Zhang Zhao walked over first, also stared at the Japanese fleet logo for a moment, and said:
"The last time the 'Fuso-class' formation arrived in the Yellow Sea, we had already sent a note to the Japanese side to ask questions. The Japanese side explained to us and asked us not to worry, saying that it was conducting a naval blockade of Qing Dynasty. It accidentally broke into the Daming Sea area.
, because the army and navy did not coordinate well. They also said that they would be careful next time and would not enter the Daming Sea in the southern part of the Yellow Sea... This time they still broke in. It seems that their army and navy still did not coordinate well. "
Xiang Xiaoqiang sneered:
"Then our army and navy have not coordinated well. We also sent a fleet to wander around the Sea of Japan."
Xiong Dingming glanced at him and said with a wry smile:
"Then we have no reason. When the Japanese ships go to the Yellow Sea, they can be said to blockade Beiqing. When we go to the Sea of Japan, who can we block? There are only two countries in the Sea of Japan: the Soviet Union and Japan. Beiqing has no outlet there."
Zhang Zhaoxian also said:
"In this situation, we really have no other choice but to issue a note. Unless the Japanese ships sail directly to the East China Sea. According to Japan, it was commonplace for us to violate Japan's territorial waters in the past. Our Dongjiang Fleet is in the north, and
Japan also has a territorial dispute with Beiqing in the Yellow Sea. Even according to the recognized territorial sea division, our Dongjiang Fleet often cruises into Japanese territorial waters. Japan also protested against our issuance of notes, but nothing else happened."
He nodded to Xiaoqiang, feeling a little better. But he stared at the "Japanese Fleet" that moved on the big map, and still said:
"Little Japan is telling lies. Two battleships, two heavy cruisers, and two light cruisers. Such a powerful configuration. If you say it is for the Beiqing Navy to see, only a ghost can believe it. This is clearly for us to see.
Maybe the Japanese Navy wants to take this opportunity to stir up trouble... At least it is strengthening on-the-ground training to 'familiarize itself with the venue' so that the fleet can better adapt to the conditions of the Yellow Sea."
Zhang Zhaoxian and Xiong Dingming listened and nodded slightly.
Xiang Xiaoqiang said again:
"Or simply test the Ming Navy to see if we are afraid of it."
When he said this, Zhang Zhao smiled slightly and was noncommittal. Xiong Dingming's face became a little uneasy, and he emphasized again:
"This is not a question of whether you are afraid or not."
Xiang Xiaoqiang then said:
"Then should we also send a large fleet to the Yellow Sea for training? Regardless of whether we respond to the Japanese ship's provocation, at least now the Japanese fleet is in the 'adaptation site', and we have to go to the 'adaptation site', otherwise we will fall behind.
"
"No," Zhang Zhao shook his head first and said decisively, "This is not the time. It is absolutely not possible now."
Xiong Dingming also explained:
"Sir, Mr. Zhang is right. The Japanese fleet is already patrolling the Yellow Sea. If our fleet also patrols the Yellow Sea, the situation will be too tense... The top priority now is to ensure effective cooperation tomorrow.
, eliminate the Beiqing Dynasty as soon as possible and unify China. As long as China is unified, not to mention the Japanese army, even the Japanese navy will be much more honest."
Before Xiang Xiaoqiang could answer, Zhang Zhao nodded in approval and said:
"Master Xiong is right. It is true."
Xiang Xiaoqiang saw that it was useless to talk too much, so he stopped insisting. What Xiong Dingming said made sense. Ming Dynasty's greatest interests still lie on land. Even if it loses the battle at sea, as long as the army is still strong, national security will not be a big problem.
.As for the Nanyang route, in Xiang Xiaoqiang’s view, only land-based aircraft can control it.
What's more, all Xiang Xiaoqiang's wariness about Japan now comes from the perceptions of later generations. There is currently no solid evidence.
He knows that everyone now regards him as a die-hard "Japan hawk". Unfortunately, most of the headquarters are "Japan doves" and the remaining few are also centrists.
Now Xiang Xiaoqiang feels very isolated when it comes to the issue of Japan.
…
The central command hall is roughly divided into two parts, one is for the army units, and the other is for the navy units. The army side is a large area of military green and beige, and the navy side is a large area of black and dark blue. Usually it is the army
There are people here, with people running back and forth, while the navy side is quieter, with fewer people, and there is not much movement. But in recent days, there have been more people on the navy side, and it has become obviously busier, almost as much as the movement on the army side.
.
