Shanghai, Yanjiang Avenue, Hexiangji.

Hexiangji is a famous teahouse in Xincheng that takes into account both Chinese and Western styles. It not only has various Chinese-style tea and dim sum, but also coffee and Western pastries, but also has an excellent geographical location. Sitting on the street window on the second floor, you can overlook the view of the Huangpu River, and the business is very prosperous.

On a table facing the street window, Zai Zhao looked at Huangpu River outside the window and stirred coffee casually with a spoon, saying slowly: "The military official is free and easy, and he is a manager. I don't know when he will return to Shanghai. Should we just wait like this?"

Su Shun, who was sitting opposite, smiled and said, "I wish I could stay in Shanghai for a longer time, which is much more comfortable than the capital."

Zai Zhao turned his head and glanced at him, "Are you worried that the errands are not easy to handle?"

"Your errand may not be easy to handle?" Su Shun took a sip of tea. "Yuanqi has been immigrating and disaster relief during this period, and he has to go out to ICBC. He can't help but make such trouble. Do you still want the military to buy warships for the Beiyang Navy? It's not the time to come."

Zai Zhao also knew that this matter was difficult and there was no need to let him come to Shanghai if it was easy. He sighed and then said, "You said, would the military gate deliberately hide from us?"

"Is it okay?" Sushun said slowly: "You don't know the nature of the military."

The two were chatting without a word. A follower rushed over quickly, whispered a few words in Sushun's ear, waved his hand to send the follower away, and then said, "Good news, the Tsarist Russian delegation has arrived in Shanghai. If nothing unexpected happens, the military gate will return to Shanghai soon."

The Tsarist Russian delegation? Zai Zhao was stunned for a moment, "Come from the northwest?"

"From Yili." Su Shun said: "Tsarist Russia requires the opening of trade in Yili, Tarbhatai and Kashgar. It requires negotiations in Yili. Yili General Yishan sent them to Shanghai."

No wonder Yi Zhizu wanted to send troops to the northwest. The Tsarist Russia really looked at the northwest. Zai Zhao pondered for a while before saying, "The military gate went to Nanyang, and even if it came back, it would probably take a month or two to go back."

"That's not sure." Sushun said and stood up, "It's also idle. Let's go and nag Yishan and find out about the situation in the northwest."

Zaizhao was also very interested in the northwest. He knew very well that since the navy intervened in the northwest, there would definitely be war in the northwest. He stood up immediately. However, just as he turned around, he saw three steam gunboats flying naval flags on the Huangpu River were quickly moving upstream. Both of them were staying in the Nanyang Navy for quite some time. When they saw the flag on the gunboat in the middle, they were both happy and Yi Shizuo was back!

After returning to the mansion, taking a bath and changing clothes, Yi Zhizu slowly came to the study. As soon as he entered the yard, Zaizhao, wearing naval uniforms, Sushun and the others quickly came up and saluted: "Student Sushun, Zaizhao has met the principal." Wearing military uniforms and claiming to be a student, this was discussed by the two of them, in order to make Yi Zhizu care about his old love. Both of them studied at the Shanghai Naval Academy. As the principal, Yi Zhizu also taught them classes. The two of them said so.

After looking up and down, Yi Zhizu smiled and said, "Which is singing this? Zhiyuan is still in the Beiyang Navy, but it is said that Yuting is now the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, why is he still wearing military uniforms?"

Su Shun smiled and said, "I feel more comfortable wearing military uniforms when I come to see the principal."

Easy to understand his thoughts naturally, and he was lazy to point it out, and reached out and said, "Go in and talk." When he sat in the room, he said straight: "Don't go around in circles, let's talk directly."

Both of them knew that there were not many waiting in the yard at this time. Sushun immediately smiled, "The student, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was just a name. He came to Shanghai to issue official tickets and treasures for the court..."

Before he finished speaking, Yi Zhizu waved his hand to interrupt him, "This matter is purely a nonsense. Qi Zhongtang, Zhuo Zhongtang and others did not dissuade them. Sooner or later, something big will happen. Yuan Qi accepted the official tickets and treasures to promote the fire and help the evil. There is no room for negotiation in this matter, and you don't understand finance. Let Wu Qijun and Wang Maoyin come, and I will teach them a good lesson."

Su Shun was prepared for this result, so he immediately smiled and said, "Okay, the student will write now and let them come to Shanghai."

After he finished speaking, Zai Zhao said: "The students came for warships. The principal also said that in the future, warships will be dominated by steam iron armored ships. The Beiyang Navy hopes to be equipped with several steam gunships for training."

