[250] Loans to Russia

Chinese Ambassador to Russia Xu Jingcheng met with Alexander II in the Kremlin.

The Kremlin complex, which combines Byzantine, Roman, Russian and Baroque architectural styles, is collectively known as the Kremlin, and the continuous bell towers, churches, armories, internal guard barracks, royal treasury, royal gardens, noble halls, royal banquet halls, tsars' bedrooms and other functional buildings along the Polovts Mountain constitute the entire magnificent Kremlin complex in the continuous construction and improvement of 500 years.

Xu Jingcheng was authorized by Alexander II to enter the Kremlin in a carriage through the gate of the Spasta Tower, a special passage for the Tsar, and the four-wheeled carriage passed through the deep passage under the Troy Tower to the Kremlin Hall, where the Tsar's administrative palace was located.

This baroque palace looks lovely, with a yellow and white façade painted in bright yellow with gold powder, and inlaid with pure white marble for window frames and columns.

The six sections of the Kremlin Hall are divided by a large stone pavement, surrounded by green lawns and manicured shrubs, from which spring roses climb and climb the baroque white marble pillars.

The six parts of the Kremlin Hall have different levels, the highest is five floors, the shortest is two floors, but the five floors are not high, the two floors are not short, Alexander II is in the two-story main hall cordially received Xu Jingcheng, the first floor of the two-story main hall is eight meters high.

"Your Majesty, this is a letter sent to you by President Yao of our country this morning, which has now been translated into Russian, please read it." Xu Jingcheng wore a silver-white tie, polite and heroic, and the SAINT ANGELO wool suit on his body was equipped with Busen leather shoes, looking handsome and fashionable.

Alexander II took Yao Fan's secret telegram and unfolded it, and couldn't help but look at Xu Jingcheng who was dressed fashionably while pondering.

With the taste of a high-ranking aristocracy, he admired Xu Jingcheng's casual coat, which was simple and playful, especially the silver tie with great temperament, but it didn't look like a grand formal attire.

"Probably the Chinese think that Western dresses are such casual jackets."

Alexander II returned to the topic: "Ambassador Xu, what good is it for China that your country has offered Russia a low-interest loan of 20 million yuan with an annual interest rate of 10%, which can only be used to buy China's industrial products in exchange for Russia not to compromise with Britain?" ”

Xu Jingcheng said: "The Russian navy has the right of free passage through the Bosphorus Strait, which is of great significance to China, and if Russia can have a certain say in the eastern Mediterranean, especially at the mouth of the Suez Canal, then Britain will never be able to transfer a large number of army and navy to India and Southeast Asia with confidence." ”

"President Yao is very appreciative of Russia's one-time payment of 200,000 rubles to pay for China's dispatch of troops to Annan, and believes that Russia is a country that keeps its promises, so it is willing to carry out deeper exchanges and cooperation with Russia, and in general, it is to expand the common interests of the two countries, strengthen bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and properly handle border disputes."

Alexander II bowed slightly: "Russia also appreciates China's ability to fulfill its agreement to send troops to Annam and contain Britain and France from the Far East." As soon as the great Russia had obtained its due benefits and signed the "Treaty of San Stefano" with the Ottoman Turks, Britain and France could not wait to unite Germany and Austria to put pressure on Russia, which was extremely unfair. In the words of Chairman Yao, this is the work of Britain's hegemonist ideology. ”

"As you say, this is exactly what happened, the Treaty of San Stefano was paid for with the lives of hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers, and if Russia gave up access to the Bosphorus just because Bismarck and the bankers behind him were clamoring for sanctions, what would be your prestige?"

Xu Jingcheng received conclusive information from China, saying that Russia, in the face of pressure from Britain, France, Germany, and Austria, would choose to spit out some of the benefits in the "San Stefano Treaty," which was mainly to give up the Navy's right to go to sea in the Bosphorus, in order to get the four countries not to try sanctions against Russia and to take follow-up military action.

