The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, some comrades looked at him in disbelief, and also at each other. What Zhang Yinghao said was rather appalling. If the General Assembly really used such standards to define friend and foe, then this bloody massacre was only the beginning.

Zhang Yinghao glanced at the comrade who was not listening attentively, and took his words to heart, but still answered patiently: "Humph, what do you want? If you want to know what they are saying, they naturally want us all to die, let us live forever, and let our descendants be their slaves. Because these people want the old feudal society where the landlord class is in power, they will definitely not let go when they have this opportunity. Wolves want to eat meat, this is the rule of wolves.

I've said this before in my lectures: the principles of us proletarians, the working class, are different from those of the exploiting class. When you try to reason with the bourgeoisie, you've already fallen behind, because you're speaking the principles of the bourgeoisie, not the principles of us proletarians.

When the wolf and the sheep talk, it's always after they've had enough to eat and drink. Since they have nothing else to do, they'll be interested in whether the little sheep are eating well and want to hear what they're thinking. However, no matter how the cute little sheep tells the wolf how delicious, fresh, and tasty the grass is, the wolf will only tell the little sheep, "I'm a wolf, and I can only eat meat." As long as the sheep feeds the wolf enough meat every day, there won't be any problems.

These landlords and gentry are just like wolves. No matter how we, the working class, tell them that labor creates a happy life and wealth, these landlords and gentry, along with other members of the bourgeoisie, will still not work. Instead, they will tell us, "I just want to take a little from you, so there's no need to work."

"Chairman, I understand what you're saying, but intellectually, it still seems a bit unreasonable! Has it really returned to that level?"

Chapter 682: Second update!

Zhang Yinghao gave a wry smile. Before his time travel, he might have had similar thoughts. But after his time travel, while the very concept of time travel itself was less materialistic and unpredictable, he had become more pragmatic. If one believed that so-called "human nature" guided human behavior, whether it was a distortion of human nature or a decline in morality, Zhang Yinghao would also find the world full of incredible and unreasonable things.

When Zhang Yinghao decided to face reality and seek truth from facts instead of relying on past life memories, as a politician, Zhang Yinghao also

After rereading many of Marx's works, I found that all seemingly illogical things are driven by their own internal interests, just like many criminal cases.

The simplest logic is to investigate whoever benefits you. The naked cruelty of these inherent interests is even daunting to face, revealing the darkness and brutality of human nature.

If we cannot view these things from the perspective of dialectical materialism and history, most people will not be able to distinguish them rationally, and they may even stubbornly deny that these things are inevitable.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the discussion of such issues must be based on the premise of a certain level of understanding. It was useless to just discuss the facts. Forcing the discussion of the predicted results and changing the results into causes would only cause confusion. Zhang Yinghao did not want to continue discussing these issues. Let the facts speak for themselves in the future.

"Comrades, we have always spoken of seeking truth from facts. We are all about to experience this event, and we are witnessing it firsthand, and we are one of its practitioners. What I am saying now is also a conclusion deduced based on dialectical materialism. As for whether it is right or not, that will have to wait and see. However, if we want to stop the killing in Guangdong, Fujian and other places, it will only stop immediately if the landlords are satisfied or if there is a strong external force intervening. As for what the truth will be in the future, our history will record it."

While Zhang Yinghao was giving his comrades a new round of training and disseminating relevant documents to the Party for study, Britain and France jointly announced their willingness to mediate the war between Russia and the liberated area government.

In St. Petersburg, the Russian capital, the British ambassador to Russia formally declined Russia's request for a loan. Furthermore, the British offered Russia the idea of ​​mediating the war. Britain hoped that Russia would seriously consider the current international situation and end this meaningless war. While the British's words were still quite cautious, their stance was undeniable.

Not only did Britain reject Russia's request for a loan, but the French government also rejected Russia's request for another loan. At the same time, France also asked Russia to consider the overall situation and not waste national resources but to strengthen its military strength on the Western Front to contain Germany.

Upon hearing the demands of Britain and France, Tsar Nicholas II was furious. "Damn it! Those damn British and French! They simply don't care about the feelings of the Russian Empire and actually ask us to give up the interests of our country."

