Master Yuan, start!

Perhaps the code to power, or even re-election, lies in this suggestion?

The capitalists were lured in, the people did not object, and the operation of the government was not affected. Now that the federal government had money, the opposition voices in Congress were no longer a threat.

After having these ideas, William McKinley decisively stopped mentioning the issue of borrowing troops for the war and instead began to talk about the friendship between China and the United States.

William McKinley pointed out that the current US government has close ties with China, and the Secretary of Commerce is particularly familiar with East Asia.

Yuan Shikai said that it was all because of America's strong industrial strength. If Carnegie Steel Company had not opened a factory in East Asia, there would be no small military leader like us in Korea today.

After a lot of back and forth conversation, we spent a pleasant afternoon in the Oval Office.

Finally, when Yuan Xiangcheng boarded the train to San Francisco a few days later.

William McKinley introduced the Federal Reserve Act in Congress, establishing the Federal Reserve.

According to the bill, the United States will establish a central bank system consisting of 12 Federal Reserve Banks.

The whole United States was shocked!

At the same time, Europe was also shocked by a piece of news.

German Emperor Wilhelm II announced that his eldest son, Crown Prince Wilhelm, would marry Princess Beatrice, daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

European countries fell into panic. Will the Hanoverian and Hohenzollern dynasties become close again?

As soon as the news of the establishment of the American Federation and the news of the Anglo-German marriage came out, Paris stock prices plummeted 8% in a single day!

Chapter 531: France and Russia cut flesh to feed the eagle

Saint Petersburg, Winter Palace.

Snowflakes were floating outside the window, and the candlelight on the marble pillars, set against the crystal and glass products, made the room extremely bright.

However, this could not conceal the furious mood of the host of the house. In front of the guests, he could not help but roar:

"All those Jewish capitalists who change their minds with the wind should be hanged!"

Even in front of French Foreign Minister Delcassé, Nicholas II was extremely emotional.

The St. Petersburg Stock Exchange is the financial center of Russia, and most of the trading assets are industrial stocks and government bonds.

However, since French investors hold a large number of Russian railway and mining stocks, the Russian stock market is extremely dependent on the French stock market, and these stocks are mostly held by Jews.

After the news of the Anglo-German marriage came out, the French stock market plummeted 8% that day and continued to fall 10% the next day. Although it rebounded later, it did not return to the original point. The market fell by about 15%.

Dragged down by the French stock market and delayed news reports, the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange plummeted 7% upon opening today. Some stocks, such as Russian Railways, saw their prices halved.

Stocks plummeted, and Russian government bonds also suffered a spillover effect.

Nicholas II did not believe that stocks could not fall, but the French stock price had only fallen by 15% in total, while the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange fell by 30% in just one day. He did not believe that there was no trick involved.

Especially when he saw the stock price of Russian Railways plummeting by 50%, which was directly cut in half, he cursed the Jews.

Seeing Nicholas II in this state, Russian Prime Minister Sergei Witte said to Nicholas II with concern:

"Your Majesty, the international situation is what is important right now.

The threat of an Anglo-German marriage to us is too great. Although I don't know whether they have formed an alliance, the Germans have not made any moves since the outbreak of the South African War. They are completely bought off by the interests of Indochina."

The Russians were too afraid of Britain and Germany joining forces. One had been a rival in the global hegemony for more than half a century, and the other was a close and extremely powerful neighbor.

These two countries, one navy and one army, have completely defeated Russia.

Looking at the anger and fear of the Russian Tsar and Prime Minister in front of him, Delcassé, who was standing quietly by, knew that France could not stand idly by.

The Russians cannot be allowed to live in fear; they must be given hope.

Otherwise, if Russia backs down, the Franco-Russian alliance will fall apart, and France will face the threat from Germany alone.

After pondering for a moment, Delcas said: “Your Majesty, judging from the current situation, the London government has made concessions, supporting the Germans in acquiring Indochina in exchange for the Germans’ acquiescence in launching an attack on the Boers.

However, this seemingly mutually beneficial transaction encountered problems during the operation.

The British have not yet been able to take over the two Boer republics, while Germany has swallowed up half of the Indochina colony in one gulp, and its warships have docked in the port of Saigon.

There are certainly many people in Germany who do not want Britain's plan to annex the Boer state to go through smoothly, so their support for Britain is bound to be limited.

"Even now that the British and German royal families are getting married, do you still think so?" Nicholas II stared at Delcasser.

"Even if the British and German royal families marry, I still think so!" Delcasser, unafraid of the Tsar's gaze, emphasized again: "Your Majesty, your wife is German, and the mother of German Emperor Wilhelm II is British.

Queen Victoria is the grandmother of all European royal families.

But this does not prevent conflicts and frictions from occurring between Russia and Germany, and between Britain and Germany, right?

I believe there must be unresolved conflicts between Britain and Germany. If we can manipulate them to create hostility, then even if the royal families of the two countries marry, it may not necessarily form an alliance between the two countries!

As a Frenchman, Delcassé was well aware that if Britain and Germany were to unite, it would seriously threaten the core interests of France and Russia. This involved the struggle for dominance over the European continent.

From the collapse of the Vienna system until now, Britain, which has gained absolute global hegemony, has been able to expand around the world without scruples because France has helped it handle European affairs.

The Crimean War prevented Russia from moving southward toward the Ottoman Empire, the United Nations sent troops to the Far East to punish the Qing Dynasty, promoted the unification of Italy to weaken Austria, and sent troops to Prussia to prevent the unification of Germany.

