Chapter 96 Section 96 Li Hongzhang was shot

After returning to Yinjie Temple, taking advantage of Keshida's absence, Li Hongzhang whispered to Li Jingfang, Ma Jianzhong, and Wu Yong: "The Japanese want to occupy Dagu, Tianjin, and Shanhaiguan, and to disarm our officers and soldiers. They want to surround the capital." , isn’t he whimsical? No matter how fierce the Japanese are, they are nothing more than wolves. Although my Daqing is not rich and powerful, I am a tiger after all. If he wants to swallow Daqing in one gulp, he should always look at his own stomach How big is it, can it be eaten? You will lead someone to draft a document in a while, rejecting these unreasonable terms they proposed. Also, when drafting the document, don’t let Costa know. The United States is now Japan’s accomplice.”

Li Jingfang nodded silently, and said again: "Father, if the Japanese insist on not stopping the war, what should we do?" Li Hongzhang said: "If the Japanese persist in this way, I have no choice but to discuss peace first, and then cease the war." At this time, Ma Jianzhong said: "Old Zhongtang, looking at the attitude of the Japanese in terms of career path, he wants to open his mouth! If there is one thing that fails to meet the requirements, I'm afraid it won't work!" Li Hongzhang suddenly let out a long sigh: "If the negotiation fails, the only option is to move the capital to Shaanxi and fight Japan for a long time. Japan will not be able to conquer China, and China can resist for an endless period. Japan will eventually lose and seek peace."

"Can the queen mother and the emperor agree?" Wu Jianfang asked in a low voice.Seeing Ke Shida walking in, Li Hongzhang slowly picked up the teacup. On February 28, Li Hongzhang came to Chunfan Tower again according to the Japanese request.After Ito Hirobumi saw the rejection document submitted by Li Hongzhang, he immediately showed his fierceness, and said: "Since Gui Zhongtang refuses to agree to these conditions proposed by our country, then our country cannot stop attacking." Li Hongzhang stroked his beard and said, "This is a matter for your country, and I can't make the decision. If your country insists on not following the "Wan Guo Gong Law", I have nothing to say."

Ito Hirobumi stood up and said: "Well, since Gui Zhongtang said so, this minister has no choice. Let's hold a formal peace meeting in the afternoon. But during the meeting, our country will not stop continuing to attack all parts of your country." Li Hongzhang After hearing this, he didn't answer, but ordered his companions to go back to the post house to rest.As soon as the Japanese representative withdrew, Costa yelled at Li Hongzhang: "Why are you doing this? Since your country rejected Japan's peace talks, why did you come to negotiate peace?" Interstate affairs."

Because the Japanese side did not relax their demands, the talks could not go on, so they had to agree to talk again the next day. After Li Jingfang helped Li Hongzhang out of the Chunfan Tower, immediately a guard came to the green woolen sedan chair first.Li Hongzhang stepped up to the sedan chair, but he didn't get on the sedan chair immediately. Instead, he looked back at Chunfan Tower and sighed. Seeing that Li Hongzhang was preoccupied, Li Jingfang couldn't help persuading him: "Father, get on the sedan chair first." At this time, the road from Chunfan Tower to Yinjie Temple was crowded with people.

In front of Li Hongzhang's eight-carrying sedan chair, there were two guards leading the sedan chair, and there were also guards on the left and right for protection. Behind Li Hongzhang's sedan chair was Li Jingfang, behind Li Jingfang was Keshida, and after Keshida were Ma Jianzhong, Wu Yong and others. entourage.Except for Li Hongzhang, all the others rode in rickshaws. When Li Hongzhang's sedan chair came to the door of Jiangcun Rentaro's grocery store, Koyama Rokunosuke saw that the opportunity was rare, and immediately jumped out of the door, and ran to the sedan chair like a whirlwind.The bearer didn't know why, so he hurriedly got off the sedan chair, and the guards were also very panicked.Li Hongzhang didn't know what happened, so he hurriedly opened the front car curtain to look outside.When Koyama Rokunosuke saw the luxuriously dressed old man in the sedan chair, he immediately decided that it was Li Hongzhang.While the guards in front of the sedan chair were surprised, Koyama Rokunosuke suddenly took out a pistol from his arms, yelled, and shot Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang was shot in the lower part of his left eye, and immediately bled profusely, his official uniform was wet, and he quickly fainted on the ground.There was a sudden chaos at the scene, and pedestrians ran away one after another.Koyama Rokunosuke wanted to shoot again, but he didn't know that the sedan chair curtain had been lowered, not to mention that the guards in front of the sedan chair had rushed towards him, and Li Jingfang, Ke Shida and others also ran over behind him.Koyama Rokunosuke hesitated for a moment, pulled away and fled among the people. Seeing that Li Hongzhang was assassinated, the attendants panicked and hurriedly carried him back to Yinjie Temple, and the accompanying doctors immediately gave first aid.