Nicholas II roared in anger. Although Russia and France had signed an alliance, France did not consider Russia an ally at all, but rather a pawn. The British were even more aggressive in their attempts to harass Russia, which deeply hurt Nicholas II, who had a strong sense of self-esteem.

The Russian ministers also had a bitter look on their faces, even if it was just a pretense. Now, Britain was forcing Russia, and France was Russia's ally by treaty. Not only did they not provide loans to Russia, but they also put pressure on them. This was not what an ally should do!

However, they had to admit that Russia was indeed under tremendous pressure, facing internal and external troubles and the danger of dynastic change. At this moment, without the support of Britain and France, Russia would not have sufficient funds to continue the war.

Zhang Yinghao knew even better that the reason the Russo-Japanese War in the previous life did not continue was not because the Tsar did not want to fight, but because both Britain and the United States stood on the opposite side of Russia, so Russia had to compromise and sign a treaty. Now, unless Tsar Nicholas II paid for the war expenses out of his own pocket, using the wealth accumulated by the royal family over hundreds of years, otherwise, a temporary ceasefire would be impossible. How could Tsar Nicholas II pay for the war himself? How could Nicholas II agree to such an unreasonable request? The sound of a cannon is worth a thousand taels of gold. What does it matter if the Tsar has accumulated a lot of gold? How many wars can he fight? This is really a bottomless pit!

Furthermore, after the defeat of hundreds of thousands of troops from the East Siberian and Far Eastern Governorates, the Russian army had given up hope of winning the war. Revolutionary forces were surging in Russia, and assassination attempts were underway on Russian ministers, leaving them feeling insecure and their situation increasingly difficult.

"Gentlemen, tell me, what should we do?" Nicholas II said with a look of anger on his face.

"Your Majesty, the Empire must now consider the attitudes of Britain and France. Europe is the foundation of the Great Russian Empire. Since both Britain and France hope that we can cease fire. Then, if the interests of the Empire are not harmed, a ceasefire can be reached." Prime Minister Kokovtsev said.

"The interests of the empire will not be harmed? Is that possible? Those yellow monkeys have already occupied large tracts of territory in the Far East Governorate and the East Siberia Governorate. How could they return these territories to us?"

Nicholas II frowned and continued, "If the Qing rebels can return these territories and the benefits they have seized from Russia, especially the railway and Lushun, and compensate Russia for its losses, then it is not impossible to stop the war."

Nicholas II now realized that it wasn't the field army that was too strong, but rather that Russia was completely unprepared for this war. After the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian army, exhausted and exhausted, was caught off guard by the field army. Otherwise, the Russian army would never have been defeated so easily. Next time, if Russia was fully prepared, it would surely be able to easily defeat the field army and avenge its previous defeat.

"Your Majesty, we can try our best. Since Britain and France want to mediate, they should guarantee the interests of the empire." Foreign Minister Izvolsky also said.

Nicholas II nodded and said, "In that case, let's talk to those yellow monkeys. However, I have only one request, and that is that the interests of the Russian Empire must not be harmed in the slightest. They must withdraw from the Empire's territory and pay the Empire an additional 1 billion rubles in compensation for their losses!"

Nicholas II's two demands left the ministers speechless. Did His Majesty forget that it was Russia, not China, that was at a disadvantage in the war? Nicholas II seemed to deny this! It's easy to imagine that unless the leaders of the Qing rebels were fools, they would never agree to such a request. However, since Nicholas II had already set the tone, they had no choice but to comply.

"Also, the troops dispatched to the Central Siberian Governorate cannot be stopped. Those yellow monkeys are marching towards the Central Siberian Governorate, plundering our land. This is absolutely unacceptable to the Russian Empire. We must quickly establish a land connection to Vladivostok and ensure that this port remains in Imperial hands." Nicholas II emphasized this point. The Russians valued territory, especially the eastern ports leading to the Pacific. Nicholas II wanted to emulate Peter the Great, a territorial explorer, and would not allow himself to lose an inch of territory.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Army Minister Sukhomlinov nodded. While Russia certainly had no shortage of troops, sending another large force to the Central Siberian Governorate, actively attacking, and defending the country, was a task impossible without money and food. Most importantly, the insurgents within Russia were growing stronger, the number of strikers was increasing, and the railway had been bombed by the Chinese. Whether the trains could even leave the station was a major concern.