Around the big sand table over there, a group of naval staff officers in black uniforms, white big-brimmed hats, and golden tassels were staring at the center of the sand table, holding long poles and moving signs on it, muttering something in their mouths, and repeating the deduction.
Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that the navy was formulating the next landing plan. It was to wait for the Japanese army to launch an attack in the north before landing in Shandong.
Now, the navy is getting its wish to steal the spotlight again.
He walked to the sand table next to the Army and People's Guards, briefly took a look at the progress near Xuzhou, then turned around, walked to his desk, and sat down.
He picked up the phone and connected to the headquarters of the People's Guard. Then he was transferred to the security team.
"Afang, it's me," Xiang Xiaoqiang said in a low voice, "Where is the Cong Cong ship?"
Zheng Yucong has successfully obtained Shifeng Gege’s property in Switzerland, and has been in Switzerland for a few more days. Now she is on her way back. Because all of Shifeng Gege’s belongings are on the ship, Shiba Gege has been more concerned about her recently and often talks to her.
Telegraph contact.
"Oh, it's so loud," Shi Shi giggled, "it's parked in Palembang. She arrived last night. She wanted to spend two days in Sumatra. She said she wanted to inspect the new territory of the empire as the princess of Ming Dynasty.
.Haha, look..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang frowned and said:
"Hey, why are you still playing outside? Let her go out to do business. Tell her to come back quickly."
Fourteen giggled and said:
"Cong Cong has never been that far away. I'm afraid she went crazy this time. She said she likes to take a boat, not a train. When she comes back, she won't disembark in Guangzhou, but will go directly to Shanghai to enter the port."
Xiang Xiaoqiang felt uneasy. He looked up at the big map again and stared at the Japanese fleet cruising in the southern part of the Yellow Sea. He swallowed and whispered:
"Tell Cong Cong not to stay in Nanyang and come back immediately. Also, when you come back, you must disembark in Guangzhou and don't go around the East China Sea."
Fourteen was startled and said with a smile:
"Is it because of the Japanese fleet? Haha, I see you are nervous. It's not like that. Japan is now our cooperative country, not a belligerent country. Besides, what is Cong Cong's identity? Japan is not crazy. Don't talk about Cong Cong's ship.
Ordinary fishing boats won’t do anything like that.”
Japan is crazy. Xiang Xiaoqiang secretly said in his heart.
He said without any doubt:
"No, just tell Cong Cong like that. Just say it's me who said it. If she doesn't listen to you, at least she has to listen to me... Also, report this matter yourself, don't let anyone else do it."
Fourteen Gege smiled helplessly and said:
"Okay, okay, I'll send the report right away..."
Putting down the phone, Xiang Xiaoqiang looked up at the Japanese fleet on the map, feeling a little more at ease.
…
On January 15, Guangwu began to freeze various Japanese properties in Beiqing. Japan was relatively well prepared and had already gradually withdrawn most of its active assets. However, various real estate properties, such as factories, mines, railways, etc.
When they couldn't evacuate, they were all frozen by the Beiqing under various excuses.
To be honest, this is exactly what Japan wants. If it were to formally declare war, this excuse would be a bit far-fetched. However, the Japanese military department did not intend to use the "traditional method" of declaring war. Instead, it planned to use the Japanese Qing and Russo-Japanese War.
The usual method used in China is to continuously create various frictions beforehand, firstly to increase the tension and "accumulate excuses" for subsequent attacks, and secondly to incite patriotic enthusiasm in the country and raise the country's war fanaticism.
Now Beiqing has frozen Japanese assets in Qing Dynasty "without reason", which is a good part of the formal "excuse accumulation".
Guangwu also understood that doing so might provide Japan with an excuse. But he knew that "excuses" were dispensable to Japan. If he really wanted to attack you, he would create one himself without an excuse. Now that Japan's assets are frozen, what else can he do?
It can play a certain role in weakening Japan, and it also shows that the Qing Dynasty does not care about you.
…
On January 20, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Shohei Tonuma said in an interview with reporters that Japan actually strongly disagrees with the implicated methods adopted by Emperor Guangwu of the Qing Dynasty. Shohei Tonuma does not hold a high position in the cabinet, so his words seem to be very serious.
Bold. He said directly, "Emperor Guangwu is too bloody. This can be seen from what he did after the coup."
Then the reporter asked: "Does your Excellency approve of the coup?"
Tenuma Shohei said categorically: "I am very opposed to it. I think the legitimacy of this kind of regime can be questioned."
