Chapter 41 3. After making a secret agreement

As early as in Lushun, Zheng Xiaoxu negotiated with Benzhuang Fan the conditions for me to be in power and him to be the prime minister.Zheng Xiaoxu didn't let me know about this matter until the eve of Benzhuang Fan's resignation. On August 18, 1932, Zheng Xiaoxu came to Qinmin Building, took out a bunch of documents and said to me: This is an agreement between the minister and the commander of the village, please approve it. When I saw this agreement, I became angry. Who asked you to sign this? These are all the conditions that Itagaki negotiated in Lushun, he replied coldly, and Itagaki told his superiors earlier.

Who did Itagaki tell?I never heard him say that.Even if he did, tell me before you sign! This is what Itagaki ordered, saying that I am afraid that Hu Siyuan and the others do not understand the overall situation, and it will cause trouble if they take it early. Who is in charge?Is it you, is it me? How dare the minister.These agreements are really expedient measures. If the emperor wants to rely on them, how can he not allow conditions?This was originally a fait accompli, and another treaty can be concluded in the future, stipulating that the rights and interests will be recovered in a few years.

What he said was actually true. The rights Japan wanted in the agreement were things it already had.This agreement has 12 articles, and there are supplementary provisions, schedules, and subsidiary agreements. The main contents are: the Ministry of National Defense and Security of Manchukuo entrusts Japan; Manchukuo was responsible for the supply of various materials and equipment needed by the army; Japan had the right to develop mines and resources;In this agreement it is finally stipulated that it will be the basis for a formal treaty between the two countries in the future.Zheng Xiaoxu's reasoning is also good, since he has to rely on it, why not pay the price?But though it was so obvious, I couldn't help feeling annoyed.What annoyed me was that Zheng Xiaoxu was too arbitrary, and dared to use my country to make deals with the Japanese at will. I was also annoyed at the excessive blackmail of the Japanese. Instead of giving me the throne of the emperor, they bought so many things.

Annoyed and helpless, I ratified the fait accompli.Zheng Xiaoxu took the secret agreement I signed and went, and Hu Siyuan followed him in as usual.I told him this, and he immediately said angrily: Zheng Xiaoxu is outrageous!Chen Baochen said earlier that he is used to being generous to others!How dare he be so arbitrary now! Now it's done!I said dejectedly. Maybe not at all, let's look at the news from Tokyo. Many days ago, we learned that the commander of the Kwantung Army would be replaced and that Japan would recognize Manchukuo.Hu Siyuan attached great importance to this matter. According to his opinion, the replacement of the commander of the Kwantung Army in Japan probably required a change of attitude, and he should take this opportunity to send people to Japan for activities.He said that it is impossible not to give benefits to Japan, such as mines, railways, resources, and national defense can be managed by Japan, but in terms of official system, the right to appoint and dismiss must rest with me.I adopted his idea, and according to his recommendation, I sent Lin Tingchen, a former lawyer, and Taiwanese Cai Faping, to Tokyo to find his Taiwanese friend Xu Bing, and through Xu Bing to find high-ranking figures in the military to conduct activities.Lin and Cai met Jinzaburo Masaki, Chief of the Army General Staff in Tokyo, Kohei Kashii, the former commander of the Japanese Garrison in Tianjin, and Nobuyoshi Muto, who was about to succeed the commander of the Kwantung Army, and others, and put forward my specific request to them:

1. The Executive Government shall exercise its functions and powers in accordance with the Organic Law; 2. Reorganize the State Council, and appoint another list by the ruling party; 3. Reorganize the official system of each ministry, the sovereignty belongs to the heads of each ministry, and the system of the chief of the General Affairs Department is abolished; 4. Training recruits and expanding the army; 5. The Legislative Yuan shall convene a parliament regularly to determine the state structure. This is also what Hu Siyuan drew up for me.According to him, he does not expect Japan to accept all of them. As long as it agrees to the national system and the appointment and removal of officials by me, it will be considered as having achieved its goal.But the conditions should be mentioned more, in case the other party counter-offers.

Two days later, Hu Siyuan told me enthusiastically that there was good news from Tokyo.According to the letter from Lin and Cai, some people in the Tokyo Veteran Faction and the military department sympathized with me and were dissatisfied with Honjo's attitude towards me; they expressed their willingness to support my various demands.Hu Siyuan said, from this point of view, after the successor commander takes office, the situation will change, and I will exercise my powers and govern my country according to the regulations.But to govern well, there must be an obedient prime minister.I heard what he said was reasonable, so I decided to replace Zheng Xiaoxu.I researched it with him, and I think Zang Shiyi is more suitable. If he is appointed as the prime minister, he will definitely be grateful and repay his virtue, and follow my command.After the discussion was settled, Hu Siyuan and Xu Baoheng were ordered to talk to Zang Shiyi.

Zang Shiyi's attitude is still hesitant, Zheng Xiaoxu's son Zheng Chui came. I heard that the higher-ups sent people to Tokyo to find Nobuyoshi Muto.He stood in front of me and said such a sentence without thinking.After all, stare at me and see my reaction.Needless to say, he saw that I didn't want to admit it, so he went on to say: It was rumored in Tokyo that it was planning to reorganize the State Department.After hearing this, the minister had to tell his superiors.Hope it's a rumour. Why do you hope it's just a rumor? I hope so.This plan is impossible.Even if it is achieved, everything will be decided by the Manchus, and the ministers will not be able to control it.No matter whether it is Zang Shiyi or whoever, they can't do it at all.

