"Vice Island-kun! You ......"

Sokushima Tanetomi turned his head to look at Hirobumi Ito and showed a bitter smile. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

"If I can get another two million pounds in relief, even if I die now, I am willing to ......," muttered the vice-island minister.

When Hayashi Yoshizhe informed Ito Hirobumi and others that the Chinese side was grateful for the kindness of Sokushima Tanetomi when he rescued the Chinese laborers who had been abducted by Peruvian slave ships and promised to reduce the compensation by another one million pounds, Sotoshima Tanetomi became a hero in the eyes of the Japanese mission members that day.

But this news has become a huge burden for the deputy island ministers.

When he learned the news, the first thing he said was, "What if I can get rid of the indemnity and let me die?" ”

Ito Hirobumi looked at Tanetomi Vice Island, the former foreign minister at this time, after these days of negotiations, his hair was already gray, as if he had aged ten years all of a sudden.

"Let me die! In this way, the reparations can be reduced even more! The vice-island Tanechen said again, his eyes full of confusion.

"Vice Island-kun! You're so tired! Let's go and take a break first! Hirobumi Ito couldn't help but feel very heartbroken when he saw that Sokushima Tanetomi, one of the "Seven Sages of Saga", was tortured like this, "You don't want to participate in today's negotiations!" ”

The vice-island minister nodded, and for a while the old tears flowed.

Of course, he knew that today's negotiations would be the last.

Two embassy staff stepped forward and helped the vice-island minister to leave. Ito Hirofumi looked at the old rickety back of the Tokushima Taneto, and his heart was as heavy as a boulder for a while.

"Is Kogi going to participate in today's negotiations?" Hirobumi Ito turned his head and asked Okubo Ritsu, who was also very haggard.

"Of course I want to go!" Okubo Ritsu sighed and nodded.

Hirobumi Ito turned to Kido Takayo, who did not speak, but nodded.

"So, Yanagihara-kun? ......" Ito Hirobumi turned to Yanagihara Maehimitsu again.

"I'll go too." Yanagihara Maeko nodded and said, a look of determination flashed in his eyes.

Ito Hirobumi's heart was originally full of frustration, but after seeing Yanagihara Maemitsu's gaze, I couldn't help but be moved by his tenacity and determination.

In front of Ito Hirobumi at this time, the scene of Yanagihara Maemitsu walking in front of him from the heavy rain suddenly appeared in front of him......

Several people lowered their heads and drank tea silently, thinking about the upcoming moment, the room became extremely dull and depressed for a while.

The sudden sound of the bell interrupted the thoughts of Hirobumi Ito and the others.

Everyone looked up at the clock in the corner.

The hands on the clock point to 2 p.m. (November 24, 1874).

There is still half an hour left before the agreed final negotiation time.

Hirobumi Ito and the others got up silently and packed up the documents in front of them.

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"Guo Wengong Collection: Diary":

"On the 17th, it was sunny, and in the afternoon, the Japanese envoy came to the peace talks, which were the final negotiations."

"Ito said: 'At the behest of the Empress Dowager, the former noble minister was grateful to forgive the indemnity of two million pounds, in remembrance of the old good. However, the amount of 5 million pounds is unbearable for the small people in Japan, and it is difficult for the people to bear it, so please forgive one or two more. ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'This minister has already explained that it has come to an end. The mind has been decided, and it must not be changed. Japan's current invasion of Taiwan has greatly hurt the hearts of our military and people, and it has actually completely destroyed the old good and reduced it to this number. I have no hatred for your country, and I feel sorry for Japan. ’”

"Ito said: 'I know that your minister remembered the old friendship between the two countries, and only then did he ask for forgiveness and release the prisoners without asking for a penny, and the people of my country were grateful for your great virtue. However, the sum of five million pounds is really difficult to do, and I ask your minister to consider it for me, but I really have no way to do it. ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'My situation is similar to that of your envoy. Please also consider it for me. ’”

"Ito said, 'Your minister is a high-ranking minister with great prestige, and who dares to refute all the things you have to say in your country?' As long as your minister reduces it by one or two more, our country will never forget. ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'I have also been refuted, since presiding over the peace talks, the impeachment has been handed innumerable, refusing to impeach me, scolding me, cursing me, and cursing me.'" ”

