Although Ito Hirobumi did not look up, he could still feel the eager gaze of Emperor Meiji looking at him. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Hirobumi Ito made an pilgrimage to Emperor Meiji, and Emperor Meiji came back to his senses, raised his hand, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Aiqing is flat." ”

Ito Hirobumi finished his salute and quietly waited for the emperor's inquiry.

"I summoned Aiqing here today, just to have a casual chat with Aiqing, Aiqing doesn't have to be formal." Emperor Meiji said kindly.

Hirobumi Ito raised his head and looked at Emperor Meiji, who was not wearing the military dress he usually wore when he met with courtiers, but a more casual kimono with a pair of bloomers on his legs. He was already short in stature, and in such a set of loose clothes, he walked like a doll in a doll shop.

"This year's cherry blossoms bloomed early and withered a little early." Emperor Meiji looked out the window, and when a strong wind blew, a large number of cherry blossom petals fell one after another, like snowflakes flying all over the sky, giving the illusion of an early arrival of winter.

"I don't know if Japan's national fortunes will be like today's cherry blossoms, when they just bloomed, they were destroyed by unexpected winds and withered." Emperor Meiji sighed.

"Your Majesty is joking, the various undertakings of the empire are already on the right track, and the fortunes of the country are thriving, so there will be no such situation." Hirobumi Ito sensed the deep anxiety in Emperor Meiji's heart and immediately comforted him.

"Itoqing, I would like to know what you think of the current ministers' proposal to 'conquer Taiwan'." Emperor Meiji asked bluntly.

"The minister has always opposed the conquest of Taiwan, and His Majesty should be clear." Ito Hirobumi said frankly, "But now the implementation of the Taiwan expedition is indeed a good opportunity, and the heart of the minister is also very contradictory." ”

"Ito Qing said before that Japan's national strength is still very weak and not suitable for external territorial expansion." Emperor Meiji asked, "But now that Ito-qing is in conflict, why is that?" ”

"The minister has just received information that France and Qing may be at war because Vietnam is already at loggerheads. The main military strength of the Qing State is now concentrated in the northwest region, the defense of the southeast coast is empty, and the conflict with France over Vietnam is in conflict, if the empire secretly sends troops to open up Taiwan at this time, the Qing is likely to be powerless to stop it, just like the empire annexed Liuliu. "However, what the minister is worried about is the gap in national strength between the Qing State and the Empire, although the Qing State is weak, it is the largest country in the East, and it is not something that the current Empire can defeat all at once." Taiwan is different from the Ryukyus, it is very close to the Qing State, once the Qing State learns that our army is attacking Taiwan Fandi, and decides to send troops, I am afraid that the war will start, it will be a huge disaster for the empire. ”

"Yes! It's too risky! Emperor Meiji also sighed, his brows furrowed, and his black mustache moved in a ridiculous manner.

Emperor Meiji turned around with a deep groan, came to his throne, opened a file box, and took out one of the paintings inside.

He looked at the painting carefully for a few moments before turning his head and raising the painting in his hand towards Hirobumi Ito.

"What does Ito Qing think of this person?"

Hirobumi Ito stepped forward quickly, took the painting from the emperor's hand, and looked at it.

It depicts a young Chinese official in official uniform, with clear eyebrows and a handsome appearance, sitting on a chair with his eyes looking ahead. Although this is a copper engraving copied from a Western newspaper, it is very vividly painted.

Hirobumi Ito recognized at a glance who was depicted on this copper engraving.

Lin Yizhe!

"This is a very good Chinese official, and he is also the biggest obstacle and the most dangerous enemy of those who hold the 'theory of conquest of Taiwan.'" Ito Hirobumi returned the portrait to Emperor Meiji and said, "The minister has always believed that as long as this person is still in Fujian, the empire should not launch an attack on Taiwan." ”

"I've heard a little about this man's deeds. I heard that he is the grandson of Lin Zexu, a famous minister of the Qing Dynasty. I think that his talent is enough to compare with Yanagihara. Emperor Meiji's eyes flashed with surprise, and he asked, "A few days ago, I learned about his recent situation from Yanagihara, this person has been removed from his official position because of domestic impeachment, and now he should not be able to play a role, why does Itoqing still think that he will become a dangerous enemy of the empire?" ”

"Yanagihara-kun was once fooled by him, so the minister thinks that Yanagihara-kun's talent is not as good as his." Ito replied, "As Yanagihara-kun's intelligence says, it is true that this man no longer has an official position, but his personal influence is still huge, not only does he have great influence on the imperial court in Beijing, but also maintains a very good personal relationship with the French royal family and the famous admiral Guba, and if he learns that the imperial army has entered Taiwan, even if he has no official position, he will use all his power to stop the imperial action." ”

"How does Ito think he will stop the Empire's actions against Taiwan?" Emperor Meiji then asked.

