On the afternoon of December 19, Cuman, the Russian minister plenipotentiary in China, who had been closed for five days, immediately rushed to the governor-general's palace after learning that Wang Chenhao had left the palace.

Wang Chenhao had already agreed that he would come, so the surname Suo negotiated with him in the Governor's Mansion of Zhili. Wang Chenhao was the Minister of Plenipotentiary Affairs for Russia, and Li Hongzhang and Yang Shiyang were present as observers, because they knew Wang Chenhao's general plan..., so they were both prepared in their hearts.

"In the past few days, because I have been dealing with household affairs, I have neglected Your Excellency the Minister, and I hope Your Excellency the Minister will not mind."

"It's understandable that Lord Wang has been away from home for so long." There is always something to do in the opening remarks, Ku Xun knew that Wang Chenhao was deliberate, but he finally had a step down. Cuman did not bring an interpreter, he spoke standard Chinese, which shows that he is a China expert.

"I haven't seen you for a year, but Your Excellency the Minister has lost a lot of weight, and it must be caused by the hard work of the state.

Wang Chenhao expressed concern for Cuman on the surface, but in fact there was something in his words.

How could Cuman not understand the meaning of Wang Chenhao's words, but he was amazed that he hadn't seen him for a year, and the young man in front of him had become much more sophisticated in political dialogue.

"Talk more about Lord Wang's concern, if we can end the war between your and our countries as soon as possible, I believe that you and I don't have to work hard for this anymore."

Cuman quickly shifted the conversation to the peace talks between the two countries, and Wang Chenhao did not want to continue with him.

"The war was instigated by your country's rudeness, don't you want to apologize and ease the atmosphere?"

Wang Chenhao was the first to initiate trouble, but Cuman was accustomed to this kind of political method.

"Regardless of whether the war is won or lost, both sides will hold their own positions!"

Cuman will not apologize, even if he loses the battle. From his standpoint, it is simply a great shame to apologize to the cowardly Qing Empire.

Wang Chenhao then said: "In that case, then you might as well talk about your and my positions and see if there is any overlap between our positions?" Cuman nodded, and then said: "I think there may be a misunderstanding between our two countries, and a small conflict should not have broken out into a large-scale military conflict if it was handled properly." I suggest that the two sides of us call off the war and make peace, and return to the friendly state between our two countries before the outbreak of the incident. ”

Wang Chenhao smiled: "It looks like our positions have intersected!" I also agree with the boycott of peace! ”

Cuman smiled and asked, "Originally, you and I should have submitted a contract to end this war half a month ago, but Lord Wang took the lead in opposing it. I want to know whether Lord Wang is dissatisfied with the clause in the contract. ”

Wang Chenhao replied: "This war was provoked by your country, and we will not agree to any conditions that betray national sovereignty and territorial security and affect the majesty of the country." ”

Cuman asked, "Then Lord Wang is now a Minister Plenipotentiary, what do you mean?" ”

Wang Chenhao said: "Your two countries will unconditionally end this war and return to the status quo ante before the conflict. All treaties signed by our two countries must be reconsidered, but all unequal conditions and unequal treaties imposed on our country must be renegotiated. As for the compensation and additional conditions between the parties, I don't think it's necessary. ”

Cuman frowned and said, "It's acceptable to return to the pre-war state!" But how can a treaty that has already been signed be annulled? Moreover, in this war, our team has made great efforts and sacrifices to help the people of your country enter the civilized society, and your country must show something, right? ”

Wang Chenhao sneered: "It seems that His Excellency Cuman has not yet understood the current situation!" I have to remind you that your navy lost the naval battles of the Great Sea and the Eastern Ocean, lost five capital ships, and lost the right to dominate the Yellow Sea. Your army is also not performing well, after the Battle of Mukden, your country's army elite in the Far East has been lost, and our army has regained the lost territory, I don't know what bargaining chips you have? ”

The corners of Cuman's mouth twitched, during this time, the Russian army suffered heavy losses and blows on both land and sea, and it is indeed as Wang Chenhao said, there is no bargaining chip.

