308 Jinghua Emperor's Dream

308 Jinghua Emperor's Dream (Part 1)

When it was close to Meng Dong, the sky was already cold. I only listened to the wind on the roof, which made Chengchen move uneasily.

Li wanted to take out a burning stick from the fireplace and lit a cigar.

Opposite him, he sat and quietly flew to Wuhan, the American minister Rui Enshi.

"Since we left Beijing, Japan has put forward harsh and special requirements for our unfortunate country..." Li Xiang pointed to the photocopy of Article 21 on the table and said, "It is more valuable to make the friendship and support of the United States more valuable than ever. In fact, we are in a terrible situation. We have never been a martial country. On the contrary, we have the people who love peace in the world. As reported by The Times, if Japan's request is accepted, the future of the Republic of China is slim.

Since then, China is likely to be the biggest victim of this world war. Because she can only serve Japan's ally Britain as a vassal of Japan, and thus strengthen Japan's international status.

Therefore, for the Republic of China, where should the opening policy of the United States be placed? If the Republic of China is completely controlled by Japan, as they blatantly planned, then the interests in China can only be monopolized by Japan, and isn't this a fatal threat to your Far East strategy?

Rui Enshi twisted her buttocks uneasily.

Another requirement of Japan is to have coal mining rights in China. In that case, Japan will soon monopolize China's coal resources.

If these requirements of Japan are met, that is, without Japanese recognition, the construction of the Southern Manchurian and Eastern Mongolia Railway will not be able to apply for a loan from any foreign country. Without Japan's approval, the government of the Republic of China will not be able to hire any political, financial and military advisers.

If these requirements are allowed to be met and employ the powerful Japanese as political, financial and military advisers to the government of the Republic of China in accordance with their first paragraph of No. 5, it means tyutocracy, and even the Chinese police will be organized and trained by the Japanese. If any problem, no matter how big or small, can be solved according to the satisfaction of the Japanese, rather than adjudicate it on the basis of justice, this is simply a bao policy for the Chinese people.

It is difficult to list the requirements of the Japanese. In short, it will deprive China of its independence and reduce it to a subordinate province of Japan. Does the United States hope so? If Japan completely controls China, how can the gateway to U.S. Eastern trade be opened? This situation is really bad, because the Russians' entry into the northeast only brings disaster to China's upper class, but the lower class people still live on, because the Russians are happy to take advantage of so much cheap labor. If the Japanese come in, the lower Chinese cooli will also be replaced by the Japanese, so what else can the Chinese have? Although the Japanese find that their own labor is more expensive than Chinese labor, the Japanese are certainly willing to use their own labor, which can enable them to firmly control the land they have taken, but where will the large number of Chinese people who have lost their livelihoods go?

Another plan of Japan clearly threatens the foreign trade between China and other civilized countries, especially the United States.

Japan is a very closed country. There are few foreign stores in Japan. Under Japanese control, the same thing will happen in China. And there are many foreign businesses in China now. In terms of the current cotton trade in Northeast China, almost all Chinese businessmen sell foreign cloth. If it is controlled by the Japanese, they can only sell oriental goods.

The U.S. trade with China used to be quite large, but now it is shrinking and will gradually disappear. The Japanese are hawkers rather than real merchants. They carry goods on the streets, unlike Americans or other foreigners. If China cedes a province to Japan, it means that the United States will lose trade in that province.

Obviously, arms loans mean Japan's absolute control over China, and even police expenses will be imposed on every family in China, which gives Japan the right to kill and seize every Chinese life, which is about to give them the right to freedom or go to prison.

The U.S. government used to be smart, although what they did was not because of their wisdom, but because of right. Take Gengzi's compensation as an example. The part returned is used for the education of Chinese students, and your country also gets it, which is the right thing.

In China, the fact is that if a traveler is an American, he is himself a pass, and this is not only for free travel in China, but also for the local people. An American tourist in China can get incomparable respect from other countries. Only Americans have such a high status. A very important reason is that it took the initiative to return part of Gengzi's compensation.

Even a worker will give a thumbs-up to you Americans, which has a deeper meaning than simple respect, which is a praise of noble character. And the image of Japan in the eyes of the Chinese people is very different from this.

At this point in the speech, this young and excessive Marshal Li, a frank Chinese, stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

U.S. minister Rui Enshi has to admit that Marshal Li's explanation for the cause of the Chinese people is very convincing.

Rui Enshi asked him, "So what can the United States do?"

Li Marshal stopped and replied, "China is a rich country, but we are very short of construction funds. You can provide us with financial support. We can use a large number of securities as collateral. This will not only enable us to quickly defeat the Beiyang Army to complete the revolution in the war against Yuan, which will carry out the revolution to the end, but also enable us to suppress Japan's expansionary ambitions.

