Beiyang Dream

July 20, 1891, morning. Yuanshan Port, the dining room of the Goshing.

Chang Desheng leaned back on the sofa by the porthole, holding a cup of coffee. It was dark and unsweetened, with no sugar or milk. He took a sip and frowned at the bitterness.

Sitting opposite him was Hill, the British Consul General in Seoul, who was leisurely sipping the same coffee. Next to him was Duan Qirui, who sat ramrod straight, his coffee untouched, just sitting there, clearly not fond of it.

Outside the window, the sea was a hazy gray. Four Russian warships, each five or six thousand tons, their iron-gray hulls resembling four floating castles, were anchored in the deep waters outside Wonsan Harbor. Behind them followed seven or eight smaller gunboats, transport ships, and communications ships—a complete array. There were at least five hundred marines who could disembark.

Five hundred Russian soldiers, equipped with the main guns of four capital ships, would be barely enough to defend the Qing concession with the thousand or so men and three 12cm cannons in a real war. As for the Japanese concession? That was out of the question.

Hill put down his coffee cup and began to speak in Chinese.

"The meeting was held regularly, and our intention was very clear: to delay and wait for a change in circumstances."

Chang Desheng raised an eyebrow: "Drag it on?"

"Delay it," Hill repeated. "Right now, the Russian fleet is all in Wonsan, and the disparity in strength is too great. A treaty negotiated under these circumstances would not be beneficial to Japan, the Qing Dynasty, or Korea. If we can delay until the Qing Dynasty and Japan reach an alliance, or until news of the Beiyang Fleet's visit to Japan reaches Wonsan, then the chances of negotiating a favorable treaty will greatly increase."

Chang Desheng sneered inwardly.

Delaying and waiting for things to change? That's perfect! We can talk slowly, that way I can keep the enemy at bay and maintain my own importance!

As for the Sino-Japanese Alliance... please, absolutely do not agree to that! It would be helping the Japanese out of a predicament! Japan is currently being suffocated by Russia, which is why they are seeking an alliance with the Qing Dynasty. Once Russia backs down, they will definitely turn their backs on you.

However, the Tianjin Treaty could be revised. Maintaining a garrison of 3,000 troops in Korea would be quite good. With three battalions each for him and Yuan Shikai, he would have over 1,500 men under his command. How many "over"? That depends on how much silver they can extract from the gold and copper mines in northern Korea. Furthermore, they could establish the Nampo Military Academy, with him as its principal…

That looks promising!

But... how can we prolong the process?

Chang Desheng held his coffee cup, his eyes fixed on the Russian ships outside the window, and began to make plans in his mind.

This is North Korea. How can negotiations with North Korea be made to last longer?

By the way, there was a Six-Party Talks in later generations.

When he was in elementary school, the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear issue were on TV every day. China, the United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea sat down to talk. They talked for who knows how many years, but it seems like they didn't achieve anything...

This is clearly a good mechanism!

Chang Desheng thought it over and over and it seemed more and more reliable. Now, Yuanshan already had five allies: the Qing Dynasty, Russia, Japan, Britain, and Korea. They were still missing one. Britain, Japan, Qing Dynasty, and Korea were outwardly allies, so they needed to find a friendly nation for Russia.

Who to look for?

The United States? Americans have missionaries and trade in North Korea, but right now those people in Washington aren't too keen on getting involved in North Korean affairs.

France? That's fine, but after the Sino-French War, relations between the Qing court and France were strained, and the Qing court would most likely oppose France's involvement. Even if the Qing court didn't object, Chang Desheng would still oppose it on their behalf. Because in his mind, he already had only one candidate country.

Germany?

That's it, it's them!

This conveniently introduced German influence into Korea. This was also a particularly advantageous connection for Emperor Wilhelm... Chang Desheng, a graduate of the Prussian War Academy, was a "pro-German." And Baron Kölf, judging by his surname, was clearly of German descent. Kölf means "basket seller" in German, suggesting his ancestors were Baltic Germans who made their fortune selling baskets in Russia. A young German from Poland, a hereditary pro-German, if he were to choose a mediator, he would undoubtedly select a "German" (a derogatory term implying German influence).