However, Cuman had already prepared in his heart, so he forced a smile to himself: "This little loss is nothing to the Russian Empire. Our country has millions of soldiers and hundreds of warships, and if Lord Wang insists on fighting, I am afraid that with your country's current military strength, it will be vulnerable to a single attack. ”

Wang Chenhao snorted and said, "I have 40,000 comrades, the imperial court has issued a mobilization order, and millions of troops are currently assembled and on standby. Although your country also has a million troops, it is a pity that they are far away in Europe, and far water cannot save the fire. As long as I give the order, I will be able to occupy the entire territory of Amur and Primorsky in less than a month, and by the time your army arrives from thousands of miles, there will be no place to stand. ”

Cuman sneered: "Don't take out your country's millions of troops and be embarrassed!" In the First Sino-Japanese War, your team's combat effectiveness is known to the whole world, and it is vulnerable. If it weren't for the hard support of the Beiyang Army trained by you, Lord Wang, this time, I'm afraid that our army would have reached Yanjing by now. At best, you only have the Eight Towns of Beiyang. ”

Wang Chenhao said with a smile: "I am afraid that your country's current strength in the Far East is only 20,000 or 30,000 people, and I have an army of 100,000 troops in the eight towns of Beiyang, which is enough to form a local advantage." Even if you can't beat East and West Villa in a month, it's okay in half a year, right? And the mobilization of your country's army must be carried out by rail, otherwise it will not be possible to send reinforcements to the Far East for a year and a half. ”

Cuman was immediately unable to refute it, he knew that the Trans-Siberian Railway had not been built, and that the expedition of the Russian million-strong army to China was just a joke. But he continued to retort: "Without railways, wouldn't our army still be transferred to the Far East to fight?" Cossack cavalry regiments, Afghan regiments are examples. ”

Wang Chenhao suddenly sneered: "The Cossack cavalry regiment is just a group of cowards who dare not fight us head-on, and they will only attack the civilians of our country. As for the Afghan Corps, they were able to arrive in half a year, and that was because they did not carry a large number of heavy weapons. It is precisely because of this that they are vulnerable in front of our Beiyang Army. So, if your million-strong army doesn't come with heavy weapons, I don't mind fighting again. Look at how many troops you have, or if we have more bullets and shells. ”

Cuman's face suddenly turned ugly, and he forced a smile: "I'm afraid that the matter of my Cossack cavalry regiment is a misunderstanding, I will immediately inform them, and if it really attacks the nose of the civilians of your country, I will do my best to stop it." ”

Wang Chenhao smiled: "It's better to be faster!" The imperial court has mobilized 300,000 Mongolian cavalry to prepare to meet your Cossack cavalry regiment, I believe that even if your Cossack cavalry regiment has three heads and six arms, it will be difficult for only 20,000 people to resist, right? That's right! I think Your Excellency is well aware that your country's centre of gravity is in Europe, and if you attack us with all your country, will you not be afraid that Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Turkish Empire will take advantage of the opportunity to attack? ”

Cuman was suddenly shocked, and secretly criticized this Wang Chenhao as not to be underestimated, and he actually knew the situation around Russia well. As a matter of fact, Russia did not dare to launch an all-out war against China, and one of the factors that made it peaceful was that Russia's surrounding environment was in crisis. Tsarist Russia offended a large number of countries from the day it received the title of European policeman. Russia's peripheral security environment is worrisome, Germany and Austria-Hungary formed an alliance, the Ottoman Turkish Empire and Britain, Italy and other countries united against Russia, and arrogant Russia still treated these countries diplomatically hard, resulting in a delay in the change of the surrounding security environment. Therefore, when Tsar Nicholas II discussed with his Russian ministers a full-scale war against China, one of the obstacles was that once the Russian army left for the Far East, then Russia's forces in Europe would be empty, which was very dangerous. Therefore, the tsar decided to improve the international environment in Europe and gain the trust of his neighbors before he could use troops against the Far East.

Cuman sighed in his heart, but he still said strongly: "Your navy's acquisition of sea supremacy is only temporary. Our reinforcement fleet is about to arrive, and the strength will be greatly increased by then. One of them, the great battleship Sisojah, is invincible in the Far East, and your ships cannot sink her. Although you sank our Rurik, the Russians, who are more powerful than the Rurik, are a nightmare for your navy. ”

Wang Chenhao smiled, knowing that Cuman was making his last struggle. So he also took out his killer weapon and said: "It will take at least two months for your country's reinforcement fleet to reach the Far East. Anything can happen in these two months. If I send the Pacific Fleet and the Beiyang Naval Division to attack Busan, or attack Vladivostok, your Far Eastern Fleet will not be able to stop it. I believe that when your reinforcement fleet arrives, it will see that all your seaports have been destroyed, and they will not even have shelter.

