In the diplomatic carriage, Xiaoyiman Baiji is still pondering the cry of the Republic of China, and he is crazy about trade hunger". He couldn't see it. I can't understand why when this country is facing decline, such a figure suddenly appeared who turned the tide, and with his efforts, this declining country miraculously came back to life. Or conversely, the good fortune of the Japanese Empire is coming to an end?

Kohata Baiji hurriedly suppressed the thought behind him, he couldn't believe that since the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese Empire, which had risen up with heroes, had been in decline like this, and the group of Restoration fighters in the Meiji era had not yet died. How could Japan's national fortunes turn such a turn?

Just as Kohata Baiji was thinking, the carriage stopped, and the legation secretary who was sitting on the side glanced out the window.

"Your Excellency. There was a large number of parades and marches ahead, did we take a detour? After all, relations between China and Japan are currently very tense, and this country has a tradition of xenophobia: "All year round, the German minister was beaten to death in the street by mobs." "Secret.

Kohata Baiji came from the side of the railway station, and if you want to enter the embassy area of Dongjiaomin Lane, you have to cross several main roads, and now, several main roads have been occupied by young people who are traveling and walking.

Kohata Baiji nodded, so the diplomatic carriage quickly turned around and bypassed an alley, but in the end, it did not avoid those young people who were paraded and marching, and by the time the diplomatic carriage, which had long put away the Japanese flag, arrived at the British Legation in China, the carriage was already covered with slogans.

Kohata Baiji tore off a few slogans from the carriage and looked at the contents on them, except for the anti-Japanese slogans, all that remained was infinite admiration and loyalty to the "mad president", and he could even see "Long live the great president." The words.

"What a fan-like character."

Kohata Baiji sighed, he really couldn't understand what kind of personality this Mr. President had that made these young people indulge in fanaticism.

Upon learning that Kohata Baiji was coming to visit, the British Minister to China, Zhu Erdian, put down his shelf and personally walked out of the legation to greet him. To Xiaohata Baiji's surprise, the person who walked out of the legation with Zhu Erdian turned out to be Zhou Xuexi, deputy minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Republic of China, but Zhou Xuexi obviously didn't come over to greet Xiaoman Baiji, after he walked out of the legation. Only out of pure politeness nodded to Kohata Baiji, and then got into a light carriage and left the legation in a hurry.

"Mr. Minister. What is Mr. Zhou Xuexi coming to do? Why did he see me as if he had seen an enemy? We were sitting together drinking the other day. Kohata Baiji's opening remarks are very peculiar.

Zhu Erdian shook his head and sighed.

"Mr. Minister. Mr. Zhou Xuexi came here for the current situation in the Far East as a member of the National League. Mr. Zhou Xuexi was opposed to dragging the country into war, but the strength of the National League alone was not enough to fight the United Front, so he was ordered to come and consult with me on the current situation between China and Japan, but in view of the current mood of the Chinese people, especially the mood of the fanatical youth. Mr. Zhou Xuexi decided to be cautious, so he deliberately avoided direct conversation with your minister, and in the same way, the Kuomintang League also wanted to avoid any direct contact with the Japanese side, so as not to be seized by political opponents. I am sure that Mr. Minister understands this concern of the National League. ”

Kohata Baiji nodded, Zhu Erdian's words have some truth, since the Sino-Japanese relations, many pro-Japanese members of the Chinese Congress have changed their faces and drawn a clear line with Japan, which is not necessarily to keep with the anti-Japanese faction Many people are purely just to avoid unnecessary trouble, because in some cities in the south. There have already been pro-Japanese local legislators and buttocks who have been beaten by anti-Japanese youths, and under the deliberate instigation of the "Iron Youth League," the current mainstream of public opinion in this country is anti-Japanese. That is the "enemy of the nation".

"So, what is the current position of the National League? If they simply want to avoid war, they will not be able to achieve their goal, after all, the president holds the power. Unless, unless, the National League can hold an early general election and thus dominate Congress. Kohata Baiji said.

"Mr. Minister, let's go together, and although the current strong position of the President is unshakable, if Congress is in the hands of pacifists, then war seems to be avoidable. Therefore, I have just made a similar proposal to Mr. Zhou Xuexi, and he has promised to consult with the high-level people of the National League on this issue, and he will be able to reply shortly. ”

Zhu Erdian nodded, and invited Kohata Baiji into the legation, where he further discussed the current situation in the Far East in the reception room, which lasted more than an hour, until a legation secretary returned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two stopped talking.

"Mr. Minister. I just got the news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. At the same time, China's Ministry of Industry and Commerce has officially decided to temporarily suspend China's iron ore exports to Japan from today, and at the same time, China has also officially announced that it will stop importing manufactured products from Japan. Especially light industrial products. In my opinion, China's trade sanctions against Japan have officially begun. ”

Both Zhu Erdian and Habatakichi were shocked by the news that the iron ore and pig iron raw materials needed for Japan's steel industry now come from Chinese mines and iron mills. Now that the Chinese have suddenly decided to stop selling some raw materials to the heart, it will undoubtedly make Japan's steel production fall into an unsustainable situation, and the restrictions on the import of Japanese goods will be a fatal blow to the Japanese economy, and the confrontation between China and Japan has indeed escalated.

