Master Yuan, start!

Officials and people near the stands also recalled their moments as Chinese men.

Ronglu recalled the scene more than 20 years ago when he and the monk king were at Baliqiao, riding horses towards the British and French under the fire.

Yan Jingming, who was high in the stands, recalled the day when he followed Zeng Guofan to form the Hunan Army, fought fiercely in Hubei and Jiangxi, captured Jiangning, and defended the Chinese Taoist tradition.

Even Cixi recalled how she felt uneasy all day after the death of Emperor Xianfeng, and how she lived in fear under the coercion of Sushun, until she finally joined forces with Ci'an to eliminate Sushun and ushered in the moment when she became the empress of the country.

At this moment, the people of the capital, especially those who witnessed this scene, believed without hesitation that the Qing Dynasty would get better and better, and would surely reverse its past decline and prosper.

The reporter stationed in Beijing was also in the crowd at this moment. He only regretted that he had no painting skills and let people all over the world miss such a shocking scene.

Especially the scene where the horse carries the big banner, it can be said that the general died for his country, but the big banner became a legend.

I could only write furiously, trying to describe the scene before me in words.

No one in the stands had expected that this review would be so breathtaking, especially Cixi. At the age of fifty, she seemed to have returned to the beginning of her entry into the palace, the night when she was canonized as Concubine Yi. It was so exciting and fascinating.

But the one who was more fascinated was undoubtedly Guangxu. He stared at the four people and one horse coming towards him with his eyes wide open, and the only figure in his pupils was Yuan Shikai.

He knew who was the real backbone among these five people. It was not Ronglu who took him out of the city, but Yuan Shikai who led the soldiers to fight fiercely at the city gate!

Although Guangxu was only fourteen years old, the name of Yuan Shikai had been deeply engraved in his mind without him realizing it, and he was also impressed by Yuan Shikai's literary and military strategies.

I wish I could send him to lead the national army right away to attack Russia in the north and resist England in the south.

However, after the passion, we still have to return to reality.

At Yuan Xiangcheng's suggestion, Ronglu stopped being distracted, lightly stepped on his horse's belly, and headed towards the highest reviewing stand.

Everyone in the stands held their breath and watched Ronglu's steps intently.

Until he approached the stands, turned over and dismounted, performed a neat thousand moves, and then knelt on his knees with his arms stretched forward.

"Report to the Holy Mother Queen Mother, report to Your Majesty, the five armies of Jiashen have returned victorious!

Your Majesty, please review it!"

With his head lowered to the ground and his buttocks raised to the sky, he said the most heroic words but did the most humiliating actions.

Yuan Xiangcheng thought to himself, it’s a good thing I gave you this opportunity to show off.

Seeing this scene, the pride and arrogance of some members of the Red Confucian Society standing in the queue suddenly disappeared.

Sure enough, this is the Qing Dynasty that the chief instructor said was beyond salvation.

The escaped queen mother was bossing around from the high platform, while the commander who fled the battlefield was kneeling and asking for reward.

However, the eyes of the other soldiers in the Jiashen Five Armies were still burning with eagerness, looking at Ronglu's back.

In my heart, I only think of "conferring titles to my wife and children" and "promoting my position and giving me a higher rank". Da Ba Wuqi Lu Lu San Si Si Er Xiao Fun: A husband is nothing more than this.

"Rise up, Ronglu! The danger in the capital has been overcome this time. Your five armies of Jiashen have made great contributions. Your official positions and rewards will be announced soon. Work hard. The court will never treat meritorious people unfairly."

The military parade did not end until the afternoon. The soldiers, whose relatives and friends were among the onlookers, immediately ran towards the crowd, wanting to share the joy of surviving the disaster.

The Han, Zhan, Ke and Dao officials, as well as the candidates in Beijing, who were shocked by such a grand scene, also gathered to discuss. Some even wanted to invite one or two commanders to talk about their anti-French deeds.

Only Yuan Xiangcheng squinted his eyes and looked at a carriage coming against the crowd returning to the city in the distance.

When most of the people had dispersed and only a group of cardinal officials were left, a man with blond hair and white skin got off the carriage. It was none other than the Inspector General of Customs and Excise, Hart.

What was supposed to come, finally came.

Chapter 62 Tit-for-tat Negotiations

The original British ambassador to China was Lord Elgin, but he died suddenly of malaria in early March this year. The temporary ambassador to China, Eugene, had just arrived in China and was not familiar with the power dynamics and interest entanglements within the Qing court.

Therefore, Eugene had to ask the then British Inspector General of Customs, Robert Hart, to lead the negotiations.

