Super Dictator

"You said that Colonel Hishijima has led a mixed detachment to attack Gaiping, and it has been two days since he set off?" Odera Anjun stood up immediately. He had just arrived at Fuzhou City, and his buttocks were not yet hot, so he listened I don’t know whether this is good or bad news.

Odera Yasumi paced back and forth in the room for a few steps. When the captains next to him were almost impatient with waiting, he suddenly stopped, raised his hand, and said quickly: "I will send a telegram to the Commander to explain. The situation here is, second, the whole army is gathered, we are ready to go to support the mixed detachment. "

"Hi Yi!" Several captains responded and were about to turn around and leave.

There was a rush of footsteps outside the door.

"No, no, the mixed detachment was defeated by the Chinese army at the gate of Gaiping City." Japanese signal soldiers rolled in from outside.

"What!" Several Japanese people shouted in unison.

Odera Anjun was shocked and asked: "Why did the mixed detachment lose so quickly?"

The signal corpsman did not even dare to wipe the sweat from his forehead and quickly replied: "Colonel Hichishima fell into the trap of the Chinese. When the mixed detachment was attacking Gaiping City with all its strength, a Chinese army lurked aside and launched a sudden attack. The mixed detachment The army was completely defeated, and Colonel Hishijima was hurriedly escaping back with the remaining troops. "

Odera Anjun sat back on his chair slumpedly, and after a while he continued to ask: "What are the losses of our army?"

"The mixed detachment has lost more than half of its troops!" The signal soldier fell to his knees, not daring to raise his head.

"Alas, Hizhi-kun, the order I just issued is invalid. The entire army is on alert and ready to defend." Odera Yasumi waved his hand weakly and ordered.

"Hai!" Several Japanese generals responded feebly.

After the Prime Minister's Yamen responded to Li Hongzhang's telegram that "every profit is worth one point," Prince Gong and others looked defeated. Military Minister Xu Yongyi went to the Summer Palace again and told Cixi the situation in detail.

Cixi was originally very dissatisfied with the terms, but after hearing that the Japanese had assembled more than 60 transport ships and were ready to invade Tianjin at any time, she still could not muster the courage to fight the Japanese again. Without saying a word, she acquiesced to this outcome.

The central ministers of the Qing Dynasty are now waiting for the treaty to be sent back after Li Hongzhang's peace talks with the Japanese again. They hope that Li Hongzhang can create a miracle and maybe win a profit.

"A telegram has arrived, a telegram has arrived." The official from the telegraph office quickly walked into the Prime Minister's Office holding a telegram.

The atmosphere in the Prime Minister's Office was very dull. Prince Gong coughed twice and asked Sun Yuwen next to him: "Isn't there still two days left in the deadline given by the Japanese? Li Hongzhang soon thought about how to make the Japanese give in a little and sign the contract early. Why?"

Sun Yuwen was also confused and said: "Li Hongzhang did act too hastily."

Even if the treaty is not signed, several central ministers still have some thoughts in their minds, dreaming that Li Hongzhang will do his best to turn things around. Once the treaty is signed, there is no other way but to break the treaty.

"Your Majesty, this is a telegram from Liaodong." The official of the telegraph office was sweating. After saluting, he said urgently.

"Telegram from Liaodong?" Several central ministers gathered around him without knowing why.

Prince Gong took the telegram, put on his reading glasses, and read it carefully.

On this day, almost at the same time, Wang Wenshao, the acting Beiyang minister of the Tianjin Governor's Office, and several ministers of the Prime Minister's Office in the capital received an urgent military intelligence telegram from Liaodong, signed by Song Qing, Wei Jichen, Nie Guilin and others.

"Today, the Japanese general Xi Kuanerlang died for some reason. The Japanese falsely accused our army of being injured. Using this as an excuse, an army of 10,000 invaded the border. Fortunately, the ministers and others saw the opportunity early and attacked in time, defeating the Japanese army and killing and wounding more than 5,000 Japanese pirates. , I heard that the treaty negotiated by the Japanese was harsh, unprecedented in ancient and modern times, and unheard of in Chinese barbarians. It slapped my throat, controlled my life, and blocked my road to self-improvement. I pray that the emperor will be arbitrary and do not ratify the treaty. Order the king. The ministers will discuss it again. I am willing to sacrifice my life with the best soldiers in the world to serve the country. The outcome is unknown! How can we cede territory and pay compensation?"

