Chapter 75 of 100

Chapter 75

16 min read4,098 words

This negotiation was destined to be difficult and not easily resolved. However, fortunately, due to the destruction of the Spanish army, both sides had effectively entered a ceasefire, and many tasks had already begun without hindrance.

In the Dinyuan Fort reclamation area, 11 out of 15 production teams in 3 battalions suffered severe damage to their infrastructure, which needed to be repaired as soon as possible. This was the only grain-producing region of the East Shore Republic, and the matter was of great importance; everyone was taking it very seriously. Since a formal peace treaty had not yet been signed with the Spanish, the Executive Committee was not foolish enough to involve military personnel in the reconstruction. Therefore, the 700 Spanish prisoners were used as laborers. Their "organizational relationships" were transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Prison Administration, and they began their labor reform under the supervision of the Ministry's police.

The first step was to restore the lime kilns, cement kilns, and brick and tile rotary kilns outside Dinyuan Fort. The Spanish had dismantled these kilns to build fortifications, but the foundations were still intact, making the restoration relatively straightforward. Once these kilns were operational, they could provide sufficient building materials for post-war reconstruction.

The population of 2,000 people crowded inside Dinyuan Fort was also partially evacuated. Some villagers whose houses were not severely damaged had already returned with their families. They worked hard to restore the damage caused by the war and began preparing to plant potatoes. These resilient villagers looked at the Spanish prisoners with intense hatred and threw themselves into production without hesitation.

On July 28, two Spanish negotiators returned to the negotiation venue on the north bank of the Dafish River.

Gao Mo and others merely nodded politely, their faces expressionless. The other side did not engage in pleasantries and immediately got to the point after entering the venue.

"Regarding the several clauses proposed by your side on July 26, Admiral Diego Garcia has given the following response," Lieutenant Falcao cleared his throat and began. "First, your country's territorial expansion should not be excessive. Your territory can expand moderately from the initial scope we proposed on July 26, but it must not extend west of the Great Cuchilla Mountains or north of the northern end of Lake Milin. Second, due to the kingdom's monopoly on trade, we cannot accept your request for mutual market transactions. We also ask that you strictly control smugglers to avoid any unpleasant incidents that could harm bilateral relations. Third, Tierra del Fuego is private property of the Spanish royal family, and we reject any form of investment, development, or exploration unless authorized by the royal family. Fourth, we recognize your request for guardianship over the Charrúa and Guaraní people, but this should be limited to the indigenous people within your territory. Fifth, we reject any other country's ships navigating the Strait of Magellan, the Uruguay River, and the Río de la Plata. Sixth, prisoners of war must be released immediately and unconditionally. We no longer insist on the return of their weapons and horses, but we request a certain monetary compensation to ensure their return in good condition."

After Lieutenant Falcao finished speaking, he looked at the East Shore negotiators sitting opposite him and said expressionlessly, "These clauses represent the maximum concessions Admiral Garcia can make within his authority. We hope you will consider them seriously."

"Slap!" Before Gao Mo could respond, Peng Zhicheng, sitting to his right, slammed his hand on the table. He stood up with a furious expression, put on his military cap, and said, "Who exactly lost this war? Was it us? These clauses, which show no sincerity, are nothing but a pile of garbage to me. Gentlemen, I think it's time to end this pointless negotiation. I will return to the camp immediately. The young men are enthusiastic and full of hatred for the Spanish. I think they would be happy to join me for a stroll in Buenos Aires. Sergeant Henry, translate it word for word, don't miss a single word." With that, Peng Zhicheng strode out of the venue.

Outside the door, Peng Zhicheng's expression relaxed. He said to the Army staff officers approaching, "Go to Dinyuan Fort and have Chang Kaisheng quickly mobilize his first detachment. Bring guns, artillery, and vehicles, and assemble outside the venue."

"Sure, I'll take care of it right away," the staff officer said, understandingly. He then hesitated and asked, "Really not considering a trip to Buenos Aires?"

