Li Xiao was stunned because he didn't expect LeBoeuf to say that at all. After all, Russia was completely passive on the battlefield, and the other side was suppressed by the coalition forces and was unable to move. At first glance, it seemed that this suggestion was impossible to discuss at all.
But Li Xiao's mind was so flexible that he was not completely limited to Wallachia and Crimea, but thought of another place!
Where is it?
That’s the Caucasus!
Yes, this war between Russia and Turkey is called the "Crimean War" in most history books, but in fact, this war is actually related to Crimea from beginning to end.
It's not particularly big.
That is to say, the decisive battle between the coalition forces and the Russian army was in Sevastopol. Otherwise, the Crimean War is really not worthy of its name. It may be more accurate to call it the Sevastopol War.
Strictly speaking, this war should be called the Ninth Russo-Turkish War. This is actually more accurate. After all, the root cause of the conflict is the competition between Russia and Turkey over the interests of the Balkans. The scope of this war includes the entire Russian-Turkish war.
's national border.
Therefore, the war is not only on the front line of Wallachia and Bulgaria, nor is it only in Crimea, which was attacked by the coalition forces, but also in the distant Caucasus region.
While Duke Mikhail and Kornilov were leading troops in a difficult stalemate with the coalition forces, Baryatinsky, who was far away in the Caucasus, was also leading a small number of troops to beat up the Turks.
At that end, the Turks were in a very embarrassing situation. Without the help of Britain and France, they would not be able to match the wolf-like Russian army. The situation of the Russian army was not a small one but a great one.
The only pity is that Baryatinsky's troops are really limited and he cannot achieve more results.
In fact, while Li Xiao was talking to Leboeuf, Baryatinsky's troops had already threatened the northern border of Iran, which would later become the Persian Qajar dynasty.
This information has attracted great attention from the British, because they have been coveting Iran for a long time. From the day the Qajar Dynasty was established, the British have been trying every means to encroach on Iranian land.
After all, Iran is too close to India, the jewel in the British eye. For the British, if they allow Russian forces to occupy Iran, the Russians will soon threaten India. How can they endure this?
Therefore, when Baryatinsky opened the northern gate to Iran, the British could not sit still, and many members of Congress began to clamor to send troops to the Caucasus to defend India's northern gate.
Leboeuf's proposal was very good. It reminded Li Xiao that Russia was not passive everywhere. In the Caucasus, Russia could play many cards. As long as the British exerted a little pressure, the British would become impatient. At that time, the negotiating table
It will be easier to play cards if you go to Russia.
"You are right, we can indeed exert our efforts on other battlefields, otherwise we would be too passive!" Li Xiao thanked him sincerely.
LeBoeuf didn't say anything at all, because no matter what, he is a Frenchman and must put the interests of France first. The reason why he helped Li Xiao was that he owed a lot of favors before, and the other was to help Li Xiao
It would not particularly harm France's interests, at least that's what he thought.
But what he didn't expect was that Li Xiao would say next: "Uncle David, do you think there is a possibility that Russia and France can strengthen cooperation or even form some kind of alliance?"
Leboeuf was obviously stunned, because he thought this possibility was very slim, and even felt a bit fanciful, because no matter how he looked at it, this possibility did not seem to exist!
Think about it, because of Napoleon's relationship, there was a rift between France and Russia. It can be said that they are incompatible with each other. In the era of Nicholas I, whenever he heard of any trouble in France, he would go to war. Otherwise, there would be no problem with a mere holy city.
It won't have such a big impact.
It was precisely because of Nicholas I's extreme hostility to France that the relations between the two countries had never been able to normalize, and even the officials and people of the two countries were hostile to each other.
At this time, Li Xiao said that the two countries would form an alliance. Wasn't this a joke?
But Li Xiao replied seriously: "How could I joke about this kind of thing? Or do you think I am a person who likes to joke?"
LeBoeuf was stunned, because he knew that Li Xiao was indeed not a joker, but his suggestion just now seemed abnormal, which made him a little confused.
"I know you are surprised, because the official and private relations between the two countries are very tense, and there is no possibility of easing," Li Xiao analyzed seriously, "but I think this is only temporary!"
"Why?" Leboeuf asked quickly.
"The reason is very simple. The source of the tension between our two countries is still the Napoleonic War, but the hatred between the two countries is a legacy of that era!"
After a pause, Li Xiao said contemptuously: "Of course Nicholas I didn't take the lead well. He brought his personal emotions, likes and dislikes to the national level, which is extremely irrational."
At this point, Li Xiao suddenly smiled and said: "But this is also a good thing. With his death, and with Russia inevitably being punished for his reckless initiation of war, most of this hatred has dissipated for you French people!"
Leboeuf thought about it carefully and had to admit that Li Xiao's words made sense. Why Napoleon III could make the French willingly help Turkey with just a few words was not because they had old accounts with Russia that had not been settled clearly.
Most French people are holding their breath, and they have long wanted to compete with Russia again. As long as they can overcome Russia this time, the breath will naturally disappear. Just as Li Xiao said, the hatred will dissipate immediately.
More than half of it.
But even so, Leboeuf did not think that the two countries could form an alliance. Just as he was about to say that these were not enough, Li Xiao immediately explained: "Of course there are other factors, such as the United Kingdom. I guess you don't want to see the United Kingdom becoming the dominant one.
Bar?"
"Just imagine, Britain has been strong in the past few decades, and now it has clearly surpassed our country. How much will it expand? With the Holy Alliance disintegrated, who else in Europe can suppress Britain?"
"Only by joining forces can it be possible for our two countries to be on equal footing with Britain. Moreover, as the Holy Alliance has been disintegrated and our country has turned against Austria, we urgently need more reliable allies to maintain our international status."
"Just imagine, when our country gives up dismembering Turkey and temporarily gives up expansion to focus on domestic affairs, there will be no conflict of interest between our two countries. If we can work together at this time, wouldn't it be a match made in heaven?"
This time LeBoeuf was really stunned. He began to carefully consider the possibility that Li Xiao mentioned, and was involuntarily attracted to it...