"I ......"

High on the throne, Alexander III could not say the following words for a long time. His straight figure shrank, and all the nobles knew of Alexander III's choice.

"Robertov, tell the Chinese that we start negotiations!"

"Don't continue the war. Russia has shed too much blood......"

Alexander III believed that his foreign minister should be able to achieve a good enough end under the present conditions. After all, Russia still has the support of Britain, France and Germany in this war.

"No, Your Majesty. You can't look at the Anglo-Saxons and Gauls like this with too good friendship. They absolutely do not want us to end the war with the Chinese. Especially the British. Not long ago, they joined forces with Austria-Hungary to capture many Russian interests in the Balkans, but the greater purpose of the British was to lure the Chinese to reach an agreement with Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands on the division of interests in the entire political structure of the Far East and the South Seas, and sign the next long-term treaty agreement.

The British want to see China to contain Russia, and at the same time they want to see Russia to contain China. Foreign Minister Robertov said. And then there's the Chancellor of the Exchequer Sergei. Werther, who used only two simple sentences to completely destroy Alexander III's good hopes for England and France. The amount of loans that Russia now owes to Britain and France, and the economic markets opened for it, the ratio of which British and French goods are now occupied.

Alexander III was one such person. During his years of rule, Russia continued to prosper and develop at a high speed, but to a large extent it was largely due to the epoch-making reforms of the Alexander II era. Alexander III himself failed to carry out the previous economic, administrative, and judicial reforms. In the face of a huge aristocratic bureaucracy. It was forced to adopt a compromise attitude and unilaterally strengthen the centralized rule. In the end, the hidden dangers of society continued to magnify, which became the deepest reason for the collapse of the Russian Empire in the original time and space.

The sixth day of the 11th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The British and French ambassadors to China, Dounar and Li May, together with the European and American envoys and consuls in China, jointly submitted a request to China to mediate the Sino-Russian war.

The whole country of China was jubilant, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was overjoyed. In this national war, China has won, and it has won from beginning to end. But this is not easy to win, the military spending alone has been thrown out of 20 billion Chinese dollars. Of course, war bonds were sold better, and with the news of victories in battles coming again and again, the whole country was earning war bonds. Huaxia Bank relied on this transaction to sell at least 40 billion yuan of bonds.

But the borrowed money has to be repaid, and there is interest. This debt is a burden for China, which is still fragile in its fiscal balance. Ending the war sooner is something that the Ministry of Finance dreams of. It's just that the Ministry of Finance has no say in this matter.

At the same time, the Russians were beaten and really took the initiative to sue for peace, which made countless Chinese people who had not suffered humiliation in recent years and began to raise their eyebrows also shed tears. This is a national war, a real national war! It is not at all the same concept and level as the previous battles between China and France and between China and Russia. The Wehrmacht's boots had already stepped on the 'mother river' of the Russians, and the bayonets had been pressed against the chests of the Russians. A world's top power has really lowered its arrogant head in the face of China, and only those who have experienced humiliation can understand the taste. Sweet and intoxicating!

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported to the Cabinet as soon as possible to the first and second assistants of the Cabinet for a decision. Zhang Shouyan, who was anxious about the war expenses, was naturally overjoyed, and at the same time, a telegram sent in the name of the cabinet was also quickly transmitted to Liu Xian.

Liu Xian was not surprised when he got the message. I don't think it is outside either. He had calculated that China and Russia would have one more stop, and this war would be completely over, but obviously the Russians were not stupid. I won't get myself to the point where I have no way out and then give in. People pulled down this face early. It's also understandable.

So Liu Xian didn't show the joy of Beijing.

"Peace talks are okay. I have long been looking forward to peace talks to end this war. But how to talk. I'd like to hear more about what we have to say. China is the victor in this war, and if the Russians want to end the war, they must have a certain amount of sacrifice and preparation. Tell the Russians that the negotiations are not very hot, and the war continues during the negotiations! ”

Liu Xian will not spend a lot of time negotiating with the Russians. That is to use the grim situation to force the Russians to make up their minds as soon as possible and 'cut the meat and feed the tiger'!

"As for the attitude in the negotiations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no need to worry. Since ancient times, only those who can fight can make peace. Today's situation is the result of thousands of martyrs who have sacrificed their lives, and our negotiations must be right for these brave men who shed their blood for the sake of the motherland. The first meeting was to make the Russians understand our persistence and toughness. I don't want to let bloodletting, I want to make peace if I can't win, is there such a good thing in the world? ”

Liu Xian had already ordered the Kalmyk cavalry to enter the Volga Valley. In the virtual map, it looks like the cavalry group is about to be in place. Liu Xian is not in a hurry. There is the lifeblood of the Russians in his hands, and the Russians cannot help but cut the flesh.

