Before the talks, Zhang Zhidong believed that in the process, it was very likely that the great powers would besiege China and Russia, and even though a large number of public relations activities were carried out in advance and goodwill statements were obtained from the United States and France, the overall situation was not optimistic. Zhang Zhidong has experienced many foreign invasions, the imperial court ceded land and paid compensation and other humiliating past, in his mind, no great power is a real friend, staring at the cake to cut a piece is the true face of the great power.

This is exactly the same as Zhang Taiyan's instructions to Lu Liang before leaving, Zhang Taiyan has prepared for the worst. Now the French representative Rouvière put forward the conditions, which can be regarded as expected by Zhang Taiyan.

With Lu Weier's elaboration, Zhang Taiyan kept nodding his head, looking deaf and listening. Sure enough, he was still a weak Oriental, and he was immediately softened by the slightest threat from Roermo and Ruvière. Rolmo and the others squinted at Zhang Taiyan and said with a dark smile: This world is the world of Westerners, and your Huaguo's statement has no deterrent effect, and it is not so easy to stand up!

Smiling as always, Zhang Taiyan did not stand up: "Your Excellency Ruvière, your words made me realize that there is no axiom in this world, and even if there is, the axiom is within the range of the cannon." The weak cling to the strong, the strong plunder the weak, and the strong fight each other, this is the axiom, isn't it? ”

Rolmo knocked on the table: "Your Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, please pay attention to your words, your words do not correspond to the status of a gentleman, nor do they fit such a formal occasion, and please answer His Excellency Ruvière's words directly!" ”

Like a judge, Rolmo directly rebuked Zhang Taiyan, as if this was a right given to him by God, and he could judge anyone's words and judge the fate of any country. After hundreds of years of bloody plunder, Britain and other powers have become so-called gentlemen. Also hold others to their own standards. Zhang Taiyan just said the essence of the great powers, of course, he didn't bother to dwell on history, Rolmo and others are shameless, how can they lower the level to be the same as them?

"Lord Rolmore, Britain is the strongest. This gives you the right to intervene in mediation and allows you to dominate the negotiations. But I would like to remind you that the moderator of this meeting is His Excellency US Secretary of State Sherut, and the two sides of the talks are China, Russia and Japan, and Britain and France are only observers. ”

Rolmo blushed, he hated these tough regional countries the most, he had some strength, and he felt that he had the capital to fight the British. You can do whatever you want. However, Britain was unable to resolve these ******** through a large-scale war, and as a result, it was humiliated diplomatically.

"Your Excellency Zhang Taiyan, I think your words are an insult to me and Britain, you and your country are responsible for the inappropriate words, I ask you to apologize immediately now, otherwise you will suffer the wrath of the British Empire!" Rolmo stood up and said loudly.

"As angry as your Far East Fleet did in Guangdong?" Zhang Taiyan also stood up and was not to be outdone, the British navy had suffered the loss of China, and at that time there were only shore defense artillery. Now that there is a powerful fleet, can Zhang Taiyan retreat?

Seeing that the smell of gunpowder in the venue is getting stronger and stronger. Hurut had to stand up and persuade: "Both are gentlemen, please calm down, I believe that everyone does not want to see the two countries fighting a war in the Far East without a winner, which is not good for the peaceful situation." "In the event of a war between Britain and China, American interests in China would be greatly harmed, and Huelut certainly did not want to see that happen.

Ruvière also advised: "I agree with His Excellency Hurot. Please calm down, this is a war mediation meeting, not a war-provoking meeting, and the most important thing now is to suspend the war between Japan and China and Russia. Your Excellency Zhang Taiyan, I still say that. If China can reassure France about the safety of Indochina, then France will remain neutral in this mediation. ”

The talks returned to the question of Ruvier, and agreeing to Ruvier's words was the wisest choice for China at the moment, if France and the United States could remain neutral, China and Russia could face the relatively weak Britain and Japan, after all, the situation on the battlefield was very unfavorable to Japan, and the talks were based on the results of the war.

"Of course, Your Excellency Rouvet, China recognizes French rule over Indochina and promises not to wage a war of aggression against Indochina, but this promise is conditional on France not invading China and canceling the indemnity to the Manchu Gengzi." Zhang Taiyan is not as rigid as a genetic person, if this kind of scene is dealt with by a genetic person, it will definitely be a rejection of righteous words. For Zhang Taiyan, the promise to France did not mean anything at all, and if necessary, China could fake a French invasion as a way to carry out a war against aggression. It is the most stupid thing for France to keep its colonies in Indochina by making itself strong and relying on the promises of its enemies to ensure security.

