British writer

The next day, early morning.

Alexander Buchanan Mansion, second floor guest room.

Sunlight filtered through the lace curtains and fell on Lu Shi's slightly trembling eyelids.

He slowly woke up and reached out to touch the head of the bed.

There was a long rope hanging down, connected to the brass bell outside the house. With a slight shake, a forty-year-old maid came in.

She stood near the door,

"Jazz?"

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"Bring me the clothes and don't worry about other things."

The maid glanced at him curiously.

In the past, the guests at the mansion had never been as grand as Lu Shi.

Even Japan's Emperor Meiji was like this. When having afternoon tea with the ambassador, he always accompanied him with ten thousand cautions. After talking about the matter, he quickly left. He did not dare to touch coffee or snacks at all.

Lu Shi was on the contrary, eating well and sleeping soundly until dawn.

The maid helped with the clothes.

Lu Shi took a look and found that it was a kimono.

"Tsk..."

He couldn't help but be speechless,

"Change to something else."

The maid said "Huh?" and quickly apologized.

It’s not her fault,

In order to blend in with the local social circle, Buchanan often wore Japanese clothes.

Three portraits of him in the embassy office,

One is Queen Victoria;

the second is Edward VII;

The third is a seated statue of himself in kimono.

Lu Shi changed his clothes and went downstairs under the guidance of the maid.

Unexpectedly, Buchanan did not go to the embassy. He was dressed casually and sat at the dining table, reading a newspaper and sipping black tea.

Hearing the footsteps, he turned around,

"Sir Lu, you finally woke up!"

As he spoke, he glanced at the door,

"Someone is waiting for you outside. It's Mr. Toushan from yesterday."

Lu Shi's eyes shrank,

He pretended not to hear, sat down next to Buchanan, picked up a piece of bread, and spread peanut butter carefully.

Buchanan was somewhat surprised.

The other party's performance is too calm, right?

Lu Shi ate a piece of bread.

"Sir Buchanan, you didn't go to work today?"

Buchanan first waved the maid away;

"I won't call you, so don't bother me."

Then, turning to Lu Shi, he said with a smile: "Sir Lu is not familiar with Japan. I really don't trust you if I leave you alone. If something really goes wrong, His Majesty the King might personally command the fleet to come over." Bombard Tokyo.”

Lu Shi laughed.

Of course what the other party said was a joke,

These days, when great powers launch wars, they always shoot arrows first and then draw targets. As long as you are willing to find them, there will always be excuses for war.

If Britain really wanted to attack Japan, it would have done so long ago.

Why wait until you get a foreign KBE?

Lu Shi said: "Sir Buchanan, you think too highly of me."

Buchanan spread his hands,

"Winning a war is indeed not a problem. But I can guarantee that if something like that happens, Japan will definitely not feel comfortable."

Lu Shi smiled,

"Stop cursing me."

Buchanan then changed the subject and whispered: "Sir Lu, do you know much about Mr. Toushan outside? To be honest, a large part of the reason why I am worried about something happening to you is because of that man. .”

Lu Shi didn't speak.

He unconsciously folded his hands, wrapped the bread around the spatula and rubbed it up and down, then put the bread into his mouth.

This action shows that he is thinking.

Time passes,

"..."

"..."

"..."

It was quiet in the restaurant,

The huge pendulum of the clock made a slight sound, which seemed very abrupt.

Buchanan couldn't wait any longer.

"Sir Lu, have you ever heard of Toyotaro Koyama?"

Lu Shi nodded,

"certainly."

Toyotaro Koyama was born into a wealthy local noble family in Japan. His father was a member of the parliament.

He became an activist after dropping out of college and joined the Japanese right-wing group "Sacred Sword Kan".

In 1894, the Qing Dynasty was defeated and sent Li Hongzhang to Japan to negotiate peace.

In order to continue the war and to add to his dissatisfaction with the Chinese, Toyotaro Koyama assassinated Li Hongzhang who was traveling in a sedan chair and shot him on the left side of his face, but Li Hongzhang was not killed.

Li Hongzhang was injured, causing an international uproar.

It is widely rumored that Toushan Man was instigated to do this.

When Buchanan talked about Toyotaro Oyama, he was hinting at it both inside and outside of his words.

He curled his lips,

"I can never guess what the Japanese are thinking."

He looked towards the door again, as if he was looking at Tou Shanman outside the door.

"When I was deployed to this country, I always had trouble sleeping and eating. The atmosphere here was even more unbearable than the battlefield in Afghanistan. At least, I could have a good sleep on the camp bed. The only thing I had to worry about was beriberi. .”

However, Lu Shi had a deeper understanding of Britain in the early 20th century.

Last time in the United States,

President William McKinley was assassinated, and Wodehouse knew the whole story clearly.

