With the settling of commercial disputes and the display of naval might abroad, the Great Qing appeared to enjoy a period of superficial peace, and the New Policies continued to advance in an orderly fashion. Yet, Su Ran, with his keen insight, sensed that the Great Powers, such as Britain and France, were like dormant vipers in the shadows, brewing new conspiracies. While they had temporarily reined in their military actions, they were constantly engaged in minor maneuvers across economic and diplomatic spheres, attempting to suppress the Great Qing on multiple fronts.
Economically, Britain, France, and their allies acted like greedy hunters in the international trade market, setting layers of traps for the Great Qing’s exports. At customs, goods such as silk and tea from the Great Qing were subjected to harsh inspection standards; even the slightest flaw was infinitely magnified, followed by the imposition of exorbitant tariffs. Merchant ships laden with Great Qing goods arrived at foreign ports only to find they could not unload their cargo due to these high levies. Merchants watched their mountains of stock with faces full of anxiety and helplessness, their hearts heavy with worry. Meanwhile, in international trading venues, the prices of the Great Qing’s traditional exports were maliciously driven down. Traders barked low prices at Great Qing merchants, completely disregarding the actual value of the goods. Seeing their valuable merchandise being wantonly devalued by th…
Chapter 27