Xia Bohai said: "Li Zhongtang, we are not talking about it, we will only talk about war, and we will not only blindly use the big hat of morality and justice to suppress people, if the current situation is really unfavorable to China, then we should sacrifice some local interests to ensure China's overall interests, we think it is completely deserved, and we will fully support it." However, the current situation is clearly extremely favorable to China, and as long as we show a tougher stance in the negotiations, we will certainly be able to force other countries to accept the terms of peace talks we have put forward and safeguard the overall interests of the Chinese nation, and there will be no need to cede land or pay compensation.www.biquge.info ”

Li Hongzhang listened, his expression was also a little embarrassed, Li Jingfang hurriedly said: "Commander Xia, don't misunderstand, this is not Zhongtang's proposition, Zhongtang is only conveying the opinion of the imperial court, you all know, now that the second palace is touring the west, the Beijing division has fallen, and the queen mother and the emperor are also eager to return to Beijing, so I hope to make some concessions so that the second palace can return to the capital as soon as possible." Of course, the imperial court is only a suggestion, and it does not necessarily have to make concessions to other countries. ”

Xia Bohai's face was solemn, and he said: "We can understand that the imperial court has such thoughts, but no matter how the empress dowager and the emperor return to Beijing, they cannot be at the expense of the interests of the Chinese nation. Although the Qing Dynasty was dominated by a foreign race, after all, it had ruled China for more than 250 years, and we can regard the Manchus as a part of the Chinese nation, but if the Qing Dynasty regarded China as the private property of one family and one surname, and even did not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of the Chinese nation to safeguard the private interests of one family and one surname, we would never agree, so no compensation and no land cession is the first principle of our negotiations with other countries, and this is the bottom line, which must not be shaken. ”

After Li Hongzhang and the others listened to Xia Bohai's words, they couldn't help but change their faces greatly, because it was Li Hongzhang, and even their faces turned white, because Xia Bohai's words could be said to be a great rebellion, and they could completely use crimes such as seeking return, rebellion, and great disrespect to raid their homes and destroy their homes. But the current Qing court is almost unable to protect itself, not to mention the strength of overseas Chinese, even the Eight-Nation Coalition cannot defeat them, and the Qing court has no strength to do anything to them, not to mention that the Qing court still has to ask for overseas Chinese. To put it mildly, now that overseas Chinese are really king in China, the Qing court can only pinch their noses and admit it.

The entire conference room was almost cold for more than five minutes, and Li Hongzhang couldn't help but smile and said: "Okay, the old man already knows your proposition, but this matter is a big trouble, and the old man does not dare to make a claim, and he must consult the imperial court before he can decide, so I also ask the noble people to be able to tolerate some time." ”

Xia Bohai nodded, Li Hongzhang's request was not excessive, although he has now been granted full power by the Qing court to negotiate peace with various countries, but he is not really able to be the home of the Qing court, and the communication technology of this era is also relatively developed, and it can completely realize long-distance information exchange, so it is the Qing court that can finally make a decision. So Xia Bohai said: "Yes, after today's meeting is over, please Zhongtang immediately inform the Qing court of our attitude, and let the court make a decision as soon as possible, and we will talk again." ”

Li Hongzhang also nodded, and said: "That's okay, the old man will see that today's meeting is here, the old man will immediately inform the court of the content of today's meeting, just wait for the court to reply, the old man will immediately inform you, and then the talks." ”

Xia Bohai thought about it, he could really only talk about this step today, and it would be better to end it like this, anyway, his attitude had already been told to Li Hongzhang, as for how Li Hongzhang conveyed it to the Qing court, it was Li Hongzhang's business, so he said: "Okay, let's arrange the vehicle immediately and send Zhongtang back to the hotel to rest." ”

After Li Hongzhang and his entourage left the administrative building, Xia Bohai said: "It seems that we are really ready to recover Beijing by force." ”

Qin Zheng also nodded, and said: "Well, I thought the same way, I didn't expect that the Qing court really couldn't support the wall with mud, and in such a favorable situation, he actually thought about ceding land to foreign countries for compensation and betraying the country to seek peace." ”

Xia Bohai shook his head and said: "No way, now the Qing court still regards this country as the private property of the Aixin Jueluo family, since it is private property, then of course we can give it to whoever we want, we all overestimate the Qing court, or overestimate the Empress Dowager Cixi." ”

Wang Yunpeng said: "I really don't understand, the current situation is obviously so favorable, why the Qing court or the Empress Dowager Cixi still dare not be tough, and must foreign countries cede land and pay compensation, and betray the country to seek peace? What good does this do them?"

