Ali Guo hurriedly said: "Your Royal Highness, you have misunderstood! China and Britain are sincere friends, and on the issue of South Africa, you are our closest ally, how can you be said to be an 'outsider'? ”

After a pause, he said, "The reason why I hesitate is because I don't know how to accurately describe London's Transvaal policy to you?" -- As a matter of fact, there are two opinions within Her Majesty's Government regarding the Transvaal Republic, and the controversy is fierce, and no unanimous opinion has been formed. ”

"Two opinions?"

"Yes," said Aliko, "the first opinion is that the Boers are, after all, ...... Civilized people, and, after all, they come from Europe, and when dealing with them, we should not adopt an overly tough policy, but should focus on communication and cooperation. ”

Damn, "there shouldn't be an overly tough policy"? No, no, you must fight, otherwise, wouldn't Lao Tzu's great efforts be in vain?

Guan Zhuofan frowned slightly and said: "If communication and cooperation can be effective, who is willing to adopt a tough policy?" But, hehe, to paraphrase the Chinese proverb, this Boer is -- pardon me, this phrase doesn't sound very elegant -- 'the stones in the dunghill -- stinky and hard'! ”

Ali Guo was stunned for a moment, reacted, "ha", and smiled slightly bitterly: "The real image of your metaphor - who says it's not!" ”

"The departure of the Boer tribe from Purton," said Kwan Zhuofan, "is a very good proof of this—they would rather wander and deal with the wasteland, the hunger, the disease, the wild beasts, and the innumerable savages, than remain under Her Majesty's rule!" Hehe, I don't know when your country has successfully 'communicated and cooperated' with them? If there is. I'd love to learn. ”

Ali Guo was a little embarrassed. "You're right—actually. Personally, I don't approve of this policy orientation. ”

"There are also the so-called 'civilized people'," Guan Zhuofan snorted, "I don't know, Boers, can they be regarded as real 'civilized people'?" Not long after the British arrived in South Africa, they set about abolishing slavery - whose slavery, the slavery of the Boers! The Boers refused to settle under Her Majesty's rule. Isn't one of the main reasons to maintain their right to enslave blacks? ”

Ali Guo was silent for a moment and said, "Your Royal Highness, this view of yours is almost the same as that of the hardliners in our government. ”

"Well, I'm not a hardliner, I'm just worried about the future of Citigroup."

"This—I fully understand His Royal Highness's concerns."

After a pause, Ali Guo said: "The second opinion is the 'hardliner' that I just said. This faction. It is divided into two views, the first of which is relatively mild. It was believed that the British Empire did not have to come into direct conflict with the Transvaal Republic, but only provided the necessary assistance to the Zulus, who they believed could effectively contain the Transvaal. ”

Guan Zhuofan shook his head slightly and said, "I don't like this point of view, sir." I confess that I say this out of selfish considerations - the Zulu kingdom is east of the Transvaal, and even if the Zulus can hold off the Boers, the greatest benefit for Britain will be to restrain the eastward expansion of the Boers, and to prevent the Boers from gaining access to the sea on the east coast of South Africa. But what about the merchants of the Transvaal? Don't you still have to endure the heavy taxes of the Boers? Among them, not only Citigroup, but also British businessmen. ”

Ali Guo was silent for a moment and said, "Yes, this point of view is somewhat conservative. ”

"Besides," said Guan Zhuofan, "can the Zulu really stop the Boers from advancing eastward?" I doubt it! It is true that the Boers suffered at the hands of the Zulus, but that was because the Boers at that time were so weak that they could barely eat! Now with gold and diamonds, sooner or later the Boers will become rich and powerful! Do we really believe that when the time comes, the strength of the barbarians alone will be able to hold off the Boers? ”

Ali Guo thought nervously, and after a while, he nodded, and said, "You have seen it very thoroughly—after your analysis, I ...... I don't think about the Zulu anymore. ”

"Also," Guan Zhuofan said, "the Zulu people have been assisted by modern weapons and have become stronger, but I am afraid that it will not necessarily be a good thing for the British Empire!" ”

Ali Guo's heart moved.

