"It's a conspiracy, Your Excellency. "Hitoshi Kuroshima www.biquge.info said," said the Meti conspiracy against the empire's economy and territory. ”

"Ah, is it a conspiracy?" Meaningless exclamations. Then, in a tone of no disapproval, Marquis Aritomo Yamagu, one of the most prominent senators of the Japanese Empire at the moment, former Prime Minister, Marshal of the Army, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the First Class and the Order of Merit of the Second Degree, tilted his head to the Minister of War who was seated on the right, and asked: "What do you think, Katsura-kun?" ”

Katsura Taro hesitated for a moment, then transferred the ball kicked by Aritomo Yama Prefecture to Hitoshi Kuroshima. "Until now, I still don't see how the loan proposal of the people of the United States looks like a conspiracy against the Empire, but I believe that the head of the Black Island Agency must have a very reasonable reason."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Hitoshi Kuroshima immediately replied—for a personal reason, but by no means for promotion, and he was very desperate to expose the Americans' conspiracy—to Qin Lang, to be exact, to Aritomo and Katsura Taro.

The moment he saw the list of American banks ready to lend to Japan, he knew that the hateful American China, who he would gnash his teeth at the thought of it, was preparing for a new attack on the great Japanese Empire. Only this time. Ren Kuroshima swears. For the sake of His Majesty the Emperor, for the sake of the Japanese Empire, for the sake of the Yamato nation, for himself, and for the sake of the Kuroshima Agency, Qin Lang cannot be allowed to succeed in any way.

Qin Lang must be defeated and his plan must be stopped. Kuroshima's heart was filled with a sense of sacred mission, and he felt that there was a flame burning in the depths of his soul, and his blood was boiling; He took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Those key words have gathered in the throat, and in a second, they will pour out like a flood.

At this moment, a large basin of cold water was poured on his head first.

"Chief of the Black Island, I didn't ask you, and I don't plan to hear your report for the time being." "No matter how much evidence you have, no matter how reliable it is, it doesn't matter." ”

"Your Excellency!" Hitoshi Kuroshima shouted. It was not pleasant to be poured cold water on him in a moment of high spirits—in some cases, enough to cause a serious psychological disorder, which in some cases would lead to a further loss of mental function—and he wondered why he agreed to meet him if he did not intend to listen to his report and considered all the evidence in his possession to be insignificant.

Just to take care of Katsura Taro's face?

Kuroshima turned his eyes slightly to look at his recommender—but at this moment, the Minister of War had a mixed expression of surprise, confusion, and embarrassment.

"Yama Prefecture General—" Katsura Taro said, but was immediately stopped by Yama Prefecture Aritomo.

"I know what you're wondering, Gui-kun." "It's just that you don't know what I'm thinking about – you see the danger of the U.S. proposals, but you don't realize the importance of their gold dollars to the empire." ”

"What do you mean?"

"The empire needs a loan from the people of the United States." Youpeng in Shan County said loudly that his attitude was resolute and could not be questioned.

Lose your marbles. Kuroshima Ren thought. Accepting the loan from the people of the United States, Qin Lang's conspiracy will continue step by step, and once they are all realized, Japan will fall into the abyss.

Lose your marbles! Hitoshi Kuroshima sensed that Aritomo Yamaguchi had lost his vigilance and was unaware of the development of the situation.

Perhaps, a direct warning should be given to His Majesty the Emperor......

"Captain Kuroshima, don't think you can change anything." As if seeing through his thoughts, or just the doubts and denials he inadvertently revealed to expose his heart, Yama Prefecture Aritomo's stern gaze has shifted to Kuroshima Ren. "Whether it is a conspiracy or not, the Imperial Government will inevitably accept the advice of the Bank of the United States, and His Majesty will agree to the Cabinet's approach. And I believe that Prime Minister Ito has already entered the palace to hold talks with His Majesty and obtain His Majesty's support. ”

"How so?" Kuroshima couldn't believe it. Then he saw Katsura Taro's face - the expression of the Minister of War told him that the admonition of the former Prime Minister was neither a bluff nor a boring joke.

"Even if you know it's a conspiracy, can you only accept it helplessly?" He sighed, a bitter expression, "Why is this happening?" ”

"Why?" Youpeng snorted in Shanxian County. "Chief, with your ingenuity, you should know why."

Hitoshi Kuroshima should know why. As a professional spy from the Kuroshima family, who claims to be a "three-thousand-year-old pure-blooded Chinese", he should know all the reasons, publicly—to expand armaments, restore the economy, and continue to expand to the mainland...... In order to achieve all its goals, Japan needs loans from Americans; There are also private – military, chaebol and politician ambitions, and even if the fate of Japan is not taken into account only by personal factors, loans are still essential.

Even compared to Japan's future and destiny, those ambitions are the real deciding factors: the military, the chaebols and the politicians, the ruling class of Japan, are able and ready to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of their ambitions, and in the name of the country. As a high-ranking patriarch, Yama Prefecture Youpeng didn't want to wake up one morning and see a group of heavily armed generals standing in front of him, saying, "Your Excellency, I'm very sorry that you're blocking our way, please give way." ”

The abdication of any political figure who reaches his status is always bloody and painful. Youpeng in Shan County didn't want this to happen to him - he didn't want to be an obstacle to others. Moreover, he also has his own ambitions: the desire to climb higher.

