Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 478 Negotiation and Pull

Lord Palmerston saw this and spoke.

"Your Majesty, at this point, there is only one way that may prevent the current situation in India from getting worse."

"That is, peace talks!"

"Bruce, the Chinese ambassador stationed in Tang, sent back news that he had contacted Tang by using Alaska as a starting point."

"The Tang State has finally relented on the peace talks and is willing to negotiate with Great Britain on the situation in India..."

When Victoria heard this, the expression on her face changed from gloomy to bright.

She knew that since Palmerston came to her to talk about the peace talks, it meant that the peace talks must have been a success, otherwise he would not have bothered her.

Therefore, I continued to ask.

"How exactly?"

"What conditions did the Tang Kingdom offer?"

Palmerston said with a slightly solemn and conflicted expression.

“It’s Australia!”

"The Tang Kingdom wants to take over Australia from Great Britain."

Queen Victoria couldn't help but frown after hearing this.

"Australia?"

Although Australia is a wasteland today, it is a place where Britain used to exile criminals.

But this piece of wasteland was nominally the territory of the British royal family, and Victoria was reluctant to give it away.

How does that sentence go? Dae Young is not just her royal family's Dae Young. Why should the royal family be the only one to make sacrifices for Dae Young?
This is unfair!

Seeing that the Queen was conflicted, Palmerston began to persuade her.

"Your Majesty, Australia is important to our country, but it is not more important than India."

"The most important thing for Great Britain right now is to resolve the rebellion in India first."

"Only by resolving the Indian rebellion can the United Kingdom be stabilized..."

At present, the situation in the UK is actually very tense.

Due to the war in India, Britain's industrial products lost the most important dumping market, which caused a large number of factories in Britain to suspend production or even close down.

A large number of workers lost their livelihoods!
Several rounds of workers' movements have broken out in several important industrial areas such as London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Although Britain sent military and police to suppress the riot, it was only a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution.

As long as industrial production cannot be restored and workers cannot resume their normal livelihoods, no matter how much the military and police suppress them, chaos will eventually arise.

If Britain wanted to restore normal industrial production, then it must quell the Indian rebellion and regain India, the most important market for dumping its goods.

After all, as the saying goes, if there is no market, how can you develop an industry?

Upon hearing this, Victoria did not make a direct statement, but looked at Palmerston and said.

"Peace talks are indeed a good idea."

"How about this? Sir Palmerston will still be in charge of the peace talks. I am waiting for your good news."

Palmerston was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but he immediately bowed.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I understand!"

Palmerston understood what Victoria meant.

To put it simply, peace talks are possible, but Australia is a continent after all, and as a queen she has to save face, so she cannot cede land on her own.

Palmerston has to take the blame for this!

In return, Queen Victoria could agree to cede Australia to the Tang Dynasty.

After realizing this, Palmerston agreed verbally, but his heart sank.

Because he knew that he was finished!

Once he was burdened with the responsibility of ceding a continent and seeking peace with a Far Eastern country, his political career would most likely be over.

The reason is simple: this pot is just too big!

Moreover, since Britain began to dominate the world, there has been no precedent of being forced to cede a continent.

If I, as the prime minister, set this precedent, I'm afraid my reputation after death will not be very good.

But could Palmerston refuse?
Obviously not!

Since Her Majesty the Queen said so, it means that she wants to leave the matter to him.

If he dares to shirk his responsibility, it will not only be his political career that will be ruined, but also the political career of his entire family.

There is no doubt that although Queen Victoria's power is certainly not as great as that of real monarchs such as Li Yi and the Tsar of Tsarist Russia, she is not a puppet.

She didn't dare to do anything against the entire aristocracy or the bourgeoisie, but she could definitely do something as small as targeting a family and preventing it from getting involved in politics again.

Palmerston could not afford this consequence.

After discussing the specific details of the peace talks with Queen Victoria for a while, Palmerston chose to leave.

Looking at Palmerston's slightly lonely back, Queen Victoria had a complicated expression.

It was not that she intended to target Palmerston, but ceding a continent was too big a responsibility.

Apart from her, the Queen, only Prime Minister Palmerston could carry her.

Since Victoria didn't want to take the blame herself, the blame could only be passed on to Palmerston.

Also, Victoria had to blame Palmerston for the cession of Australia so that she would not have to bear the opposition within the British royal family after the cession of Australia, a crown territory.

That's what politics is!
The most important skill for a mature and experienced politician is to learn how to pass the buck.

……

Tang Dynasty, capital!
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office!
After receiving a response from the mainland, Minister Bruce once again approached Guo Songtao to prepare for peace talks with the Tang Dynasty.

"Your Excellency, we have received a response from the British mainland."

"The Prime Minister has personally explained that Australia's issues can be discussed."

"However, the Tang Dynasty needs to withdraw its troops from India and make a commitment not to interfere in the Indian situation again."

"Great talents can make concessions on the issue of Australia!"

As Bruce said this, he stared at Guo Songtao with burning eyes.

