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"The Chinese Empire also cherishes peace immensely. Otherwise, we would not have agreed to hold peace talks with an absolute advantage. Otherwise, we can use force to get everything we want. Imperial Foreign Minister Tang Shaoyi said.

Although, for Tang Shaoyi's arrogance, Count Curzon was very angry in his heart. However, he had to admit that what the other party said was true. If the Chinese Empire had launched a large-scale attack on land with the decisive superiority of the Chinese navy, perhaps by this time the Straits Settlements and Burma colonies had fallen, and the Chinese army had invaded India and Australia. That would be a real disaster for the UK.

Of course, as the British foreign secretary, the Earl Curzon naturally did not agree to this: "If the Chinese Empire really did that, then it would mean that war had broken out." And a full-scale war on a much larger scale. ”

"The Empire is not afraid of war, and we firmly believe that in the face of any war, the Empire will have the absolute strength to win." Tang Shaoyi said with great confidence. He was also telling the British that even if a full-scale war broke out, they should not want to make the empire compromise and retreat.

"The British Empire was equally not afraid of war. In the hundreds of years that the British Empire has been the world, we have experienced countless dangerous wars. But, in the end, we all won the event. Count Curzon said.

The position of the British as the world hegemon was naturally not obtained by peaceful means. Rather, it was obtained through a war with one another.

"Really? Your Excellency, if you insist on saying so. Well, I think that this peace talks seem to be superfluous at all. Otherwise, we will directly announce the breakdown of the peace talks this time. Then use the means of war to resolve this conflict. Tang Shaoyi said with a sneer. Who doesn't know the current situation in the UK? These British are clearly dead ducks with hard mouths.

Count Curzon froze for a moment, feeling speechless. Although, he really wanted to say to Tang Shaoyi: "War is war!" "But, he knows. If this is said, then war may really be inevitable. And the British Empire is bound to usher in an even larger fiasco.

U.S. Secretary of State Hughes, seeing that the situation was wrong, hurriedly began to play a round. If the negotiations break down at the beginning, it will be troublesome. Although this was a war between China and Britain, the British were clearly a foreign power. If the Chinese Empire wins again, it will be very bad for the United States.

"Your Excellencies, the two Foreign Secretaries. Please calm down. If you are rash, it will not help you in this negotiation. Hughes said.

"Humph! I can't be blamed for this, only the Chinese empire is too tough. The five conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire were simply unacceptable to the British Empire. Count Curzon sane did not continue to dwell on it. He knew very well that if he continued to entangle, it would be even more detrimental to the British Empire.

"The five-point conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire are very reasonable. This is a condition that we have put forward after careful consideration. Tang Shaoyi shook his head.

"Two. Let's discuss these conditions one by one. It's natural that there are disagreements. Precisely because of this. That's why we have peace talks to resolve these differences. Hughes smiled. He didn't want the negotiations to fall apart anytime soon.

"First, the Chinese Empire acquires all the rights of the British Empire in the Kingdom of Iran. The Kingdom of Iran became a vassal state of the Chinese Empire. The Chinese Empire pledged not to launch an invasion of India. Is there a disagreement between the two countries? Hughes asked.

Obviously, the blueprint for this negotiation was the conditions put forward by the Chinese Empire. As for those conditions that were put forward by the British before. It has been completely abandoned. The British also knew that it was simply impossible for them to compromise and retreat from the Chinese Empire without a military victory. Rather than wasting time like that, it would be better to go straight to substantive negotiations.

Count Curzon nodded. When the Anglo-Indian army was defeated, Britain was already doomed to lose the Kingdom of Iran. If the British Navy were able to pull back the game, they might also be able to force the Chinese Empire to withdraw from the Kingdom of Iran. However, the Royal Navy expeditionary fleet also failed. Therefore, it is almost impossible for Britain to continue to retain its interests in the Kingdom of Iran.

Tang Shaoyi also nodded, indicating that there was no malice. The Kingdom of Iran has become a vassal state of the Chinese Empire. Then, if other countries want to take it again, there is no other way than to defeat the Chinese Empire by force.

"Very well, both, we've agreed on the first point. This is undoubtedly something to celebrate. I believe that if we act from the viewpoint of maintaining world peace, we will definitely reach an agreement. Theseus said with a smile.

