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Text Chapter 512 Britain and France are waving the flag and shouting

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    The white snow is fluttering, and the breath turns into ice.

    The fog drifting from the sea shrouded the city of Tianjin, even when the sun was high.  The majestic Dagukou Fort is vaguely visible in the distance, but old Tianjin people are always full of helplessness when faced with the mountains of bunker bluestones.  The "Xinchou Treaty" of the Gengzi Year disarmed this fortress guarding the gateway to the capital, and the huge cannons piled up with snowflakes and silver in the Qing Dynasty were completely dismantled.  The army is gone, the officials are gone, there are many concessions, and foreign soldiers are rampant. If Yuan Shikai had not created an army without guns to maintain it, the current Tianjin might have been gone.

    Therefore, Tianjin people have special feelings for Beiyang. In addition, after the Qing Dynasty abdicated, a large number of Manchu nobles fled to the Tianjin Concession, and the Republic of China established Nanjing as its capital. Tianjin became the largest commercial city in the north.  As the Japanese forces withdrew from the mainland and the National Defense Forces participated in the European War, the Russian concessions were all cancelled. The United States also canceled the Tianjin concession and withdrew the troops stationed here. The only ones still holding on are the British.

    The Tianjin Power Plant is British-owned, the Dagu Shipyard is British-owned, and even the docks have the words "British Business Only" on them.

    But this privilege is in jeopardy.  As January 1st approaches, the British Empire increasingly feels an invisible pressure coming over it.  Under Yang Qiu's comprehensive market-for-diplomacy offensive, countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal, which are in urgent need of funds for reconstruction, have agreed to issue a joint communiqu¨¦ to cancel the unequal treaties with China that are no longer of any use to them. In addition, the United States has actively participated  , trying to take advantage of the opportunity that Europe has not yet returned to deepen economic and trade relations with China, so the British Empire and Japan, which still occupied Taiwan, were suddenly isolated.

    When Yang Qiu arrived, the troublesome Haizi Ferry had already been towed by the guards to the former Daosheng Bank pier. Citizens and troublemakers who came after hearing the news even surrounded the pier, and the military and police separated it with guns.  Only then did he reluctantly let the reporters go in first to take pictures.  The cargo bay still looks like it did during the firefight.  Even the personal belongings left behind by the Japanese sailors were not cleaned up.  A large number of documents brought out from Russia, packaging boxes with Russian writing, and Russian standard guns and ammunition all show its relationship with its former strong neighbor in the north.  Ori Naga Shinoda stood on the ship with handcuffs and a dozen arrested Japanese sailors, looking downcast and ashen.  After confessing under special interrogation techniques and writing down the confession, the last line of psychological defense was destroyed.  Let alone a public trial at this moment, they no longer even have the courage to be loyal to the emperor.

    "This is the little Japan that fought with the navy a few days ago? How come it has lost its energy and spirit?"

    "What the hell! I didn't even look at who I met. Is Commander Yang something they can offend?!"

    "Yes! These little Japanese people just don't have a long memory. They were punished a few years ago and they dare to come back. I heard that Marshal Cai, Marshal Yue and Lord Feng from Beiyang are all here this time.  I think this is going to start another fight."

    "Hey, life is much better now, but fighting every now and then is not a problem."

    "Are we going to fight? This time it's the little Japanese who are causing trouble! I've heard about it. Hundreds of navy soldiers died. Even the two large warships bought a few years ago were damaged."

    "What? The warship that came last time was damaged? I'm going to fuck eight generations of Japanese emperors."

    Whispers gradually turned into yelling. After the real evidence that triggered the conflict was publicly displayed, patriotic public opinion was once again enthusiastically aroused.  With the push of reporters, the whole country immediately formed a unanimous voice. The Japanese navy and government must be punished, justice and dignity must be obtained!

    Ruienshi and Hangel, who also rushed here, also saw this hatred from the heart.  This made both of them happy and worried.  Fortunately, the Anglo-Japanese alliance is facing tremendous pressure. The United States has long hated this alliance but has been helpless.  Now that China has jumped out, I am naturally happy.  The worry is whether China will use this conflict to increase its strength?  Compared with Japan, which has a small territory, China has much greater power.  Will it threaten U.S. interests in the Pacific in the future?  Of course, this worry is still too far away at present, and Yang Qiu does not yet have the ability to compete with the United States for ocean hegemony.  No matter how hard he tries, the time factor is ultimately difficult to shorten immediately. Not to mention the strong industrial capabilities of the United States, there is still a big gap compared with Japan, which can independently manufacture Nagato-class battleships.  At least based on current indications, China has only just acquired the ability to build 305mm naval guns, while Europe and the United States are already developing in the direction of 406mm.

