Minister Amelio left the Imperial Legation in Switzerland in despair, and the conditions offered by the Chinese Empire were too much for him to accept. £∝, huge war reparations and a large amount of territorial cedes, this is simply forcing the Kingdom of Italy to a dead end! The restrictions on the military power of the Kingdom of Italy directly cut off the path to the future rise of the Kingdom of Italy.

After returning to the Embassy, Minister Amelio immediately contacted the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sent a message to Foreign Minister Betino. Ricasoli got in touch. He sent a long telegram to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which he claimed that the Chinese Empire had no sincerity at all, and that the conditions they had put forward were so harsh that they were simply unacceptable to the Kingdom of Italy. He even asked the state to stop negotiating with the Chinese and directly prepare for war. Even a glorious death in battle would be much better than the humiliating conditions promised to the Chinese Empire.

Italian Foreign Minister Betino. After receiving the telegram sent back by Minister Amelio and seeing the conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire, Ricasoli was also dumbfounded.

"Oh God! Are those Chinese crazy? They actually put forward such conditions. Do they think the kingdom will agree to these harsh conditions? "Betino. Ricasoli was furious.

However, after venting his anger, he immediately went to Count Cavour and asked him to get an idea.

"Your Excellency, this is the condition put forward by the Chinese. The war reparations of 2 billion Chinese dollars are simply robbery, and the financial income of the entire Kingdom of Italy is only tens of millions of Chinese dollars a year. It will take us decades to pay the two billion Chinese yuan in compensation, and we have to eat or drink without eating. Other than that. They tried in vain to cede so much Italian territory, and we could never agree to it. The Kingdom of Italy was finally unified. It is absolutely impossible for the Chinese to occupy these territories anymore. Finally, they had to limit the armaments of the Kingdom of Italy. As a sovereign state. Develop your own armaments, this is the freedom and power of the Kingdom of Italy, and the Chinese have no right to interfere with us! "Betino. Ricasoli said angrily. I don't know if he is really angry at the Chinese, or if he is just pretending.

Count Cavour's face was also as gloomy as water. The conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire were too harsh. It was so harsh that he couldn't even think of it. However, since the Chinese Empire put forward these conditions, it also means that the Chinese Empire has not completely closed the door to negotiations, but has given the Kingdom of Italy a chance. If you grasp it well. Perhaps it would save the Kingdom of Italy from extinction.

"Your Excellency Foreign Secretary, although the conditions put forward by the Chinese are very harsh, we absolutely cannot give up because of this. We also need to negotiate further with the Chinese to try to bring down the Chinese's conditions. The Chinese have an old saying, the sky is asking for the price to pay back, and the Chinese are asking for the price. We can completely press down these conditions step by step according to our own ability! Count Cavour said.

"But, Lord Count. The conditions put forward by the Chinese are simply too scary. Even if we lower these conditions, how much can we really suppress? In the end, it is still a condition that we cannot accept! "Betino. Ricasoli was a little frustrated and hopeless.

"Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary. As the Chinese say, now we have no choice. If we do not accept the conditions of the Chinese, then. They're going to go to war. Eventually, the Kingdom of Italy will only be destroyed. A hint of loss flashed in Count Cavour's eyes. Albeit. He knew that this was the extortion and suppression of the Kingdom of Italy by the Chinese. But who told the Kingdom of Italy to be on the wrong side? If it weren't for that. How did the Kingdom of Italy come to this point? If the Kingdom of Italy had not betrayed the Eurasian military alliance, they would now be victors and should have begun to share in the fruits of victory.

"Well, Your Excellency the Count, let's try harder!" Betino. Ricassoli nodded.

"Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, the more times like this come to us, the less we can afford to be discouraged. If we can't reach an agreement with the Chinese, our country will be destroyed, and then everything will be finished. We also need to fight for the future of the Kingdom of Italy, and only then will we have a chance to rise again. Even if the chance is very slim, we will not give up because of it! Count Cavour said.

"Yes, Lord Count!" Betino. Riccarsoli seemed to have been reinvigorated by Count Cavour's words.

Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, Betino. Immediately after Ricasoli's departure, Count Cavour went to the Royal Palace to ask King Vittorio Brown. Emanuele II reported the situation. After all, if a peace agreement was to be reached with the Chinese Empire, it would not have been possible without the consent of His Majesty the King.

