Chapter 241: The Threat of War

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"Guys, please calm down. We are sitting here today so that peace can come back to the Far East, and any differences can be resolved through negotiations! Your Excellency Prime Minister Liang, now the Chinese side can put forward the conditions! The British minister to China, Ogna, hurriedly came out to play a round. Although he promised to try his best to make Kawanishi not weaken Japan too much, this is not the hole card that makes Japan so arrogant and arrogant. Japan's approach made him very dissatisfied. In his words, it can be regarded as an acknowledgment that Western Sichuan has taken the central power of China.

Ito Hirobumi and the others were a little embarrassed, but they didn't dare to refute it. Now Japan is counting on Britain for a long time. If they offend the British, they will have no good fruit to eat.

Liang Xingrong nodded, and then said: "According to the request for peace talks put forward by the Japanese side, with the consent of the marshal, we have granted the request of the Japanese side. In view of the crimes committed by Japan in China during last year's war, the Chinese side has put forward the following demands. First, Japan admits defeat and apologizes to China! Second, Japan compensated China for the war reparations and the losses of the country and people by 500 million pounds! ”

"Five hundred million? Or the pound? Oh, my God! What are the Chinese going to do? Ogna, the British minister to China, exclaimed. It's no wonder that he is so rude, it is really that China's asking price is too ruthless. You know, the UK only paid £120 million in taxes last year. And the war reparations demanded by the Chinese side are actually four times the total annual income of Britain! This can't help but make Ogner think, are these Chinese crazy about money? You must know that the Japanese have already emptied all of their national revenues for the sake of last year's war. A few years of war were also like borrowing money from various countries to finance their military expenses. Even if you sell all the Japanese, it's not worth so much money!

The other ministers were all stunned by the amount of compensation. 500 million pounds, that's a lot of money. That's more than Germany demanded five billion francs from France in the Franco-Prussian War. You must know that with the rapid development of Germany, this reparation has played a very big role. And now, the Chinese side is asking for a much harsher price than that.

The representatives of the Japanese side, Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu, and Japanese Minister to China Taro Kawaguchi, almost did not faint.

"Impossible! Prime Minister Liang, your asking price is too high, and it is absolutely impossible for the Japanese Empire to pay so much war reparations! Taro Kawaguchi, the future minister to China, roared angrily, and the anger in his eyes was almost like shame. Last year, Japan's tax revenue was only more than 130 million yen, which is only more than 13 million pounds according to the current exchange rate. Japan can't afford the war reparations of 500 million pounds, and with interest and the like, the Japanese may not want to pay it off for generations.

(As for the exchange rate between the various currencies in the book, there was no specific exchange rate before, so it is a bit confusing.) Today, after searching for a long time, I finally found a more reliable exchange rate at the end of the 9th century. In the future, the exchange rate in the book will be set accordingly, and it will be adjusted appropriately according to the development of the economy. One pound is equal to 722 grams of gold, one franc is equal to 0290225 grams of gold, one dollar is equal to 5,046 grams of gold, one German gold mark is equal to 0 German mark is equal to 5,425 grams of gold, one ruble is equal to 077424 grams of gold, one yen is equal to 075 grams of gold, one kuping two silver is equal to 7 grams, equal to (during the Sino-Japanese War: 20) 65 grams of gold, and one peso is equal to 05,076 grams of gold. After rounding the above figures, one pound sterling is equal to 25 francs, equal to 5 US dollars, equal to 2 German gold marks, equal to 20 German marks, equal to 9 rubles, equal to 4 kuping taels, and equal to 4 pesos. ）

"Your Excellency Prime Minister Liang, your conditions are too harsh for us to agree!" Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito's face was so gloomy that he could almost drip water. He also did not expect that the Chinese side's asking price would be so ruthless, 500 million pounds, equivalent to 2 billion taels of silver, which was twice as high as the asking price of 700 million taels of silver he offered. Moreover, there is no objection to his offer. And the asking price of the Chinese side is the real war reparations!

"Prime Minister Ito, let's hear about the next few conditions!" Liang Xingrong glanced at Ito Hirofumi expressionlessly, and then said.

"Third, Japan ceded Kyushu Island and its affiliated islands to China. Including the Togara Islands, Osumi Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Hachijojima Island, and more! Fourth, Japan must return the Ryukyu King Shotai, who has always been a vassal state of China and will not allow Japan to occupy it. Fifth, the Japanese army withdrew from the Liaodong Peninsula and the Korean Peninsula. Sixth, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, and Yokohama should be opened as treaty ports, where the Chinese want extraterritoriality. Seventh, Japan must limit its armaments, the army must not exceed 100,000 people, and the navy must not build more than 10,000 tons of battleships! Liang Xingrong read out the remaining requirements in one breath, and at this time, the three people on the Japanese side, including those translators and clerks, all turned black as the bottom of a pot.

