"The third condition is that your society is responsible for sending at least 2,000 young Irish men to serve in the Imperial Chinese Army as mercenaries every year. Employment costs are covered by your company as part of the repayment of the interest-free loan. These mercenaries serve for a period of 10 years, and after they retire, it is up to them to decide whether they choose to become subjects of the Chinese Empire or return to Ireland. ”

"The fourth condition is that after the establishment of an independent state, Ireland will form an alliance with the Chinese Empire, and the two sides will conclude a treaty of friendship and mutual assistance, and the two sides will be on an equal footing, but Ireland will exercise the right to declare an armistice and other rights on behalf of the Chinese Empire before the debts are settled, and Ireland will entrust the jurisdiction of the overseas residence to the Chinese Empire. Ireland and the Chinese Empire opened an equal number of trading ports to each other so that ships of all kinds could come and go for supplies. ”

Jen Stephens's face changed, and he hesitated a little about the fourth condition that Charles said. He feared that once he agreed, Ireland would henceforth become a vassal state of the Eastern Empire, and he did not want to be in the mouth of the tiger before he could get out of the wolf's den. So, he coughed and said, "Mr. Charles, it is okay to conclude an alliance, but Ireland must become an independent country......"

"Mr. James, you're too worried! The Chinese Empire had no intention of turning Ireland into a vassal or controlling Ireland, it was merely a constraint on Ireland's aid debt. Otherwise, how could Ireland be under pressure to pay off its debts? Charles directly interrupted Jen Stephens, explaining.

When Jen Stephens heard this, he no longer hesitated, and said categorically: "That being the case, we, the Fenian Society, on behalf of Ireland, have agreed to your terms!" ”

Three days later, Jan Stephens followed Charles to Paris to meet with Guo Songtao, the Imperial Chinese envoy to Europe, to sign an alliance agreement between the two countries. Although Charles is also the emperor's plenipotentiary in Ireland, after all, his identity is Irish, even if the emperor believes in his loyalty, he does not dare to represent the Chinese Empire without authorization, so it naturally became the best choice to find Guo Songtao, the special envoy to Europe, and Guo Songtao to sign the relevant agreement with Ireland on behalf of the Chinese Empire.

Since Guo Songtao became his special envoy to Europe, he has traveled to major European countries, but most of his long-term stays are in London, England, Paris, France, and Berlin, Prussia for a period of time. However, recently, because he heard that Britain was going to send troops to the Far East, for the sake of safety, Guo Songtao led his envoys to move to Paris, after all, because France and the Chinese Empire were still friendly countries, and Guo Songtao himself also had an important task, that is, to persuade the French Emperor Napoleon III to come forward against the British sending troops to the Far East.

Guo Songtao had already received a secret letter from Emperor Feng Yunshan, knew about the affairs of Ireland, and was immediately overjoyed, and personally welcomed Charles and Jan Stephens into the Imperial Chinese Consulate in Paris.

After some further discussion and confirmation between the two sides, the next morning, Guo Songtao on behalf of the Chinese Empire and Jen Stephens on behalf of Ireland formally signed the "Secret Agreement on the Sino-Irish Alliance." The content of the agreement, in addition to the four conditions that Charles put forward to Jen Stephens, also added the obligation and right of the Chinese Empire to make industrial investment in Ireland in order to help the allies improve their industrial strength and national power.

This is also Guo Songtao learned that Ireland has almost no decent industry, except for animal husbandry and planting, there are almost no other industries, in this way, it is too difficult to want the Irish to buy weapons from the British mainland to resist the British, so Guo Songtao simply offered to help Ireland build an arsenal in order to supply weapons to the Irish nearby, so that they can fight against the British army. Of course, although this fund is ostensibly funded by the Chinese Empire, in fact, Guo Songtao naturally thought of a way long ago, that is, to use trade and earn profits to fill this area.

Therefore, in the secret agreement, Guo Songtao and the other party clearly agreed that the livestock and agricultural products produced in the Irish area controlled by the Vanfenia Society would be purchased by the trading companies jointly operated by the Chinese Empire and France, and shipped from Ireland to France and other Western European countries, and resold to earn the difference in price. Naturally, this price will not be high, and of course, it will not be lower than the United Kingdom, which forcibly buys and robs, after all, Guo Songtao does not want the Irish to hate the Chinese Empire too much.

Turning back, Guo Songtao was ready to set up a trading company with the French nobles in the name of the consulate to obtain the support of the French side, so that the sea route would be secured, and the arsenal could be established more quickly.

