Chapter 682: Japan's Unexpected Disaster (Second Update, Please Subscribe)
What is an unexpected disaster?
For the Japanese, the series of drastic changes in the international situation caused by the "Four-Power Alliance" in 1874 was the biggest unexpected disaster.
Originally in East Asia, with the huge Qing Dynasty as a contrast, it was difficult for European countries to notice Japan's existence. After all, Japan's resources were limited, its market was narrow, and its people were poor.
Apart from Japanese women, there are no other specialties. Such a country can be said to be a tragedy. What role can it play besides playing the role of the state of the East Asian womb?
Apart from the Ming Dynasty who would target his daughter, the other imperialist powers... simply looked down on this poor guy!
However, when Japan was plunged into civil war, they could never have dreamed that due to the changing international situation, Japan would actually attract the attention of the British, and that this attention was to dismember and divide Japan.
Of course, the Japanese... have no idea about this, and of course it is impossible for them to know.
December 1874, the first year of Japan's Xinghua era, was definitely not a good year for Japan. The death of Emperor Meiji at the beginning of the year not only led to the outbreak of an unusual civil war, but also plunged Japan into a certain division again.
The feudal lords who lost power during the Meiji Restoration reunited with the samurai who were laid off by the Meiji Restoration government. Especially in Kyushu, after the government army was defeated by Saigo Takamori's rebel army, the feudal lords of each domain directly raised the banner of "restoring the old system".
What is the old system? Of course, it is the old system where each domain is independent. Without the shogun, the lords of each domain are of course the real local emperors. As for the emperor... since they no longer respect the king and expel the barbarians, the emperor is just a decoration.
Faced with the local daimyo's independent behavior, local divisions, and even the feudal lords taking advantage of the opportunity to expand, although the Meiji government headed by Iwakura Tomomi tried to suppress the rebellion, the rebellions that broke out everywhere made the government troops exhausted.
Japan is also in an unprecedented precarious situation, and no one knows what path Japan's future will take.
"Japan..."
Faced with the current situation, Ito Hirobumi sighed helplessly.
"Why the hell has the country become like this?"
Wars were raging, civil wars were raging, and local warlords were fighting for power. When he had just returned from a study tour in European countries a year ago, he was eager to make Japan prosperous and strong by implementing the Meiji Restoration.
But who would have thought that in just a few days, everything would change. From the sudden death of the emperor, the rebellion of the samurai, to the current situation of local warlords, such changes were too fast.
What was the only thing that gave him some comfort?
The Emperor of Koka did not betray the Reform Movement and disintegrate the Reform Government as they imagined. In fact, they knew very well that if they had not used the Emperor's name to suppress the samurai in the past few years, the samurai's trust in the Emperor would have been almost zero.
I'm afraid the emperor had already launched a "coup" and forced the Meiji government to step down.
The reason why the emperor did not take action against the Meiji government now was because the laid-off samurai returned to the banner of their old feudal lords. Even if the emperor abolished the Meiji government, it would be difficult to win the trust of those samurai. After all, they had already suffered betrayal once.
Faced with such a situation, Ito Hirobumi was also very depressed.
He is not the only one who feels melancholy. After all, the entire reformist government is in a precarious situation now.
"If it doesn't work, just borrow some soldiers."
Once again, Hirobumi Ito thought of the suggestion that Okubo Toshimichi had mentioned many times in the past year.
Borrow troops from the Ming Dynasty!
Not only is the Ming Dynasty's navy stationed in Ryukyu, but there is also an elite force. As long as the Ming Dynasty agrees, their troops can enter Japan at any time to help Japan quell the rebellion.
By then the world will be at peace.
But it is easier to invite a god than to send him away. What if this turns out to be a wolf entering the house?
It is precisely because of various concerns that it is difficult for them to make a final decision. After all, if they are not careful, borrowing troops may very likely become a "union of tomorrow".
The Reform Movement ended up changing the country into nothingness... This is really hard to accept.
Just as Ito Hirobumi was hesitating whether to borrow troops from the Ming Dynasty, the phone on his desk rang.
"Hey, sir...what? How is this possible! I'll be right over."
A few dozen minutes later, Ito Hirobumi arrived at Iwakura Tomomi's official residence. When he entered the room, Okubo Toshimichi, Kido Takayoshi, Yamaguchi Naokata and others had already arrived.
"What is going on? What do the British want to do? Why did they send a fleet to Osaka, which is controlled by Tokugawa Shigeki? What do the British want to do?"
As early as the beginning of the year, shortly after the emperor's death, the former lord of Kishu Domain, Tokugawa Shigenori, who had secretly fled back to Wakayama Prefecture, and his samurai had regained control of Kishu Domain. They joined forces with the nearby pro-shogunate faction to control most of the area south of Kyoto.
As the former Kishu Domain, one of the three upper domains of the Tokugawa family, Tokugawa now has the potential to become the common leader of all the domains supporting the shogunate, and is the biggest threat to Tokyo besides Saigo.
Now the British warships suddenly visited Osaka, which was under the control of Tokugawa Shigemitsu. How could this not arouse their vigilance?
"Now, the most worrying thing has happened!"
Looking at Ito Hirobumi who had just entered the room, Okubo Toshimichi said.
"I have said long ago that this is inevitable. Now the British have indeed intervened and sent their warships to Osaka. What will happen next? There will also be the Russians and the French. They will not miss such a good opportunity."
In front of everyone, Okubo Toshimichi once again brought out his "theory of the great powers dividing Japan". In the past year, he has always insisted on this view, but at that time not many people agreed with his view, but now no one doubts it.
"The British intervention now is just the first step. They will first express their support to Tokugawa Shigenori, and then what? The British will turn Japan into India. The lords of each domain will be the princely lords of India, and by that time Japan will no longer exist."
Okubo Toshimichi's words made everyone fall into silence. They had all witnessed what India was like under British colonial rule. They also knew, of course, how Britain annexed India step by step and eventually turned it into their colony.
"Yes, the British will provide weapons to Tokugawa and other feudal lords. They will even provide warships. Then, through their hands, they will control the whole of Japan. By that time, Japan can really become India."
It has to be said that the Japanese living in the earthquake zone have a kind of persecution delusion deep in their hearts. They are always subconsciously aware of the existence of danger and even magnify that danger.
When Japan's door was blasted open by Perry's fleet, it was that sense of crisis that led Japan to take a completely different path.
During their visits to various countries, after witnessing the division of the world by Western countries, their sense of crisis was further strengthened. They discovered with horror that if Japan did not work hard to become stronger, it would most likely fall under Western colonial rule like India.
It is this kind of anxiety that makes them full of distrust towards European and American countries. This is also why they are so sensitive to the sudden visit of British warships.
Ultimately, it is because of the anxiety caused by the sense of crisis!
“Now is the time to make a decision.”
Looking at them, Okubo Toshimichi spoke again in a serious tone.
"Should we invite the Ming Dynasty to send troops to quell the rebellion?"
In response to Okubo Toshimichi's question, Ito Hirobumi said.
"But, if it's Daming... that could be inviting a wolf into the house."
(End of this chapter)
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