Seeing that Prince Yikuang of Daoqing County seemed to be pretending to be dumbfounded, Sir Walson turned to look at him, so he could only get straight to the point: "The two fleets of your country in the North and South Seas have a confrontation with the Japanese Navy at sea. Now the Japanese Navy
have retreated, but your navy continues to advance towards Japanese territory. The British government is very uneasy about the conflict between the two allies in the Far East, so I have been specially appointed to mediate the conflict between the two parties."
Although Wang Yikuang of Qing County seemed confident on the surface, he had no idea about this matter in his heart. He had already scolded Li Hongzhang like a dog. What do you think you can do if you send troops to say hello to me? But now the British
They all came to mediate, but I still don’t know what happened.
Prince Yikuang of Qingjun couldn't just keep silent, so he said: "Sir Hua Ershen, this matter is a major matter for the court. I can't decide it for you now. How about this? You go back first and wait until I inform the emperor and discuss the matter."
I’ll let you know when I give my opinion to the embassy.”
Sir Walson knew the efficiency of the Qing Dynasty, so he completely believed what Wang Yikuang of Qing County said, so he handed over and left.
At this time, there was a person poking his head outside the courtyard of the Prime Minister's Office. This person was a staff member of the Japanese Embassy.
Originally, yesterday, the staff of the Japanese embassy had received domestic requests and ordered them to lodge a protest with the Qing government.
After receiving the order, Ohtori Keisuke, the Japanese minister in China, thought for a long time. He felt that Japan was now weak and if he went to resist the uprising, he would not achieve any results. He might also think that Japan would show weakness and push forward.
Therefore, when he learned that the country had contacted the British and asked him to mediate between the two parties, he did not protest for the time being. Instead, he sent someone to watch at the door of the Prime Minister's Office, waiting for the British to leave. He had some confidence in the past.
Keisuke Ohtori received the news that Sir Walter Watson, the British Minister to China, had entered the Prime Minister's Office.
Ohtori Keisuke immediately had someone prepare formal clothes for him, wrote a formal document of protest, and then went straight to the Prime Minister's Office with it.
When he arrived at the door of the Prime Minister's Office, he did not expect that Sir Walter had already left.
Ohtori Keisuke is currently riding a tiger, but he thinks that since he is here, he should protest at least, otherwise the country will not be able to explain.
So Ohtori Keisuke immediately came to the gate of the Prime Minister's Office and was about to rush inside.
The guards guarding the gate of the Prime Minister's Yamen are all bullying and fearing the strong. If it were the British and French powers, these guarding soldiers would naturally greet them with smiles and almost fall to their knees.
However, they looked down upon the Japanese who had the same skin color as them. They still believed that the Qing Dynasty was a celestial country, and the Japanese were just a small, remote country and were not qualified to be on an equal footing with the Qing Dynasty.
Therefore, when the soldier saw the Japanese minister and was about to rush in, he immediately stepped forward and stopped him with his arm.
"Hey hey hey, do you know where this is? Is this a place you can break into?"
Otori Keisuke saw someone stopping him. Although he was angry, he still pretended to bow to the soldier and said: "I am the Japanese Empire and the Minister to the Qing Dynasty. This time I am here to pay homage to the soldier."
If you, the Qing Dynasty, protest, let me in immediately."
The soldier looked at him disdainfully, then curled his lips and said, "Where did the green toad come from? I'm here to challenge you. It turns out to be a little Japan."
Otori Keisuke was so angry that he just wanted to slap the soldier to the ground. However, as a minister, he still had some restraint. He gritted his teeth and said to the other person: "I want to see the Prime Minister of your country immediately. If you don't inform me, it will cause trouble."
You are solely responsible for the war between the two countries."
When the soldier saw that the other party was speaking so harshly, he knew that he was probably really up to something, so he stopped fighting with him here and hurriedly sent someone in to report.
After a while, news came from inside, and the Japanese minister was asked to go in and respond.
Ohtori Keisuke immediately waved his sleeves and entered the Prime Minister's Yamen, and went directly to the main hall, where King Qingjun Wang Yikuang was sitting there happily drinking tea.
As soon as Otori Keisuke saw King Yikuang of Qing County, he immediately stepped forward with his eyes wide open and raised the letter of resistance to him with one hand.
"On the orders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Japan, I formally lodged the most serious protest against the Qing Dynasty against you for sending troops to harass our sea areas and seize our islands for no reason."
After Sir Walson left, Wang Yikuang of Qing County had already sent people to the military aircraft department to inquire. The whole story was already known. Beiyang and Nanyang were determined to give Japan a good look.
It seems that little Japan is really scared, otherwise he wouldn't be so angry.
So Wang Yikuang of Qing County coughed, and then said calmly: "I have received your protest letter. I will hand it to the Military Aircraft Department right now. I will inform you when there is news. That's it. You can go back."
The tone of Qingjun Wang Yikuang's words was as if he was reprimanding a subordinate. Otori Keisuke was so angry that he almost vomited blood, but he was weaker than him, so what could he do.
Ohtori Keisuke could only come excitedly and leave dejectedly.
At this time, the Qing Dynasty's two ocean fleets were almost approaching the Naha Port in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Here, Togo Heihachiro and several Japanese warships were already in full formation, and the shore-based artillery in Naha Port had been filled with ammunition and could be fired at any time.
