Liaodong, accompany the capital, Shengjing.

The system of accompanying the capital did not rise in the Ming and Qing dynasties, but has a long history, the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties have formed a mature system, after entering the feudal era, more attention is paid to the establishment of the capital and more strict, such as Chang'an, Luoyang, Taiyuan, Nanjing, Chengdu and other places have done the capital in history.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs, and it was unique to set Shengjing as the accompanying capital, in order to facilitate management, strengthen the control of the Northeast, and strengthen the fundamental position of the land of Longxing, another reason is that Shengjing itself has great strategic value and status, and can become a retreat for the Manchus in the face of turmoil.

Since the founding of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the imperial court has always adopted a ban policy for the Northeast and Shengjing, strictly prohibiting the Han people from entering, so as to maintain the advantages of the Manchus in the Northeast as much as possible, protect the rights and interests of the Manchus, and consolidate the status of the accompanying capital.

With the opening of the ban in the Northeast, with the construction of the Liangjing Railway, with the large-scale organization of immigration by the imperial court and Yuanqi, Shengjing gradually moved from closed to open, the population increased steadily year by year, the scale of the city gradually expanded, and commerce and trade also prospered rapidly.

As the commander of the Shengjing Military Region, Prince Yiyun changed his methods to intercept various funds allocated by the imperial court for the construction and expansion of factories and mines, and vigorously developed the military industry, but he did not stretch out his hand for the urban reconstruction and expansion project, on the contrary, he also allocated a lot of funds to build a large number of buildings and strengthen the defense of Shengjing, so that in just a few years, Shengjing has changed more than in the past hundred years.

As soon as he got off the train, Gong Wang Yi, dressed in civilian clothes, boarded the four-wheeled carriage that was waiting on the platform and went to the Shengjing General Yamen, which has now been renamed the Shengjing Military Region Headquarters, but the officials and people of Shengjing still call it the General's Mansion.

Compared with the Beijing Division, the spring of Shengjing came later, the Beijing Division is already in full bloom, Shengjing is still a harsh winter scene, the carriage of the four-wheeled carriage is not only spacious and there is a brazier, but it is not cold, Yi Yi opened the curtain and looked out through the window glass, silently looking at this and the impression has been completely different from the accompanying capital.

The rise of Yuanqi is only forty years, but the changes in the Qing Dynasty have been turned upside down, and Shengjing, as the accompanying capital, has lost its due role, but the Northeast can still become a bargaining chip, a bargaining chip to ensure the continuation of the Qing Dynasty.

Lao Qiyixun's unscrupulousness, he not only acquiesced and indulged, but also strongly supported, and what he tried was to extend the national glory of the Qing Dynasty, simply put, to keep the throne of the Qing Dynasty.

The emperor is just a supreme spiritual symbol, and the throne is not as important as before for the entire Qing Dynasty, but it is very important for millions of Manchus, and it is related to the lives of all Manchus.

The carriage did not go to the main gate but went around to the back door and turned into the general's mansion, and when the carriage stopped, Prince Yiyun, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly greeted him, and said with a smile: "Why did the sixth brother go on this trip in person, what is not clear on the phone." ”

"I'm really worried that I can't tell you clearly on the phone." Yi Yi said and saluted back, and glanced around.

"It's cold outside, come into the house and say, Sixth Brother, please ——。" Yi Xun stretched out his hand with a smile on his face.

The heating in the room was melting, and Yi Xun didn't call anyone, he brewed a pot of good tea by himself, and then sat down after pouring the tea, and said with some emotion: "But I haven't seen you for a few years, and the sixth brother has lost a lot." ”

"I can't see people every day and talk about endless things, and I have to take time to inspect the northern provinces, and I am physically and mentally exhausted, how can I not understand the reason to reduce it?" Yi Yi said and sighed lightly, "Fortunately, I'm finally going to step down." ”

Yi Xun followed the conversation and said: "The sixth brother is in his youth, and he is willing to step down as a pension?" There are many examples of re-election by British prime ministers. ”

Yi Yi is only forty-seven or eighteen, it is when he is in the prime of life, if he wants to say that he is willing, he will naturally not be willing, but what can he do if he is not reconciled, listening to the old seven words with provocativeness, he said slowly: "If you can serve as prime minister for two consecutive terms, you should be self-sufficient, otherwise the disaster will not follow." After a pause, he continued: "After stepping down, I didn't stay in Beijing to retire, but went to Shanghai and entered the palace. ”

Go to Shanghai, enter the town of Nanwangfu? Yi Xun was stunned for a moment, and then overjoyed, and hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Congratulations to the sixth brother for entering the center." ”

The real center of power in the Qing Dynasty is not in the Imperial Palace, not in the Prime Minister's Office, nor in the Information Yuan, but in Shanghai's Zhennan Palace.