"Ito said: 'If we accept these peaces, we will return to the country, and we will be pointed out by thousands of people, and the name of **** will be imposed on the body, and we will not go. Even lives are not guaranteed. ’”

"Okubo also said: 'Our situation is not as easy as that of your minister, who has great virtue and prestige in your country, and has won the trust of the empress dowager and the emperor of your country, and no one can shake it. The situation in our country is very different. The weight of our House of Representatives, as soon as we make a mistake in doing things, has been negotiable. If your Minister is able to reduce the amount of peace to two million pounds, we will be able to deal with it with the strength of the whole country. If it is five million pounds, it will be difficult to make up enough to destroy the pot and sell iron. ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'Your envoy can know that this time the Manchu Dynasty Yanlu came to join me, saying that I am good friends with my Japanese uncle. What you are involved in! If you make a covenant as your envoy says, is it not a clear proof of friendship? ’”

"Ito said: 'They did not know the current situation, so the ministers of your counsel, and now that they have understood, they will deeply regret what they did in that day, and your ministers need not worry about this. Always excuse me. ’”

"Okubo said: 'With such strict terms, if we sign the bond, we will be scolded as **** when we return to the country, and everyone can be killed, but what!' ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'There is no shortage of people of insight in your country, you can rebuke the nonsense of the generations, such a heavy responsibility, if the generations can not afford it, your country has a responsible person, only a few people such as the noble envoy.'" ”

"Ito said, 'Afterwards, they will attack me again.'" ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'There are people who talk cheaply afterwards, and my situation is the same as that of the noble envoy.'" ”

"Ito said: 'This is not to be done, we will come to negotiate peace, and my government has ordered me to decide at my discretion that if I can change the original agreement in several places, I can take on this important task, and I ask your minister to think carefully for me where I can make concessions, that is, if the amount of indemnity is to be reduced, then I can make a decision.' ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'At the beginning, it was explained that everything was difficult to give in, but my Empress Dowager, the emperor, was merciful, remembering the old relationship between the two countries, from eight million pounds to three million pounds, almost half, and tried my best to let it go to the end. Otherwise, why do you need to meet four or five times to make this happen? If I think about the situation in Japan, I will reduce it to the point where there is no longer any reduction in it, and it is really not a matter of arguing with each other to buy and sell in the market. ’”

"Ito said: 'Please give five million pounds at the time of parting a few days ago, and your minister seems to want to give it up at that time, and if you can do so, the whole agreement can be decided.' ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'If you can give less, you don't need to mention it again, you have already let three million pounds.'" ”

"Ito said: 'Five million pounds can't be conceded, but four million pounds is enough?' ……’”

"Kido dialect;' In any case, please let another one or two million pounds, not so tight-lipped. ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'It has been repeatedly explained that it must not be allowed again.'" ”

"Ito said: 'It's hard to bear such a reparation! Your minister is too ruthless, and his talent is too big! ’”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'This is not about the talent of doing things, but the effect after the war. If you are with your talents, you will be loyal to things, and you will never be able to reach them. ’”

"Okubo said, 'Since the indemnity is not to be reduced, Japan cannot accept such a peace treaty.'" After speaking, he withdrew from his seat. Both Ito and Kido were dumbfounded. ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'The amount of five million pounds in compensation is irreducible, and it has been repeatedly stated that this is the end of the line and cannot be changed. If the envoy refuses to allow it, then please stop talking, and I will return to the emperor and prepare to enter the army. ’”

"Yanagihara said: 'We are not unallowed to make a contract, but please reduce it slightly, if you can reduce it less, you can make a contract, and this is also your minister's farewell feelings, and when I return to China in the future, I can always remember that the whole country must be grateful.' ”

"Lin Kunyu said: 'The number subtracted is the feeling of farewell...... The original covenant was not changed, but because of the friendship with your country for many years, it was reduced by three million pounds. And the return of the captives, without asking for ransom, is due to deep respect for the noble envoy and loyalty to the country. Your envoy has the courage to take responsibility, not to avoid hardships and dangers, Japan's small coastal country, can produce such talents, people are envious, I am willing to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible, and renew the old friendship with your envoy. However, such a delay, I deliberately delay, and his desire to make me fight with your country, is really not what I want. Yanagihara wept wordlessly. Ito Kido was also speechless. ”

After a break in the peace talks, Ito Yun sent a telegram to the country asking the government for instructions. After the three of Ito finished reading, they took care of each other and agreed to make peace. ……”

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November 25, 1874, 8:30 a.m., Beijing, Prime Minister's Yamen for State Affairs.

