Chapter 205: The Ministers' Quarrel of Words (2)

Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili, received the order and said: It is a covenant made by Chonghou, although there are troubles in the future, if it is not allowed, the future troubles will be even more serious. The right to act cheaply, and to act on behalf of the country. If you allow it first and then turn it, its song is mine. Suddenly turn the tables, and the provocation will start from me.

The border between China and Russia is about 10,000 miles, and once the military provocation is launched, it is impossible to prevent it, and it is feared that its demands will not be obtained only according to the current proposal. Britain, Germany, France, Japan and other countries will wait for the opportunity to move.

After Hongzhang played, the more he thought about it, the more panicked he became, and sent a letter to Prime Minister Yamen: The Russian emperor missed the reconciliation between the two countries for many years, so he agreed to return Ili; If I discuss the change, I will not allow it. Looking at the Chongzhi Covenant again, those who suffered a little were only in the open space between the two mountains south of Ili. If you break with it rashly because of this, it is deeply worrying. I implore my king's ministers to preside over the plan, and not to be confused by the rumors.

Prince Gong received the letter, saying that Shen Guifen, Minister of Military Aircraft, said: Since the agreement with the Russians has been agreed, it will be harmful to them, otherwise it will be harmful to it.

Shen Guifen sighed: Shen Mou's eyes are narrow, his recommendation is not virtuous, he harms the country, and he deserves death!

Yi Xun said: In all fairness, compared with the children of the cage and the bird who has nothing to do, Wanyan is the leader of the Eight Banners, and Lord Shen does not need to blame himself!

Huang Tifang, a scholar at the Hanlin Academy, was unworthy of Prince Yaliang, and angrily denounced Chonghou for being arrogant and misleading the country, and not killing was not enough to relieve the hatred of the people.

Zeng Guoquan, the governor of Shanxi, asked Chonghou to be killed to thank the countrymen.

The Department of Economic Affairs and Economic Affairs also opposed the covenant and said angrily: The Russians are insatiable, and this covenant cannot be allowed, and it can be said that it is wrong and stupid. If this is the case, the empty name of the word Ili will be gained, and the reality of 20,000 miles of Western Xinjiang will be lost. Therefore, the cardinal did not dare to speak out about the changer, for fear that once the contract was changed, it might provoke a provocation.

The crowd was uproaring, and the queen mother of the two palaces hesitated.

Empress Dowager Ci'an said: The military aircraft and the prime minister, the Yamen Wang, etc., have not had much to say recently; During the court discussion, the hundreds of bureaucrats did not care about each other, and they looked at each other, mixed with a group of geese and duck ears.

Empress Dowager Cixi sighed: After Mu Zong, Yi Lao Liu will no longer specialize; After Wen Xiang's death, the cardinals did not have a foreman; Li Hongzao Ding worries about the value; Bao Jun specializes in floating talk, regardless of facts; Even if Jing Lian has words, it is inconvenient to be a pawn. The dispute between Ili and Ryukyu has dragged on for more than a year and has not yet been resolved; is all because Shen Guifen recommended non-people and did not do anything.

Empress Dowager Ci'an said: Russia, the wolf is not a wolf, and the dispute with them has been unresolved for a long time, and it is difficult to sleep and eat!

Empress Dowager Cixi said: The Military Aircraft Department, the Prime Minister's Yamen, and all the cardinals are trying to avoid things! Quickly spread the decree, the prince, the prince, the former minister, the six ministries, and the Inspectorate discussed the covenant with Russia and the three major ends of border defense, salary raising, and talent storage. When the two kings of Xuan and alcohol discussed with the ministers, the prime ministers, the ministers of the Yamen kings, all the ministers, and the military planes and the prime ministers, also avoided them. The verses played by Li Hongzhang and the ministers were quickly copied and replayed by Zuo Zongtang.

The two kings of Xuan and alcohol discussed with the ministers for half a month, and there was nothing to say.

The Department of Economic Affairs and Economic Affairs washed the horse and Zhang Zhidong again: the West scratches my government, the East thinks of opening the territory, and now the Russians are provocative, if they endure it, from then on all countries are forced to come, as for the unbearable, let the unyielding, what will be helpless?

Zuo Zongtang received the order and recited: Since Russia stole Ili, it has been doing things to the detriment of China and the West every day, and the accumulation has been deep. This noble envoy is the beginning and the discernment. If I still respond with vague and ambiguous views, I will retreat and advance to the other, and I will bow down to the other, and the disaster will be stopped, not only the worries of the northwest.

