The news that Chihito ordered the burning of Kyoto has now spread throughout the city of Tokyo, and it can be said that everyone knows about it.

"The Governor of Chiren is not favorable, I have been removed from his post as the governor of the Western Expeditionary Army, and ordered someone to arrest and come to Beijing to be tried by military law." As Emperor Meiji spoke, the green tendons on his forehead gradually burst out, like a small snake wriggling and wriggling.

"Your Majesty, is it because of the fire in Kyoto?" Mamichi Tsuda asked tentatively.

"Of course!" Emperor Meiji's voice habitually raised, "The people of Kyoto are so innocent that they have suffered such a tragedy!" This sin is not to be forgiven! ”

Emperor Meiji's words made Tsuda Mamichi get to the bottom of it, and he knew that Emperor Meiji wanted to sentence him heavily, so he specially summoned him.

"Your Majesty, Kyoto is in the hands of the Saigo Bandit Army, and the details of the fire are not yet clear, and it needs to be investigated, and in addition, the person concerned should also be heard." Tsuda Mamichi thought that the emperor's request was illegal, thought about it, and said euphemistically, "Your Majesty has already found him guilty in his heart, and he wants the judge to reimpose a heavy sentence, which is suspected of interfering with the judiciary and is inconsistent with the legal system." ”

"I am very relieved that Tsuda Qing can say this. I don't want to interfere with justice, I don't want to interfere with justice, I just want to burn down the culprits in Kyoto and be severely punished by the law! Emperor Meiji stared at Tsuda Mamichi and said sharply, "If Tsuda Qing does not judge according to law, I will not spare it!" ”

Hearing that Emperor Meiji was really angry, Tsuda Mamichi's body trembled violently.

"The minister will live up to His Majesty's trust!" Mamichi Tsuda lowered his head and replied loudly.

ended this very awkward summons, and watched Tsuda Mamichi being led out of the palace by the Heavenly Imperial Attendant. Emperor Meiji let out a heavy sigh.

"Your Majesty. It's true...... Do you want to do that? Ichijomiko looked at this moment as if he had suddenly aged a lot of Emperor Meiji. asked softly.

"This is his fate, let him accept it safely!" Emperor Meiji said in a deep voice.

Ichijomiko was silent, and Aiko Yanagihara stood silently with her head down, just looking at the emperor with worried eyes.

Emperor Meiji turned to look at the two women he loved the most, knowing that they were worried not only about themselves, but also about the current situation, and was about to say something to comfort them, when he saw a guard officer walking quickly.

"Your Majesty. His Excellency Iwakura, the Right Minister, asks for a meeting. ”

"Oh, invite him in." Emperor Meiji waved his hand and said.

The guard officer received the order, turned around and was about to leave, but Emperor Meiji seemed to remember something, and said, "Iwakura Qing's leg injury has not yet recovered, so use my shoulder to pick him up!" ”

The guard officer couldn't help but be surprised when he heard the emperor's order, but he didn't say anything, but agreed. Walk away quickly.

Not long after, a small shoulder with a golden chrysanthemum pattern on the shoulders of four people for the royal family appeared. Seeing this, Emperor Meiji stepped forward to meet him.

The shoulder slowly stopped in front of Emperor Meiji, and then two close ministers stepped forward, lifted the curtain, and helped out the right minister Iwakura Gushi, who was sitting inside.

At this time, Iwakura Gushi had not healed his leg injury, and he was still on crutches to stand up, and when he saw the emperor appear in front of him, Iwakura Gushi wanted to salute, but was stopped by the emperor.

"Iwakura Qing is injured, so there is no need to be polite." Emperor Meiji said.

"Your Majesty's Imperial Grace!" Iwakura said gratefully.

Emperor Meiji looked at the 54-year-old Iwakura Gushi, and was shocked to find that Iwakura's sideburns were already gray, and he looked much older, and he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

If it weren't for Iwakura Goshi's personal mission to the West and his return to give a plan for Japan's future development, Japan would not be what it is today!

