Chapter 31 Sino-Russian mediation is worth more

In 1871, when Russia took advantage of Agubai to invade Xinjiang, it sent troops to occupy Ili, Xinjiang.In 1878, Governor Zuo Zongtang wiped out the forces of Agubai and recovered most of the territory in Xinjiang, leaving only Ili occupied by Tsarist Russia.The Qing government pondered over and over again and decided to resolve it through diplomatic means, so they sent Chonghou to Russia to negotiate on the return of Yili. On August 15th in the fifth year of Guangxu (1879), China and Russia signed the Treaty of Livadia, and a large area of ​​land in the south of Ili fell into the hands of Tsarist Russia. China also paid Russia five million rubles as the cost of defending the city; , Russia also obtained many commercial privileges.The treaty has caused enormous damage to China's sovereignty and interests.But Chonghou signed the land cession and indemnity treaty, and returned to China privately without waiting for the imperial court's order.

The imperial court was naturally unsatisfied with such a result, and ordered Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, Shen Baozhen and others to recover their losses.On the fifth day of October of the same year, Li Hongzhang made a suggestion to the imperial court, saying that although the signing of the treaty had brought great damage to China, once China violated the contract, it would be ridiculed by all countries and should be approved. At this time, the ruling and opposition parties knew that Chonghou's negotiations with Russia had failed, so they mobilized and attacked.Chonghou was dismissed pending trial, and was later ordered to be executed.At the same time, Zeng Jize took on the task of going to Russia for further negotiations.

However, Russia did not agree to renew the treaty at all, and put on a posture of threatening force.British Minister Wade told Li Hongzhang: Russia has increased its troops and persuaded the crime of Chonghou to be reduced, so Britain can mediate Russia and make it receive special envoy Zeng Jize. Li Hongzhang replied: Normally, if there are five impeachments, you can lose the official, and if you have fifteen to twenty impeachments, you can be killed. The queen mother can not offend Chonghou, but now there are forty people. Ask Chonghou to be beheaded to thank the world, Chonghou's life is at stake.

In order to prevent China from reneging on the treaty, Russia used China's unfriendliness as an excuse to dispatch troops and generals to carry out military threats.The Russian navy sent an additional fleet to threaten Dagukou; the garrison in Ili also increased by 10,000 people, and 12,000 Russian troops were stationed on the border of Vladivostok. The Sino-Russian war was almost imminent. At this time, Shen Guifen, Minister of Military Aircraft, was afraid that she would be implicated in recommending Chonghou to negotiate with Russia, so she turned gray all night. Li Hongzhang still did not give up his idea. In order to prevent Prince Gong from supporting the main war faction, which would cause the two countries to fight each other, he secretly wrote to him, saying: the army is not strong, and the outside is strong and the middle is dry. It is deeply worrying to set up a break with Russia.Shang Qijun is in charge of the big plan, don't be swayed by rumors, this is the luck of the overall situation.It is hoped that Chonghou can be dealt with leniently, so as to ease the emotions of both parties and create conditions for the resumption of negotiations.On the other hand, he suggested to Prince Gong to step up preparations and plan to purchase ironclad ships to consolidate coastal defense.

At this time, the British minister reported to China that France hoped that China and Russia would go to war to reap the benefits of fishermen, and proposed that Britain should support China. China also knows that the big powers will be jealous of the Sino-Russian dispute and take advantage of it. Facing the critical situation, the Zongli Yamen began to actively prepare for the war, and invited Gordon to China in the name of Li Hongzhang to help resolve disputes in China. The Russian government protested to the United Kingdom against Gordon going to China to help the war, and the United Kingdom did not want to be directly involved in the dispute, so it prohibited Gordon from assisting China.

