[I've been sleepy lately, and when I wake up and get up, I'm already five or six poles up (*^__^*)...... Today's first shift is here, and there is a second shift in the afternoon]

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After the Second Opium War, the British army occupied the palace of the king on the west bank of the Yuhe River, and the French army occupied the pure mansion at the south entrance of Taijichang, and since then the two mansions have become the British and French legations in Yanjing.

Then there was Tsarist Russia and the United States, which built a legation next to it. Not long after that, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary also sent envoys to China in the early years of Tongzhi, forcing the Qing government to recognize its rights and interests on the grounds of "equal interests", and successively enclosed land and occupied houses in the area of Dongjiaomin Lane, and set up legations.

By January 1895, Dongjiaomin Lane had completely become the sphere of influence of the embassy district of the great powers, with the national flags of various countries planted everywhere, and there were no residential houses in the nearby streets.

This embassy street gathers all the great powers of the world, and what is the big and small thing about the Qing Empire, it is not the Forbidden City that is the most lively, but here.

The German Legation on the south side of Dongjiaomin Lane Road, on the west side of the Royal River, opposite the Dutch Embassy, is a Romanesque European building.

It's late at night, and it's still snowing, and it doesn't seem to stop.

The lights are still on the third floor of the German Legation building.

A circle of sofas was placed on the carpet around the fireplace, and the charcoal burning in the fireplace, the red tongue of fire licked the dark charcoal, and from time to time burst crackling sparks, and the stone walls were smoky for many years, glowing with a layer of black light. A thick wooden beam above the fireplace was carved with scorched marks, as if someone had deliberately burned it with a red-hot iron chisel......

The house is more than ten years old, and the German minister has changed five or six people, but the fireplace is still the same as it was at the beginning.

Lieutenant Colonel Shen Ke, then German Minister to China, sat on a sofa in front of the fireplace, next to and opposite the German consul Sgund, and the German adviser to the Beiyang Naval Division, Hannagen.

Drinking beer around the fireplace in winter is a favorite among Europeans, especially Germans. They put the shears in the fireplace and burned them red, then rubbed them against the wooden beams to remove the dust from the chisel, and inserted the chisels into the cups full of beer, and soon the squeaky sound of the beer was heard.

This is how Europeans drink beer in winter, and the marks on the fireplace are rubbed over time by the red-hot iron chisels.

From time to time, the three of them raised their glasses as if they were celebrating at a party, but they were discussing big plans.

"This time, Germany, France, and Russia have joined forces, and the successful intervention has been returned to Liaonan to China, and His Majesty and the cabinet ministers have given us positive affirmation and praise!"

Cheers!

After taking a large sip of beer and letting out a fiery exclamation, Shen Ke continued: "Your Majesty's latest telegram directs that we may use this merit to seek a foothold in China in order to expand the hegemony and interests of the German Empire in the Far East!" ”

Sgund asked, "What do you mean by your Excellency?" ”

Shen Ke smiled: "There is no more place left in Europe for our country, so we need to find an overseas military base in the Far East!" ”

Hannagan breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "I thought I was going to start a war against China? ”

Sgund smiled at Hannagan and said, "I think you've been in the Beiyang Naval Division for too long!" Looks like we're already worried about the country! ”

Hannagan smiled faintly, neither admitting nor denying it.

Shen Ke raised his glass and said: "The Qing Empire owes us a favor, His Majesty Wilhelm means to choose an excellent port along the coast of the Qing Empire to lease it to provide logistical support for the German Empire's high seas fleet in the Far East!" ”

Sgund and Hannagan also raised their glasses and drank together, and the former said: "Several ministers before us have made this request, but unfortunately the Qing Empire has a tough attitude, and the development of treaty ports has to rely on war, and it may be difficult to agree to this leased military port!" ”

Hannagan took a sip of beer and smacked his lips: "The Qing Imperial Navy is still there, and I don't want to lease the naval base!" ”

Shen Ke nodded, he realized it too. said: "The sky-high price is to sit on the ground and pay back, and the lease of the naval base seems to be immature for the time being, so after the Qing Empire refuses, we will retreat to open up the embassy concession area of several coastal cities!" ”

Sgund smiled: "Your Excellency seems to be well versed in the rules of the Qing Empire's officialdom!" ”

Hannagan smiled and said: "The Qing Empire owes us a favor on the Liao Treaty, and after refuting our face in opening up a naval base, it is natural that it will not offend us on the issue of the embassy concession area." Congratulations, Your Excellency, you will be able to get a satisfactory answer this time! ”

Shen Ke laughed a few times, and after pouring the wine, the three of them drank again.

Sgongd asked casually, "I wonder where Your Excellency the Minister intends to choose as the embassy concession?" ”

Shen Ke burped and moved his body before saying: "The Qing Empire relied on Li Hongzhang's Beiyang to hold on, and the center of Beiyang is in Tianjin, so I chose to open up a concession area in Tianjin!" ”

Sgund thought for a moment and said, "Tianjin already has three concessions, Britain, France and the United States, will we get involved in it and make the three countries dissatisfied!" ”

"Of course they're not happy!" Shen Ke smiled meaningfully, and then said: "I have already exchanged views with the Russian minister Cuman, and they also intend to open up a Russian concession in Tianjin, and the French side has no objection to us entering Tianjin, so there is no need to worry about the attitude of Britain and the United States!" ”

Hannagan suddenly asked: "Russia is the main contributor to this intervention in Liao, they won't just want a Tianjin concession, right?" ”

Sgund was also puzzled, and both looked at Schenke.

Seeing that the two of them were very interested, Shen Ke drank a little too much, and he immediately let go of the conversation box and told the two of them a secret.

"The ambitions of the Russians in the three northeastern provinces of China are known to the whole world, but unfortunately the center of gravity of the Russians is in Europe, and it will take time to adjust the strength to the Far East. During this time, the Russians did not want the Qing Empire to see Russia as an enemy, so the Russians did not make harsh demands on the Qing Empire. The remuneration for returning Liao is only one Tianjin concession area, so that the Qing Empire can rest assured! ”

Sgund and Hannagan looked at each other, and they both saw surprise in each other's eyes, and they couldn't believe it.

After a while, Sgongd suddenly smiled and said, "Your Excellency the Minister can get the strategic plan of the Russians, I'm afraid we will also participate in it!" ”