A week later, Xiao Mingming, who was waiting in Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido, finally saw the moon when the Russian fleet of four warships and six merchant ships had rounded the southern tip of Sakhalin Island and entered the Tatar Strait. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Listening to the report, Xiao Mingliang laughed loudly: "The British and French fleets are stepping on iron shoes and have nowhere to go, but we have no effort to get there!" Then he ordered in a loud voice, "Order, the fleet set sail and block the southern exit of the Tatar Strait!" In addition, a clipper ship was sent to inform the Anglo-French combined fleet of the whereabouts of the Russian fleet in Kochi. ”

"Don't be overlooked." Zaizhao added: "Tell the British and French fleets that they must divide their forces to block the northern exit of the Tatar Strait, and not give the Russians the slightest chance to escape." ”

Compared with the Russian Far East Fleet, which had weak troops and few warships, the Anglo-French combined fleet had an overwhelming advantage, but it was just that it was unable to find the main force of the Russian fleet.

On the morning of 20 May, the combined Anglo-French fleet, which had lasted two years, had failed in the siege of Lopavlovsk and had been put on an empty plan, finally avenged its revenge and completely annihilated the only Russian fleet in the Far East before the Russian fleet entered the Heilongjiang River, along with more than 1,000 Russians who had moved to the port of Pavlovsk.

At this point, all the large and small strongholds of Russian influence in the Far East - the Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island, and the mouth of the Heilongjiang River - were completely uprooted.

After the Anglo-French combined fleet moved south, Zai Zhao led more than a dozen warships of the Beiyang Naval Division north to the Kamchatka Peninsula into Avacha Bay, and stationed in Petropavlovsk, which was burned to an open field, and then raised the dragon flag of the Qing Navy in the city.

At the same time when Zaizhao raised the dragon flag of the Qing Navy on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Russian governor of East Siberia, Muravyev, led 3,000 Cossack soldiers and 400 immigrants, and the 'Heilongjiang Expedition Team' headed by the East Siberian Branch of the Russian Geographical Society took 120 ships down the Heilongjiang River and began the second armed voyage to the Heilongjiang River, and proposed to the Qing court to hold border negotiations between the two countries in Kotuntun.

Jingshi, Haidian, Old Summer Palace, Fangbi Cong.

"Smack", Xianfeng threw the Heilongjiang General Yige's fold on the table, and glanced at the military ministers kneeling below with a cold expression, "It's too much to deceive people!" How many troops can the Russians have in the Northeast? ”

God knows how many troops the Russians have in the Northeast? No one was clear about the strength of the Russians in Eastern Siberia, and Yixun, Mu Zhang'a, Lin Zexu, Wen Qing, and Peng Yunzhang all unconsciously lowered their bodies.

Everyone knows that what stimulates Xianfeng is the huge slogan that the Russians hung in Kotuntun - take Heilongjiang, hold this frontier, Mongolia, don't open your mouth! China, don't argue! For Russia, Beijing is not far away either!

The arrogant clamor of the Russians has undoubtedly exposed their ambitions to invade China, and the last sentence - Beijing is not far away! It's a blatant threat! I don't blame Xianfeng for being angry.

When the emperor asked, he naturally couldn't help but answer, but no one spoke, so Mu Zhang'a said stubbornly: "Back to the emperor, Russia has invaded Heilongjiang twice, with a total of more than 4,000 troops. ”

"Your Majesty." Lin Zexu said in a deep voice: "The Russian army's muskets are inferior to the Eight Banners New Army, and Weichen prays to send the Eight Banners New Army into Heilongjiang to expel the invading Russian army." ”

Weichen seconded. Peng Yunzhang opened his mouth and said: "Although Weichen does not know soldiers, he has also heard that elite soldiers are fought, not trained, and the entry of the Eight Banners New Army into Heilongjiang can not only expel the Russians, but also reap the effect of actual combat training." ”

"Your Majesty." Yixin continued: "Yuanqi has always attached importance to the frontier and sent troops to Heilongjiang, so he can justifiably provide arms to Yuanqi. ”

Xianfeng glanced at him and said, "Yuan Qi is conducting a large arms trade with the Russians in Ili, will he support a war with the Russians at this time?" ”

Lin Zexu said in a firm tone: "With Weichen's understanding of Yi Zhixin, he will definitely support it." ”

In the tank? How to support? Yuan Qi is covered in iron, how many nails can he make? Xianfeng swept everyone and didn't say anything, Yuan Qi conducted a large arms trade with the Russians in the northwest, provided arms for the Taiping army in Yunnan to invade Burma, and sent troops to Tibet, so a large amount of arms supplies were indispensable, and there was still spare strength to support the Eight Banners New Army into Heilongjiang?

A wave of unsettled waves! Everything came together, but it really fulfilled the old saying, disaster doesn't go alone! He couldn't help but sigh secretly, compared to Tibet, the Northeast as the land of Longxing of the Qing Dynasty is more important, it is a retreat for the Manchurians!

