Fuso, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, the Prime Minister's Residence.

Since Fusang implemented the constitutional monarchy system, this two-story Thai-style wooden building is actually the highest power center of Fusang. Although it is known as the Prime Minister's residence, in fact, it is not the Prime Minister's private residence, but the office space. The cabinet meetings that decided on Fusang's major policies were also held here.

In Fusang's power structure, the five most important people in the cabinet are collectively called the Five Majors, namely the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Tibetan Minister, the Maritime Minister, and the Land Minister. The Joint Meeting of the Five Majors of the Cabinet can be regarded as the debates and compromises between the five bigwigs on a certain issue. When one is satisfied with each other, their decision can roughly represent the will of the cabinet.

Since the Shandong Battle, the meeting at the Prime Minister's residence has never stopped. From the initial contribution to the later contribution, to the current contribution. The Dawei Cabinet has experienced a roller coaster-like ups and downs.

Now, the three divisions of troops are on the verge of collapse and no one can afford to take the responsibility of letting the three divisions of the imperial army be annihilated in Shandong. A solution must be discussed and rescued the trapped troops is also the consensus of several people present.

Although we have a common understanding, when we reach the specific implementation stage, because of the essential differences in the interests we represent, everyone's opinions are completely different, and even incompatible with water and fire. However, this is also the norm in the cabinet, and everyone is already accustomed to this kind of scene.

Seeing Lu Xiang and Hai Xiang fiercely quarrel, it was hard to believe that the two of them were chatting and laughing at the Art Museum and drinking and talking. This is integrity. Everyone is an actor wearing a mask. They can play anyone, but they just can't perform themselves. The Prime Minister Dawei Chongxin had no interest in the quarrel between them. His thoughts had actually flew out of this official residence, flying very far.

Tokyo Bay has recently become a fishing destination. Not only can fishermen get several times the income in the past when they go out to sea to fish, but even beginners can get extremely rich results when fishing in Tokyo Bay. Many staff members of the Prime Minister's residence will also go there to show their fishing skills on their holidays. Some fishermen attribute this to the gift of Amaterasu, believing that the gods are favored and benefit the people.

However, some people think that this is a trick of evil spirits. Not only are the fish in the sea easy to get hooked, but domestic fish also become restless. They trust the goldfish they raise, and they keep jumping out of the water or even fall on the floor. Put the goldfish back into the tank, and it will continue to jump, not understanding the reason.

Is it the power of gods or the magic power of demons? In short, all this cannot be explained by natural phenomena. As the prime minister, he knows more situations than ordinary people.

For example, a large number of green dragonflies flew on a certain freighter, followed by various birds. Most of them were the birds that the boatmen could not name, but no matter what kind of bird they were, they should be afraid of people. However, these birds were not afraid of people, nor fought with each other, nor hunted dragonflies. They just stood obediently on the mast, deck, and guardrail without moving. Some crew members subconsciously sighed: This is really like a refugee on a lifeboat. Should our ship be renamed Noah?

After all, the freighter was not Noah, and the crew was not God's chosen saints. They caught all the birds and took them to Tokyo for sale. According to the crew, when they caught the birds, the birds remained motionless and allowed to be captured. When the companions were caught, the other birds would not escape. This was simply something that only happened in myths.

Dawei did not treat these as urban strange stories. On the contrary, he felt a little inexplicable panic from these events. As an old man over 70 years old, he had not had such panic for many years. A certain consciousness in his heart told him that he should do something, otherwise something extremely terrible might happen. But the fact is that he is really incompetent.

Compared to studying goldfish or birds, it is obvious that the battle situation in Shandong is more important. The face of the imperial kingdom and the interests of the army need to be maintained by themselves as the prime minister. At this time, any problem is not as important as the Shandong issue.

Dawei Chongxin himself started his career as a Tibetan minister. His best field is economy, followed by law, and he is not good at military affairs. He was especially interested in the struggle between the army and the navy, as well as the struggle between the two vassals behind him. He was once in the same situation as the two vassals, and was disliked by the entire military system.

However, from the time he served as the president of the Military Support Association to the second formation of the cabinet, the champion behind him was the veterans of the Fusang political and military circles, and the backer of the army. The Changzhou clan leader Youpeng was put on a strong army mark. Although the defeat in Shandong this time had little to do with the navy, as the prime minister who was promoted by the army, he had to vacate the responsibility for the army, and use this incident to suppress the navy and ensure the status of the army.

The navy, which represents the interests of the Satsuma clan, naturally would not surrender so easily. But now, the navy's life is not easy, and it is really hard to catch the prime minister.

