Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 778 British and Japanese Counterattack
On April 1880, 4, April Fool's Day in the West, the Qing Dynasty, an ancient country in the Far East, solemnly received Jules Danetang, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Li Hongzhang, the leader of the Qing Dynasty's liberal faction, accompanied the Dutch Deputy Prime Minister throughout the entire journey. Visited the Great Wall and many other scenic spots.

However, the United Kingdom, France, Japan and other countries that have recently been at odds with Qing have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Netherlands' visit to Qing during this sensitive period in various ways.

British Foreign Secretary Granville publicly said: "As a member of the West, the Netherlands is closely following the interests of the West in the Far East and going in the opposite direction. I think this is a very dangerous thing, so I issued a warning to the Netherlands. , either admit that they are a Western country and stand with Britain and France, or announce that they are withdrawing from the circle of Western countries and always consider themselves an Eastern country.

However, if this happens, the Netherlands will face rejection from Western countries, and the gains outweigh the losses.”

Granville's words shocked the world, but countries around the world showed different attitudes towards Britain's statement. More countries made in-depth speculations about the intentions of the head of the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Portugal, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria even condemned the Netherlands for betraying the entire West and violating the overall interests of the West. They called on the Netherlands to meet Britain and France halfway and join the British and French Far East diplomatic and military framework, rather than the other way around.

On April 1880, 4, Japanese Prime Minister Saigo Takamori responded to the British and publicly accepted interviews from major Western newspapers in Tokyo. He expressed Japan's willingness to become an ally of Western countries in the Far East. He publicly bowed to thank Britain and France for maintaining Japan. This interest is now firmly on Japan's side.

He said: "The Netherlands, as a powerful country in the Far East, is among the strongest countries in the Pacific. Japan has respect for the Netherlands, but Japan will be in the western part of the North Pacific with the support of world powers such as Britain and France. The identity of a powerful maritime nation in the Pacific emerges before the world.”

He said confidently: "Japan will become one of the most powerful countries in the Far East under the conditions of the right time, place and people. While safeguarding Japan's interests in the Pacific, it will serve as a spokesperson to safeguard the entire Western allies. interests, for which we are ready to challenge the Netherlands and Qing."

With Saigo Takamori's open "challenge", the whole Qing Dynasty was very angry. Although many places in the country were poor, people were constantly poor and ambitious, and some conservatives and liberals took to the streets to demand The Qing government sanctioned Japan and at the same time made a strong response to British and French actions in the south.

The Qing government suddenly fell into a dilemma.

Because most of the senior officials of Qing State did not expect that the show of affection with the Netherlands would not cause Britain, France and even Japan to step back. Instead, these three countries would move forward to pressure Qing State to make concessions.

Faced with the persecution of the three countries, many people in Qing Dynasty suddenly expressed doubts about the role of using the Netherlands to check and balance Britain and France.

Qingguo, the northern capital.

"Li Zhongtang kept telling us before that how powerful the Netherlands is, and that our Qing country can use these barbarians to deal with Britain and France, punch and kick Japan, and use barbarians to control barbarians. But now these policies don't seem to work. On the contrary, we are facing the excesses of Britain and France. The reaction is not worth the gain."

Empress Dowager Ci-an asked Li Hongzhang, who was bowing and standing below.

Next to her, the Empress Dowager Ci-Xi also had an ugly face. Li Zhongtang had always been the spokesperson of the two empress dowagers who pushed the government to the front. He was an important pusher for them to control the government. He was also used by them to appease the Qing Dynasty's liberal faction and provide checks and balances. The most important tool of the conservatives, because of this, he is also the most important tool used by the two to suppress the power of Prince Gong, the biological father of the young Emperor Guangxu, in the Prime Minister's Yamen.

Therefore, both of them supported Li Zhongtang's diplomatic work.

But they gave so much support, but what they got was a result that they were not satisfied with. This made them very unhappy, so this time Li Zhongtang was summoned.

"Li Zhongtang, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the number two figure in the Dutch government, has not yet left our country, Britain and Japan dared to open fire on us. It seems that the Netherlands' status in the West is not very good."

At this moment, 9-year-old Emperor Guangxu suddenly asked curiously, and the question was also very sharp.

Ci Xi and Ci An suddenly felt their eyes light up.Yes, before, Prince Gong and Li Hongzhang told them how awesome and powerful Holland was. Now, not long after Holland left the Forbidden City, Britain and Japan began to act unscrupulously and attack. This was not a fight. What is a face?
"The emperor is right, Prince Gong Li Zhongtang. It seems that our approach of wooing the Netherlands to fight against Britain, France and Japan is not effective," Ci Xi said displeased.

Ci-Xi ignored their ugly faces and continued to press: "I don't need to tell you that Britain and France are two old big countries. The whole world knows how powerful they are, and Japan has risen so fast under our eyes. We all Unexpectedly, the support of the United Kingdom made this ambitious neighbor that we looked down on in the past actually have the idea of ​​competing with our great country for the Korean Peninsula. Now the national crisis is at the forefront. Not long ago, the two of them strongly recommended the Netherlands to fight against Britain and France. , now I can’t see it anymore, is there any other way?”

"This" Prince Gong hesitated and couldn't help but turn his eyes to Li Hongzhang.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Cixi and Ci'an and Emperor Guangxu couldn't help but look at Li Hongzhang.

They all realized that in the huge Qing Dynasty, the only one who could deal with the outside world without falling behind much was Li Zhongzhang.

Thinking of this, Cixi suddenly glared at Prince Gong Yi with some annoyance.

Get out of here!

Seeing this, Li Hongzhang knew that he should come forward.

Gong Qin-Wang Yiju is his boss. If he pretends not to see his predicament, will he get any good results in the future?

Sighing, Li Hongzhang said: "Queen Mother, Britain and the Netherlands failed in their fight for the South American colony of Chile some time ago."

"What, Britain and the Netherlands fought against each other in South America, but Britain failed?"

Empress Dowager Ci-an showed a strange look, looked at Ci Xi, and saw that the latter also showed joy, so she hurriedly asked: "Tell us, how did the Netherlands defeat the British in South America, thousands of miles away?"

"Yes"

Therefore, Li Hongzhang began to describe how the Netherlands used the people they supported to launch a successful coup in Chile, and how they drove away the British fleet and replaced it.And how to use the five South American coalition forces to allow the Netherlands to occupy a strong military position in Chile.

The two queen mothers were shocked when they heard this, and even the nine-year-old Emperor Guangxu was excited and admired.

Even Prince Gong Yisu, even though he had known the news for a long time, was amazed when he heard Li Hongzhang slowly and in detail.

Finally, Li Hongzhang said: "Although the Netherlands is not a big country in Europe, the British are very afraid of us in the East and America. Therefore, this is also the reason why Weichen made friends with the Netherlands, an alternative in the Western world."

Ci-Xi: "Yes, the enemy of our enemy is our friend, Holland, it seems we really need to take advantage of it."

Li Hongzhang was silent.

(End of this chapter)