This telegram stirred up waves.

After the content of the telegram was spread, it caused a great sensation. Guangxu received ten memorials that day, including four from Jianyuan, one from the Imperial Academy, two from the Hanlin Academy, one from the South Study, and two from the Upper Study. There are 120 joint performers in total.

The final content of the memorial quoted the telegram from Liaodong, "The outcome is still unknown!" There is no talk of ceding territory and paying compensation. ’

Guangxu read this telegram more than ten times in a row. Seeing that so many memorials had the same voice, and thinking that the Japanese treaty terms were so harsh, he also had the idea of ​​recalling Li Hongzhang and fighting again.

This incident alarmed Cixi in the Summer Palace, and she immediately summoned Guangxu and Prince Yikuang of Qing.

"Outside public opinion tends to recall Li Hongzhang to continue fighting. Song Qing and others also achieved a great victory in Liaodong. Should we continue to fight?" Although Cixi was strong, she had no idea now. Most of the courtiers and even herself felt that The terms of the Japanese contract are too deceptive, and public opinion demands another war. If it goes against public opinion, people will lose their support.

Prince Yikuang of Qing said quickly: "What was stated in Song Qing's telegram is not clear. He said that more than 5,000 Japanese were killed and injured. There is no real number of how many Japanese were killed, and the losses were not reported. He said that It is too early to say that it is a great victory. The Military Aircraft Department has already sent a telegram to Li Hongzhang. In my opinion, there is no need to recall Li Hongzhang. The Japanese may have more relaxed conditions. "

Guangxu knelt down and said: "Dad, it is true that the outcome is not yet known. The soldiers on the front line are still willing to fight. The Japanese are too bullying. It is better to move west to the capital and fight with the Japanese again."

Cixi thought for a moment and asked, "What did Liu Kunyi and Wang Wenshao say? Are they sure they can fight again?"

Guangxu quickly replied: "The Emperor has already given the two commanders an edict, asking them to understand the current overall situation and the various military affairs and wars, whether they are reliable, and express their own opinions. I believe they will call back soon."

^.^，

Cixi waved her hand and said, "In this case, let's wait until they call back before making a decision."

Shimonoseki, Japan, Umebo, Ito Hirobumi's residence.

Ito Hirobumi gave Li Hongzhang three days, and tomorrow was the deadline. He sat on the tatami with a cup of tea on the table, feeling very comfortable.

Just now Wu Tingfang came to him to inquire about the news and see if there was any room for Japan to make concessions.

Ito Hirobumi threatened him: "I am afraid that war will start before the armistice expires. If we continue to discuss changes to the contract payment and delay deliberately, the peace agreement will be broken according to the armistice payment and the contract will be suspended."

Wu Tingfang was so frightened that he immediately went back.

Let’s see if Li Hongzhang dares to agree tomorrow. The Japanese Empire has already made an offensive stance, and the Qing Dynasty must not dare to fight anymore.

"Ito-kun, Ito-kun, something big happened in Liaodong again." Mutsu Munemitsu hurriedly walked in, disturbing Ito Hirobumi's dream.

"What big thing can happen in Liaodong?" Ito Hirobumi sat up straight and asked curiously.

Mutsu Munemitsu raised the telegram in his hand and said in a depressed mood: "Our army went to war with the Qing army in Liaodong, and our army was defeated miserably and suffered a lot of losses. Your Excellency Oyama Iwa has gone to Liaodong to take charge of the overall situation."

Ito Hirobumi swallowed the tea in his mouth, picked up the telegram and looked at it in disbelief.

"How could Hoshishima Yoshiki be so careless? If you want to fight, just win. Have you found out who did Nishi Kanjiro's death?" Ito Hirobumi had no choice but to think about how to clean up the mess.

"The murderer was not caught, but according to a report from Odera Yasumi, a soldier had seen the murderer, and the portrait he drew after recalling it was somewhat similar to Wei Jichen. Unfortunately, there is no conclusive evidence." Mutsu Munemitsu frowned, and when he mentioned Wei Jichen, he said: I'm in a bad mood.

"It's Wei Jichen again. He has done bad things for the empire several times. I'm afraid the peace talks may change." Ito Hirobumi sighed helplessly.