At three o'clock in the morning, London was already in darkness, but at a time when almost all Londoners had fallen asleep, Whitehall in London was still brightly lit.

Of course, you can also call this place called "Downing Street", because although Whitehall is only a street in London, it is connected to the Houses of Parliament and "Downing Street", and almost all of the important departments of British politics such as the Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Office, the Home Office, and the Admiralty are in and around this street, so it is no problem to say that Whitehall is the core of the whole of Britain.

Normally, the British Empire was busy because it had to manage colonies all over the world. However, busy until the wee hours of the morning is rare in Whitehall.

But since the outbreak of the European war, the whole Whitehall has become as brightly lit as it is now.

In the Prime Minister's office in Whitehall, the British Prime Minister was also at his desk listening to his subordinates' reports.

At this time, the British Prime Minister is no longer the Herbert who was more or less hostile to China in the past? Henry? Asquith, replaced by a new one, Lloyd's? George... Honestly, Herbert? Henry? Asquith is indeed a good prime minister, or at least a good prime minister in peacetime. In times of war, though, Herbert? Henry? Asquith, however, may not be fit for the post of prime minister, leading Britain to war with the Allies.

In normal war, it inflicted increasingly heavy and terrible casualties (including Asquith's son Raymond, who was killed in the first hours of the Battle of the Somme in France).

But none of this really matters, the most important thing is Herbert? Henry? Asquith himself is becoming more and more war-weary.

In 1916, a member of the cabinet, the Marquis of Landsdowne, at the suggestion of Asquith, drafted a memorandum in which he defended himself in favor of open negotiations with the Germans. "We are slowly but steadily destroying the best sons and daughters of the British Isles?????" Pessimism and war weariness reached its peak.

Although it was later shown that Herbert? Henry? Asquith himself does not share this view, but there is no doubt that Herbert? Henry? Asquith himself was indeed quite pessimistic about the war.

Later, on November 17, 1916, the memorandum was circulated in the Cabinet. Soon it leaked to the press, where it was used as new material to attack the prime minister for directing the war unfavorably. The later British Prime Minister, that is, Herbert? Henry? Asquith's successor, Lloyd? George issued an ultimatum: either reorganize a three-man war steering committee and make it chairman himself, or he would resign.

After chaotic and heated talks, Asquith resigned in December 1916, having served as prime minister for eight years.

And Herbert? Henry? Asquith compared to his successor Lloyd? George was clearly better suited for the position of wartime leader.

In fact, before he became prime minister, Lloyd's? George was already Britain's Quartermaster of War.

Later, due to the British War Secretary Horatio? Herbert? Marshal Kitchener was martyred, Lloyd? George replaced Horatio? Herbert? Kitchener's position. ("If victory is a splendid flower, transport is the stem of a flower, and a flower without a stem cannot bloom...") The war with Mahdia was primarily a matter of transportation. "This is Horatio's view of war when he was in Sudan. Horatio returned to China in 1914 after the outbreak of World War I as Minister of War, and was promoted to Count and Field Marshal.

He was the only one of the major belligerents who recognized that the war would be long (at least three years, he thought), and that he was able to play so much of a role in the European theater of war when he quickly recruited a million volunteers to train as professional soldiers, despite British naval traditions. On June 4, 1916, when Horatio was questioned in the House of Commons, when opposition lawmakers criticized him for his lack of preparation for war, Kitchener revealed that he had placed an order for 2 million rifles with the American [***] gunsmith before the war, and now 500,000 have been delivered, which shows that Horatio was indeed very far-sighted.

However, while traveling to Russia on a cruiser to prepare for Russian cooperation, the cruiser Horatio was riding on was attacked by a German submarine, and Horatio was killed. ――――――――――Unlike Asquith, who was somewhat incompetent in times of war, Lloyd's? George's tenure was quite pragmatic. Originally, because of the Shandong Campaign, Asquith was in some inconsequential places, and he would always be somewhat embarrassed about China, but wait until Lloyd's? This was not the case when George took office.

Obviously, in Lloyd's? George thinks that winning the European competition is the most important thing, and everything else can be left on the back burner.

Also because of Lloyd's? George's pragmatic move, so after the expeditionary force captured Baghdad, although there was still some controversy among the British in Whitehall, Lloyd's? George eventually agreed to hand over all of Mesopotamia, along with Kosovo, to China before the war was over, after all, the Turkish threat to British oil refineries in the Middle East was over, and there was no need for the British to waste their forces in Mesopotamia.

Moreover, Mesopotamia was quite desolate at that time, and it was like a chicken rib for Britain, and Britain really had no need to be nostalgic.

Later, after Jiang Baili, who was the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, defeated nearly 200,000 troops of two Turkish legions in the Erzurum region and captured nearly 100,000 of them, achieving the largest victory in the history of the Caucasus.