Shan County Youpeng stroked the first-class Rising Sun Tung Flower Medal on his chest. It's a high honor, but it's not the highest honor – the Grand Order of Chrysanthemum is the highest order of the Imperial Japan, and so far only five ministers have received it, except for members of the imperial family: Minoru Sanjo, Gumi Iwakura, Hisamitsu Shimazu, Tadano Nakayama, and Hirobumi Ito. Yama Youtomo hopes to become the sixth[note 2] – however, this is only one of his many ambitions.

Shan County has other ambitions. From the second rank and the marquisate title are not the highest rank, the second-class Golden Owl Medal is not the first military merit, and there is a higher first-class Golden Owl Medal. Yama Youpeng didn't know where he could end up, but he knew very well that he hadn't reached the top yet, and he could continue to climb upward.

This means that he needs to build greater feats, but to build greater feats, he needs a stronger Japanese army – and the most important factor in building a stronger Japanese army is: money, plenty of money.

If Japan cannot provide sufficient money, then it should lend to other countries - Britain, Buddhism, and independence...... Of course, it also includes the country of rice. As to whether the loans provided by these countries contain a pitfall, it is not at all a concern.

Sacrifice is always necessary, whether it is the life of the people, the territory of the country, or anything else, it is always acceptable.

As long as it is not one's own interests, life and future that are being sacrificed.

As a member of the Kuroshima family, Kuroshima Ren should understand this, and should not blindly want to stop the cabinet from accepting loans from the Bank of Rice. Yama County Youpeng was confused. This person is Kuroshima Ren, is he patriotic? There is no doubt about it, but his patriotism should not affect his judgment; Is he ambitious? Absolutely. However, his ambition does not make him an obstacle to others.

So, what is the reason why he is so strongly opposed to the loan of the United States? Youpeng in Shan County couldn't help but feel curious. Katsura Taro objected because of the irreconcilable contradictions between the army and navy, and what was the reason for Ren Kuroshima?

Of course, this is not the core issue today, and he could use a lot of time to think about it. Youpeng in Shan County quickly put his question aside and returned to the topic.

"Chief Heijima, I have invited you here today to sabotage the loan plan of the Bank of China." He then turned to Katsura Taro, "At the same time, the Army should put aside its contradictions with the Navy for the time being and adopt a new posture to support Prime Minister Ito's loan." ”

"And what about the distribution of the loan?" Katsura Taro asked, "And the controversy that this loan will cause among the people......

"Don't worry. Prime Minister Ito is a brilliant politician who will not spend all his loans on the construction of the navy's fleet. As for the people's comments," Aritomo Yamaguchi smiled, "I'm sure Prime Minister Ito will take care of everything." ”

This means that Ito Hirobumi will be left to deal with the various troubles and problems caused by the loan program on his own, which Kuroshima Ren thinks may be the reason why Aritomo Yamaprefecture supports the loan program, so that he can enjoy the results without taking responsibility, and he can use it to fight Ito's political power at a critical moment. He took advantage of the benefits – but if Ito managed to deal with all the troubles and use the loan to solve Japan's economic problems, his prestige would have increased by then......

Of course, as a politician who was born in the military, Youpeng in Shan County probably wouldn't mind taking a small gamble. And his chances of winning are relatively high, and the chances of losing are slim.

If Qin Lang's plan didn't cause trouble for Japan, he wouldn't be Qin Lang.

Kuroshima Ren sneered secretly, and then he heard the voice of Yama Prefecture Aritomo - he asked a question: "Director Kuroshima, you are an expert on the United States of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and you are responsible for our country's intelligence collection of the United States. So I have brought you here today for only one purpose: how much can the banks of the United States lend to our country if they want to? ”

"Your Excellency?" Kuroshima felt that there might be something wrong with his ears: Could it be that the county still wants more loans?

The answer is: yes.

"The current amount of loans, 35 million yuan, is still not enough to solve all the economic problems facing our country." "If the empire wants to continue to expand and solve the new problems it encounters in the process of expansion, it needs a larger amount of loans. ”

"But there are no more items in my country that can be mortgaged to the people of the United States." Katsura Taro took the lead and said, "Thirty-five million yuan, Formosa is worth this price at most." ”

"Gui Jun," Youpeng of Shan County smiled and waved his hand, "Don't you realize that there is still a piece of land in my country that can be mortgaged to the people of the United States." ”

And a piece of land? Kuroshima didn't figure it out, but Katsura Taro immediately realized where his goal was.

"Is it North Korea?"

"Yes, it's North Korea."

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Note: Youpeng was made a marquis in 1895 and a duke in 1908

Note 2: In fact, Yama was the tenth minister to receive the Grand Order of Chrysanthemum; In addition, four Korean-American princes received the medal: Changdeokgung Lee Wang-yun, Lee Kun-gong, Lee Jun-gong, and Lee Jun-gong (Wang-he-gong refers to the title)

PS: It seems that I can only write this kind of water-filled thing now.,Tragedy (to be continued,If you want to know what will happen next,Please log in to the www.qidian.com,More chapters,Support the author,Support genuine reading!) (To be continued.) )