Song Biao originally wanted to save Akiyama's career by inviting him to visit China, but he did not do so because he realized that this was an acceptable outcome for Akiyama.

The Ise incident gradually fell silent like this, as if it had never happened between China and Japan. However, the final damage to Sino-Japanese relations was irreversible. It also completely angered Song Biao, and

Japan doesn't know how much potential this emperor has.

Song Biao had gradually faded away from the state affairs of the empire and faded out of the public eye. He lived behind the scenes and watched every scene of the era of the rise of the empire, hoping to make China better and more stable and gradually become a truly democratic and free constitutional monarchy.

Stimulated by the Ise incident, he was forced to cheer up again and once again walked to the center of the empire's turbulent political stage, waving the baton in his hand and continuing to lead the empire to become the number one in the world.

Because this world is so cruel, every country is tumbling in a dark world. If you are not careful, you will usher in irreversible destruction and bloody war.

…

On June 22, 1922, one month after the Ise Incident, and one week before Song Biao was about to officially take the royal family to Lushan for vacation, Song Biao suddenly asked the Secretariat to restart the Imperial Cabinet Political Training Conference. Such news shocked the entire Central Committee

The cabinet was surprised because after the Sino-Soviet War, the emperor had not formally held a political training meeting for three full years, which made all cabinet ministers very nervous.

Prime Minister Ouyang Geng was also very surprised. He had not received any news or notification in advance. Moreover, this was the first cabinet training meeting during his tenure.

After receiving the notice, all cabinet ministers immediately made temporary preparations. Many stayed up all night and were busy until dawn. The next morning they hurried to the Propaganda Hall of the Central Palace to attend the political training meeting.

Since the royal family moved into the Central Palace of the Imperial Court, this is the first time that the Xuanzheng Hall dedicated to the political training meeting has been officially used. As the chief minister of the inner court, it is also the first time that Wang Zhaoming has been in charge of the political training meeting. Everyone is inexplicably nervous.

What made the ministers even more nervous was that the emperor came half an hour later than scheduled, waiting for the Song Emperor to enter the Xuanzheng Hall under the escort of two rows of chamberlains. All the ministers were in the presence of Prime Minister Ouyang Geng and Chief of General Staff of the Central Military Department.

Under the leadership of Jiang Fangzhen and Wang Zhaoming, the chief minister of the inner court, they stood up at the same time, bowed solemnly, and said loudly: "I will wait for you to see the emperor!"

Song Biao had an expression of indescribable coldness. He walked to the central throne that belonged to him solemnly and sat high in front of everyone, flanked by ministers on both sides.

When he sat down, Wang Zhaoming, the chief minister of the inner court, said: "Ministers, please take a seat."

At this time, all the ministers sat down together, bowed their heads, and sat upright. No one dared to say a word or even make a sound, as if students were facing the most severe exam and did not dare to take a breath.

come out.

Song Biao opened the notes on recent state affairs compiled by the Secretariat in front of him. After browsing them briefly, he said to the cabinet ministers present and the Chief of Staff of the Central Military Department: "The Ise incident has proved one thing to us.

That is, the empire is not strong enough. There are problems with the Imperial Navy. There are also more problems related to the entire country. This is what I have decided.

The reason for reconvening the political training meeting. The empire has developed very well in the past ten years or so, but it is far from good enough. We still have many things that need to be decided as soon as possible that are in the best interests of the country and the nation, starting from this year. Everyone

A cabinet training meeting is held every month, each time between the 5th and 10th of the first ten days of the month, and the specific time is determined by the cabinet and the inner court through consultation."

Hearing such words, some of the cabinet ministers present felt a special sense of frustration, while many ministers were inspired by it. The Prime Minister Ouyang Geng could not help but reflect on whether he had done something wrong. So much so that the emperor decided

Interrupt the long-term process of fading away from domestic affairs.

Song Biao didn't care what Ouyang Geng and other cabinet ministers thought, because once he made a decision, no one in the empire could stop his determination, not even Tang Shaoyi, who was once suspected of having great achievements.

He turned the State Notes to the Navy page, coldly lowered his eyes and re-examined the Navy's report, and asked Navy Minister Song Wenhui: "As for the Navy, when will the plan for the Qingzhou-class battleship be finalized?"

Song Wenhui thought he was unlucky to be the first to mention this matter.

Such thoughts only passed through his mind, and he hurriedly replied: "Everything is ready. The only problem is the self-made 15.5-inch 45-caliber triple main gun and the Krupp 50-caliber technology introduced from Germany."

The self-made main gun with a diameter of 380mm showed some instability during the test.

In this situation, the former is expected to take half a year to redesign a new boring line, and the latter will take some time. Our previous main gun manufacturing mainly introduced technology from France, and there are certain differences in the performance of the gun steel used in both.

Due to the difference, the pressure test data of the gun barrel cannot meet German standards."

Song Biao was silent for a moment and asked: "Do you know why I originally designated this class of battleships as the Qingzhou class?"

