The conversation between Zhang Shusheng and Tang Shaoyi continued.

"This ...... I heard that when your group was fighting against Japan, it used a kind of flying ship? When Zhang Shusheng first heard about it, he thought it was his subordinates.

Tang Shaoyi smiled slightly: "That's true. It's called an airship, and it can drop bombs in the air, and although it looks amazing, it's nowhere near as powerful as you might think. ”

Zhang Shusheng didn't believe it at all, the ship that can fly is not powerful?

"Please forgive me for being presumptuous, I don't know...... I wonder if this official can have the opportunity to go to Fengtian to personally visit the chairman and his old man, and then visit the so-called airship by the way? ”

"What ...... this" Tang Shaoyi didn't expect Zhang Shusheng to make such a request, but quickly said: "I will convey this matter to Mr. Chairman." "He didn't say yes, he didn't say no. In fact, this is not something that Tang Shaoyi can call the shots.

"That's a lot of work."

When Wang Yi got the news, he was holding a memorial service for Xu Xiao in the Dashang Martyrs Cemetery, and the first batch of civil and military students of Dashang were basically all present. Zhao Ziguang has also returned from the battlefield, and there were some small troubles in the middle, which were solved regardless of the smoothness. There was a girl standing next to him at this time, his sister, Zhao Lan. During this time, the girl has no idea how many times she has cried. Zhao Ziguang lamented in his heart, but there were not many ways to persuade him. The only thing he could do was to avenge Xu Xiao, but unfortunately he still failed to sink the culprit Triumph with his own hands.

After the memorial service, Wang Yi left with Wu Xiao, Shang Yi, Zhao Ziguang and others. Although the battle is over, the war is not over.

On the night of the same day, Tang Shaoyi issued a proclamation in Beijing, urging the Franco-Japanese forces to surrender, otherwise the possibility of a full-scale bombing of Japan could not be ruled out. Later, the British Minister Gwener and the American Minister John Young joined forces to mediate the matter, and three days later, the Great Shang finally sat down at the negotiating table with the Japanese and French representatives.

This time, it was no longer Tang Shaoyi who led the army, but his master Zhao Liewen. The Japanese side was represented by Foreign Secretary Shin Inoue and Ambassador Takehiro Enomoto. France is too far away, so only Baohai himself is involved in this matter.

In addition to Gwener and John Yang, there were also Russian Minister Bu Zer, Qing representative Beiyang Minister Zhang Shusheng, and many other ambassadors from small countries to observe.

"We demand that the Franco-Japanese coalition admit defeat and compensate the two countries for the huge losses caused to our group by the unauthorized use of swords...... Zhao Liewen said eloquently, but the Russian minister Bu Ce on the side did not look good. He knew before that Zhao Liewen was actually a person from Dashang, but this time he openly appeared at the negotiation site, and it was obvious that Dashang was ready to uncover the last cover, and no longer cover up in the affairs of the Northeast Republic. In other words, what can you Tsarist Russia do with us? And General Skobelev, who was stationed in Irkutsk, had already asked Buze for advice on the issue of airships, and it was clear that the Central Asian butcher had already thought of withdrawing from the army.

Baohai looked at Zhao Liewen and said, "We just lost a battle, but we didn't lose the war. So we France will not give in to anyone. ”

Japan's Inoue Shin doesn't speak.

Zhao Liewen smiled at this time, glanced at the people present, and immediately said: "Since you and I can't reach a consensus, and there is no point in negotiating, then we will retreat!" ”

After speaking, in the shocked eyes of everyone, Zhao Liewen took Tang Shaoyi and all the civil officials and left with a relaxed expression.

The next day, news came out that the Great Shang fleet was again dispatched and began to attack the Franco-Japanese passenger and cargo ships in all directions, and the two pit viper airships of the Great Shang also flew over Japan again, dropped a few bombs, and flew away.

The French and Japanese finally couldn't sit still.

Once again, he approached the British minister, Gwiner, in the hope of starting to re-mediate, and this time, without waiting for the French to speak, the Japanese Foreign Secretary Inoue Shin said: "Mr. Zhao, we can consider your group's proposal. However, I would like you to state your group's request so that we can discuss it carefully. ”

Isn't this just talking about trading, you don't even open the price, what can we do? You can't buy things and make your own price, what's that called?

Zhao Liewen finally brought out a smile, a dry and thin old man, who was actually quite kind when he laughed, but as soon as he said it, he didn't scare everyone present to death.

"The requirements of our big merchants are very simple. The return of the Ryukyus by Japan is a prerequisite for ending the war, and the reparations we are asking for are not high! First, the indemnity was 100 million taels of silver. Second, cede Ezo! ”

Nima, Inoue Xin didn't scold it directly, it's not high!

British Ambassador Gwener and American Ambassador John Young were also taken aback, if it weren't for Zhao Liewen's calm and relaxed appearance, they really thought that the old man of the Qing Kingdom in front of them was crazy.

