On January 4, 1907, an American cruise ship flying the Star-Spangled Banner docked at the Huangpu River Pier in Shanghai. A group of white men disembarked from the cruise ship, and the carriage, which had been waiting on the shore, picked them up.

Because the ports in the north are in a freeze period, cruise ships can only dock in the south. Then travel by rail to northern China. However, Pierre. Dupont and David. When Rockefeller arrived in Shanghai, he met with Robert Brown. Bacon parted ways. They plan to look at southern China to see if there are any business opportunities, and then head north.

And Robert. Bacon arrived in Shanghai, accompanied by the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, and took a train to Yanjing. U.S. Minister to China Rou Keyi is already waiting in Yanjing. Subsequently, the Minister will accompany Robert Roukeyi. Bacon made a secret trip to the North.

All the way to January 8th, Robert. Bacon arrived in Yanjing City and met with Minister Rou Keyi.

"Your Excellency the Assistant Secretary of State, you've had a good time along the way." The Minister did not go to the train station to meet Robert. Bacon. Instead, they waited inside the legation. After all, Robert. Bacon's trip was a secret. The U.S. government didn't want other powers to know about their plans.

"Your Excellency, this has been a terrible journey." Robert. Bacon looked depressed. First it drifted at sea for nearly a month, and then it was replaced by a train. In this era of trains, the shock absorption system is not very good, and taking the train is not any enjoyment at all, it is simply a crime. So, Robert. Bacon looked tired.

"Your Excellency Bacon, the Legation has prepared a room, so take a rest. I'll call you again for dinner! Minister Rou Keyi said with a smile. China is indeed very backward now. This is the consensus of almost all the envoys of the great powers in China. However, soon Robert. Bacon will know. The seven northern provinces are even more backward and barren than Kannai.

Robert. Bacon nodded, and went to rest under the guidance of the staff of the legation, he was really a little unable to hold on.

After dinner, after a break. Robert. Bacon's face was much better.

"Your Excellency, when are we going to Shengjing City?" Robert. Bacon asked. He couldn't wait to finish his mission early and return to the United States.

"Your Excellency, if you have already adjusted, I plan to leave the day after tomorrow. The government of the north is also ready to welcome Your Excellency. Rou Keyi said.

"Why wait until the day after tomorrow? Let's go tomorrow. "Robert. Bacon shook his head.

"All right, Your Excellency the Assistant Secretary of State." Rou Keyi nodded, and did not raise any objections on the issue.

"Your Excellency, please introduce me to the government of the North. I need to know the latest news. "Robert. Bacon said.

"Okay. Your Excellency Assistant Secretary of State. In last year's war, the Northern Army fought a bloody battle with the Japanese Army in Liaodong, destroying more than 100,000 Japanese troops and forcing Japan to sign an armistice agreement. Of course, this does not mean that the Northern Army is stronger than Japan. There is still a huge gap between the government of the north, which has an almost blank industrial base, and Japan. It can be said that their victory was a complete narrow victory. Envoys of various countries in China all believe. Between the Northern Army and Japan, the next war will soon break out. It would be a war on a much larger scale. The Japanese were ambitious and wanted revenge in that war. And if the Northern Army had not received assistance, it would probably have lost the war! Minister Rou Keyi said. The current situation is such that almost all countries are not optimistic about the Northern Army. After all, the Japanese will give it their all next time. Of course, everyone also knows that the Northern Army will not sit still. Now the United States secretly sends a special envoy to visit the Far East. Isn't it just to provide support to the Northern Army?

"Well, it looks like I've come at the right time. The Cabinet has decided that we need to fully support the Northern Army so that they can hold off the Japanese in the next war, if not win. It's also a tie. In this case, the attention of the Japanese will be firmly dragged in the direction of the mainland. This is undoubtedly extremely beneficial to the United States. "Robert. Bacon said.

"Yes, Your Excellency the Assistant Secretary of State. According to the information we have received, the Japanese Navy has slowed down the pace of building advanced warships. Their 'Satsuma-class' battleships were repeatedly delayed due to a lack of steel. As for the 'Hanoi-class' battleships of the next rank, it was even more delayed in starting construction. I think it's all because of the Japanese defeat in last year's war. If the Japanese are unable to win the next war, then they will have to continue to strengthen their army investment. Minister Rou Keyi also said.

