Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 393 Summoning Rumyantsev
In the history of another time and space, the talented Wang Zhenyi was lonely and helpless.In the torrent of the world, she is like a flat boat, small and fragile.

In an era when the concept of "men are superior to women" is deeply rooted, although she has written 64 volumes of works to show her talents.But in any case, Wang Zhenyi is destined not to be accepted by the mainstream cultural circle.

It is popular among the officials and ladies in these days to set up poetry clubs, recite poems and paint paintings, the purpose of which is to make their marriage better and more dignified.And how could Wang Zhenyi, who devoted herself to studying mathematics and astronomy and didn't want to marry, be accepted?
Zhao Xin's eyes became softer and softer, he suddenly made a bold move, stretched out his left arm, and gently wrapped his arms around Wang Zhenyi's waist.

Wang Zhenyi was taken aback, with a look of annoyance and annoyance on her brows, but for some reason, she didn't break free from the embrace of the man opposite her.

"I"

"Do not talk."

After all, Wang Zhenyi turned around in Zhao Xin's arms and looked at the sea in the distance.The two stood there without saying a word for a long time until their bodies were covered with snowflakes and the sky was getting dark.

In fact, as long as Zhao Xin is in Beihai Town, his whereabouts will definitely be watched.So when he was found by his subordinates and soon after he returned to the office, Shen Xuan knew about the scene on the beach.

The superficial calmness does not mean that Shen Xuan doesn't care, she tossed and turned that night, and it was almost dawn before she gradually fell asleep.When she saw Zhao Xin the next day, Shen Xuan didn't ask a single word, as if nothing happened.

The next morning, Zhao Xin received a telegram from Chakhtu.Lu Shoushan detailed the results of the interrogation of Tian Tonghe, Pavlov, and Ragutin in the telegram, and explained that Ushiha's kidnapping was purely a disaster for Chiyu.In addition, he also specifically mentioned in the telegram that the use of the "lie detector" is very effective.

Zhao Xin read Tian Tonghe's interrogation records several times, and he found that this person was extremely conceited; generally this kind of person is either very smart, or has high-sightedness and self-righteousness.

Zhao Xin also asked Shen Jingdan what kind of people the Chang family in Yuci was like.Shen Jingdan didn't know much about Shanxi merchants before, but since he was in charge of the trade department of Beihai Town, he has gradually grasped the situation of some northern merchant groups.

Among the several Shanxi firms currently engaged in trade with Russia in Kyakta, the one with the longest operating history and the largest scale is Changjia in Chewang Township, Yuci.The owner of the previous generation was Chang Wanda, who became a great businessman mainly by operating tea, and participated in Qianlong's "Thousand Old Man Banquet" a few years ago.The current head of the family is Chang Wanda's eldest son, Chang Huaiyu. It is said that this person is good at holding calculations and holding funds, and is very good at negotiating.Moreover, he is deeply hidden and has the wind of Duanmu.

It is obviously not like the latter that the Chang family can send Tian Tonghe, such a conceited guy, as the shopkeeper in Qiaktu. This Tian Tonghe seems to have some skills.Since it started as a tea seller, its tentacles must have spread all over the Inner and Outer Kingdoms of Mongolia, otherwise the Sino-Russian trade alone would have been over in the past two years.

Right now, Beihai Town is still at a loss as to the intelligence of the various ministries of Outer Mongolia. Just checking information from another time and space is pure exhaustion for Zhao Xin alone.After thinking of this, Zhao Xin asked Lu Shoushan to arrange a person to have a good talk with the shopkeeper Tian, ​​and get more information about the economy and people's livelihood of various Mongolian ministries.At the same time, if this person is really capable, see if he can take it for his own use.

A few days later, on November 1788, 11, nearly two months after the Northern Navy captured Irkutsk and the Sixth Russo-Turkish War was in progress, Peter Alexander, who commanded the Ukrainian Army Marshal Rovich Rumyantsev returned to St. Petersburg on the orders of Empress Catherine II to attend a military meeting presided over by the Empress.

It is said that the so-called sixth "Russian-Turkish War" is actually a war between the Russian-Austrian Alliance and the Turkish-Swiss Alliance brokered by Prussia.Most of the combat operations this year were the offensive and defensive battles of the Ochakov Fortress commanded by Potemkin, while Rumyantsev's task was mainly to cover the left wing of Potemkin's Catherine Army from the direction of Bingera.