In the capital, at the Legation Quarter in Dongjiaominxiang, the British Legation in China, Sir Edward Jordan, the British Minister to China, has received orders from the Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, to mediate the Sino-Russian War on behalf of Britain.

"Poor Russians! This war is simply a joke to them! A great power that once dominated Europe, the former European gendarmerie, was defeated and rubbed to the ground by two Eastern countries in just two years. It seems that this country that once made European countries tremble has lost its former glory." Sir Jordan sighed.

From the outset of this war, he anticipated Russia's potential defeat. Though the Qing rebels' rise to power was brief, their momentum was exceptionally rapid, their soldiers fiercely motivated and fearless. In comparison, the old Russian empire appeared to be a decadent and backward nation. This was especially true given that the Russian army, operating in the Far East thousands of miles from Europe, was at a significant disadvantage in an era when armies increasingly relied on logistics. Therefore, it was understandable that the Russians were losing this war.

However, at this point, Jordan had no liking for the Progress Party. This faction revealed too many peculiarities, completely unlike the traditional Chinese people they knew. Jordan had already seen the decline of the British Empire in the Far East, and its influence was actually shrinking globally. The Progress Party rose in the Yangtze River Basin, and the British Empire would undoubtedly suffer the most. Although the Progress Party was trying to cover this up with large-scale trade, and British merchants did make money, the fundamental loss of privilege could not be concealed.

At this time, in the liberated areas controlled by the Forward Party, the Japanese concessions were forcibly reclaimed by the new government, as were the Russian concessions. Customs offices in places like Chongqing, Tengchong, Qinzhou, and Wuhan also fell into the hands of the Forward Party. At this time, in areas controlled by the Forward Party, all foreign forces began to weaken, even trembling in fear. The privileges of the Western powers gradually disappeared in areas controlled by the Forward Party, and in their place, all foreigners had to abide by the rules set by the Forward Party government.

Jordan seemed to have foreseen the gradual fading of the British Empire's flag from the Far East, the retraction of all the privileges the British Empire had wrested from the Qing Dynasty at such a cost. However, compared to these limited interests in the Far East, Europe, India, and the British mainland were the empire's core interests. Faced with an increasingly aggressive Germany, the Empire's power had to be gradually reduced; otherwise, it would be impossible to tolerate the Forward Party's rampage in this barbaric land.

Jordan wanted to establish a new government to counter the Forward Party government. After all, civil war was the most depleting way for a country to survive. However, Jordan found that only Yuan Shikai was the most suitable candidate. However, every time he urged Yuan Shikai to rebel against the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Shikai would evade the question, which made Jordan feel quite helpless. Jordan absolutely did not believe that Yuan Shikai had no intention of rebellion. However, the Forward Party was now powerful and powerful, and all forces in China were afraid of it.

Hearing of the revolution in Guangdong and Fujian had initially delighted Jordan, as if two revolutionary factions were fighting each other, it would significantly expand the British Empire's influence in the Far East. However, the Guangdong uprising was suppressed in a remarkably short time, and widespread slaughter ensued in Guangdong and Fujian. Only one in ten of the insurgents, even progressive figures, survived, resulting in heavy losses. It could be said that this single instance of the overseas revolutionaries' power was decisively broken, leaving them with no chance of recovery.

"It seems we must continue to incite Yuan Shikai. Otherwise, the Forward Party will soon take over the entire country. In that case, unless we unite with the great powers to wage war again, the British will have no choice but to slowly withdraw from the Far East."

The Russians' focus on Europe served the British Empire's interests, and Jordan remained deeply concerned about mediating the war between Russia and the Forward Party. The feud between Russia and the new government was already deep-seated, and the conflict was irreconcilable. The longer the truce lasted, the greater their combined power would become, and the more brutal any future war would be, the more dependent Russia would become on the British Empire. Therefore, once the German threat was neutralized in Europe, Russia could act as it pleased in Siberia, with no objection from the British Empire. However, this was no longer possible.

