"The 19th Division has returned to Korea." The prince of Xiyuan Temple said to Takahashi Shiqing with an angry face. Takahashi is Kiyoshi's home in Tokyo is not big, there are no various furnishings in the yard, and you can see the bare ground in the small yard when you turn your head sideways, although the Saionji Gongwang doesn't want to stare at Takahashi is Kiyo, but he can only stare at Takahashi Kiyoshi. Crossing the Changbai Mountain in winter, the 19th Division lost all its heavy weapons, but fortunately, under the order of Youpeng in Youshan County, the Japanese troops stationed in Korea sent guide troops, and finally did not let the troops suffer outrageous casualties. Moreover, compared with the result of the total annihilation of the 6th and 7th Divisions, the 19th Division finally returned to North Korea.

"Xiyuanji-kun, I also heard that the Japanese fleet shelled Wuhu?" Takahashi is Qing doesn't care about the 19th Division at all, and he is not a person who has no ears and eyes at all, and Takahashi knows a little bit about the Japanese army's predicament.

Gongwang of Xiyuan Temple said viciously in a very different tone from usual: "The shelling of Qingdao and Lianyungang is meaningless, and more pressure must be put on the People's Party at the moment." Even if the army is not at the top, the navy is not comparable to the army's horse manure. ”

"But the navy doesn't have any definite results, does it?" Takahashi said as if nothing had happened.

When Xiyuan Temple Gongwang heard this, his brows furrowed at first, and then he almost subconsciously crossed his arms and hugged them to his chest. "Takahashi-kun, you don't want to decide to end the war with one person, do you?"

Takahashi nodded, "Yes, I want to end the war. But I hope that Saionji-kun will support me. We have already lost in Manchuria, and if we continue to fight, we will only bring the flames of war from Manchuria to Korea. At that time, the British would not have been involved in mediation at all unless we made huge concessions. ”

"In the Sino-Japanese War, we easily won the victory through the landing battle......" Saionji Gongwang couldn't help but want to refute.

"Warships can't drive into Pyongyang, and the landing battle will only send a large number of land forces to the battlefield." Takahashi said loudly.

Saionji Gongwang was stunned, and he didn't quite understand whether Takahashi was mocking the navy or the army. The Navy has the limitations of its combat scope, and the Army is really no match for the BJP. Regardless of the results of the war, neither the Japanese navy nor the army could guarantee victory in the war.

Takahashi Shiqing didn't want to play any dumb riddles, he saw Xiyuan Temple Gongwang subconsciously took out his pipe, stepped forward and used a steel lighter to light a match for Xiyuan Temple Gongwang first, and then put the lighter in front of Xiyuan Temple Gongwang seriously. Xiyuan Temple Gongwang was a little puzzled by Takahashi Shiqing's movements, and after taking a closer look at the lighter, Xiyuan Temple's expression also became very difficult to see. The lighter is made in China, the logo is a beautiful firefly, the bottom is typed with simplified Chinese characters "Made in Wuhan Firefly Factory", and at the bottom there is a line of English, MadeInChina.

"There are a lot of such fires in Japan. Because the price is cheap, ordinary people can afford it. It is filled with gasoline and alcohol, and it can be used. It's really not good, and I can barely light it when I put it in the spirits. All were smuggled in by merchants from China. Takahashi replied calmly as he sat back in his seat, "As far as I know, in the last year alone, China exported millions of such firecrackers to Britain and France, not counting the sale of flintstones. If we do not decisively end the war now, but insist on expanding the war in an independent way, the flames of war will surely burn into Korea. If the British do not intervene in the war in Korea, we will lose the opportunity to take advantage of the war in Europe. ”

Saionji Gongwang knew Takahashi Shiqing's consistent attitude, and he couldn't help but say in a mocking tone: "Why can the People's Party do business with the British while going to war? We can't. ”

Takahashi sneered, "Because China has a vast territory and endless resources. The BJP's victory only allowed them to control more and more land, population, and resources. Our investment in the mining industry in the north of Korea bore the brunt of the war. As the war continues like this, our supply of raw materials will only become less and less. ”

Saionji Gongwang also sneered, "Then the War Department will also tell Takahashi-kun that if you can't defeat the People's Party, North Korea won't be able to keep it." ”

"It's not like I didn't give the Army a chance! What did they do with the war in Manchuria? Annihilated by three and a half divisions, plus the Manchurian Railway, we lost 100,000 people, as well as countless investments. Are they ready to do it again in North Korea? Takahashi is Kiyoshi's attitude is extremely rare and close to rage.

