Chapter 41: Defend Taiwan (2)

In Beijing, Russia's attitude of working together with Yakov appeared. In the court, the Chinese emperor met with the ambassador of a friendly neighbor. Yakov expressed the Russian government's concern about the coalition trends and repeatedly stated that the Russian army was conducting exercises on the border. Because Russia's land area was limited, it borrowed from China to hold exercises. The Russian government has always been friendly to China, which is unquestionable. The Russian government has always loved peace. In line with the desire for world peace, Russia hopes to mediate this war for Britain, France and China.

What is Russia? The civil and military officials in the court don’t know, Yang Yi is absolutely clear. Russians love peace? Didn’t they do anything on the Chinese border during the Kangxi period? Over the past hundred years, the Russian government has expanded everywhere by military force. Didn’t it just ended up fighting in Crimea and Britain and France? Yang Yi didn’t say these words in the court, but he felt like a mirror in his heart. Yang Yi understood the purpose of the Russians very well, that is, to continue to say and gain benefits. Historical Russians are just to adjust

It is ridiculous to force the Qing government to sign the Sino-Russia Treaty of Aihui as an excuse and threatening force the Qing government to sign the Sino-Russia Treaty. It is really ridiculous to come to Yang Yi to play this trick. Nowadays, a weak country wants peace, but it is not enough to have a good wish. As an ancient and wealthy country, China is like a delicious cake in the eyes of European powers. Those who don’t eat a few bites are idiots. If you want peace, you must have strong force as a guarantee, otherwise no matter how much peace is talked about, it is empty talk.

Although Yang Yi controlled the government affairs, most of the officials in the court were left behind before. Yang Yi and his subordinates mainly occupied the military system, so let them fight for the others. Yang Yi himself served the Minister of War, and Yang Yi, the Minister of Personnel, suggested that Zeng Guofan be the one who did it. However, because the political situation in Hunan was not very stable, Zeng Guofan had not yet taken office.

Yakov talked about peace in the court, which made the ministers in the court see the hope of a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Britain and France, and all advised the emperor, saying that they could rely on Russian mediation to seek the possibility of peace. Yang Yi was not afraid of the coalition forces, but these ministers were afraid that their wealth and life would be threatened after the coalition forces came. Yang Yi did not make any statement in the court, and these ministers dared not say anything. But they used all their relationships in private and tried to speak in front of Cixi, which made Cixi also moved. Cixi called herself into the palace and explained the minister's opinions. Yang Yi told Cixi that Cixi was a sensible person and immediately knew what the Russians were planning, so she would not say anything more.

Although he knew that the Russians were not kind, in order to stabilize the Russians and avoid fighting on both sides, Yang Yi personally met with the Russian envoy Yakov in his mansion. Yang Yi sincerely asked Yakov to go to Shanghai to discuss the conditions for peace with the coalition forces. Yakov was also planning to discuss with the coalition forces how to deal with China, so he agreed immediately.

In Shanghai, the day after the coalition squadron left to Taiwan, Yakov came to Shanghai and met with Marshal Virginson, Jean and Carmondo.

"Friends, I have brought you good news from Beijing, and the Chinese are scared. Under our strong military pressure, the Chinese are starting to want to negotiate." Yakov couldn't help but say to the two marshals excitedly.

Virkinson was obviously skeptical of Yakov's statement, but as for the Chinese's posture on the battlefield, there was no point in fear. This was simply the intention to fight with the coalition forces. The two marshals had reached a consensus. Now, after hearing what Yakov said, Marshal Karmondo immediately questioned: "Mr. Minister, are you sure that the Chinese want to negotiate? Why don't we see that the Chinese are afraid at all?"

"Oh, dear marshal, you should trust your friends. This matter is absolutely true. Their lord told me in person that they hope for peace and let me mediate." Yakov took out Yang Yi to prove his words.

"Mr. Minister, we would rather see Russian troops appear in Northeast China and threaten Beijing so that we can believe that the Chinese want to negotiate." Virginson said to Yakov without hesitation, showing dissatisfaction with the stagnation of the Russian troops in Northeast China.

Faced with Virginson's accusation, Yakov's face did not turn red, and continued: "Marson Marshal, you should know that the border between China and Russia is very cold now, and the blood is very thick. Our army has taken a lot of effort to advance 100 kilometers." Anyway, no one is in the northeast when Britain and France pass by, and the name is fifty kilometers. Yakov said that no one will come to expose him for 100 kilometers.