Therefore, Gordon set off from England in the name of helping China and not helping the war. In order not to offend Tsarist Russia, the British minister asked Hurd to tell Gordon not to meet Li Hongzhang. However, Gordon still met Li Hongzhang in Tianjin.The two had fought side by side during the suppression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and they had a close friendship.Li Hongzhang told him that he advocated a peaceful solution to the problem.So Gordon went to Beijing to meet with Prince Chun Yixuan and officials from the Prime Minister's Office, and advocated peace talks.He persuaded the Qing government to give up and the Russians could occupy Beijing within two months.Yizhen proposed that the Dagu Fortress could prevent the Russian army from landing, while Gordon argued that the Russians could seize it by land. Gordon also accused Prince Chun of being ignorant of geography, and even the translators dared not translate.In the end, Gordon warned: If you fight Russia, you will pay compensation and cede territory in the future, and your losses will be greater than today.

Gordon went to Tianjin to bid farewell to Li Hongzhang before returning to China, and put forward his own opinions, roughly meaning: China should quickly establish a modern army and not go to war with Russia.If you want to fight, move the capital to engage in protracted guerrilla warfare with the Russians instead of fighting them head-on.The bad habit of the Chinese army's empty quota must be eradicated.Later, Hong Kong newspapers published Gordon's statement.Gordon's diary stated that his trip was entirely due to his personal relationship with Li, and it was to help a friend: I would sacrifice my life to serve Hong Zhang.Just to occupy Beijing for Li Hongzhang (that is, to overthrow the Qing government) and make Hongzhang emperor, Hongzhang has no such intentions.I also don't want to put Hongzhang in a position of impossibility.Hongzhang is the only savior of China today, so although he was not summoned by Hongzhang, he came to China this time for Hongzhang.

It is also recorded: If China uses election methods to make Hongzhang reign, I am willing to do my best, but it is against my heart to seize it by force. It is obvious that Gordon hoped that Li Hongzhang could replace the Qing emperor and lead China better. In the fifth year of Tongzhi (1866), Li Hongzhang was in charge of handling the return of the French teaching property in Nanjing.Because he had been procrastinating and ignoring the unreasonable demands of France, the French Minister Bollone took the opportunity to slander Prince Gong, saying that Li Hongzhang had the intention of usurping the throne, and attacked and slandered him: Li Hongzhang dared to misuse the country because of himself. He is proud of his achievements and contributions, comforting officials and holding back rewards, saying that the stele is praised, and his arrogance is growing day by day, and he also sees that your prince is tolerant in everything, and he does not force him.This minister looked at the news papers in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Someone had said that Li Hongzhang wanted to be free and independent, and wanted to use this despicable method to bring him down.

"Jingshan Diary" records such an incident: In the sixth year of Guangxu (1880), Shanghai's "Huabao" proposed that Li Hongzhang might replace the Qing emperor based on the analysis of the situation at that time, saying: If China and Russia If war starts, the Russians will occupy Beijing.Only Hongzhang can negotiate peace with the Russians on behalf of China. Hongzhang must grant the Russians' requests, and if the Russians withdraw, Hongzhang must be established as emperor.When Li Hongzhang learned of this, he was very angry and immediately banned the newspaper. Most foreigners at that time believed that Li Hongzhang already had the power to control China, so they made many comments on whether he would be emperor.

On December 15th of the eighth year of Guangxu (1882), Gordon returned to England and wrote a letter to British experts on the Far East, saying: Europeans wish Li Hongzhang to proclaim himself emperor.In fact, if the Manchu Qing Dynasty falls, China may be in chaos, and Britain will not be able to do business.If Hongzhang can stand on his own as emperor, China will be united under Hongzhang's wise leadership, which will be even more detrimental to the interests of Britain.So is France.The British are mainly engaged in trade. If Hongzhang proclaims himself emperor, wouldn't it be more beneficial to prohibit the British from selling cigarettes (opium) and transporting goods?China should not be at war with France.

At this time, the conservatives of the Qing government left foreigners with pedantic, blind, and unrealistic impressions. Therefore, Li Hongzhang showed far-sightedness, was a pragmatic talent, and had the ability to lead China.Once he ascends to the position of supreme power, China will surely be on the right track, and the interests of all countries in China will be guaranteed.However, this is only a judgment made by Westerners based on their own values. They cannot understand that Li Hongzhang's enlightened side is limited by the deep-rooted thought of loyalty to the emperor in his mind.