Sir Edward Grey instructed Jordan to safeguard Russia's interests as much as possible during the peace talks. Jordan knew what to do, even without Sir Edward Grey's reminder. While a strong Russia was not in the interests of the British Empire, a unified China was also not in the interests of the British Empire. A severely weakened Russia was also not what Britain desired. Furthermore, excessive pressure on the Forward Party government was not an option, lest it completely sway towards Germany.

If the British were previously unwilling to take the Kadima government seriously even after the PLA's victory over the British, now they must confront it head-on. The PLA defeated both the Japanese and Russian armies, and even if they exploited their weaknesses, its combat effectiveness has been proven. Coupled with China's population and the number of troops it can deploy, if the Kadima government completely sided with Germany, it would be a disaster for both Russia and the British Empire.

It was necessary to protect Russia's interests as much as possible while also avoiding angering the Forward Party government. This requirement really made Sir Jordan feel a little embarrassed.

"Come here, invite Mr. Lu Ban and Mr. Pu Kedi to the embassy. I have important matters to discuss with them. Remember, invite Mr. Lu Ban first, and then invite Mr. Pu Kedi." Zhu Erdian ordered.

This time, the mediation was jointly undertaken by Britain and France. He believed that the French Minister to China, Lupin, had also received orders from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two of them needed to discuss it first. Then, they would understand the specific demands of the Russians.

"Yes, sir," replied the secretary of the legation, and went at once to make the arrangements.

Less than twenty minutes later, French Minister to China, Lupin, arrived at the British Legation. Sir Jordan and Lupin exchanged views. Both felt immense pressure regarding this mediation. It was foreseeable that the greedy Russians would never accept the fact that they had lost the war and would undoubtedly make unrealistic demands.

The Forward government would also be unwilling to yield. This made mediation extremely difficult. The Forward government was not a Qing government, weak and vulnerable. Furthermore, they also had to guard against German attempts to win over the Forward government, preventing it from completely falling over to the Germans.

Most importantly, the Kameidan government was not the same government as Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. Japan's finances were controlled by the foreign powers, allowing them to do whatever they wanted. The Russians were essentially unable to continue the war due to poor transportation and the ongoing revolution. Japan was truly unable to continue the war, having been depleted of both personnel and supplies. This gave the Field Army a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to triumph over the strong, driving out Japan and expelling Tsarist Russia.

Sir Jordan and Minister Luban discussed for a long time, but could not come up with a practical solution. So they had to first understand the Russians' requirements and then find a targeted solution.

Soon, Russian Minister to China, Pukodi, also arrived at the British Embassy. "Your Excellency, I believe you have received orders from your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the sake of peace in the Far East, the British Empire and France will mediate the war between your country and the Forward Party government. I hope your Excellency will cooperate with us," Lu Ban said with a smile.

"Sir, France is Russia's ally. Although the Russian Empire is confident of victory and is unwilling to end the war now, we are still willing to give our ally face. However, we hope that the two countries will guarantee the interests of the Russian Empire as much as possible when mediating." said Jian Kedi.

Sir Jordan and Minister Luban couldn't help but twitch their lips, and secretly cursed these Russians in their hearts for not having the awareness of being defeated, as if they were the winners.

"Sir Chikodi, what are Russia's specific demands?" Sir Jordan asked. "The Russian Empire has few demands, only three. First, the Chinese must withdraw from Russian territory and return the Chinese Eastern Railway and Port Arthur to the empire. Second, the concessions in Wuhan and the confiscated property must be returned to the Russian Empire, and an apology must be made, guaranteeing that such incidents will not occur again. Third, the Forward Party government must compensate the Russian Empire for its losses, totaling 2 billion rubles!" Chikodi said.

Sir Jordan and Minister Lupin exchanged a glance, speechless. Such a request, wasn't it? It was simply too much! They could already predict that the Forward Party government, upon learning of the Russians' demands, would verbally refuse to negotiate.

