Between Edo Castle, Chuo-Oku, and the throne.

The 11th Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, who reigned for nearly forty years, is in his fifties this year, and he looks completely exhausted and lethargic. In the early days of his presidency, he also lifted his spirits and appointed a number of talented officials to carry out reforms, and he also wanted to work hard to promote the industrialization of Japan. In order to achieve this "impossible" goal, he single-handedly supported the three families of Daikoku, Sumitomo, and Goto in the "Four Tengu" (the Zheng family in Japan has always been a big chaebol), and gave them the permission to "leave the country" - in fact, someone has been doing this all the time, but it is all illegal and private. Therefore, the scale has been relatively limited, and the quality of service that can be provided is not very high. It was only after the three major chaebols were granted concessions that the deal really became bigger......

However, the efforts of the zaibatsu fostered by the Tokugawa family to promote Japan's industrialization were not satisfactory to the shogun. But Tokugawa Ieki couldn't think of a better way, and in the end he had to settle for a mess.

However, there are still many Japanese devils who are unwilling to give up, including the heir of the Mito family, one of the three imperial families, Tokugawa Saiaki, who is now the naval commissioner, and the heir of the Satsuma Shimazu family, who is now a staff officer in the shogunate navy.

Now these two are lying in front of the Tokugawa family. Among them, the head of the navy, Tokugawa Saiakimasa, said something roundabout and vague: "Lord Gongfang, according to the analysis of the accurate information we have, the international situation is now on the verge of drastic changes, and the peace that has been maintained since the Napoleonic Wars is being broken. The Ming Empire apparently wanted to upset the current balance through warfare, so as to seize the dominance of Malacca, the East Indies, Australia and other regions, and expand the Ming sphere of influence in North America. Once the Ming Dynasty's attempt succeeds, Japan will be completely surrounded by the Ming Dynasty and will never have a future. Therefore, people of insight have realized that Japan must do something to break the existing suffocating situation, and use clever means to let the conflict between the Ming and Great Britain break out in advance......"

Hearing this, Tokugawa Ieqi, who was originally a little drowsy, suddenly became energetic: "Nani? Let them go to war in advance with clever means? Qi Zhao, Qi Liang, what are you going to do? ”

Tokugawa Saiaki looked back at Shimazu Sairyo.

Shogunate Navy Staff Officer Shimazu Qiliang immediately took over the question and said, "Lord Gongfang, now Great Britain and Great Ming have already competed in Afghanistan...... According to reliable information, Daikin supported by the Ming Dynasty has the upper hand for the time being. On the one hand, Britain promoted the convening of the Versailles Naval Conference, intending to unite European powers to put pressure on the Ming Dynasty; On the one hand, they sent a fleet of thousands of miles and sent us a large number of weapons and ammunition...... This is to use Japan as a chess piece to test the reality of the Ming Dynasty.

At this time, Japan, the country of Japan, must not become a pawn of the British...... Because once it becomes a pawn of Britain, with our geographical location and strength in Japan, it can only be a pawn that can cross the river with no return. I believe that with the strength of the Ming Navy, it will definitely deal a devastating blow to our navy, and then Japan's coastline will be completely blocked. And the only way out for us in Japan is to be a fuse! ”

"Be the fuse?" The Tokugawa family frowned deeply, "Qi Liang, do you want to provoke a war between the Ming Dynasty and the Great Britain?" ”

"Hay!" Shimazu Qiliang lowered his head seriously, "Lord Gongfang, the current situation is clear, either we are pushed to the battlefield of war with the Ming Dynasty by the British, or we successfully ignite the war between Ming and Ying, and then wait for the price between Ming and Ying, waiting for the opportunity to move." If we are pushed into the battlefield by the British, then with Japan's national strength, I am afraid that the odds of victory will not even be tenth, and if it fails, Japan will be trapped on the archipelago forever, even if it does not perish! ”

The Tokugawa family Qi Gui was a general, and of course he would not be willing to lead Japan to war with the Ming Dynasty. Even if the hatred in Japan is very high, he is not willing to obey the will of the people (in fact, it means the middle and lower class samurai), but now Japan is like a powder keg, there are too many middle and lower class samurai and ronin who are in trouble because of the economic crisis, and they desperately need a war, and if the Tokugawa shogun cannot meet their demands, then it cannot be ruled out that they will start a war of the end.