The new Meiji government unified Japan through a series of measures, such as the return of copyrights and the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, transforming Japan from a feudal state into a county empire. In doing so, the political and administrative efficiency of the new Meiji government was top-notch. Now that the Japanese Empire has been unified, the new government has gained powers that the shogunate did not have, and it can carry out drastic reforms. But where do we start, and what do we need to do to keep up with the West? This was an important question before the new Meiji government at the time, but no one could give the right answer at the time.

In order to solve this problem, on December 23, Meiji 4, an official Japanese mission of nearly 100 people visited the United States and Europe. The head of this delegation was the right minister, Iwakura Goshi.

At that time, Iwakura Gushi was also the secretary of foreign affairs, and he was an important minister among the ministers, and he had a deep political background, and he was very much relied on by the Meiji Emperor. As a result, this mission was later called the "Iwakura Mission".

The year of the Iwakura Mission's visit came at a time when Japan had just completed the abolition of feudal prefectures. Among the people who accompanied Iwakura on his visit were Okubo Toshimitsu, Senator Takayoshi Kido, Daisuke Ito Hirobumi of the Ministry of Industry, and Foreign Affairs Minister Naoyoshi Yamaguchi. It may be hard to believe that the Iwakura Mission at that time actually took away half of the officials of the new Meiji government! In addition to the members of the central government, 50 international students also visited with the delegation. Japan, a country that is agile and studious, has once again set sail to learn from a powerful civilization.

The Iwakura mission departed from the port of Yokohama near Tokyo, and sailed east aboard the American merchant ship "America" for one year and ten months, and the total cost of the following year's total revenue was 2 percent of the total revenue.

The Iwakura mission first arrived in the United States and then sailed to Europe, where they visited 12 countries, large and small, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Russia. This round-the-world trip opened the eyes of the Japanese who had been closed to the country for more than 200 years, and the achievements of capitalist civilization roared to them.

The Iwakura Mission was impressed by the education in the United States. They found that these foreigners mainly taught their children science and technology, which in Japan was regarded as "strange skills", and the scholars and aristocrats were ashamed of research, and they promoted science, tea ceremony, and Zen Buddhism. The members of the mission realized that in order to reform and strengthen themselves, they must first reform the education system, reverse the empty style of writing, and cultivate a pragmatic citizenry.

British industry amazed the Iwakura Mission. The British were founded on trade, and above all they attached great importance to trade. Second, the constitution promotes trade. Again, the financial boost of the military. Finally, military protection trade. After this cycle, Britain's industry became bigger and bigger, England eventually became the world's factory, and the British Isles became the British Empire, and then dominated the world. The members of the Iwakura mission believed that both Japan and Britain were small island countries, and that if the British could do it, the Japanese would definitely be able to do it!

Germany's constitution was admired by the mission. Then. Only three years after its reunification, Germany has quickly become the fastest growing country in Europe, thanks to the German model. The German model includes the political system established by the German constitution as well as the economic model in which the government dominates the industry. The German model brought German speed, a speed that dazzled the members of the mission, who learned that high speed was possible. They felt that Japan should and must learn from Germany. Because, if late-developing countries want to catch up with and surpass advanced countries, they can't do it without speed!

Bismarck, the creator of the German miracle, became the spiritual mentor of the Iwakura Mission. This "iron-blooded prime minister" taught the Japanese: "The world is now in the world. They all interact with each other with friendly etiquette, but they are all superficial. In fact, the strong and the weak dominate each other, the big and the small insult each other, and the power is the truth! ”

Power is truth, this sentence goes to the hearts of the members of the mission, isn't it because Japan is weak that it is bullied by foreigners! This visit was supposed to have a diplomatic mission to "revise the treaty." The Japan-U.S. Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed in July of the 5th year of Ansei and was valid for 14 years, and the treaty expired in July of the 5th year of the Meiji era. When the "Ansei Five-Power Treaty" was signed, it caused great public resentment, and led to the assassination of the signatory Daidai Ii Naobi outside the Sakurada Gate. This shows that these treaties are extremely unpopular, the consular jurisdiction makes the public feel that the judiciary is unfair, and the power to negotiate tariffs makes it difficult for the government to collect taxes. Therefore, the Japanese at that time dreamed of revising these treaties. On the issue of revising the treaty, the government and the people were unanimous, and it was the new Meiji government that was willing to spend a huge amount of money to send a mission to Europe and the United States. However, the Iwakura mission hit a nail in the first stop in the United States, and in Europe it was one nail after another. The foreigners do not talk to the Japanese at all, so what qualifications does a country that does not enter the stream have to negotiate with the world hegemon. When the mission realized that "weak countries have no diplomacy", they gave up their efforts to revise the treaty, they put all their enthusiasm on learning, they had only one thought - to learn from Western countries and become as strong as their opponents!

