Mutsu Munemitsu is a well-known diplomat in modern Japan, who was an assistant to Ito Hirobumi during the negotiations in Shimonoseki, and one of Lin Yuan's opponents. After listening to the telegram, Muto Genjiro went back in a huff, and the two sides confronted each other all night, and at noon the next day, the Japanese side sent a handwritten letter from Mutsu Munemitsu, saying that he wanted to meet Lin Yuan to discuss the matter.

Lin Yuan immediately replied to Mutsu Zongguang and asked him to come, Mutsu Zongguang soon came, Lin Yuan met Mutsu Zongguang in the command headquarters, Lin Yuan saw Muzu Zongguang, behaved very enthusiastically, and said with a smile: "Mr. Mutsu, we are old friends, do you remember the negotiations in Shimono more than two years ago?" ”

Mutsu Zong Guang Ha Lu Ha Da smiled and said: "Of course I remember, Mr. Lin Yuan's conversation is extraordinary, admirable, I haven't seen him for a long time, and his demeanor is still the same." Lin Yuan also laughed, and Mutsu Zongguang turned around and said outside, "Muto, come in." ”

Lin Yuan asked in surprise, "Mr. Mutsu, why did you call Captain Muto?" ”

At this time, Muto Genjiro walked in from the outside, standing obediently next to Mutsu Munemitsu, the previous arrogance was swept away, and Mutsu Somitsu smiled: "I heard that Muto and you have some contradictions, so I'll make everything clear here." ”

Lin Yuan looked at the way Mutsu Zongguang spoke, and he didn't seem to be angry about his isolation battle, so Lin Yuan waited patiently, wanting to know what he would say, Mutsu Zongguang smiled: "Mr. Lin Yuan, first of all, I want to thank you for rescuing the Japanese expatriate, and at the same time controlling the Ainu people of our Great Japanese Empire, and avoiding the conflict between the two peoples of our Great Japanese Empire. ”

Lin Yuan thought to himself: "Mutsu Munemitsu emphasized twice in this sentence that the Ainu are part of the Japanese, what does he want to do?" Lin Yuan said with a smile while thinking: "Mr. Mutsu is too polite, we China and Japan are friends in the first place. ”

As soon as these words came out, the three people present all sneered in their hearts: "Who is friends with you!" Mutsu Munemitsu smiled, "Yes, but you're setting a bad precedent in the international community by doing so." ”

Lin Yuan asked, "A bad precedent?" What do you mean by that? ”

Mutsu Somitsu smiled, "Which country in the world is not composed of many ethnic groups? As far as I know, there are Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan, Hui and other ethnic groups in your country, and it is inevitable that there will be contradictions between these ethnic groups. ”

Lin Yuan thought to himself: "Mutsu Zongguang, you have oppressed the Ainu people, and I only sent troops to rescue them, if it is an ordinary contradiction, will I send troops?" However, Lin Yuan didn't want to debate these things, because once he said it, he would fall into a helpless situation with Mutsu Zongguang who said that the public was justified and the mother-in-law said that the mother-in-law was reasonable, so Lin Yuan thought to himself: "I'll give you a cruel word to make you speechless!" ”

Lin Yuan made up his mind and said with a smile: "Of course, if there is a contradiction between our nations, the Great Japanese Empire is welcome to fight in isolation at any time!" ”

If it was in the past, it was still possible for the great powers to carry out isolation operations, but now that China is strong, it is difficult for the armies of the great powers to set foot on Chinese soil, let alone conduct any isolation operations, of course Mutsu Zongguang understands this truth, and he secretly scolded in his heart: "What a Lin Yuan, this is really ruthless!" ”

In the struggle between great powers, in the end, it is still necessary to rely on strength to speak, Mutsu Somitsu took a deep breath and said with a smile: "Well, when you need it, we are willing to send troops to conduct isolation operations, I want to know what I want to know: When will your troops end the isolation operations on Zhanshou Island?" ”

Lin Yuan looked embarrassed and said, "That's not easy to say, when the grudge between the two nationalities is eliminated, my troops will naturally withdraw." ”

Mutsu Somitsu thought to himself, "This is just how you want to stay here and not leave!" But he had no choice but to smile and say, "Then trouble Mr. Lin Yuan, I'll leave first." ”

Lin Yuan sent Mutsu Munemitsu and Muto Genjiro out of the city, and outside Muto Genjiro said to Mutsu Munemitsu: "Foreign Minister, are we just watching Lin Yuan occupy our land?" ”

Mutsu Somitsu said: "The empire's primary goal now is to annex Korea, and other things are put aside first, and Lin Yuan's navy is very strong, we are not an opponent yet!" ”

Muto Genjiro nodded painfully, and Mutsu Somitsu said again: "You have to restrain your subordinates here, don't provoke Lin Yuan's troops, if you provoke Lin Yuan, you will give them an excuse to attack, understand?" ”

Motojiro Muto said, "Yes! Subordinates understand! ”

Mutsu Munemitsu nodded, and Muto Motojiro said, "Foreign Minister, are we going to let Lin Yuan run rampant?" Is there no one in this world who can restrain Lin Yuan? ”

Mutsu Somitsu Ha Da laughed and said: "We have a lot of ways to restrain Lin Yuan, and now the military department is secretly carrying out the 'Amaterasu Artifact' plan, but this plan is successful, our Great Japanese Empire will have a series of advanced weapons, and then it will be the end of Lin Yuan!" However, these weapons are not the most powerful, the most powerful is this move: use China to control China! ”

Motojiro Muto hurriedly asked, "The subordinates are stupid!" What is 'China for China'? ”

Mutsu Zong Guang said with a smile: "We have discussed with His Majesty the Emperor, with Lin Yuan's strength, it is easy for him to attack Beijing and claim the emperor himself, but he did not do this, but willingly worked for Emperor Guangxu, what do you say this is for?" ”

Muto Motojiro said: "They have always had a tradition of loyalty to the king, and the people of China respect loyalty very much, so I think loyalty to the king is an unshakable principle in Lin Yuan's heart. ”

Mutsu Munemitsu laughed when he heard this, and then looked at Muto Genjiro helplessly, as if Muto Genjiro was an ignorant child, and then said, "Zhongjun? Lin Yuan didn't have even a single word of loyalty in his heart, you can understand it if you look at the textbooks for primary school students in the Northeast. ”

Motojiro Muto asked suspiciously, "Elementary school textbooks?" What's there to see about this? ”

Mutsu Somitsu said: "The Northeast is now implementing six years of compulsory education, all children between the ages of seven and thirteen, both male and female, must go to school, Lin Yuan even promulgated a law that those who do not let their children go to school will be punished with heavy fines, and families whose children go to school will be subsidized, and schools are a good place to control social thoughts and public opinion, especially primary schools, which will lay a lot of the most basic things for people's thoughts." ”

"In Lin Yuan's primary school textbook, the first lesson is: I am Chinese, I love China! Looking through the entire textbook, there is not a single mention of the emperor as the master of China, not half a word of loyalty, not even the fact that there is an emperor in China, do you say that Lin Yuan is a loyal person? ”

Muto Genjiro shook his head slightly, and Mutsu Munemitsu continued: "After our discussion, we unanimously decided that the reason why Lin Yuan did not overthrow the Qing court was because he understood that under the current conditions, as long as he took that step, it meant that civil war was inevitable, and Lin Yuan did not want to fight a civil war, so he was waiting for the opportunity. ”