Peng Zhicheng gave him a withering look and said in a low voice, "Not for now. Crossing mountains and rivers, it's hundreds of kilometers, and the cost is too high. However, we need to scare the Spanish and show them that their city is completely defenseless before us. If the negotiations don't go well, we might send someone there, but definitely not infantry. It would be cavalry. We've captured many Spanish horses, and we can easily equip each cavalryman with three to five horses. With sufficient supplies and ammunition, we could certainly make a trip to Spanish territory. Now, don't meddle in unnecessary affairs, and get to work."

The staff officer hurried away. Soon, a steady march of footsteps could be heard outside the venue, interspersed with the sounds of officers' whistles and commands. The 82 soldiers of the first detachment had arrived to assemble. Soon, Peng Zhicheng began addressing the soldiers of the first, third, fifth, and sixth detachments still stationed there. The soldiers were highly spirited, and shouts of "Victory!" and "Victory belongs to the Army!" echoed throughout.

Gao Mo stood up, closed the wooden window of the small house, and shrugged apologetically at the two Spanish negotiators. "I apologize for the spectacle. Often, generals have their own unique understanding of certain matters. They often bypass our government and act independently, and the public generally supports their actions, leaving the government in a passive position with limited control over the generals. Rest assured, I will submit a report to our highest authority, the Central Executive Committee, and request that the Committee persuade these impulsive generals to calm down and avoid actions that could harm bilateral relations. However, it's uncertain whether this will be effective. You know, soldiers are often quick-tempered and can act irrationally when provoked. Yesterday, a person close to the military told me that the Army has been requesting several times the amount of supplies needed for training from the Materials Department without providing a proper reason. He speculated that perhaps these generals want to move west, over the Great Cuchilla Mountains, the Santa Lucia River, and the Uruguay River, into the Buenos Aires region. Ha, how absurd! How unrealistic!"

Gao Mo laughed exaggeratedly while observing the faces of the two Spanish negotiators, then suddenly asked, "Lieutenant Falcao, are you alright? Your face looks so pale. God, are you sick? I think you need to rest!"

"No, thank you. I'm fine, I don't need to rest yet," Lieutenant Falcao replied, regaining his composure. "Perhaps I've been too tired lately. Alright, Gao, let's continue. You may have different interpretations of our proposed clauses, so perhaps we can discuss them further, even though it's troublesome. I will do my best to advocate for them with Admiral Garcia. Compared to the tragic event of renewed hostilities between our two countries, I think it's better for us to sit down and be more candid. Our soldiers need to return home safely, and your people need more living supplies, especially after being blockaded for five months, right?"

Gao Mo looked at the young Spanish naval lieutenant who was calmly countering him and suddenly smiled. "You're right, Lieutenant Falcao. The war between the East Shore Republic of Huaxia and the Kingdom of Spain was a mistake, a complete tragedy. It's time for us to correct it. So, which clause should we start with?"

The negotiations continued, and by evening, both sides had reached a consensus on most of the clauses. The first clause involved a new boundary for the East Shore Republic's northern territory, allowing them to extend to Lake Patos but not beyond the Jiala Mountains. As for the western boundary, the Spanish insisted it must not extend beyond the Great Cuchilla Mountains. Gao Mo protested slightly but agreed, as the current territory under control was limited, and they lacked the resources to explore and colonize the western inland regions. If they grew stronger in the future, they could renegotiate with the Spanish. What if they refused? If they refused, they would fight again! This era was starkly brutal, with everything determined by strength.

The second clause involved trade, where the Spanish made some concessions, allowing the East Shore Republic to sell up to 500 tons of goods annually to the La Plata region. The trading location was agreed to be near the future city of Colonia at the mouth of the Río de la Plata, where both sides would establish a market town managed jointly.

The third and fourth clauses were agreed upon without much dispute. The fifth clause prohibited East Shore ships from navigating the Río de la Plata and the Uruguay River, but allowed them to navigate the Strait of Magellan with prior notification and approval from Buenos Aires.

The sixth clause insisted that prisoners of war could only be released after a formal peace treaty was signed, and the Spanish did not mention the return of weapons and horses.

Overall, this was a relatively fair agreement, reflecting the battlefield situation and the strength of both sides. After the negotiations, the Spanish did not stay and rode back to Rocha Port that night to report to their superiors, who would then report to Peru.

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