Chapter 612

There was nothing perfect in this world. Although the Japanese's knife was not sharp, it would still hurt when it cut a person.

The most important reason why they couldn't kill the Hairy Bear was that the territory of the Russian Empire was too vast, even larger than the original space and time.

The most serious consequence of the Russo-Japanese War was nothing more than losing the Far East, and then there would be no after that. With the strength of the Japanese, it was impossible to penetrate Siberia.

After a moment of silence, Frederick The Great slowly said, "It's naturally not enough if it's only Japan, but it's different if other nations that want to be independent are added.

Finland, the Baltic, Poland, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and other regions are all anti-Russian forces.

When the Russian Empire was strong, these anti-Russian forces couldn't make a difference, but it's different when the Hairy Bear is declining.

If the strength of these independent organizations is not enough, then add the Russia Revolutionary Party.

Although the reform of Alexander II Of Russia eased the social contradictions of the Russian Empire to a certain extent, the core contradictions still exist.

The Russian people can tolerate the government losing to European countries, but they absolutely can't tolerate losing to the uncivilized Japanese.

Add the bourgeoisie who is dissatisfied with the distribution of power, as long as we push them from behind, the possibility of a revolution in Russia is very high. "

Obviously, Frederick The Great also did his homework. He had long been aware of the internal dangers of the Russian Empire.

For a giant like the Russian Empire, it was too difficult to defeat it from the outside. The only thing that could really defeat them was themselves.

For the Holy Roman Empire, a divided and declining Russian Empire was a good ally.

Franz hesitated. He had to admit that Frederick The Great's plan was indeed very operable.

Even if the plan failed, Shinra would not lose anything. From beginning to end, the Government of Vienna was a "good ally" of the Tsarist government and had nothing to do with these anti-Russian forces.

If the plan succeeded, then the threat of Shinra on land would be completely removed. In the future, they could go all out to the ocean and compete with Britannia for hegemony.

The only problem was that the revolution was full of uncertainty. As a monarch, Franz had always stayed away from "revolution" and "national independence movements."

If it was a few decades ago, Franz would have rejected it without even thinking about it.

The reason was very realistic. He was afraid of picking up a stone and dropping it on his own foot, causing uncontrollable consequences.

But it was different now. After so many years of operation, Holy Empire, which had a unified language and culture, had stabilized its foundation.

Compared to other countries in the same era, the people of Shenluo still had a sense of superiority. The country was strong, and the people's living standards were obviously at the forefront.

Even though the social contradictions did not disappear, it was far from the need to rebel. Even though the waves of revolution surged, the impact on Shenluo was very small.

The problem was that the current Holy Empire was no longer isolated. Even if they could hold their own, that didn't mean their underlings could too.

Armenia with its strong feudal ideology, Spain with its internal contradictions, the Italian states in the midst of social reform, Greece with its lively national ideology, and France in the midst of a crisis.

Strong feudal Armenia, internal contradictions in Spain, social reform in the Italian states, active national ideas in the small Greece, and France in trouble.

If revolutions broke out one by one, it would be fine. Franz believed he could handle it. If they all came at once, Shinra would be exhausted.

"The plan sounds good, but we have to grasp the middle point. The Russian Empire can collapse, but the Tsarist government must remain.

We can push behind the scenes, but we can't directly intervene in the civil strife of Russia. Including secretly supporting the revolutionary party and independent organizations, we can't be involved. "

It was not that Franz was hypocritical, but it was a political necessity. Setting up an ally was one thing to do in secret, but if it was brought to the surface, there was no point in doing it.

…

Yoto. With the arrival of the British and Austrian navies, the diplomatic mission's position on the Government of Japan was getting tougher.

To be exact, Shinra was pressuring the Government of Japan. Other countries followed suit, while the British remained silent most of the time.

This was the inevitable result. No matter what they did in the dark, Russia and Austria were allies on the surface.