Originally in July, Rumyantsev had led his troops across the Transnistria, entered the territory of Moldova, and marched to the lower reaches of the Prut River in an attempt to find the main force of the Ottoman army for a decisive battle.However, due to the lack of close strategic coordination between the Tsarist Russian Empire and its ally Austria, mutual use was greater than cooperation, and the land battle results were not great.

Just when Rumyantsev had reached an agreement with Austria, promising to partner with Prussia after the end of the war against Turkey in order to extend the covenant between the two parties, Rumyantsev was greatly shocked by the news brought by the queen's messenger.

Suvorov, the commander of the Eastern Front Army who was in charge of commanding the battle against the Qing Empire, was defeated and captured, and it was a disastrous defeat!
Rumyantsev handed over to Repnin according to the queen's order, and hurried back.And when he saw the queen, the marshal was deeply surprised by her old face.

Catherine II, who is nearly [-] years old, can no longer take time to take care of everything as before—not only enjoying the fun of being in love with her new love Mamonov, but also handling every major national event.

Unlike what many people imagine wearing a crown, the queen wears a very ordinary home-wrapped hair cap, which reflects her wrinkled round face, making her look like a kind old nun , or a respected grandmother in a citizen family.

Despite her well-known weaknesses, she has a knack for recognizing and valuing people who are capable of doing things.Her reuse of Rumyantsev, Suvorov, Khrapowitzki and others is evidence.But the latest love affair shows that the sixtieth-year-old queen has fallen into illusory delusions.With unprecedented innocence and childishness, she believed that a person who was more than 30 years younger than her would have sincere love for her.

"Alexandrovich, is the battle ahead going well?"

"Everything is fine, Your Majesty." Rumyantsev bowed to salute, then leaned forward and kissed the back of Catherine II's hand.

"Gentlemen, let us talk about the army that defeated Suvorov."

As soon as the Queen's words fell, General Springer got up and told the members of the Military Council present the news he had received from "Governor of the Broken Hand" Ivan Jacobi.

When he heard that the army defeated Suvorov in two days at the end of August and captured Irkutsk a month later, Rumyantsev showed an unbelievable expression and said in astonishment: "This How is it possible?! Did they grow wings and fly over?"

He first turned to the page of the defense map of Yaksa City in the folder. Looking at the star-shaped fortress above, he thought that he would lead his own troops and break through such a fortress in two days. It is impossible without [-] cannons.

Besides, from Yaksa to Irkutsk, thousands of versts, it takes only one month?The enemy must have sent a group of troops to attack Nerchinsk bypassing Yaksa, taking advantage of the emptiness of the rear to launch a sneak attack.Only in this way can it be explained.

General Springer said: "Due to the weather, the reconnaissance personnel we sent to East Siberia have not sent back any news. But I believe that definite information can be sent back before Christmas at the latest."

Rumyantsev asked: "How is Count Jacobi's injury?"

The queen's secretary Hrapovich said: "The earl's right hand was indeed cut off, but it is recovering well now, and there is no serious problem."

It is said that after Ivan Jacobi was chopped off by Yin Bingwei, Zhao Xin's guard, he was treated by the accompanying North Navy military doctor.In order to prevent the opponent's wound from becoming inflamed and eventually causing sepsis, he was injected with the allicin developed by Hong Tao when he died on the way back to St. Petersburg.

After seven or eight injections in a row, the desperate governor found that his wounds were recovering well, but his body smelled a little too strong, and even yawned he could exhale a smell of garlic.

At this point the empress asked Rumyantsev: "Alexandrovich, what do you think of this strange army?"

Rumyantsev suddenly received so much unbelievable information that he couldn't say anything for a while. He needed to go back and study the information carefully before making a correct judgment.However, he was very optimistic about Suvorov, and felt that only this person could inherit his military thinking and carry it forward.

So he stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Vasilyevich and the others must try to rescue them. I think it is better to resolve it through negotiation first. After all, the current weather in Siberia is very unfavorable to the mobilization of troops. It must be difficult for our troops to cross the ice and snow. Furthermore, the logistical difficulties were enormous, as all the artillery, ammunition and explosives had to be transported west of the Ural Mountains. As for the enemy troops."