Yakov's quibble made Marshal Virginson feel strongly dissatisfied. What a joke, Russians are afraid of the cold. Is Siberia cold enough? Is the Russians still staying well? What is Northeast China? Marshal Virginson asked coldly: "Mr. Minister, your country gathered a hundred thousand troops on the Chinese border half a year ago. It should be said that you have been prepared long ago. What I want to know is how many battles have your army and the Chinese army fought? How many Chinese troops have been eliminated?" Virginson did not give Yakov any face at all and stepped forward.

No matter how nonsense, Yakov could make up a fuss, but the Russian army had never met the Chinese army. The Russian vanguard was still nearly a hundred kilometers away from Nie Shicheng's first line of defense, so why would hesitate? Yakov couldn't make up a word to answer Virginson for a while, so he had to stammer: "This... I'm not very clear about the specific situation. I came too in a hurry and didn't see the military's war report."

Although Marshal Jean was also dissatisfied with the Russians and looked down on the Russian army, they were allies now. Marshal Virginson spoke very strongly and wanted to turn against Yakov. How could this be done? So Marshal Kalmondo quickly came up to smooth things over and said, "Friends, calm down. I hope everyone can restrain themselves."

We cannot blame Marshal Jinsen for being angry. With China's current industrial foundation, if the Three Kingdoms coalition forces work together, although it would not be said to be able to destroy China, at least in the early stages of the war, the Chinese army fighting on both sides would definitely find it difficult to resist the coalition's attack. But now, the coalition forces suffered nearly 10,000 casualties in Guangzhou. After coming to Shanghai, the Navy suffered heavy losses in the Yangtze River. Later, the transport fleet was ambushed in the Taiwan Strait. The coalition forces did not take much advantage in the coastal areas. The British and French coalition forces fought so hard and the two countries spent so much money. But what were the Russians doing? Maybe they are still hunting in Northeast China now?

Although Virginson was angry, he could not turn against Yakov, so he had to follow the words of Marshal Carmondo, "Mr. Minister, please forgive me for my loss of composure. Now let's discuss the next cooperation between the three countries."

In the following conversation, Yakov was much more honest and repeatedly stated that he would convey the request of the two marshals to speed up military operations. Anyway, it would take at least one month to send the letter back to Russia, and one month would be enough for him to play.

Then Yakov asked the coalition forces to expand the war as soon as possible, and it would be best to attack Beijing immediately so as to force the Chinese government to make concessions. The two marshals are now troubled by the transportation of ammunition and food in the army. Since the war started, the coalition forces consumed huge ammunition and were now fully replenished by sea transportation. In the original plan, after arriving in China, most of the food was solved by plundering on the spot. But the current situation is that the Chinese have played a solid wall and cleared the fields. The coalition forces came with a pitiful food, and they brought little food. They wanted to fight Beijing, but once they landed in Tianjin, the supply line was longer and the battle could not be over for one or two months. The coalition forces could not grab food, so how could they fight this battle?

Although it is difficult to fight Beijing, the 100,000 coalition forces landed in Shanghai can make a fuss nearby. After the compromise, the two marshals decided to launch an attack on the nearby Suzhou City in the near future, hoping to grab the food they need, which is also considered to be a cooperation with Yakov's activities in Beijing.

Taiwan, after landing in Keelung, the coalition forces did not immediately launch an attack on the second line of defense that Li Hongzhang had arranged, but stayed at the Keelung front line. Li Hongzhang judged that the coalition forces had no other points to land. Although Kaohsiung could land, it was too far from Keelung. When the coalition forces came over, Li Hongzhang could use the complex terrain of the central mountainous areas to effectively block the attack. The coalition forces were not in a hurry to attack, and Li Hongzhang also happily spent time with the coalition forces and continued to arrange and strengthen his defense lines.

Three days later, Li Hongzhang paid the price for his wrong judgment. The coalition forces divided into four groups, forcibly landed in Kaohsiung, Yilan and Hsinchu, and formed a siege of Taipei. When the news came, Li Hongzhang began to shake. Li Hongzhang's main force was in the Taipei area. Whether Taipei was defending or giving up, Li Hongzhang was hesitant. Give up Taipei, and before the coalition forces were restricted, they withdrew from Taipei before they even encircled Taipei, and entered the central mountainous areas to defend. This was of course the safest, but in this way, the coalition forces could easily suppress Li Hongzhang's troops in the mountains, and the Taiwanese defenders could not threaten the transport fleet of the coalition forces in the strait, and the battle to defend Taiwan was meaningless.
Chapter completed!