If the Russians do not send troops, I am afraid that they will become more and more presumptuous, and their appetite will become bigger and bigger, which he cannot tolerate, and he must send troops, and he can only rely on the New Army of the Eight Banners, and he cannot let Yuan Qi send troops into the northeast.

Thinking that he had finally saved some money and was about to scatter it again, he felt a pain in his heart, and after thinking for a moment, he spoke: "Send a telegram, test the attitude of contentment, and raise troops on a large scale, and you need not only arms, but also food." Kneel down. ”

Lin Zexu knelt and didn't move, and said, "Your Majesty, Weichen has something to do." ”

Xianfeng nodded slightly, and when everyone retreated, he said, "What's the matter?" ”

"This is a private message from Feng Guifen, president of Southeast University in Shanghai, to Wechen." Lin Zexu took out the envelope as he spoke, and presented it.

Private message? Xianfeng took it and looked at it quickly, and then looked at it carefully with a solemn expression on his brows, and he didn't say anything for a long time, and after a long time, he raised his head and looked at Lin Zexu, "What does Shao Mu think?" ”

"Back to the emperor." Lin Zexu said in a deep voice: "Weichen secretly thinks that it is better to believe it than to believe that it is not." ”

After a slight groan, Xian Fengcai said, "Feng Guifen is your student, right?" ”

Lin Zexu bowed and said: "Back to the emperor, it is indeed a micro-minister who is looking for an opportunity to find an opportunity to test Yi Zhifen's true intention to drive the Taiping army into Burma. ”

Obviously, Yi Zhifen is obviously aware of Feng Guifen's temptation, this is to convey to the imperial court the huge crisis faced by the Qing Dynasty through Feng Guifen's mouth, the opportunity contained in the Crimean War, Xianfeng is clear, it is nothing more than the northwest expansion, but the hidden crisis behind this war, he really didn't expect that Britain and France would launch a war against the Qing Dynasty?

Isn't it alarmist? But is it still necessary to be alarmist at the moment? The imperial court can't help Yuan Qi at all now, why is it necessary to be alarmist? If Britain and France really started a war against the Qing Dynasty, how should the imperial court respond? Unite Britain and France to fight Yuanqi? Or join forces with Yuan Qi to fight against Britain and France?

He was pondering to himself, and Lin Zexu said: "Your Majesty, Weichen is privately figuring out that Yi Zhixin should have the intention of easing the relationship with the imperial court. ”

Ease of tension? Xianfeng immediately reacted, Yi Zhizhi was content to foresee the danger of the British and French invasion, and hoped to join forces with the imperial court and unite with the outside world, even if the imperial court could not help, he did not want the imperial court to stab him in the back! After a slight groan, he said, "Let's take a look for the time being." ”

Shanghai, Zhenhai Mansion, Changle Book House.

Yi Zhicontent, Bao Shichen, Wei Yuan, and Zhao Wenlie were looking at the large map of Annam on the wall with a happy face, and had just received a telegram from Hongji that Yang Xiuqing, the king of the East, led more than 100,000 Taiping troops to sweep across the entire Red River Plain and capture the capital of Annam, the largest city in the Red River Plain.

"Sir, if the Taiping army captures a city, it will do its best to loot ......." Wei Yuan groaned: "Do you want Yan Yangtian to wave his army into Annan and expel the Taiping army to the south." ”

"The money looted by the Taiping army is used to buy arms, as long as they don't set fire to the city." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "By their toss, the greater the grievances, the more conducive it is for us to take over, now it is a little early to enter Annan, it is best to let Emperor Ruan Fushi take the initiative to beg us to enter Annan." ”

"Annan is not unconcerned about the political situation in the Qing Dynasty." Bao Shichen stroked his long beard and said slowly: "The lord's strategy to drive away the tiger and devour the wolf, it is not difficult for King Annam to see through it, otherwise, it would have been long ago to ask for troops to help, instead of blindly blaming." ”

"It doesn't matter." Yi Zhizhi said disapprerovingly: "Even if Ruan Fushi understands, what? It still can't save the fate of Annan's downfall. ”

Zhao Wenlie said abruptly: "Sir, with the power of Yuan Qi, Annan could have been pocketed a long time ago, why did it delay until this time?" But scruples about reputation? ”

"It's not about fame." Yi Zhizhi said without thinking: "There are many vassal states of the Qing Dynasty, and if you send troops to destroy Annam for no reason, other vassal states will inevitably be frightened.

At present, France is falling into the Crimean War, even if Annan asks for help, he has no time to doppelgänger, this is the best time to destroy Annan, even if there is no Taiping Army, Yuan Qi will provoke a war on trumped-up charges. ”

In other words, for so many years, Yuan Qi has been waiting for the opportunity to destroy Annan? Zhao Wenlie didn't know what to say for a while, a piece of fat on the side of his mouth, he waited for so many years before swallowing it, and this forbearance is not something ordinary people can have.

