"Foreign minister Shoushan (Lei Zhenchun) has seen the king."

In Jiulian City, the commander of the fourth division of the Qing Imperial Army and the commander of the ** artillery division jointly met with the king of Joseon. Proper etiquette and standard military salute show good personal qualities.

Li Xi, who was still on the shelf, looked at the contemptuous eyes of the two, stood up and hurriedly gave a seat, and blurted out words of thanks one after another.

"Your Majesty, my emperor has a will. The fourth, seventh and ** artillery divisions of the Qing Imperial Army will be ordered to assist Wang Shang in recovering the country, and the seventh division is now stationed in Dandong. Now I ask the king to give the order for battle. "Shoushan said very respectfully, and he said it very clearly. However, not only him but also Lei Zhenchun and the others, their arrogant eyes bought them, and they also frightened Li Xi.

Li Xi hurriedly said, "The two generals laughed. If it weren't for the timely rescue of the two generals, I'm afraid Xiao Wang wouldn't even be able to defend these nine cities. In this way, what virtue does Xiao Wang have, how can he command the elite soldiers of the kingdom. If the two generals do not give up, Xiao Wang is willing to put the Korean army under the command of the general. All military operations should be commanded by two generals. After speaking, Li Xi also bowed in a decent manner.

A return gift is required, but the words also need to be made clear.

"Thank you for the king's trust, and we believe that we will not fail the king's trust. The former emperor repeatedly emphasized that the Qing Dynasty could provide ammunition and other support, but Seoul, as the capital of Korea, could only be recovered by the Korean army. I will ask the king with all my courage, when Korea is recovered, will the Qing army follow the Korean army, or will the Korean army follow the Qing army? ”

The Korean army could not defeat the Japanese army, of course, the Korean army followed the Qing army. Li Xi only dared to think about this sentence, but he didn't dare to say it. Let the other ** team help you recover the country, will it be your own country that will be recovered? I guess it won't be. So just think about it, and as soon as the words came out, it became: "Please put the Korean army first." If the kingdom is not abandoned. Thank you for your assistance. ”

If the general direction is set, then the rest of the things will be easy to do. After Shoushan and Lei Zhenchun thanked the king, they quickly left under the pretext of arranging a military operation to recover Korea.

The next day, Jiuliancheng and the Qing army in Dandong crossed the Yalu River at the same time and marched towards Korea. Also on the same day, the Great Qing State issued a statement from Mukden: In order to annex Korea, Japan innocently provoked a war, first attacked the Korean palace and raped and killed the Korean queen, and then led troops to forcibly occupy Korea. The Qing Dynasty as the suzerain. How can you see the vassal state fall for no reason? In order to protect the vassal state and fulfill the obligations of the suzerain, the Qing Dynasty forcibly expelled all Japanese from Korea. The Japanese Government's unjust acts will be unanimously condemned by all countries in the world.

In fact, the last sentence of this statement is. What a condemnation is. The day after the events in North Korea, newspapers around the world published a denunciation. But if they kill your queen, they will kill you, and if they take your country, they will take possession of it. If you don't rely on the force of the Qing Dynasty, your condemnation and protest will be useless. But this time was different. It was the Qing Dynasty that issued the condemnation. This will have a certain deterrent effect on Japan.

Not only Aritomo Yamagu, but the entire Japanese cabinet is nervous. Japan is a small country, and natural disasters are still common. Originally, the Qing Dynasty was Japan's largest grain exporter, but since the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing Dynasty began to impose strict restrictions on the export of grain, the most basic means of subsistence, to Japan. The Japanese government was starving in order to stock up on food needed for wartime. Since the Korean Incident this year, the Qing Dynasty has directly cut off all exports to Japan, and now the Japanese emperor really only eats two meals a day. Half of North Korea in hand. It became Japan's largest supply base. If the Qing really recovered the whole of Korea, then Japan was ......

The defeat of the Japanese army was a foregone conclusion. Japan's coastal areas, which had just begun to regain their vitality, would once again face the possibility of being sacked by the Qing navy. In fact, the Qing Dynasty Staff Headquarters in Jinzhou is arguing over this. Naval Commander Wu Deren insisted on attacking the Japanese coastal cities, believing that he could rob Japan to make up for the cost of sending troops, and that he might make a lot of money, just like the First Sino-Japanese War. It was normal for him to think so, and as a result of doing so last year, twenty percent of what he had snatched back fell on the fleet. This proposal was strongly supported by Ouyang Zhenhua, the secretary of the Ministry of War, and Ouyang Zhenhua insisted on sending the army because it was possible to conduct a semi-live military exercise on the landing operation proposed by the emperor. His reasons are good, and there are no better conditions for maneuvering. Wu Deren was very unhappy that the army was openly robbing the navy of its benefits, but he had no reason to refute the need for the exercise, so he could only pinch his nose and admit it. However, Deng Shichang, Minister of the Navy, and Cheng Cheng, Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, believe that the last looting was too much, and the cost will definitely not be recovered this time. If you don't do it, you want to make a big move, so let the Beiyang Fleet go to the Japanese side and force them to lose some money. Wang Shizhen, chief of staff, stressed that even the cost of sending troops should be saved, and it was estimated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would come forward to scare the Japanese. The quarrel went on for several days and still went on without result.