Moreover, your country's reinforcement fleet has been sailing for more than half a year, and the hull must be overhauled before they can fight, and there will be no dock to repair them at that time, and if they go to another country's dock for repairs, they can only be detained by neutral countries until the end of the war, and they will do nothing. ”

Cuman nervously said: "You dare to attack Vladivostok?" ”

Wang Chenhao smiled: "Do you dare me?" Cuman gasped, he knew that Wang Chenhao had that ability. So he said, "I hope Lord Wang can be cautious. If you attack Vladivostok, you will only bring this war to the brink of even more danger. The war will expand irreversibly, and when the time comes, with the temper of the Emperor, he will not give up. ”

Wang Chenhao nodded and said, "As long as you don't go too far!" Otherwise I can't help it! ”

Cuman sighed in his heart, at the military level, he could no longer argue with Wang Chenhao, and he couldn't get any bargains. So we had to think of something else.

"If it weren't for our help, the Liaodong Peninsula of your country would have been occupied by the Sino-Chinese War. We, the Emperor of the Russian Empire, took pity on your country and only suffered and helped your country, and your country will not remember this favor, right? ”

Wang Chenhao secretly said in his heart, this guy has begun to play the emotional card. So he said, "That's right!

We are very grateful that your country helped us return to the Liaodong Peninsula. That's why I didn't give the order to chase after the victory this time. Do you know? If I had given the order to pursue Vladivostok, I am afraid that I would have already reached Vladivostok. Moreover, we are very sincere, and your country still has tens of thousands of soldiers in our hands as prisoners of war, and they have all been treated as they deserve. Seeing that he couldn't talk about Wang Chenhao and couldn't get any bargains, Cuman softened his tone and said, "We can accept an unconditional armistice and negotiate peace, but we want to abolish the contract we concluded before, and I hope that Lord Wang will reconsider the position of our country's political axe and the feelings of the people." ”

Wang Chenhao is actually just asking for a sky-high price, and he can't unconditionally cease war with the other party without mentioning any conditions. Wang Chenhao knew even more clearly in his heart that he could not force the Russians to be anxious at the moment, and at the same time, from the perspective of the overall international situation, he had to make the Anglo-Russian contradiction the biggest contradiction in the Far East for the time being.

Thinking of this, Wang Chenhao deliberately made a very reluctant expression and said, "Okay! In order to thank your country for helping us to return to the Liaodong Peninsula and abolish the contract we had concluded, I will not mention it. In fact, this is not China's original intention, we are still in line with a friendly attitude towards Russia, because a certain country does not like your country, and we take the benefits of that country, so we will make things difficult for your country on this issue. ”

All right! As soon as Wang Chenhao's words came out, he immediately sold the British.

Regarding Wang Chenhao's framing of the British, Li Hongzhang and Yang Shi, who were next to him, suddenly couldn't help laughing, and secretly sighed in their hearts that Wang Chenhao's trick was really wonderful.

Cuman has a sensitive sense of smell in politics, and although Wang Chenhao did not say that it was Britain by name, his words obviously meant Britain. The country that looks at Russia unpleasantly and helps Wang Chenhao can only be Britain.

"Damn British!"

Cuman couldn't help but scold, he said it in Russian, although Wang Chenhao couldn't understand it, he also knew that he was scolding the British.

Then, Cuman felt that he was a little out of shape, so he said, "What Lord Wang said is very true.

This conflict is a misunderstanding between our two countries. I agree to an unconditional truce, and we are not asking for any of the things that Lord Wang has opposed before, such as building roads, opening mines, and opening border customs. However, I hope that the king will be able to make some concessions and make some compensation, because the Russian government and His Majesty the Tsar need to explain something to the Russian people, otherwise it will be difficult to explain to the people. ”

Wang Chenhao understands that Nicholas II's ascension to the throne is not stable, and he wants to save face, if he does not give them some benefits, I am afraid that the negotiations will have to be delayed. Although Wang Chenhao has money, it is too expensive to maintain a state of war, so it is best to end the state of war as soon as possible.

