The Kyoto Imperial Palace, Japan, is an imperial palace modeled after the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty in China, although it is not as ornate as the court of the Ming Emperor. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info This article is from the first issue in terms of size, but it is also quite large, and the area is only slightly smaller than the Forbidden City of Nanjing. However, there are traces of disrepair everywhere, and to put it mildly, it is just a pile of dilapidated old houses, full of poverty and acid, and it is not at all comparable to the new and gorgeous Otsu Miyagi. However, the guards guarding this pile of dilapidated houses were quite capable, all wearing gray Ming military uniforms and carrying the latest Jason-style beaded rifles. They all stood straight at the entrance of the Imperial Palace, looking as if they were loyal to defend the emperor to the death.

When Will. Heming got down from the carriage and couldn't help but nod when he saw these elite soldiers and saw these guards. It's July heat, and being able to maintain such a military posture under such a scorching sun already speaks to some problems. Japan is a country with elite soldiers!

"They are not Japan's national army, but Shinnogumi loyal to Akiko Tokugawa." Gordon, who accompanied him, whispered in his ear, "Although it is very accidental that this woman holds the power of the Tokugawa family, but after so many years, she can still firmly hold the power, which can already explain some problems." ”

Will. Akimi knew Tokugawa Akiko, and in his impression, Akiko was a favorite concubine of Zhu Jishi, and she was very low-key, never showing any extraordinary political talent...... However, in the Luo family sisters and Maria. In the Ming harem where Clementina fought against each other, she could meet the source left and right, and she could win Zhu Jishi's favor. It's a bit of a trick, right?

Hemming nodded and said, "After all, she was born in a political family that has ruled Japan for more than 200 years. It's not surprising to have a little talent. ”

The two of them spoke in English on the one hand. While walking into the Kyoto Imperial Palace under the guidance of Japanese Foreign Minister Iwakura Shoti.

Today, Japan has achieved the integration of public and military forces and the return of copyrights, and has become a unified feudal bureaucratic state. It also imitated the Ming Dynasty to establish a central government with a cabinet system. However, it still can't get rid of Japan's characteristics, and the first assistant of the cabinet is called the Minister of Taise, and the Tokugawa family governor, Tokugawa Ieyuki, who is only 13 years old, is the governor. Iyuki is now in the Yuan service, and he is also married to the Emperor Tongji, who is 7 years older than him. However, it is impossible for a 13-year-old to really lead Japan. As a result, Japanese politics was controlled by Akiko Tokugawa, Ieyuki's guardian, and a group of ministers surnamed Tokugawa or Matsudaira. And the post of Minister of the Interior of Iwakura Kushi was also replaced by Matsudaira Kanshi. However, for this "loyal dog" of the Tokugawa family, Akiko did not treat him badly, and made him the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This position is more important than the Minister of the Interior if placed in other countries, but Japan has no diplomacy now, but only has ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations with the Ming Empire, and minister-level diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom, France, the Mexican Empire, the Kingdom of Hawaii, and the United States of America. And Japan's foreign policy is also very simple, that is, to follow the Ming Dynasty, and there is no idea of its own at all. The foreign minister's job is mainly to receive foreign envoys and accept credentials from foreign envoys on behalf of the Japanese empress -- Japan's female emperor Tongji basically does not see outsiders.

So today Will. Hemaki's entry into the Kyoto Imperial Palace was just a formality. The national credentials are still to be collected by Iwakura Jushi. And the place where this diplomatic form was completed was not in the main hall of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Shishiroden. It is the public secretary room in the Pingtang Gate. Originally, it was used for the palace ministers who entered the palace to meet the emperor. However, now that the combination of public and military forces has been realized, there is no such class as the minister, and most of the original ministers have only been given a title and have been kept in captivity, and they rarely have the opportunity to enter the palace.

After the credentials were submitted, Will. Hemming and Gordon didn't leave immediately, but sat cross-legged in the minister's room and talked to Iwakura.