Song Wenhui didn't really know how to answer for a moment. He just heard the emperor's decision on this matter, and no one dared to ask more questions. He immediately replied: "I don't know, so I ask the emperor to enlighten me."

Song Biao replied: "Long Li respected the virtuous, and Confucius and Mencius were both from Qilu, Shandong. Confucianism can almost be said to have originated in Qingzhou, so the empire's first true super-dreadnought will be built based on the Qingzhou class.

After that, the other states of ancient Kyushu were sorted. The Ise incident taught us a profound lesson. It does not mean that a strong empire will be safe. If we have strong finances and strength, but without matching national defense, we will still be at any time.

We will continue to encounter similar provocations."

Song Wenhui was panicked and didn't know how to answer.

Song Biao didn't look at him at all and continued to ask: "Is the Qingzhou-class battleship's main gun planned to be 9 or 8? Has this number been finally determined?"

Song Wenhui replied: "I was about to report to the emperor that after the tonnage of the Qingzhou-class battleship was increased from 28,530 metric tons of the original Bavarian battleship to 30,000 tons, the design modifications required increased. There is no way for us to adjust the tonnage design. Because our

The requirement has never changed, which is to maintain a balance between defense, firepower and speed.

On the premise of balancing the strength of the defense, the requirement of the Qingzhou-class battleship is that the main protective area must be able to reach the attack of 16-inch artillery. This requires high protection for our main guns. The original design could only have 8 main guns. Now

With the successful development of new shipbuilding steel and the increase in tonnage, not to mention 9 main guns, even 10 can be installed."

Song Biao thought briefly for a moment and replied: "Don't blindly ask for more. The key now is to solve the problem of availability. Even if the Navy makes further calculations, there will still be many problems. In our country's first super ship

The design of the dreadnought can be appropriately more conservative.

It also leaves room and space for future improvements. If the arrangement of eight main guns, five in the front and three in the back, is experimentally feasible, then it will be officially adopted. It will be officially built as soon as possible. If the problem of self-manufacturing of the first ship's main guns and steam turbines still remains

If it cannot be solved, you can place an order with the United States."

Song Wenhui knew that he had no room for maneuver. In fact, he had always had this idea, but the emperor's previous request before the Ise incident was to make everything domestically produced as much as possible. After all, it was a super-dreadnought ship that cost close to 20 million yuan.

The Navy also wants localization and stability. It would rather manufacture it late but also ensure reliable quality, so it keeps delaying it.

He immediately reported to the emperor: "The test of the steam turbine has fully passed the design specifications. If the main gun can be ordered from the United States first, it is expected to be officially built in the shipyard in July."

Song Biao nodded slightly, officially confirming the matter. He turned the State Notes back to the Ministry of Justice and asked the newly appointed Minister of Justice Song Jiaoren: "What is the outcome of the review of Yuan Shikai's case?"

Song Jiaorendao: "The result of the trial in the Beijing High Court was that he was sentenced to twenty years in prison and deprived of political rights. His main relatives and accomplices were also sentenced to more than ten years in prison. They were given a one-year deadline to return all illegal income. Yuan Shikai and others were fined

Four times the fine. Yuan Shikai is dissatisfied with the trial result. He has appointed a lawyer to appeal to the Imperial Supreme Court, and it is expected to be considered again by the Supreme Court in October this year."

Song Biao continued to ask: "What about the trials of Liang Shiyi and Sheng Xuanhuai?"

Song Jiaoren replied: "Both Liang Shiyi and Sheng Xuanhuai had heard the news in advance and fled to Japan. The General Procuratorate could only prosecute them in absentia. They are currently prosecuted separately in the Tianjin High Court and the Jiangsu Provincial High Court. After they fled, the Ministry of Justice

An order has been ordered to confiscate all domestic property of the two people, and property supervision has also been implemented on their important relatives, friends and suspects."

Song Biao sighed silently. He didn't have much contact with Liang Shiyi, but he was a close friend with Yuan Shikai. Yuan Shikai was also kind to him, and he had a lot of contact with Sheng Xuanhuai. Now inadvertently, all three of them will become prisoners.

I don’t know whose tragedy it is?

Thinking of this, he and the cabinet ministers ordered: "To use these things to promote legal education across the country, the Central News Agency will publish a report summarizing the lives of the three people. Generally speaking, they are all meritorious officials to the country and the nation.

, but everyone is equal before the law. The emperor's crimes are the same as those of the common people. No one can be above the laws of the empire.

, In this empire, the law is the only one that is the most supreme and inviolable. In this empire, the only thing that is higher than the emperor and the prime minister is the law of the empire. The law is above. This is the supreme one. Anyone who dares to violate it will be shattered to pieces.

, and the more powerful a person is, the more they should be the focus of judicial and social supervision.”

After a pause, Song Biao suddenly gritted his teeth and ordered the Prime Minister Ouyang Geng who was closest to him fiercely: "The Legal Affairs Department of this cabinet will conduct an inventory of all officials of the previous cabinet. It will be a routine to conduct an inventory one term at a time."