Yi Zhizu did say this, and he pondered: "Now the Yangtze River Navy urgently needs a large number of steam gunboats to pretend to be in the Taiping Army Navy. However, the Beiyang Navy should indeed cultivate technical talents of steam gunboats as soon as possible. Let's give you two first, and two every year in the future. After pacifying the Taiping Army, then consider a large number of equipment. How about it?"

Zai Zhao was overjoyed to get two ships and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Principal."

"Yeah." Yi Zhizu nodded, "Shuwen just came back, you can go and see her tomorrow." Before he finished speaking, Lin Meilian reported at the door: "General Yishan, Yili, came to visit, and there were also counselors and ministers Bu Yantai, Feng Renxuan, and Zuo Zongtang."

"Please come in." Yi Zhizu ordered. When he saw Zai Zhao, Sushun and others stood up. He reached out and pressed, and said, "You can also listen to the matters in the northwest together. You can also attend the negotiations with Tsarist Russia."

"Thank you principal!" the two of them hurriedly said in unison.

"Yishan, Bu Yantai is an outsider, don't be rude, please follow me to welcome him." Yi Zhizu said, and stood up and walked out of the study. Zaizhao and Sushun looked at each other, and they all smiled knowingly. Yi Zhizu really looked at the people from the Nanyang Navy.

At the gate of the yard, we greeted Yishan and gave each other a few greetings. Everyone gave in and sat down. Yi Zhizu glanced at everyone and said slowly: "Let me say something first. Everyone here must remember it in mind. Tsarist Russia is the biggest and most dangerous enemy of our Qing Dynasty! It is also the biggest threat to our Qing Dynasty! It poses greater and more direct threat to us than Western countries, because Tsarist Russia has a long border line with us for tens of thousands of miles.

Since its founding, Tsarist Russia has been ambitious and has been constantly expanding to the outside world. A history of Tsarist Russia is a history of expansion. With the beginning of the era of great navigation, whoever can dominate the ocean can dominate the world. The purpose of Tsarist Russia's expansion is to find ports - to find suitable ports in the four oceans!

As early as the last century, Peter the Great of Tsarist Russia proposed a strategy of going south - that is, to go south to the Indian Ocean to obtain a warm water port, connect the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean, control maritime channels, and fight for the world!

In order to implement this national policy, Tsarist Russia has been working hard to move south for nearly a hundred years, carrying out uninterrupted conquests, embezzlement and encroachment on Central Asia, because this is the only way for Tsarist Russia to move south! In the last century, Tsarist Russia built the Siberian fortress line, and its power continued to expand south along the Ertise River and gradually embezzled the Kazakh grasslands." Speaking of this, he paused and asked: "What is the situation in the northwest now?"

Everyone saw this and looked at each other. No one expected that Tsarist Russia had such great ambitions. After pondering for a moment, Yishan said: "Tsarist Russia has now invaded the depths of the upper reaches of the Ertzis River and has continued to expand into the Kazakh grasslands. Many fortresses have been built to the east of Lake Balkash and connected these fortresses."

"Tsarist Russia calls this line the Novosibirsk Fortress Line." Feng Renxuan continued, and as he took out a map, Yi Zhizu hurriedly ordered: "Hang it up, hang it on the wall."

Zuo Zongtang hurriedly stepped forward to help, and the two of them spread the map together and hung it on the wall. Yi Zhizu and others stood up and stood in front of the map. This was a large and simple map of the northwest. Although it was simple, the rivers, mountains, rivers, lakes were marked very clearly.

Feng Renxuan was not frightened at all, and pointed to the map and said loudly: "In 1831, Sergeo Fort was established on Chinese territory between Lake Balkash and Lake Jaisang. The foreign transportation of Tarbach Taiwan was suppressed.

From 1847 to the present, Tsarist Russia has established two military strongholds, Kopal and Werner, south of the east of Lake Balkhash, called it the Novosibirsk Fortress Line, and then occupied a large area of ​​territory in the Qihe Basin south of Lake Balkhash, and entered the Brut residential areas of Lake Isek and Chu River Basin in the south.

Subsequently, Tsarist Russia captured Akmecheji, occupied Gurban Alitu, built Werna fortifications, and cut off the roads of Khanate countries in Ili and Central Asia.

As a result, Tsarist Russia basically formed the Sir River defense line and the Ili River Chu River defense line. These two defense lines are like a huge chain, forming a huge encirclement of Ili and Tarbhatai and are constantly advancing."

