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Volume 1: Fierce Battle in Changsha Chapter 612: Seeking Skin from a Tiger

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    The news brought back by Major Compnon made the two commanders Grant and Montauban extremely angry. In addition, Ronglu fanned at the side and said: "I think the Taiping Army is here to pick cheap peaches."

    Through Lieutenant Colonel Wu Shili's translation, Grant understood the meaning of picking peaches. It was a very vivid and appropriate metaphor. Although after receiving the news that the Taiping Army in Dalian Bay was going to Shanhaiguan to land, everyone in the coalition knew that the Taiping Army was planning to go to Shanhaiguan.  They wanted to seize the capital before the coalition forces, and thus carry out a peach-picking operation. But when all this really became a fact, it was inevitable that people would still feel extremely angry.

    General Montauban did not complain too much. He just said: "Perhaps it is not difficult to explain why the Qing army we faced a few days ago tried desperately to stop us." General Grant also realized the problem,  Obviously, the Taiping Army was obviously lagging behind the coalition forces, but they were able to reach the outskirts of the capital before the coalition forces. However, the Qing army on the coalition forces tried desperately to block it. It seemed that the Western Queen Mother of the Qing court had played a very good trick.

    In the end, the two commanders agreed to immediately notify Sir Elgin and Sir Grotto who were still in Tianjin. It was the turn of politicians to come forward. The Taiping Army could not be solved with simple and crude methods like the Qing Army. Once Britain, France and France  If the Taiping Army really falls into a war situation, a war will break out in the entire Far East, and the interests of Britain and France will be immeasurable. Perhaps the purpose of jointly occupying the capital by Britain, France and the Taiping Army can be achieved through political negotiations.

    Soon after the messenger to Tianjin left, Grant and Montauban received a note from the Taiping Army.

    The people who came to deliver the official note were three Taiping Army officers, one of whom Grant knew.  When Grant commanded the United Fleet and the Taiping Army's Young Guards to conquer the Russians, this officer was a member of the Young Guards. This officer's name was Su Ji.  When the Temple Street Fortress was captured.  Su Ji was the commander of the 1st Vanguard Battalion, and Grant was deeply impressed by him.

    The official note sent by Su Ji was very unpleasant. The Taiping Army actually bit back, claiming that yesterday's exchange of fire was a misunderstanding. The Taiping Army was sending troops to intercept the Qing army that was retreating from Bali Bridge. They took Major Compnon who was following them.  The reconnaissance team was regarded as the Qing army.  At the same time, the Taiping Army officially informed the coalition forces.  The Taiping Army has completed the strategic encirclement of Beijing, the political center of the Qing government, and requested the coalition forces to garrison on the spot and refrain from launching further military operations against Beijing.  In order to avoid unnecessary friction between the two armies.

    After reading the note, both Grant and Montauban were very angry. In Wu Shili's words, it was like the bride being snatched away by others on the wedding day.  Intolerable.  Grant scorned the Taiping Army's so-called completion of strategic encirclement.  According to the size of the Taiping Navy, they can transport an army. More than 40,000 soldiers going north to Shanhaiguan is already the limit. Can more than 40,000 soldiers complete the encirclement of Beijing?  This is obviously a lie and an attempt to intimidate the coalition forces. They will not abide by this note.

    Su Ji shrugged indifferently and said nothing else. He was just here to send a note.  After expressing his outrage, Grant responded on the spot with a scathing note to the Taipings regarding the alliance with General Montauban.  Claiming that if the Taiping Army persists in its own way, they will take necessary measures to protect the interests of Britain and France.

    After Su Ji got the reply, he did not have any overreaction. He and his people quickly left the coalition camp.  After Su Ji left, Grant frowned and said, "Is the Taiping Army so sure that they can capture Beijing in a short time?"

    Montauban expressed doubts about this. It is conservatively estimated that there are still tens of thousands of Qing troops defending Beijing. Although Senggelinqin's troops suffered heavy losses, there are still at least 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers left. If Senggelinqin can return to Beijing, then at least Beijing  There will be no less than 100,000 Qing troops stationed in the city. Can the 40,000 Taiping troops capture Beijing?

    Grant didn¡¯t understand what the Taiping Army was doing. Since they couldn¡¯t capture Beijing in a short period of time, were they just doing this to anger Britain and France and then start a war with the two most powerful countries in the world?  This is not a decision that the very sinister and rational King Xi can make.

    Finally, Ronglu said another possibility, "At this time, the Western King just wants to complicate the situation, first occupy a favorable position, and then bargain with the coalition forces to maximize benefits."

    General Montauban expressed doubts, "Why didn't the Taiping Army agree to join us in the Northern Expedition?"

    Ronglu said with a smile: "The joint Taiping Army cannot occupy a dominant position. On the contrary, it may become a servant. But it is different now. The Taiping Army occupies important areas in the suburbs of Beijing. The coalition forces want to join forces with the Taiping Army to capture the capital."  , the price that needs to be offered will naturally be different.¡±

    According to the Western King's habit of being sinister and insidious, it is indeed possible that Ronglu said this. Although the two commanders of the coalition forces were very angry, they could not find fault with the Taiping Army unless Britain and France could make up their minds to go to war with the Taiping Army.  , noIf the coalition forces want to march into Beijing, they really can only re-negotiate the possibility of jointly occupying Beijing with the Taiping Army. Then Grant can imagine that the Western King will make various demands in high spirits.

