Of course, Qin Zheng didn't know about Li Sanjie's complicated ideas, but one thing Li Sanjie said was really good, that is, Shanghai's work was mainly at the diplomatic level, and Liu Lantao, Li Hongbing, Chen Zhaosheng, and Gao Lei did lack experience in this area, and their weight was much worse. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info Therefore, if Li Sanjie can stay in Shanghai, his qualifications, experience, and status will indeed be of great benefit to the work of the traverser in Shanghai, and it was Li Sanjie who took the initiative to propose it, Qin Zheng thought about it for a while, and finally decided to let Li Sanjie stay in Shanghai.

Of course, Qin Zheng can't help but consider the safety of the personnel outside the Shanghai office, although it is said that there is the support of the crossing group behind the personnel outside the Shanghai office, but this support is only indirect, after all, the crossing group is too far away from Shanghai, if something really happens, it cannot directly interfere with Shanghai. However, there are still people in Shanghai who can help the crossing group, one is Zhao Weizhong, he has a certain social network in Shanghai, and this house was bought through Zhao Weizhong. And I believe that Zhao Weizhong will also be willing to help the traveler maintain the Shanghai office.

The other is Li Hongzhang, although Li Hongzhang and the crossing group are so close, but as a politically experienced old fox, Li Hongzhang is well aware of the truth of multiple friends and multiple roads, after the Qing court decided to accept the negotiation conditions proposed by various countries, Li Hongzhang was the first to notify the traverser, and protecting the safety of the office is not a difficult thing for Li Hongzhang, because the office is not in the concession, and in addition to the concession, Li Hongzhang's hand can be reached. Therefore, Qin Zheng also wrote a letter, asking Li Sanjie to send it to Li Hongzhang tomorrow, and of course talk to Li Hongzhang.

In addition, Qin Zheng also decided to leave 20 soldiers and weapons behind to defend the office. Sixteen shops are one of the most prosperous business districts in Shanghai, and it is also a mixed place, even if Li Hongzhang decides to help the office, it is impossible to meet the face, and the characters on the ground are also needed to protect themselves enough.

At dinner, the traverser invited Zhao Weizhong again and asked him to take care of the Shanghai office, and Zhao Weizhong naturally agreed.

At more than 3 o'clock in the morning of the next day, the 318 boat arrived at the 16 Pu Wharf, and Qin Zheng and others boarded the boat overnight and sailed away from Shanghai at night.

After dawn, Li Sanjie immediately rushed to Li Hongzhang's mansion to visit Li Hongzhang, only saying that there was something wrong in Tianjin, Qin Zheng had rushed back to Tianjin, and it was too late to say goodbye to Li Hongzhang, he apologized to Li Hongzhang on behalf of Qin Zheng, and handed over Qin Zheng's letter.

After reading the letter, Li Hongzhang was also silent for a while, and now he was a little unsure of what the overseas Chinese were planning to do? Why did Qin Zheng leave in such a hurry, and was he afraid that he would be taken down as a hostage? But why didn't he leave all of them, and left Li Sanjie behind. Although Li Hongzhang did not have much contact with Li Sanjie, he also knew that he was an important official of the overseas Chinese, and his position was roughly equivalent to that of the Qing court's prime minister's office and the minister of the Yamen.

So Li Hongzhang said: "I didn't expect the political commissar Qin to leave in such a hurry, okay, your people have just arrived in Shanghai, people and land are both alive and earth, if there is anything that needs the help of the old man, just ask." ”

Li Sanjie nodded, knowing that when Li Hongzhang said this, he actually promised to maintain the safety of the office, so he said, "Thank you Zhongtang." ”

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "This is a gesture of effort, not enough to worry about, but after you withdraw from the negotiations, what do you want?"

Li Sanjie said: "I want to ask Zhongtang first, after we withdrew from the negotiations yesterday, I don't know how Zhongtang negotiated with other countries. ”

Li Hongzhang didn't expect Li Sanjie to answer his own question, but asked what he talked about with the foreigners yesterday, and there must be a reason for this, so after a slight hesitation, Li Hongzhang decided to tell the truth, after all, this can't be hidden, so he said:" To tell the truth, the old man said that you withdrew from the negotiations, and the old man had to inform the court and get the court to confirm that he could continue to negotiate, so soon after you left, the old man and the countries also terminated the negotiations, and yesterday afternoon, the old man telegraphed the matter to the court, and is now waiting for the court's reply. ”

Although Li Hongzhang did not expect that the traveler would choose to withdraw from the negotiations, he also understood that the overseas Chinese would never give up, so they must not continue to negotiate with other countries before getting the explanation of the overseas Chinese, so he terminated the negotiations under the pretext of telling the Qing court.

Li Sanjie nodded and said, "Then according to Zhongtang's opinion, what decision will the imperial court make?"

Li Hongzhang smiled bitterly and said: "According to the old man's opinion, the imperial court will definitely ask the old man to continue to negotiate with various countries until the treaty is finally signed, at the latest in one or two days, and soon today, the imperial court will definitely reply and call back." ”

Li Sanjie smiled and said, "May I ask Zhongtang again, if the negotiations continue according to the requirements of the imperial court, how much time will it take to finally sign the treaty?"

