Motohara Shinzo was the former lord of Kobe Castle. After the Qing army broke through Fuku in Hiroshima Prefecture and Kasazuna and Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture, they directed their troops towards Kobe. The Japanese Army Headquarters made the decision to defend the Hanshin area. According to the battle plan, Prince Komatsunomiya Akihito led multiple divisions into the two places. Motohara Shinzo's duties were also transferred from civil affairs during the peace period to assisting Nobumori Zhaoma and doing a good job in the defense of Kobe Castle. ""/""/
The preparations for the battle in Kobe City gave Motohara Shinzo a headache. Zhaoma Nobumori came up with an unprecedented crooked idea to dig out the city's underground like a spider web. The original plan based on the drawings was completely destroyed in the end. It was completely lost. Shenzo Motohara had no idea where the tunnel was dug or where the exit was. He didn¡¯t understand military affairs. He looked at the confident look of the Lieutenant General. He also felt very happy because he managed This city will soon become the tomb of the Qing army!
And the fact is just as Zhaoma Nobumori and Motohara Shinzo expected, the Qing army was unable to make a large advance in Kobe City, but suffered heavy casualties. After attacking for several days, they withdrew in despair, which made it even more frustrating. The two were overjoyed, but within a few days of their joy, a very bad news came: in the battle in the Takarazuka Mountains, the Japanese army was almost completely wiped out. Another Qing army detoured to Osaka and even forced the surrender of the South Route Army. Prince Komatsunomiya Akihito, the commander-in-chief of the operation, further issued an order requiring the defenders of Kobe City to lay down their weapons and surrender to the Chinese troops. Zhao Jian Nobumori was sad and angry. There were more than 70,000 Japanese soldiers in Kobe City, but they surrendered to the enemy without firing a shot? But the military orders were overwhelming, and he did not have the courage to resist the command from Xixiang Congdao. With a sad mood, he issued a ceasefire order.
After the fighting stopped, military personnel such as Nobumori Zhaoma were sent to Fushan, Mihara and other places that had been occupied by the Qing army, and were imprisoned separately. Motohara Shinzo was a civilian official, so there was no need to worry about what trouble they would cause. But when you are in a foreign country, you must be careful. The Qing army deprived these people of their official positions, sent them all back home, and placed them under residential surveillance. This is indeed what Motohara Shenzo wants, but he dare not ask for it. He has never thought about cooperating with the Chinese. Otherwise, even a Japanese traitor will never be able to wash away his name. . Therefore, staying at home, growing flowers and grass, and living a happy life.
However, the sudden earthquake in Kobe a few days ago made the old man panic for a while: "Hey!" He shouted to the servant at home, "Quick! Don't wait, go outside and see if there is anyone who needs help?"
The servant was stunned for a moment, and was about to nod his head when he heard his wife's voice, "You are no longer a city guard now, why don't you want to take a rest?"
One sentence made Motohara Shenzo stunned, "Huh?"
"I'm just telling you." The wife walked slowly over in a silk kimono and waved her hand to the servant who was standing dumbfounded. "Go and heat up the rice cakes Nagano-kun brought last time. Also, Bring the steamed fish too.¡±
"Yes." The servant agreed, turned and walked away. Mrs. Motohara tilted her legs and sat down cross-legged in front of her husband's feet. "What a torturous day. There was another earthquake."
If in normal times, Motohara Shenzo is busy with official duties and rarely has time to sit down and accompany his wife, the relationship between the couple is very deep; but it is different now. Looking at the same old face every day, I will always feel bored for no reason. Are you tired of the person you sleep with, or are you tired of this idle life? Motohara Shenzo himself couldn't find the answer.
After a hasty breakfast, Motohara Shinzo was about to get up and go to the street. Although he was no longer a city guard, he still had some status in the hearts of the people in the city. At the very least, he should also look at the people who were affected by the disaster. ? At this moment, the servant ran in quickly and said, "Your Excellency, a group of Chinese people are here."
Motohara Shenzo raised his dim eyes and glanced at him, "Do you know who it is?"
"I heard what it is" The servant scratched his head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I can't remember their official positions.
"I'll ask in person." Shenzo Motohara put on the wooden clogs placed at the entrance, stood up and walked to the door. Five people came from the path in the garden. The leader was a man in his forties, with a huge build. He is extremely strong, wearing a warm hat on his head, with a ruby ??on the top, and a three-eyed feather in the feather tube; outside the court clothes, he wears a lion's patchwork suit.
Next to him was a person whom Yuan Yuan knew well. This was a translator of the Qing army, his name was Qing'an. "Master City Guard, you are polite if you are born late."
Although Motohara Shinzo is Japanese, he has done a good job in Chinese studies and can also speak some Chinese, so Qing'an calls himself, "Mr. Interpreter."
"This is Mr. Hu, the commander-in-chief of our army." Qing'an gave a brief introduction to the two people, "I came here specifically to visit your Excellency."
"Don't dare to take it, don't take it." Motohara Shenzo immediately knew the identity of the other party and said respectfullyAfter a salute, Hu Xiaomao returned the favor, "Hu is so presumptuous, please forgive me." He waved his hand and said, "I have lived in China for a long time and came east on the emperor's order. As the saying goes, do as the Romans do in the country. Please give me this little gift." Accept it."