Saionji Gongwang looked at Takahashi Shiqing's performance, and suddenly wanted Takahashi Shiqing to personally attack the group of guys from the War Department. However, he quickly dispelled this idea of almost revenge, Takahashi is the prime minister who is now supported by the Admiralty, and Takahashi is Kiyoshi's financial capacity is also urgently needed at the moment. "Takahashi-kun, you think you are the prime minister who leads Japan, but the War Department thinks that the prime minister should be the one who serves their policies. I agree with you, but I hope you can see the essence clearly. ”

Takahashi is of course well aware of these essences, and the dispute between the Japanese army and navy also includes the "anti-party politics" of the War Department and the differences in the Admiralty's support for "party politics" at the political level. Whether it was the late Katsura Taro or Katsura Taro's teacher Aritomo Yama Prefecture, who is still alive today, they were all against party politics, and the reason why Katsura Taro also formed a political party on his own was essentially to form a "political organization that opposes party politics" under the guise of a political party. There was actually a big political disagreement between Takahashi Seiki and Saionji Gongwang, but the two were quite consistent in dealing with this "political organization that opposes party politics."

"Saionji-kun, I know that the War Department will definitely try to carry this war through to the end. Although they think that it may be better if they are defeated, they will not die themselves, but will try to pull the whole of Japan on their backs. I will do my best to stop them, but I hope you can still think of who will be the next prime minister. Takahashi said.

"I'm not going to let those people from the War Department get their way." Xiyuan Temple didn't think that things had developed to such an extent.

Takahashi smiled bitterly, and he said in a deep voice: "No, Saionji-kun, the problem of Japan at the moment is that it is unwilling to face reality. The people refused to admit that we had been defeated, and the people believed that the Great Japanese Empire would not be defeated. Coupled with the provocation of some people, the Japanese people will think that as long as the war continues, the current defeat is only a footnote to future victories. So the more you pursue victory, the more you lose, and the more you fail, the less likely you are to win. Because the people do not understand that the China of today is no longer the China of the past. Now, in my capacity as Prime Minister, I would like to tell the Japanese people and all of them that this is wrong. Of course, I also know that the result of this will definitely not be good. Whatever the outcome, I will be forced to resign as Prime Minister. ”

At this time, Xiyuan Temple Gongwang was completely stunned, he never expected that Takahashi Shiqing would actually make such a decision. Even if it is reasonable to think that Takahashi is Kiyoshi, Saionji Konobo cannot fully accept Takahashi's view that Takahashi is Kiyoyo, that is, "admit defeat".

Takahashi was very clear about Saionji Gongwang's thoughts, and he stared at Saionji Gongwang, who had a hesitant face, and continued: "Only by admitting defeat can we continue to fight on everything that the Great Japanese Empire still has now. If defeat is not admitted, then the army will certainly demand the aim of retaking Manchuria, or even conquering China. Saionji-kun, what do you think will be the result of this? ”

Xiyuan Temple Gongwang finally fully understood what Takahashi was talking about, and Takahashi was ready to fight the War Department to the end. Not only that, but Takahashi is ready to do his part to reverse Japan's current strategic outlook. Xiyuan Temple Gongwang knows very well that the price to be paid for such an approach is not just that Takahashi is not able to be the prime minister. At that time, not only the Japanese Army, but almost the entire cabinet, including the Navy, will be an enemy of Takahashi Isaki. Takahashi is Kiyoshi who wants to use his political life to make a tragic challenge.

However, as a politician, Saionji Kotoshi quickly recovered his composure from this emotion. This kind of doomed gamble is not something that ordinary people can decide. Not to mention that Takahashi Shiqing actually has more options, and there is really no need to take such a method. Saionji Gongwang was very suspicious, and Takahashi was a political strategy adopted by Qingqing. Therefore, Xiyuan Temple Gongwang did not make any evaluation or commitment to Takahashi Shiqing's statement.

However, what happened next was much more than Saionji expected, and Takahashi made full use of his authority as prime minister. The War Department's plan to assemble heavy troops in Korea and march into Manchuria after the beginning of spring was firmly rejected by him. Moreover, Takahashi was the Qing order of Foreign Minister Nobuaki Makino to contact the British. Although Nobuaki Makino is an extremely liberal diplomat who is completely consistent with Takahashi and Saionji Gongwang in promoting Japanese democratic politics, Makino is still very panicked in the face of Takahashi Seiki's move to "awaken the Japanese people to face reality".