Li Hongzhang originally thought that Li Sanjie would be angry when he heard that the negotiations would continue, but he didn't expect him to look at ease, and he couldn't help but be a little surprised in his heart, it seems that there are many talents among overseas Chinese, and this person's ability in diplomacy is not necessarily inferior to Qin Zheng, so he said: "At least 20 days, at most a month, if there are no other major events, the draft of the treaty can be determined first, and then the court can decide before it can be formally signed." ”

Li Hongzhang is a person with rich experience in negotiations, although the Qing court has accepted the conditions put forward by various countries, but these clauses are only of a principled nature, and it takes a lot of time to finalize them into detailed rules and implement every detail therein, and sometimes they will argue for half a day because of a word or a word, so Li Hongzhang is not exaggerating when he says that it will take as little as 20 days or as much as a month.

Li Sanjie said: "So that's the case, then Zhongtang won't visit and talk slowly with other countries!" After a pause, he said: "But it's best for Zhongtang not to negotiate substantive terms with other countries within these three or five days." ”

When Li Hongzhang heard this, he immediately understood that the overseas Chinese must be planning to make a big move in the near future, and it was enough to sabotage the talks. Although Li Hongzhang didn't know what the overseas Chinese would do, he could also think that there would definitely be no other way than war, but he didn't know whether the target of the overseas Chinese would be Beijing or Shanghai.

If the overseas Chinese attack Beijing, it will not have much impact, after all, Beijing is still controlled by the Eight-Nation Alliance, but if the overseas Chinese plan to attack Shanghai, then the involvement is very extensive, not only related to various countries, but also to implicate the governors of the southeast, this is not only because Shanghai is the core city of mutual protection in the southeast, but also the governors of the southeastern provinces have their own interests in Shanghai, including Li Hongzhang, most of the industries of his son Sheng Xuanhuai are in Shanghai, if Shanghai encounters war, it will inevitably suffer heavy losses, so it is necessary to understand it in order to prevent it in advance。

But Li Hongzhang is very confused, If you ask Li Sanjie directly, the other party will definitely not say it directly, because it is the same if you change yourself, this is also the practice of Chinese officialdom, speaking is like playing a maze, rounding around, knocking on the side, so this is not difficult Li Hongzhang, so he smiled: "Okay, the old man understands your request, please rest assured, delay time, the old man can still do it." ”

Li Sanjie said: "If it is very good, I also represent the Executive Committee, thank you Li Zhongtang for your help." Li Sanjie has the bottom in his heart, the crossing group will immediately launch the Beijing Campaign, first of all, to attack Tongzhou, as long as it can drag on for three or five days, and when the People's Army captures Tongzhou, then the Qing court and other countries will not be able to talk, so before this, it is best not to reach any substantive terms.

At this time, Li Hongzhang said: "Although you have bought a house in Shanghai, but as far as the old man knows, the sixteen shops are mixed with dragons and snakes, good and bad, and recently there is a fear of turmoil in Shanghai, you have just withdrawn from the negotiations, it is inevitable that you will be disturbed, afraid of being hurt, and if you can trust the old man, do not visit and move to Shanghai for a while, the old man still has a few properties in Shanghai, enough for the nobles to live, and when the situation stabilizes, it is not too late for you to live in the sixteenth shop." ”

Li Sanjie was stunned for a moment, and immediately understood what Li Hongzhang meant, he was afraid that the traverser would send troops to attack Shanghai, so he hoped that he and others would live in the city of Shanghai, firstly, to ensure the safety of his own people, and to give an explanation to the traversal group in the future; secondly, to sell the traverser a favor, once the traverser occupies Shanghai, he can keep the county seat of Shanghai, of course, if the traverser loses, Li Hongzhang will not hesitate to sell the traverser and give it to foreigners for disposal.

However, Li Sanjie knew that the traverser was not going to attack Shanghai, but Beijing, so he said: "Thank you Zhongtang for your kindness, I see that the current situation in Shanghai is still good, and there is no turmoil. ”

Smart people speak so simply, a little bit is revealed, Li Hongzhang immediately understood what Li Sanjie meant, although he didn't know whether it was true or not, but he could also be a little relieved, and said: "Even so, the old man is inevitably strong, but if you have something, even if you come to the old man, the old man will do his best to help." ”

At this point, what should be said and what should not be said has been said, both sides have basically achieved their goals, of course, after going back, they must carefully divide the other party's words, so Li Sanjie also said goodbye and left Li Hongzhang's mansion and returned to the office.

And just when Li Hongzhang saw Li Sanjie away, and before he could return to the house, he saw Li Jingfang hurrying in from the gate, and after seeing Li Hongzhang, he didn't have time to salute, so he said: "Father, I just received the news that overseas Chinese have sent troops to occupy Tongzhou. ”

Li Hongzhang was stunned, and couldn't help but smile bitterly, and said, "Their movements are so fast." ”