.Tsarist Russia's blatant provocation immediately sparked strong protests from the Chinese government and people...

After learning about the Prime Minister Wang Chenhao, who was inspecting maritime affairs in Gaochang Temple in Shanghai, learned about it, he ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make solemn representations to Russia to test Russia's background. At the same time, he raised a strong protest against Tsarist Russia to the Hague International, requesting the Hague International to put pressure on Tsarist Russia and make Russia give up its interference in China's internal affairs. This move was to occupy the moral commanding heights and now it has won support in international public opinion.

On the other hand, Wang Chenhao ordered the Ministry of National Defense to formulate a plan, and once the efforts of diplomatic channels failed, they would start to describe the forces. The General Staff began to formulate detailed combat plans. The Military Order issued a war mobilization order, calling on the people of the whole country to actively sign up for the army, and the reserve troops quickly returned to the construction. The garrisons in all parts of the country were upgraded from peaceful towns to military forces, and the three major military regions gathered the troops under their jurisdiction to form a group army or army group. The General Logistics Department seized the time to prepare war materials and transported supplies to the strategic material reserve centers of the three major military regions, including food, forage, guns and equipment, ammunition, oil, medicine, military uniforms and other materials.

On the 3rd, The Hague International accepted a request from the Beiyang government of China, Britain, France, the United States,

Germany, Italy, Austria, Bibi, Portugal, Netherlands and other countries formed a joint mediation delegation to establish an international tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands to accept disputes between China and Russia on the issue of external affairs.

Although China occupies the moral high ground and has an advantage over Tsarist Russia on the issue of external affairs, the European and American powers all hope that China and Russia will fight. Therefore, on the issue of Tsarist Russia interfering in China's internal affairs, the international court favored Tsarist Russia and had no intention of mediating. Instead, it deliberately angered China and forced China to go to war against Russia.

Wang Chenhao knew that these European and American powers did not want China to become stronger, especially the British and British governments would instigate China and Russia to start a war all the time. This time, they seized the opportunity and had no intention of mediation, but encouraged China to prepare for war against Russia.

Seeing that Britain had no intention of mediation, other European and American powers chose to take sides and gamble to win.

Tsarist Russia's arrogance made it only have one friend in Europe, but this time France, Germany, Italy,

European countries such as Austria, Bibi, Portugal, and the Netherlands all stood on Russia's side and supported Russia's interference in China's internal affairs and bet on the Sino-Russian war in Russia.

The main reason for this result was caused by the British. The conflict between Britain and Russia made Britain support China in opposition to Russia, but the British-British war is currently in full swing, and Britain intends to dominate South Africa's gold and diamonds. European countries are jealous. Especially Germany's huge influence on the European continent and the Netherlands' agitated travel have led European countries to form a political group that jointly isolated Britain. Therefore, Britain supports China and other European countries support Russia.

Similarly, the United States has had a very unhappy relationship with China on the Panama Canal issue, and hopes to take this opportunity to beat China. Therefore, the United States chose to be neutral in this matter, but this is equivalent to helping Russia.

Of course, the European and American powers deliberately made a fuss about this matter. The real purpose is to prevent China from rising, because they know that China has a population of more than 400 million and has an economic total second only to the United States. China is undergoing modernization reforms and has achieved surprising achievements. If China does not stop its rise, China will be the second United States in the future, and it will become a huge threat to European countries.

When European powers took a series of crackdown measures to suppress the economic development of the United States, the United States has broken through the European blockade. These European countries can no longer stop the rise of the United States, so they have to settle for the second best to stop China's rise.

Obviously, the best way to stop China's rise is to incite China's closest to Tsarist Russia to launch a war. The United States does not want a country that may be on par with him or even surpass him in the future. Therefore, on this issue, the United States and European countries have the same position. Of course, the United Kingdom also has this position, but before Britain curbs China, Britain hopes to use China to curb Russia.

These European and American powers were not kind-hearted, and Wang Chenhao knew best. Wang Chenhao knew that China's influence on Europe is far less than that of Russia, and he did not expect The Hague International to help. He submitted the matter to The Hague International for arbitration, just to delay some time, because it takes time for Wang Chenhao's army to assemble, and it takes time to send supplies to the three major war zones, while the Expedition G Ancient Desert takes even more time.