Is this what you're talking about? Chen is telling the truth Now that you're done talking, go! yes Zheng Chui left, and I was angry alone in the office.After a while, Hu Siyuan knew it, and raised his beard again. Zheng's father and son are really in a mess.Zheng Chui is especially hateful.Last time when Xiqia brought mahogany furniture, he urged his superiors to be frugal, out of jealousy, fearing that Xiqia would invite the heavenly family alone, this time he was wary of Zang Shiyi again! Really not human!The more I listened to it, the more I hated it, and my determination became stronger, so I asked Hu Siyuan if there was an agreement with Zang Shiyi.

He refused. In fact, Zang Shiyi understood better than me and Hu Siyuan that without the Kwantung Army talking, he agreed to only make trouble. Zheng Xiaoxu knew that Zang Shiyi didn't dare, so he was even more confident. He actually resorted to the way Yikuang used to deal with my father back then.But he didn't expect that I had good news about Tokyo, so I was confident.When I saw him asking for leave, I took it as an opportunity and said without hesitation: It's time for you to retire.I don't force you, you recommend someone. His baldness suddenly faded. What the minister meant was to recuperate from illness for a few days.

That's fine too. As soon as Zheng Xiaoxu left, I immediately ordered Hu Siyuan to find Zang Shiyi, and let him act as prime minister first, and then find an opportunity to remove Zheng Xiaoxu later.But after five days, before Zang Shiyi expressed his attitude, Zheng Xiaoxu canceled his work. When Hu Siyuan found out that Zheng Xiaoxu had returned to the State Council, he sighed to me and said: He exchanged the secret contract for the seal of the Prime Minister, so he was naturally reluctant to lose it.The words are quite bitter. I also have bitterness. Of course, this is not the seal of the prime minister, but that my authority in power cannot be used by anyone.This failure taught me a very important lesson.This was inspired by Hu Siyuan's bitter words.

Zheng Xiaoxu exchanged the secret agreement for the prime minister's seal, and the secret agreement became his capital in vain, which is really unreasonable.Why can't the secret agreement be my capital, and I can get what I need from the Japanese? I decided to wait until the new commander of the Kwantung Army arrives, and then make the five demands myself.Hu Siyuan supported this method and reminded me not to forget to ask the Japanese to replace Zheng Xiaoxu.Since Zheng Xiaoxu came to power as the Prime Minister, he has had this idea in his heart. This is early September.In mid-September, Japan's new Kwantung Army commander and first ambassador to Manchuria Muto Nobuyoshi came to Changchun.On the 15th, in the Qinmin Building, Muto and Zheng Xiaoxu signed the "Japanese Manchurian Protocol", which was an open agreement based on that secret treaty. Because Japan recognizes the fact that Manchukuo was freely established as an independent country according to the will of its inhabitants, and because Manchukuo declared that the provisions of international treaties owned by the Republic of China should be limited to those applicable to Manchukuo, that is to say, they should be respected.In order to permanently consolidate the good-neighborly relationship between Manchuria and Japan, to respect each other's territorial rights, and to ensure peace in the East, the Government of Manchuria and the Government of Japan agree as follows: (1) In the future between Manchukuo and Manchukuo, Japan and Japan, before another treaty is concluded, within the territory of Manchukuo, Japan or Japanese subjects shall have everything in accordance with the existing treaty agreement between Japan and China, other treaties and public and private contracts Rights and interests should be recognized and respected. (2) Manchukuo and Japan recognize that all threats to the territory and public security of one of the contracting parties are also threats to the peace and existence of the other contracting party, and agree that the two countries will cooperate in the defense of the country, and Japan wants to do this The national army is stationed in Manchuria. 【one】 After the ceremony and drinking champagne, I couldn't wait to have a private meeting with Muto.I am full of confidence at this time.Because Lin Tingchen and Cai Faping just returned from Japan not many days ago, they told me that Muto not only agreed to my request in Tokyo, but even agreed to consider restoring my title. Muto was promoted to an army general in the Taisho era of Japan, and served as the deputy chief of staff.Director of Education, Military Councilor, led the Japanese army to occupy Siberia in the Soviet Union in World War I.This time he came to the Northeast as a general, and served as the commander of the Kwantung Army (he used to be a lieutenant general), the chief of the Kwantung Office (the Japanese colonial governor in the Liaodong Peninsula before the September 18th Incident) and the ambassador to Manchuria. Soon after arriving in office, he was promoted to marshal, and he was the de facto supreme ruler of this land, the overlord of Manchuria.Japanese newspapers called him the patron saint of Manchuria.In my eyes, this sixty-five-year-old white-haired old man is indeed as powerful as a god.When he bowed to me with great courtesy, I felt blessed.When I had finished speaking, he replied politely: Regarding your opinion, I will take it back and study it seriously. He took away the few requests written by Hu Siyuan.But day by day passed, and the results of his research were not seen. According to regulations, I meet with the commander and ambassador of the Kwantung Army three times a month.Ten days later, when I met him for the second time, I pressed him about the results of the research, but he still said: study and study. Every time he met me, he was always polite, bowed deeply to me, smiled, and talked about each of my ancestors with a reverent expression, but he never mentioned my requirements.If I turn the topic to this aspect, he will talk about him left and right.I was dealt with like this twice, and I didn't have the courage to ask him again. Until the death of Muto in July 1933, every time I met with him, we could only talk about Buddhism, Confucianism, and goodwill.During this period, my authority in the eyes of no one has increased, but his authority in my heart has increased day by day, and it has never ceased to increase. [1] I do not have the original copy, but this is quoted from Volume 29, No. 4 of "Oriental Miscellany".author