Yi Yi waved his hand and said: "The Zhennan Royal Mansion doesn't care about government affairs, it is not the center, and it is just a staff member to enter the palace, and Yi Guocheng's arrangement is nothing more than appeasement." ”

"Appeased?" Yi Xun said tentatively: "Yi Guocheng wants the sixth brother to hand over the Northeast?" ”

Yi Yi picked up the teacup and took two sips slowly, and then said slowly: "The northern provinces have been in drought for five consecutive years, and now all provinces except Shanxi have been alleviated, and it is predicted that the drought in Shanxi will also be alleviated this summer, and this drought can be said to be over."

The war in South Africa is also coming to an end, and the five European countries participating in the war have reached a rough agreement in Shanghai to negotiate with Yuanqi, and the negotiation team of the imperial court has also rushed to Shanghai to hold formal talks, and according to the rumors, the war reparations of the five European countries will be as high as 400 million yuan.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the war in South Africa is over, Yuan Qi may be free to deal with the northeast. In the past few years, Yi Guocheng has turned a blind eye to the Northeast and deliberately connived, and what he wants is nothing more than a fair reason to send troops to the Northeast. ”

Yi Xun asked quietly, "What is the plan of the sixth brother?" You might as well say it explicitly. ”

Yi Yi didn't say anything, took out a cowhide envelope and handed it over, Yi Xun took it and opened it, this is a bullet seal, impeaching Yi Xun for more than ten major crimes such as lawlessness, abuse of power, corruption and perversion of the law during his tenure as commander of the Shengjing Military Region.

He frowned, "Even if the sixth brother wants to hand over the northeast, why do you have to put the seventh brother to death." ”

"The Northeast can't be handed over, and it must be protected, but how to protect it, we have to pay attention to strategy, and we can't resist hard." There was a hint of guilt in Yi Yi's eyes, "As for the seventh brother, it's not that he doesn't want to protect it, but he can't keep ........" With a light sigh, he said, "Let's go to the sea, go to England." ”

Going abroad to England? Yi Xun was a little surprised, "Is it safe to go to England?" ”

"As the seventh brother, England will inevitably treat him well." Yi Yi said slowly: "Brother Wei has talked with the British Minister Wei Tuma, and the seventh brother can rest assured. ”

Drifting across the ocean to England, Yiyun instinctively resisted, but it seemed that there was no choice for him, and he was very unwilling to say: "There is no other way?" ”

After being silent for a long time, Yi Yi said softly: "Yi Zeng." The seventh brother should know the relationship between Yi Guocheng and Yi Zeng. ”

Yi Xun was gloomy for a while, Yi Zeng died in his hands, Yi Zhizhi did not move him before, he was unwilling to destroy the overall situation, if he was convicted, I was afraid that no one would be able to protect him, unless he was openly self-reliant in the Northeast, but this was also a dead end, and he said in a muffled voice for a while: "The family members should accompany him." ”

Seeing that he was relieved, Yi Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This is nature. ”

Transvaal, South Africa.

After the Battle of Maputo Bay, the European coalition forces were disheartened, and the troops of various countries either retreated or cowered in their strongholds, while the Qing army continued to advance steadily along the railway line in a hurry.

The Boer Wehrmacht was the most active, but in order to preserve its strength and avoid heavy casualties, the Boers rarely took the initiative to attack the major strongholds held by the coalition forces.

Delmas, the temporary residence of the main force of the Boer Defense Forces, President Pretorius stayed in the tent and looked at a thick book with some curly corners, for this war on their land, the Boers are only a supporting role, whether it is war or peace, it is the Qing people who have the final say, and it is a negotiation, and it has nothing to do with them, and the Qing people have no intention of letting them participate in the negotiation at all.

Although he was very dissatisfied with this, Pretorius had no choice, and by the time he sent negotiators to Shanghai, the negotiations would have ended long ago.