"Sir, I will share with you another Chinese proverb - raising a tiger is a problem."

Ali Guo thought for a moment and couldn't help but nod deeply.

He exhaled softly and said, "It seems that the second view is the most feasible - to put the Zulu Kingdom under the Queen's Government and then ......"

At this point, Ali Guo stopped talking.

However, what to do then, Guan and Ah are self-conscious.

"Sir," said Kwan Zhuofan slowly, "I would like to make it clear that I, Citigroup, and the Chinese government are all strongly supportive of bringing the Zulu Kingdom under the rule of the British Empire!" ”

Well, fight the Zulus first, then the Boers - you're busy!

Ali Guo stood up again and bowed deeply: "Your Royal Highness, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks once again for your understanding and support!" ”

Guan Zhuofan also stood up: "Your Excellency, I look forward to seeing a unified and brand-new South Africa under Her Majesty's government in the near future!" ”

A Liguo's eyes lit up: "Accept your auspicious words!" ”

After sitting down again, Guan Zhuofan smiled and said, "I have a matter here that I want to trouble Your Excellency Sir - but it is not a matter of South Africa. ”

"Speak, please."

"There is a clause in the agreement between China and Britain on naval cooperation: 'In the event of war between Britain and China during the British service in China, China should allow the British service to suspend the execution of the contract and resume it when the war is over' -- right?'"

Ali Guo was stunned: "Yes." ”

What do you mean? Okay, let's ...... Do you want to open the film?

Of course not.

"I want to know," Kwan said, "if the contract lasts." China is at war with third countries, including European countries. How can a 'British service person' deal with himself? ”

Ali Guo's heart jumped.

He understood what Guan Zhuofan meant.

Guan Zhuofan said "third countries - including European countries". In fact, this "third country" does not mean "including European countries", but necessarily refers to a European country. Because, if it were not for the European countries, China and Britain would not have to make any difficulties at all -- if you think of it, China would never go to war with its "blood alliance" the United States, right?

If China goes to war with European countries, what is the trouble?

The trouble is. China, an enemy country, will inevitably demand that Britain "maintain neutrality" on the grounds of public law. Most of the "British service personnel" in the Chinese Navy are active military personnel of the Royal Navy, and if the British government really "maintains neutrality," this group of "British service personnel" will have to temporarily withdraw from the Chinese Navy, or at least, they will not be able to directly participate in the war.

If so, the combat effectiveness of the Chinese Navy, which is still doing students. will be severely affected.

If Britain refuses to "remain neutral", it is unjustifiable in the public law of all nations. In addition, it is bound to be very important to the UK and this

Relations with European countries have a negative impact.

It's a real nuisance.

However, it is not impossible to be flexible, the key is, which European country is China likely to be at war with? Is it a friendly country of Great Britain, or—

Which country this is, Ali can guess.

At the same time, he also knew that this was Kwan Cheuk-fan's quid pro quo -- in exchange for China's support for Britain in South African affairs.

There's a lot of gold and diamonds.

The biggest opponent and obstacle for Britain in South Africa was not the indigenous tribes such as the Zulu Kingdom and the Pedi Kingdom, but the Boers - there was a consensus on this point, whether it was the hardliners or the moderates. The difference between the hardliners and the moderates is nothing more than whether the pace is fast or slow, and the means are hard or soft.

Against the Boers, the support of "Citigroup" was crucial.

According to the current situation, "Citi Mining Company" will inevitably become the largest mining company in South Africa and the leader of the local capital. The impact of the support and opposition of big capital on the growth and decline of the power of the British and the Boers can be imagined with one heel.

What's more, this "Citi Mining Company" has a very deep background behind it.

Nothing else, the four "mine guards" armed to the teeth alone forced Cape Town and Natal to deal with the "Citi Mining Company" well.