"Okay, Your Excellency, let's send the negotiation content to Wuhan first, and then set off immediately to Wuhan to negotiate with the Progressive Party government." Sir Jordan said speechlessly.

He wondered where the Russians' confidence lay. The Russo-Japanese and Sino-Russian wars had already cost Tsarist Russia hundreds of thousands of troops, and countless billions of dollars and supplies, leaving it deeply in debt. With victory now hopeless, they had also lost most of the territory of the Far East and East Siberia Governorates. How could they dare to make such harsh demands? The Forward Party government was not the Qing government. From their perspective, they would never accept such conditions.

If they were facing a weak and incompetent Qing government, Britain and France might have been able to exert pressure, unconscionably, to force Russia to win without a victory, just as France had, thereby securing greater benefits for Russia. After all, when the Qing and France fought, France won without a victory, while the Qing lost without a defeat. However, things are different now. Not only are the Germans desperately trying to win over the Forward Party government, but even the lawless young members of the Forward Party are difficult to deal with. It's fair to say that this extremely young party is even more difficult to deal with than Germany's idiotic emperor.

Chapter 683: First update!

On August 26, 1906, Sir John Jordan, the British Minister to China, Lupin, the French Minister to China, and Puccini, the Russian Minister to China, arrived in Wuhan by train. By then, the Lu-Han Railway had been fully opened earlier in the year. Despite the hostile relationship between the Qing Dynasty and the Forward Party, the railway was fully opened to traffic with the assistance of Belgium, the threat of the People's Liberation Army, and the new government's promise not to use the railway for troop transport and to unconditionally accept Qing Dynasty inspections on trains heading north. Reality is truly miraculous.

In Wuhan, inside the Forward Party's Foreign Affairs Office, Zhu Erdian, Lü Ban, and Qi Kedai appeared together. They were received by the Office's Director, Shen Ruo. Under the guise of maintaining peace in the Far East, Zhu Erdian and Lü Ban formally requested mediation in the war between Russia and the Forward Party government, requesting a meeting with Zhang Yinghao, the Forward Party's chairman.

Zhang Yinghao wasn't surprised that Britain and France were planning to mediate the war. Cripple Russia completely against the interests of Britain and France. Just like the Russo-Japanese War, if the war reached a certain point, Britain, France, and other powers would surely become restless.

To be honest, if Russia were really crippled at this time, or even accidentally collapsed, allowing the revolutionaries in Russia to gain benefits and establish a revolutionary government, it would also not be in China's interests.

As a land power bordering China, a relatively weak Russia truly serves China's interests and the interests of the Chinese nation. Furthermore, if the Russian Bolsheviks were allowed to take power now, Zhang Yinghao himself would feel immense pressure. Russia's ideals of promoting world revolution had no impact on Zhang Yinghao, but should the lands the field army had fought so hard to capture be handed over to the Russian proletariat? If not, a large-scale war might ensue.

No one knew the power of the Russian Bolsheviks better than themselves; it was a force that shook the world. While Russia's current industry was weak compared to other Western powers, it was vastly superior to China. The Forward Party's victory over Russia was due not only to its own thorough preparation, Russia's heavy losses in the war against Japan, but also to its surprise attack and the incompetence of the Russian leadership.

However, if the Bolsheviks came to power, while the Kadima Party would have liberated Mongolia and gained a geographical advantage, the intensity of the war between the two sides would have escalated significantly, with unpredictable consequences. Of course, Zhang Yinghao would have immediately devoted all his efforts to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty. If a war broke out over territory, especially with the Bolsheviks, Zhang Yinghao would have had to concentrate the entire nation's forces to face the threat of the Russian Red Army, and the outcome would have been uncertain. Most importantly, confronting the Red Army was unlike confronting Tsarist Russia, as it would have delayed Zhang Yinghao's progress in building the nation. Dealing with Tsarist Russia meant dealing with a small group of people in the upper echelons of the Tsarist Russia. China could still employ delaying tactics to wear down Russia, but dealing with the Red Army was like dealing with the Russian people, and China would have had to learn to make necessary concessions.

