1905: Beer Hall Speaker

Page 70

The Republic now needs to seek development by exchanging market access for technology. Even if war breaks out, Zhao Yan must show respect for the inviolability of private property. If he can demonstrate this attitude in times of crisis, other countries will feel more comfortable investing in the country after the war.

The negotiations between China and France proceeded very pleasantly and smoothly. Both sides were interested in each other, with few conflicts of interest and, on the contrary, a great deal of common interest. It would be strange if the negotiations didn't go well.

At the dinner table, Zhao Yan kept Truk so drunk for three days in a row that his tongue was spinning and he was walking in a pretzel, giving the Frenchman a real taste of the Chinese drinking culture from later generations.

Then they used a combination of deception and persuasion to entice the French to invest in China, revealing various incentives such as tax reductions and exemptions, land discounts, and policy support.

Except for the food, finance, and defense sectors, everything else is open. As long as the French are willing to invest money, anything is negotiable.

The Frenchman readily expressed his interest, and this wasn't just drunken talk from Zhao Yan; it was a genuine offer with very sincere terms.

Zhao Yan had a bad record of deceiving foreign envoys before, but that was just diplomatic fraud. His political skills were beyond reproach. He still honored the money lent to him at the time and didn't turn his back on people after he had done so.

Moreover, back then, Zhao Yan was just a rebel leader, so it was understandable that he could lie. Now, Zhao Yan is the leader of the country, and many of his promises are backed by signed documents and treaties, with the country's credibility backing them up. There's no fear that he will renege on his promises.

In conclusion, Zhao Yan is untrustworthy in diplomatic and military matters, but he has never lied in political and economic matters.

The French had never considered making large-scale investments in the Far East. These days, it wasn't fashionable for major powers to invest in overseas industries, because their domestic markets were barely able to accommodate the production capacity of their own companies, let alone foreign companies.

No one has even considered industrial relocation; it hasn't come to that point yet.

Zhao Yan's proposed investment strategy is quite novel: "market access in exchange for technology." You provide money, equipment, and technology, while I provide land and labor, along with attractive tax breaks and policy incentives. You make money, and I develop as well.

This method wouldn't work in any other country, because local industries and entrepreneurs would revolt, but it's very suitable for China, an industrial wasteland.

Currently, the Republic's only industrial sector and development funds have all been poured into the defense and heavy industries, yet progress remains slow. The remaining civilian industries, chemical industry, energy industry, and machinery manufacturing industry are almost entirely nonexistent.

They couldn't develop on their own, nor did they have the funds to do so. The private sector also lacked funds, as all their money had been borrowed for the war effort.

Instead of doing that, why not invest heavily in importing technology? What if foreigners make money? The technology and factories will be located in China, and it will also help China train a large number of skilled industrial workers and expert engineers in related fields.

Zhao Yan never considered sending farmers thousands of miles to Europe as cannon fodder in exchange for technology during World War I; he wanted to bring factories and technology directly to China.

The French are known in Europe for having money but nowhere to spend it. French capital is not short of money, but there is nowhere to invest it, so they can only lend it out at high interest rates.

French industry no longer needs massive capital injections because it lacks sufficient market expansion, and now China has extended an olive branch, which is very tempting.

The profits from lending money at exorbitant interest rates are nowhere near as high as the profits from investing in and building factories in a market of 400 million people! If each of the 400 million Chinese people bought just one pair of shoes, that would be enough to support a hundred shoe factories. If each person bought a set of clothes, that would require the scale of the entire European textile industry.

As for whether Chinese people have purchasing power, no one in Europe doubts this. A nation that could withstand the exploitation and enslavement of the Manchu Qing dynasty, if you slightly reduce taxes and develop the economy, not all Chinese people will become rich, but at least their labor value will be enough to buy shoes and clothes.

The French indicated that after the establishment of diplomatic relations, they would send a large investment delegation to China for inspection, and were very interested in the market-for-technology proposal put forward by the Republic's government.