However, now France can only believe in the promise of China, and it is impossible for him to send a large number of troops to the colonies of the Far East, knowing that on the European continent, his neighbor is the German Empire, a world-recognized army power and France's sworn enemy, and it is the French top leadership that needs to consider ensuring the absolute security of the homeland.

"France is a civilized country, of course it will not invade China, but for the Gengzi indemnity, it is only for the Qing State, why does China put forward such conditions?" Ruvier asked.

"Huaxia is a unified country, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty will soon perish, while Huaguo will also unify the country in the shortest possible time, which is a trend that cannot be distorted." Zhang Taiyan said confidently.

"France will not give up the Gengzi indemnity, and I can agree to other conditions." It doesn't matter if you don't give it up, those things can't be obtained through negotiation in the first place, and if they don't give it, they just take it back with both hands.

Rolmo and Kato Takaaki's faces became worse and worse, and Zhang Taiyan brazenly bargained with Ruvier, without regard to the attitude of the other negotiators, which can be described as extremely shameless, but made others unable to say anything.

Seeing that China is making progress, Ramsdorff is also secretly anxious, and France has expressed its position towards China, so what about their attitude towards Russia?

"We believe that maintaining the balance of power in the Far East is the most critical factor in guaranteeing regional peace, and therefore, Russia must withdraw from the Liaodong Peninsula." Soon, someone cleared up Ramsdorf's doubts. Rolmo saw that the Chinese delegates were smelly and hard, so he turned and opened fire on the Russians.

"I agree with His Excellency Rolmo's suggestion that Russia's occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula is a threat to regional peace. If Rolmore's words disappointed Ramsdorf, Ruvière, who followed the previous one, made him angry. This situation is very similar to the original intervention of the three countries to return Liao, and Russia took the opportunity to occupy an advantage in the northeast and the Liaodong Peninsula, but the situation was reversed, and it became Britain, France and other countries demanding that Russia withdraw. The French hoped that Russia would concentrate its energies on Europe and unite against German pressure, and if too many troops and financial resources were used in the Far East, it would be detrimental to the situation in Europe.

The American Hunut also nodded, expressing his agreement with the statements of Rolmo and Ruvier, and the Japanese Takaaki Kato stood up even more excitedly and looked at Ramsdorf as if he had won a battle. In fact, it was true that although Japan was facing Russia in Tohoku, it seemed to see hope of victory in the negotiations.

"Impossible, Russia will never take a step back, if Russia wants to give up the Liaodong Peninsula, unless all the Russian troops in the Far East are wiped out, otherwise we will fight until the last moment, and Huaguo will also be on our side, right, Your Excellency Zhang Taiyan?" Ramsdorff looked at Zhang Taiyan and pinned his hopes on his allies, but he was left behind!

Zhang Taiyan did not answer Ramsdorff's words, but did not say a word, looking at his nose and nose, as if it was none of his business! Strictly speaking, Russia will be one of the biggest enemies of China in the future, they occupy the territory of China, and they have the courage to ask for China's support, there is no such reason! In the past, a secret agreement was signed with Russia only for the purpose of jointly dealing with Japan, but now that Japan's defeat is decided, Russia's fate will not affect the operation of China. Even China hoped that Russia's expansion would be curbed, and that the number of Russian troops stationed in the northeast would be reduced, so as to create conditions for future military operations!

Ramsdorf was a little dumbfounded, what's the situation? The rest of the people looked at him with a smile, and said clearly: "You Russia don't want to gain any benefits at the negotiating table, compared to Japan, you are more like a defeated country!" "They are all smart people, no one should shake their wits with anyone, Ramsdorff instantly understood, this is the rhythm of besieging Russia!

Russia was indeed called the "gendarme of Europe" in those days, and the power of the gray cattle made Europe fearful, and Russia had been quite proud since the defeat of Napoleon's invading army, but now it is different. Russia had serious domestic problems, revolutionary activities were repeated, and the rule of Nicholas II was not stable. Moreover, the Russian government treasury is empty, and most of the money used to start the Russo-Japanese War was borrowed from French banks, and if France used this as a threat to demand immediate repayment from Russia, the Russian economy could collapse immediately! Moreover, the Russian Far East Army was defeated by the Japanese army in the early stage, and the navy was completely annihilated.

For now, Russia is the softest persimmon in the talks, and it can be manipulated by others. At first, Ramsdorff, including the tsar behind him, was very optimistic, thinking that the benefits were within reach, but he did not expect it to evolve into what it is now. (To be continued.) )

PS: Restore the three watches