The Japanese Cabinet has estimated this outcome, and the best way to do this is to evacuate the people on the coast immediately. But in this way, the result of the defeat of the Japanese government is self-evident. This was an unacceptable result for the Japanese cabinet, because two peasant uprisings had already broken out in Japan last year, and because this year's slogan of reconquering the Qing Dynasty was the only way to moderately quell the domestic unrest, and once the news of the defeat came, the whole of Japan would be over. Therefore, in addition to blocking the news, how to quickly quell the war between Qing and Japan has become the top priority of the Japanese cabinet today. With seemingly, the entire Japanese cabinet is in full swing. The embassies of various countries in Japan are full of people coming and going.

The British Legation asked Yamaguchi to visit one after another within three days, hoping that the British Empire would intervene to save the last half of Korea for Japan. The legation could not make this decision, but the British government, which could make it, turned a deaf ear. You ignored the advice of the British Empire when you were asked to stop attacking, and now you want the British Empire to stand up for you, and it is unacceptable.

Germans in the Far East were happily looking at the map of Japan, especially at Zoseburg. The Qing people paid a good attention, under the pretext that the Germans were killed in Japan, and it was really impossible to find a death row prisoner for the Qing to do, and then they could send troops to occupy Zoseburg. With only a few dispensable islands in the Far East, Germany really did not have much say in the Far East. As long as Zoseburg is occupied. The German Far East Fleet was able to play a greater role.

In Germany, although Kaiser Wilhelm II clamored for the Far East Fleet to immediately attack Zoseberg to avenge the unjust death of the Germans, the calm German Chief of the General Staff Alfred? Feng? Schlieffen persuaded their emperor: "Japan will inevitably use Britain to put pressure on the Qing state." Forcing the Qing to abandon a large part of its claims to Japan. The Qing State encouraged Germany to attack Japan in order to use Germany to balance the pressure of Britain. So your majesty, are you ready for a head-on conflict with the British? If His Majesty is ready, the Far Eastern Fleet can set off at once. The result, of course, was that Wilhelm II, who was not ready, regretfully gave up. However, the abandonment of Zoseburg did not mean the abandonment of the right to speak in the Far East, so Germany began to contribute its wisdom to the right to speak in the Far East.

France, Italy, and the United States naturally also wanted a piece of the pie, and the ministers of various countries stretched their necks and waited for Guangxu to return to Beijing.

Only the Russian minister to China, Cassini, who remained in Mukden, despite his efforts, met the demand that the Qing army would not cross the border. However, Cassini was dissatisfied with the Qing state's demand for the full implementation of the provisions of the Qing-Russian Treaty of Beijing on the condominium of Vladivostok, and had already ordered the Sixth Division to be stationed. He Cassini met with Guangxu and demanded the immediate release of the Russian soldiers captured by the Qing Dynasty.

Guangxu slapped the table angrily: "If you want to invade the Qing Dynasty, you will invade." If you say you want to release the captives, you have to release them. What are you doing in the Qing Dynasty? The furious Guangxu immediately summoned Tang Shaoyi and issued an order in front of Cassini: "Spread my will, order the second and third divisions to immediately cross the border and attack Russia." The order was given to the 1st Division that remained to immediately go north for reinforcements. Interrupt all dialogue with Russia until Irkutsk is taken. "Finished. Guangxu only left a back for the stunned Cassini.

Tsar Nicholas II at Buckingham Palace was also thundering. How dare a weak and cowardly Qing state demand war reparations from the mighty Tsarist Russia? A Qing state, which was still being demanded by the Western powers, dared to openly withhold the soldiers of the powerful Tsarist Russia that the Western powers had to deal with carefully?

"We must teach those yellow pigs a profound lesson."

Nicholas II brandished his fist and roared in front of his ministers, insisting that the 10,000 troops sent out were far from enough, and that it was necessary to transfer troops from the western front, and transfer 500,000 heavy troops to teach the "arrogant" Qing State a lesson.

Naturally, his proposal was opposed by the courtiers. For the ministers, there may be trouble in the Far East now, maybe big trouble, but only trouble. Just wait for Russia to catch its breath. As long as Russia retrains its soldiers, can the Qing State still be in trouble? A strong Germany on the Western Front should be the focus of Russia's defense. His Majesty, the stubborn Tsar, did not listen to the advice of his ministers. But he heard a message from the Qing Kingdom.

Six loud explosions completely cut off the possibility of rapid Russian reinforcements to the Far East. The 10,000 men of the vanguard troops, who had already advanced to the Far East, were crammed into six trains with equipment and supplies. But the train was only halfway through and was attacked on the same day. The explosion was not just a matter of derailment of the train and casualties, but the choice of the location of the explosion was the real reason for the death of Nicholas II. Two important bridges have collapsed, and steep mountain walls have collapsed everywhere, all in the deserted wasteland. Nicholas II, a former prince who had personally presided over the construction of the Far Eastern Railway, knew that the amount of work to restore them alone would take years to complete. But he also made an important decision: he would not pay compensation to the Qing state even a ruble, because the great tsarist Russia needed face.