"Prime Minister Liang, I very much doubt your sincerity, your demand is so harsh, the Japanese Empire will never agree!" Hirofumi Ito said coldly. If he agrees, I'm afraid that he will be torn to pieces by the angry people when he returns to Japan.

"If you don't agree, then I'm sorry, we have to continue the war with your country!" Liang Xingrong replied forcefully.

"Everyone, stay calm. In my opinion, Prime Minister Liang, the demands of the Chinese side are too harsh, and although Japan was defeated, it should not be punished so harshly. I think many of the conditions put forward by the Chinese side are negotiable! "The British minister, Ogna, stepped forward. If Japan is dealt with in accordance with China's demands, then Japan will have no chance of coming out at all, and their strategy of using Japan to contain China will not work.

"The demands of the Chinese side are so barbaric, and although Japan was defeated, it deserves to be forgiven! God teaches us to be kind to those who have the courage to admit their mistakes! The French minister, Tian Chun, also jumped out. Japan's experience reminded him of France more than 20 years ago, and made him feel sympathetic. It is reasonable that for the sake of France, he should support Japan.

"The Russian government also thinks that China's demands are too much!" Russian Minister Cassini also said. If China really gets 500 million pounds worth of war reparations, what will China have to do? Battleships and the like can be built in hundreds, and the army can be armed to the teeth, so that Russia's attempts in the Far East may no longer be realized.

"The U.S. government is also against China doing this!" U.S. Minister Tian Bei also said. A rising power in the Far East would pose a serious threat to U.S. interests in the Pacific. These threats will be exacerbated if China receives huge reparations. Therefore, the United States is also reluctant to go to China to weaken Japan excessively.

"Your Excellency, you seem to have forgotten about it, we are just here to observe. This is a matter for China and Japan, and I think it's better to leave it to them to figure it out. German Minister Marcos said. He has nothing to do with the life or death of the Japanese. Although there is some envy of the huge indemnities paid by the western part of the Kawanishi, for the sake of Germany's interests, a strong Far Eastern ally is very much in the interests of Germany.

"China is the victorious power, and it deserves these rights from the defeated country. Austria-Hungary supports China's legitimate demands! "Anton, the Austro-Hungarian Minister to China? Huber said.

"As a world power, the British Empire has a responsibility to uphold justice and maintain world peace!" British Minister O'Gner said strongly. The rise of China has made Britain wary. Supporting Japan is precisely one of Britain's strategies to counterbalance China. To this end, it is necessary to prevent China from weakening Japan too much.

"China will not hesitate to fight for its own legitimate interests. It doesn't matter who the enemy is! Liang Xingrong said sternly. In response to the toughness of the British Minister Ogener, a confrontational countermeasure was adopted.

"The Chinese army and navy are ready for combat and ready to deal with the upcoming battle. For the sake of the country, even if all of them die in battle, they will not hesitate! Cai Yun, who participated in the negotiations, also expressed his views on behalf of the military. Wang Yuze once said that all the war military expenses obtained from Japan would be invested in the army. Cai Yun, as the current No. 2 person in the military, naturally wants Japan to allocate 500 million pounds of war reparations in full.

"So, can I understand that China is trying to provoke British coercion?" British Minister O'Gner said with squinted eyes. Kawanishi's strength, although it made the British side feel tricky. But if Britain is willing to pay a certain price, it can still win. At least on the naval side, Britain was 100% sure of victory. If the army is not comparable to the Chinese, it is a big deal not to land and fight.

"The French Republic will administer justice with Britain!" French Minister Tian Chun said.

Russian Minister Cassini and American Minister Tian Bei did not speak. Russia shares a border with China, and now Russia's forces in the Far East are very weak, and the Trans-Siberian Railway does not know when it will be opened, so it will not be beneficial for them to go to war with China now. As for the United States, if it is to follow the British flag and shout, then it is not a problem, but if they are allowed to participate in the war, then forget it!

"China has no intention of provoking the majesty of Britain, but only to protect the interests of the country from harm!" Liang Xingrong said. Although I feel a little aggrieved, I still have to say this. It will take a lot of time for China to really rise, and now China does not have the strength to confront Britain. At least in terms of the navy, it is still far from catching up with the British!

PS: The second update is here! Ask for a subscription, ask for a monthly pass! (To be continued.)