However, all of this is contingent on ending the war and restoring peace. French funds would not rashly invest in a war-torn country; the risk is too great.

The Frenchman didn't forget one of the core purposes of his trip to China: to act as a peacemaker.

Britain, the United States, and other European countries involved in this Far East war were all eager to end this pointless war of attrition.

France is the most suitable country to act as a peacemaker, while Germany is fanning the flames and hoping for a larger-scale war between China and Britain. The United States is very willing to mediate, but its influence is insufficient.

Other countries are even less relevant; only France has the qualifications and ability to act as a peacemaker.

Zhao Yan understood the unspoken meaning immediately. When the French mentioned the need for peace before investment, he understood the implication and said no problem. As long as the British were willing to talk, China would cooperate. As for Japan, Zhao Yan didn't even mention it. They were just dogs kept by the British, and there was no need to ask about their attitude.

Previously, Zhao Yan refused to mention negotiations because he hadn't demonstrated his strength or gained respect, and even private communications were referred to as "informal meetings."

But now Zhao Yan has the confidence to launch formal and public negotiations. Talking now will not only not make him lose face, but will actually bring him glory!

Chapter 125 The Magnificent Bearded Gentleman Gao Dewu

After spending a week drinking heavily with the French, Zhao Yan finally reaped a rewarding harvest, obtaining considerable profits from the French without firing a single shot.

If this were the old Qing Dynasty, they wouldn't have even dreamed of it. Only now that they've proven their strength have earned them this treatment.

Coming to his senses, Zhao Yan realized that negotiations were about to begin. The French had left Beijing and were heading south to Hong Kong to contact the British and begin talks.

This time, with the French offering a way out, the British will definitely not refuse. In fact, it could be said that the French envoy's visit to China was driven by Britain. This way out was something they themselves found, so they certainly won't refuse it.

Zhao Yan could not personally attend the subsequent ceasefire negotiations, as it would be too beneath him. At this point, the vacant position of Foreign Minister had to be filled.

Based on Zhao Yan's limited historical knowledge, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would definitely choose famous figures like Tang Xuanzhaoyi and Gu Weijun, but in reality, these people were not qualified to be selected because they had no merit!

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, a fourth-level official in the civil service system, is in charge of a country's foreign affairs; he is already a high-ranking official.

This level of appointment is not something Zhao Yan can simply do by finding a historical figure and naming him.

Officials at this level are not judged by their professional abilities, but only by their seniority and achievements. Even Zhan Tianyou was able to be promoted to Minister of Transport through special consideration because of his illustrious reputation in the railway field.

The civil service system has nine levels. The first level is for the head of state, which is an exclusive position and practically non-existent! The second level is for committee members, who are subordinate to the head of state's office and the highest governing council!

The number of committee members is variable; they hold high positions but have very little real power. They are essentially the Republic's version of the Grand Council and Cabinet. When the head of state is in a strong position, the committee is just a voting machine.

The positions of committee members are usually held concurrently by veterans of the Revival Party and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office. In name, the committee is the highest governing body, but in reality, it is just a one-man show by Zhao Yan.

The first and second levels of the civil service system are currently largely meaningless nominal positions; with Zhao Yan around, they have practically no real power.

The third and fourth levels down are where the real power lies in the central leadership. The third level, cabinet members, goes without saying; these are the heads of the government's administrative organs. The fourth level, department heads, are the heads of various ministries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had little real power before, but it was about to enter the peak period of armistice negotiations and post-war diplomatic construction, and its power was about to expand.

For decades, Chinese officials avoided diplomacy like the plague, fearing they would be branded as traitors if they made a mistake. But things are completely different now, because Zhao Yan, the leader, is very capable and has eliminated the risk of treason. All that's left is profit. As long as he takes office, he'll definitely get a lot of credit!

Zhao Yan originally favored Wu Zonglian, the former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had performed very well in previous "private meetings" and had accomplished many tasks in a series of behind-the-scenes contacts in Wuhan and Guangzhou.

