"Since there is no news from Jin Zuo, things have completely turned around. What are Kogoro-kun's plans? Iwakura asked casually, but what he really wanted to ask was whether he should escape together or surrender to the Chinese Empire.

"Gu Shijun, the enemy army is strong, although I have led the remaining anti-shogun army back to Kyoto City, I don't know how long I can hold Kyoto City. There shouldn't be any news from Jinzuo's side, and I'm going to release the lord of Choshu and Shikoku, tell them all about the current situation, and discuss with them whether it's better to reconcile with the shogunate. After all, we and the shogunate are both Yamato people, and there are only internal disputes, and the Chinese Empire is a foreign invasion, and at this time, for the sake of the great Japanese state, it is better to unite with the outside world. Katsura Kogoro said what he thought.

Iwakura was noncommittal, and after a while, he smiled and said, "Kogoro-kun understands righteousness and plans for the country, I deeply admire it." Kogoro-kun has just returned to Kyoto today, and the younger brother has already prepared delicious wine and food at home, and will wash the dust for you, and then eat and talk about how to discuss things with the shogunate. How is it? ”

Katsura Kogoro was very happy to see that Iwakura Gushi agreed with him, and although he was a little tired, he still agreed: "In this case, then the little brother will trouble Gushijun!" ”

It's actually quite obvious, it's just that Katsura Kogoro is too careless to notice. Without Takasugi Shinsaku, even though Katsura Kogoro is strong in martial arts, how can he be loyal enough to play the cunning Iwakura who is scheming against Emperor Akihito?

After the third round of drinking, when Katsura Kogoro was about to ask how to reconcile with the shogunate, Iwakura Goshi threw the wine glass in his hand, and dozens of Japanese samurai swarmed out from behind the wing room, pressing Katsura Kogoro and more than ten of his subordinates to the ground. Several of Katsura's cronies realized that something was wrong and desperately resisted, but they were soon cut to the ground by the fierce Japanese samurai, and their flesh and blood were blurred.

Katsura Kogoro was only a little tempted, and then he stopped resisting, but just looked at Iwakura Gu Shi angrily: "I didn't expect that you actually designed me!" You must not have gotten rid of me simply to fight for power, but to worry that I would stop you. You don't want to reconcile with the shogunate, but want to defect to the Chinese? ”

"I'm sorry, Kogoro-kun! I had to do it. Defecting to the shogunate was not a good choice, the shogunate itself could not be protected, and even if the Chinese Empire did not annex them for the time being, they would not be able to hold out for a few years. I will not turn to the Chinese, because I will be spurned by the whole of Japan. I'm just surrendering to the Kyushu Domain. ”

"Shame on you!" Katsura Kogoro was even more angry: "What excuse are you going to use to get rid of me?" ”

"Don't worry about this little goro-kun, I actually thought about it before you returned to Kyoto, I gave you a chance when I asked you just now, but obviously you didn't take this opportunity. In that case, I can only sacrifice you. I will announce to the public that you murdered the Emperor and found a fake crown prince to coerce me, along with the lord of Choshu and Shikoku Domain, to proclaim him the new Emperor of Meiji. All of this is at your command. Iwakura Gushi smirked: "And I, Iwakura, as a close confidant of Emperor Akihito, discovered your conspiracy, avenged Emperor Akihito, eliminated harm for Japan, brought you to justice, and became a hero of Japan." For the sake of the ancient city of Kyoto, he asked the Kyushu Domain to end the war. ”

"You ......" Katsura Kogoro just wanted to curse, but he was held down fiercely, and then his back was cold, and his whole body lost strength and slowly fell......

.......

Saint Kyo, inside the Imperial Palace.

Feng Yunshan held an emergency recital from Nagasaki, Japan, in front of him was Zeng Guanlan, vice premier of the cabinet, Zuo Zongtang, chief of the General Staff, Fan Ruzeng, director of the Special Service Department, and Cheng Hengsheng, vice minister of communications.

The emergency recital was sent to Shanghai by Hayashi Hongnian from Nagasaki by steam clipper, and then sent by telegram from Shanghai to Shengjing in less than three days.

However, Feng Yunshan still felt that it was too slow, after all, the telegram only took about two hours, that is, the time to compile the code, and the rest of the time was spent on sea voyages. If he wanted to completely control Japan's Kyushu, Nagasaki was a bridgehead, and Feng Yunshan knew in his heart that as long as the 800-kilometer sea communication time between Nagasaki and Shanghai was shortened, he would succeed. Of course, this is a later story, and I will mention it when the matter on the recital is dealt with.

"Nagasaki Lin Hongnian once again urgently reported that the newly established Meiji Emperor of Japan sent an envoy named Takasugi Shinsaku to Nagasaki, wanting to sue for peace with us, willing to cede Kyushu Island and Hokkaido and compensate 5 million taels, and call it a tribute every year, but Lin Hongnian refused. At the same time, the Tokugawa shogunate also sent envoys to offer new conditions, which were even more attractive than the previous ones. Moreover, it also revealed a strong news and brought an important person. Feng Yunshan threw the short piece in his hand to Zuo Zongtang, "Several Aiqing, take a look at it first." ”

Everyone watched it quickly, and in a few minutes, they were all finished.

