Besides, in the capital at this time, the military aircraft department was already in chaos. I didn't expect that this incident would offend the world's most powerful country, the United Kingdom.
These gentlemen of the Qing Dynasty are now particularly afraid of foreigners, let alone the British.
This incident soon reached Cixi, who still had fresh memories of these foreigners. It was because of the foreigners' invasion of Beijing that she fled to the Summer Resort with Emperor Xianfeng.
In the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager Cixi thought about it and felt that she could not go on like this. It just so happened that the British came forward and used the British to suppress Li Hongzhang and Liu Hai.
So the Empress Dowager Cixi immediately issued an order for Li Hongzhang to personally receive the British and discuss mediation matters.
After Li Hongzhang received the order from the Empress Dowager Cixi, he knew the whole story and just followed his plan.
He doesn't want to go to war now. Once a war starts, the money spent will be like water. The court is not responsible for military expenditures. When the time comes, it will not be taken from his private treasury in Beiyang.
So Li Hongzhang immediately returned to the capital from Tianjin.
The first thing Li Hongzhang did when he returned to the capital was to go to Dongjiaomin Lane in person and visit Sir John Watson, the British Minister to the Qing Dynasty.
Although Wall is said to be British, he is very familiar with the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty. He has received information from other places and knows that the Qing Dynasty has appointed Li Hongzhang as the representative for this meeting.
Now that I saw Li Hongzhang coming to the embassy to pay him a visit in person, I naturally came out to greet him in person.
The two people entered the small living room in the embassy and sat down with each other.
Sir Walter then said: "I feel very sorry for the confrontation between the Qing Dynasty and Japan this time. Both countries are good friends of the UK. I hope that both sides can shake hands and make peace, and avoid further conflicts."
After hearing this, Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "The Qing Dynasty was not responsible for this matter. It was the Japanese who spied on the Qing Dynasty's territory several times and secretly sent people to the island to check the terrain with evil intentions. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty couldn't bear it and sent troops.
"
Sir Walter is not interested in who is right and wrong at all. His main thought now is to suppress the war between the two countries.
"Mr. Li, let's not talk about who is right or wrong in this matter for the time being. I think we will finalize the date for negotiations today."
After hearing this, Li Hongzhang thought for a while and then said: "I just arrived in the capital today and have been tired of traveling and traveling. Let's do this. Let's start negotiations immediately in three days."
Sir Watson heard that Li Hongzhang was so happy and was very satisfied with his attitude. It seemed that the Qing Dynasty was very afraid of the prestige of the British Empire.
At this moment, a secretary from the British Consulate opened the door of the small living room, came to Sir Walter's side, and whispered a few words in his ear.
Sir Walter was stunned for a moment, then looked up, and Li Hongzhang, who was sitting opposite, said with a smile: "What a coincidence today, the Japanese Minister Keisuke Ohtori is also here. It just so happens that you can meet today and let's discuss it together.
Let’s talk about the specific matters of mediation.”
After Sir Walter finished speaking to Li Hongzhang, he said to the secretary beside him: "Please invite the Japanese official to the small living room."
After the secretary listened to Sir Walter's order, the company saluted him and then left the small living room. After a while, the knock on the door rang again.
Sir Walter sat there and said: "Come in."
Then the door was pushed open, and the secretary was followed by Otori Keisuke, and they entered the small living room together. Then the secretary bowed to Sir Walter and Li Hongzhang, and then exited the small living room.
When Sir Watson saw Keisuke Ohtori coming over, he did not stand up to greet him. Instead, he still sat there and said, "Minister Oshima, Mr. Li happens to be here today. Let's discuss the negotiation matters."
Ohtori Keisuke did not dare to complain about Sir Watson's impoliteness. He first bowed deeply to Sir Watson and said, "Sorry to trouble you."
After that, Ohtori Keisuke walked to the other side of the sofa and sat down opposite Li Hongzhang.
Seeing that the protagonists were all present, Sir Walter gave a brief introduction to Keisuke Ohtori about the negotiation matters he had just discussed with Li Hongzhang.
Ohtori Keisuke had no other objections, but when he heard that Li Hongzhang would start negotiations after three days, he immediately became alarmed.
Keisuke Ohtori had received telegrams from China before arriving, and the Japanese government informed him that the Qing fleet only gave the Japanese government three days, and after three days it would launch an artillery attack on Naha Port.
Keisuke Ohtori now feels that Li Hongzhang's start of negotiations after three days was simply a conspiracy.
"Sir Walter, the Qing fleet has just given our country an ultimatum, asking our country to inform it within three days whether to agree to its conditions. I think it is not appropriate to start negotiations after three days, unless Mr. Li Hongzhang can order the fleet to postpone the attack date.
.”
After listening to Ohtori Keisuke's words, Sir Walter turned to look at Li Hongzhang and asked him to explain.
Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "It seems that my news is lagging behind. I have not received the notification from the front line at all. How about this, wait until I go back and verify the news, and we will discuss when to start negotiations."
After listening to Li Hongzhang's words, Ohtori Keisuke felt that he was too cunning. It would take another day or two to verify the information this time, and it would probably take even longer to confirm the date for the negotiation.
"Mr. Li Hongzhang, our Japanese government hopes to start negotiations immediately, or Mr. Li Hongzhang orders the army to stop offensive operations,"
Sir Walter realized now that Li Hongzhang was stalling for time, so he said unhappily: "Mr. Li's decision is related to the death of countless soldiers and civilians in both countries. I hope you will consider it carefully."
Li Hongzhang saw Sir Walter's face gloomy and knew that he was already a little impatient. After thinking about it, he said: "Since Japan is so anxious about official matters, why not do this? Let's start formal negotiations tomorrow."
Although Sir Watson said he respected Li Hongzhang, he was also somewhat dissatisfied with his successive postponements.
"There's no need for tomorrow. Everyone is here today. Let's start negotiating now."
Sir Walter's words are in line with Ohtori Keisuke's thoughts. If we can negotiate early, the domestic crisis can be solved immediately, which is also good.
But Li Hongzhang was a little embarrassed, "We don't have a secretary to record the negotiation process now, and we don't have a document to revise the conditions. How can we negotiate?"
After hearing this, Sir Walter said directly: "Then I will give Mr. Li half an hour. You can take your entourage and formulate the terms of the negotiation now. As for the record issue during the negotiation process, this is at the British Consulate.
All talents are available and can be called upon."
When Li Hongzhang saw the other party, he was determined and wanted to start negotiations immediately, so he had no choice but to agree.
So Sir Walter gave up the small living room to Li Hongzhang and other entourage, while he left the small living room with Otori Keisuke.
An hour later, Sir Walter re-entered the small living room with Otori Keisuke and several Japanese water heavyers.
The two sides sat down on both sides of the sofa, and the record keeping staff of the British Embassy also took out a table to record the proceedings of the meeting not far away.
Seeing that both parties were ready, Sir Walter first spoke: "I hope that both parties will conduct this negotiation in the spirit of peace, so let the negotiation begin now."
Li Hongzhang has participated in many negotiations, and it has never been as simple as today, but at least the personnel are in place.
After Sir Walter finished speaking, Li Hongzhang took a document from the hands of the staff next to him and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
"This is the condition of our Qing Dynasty. First, Japan must recognize that the islands it occupied are the inherent territory of the Qing Empire. Second, the Japanese Empire must pay compensation for this incident. Our Qing Empire hopes to be 10 million taels
Silver, thirdly, Ryukyu has been a vassal state of our Qing Empire since ancient times. The Japanese Empire must recognize the independence of Ryukyu and return the Ryukyu King."
After listening to Li Hongzhang's words, Sir Walter picked up the documents on the table and looked through them carefully.
The Japanese Minister Keisuke Ohtori on the opposite side has already exploded. If Japan can still negotiate the first and second items, then it will not agree to the third item anyway.
"Your Excellency Li Hongzhang, the Japanese Empire will never accept Article 3. If Your Excellency Li Hongzhang insists on adding this article to the negotiation content, then I can only express regret."
Li Hongzhang also knew that the Japanese government would never agree to this, and his condition for joining was just an exorbitant price.
Sir Walter has now read all the documents provided by Li Hongzhang, and then said to Li Hongzhang on the side: "This conflict does not involve Ryukyu Island and is not within the scope of this negotiation. If the two countries have any objections, they can discuss it again."
A separate negotiation.”
Li Hongzhang immediately retorted after hearing this. He believed that Ryukyu Island was now besieged by the Qing Empire and was already part of the negotiation.
However, Ohtori Keisuke explained to Li Hongzhang very sternly that the Japanese government would never give up Okinawa.
In the end, the negotiations reached a deadlock. Seeing that both parties were unwilling to give in, Sir Walter could only ask both parties to retreat in order to maintain the continuation of the negotiations.
But Li Hongzhang was very persistent about the matter on Ryukyu Island. In the end, Sir Hua Ershen had no choice but to take Li Hongzhang to a small room next door.
"Mr. Li Hongzhang, I hope you will remove this item from the negotiations. Otherwise, the negotiations will not be able to continue, and I will not be able to explain to the country."
When Sir Watson said this, his tone was very serious, and he already used a commanding tone.
Seeing that the other party was already a little anxious, Li Hongzhang felt a little uneasy in his heart, so he could only say: "If this item is removed from the negotiation, I hope to get compensation from other places, such as compensation of silver. I hope it can be increased by another 10 million.
two."
"Mr. Li Hongzhang, I can understand your request for compensation, but I hope the specific amount can be controlled within a range acceptable to the Japanese government."