PS: The second update arrives, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets! Thank you for the book friend Little Fat Man for coming and rewarding! Thank you for the monthly passes of book friends omni, arkleu, HHUD, wjb705040, V old man, Heaven and Earth Forever, zmtlwrw, Yiyi gluttonous Yiyi, Maple Leaf 99, and Floating Island 123!

Negotiations between the Chinese Empire and the Qing and Russia took place in Hong Kong and were presided over by the British. The British Minister to China, Sir Bonham, and the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Davis, will participate in the negotiations. Of course, they are only the presiding officers of the negotiations, and they only have the power to build yì for the negotiations between the three parties. Russia took part in the negotiations with Putiyatin, the former minister to China, who had already stayed in Hong Kong. After the Chinese Empire and Russia declared war on each other, Putiyatin and the staff of the Russian embassy in China left Guangzhou, but they did not return to China, but waited in Hong Kong.

Initially, these Russians believed that Russia's defeat of the Chinese Empire would be an easy task. They will soon be back in Canton, and they will return to Canton as victors. But what I didn't expect was that the current war situation was actually very unfavorable for Russia. There was not much left of the 250,000-strong army, and even had to use negotiations to delay time. This made them very aggrieved, but they had no choice but to follow the orders of Tsar Nicholas I. And try to do all this well, buy enough time for Russia. Otherwise, if the Chinese Empire had re-prepared for war in the future, and Russia had not sent its troops to the Far East, Russia would have suffered heavy losses.

Other than that. Major General Nevelskoy, a confidant of the Russian Governor-General of the Far East, Muravyov, also came to participate in the negotiations. He came to the negotiations as a representative of Governor Muravyov. After all, this time the Russian invasion of the Chinese Empire was led by the Far Eastern Governor's Office. The next war will still be in charge of the Far Eastern Governor's Office. At least this was the case until Tsar Nicholas I removed the governor of Muravyov. After the defeat of the Russian army to Beijing. Colonel Nevelskoy finally waited for a promotion order from Moscow, and was promoted from colonel to major general as he wished, becoming a senior general in the Russian army. Because of the defeat on the battlefield, Major General Nevelskoy was very ashamed, and he also took this negotiation as an opportunity to atone for his crimes.

On the Manchu side, the person who participated in the negotiations was Saishan, Minister of Military Aircraft and Foreign Affairs Secretary. British Minister to the Manchus, John. Davis didn't come. However, Bonham had already received orders from the British Minister to China. We will do our best to help the Manchu side and help the Manchu side to end the war at the least cost and obtain a decent peace.

Negotiator on the side of the Chinese Empire. Naturally, it is none other than Foreign Minister Lin Zihao. If it is said that when the new Chinese country was just established, Lin Zihao was still a little unqualified as foreign minister. However, after all these years of training, Lin Zihao has also become a qualified diplomat. Moreover. As the Chinese Empire grew stronger and stronger. He's getting better and better as a foreign secretary. At the very least, the voice of the Chinese Empire is enough for the world's major powers to face it squarely, and it will no longer be like the Manchus, who are often ignored and eventually become lambs to be slaughtered!

December 18, 1846, the week before Christmas. Imperial Foreign Minister Lam Chi-ho traveled by warship to Victoria Bay on Hong Kong Island via the Kowloon Peninsula to attend the four-party talks. Since the British occupied Hong Kong, in order to defend Hong Kong. The Imperial Army built a number of forts on the Kowloon Peninsula. Even a brigade of 155-mm heavy howitzers of the army was deployed here. However, with the treaty signed between the Chinese Empire and the British. The British were not allowed to deploy too many troops in Hong Kong, and the total strength of the army and navy was not to exceed 5,000. If the Chinese Empire wanted to recover Hong Kong, a Marine Brigade would be enough with the support of the Navy. However, there was no suitable time to recover Hong Kong, and after the overthrow of the Manchus, the Chinese Empire would announce that it would not recognize the traitorous treaties signed by the Manchus with foreign countries. When the time comes, the empire will naturally send troops to Hong Kong. And the British probably won't go to war with the Chinese Empire for a Hong Kong. After all, previous wars have proven that the British in the Far East could not defeat China. If the battle is lost, they will pay a heavy price for it.

"Hong Kong, soon to be ours! The British are here, not for long! When the warship sailed in Victoria Bay, the Imperial Foreign Minister Lin Zihao muttered. The staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs beside him also looked very convinced. Hong Kong was adjacent to Guangzhou, which was now the temporary capital of the empire, and the threat to the empire was too great. In any case, the empire would not allow the British to occupy Hong Kong for a long time. When this war is over, the empire will inevitably demand the return of Hong Kong to the British. If the British don't pay it back, there will probably be only war.