In addition, although Kwan Zhuofan swore that "neither the Chinese Government nor I have any intention of colonizing South Africa," that "China does not have the ability to colonize South Africa in the foreseeable future," and that "colonizing South Africa does not have any substantive significance for China" -- Ali Guo does not think that His Royal Highness is lying—he knows that the Chinese still have the ability to further increase the number of "mine protection camps."

In a sense, the cooperation of "Citigroup" is, as the British Governor in Cape Town said, "...... The future of the British Empire will take on a different look. ”

For this, it is worth paying a certain and necessary price.

What's more, what is "paid" is not necessarily what is the "price"?

Isn't it entirely in the fundamental interests of the British Empire to ask China, a potential enemy, to suffer some hardships, and perhaps its insolent pace on the European continent will have to be slowed down?

In fact, not only in Europe, that guy has also taken too big a step in Asia, and in some places, he has rushed to the front of the British Empire.

That's not good.

Well, it's time to ask this old friend to step back.

After a moment of silence, Ali Guo said carefully: "If there is a war between China and a third country, if the third country is committed to the public law of all countries, it is not good for the active Royal Navy soldiers in the Chinese Navy to directly participate in the war. ”

After a pause, he continued: "I think, however, that the British government may be able to introduce a special policy -- for example, stipulating that in the event of war between China and a third country, the active Royal Navy members of the Chinese Navy will be transferred to reserve service or retired from active duty; Once the war is over, it will automatically return to active duty. In addition, the duration of the war is counted towards the length of their naval service in the Royal Navy. ”

Guan Zhuofan laughed: "Okay, sir, this is really a genius plan!" ”

In this way, theoretically, the "British service personnel" in the Chinese navy are not subject to the public law of the world and their own government, and can directly participate in the war. At the same time, their own rights and interests are not affected because they "automatically return to active duty once the war is over" and "the duration of the war shall be included in their years of service at sea in the Royal Navy".

The Navy is no better than the Army, and the construction and maturity of the Navy is a long process.

It has been less than five years since the first batch of naval students sent by the Xuan Army; It has been less than three years since the first new warship, the Champion, then called the King Umberto; The first batch of graduates of the Fuzhou Naval Academy will not officially graduate until the fall of this year. Therefore, the Chinese Navy is still an authentic student and is far from being "out of the division".

Therefore, a war against the world's second naval power, whether the world's first naval power is at war or not, is of great importance to China and Guan Zhuofan himself.

In addition to the original accumulation of China's industrialization and the financial reserves for his own "big events", Guan Zhuofan's layout in South Africa also has two important goals:

First, it is necessary to drag the British into the quagmire of the Boer War and weaken Britain's national strength so that it will not be able to become an obstacle to China's future rise -- this is the medium- and long-term goal.

Second, to use the trump card of the "Citi Mining Company" in exchange for Britain's support for Britain's territorial claims against South Africa in exchange for Britain's support for China's war against France, the most important of which is to ensure that nearly 1,000 "British service personnel" in the Chinese navy directly participate in the war -- this is the short- and medium-term goal.

Will the British follow my example?

Guan Zhuofan is sure of this.

His judgment of the attitude of the British is basically the same as that of the "psychological activities" of the Ale-kingdom. Napoleon III's worldwide expansion had already caused strong unease among the British. For the sake of the "continental equilibrium policy", in Europe, the British supported Prussia against France, otherwise, how could Queen Victoria's eldest princess marry Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia?

In Asia, Britain has no other country to "support" than China that can cause trouble for the French, right?

In fact, in the Sino-French war in the original time and space, the British were "sympathetic" to China, and once wanted to intervene in some way, but after hesitation, it never came to fruition.

At that time, France had just barely recovered from the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, and it was far from being comparable to today's position as a European hegemon.

Really.

Now, the Prussians are my model, and the British are my model, and my confidence is really enough!

Gallic chicken, you wait.

*

(The 4,000-word chapter is presented, and the lion asks all book friends for a ticket, thank you!) ）

*(To be continued.) )