Chapter 413: The Land of Gold

Nan Bohang immediately replied to Liu Chang: "I have consulted with the intelligence department, and so far, there is no sign of direct Russian involvement in this war, but the Westerners in Shanghai have been circulating that there will be a battalion or even more Russian troops to land in Shanghai to defend the city!" ”

Nan Bohang paused slightly: "We now know that the British have deployed an infantry battalion in Shanghai, the French have deployed two infantry battalions, and the third infantry battalion is about to be deployed. ”

According to the agreement reached between Liu Chang and Fumar, Jiaxing Mansion and Suzhou Mansion, two large prefectures adjacent to Shanghai, the Hong Army does not deploy heavy troops, only four battalions of security forces, and now in the actual situation that France and Russia are likely to increase troops in Shanghai, the eight infantry battalions of these two prefectures are very fragile, so Liu Chang hesitated for a moment before replying: "Make an appointment with Consul Fumar for me, or the official representative of the British side who is more official than Fumar, especially the British Plenipotentiary Envoy to China, We have important matters of mutual interest to negotiate, and the attitude of the British seems to have not changed now, right? ”

"It hasn't changed, and the attitude of asking for the maintenance of normal trade and exchanges between China and Britain is very moderate, but recently it has been mentioned that all free trade ...... protected."

"All free trade" in other words is the opium trade, Liu Chang pondered for a while, and finally made up his mind: "Let's talk about it, the opium trade must be banned, but we can talk about other issues with the British!" ”

He summed up his determination in one sentence: "In this day and age, as long as the British are done, everything is no longer a problem!" ”

Nanbo Hang didn't know how Liu Chang could have such confidence. Although he didn't understand the general trend of this time and space, it was in his eyes. A great power is a great power. In addition to the British, there are equally powerful countries of France and Russia, how can it be said that if you get the British, you can get everything.

But Liu Chang knows very well that this is the era of the empire on which the sun never sets. They have the largest number of colonies and the most advanced industry. The most elite fleets and armies, and the most glorious moments of capitalism, they were invincible in this era.

……

Just in the other hemisphere. Nanbo Hang has a rare confidant. And this confidant is also an emperor.

Napoleon III, Napoleon. Bonaparte, former President of the Second French Republic and current Emperor of the Second French Empire, asked his foreign minister in a solemn tone: "Is there a clear reply from the British?" On the issue of China and Indochina, are we going to do it ourselves? ”

The foreign minister shook his head and said: "The British did not have a very clear answer. Your Majesty, you know, they have not been very enthusiastic about the issue of religious rights. ”

"What a shame!" Napoleon III said with pity: "I thought I could restore the glory and order of Crimea." But that's fine, we have new allies. ”

History is so ironic that a year ago, France and Russia were fighting to the death in the quagmire of the Crimea, and now they have reached a new consensus on the question of China, and Napoleon III asks one of the following French generals: "Your Excellency, General Montoban, do you have any opinion on the Far East?" ”

Montoban is a veteran, this old and young general volunteered to participate in this war entirely because he is on the verge of retirement, and if he does not build a little merit, then no one will remember the French general who shed tears in Algeria: "I am honored by the great trust of His Majesty the Emperor, I hope that the French Empire will rebuild the glory of the Battle of Austerlitz?" ”…,

"The glory of the Battle of Austerlitz?" When Napoleon III heard this name, which often ringed in his ears, he exclaimed: "It will be another great moment for France." ”

True, the greatness of Napoleon I can be condensed in the glorious moment of the Battle of Austerlitz, and the honor of His Excellency Napoleon III can be condensed in the Crimean War, which has just been won.

The tragedy of Napoleon III was that he had an uncle so great that the citizens of France at all times unconsciously compared him with the brilliant achievements of Napoleon I.

Strictly speaking, Napoleon Bonaparte completed the industrial revolution in France and made the French Empire rich and powerful, but his tragedy was due to the loss of a war that should not have been lost, but at this moment Napoleon III was in high spirits, and the first war after his accession to the throne won a comprehensive and brilliant victory, and the Russians were forced to sign the peace treaty.

So he asked Major General Mentoban: "How many troops do you need to conquer all of China and Indochina?" ”

"One hundred and sixty-nine soldiers!" Mentoban was a veteran, but he was not lacking in passion: "I only need one hundred and sixty-nine soldiers. ”

"Great!" Napoleon III was overjoyed: "This is the reply I need." ”

This is not to say that Napoleon III thought that one hundred and sixty-nine soldiers could conquer all of China and Indochina, but that this is a legend that the Western world will always relish.