Another service that the United States may provide to us is the free education here. For many years, many poor children in China have been eager to learn, but they can't earn money to pay their tuition. I believe that these poor students have a stronger thirst for knowledge and study harder, and are smarter than those who spend their own money to study in the United States. In fact, the same is true for young people in the United States, isn't it? We especially urgently need Chinese young people to study in the United States and receive professional education in agriculture and industry.

Li Xiang is not short of money now. This time, Sun Yat-sen and Liang Qichao sent people to Wuhan to participate in the anti-Yuan came with a lot of money. But if Li wants to establish a relationship with the United States, he might as well start with money.

Li Xiang did not ask the United States to send troops to the Far East to contain Japan like Yuan Shikai, which made Rui Enshi breathe a sigh of relief. Li's request is just that the United States invests in China. Isn't this what the United States wants?

The United States has long wanted to invest in China: in 1910, it tried to obtain Fujian dock and shipbuilding loan rights, and in 1914, it tried to obtain railway rights in several provinces in North China, but due to Japan's opposition, it was unsuccessful.

"China is still willing to establish such a cooperative relationship with your businessmen, which is particularly strong in this pleasant and beneficial visit to your country.

If the United States also cooperates with Chinese investors as Japan does, even if only half of what the Japanese do to promote the development of international trade, it will make a great contribution to the development of world business. You have been talking about establishing a foreign exchange bank in China, but we think the conditions are not mature, because it is not a real way of cooperation between the two sides.

I think that building a business alliance between the great American Republic and Asia's youngest republics, nothing in the world can help promote and maintain world peace like this. If such an alliance is established, the expansionary ambitions of other countries will be restrained.

The direct benefits obtained by the United States will be huge. The expansion of trade will enable China to rapidly grow into a manufacturing power. The United States will deliver machinery and equipment to China, which will stimulate the growth of internal demand and the acceptance of American goods will be more consistent with that of the United States.

China is moving forward, and we have indeed made progress quickly. Seven years ago, or even four years ago, all Chinese people wore robes and coats, and now all young people wear American clothes, and I am like this.

I don't understand why you are still hesitant. Why don't you seize this opportunity to put it on your doorstep?

American minister Rui Enshi stood up, grabbed Li Xiang's arm, and said with a smile, "Why don't you seize the opportunity that has been placed at the door? I won't let go."

The two looked at each other and laughed.

......

Beijing.

The sky is gloomy. After 8 o'clock in the morning, all the former presidential palace, the political affairs hall, the leaders of various ministries, and civil and military officials above the division commanders of the army, as well as celebrities and gentlemen in the society, and diplomatic officials of the diplomatic embassies of various countries in China gathered outside the gate of Zhongnanhai Juren Hall, waiting for the greetings to be passed into the hall.

At about 9 o'clock, Yuan Shikai's Highness Duan Zhigui was happy and announced in a loud voice:

"Emperor Hong Xian ascended the throne, and the congratulatory ceremony began!"

The civil and military officials who participated in today's "unrivaled ceremony" only received the notice in the morning, so they came in a hurry. It's about to congratulate, and everyone still doesn't know what kind of etiquette to do. Whether it is a new ceremony of three bows or a big gift of three kneelings and nine kowtows, no one can be sure.

In the hall of Jurentang, the first one is decorated with a dragon seat, embroidered satin and a golden mat. There are no honors on both sides of the Dragon Seat, and only a few guards who usually serve Yuan Shikai are arranged on both sides behind the seat.

Yuan Shikai did not sit on the dragon chair. He just stood next to the dragon chair, holding his arm of the dragon chair with his left hand and his right palm up. He kept nodding to the greetings.

Strangely, Yuan Shikai didn't wear a rushed dragon suit or a crown today. He only wore the marshal's uniform of the navy and army, and didn't even wear the feathered marshal's top hat. He was so bald and fat.

The civilian general secretly agreed to bow three times in advance, and withdrew from the hall after the ceremony. When it was the turn of the Manchu, Mongolian princes and gentlemen in robes to go to the hall to congratulate them, these people knelt down and saluted. As a result, they knelt down in different postures and kowtowed irregularly. The hall was like a group of big roosters pecking rice. The waves up and down, and some took off their hats on the spot and proudly threw out a braid hidden on the top of their heads for several years. Son, it's really strange and full of ugliness.

When he went to the ministers of various countries to congratulate him, Yuan Shikai hurriedly piled up his smiling faces and kept nodding to thank the foreigners, looking like a slave.

After the morning ceremony, the civil and military officials, celebrities, gentlemen, princes and nobles, braved the awe-inning north wind, stood outside the Jurentang one by one, waiting for Emperor Hong Xian to give the award.