Of course, he also knew that the first article could be agreed on because it was the simplest and at the same time the least controversial. The latter few are very divisive, and it is undoubtedly extremely difficult to reach an agreement.

"Here is the second point. The Chinese Empire offered that the British Empire pay one billion Chinese dollars in compensation to the Chinese Empire. As a pension for the ships lost in the war and the casualties of the Chinese Imperial Navy. Do you have any objections to this one? Hughes asked.

"The British Empire lost much more ships than the Chinese Navy. Our naval officers and men who have been killed and wounded are also far above the Chinese Empire. Even if we want compensation, it should be the Chinese Empire that compensates us, not us who compensate the Chinese Empire. Without exception, this was sternly refuted by the Count Curzon.

"This conflict was originally provoked by the British. Therefore, it is only natural that you should compensate us for our losses. Tang Shaoyi said.

"The British Empire lost more than twenty capital ships, and if you add the other warships, there are hundreds in total. casualties, even more in the tens of thousands. Our losses are more than 10 times greater than those of the Chinese side. Therefore, it should not be us who compensate. Count Curzon looked sad and indignant.

"What do you think, Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary? The losses of the British Empire were relatively large. The losses of the Chinese Empire were relatively small. Otherwise, forget about this one. Hughes said.

On the way here, the Earl of Curzon and Hughes had already studied these conditions one by one, and had also negotiated a set of arguments to alleviate the losses of the British. It's just that the attitude of the Chinese Empire has always been very tough, and it is undoubtedly very difficult to get the Chinese Empire to agree.

"The British can only deserve it. If it weren't for the fact that they had sent a large number of ships to attack us, there would not have been such a massive naval battle. Therefore, the losses of the British Navy should be borne by the British side itself. And our losses were caused by the British Navy. Therefore, the British side must compensate us for our losses. Tang Shaoyi said confidently.

"Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, the conflict is inherently mutual, and you cannot place the blame entirely on us." Count Curzon said angrily.

"Your Excellency, don't forget, we won this naval battle." Tang Shaoyi said coldly.

Suddenly, Count Curzon was speechless. True, the Royal Navy of the British Empire was the loser in this naval battle. That's why they're so passive. If they were the victors, how could they be what they are?

"Is the Chinese Empire going to use force to force the British Empire?" Count Curzon stared at Tang Shaoyi viciously.

"The British Empire has done this more than once, right? The two Opium Wars at the beginning, and the later invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance. Aren't the British the best at plundering weak countries by force? Tang Shaoyi retorted without backing down.

The Earl of Curzon was very annoyed, but had no reason to refute it. The essence of this world is that the law of the jungle is the strong. When the British Empire was strong and China was weak, they invaded China many times with their strong ships and cannons, forcing China to sign unequal treaties with them. Now that they have been defeated, the Chinese Empire will undoubtedly have to recover all those losses of the past. Of course, this is undoubtedly difficult for the British to accept.

The Earl of Curzon had no choice but to look at Hughes for help, hoping that he would speak for the United States.

"Your Excellency, those things are in the past, and there is no point in mentioning them now. Moreover, this is not conducive to the continuation of peace talks. Therefore, let's base ourselves on the present and don't dig over the old accounts. Hughes said. After all, the Americans also had a part in the original invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance! It's just that the Americans have never been good at invading other countries by military means, and they are better at economic means.

"To forget the past is to turn one's back on history. Although the Chinese Empire has risen now, we have always remembered the suffering of the beginning. It is even more necessary to learn from history. Tang Shaoyi said with a smile.

Hughes smiled wryly, and then said, "Your Excellency Foreign Secretary, in our opinion, the Chinese Empire's demand for compensation of one billion Chinese dollars is undoubtedly too harsh. The total cost of the two battleships lost by China, plus those destroyers, was less than 100 million Chinese yuan. It's better to let Britain pay 100 million Chinese dollars. ”

"100 million Chinese dollars? Your Excellency the Secretary of State is really good at bargaining! However, this is too little for the Empire. For the sake of the face of the United States, we are willing to give a step. As long as Britain pays us 800 million Chinese dollars. Tang Shaoyi said generously.

[It's about to be 515, I hope to continue to hit the 515 red envelope list, and the red envelope rain will be able to give back to readers and promotional works on May 15. A piece is also love, and it must be better! (To be continued.) )

PS: The fifth update is here, ask for a monthly pass and a reward!