You must know that Russia won a crushing victory in this battle, all the seven armies that participated in the Tenth Russian-Turkish War lost more than half, with a total of 160,000 casualties, accounting for more than one-fifth of Russia's 720,000 troops, considering that the troops participating in the war were the strongest Russian elite in Europe, especially the ace Royal Janissaries and Cossack cavalry were killed and wounded by the most advanced British and French rapid-fire rifles equipped by the Turks in this battle, and the low rate of fire and low precision of Russian rifles were exposed.

Alexander II calmly faced, read Yao Fan's secret letter again, raised his head and said: "The Chinese side will provide Russia with the most advanced medicines, which can greatly reduce the death and amputation of wound infections?" ”

"Yes, our penicillin has been successfully developed and successfully promoted and used throughout the country in the Liberation War, and the effect is incomparable."

"Can you afford to provide Russia with all the woolen uniforms and quilts that Russia desperately needs?"

Xu Jingcheng swore solemnly: "Even if Russia orders 300,000 quilts and 300,000 tweed coats now, China can deliver them smoothly."

In addition, China was able to supply Russia with large quantities of cheap sulfur soap, a new type of soap that was effective in killing disease-causing bacteria and viruses and preventing the army from getting sick.

And the large number of thermos flasks produced in China can also help the Russian people drink hot water during the cold winter climate.

China can also export watches and fabrics, steel and cement to Russia, which Russia desperately needs.

With the support of China, the blockade of Anglo, French, German and Austrian is not worth mentioning at all! ”

Alexander II had long heard from the mouth of the Russian minister to China, Butzer, that China was now undergoing a comprehensive industrial construction, and at the same time frantically building a railway line through the whole country, although he did not know why China could have such a strong steel production capacity overnight, but Alexander II had long been extremely jealous of this dragon awakening in the Far East.

"Ambassador Xu, you said that you sent me a telegram sent by Chairman Yao in the morning and you sent it to me in the afternoon, do you mean that you have already assumed a secret telegraph line in Russia?"

"Cable telegraphy has long since become obsolete, and China now uses wireless telegraphs, which allow information to be transmitted thousands of kilometers away on the same day, without the need to rely on countless telephone poles along the way."

Alexander II was shocked and asked, "You mean that it is possible to transmit a telegram without relying on wires?" ”

"Yes, this great invention has already been born in China, and China is willing to export wireless telegraphs to Russia if Russia is willing to develop an alliance between our two countries."

"How much does one cost?" Alexander II asked impatiently.

"One for five thousand roubles." Xu Jingcheng has been authorized by China to export telegraph machines to Russia. The technology of integrated circuits and circuit boards is completely an insurmountable gap between countries in the world today, and it can be said that even if you get your hands on it, you can't understand the structure.

Alexander II paced to the window, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "What does China really want?" If China really wants to be an ally of Russia, you should be honest about China's intentions. ”

Xu Jingcheng said: "Just as I have conveyed to His Majesty several times before, President Yao's secret telegram, China and Russia have a long border line, and at the same time, China and Russia are both rapidly developing powers, if we are in a state of hostility between each other, then Russia will not be able to withdraw from control of Eastern Europe and even Turkey, and China's development plan to Southeast Asia will also be blocked."

In this case, only the international banking syndicates benefited, and they made a fortune from the war by lending money at both ends. Does His Majesty want Russia and China to become slaves of international financial capital?

Russia wants to dominate Europe, China wants to dominate Asia, and if we cooperate, we can accelerate each other's goals. ”

Alexander II said: "China is now increasing its troops in Xinjiang, Mongolia and Northeast China, and I think this behavior is extremely unfriendly. ”

Xu Jingcheng said: "This is precisely because China and Russia have not yet reached mutual trust and have not reached a consensus on the border issue, and Russia has been trying to occupy Chinese territory for hundreds of years, such as Vladivostok in the Far East, and other areas, all of which were seized by Russia by force."

With regard to historical issues, Chairman Yao proposed to look forward and look at them from the perspective of development, so China hopes to strengthen relations with Russia and gradually resolve the historical grievances between the two sides.

In this world, multiple friends are much stronger than multiple enemies. ”

Hearing Xu Jingcheng's last words, Alexander II nodded heavily: "You are right, Russia needs friends, but for Mongolia and Xinjiang, I think Russia must get some compensation, and China should not be monopolized." ”

Xu Jingcheng's face suddenly changed greatly.