Rebirth of the Northern Giants

The abolition of the Beijing Treaty means that Heilongjiang and the Ussuri River to the Sea of ​​Japan in Russia will be returned to China. According to the territory occupied by the Chinese army today, except for Sakhalin Island, the rest has actually fallen into the hands of the Chinese.

The other two were not surprised, and Robanov then asked: "What about the Nerchinsk region? Do the Chinese still want to take it back?"

Except for Vladivostok, Shuangchengzi, and a few other places, the territory cut by the Beijing Treaty is a large piece of virgin forest, but the Nerchinsk area is different. Once the Chinese army refuses to leave, the Russians want to To reach the Heilongjiang and Ussuri River basins, we had to cross the Waixing'an Mountains, which the Russian government firmly disagreed with.

Wade said helplessly: "Whoever called the Far East Army can't do it, even the city of Nerchinsk was captured by the Chinese. Ye Zhikui, the head of the military government, believes that the Nerchinsk region is of great strategic significance to China, and it can deter the empire in Heilongjiang. The rule of the river basin, so he refused to let go."

The two Russian ministers looked at each other angrily.

Wade was delighted in his heart, then changed the subject and said, "Fortunately, Li Hongzhang agreed to us. He will do his best to persuade the military government to give up this piece of land. Two ministers, what is Your Majesty's intention?"

Robatkin breathed a sigh of relief and said helplessly: "Your Majesty certainly doesn't want to lose any yard of land, but in my opinion, this is impossible. Presumably His Majesty can also understand our difficulties. For the coastal territory and Sakhalin Island, we can retreat, but the Nerchinsk region must be taken back. This is related to whether the empire can continue to expand its territory in the Far East in the future and defeat China again, but now Nerchinsk is occupied by the Chinese. Difficult."

Wade frowned, rolled his eyes, and said, "Can we exchange other territories for Nerchinsk? For example, this city?"

"Berry?"

"Yes, the current Khabarovsk is a dangerous city. It is not far from the Chinese city of three surnames. The Chinese can come to it at any time, not to mention that Vladivostok and other places have lost their opponents. The importance of Khabarovsk is comparable to that of Nerchinsk. It's far worse than ten thousand miles."

Robatkin also understands these days that as long as the Chinese can really capture this city regardless of the cost, handing over Khabarovsk to China is equivalent to handing over a large area around Khabarovsk to China, and he is a little unwilling .

Robanov pondered for a moment, and then resentfully said: "If you want the Chinese to return Nerchinsk, that's the only way to go."

"Okay, I'll send a telegram to His Majesty to ask for instructions on this matter." Seeing that the foreign minister had said so, Robatkin, who was originally a little tempted, couldn't say anything else.

At the same time, Li Hongzhang also sent a telegram to the General Staff and Ye Zhikui of Lushun early.

The next day, the Chinese and Russian delegations had their first confrontation in a restaurant in the city of Khabarovsk. Since both sides had not received a reply from the country, they just tried a little bit. The negotiations all morning did not make any progress. They recognized each other as familiar. face only.

"The Russians are really good at dreaming. They want us to return the Nerchinsk region unconditionally. After all, who is afraid of whom? The worst is to fight another war." Feng Guozhang said a little indignantly.

It was a break at noon, and the Chinese delegation had lunch together. Feng Guozhang was very dissatisfied with the extremely arrogant attitude of the Russians in the morning.

"Zhongtang, Hua Fu saw that you didn't fight back in the morning. Are you really going to withdraw from Nerchinsk City? General Song and General Jiang took it with great difficulty." Seeing that Li Hongzhang just lowered his head and did not speak, Feng Guozhang couldn't help but ask aloud.

Li Hongzhang had to stop his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, frowned, and said: "For us, Nerchinsk is an enclave. The Russians are very strong there, and it is easy to capture. Disaster."

"Could it be that the territory we have worked so hard to recover will be returned to the Russians?" Feng Guozhang still looked angry.

"Don't worry, the old man knows it well." After Li Hongzhang finished speaking, he didn't say anything else, but continued to eat with his head down.

Feng Guozhang got angry, and took a bite or two of rice in his anger. He thought that people in high positions like Li Hongzhang did not understand the efforts and sacrifices that soldiers like him had put in to regain the territory.

Song Pinglan beside him persuaded softly: "Leave these negotiations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We just need to fight a good fight. Why do you worry about it?"

Feng Guozhang was silent, and said after a while: "Okay, I won't go in the afternoon, go back to the barracks outside the city first, so that those bastards don't worry, just wait for your good news outside the city."

Song Pinglan shook her head helplessly.

