If the negotiation fails, it must be the expansion of the war, Sakai Tadanori knows very well what the consequences of the expansion of the war are, it must be a catastrophe, after hearing the tragic situation of the Choshu Domain, he is even more determined to prevent the outbreak of the war no matter what, but he never expected that Yuan Qi would open his mouth and prescribe such harsh conditions, which is simply an unacceptable condition.

Seeing Sakai Tadashi, he was silent, and Inaba Masashi bowed slightly and said: "There is a saying in your country that 'there is no excuse for the crime you want to add.'" There is also a saying: 'It is better to be broken than to be whole.' ’

Who was assassinated in the border between the canonized Qincha and who did it has not yet been investigated, but your country has made a big effort to ask the teacher for the crime, and we came to negotiate in Shimonoseki to sincerely eliminate the misunderstanding between the two sides, but your country has put forward such excessive conditions.

If your country is sincere in its desire to annex our country, there is no need for us to continue talking, and we are ready to rather break the jade than the whole thing! ”

"A good one would rather be broken than broken." Zhao Liewen slowly closed the folder and said, "Since this is the case, the negotiation will be stopped." So saying, he stood up.

Seeing this, Sakai Tadashi was startled, and quickly got up and bowed, "It's not that we don't want to negotiate, it's really that this condition cannot be met by our country, and 300 million taels of silver can't be made up even if we sell Edo." ”

Zhao Liewen glanced at him and said, "The three hundred million taels of silver is not for you to take out one hand, but for you to pay in installments and pay it off in eight years." ”

As soon as he heard that he could pay in installments, Sakai Tadashi was relieved, and hurriedly said: "Even if it is paid in eight years, it will need to pay nearly 40 million taels .......of silver every year, which is still beyond the limit of our country's finances, can it be paid in 30 years?" ”

Zhao Liewen said without thinking: "Yes, but the unpaid part of the required calculated interest." ”

What is the interest of 300 million taels of silver in a year? Sakai Tadashi suddenly felt that his head was extremely big, even if it was an annual interest rate, the annual interest would be 30 million taels, if it was a further interest, it would be a sum of money that would never be able to pay off this indemnity!

However, does this mean that Yuanqi is just asking for money? Thinking of this, his mind became active, if Yuan Qi just asked for money, there was still hope for talking, he immediately stretched out his hand and politely said: "Your Excellency, please sit down, this matter is easy to discuss........" ”

Zhao Liewen was not too worried, sat down on the spot, and said: "Your country is rich in gold and silver, Shengye Silver Mine, Sado Gold Mine produces a lot of money, it is reported that a large placer gold mine has recently been discovered in the Horobesu River, continue to expand the scale of exploration and mining, and it is not difficult to have 30 or 40 million taels of silver a year." ”

In recent years, under the shareholders of Yuanqi, the country has indeed increased the exploration of mineral resources, and the discovery of large sand gold mines in the tributaries of the River was last year, and the other party said that Sakai Tadashi couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Gold and silver mining is only hundreds of thousands of taels of silver a year...... and thirty or forty million taels of silver a year, and it is difficult for our country to pay it anyway, if the interest can be slightly lower, we are willing to choose to pay it in thirty or fifty years." ”

He didn't know the reason why Yuan Qi agreed to negotiate with the Wa State in Maguan, but he knew that Yuan Qi could not give up the annexation of the Wa State for the sake of ten million taels of silver a year, but for the imperial court, the income of ten million taels of silver a year was undoubtedly a temptation that was difficult to refuse.

Thinking of Yuan Qi's promise to defeat the Wa State and hand over the Wa State to the imperial court, his heart was hot again, just the gold and silver mines of the Wa State also had a lot of income in a year, and then he thought that after the war, he didn't know what the Wa State would become, judging from Yi Zhi's contented tone, most of the time it would be a scene of white bones exposed in the wild, and there would be no rooster crowing for thousands of miles, and the imperial court would have to recuperate for some years if it took over.

The negotiation did not last long, and it ended at two o'clock in the afternoon, and Sakai Tadashi was busy sending a telegram to Edo, and Yi Xun and Zhao Liewen also came to Yi Zhi's room to report after a little rest.