Qin Zheng said: " The mentality of the emperor is difficult for us to understand, but according to my analysis, there should be three reasons, the first is to kneel for a long time, unable to stand up, because in the past few decades, the Qing court has almost never won the battle with foreign countries, so there is an instinctive fear of foreign countries, the second is that although the Qing court now relies on us to negotiate with foreign countries, but it should also be guarding us, we have defeated the Eight-Nation Alliance on the battlefield, if we lead the victory at the negotiating table, then we will be the Qing court's greatest credit since the beginning of the dynasty, what Zeng GuofanAfter the withdrawal of the Eight-Nation Alliance, we are the biggest threat to the Qing court, and the Qing court has to reseal us, so it is best not to let us lead this negotiation, even if we suffer a little loss in the negotiation, but we can't make this contribution again, the third reason is that the Qing court wants to return to Beijing as soon as possible, and it is best to be able to enter Beijing before us, because Beijing is the capital of the Qing court, which has great political significance, and whoever is the first to be stationed in Beijing will be able to seize the lead in the future game。 Therefore, the Qing court will not hesitate to negotiate peace with other countries as soon as possible, so as to return to Beijing as soon as possible. ”

Wang Yunpeng said: "But with us leading the negotiations, how can the Qing court negotiate with other countries to cede land and pay compensation, and betray the country to seek peace?"

Qin Zheng shook his head and said: "What's impossible, the Chun Ting can bypass us in this negotiation and directly reach an agreement with various countries to pay compensation for land and sell the country to seek peace, but on the surface, it is still up to us to negotiate with various countries, so if the Chun Ting and the countries really finally negotiate a treaty on land cession and reparations in private, then the black pot of losing power and humiliating the country must be borne by us, you must know that in terms of shirking responsibility, the Qing court is quite good at it." ”

Wang Yunpeng said: "So our next step is to consider recovering Beijing by force?"

Xia Bohai nodded and said: "Now the Eight-Nation Coalition hopes to gain more benefits in the negotiations, because they still occupy the city of Beijing, which is their biggest bargaining chip, and the Qing court does not hesitate to cede land and pay compensation, betraying the country to seek peace, but also to enter Beijing before us, so now Beijing has become the key to the game, if we occupy Beijing, we can completely cut off their two ideas, and completely bring the situation under our control, whether it is the countries or the Qing court, they can only follow the path we have drawn." ”

Xu Jichao said: "If we send troops to attack Beijing now, will it be said by the Chunting and other countries that we have sabotaged the negotiations?"

Xia Bohai said with a smile: "I don't mean to immediately send troops to attack Beijing, we still have to participate in this negotiation, and at the negotiation table, we must also adhere to our principles, but at the same time we must be prepared with both hands, of course, there is nothing to say about the breakdown of negotiations, we naturally do whatever we want, and if Chunting really intends to bypass us and directly reach an agreement with various countries, then we will immediately announce that we will withdraw from the negotiations and recover Beijing by force." ”

Xu Jichao said: "With our current strength, can we recover Beijing? Our strongest is the navy, and Beijing is not a coastal city like Tianjin, and our advanced warships are basically useless." ”

Xiao Jianjun said: " In fact, our army also has several trump cards, one is the armored force, the other is to use helicopters to carry out air strikes, up to now, we have not used these two cards, and now the eight-nation coalition army stationed in Beijing has actually been quite weakened, it is not difficult to deal with, now our only trouble is that the expansion of the army has just begun, and it is to expand the battalion into a regiment, which is very easy to cause confusion in our military dispatch, in addition, Beijing is about 150 kilometers away from Tianjin, although it is not too far, but for us at present, it can also be regarded as an expedition, how can the logistics support keep up。 ”

Xia Bohai nodded and said: "In this way, according to our original plan, we should first form three regiments with combat, and we can start to form these three regiments first, with the strength of these three regiments to attack Beijing, plus armored troops and helicopter troops, it should be enough to conquer Beijing, and the rest of the regiments can be temporarily slowed down." On the contrary, it is the logistical problem raised by Lao Xiao that is really a big problem, after all, we really lack this experience. ”

Wang Yunpeng added: "If these three regiments with combat effectiveness are used to attack Beijing, what will happen to the guarding work? ”

Xiao Jianjun said: "There is no need to worry about this, because Qingdao is close to the sea and can be protected by our warships, and there is no actual force that can attack us for the time being." ”

Xia Bohai said: "Lao Xiao, you immediately formulate a military plan for attacking Beijing, including the plan for forming three regiments, and the content of logistics support. ”

Xiao Jianjun said: "Okay, I'll prepare it right away." ”

Xia Bohai turned to Qin Zheng and said: "Old Qin, you will be more responsible for foreign affairs, now it is Li Hongzhang's activities in Tianjin, and the German envoy is also coming soon, and the next step is to go to Shanghai to negotiate with various countries, it will be hard for you." ”

Qin Zheng nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'll leave these things to me." ”

Xia Bohai said again: "Director Wang, you prepare, you will leave for Qingdao immediately, preside over the work there, although you want to attack Beijing, but other things cannot be delayed." ”

Wang Yunpeng said: "Yes, I will prepare immediately and leave this afternoon." ”

Xia Bohai said: "Director Xu and I, as mobile personnel, will assist you in your work at any time. ”