"Therefore, our goal is to make the Northern Army as strong as possible. This is very beneficial for the American Republic. "Robert. Bacon smiled. He also believes that the Cabinet's decision to go all out to support the Northern Army is undoubtedly a very correct move.

"By the way, does the Northern Army have the ability to replace the Beiyang government that is now in power? If they can get the right to rule China, it will be even more beneficial to us. "Robert. Bacon said.

"Your Excellency Assistant Secretary of State, I personally believe that the Northern Army will take over the leadership of China in the near future." Rou Keyi said with great certainty.

"Oh? Why? "Robert. Bacon asked.

"The Northern Army has the most powerful military in China, and their military combat effectiveness is much stronger than that of the Central Army and other local warlords. Compared with the Northern Army, the rest of China's armies are simply rubbish. If it weren't for the Japanese holding back the pace of the Northern Army, perhaps they would soon have moved their troops into the customs and replaced the Beiyang government. Rou Keyi said.

Robert. Bacon nodded: "That means that a pro-American Chinese government will be established soon?" ”

"Yes, Your Excellency the Assistant Secretary of State. The actual power of the Northern Army and the Northern Government was in the hands of Wu Haoxuan. His father, Wu Xingquan, was the supreme ruler of the Northern Army and the Northern Government. However, Wu Xingquan's own ability is not high, and being able to get to this day is almost all due to Wu Haoxuan. Wu Haoxuan is a graduate of the West Point Military Academy and has a good impression of the United States. If they can replace the Beiyang government, then it will be of great benefit to the United States. With a population of more than 400 million, China is a market larger than all of Europe combined. Even the area under the control of the current northern government is more than 3 million square kilometers, and the population under its rule is 30 million. Although, these people are still very poor, and most of them live below the poverty line. But once the industry is launched, they will get rich very quickly, which means a huge market. "Rou Keyi is undoubtedly very optimistic about the northern government.

"Three million square kilometers of land and 30 million people, both land and population, are already one-third of the United States. Once developed, it is indeed a huge market. "Robert. Bacon nodded repeatedly. The total population of the United States is less than 90 million. Therefore, the government of the North, with a population of 30 million, is also a huge market for the United States.

Robert. After finishing his conversation, Bacon personally drafted a telegram and sent it back to the United States. However, the telegram was not sent to the U.S. government, but to those in power in the Morgan consortium. In his telegram, he suggested that China was a huge market, and that the northern government that the United States had chosen to prop up would most likely become the ruler of the ancient country. With the DuPont and Rockefeller families already one step ahead, the Morgan consortium must catch up as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the DuPont and Rockefeller families get their hands on this huge market, it will allow them to surpass the Morgan consortium.

Robert. Bacon's telegram attracted the attention of the Morgan family, and J.P. Morgan of the Morgan family instructed Robert Bacon to provide some help to the northern government. For example, provide them with a certain amount of loans in exchange for a ticket to enter this huge market in the future.

The current Morgan consortium is mainly engaged in the financial industry, so apart from loans, there are not many people who can help the northern government. Of course, the Morgan consortium also has great influence in the U.S. government.

On January 9, 1907, Robert . Bacon and Rou Keyi secretly took the train to Shengjing City.

On the afternoon of January 10, martial law was imposed at the Shengjing City Railway Station, and the army temporarily blocked the place. When a train from Yanjing City arrived at the station, a group of white people were picked up by a carriage that had already been prepared. Only then did the army lift the blockade of the railway station.

For the sake of secrecy, the northern government did not send dignitaries to meet Robert at the train station. Bacon, which made Robert. Bacon was a little unhappy in his heart. When the carriage was disappointed to tour the embassy from the railway station, the old buildings he saw along the way made Robert . Bacon's heart was filled with contempt.

"Your Excellency, this gives me the feeling that it was the United States 50 years ago, and even more backward than the United States 50 years ago." Robert. Bacon's face was covered with pride.

"Yes, Your Excellency Assistant Secretary of State, this country is too poor, and the seven northern provinces are among the poorest places in this country." Minister Rou Keyi nodded.

"If they hadn't worked for us, I don't think I would have been in a place like this at all. I wish this trip would have ended sooner. "Robert. Bacon complained. (To be continued......)

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