1890 King of Southeast Asia

"The Japanese can't stand it anymore?" Xu Sunming was very surprised when he took the wiretap record.

"Last time they only agreed to 100 million in compensation, and they raised it 100 times in one breath. No matter how you look at it, it can't be explained."

"That's right, if they drag it out and talk for another two months, they can at least grind it out a little. Normal negotiations don't last for several months. It's normal for negotiations involving many conditions to last for one or two years."

"Britain and the United States stand on the side of the Japanese. If they continue to negotiate for a few months, we will at least have to give up some interests. This reason alone is not tenable."

The think tank also believes that the content of the wiretap cannot be fully trusted.

In normal bilateral negotiations, unless one country has achieved an overwhelming victory, such as in the Franco-Prussian War, Prussia directly captured Napoleon III and defeated or surrounded most of the main field forces of the French army.

Then France broke out in many revolutions - the Third Republic and the Commune. In a chaotic situation, the Frankfurt Treaty was formally signed on May 10, more than two months later. The conditions were equally harsh, and Prussia had an even greater advantage.

What about the Japanese? It's only been a dozen days, and they're already acting like they can't hold on.

"In the afternoon negotiations, put some pressure on Japan, don't make any concessions, and see what their attitude is." Xu Sunming thought about it and decided to test the situation.

If the Japanese soften, then there's still room for grinding. If the Japanese hold on, then they're really ready to give in.

It sounds a bit contradictory, but international disputes are like this. You can't trust everything on the table, especially the more participants there are, the more so, all for the sake of profit.

…………

Japan, Kyoto, the seat of the Japanese government.

Since the news of the emperor's abdication was sent out, Japan has been in chaos.

Many people have lost their faith, especially the Japanese, who are still very superstitious at this time, and many people are crazy and insane.

Many middle and lower-level officers, landlords from samurai backgrounds, and others have launched rebellions of varying sizes, and many people have also raised the banner of respecting the king and expelling the barbarians, and Japan is in chaos.

"Rebellions broke out in four counties on Shikoku Island. The 6th Army stationed on Shikoku Island wanted to cross the Seto Inland Sea, but was discovered in advance by a naval destroyer. The 6th Army on the transport ship fired at the warship, and one person was injured by a naval stray bullet. At present, the 6th Army on Shikoku Island has been forced to retreat by the navy."

"Three garrison rebellions occurred in Hokkaido yesterday. The 7th Division stationed in Hokkaido was emotionally unstable and unfavorable to mobilize. At present, the rebels have occupied several small towns and the scale is getting bigger and bigger."

"A rice rush broke out in Tokyo. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to smash and loot shops and rice stores. Many people in the Self-Defense Forces participated in it, and troops are being dispatched to quell the rebellion."

"Because of the blockade that lasted for 1 and a half years, the number of unemployed people increased significantly. As of April, the unemployment rate of the working population reached 20%. The situation is worse now, and most families have lost their source of income."

"It is still several months away from the autumn harvest, but the residents' food reserves have been exhausted, and the price of food in the market has soared. A nationwide famine has already formed."

"If decisive measures are not taken, the chaos will cause more serious damage to Japan than the war."

In the Japanese cabinet, officials have been slightly replaced, mainly replacing some ministers from the military with the original constitutionalists.

This is Terauchi's effort to maintain the central government. If the government can maintain the status quo and achieve a balance between the military and the civilian forces, then Japan can hold on.

"How much food is left in the country?" After listening, Terauchi did not care about the rebellion, but looked at the Minister of Internal Affairs Goto Shinpei.

"The total amount of grain stored in warehouses across the empire is only enough for 50 million people to eat for half a month, and this is the data after calculating the military rations."

"We don't have specific data on the grain stored by various consortiums, landlords and private individuals. We can only roughly estimate that it should last for about 3 months, enough to support the next harvest."

The Minister of the Interior said lightly.

He is a direct descendant of the 6th Army. Before, most of the cabinet members were from the 6th Army. The others were either related to the Navy or the 6th Army.

And now, half of them are party and government members, and they also occupy important positions such as the Ministry of Finance.

He is dissatisfied, but there is no way. Yamagata didn't say anything. The leader of the 6th Army is Terauchi. At present, Terauchi is buying off the 6th Army faction, and the 6th Army has indeed gained a lot of benefits - benefits that originally belonged to the Navy.

"Half a month? First, transfer a part of the military rations, cooperate with the reserve grains in various places, prepare a week's worth of food, and release it to the market in batches."

"After half a month, release the second batch, only keep 3 months of military rations, and release the rest at a low price. The negotiation will soon have a result."

Terauchi nodded, this base number was still within his acceptable range.

As for how to use a week's worth of food to survive half a month, Terauchi believed in the patience of the people of the Japanese Empire.

"Then there is the problem of rebellion, let the Kumamoto Division..." Terauchi began to make military mobilizations.

Now the whole of Japan is in turmoil, and the places that are not in rebellion have become chaotic because they have lost most of their order. Military mobilization is just a drop in the bucket.

Before, in order to fight a decisive battle on the mainland, Japan expanded its army by millions and armed several times the various militia resistance forces.

