Tianjin. It is best to return to Guangzhou and return this hot potato to the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.
On August 30, Qishan enthusiastically received the British Deputy Plenipotentiary Yilu in a hurriedly built yellow big tent under the Tianjin Fort. Qi Shan used methods to persuade them to return to Guangzhou: “His Majesty has decided to send an imperial minister to Guangzhou… It proves that the court is kind and peaceful in handling the problem.” As for the time when Emperor Daoguang will actually send an imperial minister to Guangzhou , It’s not that he can call the shots. If there is really an imperial commissioner traveling, then it will be the imperial commissioner facing trouble by then, not Qishan.
In order to persuade the British army, Qishan accepted the British army’s dissatisfaction with Lin Zexu and agreed to impose severe punishment on Lin Zexu.
At that time, the British army had been in Tianjin for almost a month. They were not afraid of the Qing army, but worried about the freezing winter. If it continues to be procrastinated, the severe winter will bring them a great challenge in logistical support and other aspects. Now, since the Governor of Zhili in the Qing Dynasty has made a promise, they might as well go south temporarily. As a result, the British army departed from Dagukou in Tianjin, headed south along the coastline, and returned to Guangzhou.
Qi Shan succeeded in persuading the British army to retreat, and then he would report to the court to report the details of the matter. In order to show that he has worked so hard in this trip, Qi Shan reported on the strength of the British fleet in a realistic manner. However, Qishan knew well that if he blindly praised the enemy’s strength, he would easily arouse the repugnance of Emperor Daoguang, and he would “steal chickens and lose rice”. As a result, Qi Shan fooled Emperor Daoguang again.
Qi Shan told Emperor Daoguang that after the British army came to Tianjin, after some enlightenment, he “seems to have a sense of shame and hatred” for his previous despicable behavior.
Emperor Daoguang looked at Qishan’s memorial, and Longyan was delighted and praised Qishan for his ability to do things. “Isn’t it a piece of paper, far better than one hundred thousand masters… The one who has been told, the memorial is detailed, and it is integrated, and my heart is full of joy.”
In contrast, Emperor Daoguang looked at Lin Zexu more and more unpleasantly: “Last year Lin Zexu waited to investigate the no-smoking soil, but failed to respect the righteousness of the public, so that he was deceived and mishandled. I ask for the injustice of the emperor, the great emperor. If you have heard about it, you must investigate the crimes one by one and re-punish him.” On September 29, Emperor Daoguang decreed that Lin Zexu should be removed from his post, and “the Ministry will strictly discuss the office and come to Beijing to listen to the ministry’s discussion”.
What Qishan never expected was that on September 28, the day before Lin Zexu was dismissed, Emperor Daoguang ordered him to go to Guangzhou to take over Lin Zexu’s job and negotiate with the British army. Qi Shan dug a hole, but jumped down by himself.
Of course, you have to jump down with tears in the pits you dug yourself. When Qishan arrived in Guangzhou, he finally understood the British Army’s idea, not only to compensate for the loss of opium, but also to cedicate land and open a trading port. Qishan still wanted to fool the British army, but the British army refused to be fooled by him.
In January 1841, under the threat of force from the British army, Qi Shan was forced to sign the “Crossing the Nose Covenant”. After hearing the news, Emperor Daoguang became furious and yelled at Qi Shan: “I am so incompetent, you are intimidated by others, and you are willing to be stinking for thousands of years! Today I have chosen several ways to intimidate me, I am not afraid.”
Subsequently, Emperor Daoguang ordered that Qi Shan be dismissed from office for questioning and the family property was checked.
Qi Shan and Lin Zexu, the two imperial ministers, both ended up with a dismissal and questioning, which can be called the same goal by different routes.
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