Similarly, the Tsarist Russian government also knew that these European and American countries had no good intentions to support them. They all wanted to use Russia's power to attack China, and while consuming China's national strength, it was also consuming Russia's national strength. This is a strategic plan that kills two birds with one stone.

Although the Tsarist Russian government knew the real purpose of the great powers of various countries, as time went by, the Tsarist Russian government seemed to be unable to come to Taiwan. Nicholas II's death was a desperate attempt to save face, and the whole country was determined to fight with China, and the war preparations for the past few years were all aimed at China.

The Russian government believes that war is inevitable and it is only a matter of time. But the Russian government also knows that it will be difficult for Tsarist Russia to achieve a decisive victory in the Far East without waiting for the completion of the Siberian Railway. But at present, only two-thirds of the Siberian Railway has been completed, and the Tsarist Russian military is not ready for the war, and it will take time.

In this way, Tsarist Russia hopes to avoid military conflicts with China on the issue of G-gu and support G-gu. In the future, Russia's annexation of G-gu is the ultimate strategic purpose of Tsarist Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and maintaining the current situation between G-gu and Beiyang governments is the current strategic purpose of Tsarist Russian diplomats. And arbitration of this well through The Hague International is just to create trouble for China.

Of course, the Tsarist Russian government has strong military support on the issue of G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-M-G-G-G-G-M-G-G-M-G-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M

China has strategic advantages in the Northeast, while Russia has strategic advantages in the Northwest.

It is precisely because of the support of the Central Asian Corps that Tsarist Russia dared to openly challenge the Beiyang government on the issue of G-Australia.

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Moscow, Kremlin.

After consolidating his dominance over Tsarist Russia, Nicholas II stayed in Moscow most of the time and stopped in St. Petersburg.

In the main hall of the Kremlin, the new Tsarist Russian Army Minister General Sukhomlinov is proposing his combat plan to Tsar Nicholas II.

"Your Majesty, I believe that we don't have to wait until the Siberian Railway is completed before teaching the Chinese a lesson. A few years ago, our country made the Chinese take advantage of the poor transportation problems in the Far East, but now a new opportunity has emerged. The great princes and nobles of the outer gates and ancient people asked for autonomy because they were dissatisfied with Wang Chenhao's rule and asked for help from the empire. China's focus is on the Central Plains and the eastern coastal areas, and the control of the empire was as fragile as the empire's control over the Far East. This is our good opportunity. I suggest mobilizing the Central Asian Corps to mobilize 300,000 troops to send troops to China Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum Gum G now is able to recapture the empire from the northwest China."

Nicholas II nodded. Sukhomlinov's proposal was very convincing. Nicholas II was always worried about the last time Russia was defeated by China. Now Sukhomlinov's words have given him the idea of ​​taking revenge immediately.

"This plan... looks good! What does the emperor think?"

Nicholas II looked at Nicholas next to him and sought his opinions.

As the uncle of Nicholas II, Nicholas served as the commander of the Tsarist Russian Army Department and was also a cavalry general of Tsarist Russia. He had unique features and strategic vision in combat.

Nicholas said: "Report to your Majesty, I think the proposal of the Army Minister is indeed feasible. The Empire has 300,000 standing troops in Central Asia and is capable of launching offensives against China's Gate and Northwest Xinjiang. And as far as I know, China's garrison in these areas is no more than tens of thousands of troops, and we have an absolute advantage in military strength."

Nicholas II asked, "Does the emperor agree with this?"

Nicholas smiled, changed his subject and said, "However, Xinjiang, the northwest region of China, has a bad climate and no target worthy of capture. Although Meng Gu can occupy it, it will inevitably introduce the squadron into Meng Gu's combat. You must know that one-third of the Siberian Railway of the Empire is close to Meng Gu's area. Once the squadron destroys our railway, our losses will be much more than the benefits of getting a Meng Gu. At the same time, if the war starts now, it will affect the entire Asian plan of the Empire..., consumes funds and reserves of strategic materials too early, and when a war breaks out in the Far East, we will fall into a passive again."

