Daoguo asked which department is the busiest among the eight central departments now? Gongribao is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the Far East, the situation is very turbulent. On the one hand, the revolution and civil war of the Russian Empire are developing into an uncontrollable situation. It has also affected the Far East. On the other hand, the situation in the South China Sea has become tense due to the Suma Dara Incident and the emergence of the New Guinea crisis. No matter which situation is, it is closely related to China. The necessary means to solve these problems should be diplomatic. Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now the busiest department of the central government. Staff must rush to the ministry in advance in the morning and work overtime in the evening to complete those heavy government affairs.

As the brain of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tang Shaoyi is now the busiest official in various departments. He even insists that he is busier than the president, at least. The president goes to work at 9 o'clock in the morning, and he must arrive at the department before 8 o'clock and arrange the assignment of work in various departments. Otherwise, it will be a pot of porridge at that time, which will only reduce the efficiency of work.

Now, Tang Shaoyi was sitting in his office and discussing with a foreign secretary about meeting foreign guests in the afternoon. Seeing that it was not far from noon, he just asked the secretary to order some food for him to go to the street, and lunch was still in the department. The secretary finally left the office. Tang Shaoyi stood up from behind the desk and looked at the wall clock on the wall. It was already 11:30 noon, and it would take another half an hour to get off work. Taking advantage of the free time before getting off work, Tang Shaoyi picked up the stack of diplomatic documents that the secretary had just sent, and stood by the window and flipped through it.

Some of these documents were clichéd diplomatic topics, and Tang Shaoyi basically skipped it. Only those documents on the situation in Nanyang focused his attention.

The "Javal incident caused by the Dutch warships bombarded civilian ships. Now is the key direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' work. In fact, the foreign guest that Tang Shaoyi was preparing to meet in the afternoon was the Dutch ambassador to China. He was preparing to negotiate with the Netherlands on this issue again. Although he had not received the president's order to make him formally protest, Tang Shaoyi believed that as long as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can take a flexible position, peaceful resolution of the crisis is not a very difficult thing. I am afraid that the naval fleet in the South China Sea will take its own temperament. Tang Shaoyi suggested to the president yesterday to issue a "clear meaning" order to Commander Lu Ping of the Nanyang Squadron to maintain the necessary restraint and post-control. After all, the Sumadala Chinese Autonomous Movement has basically achieved its goal, and it seems that there is no need to escalate the situation further. Before the British government intervenes, it is best to calm the Nanyang Ocean as soon as possible.

Stability.

The president did not make a clear statement at the time, but in the end he promised Tang Shaoyi that he could "restrain the actions of the Nanyang Squadron. He also reminded Tang Shaoyi that diplomatic contacts with the Netherlands must adhere to a tough stance, never compromise, and never give in. He must let the Dutch government understand that the Chinese central government is serious in safeguarding national interests and national dignity, and is also prepared for war.

Tang Shaoyi knew very well that the Netherlands is no longer the one who was scattered all over the world. The "sea coachman". As a colonial empire that was prematurely aging, the Netherlands was able to maintain its current colonial interests. It was not because of its strong national strength, but because of the strategic balance of powers in the Far East. However, with the stalemate of the European war, the strategic balance of powers in the Far East has long been broken. The Malayan crisis two years ago proved that even the British Empire, which claimed to be "the sun never set", was unable to control the Far East colonies. What qualifications does the Holland have to fight against the increasingly awakened Asian national forces on its own?

First, Japan's Meiji Restoration, and then China's "Shengshen Revolution" and these two countries in Asia used practical actions to show the entire East Asian nation how to get rid of the colonial control of the great powers. One choice was top-down improvement, and the other choice was bottom-up revolution. Although the paths were different, the purpose was highly consistent, that is, to ensure the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Now, the entire East Asia region is full of people who are instructing Chinese and Japanese, the Indochina region occupied by France, the Philippines region occupied by the United States, the Straits colonies occupied by Britain, and the East Indies occupied by the Netherlands. The national consciousness of these colonies is under the dual influence of the Meiji Restoration and the Xushen Revolution. Although the power is still weak at present, as long as these consciousnesses are given opportunities, they will inevitably release huge energy, thereby completely changing the order of the Far East and even the whole Asian state.

Since the end of the Malayan crisis, the East Indies under the Dutch rule have been in turmoil. Although there has been no large-scale uprising, the entire East Indies is on the eve of a change in mind. The Sumadala Incident is just a sudden and eye-catching point in the dark night. The Dutch colonial authorities are completely in a passive defense state. It has to face China's aggressive momentum. Once it is not handled properly, it will lose more than just a Sumadala.

It is precisely based on this comprehensive consideration that Tang Shaoyi believes that it is not difficult to resolve the "Java Incident" peacefully through diplomatic means. He only acts as a tough stance in the Chinese central government. The compromise and concession of the Dutch government is not impossible. The key is how to grasp a good degree. The so-called "too much is not too much" must leave some face to the Dutch government in the truth, and it cannot make the Dutch government feel that it has lost face internationally. If the Dutch government is forced into an urgent situation, it may not be in a hurry to jump over the wall.

No matter how weak the Netherlands is now, it was a naval power in the end. Moreover, it has been competing with Britain on the ocean for many years and has a naval force of good quality. Although the Dutch navy is not strong in the Far East, if the Dutch fleet fought to the death, the Chinese navy might have to face a fierce maritime battle.

"After all, the Netherlands is a soft persimmon after all. Judging from the president's meaning, he was quite eager to try it out. He wanted to show his determination through the battle against the Netherlands. It's a pity that the British Far East Fleet would not see the Dutch Fleet suffer, but he just didn't know what countermeasures the British government is doing now?"