Admitting defeat is not an easy task for Japan at present, and even admitting a phased defeat will not only cause a great setback to the people's morale, but also cause great distrust of Japan on the part of the Entente countries. Nobuaki Makino said hesitantly: "Takahashi-kun, I don't think you have a problem with the request you want me to pass on to the British, but do you really want to do this?" ”

Takahashi replied without hesitation: "If we can't suppress the War Department, the Japanese Empire will definitely suffer even more heavy losses!" After we lose Manchuria, we must not lose Korea again. ”

Nobuaki Makino was not ignorant of the current military situation, and he asked, "How can Takahashi-kun be sure that the People's Party will accept British mediation?" ”

Takahashi said firmly: "Because the People's Party has not refused to join the Entente until now, all they need is to see how far the Entente can concede." As long as we admit our defeat in Manchuria and ask the Entente to mediate the matter, then the People's Party will not dare to attack Korea. If we give up this opportunity, we will only blindly expand the war. At a time when we have suffered successive defeats, the Entente will absolutely refuse to endorse Japan. Think about how the European and American powers mediated the contradictions between other countries and China back then! Imagine the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War! When did the great powers really support the losers? ”

Nobuaki Makino stopped talking, and he fully understood what Takahashi meant by "admitting defeat". If Japan had refused to admit its past failures, had not had the means to reverse its failures in the present, and had continued to fail in the gamble of the future, the Entente would not have really supported Japan at all.

However, Nobuaki Makino does not think that Takahashi is halal and can successfully establish a democratic party politics in Japan, at least at the moment, it is the powerful Japanese War Department that stands in front of Takahashi Shiqing. He said very implicitly: "Takahashi-kun, there are also many generals and colonels in the Admiralty who believe that they can force the People's Party to submit by shelling the coastal cities of the People's Party, and even attacking the important cities in the Yangtze River valley of the People's Party. ”

Takahashi sneered, "The army and navy really don't know that Japan still owes Britain 600 million pounds in debt to repay?" Do they really not know that the Japanese economy is now facing collapse? ”

At the mention of this issue, Nobuaki Makino also fell silent.

It was obvious that the Japanese War Department was aware of Japan's current debt situation, and at a time when Takahashi was constantly in contact with all parties and was preparing to start a diplomatic and domestic readjustment based on "Japan's admission of defeat in Manchuria," a newspaper with close ties to the War Department suddenly published an article on the financing of war loans during the Russo-Japanese War. The article vigorously criticized Takahashi for ignoring the situation that Japan was already winning at that time when raising funds for the war, just for his personal prestige, and in disregard of Japan's national strength, he wantonly borrowed money, which saddled Japan with huge debts. It is these debts that are making it difficult for Japan today.

First a newspaper, then several newspapers commented on the matter. There are direct criticisms, and there are those who seem to stand on a fair point of view, but in fact, they completely accuse Takahashi of acting recklessly out of selfishness. There are even various "speculations" that Takahashi is using the issuance of war bonds to enrich his own pockets.

Takahashi was very sensitive to the fact that there was something wrong with this incident, and if it was according to the tradition of the War Department, they might have rushed to their office with a pistol, first shouted at them, and then slammed the pistol on the table threateningly. But this method of smearing by creating public opinion first is by no means a strategy that the stubborn fools of the War Department can come up with. There are definitely guys who are well versed in party struggles behind this. Who is this hidden enemy? Takahashi had to suspect that the hardliners in the navy were seriously suspicious.

However, this is no longer the time to look for the perpetrators, and with the courage to break the boat, Takahashi is Seichi went to visit the current Emperor Taishang of the army faction, and the retired Field Marshal Yama Prefecture Aritomo.

No matter how Takahashi explained the facts to Yamaprefecture and told Yamaprefecture that he would admit the current stage of defeat and that Japan would use the opportunity of the war in Europe to solve Japan's debt problem, and that Japan would have plenty of opportunities to regain its dominant position over China after the overall improvement of its finances. Youpeng in Shan County just had a cold attitude and didn't take these words to heart at all.

When Takahashi Shiqing had to admit that he couldn't say that he couldn't move Yama County Youpeng and left gloomily, Yama County Somemo sneered, "That little guy Prime Minister is quite able to speak." ”