boyutpedia Chapter 211 Horses Trampling Tokyo
Chapter 211 Horses Trampling Tokyo
"Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Empire, Komatsu Jutaro, pays his respects to Marquis Zhenyuan!" Komatsu Jutaro, his face flushed, bowed again. The Japanese army had suffered such a crushing defeat that he had no choice but to submit to Shen Lian.
What is this insult! As long as Shen Lian is willing to stop the war, it doesn't matter if he kneels down and kowtows.
Japan is currently in complete chaos, having nearly exhausted its national strength in the war with Russia. This is the main reason why, despite their great victory, they are willing to negotiate.
Now, hundreds of thousands of army troops have been utterly defeated, and the navy has been completely annihilated. Emperor Mutsuhito fainted on the spot upon receiving the news!
The Japanese cabinet quickly discussed the matter and contacted the United States for mediation, sending Komatsu Jutaro to Port Arthur to sue for peace.
"Enough with the nonsense! It's not impossible for you to seek peace, and you should already know my conditions. As long as Japan agrees, I will cease hostilities!" Shen Lian said directly, not wanting to waste words with Komatsu Jutaro.
"My lord, your conditions are far too harsh! Our Japanese Empire simply cannot agree to them!" Komatsu Jutaro said pitifully, his head bowed.
"Harsh! Hmph! Weren't your conditions harsh during the First Sino-Japanese War? If you think the money is too much, let Ito Hirobumi come over. I'll have someone shoot him, and if he doesn't die, I'm willing to ask for 100 million taels less!" Shen Lian said disdainfully.
"You Japanese have always been a despicable race, coveting virtue and disregarding morality! How much harm have you caused to our country since the Tang Dynasty! Huh?"
"After being taught a lesson at Baekgang, you sent a large number of envoys to Tang China to learn our advanced culture and technology, so that you could develop yourselves. Once our country is at war, you can take the opportunity to cause trouble!"
"Is this how you did things during the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, and even now?"
"Ever since Toyotomi Hideyoshi, you've been eyeing our Northeast! You think nobody knows about your 'continental policy'? What a joke! You treacherous beasts who betray their teachers and ancestors! Without the teachings of our forefathers, you wouldn't even know which tree you'd be living on!" Shen Lian roared.
"Since you enjoy getting beaten up, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget for a hundred years, a thousand years!"
"Stop talking nonsense, these are the conditions. Make your damn Emperor agree! Otherwise, I'll lead my troops to raze your four Japanese islands to the ground!"
"My lord, although our Japanese Empire has been defeated this time, we still have fifty million people, and we can still build an army of one million!"
"If the Chinese army really dares to land on the island and invade, they will surely be resisted by my million-strong army! You will not get away with it!" Komatsu Jutaro threatened through gritted teeth.
“That’s perfect! I can finally avenge the people of Lushun. Let’s just wipe out the entire Japanese nation! Once and for all, and eliminate any future troubles! Anyway, our country has a large population, so I can find a place to settle down while I’m at it! Hehe!” Shen Lian said menacingly, staring at Komatsu Jutaro.
Komatsu Jutaro couldn't help but shudder. This Shen Lian was no joke; he really had this terrifying idea!
Shen Lian sent men to drive Komatsu Taro out!
For the next two weeks, Shen Lian played a game of cat and mouse with various countries while simultaneously wrangling with the Japanese. At the same time, he dispatched warships to bombard Japanese coastal ports relentlessly!
Large numbers of ships and supplies began to be gathered, preparing to set sail for Japan.
Shen Lian finally met Ito Hirobumi! Under the relentless bombardment of the East China Sea Fleet, major Japanese ports and coastal towns suffered catastrophic destruction. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed or injured.
Japan appealed to Western countries for help, but they only offered perfunctory responses. No one could stop the Chinese navy's operations.
As Prime Minister, Hirobumi Ito had no choice but to come and beg for mercy in person!
"My lord! Our Japanese Empire admits defeat! Please, my lord, show mercy and spare my life!" Ito Hirobumi knelt upright before Shen Lian.
Shen Lian looked at the old man with half-white hair and a big beard with great interest!
Hirobumi Ito was an extraordinary figure in modern Japanese history. He was involved in planning and orchestrating major events, from the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate to the Meiji Restoration, the First Sino-Japanese War, and the Russo-Japanese War.
It can be said that he single-handedly transformed Japan from a backward feudal country into a capitalist power.
This old man, known as the Bismarck of the East and a four-time Prime Minister of Japan, knelt before him. Shen Lian felt no pity for him whatsoever.
This guy orchestrated the First Sino-Japanese War, and he personally signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Li Hongzhang. He was aggressive at the negotiating table, showing no mercy to Li Hongzhang, who had suffered a gunshot wound to the face.
"It's too late! I believe you Japanese are truly surrendering now, but I also believe that once you recover, you will seek revenge against us! I cannot leave this disaster for future generations!"
"I've written two poems, I'd like to present them to the Prime Minister for his appreciation!" Shen Lian grinned mischievously and handed over a piece of paper.
Ito Hirobumi instinctively took it and looked at it, only to see that it was about writing;
The Great Wall stretches for thousands of miles, with a million soldiers.
National humiliation should not be left for future generations to avenge.
I am willing to lead a force of 100,000 fierce warriors.
He brandished his sword and rode into Tokyo.
The Han flag flies at the foot of Mount Fuji.
A drunken Hu woman under the cherry blossom tree.
When military flags fill the sky,
Horseback ride through Tokyo to admire the cherry blossoms.
The intense murderous intent in the poem caused Ito Hirobumi to collapse to the ground!
"Take him away, don't let him die! I want him to see how we trample Tokyo!" Shen Lian ordered.
On November 1, 1905, Shen Lian ordered an expedition to Japan! At the same time, his two poems were also broadcast throughout the world via radio waves.
The world was in an uproar! This Shen Lian had only appeared out of nowhere for five years, yet he already possessed the power to destroy a nation! Countries around the world increased their manpower to spy on Shen Lian, wanting to know how he did it.
Meanwhile, the nation was in an uproar. No one had expected that after defeating the Japanese army, Shen Lian would actually want to destroy the entire nation!
For thousands of years, no one in China has ever attempted to conquer a nation by sea. Shen Lian's feat is unprecedented!
Especially in the corrupt and apathetic late Qing Dynasty, when the Chinese people had always been bullied by foreigners, they had never had a time to hold their heads high like this!
Whether they were Shen Lian's enemies, local governors, court officials, or Manchu nobles, everyone at this moment held him in the highest esteem!
Countless people flocked to temples and monasteries to burn incense and pray for the gods and Buddhas to bless Zhenyuan Hou with a successful victory and to annihilate the Japanese in one battle.
Despite the objections of the entire court of princes and ministers, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an edict bestowing upon Shen Lian the title of Prince of Qi, ordering him to command the armies of the four northeastern provinces and Shandong in an expedition against Japan!
Although Empress Dowager Cixi is old, she is still very clear-headed! Shen Lian has already gained considerable influence, and it's only a matter of time before he is granted the title of prince.
If he were to conquer Japan, such a great achievement would be inexcusable if the imperial court did not bestow a reward upon him. Since he would be rewarded sooner or later anyway, it would be better to do him a favor a little earlier, to show the court's high regard for him!
If Shen Lian had been defeated and killed in Japan, that would have been the best! It would have been a posthumous honor!