Nicholas has always opposed the construction of the Siberian Railway near the gate-gu border. He was worried that it would be destroyed by the squadron. A Siberian Railway costs huge costs and will suffer heavy losses if it is destroyed, which is far greater than the losses in the last Sino-Russian war.

Nicholas II nodded, thinking that Nicholas's is justified.

"But we have built a railway on the border of Meng Gu, and it has been built for a long time. If we cannot let Meng Gu, then the railway will be under the threat of a squadron. Wouldn't that be worse?"

Nicholas said: "I have always disagreeed with building the railway there!"

Nicholas II frowned immediately, he didn't like to hear these words.

After all, the person who approved the plan was Nicholas II. He chose to build a railway in the area near the Gugu. One reason was that Nicholas II wanted to open up the strategic channel from Moscow to Vladivostok as soon as possible and to avenge the previous war against China as soon as possible. The second was to choose to build a railway near the Gugugu border. The second purpose was to facilitate the Tsarist Russian army to assemble to the Gugugu border, because Russia's Asian plan also included occupying Gugugu.

"The railway has been repaired and cannot be changed now."

Nicholas also knew that the situation was done. After all, the Siberian railway cost a lot and had emptied Russian finances. If it was changed, it would be even more unworthy.

"Since it cannot be changed, I think it's better not to start a war with China for the time being. Your Majesty, you know that a Siberian railway has emptied the empire's finances for many years. Now the empire is in debt and has to repay a large amount of loans and interest from France and Germany every year.

If the Empire wants to win the war, it has to fight a quick war. Once it reaches a deadlock, the Empire's finances will be dragged down. The Chinese will not sit idly by and watch the territory be occupied, they will continue to waste with us. Now the Empire's financial funds are all spent on Siberian railways and domestic gold standard reforms. The Ministry of Finance has no money to pay for the war against China, even a local war is impossible."

Nicholas II was full of surprise. He thought that Russia would have a lot of money after the Vette reform, so he had not paid attention to Russia's financial status for a long time.

"Call Witt in!"

Nicholas II hung up a phone call, and soon Witt rushed over.

"Witt, how has the empire's finances been recently? Is there a surplus this year?"

Vette glanced at Nicholas and Sukhomlinov, and guessed roughly why Nicholas II asked this question.

"Report to Your Majesty, the reforms of the Empire are progressing smoothly. Last year's fiscal deficit was 1 meritorious ruble. This year's fiscal budget was 1 billion ruble. The deficit is expected to decline and will not exceed 1 trillion ruble."

Nicholas II was stunned. Hearing what Vite said, it was obvious that not only did not have a surplus this year, he would still have to owe 1 trillion rubles.

"Hasn't the reform made significant progress? Why do you still owe so much money?"

Witt's mouth twitched, secretly blaming Nicholas II for all this.

Of course, Witt dared not contradict Nicholas II, so he said: "His Majesty calmed down. The Sino-Russian War caused the empire to 200 million rubles in debt, the international silver loss crisis caused the empire to lose 300 million rubles, and the gold standard reform borrowed 400 million rubles from France. In order to build the Siberian Railway, the budget of 1.5 billion rubles was spent on the construction of the Siberian Railway, and to rebuild the Far East military strength and the second Navy expansion bill, the Ministry of Finance overdraws the budget m B rubles..."

"Okay! I get it!"

Nicholas II suddenly swung Werte's words, but he didn't care about them, but he didn't know how much he accumulated.

"When will the debts be paid back?" Witt said: "It is estimated that fifteen years! However, France's loans are not allowed to be paid in one lump sum within 25 years!"

Nicholas II asked Army Secretary Sukhomlinov, saying: "How much money does Sukhomlinov need to predict the plan?"

Sukhomlinov thought for a while and said, "If you defeat the squadron within one month, you only need 40 million rubles as military expenditure. If you defeat the Central Asian Corps within three months, you will need 1.8 billion rubles to defeat the Central Army within three months. If it is half a year, you will need 360 million rubles. If it is one year..."

When Sukhomlinov saw Nicholas II staring at him, he stopped and said, "As long as half a year, he will definitely defeat the squadron and end the war."

Nicholas II looked at Vette and asked, "I heard it too, are there any financial problems?"

