Yuan-boat diplomacy

As Mr Europe explained his mission, his interlocutor listened in stony silence, then told him to come back after a week for the answer. A week later, Mr Europe was told the money could be given, provided the terms were right. And what might those be, he asked. Well, he was told, it was going to be complicated, so he would have to listen carefully. First off, Europeans would have to start consuming opium in large quantities.

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