    So after checking the situation at the pier, the two immediately went to the Tianjin Hotel where Yang Qiu was staying.

    After arriving at the hotel, before seeing Yang Qiu, he saw French Ambassador to China Conde and Sa Zhenbing walking out, talking and laughing, and they seemed to be very close to each other.  This made the two of them very surprised. Didn't it mean that the head of the Chinese Navy was not thinking about the loss of two battleships?  Could it be thatHangel and Ruienshi looked at each other and thought of one thingbattleship!

    Now China is short ofWhat?  It must be a battleship!  Although China and Japan each had two battleships damaged, compared to Japan, which received four battlecruisers, China's naval gap is really too big. Currently, the Japanese navy alone leads 6 to 2. By January, the number will be ahead.  It will reach 10 to 4.  To make matters worse, with the Nagato class about to be launched, Japan will have 6 main battleships, while China only has 2 inefficient Combined Forces class. Therefore, the Chinese government officially consulted various countries the day after the Yellow Sea conflict.  Price hopes to purchase 4 to 6 main battleships.

    But Ruienshi didn't know much about the navy, so he asked: "Your Excellency Hangel, does France have any battleships for sale?"

    Hangel shook his head. France lost 40% of its warships in World War I. It didn¡¯t have enough of its own and there were no battleships to sell.  But the cycle of rebuilding is too long. According to the mood of the Chinese Navy at this time, it must first be finished products rather than new ones. The only countries in the world that have the ability to sell finished battleships are the United States and the United Kingdom.  No matter what, Britain is still an ally of Japan, and Japan's failure is not in Britain's interests. It is impossible to buy from Britain. Therefore, in addition to checking the situation, the two of them also hope to take the opportunity to grab this big business.

    "Could it be the Normandy class?" Hangel suddenly remembered the four unfinished battleships that were all launched in 1918.  Having had the experience of the last Anhai class, he already knew some knowledge about naval shipbuilding.  Generally speaking, the launch of the water indicates that in addition to the outfitting work such as naval guns and ranging, the other structures including armor, power, etc. are basically completed, and the overall completion rate is about 70%.  What France currently lacks is funds, not technology. At least 20 of the 340mm naval guns used by the ship have actually been manufactured.  Because the pressure on the land was too high before and was diverted, it can be used to make up the number and install it.  If France acts at full speed, the possibility of completing and delivering two ships within half a year cannot be ruled out.

    With suspicion, the two walked towards the hotel.  In fact, Hangel's guess was correct. Kant was here to promote four Normandy-class battleships.  Anyway, France has no funds to complete the project, so it has been hoping to find someone to take advantage of it and sell it.  After all, you will have to face the embarrassment of losing money if you demolish it.  Therefore, Kant came with great hopes this time, and even promised that as long as the Chinese government pays cash, it can guarantee that 2 ships will be provided within half a year, and all 4 ships will be completed within a year.  Moreover, the French government is also happy to see China and Japan fighting, and it would be best to drag the United Kingdom into the water.  It would also be better to have a second Boer War to keep China in the north. This would not only relieve the pressure on the French East Indies, but also allow France to dominate Europe from then on.

    When the two met Yang Qiu in the small living room, he happened to see Bernard off, the British Ambassador to China.  After not seeing Hangel for a while, he seemed very tired.  Kind concern said: "Your Excellency, Vice President. You should take proper rest and take care of your body."

    Yang Qiu nodded gratefully. The past few days of troop mobilization, follow-up arrangements, communication in Nanjing, etc. indeed made him a little tired.  After asking Kuang Xukun to make coffee for the two of them, he said: "Thank you, Mr. Hangel. Do you two have anything to do with me? Are you also here to persuade me to compromise with Japan?"

    Three years ago, Rui Enshi would have definitely answered yes.  But now the situation is completely different.  The United States has been extremely disappointed with old Europe, especially Wilson's disastrous defeat at the Paris Peace Conference.  As a result, the United States, which borrowed tens of billions of dollars and sent four million troops, did not get even a single benefit.  So there is a lot of excitement in the country right now.  Coupled with the improper handling of the aftermath by veterans, riots broke out almost everywhere.  At this time, the United Kingdom actually sold four battlecruisers to Japan. This was obviously very exciting for the United States, which dreamed of dominating the Pacific. It is said that President Wilson's stroke was related to this transaction.