But in this way, the British must be able to perceive it immediately, you know, the whole of Ireland has now become a large pasture and farm in the British mainland, and on average, tens of thousands of cattle and sheep are sent from Ireland to the British mainland every week to the British island of Great Britain for consumption. If this happens, Britain will inevitably retake Ireland at all costs, and it will affect the food and meat of the whole British mainland. Guo Songtao thought about it, there are only two ways, one is not to monopolize all animal husbandry and agriculture in Ireland, this is certain, and the area controlled by the Fenian Society is not large; Second, even if the power of the Fenian Society expands in the future and can control a large area of Ireland, it cannot let the British die desperately, but raise the price of grain, cattle and sheep, and still sell them to the British.

After signing the secret agreement, Guo Songtao said to Jen Stephens earnestly: "Mr. James, now that we are allies, there is something I would like to remind you as the envoy of the allies. ”

Jen Stephens hurriedly said, "Mr. Special Envoy, please advise!" ”

"Britain is the number one power in the world, and even with the full help of the Chinese Empire, you Ireland will not be able to defeat it! If Ireland wants to win the victory against the British, only by all the people are soldiers, unyieldingly adhere to the anti-British, and use unconventional means, I personally suggest that your society should mobilize the people of Ireland to resist the British, and at the same time violently resist the British troops in Ireland, it is necessary to send more meticulous efforts to constantly create terrorist incidents in Britain with the method and courage of suicide attacks, so that it is possible to force the British government to voluntarily abandon Ireland. And not by a frontal war, the defeat of the British army. IMHO, if you want to defeat the British army in a head-on war and gain independence, Ireland may never really be free from British rule! ”

Jen Stephens fell into deep thought. If you think about it, that's really the case. Not to mention that Ireland is not united at all now, it is scattered, even if it is united, it is a group of farmers, who can only farm and graze all their lives, and can still defeat the world's number one power, Britain?

"According to you, Mr. Special Envoy, the British army is so strong that our warriors have terrorized their own land, fearing that they will retaliate by slaughtering our Irish civilians. Moreover, it was not only about the face of their Kingdom of Great Britain, but also about their practical interests, and they could not give up Ireland easily. Although Jen Stephens had some approval of Guo Songtao's words, he couldn't help but be a little worried.

"Retaliation is inevitable. But the more Britain retaliates, the more it will arouse the anger of the Irish people, and the more your society will be able to control the situation as soon as possible. For the sake of your country's independent rise, what is the sacrifice? Guo Songtao said: "Britain will not give up Ireland easily, therefore, it depends on how far your society organizes the Irish warriors to make a fuss, and it is difficult for Britain to bear the damage, so that the British nobles feel that the benefits obtained from occupying Ireland are not enough to make up for their losses, so that they realize that the price they will spend to continue to occupy Ireland is beyond their bearing, so they will take the initiative to choose to give up Ireland." When the time comes, invite France and other powerful countries to intercede, and Ireland can become independent. ”

Hearing this, Jen Stephens suddenly realized, and the worries and troubles in his heart were suddenly solved. Yes, if you fight head-on, you will definitely not be able to defeat the British, but if you keep creating trouble and losses for them, they will not be able to bear it, and they will naturally give up Ireland! No, it is okay to give them the title of nominal suzerain, the Irish must be the masters of their own country, and the Irish nation must re-establish the glory of antiquity!

"Thank you, Mr. Envoy, for your advice!" Jane Stephens said gratefully: "I will return to Dublin at once to organise the Fenian Society and the Irishmen into action, and it will not be long before the whole of Europe will see the news that has stirred them!" I hope that when the time comes, your envoy will be able to help urge your country to provide the first batch of assistance as soon as possible. ”

Guo Songtao laughed and said: "Wrap it up on Guo!" We look forward to the amazing actions of your company and the warriors of Ireland! ”

Waiting for Jen Stephens to leave, Guo Songtao left Charles behind, carefully inquired about the situation in Ireland, and felt that he could not rely on the Fenian Society alone, Guo Songtao asked Charles to absorb some local Irish to join the team, and the funds were not a problem, and he could directly allocate them. In addition to the sabotage caused by the Fenian Society, the Irish branch of the Secret Service Division led by Charles was also to be vigorously activated.

Ireland is only one aspect of the actions against the United Kingdom, and Guo Songtao attaches more importance to the actions in the United Kingdom. In the course of the British expedition, it was fundamental to disturb the country, and Ireland was not really its foundation.

Two days ago, Zeng Jize, the head of the London station, sent a secret letter, saying that he had developed Carl McCas, the editor-in-chief of the "Workers' Times", into his deputy, and that the leaders of the labor movement around him had greatly increased the strength of the London station. Zeng Jize and the others have already made preparations, and they can only wait for Guo Songtao's order to carry out various actions against the British expedition.