Li Jingfang, Ma Jianzhong, Wu Yong and other Chinese officials guarded the bedside, Ke Shida and other foreigners were blocked by the guards.Although anxious as a trapped animal in a cage, there was nothing he could do.Fortunately, the bullet did not hit the vital point. After Li Hongzhang woke up, he found that Ke Shida and other foreigners were not at the bedside, so he whispered to Li Jingfang, Ma Jianzhong and others to draft a letter immediately, ordering them to quietly submit to the embassies of various countries in Japan, and to publish their own documents. The assassination.At the same time, he asked his attendants to keep the bloody clothes that had been replaced, and not to wash off the blood, saying: "This blood can be used to serve the country."The embassies of various countries in Japan soon learned of the news, and the world was in an uproar.

After the assassination, the Shimonoseki police quickly arrested Koyama Rokunosuke.But Rokunosuke Koyama insisted that "I am innocent and meritorious." After Ito Hirobumi heard the news, he personally arraigned Ronosuke Koyama. Ito Hirobumi cursed angrily: "You bastard, you ruined the good things of our Great Japanese Empire! Do you know? The occurrence of this incident is worse than the defeat of one or two divisions on the battlefield!" Ito Hirobumi After speaking, he slapped Koyama Rokunosuke twice.Why did Hirobumi Ito get so angry?It turned out that the Japanese government's original negotiating strategy was to use war to force the Qing government to sign an unequal treaty, and then accept it as soon as it was good.After Li Hongzhang arrived in Shimonoseki, what Hirobumi Ito was most worried about was that something would fall into the hands of the great powers, so that the Western countries that had been eyeing him would intervene and reap the benefits of the fisherman.Koyama Rokunosuke's behavior is just like giving someone a handle.

Soon after Li Hongzhang was carried into Yinjie Temple, the Japanese side sent Li Hongzhang to the hospital for emergency treatment.After the Japanese emperor got the news, he immediately sent a representative to the hospital to express condolences, and sent three imperial doctors to the hospital to heal Li Hongzhang's injuries. That night, when Hirobumi Ito visited Li Hongzhang in the hospital, he said: "To show respect for you, after consulting the Emperor, Japan has decided that during the peace talks between Japan and China, Japan can temporarily suspend its attacks on China for a limited time."

