After the victory of the Battle of Sendai, Shen Xin contacted Lin Yuan and said: "Lin Shuai, we have already deployed the strategic plan for attacking Tokyo, is our next step to concentrate the strength of seven divisions to attack Tokyo?" ”

Lin Yuan said: "Don't attack Tokyo for the time being. ”

Shen Xin asked, "Lin Shuai, do you think that the strength of the seven divisions is too small?" We can recruit troops from the Vladivostok area. ”

Lin Yuan said: "Tokyo is the capital of Japan, which is related to the face of the Japanese Empire, so Japan is fortified in Tokyo layer by layer, if we attack, it will become a battle of war of attrition, but the emperor is not in Tokyo." ”

Shen Xin asked, "Where will the emperor be if he is not in Tokyo?" ”

Lin Yuan said: "According to my information, the emperor is generally in the emperor's command post, and the emperor's command post is in Sendai, Hiroshima and Kyoto, and now there is no trace of the Japanese emperor in Hiroshima and Sendai, and the Japanese emperor should be in Kyoto." ”

Shen Xin said: "Kyoto is a historical city in Japan, and it is also an extremely important city, I know that the emperor was there before the Meiji Restoration, so it is normal for the emperor to stay in Kyoto, but Sendai is more than 700 kilometers away from Kyoto, and our troops can't get through." ”

Lin Yuan said: "I am planning the Battle of Kyoto, you are ready, I have decided to transport you by sea." ”

Shen Xin agreed, and Lin Yuan immediately ordered: the 1st and 17th Divisions attacked Wakasa Bay in the northeast of Kyoto, and the 18th and 36th Divisions attacked Ise Bay on the southeast side of Kyoto, outflanking the east side of Kyoto with the strength of four divisions; Six divisions, including the 24th and 23rd Divisions stationed on the island of Shikoku, crossed the Kii Waterway and captured Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, encircling Kyoto from the south.

Units of five divisions, including the 2nd and 3rd Divisions, and two brigades, including the 1st Independent Brigade, attacked Hyogo Prefecture on the west side of Kyoto, focusing on Kobe, Osaka and other cities that are close to Kyoto, and surrounded Kyoto from the west and north, while the 33rd Amphibious Operations Division landed from the sea and cooperated with the main force to attack; The 32nd Air Cavalry Division served as a strategic reserve and was put into battle at the most critical moment.

After Lin Yuan's deployment, four divisions will be concentrated on the east side of Kyoto, six divisions will be concentrated on the south side, and five divisions and two independent brigades will be concentrated on the west and north sides, for a total of 15 divisions and two independent brigades, plus the artillery and signal troops directly under the Central Front Army, the total strength will be as high as more than 600,000 troops, and this is also the largest operation that Lin Yuan's troops have invested in since its establishment.

Lin Yuan issued the order to Xiao Yingwu and Shen Xin, and informed them: while retaining the headquarters of the Central Front and the Northern Front, establish the headquarters of the enemy before the Battle of Kyoto, and personally serve as the commander-in-chief, but Lin Yuan thought about it and thought that he had too many things to do and it was difficult to command the battle wholeheartedly, so he let Xiao Yingwu serve as the commander-in-chief.

Lin Yuan finished arranging the battle of Kyoto, and then the attendant came in and said, "Lin Shuai, the French ambassador asks to see you." ”

Lin Yuan said without thinking about it: "The French ambassador must have come to the peace talks on behalf of Japan, what is there to talk about!" My conditions have been made clear, and it is impossible for the Emperor of Japan to agree to them. ”

The attendant asked tentatively, "What does Lin Shuai mean: I don't see him?" ”

Lin Yuan sighed lightly and said, "It's not good not to see you, let's see you." Lin Yuan left the office and walked to the reception room, and the French ambassador smiled when he saw Lin Yuan: "Mr. Lin Yuan, I'm really sorry to disturb you." ”

Lin Yuan smiled heartily and said, "We are old friends with your country, so you might as well say anything directly." After Lin Yuan said this, he thought to himself: "Talking about 'old friends' is just a scene, China and France just fought a war in Vietnam more than 20 years ago. ”

The French ambassador smiled and said, "Mr. Lin Yuan, I would like to introduce you to a friend, I wonder if you would like to meet?" ”

Lin Yuan thought to himself: "He also told me like this last time, and as a result, he got me a special envoy of the United Nations, and I don't know who will be brought to me this time?" Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Okay, please bring him and introduce him to me." ”

The French ambassador said with a smile: "People are now on the ship outside Tianjin Port, please Lin Shuai make a phone call and don't check the people and equipment on that ship." ”

Lin Yuan frowned and said, "Don't check people and equipment?" What are you doing? ”

The French ambassador smiled lightly and said, "Mr. Lin Yuan, although rest assured, I will never do anything that harms the Chinese people." ”

Lin Yuan thought for a while and said, "Tell me the number of the ship." ”

The French ambassador took out a beautiful card from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yuan, who glanced at the number on it and knew that the ship was a passenger ship dedicated to the French Embassy, so he handed the card to his subordinates and said, "Call the Tianjin Port Department and ask them to release this ship." ”

The subordinate took the card and turned to leave, and the French minister smiled and said, "This person will come to my mansion in the evening, please take your wife to my mansion for a banquet in the evening." ”

Lin Yuan didn't ask much, and took Shen Wanqing to the French ambassador's mansion in the evening, Lin Yuan told Shen Wanqing about this matter, Shen Wanqing was also full of curiosity about this person, the two soon arrived at the French ambassador's mansion, the French ambassador smiled and greeted a few words, and then everyone sat down, and when a small attendant ran in, whispered a few words in the French ambassador's ear, the French ambassador waved his hand to let the attendant out, and then turned to Lin Yuan and said: "Mr. Lin Yuan, a new friend is here." ”

After saying this, the French ambassador stood up and opened the door himself, an old man walked in, Lin Yuan saw the old man and immediately exclaimed, "Why are you here?" ”

The old man laughed and said to Lin Yuan: "I really didn't expect that Mr. Lin Yuan still remembered me. ”

Shen Wanqing whispered to Lin Yuan at this time, "Do you know him?" Who the hell is he? ”

The old man smiled again and said to Shen Wanqing: "Miss Shen doesn't even remember the old man, then let me remind you, four years ago, we once met in Shimonoseki, Japan, when the old man saw Miss Shen, he was shocked, after four years, Miss Shen is still radiant, but the old man is about to die." ”

The old man laughed again after saying these words, Shen Wanqing smiled politely, and then whispered to Lin Yuan, "Who is he?" ”

Lin Yuan said softly: "He is the Prime Minister of Japan, Hirobumi Ito!" ”

Shen Wanqing suddenly exclaimed, Ito Hirofumi heard the conversation between Lin Yuan and Shen Wanqing, and said with a smile: "Yes, it's Ito Hirofumi below." ”

Shen Wanqing pointed to Ito Hirobumi's face and said, "I've seen the photos of Ito Hirobumi, you look very different from Ito Hirobumi, especially your face, which is much thinner than Ito Hirobumi." ”

Lin Yuan said on the side: "Wanqing, Ito Hirobumi must have been very busy recently, so he has become thinner, I used to negotiate with him back then, and I remember his voice, so I recognized him at once, okay, let's not talk about this, Mr. Ito, do you have anything to do with me?" ”