Yoshima Ishinu was a civil servant. He always hated war. Although he was a diplomat, Bu Khan also knew that military was an extension of politics. The exchanges between countries not only had peace, but also war. The so-called "no eternal enemy, only eternal interests." Back then, Britain and France were hostile to each other for many years, but later they came together because of the rise of Germany and eventually formed an alliance to establish the Allies Group. This is enough to show what the norm of international exchanges is. Everything is centered on national interests, and all government policies must be subject to national interests.

Now, China's national interests are challenged, and the president is determined to use war to safeguard national interests. Although Tang Shaoyi understands this very well, he also insists that it is better to use peaceful means to resolve the problem. If you fight for the sake of war, there will be some tendency of war dealers.

Therefore, in a sense, Tang Shaoyi's current position is somewhat similar to that of British Ambassador to China Juerdian. If you can do not fight, you will not fight. If you really want to fight, you must at least let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know the clear strategy of the center first.

Now, the central strategy is very unclear and vague. On the one hand, the president ordered the launch of propaganda machines to report the incitement of the "Javal incident" to the public, and also issued a war preparation order to the Ministry of Navy, posing as if he wanted to fight with the Netherlands. However, on the other hand, the president ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up consultations with the Dutch diplomatic department and ask the Dutch government to accept the crisis solution he proposed.

This can be seen as the president's prudence, but Tang Shaoyi is more willing to regard this approach as a smokescreen released by the president. The purpose is not to resolve the crisis through diplomatic means, but to confuse the Dutch government and cover the actions of the Chinese naval fleet. After all, the two battleships have not even been launched for sea trials. Even if they can be incorporated into the navy in five days, they cannot be put into combat immediately. After all, personnel and machines all need a running-in period, and this running-in period is not calculated in days, but in months. Without months of sea drills, warships cannot form any combat effectiveness. By that time, perhaps the Nanyang Squadron had solved the problem.

To be honest, Tang Shaoyi is now speculating that the reason why the president turned the public's attention to the two battleships in Lushun that were still working in the dock was perhaps to cover the actions of the Nanyang squadron. After all, the fleet is now in Nanyang, the so-called "near water towers". And its strength is enough to solve the Dutch East India Squadron. Even if the reinforcement fleet in Tangxiang cannot arrive in Nanyang in time, Lu Ping has enough confidence to defeat the Dutch fleet.

So, Tang Shaoyi has been staring at the Nanyang Squadron. Several telegrams a day have been photographed by the Consulate of Sumadala and Bangka Island, asking the diplomats of the consulate to report to him every move of the Nanyang Squadron at any time. Once the fleet attacks, they will notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as soon as possible, so as not to keep up with the president's steps, because Tang Shaoyi knew very well that the president was best at first and then report. This was the case when there was no politics in the past, let alone the presidential politics in the present.

Tang Shaoyi now sees the danger that state power brings to the entire country when it is controlled by one person. In political times, the president's will is the will of the country, and the president's decision is the central decision. Under this political system, there is no force that can stop the president's actions. If the action goes smoothly, it can undoubtedly complete the national strategy efficiently. However, if the action fails, it will undoubtedly quickly introduce the whole country. This seems a bit like gambling. The person who throws Yizi is not a citizen, but a high-ranking president.

With a sigh and a hint of helplessness, Tang Shaoyi sat in a car and discussed the British government's final mediation opinion with the British ambassador to China Juerdian. However, in his opinion, the president's side could not pass the final mediation opinion of the British government, because the British government still did not know or pretended not to know what the root cause of the Sino-Dutch conflict was. After all, the root cause of this conflict was not a Dutch warship bombardment of expatriates, nor was it a dual issue, but the root cause was China's national strategy.

As an Eastern power, China will never remain unknown and low-key. As the country's strength increases, China also needs a "territory in the sun". This can not only solve the population growth problem in China's development, but also expand the commodity market. However, since the European powers have divided the entire world, China is facing the same strategic problem as Germany. Is it so half-dead to be a follower of the great powers, or is it angering blow to defeat the old powers and turn itself into a new power?

Germany's answer is "war". Obviously, the Chinese president's answer is also "war". The difference is that Germany faces the most powerful Britain, while the Chinese president chose the target of combat with the long-declined Netherlands. Moreover, the time to choose is when the European powers cannot take care of the Far East. So, the British government should not blame the Chinese president for not buying it.

As for whether the European powers will settle accounts after the fall, this question may not be within the President's consideration at all.

The British government's mediation proposal did not have to be sent to the Presidential Palace at all. Tang Shaoyi finally explained this issue to Juerdian, which disappointed the British ambassador, so he had to say goodbye halfway and went back in the car of the British Embassy.

Tang Shaoyi smiled bitterly and ordered the driver to drive the car directly back to the house. Soon, the car stopped in front of the Tang Mansion. Before he got off, Tang Shaoyi saw the butler running over.

"Master, Master. I just called the Presidential Palace and asked you to go to the Presidential Palace immediately after you come back. The attendant's room has already arranged a small wait for you to come over. If you change your car, you will go directly to the Commander Hall to meet the President."

"Didn't say anything?" Tang Shao

"The housekeeper shook his head.

Tang Shaoyi thought for a while, but didn't get off the bus, and directly ordered the driver to rush to the Presidential Palace.