Hart had long intended to intervene in the internal affairs of the Qing Dynasty. After failing in his attempt to control the Beiyang Fleet a few years ago, he had been looking for opportunities. Therefore, he was naturally happy to accept the commission from Eugen.

So, at Hart's suggestion, the location of the negotiations was moved from the French Embassy advocated by the French Minister to the British Embassy.

Although colonial powers in China, such as Britain and France, had not yet proposed the so-called "principle of unity among the great powers" in later generations, they would still maintain the necessary tacit understanding in their overseas colonial activities unless their interests were involved.

French Minister Badno was naturally happy to give him this favor, so he came to the British Embassy early in the morning to wait.

After obtaining the approval of Prince Chun, Prince Li and others in Nanyuan, Hed found Yuan Shikai to participate in the negotiations.

The reason why Wu Hede was looking for Yuan Shikai this time was because Li Hongzhang specifically asked for the person.

As for Li Hongzhang, after arriving in Beijing, he contacted the French at the suggestion of Cixi and several military officials to discuss how to end the war.

The Sixth Company did not participate in the Nanyuan military parade and went directly to the British Embassy.

The embassy district in Dongjiaomin Lane did not suffer much from the war and still maintains the original appearance of Western-style buildings, with only some bricks and tiles falling off.

When Xiangcheng walked into the house, he saw the French envoy Badno talking to Li Hongzhang with saliva flying all over his body.

To be honest, Yuan Shikai didn't expect Li Hongzhang to be so well-mannered. For Li Hongzhang at this moment, "swallowing a spit in the face" was not just a description, but a picture.

"Mr. Li Hongzhang, on behalf of the French government, I lodge the most serious protest to your country. I ask you to give France an explanation for your country's arrest of a large number of French soldiers.

2. Each of the dead soldiers must be compensated with francs, otherwise the great French people and the French government will let you see what an unyielding Gallic rooster is! "

Well, right from the start, they used their ultimate move, war blackmail.

When Yuan Xiangcheng saw that the French Minister Baudon protested and asked for compensation but did not mention the invasion at all, he thought in his heart that the French were worthy of being an old power and were very good at putting accusations on others.

Li Hongzhang immediately said slowly, "Ambassador Badnot is wrong. Less than one-third of the captured French troops were French nationals. Do the subjects of other countries also come under the jurisdiction of the French government? Moreover, why would French nationals be captured on Qing territory?"

Of course, Li Hongzhang was unwilling to pay compensation. After all, it was a French general who was captured this time, and the court could be considered to have won a victory.

Although Taiwan is still in the hands of the French, we cannot just give in to the French right away. Otherwise, subsequent treaties will be even more difficult to negotiate.

Seeing Yuan Xiangcheng come in, the two of them tacitly took a break and stopped talking.

Hurd also took the opportunity to ease the atmosphere, asked the staff in the museum to serve each person a cup of tea, and said that it was just a pre-meeting consultation and not to hurt the harmony.

After a while, Li Hongzhang took a sip of tea and pointed at Yuan Xiangcheng who was sitting behind him with an admiring look and said, "Ambassador Badno, do you know who this is?"

After asking the question, he started answering on his own without waiting for Badno to speak.

"This is Yuan Shikai, who captured your general Courbet outside Beijing. He is not only accomplished in military affairs, but also has a deep understanding of the political economy of European countries.

Mr. Badno, let him talk to you next."

Badno secretly cursed Li Hongzhang, the old fox. All the things he had said before were nonsense. At the same time, he could only turn his attention to Yuan Shikai.

Yuan Xiangcheng was a little surprised. He originally thought that he was participating in the negotiations, but he didn't expect that Li Hongzhang actually wanted him to lead the negotiations?

Could it be that this old guy doesn't want to take the blame and wants me to share it for him? Yuan Xiangcheng had to use the worst malice to speculate Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang seemed to see what Yuan Xiangcheng was thinking. He turned to Yuan Xiangcheng and said, "Weiting, it was only after the Sino-French War that I realized how little I knew about Western affairs. I have been immersed in Western affairs for more than ten years, but I still don't have the thorough analysis you have provided in your articles.

"But the court has appointed me as an envoy this time, and I can only do my best. The negotiations for the treaty are complex and involved. You are well-versed in both Chinese and Western culture, and you have many strategies and advice. You can proceed with confidence. The final terms will be decided by me."

These words were very generous. After the Sino-French War broke out, Li Hongzhang felt that his ability was not good enough, so during the negotiations, he wanted Yuan Shikai to give more opinions and suggestions, and he would make the final decision in the end.

Regardless of whether Li Hongzhang was really so free and easy or had some bad intentions, Yuan Shikai had to do as he was told.

