Wen Xiang was able to put forward the idea of emulating Western countries and opening a parliament in his last posthumous process, and said that "it is difficult to do, but righteousness can be taken", which shows that his insight is far beyond that of his contemporaries!

If this old man could live a few more years, would China's history be changed because of this?

History is not to be assumed, but ......

Lin Yizhe retracted his thoughts and turned his attention to the answer to Wen Xiang in front of him. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Since this old man's time is short, let's hurry up and try to let him see the most satisfactory result!

The two continued to talk deeply, but they didn't realize that it was noon, and Wen Xiang seemed to be unsatisfied, so he simply left Lin Yizhe to have dinner in the mansion and continued to talk for a long time.

In the evening, Lin Yizhe had said goodbye for a long time, but Wen Xiang in the study still hadn't turned around from his mood during the day.

When Prince Gong walked into Wenxiang's study, the Minister of Military Aircraft was bent over and pacing carefully in the room, unaware of Prince Gong's arrival.

Prince Gong was a frequent visitor to the Wen Mansion, and when he arrived, the servants often did not need to go to inform Wen Xiang, but took him directly into the inner hall.

Prince Gong smiled slightly, did not let the servant of the Wen Mansion inform him to disturb him, but waved his hand at the servant, motioned for him to step back, and then stepped into the study.

Wenxiang's study is divided into two rooms, which is very spacious, but there are not many luxurious furnishings, and the bookshelves on the wall are neatly filled with books.

Prince Gong noticed that Wen Xiang not only had a book with pictures spread out on his desk, but also a newly bound thread-bound book in his hand.

"It's so late, Wen Xiang still hasn't slept yet?" Prince Gong asked with a smile.

Wen Xiang was suddenly surprised, put down the book in his hand, and greeted him with a smile.

"Didn't the prince sleep too? I came to the house so late, but what was the matter? Wen Xiang asked with a smile, and asked Prince Gong to sit down.

"Hurd is here again today." Prince Gong looked at Wen Xiang and said.

"Or do you recommend to us a small iron ship made in England?" Wen Xiang immediately guessed the purpose of Hurd's visit to the Prime Minister's Yamen.

He said that this small iron ship was the latest design in England, and that it could be equipped with a cannon and destroy the iron armor near the shore. Xun is a weapon to control the enemy. "Prince Gong said," he also said, "It is difficult for China to build ironclad ships, and the importance of China's coastal defense lies in the protection of the shore and the guard, and such small ironships can solve China's urgent needs." ”

"Now the financial resources are insufficient, and what he said is also the truth." Wen Xiang came to the table and sat down, turned the book spread out on the table to a page, and then pushed it in front of Prince Gong, "This is Lin Kunyu's "Chart of Foreign Divisional Ships", which also has a record of this kind of small iron boat, I asked him today, can such a small iron boat be built?" Whether the ironclad ship can be restrained, Lin Kunyu replied that this is used as a water battery, a sharp weapon for protecting the shore and guarding the mouth, and a land battery can complement each other, and the huge cannon it is equipped with can indeed damage the ironclad ship, but this ship is only enough to defend the enemy, and use it to attack the enemy and win with the ironclad ship in the open ocean, but it cannot. If you want to attack the enemy and win and patrol the sea frontier, you must not have ironclad ships and patrol clippers. ”

"I heard what Wen Xiang said, I want to talk to this Lin Kunyu quite well?" Prince Gong asked with a smile as he looked at the latest British mosquito boat drawn in the book, the "Rendal" gunboat highly recommended by Hurd.

"Not bad." A strange light flashed in Wen Xiang's eyes, "This son really has real talent and real learning, this name of learning through China and the West is not for nothing, and when I talk to him for a long time, I actually have a sense of the length of time." ”

"In that case, why don't Zhongtang ask him for a protégé post?" Prince Gong asked with a smile.

"It's too early!" Wen Xiang smiled and shook his head.

"What's the explanation?" Prince Gong asked.

"If you don't cut jade, you can't make it! Still to be carved! Wen Xiang said.

Prince Gong's heart brightened suddenly.

"Lord Zhongtang has already met Lin Yizhe just now......" Prince Gong stopped talking at the right time. But the meaning of the inquiry in his tone has been revealed, "Is this son's current work still ......?"

"Puyu!" Wen Xiang replied quite simply.

"Everything in the world is knowledge. Affection is an article! Wen Xiang smiled deeply and said. This son has already won the essence of the first half of the sentence. As for the second half of the sentence...... Wen Xiang smiled, "He is still a little short of ......"

