Super dictator.

Guizi Liu thought of this, and now he regretted luring the wolf into the house and letting the Russian fleet come to Jiaozhou Bay for the winter. www

He coughed twice, spit out two mouthfuls of thick phlegm, looked at Li Hongzhang, and said with a wry smile: "Now the Russians want to use the name of a business to undertake the construction of our Northeast Railway. What does Shaoquan think?"

Li Hongzhang thought for a while, and said cautiously: "The Japanese are in full swing. They seized Taiwan and took a huge sum of money from me. If you don't seek a strong aid urgently, you may not have the time to breathe for self-improvement. If you want to make a contract for aid, only the Russians The people are the most convenient, the British use business to promote China's interests, the law uses teaching to lure the Chinese people, and the virtues do not border with us, and the United States does not want to fight with people, all of which are difficult to discuss."

Guizi Liu said noncommittally: "Russia, like tigers and wolves, is good at treachery and robbery, how can you trust them so easily."

Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "Russia is indeed a country of tigers and wolves. Refuse to worry about hurting others. Now I can't afford it in Qing Dynasty, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it will devour me. At this time, there are not enough troops to control the Japanese. If you add Russia It is even more worrying, so instead of being suspicious of each other with Russia, maybe we can remove the wariness of both sides and talk openly and honestly, and maybe we can get a helping hand."

Li Hongzhang thought in his heart that he was focusing on the present first. As for the future, he couldn't control so much now. This is tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst and lure wolves into the house.

"Shaoquan means that he agrees with the Russians to build a railway in our territory?" Guizi Liu asked with a frown.

Weng Tonghe snorted coldly and said with a sneer: "Anyone understands that if Russia can build a branch road to China in the near future, the prospect of invading China is really far and wide. Don't you understand this point?"

Li Hongzhang retorted: "When did the old man agree to the Russians building a railway in our territory? The railway matter has a lot to do with it, so we can't agree easily, but we can give some convenience in other aspects."

"Then, may I ask Li Zhongtang, what is he giving some convenience to the Russians?" Weng Tonghe seized the loopholes in his words and continued to ask.

"Any business related to Russia should be handled with discretion and accommodation." Li Hongzhang said with a slightly red face.

"Unexpectedly, Li Zhongtang really betrayed the country and sold his home. Selling Taiwan is not enough, and even now he is still thinking about how to betray the country." Weng Tonghe said sarcastically.

Li Hongzhang was so angry that he said angrily: "How can I, Li Hongzhang, betray the country? The Taiwan matter was agreed by the DPRK and China. You have the ability. Come and tell us how to deal with the simultaneous invasion of Russia and Japan at the same time?"

"My great Qing Dynasty, why worry about not having capable people, as long as the emperor innovates and tries to govern, cultivates martial arts internally, endures hardships, and prepares for daily cultivation, he will surely be able to resist external humiliation. Why get close to tigers and wolves!" Weng Tonghe said unhurriedly.

Guizi Liu saw that the two were about to quarrel again, so he couldn't help changing the subject: "How is the Dingliao army doing now? If the Japanese invade again, can they resist it?"

"My lord, the Dingliao army has only [-] men. Even if Wei Jichen has the power to reach the heavens, he can't use [-] troops to resist the more than [-] new-style troops trained by the Japanese since the Meiji Restoration in a short period of time. " Li Hongzhang sighed and said very helplessly, and then seeing Prince Gong's frown, Li Hongzhang said again: "The Dingliao army has too few establishments, and the other armies in the three eastern provinces are even worse. You can see if you want to expand the establishment of the Dingliao Army, after all, the Russians also intend to seek our Northeast, so we must be prepared."

"At first I thought that the Japanese would retreat, and the land in the Northeast would be at peace. Unexpectedly, after the wolves left, the tiger came again. To deal with the Japanese, I can only pretend to be a snake for the time being. As for the expansion, now recruits are being trained everywhere. It's half a cent and two taels of silver." Guizi Liu made his final conclusion.

Li Hongzhang saw that he could not persuade Prince Gong for the time being, so he could only smile and said, "Your Highness is still very experienced in things."

Weng Tonghe interjected from the side: "My lord, recruits are being trained everywhere now, but we don't know which army has trained better. Why don't we ask several new armies to send some soldiers over, gather together, and come here once. How about the drill, in this way, it will be clear at a glance who is strong and who is weak, and we naturally need to give more support to those who practice well."

Weng Tonghe thought that Yuan Shikai had something to say to himself, so he took the opportunity to bring it up.

Prince Gong's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile: "This is a good idea, we will discuss it later, and now we still have to find a way to solve the railway issue."

Li Hongzhang didn't understand Weng Tonghe's intentions for a while, but when Prince Gong changed the subject, he hurriedly responded: "Since the Russians are clamoring for the urgent defense against Japan and rush to build the Siberia Railway, our country should rush to build a road to connect with it, and the two countries will receive trade agreements." The advantage of the military, then we will build it by ourselves. Presumably, the Russians will have no excuses. Zhou Fu, the general manager of the Fengtian Coal and Iron Bureau, has thought of a way to build the railway by ourselves without spending a penny from the court. The way to control it is in my own hands."

Prince Gong, Weng Tonghe and others were all interested, their ears pricked up, as if they were listening attentively.

Li Hongzhang said unhurriedly: "The method is to collect private shares."

Weng Tonghe said without interest: "There will be no benefits in a short period of time for road construction, how can Xiaomin voluntarily pay for the stock?"

