Another World: Naval Storm

During the negotiations, several telegrams sent by the Tsar to Witte were intercepted by Japan.

The content of the telegram showed that the Tsar's bottom line was to cede Sakhalin Island, but without a penny. If Japan insisted, then there would be no negotiations and he would return home to prepare for another fight.

Although the Japanese deciphered the Tsar's telegram and obtained key information, the Japanese were not happy because the Tsar did not give in, but was very tough, that is, he would not give money, but wanted money in exchange for his life!

At that time, Japan's annual fiscal revenue was about 2 million yen, but the war between Japan and Romania cost at least 15 billion yen, not counting the losses caused by the attack on Japan's homeland. Japan fought with all its might. If there was not enough money to replenish it, Japan might collapse at any time, which is why Japan had to pay compensation.

After learning the bottom line of the Rakshasa Empire, Aoki Shuzo had no choice but to adjust his negotiation strategy. When they met again, he put forward a new proposal.

"Mr. Witte, if the Rakshasa Empire is willing to cede the entire Sakhalin Island, then we are willing to reduce the amount of compensation accordingly!" Aoki Shuzo said tentatively.

"Sorry, compensation is not a topic that can be discussed! Sakhalin Island can be discussed!" This proposal was rejected by Witte on the spot, but he did not block it. This is the negotiation skill. Some things can be discussed and negotiated, but some things cannot even be discussed. Witte showed that his bottom line cannot be violated, but also said that he could make concessions in some aspects.

Aoki Shuzo reported the situation to the Emperor and the Cabinet. He explained in the telegram that this might be the bottom line of the Russian Empire, and asked them to give a quick answer. After the Emperor and the Cabinet exchanged opinions, if the Russian Empire was willing to cede the southern part of Sakhalin Island to Japan, Japan could also agree to reduce the indemnity.

This time Witte agreed, so Aoki Shuzo struck while the iron was hot and immediately facilitated the peace talks. Therefore, the Treaty of Pompey was officially issued. The general content of the treaty is that the Russian Empire recognizes that Japan enjoys political, economic and military privileges in Goryeo, and the Russian Empire shall not interfere. The Russian Empire will transfer the concession rights and affiliated privileges of Ma Shijin obtained from Xunyang to Japan. The Russian Empire will transfer the South Manchuria Railway and its branches, rights, coal mines, etc. obtained by Japan to Japan free of charge. The Russian Empire ceded Sakhalin Island south of 50 degrees north latitude to Japan, and agreed that the Japanese would operate fisheries along the coast of the Russian Empire. Both the Russian and Japanese sides stationed road guards along their respective railways, with no more than 15 people per kilometer.

However, when announcing the peace treaty, Aoki Shuzo proudly announced in the tone of the Japanese official, "In view of the difficult life of the people of the Rakshasa Empire, in order not to increase their burden, Japan is willing to unilaterally give up all compensation."

"The Japanese are so hypocritical! What they said is so interesting!" The Tsar was amused by Japan's official declaration in the Kremlin.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the Japanese appear to be powerful but are actually weak. They dare not continue fighting!" Witt sneered.

"Haha, my dear, your idea is really good!" The Tsar praised Witte for the first time.

After the war between Xunyang and Japan, when the Prime Minister of Xunyang went to Japan for negotiations, the Queen Mother of Xunyang also sent him a telegram, which was also intercepted by Japan.

The content of the telegram was the Xunyang government’s bottom line in the negotiations: if we really can’t reach an agreement, then just sign the treaty!

The Ito Cabinet, which had originally planned to give in, realized the bottom line of the Xunyang government and therefore held on to it, forcing the Xunyang government to pay 2.3 million taels of silver.

This time, the telegram intercepted by the Japanese was deliberately done by the Russians in order to put pressure on the Japanese and make them mistakenly believe that they still had the capital to continue fighting. This time, the Japanese plan to use the compensation to make up for the domestic economy has failed.

"My dear, you have worked hard!" The Tsar spoke in a rare gentle voice.

"For the sake of the empire, a little grievance is nothing?" At this moment, except for the clothes that were intact as before, his face was covered with bruises and a lot of his hair had been pulled out.

After signing the treaty, Witte returned to Russia and immediately became the target of angry people. Although the Tsar was grateful for Witte's contribution, the people did not buy it. They believed that Witte had signed a humiliating treaty and that the war should continue.

Only the Tsar knew that if the war continued, his position would be in jeopardy! After all, there were too many internal and external troubles, and it was already very difficult for the Tsar to stabilize the current situation.

Due to Russia's long-term high-pressure monarchy, the domestic economy progressed slowly compared to European countries. When the Russo-Japanese War broke out, the Russian Empire's treasury could barely support the war. In order to keep the war going, the Tsar had to exploit the people again and again, most of which of course went into the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats, and this behavior directly triggered the St. Petersburg workers' strike in 1905, which involved more than 10 people.

Faced with the workers' strike, the Tsar, as the ruler, did not choose to reflect or appease, but decided to teach the workers a lesson. Some workers and their families took to the streets to petition to end the war and improve their living conditions. During the protest, the Tsar's soldiers opened fire on them, killing about 1000 people on the spot. The Tsar was very angry. The children were disobedient and the consequences were serious.

Faced with the rulers' inhumanity towards their own people, workers and peasants from all over Russia raised the banner of protest, supporting the workers in St. Petersburg, denouncing the atrocities of the Tsar and demanding an end to the Romanian-Japanese War. This directly forced the Tsar to impose martial law throughout the country, with a large number of fully armed soldiers rushing into the grassroots of society to arrest those traitors who protested against the Tsar. For a time, the Russian Empire fell into a national turmoil caused by the reluctance to fight.

In the process of suppressing the rebellion, in addition to the traitors who opposed the Tsar, another group that suffered the most persecution was the Yiddish people. In the process of suppressing the rebellion, the Tsarist authorities magnified the Yiddish conflicts that had lasted for a thousand years in the Russian Empire, hoping to put the blame on the Yiddish people for the national unrest and divert people's dissatisfaction with the Tsarist government. Who made the Yiddish people like to lend money and do business without a strong country to rely on?

On the other hand, the Japanese government originally thought that they would make the people in the country very happy by grabbing so many benefits. But something happened that shocked them. The Japanese people took to the streets to protest and blame the Japanese government. As for the person at the top, of course no one dared to scold him directly, but in a place where no one was around... you know!

The Japanese people can't even afford to eat, so what's the use of the railways and ports that the government has acquired? Can they be exchanged for money? Can they fill the stomachs of the people?