My Italy

A new day in the city of Rome is no different from usual. As residents of Rome, apart from discussing the new prime minister at the beginning, the rest is the replacement of ministers.

After all, talented people have emerged from generation to generation, and each has been leading the way for hundreds of years.

But to the British special envoy Edward Gray, the man in front of him was the man in power who was looking at the situation with a smile.

Yes, Gray can become a diplomatic envoy at the age of 33, and he is considered a young and promising person in the UK. However, this person is not enough in front of me.

After all, the Carlo I in front of him inherited the throne at the age of fourteen.

Of course, as a special envoy this time, he was not here to discuss with Carlo who was younger and more promising.

"Your Majesty Carlo, I am here mainly because of the humanitarian disaster in the Far East."

Well, when the Japanese had the upper hand, there was no humanitarian disaster in the Far East. When they faced defeat, this humanitarian disaster appeared, and it appeared too timely.

Carlo had no intention of criticizing Envoy Gray for his double standards. After all, everyone was very good at this thing, and it was not a wise move to blame each other.

"Since there is a humanitarian disaster in the Far East, your special envoy should go to the Far East. Are you looking for the right place in Rome?"

Although it’s hard to criticize, it’s not wrong to mock him secretly.

Facing the ridicule from King Carlo I, Envoy Gray didn't mind. After all, working in the diplomatic system, this was not even a small scene.

"Your Majesty is right. Originally I should have gone to the Far East, but given that many retired soldiers from your country participated in this war, I think it is necessary to listen to your country's attitude."

“Is our country’s attitude that important?”

"Your Majesty Carlo, London and I both believe that your country's attitude is the key to solving the humanitarian disaster in the Far East, so our country will definitely listen to your opinions."

Every free lunch was secretly marked with a price. Italy's involvement in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1899 was certainly not for doing good deeds. The Qing people themselves were too weak, and the Japanese could not defeat Italy.

So unknowingly, the leadership of this war has been transferred from Japan and Qing Dynasty to Italy. They can fight whenever they want and stop whenever they want (I think Italy is standing up to do good things) .

The British saw this very clearly, so they went directly to Rome to allocate their respective interests for the ongoing Far East War.

Of course, more importantly, its strategy of containing Russia in the Far East cannot be broken. Then Japan, which was selected as a target for training, cannot be weakened.

This is also the reason why the British Empire is willing to sit down and talk. As long as it can curb Russia's expansion, then everything else is a minor problem.

"It is better to let the two sides return to the state before the war."

"No, this war broke out because of North Korea, so in order to avoid unnecessary trouble in the future, it is necessary to confirm the ownership of the Korean Peninsula."

Obviously, Special Envoy Gray was expressing the British Empire's attitude that Korea must be left to Japan, otherwise the purpose of containing Russia would not be achieved at all.

"Are we worrying too much about the ownership of North Korea?"

Faced with the intention behind Gray's words, Carlo resorted to procrastination. It was obvious that he did not want to acknowledge Japan's ownership of Korea. Because containing Russia's development in the Far East has nothing to do with Italy, and it is not that Russia wants to break through Constantinople and enter the Mediterranean.

Carlo's statement caused a flash of anger in Gray's eyes, and he spoke.

"Your Majesty Carlo, regarding the issue of the ownership of North Korea, our country does not necessarily need your country's consent. You must know that many people in our country are quite dissatisfied with your country's involvement in this war in the Far East, especially in our diplomatic department. Already. There were many calls to sell the British Empire warships directly to Japan, and some people planned to start from the Suez Canal. However, in view of the good relations between our two countries, this call was suppressed by the Prime Minister."

The British Empire is worthy of being a world power, and Gray's slightly threatening words made Carlo dare not test its edge.

He also knew that his intervention in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894 had already caused the displeasure of the British Empire, and naturally he did not want to involve it.

"It is indeed a big issue that North Korea should be returned. We will respect your country's choice."

Although this is just a short sentence, it represents Carlo's submission and his acquiescence to the British Empire's choice.

Carlo felt aggrieved at this time, because the gap between Italy and the British Empire was too big for him to be angry.

It can be said responsibly that Italy under his rule lacked everything except people. The Apennine Peninsula was not suitable for industrial development at all, because all resources needed to be transported, except marble. Even if Italy is given a hundred years to develop, it will not be able to catch up with the British Empire (Italy is in urgent need of coal and iron ore, and the most recent one is the Ruhr area. If you can't think of it, you will grab food from the German and French pots).

Carlo's words made Gray relieved, and he did not want to have a dispute with Italy over this. After all, in the Mediterranean, the British Empire also had demand for Italy.

But there was a price for letting Carlo give in, as he continued to talk about.

"But since our country is willing to make concessions to your country here, we need your country to support one of our proposals."

"What proposal?"

Gray did not dare to underestimate the Italian king in front of him, and asked him about his intentions vigilantly.

"It's nothing. Our country is participating in the war in the Far East. The main reason is to gain some benefits from the Qing Dynasty after the war. I just need your country not to express any objection."

Although Carlo spoke lightly, Gray was no rookie and still followed closely. "What benefits does your country intend to gain?"

"Interests in the Railroad."

As soon as Carlo mentioned the railroad, Gray dropped his guard.

If it were another country, Carlo's proposal would immediately arouse Gray's vigilance. However, if you want to build a railway in the Qing Dynasty, it will be extremely difficult, which is even more difficult than letting them open a concession.

Take the Tang-Xu Railway, the first railway in the Qing Dynasty, for example. Even with Li Zhongtang standing behind it, it failed due to opposition from conservative forces. The following year, in 1881, the Bureau of Mines reapplied for construction approval. It was built that year as a monorail light railway, about 7.5 kilometers long. At first, donkeys and horses were used to pull sports cars, and in the second year, locomotives were used to pull them. The extension from Xugezhuang to Yanzhuang near Lutaizhuang began in 1886 and was completed the following year. It is more than 30 kilometers long and is called Tanglu Railway. The following year it was extended to Tianjin, with an increase of more than 80 kilometers, and was called the Tianjin-Gu Railway.

As for the earlier Songhu Railway, it was directly bought and demolished by the Qing government.

This shows how difficult it was for the railway to develop in the Qing Dynasty. It was not an easy task to get the Qing Dynasty's consent to build a railway. Since Italy is willing to be a warrior who breaks precedent, how can the gentlemen of the British Empire not applaud it.

"No problem, the British Empire will definitely support your country's idea of ​​promoting railway construction."

Looking at the British envoy who didn't know what he was thinking, how could Carlo express his inner thoughts to him.

"By the way, have you ever thought about getting an excellent port in the Qing Dynasty? Our country believes that Weihaiwei in Shandong or Lushun in Liaodong are good choices."

Facing this question suddenly raised by the British envoy, Carlo sneered inwardly.

What makes Italy different from other countries is that it has no concessions or spheres of influence. How could he let Italy make the same mistakes again? And look at the choices the British gave, Liaodong or Shandong. Didn't they want Italy to be ahead of Russia? It's a shame they thought of it.

"No need, our country has no plans to obtain a port or sphere of influence in the Qing Dynasty for the time being."

"That's such a shame."

"It doesn't matter, there will be opportunities in the future."

In distant Rome, two countries decided the outcome of the war in the Far East.

This is too cruel for the soldiers of the two countries who are preparing for a bloody battle. What they paid for it was completely meaningless.

But this is the reality. A weak country has no diplomacy is not just a sentence, but an unchanging axiom.