Li Hongzhang said nonchalantly: "Master Weng is too impatient, why don't you let the old man finish talking? If the people don't volunteer to pay, the imperial court can increase the rent shares, rice donation shares, salt donation shares, etc. by the local government. Although it is a mandatory collection, it is different from the previous tax collection. Now we will distribute the shares of the railway to them in exchange for goods, so the common people have nothing to say, and it is not a tax. "

Prince Gong's eyes flickered, and he felt that this matter was very promising, and that in the future, when there was no money to build roads, it could be done in the same way. At this time, the main role of the railway construction in the three eastern provinces was to be able to dispatch troops in time. As for In terms of economic benefits, I really don't know when it will be able to earn back the cost.

Li Hongzhang also said: "The Russians mean to ask us to build a road from Manzhouli to Suifenhe via Harbin, so that it will connect to the Chita section of the Siberian Railway in the west and Vladivostok in the east, so that he can strengthen the domestic and coastal areas. In name, the connection between China and China is to contain Japan. The Russians are aggressive, and this road has to be repaired. Let’s count one section, and we can build other main lines first, and put this section of railway construction last, such as the main railway line from Lushun to Harbin, so that it is convenient to strengthen the troops in our three provinces and dispatch them in time.”

"Shaoquan's words are justified, and this matter will be handed over to the Railway Bureau and the local government for preparation." Seeing that Li Hongzhang solved the current problem with a few words, Prince Gong couldn't help sighing in his heart, this Li Hongzhang is still so smooth in doing things. .

Seeing that they had already decided on the matter, Prince Qing Yikuang couldn't help secretly worrying. Not long ago, the Emperor of Russia approved Werther's suggestion that "If you want to get the lease right in China, you must first bribe the emperor's cronies."

The appropriation was allowed to be used by Cassini, the minister in China, to bribe important officials of the Qing Dynasty, and Prince Qing Yikuang was an important target of Cassini's activities.

Yikuang received a huge amount of bribes, seeing that the matter was about to fall through this time, and the Russians might ask for the huge sum of money back, he couldn’t help but secretly worried. The Russians asked him to help with two things, one was borrowing land to build roads, Another thing is to help the Russian Far East Fleet to survive the winter in China every year.

Although the Russian Far East Fleet can now berth in Jiaozhou Bay, the Zongli Yamen has set a deadline with the Russians for when to withdraw after entering the berth. The Russians only have three years to spend the winter in Jiaozhou Bay.

Therefore, this time Yikuang had to think of a way in this regard, otherwise it would be bad to end up with nothing.

"My lords, my lords, Russian Minister Cassini is asking for an audience outside the door." Wu Tingfen, an official from the Prime Minister's Yamen, entered the door and reported.

Several people shouted in their hearts, the Russian came so fast.

There was no way, when Prince Gong was about to order him to come in, the Russian Minister Cassini, accompanied by an interpreter and entourage, had already barged in.

Prince Gong's face turned completely dark immediately.

"I don't know what the minister is doing here?" Li Hongzhang asked aloud with a slight ache on his face.

As if he didn't see the faces of the Chinese courtiers, Cassini said with a smile: "Except for the problem of the main line and branch line of the Manchuria Railway, our country has no other problems to trouble your country."

Weng Tonghe said coldly: "China will never grant this lease to any foreign country or foreign company. This is a firm and unchangeable decision. Therefore, your ambassador can go back."

Cassini's smile suddenly froze on his face. He could see that he didn't seem to be very popular. The Chinese people's original respect for him had diminished, replaced by a feeling of fear and loathing. .

People who make unreasonable demands like this again and again, no matter who they are, will feel disgusted. What's more, the Prime Minister's Office has now learned about the Russian conspiracy and has decided not to seek skins from tigers.

Cassini saw that the warm words and jokes were no longer effective, so he immediately changed his face and began to intimidate: "You must know that only by doing this in your country can Russia protect China and avoid conflicts with Japan and other countries."

Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "China and Russia have always been good friends of Qin and Jin. If your envoy says this, it will destroy the friendship between the two countries."

Cassini snorted coldly: "It's not that our country disregards our diplomatic relations, but your country disregards its diplomatic relations. The matter of building the railway will help the two countries jointly resist the Japanese invasion, but your country has been pushing back and forth, which is sincerely destroying the relationship between the two countries. friendship."

As soon as Cassini finished speaking, Weng Tonghe asked: "Why did your envoy say that? In order to facilitate transportation with your country, our country has built more than [-] miles of railways by itself. I have no profit at all, and I have used all the power of the whole country to do my best. , This is not for diplomatic relations, why? You are an ambassador, so you really don't care about the general situation!"

Cassini was at a loss for words for a while, and then said after a while: "The railway in your country needs to be completed within six years, otherwise it will be too late."

Prince Gong nodded to express yes.

Cassini had nothing to say anymore, so he threw off his clothes and got up in resentment, without even taking a sip of tea, before leaving, he glanced at Yikuang intentionally or unintentionally.

After Cassini left, Prince Gong was so angry that his chest heaved and he bluntly said that the Russians were too deceitful.

"My lord, the Chinese people have a tough attitude. I'm afraid our hope will come to nothing." Out of the Prime Minister's Office, Ukhtomsky, the director of Daosheng Bank, said worriedly.

Cassini also frowned, and said after a while: "The Chinese take hard things but not soft ones. We must teach them a little lesson, so that they will wake up."