Chapter 98 Section 98: Li Hongzhang visits Europe

Li Hongzhang's "Appeals to Russia" was delivered to the palace on the same day, and there was an order the next day. The decree said: "The imperial decree: Li Hongzhang played, and begs to take back his life. Li Hongzhang has traveled a long way in his old age, and I deeply miss him. Only when he goes to Russia to congratulate him, he should send a prestigious minister to be competent. The university's scholar affairs should be respected. The imperial court is prudent about the intention of diplomatic relations, and encourages them to drive forward, and as a deputy commissioner, there is no solid resignation. This is my respect."

Li Hongzhang took the target, solemnly kowtowed three times, and then got up.Xiao Hong rushed forward to help her, but seeing Li Hongzhang had tears in her eyes, she murmured with trembling lips: "Since the imperial court remembers me, Li Hongzhang, and Li Hongzhang is still alive, even if he crawls, he must go to Russia! Xiaohong, help the old man into the bedroom." Go see Mrs." Li Hongzhang came to his wife's bed full of energy.Seeing Li Hongzhang's expression, Zhao Lian couldn't help asking in a low voice: "Go to Russia, you agreed?" Li Hongzhang held Zhao Lian's hand in his own, and said, "I dare not refuse the imperial court's decree twice! I'm just worried about your health!"

Zhao Lian said weakly: "You, you have begun to refuse to accept your old age again! You suddenly became so energetic, the concubine knew that you were going to go to Russia this time. Let the scriptures and scriptures follow you, Or let Hongmei take care of you in the morning and evening instead of the concubine." Li Hongzhang smiled and said: "You, you don't have to worry about the old man. You should remember that in ancient times, Lian Po was still able to fight the enemy at the age of eighty, and the old man was only seventy-four years old after the New Year! , there are still six full years!"

Zhao Lian said with a smile: "Looking at you like this, this concubine reminds me of a sentence in the history books: 'The hero of Nagasaka is still alive!'" Li Hongzhang was taken aback, and said slowly: "This sentence should be changed, and it should be changed to 'the hero who went to Maicheng is still there! The prince and Rong Lu discussed with them the matter of the entourage to Russia. Prince Jin passed away due to illness four years ago, and now the foremen in the yamen are Prince Gong and Prince Qing.Prince Gong's long-term diplomacy is naturally the leader, and Prince Qing is no match for Prince Gong, so he is willing to be the second leader.

The Military Aircraft Department is also headed by two princes, Prince Gong is the first, followed by Prince Li.The Naval Yamen had already been abolished last month. On the day the decree was issued, Li Hongzhang rushed to the Naval Yamen in a sedan chair and put the plaque he had just removed into his sedan chair.This plaque was brought back to the mansion by Li Hongzhang, and it was placed alone in a spare room and watched from time to time. After seeing Prince Gong and other princes, Li Hongzhang rushed to the household department to check the gifts for the Russian emperor and other matters.After coming down from the yamen, he just entered the mansion, and the ministers of various countries stationed in China came to pay homage. They claimed that adhering to the will of the country, they invited him to drop by their own country for a visit.

From the day of receiving the decree to March of the following year, Li Hongzhang was really busy with his feet on the ground and his hands not idle, and he could not rest for a whole year. On March 12th in the 22nd year of Guangxu (April 24th, 1896 AD), Li Hongzhang, the 74-year-old first-class envoy of the Qing Dynasty to Russia, brought the little red girl, Jingfang, Jingshu's two sons, and A huge mission formed by himself finally set off from the capital and embarked on a long journey to Europe, starting his first and only trip to Western Europe in his life. His mission this time is not only to participate in the coronation of the Russian emperor, but also shoulders the mission of making a treaty with Russia.Later, on behalf of the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty, he was invited to visit Britain, France, the United States, Germany and other countries.

In the three months before his departure, he went to the garden six times to ask for training, and was summoned by Emperor Guangxu four times. He had to go to the Prime Minister's Office to meet Prince Gong almost every day. He was still busy, so that Weng Tonghe, a military minister, was so angry that he sighed in front of people for several days: "My Qing Dynasty has been established for a hundred years, and there is really no one left! Sending such a bad old man out, I don't know whether to congratulate the coronation, or go to others Add chaos!" In order to prevent accidents, the Empress Dowager Cixi dispatched three imperial physicians to accompany her, and the embassies of Russia, the United States, and France each sent a doctor to follow; Russia, France, the United States, Britain, and Germany each selected three doctors from the embassies. Counselors act as guides.

On March 18, the 22nd year of Guangxu (April 30, 1896), after Li Hongzhang arrived in St. Petersburg, the Russian capital, he was arranged by the Russian side to stay in a luxurious post house near the imperial palace, and guard posts and tour posts were set up before and after. Ito Hirobumi from Japan was also invited to Russia, but the residence arranged for him by the Russian side was not only far away from the imperial palace, but also had relatively simple facilities.The living environment of the diplomatic missions in Britain, France, and the United States is roughly the same as that in the Qing Dynasty.

