Chapter 60 secret meeting with Russian envoys to participate in political affairs

In July of the 20th year of Guangxu (1894), at the critical juncture of the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894, Sun Yuwen, Minister of Military Aircraft, felt that Russia in the north could be used to contain Japan, so that it would not dare to continue to be rampant.Therefore, he informed the Empress Dowager Cixi of his intention to win Tsarist Russia to boycott Japan through his brother Li Lianying. Due to the successive defeats of the Qing army and navy, the situation was grim and critical.The Empress Dowager Cixi had no better way, and she was deeply troubled by the successive failures.Now that Sun Yuwen made such a suggestion, he felt that it was feasible, so he agreed to give it a try first.So, Sun Yuwen summoned the Liyuan children to perform in the mansion, held a banquet with wine, and entertained the Russian minister in an attempt to secretly unite with Russia.

Although the Empress Dowager Cixi asked him to take charge of this matter, he couldn't have the final say.In order to find out the attitude of Tsarist Russia as soon as possible, Li Lianying was sent to participate in this activity.Before leaving, Cixi repeatedly asked Li Lianying to play by ear, and Li Lianying understood. In Sun Yuwen's mansion, Li Lianying first met Kashini, the Minister of Tsarist Russia in China, and then got acquainted with Pu Kedi of the Sino-Russian Bank.Kashini is an international detective, and Puketti is also an international spy.They were quite interested in Li Lianying, and believed that through Li Lianying, an insider, they could find out the details of the Empress Dowager Cixi more accurately, which was much more convenient than going through the Prime Minister's Office and the Minister of Military Aircraft, and Li Lianying came for the same purpose. Each has its own abacus, and each has its own needs.When they have the same needs, they will hit it off quickly.Thus, Li Lianying and Pu Kedi began to have secret contact.

In order to make contact with Li Lianying conveniently and not show off, Pu Kedi first used Baiyun Temple as a contact point, and later reserved a private seat in Wanfuju Hotel on Yangmeizhu Xie Street outside Qianmen, and used it as a place for a secret meeting with Li Lianying.It is said that every time Li Lianying went to meet Pu Kedi, she had to put on makeup instead of wearing palace clothes, in order to prevent people from other countries from paying attention and stealing information. In order to gain Li Lianying's trust, Pu Kedi presented Li Lianying with a pair of French-made transparent glass vases, and Li Lianying also presented Pu Ke's first pair of cloisonne vases and a snuff bottle in return.In this way, the two sides started the negotiation activities of the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty".People who knew about it at the time said that Li Lianying and Sun Yuwen were the right-hand men of the Empress Dowager Cixi, that is, Li Lianying was on the inside and Sun Yuwen was on the outside.But most of them ridiculed them for doing so, and the wolf came again.But the Empress Dowager Cixi, who is eager for quick success and quick profit, can control so much, as long as she can get rid of the Japanese soldiers, she can do whatever she wants.This is the preliminary activities of the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty".

In the twenty-first year of Guangxu (1895), the secret diplomatic activities between Li Lianying and Pu Kedi were first learned of by the British.It was convenient for Britain to question China and Russia. Although China and Russia strongly denied it, they still gave those powers a reason to further invade China.First, Russia, Germany, and France intervened in Liaodong, then Russia occupied Lushun, Germany occupied Jiaozhou Bay, Britain occupied Weihaiwei, and France occupied Guangzhou Bay, resulting in a situation where the powers carve up China. In the 22nd year of Guangxu (1896), the Qing government planned to send Wang Zhichun, the governor of Hubei and a first-rank official, to Russia to attend the coronation ceremony of the Russian emperor.The Russian envoy Kashini protested to the Qing court, thinking that Wang Zhichun was not qualified to take up the post because of his shallow experience, and Li Hongzhang was the only one who was qualified.Then through Li Lianying, he conveyed his opinions to Empress Dowager Cixi.At this time, Li Hongzhang was already in the cabinet. Under the pressure of the Russian ambassador, Cixi had to use Li Hongzhang as a representative to go to Russia.As a result, under the guise of common defense, Li Hongzhang signed the "Treaty of Mutual Assistance against the Enemy" with Russia on behalf of the Qing government in Moscow, also known as the "Treaty of Defense Alliance", also known as the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty".

The secret contact with the Russian minister was Li Lianying's most important participation in political affairs, and it was also the best proof that the Empress Dowager Cixi ignored the Qing Dynasty system and protected Li Lianying.