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People now think that Taiwan is not very important because China's maritime trade is not developed. China has almost no foreign trade routes, and all the ships that come here are foreign merchant ships doing business.
After the ceasefire, Zhao Yan will definitely vigorously develop China's maritime trade. Once a large number of Chinese merchant ships set sail from the coast to the world, the importance of Taiwan Island will immediately increase dramatically.
Lushun, at best, controls the gateway to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, but Taiwan Island can almost control the entire coastal trade routes of China!
Now the Japanese are willing to exchange Taiwan and Lushun for half of Korea. Zhao Yan is willing to do anything about it. The Korean Peninsula borders Northeast China. Now, let alone half of Korea, even the whole of Korea is given to Japan. In a few years, when I recover, I will take it back in no time.
To put it bluntly, even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't be able to hold onto it properly!
But Taiwan is different. Without a strong navy, you can only look on helplessly. No matter how many army units you build in the small Taiwan Strait, it's all for naught without control of the sea.
Zhao Yan is confident that he can build a strong and resilient army within a few years, but he has no confidence in building a navy even if you give him ten years.
News of the negotiations in Shanghai kept coming back to Beijing. After learning about the situation, Zhao Yan immediately instructed Gao Dewu to quickly finalize the details and sign the contract. The country was already bankrupt, Japan could not drag it out any longer, and China had already fallen off a cliff.
Gao Dewu dared not delay and quickly reached a consensus with Japan on the general terms: half of Korea in exchange for Lushun and Taiwan.
However, the Japanese quickly sensed deep hostility in the details. Apart from the fact that there were not many disagreements on the exchange of prisoners of war (there were far more Japanese prisoners of war than Chinese prisoners of war), Gao Dewu was ruthless in all other aspects.
Japan is demanding the resumption of trade between the two countries, that China open its market to Japan like other countries, and that China return the legal property of Japanese nationals residing in China, since other countries have received the same treatment.
Gao Dewu refused all of them, saying that there was nothing to talk about at the moment, but that it could be discussed slowly in principle after the war. Upon hearing the words "it can be discussed in principle," the Japanese were stunned and felt that something was wrong, but they couldn't quite put their finger on what it was.
Both sides skipped that issue and discussed the issue of troop deployment on the Korean Peninsula. Japan proposed that neither side should station troops on the Korean Peninsula, and that only a police force of no more than 5,000 people would be allowed.
Japan genuinely doesn't want to waste time with China. They need a stable North Korea to provide a continuous source of funding, and they need a peaceful post-war environment to stabilize their domestic base, rather than acquiring a minefield full of landmines.
Gao Dewu also refused this condition. The central government had already decided to establish a province in Korea for direct rule. How could they not station troops on their own territory?
Zhao Yan had lost patience with the Korean Peninsula and planned to annex it directly. How could he tolerate the continued independence of such territory right on his doorstep? The North Koreans were like that; if you didn't push them hard, they would keep causing trouble!
Gao Dewu could only agree that the number of Chinese troops stationed in North Korea would not exceed 300,000, a statement that immediately made Japan feel that he was full of malice.
It's less than 300,000 people. Why don't you just say you're ready to head south at any time?
In the end, it was the French who stepped forward again, proposing a 30,000-strong garrison and a military buffer zone. The proposal stipulated that neither China nor Japan should have more than 30,000 troops stationed in Korea. At the same time, the 38th parallel north would be the center line, with a 50-kilometer demilitarized zone to the north and south, where neither side could station any troops or build any defenses.
Gao Dewu readily agreed, but the Japanese were adamant that they would not agree. They had no problem with the demilitarization zone, but the inability to build a defensive line was a major problem.
The Japanese have deeply felt the inexplicable and profound hostility from China. Now, Japan itself dares not fight China, and is even more afraid that China will attack them, so the defense line must be repaired.
The French were at a loss, not understanding what deep-seated hatred existed between China and Japan, but they couldn't refute Japan's demands. It was one thing to refuse offensive deployments, but to also refuse defensive deployments was going too far.
Finally, Japan obtained a compensatory privilege: Japanese troops could build defensive lines in the non-militarized zone south of the 38th parallel, and the Chinese could do the same, but it is estimated that the National Defense Force would not be interested in building them.