"The Japanese side seems to be very afraid of war, and they do not resist the conditions we have set out very much." Zhao Liewen said in a relaxed tone: "They agreed to cede Choshu, Satsuma, and Fukuoka, and they bit Shikoku Island to death, and they didn't even let Tosa." As for the indemnity, they wanted the amount to be set at 200 million silver, to be paid over 20 years, and they wanted the interest rate not to be higher than 500 per cent ........ ”

Although Yi Zhishu came to the Wa Kingdom this time under the guise of negotiations, he didn't care about the situation of the negotiations, whether it was good or bad, it didn't mean much, after listening to the report, he nodded slightly, and said: "The purpose of this negotiation with the Wa State is to let the shogunate see hope, see the hope of the end of the war, and see the hope that the shogunate's rule can continue, and make appropriate concessions, so as not to make them feel desperate." ”

Zhao Liewen nodded and said, "The student understands." ”

Yi Xun was a little confused when he heard this, and said tentatively: "A plan to delay the army? ”

"Yuan Qi has already prepared for a comprehensive attack on the Japanese, so why do you need to delay the army?" Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and explained: "Although the news blockade has been carried out, the Wa Shogunate still guessed from all indications that we might invade the Wa in a full-scale manner, and has proposed negotiations to test it, agreeing to negotiate with the Wa State in order to prevent the Wa State from forming a unified resistance situation. ”

After a pause, he continued: "This all-out invasion of the Japanese is a three-pronged approach, military, financial and economic, military strikes are only one aspect, and the negotiation with the Japanese is not only to paralyze the Japanese shogunate, but also to trigger a large-scale financial panic and food panic in the Japanese state.

The news that the shogunate had signed a land reparation and that it was a huge indemnity treaty would spread, which would inevitably cause dissatisfaction between the Wa king and the daimyo in various places against the shogunate, especially the huge indemnity, and the shogunate would inevitably do everything possible to pass it on to the daimyo and merchants in various places, which was bound to cause panic.

Yuanqi's financial infiltration in the Wa Kingdom has a long history, and taking the opportunity to fan the flames will inevitably lead to a major financial chaos, and the Wa State is already short of grain, and last year large-scale grain riots broke out in many places one after another, and the financial chaos, coupled with the dissatisfaction with the shogunate, and foreign enemies eyeing each other, the daimyo and merchants in various places will try their best to hoard grain.

In this way, a large-scale famine will break out in the Japanese country, which in turn will further promote the chaos of the Japanese country. ”

Speaking of this, he said with a smile: "Isn't General Yi afraid of bearing the notoriety of 'human slaughter'? When a great famine broke out in the Wa Kingdom and fell into chaos in the first place, we were guided by public opinion to accuse the Wa Shogunate of being unreasonable, and then raise troops to conquer it, which is even more justifiable. ”

Yi Xun listened to the cold back of the back, and his first reaction was that it was too terrible to have an opponent like Yuanqi, so it was for the Japanese country, and what about the imperial court? Yuan Qi can now be said to have completely controlled the financial economy of the Qing Dynasty, except that it is better than the Wa State that it can be self-sufficient in food, but what if there is a major famine?

The hotel where the Japanese negotiation team stayed was not far from Chunfan Tower, and it was only after going down the mountain and turning a street to arrive, Inaba was sitting in the room worriedly, carefully recalling the details of the negotiations, he had always believed that the Qing State would annex them, and the Qing State had frequently expanded to the outside world over the years, and almost all the vassal states around the Qing State had been annexed by the Qing State, and the Qing State had no reason to let them go.

The door was opened, and Sakai Tadanori bowed slightly at the door, then took off his shoes and walked in, sat down across from him, and said, "Shouldn't we go and visit the big shopkeeper of Yuanqi?" ”

"Now is not the time, wait for the sovereign's call back." Ye Zheng said in a muffled voice, groaning slightly, before he said: "Yuanqi monopolizes China's foreign trade, and also monopolizes the foreign trade of the Qing Kingdom, and there is no shortage of silver!" ”

"Who would think a lot of silver?" Sakai Tadashi said disapprerovingly: "The railway costs a lot of money, but Yuanqi is building a large-scale railway in China, and no matter how much silver it is, it is enough." ”

Inaba Masashi said in a deep voice: "Have you ever thought about Sakai-kun, what will be the reaction in China when this treaty is signed?" ”

"I don't know what the reaction will be at home." Sakai Tadashi snorted coldly and said, "But I know that if you don't sign a contract, the Qing Kingdom will definitely invade on a large scale!" ”

"If you sign a contract, you can guarantee that the Qing Kingdom will not invade?"

"What did the Qing invade for? It's nothing more than land and silver! Sakai Tadashi said with a wooden face: "With the size of the Qing country, we may not take our territory in our eyes, we agree to cede the land and pay compensation, and if we pay a tribute of 10 million taels of silver every year, this can eliminate the risk of Qing invasion to the greatest extent!" ”

"Unreasonable!" Inaba said angrily: "Is the Qing State's annexation of Korea also for land and silver?" ”

"How can our country be compared to North Korea?" Sakai Tadanori said without concessions: "Yuanqi has many banks, businesses and trade contacts in our country, and it is a monopoly on the trade between our two countries, what is the benefit of annexing our country?" ”

Hearing this, Inaba Masami fell into a long silence, indeed, maintaining the current situation is the most beneficial for Yuan Qi, and now that he has agreed to pay an indemnity of 10 million taels of silver per year, Yuan Qi has no reason to continue to start a war, which is completely disadvantageous to Yuan Qi.