Maybe even more detailed information than Roosevelt.

This time in Japan,

Buchanan knew a similar secret, and he said it with certainty.

It can be seen how strong the British intelligence power is these days.

Wodehouse's original words at the time were: "British affairs officers are not just people who just eat and don't work."

That's quite true.

Buchanan said: "As for Mr. Toushan, you'd better deal with him carefully. I suggest you try to avoid contact with him; if you have to contact him, you must make no commitment, no refusal, no responsibility, and avoid being resented by him."

Lu Shi was speechless,

"..."

Isn't the other person talking about the "three no's principles" of scumbag men?

Can it still be used like this?

He lowered his head and thought,

The most troublesome thing about people like Toushan Man is that physical threats and physical destruction are difficult to achieve.

Right-wingers are full of extreme ideas;

Maybe, the more physically threatening someone is, the more pleasure they will feel.

The more pleasure I feel, the more I want to assassinate.

As for physical destruction...

Doesn't this give more "people with lofty ideals" an excuse to assassinate?

At that time, I'm afraid I can only guard against thieves for a thousand days.

Lu Shi muttered: "I came to Japan just to communicate, but it turned out that troublesome people came to my door."

He looked at Buchanan;

"Is there another Uchida Ryohei in the Black Dragon Club?"

Buchanan was stunned for a long time.

Later, he couldn't help but admire,

A person’s name, a tree’s shadow,

"Sir Lu, the rumors from the outside world are indeed true. You are indeed a genius, and you also understand politics. No wonder you can write such a shocking work as "Yes! Prime Minister"."

Ryohei Uchida is another leader of the Black Dragon Society.

In the following years, it was he who replaced Toyama Mitsuru.

Of course, the external statement is very official:

After Toushanman was trained as the successor of the Black Dragon Society, he voluntarily withdrew, no longer involved in worldly affairs, and began spiritual practice, writing, and charity relief work.

If you retire in this way, your influence will definitely still be there.

But there is no need to think about assassination or anything like that.

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"As long as this does not affect your strategy in Japan."

"Strategy?"

Buchanan laughed;

"Thanks to "The Nature of Japanese Civilization", Great Britain's current strategy in Japan is that there is no strategy. And, even if there is a strategy, so what? I definitely can't let anything happen to you, otherwise, you will have to go back to London. Retired."

This is the British diplomat!

Protrude a non-stick pan,

It’s still a familiar recipe, and it’s still a familiar taste.

But no matter what, Buchanan said so sincerely that he regarded Lu Shi as one of his own.

Lu Shi asked, "Then what are you going to do?"

Buchanan spread his hands and said: "Just send a message to Mr. Uchida directly. Or, let him come to the embassy to sit down and have a cup of afternoon tea."

To sum it up, four words:

Open conspiracy.

The conspiracy is like this, high-end ingredients often only require the simplest cooking methods,

On the contrary, in those movies and TV dramas, the conspiracies are always intertwined, which is very outrageous.

The more steps there are, the more likely things will go wrong.

Buchanan continued: "I am an Englishman."

Lu Shi:? ? ?

"What does this have to do with the British?"

Buchanan said: "For a knight, you can say that his armor is beautiful, you can say that his mount is strong, you can say that his retinue is strong, but if you have to say that he is good at conspiracy, then there will be a problem."

What a godly "knight"...

Lu Shi didn't even bother to complain about the other party.

He closed his eyes and meditated again, thinking of Uchida Ryohei.

This person is not a good person either.

After the Russo-Japanese War, the Black Dragon Society and Korean pro-Japanese organizations established a line.

Therefore, under the guidance of Uchida Ryohei, the Ichijinkai began to encourage "people's will to unite Japan and Korea", and Japan "helplessly" agreed to this request, and officially completed the annexation in 1910.

After this series of "contributions", Uchida Ryohei's reputation has surpassed that of Toyama Mitsuru.

Tou Shanman was forced to "live in seclusion" and became the honorary chairman.

It feels pretty cool to let them fuck each other in advance.

Lu Shi smiled,

"Sir Buchanan, don't you think we are the great villains?"

Buchanan said "Huh?", not understanding.

Lu Shi explained: "Mr. Toushan hasn't done anything yet, so I'm going to do it for others. Isn't this evil?"

Buchanan laughed again,

"Okay, Sir Lu, just pretend that we didn't have the conversation we just had today, and just call me names..."

Before he finished speaking, he frowned and looked outside the restaurant.

The maid was standing there with her head bowed.

Buchanan scolded: "I just said, don't disturb me and Sir Lu, have you forgotten?"

The maid was also very aggrieved.

"Ambassador, two more people are coming outside."