And the British sent a fleet to visit Japan at this time, and they also sent arms in vain, making it clear that they wanted to incite war! The already high anti-Ming sentiment is likely to be ignited or even detonated!

Once the samurai's belligerence was ignited, the Tokugawa family's world was in turmoil.

Therefore, among the various options in front of Tokugawa Ieqi, igniting the war between Ming and Ying is indeed the best choice.

But the question is, is this possible?

"Qi Zhao, Qi Liang," Shogun Tokugawa asked with a frown, "how are you going to ignite the war between the Ming and the British?" ”

Shimazu Qiliang said: "Lord Gongfang, there are many unrestrained ronin groups in the country now, and some of them have also been funded by wealthy merchants and powerful clans, and are engaged in some businesses that can make huge profits, which is very powerful...... And they are willing to serve their country!

Now, you don't need to know who they are, let alone what they're going to do, you just need to know that there are loyal people above them. In this way, if things don't work out, it has nothing to do with you, Lord Gongfang. ”

"Mixi!" Tokugawa Ieki is the most able to listen to such advice - you do bad things, if you succeed, I will have great benefits, and if you fail, you will apologize for your seppuku and I have nothing to do with it.

"That's it," said the Tokugawa family with a smile, "the two of you are very pleased to be honest for the country." If this can be successful, the two of them will inherit the position of the feudal lord as soon as possible, and then come to become the old middle of the shogunate! ”

That's a great grace!

Although Qi Zhao and Qi Liang are both heirs, heirs may not be able to succeed to the throne. The Shimazu family has an old immortal lord of the Taishang Domain, Shimazu Shigehao, and the reason why Qi Zhao can become the heir is because his brother Qi Yu has a small infertility problem...... But it is not difficult to "cure" this disease, as long as Qi Yuken is willing to green his head and keep the medicine until the disease is removed.

Therefore, only by really taking the position of the feudal lord in his hands can Qi Zhao and Qi Liang's hanging hearts be put down.

Tokugawa Qizhao and Shimazu Qiliang both left the throne with satisfaction, and then the two fathers and daughters, Daikoku Tsuneshi and Daikokuro, who had been waiting outside, were brought in by Qi Zhao's small surname.

Looking at Daikoku Chang is and Daikoku who had finished saluting him, General Tokugawa's old-fashioned face showed a gentle smile, and he looked at Daikokukushima: "Akong, raise your head and let me see." ”

"Hay!" Hearing this, Da Heikong raised his upper body slightly and raised the baby's face that everyone loved.

Tokugawa Saiaki squinted at this little beauty, thinking to himself, "What concubine...... It's clearly a little beauty bred by the big black family, and then gives the name of a concubine, so that she can cling to the powerful! But Zhuge Weidao can get such a side room, it's really enviable! ”

"Good, good!" Tokugawa Qizhao smiled and asked again, "Chang Yes, are you sure that Zhuge Weidao will soon become a military advisor?" ”

"Hay!" Dahei often said, "The information is very reliable, and there will be no mistakes." ”

The source of this news is, of course, the military division of the Zhuge family!

"Mixi!" Tokugawa Qizhao nodded, "It seems that the treacherous and cunning Zhuge over there really wants to break with the British...... Bring pen and paper! ”

"Hay!"

The little surname next to him immediately brought a small table with the four treasures of the study room for the general, and the ink had already been polished, Qi Zhao lifted the brush, glanced at the big black sky again, and then wrote down the three words Song Pingkong. ”

After writing, Tokugawa Saiaki put down the brush and showed the Daikoku father and daughter the rice paper on which he wrote in both hands, "Akong, from now on you are the door of the Tokugawa family, and you can use Matsudaira Miao characters." When you become Zhuge Kong, you must not forget that you are still a member of the Tokugawa family! ”

"Hay!"