The mage in the late Qing Dynasty

"Ahem, Mr. Zhao!" Yuan Weiting said loudly.

The room was quiet. A group of students didn't dare to express their anger when they saw Yuan Datou.

This man is a man of great influence. Who knows about training at the small station?

Zhao Chuanxin only drank a little rice wine. Even if he drank a little, he was far from drunk.

"Haha, Yuan Xiangcheng, come in quickly."

Yuan Datou was born in Xiangcheng, Henan, and people at that time also called him Yuan Xiangcheng.

He is now forty-nine years old, and Zhao Chuanxin looks to be in his thirties even with a beard.

A group of students looked at this scene and felt a little weird.

Yuan Datou did not dare to be dissatisfied at all.

Zhang Renjun entered the door from behind, clasped his fists and said, "I have long admired Mr. Zhao's name, I am Zhang Renjun."

As we all know, you can't show off with Zhao Chuanxin. If you claim to be an official, you may be exploited.

Zhao Chuanxin looked at the fat and white old man: "How come you look like a corrupt official? It's better to be famous than to meet him."

Zhang Renjun, however, was not formal at all: "Mr. Zhao is joking, only those who are honest can have a broad heart and a fat face like a crown jewel."

"Ouch..." Zhao Chuanxin looked like he was vomiting: "You old guy disgusts me."

Zhang Renjun laughed loudly.

Yuan Datou looked at Zhang Renjun in surprise: "Zhang Qianli, have you met before?"

Zhang Renjun twisted his beard and smiled: "No."

"By letter?"

"No."

"and you……"

Why do the two of them look so familiar?

Zhao Chuanxin laughed: "Qiangzi, hurry up and clear the table, serve tea and pour water. If you don't wait, what if Yuan Xiangcheng becomes emperor one day in the future, why won't you wear some shoes?"

Liu Huaqiang was frightened. Can this joke be made?

Yuan Datou's eyelids twitched...

He didn't have this idea yet.

But this sentence inexplicably touched a certain nerve in him.

He smiled awkwardly: "Mr. Zhao, don't make fun of me."

He felt very guilty and glared viciously at the students in the room.

It means - if anyone dares to spread this word, I will kill you.

He said: "You guys get out first!"

Zhao Chuanxin stretched out his hand and said, "Keep them all, there's nothing shady."

Yuan Datou had no choice but to say: "Mr. Zhao, you have caused great trouble to the court. You are happy, but the court has suffered everything."

Zhao Chuanxin's face was full of sorrow: "Hey, Weiting. At least the imperial court has endured everything, but Zhao has nothing."

"..." When Yuan Datou breathed, he looked a little heavy because he was too fat. "Mr. Zhao, stop it. Just now on the way here, Yuan saw that the livelihood of the people in the concessions was in decline and no longer as prosperous as before. Your aspirations are known to the common people and gentry across the country, but if the trouble continues, it is Hankou's economy that will suffer. The economy is also related to people's livelihood, and in the end the people bear the consequences, so why bother?"

"Hey..." Zhao Chuanxin's face was full of bitterness: "Weiting, who can say otherwise? I am also a loyal victim of the great powers! So go and persuade the great powers to hand over the land and money as soon as possible. Hankou and I The people's mental capacity is limited, and we are very fragile."

Zhang Renjun next to him couldn't help but laugh.

Not all officials in the Qing Dynasty were weaklings.

At least Zhang Renjun's performance was remarkable when dealing with foreigners.

Yuan Datou glanced at Zhang Renjun, who looked strange, and gave him a wink.

Zhang Renjun covered his mouth with his fist and coughed: "Although you and I have never met, we have been close friends for a long time. Do you have a name for me to pass on the salary?"

"Yes." Zhao Chuanxin said, "Charcoal burner."

Everyone in the room looked strange.

A group of students stood with their hands tied, very reserved, some covering their mouths and laughing, some coughing...

Zhang Renjun smiled: "Okay, I dare to give you a nickname! How about you call me charcoal worker? The charcoal worker burns charcoal, passes on the firewood and continues the fire, and means to warm China?"

Zhao Chuanxin's eyes lit up and he said, "You are quite good, old man!"

It's just Zhao Chuanxin's joke to say that he is a worker who burns charcoal and catches people with just a piece of water.

There is one missing word between charcoal worker and charcoal burner, four words "heating China", it feels more upscale than that?

In this era, everyone with dignity has a nickname.

Seeing that he didn't object, Zhang Renjun said, "Tan Gong, do you usually care about the affairs of the country?"

"Yes, why not?" Zhao Chuanxin's face was full of worry: "I often worry about the country, and I worry about it all night long. It's not the time when I'm done worrying, but it's dawn."