Witt said: "Report to your Majesty, although the Ministry of Finance is short of funds, if Sukhomlinov can guarantee the end of the war within three months, the Ministry of Finance can first embezzle the funds of Siberian railways and raise 200 million rubles."

Nicholas snorted coldly: "End the war in three months? That's impossible! Besides, once the war starts, can we ensure that the squadron will not launch a war against the Amur District in the Northeast?"

Sukhomlinov naturally couldn't guarantee that he could brag about it, but he didn't dare to ask him to issue a military order. Because maybe he would lose his head.

When Nicholas II saw Sukhomlinov's expression, he knew that this guy was bragging and was immediately displeased.

Sukhomlinov said again: "But Meng Gu asked us to send troops to help and support them. What will His Majesty do to deal with it?"

Nicholas II said: "Now I don't have money to fight, so I can only verbally agree to them first. See if I can scare China. If China insists on sending troops to pacify Dingmen, let's discuss it then."

Sukhomlinov, Nicholas and Vette all listened nervously to the following, waiting for Nicholas II to make a decision, but Nicholas II was not halfway through, making several people unable to guess what he was thinking, and did not know what he planned to do on the issue of G-gu.

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Tokyo, Parliament Building. Ichihara Otatsu Satsumashima came to the Prime Minister's office with a check.

"Prime Minister, this is the compensation check that I am going to pay to China this year."

Masayoshi Song Fang put down the official document, took the check and looked at it, which clearly stated that it had a 10,000-yuan list.

"This year, the 10,000-yuan British list will be given to the Chinese people?"

Masayoshi Matsukata looked at Matsushima Ichihara and sighed, "The treaty stipulates that the concave years have been paid off, so I have to tear the treaty now? Isn't that waiting to give the Chinese people a solid demotion and let them fight us again, and do you think the empire's compensation is not enough?" Matsushima Ichihara said, "Prime Minister, I don't mean that. I just don't want to give up. The 100 million British list is one-tenth of the empire's finances. The money that the imperial subjects saved money and gave it to the Chinese in vain."

Masayoshi Matsukata patted the shoulder of Yixiong Songdao and said with a feeling: "I am willing to give this money to the Chinese? You must know that this one. Two-and-a-half-million British list can add an advanced battleship to us. Giving it to the Chinese will only make the Chinese stronger. But our current strength is not enough to compete with China, and we still have to endure it. But I can tell that one day, all those who owe us will have to pay back the principal and interest to us."

Songdo Yixiong nodded and said, "I believe that you said to you, your reforms have made great achievements. I believe that we will stand up again and defeat China in no time.

Matsukata Matsukaya smiled and signaled Matsushima Ichihara to sit down.

"Tell us a good news, the US government has once again approved a loan of $100 million, with only two interest rates. With this $100 million, we can carry out gold standard reforms, and we will get out of the shadow of the international silver loss crisis."

Matsushima Yixiong was immediately happy and said, "It's great! We can get rid of the silver loss crisis and we can still reduce our losses of millions of dollars. It's just that China has always prevented Americans from lending money to us. Why is it willing to lend us this time and pay so many low-interest loans?"

Masayoshi Matsukata smiled and said, "Now there is a conflict between the United States and China. China is expanding everywhere. Not long ago, it actually intervened in the Panama Canal. It stretched its hand to the Americans' butt, and the Americans obviously would not be happy."

Songdo Yixiong said: "I also listen to it. Chinese people are really good at picking up cheap things. I heard that the Panama Canal will be built next year and next year, and the money from China's investment will be effective soon."

Masayoshi Song Fang suddenly looked envious and jealous, saying: "Once the Panama Canal is opened, its status is equivalent to that of the Suez Canal. China has invested 20 million US dollars and will be able to make it back soon, and the future profit will grow in geometric numbers. The annual profit of a Panama Canal will almost reach our annual fiscal revenue."

Matsushima Yixiong couldn't help but sigh, why did Japan not have this opportunity?

"Prime Minister, China's national strength is much stronger than ours. Now it's like a giant dragon about to wake up. Once the dragon wakes up and takes off, can we still get rid of them?"

Masayoshi Matsukata also sighed: "Yes! The dragon that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is about to wake up. The first thing we do when we wake up is to eat. And if we don't make plans early, we will be eaten sooner or later as food."
To be continued...