Japan actually lost the conflict between Japan and Sichuan. The Sichuan army sank five warships and captured more than a thousand people. The Hanyang Iron Works completely lost hope. In exchange, Japan only received a blank letter from the United States on the raw silk issue.
Ben Zhengfu knows very well that although the United States has promised to give up its support for Sichuan's raw silk to replace the Japanese, the United States will definitely support Sichuan secretly in order to lower the international raw silk price and obtain greater benefits. Sichuan, which is not controlled by the Japanese, will also
I will never let go of this huge profit.
It is precisely because of this unfavorable situation that Japan must regain face from Yuan Shikai, so that it can give an explanation to its people. Otherwise, it will be a huge trouble, and there may even be a danger of the collapse of the cabinet.
Therefore, Japanese Prime Minister Shigenobu Okuma sent a combined fleet to cruise on the Bohai Sea to force Yuan Shikai to make concessions. At the same time, he sent a special envoy to Sichuan to negotiate in a low-key manner, hoping to get these more than a thousand prisoners as soon as possible and try his best to restore Japan's
face.
Japan's Consul General Yamakijiro and Special Envoy Masao Nakamura found Qiao Yu. After both parties were seated, Nakamura took the lead in speaking: "Your Majesty, your Excellency, we had a little conflict with you, which caused a lot of unhappiness. I hope we can avoid it."
Because of a trivial matter, the friendship between you and us has been destroyed, and I hope you can return our prisoners to us!"
Although Qiao Yu won a victory in this conflict, he knew very well that this time could not be regarded as a victory at all, because Japan could have gotten more from Yuan Shikai. In fact, if Sichuan was a coastal province,
Or Qiao Yu's territory is in the coastal area, and he definitely does not have the courage to provoke Japan. In this era of sea power, Japan's combined fleet is like a big stone weighing on his heart.
Although Qiao Yu is very clear that the emergence of aircraft can greatly reverse the situation of naval battles, it is a pity that the current aircraft technology is still in its infancy. I am afraid that it will take at least ten years of accumulation before it can defeat huge warships and cannot compete with the United Nations.
It is still difficult for the fleet to shake Japan's position, so Qiao Yu now only wants to get an opportunity for stable development. When the strength is not enough, he must not blindly conflict with Japan.
"Mr. Special Envoy, China and Japan are friends who enjoy cooperation. Sichuan also attaches great importance to the inclusion of Tongqing Iron and Steel Plant and other companies under Japan's control, and it did not hesitate to use force to seize Hanyang Iron Plant. In this battle,
The people in Hubei have suffered greatly and suffered heavy losses. I hope that Japan can provide some appropriate compensation to help the people of Hubei recover their houses that were damaged by the war. I think this request is not too much!"
What Qiao Yu said was quite polite, but Qiao Yu wanted to ask Japan for compensation. Japan was still very sensitive to this issue. As long as compensation was given, it would be equivalent to Japan admitting its war responsibility. This is very important to Japan.
This is something that is simply unacceptable!
"Your Excellency, the patrol envoy, the conflict between us is all caused by misunderstandings. The Japanese side does not have any plot against Chinese companies. We are just worried that some companies in your country will fall into the hands of Europe and the United States. Now the white people have suffered too much in the war."
Large, in order to make up for the production gap, it is definitely possible to annex your factory. We will send troops out of goodwill. Of course, as commanders, Abe and Ishihara may have operational problems. This is just a small problem.
That’s all, I hope the patrol envoys won’t be offended!”
Qiao Yu has seen Japan's ability to tell lies with his eyes open several times. This time, Masao Nakamura showed Qiao Yu this talent again. It was more than just telling lies with his eyes open. He was simply confusing right and wrong, regardless of right and wrong.
, no wonder Japan in later generations would deny the crime of aggression in every possible way. It seems that this is already an inherent tradition of Japan.
"Mr. Special Envoy, I hope what you said is true, but in fact it was your army that took the lead in attacking us, and we, the Chinese people, were the ones who were harmed. If the Japanese government does not provide some compensation, I will have no way to explain to the people!"
"Mr. Patrol Envoy, it was not the Japanese who fired first, but the Sichuan Air Force who dropped bombs on the Japanese first. This is the real fact!" Yamakijiro interrupted at this time.
"Your warships and troop transports swaggered into the hinterland of China, approaching Wuhan, China's most important city, and ignored the warnings of the Chinese Air Force and insisted on charging forward. Isn't this enough to show that Japan was the first to initiate the provocation?
Isn’t this evidence that Japan is deliberately attacking China? You might as well think about it from another angle, if a Chinese warship and Chinese troops appeared on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, what would be your reaction?"
"How could the Chinese set foot in the sacred territory of Japan? Please take back this metaphor!" Masao Nakamura was instantly angered, as if Qiao Yu's metaphor was a huge insult to him. How powerful and amazing the Japanese Empire is,
Are Chinese soldiers worthy of setting foot in Japan?