"It can't be!" Inoue said angrily: "Hokkaido is an inalienable territory of our country since ancient times. ”

Zhao Liewen still said unhurriedly: "Don't think that I haven't read, Ezo has nothing to do with Japan, and the Ainu people living on it are called foreign people, Mao and foreign people. It is only in the past few years that you have cultivated and planted the fields on the island, and you have wreaked havoc on the ecological balance of the island, and we are only allowing the Ainu to live the life they have hoped for for generations! ”

All the representatives of Japan are blue-faced!

"Since the two sides could not reach a consensus, we withdrew. There's nothing to talk about! Let's win or lose the war, but it's okay, our chairman would like to go to Kyoto, Osaka and other places in your country to live, and I heard that there are many buildings from the Tang Dynasty that are quite ancient. ”

Zhao Liewen was just about to get up, but the British Minister Gwener hurriedly said: "Wait, Mr. Zhao, didn't the big merchant make two demands!" Since there is no consensus on the first article for the time being, let's start with the second article. Isn't there a saying in your country, that the easy comes first and then the difficult? ”

John Yang also said at this time: "Mr. Zhao, since it is a negotiation, there is no need to leave the table at every turn, so there is no need to talk." ”

Zhao Liewen was happy, thought for a while, and said: "Since the two ministers said so, we Dashang can't help but meet each other, so let's talk about the second article." After speaking, he gave Tang Shaoyi a look and said, "Shaochuan, go to the account book, let's calculate all the accounts of the past few years." ”

The other ambassadors saw that the good guy was really professional, and there were ledgers.

"Article 1, Japan forcibly annexed our subject country Ryukyu and changed it to Okinawa Prefecture, forced its king under house arrest, and then slaughtered its upper islanders, which is a heinous crime - 30 million taels of compensation."

"Second, Japan took advantage of the Peony Society incident to massacre the aborigines on the island of Taiwan, and forced the Chinese government to pay 500,000 taels in compensation. The crime is heinous - 30 million taels of compensation. ”

"Article 3: Japan sent the gunboat Yunyang to secretly probe the hydrogeology of the waters of Korea in our subordinate country, and to survey and map the nautical charts in an undesirable scheme. Later, after being bombarded by the North Korean army, he did not think about his own evil, forcibly used swords and soldiers, and relied on the strength of the ship and artillery to land and massacre the North Korean soldiers and civilians. Later, he used force to coerce North Korea into signing the traitorous "Ganghwa Treaty" and grabbed a large amount of illegal profits in North Korea. The indemnity is 30 million taels. ”

"Fourth, Japan disregards the morality of the world, colludes with the legal person wolf bèi, ignores the facts and justice, and is bent on annexing the foundation of our great merchants, its feelings are hateful, its heart is punishable, and the compensation is 30 million taels of silver...... However, my Qing Dynasty is the kingdom of the Celestial Empire, the state of etiquette, and I disdain to see a small country like you. Originally, the total amount was 120 million taels of silver, but now the fraction is erased and 100 million taels can be paid directly. ”

During the entire negotiation process, Zhao Liewen and Tang Shaoyi did not glance at the French Minister Baohai, the strategy was very clear, the situation between France and Japan was different, and if they talked about a dozen things, the big business on the French side would definitely not end.

Of course, nothing would come of the day's meeting, and Gwener and John Young felt that if they continued to talk like this, the differences between the two sides were still tight. The first is to ask for Ezo directly, although the big merchants are full of benevolence and morality, but everyone can see that they just want to dismember Japan and make it unable to continue. The second is to knock the bone and press the marrow. 100 million taels of silver, that is, silver is no longer valuable, but 100 million taels is enough for Japan to earn three years without eating or drinking.

"It seems that this is not a solution, the big merchants really want to send troops to land in Japan, with their inseparable strength from the Russian regular army, I am afraid that Japan really can't defend it. Coupled with the help of those terrifying airships, it really forced the big businessmen to be anxious, and Wang Yi, that hooligan, could do anything. Gwener didn't have a good impression of Wang Yi either.

John Yang nodded and said, "I also have the same opinion as yours, it is not in our interests to be too weak Japan. Moreover, the fact that the big merchants do not have Japan's restraint in East Asia is not a good thing for us. ”

Gwener fell into deep thought, and then said for a long time: "Otherwise, our two countries will provide some loans to Japan, and then provide some technical ......."

The 100 million taels of silver ordered by Wang must have gone to the British and Americans, and when the Qing Dynasty was defeated, their banks came to provide loans, but this time it was just a change of object. If you have money, throw it all in.

Zhang Shusheng, who was listening, also saw what it means to be ruthless this time, and the conditions given to Japan by the big merchants were very simple, either they would die and exterminate the species, or they would choose to accept the conditions. In Wang Yi's words, since you shamelessly took the initiative to give you a hug, if I don't make you want to die, I'm really sorry for this fate.

Three days later, Dashang gave Japan an ultimatum.

"The Japanese side must make a final reply before 22 p.m. Beijing time on November 3, 1882, otherwise our Dashang will raze the whole of Tokyo to the ground!" At the same time, the landing operation began gradually, completely erasing Japan from the map. ”

At this time, news began to be transmitted to Japan, and the Japanese people watched the development of events in shock, some resentful, some sad, some desperate, and people were waiting for the final decision of Emperor Meiji. It's war, it's peace, it's tonight.

The airships of the Great Merchants began to gradually rise into the air......