Although Li Sanjie's response was very harsh, Huo Bilan still heard the implicit meaning from it. According to Li Sanjie's reply, overseas Chinese actually did not intend to capture Shanghai. As long as the concession did not do too much and caused major conflicts, overseas Chinese would not use force against the Shanghai concession. Today's parade has always maintained a relatively restrained approach, which also proves that overseas Chinese actually did not want to completely fall apart with various countries, and also had the intention to renegotiate with various countries.

After understanding this, Huo Bishan couldn't help but feel relieved. At least Shanghai is basically safe, so there will be more room for maneuver. Moreover, the other party is willing to negotiate, that would be better. Britain has never been afraid of negotiations, because negotiations are essentially an exchange of interests. Britain is the most powerful country in this era, so naturally there are enough chips in most negotiations. Even if there are no chips, Britain will find some chips for itself. Therefore, Huo Bilan's mind is also running rapidly. The current situation is naturally dominated by overseas Chinese, but Britain can still find some chips that are beneficial to it. There is one in front of him, so Huo Bilan said: "Mr. Li, we have always respected China's expression of our demands, but your behavior in searching the embassies of various countries in Beijing is a wanton trampling on international norms and a serious sympathy for the dignity of various countries. We hope that you will give each country a clear explanation."

Li Sanjie smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Consul, I am here to visit you today. I hope to discuss with you the major issues related to the situation in the entire Far East, rather than these trivial matters. If you must worry about these trivial matters, I think we can't continue to talk about them."

Huo Bilan's face was also quite embarrassed, because the other party did not accept the move he had made at all, but instead fought back from unexpected places, making all the prepared backstops fail, and he eventually had to follow the other party. After all, his ultimate goal was not to worry about these trivial matters, but to really talk about big things, so he had to say, "Okay, Mr. Li, what are you going to talk to me this time?"

Li Sanjie said: "Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the UK on behalf of the Tianjin Provisional Government. You will tell us the news of the Russian army's future southward advance through Li Hongzhang and Li Zhongtang. We will not forget this favor, but this also shows that we and the UK have common interests, which is to curb Russia's expansion in the Far East. I think it would not be in the UK's interests if the Russian army broke through Shanhaiguan and captured Beijing."

Huo Bilan said: "Is it not in your interest to curb Russia?"

Li Sanjie said: "So I said we have common interests, so we have room for cooperation. It is not convenient for Britain to confront Russia head-on, so we will definitely send troops to the Russian army to advance south, but I hope the UK can provide us with help within our ability."

Huo Bilan couldn't help feeling relieved. Finally, he waited until overseas Chinese had something to ask for. This was really not easy. He had to make some concessions from overseas Chinese. Of course, he could slowly consider the concessions from those aspects. So Huo Bilan said: "Of course, we are willing to provide you with the best of your ability. I don't know what kind of help you need?"

Li Sanjie said: "We will buy some materials needed for war in Shanghai, and may also buy some weapons and ammunition. We will solve the purchase channels and funds ourselves. We just hope that the UK can provide some convenience in transportation and circulation channels."

Huo Bilan was stunned for a moment, unable to believe it and said, "Is that all?"

Li Sanjie nodded and said, "There are only these. Of course, if any British merchants have an interest in our procurement plan, we are willing to give British merchants the same opportunity. The Consul can introduce several British merchants to us."

Huo Bilan couldn't help but smile bitterly and said that the requirements of overseas Chinese were too simple. Strictly speaking, it was almost not a requirement, because although the UK has a vast sphere of influence in Shanghai, the areas that are truly effectively controlled are limited to the rental area. For transactions outside the rental area, the UK can use its own influence to interfere with it, but cannot forcibly stop it. Although the constituents of various countries control the estuary of the Yangtze River, as long as they do not follow the Yangtze River waterway, the UK is also powerless. Moreover, although the consulates of various countries are located in the concession, the consulates are only diplomatic institutions, and the administrative management of the concession is the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry. That is to say, if the Ministry of Industry of the Concession does not interfere with the trade and transportation of overseas Chinese, the consulates have no right to interfere. How could Huo Bilan raise conditions for overseas Chinese?