King Vittorio. When Emanuele II learned of the conditions proposed by the Chinese side, he was silent. However, from his expression, you can see how angry he is in his heart. The Count of Cavour also knew how difficult it would be for His Majesty the King to accept this offer from the Chinese. However, this is already the last chance for the Kingdom of Italy.

"Your Excellency, do we have no other way than to agree to the conditions of the Chinese?" Vittorio. Said King Emanuele II. You could hear it in his voice, and he was suppressing the anger in his heart.

"Your Majesty, this is just a condition put forward by the Chinese. We can also continue to negotiate with the Chinese side and try to push the conditions down by a part! Count Cavour said.

Vittorio. Emanuele II nodded: "But if we agree to the conditions of the Chinese, will there be a future for the Kingdom of Italy?" ”

Count Cavour was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Your Majesty, although the conditions of the Chinese are very harsh. However, it is better than the destruction of the Kingdom of Italy by the Chinese. As long as the Kingdom of Italy survives, we will always have a chance. Now the insults that the Chinese have given us can make us work harder. In the future, the Chinese will definitely regret what they have done today! ”

"All right, Lord Count. I agree to peace talks with the Chinese. If their conditions are not too harsh, I can accept them. However, I hope that His Excellency the Earl will not forget what Jì said today! "Vittorio. Emanuele II said.

"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll keep it in mind. Count Cavour nodded.

He was Italian, he was the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy, the head of the Italian government, and it was his duty to fight for the prosperity of Italy. Now, the Chinese Empire continued to suppress the Kingdom of Italy, which also caused him to be angry. It's just that the current Kingdom of Italy is too weak and has no way but to compromise with the Chinese. One day, if he could fight back against the Chinese Empire, he would certainly not forget such an opportunity.

Next, the Kingdom of Italy and the Chinese Empire, engaged in arduous negotiations. The negotiators were the Minister of the Kingdom of Italy to Switzerland, Amelio, and the Imperial Minister to Switzerland, Liang Botao.

The two sides argued on the terms proposed by the Chinese Empire. After negotiations again and again, everyone's conditions are gradually lowering. Gradually we began to come to an agreement.

When the conditions of the empire finally became a billion Chinese dollars in war reparations, the cession of Sicily and Sardinia, and the military power of the Kingdom of Italy could only be limited to 50,000 men for the army and 10,000 for the navy. Moreover, after the Navy was not allowed to have warships with a displacement of more than 1,500 tons, the Reich was no longer willing to give in. This situation made the Kingdom of Italy very aggrieved. Although, the attitude of the Chinese Empire has softened a lot. However, there is still a big gap with their expectations.

When Minister Amelio realized that this was already the bottom line of the Chinese Empire, he had no choice but to ask Foreign Minister Betino. Riccasoli reports.

Betino. After consulting with Count Cavour, Ricasoli found that such conditions, although harsh, were not unacceptable. Who said that the Kingdom of Italy is now at a disadvantage? If they're at an advantage, what's the point!

As a result, Count Cavour could only go to the palace with the last conditions of the Chinese Empire to ask Vittorio. Message from Emanuele II.

"To compensate the Chinese Empire for one billion Chinese dollars, to cede Sardinia and Sicily to the Chinese Empire, the total strength of the army of the Kingdom of Italy shall not exceed 50,000 men, the total strength of the navy shall not exceed 10,000, and it shall not have warships with a displacement of more than 1,500 tons?" Vittorio. Emanuele II's face was a little unpleasant.

"Your Excellency, can't you fight for it again?" Vittorio. King Emanuele II asked.

Count Cavour shook his head: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this is already the last bottom line of the Chinese, if we insist any longer, I'm afraid this negotiation will break down!" ”

Vittorio. Emmanuele II hesitated for a moment, then said: "Well, promise the Chinese!" A billion Chinese dollars in war reparations, the royal family will pay. ”

After robbing the Catholic Church of its wealth, the royal family of Savoy is already very rich, and one billion Chinese dollars is not an unattainable figure for them.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Count Cavour nodded.

Subsequently, the Chinese Empire and the Kingdom of Italy secretly signed an agreement in Switzerland, which stipulated that the Chinese Empire would not attack the Kingdom of Italy, and that the Kingdom of Italy would agree to the conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire! (To be continued......)

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