Li Hongzhang's words are like quack doctors curing ruffians, only looking at the present, but not daring to use sharp medicines, then the ruffians will always be the same as people, and there is no hope that he will be sick and strong one day. Today's situation between China and Russia, why is it different!

The matter of Sino-Russian Ili, the reason, the reason lies with me; In terms of potential, the momentum is not short. I only hope that the internal and external parties will adhere to the decision, agree on the same opinion, choose a person who can distinguish and know the affairs of the West, and follow the edict to deal with it.

Zeng Jize, the son of Zeng Guofan and the first-class Yiyong Marquis, has a history of classics, poetry, actuarial arithmetic, Xiaoxi literature, and has learned through China and the West, and can take on heavy responsibilities!

The discussion with the Russians is tactful and opportunistic, and the tongue is really not available, so it is followed by force, and when they exhaust their own profits, they will have an opportunity.

Weichen's head is white on the border, ten years of westward expedition, rolling wind and dust, decay and disease invasion, day and night, almost no interest, looking at Nanyun from afar, unintentionally out of Xiu, overwhelmed by envy.

However, Lin Wenzhong said that if the country lives and dies for the benefit of the country, it will not be avoided because of misfortune and fortune. If the war breaks out, the ministers should be brave and charged, and they will be shorter and longer than the Russians.

Over the past few months, the Minister of Military Aircraft, the Prime Minister's Yamen, the Six Ministries and the Nine Secretaries, and the General Governor's Governor, have made their speeches deeply clear and clear, which is enough to break the hearts of outsiders; Those who should be declared shall also be declared. The Grand Duke of the World, why is it a secret? If it is made public, it can be seen and heard.

The two palaces are connected, and the message is swift: what Zuo Qing Zongtang said, the insight is clear, and the deep middle is required. The governor said that the first thing to discuss and the decisive battle array is to use the meaning of rigidity and softness, and all the border defense matters in the north and south of western Xinjiang are arranged in advance by the governor for emergency purposes. In the future, when the opportunity is appropriate, the governor will be able to coordinate the overall situation and plan before acting.

The treaty negotiated between Chonghou and Russia was not ratified because it violated discipline and exceeded its authority, and it was difficult to impede its implementation. Zeng Guoquan and Huang Tifang played very decently; Chonghou humiliated the country and misled the country, and immediately dismissed from his post and handed over to the Criminal Department for punishment. At the invitation of Zuo Zongtang, Zeng Jize, the Chinese minister to Britain and France, the first-class Yiyong Marquis, and the young secretary of Dali Temple, concurrently served as the minister in Russia, and the rank of minister was sent to Russia to renegotiate.

When the Russian envoy to the Qing Dynasty, Kaideyang, heard the news, he was furious and quickly sent a note: This has no spirit of contract and does not conform to international practice. All disputes arising therefrom, including but not limited to war, must be fully held responsible by the Qing government.

Because it is inconvenient to follow the agreement, the envoy will be asked to deal with it strictly. The envoys of France, the United States and Germany in China were also very angry and sent letters of questioning one after another.

When the Queen of England learned of this, she immediately ordered the British Minister to go to the Prime Minister's Yamen and ask for forgiveness for the sins of Chonglu.

On April 9, 1880, the head of the General Taxation Department of the Qing Dynasty, Hede, sent a telegram to Premier Yamen and Li Hongzhang: The Russians were about to send warships to China and go straight to Dagukou.

As soon as the war broke out, Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili, was very panicked, and immediately sent a letter to Prince Gong, asking for forgiveness and repetition to consolidate diplomatic relations. Four days later, Li wrote again: Hongzhang does not dare to avoid slander, nor is he afraid of using soldiers, but he thinks that the handling of foreign affairs is the main thing, and the current rumors of the East and West are bound to cause provocations.

Liu Kunyi, the governor of Liangjiang, took this as a good opportunity to turn around, and he should not miss it and strongly support the Li family.

Guo Songtao, the former minister to Britain and France, also said: When the state handles foreign affairs, it should be righteous in the name of doing things, and it should not be in the name of provoking and building troops.

Prince Gong judged the situation and played with the ministers of military aircraft and said: As far as the Chinese government is concerned, what does it have to do with outsiders if the ministers are guilty of their due crimes? However, when it comes to negotiations, there are those who cannot but have the right to take measures according to the conditions of the times. Pardon and reverence are not enough to defeat the Russians, but it is enough to make the British and French good.