With the endorsement of the Lord Zhongtang, Yuan Xiangcheng immediately got into the mood: "Your Excellency, please be careful with your words. I think the high officials in Paris and you know better than us Chinese how these soldiers were arrested in China. It is better not to speak nonsense in front of outsiders."

After saying that, Yuan Xiangcheng looked at Hart who was sitting at the other end of the negotiating table and signaled Badno not to lie with his eyes open.

"What's more, it was your country that first invaded Taiwan, Zhejiang, and Tianjin. Our country was only forced to fight back. Even if these soldiers died on the battlefield, it was their crime that they deserved. Why should our country compensate the invaders?"

Yuan Xiangcheng thought the French were crazy. According to the current exchange rate, 25 francs to 1 pound, 1 pound is approximately equal to 7 grams of gold.

If we follow the French standards, each person would have to pay 280 grams of gold as compensation. After the Sino-French War, including the French who died in Zhennan Pass, the compensation was nearly one ton of gold.

However, Badno clearly had no awareness of being a loser, and stood up again and said:

"That's because Qing soldiers occupied Shanxi, Bac Ninh and other places in Vietnam for no reason. When the French army expelled the Qing soldiers to protect Vietnam's territorial integrity, they were counterattacked. So they retaliated by invading Taiwan!"

"Oh? I wonder when the French government became a protectorate of Vietnam. They are so selfless in defending the territory of a small country thousands of miles away in the Far East."

"As early as August 1883, 8, France signed the Franco-Vietnamese New Peace Treaty with the Vietnamese court and obtained the right to protect Vietnam. This was signed and recognized by the Vietnamese government." Badno was able to sit at the negotiating table because he had made sufficient preparations.

"Vietnam is a vassal state of China. I wonder what right the French government has to bypass the Qing Dynasty, the suzerain, to sign a treaty with a vassal state. Will the treaty be submitted to China for review?"

Hearing Yuan Xiangcheng's question, Badno sneered and pointed at Li Hongzhang beside Yuan Xiangcheng and said:

"On May 1884, 5, the gentleman next to you, Li, signed a simple treaty with Lieutenant Commander Foulno in Tianjin, recognizing that France could occupy all of Vietnam."

Li Hongzhang coughed awkwardly upon hearing this. The treaty was originally intended to appease the French and the imperial court, but he never expected it would become key evidence in the hands of the French.

There was no other way but to look at Yuan Xiangcheng for help.

Chapter 63 I am a friend of the British Empire!

How could Yuan Shikai be unprepared? Since the French were not very reasonable, he planned to follow their example.

"The Brief Treaty has not been recognized by our central government. It is only a treaty of intent signed by local officials. Therefore, it cannot be used as evidence that France has obtained the right of protection over Vietnam!"

If he were to play rogue, the French would do it, and so would Yuan Baxiangcheng. No matter how powerful the Governor of Zhili was, he could only claim that he was a local official.

In May 1884, on the eve of the Battle of Mawei, Li Hongzhang, then Governor-General of Zhili, did sign a brief treaty with French Navy Lieutenant Commander Foulneau in Tianjin in order to resolve the Sino-French War.

However, due to his usual conciliatory and laissez-faire character, he did not confirm or explicitly oppose some of the clauses, but simply shelved them and did not report them to the Central Military Affairs Council for Cixi to know.

Until the Battle of Mawei broke out, they had to put it aside and prepare to meet the enemy.

Therefore, Yuan Shikai seized this loophole and now refuses to admit that the court had agreed to this treaty. At most, it is a memorandum of intent.

Recruitment book 975874 4

Badno was also a little surprised when he heard this. He seemed to see the shadow of a European professional diplomat in the young man in front of him.

When you are right, you will not give in; when you are wrong, you will find loopholes in the terms and make trouble.

Seeing that the negotiations were reaching a deadlock, Hurd suggested that they adjourn the meeting today, let everyone rest for a while and discuss the matter again later.

Seeing this, both Li Hongzhang and Badnow expressed their agreement. The two sides agreed on the time for the next negotiation and then said goodbye to each other.

Badno needs to contact the Paris authorities to ask about the bottom line of the negotiations and how much support he can get.

The British had long ago stretched a telegraph line eastward from Singapore, east of which were East Asian cities such as Saigon, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Nagasaki.

To the west, it connects to India, passing through the Middle East and the Mediterranean and finally reaching the British mainland.

So Badno could easily contact the French government through the British lines. In just a few minutes, the telegram could cross thousands of mountains and rivers and reach the desk of the French Prime Minister.

Badno was busy sending a telegram, and Li Hongzhang and Yuan Xiangcheng also walked out of the British Embassy one after another.