Furthermore, if the Germans come, we can find an opportunity to bring old Bello and Natalie to Yuanshan.

Once they arrive in Yuanshan, they can deceive both sides, giving them a lot more room to maneuver.

Chang Desheng made up his mind, put down his coffee cup, and shook the paper fan in his hand.

"Lord Kherlen," he spoke, his tone unhurried, "you are right, delaying the inevitable is a good strategy. But the Russians have such a great advantage right now, and Crown Prince Nicholas is in a fit of anger. Baron Korf definitely wants a quick victory."

Hill nodded. "That's true."

"I only have about a thousand men and three cannons," Chang Desheng continued. "Defending the Qing concession is definitely not a problem. But the Japanese concession... if the Russians really want to fight head-on, I'm afraid we can't hold it."

Hill frowned. "What should we do then?"

"We still need to make the Russians feel that we can get what we want through mediation without a complete breakdown in relations," Chang Desheng said, shaking his fan. "Only then can we have any talks. Fortunately, the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway has only just begun construction, so their room for escalation is limited. At most, they might forcibly seize the Japanese concession... But if that happens, the Sino-Japanese Alliance will truly be formed. That's not something the Russians want to see."

Hill nodded repeatedly: "That makes sense. But... how do we make the Russians believe we can get the Japanese concession from the negotiating table?"

Chang Desheng smiled.

"We can work on the procedures."

He closed the fan and placed it on the table.

"Let's organize an international joint mediation, the Wonsan Six-Party Conference!"

Hill paused for a moment, then asked, "Six-sided?"

"Yes, six parties." Chang Desheng held up a finger. "The direct parties involved in the Wonsan issue are Russia, Japan, and Korea. Each of the three parties has invited a mediator—Japan invited Britain, Korea invited our Great Qing, and Russia also invited a foreign power. Lord Xi, what do you think of this arrangement?" Hill pondered for a moment.

Russia's request for a mediator essentially boils down to choosing between France and Germany. France is Russia's traditional ally, but France and the Qing Dynasty have a history of conflict; if Russia were to involve France, it would be tantamount to pushing the Qing Dynasty towards Japan. As for Germany... Wilhelm II is eager to assert his presence in the Far East, and Chang Desheng, a graduate of the Prussian War Academy, certainly has connections with the German military...

"Alright." Hill nodded. "The British side can accept this proposal."

"Wouldn't that mean there are representatives from six parties participating?" Chang Desheng said with a smile. "The representatives from Qing, Britain, Russia, and Japan are here now, but the representatives from Korea and the other powers chosen by Russia haven't arrived yet. Once they get here, ten days or half a month will pass, won't it?"

Hill pondered for a moment.

Ten days to two weeks later, the Sino-Japanese Alliance might actually be formed. Even if it doesn't, news of the Beiyang Fleet's visit to Japan should arrive by now. At that point, the bargaining chips at the negotiating table will be different.

"Will the Russians agree?" Hill asked.

Chang Desheng smiled with absolute certainty: "Yes, I guarantee it."

"OK."

Chang Desheng thought to himself: Alright, I've successfully fooled them! The situation in North Korea really does require the Six-Party Talks!

He was about to take another sip of coffee when he heard footsteps outside the door. A British sailor opened the door and announced in English, "Sir, Baron Colef has arrived."

The three of them stood up at the same time.

The door opened, and an elderly man walked in. He wore a crisp, dark blue Russian naval dress uniform with gold tassels on his epaulets. A command sword hung at his waist, its scabbard gleaming. He was well-proportioned, with a straight back, and although his hair was gray, he was full of energy. Most striking was his face: a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a strong jawline—a typical German aristocratic appearance. Chang Desheng immediately understood: he was of Polish descent, no doubt about it.

