Winter in London rarely snows, and when it does, it only lasts for a day or two. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 infoIn the winter of 1901, the snow was falling intermittently -- not a cold winter with thick powder on the ground -- and the snow on the roads was just beginning to melt, and the sky was snowing again, which made people feel terrible.

For Lin Ziyu, who is a native of Jiangnan, he has long been accustomed to the cold of London, which is a bit similar to the winter in Jiangnan, and when he walks on the road, his steps accelerate, and people naturally do not feel cold, but the snowy days are very annoying, the road is full of half-melted ice and water, and he has to be quite careful when walking, once the pace slows down, the wet and cold air erodes the bones...... No, winter in London is not cold, and compared to the Northeast, winter in London is even a bit like early spring.

There is a lot of fog in London in winter, so in London in winter, every minute of sunshine is precious, after all, for the people of the fog capital, the winter sunshine is sometimes as precious as gold, after all, in this place where you can sometimes not see the sun for more than ten days, the sun is always precious.

Today, rarely, from the early morning, the bright sun shrouded the city of London, and it was Saturday, although it was not a weekend, but there were still many people in the park, people in thick winter clothes were enjoying this kind of winter sunshine, although not like the Russians, there is a desire for sunshine from the bones, but for people in winter, the yearning for sunshine and warmth is almost instinctive.

Walking through the park and strolling through Austin? Chamberlain enjoyed the warm winter sunshine, as a civilian commissioner of the Admiralty, he should have stayed in the Admiralty at this time, but today's sunny day is extremely rare in the winter of London, and it is not possible to see passers-by in the park who enjoy the winter sun as much as him.

Ten minutes later. Austin? Chamberlain sat down at a small table in the middle of the park, which was already full of people playing chess, like Austen? Young gentlemen like Chamberlain are rare, but they are not unassuming, after all, it is not only the old man who likes chess, but there are actually younger young people who play chess.

"The weather today was very nice! It reminds me of the winter sun in my hometown. ”

A clear voice with an Oxford accent in Austin? Chamberlain's ears rang.

Austin? Chamberlain looked up and saw a strong young man sitting across from him, the brim of his hat pressed low, and the sun on his back made it impossible to even see his face, but only this voice, Austen? Chamberlain knew that this was exactly what he was waiting for.

"Yes! That's why I came out and walked around. Belch. If it rains heavily, it will be even more wonderful! You see, they ......"

Point a finger at a visitor in the park who is playing, Austin? Chamberlain had a hint of banter on his face.

"In that case, you and I won't be able to avoid getting rain!"

Sitting in Austin? Lin Ziyu, opposite Chamberlain, said as he took out the chess box.

"Interested?"

"You can give it a try!"

Austin? Chamberlain nodded, and like the others, it seemed that the two of them were just temporary chess enthusiasts. But in reality, only the two of them knew. They were waiting for each other.

Sometimes, even for the government, they need some unofficial channels to get together, and Lin Ziyu, as the naval attaché in London, and Austin, the civilian commissioner of the Royal Navy? Chamberlain, on the other hand, became the preferred figure for this kind of collusion, stationed in the Naval Attaché's Office in London. This is the only official office of the North East in London, as far as the Trade Representative Office is concerned...... Well, that's a civil institution, and Austin? Chamberlain may have been only a civilian commissioner in the Navy, but his father was a colonial minister. He is an important person who has won the trust of the first person.

In the last two years, they've done so many of these things, sometimes they've played chess in the park, sometimes they've sipped whisky in the club, sometimes they've sipped cigars in the smoking room, and in short, they've had so many ways to do it, and it's the connection that's what has made them even closer.

When two people play chess like the others, basically most of the time, the two of them remain silent, as if there is nothing to say, but this silence will be broken.

"Today, on behalf of my family, I would like to convey to you a message that we will break the silence for some time to come!"

After walking more than a dozen moves, Lin Ziyu opened his mouth to break the silence, he was on behalf of the "family" today to inform the British side that the Northeast had completed preparations for war, and now there was a possibility of war at any time.

"You have to understand a little bit ......"

Austin with a chess piece? Chamberlain looked at each other in surprise, although he had been looking forward to this day, but he did not expect that this day would come so soon.

"We couldn't possibly give you more support right now! After all, our business in the South is not over yet......"

Austin? Chamberlain's reference to the South was the Boer War in South Africa, and although the British had gained the upper hand, the war was far from over.

"Yes, we know that very well, but we have to think about the future, after all, it will be extremely bad for us to wait any longer."

Linziyu's words to make Austin? Chamberlain was stunned, and the right hand that was originally holding the knight paused for four or five seconds.

"Can't wait any longer, can you?"

For the UK, they are naturally happy to see,

"I can't wait any longer. Now that the Russians are not only stepping up the construction of the railroad in the north, but also active in Japan and the Philippines, although they seem to be cleaning the yard, their behavior is unacceptable, and we believe that once the Trans-Siberian Railway is completed, it is very likely that something will happen -- that is, Russia will take the initiative to declare war on us, so it is the consensus that we have reached at present to start a war before the completion of the railway. Given our current position, we need the UK's support in legal matters! ”

Actually, the woodfish is now to Austin? What Chamberlain conveyed was not just a message, but a clear and unmistakable message to the British. They will go to war, and because the Northeast does not have actual diplomatic relations with Russia, and the authorities in the Northeast are not "China", there will be many problems in international law, and this will require the support and help of the United Kingdom.