On the same day, the front pages of Japanese newspapers reported on this "official attitude of the cabinet". The ambassador of the Northern Qing Dynasty in Japan submitted a note, stating that the Qing Empire "strongly protested against this" and requested the Japanese government to clarify the words of Tonuma Shohei.
Is this the official attitude of the Japanese government?
However, the Japanese government only accepted the note without any clarification. This was tantamount to acquiescence.
How could Guangwu stand this? He looked at the map and saw that 700,000 Qing troops were displayed on the Yalu River, while the Japanese troops on the other side were only a few hundred thousand. In particular, the Japanese army was not dominated by armored troops and motorcycles like the Ming army.
The Japanese troops were armed to the teeth with traditional rifles and bayonets.
Therefore, Guangwu felt that there was nothing to be afraid of. He took tit-for-tat action and immediately downgraded Beiqing's diplomatic relations with Japan from "ambassador level" to "minister level".
…
On the evening of January 23, a Japanese 700-ton cargo ship "Kikukawa Maru" departed from Takukou and returned to Japan.
That night, just after leaving the Bohai Sea, it was hit by a torpedo 30 nautical miles east of the Bohai Strait. The 700-ton small cargo ship sank quickly, and only two crew members survived. According to Japan, it was patrolling the sea outside the Bohai Sea at the time.
A Japanese destroyer received the distress signal and rushed to the rescue, and the two crew members were able to return to Japan.
When the destroyer returned to Japan the next day, several newspapers went to the hospital to interview them. Two crew members insisted that they had heard the sound of a high-speed diesel motor before and said it must have been a Beiqing torpedo boat.
On the same day, Japanese newspapers reported on the matter. Each newspaper spontaneously used the most inflammatory rhetoric to exaggerate it. Suddenly, the whole country in Japan was furious. In the afternoon, young students and citizens from major cities in Japan rushed to the scene.
street, enter
The anti-Qing parade was held. Those Japanese "angry youth" had cloth strips wrapped around their foreheads, their eyes were red and filled with tears, waving Japanese flags and shouting at the top of their lungs, "Peel down China", "Kill all the pigs in China", "
Slogans such as "Japan's military success will last forever".
Almost all Chinese in Japan were attacked. People from the Northern Qing Dynasty were not allowed to go abroad. Those who were abroad were all official personnel sent by the Northern Qing Dynasty, and the number was very limited. Therefore, at least 98% of the Chinese in Japan were from the Ming Dynasty.
.And those Japanese angry youths were indiscriminate, and almost all Ming people who went out were beaten. Those who hid at home and could not come out had paint, feces, and kerosene poured on their doors.
Set fire to burn.
Many Japanese young people with tears streaming down their faces, with white cloth strips wrapped around their foreheads and sun flags draped over their bodies, shouted loudly and cursed at the Chinese door. When they couldn't open the door, they pulled out their knives, shouted, and cut off one of their fingers.
.Then he wrote threatening words on the Chinese door with his bloody fingers.
…
The Ming government was furious and immediately asked the ambassador to Japan to lodge the most serious protest, ordering the Japanese government to protect the safety of the Chinese in Japan. Otherwise, the Ming Dynasty would withdraw its ambassador to Japan and impose sanctions on Japan. Japan will be responsible for all consequences.
The Japanese government was also panicked. It did not expect that it had gone too far this time. It knew that it must not be at odds with the Ming and Qing Dynasties at the same time. It was very simple for the Ming Dynasty to sanction Japan. As long as the Strait of Malacca was closed to Japanese ships, Japan's maritime transportation would be blocked.
Not going in circles. After the last Nanyang Incident and the Ming-Dutch War, the whole world now knows that overseas Chinese are untouchable. The Ming Empire is easy to say, but it is really desperate to hurt its overseas Chinese.
That evening, Prime Minister Hirota Koki read His Majesty the Emperor's edict on the radio, asking the Japanese people to remain calm and not attack the Chinese because "most of them are friends of the Empire."
The emperor's words were absolutely effective, and for the Japanese people, they were absolutely God's will. That night, Chinese people in all major cities dared to go out and walk on the streets, and no one was attacked.
The Ming Dynasty also breathed a sigh of relief. It did not want to fall out with Japan at this juncture. Seeing that Japan actually used the "Emperor" as a trump card this time, the "doves" in the Ming Dynasty's cabinet and headquarters felt in their hearts
They are also quite comfortable.
——It seems that Japan is still very sincere.
However, the anger of the Japanese people has not disappeared. They are all suppressing it, waiting to find a breakthrough.