He spoke first, not in Chinese or English, but in German, with perfect Hanoverian pronunciation.

"Baron, welcome to the Kowshing. I am Chang Desheng, the Qing Dynasty's liaison officer in Korea. I have long admired your name."

Baron Kolf paused, glanced at Chang Desheng, smiled coldly, and replied in German, "You must be Committee Member Chang? I've heard of you. A top student at the Prussian War Academy, Lieutenant General Brauchitsch called you the Moltke of the East."

Hearing this evaluation, Duan Qirui was taken aback—the Eastern Moltke? So powerful? How come I didn't know? "Dean Brauchitsch, you flatter me," Chang Desheng said with a slight bow. "Please sit."

The three sat down again. The British sailor brought coffee and placed it in front of Kolf. Kolf picked up the cup, took a sip, put it down, and then began to walk in circles... talking about the weather, the scenery of Wonsan, and his experiences traveling south from Vladivostok.

Chang Desheng wasn't in a hurry and went around in circles with him. He knew this was the rule of negotiation: first pleasantries, then business. Korf's circling around indicated that he was also assessing the strength of his opponent.

After circling around the topic for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Kolf changed the subject.

"Committee Member, Consul General Hill," his tone suddenly turned cold and hard, "Russia's demands are simple. First, Japan must hand over the Japanese concession in Wonsan to the Russian Empire. Second, Japan must compensate the Russians for all losses and military expenses in Wonsan. Third, the perpetrators must be severely punished. Fourth, Japan must send someone to Vladivostok to apologize in person to His Highness the Crown Prince."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chang Desheng and Hill's faces.

"Three days are given. If a satisfactory response is not received within three days, the Russian army will occupy the Japanese concession on its own."

After he finished speaking, the dining room was silent for a few seconds.

Hill's expression was rather unpleasant, and his gaze kept drifting towards Chang Desheng.

Chang Desheng, however, smiled and took a leisurely sip of his coffee.

"That's all?"

Kolf was taken aback.

That's all? Isn't that enough? If there were any more, the Japanese might join forces with the Qing Dynasty...

Seeing that Kolf remained silent, Chang Desheng smiled and shook his head: "Baron, to be honest, your request is impossible to fulfill." Kolf's face darkened.

"As for your threat—to send troops to occupy the Japanese concession in Wonsan," Chang Desheng's tone remained unhurried, as if he were casually discussing the weather, "Go ahead. Go ahead and occupy it. However, this will not bring Russia any benefit whatsoever."

Korf looked at him coldly: "Does your Qing Dynasty dare to interfere?"

Chang Desheng smiled, a very sincere smile.

"Whether my Great Qing court will interfere or not, I do not know—that is a matter for the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Grand Secretary to consider." He leaned forward. "But I, as the Minister in charge of the defense of Korea, can order the Hamgyongnam-do region of Korea to ban the shipment of Japanese goods from the Wonsan concession."

He held up one finger.

Not a single grain of rice is allowed.

Stretch out another one.

"A piece of coal."

Stretch one more.

"One ounce of meat."

Chang Desheng then continued:

"And there won't be any North Korean laborers coming to Wonsan to serve you Russian masters."

Kolf's expression visibly changed.

"You dare!"

Chang Desheng leaned back on the sofa, smiling innocently: "If you don't believe me, you can try it."

Hill spoke up at the opportune moment, his German as fluent as Chang Desheng's.

"Your Excellency, Wonsan is an important trading port in northern Korea, with annual import and export goods worth nearly one million taels of silver. If it is forcibly occupied by Russia to the point that it cannot operate normally, our country will unite with relevant interested countries to carry out joint intervention."

Kolf's gaze swept back and forth between the two men twice, and the arrogance in his eyes faded considerably.

If Britain were to join forces with France, the Qing Dynasty, Germany, and the United States to intervene, the situation at Wonsan would escalate significantly. Even if Russia could retain its hold on Wonsan, it wouldn't be able to monopolize it. These are all major powers; they all understand the principle that "major powers don't leave empty-handed." Having come all this way, wouldn't they want to make a profit?

