Letter+to+The+Queen


 * To Her Most Honorable Majesty, Queen Victoria of Great Britain **
 * Your majesty, I must implore you to help my motherland, China, and her children. I am but a humble servant to my emperor, but I hope that my voice will be heard, if you permit. **
 * Your nation has been trading with mine for centuries. We have been linked, despite the distance, by the Silk Road, and by the great oceans. I have heard that you yourself enjoy China's fine teas and porcelain ware. The trading market has been opened to you and your people, but I am afraid that some evil men have taken advantage of China's generosity. They think nothing of hurting others, and they must be stopped at once. I believe that the only way we can overcome them is with your royal majesty’s help. **
 * I will do my best to explain the current situation as succinctly as I possibly can. A few years ago, some merchants from your country started to smuggle illegal opium into China. They managed to lure and trick some of the local population into smoking opium, and they have now become addicted to that vile drug. In fact, about one-tenth of the male population suffers from this problem; even the Emperor has lost a son due to the drug. If this were to happen in any other country, the rulers would immediately start a war and make those responsible pay for their actions. However, the Chinese people are kinder than most. We do not plan on rushing into a war. We simply want your Majesty’s help in ending the destructive happenings of the trade of opium in China. Realise that stopping opium from illegally entering China will not only help our nation, but yours as well, since the drugs cause our men to be less productive. With much of the workforce incapacitated, the supply of commodities will go down, causing prices of goods ****to exponentially rise. I implore you, your Royal Majesty, to end this current situation before things escalate. **


 * With Kind Regards, **
 * Wang Ai Qiao **
 *  王爱乔 **
 * Adviser and English-Language Translator for the Emperor of China **