Denmark, Sweden and other small European countries gave the Iwakura mission hope. The members of the mission realized that a country is not terrible when it is small, but what is terrible is chaos, and it is blind movement without a blueprint. Therefore, if you want to strengthen the country first and govern it internally, when the economy is alive and the military is strong, people can look down on you and listen to what you say. Since ancient times, those who do not seek the world are not enough to seek a time, and those who do not seek the overall situation are not enough to seek a domain. Those who are in power must have a long-term vision, have a deep vision, fight when they fight, endure when they are patient, and be able to bend and stretch.

The Iwakura mission returned to Japan via Tsarist Russia after 22 months of European storms and rains, and they did not bring with them the much-desired revision of the treaty, but they brought back something more important: a blueprint for reform to build a strong Japan!

And now Japan is faltering according to this blueprint, but now, it has encountered unprecedented obstacles!

"Iwakura Qing came to see me with illness, but what's the matter?" Emperor Meiji asked Iwakura Gushi to sit down, and Wen Yan asked.

"I heard that Your Majesty has arrested the culprit of the Kyoto fire and brought it to Beijing, is that so?" Iwakura asked.

"Yes. I also summoned Tsuda Qing, a military judge of the Ministry of the Army, and ordered him to adjudicate impartially and in accordance with the law. Emperor Meiji nodded, "What does Iwakura think?" ”

"Your Majesty's holy judgment, there is nothing wrong." Iwakura seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but asked with some unease, "Your Majesty, have you ever read this report on the Great Fire in Kyoto?" ”

As he spoke, Iwakura took out a report from his bosom and presented it to Emperor Meiji.

Emperor Meiji took the report and opened it, and found that it was written by Blazing Ren, and his face couldn't help but change slightly, but he didn't say anything, because he knew that Iwakura Gushi had his intention to present this report to himself.

Emperor Meiji carefully looked at the contents of the report, and while Ichijomiko and Yanagihara Aiko were making tea and drinks with their own hands, they secretly observed Emperor Meiji's expression, and found that he sometimes frowned and sometimes sighed. My heart was even more worried.

In this report. The crime of setting fire to the city. It's already solid, and it's inevitable. After reading the report, Emperor Meiji sighed and said, "He explained that the ammunition depot was sabotaged and exploded by thieves and spikes, causing a fire in the whole city, which is an obvious excuse and not enough to convince the people of the world." Such an explanation. It's better not to have any. ”

"What Your Majesty said is very true." Iwakura Gushi also sighed and nodded, "He also said in the report that the Kyoto fire was more effective than the previous Lucia country's resistance to Napoleon's invasion, and the Luzhou army commander Kutuzov carried out a fortified wall clearing operation, resulting in the burning of the entire city of Moscow, Napoleon could not gain a foothold, and was finally defeated. Having said that, before Napoleon's defeat, Lucia's stricken officials and citizens hated Kutuzov to the core, and the killing was incessant, and then Kushi fell ill and died. There is also the great achievement of defeating Napoleon, and the specific person who set the fire is inconclusive. It was only then that it was revealed. Today, he actually uses Ku's self-metaphor as Ku's, his military exploits are not as good as Ku's, and the harm to the people is even worse than Ku's, how can the people of the world tolerate him? ”

"What Iwakura Qing said is that Chiren harms the country and the people, harms me and harms himself, and it is not a pity to die." Emperor Meiji understood the meaning of Iwakura's words to thank the world for saving the hearts of the people, and nodded, "I should send someone to Tsudaqing to send this report to Tsudaqing as a reference for the judgment. ”

"Your Majesty is wise." Iwakura bowed in his chair and said, indicating that he approved of Emperor Meiji's move.