Zhang Renjun laughed: "It doesn't matter, isn't there a story about cannibalism? One Thousand and One Nights, there is not a night without thinking, and one day you will realize it. But right now, the problems of several concessions in Hankou are imminent. I arrived in Hankou yesterday , contact the representatives of each concession in advance to understand. According to my observation, they are not twisted into a rope. The way to solve the problem is not to stick to the war. How about the charcoal workers break through with the Russians first? "

"Eh?" Zhao Chuanxin finally heard some constructive thoughts: "Why don't you talk about it?"

Zhang Renjun twirled his beard: "The Russians seem to want to cede territory and pay compensation. Dabanov actively communicates with the country. Tsarist Russia wants nothing more than three things. First, they must leave enough room for them; secondly, the compensation cannot be excessive. Dabanov On behalf of Tsarist Russia, my husband is willing to pay you 50,000 yuan; thirdly, the compensation for ceding land must be renamed, they need face. To cede land is called returning land, and to pay compensation is called refund..."

Zhao Chuanxin understood instantly, isn't this just like the Boxer Refund in the United States?

The difference is that the United States has ulterior motives, and they get nothing from Zhao Chuanxuan's refund from Tsarist Russia.

Zhao Chuanxin's tossing has two purposes, the first is to get money, and the second is to get land.

Taking the land is not important to him at this time, he is more focused on the impact of this matter.

For example, tell the people that the great powers count, and if they lose, they will still have to give me money and land!

The whole world knew what was going on, and Zhao Chuanxin didn't mind at all that Tsarist Russia still wanted to make superficial remarks.

Zhao Chuanxin's eyes lit up: "Yes!"

Yuan Datou looked at Zhang Renjun in surprise, why didn't the old guy communicate with him beforehand?

Zhang Renjun was confident and ignored Yuan Datou, and continued: "Good! Since the Russian concession is willing to withdraw the land and refund the money, the alliance has been broken. There is no shortage of intrigues among the great powers. How do you think Britain, France, and Japan will feel?"

Zhao Chuanxin said with compassion: "Actually, I am a kind-hearted person, and I advocate universal love without aggression. The three-day deadline is approaching at noon tomorrow. Hey, I hope that Britain, France, and Japan will not let me challenge my weaknesses."

Yuan Datou: "..."

But Zhang Renjun said: "It doesn't matter, Ba Gong has already brought the money and the contract, they are downstairs. Who is that..."

Zhang Renjun pointed towards the students.

"Me? Governor Zhang, my name is Liu... Huaqiang."

"Liu Huaqiang, go downstairs and ask Bagong to come over. We will finalize the contract tonight."

Liu Huaqiang looked at Zhao Chuanxin, who waved his hand.

Not long after, Great Banov and his entourage carried the box upstairs.

When the white silver coins appeared, the students in the room were blinded.

Zhao Chuanxin kicked the box to the side without even looking at it. He stretched out his hand and said, "Bring me the contract."

Dabanov gave it to him with a smile, and Zhao Chuanxin took it and took a look.

In 1895, the Qing court and Japan signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, ceding the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan.

Russia, Germany, and France united to warn Japan to return Liaodong to the Qing court.

They euphemistically call it "persuasion."

After the three countries raised their fists to persuade, Japan swallowed its anger and spat out the fruits of victory.

However, Japan, the invader, still feels deeply "humiliated".

This incident also paved the way for the later Russo-Japanese War.

At that time, because of the "meritorious service" of Russia and France's persuasion, they asked the Qing court for a concession in Hankou.

From Boundary Road to Yiyuan Road, a total length of 288 feet was chosen as the concession area they jointly chose. The Russian Concession accounts for two-thirds and the French Concession accounts for one-third.

The Russian Concession looks like an "L" from the junction of Boundary Road with the British Concession to Wilson Road in the French Concession, plus a section of Yima Street.

Dabanov gave the lower part of the "L" to Zhao Chuanxin.

Zhao Chuanxin shook the contract and said, "Wrong. I want the larger road, not Yima Street."

He has already planned that all the connecting parts of the Russian Concession and the British Concession will be brought back, and then the British, French, and Japanese Concessions will be opened and connected together.

Dabanov's eyes widened: "No, no, no, my friend, absolutely not."

Zhao Chuanxin's narrowed eyes suddenly widened.

He took a step forward, and an overwhelming sense of oppression came over him, causing Dabanov to retreat in shock.

Zhao Chuanxin took the contract and pointed at Dabanov's chest: "I think it will be a great honor for you, Tsarist Russia, to surrender on your own initiative. I advise you not to make a mistake!"

Zhao Chuanxin revealed his murderous intent, Yuan Datou retreated, and all the students retreated... Everyone believed that whenever Dabanov said even half a word "no", blood would be spilled on the spot!

Only Zhang Renjun had an enigmatic face.

He seemed to have seen through Zhao Chuanxin's thoughts...