"Mr. Chairman, in view of the fact that the war between the Progressive Party government and Russia has seriously affected the peace and stability of the Far East and caused a serious humanitarian disaster, the British Empire hopes to mediate this war and let both sides return to the negotiating table to resolve the issue. This is also very beneficial to the Progressive Party government." Zhu Erdian said straight to the point when he saw Zhang Yinghao.

"The French government has the same idea. A peaceful Far East is beneficial to everyone," said French Minister Lupin.

"The Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation, and the Progressive Party has never initiated war. Peace is beneficial to all of us, so we fully accept the mediation of your two countries."

When Shen Ruo informed the comrades of the Forward Party that Britain and France wanted to mediate the war, many of them looked at each other in bewilderment. With the field army having won a battlefield victory, why did Britain and France jump in to mediate? What kind of thing was that?

The Progressive Party was currently holding a training session, and Zhang Yinghao was keen to broaden the comrades' horizons. Therefore, the area surrounding Zhang Yinghao's meeting was filled with party members observing. Negotiations involving national interests involve both caution and maneuvering, and there's no harm in giving these comrades a glimpse into national interests.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao and Shen Ruo wouldn't be the only ones meeting with the British, French, and Russian envoys; they would definitely have to bring other comrades along. Furthermore, their numbers would have to exceed those of the British and French envoys, otherwise the momentum would be weakened.

Upon hearing that the Progress Party was willing to mediate, the British and French envoys exchanged glances, overjoyed. They hadn't expected the Progress Party government to be so easy to talk to, and this mission was off to a good start. However, they also knew that what Zhang Yinghao was going to say next was the key point, so they continued to listen.

"However, this war was unilaterally provoked by Russia, and it was they who declared war on us. Even now, the Forward Party government, adhering to a peaceful attitude, has not declared war on Russia. Therefore, whether to fight or make peace depends entirely on Russia's actions, just like the Japanese, who were driven out of Northeast China and the war ended. Therefore, Russia should bear full responsibility for this war. You must know that the war is taking place on Chinese territory, not on Russian territory."

The field army now held a decisive advantage on the battlefield, and this was Zhang Yinghao's negotiating confidence. No matter what tricks the Russians might pull, the fact that hundreds of thousands of troops had been lost at the hands of the field army was undeniable. Zhang Yinghao could now, as Genghis Khan had said, deal with Russia: If you want to fight, then fight.

"It was you who first launched a despicable attack on the Chinese Eastern Railway Administration, illegally seized Russia's Chinese Eastern Railway, and usurped Russia's interests! Our army angrily fought back, so the responsibility for provoking the war lies entirely with you." Russian Minister Pukodi said angrily.

Zhang Yinghao listened and said with a smile: "May I ask your Excellency, is the Chinese Eastern Railway located in China or Russia? Is Mongolia Chinese or Russian territory? Besides, our Progressive Party did not ask you to come to China to build a railway. In the eyes of the Progressive Party, all property on Chinese soil belongs to the Chinese people. You are illegally plundering Chinese property, and we naturally do not allow it."

"We signed a treaty with the Qing government, and we have a legal presence in the Chinese Eastern Railway. Furthermore, your Progressive Party has always advocated maintaining the status quo. We have reason to believe that your Progressive Party has undermined the status quo you acknowledge."

Zhang Yinghao made an innocent gesture towards Britain and France and said: "Look, things have returned to the original state. Our Forward Party has long said that we are a hostile force to the Qing Dynasty. Don't tell me about the treaties you signed with the Qing Dynasty. It's useless to tell us. You should go to the Qing government to fulfill the treaties and contracts. However, what I want to say is that the Qing Dynasty wants to overthrow the Qing Dynasty just because it signed so many treaties with you. If we recognize these treaties, then what is the difference between us and the Qing Dynasty? We may even be worse than the Qing court. In that case, our Forward Party will not be qualified to lead the Chinese people to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. It's like we are signing a treaty with the rebels in Russia now. I think the Russian government and Tsar Nicholas II will certainly not recognize its legitimacy.