Ito Hirobumi took the Japanese version of the treaty that the Chinese clerk had placed in front of him and read it.

He looked at it so carefully, almost word by word.

After reading the treaty, when his eyes fell on the signing place, he suddenly became dull, and his hands trembled.

At this time, Ito Hirobumi's heart was full of sadness.

A Chinese clerk sent a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and Ito Hirobumi mechanically picked up the brush, looking at the signing place of the treaty text, Ito's arm froze suddenly.

At this time, the brush in his hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

Ito Hirofumi looked at the opposite side, only to see Lin Yizhe sitting opposite, calmly signed his name on the text of the treaty, after he finished writing, put down the pen, took the customs defense seal from a huge seal box, dipped it in the vermilion seal clay, stamped it on the text, and then took a small green jade seal (Lin Yizhe's private seal), stamped next to his name.

Seeing Lin Yizhe's movements, Ito Hirobumi looked at the brush in his hand again, and tears flowed down instantly.

He knew what it meant to him.

Just yesterday, when they were trying their best to argue with the Chinese side, and Okubo had already withdrawn in anger, a telegram from Tokyo deprived them of hope of making a final effort.

This telegram was sent by Emperor Meiji himself:

“…… I was very relieved to hear that I had tried to reduce my £3 million,...... Since hearing about the grand occasion of the Qing Navy's naval parade, I know the short and long of the two countries. Hearing that more than 10 ships are now berthed in Fuzhou and carrying more than 10,000 troops, the Qing ships are waiting for this letter in the Ryukyus, and they will set off on the same day...... If there is nothing negotiable, I will make a contract with the Qing State in accordance with my previous decree, so as to prevent the two countries from losing peace, and the Qing ships will come to the east and restart ......the war."

In this telegram, Emperor Meiji made it clear that war was imminent and that he needed to sign a contract with China immediately.

At the moment of receiving the telegram, Ito Hirobumi can be said to be full of sorrow.

Everyone knows that once he signs such a humiliating treaty, it means that for him personally, it means that he will be ruined from now on!

But in the face of aggressive military threats from the Chinese side, who wants to play the role of a signatory?

As the supreme head of the mission, Okubo Ritsu was of course unwilling, he had already chosen to retire, confined himself in his room, and never came forward again!

At such a moment, Secretary of the Interior Okubo Ritsu, who is the supreme head of the Japanese government, left this infamy to others.

Hirobumi Ito looked at the text of the peace treaty and burst into tears for a while.

Everything in front of me became blurry.

A strong hand reached over and grabbed Ito's wrist.

"It's hard to write, is it? Shunsuke? Kido Takayo looked at Hirofumi Ito, who was in tears, smiled, and asked.

Ito's body trembled violently, and he looked at Kido Takayo and nodded effortlessly.

"People say that it is difficult to die for eternity, and in my opinion, the current moment is more difficult than death!" Kido Takayo sighed, looked at Ito Hirofumi, and said slowly, "I'll sign this word!" ”

"Shoju ......" Hirofumi Ito shed tears again, "You ......"

"Shunsuke, you are younger than me, and the future of Japan still needs you!" Kido Takayo said sincerely, "I'll take this infamy!" ”

Ito wanted to refuse, but for some reason, his hand suddenly became sore, and the brush in his hand couldn't hold it, and it fell on the table, splashing a little ink on the text of the treaty.

Kido Takayoshi picked up the fallen brush, dipped it in ink again, and signed his name at the sign of the treaty.

After signing his name, Kido Takayoshi seemed to have exhausted all his strength and collapsed on the chair.

Ito Hirobumi looked at Kido Takayo and was shocked to find that he was only 41 years old, and his originally shiny black hair had turned gray and white.

At this time, Kido Takayo seemed to have become old all of a sudden, like an old man in his 60s.

Yanagihara Maemitsu also shed tears when he watched this scene.

On the other side, Lin Yizhe looked at Kido Xiaoyun, who had just finished signing, and couldn't help but flash admiration in his eyes.

