Chapter 48: Don't think you can just swallow this and walk away, kid!
Sorry, sorry, update is late.
I really didn't save the draft, I went out to work early this morning and didn't get off until 7 o'clock, and there's still more than half a chapter of draft on top, otherwise this chapter would have to wait until 9 o'clock.
Let's make it before 10 o'clock! I'll try my best, but can't guarantee to finish by then. Tomorrow I have a client installation, need to leave early in the morning, so gotta sleep early tonight.
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The press conference ended on a note that was satisfactory to the reporters, and newspapers in various countries carried stories about this legendary Far Eastern general.
Twenty years old!
The youngest military strategist in history!
At just twenty years old, he commanded an army of 300,000 and defeated the Russian Far Eastern Army. Doesn't that have legendary color? Isn't that enough of a selling point?
As expected, the report on Jiang Yu's news made the newspapers that reported this news sell out in various countries.
The French were amazed at this former Far Eastern genius artist who was once famous in Paris, who would have thought that the young artist who was polite and talented back then would actually join the military and achieve such great success.
In Germany, Emperor William II nodded in satisfaction as he watched the German military officers who had revived the army submit their combat reports.
That Far Eastern youngster did not disappoint him, and successfully pinned down that hungry clumsy bear on the vast land of the Far East. This made Wilhelm II realize that the empire ruled by his cousin (Nicholas II) had thoroughly rotted, and Britain's strategic encirclement of Germany was completely unbearable.
This conclusion greatly strengthened William II's confidence in launching and winning a war.
Jiang Yu's father-in-law, You Kos, was also very pleased. His son-in-law was very promising and had already established a large force in China, with total assets exceeding his own.
Wealthy, powerful, influential, and with a handsome appearance, as well as undeniable talent, this is simply an incomparably perfect son-in-law.
After the next battle, Jiang Yu thoroughly gained Yukos' recognition. Yukos felt that he could retire early and enjoy his later years, and his assets could be handed over to his son-in-law to manage, especially those investments in China.
The British were thoroughly miscalculated about Jiang Yu's victory this time, as they were different from their expectations before the war began, and the Russian army was actually knocked down.
And fell very thoroughly.
According to intelligence, the Chinese coalition forces have indeed blown up a considerable number of Middle Eastern railway tracks and even cut off the Russian highway leading to the Far East.
If Russia continues to wage war, its scale has long exceeded the original intention of teaching a lesson to the Chinese monkey.
In the event of a disruption in supply lines, Russia would need to expend more national strength to wage war in the Far East, and the military force required to defeat China would be at least over 500,000.
Five million is just a very optimistic estimate. With the degree of military reform in the Chinese army, compared to the armies of various countries at this time, they are already armed to the teeth. If conservatively estimated, Russia would have to mobilize at least tens of millions of troops to defeat the Chinese army.
If it's hundreds of millions of troops, it has already reached the scale of the Russo-Japanese War. During the Russo-Japanese War, Russia still had railways for transportation, but now even the railways are paralyzed, how can they fight?
And what's more, the young warlord had already secured a ￡300 million commercial loan, although the money wouldn't be used for warfare under supervision, it could still be invested in this war.
What's even more deadly is that the scale of China's industry at this time is larger than Japan's during the Russo-Japanese War, and it already has its own military-industrial complex, capable of producing many advanced weapons. Whatever the Russians can make, they can basically also make; whatever the Russians cannot make, they can also make.
The British arms embargo on that warlord has no effect at all.
And if Russia continues to wage war against China, how will it encircle Germany in the future? If all its strength is used in the Far East where no benefits can be gained, how will it launch a war against Germany.
At this time, the two major military camps represented by Germany and Britain have gone further and further on the road of armament competition. Once both sides can no longer afford to compete in armaments, war will inevitably break out.
War is now not yet very urgent, maybe just three to five years. In fact, this analysis is optimistic, the war broke out in 1914, of course, Europeans generally are still unaware now.
The prolongation of the Outer Mongolian war is entirely against British interests.
This is a headache for the UK, not continuing to teach that little boy a lesson, who knows what impact it will have on British interests in China. Although this little boy seems quite obedient to the UK, a hard-line warlord is far less reliable than an obedient representative in China.
But for now, ending this war is the top priority.
Otherwise, the Russians would expend too much energy and loosen their strategic encirclement of Germany, increasing the risk of war with Germany. Only by strategically encircling Germany could the British government feel at ease and have a sense of control over the situation.
As for the question of teaching a lesson to the warlord in the Far East, it was also because Zhu Julidian sent back a report, which temporarily dispelled Britain's idea.
