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The Russian embassy in Manchu was located in Dongjiaomin Lane, where in addition to the Russian embassy in Manchu, there was also a British embassy in Manchu. In the eyes of most Western powers, the Chinese Empire was the sole legitimate government of China, and the Manchus did not represent China. With the exception of Britain and Russia, there were no special envoys to the Manchus. However, most of them were represented in Beijing. But on the whole, the Manchus were far less connected with the Western countries than the Chinese Empire. Of course, the status of the Chinese Empire in the international arena was not at all comparable to that of the Manchus.

"Your Excellency Colonel, from Irkutsk to Beijing, the journey is still smooth, right?" In the office of Ivan, the Russian minister to the Manchus, Ivan began a cordial conversation with the envoy sent by the governor of the Far East, Muravyov.

The governor of the Far East, Muravyov, sent a governor named Gennady. Ivanovich. Nevelskoy's soldier, in later generations, he was a well-known figure, and was called by the Russians as the hero who "discovered" Sakhalin and the mouth of the Heilongjiang River. As a result of his expeditions, Russia established a plan to seize the Heilongjiang River Valley. It's just that now that the Chinese Empire has risen and is about to launch a war against the Manchus, after unifying the whole of China, Gennady. Ivanovich. Nevelskoy will certainly not have the opportunity to 'discover' the territories that originally belonged to China.

"Your Excellency, it's terrible. When I set out from Irkutsk, it was a time of ice and snow, and it took us a long time to enter the Mongolian steppe. On the way, I almost encountered a snowstorm. If we hadn't had some power in the Mongolian steppe, maybe we would have paid a bigger price. Colonel Nevelskoy said with trepidation. Almost all of Russia's territory in the Far East is at high latitudes. The winters are long and cold, and even the Russians, who are highly frost-resistant, can be somewhat unbearable.

"Your Excellency Colonel, what instructions does Your Excellency Governor have this time?" Minister Ivan asked. He was ordered to cooperate with Governor Muravyov for the greater good of Russia. As for what to do, it was all up to the Governor-General of the Far East, Muravyov.

"Your Excellency, Minister, according to our analysis. Between the Qing State and the Chinese Empire, a decisive war was about to break out, and the victory or defeat of this great war. The situation in the Far East will be decided. However, it is a pity that, judging by the current situation, the Chinese Empire has a great advantage. If nothing unexpected happens. Most of them will win the war. This is not good news for Russia. In January, the Emperor of the Chinese Empire in Paris rejected not only our request to join the Canal Company, but also our proposal to divide up the great power. The young emperor showed great hostility towards us. Therefore, we have reason to believe that once the Chinese Empire unified China, it bordered Russia. will pose a great threat to Russia. The heart of Russia is too far from the Far East, and here we do not have any advantage at all. If we fight against such a powerful empire as the Chinese Empire, we will most likely lose. Therefore, our task is to prevent the Chinese Empire from defeating the Manchus as much as possible, even if it is to directly enter the war for this purpose. In addition, we need to seek benefits for Russia as much as possible from the Qing people. For example, Xinjiang or Mongolia, doubts plus Northeast China. Colonel Nevelskoy said.

Minister Ivan nodded, he was very clear about the Tsar's intentions in northern China. As early as when he took office, the Foreign Minister, Count Niechel Rodie, had specifically told him that if possible, he would do his best to promote Russian expansion in the Far East. It's just that there has never been a chance. Now? The war between the Chinese Empire and the Manchus was a good opportunity. However, even with the support of Russia, the Manchus would not necessarily be able to defeat the Chinese Empire! Minister Ivan knew much more about the Chinese Empire than Colonel Nevelskoy, and he did not think that the Manchus had the strength to defeat the Chinese Empire. Although the Manchus also had a new army, and the equipment was not bad. However, the combat effectiveness of these new armies is worth studying.

"Your Excellency Colonel, to be honest, I am not optimistic about Qingguo. In the next war, the Qing people are likely to lose, and they will lose completely. Although their new army has millions of people, I don't think they can compare with the indigenous soldiers of India. When they were in Burma last year, the Chinese sent just over 100,000 troops to wipe out hundreds of thousands of British and Indian troops in one fell swoop. The main forces of the Russian Army can enter China to fight, otherwise it will be difficult for us to defeat the Chinese Empire. Minister Ivan said with some pessimism.