Li Hongzhang heard Ito Hirobumi's words clearly, but he closed his eyes and ignored Ito Hirobumi. After Ito Hirobumi left the hospital, the ministers stationed in Japan of various countries also followed their domestic will and visited Li Hongzhang in the hospital one after another.During the consultation with doctors from various countries, Japanese doctors suggested surgery, but German and French doctors firmly opposed it.The reason was that since the bullet was harmless to the normal work of Li Hongzhang's eyes, it was better to stay in his body temporarily.They worried that if they operated rashly, Li Hongzhang's life would be endangered. After all, Li Hongzhang was an octogenarian. But Li Hongzhang was not seriously injured this time. The gun used by the bandits was a short blunderbuss, which fired sand bullets instead of bullets.After the injury examination, the hospital said that as long as the skin and flesh under the eyes are cut open, the sand bullets are taken out, and the patient can be cured after more than a month. Li Hongzhang did not want to delay time, he hoped to negotiate a peace with Japan as soon as possible.After repeated consideration, he asked Jingxiang to ask the hospital not to allow the doctor to operate on him, but to let the doctor sew up the wound.After asking the Prime Minister for instructions, the hospital had no choice but to respect Li Hongzhang's opinion and agreed to follow Li Hongzhang's request.On the day when Li Hongzhang got the hospital's consent, he sent an economic party to notify the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the formal negotiation would begin three days later.Ito Hirobumi did not dare not to respect Li Hongzhang. The two sides began formal peace negotiations three days after Li Hongzhang was assassinated.Li Hongzhang, who was sitting at the negotiating table, had a thick white gauze wrapped around his head, with only his right eye exposed.According to the instructions of the authorities, the hospital sent two doctors to change the dressing beside him. China's acknowledgment of North Korea's independence was something that the Qing Prime Minister's Yamen had promised Tian Bei. The focus of the two sides' discussions was land cession and compensation.After bargaining, the amount of compensation was 20 million taels; after Li Hongzhang asked for an order, Emperor Guangxu approved it.However, when Japan proposed to cede Taiwan, the Liaodong Peninsula and its affiliated islands, and the Penghu Islands, etc., Li Hongzhang resolutely refused to agree, claiming that he needed an order. Negotiations again stalled. Parting, Ito Hirobumi said fiercely to Li Hongzhang: "We can only give you five days to request an order. If after five days, Gui Zhongtang refuses to sign, our country will resume the state of war." Li Hongzhang stood up expressionlessly, and at Li Jingfang's With the support, he walked out slowly. After returning to the hospital that day, Li Hongzhang said to Li Jingfang, Luo Fenglu, Ma Jianzhong, Wu Jianfang and others with tears in his eyes, with Costa and other foreigners on his back: "Unexpectedly, Japan has such a big appetite! Not only want Taiwan, but also cede the Liaodong Peninsula." And its affiliated islands, the Penghu Islands, and all of them are indispensable! He wants me to destroy the Qing Dynasty!" Luo Fenglu said in a low voice: "Japan agrees to the peace agreement this time, because it wants us to pay compensation and also our land." Li Jingfang said: "Father, if you don't agree to their conditions, I'm afraid the peace negotiation will fail!" Li Hongzhang sighed and fell into deep thought. Li Jingfang's worries are not unreasonable.Almost at the same time, Tian Bei, the U.S. Minister to China, stood up again and began to cooperate with Japan, meeting with Sun Yuwen, Xu Yongyi, Prince Gong, and Prince Qing, etc. If your country refuses to agree to the cession terms proposed by the Japanese side, they will send more troops to China, and they must invade Beijing." On the night of Tian Bei's speech, Japanese ships suddenly sailed towards Taiwan, and soon attacked Taiwan, and Taiwan was occupied.After hearing the news, Emperor Guangxu scolded Li Hongzhang for wronging the country, and at the same time asked the Military Aircraft Department to send an urgent telegram to Li Hongzhang, asking Li Hongzhang to quickly agree to the terms of land cession proposed by the Japanese side without delay!Once the agreement breaks down, the losses will be even greater and the land lost will be even greater!He will be the emperor to the end!After the telegram was sent away, Guangxu scolded his mother for a long time again, looking like a rascal in the market. After Li Hongzhang received the call, he was still unwilling to cede so much land.He thought about it for a day, and that night he met with the Russian, German and French ambassadors to Japan.Knowing that the envoys of the Three Kingdoms came to visit Li Hongzhang, Ke Shida hurried to see Li Hongzhang, but was blocked by the guards and Li Jingfang. Li Jingfang said: "I'm sorry Mr. Ke Shida. My father has something to say. He wants to discuss some personal matters with several ministers. It is not convenient for outsiders to be present." The right to ask about everything related to the negotiation!" Li Jingfang replied with a cold face: "I'm sorry Mr. Costa, what my father talked to the ministers has nothing to do with the negotiation." Costa stomped his feet and used his hands in a moment of anxiety. Hit your own chest.Li Jingfang, Ma Jianzhong and others refused to allow him to enter. In the room, Li Hongzhang disclosed to the envoys