A hurried sound of horses' hooves came from far and near, and soon came to the outside of the tent, and as soon as the curtain opened, Vice President Paulus Kruger, dressed in military uniform, walked in with a gloomy face, "There is news from Shanghai that European countries will pay high war reparations...... ”

Pretorius looked up at him and said, "What does this have to do with us?" ”

"In this war, our country is the biggest victim!" Kruger said with some emotion: "Our country should ask for war reparations!" ”

Pretorius got up and poured a glass of boiled water and handed it over, "Drink a glass of water first." ”

Kruger took the glass of water but didn't drink it, "We should try to fight for the rights we deserve." ”

"Why should the Europeans negotiate? And why are they willing to pay high war reparations? That's because they lost to the Qing army on the battlefield. Pretorius said calmly: "Yes, our country has suffered heavy losses in this war, and has also paid great casualties and huge property losses, but this does not mean that we have the right to share the fruits of victory with the Qing country."

The reason is very simple, the asymmetry of strength, although our country is an independent sovereign state, but in fact, our country is only a protectorate of the Qing state, and we must put ourselves in a correct position.

Not to mention asking for war reparations, it would be good if the Qing State did not ask us for a huge amount of military expenses, more than 100,000 troops went on an expedition, and tens of thousands of casualties were killed and wounded, and behind this was a huge amount of military expenditure. ”

Hearing this, Kruger's momentum weakened, and his voice also lowered, "The Qing people sent troops to protect the gold mines in Johannesburg. ”

"I remind you that the gold mines of Johannesburg belong to our country!" Pretorius said in a deep voice: "Otherwise, why should the Qing people pay the mining tax?" ”

Kruger sighed and said, "It is said that the war reparations are in the hundreds of millions of pounds. ”

Hundreds of millions of pounds in war reparations? Pretorius couldn't help but secretly speak, no wonder this guy's eyes were hot, and he groaned slightly, before he said: "We are not qualified to ask for a share of the war reparations, but we can euphemistically ask the Qing State to properly repair the damaged railways and towns." ”

Hearing him say this, Kruger felt a little better, and said: "There is also news, it is reported that the Qing people forced the British to cede Bechuana and Natal to Germany, Austria and Italy. ”

Pretorius was very surprised and said, "Why don't the Qing people want it?" ”

"I don't know what the Qing people think?" Kruger said in a sullen voice: "However, I wonder if we can also take the opportunity to expand, not to mention expansion, Kimberley belongs to our country." ”

Pretorius slowly lit a cigar and smoked silently for a while before he spoke: "The game between big countries is not something that we small countries can see through, but this is a rare opportunity to test it." ”

Kruger said unwillingly: "By the way, you can ask for my country to send representatives to participate in the negotiations." ”

Maputo.

With the news of the negotiations between the five European countries and the Qing Dynasty in Shanghai, although the temporary military control was not lifted, the atmosphere in Maputo had unconsciously relaxed, but Feng Zicai was full of displeasure, and all the battle plans and plans that he had worked so hard to prepare had become waste paper.

Li Hongzhang was also unhappy, the war ended so abruptly, and the plan to use this war to consume the strength of the Boers and thus incorporate the Transvaal into the territory of the Qing Dynasty also came to naught, and with the division of Germany, Austria and Italy between Bechuana and Natal, the situation in South Africa will be more complicated, and the hope of annexing the Transvaal will become even more slim.

In the war room, Yi Zhengxing stood in front of the large map of South Africa, stunned for a long time, before he turned around and glanced at Li Hongzhang, "Once Germany, Austria and Italy divide Bechuana and Natal, the Transvaal will form a situation surrounded by strong enemies, if you guide it, is there a chance?" ”

Li Hongzhang raised his head and said: "If the Boers would easily succumb, they would not have migrated inland from Cape Town, and the current situation is more favorable to the Boers." As he spoke, he sighed softly, "After all, the big shopkeeper still lacks interest in South Africa. ”

Report ——。 An operations staff officer walked in and reported: "Delmas is calling. ”

After reading the telegram, Yi Zhengxing said with a smile: "The Boers want to participate in the negotiations and hope to take the opportunity to recover Kimberley." With that, he forwarded the telegram to Li Hongzhang and asked, "Did the Kimberley originally belong to the Transvaal?" ”

"That's a mess." Li Hongzhang said disapprovingly: "At that time, the Transvaal and Orange had no clear boundary demarcation with the British's Cape colony. ”

Glancing at the telegram twice, he continued: "The Kimberley is now earning millions of pounds a year, and if it is really to be recovered, the British must be anxious. After a pause, he continued: "It's better to forward it to Shanghai, and let the big shopkeeper take the idea." ”