But what annoyed Zhao Yan the most was that this guy was very smooth and would never take the blame. He had privately instructed him to compromise a little, but Wu Zonglian insisted on seeing the official order before he would carry it out. He really wouldn't take any responsibility.

Therefore, for this appointment, Zhao Yan simply wrote Wu Zonglian's name into the recommended list and then ignored it.

I wrote your name because you are capable, but I'm not giving you a special recommendation. Figure out the reason yourself!

So, in many cases, subordinates still have to take the blame if they feel they're not completely immune to problems. Do you think you're Zhao Zhenji?

But soon, the Prime Minister's Office approved the nominee for Foreign Minister, and it wasn't Cho Jung-gil... cough cough, it wasn't Oh Jong-ryeon, but Ko Deok-moo.

Zhao Yan wasn't very familiar with Gao Dewu, but after reviewing his resume, he approved it without hesitation. There was no way around it; Gao Dewu had impeccable credentials!

During the Changsha Uprising, Gao Dewu was a trusted advisor to Zhang Mingqi, the then governor. He later served as the prefect and mayor of Changsha, and then as the governor of Hunan Province. After Zhang Mingqi went north to the capital, he governed Hunan very well.

At the beginning of last year, he was transferred to the Northeast as the director of the Immigration Affairs Office. He also carried out the strategy of relocating people from the Central Plains to the Northeast very well. He was much more capable than the bunch of idiots in the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

This year, he should have been transferred to a vice-ministerial level position in the central government, but Zhang Mingqi insisted on appointing him as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position that even Zhao Yan had to give him face.

Soon after signing the appointment order, Zhao Yan met with Gao Dewu. After meeting him, he understood why Zhang Mingqi had strongly recommended Gao Dewu – this guy was just too handsome!

As his name suggests, Gao Dewu was tall and robust, with a heroic air about him. His features were handsome and dashing, and what was even more remarkable was the thick beard that stretched down his chin, making him look very masculine.

This guy doesn't look like a civil official; he looks more like a dashing general.

Zhao Yan felt jealous when he saw this guy. How come he's even more handsome than me?

"Haha, Your Majesty, this is Gao Dewu, whom I have recommended to you many times. He is forty-four years old this year. When he was young, he worked in the army and even followed General Zuo to fight in Xinjiang with me."

After that, I recruited him as my staff, and he's been working for me ever since. He's very capable and an upright person!

As soon as Zhang Mingqi led Gao Dewu into the Imperial Study, he made no attempt to hide his support for Gao Dewu. His string of qualifications was practically a declaration that Gao Dewu was one of his men and that he had high hopes for him.

Looking at Gao Dewu's appearance, Zhao Yan understood. Handsome people attract attention wherever they are, not to mention those who are capable, hardworking, and able to follow Zuo Zongtang in the reorganization of the Hunan Army in Xinjiang. None of them were cowards.

Even Wu Baishi, who was standing next to Zhao Yan, was stunned. She had never seen such a handsome man before.

Zhao Yan immediately became displeased: "Ahem, we need to talk about business. Honey, why don't you go out for a bit?"

Zhang Mingqi and Gao Dewu were completely stunned by the word "baby". Gao Dewu, seeing Zhao Yan's displeased expression, felt a chill run down his spine and realized something was wrong!

Wu Bai's face turned bright red, and unable to bear Zhao Yan calling her "darling," she quickly ran away.

"Ahem, Minister Gao was a soldier who followed General Zuo into Xinjiang. No wonder you have such a heroic air about you. You're a national hero!" Zhao Yan quickly steered the conversation back on track.

Zuo Zongtang is currently one of the very few Manchu Qing officials who have received official recognition from the People's Republic of China. In the current official stance of the People's Republic of China, Zuo Zongtang's status is much higher than that of Zeng Guofan.

Even Zhao Yan has to address him as Lord Zuo!

