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"You're right."

"So, is your country ready to help us in the matter of the Suez Canal?" The Empress Dowager Cixi picked up the Qianlong Ming Yellow Purple Dragon Tuanyun Wanshou Boundless Bowl in her hand, looked at Jonas, took a sip of tea and asked.

"Please ask the Queen Mother to understand our difficulties in this matter." Jonas hesitated, "We can't arbitrarily command Britain and France, and we can't deviate from our policies on the continent on this matter, business is just business." ”

Cixi raised her eyebrows, the Germans are really pragmatic, business is just business, she waved her hand and asked Li Lianying to take the world map on the table, "Bring the map of Africa." ”

Li Lianying took the map of Africa and spread it out on the rosewood table, and the Empress Dowager Cixi pointed to the opposite side of the island of Madagascar, a territory in East Africa, and Southwest Africa, both of which were German colonies, and she drew on the map again, connecting the two places in the middle passage, "Do you want to connect these two colonies together?" ”

Jonas glanced at the map and smiled at the Empress Dowager Cixi, "There are people in this area who have established their own countries, and they are all descendants of Europeans, and they are under the jurisdiction of the British, so it is inconvenient and unqualified for us to rule them." And I would like to say that this place has nothing to do with your country, and I don't think that your country can speak in Africa now, and this kind of discourse needs to be supported by a super powerful fleet. ”

The subtext is that it depends on China's naval strength, so forget it. The Empress Dowager Cixi didn't think it was wrong, after all, he was telling the truth, the current two oceans sailors had not left China's waters at all, competing for global hegemony, and the ability to get involved in Africa, although Cixi had such a dream, but now this reality is unattainable. She smiled and said, "We don't want to interfere too much here, of course, you are right, Ambassador, we don't have the ability to sail this distance, but you should know that in many cases, the most important thing is not weapons and military strength, but something else." ”

"What is it?" Jonas asked politely, although there was a deep sense of distrust in his eyes, of course, what else does this world rely on besides real military strength? What else can you rely on? The so-called diplomacy can only be built on the basis of strong national strength and an elite army.

"News," said the Empress Dowager Cixi with a smile, "is the news, if I say, Mr. Ambassador, this place," she marked the place between German East and Southwest Africa, and this map is very intimately drawn on this area, covered with rice flags, which means that it is under the jurisdiction of the British, "this is the world's largest gold mine, so your country," the Empress Dowager Cixi smiled inexplicably, "is it still not interested in this place?" ”

Jonas stood up, his face changed greatly, as if he was frightened, the Empress Dowager Cixi looked at Jonas with a smile, very satisfied with his reaction, Jonas immediately calmed down and sat down slowly, "Your Highness, how did your country know about this news?" ”

"Of course there is our way."

"But your country is far away from Africa, and it stands to reason that it is impossible for your country to find out about such a secret matter, and since there was a time before, of course, diamond mines were found in this place, but there is no news of gold mines." He was first shocked, and then doubted the reliability of the Chinese's information.

"Your country can be suspicious, but if this opportunity is missed, there will be no second time," the Empress Dowager Cixi said calmly, unconcerned about Jonas's doubts, "This is the largest gold mine in the world, a 500-kilometer-long gold belt, accounting for a quarter of the world's gold reserves. ”

Seeing that the Empress Dowager Cixi had said some data so clearly, Jonas was secretly suspicious in his heart, he looked up at Li Lianying, who was standing on the side, and seemed to suddenly realize, "Your country has known the news of the death of the tsar before, and it seems that your country's news network in foreign countries is very advanced." ”

Cixi smiled and said nothing, "This is our business, it has nothing to do with your country, and I will not be responsible for answering, I can promise you the authenticity of this matter." ”

"That is, the biggest reason for the war between Britain and the Boers is for this gold mine?"

Empress Dowager Cixi was slightly stunned, this German's associative ability is okay, she nodded, "I believe it is because of this, otherwise it would be impossible for the British to have a war with the Boers, and this war has been going on for four years." ”

Jonas looked at the word "Boer" on the map and was silent, his mind churning.

"Boer" is a Dutch word meaning "peasant". The Boers are the descendants of the Dutch, the "sea coachmen" who colonized southern Africa. In 1652, the first Dutch came to Cape in South Africa and established a colony. After more than 100 years of colonization, the Boers have become the main ethnic group in the region.

However, the Boers did not create a monopoly in South Africa. In 1795, the British fleet landed at the Cape, South Africa, and began a century-long war with the Boers in South Africa. After years of conflict, the Boers were forced to migrate northward, establishing the Transvaal and Orange republics in 1852 and 1854, respectively.

In 1867, diamonds were discovered in the Orange River area. The Orange Government immediately declared that the area was under its own jurisdiction. The British colonists vigorously opposed and conspired to annex the two Boer republics. In 1877, the British annexed the Transvaal Republic by force, an act that provoked a violent revolt by the Boers. Until now, the Boer War is still going on.

"Now that the war has been going on for four years, if there really is a gold mine...... Jonas turned slowly, "Your Majesty, is this news reliable?" ”

"Of course it's reliable."

"What about the exact location?"

Empress Dowager Cixi smiled without saying a word, looking at Li Lianying, Li Lianying stood up, "Mr. Ambassador, the Chinese have a saying called 'don't see a rabbit and don't scatter an eagle', there is no truth in vain in everything in the world, if our Empress Dowager told you directly, then your country must think that we are deceiving Germany." ”

"It is impossible for us to offend Britain by a piece of illusory news," Jonas regained his composure, "I am sure Your Majesty can understand our feelings?" ”

"The Dutch have declined, and we will not be naïve enough to think that the Boers will be able to resist the British invasion for four years," the Empress Dowager Cixi said with a smile. ”

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