Sir Davis, Governor of Hong Kong, and Sir Bonham, the British Minister to China, who had arrived in Hong Kong first, personally came to the pier in Victoria Bay to greet Lam. As for the representatives of Russia and the Manchus, they did not appear, after all, everyone was still at war. Whether this negotiation will succeed or not, I don't know yet, now is not the time to talk about wine and revenge!

The negotiations took place in a conference room on the second floor of the Governor's Palace in Hong Kong. Although the British have occupied Hong Kong for several years, the island has also developed from a small fishing village. However, Hong Kong is still far from being able to compete with Guangzhou and other big cities in the mainland. Only some British merchant ships would choose to dock here, which led to the economic development of the port.

The meeting rooms at the Doge's Palace are very simple. Four long tables enclosed a square, with the Chinese Empire seated on one side, the British presiding over the negotiations opposite, and the Russians and Manchu representatives on either side. Because the negotiations were closed, other countries were not allowed to participate in the negotiations. After all, the ongoing war in the Far East is already related to the development of the world situation. Many countries are very curious about the content of this negotiation and have repeatedly asked to attend the negotiation. However, with the exception of the Manchus and the British, the negotiations between Russia and the Chinese Empire were only delayed under the guise of negotiations. Therefore, the demands of the countries will not be acceded to.

The negotiations officially began at 9 o'clock in the morning on 19 December. In winter, Hong Kong has a warm climate, far less cold than northern China.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in order to settle this war in the Far East, we have deliberately conducted a negotiation here. The negotiations are about peace in the Far East, and I hope that everyone will face up to this one. The British Empire hoped that peace would be restored to the Far East as soon as possible, and in this case it would be very beneficial not only to the countries but also to the whole world! Sir Davis, the British Governor of Hong Kong, who presided over the negotiations, said.

"Yes, thank you for the mediation of your British friends. We are a peace-loving country, and we are willing to achieve peace at an early date! The Manchu Minister of Military Aircraft and Foreign Affairs Secretary Saishana immediately jumped out. In this war, the Manchus were almost unable to hold out. If peace can be achieved, it will be the best for them.

"The Russian Empire also did not like war. The reason why we sent troops into China was only to help our friend Qing and protect the interests of Russia! If the war can end there, it would be better! Putiyatin, the former Russian minister to China, also said.

The words of the Russian minister made the Imperial Foreign Minister Lin Zihao very disdainful. If these old hairy people don't like war, then it is estimated that there is no current Russian Empire at all, only the Grand Duchy of Moscow! It was precisely by virtue of continuous outward expansion that the original Grand Duchy of Moscow developed step by step into the great empire that now spans Asia and Europe!

"Your Excellency, Minister Putiyatin, China is an independent country, and I am a little curious, what are Russia's interests in China? Could it be that the treaty signed by Russia and the Manchus was true? Lin Zihao asked with a sneer. Although the Chinese Empire had long known about the existence of this secret treaty, neither the Manchus nor Russia had ever publicly acknowledged it.

"Your Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia and the Qing Kingdom are two countries, and what kind of treaty is signed between our two countries has nothing to do with the Chinese Empire!" Minister Putiyatin replied coldly.

"Humph! Your Excellency, I warn you, as well as the Russian Empire. Any attempt to take advantage of the fire in the event of a civil war in China will definitely not succeed, and it will be met with a full-scale counterattack from the Empire! Lin Zihao said solemnly.

"The Russian Empire does not want war, but we are not afraid of it. Any country that tries to impose war on the head of the Russian Empire will fail. The mighty Russian Empire will tear them to pieces! "Putiyatin was very confident, as if the Russian Empire would surely win.

However, his reversal of black and white made the representatives of the Chinese Empire very dissatisfied. This war was obviously actively intervened by the Russians, and the war between the Chinese Empire and the Manchus had nothing to do with Russia. However, in order to occupy the territory of northern China, the Russians brazenly sent a large army into China without declaring war, and also attacked Shengjing City. And, in the process, the Russians also killed a lot of civilians. Such an act is a shameful act of war. And now, they are actually speaking of this as a war imposed on the Russian Empire by other countries. Lin Zihao can only say that he has seen shameless people, but he has never seen such shameless people. These diplomats, sure enough, are all experts in telling nonsense with their eyes open. (To be continued......)