"Chen guessed that under such circumstances, he would definitely use his relationship with the French and his influence on the imperial court to find a way to ease the contradictions between France and Qing, and would do everything possible to get the Qing government and the empire to go to war." Hirobumi Ito said, "Once the war escalates, with the current military strength of the empire, it will be difficult to last, and the empire will be mired in the quagmire of war in Taiwan." ”

At the same time as saying this, Ito Hirobumi had already made a decision in his heart, that is, to stick to his original opinion and resolutely oppose the "conquest of Taiwan"!

"So, Ito Qing is resolutely against it?" Emperor Meiji sighed and said.

"The minister is resolutely opposed to such a risky action, but this is only the opinion of the minister, and His Majesty should listen to the opinions of the ministers." Hirobumi Ito sensed that Emperor Meiji was also as entangled in his heart as he was, and said, "Your Majesty, you are leading the empire forward, and you must not be biased and believe in favor of only one or two people to make a decision. ”

"I see. Thank you, Ito. Emperor Meiji looked at Hirobumi Ito, who was standing alone, and said in a small voice.

He understood that Ito Hirobumi had already guessed his intentions, but he still objected, the main purpose was to remind himself of the huge risks lurking under the huge opportunities.

And the last thing he said just now was that he was worried that he would be too dependent on him and lose the judgment that a great emperor should have!

Only those who care about themselves and love themselves the most will say such things to themselves!

Hearing the emperor's last words of true feelings, Ito Hirobumi's heart was also surging.

"Your Majesty, take care of the Holy Communion and rest a lot! The minister retired. Hirobumi Ito said.

Emperor Meiji bowed slightly, and Ito bowed and retreated.

Emperor Meiji watched Ito Hirobumi's back disappear, silently turned around, took the portrait of Hayashi Yoshizhe, and looked at it.

I don't know how long later, the military attache came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Secretary of the Interior Okubo has asked to see you." ”

"Let him in." Emperor Meiji nodded, the military attaché left, and Emperor Meiji put away Hayashi's portrait and re-entered the curtain and sat down.

After a while, Secretary of the Interior Okubo Ritsu walked in quickly.

Seeing Okubo enter the main hall, Emperor Meiji did not get up and walk out of the curtain to greet him, as he had done with Ito Hirobumi, but sat on the throne and let the darkness inside the curtain cover his face.

Although the curtain is not large, it can give him an indescribable sense of security when facing Okubo Ritsu.

Emperor Meiji has always had an instinctive fear of Okubo Toshitsu, who has always been an iron fist, because when he talks to Okubo Toshitsu, he will never be as relaxed and calm as he is with Ito Hirobumi.

Born on September 26, 1830 in Shimojiya Town, Kagoshima Domain, Okubo was born on September 26, 1830 into a family of samurai warriors in Shimoiejiya, Satsuma Domain. However, when he was 19 years old, the Satsuma clan suffered from the Yura Riot over the succession of the feudal lords, and the enlightened Shimazu Saibin faction, supported by his father Okubo Toshiyo, lost power. After his father was exiled to Onikai Island, the young Okubo Ritsu, who was dismissed from government and imprisoned, took on the burden of supporting his mother and three younger sisters on his own.

However, Okubo Ritsu did not stop there, and his common concern for the fate of the country and politics gradually brought him together with fellow villagers Saigo Takamori, Yoshii Tomomito, and Ichi Chimasaharu. At that time, Japan had already learned of China's defeat in the Opium War, and how to save Japan from China's mistakes became a question that every Japanese who cared about the fate of the country had to ponder. The Seitada-gumi, a political group of more than 40 people, including Okubo Ritsu, often met to discuss world affairs in the hope of one day making a comeback in the domain.

