"My God!"

Even as the Tsar of the Russian Empire, Alexander II was stunned when he received the report of Duke Gorchakov, and after losing his mind for a while, he asked repeatedly. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Mikhailovich, are you sure that they are willing to pay so much for Siberia?"

Alexander II's voice was a little anxious. The reason why he is so anxious is because Russia needs this money!

In the Crimean War, the Russian army, which dominated Europe half a century ago, suffered a crushing defeat, exposing serious problems such as backward equipment, low logistical transportation and supply capabilities, outdated military thinking, and lack of command. It was at this turning point in history that Nicholas I died of illness. Alexander inherited a declining and crisis-ridden Russia. He recognized that the problems exposed by the Russian army in the Crimean War were, in essence, the problem of Russia's industrial and political system lagging behind the rest of the continent. Based on this judgment, it is imperative to reform Russia's outdated political and economic system. The first thing that needed to be abolished was serfdom.

From the beginning of preparations for the abolition of serfdom five years ago, to the promulgation of a decree abolishing serfdom this year. What happened during this period, as Tsar, Alexander II knew very well that the reform of serfdom he introduced touched the interests of the vast number of landowners and nobles in Russia and was fiercely opposed. They argue against the reforms that they would create political instability in Russia and exacerbate economic hardship after the Crimean War. The aristocracy used the rhetoric of radical revolutionaries to magnify the negative effects of the reforms in order to counter the reforms. In the process, Russia's treasury was empty, the entire country was on debt, and even the top priorities of re-equipping the army were put on hold due to financial constraints. The aristocracy blamed all this on the reform of serfdom.

Although the turmoil brought about by the perestroika had destroyed the previous sense of stability and the peasant revolt intensified, the political situation in Russia remained largely stable and the period of chaos always ended, but all this did nothing to alleviate the reality of the empty treasury of Russia.

But now, the deal proposed by the Chinese has given Alexander, who has always been troubled by the emptiness of the treasury, a new hope - to exchange a "barren land" for a huge sum of money to help Russia survive the current crisis.

The reform of serfdom is now proceeding fairly well, but it has depleted the last kopeck of the treasury, and the first priority of re-equipping the army is very limited because of the lack of funds. In this case, this deal proposed by China is undoubtedly the best option for the Russian Empire to solve the immediate difficulties.

"Yes, and they can pay it at any time!"

"Can they afford to pay?"

Alexander II asked rhetorically,

"Of course, Your Majesty, China's fiscal revenue last year exceeded 60 million pounds, more than the British and French combined, and they can naturally afford this expenditure!"

Duke Gorchakov replied truthfully.

If Russia is now impoverished, then China is a "fat flowing oil". Their abundant financial resources made it easy for them to build an ironclad fleet and were eager to maintain their overseas colonies by building large fleets, which was why they wanted to reconcile with Russia, after all, China's most important adversary was the United Kingdom. ”

Duke Gorchakov, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, naturally intended to report to the Tsar on the information he had obtained during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador.

"China's expansion in Africa has caused discontent among Britain and France, and their actions in Panama have further exacerbated this contradiction, and based on their understanding of Britain, China knows very well that their concessions will not satisfy Britain, so in this case, they have no intention of making concessions to Britain, and because of this, they want Russia to be their ally."

Duke Gorchakov's words made Alexander II ask in some surprise.

"You mean, there is a high probability that China will go to war with Britain?"

"Your Majesty, we do not know whether war will break out, but it is certain that the contradictions between China and Britain are inevitable, and it is for this reason that China will support our expansion into the Middle East and the Balkans. ”

For Russia, the Treaty of Paris was undoubtedly humiliating, and it can be said that for Alexander II, as well as for the Russian nobility, the abolition of the treaty, which symbolized the disgrace of Russia, was something they dreamed of.

"It's not just about abolishing the treaty!"

For Tsar Alexander II, who had to bear the humiliation of the defeat of the Crimea just after succeeding to the throne, he hoped not only for the abolition of the humiliating clause of the Treaty of Paris, but also for revenge and shame.