The Spaniard Pizarro conquered the entire Inca Empire with one hundred and sixty-nine soldiers, and Napoleon III wanted to repeat the same drama, but he was rational and sober: "Major General Montoban, we have deployed two infantry battalions in Shanghai in the Far East, and we will transfer the two infantry battalions deployed by India to Shanghai in the future, but if we want to reproduce Pizarro's miracle, I don't think this number of troops is enough!" ”

"We have the assistance of Russian friends!" In contrast to His Majesty the Emperor's prudence, Major General Montoban instead became a fanatical warlord: "Four French infantry battalions have been able to defeat the rebels and any enemy against the French army. ”

In view of the limitations of this time and space, the information obtained by the Louvre is obviously out of touch with the actual situation, the Rainbow Army has been under the city of Nanchang, but here with Napoleon III and Montoban, it has become the Rainbow Army's troops in Shanghai, and Shanghai is under the threat of war.

But Mentoban soberly pointed out: "The Imperial ** team has just returned from the victory in Crimea, the morale is high, and we are fighting in China, so we can easily get the help of government troops and mercenaries, and according to the reports of military observers, our enemies, whether it is the troops of the Taiping King or the troops of the Liu Butcher, have only some extremely backward equipment, and the soldiers who manipulate them are of inferior skills, and the officers are a bunch of fanatical religious fanatics, and I believe that three infantry battalions are enough, The four French governments will foster a new order in the region......"

"The new order in the region", both His Majesty the Emperor and Major General Montoban understood, that is, to turn China into a colony of France, but His Majesty the Emperor was obviously more careful, although he was an adventurer, but experienced numerous failures and twists and turns: "Major General Montoban, when you set out from the port of Marseille, you took four powerful infantry battalions to China, and ...... else"

His Majesty the Emperor made a further choice: "Take two more infantry battalions from the Algerian Military District, so that we will have ten infantry battalions in the Far East, which will be fully capable of forming a division, and the emissary of the Russian Tsar assures me ...... "...,

"They will send 20,000 soldiers to Shanghai!" His Majesty the Emperor apparently believed in His Majesty's assurances: "But I repeat the principle that the interests of the British must be fully respected while establishing a new order, and ...... Yes, the ruler of the new order, it must be decided by France, you can't make your own decisions......"

His Majesty was well aware of the reasons for his uncle's defeat, and in fact Napoleon I's grandeur had failed under the blockade of the British, so His Majesty was concerned not to oppose the British, even if he could not join forces with the British.

In fact, he wanted to join forces with the whole of Europe for the new colonies, and under the new order, there could even be an emperor or grand duke from Europe, as long as this emperor was subject to all the arrangements of the French Empire, and Napoleon III even considered which of the British nobles was just right to be the governor of the new colony.

Mentoban, however, considered the possibility of war with the Russians: "If we occupy the territory of China and Indochina south of the Yangtze River, then we will naturally be in opposition to the Tsar, and I, as the commander of the garrison, will I have the power to decide freely?" ”

"Such a decision is within the collective will of the citizens of France." His Majesty the Emperor did not specify that the so-called "collective will of the French citizens" was his own, but made a further decision: "I think that His Majesty the Tsar should make a wise decision that they should confine themselves to the north of the Great Wall, and not to the north of the Yellow River, which they have tried in every possible way to fight." ”

Montoban understood His Majesty the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I will lead the French army to China and Indochina, where I will re-establish a new order, and establish French values and honor on sacred new territory." ”

Napoleon III nodded, signaling that Montoban could retreat, and Montoban stepped back with pride and passion, and he said: "Your Majesty, I only need one hundred and sixty-nine soldiers!" ”

His Majesty the Emperor, on the other hand, saw off the general he had chosen with a look of intoxication, and he whispered to himself: "Go, my general...... That's the country of the East described in Marco Polo's book, it's the country of silk, it's the country of tea......"

"It's the land of gold!". Bring the cute girl

The King of Materia Medica

Introduction: In my heart, it is difficult to understand under my fingers, a nerd of traditional Chinese medicine, a small waste of the family, a wonderful hand to bring the dead back to life, and the king of medicine and herbs.

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