"Your Excellency...... The British Empire had already taken note of the crisis in Tierra del Fuego. Both Argentina and Chile have their eyes on Tierra del Fuego's gold, and a war may be inevitable. As a friend of Japan, the British Empire's position in the Tierra del Fuego crisis has always been to stand with Japan. After all, Japan's colony in Patagonia was established with the support of the British Empire. Now Argentina and Chile are challenging Japan's sovereignty in Patagonia and they are challenging the authority of the British Empire! ”

Iwakura listened attentively, without even blinking an eyelid. The crisis in Tierra del Fuego (New Japan Island) has now become a stir in Japan, and there is a lot of shouting and shouting everywhere...... And the slogan shouted is usually not to defend the new Japan, but to open up the new Japan! It is clear that the warmongers in Japan are seeing the provocations of Argentina and Chile (it is hard to say who is doing so) as an opportunity to carve out territory in South America.

Of course, the so-called militants are not brainless. They also know how many catties and taels Japan has, and although this country can come up with 100,000 and 200,000 elite soldiers, the real military power is not built on the elite troops that will never be there again after the 100,200,000 battle. Rather, it is the strength of the whole, and there are a lot of comprehensive factors such as population, industry, resources, land, etc., none of which Japan is considered to be excellent. If it weren't for the protection of the Ming Empire, it would be nice for the country to protect itself. Therefore, on the issue of the expansion of New Japan, even the most important elements did not dare to go alone, and they were bent on pulling the Ming Dynasty, France, and Mexico together to send troops. But these three countries are noncommittal, and Britain is now uninvited to support Japan, what is going on? Is Britain trying to win over Japan in this way? The British's thief ship is not easy to get on, not to mention how the Ming will react, even Tokugawa Akiko and the pro-Chinese faction in Japan will not agree......

So Iwakura looks at this time, for Will. Hemming's suggestion was just a word.

Will. Hai Ming was not in a hurry, but smiled faintly: "Your Excellency, the current international situation is very complicated, and the Tierra del Fuego crisis is part of this complex situation. Therefore, I would like to introduce to Her Royal Highness the Imperial Concubine in person the relationship between the international situation and the Tierra del Fuego crisis, and I believe that she will make an accurate judgment after listening to it. ”

"The current international situation is ...... Is the Three Kingdoms Together? Iwakura asked softly.

"That's right, it's the Three Kingdoms." Will. Hemming laughed, he knew this history. "Moreover, at present, the three kingdoms in the world are evenly matched, the British Empire is not the powerful Wei state, and the Ming Dynasty and France are not Wu Shu."

"Oh." Iwakura was still noncommittal, and said lightly, "Then the official will convey Mr. Minister's words to His Royal Highness the Imperial Concubine, and ask Mr. Minister to wait a few days, I believe there will be an audience." ”

……

"What? Britain is ready to support Japan over the Tierra del Fuego crisis? What do they want to do? ”

Will. Haiming has not yet seen Tokugawa Akiko, but Zhu Jishi has already received a telegram from Akiko. During this time, the Polish issue and the tension on the Sino-Russian border had gradually subsided, and Emperor Zhu's attention turned back to North America.

As the war continued in North America, the Confederates in Cleveland refused to surrender, while the main forces of the Confederates launched a counteroffensive against Pittsburgh, engaging in fierce battles with the Confederates along the Appalachian Mountains. The Lincoln administration, on the other hand, announced a general mobilization and called on every American to take up arms and fight the invading enemy, and to have a strong posture of resistance to the end. Emperor Zhu was also really troubled by the spirit of resistance of the United States of America, a mob state. In desperation, he had already signed an order to send further troops to fight in North America. At this juncture, he certainly did not have the heart to think about the expansion of the new Japan in South America.

Moreover, behind the South American issue, there is also the distribution of interests between China and France. by Mathilde I and Maria. Clementina, Zhu Jishi is fully aware of Napoleon III's wishful thinking. Napoleon III already considered all of South America, with the exception of Patagonia, to be France's sphere of influence...... (To be continued.) )