"I'm only afraid, killing a Chiren is not enough to win back the hearts of the people!" Emperor Meiji sighed for a moment, and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes, "Blazing Hito regards himself as the Ku clan and wants to protect his own reputation, but he doesn't know that the hearts of all the people in the world are all gone because of his own selfishness!" It's more than innocent! ”

"Your Majesty, if you want to win back the hearts of the people, there are still some people who must be killed." Iwakura looked at Emperor Meiji with an angry face and reminded him.

Emperor Meiji was stunned for a moment, stared at Iwakura Gushi, and asked, "Who is the person Iwakura Qing said he would kill?" ”

"Shimazu Hisamitsu father and son, I can't stay any longer." Iwakura replied calmly.

"Shimazu father and son? ...... "Emperor Meiji's body suddenly broke into a cold war.

"Shimazu Hisamitsu has always been rebellious and has always opposed the New Deal with the intention of restoring the old system, and the rebel flag raised this time is the flag of the Shimazu family. I heard that the Shimazu family in Kagoshima was also involved in the rebels. Iwakura Gushi said sharply, "This time there is a big change in Beijing, and some people want to kidnap Shimazu Hisamitsu and his son, how long will Your Majesty tolerate them?" Do you have to wait until the rebels come to the city of Tokyo before you deal with them? ”

"You're right, Iwakura Qing, the people of the Shimazu family can't stay any longer." Emperor Meiji clenched his fists and said in a deep voice.

Hearing Emperor Meiji's murderous words, Ichijomiko and Yanagihara Aiko and the palace guards present were shocked, unaware that they were witnessing a different history.

"This ...... It won't be true......"

It wasn't until he came to the execution ground, looked at the large white cloth in front of him, and listened to the shouts and shouts of the crowd around him, that Chiren realized that he was about to say goodbye to this world.

At this time, Chiren, his military uniform had been stripped off and replaced with a prisoner's clothing, he was tightly bound by ropes, kneeling on the ground, and in front of him, was a huge white linen.

According to Japanese beheading rules, a deep pit should have been dug in front of him to hold his severed head, but this time the executioners did not dig the pit according to tradition, but spread a huge white cloth.

Chiren didn't know that this special treatment of his was specially approved by Emperor Meiji.

After all, Chihito is a member of the Japanese imperial family, and considering the preciousness of the royal blood, he laid a white cloth to prevent his neck blood from splashing on the ground and getting stained with mud.

"Your Highness, are you ready?" The executioner behind him asked.

Blazing Ren turned his head and glanced at the executioner—unlike before, the executioner was not wearing a traditional kimono and a belt, but instead wearing a black military uniform, but he still held a shiny katana in his hand.

"Isn't Your Majesty even allowed seppuku?" Chiren asked in despair.

As a royal family and a samurai, he has always hoped that he could end his life in such a noble way as "seppuku apology", rather than being beheaded in full view of everyone in such a shameful way.

"According to Judge Tsuda's ruling in accordance with the law, the punishment was originally to be executed by shooting, but His Majesty the Emperor was worried that His Highness would not be able to die immediately after being shot, and that it would be too painful, so for humanitarian reasons, the sentence was changed to beheading." The executioner replied.

"Your Majesty...... Huang En ...... mighty," a strange smile appeared on Chi Ren's face, and he muttered.

Seeing that Chi Ren was almost insane, the executioner stopped talking to him, but nodded to his assistant, who stepped forward and pressed Chi Ren's body down, and stretched his head forward, exposing his neck so that he could get the knife down.

The executioner raised his long katana in both hands, looked at the back of Blazing's neck, exhaled, and slashed it down.

Blazing Ren's head flew up and landed on the white cloth, rolling up, leaving a large stain of blood on the white cloth, and then the blood from his neck gushed out like a spring of water, and sprinkled on the white cloth to form a strange calligraphy pattern.

The executioner stared at the body of Chi Ren, who had lost his head, only to see that the blood in his neck spurted for a while, and the kneeling body lost its balance and fell forward violently, but his legs still held a kneeling position, as if to apologize to the onlookers. (To be continued......)

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