Thinking of the nervous appearance that Lin Yizhe might have when he met Wen Xiang today, Prince Gong couldn't help but smile. It's just that what does Wen Xiang mean by this "everything in the world is knowledge"?

"The prince knows that although this son is a foreign official, he can have a deep understanding of the Chinese and foreign patterns, and he is as clear as he is about the affairs in the palace! Not only the Empress Dowager, but even the thoughts of the Japanese monarchs and ministers are clear in their chests...... "Wen Xiang's eyes in a pair of sunken eye sockets are sparkling and faint," It's really unbelievable! ”

"Yes......" Prince Gong nodded, "I'm afraid that his ancestor Lin Wenzhong didn't have such knowledge that day!" ”

Wen Xiang stood up again and paced slowly in the room. There was a gust of night wind outside the window, which made Prince Gong's voice seem quiet and clear: "Wenxiang, if you can't think about it, don't bother thinking about it anymore." ”

"I asked him about the gardeners today, and guess what he said? It's for the sake of foreign affairs not being constrained! Thinking of Lin Yizhe's answer today, Wen Xiang's chest couldn't help but stir, he paced all the way to the window, looked at the undulating pine waves outside the window through the window, and continued: "I really didn't expect that he, Lin Kunyu, was only twenty years old, and he would have such insight and experience!" It is really a dragon and a phoenix among people, and the achievements of the future should not be under you and me! ”

"This person can be so praised by Wen Xiang, which shows that his talent is extraordinary!" Prince Gong was sincerely happy for Wenxiang, "If there is a protégé like this, Zhongtang can have no regrets!" ”

"No regrets are not only their talents, but also their character!" Wen Xiang said, "I said to him today, you said that the two palaces were not hindered by foreign affairs, and you angered Shilin Qingyi, are you not afraid of being infamous by the ministers?" Guess what he said? Wen Xiang said, his eyes shining.

"What did he say?" Prince Gong asked in surprise.

He said, "It doesn't matter if it's a courtier or a courtier!" It's better than being the minister of the dead country in the future! Wen Xiang said in a deep voice.

Listening to Wen Xiang's answer, Prince Gong couldn't help but get up from his chair.

"He said that?" Prince Gong's voice was filled with rare excitement.

"Exactly!" Wen Xiang looked at Prince Gong and nodded.

"Sure enough, it is worthy of being the queen of Lin Wenzhong......," Prince Gong sighed.

"This son's pattern vision is the only one I have seen in the weak-crowned teenagers I have met in my life. However, his youthful temperament is inevitably serious, and he still needs to be trained. Wen Xiang said, "In time, it will become a national weapon!" ”

"What the minister said is that these are just small things, and they can be corrected slowly." Prince Gong said, "For example, if Puyu is current, even if it is slightly flawed, there is naturally no reason to abandon Meiyu for some slight flaws. ”

"The prince can know that this time he negotiated with the Japanese, and this son wants to ask for 20 million taels of silver as compensation." Wen Xiang looked at Prince Gong and gave him another shocking blow.

"Think twice!" Seeing that Wen Xiang's words had already faintly revealed the intention to use Lin Yizhe's strategy to negotiate with the Japanese, Prince Gong couldn't help but gasp and said, "Is it possible for the Japanese to agree?" In case of a restart of the provocation ......"

"Don't panic! What this son said is very reasonable, but I think that I might as well talk to the Japanese people according to his conditions! Wen Xianghun interrupted Prince Gong absently, "This son is familiar with the situation in Japan, if we can really negotiate and force the Japanese to compensate me for such money, we will really make a lot of money this time!" ”

Prince Gong thought of how much he could do with 20 million taels of silver, and his eyes also shone brightly.

"Wen Xiang thinks that this matter can really be negotiated?"

"If this son is given full authority to negotiate peace, he will be free from constraints, and he will definitely be able to negotiate!" Wen Xiang said.

"Grant full powers?" Prince Gong asked in surprise, "Does Wen Xiang want to say that when the time comes, whether it will be war or peace, it will all depend on his Lin Kunyu's words?" ”

"Exactly! The so-called employment is not suspicious, and the suspect is not used! Instead of letting us old people let the Japanese use the "Public Law of All Nations" to go around it, it is better to let him, a person who understands, not be disturbed, and return the other way to the other! Wen Xiang continued coldly: "Mao Dong and the others have learned from the past, has the prince forgotten? ”

"Yes!" When Prince Gong heard Wen Xiang mention that Mao Changxi and Dong Sui did not understand the "Public Law of the World", he casually gave the truth about Japan's invasion of Taiwan, and immediately understood.

