The news that the Tianjin Treaty of the stolen Liaodong Peninsula to Japan spread throughout China in the following days, arousing strong dissatisfaction and protests from the people. Politicians who were hostile to Li Hongzhang had already begun to attack Li Hongzhang's treason.

Li Hongzhang didn't find it strange at all. Anyway, he already believed that Wang Chenhao's strategy could ultimately turn the tide, so he didn't care about the yelling and scolding during this period.

Emperor Guangxu printed the three Chinese, British and Japanese contract documents of the Tianjin Treaty in the Forbidden City on December 30, 1894. The Tianjin Treaty officially had legal effect in the Qing Empire. In Japan, Murozoto sent people to send the treaty documents back to Tokyo and handed them over to the Japanese Emperor for signature.

On January 4, 1895, Emperor Meiji of Japan signed the Tianjin Treaty, which officially came into force in Japan.

The Qing and Japanese sides officially exchanged the signature documents of the Tianjin Treaty in Tianjin on January 9, announcing the end of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

Li Hongzhang had only three months to prepare. He discussed with Zhou Fu, Yang Shixiang, Wang Chenhao and other aides that he would not put all the bets on the Russians. Therefore, he immediately asked the great powers of various countries to lift the arms embargo on China after the war ended.

The Qing-Japanese War had been signed and the great powers of various countries had no reason to freeze the arms of the Qing Empire again, so they ordered their respective customs to release them. The arms ships carrying a large number of weapons and equipment and ammunition quickly left the customs of various countries and embarked on the way back. Among them, the arms purchased from the United States and France were the fastest, and they set out from Manila and French Vietnam respectively, and soon arrived at Dagukou, Tianjin.

The Liaodong Peninsula threatened the security of the capital of the Qing Empire. The Qing court knew that Li Hongzhang was a delaying strategy, so Li Hongzhang was still the commander of the Qing Empire's naval and army, and the navy and army across the country were still dispatched by him.

The king-supporting troops from all over the country arrived in Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou and Fengtian. The external propaganda was to reorganize the national army and carry out army reforms.

The great powers all knew that the Qing Empire Army was defeated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, so the army reform was imperative after the war, so there was no reason to interfere. Although the Japanese side suspected its purpose, there was no excuse or evidence, so it could not get support from the great powers.

Of course, at this time, Japan no longer had the energy to pay attention to the army mobilization of the Qing Empire, because Germany, France and Russia had officially brought together a group to Japan to give a message to Japan, publicly raising the issue of Liaodong sovereignty and interfering in Japan's occupation of it.

On January 16, after half a month of consultations, Russian Minister Kuman had issued a notice to Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Netherlands and other countries, and protested on the cedent of the Liaodong Peninsula that affected the security of the capital of the Qing Empire and thus affected the interests of various countries in China.

Since Russia won over France and Germany, after the three countries formed a group, no country in the world dared to compete with them. Therefore, Russia's proposal received the spiritual support of all the powerful countries except Britain. Although Britain refused, it chose neutrality because Britain really did not dare to offend the Three Kingdoms at the same time.

In this way, Russia gained the support and acquiescence of the international powers, and joined forces with France and Germany to submit a memorandum to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russia's memorandum stated: "The new government of His Majesty the Russian Emperor, hereby reviewed the provisions and conditions required by Japan to China, and said that the Liaodong Peninsula belongs to Japan, and believes that it will not only endanger the security of China's capital, but also make the independence of North Korea a nameless. The above situation will hinder the lasting peace in the Far East. In order to express sincere friendship to His Majesty the Japanese government again, the Russian government advises the Japanese government to give up its occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula."

The memorandums between Germany and France also took a similar tone. After reading the memorandum, German Minister Hai Jing made another threatening conversation, saying that "Winning war with the three countries is hopeless for Japan. Therefore, it is believed that your country cannot make concessions to this incident." The French Minister said, "The Japanese Navy was destroyed, and the French Far East Fleet and the Russian fleet can easily land in Tokyo Bay. Gu Japan has no ability to refuse to make concessions!"