Now Terauchi can directly mobilize only tens of thousands of regular troops and 2.3 million local troops on the 23rd line. Facing large-scale chaos, it is just a drop in the bucket.

There was nothing Terauchi could do as this was caused by objective conditions. When the emperor was in power, the Japanese people's thinking was forcibly suppressed through religion.

Now that the emperor is gone, there is no money, no job, and even no food. The three-no youth who have long been dissatisfied with society have naturally become the promoters of chaos.

Among them, those local militia resistance forces, worried that the end of the war and the disappearance of their livelihoods, naturally want to play a big game, and are the main force of looting and smashing.

They have been trained and have weapons in their hands. They are like fish in water in the chaos, disturbing Japan.

"Hold on, the famine will soon subside, and everything will be fine after the negotiations are over." Terauchi made a deployment and added a sentence.

"Prime Minister, is His Majesty the Emperor okay?" The cabinet meeting was about to end, and Foreign Minister Honno Ichiro suddenly asked.

Seeing Honno Ichiro's sudden strength, the ministers who were about to leave were all refreshed and looked at the two.

"His Majesty is fine and in good health. He often fishes in the small river in the Imperial Palace recently." Terauchi looked at Honno Ichiro, thinking about the faction behind him.

The relationship between the two was already very good. Honno Ichiro was a supporter of colonialism and supported Japan's use of force to expand its colonial scope. It was precisely because of this that he was able to enter the cabinet.

He once served as Japan's ambassador to the Russian Empire and was an advocate of the Russo-Japanese alliance, hoping to divide the northern part of the Qing Empire with the Russian Empire.

"I..." Honno Ichiro was about to say that he wanted to see the emperor, but was interrupted by Terauchi.

"His Majesty the Emperor said that the war is not over yet, and he doesn't want to see anyone. After the war is over, His Majesty the Emperor will naturally appear."

"That's it, let's adjourn the meeting!" Terauchi stood up and left directly.

"This..."

The ministers looked at each other, nodded to each other, and many people stood up and were about to leave.

The emperor was in Terauchi's hands. If any of them were Terauchi, they would not let others see the emperor when they were not firmly in their positions.

What if they took out a belt edict, wouldn't it be embarrassing?

"Goto-kun, please wait a moment." The Minister of Foreign Affairs stopped the Minister of Internal Affairs who was about to leave.

"Honno-kun? What's the matter?" The Minister of the Interior was stunned. Although the two belonged to the same pioneering faction, they did not have much close friendship, especially at this special time.

"Honno-kun, I want to discuss with you the issue of grain imports. The war is about to end. There is a lot of grain in the Far East of the Russian Empire. The price is low and the distance is close..." The Minister of Foreign Affairs said as he approached Goto.

Goto was not a soldier. On the contrary, he went to Germany to study and had a doctorate in German medicine. His vision was much broader, but his background as a lower-level samurai also determined that he sat there.

"Does the Russian Empire have food now? Or in the Far East." Goto asked and complained in his heart. He didn't know how to find an excuse that was slightly reasonable.

The Tsarist Russian soldiers on the front line have already started eating rats, boiled belts and grass roots. You actually said that the Russian Empire has a batch of grain?

"Yes! American flour, corn, barley, and various canned foods are low in price and large in quantity!" The Minister of Foreign Affairs whispered.

"Oh?" The Minister of the Interior listened and understood it immediately based on the expression of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"How much does this batch of grain cost? No, for imported grain, even if you don't go to the Minister of Commerce, you should go to the Ministry of Finance. I am not responsible for this."

The Minister of the Interior realized halfway through that this matter had nothing to do with him. He was in charge of grain storage, not grain import and export.

"This batch of grain has been seized by Ando, ​​Sani, Okura, Fujita and other families, and will be shipped back to Japan soon." said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Minister of the Interior narrowed his eyes and stared at the Minister of Foreign Affairs for a long time.

"What does Goto want to say?" The Minister of the Interior frowned, and he had already guessed in his heart.

"Don't you know about it, Honno-kun?" The Minister of Foreign Affairs smiled slightly, and this smile was more terrifying than the devil's smile in the eyes of the Minister of the Interior.

"This batch of grain is for emergency use, you are not afraid..." The Minister of the Interior said in a hurry.

"Wu...Don't panic Honno-kun, you also know how far Japan has entered, and this is also for the future of Japan." The Minister of Foreign Affairs said leisurely.

"This is the cabinet!" The Minister of the Interior stared at him.

"What about the cabinet?"

"Since the Meiji Restoration, Japan's decades of efforts have been exhausted in one day, and it has also owed a large debt. If it wants to pay off the debt as soon as possible and redevelop, it can only concentrate Japan's strength."

"The Prime Minister will not object."

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said softly.

The Minister of the Interior widened his eyes and wanted to refute, but he couldn't say it.

"Mr. Honno, even if we don't cooperate with you, we have a way to get these. Don't worry, we won't watch the Japanese people starve to death. We just want to concentrate resources."

The Minister of the Interior struggled for a long time, and finally thought of the meaning of Ando, ​​Sani and other names, and nodded silently.

"This is an exchange, an exchange that you and I, the ministers, have no right to decide." The Minister of Foreign Affairs left after saying a word.

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