Fengxian Jiangshan

Many ordinary people wrestled with them, trying to kill these nasty guys, but at this time.Someone will always show up and take all the British away.

These people are of course made up by the military and police. Zhang Tinglan wants to use the people to attack the concession, of course he will not ignore the lives of the people.Therefore, a large number of people were arranged, disguised, mixed with the crowd, all of them secretly carrying guns, and as long as the British dared to fire, they would shoot immediately.

But this time the British seemed to restrain themselves a lot and did not open fire immediately.But don't forget that the British also taught Fengjun a trick. If you don't fire, it doesn't mean that others won't fire.

Therefore, someone from Fengjun fired two shots, retaliated against him in his own way, disrupted the whole scene, and there was the next scene.After taking down the British Concession, they took all the British captives away. This was not to pity the British, but in the negotiation between the two countries, these hostages played an extremely important role and could force the other party to make important decisions. concession.

After all, no government can afford the notoriety of disregarding the lives of the people, which Zhang Tinglan specifically explained.Just after the common people cheered and won the Tianjin Concession, similar situations occurred in Hankou, Jiujiang, and even Guangzhou and Xiamen in the south. The Mizi flag of the United Kingdom was replaced by the five-color flag of China.

In the five days before and after, the concessions that Britain had painstakingly managed for decades in China were almost lost. Apart from the public concessions, only the concessions in Shanghai and Zhenjiang remained, and these were still under the control of the direct rebels. The power of the people Not strong enough, but those same concessions are crumbling.

Many shrewd businessmen withdrew their capital from the concession and left as soon as possible, otherwise the common people would rush in and suffer a little loss, and they would have no place to cry.The territory of the foreigners is no longer safe, and the good times of these overlords are coming to an end. Many wealthy businessmen have all gone to Beijing, and even went to the three eastern provinces. That is the home of Fengjun, so there will be no problems.

Seeing the loss of these concessions, the British have been mad with anger. The majestic British Empire has been bullied by the Chinese people, and it has become an international laughing stock.And the most painful thing for the British is the loss of interests in China. The British are far from healing the injuries of World War I at this time. If they lose the opportunity to extract benefits from China, how can the British Empire return to its heyday?

It is precisely based on this consideration that the British Parliament has already expressed the voice to declare war on China, and to fight another Opium War to completely defeat China and safeguard British interests in China.

For a while, the sound of war was raging, and at this time the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was the Canadian-born Andrew Bernal Law.As a politician of the Conservative Party, Law is also a hardliner on China, but he has a small trouble, that is, his physical condition is too bad, and he cannot undertake the heavy task of foreign wars at all.

Moreover, Britain's military strength in the Far East is also very limited. If it wants to go to war, it must mobilize troops from the mainland, but in this way, it will take at least a few months. Exhausted.

Moreover, the expedition of labor teachers spanned almost half of the world, and the chances of winning were too small. This is not the era of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. A random gathering of 2 people can make a country surrender.

You must know that the strength of Fengjun alone exceeds 20, and these soldiers have fought against Japan and Russia with real swords and guns. If the UK wants to defeat this force, it must send at least 10,000+ people.

With so many troops dispatched, what to do with supplies, what to do with weapons and ammunition, and what to do with logistics support, a lot of troubles are placed in front of the British.Of course, some people also proposed to send out the colonial army, that is, to transfer troops from India and Southeast Asia, but this proposal was quickly rejected.

India and Southeast Asia are extremely unstable, and the army must stay to strengthen control. Once they are transferred away, Britain may lose these areas first without doing anything to China.And to be honest, there are also sensible people in the British government. These colonial troops are a bunch of young soldiers, and they are really unusable.

After all the calculations, the UK really doesn't have the courage to completely break the skin with China and declare war, so the British can only continue to win over other powers, especially the United States, to jointly put pressure on China.

Regardless of the fact that it is impossible for the Americans to make an expedition, but as the largest trading nation, the Americans still have a lot of bargaining chips. For example, China will also import a large amount of oil, agricultural vehicles, aircraft engines, etc. from the United States. If the Americans are willing At least China's arms industry will be fatally hit if it is shot, so that there is hope for that young Chinese warlord to succumb.

The British are still a little sure about persuading the United States. First, both sides are Anglo-Saxons, and the bones are connected.Second, both parties have a lot of interests in China. The so-called death of the rabbit and the sorrow of the fox, the Americans have to extend their hands.Therefore, the British began to concentrate their efforts and communicate with the United States.

But the British saw this, and Zhang Tinglan also saw it a long time ago. It is impossible for the British to go to war with the Feng army. The only means they can use is economic sanctions.But if the United States, the world's largest trading country, can be held back, any sanctions by the British will become a dead letter.

Therefore, when the people attacked the concession, Zhang Tinglan specifically requested that only the British concession be attacked, and the others should not be touched. Then Zhang Tinglan also issued a statement, claiming that this was a spontaneous behavior of the people, and the government had no intention of abolishing the concession immediately.