"Your Majesty flatters me. Protecting our country is our duty!" Gao Dewu said humbly, using all his skills to salvage his image. Being handsome is a problem, he had clearly seen Zhao Yan's displeasure earlier.

Who the hell knew that there was a lover of the head of state in the Imperial Study? Zhang Mingqi kept this a secret, even Gao Dewu didn't know, and the head of state almost mistook him for a love rival, which was no small matter.

"Alright, everyone, please sit down. Don't be shy!" Zhao Yan gestured, his attitude very friendly.

Zhang Mingqi sat down opposite Zhao Yan with a carefree attitude, but Gao Dewu didn't dare to sit on the kang (heated brick bed). He quickly found a chair to sit closer, but as he sat down, he elegantly stroked his beard.

Zhang Mingqi frowned slightly, and Zhao Yan was stunned. So you have to show off just because you're handsome?

Zhang Mingqi was of average appearance, and Zhao Yan was not handsome at all. Both of them were of average appearance. When they suddenly met such a handsome man with a beautiful beard, Zhang Mingqi still felt a little inferior, even though they had known each other for many years. As for Zhao Yan, he was even more so.

Both men stroked their beards, unwilling to back down, hoping to get back at least a little bit.

Gao Dewu was stunned when he saw the two bosses stroking their beards. What was going on?

Zhao Yan felt he still couldn't compare and said helplessly, "Minister Gao's image is still quite good. He can represent the style of China. When facing envoys from foreign powers, image is very important!"

Zhang Mingqi nodded: "That's right. In the past, Chinese officials wearing those official robes and queues were ridiculed by foreigners countless times. This time, we can't afford to have any problems with our image. We must present a new image of a great nation!"

Gao Dewu's smile became somewhat stiff. When your boss praises your appearance, don't be too happy. It's because your abilities haven't been fully recognized yet!

When praising officials, you don't just praise those with good looks; this isn't a selection of concubines!

Zhang Mingqi also came to her senses. She had been stunned by Gao Dewu's handsomeness, so she quickly got back to the point: "Minister Gao, you are the Minister of Foreign Affairs now. Quickly tell the head of state what you plan to do after taking office. You need to have not only the demeanor of a great power, but also the diplomacy of a great power."

Zhao Yan looked at Gao Dewu and nodded, pretending to listen.

Gao Dewu had done his homework, having studied intensively before coming, and even received extra lessons from Zhang Mingqi, so he was very clear about the thoughts of the two big shots.

Gao Dewu knew that Zhao Yan disliked flowery language and preferred plain language, and liked direct and clear reports, so he got straight to the point after he started speaking.

This is the advantage of having connections in the court. Zhang Mingqi had explained Zhao Yan's style and preferences in advance. If it were any other official, they would still follow the old routine, starting with flowery language and rambling on without getting to the point, constantly bringing up obscure allusions. Zhao Yan would get impatient and just snap at them.

Gao Dewu stated that his work approach after taking office was very simple and clear: to conduct diplomatic work with the upcoming ceasefire negotiations as the core, equality, independence, and dignity as the principles, and national interests as the bottom line.

Zhang Mingqi had informed him in advance, telling him about the current situation of the central government and the actual situation of the country, as well as Zhao Yan's private thoughts, all of which were shared with Gao Dewu.

Therefore, Gao Dewu's statement during this meeting did not mention words such as "tough" or "uncompromising," which were Zhao Yan's main attitude towards the outside world in the past, but continuing to insist on them now would be somewhat inappropriate.

After listening, Zhao Yan nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, that's quite pragmatic."

"Minister Gao, you should be very clear about the main task of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs going forward. The core is to stop the war and restore peace. The country cannot afford to continue to be drained. While we still have the strength, we must accelerate our development."

In the past, my insistence on a tough and uncompromising attitude was a last resort, because we had been pushed to the edge of a cliff, and if we didn't take a hard line, we would have to jump off.