Furthermore, when we talk about maintaining the status quo, we mean ensuring that the interests of the Chinese people are not harmed; it's a status quo of peaceful development. The fact that you, Russia, are at war with Japan in Northeast China is no longer maintaining the status quo. You were the first to disrupt the status quo, and we are merely driving you away to restore peace there. Most importantly, you are slaughtering local people in Northeast China and East Siberia on a massive scale. We have reason to suspect you are committing genocide. Therefore, we, the Progressive Party, must liberate the local people enslaved by you due to the incompetence of the Qing Dynasty.

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, not only did the Russians' faces turn black, but the faces of the British and French also turned sour. Zhang Yinghao's words were like pointing at a monk and scolding a bald donkey. Although Russia and the Qing Dynasty had signed many treaties, it was the British who really started to sign treaties with the Qing Dynasty, followed by the French.

Shen Ruo felt his scalp tingle after hearing Zhang Yinghao's words. Zhang Yinghao had said similar things before during training, and Shen Ruo had thought they were a bit taken for granted. However, he hadn't expected Zhang Yinghao to actually say these words in full, in front of the British and French envoys. In this era, perhaps only Zhang Yinghao would dare to say these words. Others would feel pressured by the sight of foreigners, so how could they dare to speak so boldly? Moreover, these words violated the current International Convention. Breaking the rules was tantamount to making enemies of the great powers.

Pukodi immediately retorted: "It was China that committed genocide against Russia in East Siberia, and now it is the Forward Party that has invaded Russia. Our country demands that the Chinese army immediately withdraw from Russian territory..."

Diplomats are arguably some of the most thick-skinned people in the world, requiring them to be able to swallow insults without hesitation. Furthermore, diplomats are not likely to be stumped by questions, and they must be able to answer every question. Therefore, diplomats generally require exceptional individuals with high emotional intelligence, exceptional memory, and excellent adaptability. They face many challenges that ordinary people simply cannot handle.

"Humph, we have witnesses and evidence. Even if you deny it, you can't deny it. These are the facts."

Zhang Yinghao finished speaking and slammed the documents on the table covering Russia's eastward expansion into Northeast China, the Far East, and East Siberia. They included evidence of genocide in the Far East, massacres by Russian troops during the Boxer Rebellion, and records of massacres in Northeast China and the brutal massacres during the Russo-Japanese War.

"These are the crimes you Russians have committed in the Far East. Do I need to read them out one by one? You Russians have slaughtered people all the way from Europe to the Far East, and the crimes you have committed are innumerable. And we have ample evidence to prove that these lands originally belonged to the Chinese, not you Russians. So when I say maintain the status quo, I mean that when our Forward Party arrives in these places, all Russians need to leave. That's maintaining the status quo."

"Alright. There's no point in arguing about this any further, so let's put it aside for now. Since the Progressive Party government also wants peace, we have a basis for peace talks."

Sir Jordan quickly stood up. If Zhang Yinghao and Pu Kedi were allowed to continue debating, the mediation would probably be in vain.

Zhang Yinghao nodded, agreeing with Sir Jordan's statement. However, Zhang Yinghao absolutely refused to believe that the Russians would swallow their anger, nor would he admit defeat. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao's goal was to maintain the status quo. As long as the status quo remained, Zhang Yinghao believed that time would be on his side.

At present, the Field Army has achieved a decisive victory on the battlefield. The next step is to make the Russians clear about the benefits the Field Army has gained in this war, whether they admit it or not. This can only be clarified through negotiations. Of course, if the Russians are ignorant and do not understand the current situation and continue the war, the Field Army is not a weakling and will not be bullied.

"Mr. Pukodi, please tell the Progressive Party government your request for a ceasefire," said Sir Jordan.

"Russia's demands for a ceasefire are few, only three..."

After stating Russia's demands, Pukodi said arrogantly: "If you do not accept these conditions, then the war will continue. The army of the great Russian Empire will completely defeat you."