Motohara Shenzo understood it completely, but he still waited for Qing'an to translate before he nodded and thanked, "In that case, thank you very much, Marshal. Please come to the room to talk."
"I was about to bother you."
After taking off their shoes at the entrance, Hu Xiaomao and Qing'an followed Ben Yuan Shensan into the living room. Outside there was a world of ice and snow, but here it was warm and spring. The servant came over and took away the cloaks worn by the two people. They also put tea on the table, and because they were worried that Chinese people might not be used to sitting on their knees, they also took out a few thick cotton pads and placed them on the tatami.
"This is the Biluochun tea given to me by a businessman from China last year. Today, it is fitting that I can enjoy it with the famous tea produced in your country." Although Motohara Shenzo and Hu Xiaomao are in hostile positions, they do not show any concern at all. Losing his grace, he waved his hand warmly, "Your Majesty, Marshal, please have tea."
Hu Xiaomao was also honest and polite. He took a sip and then put it down, "Mr. Yuan Yuan, Mr. Hu came here this time with the intention of asking Mr. Hu to continue to serve as the city guard. You are a scholar and know more principles than me. , who do you think is responsible for this war between our two countries?"
Shen Yuan was stunned for a moment, why did she suddenly bring up such a topic, "This, in the words of people from your country, is probably a slap in the face, right?"
Hu Xiaomao smiled and said calmly, "Sir, what you said is just a deception.
Is it wrong for the Qing Dynasty to crack down on pirates and smugglers and traffickers of rice and grain along the coasts of Fujian and Zhejiang? In the eyes of your people, it is unethical to torture smugglers, but this is a place under the jurisdiction of our Qing Dynasty, and the criminals will naturally be subject to our Qing Dynasty laws; please allow me to give you an example. If If the Chinese broke the law in Japan, wouldn't it be up to your country to judge and convict them according to your laws? If this is the case, if your country sends troops to Taiwan on the pretext of killing overseas Chinese, isn't this an active invasion of our Qing Dynasty with the intention of provoking trouble? "
Motohara Shinzo shook his head, "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I am just the castle guard of Kobe Castle. It is not my place to comment on such important national affairs."
"I was about to talk to you about the ownership of the city guard position. In this war, no matter who wins or loses in the future, and no matter how Kobe City is dealt with in the end, the people in the city will always be innocent, right? Five days ago, there was just After an earthquake, this kind of power of heaven and earth cannot be resisted by human beings. Although the casualties of the people are not very serious, the houses collapsed and the people were displaced. As the leader of a city, you just watched helplessly. , and still refuse to take action to save him?"
"I cannot agree with what your Excellency the Marshal said. What's the use of having an extra source of deep three? Not to mention the noble soldiers contributing to it, aren't the people not dissatisfied at all? Why do I need to step forward to contribute?"
Hu Xiaomao scratched his head, but still persisted in persuading, "It's wrong of you to speak like this. Our efforts are just out of love. As a city guard, even though you have resigned now, you are still busy for the people - and you are still your country's own People - isn¡¯t it your responsibility?¡±
Yuan Shensan was moved in his heart and was silent for a long time. Hu Xiaomao thought that the other party was interested and was happy when he heard the old man say, "That's what I said. I would rather help my compatriots with my own efforts than accept a false position."
Hu Xiaomao is really a little angry. Is it true that as Qing'an said, he has to visit the thatched cottage three times before he is willing to come forward? Don¡¯t you know what time it is now? You don't listen to good words and nice words, but I treat you with flesh and blood to see if you can do it or not? But this is an action that can only be taken as a last resort. Now that I am a guest in the other party's home, it is hard to break the relationship. "Since Mr. Hu has made up his mind, it seems that Hu has put all his efforts in vain. Let's take our leave."
Motohara Shenzo knew that his words had offended the other party, but he was not afraid at all. He ordered someone to return the gift. Qing'an took it and handed it to the soldiers, and they left the house.
As soon as he left Ben Yuan's mansion, Hu Xiaomao turned around and grabbed the gift wrapped in a blue box. Without looking at it, he threw it out with all his strength. The box hit the wall and broke into pieces. There were several huge gifts inside. The orange rolled out, "Damn it! I'm so shameless, I'll give you a good look sooner or later!"
"Why should the commander be angry? This is to be expected from his humble position. After all, the peace talks have failed and the ownership of Kobe City is unknown. It is reasonable for Motohara Fukazo to be cautious."
"What are you looking at? Does he think Kobe City can be returned to the hands of the Japanese? What a joke.
"Such a matter, Marshal, please listen to me and wait until the news is confirmed before talking about it. By then, there will be no hope for Yuan Shen San to return, and he has no choice but to accept your kindness." Qing'an persuaded him, "Even if He will still be the same when the time comes. It won¡¯t be too late for you to operate on him! An old man is always coming and going.The soldiers are watching, are you still afraid that he will fly out of Wuzhishan? "
Hu Xiaomao sighed, "Now we can only wait for the news from Beijing to come back."