"How can this be? How can China terminate a commercial contract? Han Yeping's iron ore is abundant, and some of the iron ore should be exported to Japan anyway. It was a formal commercial contract, and how could China unilaterally tear it up? I have to protest this. ”

Kohata Baiji was so shocked that he lost his temper a little, and he even forgot that he was dealing with the "mad president", and since that Mr. President could send troops to host the Japanese concession, why couldn't Mr. President unilaterally tear up the commercial contract?

"Mr. Minister. Please calm down. I am very surprised that this decision is too sudden, but I think that under the current circumstances, it is really logical for the Chinese to make this decision, and the question now is not to submit a protest, but to seriously study the countermeasures, in addition. It seems that your Minister should immediately send a telegram back to China and report this news to your Government, so that your Government can make corresponding policy adjustments as soon as possible. As the British Minister to China, the only thing I can do to help you at present is to help your country keep an eye on iron ore suppliers, as I know that Australian and Indian iron ore is relatively good, and if you can solve the transportation problem, your country's steel mills may not have to worry about the supply of raw materials. ”

Zhu Erdian tried to stabilize his emotions and tried his best to make a calm expression, but he was also very worried inside. He is well aware of what kind of situation Japanese steel companies will face after losing their sources of iron ore and pig iron, Japan is poor in domestic resources, and many important industrial raw materials are dependent on China for supply, a few years ago. Japan has already lost China's cotton source in the competition with Chinese imitation weavers, and now, obviously, China has stabbed Japan in the back on the steel issue, and at this time, sooner or later, it will cut off Japan's steel raw material supply, this intention has been very obvious, Zhu Erdian even suspects that the Chinese central government decided to continue to provide cheap iron ore to Japanese iron and steel companies a few years ago, in order to implement this strategic conspiracy.

This amounts to comprehensive trade sanctions, in accordance with international diplomatic norms. That's just one step away from war

。

Coupled with the relevant military information collected by the intelligence agencies of various countries in China in recent times, it seems that China's national defense forces are being transferred to the three eastern provinces in June, and Zhu Erdian is almost certain that China's president, Mr. President, has decided to go to war against Japan.

"Mr. Minister. I think that in addition to the anger, it seems that you can formally remind your government of the urgency of the current situation between China and Japan, I personally think. Although I have always opposed the use of war to solve problems, I can only advise the Japanese Government to be prepared for the drastic changes in the situation in the Far East.

Zhu Erdian hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to remind the allies.

As a minister to China, he certainly knew that the Chinese were transferring a large number of troops to the three eastern provinces, but as a constitutionalist bureaucrat, he was very disgusted with the interference of the Japanese military department in government work; the Japanese military department had already won the trust of the people by virtue of its victory in the Russo-Japanese War, and if the Japanese military department took the opportunity of the war against China to further establish their superior control over the cabinet, it would pose a threat to Japan's constitutional forces.

Kohata Baiji hurriedly left the British Legation, hurried back to the Japanese Legation in China in a horse-drawn carriage, and stood in the telegraph room for a long time, until a military attache of the Legation hurried back to the Legation and brought back a piece of news that shocked him even more, and he finally made up his mind.

"Your Excellency, according to reliable information that has just been received, the President of China has officially signed an amnesty document an hour ago, granting amnesty to the North Korean Assassin Ahn Chong-geun who assassinated His Excellency Hirobumi Ito. The Assassin Ahn has left the prison and is currently missing. ”

The military attaché's words shocked Kohata Baiji, and he quickly realized. His hopes for peace were extravagant hopes, and China's "madman hanging" may not have simply used the anti-Japanese sentiment of the people to maintain his power. Most likely, the "mad president" is on a military adventure.

Can't hesitate. If he hesitated, the interests of the Japanese Empire in the Far East would be harmed, which was not what Kohata Baiji wanted to see, although he was a constitutionalist, he was even more of a chauvinist.

"Now. Drafted telegrams and addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Imperial Japanese Empire and the Imperial Japanese Empire

。

In this situation, he decided to abandon the hope of peace and, in his capacity as minister to China, suggested that the Japanese government immediately carry out a nationwide war mobilization, but even if the Japanese government immediately accepted his suggestion, I am afraid that the Japanese army, especially the 6th Army, would not be able to complete the war mobilization within a month.

Now, all that can be done is to pray, and pray that the Chinese are just bluffing, as they used to do.

But are the Chinese really just bluffing? Xiaolou Baiji is completely unsure, because his opponent is a "fan-like character" who wants to figure out the other party's mind, which is not easy.