Thinking of this, Tang Shaoyi put the stack of documents in his hand on the table, walked back to the window, and pushed it away. He looked out the window. He saw several cars driving from the cement road to ask for chopping. He stopped in front of the office building, and several officers wearing navy uniforms walked out of the car. Tang Shaoyi recognized the man at a glance. It was Tang Xiangming, the chief of the Navy.

Seeing Tang Xiangming suddenly rushed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tang Shaoyi was quite surprised. He hurriedly pulled the curtains up, then sat back to the desk, picked up the phone on the desk, shook the Navy Department, and asked a few questions, but the other party was not sure. Tang Shaoyi understood that Tang Xiangming might have rushed directly from Tianjin to his Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I don’t know what Tang Xiangming was from. Tang Shaoyi had to respond to the changes in a constant manner, and sat behind the table and took out a few telegrams from the folder. After absent-mindedly studying for a few minutes, Tang Xiangming followed a secretary into Tang Shaoyi’s office.

"Casting new things, what wind blows you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? You are a rare guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Tang Shaoyi stood up, took a few steps forward, made sufficient etiquette, and tested the other party's purpose.

Tang Xiangming smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not to hide it. I'm here now, because I have something to ask General Tang for advice. This matter is related to the construction of the navy and the exhibition of China. We must deal with it with caution."

"But for the Dutch shelling the "Java"?" Tang Shaoyi guessed.

"It's for this."

Tang Xiangming nodded and sat on the sand with Tang Shaoyi. The secretary served tea and left the office. Tang Shaoyi and Tang Xiangming were the only ones left in the office.

"The center has a decision on the "Javal incident". The navy only needs to cooperate. I wonder why Zhuxin asked for advice on this matter? Could it be that you have any latest news that the center has not grasped?"

Tang Shaoyi asked a few questions tentatively. Tang Xiangming went to Europe to study in the Navy and met some foreign naval personnel, and was able to get some information that could not be obtained through ordinary channels. Therefore, Tang Shaoyi asked this question.

Tang Xiangming pondered the film and said, "Actually, I want to ask General Tang, what do you think about this? In your opinion, should it be solved through diplomatic channels or through force display?"

Tang Shaoyi couldn't help laughing and said, "Chu Xin. Are you confused? As the Chief of Foreign Affairs, I naturally oppose the first choice of resolving force by force. In my opinion, diplomatic dispute resolution is always the best at any time. Only when diplomatic channels are powerless can we consider using force to resolve problems."

"What's this? What's this? What's the same with the president?" Tang Xiangming asked again.

Seeing Tang Xiangming hesitate, Tang Shaoyi suddenly woke up. He was testing, but not testing the opinions of Tang Shaoyi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but testing the opinions of the president.

"Zhuxin, you have been in the Admiralty Department for a long time, and the style of this yamen has become better. Don't you just want to know what the president means? Just ask me directly, why bother so much?"

Tang Shaoyi smiled and patted Tang Xiangming on the shoulder. She stood up from the sand, walked to the desk, then turned around and looked at Tang Xiangming who was a little embarrassed.

"Zhuxin, you are a soldier, not a politician. I know that in the Navy, there are still some bureaucratic behaviors left over from the Beiyang era, but you are a person who has returned from studying abroad after all. And Brother Ling is also a political commissar around the president. You should understand that the president does not like his subordinates to take advantage of opportunities. In the president's opinion, soldiers should be pure. If a soldier is politician with politicians, then he is not a soldier, but a politician in military uniform. The president hates the most is this kind of politician in military uniform." Tang Shaoyi first taught Tang Xiangming as an elder, and then got back to the topic.

"Zhuxin, I'll tell you the truth. The president has a little bit of a fight with the Dutch. But I've persuaded him for the time being. If the Dutch government can accept the solution proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sumadara will not have a naval battle between the Chinese and Dutch armies.

"Oh? In this way, the center is restrained at the moment? What if the Dutch government does not accept our proposal? Is war inevitable? The Navy Department cannot stand by and watch. Once the Sino-Dutch war breaks out, I am willing to volunteer to the center and command the fleet to go south to reinforce."

Tang Xiangming also stood up from the sand and shone with Tang Shaoyi.

"You also want to lead the fleet south? Now the navy is still in the country with only a few small warships left. Do you want to lead those small warships south?"

Tang Shaoyi was a little surprised, but then he thought about it and realized that Tang Xiangming was really using it, and the other party might want to use it to increase his prestige.

"Don't forget that there are two fished battleships on the Lushun Dock. The restoration work is basically completed now. If the center decides to start a war with the Netherlands, I will urge the dock to rush. The warships will be put into service in at most five days. I will command two battleships to go south to the South Ocean. Anyway, I can scare the British Far East Fleet? Now there is no problem with Luping's side to deal with the Dutch fleet, but if the British Far East Fleet intervenes, the strength of the South Ocean Squadron will not be enough."

Tang Xiangming said his plan, which made Tang Shaoyi frown.

What Tang Shaoyi is most worried about now is the young and strong officers who are eager to win credit for the victory like Tang Xiangming. These people are eager to win honor and power through war, and they are also fanatical believers of "Pan Asianism".

To be honest, Tang Shaoyi was very disgusted with this young and powerful officer in the military sect. If it weren't for Tang Hualong's friendship with him, perhaps he would have shouted loudly to the Navy Chief in front of him who regarded war as a joke.

After all, he is young and energetic, and maybe others will instigate him.

"General Tang, it just so happened that after I met the Dutch ambassador in the afternoon, I would go to the Presidential Palace. Why not go there with me and let's talk to the President about the current situation in Southeast Asia and see what the President is thinking."
Chapter completed!