Such a statement left the possibility of continuing negotiations. The Americans are also very shrewd. Minister Shulman immediately called on Zhang Tinglan in secret, wanting to see how much benefit China can get, and which side the Americans should put their chips on. .

"Mr. Minister, there is a regrettable conflict between China and the UK, but I can assure you that this will not be a blind xenophobic action. On the contrary, I myself, including key officials of the government, believe that we should open up to the outside world and share with the world Above all, we are willing to treat all countries in China as equals and carry out friendly economic cooperation."

Having said this, Zhang Tinglan picked up a document and said with a smile: "This is a development plan we want to implement in the near future. The government has decided to spend 8000 million yuan to build a railway that is basically parallel to the Yangtze River within five years." Arteries. It is mainly divided into the Sichuan-Han Railway from Sichuan to Wuhan, the Ning-Han Railway from Wuhan to Nanjing, and finally the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway. In this way, materials from western China can move to the eastern part at the fastest speed."

Before Zhang Tinglan finished speaking, Schulman's breathing became heavy. This is definitely a railway full of temptations. The Yangtze River is the most economically developed area in China.Moreover, this railway runs from east to west, breaks up the geographical space, and can directly transport commodities and goods to the vast west. The profits in it are simply incalculable.

Moreover, Schulman also saw another meaning in it. Whoever controls this railway can replace Britain and become the controller of the Yangtze River Basin.No matter how much racial affection there is between Britain and the United States, when it comes to real profits, no one can keep calm.

Looking at Shulman with red eyes, Zhang Tinglan smiled again: "In fact, this is just one of many investment projects. The southeast needs to develop, and opportunities are everywhere. The United States has developed industries, and China has a huge market. If you really want to Doing business with sincerity will bring ten times and a hundred times more benefits than simple deprivation."

Chapter 728 Fighting the Yangtze River Again

In fact, there are always some similarities in history. The relationship between the United States and Britain at this time is similar to the relationship between China and the United States in later generations.The United States has become the world's largest industrial country and the largest trading country, and it is ready to dominate the world. However, the world has been controlled by the old hegemony, the British, and there is not much room left for the United States.

China is the meeting point of the great powers. Whoever can get China will gain an advantage in this contest, and then turn the advantage into a victory.

For this international trend, Zhang Tinglan still sees it clearly. After seeing it clearly, Zhang Tinglan also has her own choice for partners.The United States is still dominated by industry now, and has the most powerful industrial system in the world, so it has the complementarity with China. If we can cooperate, although the United States will make more profits, China will at least get some benefits. .

As for the United Kingdom, it has long been the world's factory and degenerated into the world's black boss, living by knocking bones and sucking marrow from the colonies. If China wants to avoid being sucked blood, it must decisively get rid of Britain.

Therefore, strengthening cooperation with the United States is a move that Zhang Tinglan must take. Seeing Shulman's eyes shining, Zhang Tinglan is also very satisfied, so she said with a smile: "Mr. Minister, in addition to the railway line, the ports on the eastern coast It needs to be expanded, and the hydropower in the southwest needs to be developed. In addition, China also imports a large amount of oil and chemical fertilizers every year. At the same time, it also has a large amount of agricultural products to export. Between China and the United States. And we can sign a currency swap agreement, so that trade settlement can be done directly What do you think of the proposal between the two countries?"

Schulman is not an idiot either, and Zhang Tinglan has already released rumors of currency swaps. Of course, he understands the value of currency swaps, and this is clearly poaching the corner of the British pound.

If the US dollar can occupy China, this is definitely an important step for the US dollar to go to the world.In fact, before the First World War, Taft, the 27th President of the United States, proposed a gold-dollar foreign policy.Simply put, it is through foreign investment.Use funds instead of bullets to strengthen control over Latin America. At the same time, China is also a market that the Americans are trying to capture.

If the currency swap between China and the United States can be realized, for Americans, this will definitely be the biggest victory of gold-dollar diplomacy.When Shulman heard these words, it was not as simple as his eyes turning red, he even felt a little excited.

Foreign Minister Gu Weijun also smiled and said: "Mr. Schulman, the Vice President has just discussed with the Prime Minister. Although the concession involves sovereignty issues, it must be taken back at an appropriate time. But considering the trade interests between countries and China, we are prepared to Treat some port cities as open areas. In the area, China’s laws and sovereignty must be abided by. At the same time, the government will also provide foreign investment with preferential policies and taxation. I also hope that Mr. Minister can clarify the attitude of the Chinese side as soon as possible. Tell Washington. We all look forward to working more broadly with the United States."

Things come up this far.Schulman had nothing to say. The conditions offered by Zhang Tinglan were too generous, and even said that they had greatly exceeded the expectations of the United States.The domestic bureaucrats must be persuaded that this opportunity must not be missed, otherwise it will be a crime against the American people.