After being silent for a long time, he said: "We can't take out the indemnity of 10 million taels of silver every year. ”

"I know I can't take it." Sakai Tadashi said in a deep voice: "But you must agree to come down first, and after passing the current level, we will talk about it slowly." ”

Edo, Shogun's House.

Tokugawa Ieshige, who was lying on the sickbed, did not say a word for a long time after reading the telegram, although he had made up his mind to prevent the outbreak of war at all costs, but he still had palpitations when he saw such harsh and even unacceptable conditions.

"Sovereign ——。" Matsudaira Yasuei said softly: "The land of Satsuma, Choshu, and Fukuoka was already in the hands of the Qing army, not to mention ceding, but to implore the Qing army to garrison the ........ the southwestern feudal domains." ”

With a long sigh, Tokugawa Ieshige said in a weak tone: "How can you get 10 million taels of silver a year?" ”

Matsudaira Yasuei said cautiously: "Then let Sakai continue to talk?" ”

"Try to fight for it, don't anger the other person." Tokugawa Ieshige said and waved his hand, he knew very well in his heart that the top priority was to calm the anger of the Qing State, and try to prevent the Qing State from using this as an excuse to expand the war.

Maguan, Chunfan Tower, because of the negotiations between the two countries, but also because it is easy to be content to stay here, so the entire Chunfan Tower inside and outside and on the mountain and down the mountain are heavily guarded, three steps, one post, five steps and one sentry, everywhere you can see the officers and soldiers with loaded guns and live ammunition in a straight posture.

Yang Xiuqing and Luo Outline walked to the entrance of the mountain with their personal guards and were stopped by the officers and soldiers on duty, the two hurriedly identified themselves, saying that they were calling, but the officers and soldiers at the entrance did not mean to let them go, but just sent someone to report, and after a while, Xiao Mingliang walked down quickly, and as soon as he saw him, he smiled and said: "I'm slacking, the big shopkeeper is waiting for the two of you in the room." As he spoke, he looked at Luo Xuan, stretched out his hand and smiled: "Luo Jun's name, I've heard of it for a long time, ........" ”

Luo Xuan was originally from the Heaven and Earth Society, but later voted for the Pacific Ocean, and when he heard this, he couldn't help but smile, shook hands and said, "What Commander Xiao heard about will definitely not have a good reputation." ”

"Commander Luo, don't be humble." Xiao Mingliang said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper once commented on the generals of the Taiping Army, saying that Commander Luo is strong and strong, and he is as fast as the wind with soldiers, and he is a rare tiger general, and he loves soldiers like a son, and can share weal and woe with soldiers, which is really a rare general!" ”

"Huh?" Luo Xuan's black face was swollen and red, he never dreamed that Yi Zhixiang's evaluation of him would be so high, especially rare and so pertinent.

Yang Xiuqing smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "The big shopkeeper knows people well, and he doesn't want to pay so much attention to the generals of the Taiping Army." ”

"Let's talk as we go." Xiao Mingliang stretched out his hand to give courtesy, and Yang Xiuqing and the two were about to move, but the officers and soldiers on patrol stretched out their hands to stop them and said, "Please also ask the two generals to hand over the guns to us for safekeeping." ”

"What an oversight." Yang Xiuqing smiled unmindingly, and untied the pistol on his waist as he spoke.

Walking forward, Xiao Mingliang said slowly: "The two of you may not know, but in fact, Yuan Qi has never regarded the Taiping Army as an enemy, and what the chief treasurer hates most in his life is to fight ...... civil war." ”

Yang Xiuqing said with a smile: "If it weren't for the fact that the big shopkeeper didn't like internal friction, Yuan Qi's troops would not have been driven away, but surrounded and annihilated, and there would have been no New Sixth Army now." As he spoke, he said curiously: "I don't know how the big shopkeeper comments on me?" ”

Xiao Mingliang said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper has the highest evaluation of Commander Yang, saying that Commander Yang is a natural military genius, in terms of military talent, no one in the Taiping Army can be the right of the East King, and let's carefully study and analyze your strategy and tactics, saying that it is to be included in the military textbook." ”

"The big shopkeeper praises it." Yang Xiuqing waved his hand again and again with a smile on his face: "I am completely a pheasant, and I can't get on the stage, if I really want to write it into military textbooks, it will be a big shame." ”

Luo Xuan smiled and joked: "The big shopkeeper is as wise as a torch, Commander Yang's military talent is indeed unmatched in the Taiping Army, if it weren't for Commander Yang, the Taiping Army would not be able to say that the capital would be Changsha, but I am afraid that even Guangxi would not be able to get out." ”