Colonel Nevelskoy nodded, however, he could not fully agree with Minister Ivan's opinion: "Your Excellency, the Manchus are not without opportunities. They had 200,000 cavalry, and although the combat effectiveness of these cavalry was far from comparable to that of the Cossack cavalry, it was quite good. In addition, Russia was ready for war against the Chinese Empire. The Far East has already begun to mobilize, and the final force will reach 50,000 troops. The 100,000-strong army from Europe is already on its way, and it is expected that it will be in two months to reach the Far East. Among these 100,000 men were 50,000 elite Cossack cavalry. We dispatched 150,000 people, plus 1 million people from the Qing Kingdom, how can we defeat the Chinese Empire! ”

"Cossack cavalry? His Majesty the Tsar was willing to throw Cossack cavalry into the Chinese battlefield? Minister Ivan was taken aback. The Cossack cavalry was the ace force of the Russian Army, and its combat effectiveness was extremely strong. If you fight in the plains, it is enough to defeat several times the enemy. Fifty thousand Cossack cavalry plus two hundred thousand Manchu cavalry, this was undoubtedly a terrible force. Minister Ivan began to believe that, with the support of Russia, the Manchus could win alive. In this way, the situation in the Far East will change completely. Russia will also reap huge benefits in the Far East.

"Yes, Your Excellency, it should be clear from this that His Majesty the Tsar is determined!" Colonel Nevelskoy said.

"Yes, it is undoubtedly wise for His Majesty the Tsar to throw so many troops into the Far East. If we can succeed, we will get a new round of expansion. In particular, the ice-free ports that we have longed for a long time, and even more so in the Far East, we can easily obtain them from the Qing State. Minister Ivan said excitedly. He seems to have seen hope of victory.

"Your Excellency, I need to meet with the high-level officials of the Qing Kingdom, can you arrange it for me?" Colonel Nevelskoy asked.

"Of course, Your Excellency Colonel, I'll go and prepare. You can rest for a while, and it is estimated that we will be able to meet with the officials in charge of foreign affairs of the Qing State tomorrow. Minister Ivan said confidently. In the Qing Kingdom, the diplomats of these great powers enjoyed the treatment of human beings. After the Manchu Qing Dynasty was defeated many times, they regarded these foreign adults as objects that they did not dare to provoke, and they were completely offered as ancestors. Based on this, Minister Ivan did not want the Manchus to be destroyed by the Chinese Empire, in that case, where would he find such a good errand?

"Then please leave it to Your Excellency, Minister!" Colonel Nevelskoy said.

After Minister Ivan left, Colonel Nevelskoy began to say to himself to a map of the Far East hanging on the wall: "Xinjiang, Mongolia and the Northeast will belong to great Russia!" The glory of God will shine on this land! ”

On April 26, 1846, Ivan, the Russian minister to the Manchus, and Colonel Nevelskoy, the special envoy of the Governor of the Far East, Muravyov, took a carriage to visit the Manchu military minister, Seshana. Yesterday they had already made an appointment, and Cezanne invited them to afternoon tea.

Saishan's current official position is the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and he sits in the Foreign Affairs Yamen. The Foreign Affairs Yamen was a department established by the Manchus to deal with the Manchus' foreign relations and spy on Western intelligence. Saishana was the first secretary of the foreign affairs yamen.

In Hua Yuan, the foreign affairs yamen, Seishan, dressed in official uniform, met with Ivan, the Russian minister to the Manchus, and Colonel Nevelskoy, the special envoy.

"Your Excellency, good afternoon, it's been a long time, you still have the same style!" Seshan's face was full of smiles. Although he was already a member of the Manchu Dynasty, in front of the Russian envoy to the Manchu Dynasty, he seemed to be a section shorter out of thin air, and his posture was very low.

"Good afternoon, Lord Sai. Let me introduce to you, this is a special envoy sent by the Russian Far East Governor-General, and this time he came to Beijing to discuss important matters with the Qing government! Minister Ivan looked indifferent.

"Ah, it turned out to be Your Excellency the Special Envoy, hello hello!" Cézanne had an old face, smiling like a chrysanthemum.

Colonel Nevelskoy was a little uncomfortable, he had already known about Sezana's official position from Minister Ivan's mouth, which was equivalent to a big man like the Russian Foreign Minister, and he was a little flattered by such enthusiasm as a small colonel like him. At the same time, he is also looking forward to this trip to Beijing.

"Hello Sai Interruption!" Colonel Nevelskoy said.

They were then greeted by a warm welcome to enjoy tea and pastries prepared exclusively by the chef of the palace's imperial dining room. The delicious pastries almost made Colonel Nevelskoy swallow his tongue, and in the icy and snowy East Siberia, they ate very simple food, and it was a supreme delicacy to be able to eat a meal of roast lamb. And these Qing people can even make such delicate and delicious pastries with afternoon tea, which makes Colonel Nevelskoy a little unimaginable. (To be continued......)