He pointed to the map to explain in detail. Even Sushun and Zaizhao, who were not very clear about the situation in the northwest, could see the situation in the northwest at a glance.

Yi Zhizu glanced at him with approval and said, "You have experienced it in the Northwest in the past few years and have a strong overall view."

Feng Renxuan quickly stood attentively and said, "I dare not take credit for my subordinates, because the military has good teaching."

Yi Zhizu smiled and said, "Sit." After waiting for everyone to sit down, he said slowly: "The situation in the northwest is now roughly clear. You are discussing how to respond to the request for trade in the three places in Yili proposed by Tsarist Russia."

Sushun said without hesitation: "Tsarist Russia's ambition to embezzle Ili is obvious. Since he has enough strength, he should firmly refuse it, and there is no need to talk to them at all!"

Zai Zhao also echoed: "There is really no need to talk to them. Not only do we invade our territory, but we also need to open a port and trade. It's really a bully!"

Yishan glanced at the two of them and said slowly: "Everything depends on the overall situation. What is the situation in China now? If the war begins in the northwest, can the court deal with it?"

"Wealth in the northwest has always been a way to get money and food." Bu Yantai looked at Yi Zhizu and said, "If Yuan Qi strongly supports it, it might as well suppress the spirit of the Russians."

Yi Zhizu slowly glanced at several people, looked at Feng Renxuan and said, "How do you think Ji Rong?"

"From the overall situation, I feel that it's better to indulge the Russians for the time being." Feng Renxuan said as he raised his head to look at Yi Zhizu, "Does the military still insist on the judgment of the Russian-Turkish war?"

After hearing this, everyone looked at Yi Zhizu. When they sent troops to the northwest, Yi Zhizu was sure of it. A war between Tsarist Russia and Türkiye would break out and sweep across Europe. Now it has been several years in a flash.

"The outbreak of war is inevitable and extremely accidental." Yi Zhizu said slowly: "Analysis from the cycle of war between Russia and Turkey, the next war should be in the next two years. I also agree to indulge it."

Zuo Zongtang, who had not said anything, spoke, "What if the Lord made a mistake in judgment?"

A mistake in judgment? Yi Zhizu raised his mouth and clenched his fists and shook it, "Everything depends on strength. As long as you have enough strength, the treaty is a piece of waste paper! If I make a mistake in judgment, tear up the treaty negotiated with Tsarist Russia, and directly send troops to the northwest to recover all the territory encroached by Tsarist Russia. All expenses will be borne by Yuan Qi!"

This was full of confidence and domineering. Everyone was stunned when they heard it. Yishan murmured: "Is the Navy confident of regaining the lost territory in the northwest?"

Yi Zhizu glanced at him and said in a calm tone: "I don't even have the confidence to recover the lost land, so why are you talking about expansion?" After a pause, he continued: "Brother Jingxuan is General Yili. You will be the one who presides over the negotiations with the Russians. I will not participate in the time being."

After hearing this, Yishan waved his hands repeatedly and said, "If this is not the case, it is not the director of the West. Brother Guocheng is a minister of the South China Sea. How dare he be arguing? Brother Guocheng is still the head of the army."

Yi Zhizu said: "Brother Jingxuan doesn't have to shirk responsibility. Let's talk to them first, and I'll sign it in the end."

All he heard was the preliminary negotiations. Yishan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately responded happily. After a slight salute, he smiled and said, "Can Brother Guocheng support a batch of Western muskets in the Green Camp of Tarbhatai? It's okay to buy it! There are two gold mines in Tarbhatai, one is the Yargatu gold mine in the southwest of Tacheng, and the other is the Dardamuti gold mine. Both can produce gold every day. The Russians are very jealous and often send troops to openly rob miners... and threaten that the gold mine belongs to Russia."

Nissan's gold-fighting? Yi Zhizu raised his eyebrows. The density of gold is high. A bull of gold is not a decimal, at least more than one hundred kilograms. He chuckled and said, "Nissan's gold-fighting is an exaggeration?"

"It's not an exaggeration." Yishan hurriedly said: "There are four or five thousand people in each of the two mines to mine gold. The daily gold-making money should be a conservative estimate."

Such a large mining scale? Yi Zhizu was immediately moved and pondered for a moment before he said: "Now that the war in Hunan is in a tight position, guns are given priority to the Eight Banners New Army. It is urgent to expand the army in the northwest, and gun purchases are also very nervous now... How about this? Two regiments were dispatched to the Tarbhatai gold mine area to maintain order. Of course, the mining tax that should be paid is a lot."
Chapter completed!