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When Nobuaki Makino stood on the dock in Tianjin, it was already two days after the Chinese army captured Pyongyang.

The crushing defeat of the Japanese Army in Korea two days earlier once again shook the confidence of its top brass to win the war. Serious losses and a difficult situation forced the Yamamoto Gonbei cabinet to consider ending the war as soon as possible. Although at this time, there was still a high clamor for war in the country and opposition to the peace talks, and the veteran of the army, Aritomo Yamaguchi, still refused to express his position, but for the sake of the future of the Japanese Empire, he still came to China to test the possibility of ending the war.

Although he was mentally prepared to endure humiliation, when he saw the harsh conditions put forward by those Shina people on the negotiation draft, the anger in Makino's heart still became incomprehensible.

……

On the night of 16 December, just five hours before the Japanese negotiating delegation arrived in China, at a party hosted by US Minister Reinsch to entertain negotiators from both sides in the nine-nation concession in Tianjin, Chinese Foreign Minister and negotiator Wang Chonghui presented the Chinese Government's draft negotiations to Nobuaki Makino in the presence of representatives of various countries. There are not many treaties in it, and there are only five and thirty paragraphs, but this article can kill the Japanese Empire.

First, from now on, all unequal treaties between China and Japan will be terminated.

Second, Japan must return China's territory, including Lushun and Taiwan.

Third, Japan must respect the independence aspirations of Korea, the Ryukyus, and other countries.

Fourth, Japan must pay reparations, as the war has caused a total of $200 million in damage.

Fifth, Japan must ......

Where is this negotiation? This is clearly an attempt to completely strangle the living space of the Great Japanese Empire! Nobu Makino was furious and sent the draft back to China overnight.

The next day, the news spread in Japan, and the government and the opposition suddenly became buzzing. A large number of radical young people surrounded the Prime Minister's Office and the National Assembly, chanting slogans and swearing to the death against the government signing such humiliating terms. The newspapers controlled by the chaebols are even more advocating the continuation of the war and the argument that there must be no compromise with China. All of Japan, there is a lot of noise and quarrels.

Prime Minister Gonbei Yamamoto did not dare to be a special man, so he soon went to the imperial palace to meet the empress and convened the imperial council again.

This was the second Imperial Council held by the Japanese top leaders after the start of the war. Just like last time, Emperor Taisho was still expressionless, looking around rather boredly. Unlike last time, in addition to the Japanese cabinet and the Privy Council, almost all the powerful people in Japan who can move around gathered at the meeting. So, the fierce quarrel never stopped from the beginning.

"The war has come to an end, and all that remains is hopeless continued attrition." As soon as Minoru Saito, the prime minister of the sea, opened his mouth, he clearly expressed his position. Clear-eyed people know at a glance that Japan can't fight anymore, unless it wants to exhaust the last drop of blood, but if it really does that, then what future does the Great Japanese Empire have next?

The navy set the tone, and the army, which was still unwilling to accept defeat, naturally vigorously opposed it. I saw Hasegawa stand up and roar loudly: "If it weren't for the incompetence of your navy, which led to the defeat of the naval battle, how could the empire only have so many troops in Korea?" How could it lead to the defeat of the campaign? ”

Seeing that at this time, the army still refused to admit its defeat, and continued to pour dirty water on the navy, and the chief of the navy's military command department, Ijiin Goro, who was sitting next to him, couldn't help it, and he said: "Could it be that the army will only make excuses for its own incompetence?" If it weren't for the fact that your army had misappropriated the Empire's already very limited resources, how could the construction of the last two of the Navy's King Kong-class warships slow down? If the latter two Kongo-class warships can be put into service on schedule, then how can the China Navy have such a big advantage on the sea? How could the Imperial Navy fail so quickly? ”

Seeing that the two families of sea and land began to fight again, Prime Minister Yamamoto Gonbei couldn't help it, and he said in time: "Stop!" In front of His Majesty, are you too disgraceful to be a courtier? Now is an important moment to decide the future fate of the Empire, and I hope you will cherish it! ”

Yamamoto knew that as the current prime minister, whether this contract was signed or not, his political career had entered the countdown. He really didn't expect that the war on the other side of the sea would be fought like this, not only did the China that the empire once wanted to conquer change, it became unruly and powerful, but also the powers that had always been friendly with the empire also changed, and they no longer obeyed the empire, and they no longer became obedient...