"The Siemens incident has greatly damaged the image of our imperial soldiers. The angry citizens almost rushed into the Navy's provincial headquarters in Xiaguan. If our army had not arrived in time, the situation would have been almost uncontrollable. The battle situation in Shandong was also due to the cowardice and fear of the navy, which led to the complete failure of the army's coordinated combat plan, and tens of thousands of soldiers were trapped in the siege of more than ten times the enemy. Although the army successfully killed more than three times the enemy after the struggle, it is still subject to the heavy siege of the enemy. In order to save the brave army, we must make a decision."

Shandong was defeated, and a top-secret document leaked from the Prussian Siemens company in Fuso was suddenly published in the newspapers in Fuso. It is said that a senior management officer of Siemens company secretly ran away with the documents and fled to Albion. This document was first published by Albion and then reprinted by the local newspaper in Fuso.

In this document, the specific process and figures of the Fuso Navy members who received the return when entrusting the Prussian company to build a warship were published. Subsequently, Albion's shipyard also released similar data. Several naval officers involved, some of whom received return amounted to 400,000 Fuso Gold Dollars at one time.

You know, now you can build a house in Tokyo with just a few thousand gold coins. The large amount of 400,000 yuan naturally ruins the reputation of the Navy. Some people in the political arena of Fusang say: When you think of the Navy, you think of the 88 Fleet, you think of the 88 Fleet, you think of the 88 Fleet, you think of the 88 Fleet, you think of the 88 Fleet...

The result of this incident not only broke the Fusang Navy's plan to build sixteen steam warships, but also made the navy's reputation plummet and completely suppressed by the mainland minister in the cabinet. These two things are definitely not a coincidence. The owner of the Satsuma Valve believed that it must be the Changzhou Valve who had done something behind his back to use this document to divert attention and reduce the Army's responsibilities.

The great opportunity to knock the army to hell was taken advantage of by the opponent to rebel against the army, and it is still used to make a fuss. The face of the 8th generation of the sea prime minister, Rokuro, naturally, was not very good at seeing much, but now the navy is in the back, not to mention that behind the army is the big Buddha in Shanxian is standing.

Since Ito was assassinated, few people in the Fusang political arena have competed with Yama Prefecture. Even the Satsuma lord was far less powerful than him. Therefore, no matter how bad the Eighth Dayu Rokuro was in a bad mood, he did not dare to turn against the army and scold him.

"Prime Minister, it seems that the pressure is too great to expand the two divisions based on the current financial situation. After all, we have invested huge amounts of money for the war in Shandong. If the war continues, our losses will be greater. I think it is time to make a decision. Taking advantage of the mediation of the Albion people, we can temporarily achieve a truce with Shandong..."

Before the Yamada Rokuro finished his words, he was savagely interrupted by Army Minister Okaichi Nosuke. He was the spokesperson for Yama Prefecture Aritomo in the cabinet, so he naturally had to safeguard the interests of the army. The expansion of the army's organization has many obstacles in the cabinet. This time the defeat in Shandong made the army at the forefront.

At this time, you cannot retreat. Once you take a step back, it will become the target of public criticism. The army will take the blame for the failure of the battle. The more you are, the more tough you must be. Anyway, there are big men behind you. If there are problems, there will be big men who will come forward to take action. Therefore, Okachi Nosuke did not feel guilty of defeat at all, as if the Fuso Army had won a battle in Shandong.

"The Army will never allow any traitorism to happen. When the battle fails to win, it is traitorism without authorization, which is traitorism, which is betraying the great Emperor! The army's temporary transformation is because of insufficient troops. If we want to restore the situation, we must increase our straitorism. Our current problem is that there is too little organization. The precious capital is injected into some useless areas and eventually falls into the pockets of some black sheep. This is a crime, a crime against the entire nation, and it is absolutely unforgivable!"

He mentioned the Siemens incident again, obviously for the navy, and then he said blatantly: "I suggest that the funds for the new Army division should be allocated from the navy's funds. In a short period of time, the navy will not have large-scale combat, and so much funds will be left to the navy, which means nothing. Besides, the progress of Qingdao Fortress is slow, and the navy will also bear the main responsibility. Since the navy cannot take the fortress, it is enough for our army to complete it. The navy, as long as it lies on the deck and see how the army puts the flag on the main peak of Qingdao Mountain."