"Japan canceled its original circulating currencies such as Ding silver and Douban silver, and all adopted the Shengyuan of the Chinese Empire as the currency in circulation." Zeng Guanlan read in surprise: "Ceding Kyushu, Shikoku, Hokkaido, the Kuril Islands, the South Peninsula of Sakhalin, and the Kansai part of Honshu Island, this shogunate really made a lot of money. This condition is really attractive. ”

"Not only that, but the shogunate is also willing to pay 8 million taels of gold, not only willing to become a vassal state, but also promised to send troops to participate in the expedition when the empire goes out in the future. Zuo Zongtang also exclaimed: "No wonder Lord Lin can't make up his mind." This is really, the conditions offered by the shogunate's old onii Izubi are simply hard to refuse. ”

"According to you, I should agree to the conditions of the shogunate and send troops to destroy the anti-shogunate coalition army?" Feng Yunshan said with a smile: "However, this also means that we recognize the shogunate's dominance over Japan, and it is not easy to find an excuse to directly annex them." ”

Zuo Zongtang said: "Your Majesty, the annexation of Japan does not necessarily require troops to occupy it. Weichen thinks that such a plan is the most appropriate. The ceded territory was occupied in the name of the Kyushu Domain, and when it stabilized and the people in the territory accepted it, the Kyushu Domain was renamed and directly changed to a province of the empire. The Kanto part of Honshu Island, which was ruled by the shogunate, became a vassal state of the empire. Anyway, they pay tribute every year and send troops, maybe it is more cost-effective than direct annexation, and when they can't support it one day, they will naturally disintegrate and annex the matter. ”

Feng Yunshan thought about it, in one of his own provinces, on average, if trade and people's livelihood were not counted, the amount directly collected to the Ministry of Finance and Taxation would not be as much as the shogunate promised to compensate. Come to think of it, if it becomes the territory of the Chinese Empire and becomes its own people, it really can't bear to scavenge for money, and it will definitely not be as fierce as the current shogunate to oppress those Japanese people, so if it becomes a province, it is really better to become a vassal state with complete control.

However, in order to prevent the other party from becoming strong again and harming the Quartet a hundred years later, he reluctantly made it difficult to make it difficult to directly accept Kyushu, Shikoku, Hokkaido, and Kansai on the island of Honshu as provinces directly under the central government, and slowly inculcate culture, immigrate and replace, and completely turn this place into a place for the survival and reproduction of the Han people, so that there is no fear that the Yamato nation will rise one day.

Therefore, Feng Yunshan decided: "Since this is the case, the conditions of the shogunate are approved." Guanlan, you have drafted a holy decree to Lin Hongnian, ordering him to be the plenipotentiary and sign a new treaty with the representatives of the shogunate, and accept him as a vassal state. ”

Zeng Guanlan hurriedly agreed, and at the same time proposed: "Your Majesty, many of those anti-shogunate coalition forces are strong, and now the northwest, especially in the west and Huijiang, is about to build railways and roads, if so, can they be sent to the west for road repair?" ”

Feng Yunshan waved his hand: "You can discuss this matter with Zuo Aiqing on your own." You don't have to do everything. ”

Feng Yunshan guessed that whether it was Lin Hongnian, Li Guanlong, or Zeng Guanlan, they might have wanted to send troops a long time ago, and even Lu Shunde from North Korea had already invited them. Maybe they even want to send troops directly to bulldoze the whole of Japan. However, in this case, the Japanese with a large population will inevitably rebel everywhere, and not only will the military expenditure be huge, but also the quagmire of civil unrest, which is not advisable, unless they want to turn the whole of Japan into a pile of ruins or a slave farm, which does not maximize the benefits. Today's solution may be the best outcome.

He now understands why when he studied history in the past, he always wondered why those Western powers did not completely occupy the colonies as their own territory, but in fact, as direct territory, it was not necessarily the best choice, but like Britain did with India, colonization or vassal countries, considering both political interests and economic interests, was the best choice.

Zuo Zongtang said with a happy face: "Congratulations to Your Majesty, in this way, Japan has become the bag of my Chinese Empire." Even their so-called emperor, whether true or not, will become a prisoner of the Empire! ”

Feng Yunshan thought of the Meiji Emperor in history, even if he was just a child now, he couldn't help but feel refreshed in his heart, and said with a smile: "Zuo Aiqing, pass on my order, let Lu Shunde and Li Guanlong be in charge of the war in Japan, and lead the whole army of the soldiers of the Japanese army to attack and occupy the territories promised by the shogunate." Then let Lu Shunde personally bring the two Meiji emperors back to Shengjing, if it is true or false, I will see it, and there will be a proper disposal. ”

In the end, Feng Yunshan remembered the matter of communication, and said to Cheng Hengsheng, Vice Minister of Communications: "Cheng Aiqing, you organize the Telegraph and Post Department as soon as possible to start preparing for the construction of a cross-sea telegraph line from Shanghai to Nagasaki, as for the funds and technology, I will say hello." I want to realize it as soon as possible, and the news of Nagasaki will arrive in Seikyo in half a day. Kyoto, Osaka, Kochi, and other places were connected to Nagasaki's telegraph lines. ”