Originally, since the start of the war, although China and Britain have negotiated, they have been stuck in a stalemate on customs and tariff issues. At George's signal, Zhu Erdian and other diplomats also began to make a series of concessions.

Apparently, quite pragmatic Lloyd's, having demonstrated a certain strength in the Caucasus? While George recognized it, he finally regarded China as a force that could be used, after all, for Britain at that time, after the normal war had reached a stalemate, any force that could be used was worth wooing.

Concessions on issues such as customs and tariffs are just the beginning.

And for China, for Yan Guang, it is indeed a good thing to get rid of a somewhat emotional prime minister and replace him with a rather pragmatic guy, after all, the absence of Asquith, who often seems very emotional, is also a pleasant thing for Yan Guang and others.

Historically, the Germans implemented the tactics of unrestricted submarines, which caused considerable trouble for the British, and in fact, Lloyd's. George dismissed First Admiral John? Marshal Jericho's position succeeded in making the next Admiralty Dave? Betty agreed to adopt the escort system and achieved great results.

It can be seen that Lloyd's? George was indeed more suitable for the wartime prime minister than Asquith.

It's just that now..."I actually gathered so many troops in Tianjin..."

Lloyd's who stayed up late? George looked at the information from the British intelligence service in China and frowned.

"What do the Chinese want to do..."

Although Lloyd's? George seems to be talking to himself, but hearing Lloyd? After George's words, the secretary on the side still approached the front.

"The Chinese should want to go north to Vladivostok..."

This information, as Lloyd's? George's secretary has also seen it, and there is a special analysis of the intelligence department under the intelligence. According to the analysis, in addition to the Caucasus and Central Asia, the remaining areas such as Outer Mongolia and the Outer Khingan Mountains are almost all territories that were once owned by the Chinese but were later divided by Russia. Therefore, when the Chinese amassed a large number of warships and troops in the Tianjin area, it can be concluded that they must have been dispatched for Vladivostok, a former inherent territory, in fact, British intelligence also believed that in addition to Vladivostok, I am afraid that even Sakhalin ...

Looking at the information in hand, Lloyd? George sighed... Although Lloyd's? George is a pragmatic prime minister, and in Lloyd's? George believes that everything at present should focus on the overall situation of the European war. However, now the power of the Chinese is expanding so fast that it makes him a little uneasy.

For example, although China is still inferior to Britain to a large extent, its national strength has been steadily rising, and in terms of comprehensive national strength, China has been constantly approaching Britain.

Originally, these were nothing, after all, there are many countries that are on a par with Britain in terms of national strength, and in addition to Germany, there is also a fairly powerful United States.

It's just that... Britain has too many interests in Asia, especially India, which is right under China's nose. In the eyes of the British, China's very existence is a threat to India.

In the past, it was better, at least in the past, China was weak, weak enough to be slaughtered by Western countries, including Yuben, a small country that once could only look up to China.

But now... Although many people in Britain are worried about China's rise, because the most important thing at present is the European war, many British figures can only put this aside and devote themselves to this war.

After all, if this war is lost, then Britain will really have nothing.

What's more, in order to win this war, the British have already united their past enemy, Russia, what is there to unite one more China?

What's more, China and Russia are hostile to each other, and as long as Britain moves a little on the sidelines, these two countries can only rely on them for everything... What people did not expect, however, was the sudden collapse of Russia, and in its place were the Bolsheviks, the most hostile of Britain.

At the same time, China, which had begun to make Britain fearful, launched an all-out attack in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Outer Mongolia, and the Outer Khingan Mountains. The huge number of troops used is comparable to that in the Caucasus, and it seems that it wants to take advantage of this opportunity to bite off a piece of meat on the Russians... Not to mention for the time being, how much resources these lands that have fallen into China's hands can bring to China and how much they can expand China's territory. The British still understand one point, that is, after fighting for such a long time, and finally making the greatest profit after the end of the war, I am afraid that it is China, which no other country could afford before the war..."If I had known, I would not have handed over Iraq to Chinese..."

Thinking of Iraq, Lloyd's? George smiled bitterly.

Although it's just a piece of chicken ribs there, but Lloyd's? George felt that according to the current situation, the Entente did not need to pay China any compensation at all, because the Chinese themselves had already received much better.

Of course, this is just a little wry smile in my heart.

After all, Iraq had been promised before China entered the war, and now the benefits that Chinese in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Outer Mongolia have been obtained by the people themselves―――――― although these benefits have been cut off with knives in Chinese former allies, the Russians.

Anyway, after paying such a big price, and not getting any benefits, I saw a young guy who was not very affordable before, and got greater benefits than himself, which will definitely make Lloyd's included? George, including the British, was not happy.

"David, you say, can I take Vladivostok before the Chinese?"

After a long wry smile, Lloyd? George said this to Davy on the side? Betty said.

