Tokyo, Tokyo in 1890, compared to a few decades ago, just out of this country, everywhere shows a scene of "civilization", around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, long rows of new buildings like London, New York are completely Western-style high-rise buildings, these buildings and the suits of passers-by on the street seem to confirm Japan's determination to "break away from Asia and enter Europe", the old ones are out of place have been decisively abandoned by Japan, Japan has thrown off many of its past things that belong to Asia, and has become the most Westernized country in Asia.

However, even so, the customs of thousands of years will not be changed by a momentary change, just like the official residence of the Prime Minister, although the outer office and reception area are full of Western-style tables, sofas, Italian crystal chandeliers, and even the walls are also Western-style paintings, but when you enter the official residence, it is Japanese-style, Japanese-style paper doors, tatami mats, in a word, people have always been how comfortable they come.

In the dining room of the official residence, Prime Minister Aritomo Yamaguchi, former Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, and Foreign Minister Shushu Aoki were drinking there, but the three of them were silent, and this silence had lasted for more than ten minutes, and in this strange atmosphere, Ito Hirobumi broke the silence first.

"Shanxian-kun, still can't figure it out?"

Putting down the chopsticks in his hand, Hirobumi Ito asked rhetorically.

"Our country's strength is not good, so it can only be like this!"

Despite his reluctance, Yama Prefecture Youpeng did not have the arrogance of the Japanese soldiers of later generations, did not succeed in the two adventures against the Qing Dynasty and Russia, and dared to challenge the big powers with his weak national strength.

"But it's too unacceptable, if you accept Tang Haoran's conditions, it means that the Tianjin special article obtained by Ito Gong who went to Tianjin to negotiate five years ago will be nullified!"

On the surface, Japan did not receive substantial benefits from the "Tianjin Article," but only those who participated in the negotiations knew that from the very beginning of the negotiations, Ito Hirobumi dug a trap for Li Hongzhang -- to shake the Qing state's suzerainty over Korea, and in fact to establish Japan's equal status with the Qing dynasty in Korea for the first time, and also to fundamentally shake the Qing state's suzerainty status -- the suzerainpower rights previously enjoyed by the Qing stateIt was shared between the Qing and Japan, and Japan obtained the right to send troops to Korea. In particular, Article 3 states that if there is an incident in Korea and the Qing and Japanese countries want to send troops there, they must notify each other of the notes. This was the fundamental meaning of the "Tianjin Treatise," which, according to the words of the time, was no less significant to Japan than that of two divisions -- Japan's equal status with Korea was recognized by the Qing Dynasty.

"Now it's just a slight addition to Article 3"

Ito Hirobumi shook his head and said unexpectedly, in his eyes, this seemed to be a thing not worth mentioning.

"-- If there is a disturbance or serious incident in Korea, and two countries or one country want to send troops, they should first exchange documents, and if one country opposes it, neither country should send troops...... This still does not change the fact that the suzerainty of the Qing Dynasty has been shaken. ”

After that, Ito Hirobumi looked at Yama Prefecture Youpeng and asked rhetorically.

"If our country completes its preparations and launches a war against the Qing State in the future, how can it be limited by a special article, and the Qing State does not agree, so as not to send troops?"

"Naturally not!"

Shan County replied almost without thinking, if the Qing State did not agree, he would not send troops? Now that the decision has been made to go to war, what does it mean to agree or not.

"So what is the difference between this article and the virtual text? Moreover, China's concession today is not a concession to the Qing State, but a concession to the Lu State (1), which ostensibly agreed to withdraw the embassy and agreed that China should strengthen its suzerainty, but in fact, they are waiting for an opportunity, and if our country is open to the Qing State and will never dare to go to war and risk sending troops to Korea, even if the Qing army does not resist and forces the Qing State to return to the old king, what can Korea do if it becomes independent? ”

Ito Hirobumi once again asked rhetorically: After the "Yingenmen Incident," it was he who was in the middle to lobby the cabinet to "forbear" and never give Lu Guo a chance to take advantage of it.

"If the Qing army resists, and the Lu people send troops to the north of Korea in the name of helping the army, how can our country resist it? If the old king returns to the dynasty, and Korea becomes independent, leading people into Korea, how can our country control North Korea a few years later? ”

Compared with many Japanese politicians and soldiers, Ito Hirobumi's strategic vision is far superior to that of others, and this is also the reason why after the incident, he went to the palace to meet the emperor, asked the emperor for his support, and stopped the cabinet's attempt to fully protect Japan's interests in Korea, and then lobbied Yama Prefecture and Saigo Norido and others overnight to persuade them one by one.

"In short, it's still the same sentence, this North Korean control zhì is the best in the hands of the Qing people, compared to the Lu country as a Western power, the Qing country is just a weak giant, after several years of lying on the salary and trying the courage, we still have a chance to defeat the Qing country, but what about the Lu people?"

After this rhetorical question, Ito Hirobumi looked at Yama Prefecture and said.