After hearing these conditions, Zhang Yinghao wanted to sneer, but he held it back. Negotiation, after all, is a matter of asking for a high price and paying it back on the spot. However, Zhang Yinghao didn't want to bargain at all. It might be in the best interests of the Progress Party to temporarily break up the negotiations.

Zhang Yinghao could hold back, sitting there expressionlessly, his eyes fixed on the three ministers across from him. But the other comrades present were stunned. Although they had anticipated that the Russians' conditions might be harsh, they had not expected the Russians to propose such a foolish condition. Could it be that the field army had been defeated in this war? Were the Russians the victors? Otherwise, how could Qi Kedi look like the victorious nation slaughtering the defeated?

So, the comrades all glared at the Russian envoy. If Zhang Yinghao hadn't been there, they wouldn't have had a chance to speak. They might have stood up and started cursing. Even giving Pu Ke the first big slap would have been a minor offense. They'd seen thick-skinned people, but never one this thick-skinned. They'd seen shameless people, but never one this shameless.

Zhang Yinghao glanced at his comrades from the corner of his eye and suddenly realized that the comrades of the Forward Party still lacked the temper of calm composure, the composure that remained unfazed even in the face of adversity. Their emotions were still easily visible on their faces. However, despite their anger, these comrades remained disciplined and remained silent. Zhang Yinghao was quite satisfied with this. If the comrades of the Forward Party had started to shout and yell at this moment, or even said something they shouldn't have, it would have been a bad omen.

"Haha, Your Excellency. You don't seem to understand the situation yet. Right now, the field army has annihilated hundreds of thousands of Russian troops on the battlefield."

Zhang Yinghao finally let out a couple of "ha ha" laughs to express his inner feelings. What couldn't be achieved on the battlefield could be achieved at the negotiating table—something only a weak government like the Qing court could achieve. Regarding Zhang Yinghao's current mood, facing Russia's unreasonable demands, the word "ha ha" perfectly captured his emotions.

A trace of shame and anger flashed across Minister Pukodi's face: "Yes, you do have a slight advantage now. However, the loss of hundreds of thousands of troops is nothing to the Great Russian Empire. The Great Russian Empire can easily arm millions of troops and send them to the battlefield. If the war continues, the winner will definitely be the Great Russian Empire!"

"If that's the case, then I don't think there's any need to continue this negotiation. Let's wait until the Russian army defeats us."

Zhang Yinghao didn't bother to talk to the Russians anymore. There was no way these old Russians would give in so easily. They were simply going too far. How many great strategists like Lenin had ever appeared in the world? He could throw away the essence of Europe with a whim. His audacity was unmatched. To the land-hungry Russians, Lenin was truly a unique and unique figure.

"Hmph! Is this your answer? Soon, you will regret your arrogant behavior today."

Pukodi snorted coldly and stood up and left the negotiation table. Without instructions from St. Petersburg, he would never give up the slightest bit of the empire's interests until the very last moment of defeat.

Sir Jordan and Minister Luban were stunned. They had not expected that their first meeting would end in this way. This undoubtedly cast a shadow over the mediation from the very beginning.

"Mr. Chairman, this..." Sir Jordan was speechless.

"Sir, the conditions proposed by the Russians are too harsh. I even doubt whether we have won the war. We absolutely cannot accept such conditions."

Zhu Erdian pondered for a moment, nodded, and said, "Okay, we will persuade the Russian side. Tomorrow morning, we hope to start negotiations again."

"Of course. However, if the Russians insist on such conditions, then the negotiations will be fruitless," Zhang Yinghao said as a precaution. Zhang Yinghao's statement undoubtedly represented the final stance of the Forward Party government and the field army.

Sir Jordan and Minister Lupin then took their leave.

"Damn it! These damn old Russians are so shameless and bullying. If someone didn't know, they would almost think we lost the battle!"

After Zhu Erdian and others left, the Forward Party immediately started an internal meeting, and some comrades spoke angrily.

"Alas, this isn't the first time we've dealt with these foreign devils. They've always been so arrogant. Fortunately, our army defeated them in the war. Otherwise, who knows how harsh the conditions they would have put forward. It looks like they want to eat us alive!"

·.………-