"It's natural"

Nodding. Austin? Chamberlain did not refuse this, and even two years ago, British international law experts had helped Northeast China devise a "declaration of war" procedure to ensure that its interests in China would not be compromised.

"So, now, what do you need most there?"

"We have to think about other things, like the South, and we want you to do your part. Warnings to the south as we throw our forces into the north, and to take a tough stance to avoid their speculative actions affecting the interests of our two countries!! ”

After Lin Ziyu took a chess move, there was a hint of solemnity between his eyebrows, as if the situation on the chessboard was not in his favor. However, it was not the chess game that he was worried about, but what he called the South - in fact. That is, all parties in the Northeast, in the future, will be fighting against the entire Russian Empire with their own strength. The local governors of Guannai remained a threat to the Northeast, especially Li Hongzhang's Beiyang clique in Tianjin. Once it is used by the Russians and takes advantage of the opportunity of the main force of the Northeast Army to launch an attack on the northeast, then everything will be over.

"Rest assured at this point, if necessary. The Royal Navy will send a fleet to the north to maintain the neutrality of the Kannai region! ”

Ensuring the neutrality of the Kannai is something that has been agreed upon by London, and of course this neutrality is not based on the interests of the Northeast, but on the interests of Britain in China. China's interests in China necessitate the need for Britain to remain neutral in the country.

"We will remind them that Britain will never accept anything that undermines neutrality, whether it is Russian or Chinese!"

In making this assurance, Austin? Chamberlain picked up the knight and made a move, and then he raised his head again, looked at Lin Ziyu and said.

"Of course! Although our power is still contained, we will help you no matter what, after all, the real power of Britain comes from the Royal Navy! ”

"Of course, we are convinced of this!"

After eating Chamberlain's knight, a smile appeared on Lin Ziyu's face.

"However, I think that if all goes well, we don't need the Royal Navy to intervene, we need your financial and international support!"

Holding the chess pieces, Lin Ziyu, who was hesitating to make the next move, paused slightly.

"Of course, if that day does come!"

If that day really comes...... When will that day come? For a while, both of them had a slight uncertainty between their eyebrows. Both understood that day would come soon.

Perhaps, as they spoke, that day had actually arrived, and for them as "messengers", they were now only playing the role of "messengers", and at least until that day actually came, there would be no real meaning between "messengers".

Ten minutes later, after playing a game of chess, the two said goodbye casually like ordinary strangers, and then left the park. When Chamberlain left the park, his steps seemed a little heavy, he looked up and looked at London in the sun, but he couldn't help but feel a trace of helplessness in his heart, as if he was a little helpless because Britain needed to rely on the power from the East......

"In recent years, Britain's power has been regressing, countries are trying to challenge the world order that Britain has established, trying to invade our colonies, for Britain, colonies are the lifeblood of Britain, Britain that has lost its colonies, will it still be Britain? While we are willing to move towards a stable peace, the road to peace is paved with war......"

The voice paused slightly, Joseph? Chamberlain looked at his eldest son and said in a solemn tone.

"So, we need the Chinese to fight this battle!"

As Britain's Colonial Chancellor, Joseph? Chamberlain was an agitated imperialist who ran a vast empire with great vigor and intellect, and the unification of Germany and Italy, the rise of France and the United States, and the expansion of Russia posed a powerful challenge to Britain, which he was wary of as a colonial minister.

"Non-war cannot stop the Russians!"

Austin's judgment caused Austin to be silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I understand that only war can stop the Russians, but, I didn't expect that this is only a few years, and Britain needs the help of people of color!"

Because of his father's influence, Austen has the condescending mentality of the Anglo-Saxon nation in his bones, even if he needs the help of others, he is also full of pride, and it is this pride that makes his "help to people of color" seem extremely unnatural.

"Help?"

Shaking his head, Joseph said with a smile.

"Is this help? Of course not, it was the policy of Britain, just as we need to rely on the Indians to maintain rule in India, and for Britain, it is probably the best thing to do, like this war......"

Joseph's "war" naturally refers to the protracted "Boer War" that took place in South Africa.

"This war has put a heavy economic burden on Britain, and this is only to fight against two "small Boer states", and if Britain goes to war with Russia, the huge war expenses will be too much for us to afford! ”

As an "advocate" of the Boer War, how could Chamberlain not know that the Boer War caused great changes within the British Empire. The high cost of the war made it impossible for Britain to afford to maintain the imperial system at a huge cost, and even the great enthusiasm for imperial colonization lamented after the war that "this is a burden". It is precisely because of this "burden" that Chamberlain finally agreed to form an alliance with the Northeast and use the power of the Northeast to block Russia's expansion.

"The best thing for Britain is for others to shed their blood, for others to defend their interests, and of course, inevitably they will gain some from the war, but don't forget a little ......."

After a slight pause, the corners of Chamberlain's lips lifted slightly, and he looked at his son and said.

"The role that Britain will play is something that they cannot ignore, whether it is the Chinese or the Russians, in the end, they must rely on Britain, and this is exactly what we need, Austin, you must understand that for Britain, the most powerful thing now is not the power that Britain has, but the order and influence that Britain has established in a hundred years!" (To be continued.) )