Buchanan was annoyed;

"Who cares who is here? Even Emperor Meiji is outside, just give him a few minutes!"

Maid: "..."

He didn't speak, but he didn't move either.

Buchanan became more and more angry;

"Didn't you hear me?"

The maid whispered: "Two Chinese people came outside. They are Mr. Sun and Mr. Zhang. I..."

Buchanan raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with the Chinese? Leave me alone for a while."

After all, he was the British Minister to Japan. He couldn't let the people below know who was the boss just because he was giving Lu Shi face.

Therefore, Buchanan did not consult Lu Shi for his opinion when he said this.

Lu Shi also cooperated and remained silent.

But he had already vaguely guessed who the visitor was.

The maid said: "I can't stand it. Mr. Zhang outside has been yelling and cursing, and the other Mr. Sun and Mr. Toushan have been trying to comfort him, but the effect is very little."

Lu Shi: "..."

I felt more certain in my heart who the person coming was.

Buchanan's head is full of black lines,

￣□￣｜｜

"Shit!"

He cursed in a low voice, and then said: "That's good, let's take this opportunity to temporarily solve Tou Shanman's trouble."

Then, he sternly ordered: "Ask the guards to arrest that Zhang! Let him sober up! As for the other two, just drive them away. During the time Sir Lu is in Japan, they are not allowed to come near the embassy or my house." Mansion.”

The maid bowed and took the order to leave.

Lu Shi asked curiously: "Sir Buchanan, are you going to hand this person over to Japan when you arrest him?"

Buchanan waved his hand.

"No. We have our own temporary prison."

The British power in Japan is so great.

Buchanan asked: "That person, do you want to meet? It's okay, I can arrange it."

Lu Shi said, "Let's finish our meal first."

The two of them ate slowly.

Later, Buchanan went to the embassy,

Lu Shi was escorted by ten guards to the temporary prison.

In the deepest room, he saw Mr. Zhang.

Mr. Zhang didn't seem to be afraid of the cold. He only wore a Jinbei (traditional Japanese clothing) outside the lining.

His face was resolute and determined, like a sculpture.

What's interesting is that there always seems to be a sarcastic smile on the corner of his mouth, as if he has a skeptical and critical attitude towards everything in the world.

Of course Lu Shi recognized this person——

Zhang Taiyan,

Master of Chinese Studies.

No wonder he dared to curse at the door of Buchanan's mansion.

He has the nickname "Crazy Man", which comes from his own admission that he is "crazy".

It is said that the Japanese Police Agency came to check the household registration and asked him to fill out a form.

He actually filled in:

——

Origin: illegitimate son

Occupation: Saint

Age: Longevity without borders

——

Crazy enough indeed.

One of Zhang Taiyan's characteristics is that he dares to scold anyone, and he is famous as "the most famous person in the Republic of China".

He once called Cixi a "witch" by name;

Called Guangxu a "clown";

The most outrageous thing is that he wrote a couplet for Kang Youwei, "A country will surely perish, and it is for old age not to die."

Zhang Taiyan's madness is evident.

Lu Shi sat down in front of him.

As a result, before he could speak, the other party cast his eyes sideways and said preemptively: "Are you Lu Shi?"

Lu Shi frowned,

This attitude of the other party made him very unhappy.

What about historical figures?

With this tone of voice, who would look down upon him?

It's not like being mean!

Lu Shi stood up directly, waved his hands and said, "I'm not Lu Shi."

After saying that, he turned around and prepared to leave.

Zhang Taiyan also didn't expect to meet such a person who doesn't play by the rules, and two options instantly appeared in his mind:

A. "You are Lu Shi! You are it! You are it! You are it! You are it!"

B. "My attitude was not very friendly just now. Please bear with me."

After weighing the pros and cons,

"Mr. Lu, stay!"

He finally chose C.

no way,

If you choose A, the other party will definitely walk away;

Choose B, but I can’t say it myself.

Who would have thought that Lu Shi's footsteps didn't even pause for a moment, and he still walked outside resolutely.

Zhang Taiyan has no choice.

"Mr. Lu, please...please wait a moment! I was the one who spoke a little too rudely just now."

At this time, he was only in his early thirties, and he was not as good as he would be later.

Therefore, it is not impossible to say an apology.

Only then did Lu Shi turn around,

"Well, I remembered, I am Lu Shi."

What he said was quite disrespectful.

Zhang Taiyan's expression changed again and again, but he still didn't say anything.

Lu Shi then sat down again.

He poured himself a cup of hot tea and joked: "Mr. Zhang, the treatment here is better than the prison in the Qing court, right? At least I can give you something hot to drink."

Zhang Taiyan was embarrassed,

"Mr. Lu, you seem to know me?"

Lu Shi said, "I've heard of it."