The opportunity has finally arrived. With the support of Masahiro Abe, the elder of the shogunate, Shimazu Kibin finally became the lord of the domain, and Okubo Toshitsu was reinstated in June 1853, on the eve of Perry's request for the opening of Japan. Shimazu Saibin practiced enlightened politics within the domain, and the shogunate crisis caused by Perry's knock on the customs increased the voice of each domain, and Shimazu Saibin, as the lord of the male domain, was naturally unwilling to be lonely, and was often active in the front of the central political situation. Okubo Ritsu actively assisted Shimazu Kibin, and his talent became more and more apparent, and his official position was promoted from secretary of the feudal records office to infantry overseer, and his political experience became richer day by day.

However, the good times did not last long, and after the conservative Ii Naobi replaced the sick and dying Abe Masahiro as the shogunate elder, the "Ansei Prison" was raised, and many patriots were slaughtered. Shimazu Saibin died of illness at this time, and Ii appointed Shimazu Tadadayoshi, the son of Shimazu Hisamitsu, Shimazu Kisamitsu, as the lord of the Satsuma domain, and conservatives began to rise in the domain. Okubo is determined to work on the real power figure Shimazu Hisamitsu in an attempt to reverse the unfavorable situation. He discovered that Shimazu Hisamitsu loved to play Go, so he practiced his chess skills so that he could communicate. When he heard that Shimazu Hisamitsu wanted to read the "Ancient History Biography", he managed to get as many as 28 volumes of the "Ancient History Biography" and lent it to Shimazu Hisamitsu, and took the opportunity to include a note in the book to let Shimazu Hisamitsu understand his views on the situation. The hard work paid off, and Shimazu Hisamitsu finally gradually distanced himself from the conservatives and began to reuse Okubo Ritsu, and the "Seitadashi-gumi" also gained legal status.

Both the Satsuma clan and the shogunate were planning a "public and military alliance" movement in which the shogunate and the imperial court cooperated to deal with external crises, and in 1862, together with Okubo Ritsu, he led 1,000 feudal soldiers into Beijing to exert pressure on the imperial court. Such a military campaign was the first of its kind during the Tokugawa shogunate.

At the same time that Okubo Ritsu was actively promoting the Gongwu Movement together, the early comrades of the "Seitaka Group" Arima, Shinshichi Arima, and others, who had already been involved in the more radical Movement to respect the king, were planning to attack the ministers of the Sashoku faction when Shimazu Hisamitsu entered Beijing. In order to achieve his own goals, Okubo Ritsu resolutely sent troops to kill Arima Shinchi and others after sending people to persuade them to no avail, which was the "Teradaya Incident". This incident caused a complete split between the Gongwu faction and the Zunwang Zongyi faction, and accelerated the process of the Gongwu Coalition movement. The Imperial Court issued an edict, which basically satisfied Shimazu Hisamitsu's demands and announced that he would reform the shogunate. At the beginning of 1864, preparations were made for the Imperial Domain, which was the culmination of the Gongmu Movement, and a six-member "participation council" was set up, including Tokugawa Yoshiki and Shimazu Hisamitsu, to discuss national policies under the chairmanship of the Emperor. However, due to the selfish intentions and political views of each feudal clan, Tokugawa Yoshiki dreamed of the shogunate regaining power, and within three months, the "participation council" disappeared due to the resignation of the six participating parties. The movement suffered a major setback.

And after a period of silence, the movement of the Emperor Reverence has risen again. At the beginning of 1865, the feudal power of Choshu, another feudal domain, returned to the hands of Kido Takayoshi and Takasugi Shinsaku of the Imperial Clan, and Choshu began to implement a policy of separating the territory. The shogunate planned a second conquest of Choshu. Originally, Satsuma had met with Choshu many times during the Forbidden Gate Rebellion and the first war against Choshu, but at this time, Choshu gradually approached it because of the purchase of British weapons by Choshu through Satsuma. In his early years, Okubo Ritsu had the idea of "one country separating the country", but when he saw it realized in Choshu in another form, he gradually transformed into a shogunate. In February 1866, under the mediation of Sakamoto Ryoma and Shintaro Nakaoka, the two feudal clans formed an alliance, and the friendly relations between the Satsuma clan and Tokugawa Yoshiki were interrupted. In order to ensure the success of the fall, Okubo Toshitsu cooperated with the Imperial Court Secretary Iwakura Gushi and used the authority of the emperor to successfully launch a palace coup d'état on January 3, 1868. The Imperial Court issued the "Imperial Government Retro Trumpet Order", which abolished the imperial court's regency, the Sekihaku system, and the shogunate's shogun. The Imperial Court defeated the Shogunate forces that had advanced to the outskirts of Kyoto, and the Shogunate was wiped out in the Boshin War. Okubo Ritsunori served as a staff officer and then as an advisor to the President's Bureau, handling internal affairs and assisting Saigo in commanding operations, thus establishing and consolidating the new Meiji regime.