But if the conditions were not mentioned, Huo Bilan was unwilling to give up, so he thought about it and said: "Yes, I can agree to these conditions on behalf of the British government, but we also hope that you can agree to several conditions?"

Li Sanjie said flatly: "Before the formal negotiations, we will not agree to any conditions proposed by the UK, because resisting the Russian army's southward advance is for our common interests, and this is a huge benefit for the UK."

Huo Bilan felt a little nervous because he didn't take any trouble every time he confronted him. He had never encountered this situation before, and he was a little annoyed, saying, "Mr. Li, you need the help of our UK now. If you don't want to accept our conditions, even if I agree to you, I probably won't agree in the UK country."

Li Sanjie said: "Mr. Consul, we will imagine if the UK refuses to provide help to us and we will fight against the Russian army alone. If we defeat the Russian army, then what chips will Britain use to bargain with us in the next negotiations; and if we are defeated by the Russian army, the Russian army will then occupy Beijing and control northern China, is this result the UK hopes to see? If Britain does not want to see such a result, then why should we be struggling with these tiny interests now?"

When Huo Bilan heard this, he couldn't help but feel speechless, so he had to smile bitterly and said, "Okay, I have to admit that you have convinced me, and I will do my best to convince the domestic government and fully support your resistance to the Russian army's southward advance, but I want to know what if you defeat the Russian army, what to do? I need to have as much reason as possible to convince the domestic government."

Li Sanjie couldn't help but feel happy. He knew that he had finally convinced Huo Bilan, so he immediately said: "We defeated the Russian army to advance south, which can only be regarded as completing the first step, and it does not mean that we have curbed Russia's expansion in the Far East, because the Russian army still occupies China's Northeast and is still a huge threat to the situation in the Far East. To be honest, with our current strength, it is not difficult to block the Russian army's advance south, but we still cannot get to let Russia withdraw from Northeast China. Therefore, we must completely curb Russia and cooperate with each other."

Huo Bilan also nodded, very satisfied with Li Sanjie's frankness. If Li Sanjie said that as long as the British support, overseas Chinese could drive Russia out of the Northeast, although Huo Bilan would still suggest cooperation with overseas Chinese to the country, he would definitely have reservations. So he said: "Then how can we cooperate to contain Russia after you defeated the Russian army and advanced south?"

Li Sanjie said: "After defeating the Russian army, we will immediately negotiate with the Qing court, and still let the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Emperor return to Beijing to take charge of the government. We will withdraw all our forces from Beijing. However, we will ask the Qing court to assign the Shandong Peninsula area to us as our sphere of influence. Of course, we will maintain good relations and economic and trade cooperation with all countries, and we will also welcome all countries to invest in Shandong. However, any exchange must be based on the equality of both sides. Any treaty signed by various countries and the Qing court is ineffective in Shandong, and we will not respect it."

Huo Bilan nodded. The British government should be acceptable for overseas Chinese. What Britain is most worried about now is that overseas Chinese have a complete foothold in Beijing and control the Qing court in some form. This will be a nightmare for all countries by the strong military organization capabilities of overseas Chinese and the huge population resources of the Qing court. Overseas Chinese only require occupying the Shandong Peninsula. Although they have become an independent force, the threat to various countries is much smaller. First of all, overseas Chinese have actually become an independent force in China, and they have already established a foothold in the Shandong Peninsula. No matter how the British The government cannot change this result if it does not accept it. Secondly, although the UK has forced a lease on Weihaiwei, it was a frontier settlement established to curb Russia's expansion in the Far East. In fact, Britain has not had much interests in Shandong, and there will be no big losses if it gives up. On the contrary, Germany's losses from Qingdao are even greater. Thirdly, after overseas Chinese occupy the Shandong Peninsula, they are in a sea-crossing position from the northeastern region occupied by Russia, becoming a frontier position to prevent Russia from advancing southwardly. Britain can retreat behind the scenes to command. Therefore, this suggestion is indeed a favorable result for Britain at present.
Chapter completed!