    Sure enough, after the two ministers Elgin and Gelu received the news, they came to similar conclusions as Ronglu. They also agreed that the Taiping Army was preparing to take risks to obtain greater benefits. In Chinese terms, this  It is seeking skin from a tiger.

    However, the coalition forces have to face up to the changes brought about by the Taiping Army's entry into the war. If the coalition forces take the risk of starting a war with the Taiping Army, regardless of how much they will lose in cooperation projects and commercial activities between Britain and France in the south and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom that touch the interests of many people, it is whether the coalition forces can currently defeat the Taiping Army.  Jundu is still a question mark.

    The coalition's current strength of just over 20,000, plus the low-morale Qing rebels of Ronglu and Mianyu, barely totaled 70,000. Grant and Montauban did not believe that Ronglu and Mianyu's troops could play any role.  And can more than 20,000 British and French forces defeat a field army unit of the Taiping Army?

    Grant made a bold assessment and concluded that the coalition forces might be able to defeat the Taiping Army, but the losses would be very heavy. Then this coalition force would lose the ability to continue fighting. They would not be able to capture Beijing, and they might even be defeated by Beijing's 100,000 men.  The Qing army turned around and annihilated them.  Montauban was a little optimistic and estimated that maybe the Taiping Army was just being aggressive. Perhaps once Britain and France took a tough stance, the Taiping Army would be subdued. After partially annihilating some of their troops, the Taiping Army would retreat in the face of difficulties. In this way, the coalition forces would  The losses will be less, and at the same time, the strength to capture Beijing will be retained.

    Grant and Wu Shili were unconvinced about Montauban's analysis. Based on their understanding of the Western King, it was unlikely that they would withdraw their troops without gaining any benefits, just as they had just fought an undeclared war with the Russians for several years.  I can tell.

    Elgin and Geluo arrived in Tongzhou two days later. Although it was looted, the small town of Tongzhou still maintained its original style. Elgin and Geluo were not in the mood to appreciate this. They held a meeting to discuss the current situation.  .

    I have to say that the Western Queen Mother of the Qing Dynasty was calm and tough. Facing two powerful enemies, she still led her courtiers to stay in Beijing. She did not give in even an inch, and she did not choose to patrol Rehe for refuge. It makes people wonder.  I began to wonder, was she just waiting for the coalition forces and the Taiping Army to appear together under the walls of Beijing to create such a chaotic situation?

    Sir Elgin also began to be alert and afraid of the Manchus' firm determination to resist. After all, the Manchus were the most populous country in the world at this time. Although they lagged behind Britain and France in technology, military, industry, etc., they  It's really not India. Once their government can resist effectively and firmly, Elgin knows that this will evolve into another Crimean War.

    And there is also the uncertain factor of the Taiping Army. Only now did Elgin realize that Britain and France had too much connivance with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Starting from the Wenhan era, they had raised a terrible wolf in the Far East. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom would become Britain and France's control of the Far East.  The biggest obstacle is that Britain and France are currently in a difficult situation. Can the domestic parliament pass a motion for full-scale war against the Taiping Rebellion?  You must know that Grant conservatively estimated that he would completely defeat the Taiping Rebellion. Britain and France would mobilize more than 200,000 troops to launch an expedition. The distance of the expedition was twice that of the British Expeditionary Force when the United States became independent.

    The meeting was dull and inefficient. In the end, Sir Elgin and Sir Grot decided to take normal diplomatic channels to resolve the matter first. They needed to negotiate with the leaders of the Taiping Army. It would be best if they could reach a joint partition with the Taiping Army.  Although the Taiping Army may raise the price for the benefits gained after capturing Beijing, Britain and France can only accept this reality.

    Then Sir Elgin and Sir Groud decided to lead a negotiation delegation of about fifty people to the city walls of Beijing to negotiate with the Taiping Army, while Grant and Montauban stayed to prepare for military operations, although the commanders knew that the Taiping Army  Although they have always taken a tough stance, the coalition forces cannot show weakness and the military must be ready for combat.

    The next day, a note requesting negotiations from the coalition was sent to the Taiping Army. The Western King Xiao Yungui, whose whereabouts were still hidden, read the note personally. He fell into deep thought for a moment. Although the plan to seek skin from a tiger was successful, the coalition's request for negotiation was a signal.  But can he negotiate?  The words "historical responsibility" still weigh heavily on his heart. There is a limit to seeking skin from a tiger. Xiao Yungui knows the limits of the British and French coalition forces, but once they jointly occupy Beijing, Britain and France will want more.  The Manchu Qing government, which was unable to support the chaos, was bound to give up its cause. All this would be borne by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. By that time, all historical responsibilities would become the heavy burden of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

    To talk or not to talk?  Xiao Yungui once again fell into a dilemma of choice (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, the novel is better and updated faster!
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