"Prime Minister, the Navy will not agree with this view!" When it comes to fundamental interests, not to mention Okashi, even if there are friends in Yama Prefecture, the Eighth Dayu Rokuro also wants to fight. He said anxiously:

"Now is the best time for the empire to develop. In the future, sea power will replace land power, representing the strength and status of the country. The vast sea is the best ranch for the empire. The navy needs more warships and more soldiers, and this requires financial support. For the infantry of the two divisions, the future of the entire empire must be sacrificed. Who can bear this responsibility?"

Dawei coughed lightly, stopping the quarrel between the two sides, and then carefully said: "About the establishment of the Army Division, I think we should look at it from another perspective. How should the Shandong issue be solved? Will the people recognize a failed war? Especially, the opponent is China. If we accept Albion's suggestions at this time, I think the people will definitely be angry, and we must consider this consequence clearly."

His voice was not loud, but because of this sentence, the room became silent, and everyone felt a trembling slight under their feet... Could this be the power of the people?

As the news of Shandong's defeat spread, the people's dissatisfaction with the Dawei Cabinet became increasingly high. If the defeat ended in the end, the Dawei Cabinet would have to put the general resignation on the agenda. As one of the five ministers, the few people present had to resign, which was not what they wanted.

Dawei said again: "I don't understand military affairs, but I understand His Majesty's idea. We can accept Albion's mediation, but the premise is that under the premise that the Imperial Army has gained absolute military advantage, only when we have absolute initiative and negotiations on the battlefield will be beneficial to us. I don't think there is much explanation for this, and the navy can understand it. If you want to win, you must have enough troops to push it up with overwhelming force and completely disintegrate the fighting will of the Lu army. Therefore, I think the idea of ​​increasing the army's organization is feasible."

Foreign Minister Kato Hiromei said: "Prime Minister, I must remind you that the attitude of the Albion people is very firm. They can guarantee the safety of my trapped troops, and they can also guarantee that the imperial kingdom will obtain benefits in Shandong. However, we must stop the attack on the Lu army and retain the Lu army's combat troops. In the next stage, the Lu army will go to Tianzhu as mercenaries to carry out riot combat. If the damage to the Lu army is too great, Albion's interests will be damaged, which is something that Albion's principal palace cannot tolerate."

"It is also something that the army cannot tolerate if the fallen heroes do not avenge the dead." Okachi Nosuke said coldly: "The Shandong issue must be ended with the unconditional victory of the Imperial Army. This is the bottom line that cannot be changed. Albion needs not the Lu army, but just mercenaries. No matter who it is, as long as it can help him solve the Indian issue, Albion can accept it. Therefore, after the army expands two divisions, one division can be sent to India. With Albion has troops, what reason does it have to stop us from attacking Shandong."

The Eighth Dynasty Liulang said: "A division? The army can provide the mobile forces of a division? Don't forget that we also need to garrison troops in Shandong to maintain deterrence."

"Of course, it's enough to add another special division to the two divisions."

"What? You mean, the Army is actually pursuing an increase in the organization of three divisions? This is too much!"

"No, what the Army actually hopes is to increase the organization of four divisions, and do not think that this is too much. In the future, the Royal Army will also appear on the battlefield in Thailand. At the same time, the local government must maintain enough mobile forces, and the four divisions are not equipped with many."

Okachi Nosuke's eyes turned hot. "The second-stage battle plan of Shandong has been drafted. This time, the staff will definitely completely solve the warlord Zhao and his troops. If anyone wants to negotiate at this time, they will be a traitor! I am a patriotic soldier and I will never tolerate it! As long as I am alive, I will never agree, and make any compromises with Shandong in any situation!"

The Army Minister's hand hit the table hard. Several ministers felt that the vibration under his feet was even greater than that. They were secretly surprised at what time the old man in his twilight years had such a force. But the Army Minister's determination was obviously not limited to this. When his hand left the table, the vibration under his feet not only did not weaken, but became more and more intense.

As Fusang people living in a country of disaster, they all understood at this time. Okachi sneered: "Is there another earthquake happening? There are hundreds of earthquakes every year, and this is our capital. Only as long as China or even Asia are conquered as soon as possible, the Fusang people can move to a suitable environment..."

The earthquakes in Fuso are frequent, but the radius is limited, and the Prime Minister's residence is extremely solid, so there is no need to worry about earthquakes. However, the earthquake felt a little different. The tremor did not decrease with time, but became stronger and stronger. The wooden structure made a creaking sound, and the crystal chandeliers above the head began to shake violently.

The attendant hurriedly opened the door and said to everyone: "The earthquake is extremely fierce. Please follow me."
Chapter completed!