Now that their ally's embassy was slaughtered by the Japanese, it would be strange if Shinra didn't respond at all.

Other countries followed suit, but that was because the Japanese broke the rules. These rules not only protected the interests of the big powers, but also protected the interests of small countries.

Only within the scope of the rules of the game, could everyone carry out diplomatic activities normally. After all, the big powers were powerful and basically no one dared to provoke them. Even if something happened, they could retaliate.

Small countries couldn't do it. They couldn't do anything about what happened thousands of miles away. No matter how much they suffered, they could only swallow it.

Now everyone was demanding severe punishment for the Government of Japan. In essence, it was killing the chicken to warn the monkey.

As the saying goes, it's hard to offend the anger of the public. Britannia, who claimed to be civilized, naturally wouldn't go against the other countries for the interests of their Japanese ally.

If they wanted severe punishment, then so be it. Shinra didn't organize a coalition army to attack them. Now the severe punishment demanded by the other countries was nothing more than to kill a few more people responsible and make the Government of Japan lose face.

It was the Japanese who died, and the Government of Japan that lost face. In the eyes of the British Minister, Enrique, this wasn't a big deal.

If it weren't for the Anglo-Japanese alliance, Enrique would have pressured the Government of Japan to hand over the investigation of the case.

As a diplomat, Enrique and the diplomatic mission had the same position on the issue of maintaining the safety of the diplomats.

A rumbling sound rang out, like a clap of thunder in the sky. Emperor Meiji, who was eating, couldn't help but throw away the cutlery in his hand.

He hurriedly ordered the maid, "Quickly send someone to see where the cannons were fired."

Things were different now. Ever since the Anglo-Austrian Navy arrived in the Sea of Japan, the Japanese Navy was ordered to stay in the camp. Even warships were forbidden to go up.

The Government of Japan was so cautious because they were afraid that the youths below couldn't stand the provocation and would run out to fight with the Anglo-Austrian Navy.

The Government of Japan was betting on the fate of the Russian Empire. If they provoked another country, they would really be done for.

…

In the Ministry of Navy, looking at the black mass of generals who were petitioning, Admiral Ito Yūhō reprimanded them with a livid face, "A bunch of idiots. Don't you know what time it is?

We have to go out to sea for training. Do you think I'm a fool?

Do you really think that you are invincible after fighting two battles?

Believe it or not, if you leave the port now, you will all be fed to the sharks in less than two hours.

…

Pass down the order, all officers and soldiers immediately return to the barracks to rest. No matter what happens, no one is allowed to board the ship. "

There was no other way. Just now, the Anglo-Austrian Navy had launched a live fire test at the port.

Because they didn't aim at the buildings on the shore, the shell landed on the water not far from the port and exploded. However, the Japanese Navy was enraged.

When they were enraged, their IQ dropped. In a moment of hot-headedness, these guys came to petition to go out to sea for training and expel the "enemy navy" outside.

The people below had water in their brains, but it didn't mean that Ito Yūhō had water in his brain. If they really went out to cause trouble, they might be taken away by the enemy.

Despite the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, under normal circumstances, the Royal Navy wouldn't attack the Japanese Navy. There was no core conflict of interest between Japan and Shinra, so the possibility of them attacking them was not high.

However, political matters were usually considered by the upper echelons. There were radicals in the Japanese Navy, and there were also radicals in the Anglo-Austrian Navy.

If they really encountered each other, no one could be sure that the two sides would really fight. At least, Ito Yūhō didn't think that the Japanese Navy's strength could make the other side retreat.

It wasn't easy for Japan to accumulate these forces. If they really fought, it would be over.

Not to mention that they would have to go down to the sea to feed the sharks in two hours, there would be heavy losses and injuries.

The Navy was not the Army. Relatively speaking, the Japanese Navy was still calm. At least under Ito Yūhō's strict orders, everyone obediently returned to the camp.