Seeing that Korf remained silent, Chang Desheng did not press the matter further. He was not actually against Russia entering Wonsan, but it wasn't the right time yet. The Sino-Japanese War would be the opportune moment for Russia to intervene. Therefore, he had to leave some room for Russia.

He adopted a gentler tone: "Baron, there are three parties directly involved in the Wonsan issue: Russia, Japan, and Korea. There are only two mediators: the Qing Dynasty and Great Britain. The Qing Dynasty is the suzerain of Korea, and Great Britain is a friend of Japan. If you wish to resolve the Wonsan issue through negotiations, you might as well find a great power to act as a mediator."

He paused, looking into Korf's eyes: "France, the United States, Germany, any of them. Let's hold a six-party meeting and reason things out together. I witnessed the Wonsan incident with my own eyes... Russia actually has the moral high ground, there's no need to turn a reasonable argument into an unreasonable one." Korf didn't reply.

But he was analyzing it in his mind.

Chang Desheng said that Japan's friend was Britain. He also said that the Qing Dynasty and Korea were in cahoots. He further stated that the "justice" in the Wonsan Incident lay with Russia. He even suggested that Russia should also find friends…

The meaning is quite clear.

The Qing Dynasty was willing to let Russia gain some advantages. However, Britain was too powerful and tended to side with Japan. If Russia could find a major power that could balance British influence, the Qing Dynasty would have been willing to let Russia take some of its interests in Wonsan from Japan.

This shows that Chang Desheng and the Qing Dynasty are both worth winning over; there's no need to offend them both.

After deliberating for a long time, Kolf finally nodded.

"I need to report to His Highness the Crown Prince," he said. "I need to use your telegraph office."

"No problem," Chang Desheng replied readily. "The telegraph office in the Qing concession is at your disposal, Mr. Baron."

He paused, then added, "However, organizing the Six-Party Talks will take time. During the preparation and the talks themselves, the Wonsan Concession cannot remain closed indefinitely. It's a major port with nearly a million dollars worth of import and export goods annually, one of North Korea's three major ports; it's not appropriate to keep it closed indefinitely."

Kolf narrowed his eyes: "What are you trying to say?"

"How about this," Chang Desheng said slowly, "I will arrange a base for your country's naval infantry within the Japanese concession in Wonsan. Your country's naval infantry will then hand over the docks to the neutral Korean newly established Imperial Guard. In exchange, as long as Wonsan port can resume operations, the Japanese concession authorities in Wonsan can provide your fleet with coal, fresh water, and food supplies."

He looked at Kolf: "Baron, what do you think?"

Kolf remained silent for a long while.

The docks were handed over to the Korean Imperial Army—the true owners of Wonsan, though intelligence indicated they were effectively under Qing control. Russia preserved its prestige (having a base) and gained tangible benefits (supplies). Japan temporarily retained ownership of the docks (although they were managed by the Korean Imperial Army). Qing (Changdesheng) secured the practical benefits of the port's reopening.

Besides Japan, Russia and Qing China also had opportunities to profit... It seems that Chang Desheng's real target was Japan.

"I need to consult His Highness the Crown Prince," Kolf repeated, but his tone was no longer as forceful as before.

"Of course." Chang Desheng stood up with a smile. "Baron, please come with me. I will take you to the telegraph office."

Kolf stood up, straightened his uniform, nodded slightly to Hill, and then followed Chang Desheng out of the dining room.

Duan Qirui followed at the back, without saying a word.

As he stepped out of the cabin, he glanced back at the table in the dining room of the Kao Sheng, where three cups of leftover coffee still sat. He thought to himself: The Six-Party Talks? How does Chang Zhenbang's brain work? Where did he learn all this stuff?

He shook his head and quickly followed.

On the sea, the four gray Russian warships remained quietly anchored.

The sky over Yuanshan was overcast, as if a thunderstorm was about to break out.