Thinking of this, his gaze began to wander, but gradually when he turned to the Great Tibetan Minister Takahashi is Kiyoshi who had not said a word after entering the door, he couldn't help asking: "Takahashi-kun, can you tell us about the current economic situation of the empire?" ”

Takahashi is clear hearing this, raised his head to look at the prime minister and nodded, and then got up and bowed to Emperor Taisho, and said in a somewhat bitter tone: "As a subject of the empire, I didn't want to say something discouraged. However, at present, China's finances have indeed reached a very dangerous point. It turned out that the empire could also get some replenishment from North Korea, but now, North Korea has ...... So, if the war continues, maybe it will last for two or three months. ”

After speaking, Takahashi Shiqing glanced at the senior officials of the land and sea again, and continued: "So, my opinion is that whether we continue the war or stop the war, we should first solve the economic problems. ”

After hearing these words, Yamamoto Gonbei obviously felt a little embarrassed. He really wanted to solve the economic problem, but the real problem was that the war between China and Japan was still going on, and a large amount of money was needed every day on the front line, and in addition, the allies and the great powers were obviously unwilling to provide funds to Japan for loans, and they did not want the war to continue. Therefore, he finally gritted his teeth and turned his head to look at Shan Shan Youpeng, who was still with his eyes closed, because he knew very well that how the empire chose now was just a matter of this person's thoughts. Since it has reached this point, there is no need to hide it anymore, it is better to open the skylight directly and say something bright.

It's just that before Yama Prefecture Youpeng sensed the Prime Minister's gaze, Hasegawa Yoshimichi over there suddenly stepped forward, knelt down in front of Emperor Taisho, raised his whole strength, and cried bitterly: "Your Majesty the Emperor, the people of China humiliating the empire like this are nothing more than seeing through the current difficulties of our country. We have lost in Pyongyang, but we still have Dongju, Seoul, and hundreds of thousands of young warriors loyal to the empire! We believe that difficulties are temporary"

"So, for the sake of His Majesty the Emperor's vast imperial land, and for the prosperity of my great Japanese empire! Please fight again! Your Majesty! We would rather fail than die without dignity! ”

For a moment, the entire council chamber fell silent. No one noticed that Yama Prefecture raised his white eyebrows, and after opening his eyes and looking at Hasegawa Yoshimichi, who was full of anger, he quickly closed it again.

Yamamoto opened his lips, but in the end, he didn't say anything again.

……

Beijing, Zhongnanhai.

Xiao Mubai looked at the briefing in his hand and kept writing instructions. To tell the truth, he began to prepare funds and secretly hoard weapons and ammunition half a year ago, so that after the Sino-Japanese war, China could become famous in one war and use this battle for the founding of the country to show its prestige among the great powers, so that there would be a good international environment for future treaty revision and peaceful construction of the domestic economy. Therefore, in his heart now, he does not care at all whether Japan will continue the war.

After a long time, he closed the document in his hand, turned his head to Yang Yongtai beside him and asked, "Changqing, what is the situation on the North Korean side now?" ”

Yang Yongtai quickly pulled out the information he had sorted out in the past few days, looked at it, and said: "According to Commander Zhang's report, the troops of the 1st Army and the 18th Army have now started to rest on the spot due to continuous battles. The 4th Army and the 16th Army, which were later reinforced by North Korea, are expected to be able to reach the front line in Pyongyang tomorrow and be engaged in battle. ”

"By the way, I heard that the prime minister's youngest son, Shen Shaoqing, is now in the 4th Army?"

"Yes, Shaoqing was transferred to the 4th Division of the 10th Army not long ago as a company commander." Although Yang Yongtai was stunned, he hurriedly replied. To be honest, he still admires Prime Minister Shen Bingkun, who is over 50 years old. Premier Shen has three sons, the eldest of whom is modest, more than successful and not enterprising; The second child has a stubborn temperament and is no longer useful; Only the third child, Shen Shaoqing, has a strong temperament and is young and promising, and now he has all his expectations. But that's it, Shen Bingkun didn't hesitate to give Shen Shaoqing a back door, stuffed it into the 4th Army, and sent it to the Korean battlefield.

Xiao Mubai nodded, not dwelling on this issue, but changed the topic: "What is Japan's attitude towards this negotiation?" What is their bottom line, can you know? ”

"It's not clear!" As he spoke, Yang Yongtai said again: "However, judging from the information sent back from Japan, the Yamamoto Gonbei government should want to continue to keep one of North Korea, Taiwan, and Lushun, and also maintain its original interests in China. ”

"Is this a peace talk?" Xiao Mubai snorted coldly in his nose, did he really think that what he couldn't get on the battlefield could be obtained at the negotiation table? Of course, he will not accept such conditions, and the current Japanese government has little choice, either to continue the fight and sit back and watch the whole of Japan slide into the abyss, or to be ruthless, to survive with a broken arm, and to take advantage of the psychology of the great powers who are also eager to make a truce between the two sides, get some benefits to recover their vitality, and try to come again.

After thinking about it, Xiao Mubai continued: "Call the General Staff and tell Chief of General Staff Chiang to let the North Korean side suspend military operations and give the Americans a face, as for Taiwan." ”

"Get it back for me right away!"

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