"Since the Juwen Island incident, on the surface, although the Qing people have won the victory, the British have withdrawn their troops, but in fact, it is from that time that Britain realized that its glorious days of isolation have ended, in order to curb the expansion of the Lu State in the Far East, it not only supported the Qing State to strengthen its suzerainty over Korea, but also began to look for future allies, the Qing State is too big and its ignorance is uncivilized, naturally it cannot be an ally of the British, if China strives to become an ally of the United Kingdom, the future war against the Qing Kingdom will be supported by the British, Curb the expansion of the Lu Kingdom with the battle against the Qing Kingdom, the king of Shanxi. ”

Looking at Yama County Youpeng, Ito Hirofumi's tone was a little low, and his expression was full of helplessness.

"Japan is too small, too weak, although three years ago our country formulated a national policy of war against the Qing Dynasty, but Japan's national strength is far inferior to the Qing State, if there is no support from Western powers, it will not defeat the Qing State, now our temporary forbearance, seems to be detrimental to the national interests, but in the future, it is beneficial and harmless, after all, for Lucia's giant bear, their concession at this time is just waiting for the opportunity for the fish to profit!"

Ito's words made Yama County snort, the eyelids narrowed slightly, and the seemingly majestic face was intertwined with unwillingness and helplessness, he knew that what Ito said was the truth, as a small country, Japan wants to achieve prosperity and strength, it must occupy Korea and even the Qing country, at least bite off a piece of meat from the Qing country, otherwise Japan will have no future at all, and among the two big countries adjacent to Japan, the Qing country seems to be huge, but it is big but not strong, and Lucia is not strong in the Western Ocean, but it is as strong as a giant for Japan, If an incident is caused by the strengthening of suzerainty by the Qing Dynasty, Lucia will be the beneficiary, and if Lucia controls Korea, it will undoubtedly be a nightmare for Japan.

"Now ......"

With a deep snort, Yama Prefecture Youpeng nodded helplessly at Aoki.

"Sign up with them!"

"The Legation ......"

Without waiting for Aoki to finish speaking, Yama Prefecture said in a deep voice.

"Withdraw, withdraw from Seoul together! In the future, the foreign affairs of North Korea will be directly negotiated with the Qing Prime Minister Yamen! ”

More than an hour later, when Ito Hirobumi, who was almost midnight, got into the carriage, his brow furrowed again, and he did not have the calmness of the official residence.

"Is it right or wrong?"

Again, Hirobumi Ito muttered to himself.

Originally, he ceased to be the prime minister of the cabinet last year, and he did not need to interfere in the North Korean incident at all, but after learning that the North Korean incident broke out, he still lobbied the cabinet members to stay calm as soon as possible, for no other reason, he knew the temper of Shan Shan and others, for fear that they would ruin the overall situation because of the "provocation" of the Qing Dynasty.

"For Prussia, as a small country, the rise of Prussia must fully rely on the evolution of the international situation, make full use of the contradictions between powerful countries, and then use a certain power to help it......"

He couldn't help but think of the example of Prussia taking full advantage of the contradictions of various countries in "The Vertical and Horizontal Technique of Tessie" and then rising to become a great power, and it is not Prussia that Japan is now emulating. In contrast, Japan's national power was far inferior to that of Prussia, and the Qing and Japan, like France and Prussia, could only make friends as much as possible before they were unprepared, and the same was true for the Lu country, but in contrast, Japan faced an even worse environment - Russia's greed for the Far East. On the other hand, however, the Qing state was extremely weak, which was also beneficial to Japan, but ......

Tang Haoran!

Thinking of this name, Ito Hirobumi's brows tightened, for a while he didn't know what kind of variables this person would bring to Japan and Qing when he presided over Korea, although he didn't know what variables it was, but he knew that it would be unfavorable to Japan.

On the one hand, it was the real threat brought by Lucia, and on the other hand, it was the variables brought by Tang Haoran, and when many emotions were churning in Ito's mind, his brows became more and more wrinkled, so that the sadness on his face became thicker and thicker.

"Looks like we have to find a way to get rid of this person!"

Ito realized that perhaps he could not stop Lucia's ambitions for the Far East and Asia, and perhaps he could find a way to remove Tang Haoran from his position in North Korea, otherwise the future would be uncertain for him and Japan.

"Just ...... now"

Thinking that he is no longer the prime minister of the cabinet, Ito Hirobumi can't help but sigh in his heart, now he naturally has no special funds for the prime minister, how can he bribe Qing officials without financial support, so as to force him to remove Tang Haoran from his post?

"Maybe we can think of a way at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!"

Shuzo Aoki should be able to realize Tang Haoran's threat!

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' funds also seem to be insufficient, and the appetite of those Qing officials is not small, and when he was thinking like this, Ito Hirobumi once again thought of Tang Haoran from the funds, and thought of North Korea under his auspices, and couldn't help but wonder how after solving diplomatic problems, how to use the barren land of North Korea to implement a new policy and achieve the goal of enriching the country and strengthening the army, this question made Ito Hirobumi couldn't help but sympathize with Tang Haoran's situation.

"Tang Jun, even if you have the talent to go through the heavens and latitudes, it's a pity that ......"

After a pause, Ito Hirobumi looked out the car window at Tokyo, looking at the Western-style buildings that symbolize Japan's civilization behind the streetlights on the side of the road.

"You don't have enough time!"

(1: Lucia is the Japanese word for Russia, and Japan calls Russia Lucia or Lucia)

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