Rumyantsev got up and looked at the front of the map hanging on the wall for a moment, everyone's eyes were on him, and he said slowly: "If we only speculate based on the current information, this is a very Troops that are good at field battles and fortifications. If Yaksa really fell within two days, then I judge that their strength is at least close to 10, equipped with hundreds of cannons. To support such a large troop for outside battles, I speculate that its logistics force should be 30 people."

General Springer nodded and said, "That's my judgment too. Now it seems that we had too little information on this army that was an enemy of the Qing emperor."

Rumyantsev said: "The intelligence brought back by Earl Jacobi is not enough to judge the opponent's strength. After all, the Earl is not a soldier. So I think the negotiating team should leave as soon as possible. When they see Suvorov, Everything will be revealed. On this basis, we can formulate corresponding military deployments."

In the late period of Catherine II, the total military strength of the Tsarist Russian Empire reached 50, and military expenditure accounted for half of the country's expenditure.The Ukrainian Army under Rumyantsev alone has more than 5 people, while the most elite Ekaterina Army has more than 8 people.

Although the battle in the Heilongjiang River Basin suffered heavy losses this time, it was not a serious injury to the entire empire.After the news of Suvorov's defeat came back, whether it was the Privy Council or the Army Academy, many people judged that the loss was due to the insufficient number of artillery and cavalry.

However, if a negotiating mission is to be sent, who should it send?Besbroko is obviously not suitable. As the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he is also responsible for work in Europe.

After waiting for a while, everyone saw the Queen's eyes set on Earl Mujin.Earl Mujin quickly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the team to Irkutsk, but I have one request. I hope you can allow Miller of the Royal Academy of Sciences to be the attache of the mission."

Just a sixth-rank civil servant, the queen readily agreed.

Prime Minister Besbroko, who hadn't spoken for a long time, said at this time: "Your Majesty, I think we should send someone to contact the Li Fanyuan of the Qing Dynasty now, and explain to them that what happened on the Amur River was actually a misunderstanding."

Earl Mujin said: "Your Excellency, I don't think there is any need to explain. As long as we can eliminate the Qing rebels, the Amur River is still in our pocket."

Besbroko said: "Right now we don't even have Kyakta, and the annual tariff loss is at least millions of rubles. If we can't win that army, there must be a solution, right?"

Mother Gold Earl stood up and said loudly: "This is impossible!"

"No! It's very possible." Ekaterina II spoke.The defeat in the Heilongjiang operation was beyond her expectations, and her premonition failed again.The old lady, who is deeply aware of the impermanence of the world, understands that all success and honor are uncertain.

The Queen has said so, and Earl Jin dare not object any more.However, considering that the two main border cities of Qing-Russian communication have fallen, if you want to contact the Qing Empire in the south, you can only go south to the Sanyin Nuoyan tribe in Outer Mongolia through the western city of East Siberia, Krasnoyarsk. , Get in touch with the Qing Dynasty from there.

Besbroko suddenly said: "Your Majesty, please forgive me for offending, it would be best if you could write a letter to the Emperor of the Qing Empire."

"What's the reason?"

Besbroko explained: "Since the army that defeated us was also the enemy of the Qing emperor, can the two sides cooperate in this matter?"

"I'm going to think about it again."

The queen felt that the meeting was almost over, so she finally said: "God bless, who will not encounter a few major turning points in his life? The greatest man also stumbled, and the late King of Prussia also suffered a major turning point. Do you become a great monarch after you fail? Gentlemen, we have conquered many wars and won countless victories. We can not win by simply scorning the enemy, but by judging the situation, being flexible and indomitable. .”

The Tsarist Russian monarchs present here do not know where the torrent of war in East Siberia is taking them.

Since Peter I, after the Tsarist Russians tasted their first victory in a foreign war, they fell into a frenzy for war out of control.Even Catherine II, who once advocated external peace, followed Prussia's wooing, and then embarked on a road of violent expansion in order to annex Poland.

When a monarch no longer considers his own way of ruling, nor the so-called fairness and prudence, greed and recklessness become the mainstream to please the monarch.

Although the Amur River was defeated and Eastern Siberia was lost, Catherine II at this time still firmly believed that she could overcome all obstacles and all impossibilities.

(End of this chapter)