Just recently, he also made this "Public Law of Nations" very uncomfortable.

Before Japan sent Okubo Toshitsu as plenipotentiary minister to Beijing to negotiate with Prime Minister Yamen, the Japanese minister in charge of the negotiations in Beijing, Tanetomi Viceshima, and vice envoy Yanagihara Maemitsu had been debating with China the sovereignty issue of Taiwan's "Fandi" in international law. The talks lasted more than 10 days, and under the mediation proposal of Britain, France, the United States, Germany, and Russia, China and Japan held five talks, all of which were to discuss the issue of sovereignty over "Fandi." Yanagihara Maemitsu frequently invoked the "Public Law of All Nations," and although the prime minister and the ministers of the Yamen did not budge an inch on the issue of sovereignty over the "land," they always adopted an evasive attitude toward the "Public Law of All Nations." In a note to the Japanese side, Prince Gong said: "The minister of this king has not been able to understand the essence of the whole book of Taixi Public Law, and he does not dare to ask questions on the basis of it. Wen Xiang also said in the Q&A: "As for the "Public Law of the Nations" mentioned by Yanagihara, there is no China, and China cannot be blamed for this. ”

"Then it's settled!" Prince Gong has been giving this negotiation a headache, and now seeing that Wenxiang has made up his mind, he no longer adds more beaks, but expresses his agreement and support.

"Lord Wang, there are two important things now, and we need to wait for the prince to come out." Seeing that Prince Gong no longer objected, Wen Xiang's voice calmed down, "First, the prince should immediately go to the emperor, explain the reason, and ask the emperor to agree to grant Lin Yizhe full power to negotiate." He then pointed to another book on the table, "The prince should explain to the emperor that Lin Yizhe is proficient in the "Public Law of All Nations" and is familiar with the situation in Japan, and he is not enough to take on this great responsibility. ”

"Okay." Prince Gong nodded in agreement.

"In addition, the queen mother, I am afraid that the prince will have to come forward to explain." Wen Xiang said, "Lin Yizhe also said to the old man today that the Japanese are cunning and do everything they can, and he is worried that the officials in Beijing will accept bribes from the Japanese, which will not be conducive to the peace talks." And there are people in the center who are afraid that they will take advantage of this to plot against it......" Wen Xiang's pupils flashed a playful thought, and continued: "If it is really as Lin Yizhe said, there are people in the center who want to do the trick of drawing salaries from the bottom of the kettle...... Then I really want to see, what other ways can this son deal with it besides foresight? ”

"Wen is the beginning of this son's experience, right?" Prince Gong smiled slightly and asked.

Wen Xiang smiled and looked out the window, but saw that in the night sky, a bright moon hung high, which was very eye-catching.

"Ming'er still needs to go to the palace to see His Majesty, tonight, I don't think he can sleep peacefully, right?" Wen Xiang said to himself.

As Wen Xiang said, Lin Yizhe, who entered the palace the next day, did not sleep well.

Because he knew that from the moment of this "negotiating carte bpleen" appointment, he had no way out!

"Lin Yizhe, this article about peace talks on your part, our sisters and sons and the emperor have already seen it." The Empress Dowager Cixi said, and handed Lin Yizhe's note on the peace talks with Japan in her hand to Li Lianying, who was standing aside, Li Lianying understood, and immediately took the strip Chen, put it in a copper basin, and took the fire-starting tool and lit it.

Lin Yizhe lowered his head, looked at the flames fluttering in the brazier, and somehow let out a long breath in his heart.

It seems that he once again underestimated the wisdom of the Empress Dowager Cixi!

As soon as I raised this question about "confidentiality" in the answer just now, the Empress Dowager Cixi took it to heart and immediately put it into practice!

The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at Lin Yizhe, who was standing there, as if she had guessed what he was thinking, and smiled slightly.

"The bottom of this peace talk is now only known to our sisters and sons, the emperor, the sixth master, Wen Xiang, and yourself." The Empress Dowager Cixi smiled and glanced at the Empress Dowager Ci'an, then looked at the Tongzhi Emperor, Prince Gong and Wenxiang next to her, and said, "You are worried about leaking the news, I will carry it for you, can you rest assured?" ”

"That's it, Lin Yizhe, this time you can rest assured?" Emperor Tongzhi on the side also smiled and said, "Do a good errand, this time, it is peace or war, even I have to listen to you!" ”

Hearing that the emperor was open-mouthed again, the Empress Dowager Cixi was angry in her heart, and glanced at Emperor Tongzhi, who knew that he was speechless, so he quickly closed his mouth and yawned as if he was hiding it.