Jiang and Zhu kept a close relationship, often secretly sending him gifts and providing various benefits in China, while constantly expressing his friendly and respectful attitude towards Britain.
Zhu felt that it was entirely possible to maintain good relations with Jiang Yu while also looking out for British interests, and so he had unknowingly been bought off by Jiang.
Although the acquisition is not thorough, it has been helping Jiang Yu speak well on many issues.
This time, Zhu Jie saw that the situation had almost reached a certain degree, and immediately submitted a report to the British Cabinet on Guo's pro-British tendencies.
The report said that Jiang Yu was a warlord who was very friendly and respectful towards Britain.
"He also said: 'He is very young, and Yuan Shikai is no match for him.'"
For politicians, whoever lives longer is the winner, and Yuan Shikai's date of entering the coffin will be much earlier than Jiang Jieshi.
"After Yuan Shikai's death, China will be the domain of this young warlord, and no one can rival him, even with the support of various countries. Rather than hindering his development and making him harbor resentment towards the British Empire, it would be better to support him as Yuan Shikai's successor. This is more in line with British interests in China, and in return, he has expressed that he will respect the existence of British interests in China and maintain them for a long time. Therefore, the best choice now is to let the Russians stop this meaningless war and actively pull him into the Allied Powers."
Jade's report was taken seriously by Queen Victoria and her cabinet, who also believed that ending the Outer Mongolian War had become necessary.
The only question is whether China will force Russia to stop this war without giving them any face, or give Russia a way out.
But Chiang Kai-shek's stubbornness was exactly what they were worried about and what Britain least wanted to see.
At this time, Britain has begun to miss the weak Qing government. The existence of the Qing government can obviously make it easier for them to gain more benefits in China. Although Britain cannot occupy China as thoroughly as India, at least it is better than now.
Facing such a tough warlord, if they put pressure on China, it is obviously difficult to achieve the goal, and may even trigger a backlash.
In accordance with Jourdan's report, the British government finally intervened again in this war and mediated a ceasefire between the two sides.
This time the situation is completely different from last time, although the Russian representative is still very arrogant, but obviously has some insufficient momentum, Nicholas II also realizes that Russia will be the only one to lose in this war.
Firstly, Russia's war against China cannot gain any immediate benefits. What is the use of occupying some territory? Can it turn into money?
With Jiang's tough attitude, it is almost impossible for Russia to get compensation from the government of the Republic of China.
It is also obviously very difficult to win a military victory.
Although the bombing of the Chinese United Army's railway in the Middle East made Nicholas II very angry, reality was staring him in the face. If Russia continued to fight this war in Outer Mongolia, it would have to face the reality of a long supply line, and at that time, it would not be able to send many troops to Outer Mongolia, nor could it defeat the Chinese United Army with its numerous new equipment.
Britain proposed a mediation plan, namely that both sides immediately stop the war in Outer Mongolia, and that both sides retreat one step from the source of their disputes in Outer Mongolia, while canceling Outer Mongolia's independence and allowing Outer Mongolia to be autonomous.
Sun Zhen-dong, the representative of Jiangsu and Hubei provinces, naturally did not accept this mediation plan, claiming that Outer Mongolia was already within the actual control range of the Chinese Allied Army and China would not allow Outer Mongolia to be autonomous.
Just as Britain began to mediate between China and Russia, Jiang Yu also asked Yuan Shikai for the position of Northwest Governor-General. He sent a telegram to Yuan Shikai saying: "The roads in the northwest are impassable, with mixed ethnic groups, causing the Russians to have lingering evil intentions towards the northwest. Moreover, the environment in the northwest is fragile and the sandstorm problem is becoming increasingly severe. In view of the needs of war and ecological protection, Yu humbly requests to be appointed as the Governor-General of the Northwest to sort out the chaotic situation in Outer Mongolia, Chahar, Suiyuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, and Qinghai-Tibet, so as to consolidate our Chinese nation's control over the northwest..."
Yuan Shikai received the telegram and suddenly burst out laughing: "This kid has a big appetite!"
"Father, are we really going to give him the entire northwest? Although the northwest is harsh and barren, with no oil or water, but the land of Guanzhong in Shaanxi cannot be easily given away." Yuan Keding immediately expressed his opinion, although Guanzhong's status was not as great as before, it was still the ancestral home of the Qin and Han emperors, and could not be underestimated.
"No, since he wants it, then give it to him." Yuan Shikai revealed a hint of cold smile, stroking his beard and said: "I want to make this little brat swallow his words."
"What? Why is this?" Yuan Keding asked in puzzlement.
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