After lunch, the members of the delegation went back to rest, and at two o'clock in the afternoon, the peace talks continued.

Li Hongzhang shook the recliner in the room, closed his eyes and rested his mind.

"The middle hall is leisurely, and the telegram has been returned from China." Wu Tingfang walked in quietly with the telegram in one hand and a cane in the other.

"Really? What did the Generalissimo say." Li Hongzhang opened his eyes and stopped shaking.

Wu Tingfang replied with a smile: "The Generalissimo was really moved by your persuasive words, saying that Nebuchu is useless."

Li Hongzhang rolled his eyes, and said with a self-deprecating tone: "The old man with feelings has become Yang Xiu."

Wu Tingfang joked: "Yang Xiu didn't live as long as you, Zhongtang. By the way, is Zhongtang really willing to send back to Nerchinsk with both hands?"

About Wade's visit, Li Hongzhang didn't tell any members of the delegation, but just reported the matter, so Wu Tingfang didn't know anything about it.

Li Hongzhang shook his head and said, "That's such a good thing. If I didn't see that Nerchinsk is too far away from the rear, I really don't want to retreat. But we can use Nerchinsk for other places that are close to us and easy to control."

It turned out that Li Hongzhang had planned this, and Wu Tingfang smiled slightly. .

Volume Two, The Wind and Cloud of the Capital, Chapter Two, Two and Three

"Wishful thinking, it is simply wishful thinking, immediately terminate the negotiations and transfer troops from Europe to the Far East." Nicholas II looked at the telegram that Robatkin sent back to him, and was very angry.

Robatkin told him that the Chinese not only want to abolish the Beijing Treaty, but also claim the Nerchinsk region. If the empire wants to take back the city of Nerchinsk, it may need to exchange the two cities of Khabarovsk and Hailanpao.

Chaifu certainly knew that what Nicholas II was saying was angry, and persuaded him: "Your Majesty, the Chinese army has already occupied the territory allocated to our country and the city of Nerchinsk in the Beijing Treaty. Only when we meet again in battle, not only can we see Robatkin’s tone, but we can still claim the city of Nerchinsk, it’s just the price we pay.”

"Did the empire really exchange two cities for one city?" Nicholas II coughed angrily.

"What does Your Majesty mean?"

"One city at most, and fairness in business." Nicholas II stretched out a finger and replied with a toothache.

The key is that the value of Nerchinsk is not comparable to that of the other two cities. Chaifu rolled his eyes, but he dared not say it. Instead, he agreed: "Your Majesty, I will send a telegram to Robatkin immediately."

So, before the negotiations began in the afternoon, Robatkin also received instructions from the tsar.

"Robanov, you really have a clever plan. Your Majesty really agreed to exchange Khabarov for Nerchinsk." Robatkin praised sincerely.

Last night, he originally wanted to play a city for a city, but when Robanov saw it, he shook his head and stopped it, and added Hailan bubble.

Today, the Tsar did not say a word and asked him to change from two cities to one.

Robanov smiled lightly, and said calmly: "We must let His Majesty see our value and efforts."

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the peace talks officially began.

The two sides sat down one by one, and the Chinese side lost Feng Guozhang.

A huge map of the Russian Far East was placed in the middle of the table.

Li Hongzhang first said: "This is a war of aggression, and Russia should take full responsibility for this war."

Robanov retorted: "His Majesty the Emperor of my country sent troops to help your country suppress the peasant uprising at the request of the Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing government. There is nothing wrong with it."

The Chinese and Russian negotiators began to glare at each other, their eyes turning into sword energy and fighting in the air. The air was filled with a pungent smell. It turned out that Wade had accidentally farted just now.

The peace talks had just begun, and the two sides had to take a break.

After a while, the treated meeting room was sprinkled with perfume.

The two sides sat down again.

This time, it was Russia who launched the offensive first.

Robatkin relaxed his muscles and bones, rinsed his mouth, and said: "The military government of your country is now in the midst of internal and external troubles, the British are watching, and other provinces are not united. If the war continues, it is really not good. Wisdom, and His Majesty the Emperor of our country is willing to turn wars into treasures and become the merciful and compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva of your country, what are you dissatisfied with? Do you have to wait until our country dispatches troops from Europe to the Far East before you are satisfied?"

Regarding the threat from the Russians, Wu Tingfang sneered and said: "The government of your country is already heavily in debt to fight this war, and the people are in dire straits. The people of your country love peace and hate war, so they will rise up against your government. Rule, actively support and respond to our China. Those who win the hearts of the people will win the world. If this war is not over, you just wait to pack your bags and go home to farm.”