On September 22, 1883, in Seoul, the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gyeongnongjae, this place is backed by Beiyue Mountain, green mountains and green waters, the scenery is beautiful like a fairyland, Yuan Shikai is holding an emergency military meeting here.

According to the reports of the Korean soldiers who fled back, a large number of Japanese cavalry had appeared in Pyeongtaek, which means that a large number of Japanese troops will arrive in Pyeongtaek in the next two days, which is faster than expected. What made Yuan Shikai depressed was that the combat effectiveness of the new Korean army was too poor, as soon as it came into contact, a quarter of the troops were finished, and the commander Min Yongyi was completely missing, and he didn't know whether he was dead or alive.

The emperor had already given an order for him to hold on to Seoul until reinforcements from the rear arrived, but the reinforcements were still in Pyongyang at the moment, and there was no railway between Pyongyang and Seoul, so it could not be reached in a few days, and the Japanese army was already close at hand.

What to do?

At this time, Ma Jianzhong proposed to abandon Incheon and transfer a regiment of Zhang Guangqian to Seoul. Chen Shutang objected, and if Inchon was abandoned, the follow-up troops of the Japanese army might land directly from Incheon.

But Yuan Shikai weighed the pros and cons, the new troops of the Japanese army should not be so fast, and the crisis of Seoul was already imminent, if Seoul was lost, even if Inchon was well defended, it would be meaningless. Zuihou decided to abandon Incheon for the time being, and immediately transferred Jang Kwang-mae's group.

In Pyeongtaek, the Japanese troops of Takashima had arrived. Through cavalry reconnaissance, Akiyama Yoshiko discovered that a large number of Koreans were building fortifications on the north bank of the Han River, and he strongly advised Takashima Tonosuke that the troops must attack immediately, otherwise the longer the time drags on, the stronger and more complete the fortifications on the Han River will be, and the more difficult the attack will be.

Takashima felt justified and immediately ordered the whole army not to stop in Pyeongtaek and continue to advance north, preparing to launch a surprise attack on Seoul!

In addition to the military preparations of both sides, there is no ambiguity in the diplomatic struggle.

On September 23, the British Cabinet held a meeting on the Sino-Japanese War, presided over by the Prime Minister, William 61 Gladstone, leader of the Liberal Party, and in front of him placed two documents, one was a long telegram sent back by the Minister to China, Pashali, and the other was a letter from the Japanese envoy Aoki Shuzo.

There was a heated discussion about British policy in the war, but the telegram of Zuihou Pashali, as well as the orders for Chinese industrialization, played a role, and the determination, goodwill, and market share of the Chinese government led the British to believe that if China had won, it would be relatively beneficial to Britain. Because judging from the resolute attitude of the Chinese emperor, even if China loses, Japan will definitely be greatly damaged, so that there will be no one in Asia to contain Russia.

Therefore, the meeting decided to reject Japan's request for a loan, but to allow Japan to receive the warships that had already been built, which was also one of Aoki's requests. According to the principle of wartime neutrality, third countries should refuse to deliver military orders, but Britain wanted China to also suffer losses in the war, which was more in line with British interests in Asia.

Aoki received a reply from the British government on the same day, and he was deeply disappointed that he had not been able to gain political and economic support from the United Kingdom. Previously, he had tested the tone of Germany and France, but apparently neither wanted to offend China, and Aoki reported to China that he should try his luck on the Russian side.

On the same day, in the imperial palace in Beijing, Ding Yuntong was still thinking about other things.

At the beginning of the year, the Boston Globe, one of the top 10 newspapers in the United States, >< spent a whole week serializing a strange book of the Presbyterian Protocol of Zion. In the voice of a group of Jewish elders, the book describes how the Jews conspired to rule the entire Shijie. After its publication, it quickly caused a sensation in American public opinion, and although many people doubted that the book was fictional, it played a role in fueling the anti-Semitic wave that was just emerging in the United States.

But in fact, the mastermind behind it was Ding Yuntong, the manuscript circulated in Russia very early, Ding Yuntong sent someone to translate it, and then with a sponsorship of 50,000 US dollars, and at the same time secretly stuffed 12,000 US dollars into the editor-in-chief of the , and finally let the book be published in the form of serialization, which is far more influential than publishing a single book. Such anti-Semitic sentiments led some Jewish intellectuals to turn to China and Funsali.

Ding Yuntong also felt that now was a good time to set up an indigenous armed group in Laos, which might arouse the suspicion of the Jews in peacetime, and now was the right excuse to defend Siam. The formation of the Lao armed forces can be used against the Jews in the future, because with the large increase in Jewish immigration, it will inevitably lead to conflicts between the Jews and the local Lao natives.

Thinking about it, Tang Jingxiang, the current minister in Siam, is the most haode organization candidate, he is familiar with the customs and customs of the Indochina Peninsula, and his operation before the Vietnam War also reflects his organizational ability.

So, Ding Yuntong ordered Tang Jingxiang to go to northern Laos immediately to investigate, and draw up the relevant jihua as soon as possible. As for his post as minister to Siam, he will be transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rong Hong to take over.

After Rong Hong received the notice, the emperor's order was urgent, and he decided to go back to the house immediately, and asked his wife Gu to pack his bags, and leave immediately after he entered the palace to meet the driver and discuss the strategy.

He was busy with official business on weekdays, and he couldn't go back to his house until dark every day to rest, and he went home early today, but he didn't expect to accidentally break an adultery. When he led someone to kick open the wooden door of the small firewood house, he found that his wife Gu and his nephew Wang Li were embracing each other naked, desperately intercourse.