"God testifies that Bulgaria, as well as the Balkan Slavs, are hungry for our liberation! They aspire to be liberated from the enslavement of the infidels, this is the destiny of Russia! ”

Alexander II looked into the distance and muttered.

"For Russia, as the protector of the Orthodox Church, this is our responsibility and obligation......"

Beginning with Ivan the Great, that sense of mission of the Holy Roman Empire has been passed down from the Romanov dynasty to the present day, and of course it is also necessary for expansion.

"If a war breaks out between China and Britain, it will undoubtedly be an opportunity for Russia, and Britain will no longer be able to interfere with us and block us as it has done in the past, and they will even have to submit to our ......."

At the mention of British intervention in Russia, Tsar Alexander II had a hint of anger in his chest, when the Russian army defeated Napoleon and entered Paris, what did Russia gain as the liberator of Europe? It is Britain's decades of repression, Britain's decades of checks and balances, and Russia's concessions again and again, what has it gained?

It was the attack of the British and the French and the Kingdom of Sardinia on Russia in the Crimea, and their attack made Russia have to bear the price of defeat at the moment when it was about to taste the fruits of victory, and this is what Russia has gained.

Revenge, shame!

"Without the help of Britain and France, Turkey is not worth mentioning!"

Although he knew that the most fundamental reason for the defeat of the Crimea was internal to Russia, Russia was undoubtedly confident in the case of a confrontation with the Turks alone, and Alexander II believed that Russian power could allow Russia to retake Constantinople and save the Balkans from Turkey, of course, as long as there was no intervention from Britain and France.

"Your Majesty, in the past few years, our armaments have not been strengthened much!"

His Majesty the Tsar's ambition was admirable, but Duke Gorchakov had to remind him of the reality that five years had passed since the end of the war, Russia's armaments had not been substantially strengthened.

"Of course I am very clear, because we do not have enough money, there is no money for the expansion of armaments, our army is still using weapons from the Crimean War, and there is no fundamental change in our strength, because there is no money!"

Alexander II had discontent in his tone, the Crimean War had shed Russia blood and exhausted its wealth, which was the root cause of the defeat, and even now Russia has not come out of that shadow.

"So, we need money!"

Looking back at Duke Gorchakov, Alexander II said.

"We need money to rebuild our armament, we need money to rebuild our fleet, we need money to build railways, we need money to build new arsenals, we need hundreds of millions of dollars to solve the current financial difficulties, but where does the money come from?"

Where does the money come from, that's the most important question.

Without money, everything is negotiable, and even when China is at war with Britain, and Britain is entangled in its power and unable to help Turkey, Russia can only watch the opportunity for expansion slip away from it.

His Majesty's whining made Duke Gorchakov guess what the tsar had in mind, and he hoped that the "proposal" of the Chinese would sell those lands to the Chinese in exchange for the funds needed by Russia.

"Your Majesty the Tsar, the future of Russia should be in the south, in the warm south, in Persia, in Mesopotamia, in the Middle East, and even ......"

Looking at His Majesty the Tsar, Duke Gorchakov spat out a word.

"In India, the power of Britain may be strong, but how can he defeat two empires at the same time?"

The two empires in his mouth are undoubtedly the Russian Empire and the Chinese Empire, perhaps the strength of these two countries is inferior to Britain, but the strength of the two empires is not something that Britain can challenge, and his suggestion made Alexander II nod and say with deep contempt.

"That's true, Duke Gorchakov, perhaps, Russia should be able to consider China's proposal, after all, it's 50 million Chinese dollars, which is almost 100 million rubles, and with this money, maybe we can do a lot of things, when China is at war with Britain......"

Take advantage of the fire like the Chinese, of course, by that time, Russia's target is not China, and the warm south is undoubtedly more tempting than the cold Siberia.

"It's just that the money is still a little too little, if you can have hundreds of millions of rubles......"

If you can have such a sum of money, then many problems can be solved. Is it possible that when Alexander II was talking to himself, his eyes suddenly lit up, but then darkened?

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