When Li Hongzhang inquired about the news, he couldn't help but stroking his beard and smilingly said to Xiaohong who was beating his back: "A Japanese is a Japanese, and he can't be shorter than a human if he doesn't want to." After the coronation ceremony of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, Li Hongzhang discussed the contract with Russian Foreign Minister Giles. At that time, Li Hongzhang, his beard and hair were all white, but his mind was clear, his thinking was quick, and his eloquence remained the same as before, which surprised Gilles. Gilles privately expressed emotion: "I have only now admitted that the Qing Dynasty is so corrupt, but it can still exist. It is indeed related to this old man!"

One month later, after repeated requests, Li Hongzhang signed the Treaty of Mutual Assistance against Enemies with Russian Finance Minister Witte and Foreign Minister Robanov in Moscow to jointly prevent Japanese aggression. At that time, the content of the treaty negotiated by the two parties was kept confidential, so the treaty was also called the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty". And provide each other with arms and food; one of the contracting parties shall not negotiate a peace treaty with the enemy without the consent of the other party; , Jilin to build a direct railway to Vladivostok, undertaken by the Sino-Russian Daosheng Bank, and stipulated that the Chinese envoy in Russia should sign the terms of the contract with the bank nearby; whether in wartime or peacetime, Russia has the right to transport troops and military supplies through this road; The treaty shall be valid for 15 years from the date of approval of the railway contract, and an extension shall be made six months before the expiry date.

