Chapter 56

The American envoy, John Hua, met Xiaole Tian for the first time. He never imagined that the first time he would see this man, dressed in a Western suit and a prominent figure in the Qing Dynasty, he would be stuffing a Go Believe bun into his mouth. Despite his years of diplomatic training, he could hardly contain himself, staring straight at Xiaole Tian as he stuffed the bun into his mouth.

"Lewis, this is the civilized envoy you spoke of? Good heavens, his eating manners are far from those of a gentleman..." In the private room on the second floor of the Coastal Building, John Hua, dressed casually, stood by the window, with the American missionary Lewis by his side.

"Yes, sometimes it's hard to equate Xiaole with a gentleman, but I assure you, most of the time, Xiaole is very... civilized, of course, as long as you don't provoke him..." Lewis said, feeling a bit embarrassed. How could someone like Xiaole Tian, an economic criminal involved in private currency minting, be considered a gentleman?

At the entrance of the Coastal Building, Manager Fan Lian finally saw Xiaole Tian. The staff had already reported that Mr. Xiao had entered the city, but why was he taking so long to arrive? It was really making him anxious.

When Xiaole Tian appeared, Fan Lian was almost out of breath with anger. The two foreign dignitaries upstairs were waiting for him, and here he was, eating Go Believe buns and even bringing them back.

"Oh, why are you eating such things? These are for laborers, unclean and likely to cause stomach trouble. If you get sick, Hu Nv will be upset with me..." Fan Lian sighed, shaking his head, and snatched the buns away.

The old manager was right; at the time, Go Believe buns were not considered high-class food. They were meaty, greasy, and affordable, satisfying and filling, perfect for laborers to have a hearty meal and work hard all afternoon. This was typical street food, and someone of Xiaole Tian's status really shouldn't be eating such things.

But there was no help for it. In the future, Go Believe buns would become a premium brand, with each store being a star-rated restaurant, and in people's minds, they would be associated with high-end dining. So Xiaole Tian's desire to try something new was understandable.

"Sorry, gentlemen, the various folk delicacies across China are too tempting for me. I apologize for keeping the envoy waiting..." As soon as Xiaole Tian entered the private room, he spoke in perfect New York English, and John Hua's eyes lit up.

"Mr. Xiao, I am here today in a private capacity. Please do not mention the word 'envoy.' This meeting today will not be acknowledged by the U.S. government or me personally, and none of the content will be recorded in any documents. In other words, historically, we did not have this private meeting..."

John Hua said seriously, "I must warn you, Mr. Xiao, if any 'rumors' about our meeting spread from you, all our cooperation and friendship will be terminated..."

At this point, Xiaole Tian also put away his carefree attitude. He knew he was facing a true old fox. During the Second Opium War, John Hua nominally helped the Qing Dynasty mediate the crisis, but secretly provided a large amount of intelligence to the British and French armies and even discussed the next steps with them.

This fifty-something diplomat, with his superb diplomatic skills and intelligence capabilities, ensured that the United States, without sending a single soldier, shared all the benefits of the Treaty of Tianjin and the Treaty of Beijing with Britain, France, and Russia.

In 1860, for the Chinese, it was the time of the humiliating Second Opium War, while in the United States, the political and economic situation was extremely tense. The industrialists in the North and the plantation owners in the South were in fierce opposition, and the country was on the brink of division.

To be honest, the United States at that time could not send soldiers to join the British and French forces. Relations between Europe and North America were not as close as they are today, and no one would share their benefits. When the Anglo-French forces captured Beijing, they naturally enjoyed the benefits of the treaty.

The Russians sent Cossacks to threaten, and they also signed a separate agreement with the Qing Dynasty, which no one could object to. Only the United States, among the four countries, did not send troops. From start to finish, it was John Hua leading the diplomatic team, running back and forth between Beijing and Tianjin, and ultimately, through diplomatic efforts, ensuring that the United States also benefited from the war.

What is an elite? This is an elite. Calling him a modern Su Qin or Zhang Yi is not an exaggeration. Today, Xiaole Tian met a master of intrigue, and while his smile remained, he was highly tense inside.

"I fully agree with Mr. Hua's proposal. As an excellent diplomat, you have strict discipline and diplomatic principles. I fully understand your concerns, and I believe mutual understanding and communication will make our meeting very friendly and harmonious..." After speaking in English, Xiaole Tian gestured for them to sit.

On the round table were a dozen exquisite dishes. The seafood at the Coastal Building was excellent, and the sea view outside the window was particularly charming. However, the four people present had no interest in eating, and both sides fell into a brief silence.

John Hua's eyes did not tolerate sand. Based on Xiaole Tian's accurate use of diplomatic vocabulary in English, he could determine that this young man had received excellent noble education. This was not the era of advanced information, and even in Europe and America, there were many illiterates. It was already quite good if someone could read a newspaper.

In such an educational environment, being able to accurately use rigorous diplomatic vocabulary was no small feat. But why did the intelligence network have no records of this New York-accented Chinese man? If there were such excellent young people studying in New York, John Hua would have known.

"Mr. Xiao, you repeatedly say that you are an overseas wanderer, raised in Europe and traveled to many countries. At first, I was very skeptical, but after reading your 'Journey to the West,' I changed my mind. This seemingly straightforward and entertaining novel has a very real Western historical framework, and I can clearly see your involvement in the cultures of ancient Rome and ancient Greece..."

"I must admit, I could never write such a book. Even Western scholars would need decades of experience to write it. How could someone as young as you write such an article? To be frank, with your historical knowledge, you would not be unknown in Europe and America. But why can't my intelligence network find any trace of you?"

"Even the U.S. domestic intelligence agencies cannot find your identity information. You seem to have appeared out of nowhere. Please give me a clear answer..."

It was coming, and what had to come would never escape. Xiaole Tian knew that his lies could fool the Qing Dynasty, but once he caught the attention of Westerners, especially politicians, they would definitely investigate his identity.

This question was unsolvable. Xiaole Tian could not explain himself. He had made many assumptions about this issue, but none of them could be convincingly explained. With the current technology, a simple photograph sent to the government departments of Western countries would reveal that Xiaole Tian did not exist in any country.

Xiaole Tian sighed and smiled, not answering the question directly. "If I'm not mistaken, the reason Mr. Hua came to Tanggu today is because the intelligence I provided, or the 'divine revelation,' has actually come true. How is the President doing now?"

Xiaole Tian did not passively defend himself; instead, he