We won't compromise because we've run out of interests to compromise on. If we continue to compromise, none of us will even have anything left to wear.

“In the past, we were barefoot and could only work hard, risking our lives. But now we must strive to put on shoes.”

"I've already laid out all the bargaining chips for you in this ceasefire negotiation. You don't need to compromise your own interests; you just need to offer the interests of others as a compromise."

"But remember, compromise is not about backing down. The core of compromise is exchange! We use our secondary interests to exchange for the core interests we need, just like in business. We get what we need from each other, but we can't lose money. We must make a profit!"

"Japan's egg is North Korea. If we control North Korea, we control Japan's egg. The core of the negotiations with Japan is the game between Port Arthur and North Korea."

"My bottom line is the 38th parallel north. Korea south of this line can be used as a bargaining chip. The other add-on is the northern peninsula of Sakhalin Island. I got it back from the Russians, but it's a bit of a burden. However, it still has some value to the Japanese."

"North of the 38th parallel is our trump card that we must hold onto. With this, Northeast China will have access to the sea. Once we have access to the sea in Northeast China, the northern peninsula of Sakhalin Island will also have strategic value."

"The Japanese must still be wary of these two places. It's just that we're not strong enough, otherwise we would never have given them up."

"Then there are the core interests we need. The bottom line is the Lushun Peninsula, and the add-on is Taiwan Island."

"When negotiating with the Japanese, we must be firm to the end. If they are willing to compromise and make exchanges, then let them do so. South Korea for Port Arthur, Sakhalin Island for Taiwan. If they are not willing to exchange, then let's continue fighting!"

"In short, we absolutely cannot suffer losses. As for the Japan issue, I can fight them until the end of the world. Even if we perish together, I will drag Japan down with me to hell!"

Gao Dewu nodded solemnly, remembering every word Zhao Yan said.

Zhao Yan continued, "In addition, we cannot be tough on the British. They are still the world's hegemon. They have too much power and resources. We cannot afford to fight them to the death, nor can we achieve mutual destruction. Therefore, the core attitude is to conduct negotiations with equality and dignity."

It's okay to suffer a little loss at the right time. After all, the British also have their pride, and their status as a world superpower deserves some respect. After all, we're still not strong enough.

"The bargaining chip in negotiations with Britain is Burma. If necessary, we can withdraw from the entire Burma in exchange for the British to return the leased areas and Hong Kong Island in full, and in return for the British to put pressure on Japan."

"In short, the goal is to win over Britain, pressure Japan, and sow discord between them. Ideally, we should dismantle that damned Anglo-Japanese Alliance! Otherwise, we'll have to face Britain again next time we fight Japan, which is too painful!"

"Use all the dirty tricks and backstabbing tactics of the Qing Dynasty officialdom. If necessary, even some underhanded methods are acceptable. As long as the goal is achieved, everything else is just fluff."

"Be bold and do it. Don't be afraid. Although the country is facing difficulties, it is not a problem to continue the stalemate for another year or two. Continue fighting during the negotiations and talk while fighting."

"You talk things out in front, and I'll give you my advice from behind!"

Chapter 126 The Shanghai-Songjiang Negotiations (Revised Edition)

The French were very efficient. By the end of February, the British had readily agreed to accept the French "mediation" and sent a mission to negotiate a ceasefire.

Perhaps it's not appropriate to say the French were efficient, but rather that the British had planned this all along.

The Japanese were extremely unwilling, but since Britain had made its stance clear, they had no choice but to join the negotiating table. The Japanese were filled with hatred for Britain.

When the fight started, you dragged me into it, making me the main striker. I didn't get any benefits, but instead got a good beating, and the lives of tens of thousands of Imperial Army warriors were used to establish Zhao Yan's reputation as the God of War.

Now that you're negotiating a ceasefire, you're the first to express your support and you're even trying to drag me into it. So you're playing the good guy and the bad guy all by yourself, and I'm just your henchman, right?