Chapter XIII The Lend-Lease Agreement between Qing and Russia

In the Summer Palace in Beijing, Prince Gong Yiyanjin was kneeling in the palace and said to the Empress Dowager Cixi, the de facto ruler of the whole of China: "Our Lady of the Empress Dowager, Beiyang Minister and Governor of Zhili, Wang Wenshao, reported that the three Russian naval warships are stationed outside the mouth of Dagu, intending to raise troops. Pen | fun | pavilion www. biquge。 info I would like to ask the Superior to indicate what to do. ”

Cixi heard this and said lightly: "Sixth uncle, you should go to the palace to report this matter to the emperor, why did you come to me?" My old woman has already returned to the emperor, and you won't let me rest? ”

"Please atone for the Queen Mother!" Yi Yanjin knelt on the ground and said, "Lord Weng in the Military Aircraft Department is determined to fight with the Russian Yi, and should not be invited by the Russian Yi, Your Majesty is the will of Lord Weng." But this matter is a big matter, and I hope that the Queen Mother will be arbitrary. ”

Cixi's faint eyebrows froze, and then said: "Since the emperor thinks so, then do what the emperor wants!" Yi Yanjin heard Cixi's words, and his heart flickered, and then Cixi continued: "Sixth uncle, you are old and serious, and you should take responsibility at a critical time." After all, the emperor is young and easily bewitched by villains, as the prince of the clan, the sixth uncle should know how to do it. ”

Yi Yanjin immediately understood what Cixi meant, so he said, "The minister understands. ”

"Well, even so, Uncle Sixth doesn't have to care too much, it's better to accompany me, an old woman, to fish in this garden and enjoy the flowers." Cixi said with a smile.

Yi Yanjin responded: "In accordance with the decree of the Queen Mother." ”

"Your Majesty, Prince Gong went to the garden to meet the Queen Mother, I'm afraid this matter has changed!" Weng Tongyi said to His Majesty Emperor Guangxu in your Heart Cultivation Palace.

When Guangxu heard this, he suddenly sighed: "Although I am an emperor and have the four seas, I can't influence it, what's the point of this emperor doing this?" ”

When Weng Tonggong heard this, he immediately knelt down and cried: "Your Majesty is the bloodline of the Holy Ancestor, how can you be mistaken? I hope that Your Majesty will cheer up and regain the glory of the country. ”

Guangxu came down from the throne and picked up Weng Tongyi and said, "I am like this, I should regain the glory of the Holy Ancestor." ”

Weng Tong continued to say: "Kang Nanhai, the son of Guangdong, is known as a virtuous person, and he knows a lot about Western affairs, and he strongly advocates His Majesty to take power and reform the government, can Your Majesty see it?" ”

"This matter should be decided before moving, but Master Weng can take a look for me first, whether it is true to his name or a wasted name." Guangxu said.

At this time, Li Lianying, the great eunuch beside Cixi, came to the Yangxin Hall to greet him, and said: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager asked the servants to come and pass a message to Your Majesty: that is, the emperor should be arbitrary. Dead to minions! ”

Guangxu and Weng Tonggong were overjoyed when they heard this, and Guangxu immediately said: "Please reply to the emperor's mother, I know!" On May 1, 1897, March 30, the 23rd year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty sent a note to the Russian Minister Babulov rejecting all previous Russian demands and ordering the seizure of the Russian Imperial Consulate General in Shanghai.

Babulov smiled faintly at the prime minister's yamen and said with a faint smile at the high-spirited Weng Tongyi: "Since your government is so indifferent to the friendship between the two countries, then our country will come to ask for it on its own." Then he walked out of the prime minister's yamen proudly.

At 4:37 p.m. on the same day, three warships of the Russian Pacific Navy stationed outside the Dagu Pass in Tianjin launched a fierce artillery bombardment on the Qing army's Dagu Battery. When the Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire learned of this, he immediately sent a note to Yang Yi, the Qing minister to Russia, strongly condemning the Qing government for ignoring international law to expel envoys and ignoring the friendship between the two countries and opening disputes without authorization.

When Witte got the news, he was also surprised by the boldness of these wild boar skins, a country with no coastal defense and no strong army is so strong, do you think you are the new China that has just been founded? Witte did not resist, and before the Shanghai Dao and Shanghai county officials arrived, he closed the door of the consulate and ordered the Russian troops guarding the consulate to set up defensive positions outside the consulate, set up a cordon, and open fire as soon as the Qing army crossed the cordon. While Witte stood on the third floor of the consulate and watched coldly at the Qing officials and officials who came to stand behind the cordon, they did not dare to move, while Vladislav and Ivanovsky were playing chess together in the consulate hall like no one.

On May 2 (the first day of the first month of April), Wang Wenshao, the governor of Zhili and minister of Beiyang, Li Hongzhang, the governor of Liangguang, Liu Kunyi, the governor of Liangjiang and minister of Nanyang, and Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, jointly wrote to Emperor Guangxu opposing war with Russia and settling the dispute between the two countries through diplomatic means.