At that time, some people said that Li Hongzhang was able to sign this treaty with Russia because Li Hongzhang had accepted bribes from Russia beforehand.Others said that it was because the Russian side gave Li Hongzhang two beauties and captured Li Hongzhang.What is the actual situation? This treaty was actually made before Li Hongzhang arrived in the Russian capital, and the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered Prince Gong to plan it in advance with the Russian Minister to China Cassini, and Li Hongzhang just made a routine seal.This is to repay Russia's alliance with France and Germany for preserving the Liaodong Peninsula for the Qing Dynasty, and one is also to prevent future Japanese attacks. Both Japan and Russia were China's neighbors. According to the national strength of the Qing Dynasty at that time, it was impossible to be enemies with both countries at the same time. We could only contact one side and jointly guard against the other.Prince Gong called this move an alliance with Russia to resist Japan. In other words, with Li Hongzhang's financial resources at that time, how much money did Russia need to spend to make him fall in love? On the day the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty" was signed, Li Hongzhang sighed privately: "Twenty years of nothing, you can always get it." After signing the contract with Russia, Li Hongzhang and his party embarked on another journey, visiting Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom. , the United States, British Canada and several other European and American countries that communicate with China. The trip to Germany allowed Li Hongzhang to see the strength of the country with the most powerful army in the world; Germany was also full of admiration for Li Hongzhang, who had been on the diplomatic stage of the Qing Empire for more than forty years.On the day Li Hongzhang and his party arrived in Germany, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented him with the "Red Eagle Grand Cross First Class Star", which was also the first time that Germany awarded a foreigner the medal.In order to see the demeanor of the German iron-blooded prime minister, Li Hongzhang drove to Hamburg to pay a visit to Bismarck. After the ceremony, Li Hongzhang asked Bismarck through an interpreter: "What is a good strategy for the prosperity of the country?" Bismarck smiled and replied: "Training is the top priority." Hearing this, Li Hongzhang nodded slightly.After bidding farewell to Bismarck, Li Hongzhang visited Krupp, the most famous German arms and steel manufacturer. In the tenth year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1871 A.D.), out of the need for coastal defense, Li Hongzhang ordered 328 cannons of various calibers from him at one go, and deployed them in Dagukou, Beitang, Shanhaiguan and other forts. To stabilize the defense and security of Beijing City.After the incident of Japan's invasion of Taiwan, Li Hongzhang asked the imperial court to purchase ships such as "Dingyuan", "Zhiyuan" and "Jiyuan" from Germany. When leaving Germany, the Krupp family commissioned the Munich sculptor Otto Lang to customize a statue for the "Bismarck of the East".The bronze statue of Li Hongzhang has a noble temperament and a serene expression, a standard image of an oriental elder. During the thirteen days in Paris, France, Li Hongzhang also received a grand reception and universal welcome.After presenting his credentials to the French President, in order to know as much about Paris as possible, under the escort of French officials and bodyguards, Li Hongzhang visited the Bank of Paris, Armed Arms Academy, Royal Zoo, Museum, Library and the newspaper "Le Figaro" etc. Made a visit. During his visit to the Netherlands, at the welcome dinner held for him by the King of the Netherlands in the Haikou Bathhouse, Li Hongzhang recited such a poem on a whim: "I have been in and out of Chengming for forty years, and I suddenly came overseas to practice immortals. Huayan The festival will entertain silk and bamboo, and the thousand-year-old lantern will pass the happy news." Li Hongzhang immediately won applause from the audience when he published this poem. Li Hongzhang and his party hurried to Britain, which has the most powerful navy in the world.He has long been fascinated by England.When meeting with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, the Queen presented Li Hongzhang with the "Victoria's First Grand Cross Star", and Li Hongzhang became the first foreigner to receive this honor. After bidding farewell to the Queen, Li Hongzhang sat on a chair on a train in London, the capital of England, looking at the fleeting scenery outside the car window. He once again became poetic, and chanted casually: "A floating gull floating overseas, north, south, east, and west All over the earth. There are two roads in the green bushes, and there is no time left behind by the wheel and the electric switch." Li Hongzhang traveled to Europe and the United States as the first minister of the Qing Dynasty, arousing great interest from the royal family to the people of all countries.Every time he went to a country, people rushed to see his style and took photos with him, and even Li Hongzhang fever appeared overseas. During the forty years of the Qing Dynasty, almost half of the treaties signed with other countries were written by this person.In various countries, some officials may not know the Qing Dynasty, but they all know Li Hongzhang.He has been recognized by countries all over the world as the only most authoritative figure who can represent the Qing Dynasty. The famous European sculptor F. R． Kaldenberg, shortly after Li Hongzhang visited European countries, carved a huge statue of three people called "Today's Three Old Men".On the left side of the statue is German Prime Minister Bismarck, in the middle is Li Hongzhang, and on Li Hongzhang's right is British Prime Minister Glanston. There is no doubt that Li Hongzhang has entered the ranks of famous prime ministers in the minds of people in Western Europe.Li Hongzhang's visit to Europe also aroused great concern from the Japanese ruling and opposition parties.When he learned that Li Hongzhang's visit was over and he was about to pass by Yokohama, Japan on his way back to China, the Japanese emperor, along with Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi and Mutsu Munemitsu, waited on the shore early to welcome Li Hongzhang's arrival. Yokohama was the transit point for Li Hongzhang and his party. Li Hongzhang had to go ashore and transfer to a ship before he could move on.The ship had already parked on the shore early, but when Li Hongzhang stepped out of the cabin, he saw that it was Yokohama, Japan, but refused to go ashore. Seeing Li Hongzhang walk out of the cabin, gun salutes were fired on the shore, and the Japanese Emperor and Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi hurriedly waved to him friendly.But Li Hongzhang turned his face away and didn't look at it. The people on board had no choice but to set up a plank between the two ships, under which there were several sailors supporting it.Li Hongzhang, who was already seventy-five years old, actually walked over the pontoon bridge with crutches and hobbled steps, step by step. All the Japanese on the shore were stunned. In mid-October, Li Hongzhang and his party returned to the capital happily. During this trip to Europe, Li Hongzhang saw the brilliance of modern civilization. He not only "studied the ways of governing various