According to the "Sino-Russian Beijing Treaty" and the "Sino-Russian Aihun Treaty" signed by the two sides, the Russian army must withdraw from the occupied places, but the Russians are not stupid, they also know that those places are easy to defend and difficult to attack, so they will not withdraw easily, and the negotiations were deadlocked for a time, and the two sides can only adopt a compromise method in the end.

That is, the two sides did not sign a formal contract, but replaced it with two separate contracts, the first is the "Armistice Agreement", which stipulates the armistice line between the two sides, but both sides have left a backup in the agreement, and the agreement only states that the temporary truce means that the two sides can break the deadlock at any time and launch an offensive; The second is the prisoner of war agreement, in which the Chinese side returns all Russian prisoners of war, and the Russian side pays all the expenses of the prisoners of war during their detention in the Chinese side, totaling 20 million taels of silver, to be repaid in five years at an annual interest rate of 3 percent.

Li Jingfang was very happy that the two contracts were signed, after all, this was the first treaty signed by the Qing court since the Treaty of Nanjing.

On the day when Lin Yuan and Li Jingfang returned to Jilin, he suddenly received news from Shen Wanqing, which surprised him, just when he was negotiating with Grogerko in Vladivostok, the Qing court had signed an industrial mutual aid agreement with Britain, Germany and France, which stated that Britain, Germany and France would cooperate with Chinese businessmen to set up various factories and mines in China for the benefit of China, and the appendix also listed the list of the first batch of factories and mines to be built.

Lin Yuan looked at those names one by one, and couldn't help but panic more and more, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and at this moment, he saw Li Jingfang come in with a newspaper and said happily: "Good news, good news!" ”

Lin Yuan smiled reluctantly, wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, and asked, "What made Brother Li so happy?" ”

Li Jingfang took the newspaper and said: "Look, England, Germany, and France have all come to cooperate with me to set up factories in the Qing Dynasty. ”

Lin Yuan slapped the newspaper, sighed heavily, and said, "Brother Li, who signed this agreement, it's so confusing!" Li Jingfang asked puzzledly: "Isn't this a good thing?" ”

Lin Yuan said: "How can it be a good thing? Let me ask you, do foreigners still have consular jurisdiction? Do we still have to negotiate tariffs with foreigners? Is our factory technology unable to catch up with foreigners? ”

Li Jingfang figured it out, so he didn't speak, Lin Yuan continued: "The foreigners said that they wanted to cooperate in setting up a factory, but there were many tricks in the operation, although the agreement stipulated that the shares of Chinese businessmen should account for 50%, but there was no time limit, what if foreigners played tricks to get the shares of Chinese businessmen?" Foreigners have consular jurisdiction, you don't even have the power to investigate foreigners! ”

"There are also treaty tariffs, how these foreign businessmen should pay taxes, the agreement does not clearly say, now the Qing court charges merchants one percent of the commercial tax and various taxes, but foreign businessmen are not subject to this restriction, they will apply the agreement tariff to pay as little tax as possible!"

"What's more: the skills of foreigners are stronger than ours, which goes without saying that we also know the way, so the production cost is lower than ours, and the tax is less than ours, so how can our factory live? At that time, our industrial lifeline will be tightly held in the hands of foreigners! This is an invasion without gunpowder! ”

Li Jingfang seemed to understand, and he said: "But this agreement has been signed, what should I do?" ”

Lin Yuan calmed down at this time and said, "It's okay, science and technology are the primary productive forces, and I will destroy their factories." ”

Li Jingfang hesitated and asked, "What did you say?" What is 'productivity'? ”

Lin Yuan did not answer, but said: "The top priority is to develop ourselves well, Shengjing, Jilin, and Heilongjiang are good places to develop industry." ”

Li Jingfang said: "Do you want to develop industry in these three provinces? I'm afraid not! ”

Lin Yuan asked, "Why can't you do it?" ”

Li Jingfang said: "The imperial court has decided to set up the post of governor of the three northeastern provinces, and command the military and political power of the three provinces......

Lin Yuan hurriedly said, "How can you say that the war is decided? We still have territory in the hands of the Russians. ”

Li Jingfang said with a smile: "Don't worry, listen to what I say, in the above opinion, the Russians occupy only a few small cities in the wilderness, what can they have!" A few years ago, large tracts of land were cut out, what are these small towns! Now that the war is settled, you don't have to say anything! ”

Lin Yuan thought to himself: "The Northeast is rich in factories and mines, which is very suitable for the development of industry, if you can use this place as a base, and then go to the Outer Northeast in the future, you don't have to worry about anything." So Lin Yuan asked, "Then whose position is this governor of the three eastern provinces?" ”

Li Jingfang said: "The imperial court is also discussing this matter, and it is not very clear now. ”

Lin Yuan asked, "What does Brother Li think of me being the governor?" ”

Li Jingfang said with a smile: "Brother Lin Xian has a wide range of knowledge, and he is even more proficient in Western skills, to say a word of disobedience and unfilial piety, when it comes to this, my father can't catch up with the virtuous brother, this governor is the most suitable for you, it's just ......" Speaking of this, he actually slurred and didn't speak.

Lin Yuan asked, "Just what?" Could it be that the current officials of the imperial court have all taken the imperial examination, but I have not? After speaking, Lin Yuan thought: "If he really wants me to go to the imperial examination to write the eight-strand essay, it will be troublesome, there are indeed a few literary and artistic young people on the Beijing ship, but who will write the eight-strand essay!" ”

Li Jingfang said with a smile: "Do you know what my father lacks most in foreign affairs?" He paused, and then said: "It's talent, my father once said, 'Employing people is the most urgent task, and storing talent should be a quick map', but my current officials in the Qing Dynasty, civil officials are not selected by chapters and sentences, and military attaches are not selected by bows and horses, such a person, where can he do foreign affairs!" So when my father sees you, it's like seeing a baby! ”

"To put it mildly, if my father was the emperor, the governor of the three eastern provinces would have been yours a long time ago." After speaking, Li Jingfang pointed to his heart with his hand and said: "Brother Lin Xian, to put it mildly, you are also my father's savior, when I was in Japan, if there was no you, the negotiation would not have been successfully completed, and it would be just a matter if the negotiations with the Taixi countries could not be successful, but this small country in Japan, from ancient times to the present, has nothing to do but follow the example of my Heavenly Empire, if you can't negotiate with them, you will have to bear the infamy of the ages!" ”

"So, Brother Lin Xian, I am very grateful to you, talking to you, there is no need to hide it, the ancients are cloudy, the wood is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it, if you can't be the governor of the three eastern provinces, you can only blame one thing: your ability is too big!" After saying this, Li Jingfang stretched out his finger and pointed to the sky, and said with a smile: "You are not full of people, Lafayette is not at ease!" ”

Li Jingfang looked at Lin Yuan, and then said: "Let me ask you a question, my hairstyle in the Qing Dynasty is to sweep the four yi, Dingding Central Plains, you said that you grew up in the West since you were a child, and you don't have braids, but the elite division under your command is the one who travels six hundred miles in three days and nights, why is everyone with short hair on their heads?" ”

Lin Yuan had already thought about this problem, and he said: "This is purely for military considerations, and I will explain it to the Holy Lafayette." ”

Li Jingfang said with a smile: "Since this is the case, I will instruct you how to take the position of governor of the three eastern provinces." ”