After dealing with these troubles, Ito Yūhō immediately went straight to the Heavenly Palace. This time, it was only a test firing at the surface of the water, so the damage caused was very limited. No one could guarantee that the next time they would not fire at the buildings on the shore.

Ito Yūhō had personally experienced how tyrannical the European Great Powers were these days. He didn't think that the fleet outside wouldn't dare to do anything.

…

Suppressing the anger in his heart, Emperor Meiji said slowly, "The diplomatic mission has already used force to pressure them. What do you think we should do now?"

There was no doubt that the Anglo-Austrian Navy entering Tokyo Bay was a big problem for the Government of Japan.

Not to mention that they couldn't win, even if they could win, the Government of Japan wouldn't dare to make a move.

Fortunately, they were only using force and not really firing. Otherwise, the Government of Japan could only cry.

Lu Xiangshan Yupeng said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. We have already confirmed that it was only the Anglo-Austrian Navy that arrived at Tokyo Bay. They didn't bring any marines with them.

The diplomatic mission is only bluffing and trying to use political blackmail to force us to give in. They don't have the ability to launch a landing.

The military forces of each country in East Asia are limited. Even if all of them are transferred over, the land forces have the ability to protect the safety of Honshu. "

Everyone chose to ignore Yupeng Yupeng's solemn promise. Only a fool would start a war with the other countries.

What was the use of defending Honshu? Japan was an island country that lacked resources. As long as the enemy blockaded the island for a year and a half, Japan would be finished.

The diplomatic mission's force could only be used as political blackmail, but it could also be turned into reality.

If it wasn't for the British acting as a snitch and dragging the diplomatic mission down, the Government of Japan would have given up long ago.

Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru said, "Actually, it's not that we can't consider the diplomatic mission's conditions. They are not deliberately targeting the Empire with their request for investigation and trial rights.

The main reason is because of the Russian Embassy case, which made them feel sad. They want to kill the chicken to warn the monkey and re-establish the dignity of international rules.

The Empire's enemy is only the Russians. We can't mistake the diplomatic mission for the enemy. The diplomatic mission targeting us now can only be said to be a coincidence. They are not the same kind of people as the Russians.

If we can't deal with the diplomatic mission before the Russians arrive, they might really work together. At that time, the Empire will be in danger. "

Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu said, "No! Letting the diplomatic mission participate in the investigation and trial is already our biggest concession. We must not give up the leadership of the case.

The most terrible thing in diplomacy is to set a precedent. Once this precedent is set, in the future, they will jump out to fight for the right to trial in cases involving the citizens of various countries … "

Although Inoue Kaoru had been as subtle as possible, Okuma Shigenobu still found it a little difficult to accept. Compromising with the diplomatic mission seemed to be a solution to the problem, but they would lose their sovereignty.

Whether it was "investigation" or "trial rights", they were important sovereignty of a country. Generally speaking, when national sovereignty was involved, it was very troublesome.

In a sense, giving up the leadership was equivalent to "betraying the country." Perhaps the people present could see the big picture, but the Japanese people outside did not have such a big picture view.

Ito Hirobumi interrupted and said, "Okuma-kun, there are priorities. It's not too late to deal with future troubles in the future. The most important thing is to get through the current crisis.

In the negotiations with the diplomatic mission, I can be sure that the Shinra Minister is only putting on a show and has not given his all. Including the conditions proposed, none of them are too excessive.

Once the Russian representative arrives, the situation will be completely different. For the sake of the Russo-Austrian Alliance, Shinra will definitely support the Russians.

Right now, all the countries in Europe are looking out for Vienna. Shinra supports the Russians, and most of the members of the diplomatic mission will support the Russians.

At that time, it will not only be a matter of investigation and trial rights. If the Tsarist government is willing to pay the price, it is not impossible to pull together a coalition army.

The British are unreliable. Once the European countries support the Russians, we are very likely to be abandoned.