countries", but also visited and inspected the ship manufacturing industry, factories and mines, and even some municipal facilities in some countries. He firmly believed: "As for the fundamental Strategies, especially in self-improvement through reform.” This trip to Europe aroused Li Hongzhang's ambition and ambition to recreate his glory.On the way back to the country, he even listed the differences between the Qing Dynasty and these countries and his goals for the next few years. But only five days after he returned to the capital, he saw the behavior of the ministers wary of each other, the extremely fierce war of words and power struggle between the two parties, coupled with the lukewarmness of the Empress Dowager Cixi and the childish ignorance of the Emperor Guangxu, made him just now The great ambition quickly disappeared without a trace. Why is the Qing Dynasty so poor and weak after the efforts of many people?This question that has troubled Li Hongzhang for decades has finally been found by him. On the day he returned to the capital, he first delivered the gifts given to the emperor and empress dowager by the heads of state to the prime minister's office, and then he was summoned by the emperor and empress dowager. It took more than ten days to settle down. The imperial court first rewarded him with a two-month leave to recuperate, and after the leave was over, he was given the title of Minister of the Prime Minister's Yamen, but he was not in the mood to go to the Yamen to do business.He couldn't understand Prince Qing's greedy face, and he didn't want to sit and drink tea with Weng Tonghe. Prince Gong is no longer the former Prince Gong, he doesn't want to make decisions about anything now, he only goes into the garden to ask for ideas. Apart from continuing to ask for leave, Li Hongzhang really had no other choice. In the 23rd year of Guangxu (1897 A.D.), Li Hongzhang was appointed as the president of the Hall of Martial Arts.This is another idle job, and Li Hongzhang can still sit in the mansion and do business. At the end of the 23rd year of Guangxu (AD 1897), Wu Yong, the county magistrate of Huailai County, Zhili Province, went to Beijing on business to visit Li Hongzhang in Li's Mansion.Wu Yong is Zeng Guofan's grandson-in-law and Zeng Jize's son-in-law. His name is Yuchuan, and he is a native of Wuxing, Zhejiang.At the beginning, he learned ancient prose, justice and law from his servant Guo Songtao, and was recommended by Guo to join Zeng Jizemu. Later, he handled documents for Li Hongzhang.Li Hongzhang went to Japan to discuss peace and went to Russia to participate in the coronation ceremony of the Russian emperor. Wu Jun was by his side. Soon after returning to China, he was rewarded with the seventh-rank top Daibu and awarded Huailai county magistrate. Li Hongzhang was very happy to learn that Wu Yong had come, and ordered Wu Yong to be invited to sit in his study, and made the best tea for him. After the ceremony, Li Hongzhang asked Xiaohong to talk with his wife Zhao Lian.Seeing that Li Hongzhang was so excited, Xiao Hong hurriedly said to Wu Yong: "Master has not been so happy for a long time. He met you, dear!" Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "When the old man saw Yu Chuan, he thought of Jie Gang and his teacher. This old man wants to catch up with Yu Chuan." After Xiaohong went out, she specifically told her servants: "Master, I don't see any guests today." Wu Yong sat down again, and said with a smile: "Old Zhongtang, I heard from the young master that the sand bullet in your eye socket has never been taken out. This is not good, it should be taken out." Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "I'm already at this age, so what if I don't take it out? I've made up my mind, the sand bomb given by the Japanese, I want it to accompany me into the coffin!" Li Hongzhang took a sip from the tea bowl, and then slowly said: "Yuchuan, speaking of it, it is worthwhile for this old man to live like this. Think about it, this old man is a young Kedi, a military man in his prime, a middle-aged man who seals borders, and an old man who strives for foreign affairs. All the way up, he has been impeached more than 800 times, but has never been overthrown... Now that China and Japan are negotiating, his career has been wiped out. Do everything.'Environment forced, there is nothing to do." Wu Yong hurriedly said: "Old Zhongtang, you can't say that. There are some things that you always have to do. How can you know the difficulties inside!" Li Hongzhang still spoke according to his own thinking: "It is not possible to make achievements according to the plan, and the mistakes are unspeakable and people will not forgive them. Where will we tell about the suffering?" Li Hongzhang suddenly stood up with his stick, and said as he paced: "I have been doing things all my life, including military training and the navy. They are all paper tigers. How can I really let them go? But it's just barely painted, and it's vain. It's okay if you don't expose it. It is perfunctory for a while. It is like a dilapidated house that has been repaired by a paper craftsman and turned into a clean room. Although it is known that it is pasted with paper, it is not sure what kind of material is inside. It can be repaired at any time, but it can be dealt with vaguely; if you want to tear it apart, and you have not prepared any repair materials and transformation methods, the natural truth will be revealed and it will not be dealt with, but how can the paper-papermaker be responsible for it?" Wu Yong was afraid that Li Hongzhang would be tired, so he hurriedly helped him to sit down: "Drink your saliva quickly and rest your breath. In fact, everyone in the world knows that the Qing Dynasty might be what it would be without your constant support!" Li Hongzhang sat down and continued to talk about his nature: "The system of officials is the worst thing. Therefore, the death of the Ming Dynasty was the death of officials. These people are all young and new, and they don't change anything, and they don't pay attention to facts, gains and losses, and national interests. , but just find a topic, talk about it, and post a discussion, so as to stand out; and the national affairs have been obstructed a lot. When these difficulties are intertwined, they are often blamed, and those involved dare not speak lightly. But where the responsibility lies, it is impossible to sit still and wait for death. After painstaking attainments, I finally found a route, with a little bit of hope, and after a lot of twists and turns, I will gather things, and the speaker thinks that there is a time, so they will gather together and fight. The imperial court As far as the way of speaking is concerned, it is necessary to show tolerance. It is often blocked halfway, and it is inevitable that nothing will be done. The ministers are all in place to accommodate, and if there is nothing to do, the future of the country, is Ning Fu able to make progress?" Wu Yongdao: "Zhongtang's words have reminded Wansheng of many things." Li Hongzhang stood on the ground with his stick: "Everything in the world is difficult after doing it, and you will know after doing it." Wu Yong lived in Li's residence for three days.For three days, Li Hongzhang was very interested and talked with him for an hour every day. After Wu Yong returned to Huailai, he still sighed and sighed with emotion: "Unexpectedly, the old Zhongtang lived a brilliant life, but he was so lonely in his later years!"