This Wang Li has big ears and seems to be loyal, Rong Hong has taken him with him from being an official outside to working in the central government, and wants to train him to be a subordinate, but he didn't expect to be so shameless and unethical today. In a fit of rage, Rong Hong slapped Wang Li and ordered his subordinates to take care of him and the Gu family, and punish him severely when he returned.

As for Mrs. Gu, she is not greedy for Wang Li, but she is old and decrepit, and Rong Hong already has other young and beautiful women, deep and lonely, this Wang Li is also very attentive on weekdays, so he simply comes to a dewy couple.

Wang Li knew that this time was a big disaster, and when the master came back, it would be tantamount to waiting to die. In desperation, he broke free from the hemp rope, escaped from the cage, and ran to the office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in this area to report that Rong Hong intended to rebel and rebelled.

The staff immediately reported it layer by layer, and soon the news was reported to Zhao Bingjun. Zhao Bingjun felt that it involved high-ranking officials, and the matter was important, and the whistleblower said that he had a nose and an eye, so he immediately called Ding Yuntong for instructions.

With this approval, the Ministry of Internal Affairs acted quickly to arrest Rong Hong, who had just stepped through the door, and conducted a thorough search of his home.

Finally, in the mezzanine of the desk in Rong Hong's study, evidence consistent with what the informant said, was found.

A zodiac token, "Mao Rabbit"!

In the early morning of the 24th, Ding Yuntong sat indifferently on the dragon chair and listened to Zhao Bingjun's report: "The whistleblower is called Wang Li, who is Rong Hong's nephew, and he has an adulterous affair with Rong Hong's wife Gu. That Gu told Wang Li that Rong Hong once had a drunken dream, saying that he had joined a secret organization called the Black Stone Society, whose purpose was to overthrow the current dynasty. After a surprise interrogation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Rong Hong's confession was indeed true, and this Black Stone will have twelve core members, with the zodiac as the code name, and he himself is one of the "Mao Rabbits", but he does not know the true identities of the other eleven people. ＂

Ding Yuntong asked again: "Have these all been verified?" ＂

"Back to Bixia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs uses the most experienced interrogators, and also uses a lot of means, if he knows something, it is absolutely impossible to hide. However, he said that the initiator of the Blackstone Society is called "Zi Mouse", but this "Zi Mouse" knows the true identities of several people, and has now fled abroad for safety. Moreover, in a few sentences, "Zi Mouse" once revealed that the identities of the 12 zodiac signs of Blackstone are different, and their political positions are also different. ＂

Ding Yuntong nodded silently, and said in his heart: "It seems that it is the Liliang assembly that opposes me, and the political positions are different, which shows that there are both left and right factions." And whether they have a party, or the person in charge flees abroad, presumably all kinds of procedures such as passes are seamless, which shows that this black stone will be very big in the official mansion, and it will never be a deputy minister of Rong Hong. ＂

Ding Yuntong suddenly had a feeling that Blackstone would be his own major opponents like Japan and Siam, no, more terrible than Japan and Siam! Because this opponent was hiding in the shadows, he felt a little chill down his spine for the first time.

After thinking about it, Ding Yuntong asked again: "He doesn't know this, and he doesn't know that, so how did he get in?" ＂

"Back to Bixia, according to his confession, the person who introduced him to the Blackstone Society was Zeng Guofan's younger brother, the former governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and Zeng Guoquan, who had retired home to retire. When Zeng Guofan was alive, he was friendly with Rong Hong, and he was also assigned to go to the United States to purchase machinery, so his brother Zeng Guoqian was also familiar with Rong Hong. Originally, the position of this "Mao Rabbit" should have been Zeng Guoqian's, but he thought that he was dying, so he introduced Rong Hong instead. ＂

"What about Zeng Guoqian? ＂

"The Ministry of the Interior had raided Zeng Guoqian's mansion two hours ago, but the old man had already committed suicide by taking poison, and it is estimated that the poison should be carried with him at all times. A token was also found from Zeng Guoqian's house, which was also a rabbit, but it was only a long-eared rabbit, not a zodiac sign, and it was estimated that it was for non-core members. ＂

"Hey, that's fast. Ding Yuntong's evaluation of the Blackstone Society was even higher in his heart, "So, the clue is broken again?" ＂

"Back to the emperor, the Ministry of the Interior is investigating the personnel exchanges between Zeng Guoqian before his death. ＂

Ding Yuntong nodded and sighed secretly: "It's really a dilemma at home and abroad!" ＂

Ding Yuntong here is still sighing, and the defense of Seoul is about to begin.

In the early morning of September 23, a large Japanese army had advanced to the south bank of the Han River, facing the Chinese and North Korean troops on the opposite bank.

The Namhangang River, which originates at the foot of Mount Taebaek, and the North Hangang River, which originates at Mount Kumgang, meet 35 kilometers from Seoul, pass through the southern part of Seoul, and then join the Imjin River at Zuihou and flow into the Yellow Sea, reaching one kilometer at its widest point in the Seoul region.

At this time, Major General Takashima Tonosuke of the Japanese Army, and Akiyama Yoshiko Osa were standing on the south bank of the Han River, observing the defensive situation on the other side.

The Chinese army looked very calm, seeing that the Japanese army had arrived, they still only supervised the Korean people to repair the fortifications, and looked calm. The fortifications had already begun to take shape, and the trenches that stretched for several kilometers along the river bank, and at the front of the trenches there was also a breast wall built with earth and stones, although it was not very strong, but it could effectively resist gunshots.

The breastwork plus the trenches are definitely hard to gnaw on unless they are bombarded with a lot of heavy artillery.

Takashima and Akiyama felt very embarrassed for a while.