"He is the emperor, and he and the Qing Dynasty need face." Facing Cassini, who was almost driven out, Tang Shaoyi said: "I really don't understand, obviously you are going to negotiate the ransom of the redemption of prisoners of war, why did you mention the release of prisoners of war again?" ”

"Negotiation is to negotiate and judge at the same time. But your emperor didn't even give him a chance to talk, did he look down on Russia? Cassini asked, swinging his hand.

"If our country issues a statement saying that the present situation between Qing and Russia is caused by your arrogance, I, the Qing Dynasty, demand that Russia send envoys again, and at the same time that the Qing Dynasty will cease all military operations. What do you say you will be? Tang Shaoyi leisurely despised Cassini.

What else can it be, you can only be hanged on the gallows. Cassini knew his king too well, and he finally put on a correct posture in front of Tang Shaoyi.

The current Qing Dynasty is no longer the powerless Qing Dynasty when the British and French forces sacked the Old Summer Palace, and the Qing Dynasty under the leadership of the emperor has the ability to fight on two fronts in just four years. The current Qing Dynasty is no longer the Qing Dynasty that is submissive to foreigners, and the Qing Dynasty, which has won consecutive battles, no longer needs to look up to you white-skinned ghosts. Leaving behind Cassini, who looked flustered, Tang Shaoyi walked into the emperor's palace with his head held high.

Compared with the confident Tang Shaoyi, Lin Qizhao was full of frustration, because the small court of Fengtian had no money. The scale of this war was too large, and the war in the First Sino-Japanese Year was mainly the battle of the Liaohe River, which involved the area of eastern Liaodong and Shandong. But today it is different, not only the entire three northeastern provinces have become a theater of operations, but even the DPRK is also the main theater of operations. Although the total strength of the Qing Dynasty's Liulian army was slightly more than that of the First Sino-Japanese War, the quality was not the same. Not to mention artillery, more than 600,000 grenades alone were used. Powerful firepower is the confidence of the Qing Dynasty to fight on two fronts this time, and this kind of victory is also piled up with money. The most important thing is that the First Sino-Japanese War can mobilize the strength of the whole country to support. In the current war, only Liangjiang can be supported. Now Yan Fu has clearly told him that the last funds of Liangjiang Energy are only the last reserves in the bank.

"The income from the New Year's dinner has been exhausted, and the Asian mining industry has no more money. Your Majesty, if there is no other source of funds within a month, we will not be able to pay the soldiers' salaries. ”

Lin Qizhao's voice was calm.

Looking at Lin Qizhao with a helpless face, Guangxu gently put down the report in his hand. Similarly, Guangxu does not have the confidence of Tang Shaoyi. 50,000 troops was a drop in the bucket for Russia, but the Qing Dynasty used all of its main battle forces. As the supreme ruler, Guangxu understood that the Qing Dynasty could not confront Russia head-on under any circumstances, and his hard-line attitude was only in the hope of finding some money from Russia to subsidize it.

"I don't know how long it will take to get the ransom for Russian prisoners of war. Let's go back to Beijing, the army can't be chaotic at any time. Guangxu finally made up his mind.

The decision to return to Beijing was made in the afternoon, and Guangxu boarded the southbound train in the evening. It is because Guangxu, who said that he returned to Beijing in the past two days, has been grinding for more than ten days, and everyone has already made perfect preparations.

At nine o'clock in the evening of June 21, the special train of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty departed from Fengtian Railway Station. The Russian minister, Cassini, also returned to Beijing with him. On the speeding train, after a short negotiation between Tang Shaoyi and Cassini, the Qing and Russia reached an agreement: the Qing State would stop the military mobilization of troops and not cross the border, Vladivostok would be handed over to Russia as an agent, and Russia would redeem the illegal militants who deliberately undermined the friendship between the Qing and Russia.

That's right, just one word. Where did such an article come from between the two countries, the core of which is actually only a few sentences, and this negotiation has all been condensed into one sentence. Of course, there will be a lot of superficial content in the external announcement, and after all, the two countries will be on fire without declaring war. But as long as the core content is settled, everything else is just a play on words. This condition was accepted by Guangxu, and Cassini also believed that the tsar had no reason to refuse, but he still had to ask for instructions at home because of the price of the ransom.

The Qing State marked prices according to military ranks, and there were clear prices from ordinary soldiers to commander ranks. For example, an ordinary soldier is 100,000 taels of silver, and the commander of the Russian Far East Fleet, Withuff, is 200,000 taels alone.

Guangxu calculated that more than 40,000 Russian prisoners would bring nearly 10 million taels of silver to the Qing Dynasty. Not counting guns, horses, and other weapons, people can redeem them, but things can't, because they have to offset the cost of food and medicine.

The next morning, the train arrived in Jinzhou to replenish water and coal, and Guangxu also needed to mediate disputes in the staff and discuss military plans against Japan. Cassini also sent a report back to China, waiting for the final decision of the country. As he expected, Nicholas II agreed, and no one expected him to make a decision that stunned the entire Qing Dynasty. (To be continued......) u