Just when Li Hongzhang and others were in the book, the Minister of Military Aircraft, who had been in the Summer Palace for several days, always pressed Prince Gong Yiyanjin, the minister of the Yamen Wang, to enter the palace to ask Guangxu to withdraw the summons and punish the officials who made provocations without permission, but the Guangxu Emperor refused, and dismissed Prince Gong Yiyanjin as the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Prime Minister of National Affairs, and ordered him to go home and think about it behind closed doors.

On May 3, the Russian army crossed the Heilongjiang River and moved south to expel local officials of the Qing court, burn, kill and loot, and occupied Acheng and other places on May 10; On May 4, the Russian Navy formed a marine corps to land from Dagukou and approached Tianjin, and Wang Wenshao, the minister of Beiyang and the governor of Zhili, and Rong Lu, the prime minister, led the Qing army to deploy in front of the defense; On May 5, the Russian army routed the Qing army's forward defense and approached the city of Tianjin. On May 6, the Russian Pacific Fleet Vecheaki shelled along the coastline of Zhili and Shandong in the Qing Dynasty, killing and injuring countless civilians and destroying fishing boats.

Emperor Guangxu looked at the situation in the Forbidden City and was helpless to see the situation getting out of control, although Weng Tonggong and the others opened their mouths and closed their mouths of saints, but there was nothing they could do in the face of such a situation, and Prince Gong Yiyanjin who had a coping strategy was rejected by Emperor Guangxu.

On May 11, 1897 (the 10th day of the fourth month of the 23rd year of Guangxu), Cixi returned to the Forbidden City from the Summer Palace, and on the same day dismissed Weng Tong from the posts of Shangshu of the Ministry of Households, Minister of Military Aircraft, and Minister of National Affairs of the Prime Minister, and ordered him to walk in the temporary military aircraft office, and restored Prince Gong Yiyanjin to his official position, and appointed him as Minister Plenipotentiary responsible for handling affairs with Russia, and Weng Tonggong and Li Hongzao as co-ministers. On May 12, Prince Gong sent a note to Pabulov, the Russian minister plenipotentiary in the Qing Dynasty, to discuss all disputed issues between Russia and the Qing Dynasty.

"What? Is your government ready to fight again? Babulov looked contemptuously at the Qing negotiators.

Weng Tongyi's beard trembled after hearing the translator's words, but he knew that now was not the time to show his eloquence, so he was silent, and Prince Gong Yiyanjin said lightly after listening to Babulov's words: "I apologize to your envoy and your country for the misunderstanding that happened before. This time, I have come to consult with your envoy, and I have been instructed by me to make a pilgrimage to the Queen Mother to rebuild the rapprochement between the two countries. ”

After hearing this, Babulov took out a stack of papers and threw it in front of Prince Gong and said: "This is a condition drawn up by our government, and if your government agrees, we will be reconciled; If your government does not agree, then it doesn't matter, we can just come to Beijing and get it ourselves. ”

Yi Yanjin forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and looked at these papers, while Weng Tongyi and Li Hongzao, who had come to negotiate together, stood up and came out indignantly, while Pabulov and the Russian negotiating team sat there and waited for a reply. "I basically have no opinion on the request made by your country, but can the amount of compensation be reduced?" Yi Yanjin said after reading it.

"Your Excellency, you can only answer whether to sign or not, and you have no right to propose amendments." Babulov replied.

Yi Yanjin took a deep breath, and then said, "Please wait, I will come to reply after consulting with my two colleagues." ”

"Five minutes!" Babulov said without a hint of pyrotechnics.

Five minutes later, Prince Gong Yiyanjin, Weng Tongyi, and Li Hongzao returned to the negotiation hall again, and then Prince Gong Yiyanjin said: "I accept all the demands put forward by your country. ”

"Okay, then sign it!" Babulov said.

Prince Gong Yiyanjin picked up the pen and took the lead in signing his name on the contract, and then Li Hongzao, who was also a clear stream, although his face turned red, he also quickly signed his name, and Weng Tongxiao did not dare to put down the pen, this Qingliu leader who regarded his reputation as more important than his life knew that as long as he signed, then the reputation he had gained in the previous half of his life would be gone in an instant, but thinking about his future and family, Weng Tongxiao signed his name with difficulty, At this moment, he deeply knew the grief and indignation in the heart of his old opponent Li Hongzhang.

On May 13, 1897, on April 12, the 23rd year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the "Treaty of Lease Land" between Qing and Russia was signed. The treaty states:

1. The Qing Dynasty Lushun, Dalian, Acheng and their vicinity (including the water) were leased to Russia for a period of 25 years, and the period of expiration could be limited to negotiation;

2. The Qing Dynasty leased 1.33 square kilometers of land east of Odessa Road, west of Kiev Road, south of St. Nicholas Road, and north of the Huangpu River to Russia for an unlimited period of time;

3. Russia has full authority to govern the localities and dispatch land and water armies in the leased territory, and the Qing State has no right to garrison troops;

Fourth, a section of "gap land" (including almost the entire Liaodong Peninsula) was set aside to the north of the leased land in Lushun and Dalian, and the Qing troops were not allowed to enter without the permission of the Russian side;

5. The Qing State agreed that Russia should build a branch line from the China Eastern Railway to Lushun and Dalian, and this branch road passed through the localities, and the Qing State was not allowed to give the benefits of the railway to other people;

6. The Qing State compensated Russia for war losses of 5 million taels of silver.

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