There have been too many similar cases in the history of the United Kingdom. Even the once powerful Empire of France has been sold by the British. "

It was a bit alarmist, but the truth was right. In international politics, one must follow one's heart when it was time to do so.

"Too hard is easy to break."

For a small country, they could only live a long life if they were flexible. In this era of the law of the jungle, blindly being tough was the road to death.

…

With the appearance of the joint investigation team, the Japanese people were directly in an uproar. Protest slogans resounded throughout Tokyo.

The students who had just arrived in Japan were stunned by the scene in front of them.

A young student couldn't hold it in and blurted out, "This is Japan. Isn't it too chaotic?"

There were people protesting everywhere, and it was impossible not to be chaotic. The social order did not collapse because of the efforts of the Japanese police.

The young student who came to pick them up explained, "Japan is a country that pays the most attention to order. You just came at the wrong time. In the past, Tokyo was still very prosperous.

But recently they have encountered trouble. Now the Japanese people are protesting against the Western powers for violating their national sovereignty. "

"Japan's national sovereignty has been violated." For the Far East students who had just left the country, it was undoubtedly a huge ideological shock.

Thanks to the good publicity work of the Government of Japan, with the result of a draw with Spain, in the eyes of many people in East Asia, Japan was already a new power.

Otherwise, people would not have traveled across the ocean to learn the way of a strong country. But as soon as they arrived in Tokyo, they encountered this scene in front of them.

"Brother Bo An, isn't Japan a powerful country in the world? How …"

Without waiting for the young man to finish, the young student called Bo An interrupted, "This question is a long story.

It's not suitable to talk about this topic on this occasion. Let's go to my residence first, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble. "

Far away in a foreign country, trouble was the most frightening thing. The Empire of the Far East was not a country that could resist. If they encountered trouble, they should solve it themselves. Don't expect a group of officials to help them.

Filled with doubts, the group arrived at a two-story wooden building. Although the appearance was slightly old, the interior was very exquisite, very in line with the low-key and introverted style of the Chinese.

…

After brewing a pot of tea, the young student called Bo An slowly said, "There are also two students living here, but they were invited to participate in the demonstration.

Because you are coming, I didn't go to join in the fun. In fact, they didn't want to participate, but they couldn't refuse the favor.

You are new here, so if you encounter this kind of thing in the future, you should hide if you can. If you really can't hide, don't rush forward.

Especially during this period, if it is not necessary, try not to go out, let alone participate in club activities. "

The slightly older man asked, "Bo An, why are you so cautious, what happened recently?"

"I thought you knew, but it seems that the news in my hometown is still seriously lagging. Half a month ago, anti-Russian demonstrations broke out in Tokyo.

I don't know what happened in the middle, but the people who participated in the demonstration rushed into the Russian Embassy in Tokyo, and all the Russian diplomatic staff were killed.

After the outbreak of the Russian Embassy case, it caused a strong backlash from the embassies in Tokyo, and the British and Austria took the lead to form a diplomatic mission.

After the establishment of the diplomatic mission, there was a fierce conflict with the Government of Japan around the investigation and trial rights of the Russian Embassy case.

Yesterday at noon, the British and Austrian navies also bombarded the Tokyo Bay. The specific situation was unknown, but the Government of Japan gave in.

Not only did they hand over the leadership of the case, but under the pressure of the diplomatic mission, they also arrested the members of the Anti-Russian Revenge Society, Iron Blood Revenge Society, and other societies overnight.

After the news spread, a movement to defend sovereignty broke out in Tokyo today, asking the government to release the arrested Russian Embassy suspects, and refusing the diplomatic mission's involvement in the embassy case.

Regardless of the final result, Tokyo will most likely be chaotic for a period of time. This has nothing to do with us, so you better not get involved. "

Looking at the dumbfounded expression on everyone's face, it was obvious that they were shocked by the news.

It was impossible to get involved, and it was too late to avoid this kind of thing. Unless one was tired of living, normal people would not join in the fun.