Guo Songtao heard this and shook his head.

"The Mughal Khanate in India is now a vassal of the Tang Dynasty. We cannot watch the Mughal Empire being destroyed by the British."

"If you want the Tang Dynasty to withdraw its troops from India, your country must also sign a peace treaty with the Mughal Khanate and promise not to invade again."

Although the Tang Dynasty wanted to end the war in India as soon as possible, it did not mean that the Tang Dynasty was willing to see Britain become the only dominant power in India.

The Tang Dynasty still needs to find ways to preserve the Mughal Khanate, and thus leave a handle for the Tang Dynasty to intervene in the Indian war again in the future.

Bruce heard this and shook his head excitedly.

"no!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Britain must completely quell the Indian rebellion. Britain cannot allow secession and rebellion to exist in India."

Guo Songtao heard this and spoke.

"Now you have taken over 90% of India's land. The profits you have gained are more than enough."

"I think it would be better for the British not to kill all the Mughals."

"The Mughal Khanate is a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty will never sit idly by and watch its vassal state being destroyed."

"If the British insist on destroying the Mughal Khanate, then there is no need to continue the peace talks."

"We, the Tang Dynasty, will immediately prepare for operations to help the Mughal Khanate recapture Calcutta and even Delhi!"

The Mughal Khanate must not be abandoned. This was Li Yi’s instruction to Guo Songtao.

The reason for this is, on the one hand, to enable the Tang Dynasty to continue to intervene in the Indian situation in the future.

But more importantly, it is for the international status of the Tang Dynasty.

What did that sentence say?

If you want to be the boss, it's no use just talking big, you have to do it yourself.

Otherwise, how can we convince the people?
Take the Cold War period in history as an example.

The reason why the Russians lost the Cold War was that they never secured their position as the leader of their own camp.

In the camp, most countries have their own ideas.

The reason why Maozi couldn't hold his position firmly was that he liked to let his younger brothers take the lead when things happened and he didn't dare to take action himself.

Then people lose all their hearts!

Therefore, Li Yi understood that if Tang wanted to be the boss, it couldn't just talk big.

It must be able to cover it!
Only when you, the boss, can provide support and protect your younger brothers at critical moments, will they dare to follow you, right?

Otherwise, for your own benefit, you can sell a younger brother today and another younger brother tomorrow.

In a few days, you, the boss, will be left alone!
What the hell is this!

Bruce opened his mouth and then spoke.

"All right!"

"Great Britain can sign a peace treaty with the Mughal Khanate of India, but the Tang Dynasty must also guarantee that the Mughal Khanate will not call on rebels to be hostile to Great Britain again."

Bruce saw the toughness of the Tang Dynasty, so he held his ground. Seeing this, Guo Songtao nodded slightly to show his approval.

Then he continued.

"In that case, let's discuss other terms."

"This time, in order to protect our vassal states and interfere in the situation in India, the Tang Dynasty paid a total of about 4200 million silver dollars for war expenses including weapons, military supplies, fleet maintenance, and logistics maintenance."

"The British side still needs to pay this war reparations to our Tang Dynasty!"

As for the Treaty of Nanjing, since land was ceded, how could there be no compensation?

The Tang Dynasty did not ask Britain for much, just 4200 million!
Well, this is twice the amount of war reparations that the Qing Dynasty paid to Britain after the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing.

In Li Yi's opinion, only by making the British pay double the indemnity can the shame of the Opium War be avenged.

Bruce's face darkened when he heard this.

"Isn't the Tang Dynasty too greedy?"

"Since Great Britain has already agreed to cede Australia, how can there be any war reparations?"

"I, Daying, will never accept such humiliation!"

Guo Songtao raised the corner of his mouth and said.

"is it?"

"It seems the war will have to continue!"

"You might as well tell the ambassador that Bahadur Shah II of the Mughal Khanate has petitioned the court more than once, asking the Tang Dynasty to send troops to help the Mughal Khanate recapture Calcutta and even Delhi."

"In our Tang Dynasty military, several senior generals have expressed their support for this."

"And these senior generals all have extraordinary influence on His Majesty the Emperor. They have the ability to influence His Majesty the Emperor's decision..."

Although the Tang Dynasty currently has no plans to increase its troops in India, this does not prevent Guo Songtao from using this to scare Bruce.

Anyway, Bruce didn’t know the current attitude of the Tang Dynasty’s top leaders towards the war situation in India!

As long as Guo Songtao himself does not show his weakness, Nabrus will have absolutely no place to seek verification.

Bruce: “…”

Bruce is really feeling a little numb now.

This was the first time that he, a British envoy, had been threatened so blatantly during negotiations, and he was unable to refute it.

This feeling really made him uncomfortable!
Taking a deep breath, Bruce forced himself to calm down and then spoke.

"Mr. Minister, 4200 million silver dollars is too much!"

"I swear in the name of God, Great Britain will never agree to this!"

Guo Songtao sneered when he heard this.