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These things are all examples of cooperation between Britain and France. Although some were successful and some were not, overall, France has always been a good helper to Britain in continental Europe and even the world.

However, after the Franco-Prussian War, especially after the establishment of the French Republican government, cooperation between Britain and France was not as close.

In the past, the British Empire dominated the world with its huge navy, while France relied on following Britain's footsteps and reaping the benefits.

But without the emperor's suppression, the French Third Republic, dominated by nationalism, no longer wanted to follow Britain like a follower.

Coupled with the frequent changes in the French government, it is difficult for the British to find a long-term cooperative partner.

France, which was defeated by the Germans, lost its power to check and balance Europe and became a discarded "chess piece" in the eyes of the British.

As the French Foreign Minister, Delcassé understands this, which is why he is eager to change the current situation in France.

He knew that as a French politician he could not go against public opinion, so he could only look for new helpers internationally.

Russia is the helper France is looking for.

But what no one expected was that after the Franco-Russian alliance, Britain's response was so fierce.

If Britain and Germany continue to deepen their cooperation, once they achieve strategic complementarity, it will have a fatal impact on the core interests of Russia and France.

Therefore, as soon as he learned the news, he rushed to St. Petersburg as quickly as possible, hoping to strengthen Tsar Nicholas II's confidence in maintaining the Franco-Russian alliance.

After hearing Delcasser’s words of persuasion, Nicholas II shook his head: “Mr. Delcasser, we are all aware of the threat of the Anglo-German alliance, and I am also happy to break up this pairing.

But what strategy are you talking about? Although I don’t know what it is specifically, I think the success rate of it being realized is too low. The British are so cunning, they won’t fall into the trap so easily.

We can't just assume, based on speculation, that the Germans, jealous of the British annexation of South Africa, would hinder Britain diplomatically."

Delcas said calmly: "Your Majesty, the marriage between Britain and Germany is based on interests. What interests are they? Indochina.

But how many places like Indochina can Britain find around the world to satisfy Germany's appetite?

Likewise, I believe that even a marriage would not prevent Germany and Britain from becoming enemies if there were sufficient interests involved.”

Listening to Delcassé's remarks, Nicholas II slowly raised his head and said, "Tell me, what is your plan, French?"

"It's very simple!" Delcas recalled the strategy discussed at home before departure and said:

"As long as the Germans are willing to give up their ties with the British, we can not only support them in continuing to build the Baghdad Railway, but we can even extend this railway to the Mesopotamian Basin, the Persian Gulf, Kuwait, Tehran, and even Islamabad!"

"Extend the Baghdad Railway!"

Upon hearing the French's bold plan, before Nicholas II could say anything, Russian Prime Minister Sergei Witte, who was standing nearby and listening, exclaimed.

The Baghdad Railway was built by Germany in order to pursue its eastward policy and extend its influence into the Middle East in its fight for world domination.

In order to connect the European continent, William II intended to build a large railway from Hamburg and Berlin through Constantinople and Baghdad to the Persian Gulf.

Historically, this railway not only allowed German influence to penetrate deeper into Türkiye, but also posed a serious threat to the eastern Mediterranean region and British India, and was opposed and obstructed by France, Russia, and especially Britain.

However, despite the obstacles, Germany built a short section of railway from the Bosphorus Strait to the city of Konya in south-central Türkiye in 1893.

Although the British opposed it, William II at the time did not hesitate to threaten to oppose Britain's interests in Egypt, and eventually forced Britain to make concessions.

It has been more than five years since the railway was completed, and the terminus is at the Turkish border. The Germans did not move further south, and the British did not have any new countermeasures, so the railway was shelved.

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In the original time and space, William II supported the Boers in their anti-British struggle, but in this time and space, William II sold them out to the Boers for the sake of Indochina.

In other words, there has been no conflict between Britain and Germany in recent years.

To some extent, the suspension of the railway also provided the basis for the Anglo-German alliance.

However, anyone can see that the end point of the Baghdad Railway is far more than the Persian Gulf. If possible, the Germans even want to build the railway to New Delhi.

What Delcas has to do is to intensify this conflict that has already been shelved!

"Let the German-built railway pass through the Levant region, the eastern Mediterranean coast, Lebanon, Syria, and the area around Palestine?"

Upon hearing this crazy suggestion, Nicholas II's eyes were full of surprise: "You French, are you willing to pay such a high price?"

French influence in the Middle East is concentrated in the Levant, which is regarded as the land of the rising sun.

The Ottoman rule in the area had been hollowed out by France, which dominated the local situation through Catholic missions and banks.

It can almost be considered a quasi-colony!

But in order to stir up conflict between Britain and Germany, the French were actually willing to allow German railways to pass through this area?

"Even if you are willing to open the Levant region, will the Germans definitely enter?" Nicholas II was skeptical.

This trap is a little too obvious.

"Your Majesty, you worry too much. William II is not as wise as you." Delcas replied confidently:

"If he had been smart, he would not have fired Bismarck, who had devoted his life to Prussia and Germany."

Baghdad Railway Schematic

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Baghdad Railway

As shown in the picture, the blue and red lines are the Baghdad Railway.

The Blue Line section was built before 1893.

The red line section in the book has not yet been built, and historically it was only built in sections before World War II.

The red dotted line is the Eurasian railway envisioned by the Germans, which would go directly to the Persian Gulf and even South Asia, but it was not included in the plan.