The delicate role of the imperial court headed by the emperor in the process of the curtain fell on Okubo Ritsu. He concluded that in order to be able to lead the country in the future, the emperor must first "renew" the old evils of the imperial court, and in order to do so, it was necessary to sever the emperor's ties with Kyoto, which symbolized the old evils, and to create an emperor character that could adapt to the new era. After the establishment of the Meiji government, the relocation of the capital and the change of the Yuan Dynasty all reflected his thinking.

After the Meiji government completely eliminated the shogunate, Okubo Ritsu first served as a member of the council of the new government, and then as secretary of the treasury in June 1871. In April 1871, Iwakura Gushi visited Europe and the United States, accompanied by Okubo Ritsu. During the tour, Bismarck, Prussia's "iron-blooded prime minister," made the deepest impression on Okubo Ritsu, and he believed that Japan could only act like Bismarck if it wanted to become rich and strong.

While Okubo was visiting Europe and the United States, the left-behind government led by Saigo Takamori advocated invading Korea in order to divert the dissatisfaction of the Shi clan with the government. Okubo Ritsu immediately returned to China after receiving the news, and on the issue of "conquest of Korea", Okubo Ritsu was by no means a pacifist. He only felt that Japan did not yet have the conditions for foreign expeditions, and the most urgent task at the moment was to get a good grasp of learning from the West, vigorously promote the policy of "colonizing and revitalizing industry," and accelerate the pace of Japan's capitalist industrialization. So Okubo Ritsu and Iwakura Gushi combined to use their political skills to defeat the Korean faction led by Saigo Takamori and drive them out of the center. This political struggle is known in history as the "October Coup d'état in the 6th year of the Meiji era". Since then, a **** political system has been established with Minoru Sanjo as the Minister of Imperial Affairs, Iwakura Gushi as the Right Minister, and Okubo Ritsu as the Secretary of the Interior.

On November 10, 1873, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was formally established, and Okubo Ritsu served as Minister of Internal Affairs as a member of the Councillor. He concentrated the powers of the six departments of persuasion, police security, household registration, post delivery (i.e., postal service), civil engineering, and geography, as well as the survey department, into his own hands. The scope of Okubo Ritsu's jurisdiction covers all aspects of "Farming and Industrial Development". During his tenure as Secretary of the Interior, he created the administrative organization of the Meiji government, which consisted of the central bureaucracy of the ten provinces of Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Treasury, Army, Navy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Industry, Justice, and Imperial Interior. As a result, the Ministry of Internal Affairs under the leadership of Okubo Toshimitsu was the center, and together with the Ministry of Finance controlled by Shigenobu Okuma and the Ministry of Industry under Hirobumi Ito, a three-in-one leadership system was formed in Japan to promote the policy of promoting the development of agriculture.

When Okubo Ritsu was in power, he embarked on the road of **** rule. He ruthlessly suppressed all revolts. Emperor Shimazu Hisamitsu, who had been dissatisfied with the return of the copyright and the abolition of the feudal domain, put forward 14 proposals opposing various bourgeois reforms and demanding the removal of Okubo from his post. Of course, reformers such as Okubo Ritsu could not accept it, and counterattacked the conservatives, and Shimazu Hisamitsu was forced to retire. While Shimazu and other old feudal forces were engaged in anti-government activities internally, the reactionary nobles, who were strongly dissatisfied with the various bourgeois reforms of the Meiji Restoration, openly launched an armed rebellion against the government. The first to start was the "Saga Rebellion" in February 1874, led by Eto Shinpei and Yoshiyoshi Shima. As a result, it was severely suppressed by Okubo Ritsu.

Okubo Ritsu had a cold-blooded personality and an iron fist similar to Bismarck's, and because of his political differences, he was able to put his early political partner Shinchi Arima to death. And when Shimazu Hisamitsu, a great benefactor, couldn't keep up with the times, he was also kicked away. Although the Meiji Emperor admired his talents, he did not like him, so he could not talk about absolute trust in him.