    The sudden surge in domestic isolation has forced the U.S. government to carefully deal with the consequences of external interference. As a diplomat, Rui Enshi cannot go against the will of the country, so he said: "We are not here to lobby. Of course, the U.S. government does not want it either.  Seeing the war, we don¡¯t want the peace in the Far East to be broken, but we can understand the mood of you and your people at this moment. We only hope that you can exercise restraint as much as possible. After all, war is not the only way to resolve disputes. As a politician, you should know very well  .¡±

    These words were so beautiful that even Yan Xishan, who had just walked to the door, admired Rui Enshi's eloquence. He quietly pulled Kuang Xukun over and asked, "What's wrong today? Why do Americans sound like they are helping us?"

    Yan Xishan is in charge of Beijing and Tianjin. In recent years, he has been nicknamed the "General Manager of Beijing and Tianjin". Some people have even included him in the list of the next Nanjing government.  It's just that compared with other emerging talents, his international outlook and overall view are still somewhat poor, which also limits him from taking a step closer.  Kuang Xukun, because he followed Yang Qiu, had an extraordinary vision, so he quietly told everything that happened in the United States during this period.  Yan Xishan was shocked when he heard that there was a massive riot by veterans in the United States. President Wilson suffered a stroke as a result, and the government dispatched troops to suppress it.

    Of course Yang Qiu in the living room knew these things and asked: "I will seriously consider the opinions of the two of you and President Wilson, please take me"?He expressed his sincere blessings and hoped that he would recover soon. The world needs a peace fighter like him.  "

    "Thank you." Hangel thanked you and said, "Your Excellency, Vice President, actually, the Ambassador and I are here today to discuss cooperation intentions with you on the Irkutsk oil field project."

    Yang Qiu frowned quietly.  Since the discovery of the Irkutsk oil field, the government established the Northwest Petroleum Company to develop and utilize it. Unexpectedly, the Americans had just begun to set up the company, and they came to the doorstep.  And what is the purpose of proposing an oil field project that is impossible to achieve at this time?  After thinking about it, he tentatively asked: "We are indeed looking for manufacturers to purchase equipment, and we also hope to get assistance from capable international companies, but this matter will not be decided until January 1st, and the two of them feel that I have the skills now."  Do you care about this matter? Maybe you should go to the Ministry of Commerce and ask."

    "no no."

    Hangel shook his fingers while holding the coffee.  He knew what Yang Qiu meant by waiting until January 1st before mentioning development, because then the Chinese government would definitely forcefully and unilaterally end all unequal treaties.  Irkutsk was originally ceded by Russia in the Treaty of Nerchinsk, but after it was declared invalid, it became Chinese territory.  Since the United States recognizes that all treaties are invalid, it must naturally recognize that China has regained its northwest territory.

    He narrowed his eyes, looked at each other with Rui Enshi, and suddenly changed his name with a mysterious smile: "Dear Yang, to develop such a large oil field, you need to purchase at least 40 million US dollars in mining and refining equipment. The United States is currently  The country has the most complete petroleum industry in the world. We are not only very willing to sell you these equipment, but also willing to help you build a large refinery. And we thinksuch a large contract can definitely be accompanied by some other projects  .

    For examplesell a few battleships!  "

    Yang Qiu immediately understood what America was thinking.  Whether it is the former French Ambassador Conde or the current Hangel and Reinsch, the sale of battleships is actually just a side benefit. Even if you can buy it, it must be some old-fashioned goods, or something like the Normandy class. Their real  The meaning is very obvious.  In the most popular terms, just say: "Brother, do itbring the British Empire down, and we will encourage you." This is a political hint!  The United States gained nothing after the Paris Peace Conference. It has long hated Britain. Otherwise, it would not have supported Germany. It also supported Germany in reducing reparations and even planned to support the Poor Party. All this was to break up the Anglo-Japanese alliance.  Expansion to the Pacific Ocean.  France hopes to dominate Europe only if someone can kill Britain. At this time, a big rift appeared in the Anglo-Japanese alliance, and Japan was accused of colluding with the poor party.  Even if it were Yang Qiu himself, he would probably pounce on it and take a few bites before talking.

    So it doesn¡¯t matter whether he wants a battleship or not, but he is very willing to be the first person.  He picked up the coffee, made a toasting gesture and smiled: "Then should we have a toast to celebrate the disintegration of a nasty alliance?".

    (To be continued)

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