of the three countries the inside story of Japan's coercion of Taiwan and the Liaodong Peninsula, and emphasized that Japan only gave a five-day deadline, and if it did not draw a seal after five days, it would continue to fight against China. Li Hongzhang hesitated and said: "My Qing Dynasty does not want to give Japan so much, but for the sake of a truce, this is the only way." Li Hongzhang's thoughts at the time were as follows: the Liaodong Peninsula was not only the main area for Russia's trade, but also the area for trade between France and Germany. Li Hongzhang wanted to take advantage of the greedy psychology of the big powers wanting to gain benefits in China, and through the competition between the big powers , To achieve the purpose of keeping the Liaodong Peninsula. As for whether the Liaodong Peninsula could be really preserved after doing so, Li Hongzhang was not very sure, but Li Hongzhang had nowhere to go.Xiaohong said to Li Hongzhang privately: "My lord, the emperor and the empress dowager have both agreed to the terms of land cession. Why do you refuse to agree to it? If the peace agreement really breaks down, won't you always resist and refuse to obey the order? What's more, you are so far away. Didn’t you come here just to discuss peace?” Li Hongzhang said thoughtfully: "Ito Hirobumi changed the way to let me come to Japan. I want to humiliate me and let me admit that I am not as good as him. I can't beat him in Japan, but it doesn't prove that I, Li Hongzhang, can't beat him. Ito Hirobumi What is he, Ito Hirobumi! However, the prime minister of a small island country is not half as large as Xinjiang. I admit that the Prime Minister on my head is a nameless country, not as good as the Minister of Military Aircraft, but this is not my fault! Now that I am here Here, until the last moment, the old man will not bow to him, Ito Hirobumi!" Xiaohong didn't say anything, but she was very worried about Li Hongzhang in her heart. She was really afraid that the ruthless Empress Dowager Cixi would hit Li Hongzhang in a rage.As soon as the news of Japan's coercion of the Liaodong Peninsula and Taiwan came out, it really aroused strong repercussions among Russia, France, and Germany, because this move by Japan did harm the interests of the three countries in the Liaodong Peninsula. The first to respond was Russia.After argumentation, Russia realized that China's cession of the Liaodong Peninsula would directly threaten Russia's existing interests.Russian Finance Minister Vitte analyzed: "Japan's invasion and occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula is mainly aimed at Russia." Werther finally suggested: "We should resolutely declare that Japan cannot be allowed to occupy South Manchuria. If we do not fulfill our request, we will take appropriate measures... If there is a need for war, we will act resolutely. It is in our interest to decide to go to war now." much, otherwise Russia will suffer even greater sacrifices in the future." Witte's proposal was endorsed by the Russian Tsar.The five-day period limited by Japan is coming soon.On the morning of this day, before Li Hongzhang and Hirobumi Ito sat together, the ministers of Russia, France, and Germany stationed in Japan followed the instructions of their respective countries and sent a joint note to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding that Japan give up its occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula.The note also stated that if Japan refused, the navies of the three countries would cut off the connection between the Japanese army in Liaodong and the country, leaving them isolated. On the same day, the Prime Minister’s Office of the Qing Dynasty also received a note from the Russian Minister in China, dissuading China from imposing the deadline set by Japan. Russia, together with France and Germany, decided to intervene in this matter. The envoys of Russia, France, and Germany to Japan also notified Li Hongzhang of the incident after sending a note to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.That night, the Russian envoy notified Lin Dong, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, saying: "Received domestic orders, the Russian warships currently moored in various ports are burning day and night, and the crew is prohibited from landing; Thousands of people are ready to go out at any time." Faced with the sudden joint intervention of Russia, France, and Germany, the Japanese government was very alarmed. Ito Hirobumi urgently met with the ministers of the three countries, hoping to resolve the matter through negotiations.But the ministers of the three countries agreed that unless Japan decides to abandon the Liaodong Peninsula, there is nothing to talk about. In desperation, Hirobumi Ito had no choice but to ask Mutsu Munemitsu to send separate notes to the embassies of Russia, France, and Germany, stating: "Based on the friendly advice of the governments of Russia, France, and Germany, the Imperial Japanese Government has decided to renounce its permanent possession of China's Liaodong Peninsula. "Subsequently, Japan formally demanded from the three countries that the Qing government pay 50 million taels of silver as a reward for returning Liao Dynasty. The German envoy agreed after consulting the country, and the Russian envoy notified Li Hongzhang of the situation.Li Hongzhang vetoed it outright.The Russian envoy proposed a compromise figure of 30 million taels in a "fair" tone.Li Hongzhang telegraphed the situation to the Prime Minister's Yamen, and the Prime Minister's Yamen telegraphed the "approval" order the next day.