However, the Russians want to save face, and Wang Chenhao can't embarrass the people, otherwise he will not be able to face his subordinates and the accountability of the people.

Wang Chenhao's eyes rolled, and he suddenly thought about it.

"That's good! We will pay you 1,000,000 taels for damages, but your country will return more than 440,000 square kilometers of Chinese territory east and south of Lake Balkhaci and north and south of Jaisang Zhor, as stipulated in the Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary in 1864. ”

Kuman was stunned for a moment, and secretly said that this Wang Chenhao really didn't want to eat at all.

"This won't work! It's too cheap too! 5,000,000 taels! "Two million taels! In 1858, the "Aihui Treaty" stipulated: more than 600,000 square kilometers of Chinese territory north of Heilongjiang and south of the Outer Xing'an Mountains will be returned to us. ”

"Are you doing this to give us the face to step down?" Cuman couldn't help but tell his true purpose, he just wanted to find a step down.

Wang Chenhao smiled: "Actually, we only need to sign a joint statement stating that this war is just a misunderstanding. We signed two contracts, and for us, 2 million taels of silver were used to redeem the land ceded by the "Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary" and the "Aihui Treaty", and we had an account for the people. You can say that 2 million taels is war reparations. As for the return of the mounds of earth provided for in these two treaties, you only need to say to your people that it was only for our good faith that the land was returned to us, and your people will not blame you for it, for the land was not yours in the first place. Cuman hesitated, Wang Chenhao's proposal was undeniably a condition that could not only save face, but also be acceptable to both parties. It's just that two million taels of silver is too little. Now that the price of silver is so low, two million taels is actually only one hundred thousand pounds.

"I can promise to return the land occupied by your country in the "Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary" and the "Aihui Treaty", but I ask Lord Wang to raise the funds to 10 million taels."

Wang Chenhao thought for a while, and suddenly said, "Yes!" As soon as Wang Chenhao's words fell, Li Hongzhang and Yang Shiyang occupied at the same time, and Yang Shiyang suddenly said: "Lord Wang, no!" ”

Wang Chenhao waved his hand, signaled Li Hongzhang and Yang Shiyang to be restless, turned to Kuman, and said with a smile: "10 million taels is no problem." However, there are more than 40,000 captured soldiers in your country, and they spend an unknown amount on eating, drinking, and sleeping every day. If you calculate it, you have to pay me back 10 million taels. "This?"

Cuman suddenly rolled his eyes and said: "Preferential treatment of prisoners of war is one of the provisions of the war convention" Wang Chenhao interrupted Cuman's words and said with a smile: "Mr. Minister, we are not a signatory yet!" Cuman was speechless for a moment, thought for a moment, and finally said, "Okay! The contract stipulates that you will compensate us 10 million taels, of which 2 million will be used as the cost of redeeming the land in the "Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary" and the "Aihui Treaty", and the remaining 8 million taels will be used to pay for the living expenses of the Russian prisoners of war! Wang Chenhao immediately stretched out his hand and said happily: "Deal!" Cuman suddenly turned into a deflated leather man, and said with a bitter face: "Deal!" Wang Chenhao continued: "Tomorrow morning, how about the two of us formally sign a contract?" Cuman thought for a moment and said, "I have to convince the political axe, I'm afraid it will take three days!" ”

Wang Chenhao nodded and said, "It's okay!" Then I'll wait for you for three days, and I won't wait for it! Cuman then took his leave and hurried away.

Li Hongzhang and Yang Shiyang glanced at each other, and this time they understood Wang Chenhao's true intentions.

"Chen Hao, you did this beautifully!"

"Congratulations to Lord Wang, this contract is a real bargain, the "Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary" and the "Aihui Treaty" can be redeemed for more than one million square kilometers of land, two million taels of silver, it is really a good deal."

Wang Chenhao smiled bitterly and said, "If it weren't for the fact that we don't have the strength to start a full-scale war with Russia now, these lands should not have been taken back without a penny." ”

Li Hongzhang smiled: "Chen Hao, what you said is wrong! This more than one million square kilometers of land, if it were to be resolved by war, would cost two million taels of silver. ”

Wang Chenhao thought about it and felt that what Li Hongzhang said made sense.

(To be continued)