When he arrived at the traffic control area in front of the Presidential Palace, Tang Shaoyi transferred to a car sent by the servant room to pick him up, and directly entered the Presidential Palace and rushed to the Commander's Hall.

When they arrived at the Commander Hall, Tang Shaoyi saw that the office building of the Commander Hall was brightly lit, with many vehicles in front of the building, most of which were cars with military signs. The staff and adjutants came and went, and everyone had serious expressions, which made the atmosphere before the war.

"I'm afraid that there is really going to be a war. Tang Shaoyi sighed and got out of the car. He followed the adjutant of the attendant's room who accompanied Yue to the commander's hall, then entered the office building, went up the second floor, sat in a lounge for a few minutes, and then followed an adjutant to the reception room, where he met Zhao Bei, the President of the Republic of China, and also saw the German ambassador to China Rex.

Rex was the president nodded and invited him to the presidential palace. He failed to pass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which made Tang Shaoyi somewhat dissatisfied, but he did not complain because he knew very well that there were more important things to talk about now, and as for the scope of authority, it was not that important.

"I wonder what happened to the President's Office?" Xi Shaoyi asked.

"The German government intends to contact the Russian government of Tsarist, but the Russian Provisional Officer in China, Mr. Gusowitz refused to meet with Mr. Rex. Therefore, I plan to ask your Ministry of Foreign Affairs to connect with the Ministry of Finance to contact the Ministry of Finance. Some time ago, the Ministry of Finance sorted out the Russian banking issue in China. I have direct contact with some Russian politicians. Since Gusowitz is unwilling to engage in diplomatic contact with Germany, then let Mr. Rex go directly to the three eastern provinces to contact the Russian politicians there to see if he can connect with the Tsarist government.

Zhao Bei explained, Tang Shaoyi was a little surprised, and then quickly understood that this was Germany's strategy of "getting far and near attacking". Now that the Russian civil war is in full swing, the Provisional Government agreed to continue fighting against Germany in order to curry favor with Britain. Therefore, the German government may have planned to use the Tsarist government to see if it can cause some trouble to the Russian Provisional Government. It will prevent Russia from attacking the German Eastern Front battlefield head-on, thus freeing up Germany enough troops to resolve the stalemate on the European Western Front battlefield first.

But to be honest, Tang Shaoyi was skeptical about how much practical support Germany could provide to the Tsarist government. Unless it was with China, German warships could not approach Russian territorial waters.

Tang Shaoyi agreed immediately and exchanged a few greetings with Rex, and the other party said goodbye politely.

After Rex left, Zhao Beicai told Shaoyi about the main purpose of the German ambassador to China.

"General Tang, Rex came here not only for the contact between Germany and Russia, but also for the Nanyang crisis. The Dutch government entrusted the German government to mediate the current Nanyang crisis. The German government did not want to force the Netherlands to the Allies, but also wanted our country to provoke a dispute in the Far East. Therefore, the German government's position is very strange. Rex told me that if our country declares war on the Netherlands, Germany will not take any action. If our country does not declare war on the Netherlands, then Germany may be able to hand over the British Straits colony to our country for management after the end of the European War."

"What? After the European War, the British Straits colony was handed over to our country for management? The Germans made such a smart abacus. Isn't this just a pie to fill their hunger? Besides, Germany's current decline has emerged, and the United States has declared war on Germany. At this time, the German government is still dreaming of defeating Britain. I am afraid that the German politicians will go crazy, and the German diplomatic department will also go crazy.

Tang Shaoyi shook his head while saying that, indeed, as an Eastern diplomat, he was also heartbroken by this when Germany fell to this point. This is one of the reasons why he advocated peace. For example, Germany is not a rival to the Allies. Why should China carry the flag of "Asian Leader"? Count the map of Asia carefully, what about the truly independent Asian countries in this era? Asia is a very risky move against Europe.

Zhao Bei stood up from the sand and paced in the reception room with his hands behind his back, while Tang Shaoyi was still sitting on the sand without saying much.

There was a little silence in the reception room for a moment. Zhao Bei stopped in front of a map hanging on the wall, looked at the map, and after a minute, he turned around and looked at Tang Shaoyi.

"General Tang, given that the Dutch government has not yet made a satisfactory reply to our central government regarding the sinking of the "Javala ship at the port, I have decided that our government will formally cut off all diplomatic relations with the Dutch Kingdom Government. You should do this matter immediately and must complete all the interception procedures within half a time!

"What?" The president has made up his mind to start a war against Hokkiah? Not even the last butterfly?

When Tang Shaoyi heard this, he immediately stood up, thinking of the last battle against Japan, he felt familiar.

"Yes. The Navy and the Army Department unanimously requested the battle. The soldiers were fighting spirit and the people were in a raging mood. At this time, it was a good time to start a war against the Netherlands. I had just issued a combat order to the Navy and the Army Department. After half an hour, the Navy will attack!"

“So fast?.

Tang Shaoyi originally wanted to persuade him, but then he thought that Zhao Bei's decision might not be changed, so he just said a few words, then sighed and sat back on the sand with weakness. He knew very well that this war in the South China Sea was inevitable, and once the war started, the situation in the world would change drastically.
Chapter completed!