Nakamura's reaction made Qiao Yu even more unhappy. The Japanese are really a forgetful nation. China's Beiyang Fleet visited Japan just a few decades ago, and the famous black ship incident occurred more than 60 years ago.
, Didn’t the US warships also swagger into Japan’s territory? Japan has only been rich for a few decades, but it has forgotten its roots and no longer knows what kind of virtue it is. This kind of nation is destined to have no great future.
"I also ask you to take back the word "China". There is an old saying in China: Thirty years in the east of Hedong, thirty years in the west of Hexi. Chinese people are accustomed to looking at the big picture when looking at history. In the past two thousand years, 1,800 years have passed.
Japan has been a vassal state of China for many years, haven’t we also called your country the Japanese slave country?”
"You?" Nakamura Masao has never seen a Chinese official who is not afraid of the power of Japan. The young man in front of him is simply not a Chinese.
"Your Excellency, Patrol Envoy, don't think that Sichuan can truly defeat Japan by winning a small conflict. The gap in our strength is still huge!"
"Yes, it is precisely because of this gap that I only proposed private compensation, otherwise I would have asked you to compensate 230 million taels of silver!"
Qiao Yu insisted on compensation, causing the negotiation to reach a stalemate. Sankijiro knew very well that Qiao Yu was not a figure who could surrender by intimidation alone, and Qiao Yu had a far better grasp of the international situation than ordinary people, and had no understanding of Japan at all.
The empire has no awe, so Shan Qi believes that he should negotiate with Qiao Yu in a more flexible way, using not only sticks but also carrots.
"Mr. Patrol Envoy, China and Japan are good friends. President Yuan has won the support of the Imperial Government. The Imperial Government believes that you are a more promising political figure and is willing to maintain a more friendly relationship with you. If
If you are willing, the Japanese Empire can definitely take you to a higher level!"
Shan Qi began to lure Qiao Yu, but Qiao Yu knew very well that if he controlled a Sichuan, he could cause so much trouble to Japan, so would Japan still be willing to expand its power? Isn't this a blank check? He wants to deceive him.
My own skills are still far behind.
"Special Envoy, Mr. Consul General, if you are unwilling to pay compensation, then there is only one way, which is to let these prisoners serve as laborers and let them make money to repay their mistakes. There is no other way!"
The negotiations between the two parties were temporarily ended. Nakamura Masao and Yamakijiro hurriedly communicated with the country to discuss a solution. Qiao Yu welcomed a new guest. Jiang Baili accompanied a young man to Qiao Yu's handsome mansion.
This young man was only in his twenties, handsome, capable and smart. He was none other than the famous Chen Shaokuan in the future.
Qiao Yu was preparing to establish the Qinzhou Shipyard. Jiang Baili understood Qiao Yu's ambitions. However, Jiang Baili also hoped that China would have a powerful navy, so he recommended his fellow countryman Sa Zhenbing to Qiao Yu. Originally, Chen Shao
Kuan still expressed doubts about Sa Zhenbing's vision. He was already a naval captain and saw a bright future, so he decided to go to Sichuan, an inland province. Could it be that he could realize his naval dream here? Isn't this a joke?
However, the ensuing Sino-Japanese conflict made Chen Shaokuan look at Qiao Yu with admiration. Especially when he learned that the Sichuan army had sunk five Japanese warships with its aircraft, he was even more ecstatic, and hurriedly set off to Sichuan, wanting to pay tribute to Qiao Yu.
Qiao Yu asked for advice on naval issues.
"Qiao Shuai, the battle on the Wuhan River showed China's majesty. Didn't Japan's arrogant navy also fall into disgrace? Let's see if Japan can continue to show off its ruthlessness!"
Qiao Yu also looked at this naval officer who was about the same age as himself. Of course he knew Chen Shaokuan's status in the imperial court. He was a very talented and knowledgeable person. It can be said that China has always had no shortage of geniuses.
But there is not enough stage for them to perform.
"Colonel Chen, we were caught off guard in the Battle of Wuhan. The battle took place in the narrow waterway of the Yangtze River. Japanese warships could not avoid it at all. The ones sunk were all old Japanese warships. There is not much to praise!"
"No! I don't see it that way!" Chen Shaokuan looked very excited when he mentioned his professional knowledge: "Although the Wuhan battle is small in scale, this battle shows the rise of air power, which will become the key to the revitalization of our navy. Previously,
Facing Japan's huge combined fleet, we have no other choice but to build more cannons and giant ships. However, the emergence of aircraft has brought about huge changes in the mode of naval warfare. In the European War, both aircraft and submarines
It has entered the battle, made the battlefield three-dimensional, and the combat mode has also changed accordingly. The navy is the most technologically advanced service, and changes are coming. Only by striving to be the first can China avoid being left behind by the world again.
!”
Chen Shaokuan does have some talents, and it is rare to be able to analyze them. The more he talked, the more excited he became, while Qiao Yu and Jiang Baili listened with smiles, "Brother Jiang, you found me the future navy commander."
Ah, I want to thank you very much!"
Jiang Baili also burst out laughing: "Commander, you'd better get the warships out first, the navy is still far away!"