After saying that, he took a sip of tea.

The room was quiet,

"..."

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere between the two was strange.

Zhang Taiyan muttered: "Then...then I will simply...well...I used to be a writer for the Current Affairs Newspaper. I was wanted for the reform and went into exile in Japan. Later, I published the "Book Refuting Kang Youwei's Theory of Revolution" and contributed to "Revolution". He wrote the preface to "Army", angered the Qing court, and was arrested and imprisoned. In short, now he is in Japan again."

Lu Shi didn't answer.

He knew that if history did not change, Zhang Taiyan would still have a long resume.

Arrested and imprisoned,

Arrested and imprisoned,

Arrested and imprisoned,

under house arrest,

…

The time of freedom and the time of detention are roughly equal.

Lu Shi asked curiously: "Were you and Mr. Sun invited by the Black Dragon Society to Ambassador Buchanan's residence?"

Zhang Taiyan nodded slowly,

"Yes."

Lu Shi understood,

Obviously, it was still a matter of requesting articles from the "Black Dragon" journal.

Mr. Sun and Zhang Taiyan were funded by the Black Dragon Society, and it was normal for them to be invited to come over and make peace.

Lu Shi fell into deep thought,

I definitely can’t agree to the manuscript request.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhang Taiyan continued: "Mr. Lu, you have written many historical works, and you have written a lot about Japan and Chi Na (replaced with this word because of harmony)..."

Lu Shi interrupted,

"I usually call it 'China' or 'China'."

Zhang Taiyan endured it again and again, but finally couldn't hold it in any longer and said, "It's so stupid!"

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"Look, you're starting again."

Zhang Taiyan raised his voice,

"I'm not scolding you for no reason! Don't you know that in those treaties that were humiliating and humiliating the country, 'Emperor of the Qing Dynasty' and 'Emperor of China' have the same meaning? If you think of yourself as 'China' or 'China', don't you mean the same thing? Do you recognize the Qing court?"

Lu Shi suddenly realized,

It turns out that this is what the other party was thinking.

Thinking from the perspective of an anti-feudal and xenophobic revolutionary, it seems that it is not incomprehensible.

What's more, Zhang Taiyan even has "On Righteousness and Enmity with Manchu".

The grumpy old man is very extreme.

Lu Shi pondered for a moment,

"Mr. Zhang, do you know what names foreigners used to call ancient China?"

Zhang Taiyan said: "Chenian, Khitan, Chi Na...'China' is actually what we call ourselves."

Lu Shi smiled,

"Why do you call yourself that?"

Zhang Taiyan raised his eyebrows and said, "Are you trying to test me? Humph... To be honest, I'm too lazy to answer. But I feel like you still have something to say later, so let's talk about it. China didn't appear alone. It is paired with Siyi.”

This answer is concise and to the point.

Lu Shi said: "Yes, we call ourselves 'China', and I think there is a kind of Sinocentrism implicit in it."

Zhang Taiyan heard this concept for the first time,

He chewed silently for a moment, then nodded and said, "That's a good summary."

Lu Shi asked again: "Westerners don't understand these things, so they can accept 'China' and 'Zhonghua', and 'Emperor of the Qing Dynasty' and 'Emperor of China' have become the same meaning. But why don't the Japanese like to use it this way?" ?”

Zhang Taiyan said: "What else could it be because? Japan's recognition of 'China' is equivalent to admitting that it is a 'Sibari', which is equivalent to a kind of self-dwarfing."

Lu Shi said: "It's more than that."

Zhang Taiyan was a little confused.

"Any more?"

He couldn't figure it out.

Lu Shi explained: "After Fukuzawa Yukichi, Japan began to argue that the Qing court was not China..."

Zhang Taiyan sneered,

"Is not it?"

Lu Shi frowned,

"We can say this, but why do the Japanese say it? Besides, this may not necessarily be true..."

Zhang Taiyan continued: "The facts are the facts, anyone can say it!"

Lu Shi immediately replied: "You are so stupid!"

Zhang Taiyan: "!@#￥%..."

Spoken gibberish.

Lu Shi snorted from his nose and said: "The Japanese claim that only the eighteen provinces of Han are the 'Chi Na headquarters', and Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and Tibet are not included. Regardless of whether they are right or wrong, they What’s your intention?”

Zhang Taiyan shook his head,

"On traces..."

"enough!"

Lu Shi interrupted directly: "Do you really not know what the word 'Black Dragon' in the 'Black Dragon Society' means?"

These words were like a slap on Zhang Taiyan's face.

After a long time, he said: "I don't think... I don't think..."

After all, I can’t say what I said next.

Lu Shi frowned,

"The Japanese's hands are stretched too far. He can just take what others don't want? Besides, did anyone say they don't want it?"