Davy at this time? Betty because she won Lloyd's? George's trust has officially become Britain's First Admiralty.

However, after hearing Lloyd's? After George's words, David? Betty just smiled wryly.

"Mr. Prime Minister, I'm afraid that's unlikely." After a pause, David? Betty continued. "The collapse of the Romanov dynasty was so sudden, and even more sudden than this was the rise of the Bolshevik regime, and the fact that these Bolsheviks would actually sign an armistice with the Germans, in which case it was impossible for me to prepare in advance..."

This, even without David? Betty said Lloyd? George can also understand, but after seeing that the Chinese have included regions such as the Caucasus, Central Asia and Outer Mongolia into their scope, after watching such an important port as "Vladivostok" fall into the hands of the Chinese, Lloyd? George's heart was indeed quite unhappy.

"Isn't there anything you can do to stop them..."

In fact, Lloyd's? George was not only thinking about how to prevent the Chinese from taking Vladivostok, but more about how to get the Chinese to spit out all the flesh they had scraped off the Russians after the war.

You know, the original China was already the object of vigilance of the British, and now if the Chinese are integrating the "meat" on the Russians into themselves, then the post-war Britain will definitely not be able to continue to clamp down on China.

Moreover, after Russia withdrew from the European War, Germany had already transferred most of its troops on the Eastern Front to the Western Front, and the nascent Russian regime was a Bolshevik regime. Whether it was against Germany or against the nascent Soviet Union, Britain needed the power of China, and this was also Lloyd's? George was most distressed.

You can't need a person's strength and at the same time snatch the meat from his mouth, which is obviously unrealistic and illogical.

And this is also very controversial within the British, and it is clear that the British are also very unhappy with the fact that the British have paid so many casualties, while the Chinese have only paid tens of thousands of casualties and received such a large return.

But compared with the Chinese, the British were obviously more hostile to the Russian Bolsheviks, and this also made Lloyd? George was quite embarrassed.

"Mr. Prime Minister, perhaps—" paused, David? Betty continued. "Maybe I can't stop the Chinese in Vladivostok, but I can take another place before the Chinese..."

"Where?"

David? Betty went to Lloyd's? George's face, and then carefully turned Lloyd? A globe on George's desk was finally turned to the Far East, which belonged to the Siberian region, but was in a position above the book.

"Library page..."

―――――――――― the library page, this place needs no more mention.

In fact, although this place is indeed a bit remote, in recent years, it has hardly been compared to places like the "Diaoyu Islands" or the "South China Sea" for ordinary people.

However, the general public still knows more or less about Sakhalin.

At least they all understand that Sakhalin was snatched by the Russians from the Manchus back then, along with the Trans-Khingan Mountains ... It should be noted, however, that Sakhalin at this time did not belong entirely to Russia, even during the European War. To be precise, it should be that the northern library page belongs to Russia, and the southern library page belongs to the Japanese version, and these are all caused by the end of the Russo-Japanese War.

It's just obvious that although the Russians lost the Russo-Russian War, they only lost half of the territory of Sakhalin, which is actually not a big loss, after all, there are really no resources on Sakhalin, not to mention that Russia did not pay reparations after the war.

However, perhaps a place like Sakhalin, which has few resources, is not very interested in Russia or the Japanese version, and it is not even a chicken rib for a country like Britain that colonies all over the world―――――― like the Falklands can at least herd sheep, not to mention that the geographical location there is also quite "classic".

However, such a place is not even a chicken rib, but for the Chinese, it is part of the history of shame.

Therefore, when the expeditionary fleet went north to "Vladivostok", a small part of the entire fleet also headed for Sakhalin. Their mission is to take down the North Library Page before they can react.

This is also thanks to the residual power of the Russians, although the Russians lost the Russian War, but the tiger will not fall, let alone the old bear of Russia, which is not dead?

Although Ben won the war, it was clear that he was no match for Russia in terms of strength. In addition, Sakhalin is indeed a barren place that is not very attractive―――――― let alone half of it.

Therefore, there are not many garrisons in South Sakhalin, so even if Russia collapses and only a new Soviet Union emerges, it is not a simple matter for Sakhalin to want to unify the entire Sakhalin, not to mention that there is still a part of the Russian garrison in North Sakhalin.

Although the political inclinations of these Russian garrisons are unknown, it is clear that neither they leaned towards the Soviet Union nor the Romanov dynasty that had become a thing of the past, could never have a good opinion of him.

So..."What can we do to support me?" ”

It's not a big deal, but Lloyd's? George said the same.

And Davy on the side? Betty spoke.

"It's easy, contact the Americans..."

The British were already weak in Asia, especially in East Asia, and it was clear that the only one who could provide emergency support to the United States was now available.

Similarly, although relations with the sudden rise of China have always been very good in the past, the United States has also begun to become wary...

(To be continued)