nucmednet Chapter 127 Strategy
Chapter 127 Strategy
Shen Lian beat him to it, and Li Zhongtang could only shake his head helplessly!
"Zhiyuan, if that's the case! Since the great powers are riddled with their own contradictions, perhaps we could..." Yikuang didn't care about Gu Hongming's talent.
Although he was greedy, he still had basic common sense. Now that he knew the relationships between the great powers, he naturally wanted to profit from them.
"Your Highness, these foreign powers are like a pack of hungry wolves. When they have no target, they fight among themselves. But once they find someone they can bully, they swarm in and divide the spoils together!"
"Just like they do with countries in the Americas, Asia, and Africa!"
"Now is not the time for us to deal with them. With our national strength, it would be difficult to fight even one country alone, let alone so many countries!" Shen Lian shook his head. He wanted to, too! But what could he do if he didn't have the strength?
"Fortunately, these great powers are too far away from us, making it inconvenient for them to wage a large-scale war against us. Taking advantage of this opportunity to inflict pain on them, we just need to give them a way out and offer them some benefits. Dealing with them shouldn't be difficult."
"Of course, they shouldn't even think about ceding territory or paying reparations!"
"To put it bluntly, these countries are all robbers. They came to steal things and got beaten up. Naturally, they are furious, but they have to think twice before striking again. As long as we are nice and offer some benefits, they can get them without fighting, so they are willing to do so."
"As for what benefits we'll receive and how we'll give them, we'll discuss that later!" Shen Lian smiled slightly, keeping everyone in suspense.
"Now I want to talk about Russia and Japan! These two countries are our most dangerous enemies. Russia's greed for land is insatiable. They are currently stationed outside the Great Wall and could launch an attack on us at any time."
"The Japanese are the same; they also have a considerable number of troops in Liaodong. Moreover, they are not far from us and can mobilize troops at any time!" Shen Lian said seriously.
Seeing how serious Shen Lian was, Yi Kuang and Lao Li's expressions also became solemn.
"Fortunately, their two countries are at odds and have many private disputes, so they cannot join forces against us."
"The Japanese may seem powerful, but they are all bark and no bite. They are nothing more than dogs in the eyes of the great powers. This time, they are just following behind the great powers to pick up the spoils. That's why they are putting in a lot of effort this time and sending the most troops. But they also got the worst beating from me! Hehe!" Shen Lian sneered.
"Because of the Sino-Japanese War, neither the Chinese people nor the imperial court can show weakness. Now that we've given them a good beating, we can vent our anger and boost the morale of the imperial court!"
"We will not only be ruthless towards them, but I will also target them specifically. As long as the great powers can be appeased, the Japanese won't be able to cause any trouble!" Shen Lian said confidently.
"The most troublesome one is Russia. It is powerful, greedy, and borders us. I don't have a good idea on how to deal with it right now. I wonder what Your Highness and Minister Li think?" Of course, Shen Lian couldn't do everything himself. He had to leave some things for others to do so as well.
Yikuang: How do you know? How should I know! I'll see with my own eyes.
"Excellent! Absolutely brilliant!" Li Zhongtang couldn't help but applaud!
"Truly, the younger generation is formidable! Zhiyuan, you have truly surprised me several times! Not only are you a brilliant strategist, but your governance of the region is also unparalleled, and now you are so adept at diplomatic negotiations. I really can't think of anyone in the younger generation who can compare to you!" Li Zhongtang said with sincere admiration. Yikuang and Gu Hongming also nodded in agreement.
"I was just a bit lucky; I spent a few years abroad and broadened my horizons. There's still so much I need to learn. This time, I also benefited from the court's favor and was able to make some contributions! Your Highness, Your Excellency, you flatter me!"
Shen Lian: I know I'm excellent, but your blatant praise to my face makes me feel quite embarrassed!
“Zhiyuan, you don’t need to be modest! With your achievements, who in the world would dare to question them? I’d be the first to spit in their face.” Li Zhongtang waved his hand and said.
“Yes! Zhiyuan, even if we consider the entire two-hundred-year history of our Great Qing Dynasty, few people can compare to you,” Yikuang said with a smile.
"Hehe! Your Highness, let's get down to business! If you keep praising me like this, I'll get carried away!" Shen Lian laughed heartily.
After a round of laughter and chatter, the atmosphere in the room became much more relaxed.
"I know all too well that the Russians are ambitious and treacherous! But this time, as long as we appease the other powers and have other countries to restrain them, they won't be able to do much. Especially Britain, they are very wary of Russia."
"Russia and Japan are both eyeing our Northeast with covetous intent. We can take this opportunity to sow discord between the two countries. Let them fight like dogs, and after a few years when we've recovered, we'll deal with them. Hehe!" Old Li had been handling diplomacy for decades and was undoubtedly the top official in the court; naturally, he couldn't possibly be without any strategic vision.
What Shen Lian could think of, he could certainly think of as well. It was just that his limited vision and the corruption of the court made it difficult for him to act.
"As expected, experience counts, and Your Excellency's vision is truly remarkable. I wholeheartedly agree with Your Excellency's strategy." Since his thoughts were similar to his own, Shen Lian naturally didn't hesitate to offer a few words of praise.
"Hahaha, with such outstanding ministers as you, it is truly a blessing for the court. Why worry that my Great Qing cannot be revived?" Yikuang laughed heartily.
Shen Lian: Yes, yes, you're absolutely right!
The three then analyzed each country individually and developed some targeted strategies.
"Your Highness may sit high then, I will lead the charge first, and then Your Excellency will mediate. These foreign powers will be taught a lesson!" Shen Lian said confidently.
"Very well! Then I'll have to trouble Zhiyuan and Li Zhongtang. When the peace negotiations are successful and His Majesty returns to the capital, I will definitely report to the court and bestow upon you great rewards!"
He didn't have to do anything to get this great credit. Yikuang was naturally extremely proud!
After seeing the two off, Gu Hongming also went out to run errands! In fact, Shen Lian had already sent him to make private contact with various countries before the negotiations. He had basically figured out the attitudes of each country, which is why Shen Lian was so confident today.
Shen Lian picked up his teacup, took a sip, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He then pulled on a rope next to the table.
"General!" Shen Dong strode in. As Lai Fu's deputy, after Lai Fu went to protect the emperor, he was now in charge of the Military Intelligence Division.
"Tell them they can start! Make sure it's clean!" Shen Lian nodded and instructed.
"Yes, Commander!" Shen Dong saluted, and without asking what was going on, he agreed and left. Clearly, he knew what Shen Lian was referring to!
Given the state of the nation, you can't blame me for being ruthless!