The attitude of the Russians has indeed changed. Originally, it was called for sending a special envoy from St. Petersburg to China for negotiations, but now it is directly appointing a minister in Tokyo, Japan, as a plenipotentiary representative. Everyone knows what this sudden change is.

Douner and Li Mei twice submitted their opinions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- a temporary ceasefire between China and Russia. It doesn't take long, a month.

Quite different from the Russians, who were in a hurry, the time for this negotiation was on the Chinese side.

On November 11 of the lunar calendar, China and Russia opened their first bilateral talks in Tianjin. The Chinese can wait, but the Russians can't afford to wait. Their Volga region cannot afford to wait even more. The destructive power of 20,000 Kalmyk cavalry is comparable to that of locusts. For every day of delay, Russia will have to lose one more loss, and if it is not solved in a month, and if it does not wait for the troops in the rear to come in, 20,000 Kalmyk cavalry will be able to make a mess of the Volga, and the losses will definitely be enough for the Russians to drink a pot.

Both Douner and LeMay received telegrams from home that the British and French governments demanded that they not need to contribute to the negotiations. The Russian foreign minister's mind is still very clear, and Britain and France are eager for Russia and China to continue to work.

From the standpoint of Britain and France, China and Russia have always been at war, and it is best to fight a real Hundred Years War.

At this first meeting, Russian envoy Ilamovich again demanded that China stop its military activities in the Volga River basin, that China stop its military activities in the Astrakhan region, and that the two sides formally conclude a ceasefire agreement for a period of one month.

Zeng Jize sternly refused. "Our 20,000 cavalry units have always maintained limited combat and maintained a state of restraint on the Volga River, which is enough to show our sincerity for peace, and I hope that the Russian side will take note of this."

"We ended the war by means of peace talks. But as soon as the dust settles on the peace talks, we will not stop fighting for a single day. This is to prevent the Russian side from delaying so that it can gain time to mobilize its rear forces. ”

"Secondly, the question of responsibility for war must be clarified. This is a war of aggression by Russia that openly violates international justice and justice, and a war of self-defense and counterattack launched by China in order to protect the security and integrity of its national territory. ”

"We in China have always been famous for our teachers. Without making this clear, the government will not be able to account to the people of the whole country. ”

"Third, the aftermath of the war. The war lasted for more than half a year, causing huge casualties and property losses to the Chinese military and civilians, and this account must be settled. ”

Guo Songtao has already returned to his hometown, and Zeng Jize is the first leader in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After the board has been shooting for a long time, there is naturally a domineering spirit in the person. What's more, Zeng Jize has been working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since he joined the new dynasty, and he has been in a high position, and his style, bearing, and momentum have changed little by little. Just like China's national situation, a rising tide lifts all boats. Now such righteous words really frightened Ilamovich.

"Since Russia took the initiative to sue for peace, then you should always have a charter, right?" Zeng Jize's waist is very straight, and diplomacy is closely related to the country's situation. The stronger the country, the tougher its diplomatic performance will be. Now that China has won the battle ahead, negotiations have become much easier.

Ilamovich's face was ugly. China's attitude is too tough. But there is no way, who let Russia lose. And also rejected the olive branch offered by China several times. It's your own death!

Ilamovich looked at his deputy, Sheremedev, who was sitting on the other side, and hoped that Sheremedev would speak first. In the end, he is the supreme person in charge of the negotiations on the Russian side, and if he talks stiffly, it will not be easy to ease it in the future.

"Before the negotiations, we had already received instructions from St. Petersburg that we would not hide anything about this war, and Russia admitted defeat in the war. China will return all Chinese land and rights seized during the pre-Qing period, and cede the Qihe Prefecture region to China as compensation. At the same time, however, we hope that China will release all prisoners of war captured in the war, including all officers. The Russian Empire was to pay for the food and clothing of all prisoners of war during this period, and to compensate China with 1 million rubles.

His Majesty the Tsar of our country hopes that His Majesty the Emperor and the troops of your country will be able to withdraw from the Viceroyalty of the steppes before the end of the year and, by the summer of the following year, from the Russian territories which are now occupied. ……”

Zeng Jize was not angry when he heard this series of conditions, negotiation is like this, unless it is completely passive, it is to ask for money on the spot. But there was an angry expression on his face.

What 1 million rubles? Return all prisoners of war and officers, only give money for meals, and send Hanako!?

Withdrawing from all Russian territories and ceding only the Seven Rivers Regions is enough to plug the gaps?

What else do you want to admit failure, you old Maozi just don't admit failure, and the eyes of people all over the world are not blind!

Zeng Jize was furious! (To be continued......)