"In that case, let the war continue."

"During the Opium War, your country reached the gates of Nanjing, and then the Qing Dynasty chose to admit defeat."

"I just don't know, this time, how far will the Tang Dynasty advance before your country will choose to admit defeat?"

"Calcutta? Delhi? Bombay?"

"Or even in the UK?!"

Bruce was speechless when he heard this.

I silently complained in my heart, these Chinese people are really vindictive!

A war that happened twenty years ago is still remembered today!

Bruce smiled bitterly and then said.

"Well, Mr. Minister, you win!"

"Do you have any other requests? Please let me know!"

Seeing this, Guo Songtao raised three fingers with a smile on his face.

"There are three more conditions!"

"First, open up trade!"

"The United Kingdom must open up its colonies and ports around the world to the Tang Dynasty, and allow our Tang merchants to freely go there to trade."

"Second Agreement Tariff!"

"The tariff amount between the Great Tang and the British mainland, as well as the colonies, needs to be agreed upon by both parties."

"Third, extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction!"

"I am a Tang merchant. If our citizens commit crimes on your land, your relevant personnel have no right to deal with them. They must be handed over to the Tang Dynasty for trial and punishment."

The conditions proposed by Guo Songtao were nothing new.

It can even be said to be a replica of the Treaty of Nanjing.

However, this time it was Britain's turn to sign an unequal treaty.

Well, if the war situation on the Indian side was just a stalemate, the Tang Dynasty would naturally not have the confidence to propose these unequal treaties to Britain.

But who was it that made the Tang Dynasty’s fleet defeat the British fleet in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal?

After the victory in the naval battle, the Tang Dynasty had already gained actual initiative in the Indian battlefield.

In this case, Guo Songtao would naturally not be polite to Britain during the negotiations!
If Britain did not offer enough benefits, would the Tang Dynasty easily withdraw from India?

Well, anyway, Britain is not the Tang Dynasty and is not prepared to continue to invest troops and resources in India.

He just took advantage of the British people's fear of a counterattack by the Tang Dynasty to make a big profit from him.

Bruce had a conflicted expression when he heard this.

After a moment of silence, he began to bargain with Guo Songtao.

"Extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction are impossible. Britain will never agree to such conditions."

"However, open trade and tariff agreements are negotiable!"

"I, Great Britain, can open our homeland and colonies to the Tang Dynasty, but in return."

"The Tang Dynasty must also open up its homeland and the markets of its vassal states to Great Britain."

"The same goes for the tariff agreement. We need to negotiate not only Great Britain's tariffs, but also Tang Dynasty's tariffs."

"Also, if Tang wants extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction, Britain must also receive equal treatment."

Many times, open trade and non-unequal treaties such as tariff agreements are not as bullying as imagined.

As long as you have enough power to bargain with the other party, these conditions are actually not excessive.

Many things are negotiable, such as open trade and tariff agreements.

The only things that are somewhat insulting are extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction.

Therefore, the British side will not give up on extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction in any case.

Seeing this, Guo Songtao was not in a hurry, but continued to negotiate with Bruce slowly and leisurely.

The two sides discussed several conditions one by one...

……

Alaska!

Fuyuan City!
This place was originally called Anchorage, and later became the largest city in Alaska.

After the Tang Dynasty accepted Alaska, in order to have a good meaning, it changed the name of Anchorage to Fuyuan City.

It means to intimidate and appease the distant places!
Batu stood on the top of Fuyuan City, looking outside the city, doing his routine duty.

A biting cold wind blew in his face, making his face hurt. Even though he had applied antifreeze oil on his face, it still left several cracks.

Outside the city was a vast expanse of white snow visible to the naked eye.

There was a group of tents amidst the white snow, and above the tents were floating the flags of the British Army.

In the cold wind, the British army's flag seemed to have been frozen, and even without wind, it could be unfolded on the flagpole.

Originally, Batu thought that the climate in Mobei, where he had lived for generations, was already cold and harsh enough.

Unexpectedly, Alaska is even colder than the northern desert.

As soon as autumn came, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

After a heavy snowfall, even the sea was frozen.

Half a year is winter, and it is so snowy that you can't even go out.

With every breath, as the cold air entered his lungs, Su Ke felt a tightness in his chest.

But even so, since it was his turn to stand guard, he couldn't escape.

As time passed, the mask on his face was covered with white frost.

Even though he was wearing thick dog-skin boots, his toes were already numb from the cold.

Tormented by the cold wind, Batu felt that every minute of standing guard was like a year.

Finally, as the sun set, his replacement arrived at the top of the city wall.

"Batu, it's time to go back and rest!"

"Remember to come for me half an hour later..."

The climate in Alaska is so cold that in order to simulate the soldiers freezing to death while on guard, the shift time was reduced by half to one hour.

Batu nodded, got down from his post, stretched his numb hands and feet, then turned and walked towards the soldier cave under the city wall.

(End of this chapter)