, let’s start with Tang Shaoyi, and if he breaks the law, he will be severely punished.”

Upon hearing this, every cabinet minister present was shocked, and Ouyang Geng also turned pale in surprise.

They always thought that the strict investigation of Yuan Shikai and others was the emperor's plan to conduct a large-scale investigation of the dissidents after the empire was stabilized, but no emperor was so ruthless that he even wanted to investigate the former prime minister Tang Shaoyi.

Tang Shaoyi.

Above the empire, what a meritorious minister he was, the first contributor to the stability of the transition between the two dynasties.

Is it true that before the founding emperor, all heroes could not get a good death, and the practices of previous dynasties cannot be avoided in this dynasty?

Song Biao just swept around and saw everyone here shuddering, so he said: "Don't mess up your position. If you have made mistakes in the past, you can be pardoned after explaining it to the Ministry of Justice. It will just be recorded in the case, and it will be pardoned fifty years later."

The lifting of the ban was made public. The first two cabinets enjoyed this treatment equally, but fines were imposed separately according to the specific degree. The restoration of the nation lies in

The rule of law, the foundation of the rule of law lies in the integrity of the government. If you can't even do this, how can you make the empire prosperous and strong, and how can you restore the nation? If you just want to make money, you can become a businessman. Or you can use your reputation and reputation after the change of government.

People can run legitimate businesses as long as they don't break the law, but no one is allowed to engage in corruption or bribery while in office."

Ouyang Geng immediately replied: "Your Majesty is a sage. I and my subordinates must be honest and uphold their reputation, put the country and the nation first, and never dare to violate the law."

Song Biao then said: "I am at ease with you. If you are tougher on this matter, I will definitely support you. I originally wanted Song Jiaoren to be the Minister of Justice because of this consideration. You should work together to rule the country by law.

We must not let down the expectations of the world and myself, and we must not allow lawbreakers to use their power to bring chaos to the world."

Ouyang Geng paused silently, feeling that the burden on his shoulders was heavier. He also knew that he was probably going to offend everyone this term as prime minister.

There is a reason for Song Biao's trust in Ouyang Geng. The Central Bureau of Investigation conducts strict secret investigations on every cabinet minister. He knows very well who has been involved in corruption and bribery among the cabinet ministers here and before.

The cabinet is much cleaner than the previous two terms. This is also the reason why he dared to carry out a large-scale investigation of the previous two terms in this term.

Song Biao turned the topic back to state affairs and continued to tell Ouyang Geng and others: "The cabinet will be reformed in the near future. The Ministry of Industry and the General Administration of Science and Technology will be merged into the Ministry of Industry and Technology, focusing on Project 201, and integrating Project 201 with national industrial development."

Planning is more closely integrated, and in-depth research on projects such as railway electrification, high-voltage power grids, high-pressure steam turbines, heavy machine tools, and high-tech alloys must be continued. We must continue to do a good job. The new Ministry of Industry and Technology must set up an enterprise department to do a good job in China

In support of small businesses, new enterprises and high-tech enterprises, the Ministry of Industry must take the lead in organizing the China Industrial Expo, support and inherit the imperial folk traditional crafts, hold a special Chinese folk craft expo, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources should organize the agricultural expo.

The cabinet must do a good job in assisting the China Federation of Industry and Commerce and the World Chinese Entrepreneurs Federation, and the Ministry of Culture and Education must successfully organize the Chinese Cultural Expo and promote it simultaneously at home and abroad. We reflect on why Japan is so negligent.

One of the very important reasons for our country is that it has long held deep discrimination against our country. The same is true for other countries in the world. We must find ways to actively break these prejudices and actively introduce ourselves to the world. The cabinet must allocate funds regularly every year.

To do a good job in China's world publicity, we must communicate well with mainstream media in various countries. Diplomats stationed abroad must set up dedicated press officers to maintain friendly relations with media from various countries on a regular basis and promote the progress of the country's image.

In terms of the cabinet, this cabinet must make bold reforms and merge small departments in the past. For example, the General Administration of Ocean Affairs and the General Administration of Coast Guard can be merged into a new Ministry of Ocean Affairs, and the Ministry of Ocean Affairs should establish marine police, anti-smuggling, exploration, investigation, fishery, etc.

The administrative bureaus and marine fisheries should be transferred to the Ministry of Ocean Affairs to form a unified ministry with unified responsibilities. The Aviation Administration should be merged into the Ministry of Transport to form the Ministry of Transport and Shipping. Railways, aviation, shipping, and highways should all be merged into the Ministry of Transport and Shipping.

Jurisdiction.”

Song Biao has not held a political training meeting for nearly three years. Many of his ideas about the new imperial reform were discussed with Ouyang Geng before. However, judging from his observations in the past two years, Ouyang Geng still lacks the ability to make the final decision as prime minister.
To be continued...