Ding Ruchang looked left and right with a telescope on the Dingyuan ship. When he saw a forest of warships on his side, and the smoke emitted by each ship covered the sky, he couldn't help but feel relaxed and happy.
While Ding Ruchang was enjoying this rare pleasure, Liu Buchan next to him came over to report.
"Admiral, the Japanese have sent negotiators and want to board the Dingyuan ship."
Ding Ruchang said expressionlessly: "Since they are here to negotiate, let them come up."
Liu Buchan listened to Ding Ruchang's order and immediately retreated.
After a while, two people who looked like Japanese soldiers came to Ding Ruchang.
"My Majesty, Major Heihachi Mishima of the Imperial Japanese Navy, has met the Admiral of the Beiyang Navy, Lord Ding Ruchang."
After finishing speaking, Mishima Heihachi bowed 90 degrees.
Ding Ruchang saw that the other party's attitude was quite good, so he smiled and asked: "Your Majesty, why are you here on my warship?"
After hearing what Ding Yongchang said, Mishima Heihachi scolded this old bastard in his heart. He was so shameless. Dozens of your warships have already arrived at our port. Why do you come here and ask me?
Although he was not angry in his heart, Mishima Heihachi still said: "On the order of Togo Heihachiro, the commander of the First Fleet of the Empire of Japan, I asked the Qing fleet what is the purpose of coming to Naha Port?"
After Ding Ruchang heard this, he laughed and said, "Ryukyu has been a vassal state of our Qing Dynasty since ancient times. I, the admiral, led the troops here this time just to express condolences to Ryukyu. Please let the King of Ryukyu come out as soon as possible."
After hearing what Ding Ruchang said, Mishima Heihachi immediately said seriously: "Your Majesty, Admiral, there is no Ryukyu Kingdom here at all, only Okinawa Prefecture of the Empire of Japan."
Ding Ruchang stared closely into Mishima Heihachi's eyes, and then said: "When did the Ryukyu Kingdom become Okinawa Prefecture? Why didn't we, the Qing Dynasty, hear about it? Go back and tell that commander of yours that this admiral will be there within 72 hours.
I'm going to meet the King of Ryukyu internally. If I don't see the King of Ryukyu, I will fire the cannon immediately."
After Ding Ruchang finished speaking, he waved his hand, and the soldiers below immediately grabbed Mishima Heihachi and dragged him out.
After the Japanese envoy left, Liu Buchan, who was standing next to Ding Ruchang, said: "Admiral, why do you have to wait three days? It's better to fire now."
Ding Ruchang looked at Liu Buchan and shook his head, and then said: "You, you, you are still that bad-tempered. You see, even the bangs of the Nanyang Navy can calm down better than you."
After Liu Buchan heard this, he still looked at Ding Ruchang seriously and asked him to give an explanation.
Ding Ruchang could only say: "When we go south this time, we only have military orders from Mr. Li, but not the will of the imperial court. The reason why I gave the Japanese three days is to let them negotiate with the imperial court. In the end, we will see what the adults in the imperial court will do."
.”
After hearing this, Liu Buchan's eyes immediately shot out a cold light, "We already have Master Li's military order, so we can fire our own cannons, why do we have to wait for the court?"
Ding Ruchang is a little annoyed now. This Liu Buchan really doesn't understand politics. Does he really think that Mr. Li wants to start a war? It's just that he was forced by Nanyang to have no choice, so he sent troops. Otherwise, they would wait until Nanyang defeated Japan.
Where to put the face of the Beiyang Navy?
"I am the admiral of the army. You don't need to ask any more questions. Just retreat."
Liu Buchan was already a little unhappy after hearing this from Ding Ruchang, so he could only retreat to his warehouse.
At this time, Liu Hai, who was on the ironclad Jiangxi, also received a message from the flagman: Admiral Ding Ruchang gave the Japanese three days to hand over the King of Ryukyu.
After Liu Hai read this information, he looked up to the sky and sighed. This Ding Ruchang was able to fight hard when he was in the army, but he became a little indecisive once he got to the navy.
But it’s no wonder that Ding Ruchang was born in the army. He was naturally as brave as a tiger when he was on land. But when he came from the army to the navy, he was a layman, so he was naturally cautious. This caution made him look forward and backward.
At this time, Liu Yu, who was next to Liu Hai, asked: "Master, are we just waiting here?"
After hearing this, Liu Hai looked at the Dingyuan ship in the distance and said, "Patience for three days, and we will see the results after three days."
After Liu Hai said this, he felt a little frustrated and said directly: "This time I must pull out a piece of flesh from the Japanese, otherwise I will not obey the order no matter what the court says."
At this time, after receiving the report from the messenger, Togo Heihachiro immediately sent the news to Tokyo, Japan, telling them that they only had three days for negotiation, and after three days, the Qing Navy would definitely attack Naha Port.
After Togo Heihachiro sent the telegram, he immediately ordered 300 geishas to be sent to the sailors in Okinawa. At the same time, good wine and food would be sent to the ship.
His move made all the sailors on the ship confused. What was going on?
Finally, Togo Heihachiro summoned the captains of each warship and told them that if the negotiations broke down in three days, he would lead the fleet out immediately to fight to the death with the Qing Dynasty Navy.