Chapter 693: Japan is done (first update, please subscribe)

The British cannons woke up the Japanese!

Or maybe it woke up the Japanese who were heading straight for the road of no return of "leaving Asia and joining Europe". Once upon a time, they thought that as long as they could learn Western civilization, wear Western clothes, and make their country prosperous, they could transform themselves into Europeans. What's the problem with yellow skin?

As long as they learn from the West, live like Westerners and think like Westerners, they can be accepted by Westerners.

But this is just a dream.

This is true in this world, and it is also true in the other world.

In another world, more than 20 years after Fukuzawa Yukichi, the founder of modern Japan who advocated "civilization and enlightenment", raised his arms and shouted "leave Asia and join Europe", Japan is still a frog in the well in the eyes of Europeans and Americans, and is still a symbol of ignorance, barbarism and unreasonableness.

Later, after being severely whipped by reality, the Japanese realized that "leaving Asia and joining Europe" was simply impossible.

What was the essence of the law of the jungle in the 19th century?

On the surface, it seems that the strong are feasting and the weak are suffering. But in essence, it is still a struggle between races and a clash of civilizations.

It is the invasion and plunder of other civilizations by European civilization, and the enslavement and exploitation of other races by the European race.

"Leaving Asia and entering Europe"... Can the Japanese shed their skin and replace it with white skin? Even if they become the "Banana Empire", in the eyes of Europeans, they are still the "Yellow Peril", "heretics", and enemies.

In another world, it took Japan almost half a century to understand this. They will never be able to shed that layer of skin.

Even if they rise, even if they become rich, even if they once claim to buy the world, the Anglo-Saxons who control the world will never treat them as equals.

And now?

The brutality of the British Navy and the tragic deaths of tens of thousands of Japanese army and navy soldiers in its bombardment at sea made the most outstanding talents of Japan in the mid-to-late 19th century, such as Iwakura Tomomi, Ito Hirobumi, Ōkubo Toshimichi, and Kido Takayoshi, suddenly realize their mistakes.

It turned out that "leaving Asia and joining Europe" was impossible. At this moment, all their dreams were shattered, and amid the sound of British gunfire, they seemed to understand something.

Not only is it impossible, but Japan is also facing an unprecedented racial crisis - they may be destroyed by Western beasts like Britain at any time, and then 30 million Japanese will become slaves of the Western beasts, just like the Indians.

Slave of a conquered nation!

The country will be destroyed and the race will be exterminated!

Such a threat was something they had never imagined in the past.

The unprecedented crisis forced Iwakura Tomomi and others to make a choice.

"Baka!"

He overturned the small table in front of him with a sudden move and pointed at Iwakura Tomomi, the former Daijo Sanemie who had suffered a mental breakdown last year due to the government's "Korean invasion dispute" and was unable to perform his duties. He then faced the death of the emperor and the turbulent domestic political situation and had been hiding and never returning to work.

"How can you, a bastard, say such a thing? Didn't you carry out the Reform Movement to make Japan rich and strong? This is absurd. Now there is only a small problem, and you actually want to hand Japan over to the Ming Dynasty. You deserve to die. I think you all should go to the Nijubashi Bridge outside the Imperial Palace and commit suicide together to apologize!"

How could Sanjo Sanemi not be angry?

Iwakura Tomomi actually suggested to him that he should "become a vassal of the Ming Dynasty". Sanjo Sanemie, who was well versed in Confucianism, certainly knew what "become a vassal" meant. This was the tribute system established by the Ming Dynasty. In East Asia, Korea had always been in China's tribute system, but what about Japan? It had long been outside this system. Although Japan took China as its teacher and was willing to get close to China, it was definitely not that close to China.

But this does not mean that he does not understand the Ming Dynasty's tribute system.

Paying tribute is a link in the tribute system, which means paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty and then accepting the Ming Dynasty's enthronement, just like Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the past. The Tokugawa family was also thinking about the Ming Dynasty's enthronement.

"Sir, if I commit seppuku to apologize at Nijubashi Bridge, I can stop the Western devils from spying on Japan, then I will go to Nijubashi Bridge now. However, the British ambitions are now obvious. They have openly supported the Tokugawa family and even bombarded our fleet. Tens of thousands of warriors died tragically at sea. Sir, if you don't make a decision as soon as possible, Japan will not only be a restoration of the Tokugawa family. How can Saigo and others accept the Tokugawa family? There are other feudal lords. The British can support Tokugawa or others. By then, Japan will not only be divided, but even destroyed, and will become a colony of the British devils from then on!"

Like losing one’s parents!

When Sanjo Sanemi, who was originally furious, heard what Iwakura Tomomi said, his whole body seemed to collapse in an instant. He opened his mouth with a pale face, but no words came out.

The news that the British Navy interfered in Japan's internal affairs and bombarded the Japanese fleet also made people feel inexplicably fearful.

He doesn't believe in the kamikaze.

Although he had never been abroad, Sanjo Sanemi was very clear about the strength of Western countries, especially Britain. Now with the support of the British, the Tokugawa family would definitely be able to seize the world. If this is just the beginning, what will happen in the future?

The rise of the Wu family again?

Sanjo Sanemi was not sure whether the samurai would rise, but it was definitely not a matter for the public. Even if he succeeded in implementing that plan, what would happen?

It might be a good thing for the Tokugawa family to regain power, but if, as Iwakura Tomomi said, Britain would take advantage of Japan's civil unrest to support various parties and divide Japan, then Japan would really be on the verge of collapse.

"Your Excellency, although it is a little hard to accept that Japan is still here, Korea has been a vassal of the Ming for hundreds of years, and the Ming has never interfered in their internal affairs, nor has it harmed them in the slightest. However, thanks to the protection of the Ming, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea ended in failure. Now, if Japan becomes a vassal of the Ming, it can not only get the protection of the Ming but also avoid the invasion of the British devils. Only in this way can Japan survive in this world of tigers and wolves! Your Excellency!"

Iwakura Tomomi, with a face full of grief and indignation, raised his head. He met Sanjo Sanemi's gaze and spoke in a tone of great grief and indignation.

"If there were any other choice, I would never do this, but the world today is no longer the world of the past. The so-called civilization and barbarism are actually a battle between races, the enslavement and rule of Westerners over other peoples. Japan is too weak. If there is no big country to protect Japan, we can't even survive in this world, Your Excellency."

Looking up and looking directly at Sanjo Sanemi, Iwakura Tomomi said in a sad and angry tone.

"Now, the problems we face are different from those in the past. In the past, we only considered the path of enriching the country and strengthening the army. But will those Westerners give us such an opportunity? They will not give us such an opportunity. Your Excellency, don't you see it now? Now we have no other choice. Becoming a colony of Westerners is almost the only fate of Japan. Now if we make another choice, we still have a chance. Otherwise, I am afraid we will not even have this chance."

Listening to Iwakura Tomomi's words, Sanjo Sanemi opened his mouth but could not utter a word. In the end, he even spoke in a tone full of despair.

"How did the world become like this?"

This is the world! In fact, no one understands this world better than the Japanese, because the Japanese believe that the strong are respected, that the weak should be bullied, and the strong can of course do whatever they want.

It's just that Japan is in a very sad situation now. It is the target of whatever people want to do to it.

"Don't we have any other choice?"

The answer is self-evident...

(End of this chapter)