Looking at Shulman, who was in a hurry, Zhang Tinglan and Gu Weijun both had expressions of relief on their faces.As long as the United States does not intervene, it can concentrate on dealing with Britain. No matter what tricks the British play, Zhang Tinglan doesn't have to worry about it.

"Vice President. It is very important to exchange for the support of the United States, but I always feel that the concession is too big. With our industrial level, after fully opening up to the United States, will it cause the complete collapse of local industries?"

Zhang Tinglan nodded slightly: "There is indeed such a danger, but in a country as big as ours, it will definitely not work behind closed doors. Regardless of the unfairness, our companies must try their best to compete and turn themselves into ferocious wolves. Only then can we have a chance to survive. In addition, the Americans cannot be allowed to dominate alone, we can also cooperate with Germany and Italy, and the government must fulfill its mission and provide protection for our enterprises.”

Speaking of this, Zhang Tinglan laughed again: "In fact, these conditions for the United States also have a lot of room for manipulation. I am afraid that it will take a lot of time to conduct detailed negotiations, and it will take time for Congress to approve it. Just delay it and delay it." Three to five years is not a problem."

Gu Weijun also had to be really impressed at this time, it turns out that what the vice president wrote was just a blank check, but I have to say that this blank check is indeed too attractive, enough to make the Americans turn around.

While Zhang Tinglan was planning his next move, Feng Yongshuang hurried over again.

"Vice President, we have just received information that Britain has urgently dispatched a fleet from Hong Kong and is heading north to the mouth of the Yangtze River."

"How many warships did they send?"

"The exact number is unclear, but there are at least ten ships, the flagship is the heavy cruiser Hawkins, and there are at least two ironclad ships, both of which have a tonnage of more than [-] tons. They are big!"

Zhang Tinglan frowned upon hearing this introduction. Zhang Tinglan was no stranger to the Hawkins, a type of heavy cruiser designed by the British during World War I.The standard displacement is less than 7.5 tons, equipped with seven 30-inch main guns, and the maximum speed reaches [-] knots. This class of heavy cruisers has also become a benchmark in the Washington Conference.

This warship inherited the British warship's consistent tradition of thin skin and large stuffing, and because of the excessive pursuit of speed, the defense was further reduced, and it was already difficult to adapt to cruel naval battles.However, as a patrol mission in the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean and other places to maintain colonies, the Hawkins is more than enough.

Zhang Tinglan knew very well that Britain would not be willing to suffer a loss, and would definitely take retaliatory measures, so sending warships was also expected.It's just that this force is not enough to make Fengjun surrender, and it can even be said that this is giving Fengjun more meat.

"Immediately give Yang Yuting an order to deal with it. No matter what the British want to do, they cannot be allowed to succeed." After speaking, Zhang Tinglan circled the ground a few more times, and then said: "Let the Seventh Air Squadron Immediately enter Nantong, Jiangsu and Shandong coastal areas are also ready for defense!"

The subordinates immediately conveyed Zhang Tinglan's order. At this time, Yang Yuting was convening a military meeting in Pukou. The Fengjun heavy troops gathered here, and the generals under him were gearing up to cross the river and conquer Nanjing.

Ma Zhanshan said with a smile: "I have long heard books and operas say that Jiangnan is the best place in the world. There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. This time, I have to experience it."

"Let's not talk about Suzhou and Hangzhou. Nanjing is also the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, and Shanghai has a foreign market ten miles away. I hear it every day, and my ears are calloused." Zhang Henian also said with a smile: "I think the gang in Nanjing are nothing but idiots. It's just a chicken and a dog, once they pass by, they are all finished, why should we wait in Jiangbei?"

Jiang Dengxuan smiled and waved his hand: "Mr. Zhang, it's never okay to underestimate the enemy, but you are right about one thing. These people in the southern province are indeed vulnerable. But you have to think clearly, our opponents are simply It's not them, but the British! We will suffer a loss if we cross the river rashly before the British have finished playing their cards!"

Yang Yuting also nodded slightly. Obviously, he also had the same idea, so he hoarded the army in Jiangbei, ready to go, just to wait for the British to make a move.

At this time, Zhang Tinglan's order was conveyed, and Yang Yuting and the others immediately cheered up a hundredfold.

"Let's all take a look, what will the British fleet do?"

Jiang Dengxuan thought for a while, and then said: "I think there are only two possible actions for the British. One is to use the fleet to block the Yangtze River to prevent us from going south, and the other is to attack the coastal areas, block the Yangtze River Estuary, and block our foreign trade."

"It makes sense, but the British are not stupid. If we can sink four of their warships, we are sure to send more warships to the bottom of the sea. I guess the British will not fight recklessly. They should have other plans."

It is not unreasonable for Yang Yuting to say this. It is well known that Fengjun's air power is strong. It is definitely a brain-dead behavior to drive a warship to the shore without air cover. The British They have already suffered a loss once, and they will never suffer a second time!