Wei Yuan pulled the topic back, "When does the lord plan to send troops to Annan?" ”

"In a month or two." Yi Zhizu pointed to the vicinity of Hongji and said: "After repeated battles, Yang Xiuqing's Taiping army also needs to be repaired, and guns and ammunition also need to be supplied, and when he occupies the coast, Yan Yangtian can wave his army into Annan." ”

Before the words fell, Cao Gensheng came in and reported: "Sir, there is a call from the Military Aircraft Department." ”

"Read." Yi Zhizhi said and turned around.

"Three thousand Russian troops invaded Heilongjiang in early June."

"That's it?" Yi Zhishu was a little surprised. Bao Shichen said with a smile: "The imperial court intends to send troops to Heilongjiang to test the lord's attitude." ”

Yi Zhizu stretched out his hand and made a gesture to give up his seat, then took the telegram and looked at it, and after sitting down, he said: "Is this asking for arms and silver?" ”

"The Northeast is the land of the dragon of this dynasty." Wei Yuan said slowly: "Since the beginning of the previous year, the Russians have frequently invaded Heilongjiang with armed forces, and the number of troops is increasing, so the imperial court naturally can't sit still, and it should be preparing to send the Eight Banners New Army into Heilongjiang." After a pause, he continued: "The lord still has the strength to support the Eight Banners New Army to enter Heilongjiang?" ”

Before the words fell, Lin Meilian walked in quickly and said with a smile: "Sir, good news, Lushun is calling, the Anglo-French combined fleet has completely annihilated the Russian fleet in the Far East in the Tatar Strait, and all the Russian strongholds in Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and the estuary of the Heilongjiang River have been swept away. Zai Zhao has led the fleet of the Beiyang Naval Division to the port of Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka. ”

Yi Zhicontent smiled: "Today is a good day, and the good news continues. ”

Zhao Wenlie arched his hand and smiled: "Congratulations, sir, you didn't need to spend a single shot to occupy the Kamchatka Peninsula." ”

If you want to swallow the Kamchatka Peninsula, it is not so simple, Yi Zhizhi didn't say much, and said with a smile: "The two-pronged approach can crush the expansion ambitions of the Russians in the northeast in one fell swoop, since the imperial court intends to send troops to Heilongjiang, we naturally have to actively support it." Cut off the arms trade with the Russians in the northwest and transfer it to the New Army of the Eight Banners. ”

Bao Shichen said: "Don't be so cheerful, sir, you have to mention some conditions." ”

Condition? What conditions? Yi Zhishu reacted as soon as he changed his mind, and said: "Completely lift the ban on Northeast China and Mongolia, and allow or even encourage the free movement of inland people?" ”

"The lord has a big appetite." Bao Shichen said with a smile: "Mongolia is enough, it would be good to be able to lift the ban on the Northeast." ”

"Mr. Yi, you can't become a fat man by eating in one breath, let's eat one bite at a time." Yi Zhishu said in a relaxed tone: "Call back to the Military Aircraft Department, fully lift the ban in the Northeast, encourage the people in the inland to move freely, Yuan Qi actively supports the Eight Banners New Army to enter Heilongjiang, with 5,000 Mini guns and 200,000 rounds of ammunition."

In addition, in order to completely put an end to the Russian invasion along the Heilongjiang River, Yuan Qi funded 50 steam gunboats of the Beiyang Naval Division and the Northeast Naval Division within three to five years, and the first batch of 20 ships set sail for Lushun next month. ”

Jingshi, Old Summer Palace, Fangbi Cong.

Xianfeng slowly put down the telegram, and secretly thought in his heart, 5,000 Mini guns and 200,000 rounds of ammunition are nothing, fifty steam gunboats, this is not a small deal! If the Northeast Naval Division had already had these steam gunboats, why did they let the Russians show off their might on the Heilongjiang River?

With a slight groan, he said softly as if talking to himself: "Why is Yi Zhishu so keen to lift the ban in the Northeast? ”

The Northeast is not only the land of Longxing of the Qing Dynasty, the birthplace of the Holy Land, the ban on the Northeast, and the implementation of ethnic isolation, not only to protect the economic interests of the Manchus, but also to establish a strong and pure Eight Banners military source base in the Northeast, so as to ensure the security of the Manchu rule over the Central Plains, and at the same time, this is also a retreat left by the Manchus themselves.

Mu Zhang'a was naturally clear about these reasons, he was not sure whether Xianfeng was talking to himself or asking him, so he hesitated before he said softly: "Your Majesty, this is not what it used to be, the sharpness of firearms is no longer comparable to ...... cavalry and archery, and furthermore, the frequent invasions of the Russians are also because the Northeast is sparsely populated. ”

After being silent for a long time, Xianfeng sighed lightly, "If the ban is fully lifted, the ban will be lifted completely, the ban has begun to be lifted, and the bitter cold in the northeast, especially Heilongjiang, may not be willing to go to the Han people." ”