Chapter 192: Impressive Momentum (Second Update, Please Subscribe)
“All the immigrants here are Chinese!”
Finally, we have a knowledgeable master.
As a professional diplomat, Count Bruno was not incompetent. More than ten years ago, before the Crimean War, he was the Russian Empire's ambassador to the United Kingdom.
As a diplomat, he was not only proficient in English and French, but what was less known was that he could also speak simple Chinese. This was because his family had traded with the Chinese through Siberia and Kyakhta in northern Mongolia more than a hundred years ago. When he was a teenager, he even went to Kyakhta and the "Trading City" with his family's caravan.
If the Qing Dynasty's international status had not been so low, he might even have become the Chinese ambassador to the Qing Dynasty just because he could speak Chinese.
When he first arrived in Nanhua, when he saw the Chinese signs on both sides of the street and listened to people's conversations, Count Bruno was astonished, but also seemed to feel that it was a matter of course.
"Witt, even in London, British officials and businessmen admit that the Chinese are the best laborers. They are cheaper than black slaves and more hardworking! All British colonies in Southeast Asia cannot do without the Chinese, even here..."
Pointing at the prosperous city outside the window, Count Bruno said in an envious tone.
"In South America, they are also using a large number of Chinese, Witt. If one day we occupy northern China, what will Russia get? Not only warm land and ice-free ports, we will also get 100 million hardworking and docile Chinese. With the efforts of the hardworking Chinese workers, Russia will soon rise again. By then, even Britain will not be our opponent..."
It has to be said that as a diplomat, Count Bruno had an extremely sharp vision. Even Russian politicians of that era had great strategic vision. However, they obviously overlooked one point. If the dream came true, Russia might really be doomed.
However, that was just a pipe dream that lasted for decades.
The next day, when Count Bruno met the boss of America Company, his eyes widened with disbelief. The other party was actually...
“You…are Chinese!”
Count Bruno blurted out subconsciously.
"Yes, I am Chinese, but not the Qing Dynasty you are familiar with, but China..."
Some secrets cannot be hidden forever. Zhu Xianhai doesn't mind his identity being exposed because the Nanhua today is no longer the Nanhua of yesterday.
"However, this is not important now. What is important is the negotiation we are going to have next!"
Zhu Xianhai casually got to the point.
"Yesterday, Mr. Brino told me your intentions. Before we start the formal negotiations, I need to ask whether the Count has the full authorization of the Russian Empire."
"certainly,"
Count Bruno nodded in reply.
"I have been authorized by His Majesty the Tsar to serve as the special envoy for this negotiation. I have full authority to sign the treaty on behalf of the Russian Empire!"
Count Bruno then signaled his attendant to take out a special envoy letter signed by the Tsar. After learning that there was a "suitable" victim in London, St. Petersburg acted extremely quickly, fearing that the victim would wake up.
The reason why they chose to negotiate in South America where the American company is located instead of in London was, to put it bluntly, because they were worried that the country might have bad intentions and wanted to warn this scapegoat.
The Russians themselves are well aware of what Russia's credibility is like.
"Since your country is interested in selling it, I think you should at least give us a price!"
“Ten million pesos!”
Count Bruno directly offered a sky-high price!
The current peso is not the peso of the 21st century. The peso of this era is standard real gold and silver - weighing 27.58 grams, with 96.18% silver. Whether it is the Mexican silver dollar or the Peruvian silver dollar, they are hard currencies worldwide and the currency of South American countries. Even the US dollar silver coin is actually made of silver pesos.
That's 10 million US dollars.
You can really offer a good price, Zhu Xianhai sneered.
"Ten million..."
With a sneer, Zhu Xianhai picked up his cigar and started smoking, then stared at Count Bruno and said.
"We all know that Alaska is a barren land. What is there? Fur? After more than a hundred years of predatory hunting, the fur resources at that time were long exhausted. Sixty years ago, you even established an outpost in California for fur hunting, but why did you withdraw thirty years ago? Wasn't it because the local sea otter resources were exhausted?"
Who could have imagined that Russia not only occupied Alaska, but also laid hands on California, and, at the suggestion of American businessmen, expanded their outposts to California - the southernmost habitat of sea otters.
"After losing the support of the sea otters, the Russian American Company first abandoned the California outpost, and as for Alaska, it also couldn't hold on. How much is Alaska worth now?"
After taking a puff of his cigar, Zhu Xianhai spoke directly.
"300,000 rubles, or 30,000 pounds, is the cost of maintaining Alaska. In other words, Alaska is a blood-sucking machine for Russia, sucking blood from Russia all the time and wasting your wealth. If you have a conflict with the British, you will only have two choices: either let the British occupy it or increase investment. Mr. Count, tell me, how much is Alaska worth to Russia?"
As soon as the negotiations began, Zhu Xianhai gained the upper hand in momentum, and he was even a little disdainful.
It’s nothing, it’s just that Russia needs him now!
As for Alaska, it is even more of a money-loser for Russia.
"Sir, land is priceless!"
Count Bruno's answer was met with Zhu Xianhai's laughter.
"That piece of ice and snow is worthless, Count. The Pampas is more fertile and has spring all year round. Why should I spend 10 million pesos to buy it? Is it just to go to the Arctic to enjoy the snow? Or to see seals?"
After saying this, Zhu Xianhai said.
"Okay, Mr. Count, let's be pragmatic. We all know the value of that piece of land. As you said, for the sake of safety, I am willing to make a certain investment, but ten million..."
Zhu Xianhai took a deep breath.
"If I change the company's registered place to the UK, believe me, Britain will not only welcome it, but will definitely provide me with better protection. Don't you think so?"
Count Bruno is in a rather heavy mood!
He looked at the guy helplessly, and for a moment, he even felt a little regretful. He forgot one thing - America Corporation is a company, not a country. They can choose a powerful country as their backer at any time as long as they want.
The British and French will definitely not refuse.
As for Russia’s promise, they are a company, not a country, so how could they possibly go to war with Britain and France?
"Sir, I have given our offer, so how much do you think Alaska is worth?"
(End of this chapter)
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