"You just have to talk with confidence, don't damage the prestige of the Qing Dynasty, as for war or peace, it's up to you to decide." Empress Dowager Ci'an said conclusively.

The Empress Dowager Cixi knew that the reason why the Empress Dowager Ci'an said this was because she had always been annoyed that her "Jixi Hall" could not be completed because the Japanese army had cut off the timber route to Taiwan, and this time she heard that Lin Yizhe planned to extort 20 million taels of silver from Japan, so she naturally expressed her resolute support.

"Thank you, the Queen Mother, the Emperor of Heaven! The minister will never live up to the trust of the Queen Mother! Lin Yizhe didn't see this episode, but quickly bowed and replied.

"If you have any concerns, you can also tell us about them." The Empress Dowager Cixi turned to Lin Yizhe and said to him with a pleasant face.

"Back to the Empress Dowager, the minister asked for full power this time to specialize in peace talks, and the person who is most worried about it is that the Japanese-phobic people buy the official to intervene in the discussion, intending to reach a peace agreement quickly." Lin Yizhe knew that it was time to vaccinate the Empress Dowager Cixi, and immediately said the lines that he had prepared for the night yesterday, "You must know that the Japanese are very cunning, and the peace talks are embarrassed, so they must come up with this trick." If the court does not investigate and is deceived by it, not only will the previous achievements be wasted, but the princes of the road will also be infamous ......"

Hearing Lin Yizhe's words, Prince Gong on the side couldn't help but exclaim in his heart: "Good means!" ”

Prince Gong peeked at Wen Xiang, although Wen Xiang was still silent on the surface, Prince Gong still read something in his eyes.

This is tantamount to giving birth to a big set of students in that class!

With this set, their ears can be cleaned!

"What you're talking about is that there will always be some things that don't have integrity! We've all written it down, so you can talk about it with confidence! The voice of the Empress Dowager Cixi pulled Prince Gong's thoughts back, "Sixth Master, after a while, you will draft a decree for the emperor, and grant Lin Yizhe the prime minister's Yamen plenipotentiary first-class negotiation minister, and the edict will be issued to the world." ”

"Obey the order!"

Japanese Legation, Conference Hall.

Dressed in a black tuxedo and wearing a top hat, Okubo Ritsu strode into the hall, looked at the Japanese legation staff who stood to greet him, took off his hat, nodded slightly, and walked straight to his seat in front of the long table with a calm face.

Okubo Ritsu was the first to take a seat, but instead of sitting, he stood there, and Ito Hirobumi and Kido Takayoshi followed suit, standing as he did. Then the entourage and the deputy island Tanetomi and Yanagihara Maemitsu who were in charge of the negotiations in Beijing also took their seats.

Seeing everyone seated, Okubo stretched out his hands and waved them, motioning for everyone to sit down, and then sat down on the chair, the legs of the chair rubbing against the marble floor of the hall, making a screeching sound.

Everyone sat down one after another with his movements.

Okubo Ritsu, who had just arrived in Beijing, did not care about the fatigue of the saddle horse all the way, and immediately summoned the personnel of the legation to listen to the recent progress of the peace talks.

"Vice Island-kun, how is the recent negotiation with Qing Guo?" Okubo asked the Japanese minister, Tanetomi Sonoshima.

"It didn't go well." Sotomi replied in a hoarse voice, and pulled out a thick stack of papers from his briefcase.

Yanagihara Maemitsu looked at the gray face and trembling hands of the deputy island Tanetomi, and couldn't help but worry about him secretly.

He knew that today's vice-island minister was strongly supported to come to the meeting.

"We have just reached an armistice agreement with the Qing State." Tanetomi Soejima retrieved a document and motioned for an embassy secretary to send it to Okubo Ritsu, "From yesterday, the warring parties will cease all hostile military operations......

"Armistice?" Okubo Toshitsu took the document and did not open it immediately, but frowned and said, "Our country and the Qing country have always been in a state of peace, and there is no war, how can there be an armistice agreement?" ”

"Minister Guo Songtao of the Yamen, the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, said that according to the "Public Law of the Nations", if the two countries want to negotiate peace, they must start in a state of armistice. When he thought of the negotiations over the past few days, he couldn't help but feel exhausted.