Finally, the three countries asked Japan to return Liaodong to China and responded within fifteen days, which was undoubtedly an ultimatum.

After the Three Kingdoms governments publicly interfered in Japan's return to Liao, Li Hongzhang immediately wandered around the embassy of the Three Kingdoms, saying that if the Three Kingdoms governments were willing to send troops to deter the Qing Empire from helping the Qing Empire recover the Liaodong Peninsula, the military expenditure would be the responsibility of the Qing Empire.

Seeing that Li Hongzhang was willing to pay, this favor was given to them for free. So while making diplomatic "advice" to Japan, it also put pressure on Japan militarily. Russia ordered warships anchored at various Japanese ports to spend the winter, ready to start anchoring at any time within 24 hours. Its Far East Fleet was cruising and demonstrating in the East China Sea and the Sea of ​​Japan; at the same time, Russia transferred 20,000 troops from East and West Siberia to concentrate 20,000 troops on Vladivostok and implemented a "temporary regional martial law order". Some warships from France and Germany also went to the South Korean Strait to have fun and create a tense atmosphere.

Germany, France and Russia are at a strife against Japan, and there is a war about to break out.

This action shocked the Japanese government. It tried to seek help from Britain and organized an anti-interference alliance. However, when the United Kingdom saw that Germany, France and Russia were so powerful that it was extremely powerful, it was unwilling to offend Russia, Germany, France and France for this, so it did not support it. In this case, Japan saw that diplomatic negotiations had no room for maneuver and was no match for the three countries. If it did not accept the "advice" of the three countries, it was delayed and the Qing Empire was organizing the army to counterattack, it might end up in a difficult situation. The Liaodong Peninsula stipulated in the Treaty of Tianjin was ruined and the situation was finally in a mess.

Japan still made efforts to keep the proceeds from the treaty. On January 20, Japan proposed to only occupy the two ports of Lushun and Dalian, plus some compensation. However, the three countries were still tough and did not give in.

Japan did not truly defeat the Qing Empire. The Qing Empire also had a complete Beiyang Navy, plus the Japanese Kuroda Kiyoshi Cabinet Lord and eventually gave up the permanent occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula.

On January 22, Japan reached a preliminary agreement with the three countries. Japan retained North Korea to return it to China, but the Qing court had to pay 30 million taels of silver as compensation.

Regarding the amount of compensation, Russia, Germany and France all believe that Japan's abandonment of the Liaodong Peninsula was not a concession to China, but a concession to the three countries, so Japan could not make demands on China. On the same day, Li Hongzhang sternly refused to compensate. Japan threatened to start a war, but Li Hongzhang was not afraid of saying that the Qing Empire's arms ships seized by customs of various countries had been transported back to China one after another and were not afraid of starting a war.

It was not until this time that the Japanese side realized that they were fooled by Li Hongzhang, because now Germany, France and Russia have intervened in the intervention, and the responsibility for starting the war lies with their three countries, not with the Qing Empire, because the three countries definitely did not allow war to break out, and Li Hongzhang was extremely tough because he was extremely tough.

Lu Ao Zongguang regretted that he shouldn't have been blinded by the interests at the beginning. Now, not only did the Liaodong Peninsula give back to Li Hongzhang, but he didn't even have any compensation.

It shouldn't be. After all, Li Hongzhang didn't want to fight, so he still admitted that North Korea was occupied by Japan.

Muro Osun Mitsuko weighed the pros and cons, and the Japanese government had to finally decide to fully accept the "advice" of the three countries and reluctantly give up its permanent occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula. On January 23, the Japanese ambassador to the three countries notified the governments of each country respectively.

On that day, Japan unconditionally evacuated Liaodong and returned to North Korea. Li Hongzhang sent a telegram to Fengtian and the Qing army on the Jinzhou front to advance and recover the lost territory.

On January 26, 1895, the last day of the Jiawu year of the lunar calendar, the Spring Festival of the Yiwei year, the First and Second Army of Japan retreated to Korea, the Qing army restored the Yalu River defense line, the Japanese army completely left the Chinese mainland, and the country was filled with joy.
Chapter completed!