Hayashi Yoshizhe, who is familiar with the modern history of the world, has always maintained an indescribable reverence for Kido Takayo, one of Japan's "Three Heroes of the Meiji Restoration"!

Kido Takayoshi in modern Japan is roughly comparable to Zhang Liang in the Han Dynasty in China. Zhang Liang's father and ancestor five generations of Xianghan, Han for Qin annihilation, and Qin can be called a feud - Kido Takayo was born in a family surnamed Hota in Choshu, for the ancestor of the Choshu Domain, Maori Motojo (known as the first wise general of the Warring States) Yuanzhi, the Maori family was defeated by the Tokugawa family in the Battle of Sekigahara, so it can also be said that there is a feud with the Tokugawa shogunate; Zhang Liang used his family wealth to seek guests and assassinate Qin - Kido Takayo used his family wealth to travel to Edo to seek a plan to save the country; Zhang Liang "looks like a woman and a good woman" - Kido Takayo described Qingjun, judging from the photos he left behind, even the standard of later generations is a beautiful man; Zhang Liangzhi Qin Bo Langsha, also for Ren Xia, when he was young, he was a person who was good at martial arts - Kido Takayo learned a lot of swordsmanship, and at the beginning of the "Gui Xiaogoro" (he had succeeded the samurai family surnamed Gui in his childhood, that is, with Gui as his surname), he was also a good martial artist; Zhang Liang was not hit by the assassination of Qin, and was lucky to die, and obtained the Huangshi Gong Biography "Taigong Art of War", and finally became the emperor's teacher, which can be called a legend - Kido Takayoshi traveled in Kyoto, got a geisha (later Kido Takayo's wife) to pass on information and cover, and escaped for his life in the "Ikedaya" incident (in this incident, most of the leaders of the Changzhou Restoration were beheaded or captured), and luckily absconded in disguise after the "Forbidden Gate Change", which can also be called legendary; Zhang Liang was the first to plan for Liu Bang, and the plan for all the battles and the invasion of the city, which can be called a strategic master - Kido Takayo was the first to propose that the powerful feudal clans join forces against the enemy shogunate, judge the situation, and actively promote the "Sachang Alliance" after the "Forbidden Gate Change", which is the most important opportunity for the victory of the curtain down, which can be described as a strategic masterpiece; Pei Songzhi once praised Zhang Liang as "a man of the green clouds", and Kido Takayoshi repeatedly proposed "gradual constitutionalization", and his political vision can be called the highest among the "three masters", and Japan's later politics roughly ran along the trajectory planned by Kido Takayoshi, and his reputation as a "man of the green clouds" is well deserved!

Far from it, at this time, when the treaty of loss of power and humiliation was signed, although there was a telegram from the emperor, it was just a signed pen, but the heart and courage he showed were responsible, courageous, even with the eloquence of Ito Hirobumi, and the hard work of Yanagihara Maekoyuki, it could not be compared at this moment!

After the signing of the treaty, the two sides exchanged the text of the treaty and held a brief press conference, and the members of the Japanese mission left in a hurry.

The signing of this treaty, known as the "Beijing Treaty" (also known as the "Beijing Treaty", "Sino-Japanese Beijing Treaty", "Taiwan Incident Treaty" or "Taiwan Treaty on Beijing"), announced the official end of the "Sino-Japanese War."

The main contents of the Beijing Special Covenant are:

(1) China's current dispatch of troops is to protect the people and drive out the thieves, and Japan does not think that it is not; Japan's dispatch of troops this time is a "rampage of thieves," which is not the will of the Japanese Government, and China does not refer to the Japanese Government as a no.

(2) The Japanese government did not control the army strictly, and in order to cause great harm to China, it compensated China 5 million pounds sterling (about 20 million taels of Chinese silver), and the specific payment was based on another discussion.

(3) For those who were killed in the past in Japan, i.e., the boat people of Oda Prefecture, and not the people of the Ryukyus, China is allowed to give a silver pension. All the official correspondence between the two countries shall be withdrawn and cancelled by each other, and the matter will be settled forever. As for the situation in this area, it is advisable for China to try to properly restrain it, so as to protect the passengers forever and not be harmed again.

4. The Ryukyus are subject to the protection of China, and if Japan wishes to trade with the Ryukyus, it must conclude a separate treaty with the Ryukyus, which shall be approved by China and shall be implemented.