The commanders of the five countries achieved their goal and were satisfied.

After Michael sat down, he smiled and said, "Lee, Kyoto Prefecture is under your control, and it won't take much time to control Japan next, I believe you will complete it soon." As for how to establish a new emperor? How are you going to govern? We don't interfere anymore, it's up to you. I plan to return to Nagasaki with my army and leave today. ”

Li Zhen smiled slightly, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

Max's decision to leave was a testament to the sincerity of the armies of the five countries.

Li Zhen shook his head lightly and said, "Don't leave in a hurry, I want to invite you to stay and watch the ceremony!" Witness Japan enter a new era. I think that if you miss such a historic moment, you will never see it again. On the third day of the seventh month, I will prepare a grand event, which will be held in the palace, and you will all be invited to participate in it. ”

He smiled, but had no intention of pleading.

Michaels didn't speak, but the cartel immediately said, "Okay, I'm representing the United States." ”

"I'm representing France!" This was stated by the French commander Van Nilon.

The Dutch commander said: "I am participating on behalf of the Netherlands!" ”

The Italian commander said: "I am participating on behalf of Italy. ”

The commanders of the four countries successively expressed their willingness to participate, because they and Li Zhen reached a cooperation agreement, and the two sides were no longer in competition, but mutually beneficial. Moreover, Cartel, Van Nilon and others were unwilling to have a bad relationship with Li Zhen, so they immediately chose to agree. After all, being able to have a good relationship with Li Zhen is good for future development.

A look of embarrassment flashed across Michael's face when he saw that everyone agreed. He is the allied commander of the armies of the five countries, and he is the spokesman of the unification, and now the people of the four countries do not greet him, and they agree without even a look, and they clearly do not put him in their eyes.

Michaels was annoyed in his heart, but his face did not show it, and he said, "I agree too!" ”

Li Zhen said: "Thank you for your faces, I will send someone to inform you at that time." ”

"Li, there is still something in our army, farewell!" Michaels felt uncomfortable and left directly.

Li Zhen said: "Slow down and don't send it!" ”

Michael stood up and left with his entourage, and the commanders of the rest of the countries also stood up and took their leave, and all of them departed. Li Zhen sat alone in the tent, thinking about the next thing, for the third day of the seventh month, Li Zhen already had a complete idea in his heart, so he would put it forward. After a short time, Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang returned with the army, the soldiers of the Second Army and the Third Army entered the barracks, and Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang came to Li Zhen's tent.

When the two learned that they had reached an agreement with the commanders of the five countries, a smile appeared on their faces.

Zeng Guofan said: "Lord, the shogunate and the imperial family are dead, and Japan has no leader, what do you plan?" ”

Li Zhen didn't answer, but asked, "What does Brother Bohan think?" ”

"I think the best advice is to support a puppet, to support a distant relative of the imperial family as the new emperor, preferably someone who is young and ignorant," Zeng said. In this way, the prince has enough time to control Japan in his hands. It is true that the prince is the concubine of the Japanese imperial family and has a transcendent identity, but I don't think that the prince can gain a firm foothold in Japan with the help of the identity of the concubine, I don't think this is a good suggestion, because it is easy to arouse the negative emotions of the Japanese people, please think twice. ”

Zuo Zongtang shook his head lightly and said, "I don't agree with Commander Zeng's statement and support the prince to include Japan in the territory!" ”

At this time, Zhao Liewen and others also came in.

Li Zhen asked again: "Tell me, what do you think?" ”

Li Hongzhang continued: "I agree with the teacher's suggestion to support the puppet. ”

Zhao Liewen said again: "Lord Wang, I also think that the way to support the puppet is the most appropriate, it is easy for the Japanese to accept, and the backlash will not be too big." Next, Yang Jianhou, Yang Luchan, Dong Haichuan and others all expressed their opinions, and all the opinions were mainly divided into two opinions after they were determined, one was to support Li Zhen's self-reliance and annex the territory of Japan to the Qing Dynasty; The second is to hope that Li Zhen can clearly understand the feasibility of controlling Japan, and suggest that Li Zhen support the puppet.

After Li Zhen listened, he thought carefully.

He synthesized everyone's opinions in order to get a broad idea of what was going on below.

After a while, Li Zhenlang said: "The idea of incorporating Japan into the territory is difficult to implement, or even impossible to implement. Once we openly incorporate Japan into our territory, the commanders of the five countries will not sit idly by. By turning Japan into our own territory, it means that Japan's sovereignty belongs to us, and it is no longer Japan, and it is no longer Japan that everyone kneades, and it has become illegal for the countries of the five countries to want to station troops here. ”

After a pause, Li Zhen continued: "The commanders of the five countries can agree to me ruling Japan, because Japan's name has not changed, Japan's sovereignty has not changed, but I have become the one who controls Japan. I control Japan, and I control Japan as our own territory, but it is fundamentally different. ”

As soon as he said this, Zuo Zongtang, Yang Jianhou and others were all extremely disappointed.

Obviously, Li Zhen would not accept the suggestion of expanding the territory, while Zhao Liewen and Zeng Guofan showed joy.

Li Zhen continued: "The suggestion of supporting puppets in Japan is half right and half wrong, because my approach does support puppets, but how to support them is different. The next person to take over the emperor was not the one who was not slaughtered by the Japanese imperial family, nor the young children who were selected, but the princess Konomiya, who was sent by Yoo Noda, as the heir to the imperial family, and became the female emperor of Japan. As for myself, I am the regent of Japan and preside over the overall situation of Japan. ”

"The prince is wise!"

Li Hongzhang sincerely admired: "Princess Xingong took over as emperor, although the Japanese people are not used to being a female emperor, but the emperor is a member of the imperial family. As the regent of Japan, the prince not only took care of the face of the Japanese imperial family, but also gave the Japanese a certain amount of respect. It's a pretty good idea, and I support it. ”

Zeng Guofan said: "I also agree with the idea of the prince, this attention is too extreme. ”

Zuo Zongtang smiled and said: "If the princess of the Heart Palace takes over as the queen of heaven, once the princess of the heart palace is pregnant with the prince's child, she can immediately become the prince after giving birth to a baby boy, and achieve the goal of the prince actually controlling Japan." At that time, Japan was still under the control of the prince. High, this trick is too high. ”

A group of people and others all agreed with Li Zhen's approach.

Li Zhen said: "You all think it is feasible, so arrange it according to this practice." Li Hongzhang, you are in charge of the enthronement ceremony on the third day of the seventh lunar month, and prepare for the enthronement of the princess of the Heart Palace. You have to gather all the Japanese officials, and you have to set up the scene so that there can be no mistakes. If you need soldiers, just ask your teacher, Zeng Guofan, for a troop. ”

"Yes!" Li Hongzhang said.

Li Zhen said again: "Zuo Zongtang, the Second Army can't be idle, and must act." We must control not only Kyoto Prefecture, but also all parts of Japan one after another, and there must be no problems. ”

Zuo Zongtang said solemnly: "Please rest assured, I will do a good job." ”

ps； The first is to work hard;