"Nani?"

Tetsuhei Osawa, who is the Japanese ambassador to Italy, looked at Bacona in front of him and asked Bacona in front of him with an uncertain expression.

"Your Excellency Bacona, are you saying that your country is willing to lend money to our country?"

Don't blame Ambassador Tetsuhei Osawa for asking that, because Italy is unlikely to lend them in any way. It is important to know that the reputation of Italians who ask for money and do not want to die is not only known to European countries, but also to other places.

Now the Italians are willing to give them loans, which feels a bit evil no matter how you look at it.

Seeing the disbelieving expression on the Japanese ambassador's face, Bacona couldn't help but remember the expression he had when he first heard the news, similar to that of the Japanese ambassador.

"Your Excellency Tetsuhei Osawa heard you right, our country is indeed willing to provide you with a loan, but the interest rate will be a little higher, and the interest rate will be one cent per year. In addition, there are restrictions on loan procurement, which can only be used for the purchase of Chinese goods. ”

Bakona's answer shocked Tetsuhei Osawa, because the interest rate on this loan is too high, even if Japan borrows money from the British Empire, the interest rate is only 7.5%, and the interest rate given by Italy is too high.

"Your Excellency Bacona, the interest rate on the loan offered by your country is too high, and my country will definitely not accept it."

"Ambassador Osawa, you should inform your government first, and the minimum loan that our country can lend is 200 million lira, and the maximum term is 10 years."

Seeing that the Italians were so insistent, Tetsuhei Osawa could only send this request back to Tokyo.

Originally, it was just a purchase of ships, but it turned out that there would be such a moth, and in the face of the news sent by Ambassador Teppei Osawa, the Japanese government immediately convened the important ministers to discuss.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the loan condition of the Italians, let's take a look."

Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, looking at the gathered ministers, handed out the terms of the Italian loan to everyone present. This is the third time that Prime Minister Ito has formed a cabinet to serve as prime minister, and he is very anxious about becoming prime minister this time because it is very difficult to form a cabinet. This time, the Constitutional Political Friendship Association he founded finally got the opportunity to form a cabinet, but the Constitutional Political Friendship Association was mired in disputes, which made him feel very anxious.

After a burst of reading, the Great Tibetan Minister Watanabe Kunitake immediately spoke. "Prime Minister, the interest rate on this Italian loan is too high, we should not borrow. According to my estimates, if you take out the minimum Italian loan of 200 million lira, you will need to repay the Italians 320 million lira in at least 10 years. The interest rate is too high to be suitable for borrowing at all. ”

After the Great Tibetan Prime Minister spoke, it immediately attracted echoes.

"That's right, the interest rate is too high, everyone knows what the situation of our country's finances is, and the money of the Italians, I think it is still calculated, and it is not as good as the British."

After hearing such remarks, even the emperor sitting on the throne showed a not very good-looking expression.

Seeing that the situation was about to fall into opposition, I saw Ito Hirofumi slam the table in front of him.

The loud noise startled those present, and even Meiji failed to maintain the majesty of the emperor.

"Confused, you people only have this loan in their eyes, and they don't see the deep things of this loan at all. Are you still the Empire's ministers, and are you still the cabinet ministers who can hold the power? ”

In the face of Ito Hirobumi, who was furious, whether it was Foreign Minister Shuzo Aoki, Minister of Great Treasury Watanabe Kunitake, or Katsura Taro, who had served as Land Minister for many years, or even others, they were all stunned by Ito Hirobumi's angry appearance. In their minds, this evergreen in politics has never been so angry.

"The prime minister might as well speak up if he has something."

Haixiang Yamamoto Quan Guard saw that this stalemate would not end well in the future, so he had to speak out to give everyone a step.

In response to Yamamoto Gonbei's words, Ito Hirobumi handed over a grateful look. These bastards, none of them are worry-free, they are all waiting to make a fool of themselves, right?

Hirofumi Ito, who originally had only three points of anger, rose directly to eight points now.

"This loan provided by the Italians is obviously a very profitable loan, and it can only purchase Italian goods, which is not worth the loan. But ladies and gentlemen, don't you see that this is not just a loan, but a guarantee from the Italians, a guarantee not to meddle in our war with Russia. I don't think anyone here wants Italy to be involved in our struggle with Russia, right? ”

In the face of Ito Hirobumi's words, who among the important ministers present are stupid. Who wants to see an Italian appear next to him in the midst of a war with the Russians in full force.

But why no one pointed it out, but continued the problem of too high interest, some people really deliberately deserve to be punished.

Regardless of what other people are thinking now, after Ito Hirobumi points out that the Italian's loan is a good intention, others can no longer play dumb.

"The Prime Minister is right that this loan is not just a simple loan, but a goodwill. I think that since the Italians say that the loan cannot be less than 200 million lira, then according to me, you can borrow as much as you want. Anyway, if the Italians don't want our country to go bankrupt, then it is impossible to favor the Russians, they can only help us. ”

"Bastard, borrow as much as you want, do you think you don't have to pay it back, where does the collateral come from, what do you pay back with a cent of interest per year?"

Prime Minister Kunitake Watanabe suddenly stood up and rebuked these words, which sounded tempting, but they were extremely harmful to the finances. Can you borrow as much as you can borrow, and don't you have to pay back the money?

The annual government revenue is so large that the annual interest and principal payments alone account for one-third of Japan's total fiscal revenue, which is a very high figure.

In fact, Japan's finances are more difficult than in history, and the reason is simple: Japan failed to obtain an indemnity of 200 million taels of silver from the Qing State, and the war losses were even greater.

Of course, Japan's financial difficulties are not out of the question, and the Japanese government, in view of the financial pressure, is currently mobilizing millions of men and women to work abroad. Therefore, in the Far East, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and even in the Americas and Europe, you can see these men and women working hard for Japan. Of course, the easiest thing to see is the young girls in Japan, these women who were encouraged by the government to dedicate themselves to the country, who would have thought that after they were old, who would take her in.

"I think that since the Italians are willing to lend us money, then it is better to borrow more, 300 million lira is a very appropriate number, and I believe that the Italians will give us satisfactory results."

When Hirobumi Ito said this, he turned his head and said to the outside world. "Foreign Minister Aoki, I'll leave it to you to negotiate with Italy."

"Don't dare, you won't live up to the trust."

Shuzo Aoki quickly stood up and bowed in reply.