To this end, Japan actively supported the anti-Qing forces within the Qing Dynasty and spared no effort in terms of funding, venues, personnel training, etc.

History Chen Tianhua is clear about this.

On the eve of the 1911 Revolution, many of the pioneers and leaders of the 1911 Revolution established the headquarters of the Liberation Society, the Tongmenghui, etc., and all of them were initially located in Japan.

For important criminals who were wanted by the Qing government, crossing east to Japan became their only safe haven.

In the late Republic of China, many warlords in the chaotic wars, whether they were the Anhui clique, the Zhili clique, or the Fengcian clique, their backstage supporters were actually the Japanese side.

In other words, no matter who is in power, Japan will be the winner in the end.

This is their strategy towards China. They sit on the sidelines and watch the fight between tigers and tigers. Whoever wins will be their ultimate agent.

Unexpectedly, over the past few decades, these warlords of the Republic of China were so unsatisfactory that no one could win in the fights. The Southern Army launched a second Northern Expedition to unify the country, and in the end even Northeast China changed its banner.

In the end, Japan, under the control of militarism, had no choice but to go into battle naked and launch a war of aggression against China, from partial to comprehensive.

Li Jingfang went on to state that in recent years, in order to paralyze patriotic people in the Qing Dynasty, divert conflicts in the international struggle, and weaken anti-Japanese sentiment, Japanese propaganda agencies have vigorously promoted the so-called goodwill towards China.

The Japanese claim that China and Japan share the same language and race, and were of the same race five hundred years ago. They also claim that the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1898 was originally a misunderstanding, and that China and Japan should cooperate in friendly relations in the future.

Li Jingfang said that as early as 1897, Japanese Army Chief of Staff Kawakami Soroku led an inspection delegation to the south of the Qing Dynasty for sightseeing. The main purpose was to wait for an opportunity to visit Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang.

During this period, Zhang Zhidong and Kawakami Soroku tentatively raised two questions. One was that Hubei would send 200 people to study in Japan, and the other was to ask Japan to send military advisers to Hubei to help train the new army, which later became the Self-Strengthening Army.

Unexpectedly, these two issues soon received strong support from the Japanese side.

In the next year, Japan successively admitted more than 200 foreign students of various types selected by the Huguang Governor's Office.

At the same time, the Japanese military sent a military advisory group to help train a self-reliant army.

In addition, the Japanese side also volunteered to send weapons experts to help the Hanyang Gun Factory (Hanyang Arsenal) with its technical transformation.

These efficient measures were the beginning of Zhang Zhidong's change in his attitude toward Japan.

Li Jingfang emphasized that Zhang Zhidong's complete change of attitude should have started with the Boxer Rebellion and the Eight-Power Allied Forces' invasion of Beijing.

In the twenty-sixth year of Guangxu's reign, the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded China. The north was in chaos, and several governors in the south received edicts from King Cixi.

At that time, Li Hongzhang, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, Liu Kun, the governor of Liangjiang, and others calculated that they would not be able to defeat them even if they sent troops.

Rather than causing chaos across the country and leading to the collapse of the regime, it is better to stabilize the south and preserve its strength.

In this way, they signed the "Southeast Mutual Protection" Agreement with the major powers.

Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong were respectively drafted by the great powers as candidates and partners for the new government after the fall of the Qing Dynasty.

As a result, the British, led by the United States, France and other countries, strongly recommended Li Hongzhang to come forward and establish a new government in Shanghai.

It is said that the British Prime Minister personally sent a telegram from London at that time to express his full support for Li Hongzhang.

Japan, on the other hand, tried its best to support Zhang Zhidong in establishing a new government in Hubei and at least seeking independence for Huguang.

"In terms of support strength, the support and voice of the old man are obviously higher than Zhang Zhidong. Internationally, Britain, the United States, France, and Russia all clearly support him, and Germany is also leaning towards the old man."

"Many ministers from the DPRK and China supported the old man. The governors from all over the country sent secret telegrams or letters to Shanghai, and some even visited him personally to persuade him. At that time, I personally took charge of this matter." Speaking of this matter, Li Jingfang said:

His eyes are shining and he is full of energy.

"Then why did the back fold and give up halfway?" Chen Tianhua couldn't help but ask.

"Alas...it's such a pity." Li Jingfang sighed, his face becoming very depressed. After all, half a year's hard work was wasted.

"In the end, the old man could feel that the country would be torn apart in this way, which made him deeply uneasy. In addition, Cixi had been kind to him, and he couldn't bear to give up in the end. In the end, his idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor and serving the country took the initiative."

"One day the old man ordered me to stop all receptions, destroy all telegrams and secret letters, and prepare to go to Beijing."

"Although I was unwilling to do so, I could not go against my father's orders, so I still destroyed all the evidence. In the end, the old man defied all opinions and took me to Beijing at risk. Finally, he found the famous prostitute Sai Jinhua in Bada Hutong and asked her to mediate.

Make peace."

"Who is Sai Jinhua? How could she come to mediate?" Chen Tianhua was shocked.

Later history books say that it was Li Hongzhang who came forward to mediate and make peace. Why did he get involved with Sai Jinhua, a famous prostitute in the Bada Hutong, and what does it have to do with her?

Li Jingfang was stunned for a moment and then said:

"There is a little-known thing about this. The old man insisted on not setting up a new government, and his intention to pay reparations and cease the war finally convinced Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Germany and other countries. Japan exclusively supported Zhang Zhidong's idea of ​​changing the court, but it had to end without any problem."

"But Germany made an additional request, that is, the cessation of the war must first execute Cixi herself, because the Boxer Rebellion had previously killed the German Minister to the Qing Dynasty and other people in the capital. The Minister represented the royal family of the German Empire, and Cixi was the leader of the Boxer Rebellion.

The originator of."

"This matter is very difficult. This minister is a member of the royal family of the German Empire and a count. There is only one person who can mediate. She is the famous prostitute Sai Jinhua."

Seeing Chen Tianhua's surprised expression, Li Jingfang knew that he was young and inexperienced, so of course he couldn't know some of the inside stories, so he stopped and took a sip of tea, then turned to talk about Sai Jinhua and his story.

Sai Jinhua's real name was Fu Caiyun, and she was from Anhui. Due to her poor family, she was sold as a prostitute on the "Flower Boat" in Suzhou when she was thirteen years old.

In the thirteenth year of Guangxu's reign, Hong Jun, a former champion, returned to his hometown and fell in love with the young and beautiful Caiyun at first sight. Regardless of family opposition, he insisted on taking her as his concubine and became his third concubine. Fu Caiyun was fifteen years old that year.

In the second year, that is, in the seven years starting from the 14th year of Guangxu, Hong Jun was ordered to serve as envoy to Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the German Empire, and the Netherlands.

Hong Jun's first wife was afraid of Western customs, so she gave Fu Caiyun the title of Mrs. Gaoming and her clothes. Therefore, she accompanied Hong Jun on his mission to the four countries in the name of the minister's wife.

During her mission, she lived in Berlin for several years and visited St. Petersburg, Geneva and other places. She was as beautiful as a fairy, intelligent and flexible. She quickly mastered English and German, and she was able to get around Europe's upper class society.
Chapter completed!