After several setbacks, on April 24, a total of 15 countries and regions, including the three main belligerent nations of China, Britain, and Japan, as well as the Commonwealth and other belligerent nations in Europe, finally signed the Treaty of Shanghai in Shanghai.
Neither party paid reparations in the treaty, nor did either party acknowledge ceding territory; it was all about compromises and exchanges of interests.
On the day the treaty was signed, the news was immediately transmitted around the world via wired telegraph, and the Far East once again ushered in peace. As for how long this peace would last, no one knew.
Upon hearing the news of the successful signing of the treaty, Zhao Yan, thousands of miles away, breathed a deep sigh of relief. In any case, he, as the head of state, had finally achieved the unification of Qiu Haitangye. Based on this achievement alone, Zhao Yan's life had not been in vain.
Volume One. Complete
Chapter 131 Drunkenly Lying on the Battlefield, Don't Laugh
The Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City, Beijing.
The current Baohe Hall is the name for the Ministry of National Defense and its headquarters. Among the nineteen central ministries of the Republican government, the Ministry of National Defense is the most unique.
What makes it special? Of the three main halls in the Forbidden City—the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony—the Presidential Office occupies the largest and most central Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Prime Minister's Office occupies the second largest Hall of Central Harmony, and the Ministry of National Defense occupies the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
Judging solely from its office space, the Ministry of National Defense is almost on par with the Office of the Head of State and the Prime Minister's Office, making it the most unique among the nineteen ministerial-level units.
In the afternoon, General Wang Chongshan, Minister of National Defense and member of the National Defense Committee of the Supreme Governing Council, sat in his office processing various official documents.
Yes, Wang Chongshan finally received the highest honor in the current National Defense Army, the rank of general, after the war, and was also appointed as a member of the National Defense Committee of the Supreme Governing Council, rightfully becoming the undisputed number one in the military.
Wang Chongshan returned to Beijing on April 47th. By then, the negotiations were nearing their end, the fighting on the front lines had essentially come to a standstill, and no one could mount any further action.
Zhao Yan then ordered Wang Chongshan to return to the central government to continue his work in the Ministry of National Defense. After Wang Chongshan returned to Beijing, there was no grand welcoming ceremony or any celebration.
Zhao Yan summoned him to the Imperial Study, personally changed his rank to that of a general, then handed him the appointment document for the National Defense Committee of the Supreme Governing Council, gave him a few brief instructions, and then sent him back to the Hall of Preserving Harmony to get back to work.
Before Wang Chongshan returned, Zhao Yan personally handled the affairs of the Ministry of National Defense. He didn't trust anyone else with these tasks, and with Wang Chongshan away, he had to work overtime to finish them.
With a mountain of government affairs and military matters from the Ministry of National Defense, Zhao Yan worked like a maniac, sleeping only six hours a day. In the end, he couldn't take it anymore and had to call Wang Chongshan back to do the work himself.
Wang Chongshan has no other merits, but his greatest merit is his loyalty and obedience. No matter what Zhao Yan says, he will carry it out without ever uttering a single unnecessary word.
Such a defense minister may not be the best choice in terms of ability, but he is the only choice in terms of politics!
"Where would I get so many documents? I'm a military officer, not a prime minister!"
"Is your secretariat mistaken? I didn't have this many orders and documents when I was on the front lines. How come I'm busier now that I'm back in central command than when I was on the front lines?"
"I'm a veteran of war, and you keep throwing documents at me every day. Am I the Minister of Defense or the Minister of Documents? Huh!"
Even though Wang Chongshan was an honest man, he was starting to complain. After fighting a hard-fought battle, all he got was a new military rank and an appointment letter, nothing else except a slight increase in salary.
In the end, there was no time off. When I came back, I had to go straight to the office to work. Every day, I didn't see combat troops, but a large group of civilian officers lining up to deliver documents!
The desk was piled high with documents awaiting processing: officer promotion orders, personnel assessment forms, applications for approval of combat merits, changes in unit designations, troop relocations, logistics requests, and post-war compensation documents.
In theory, these documents have already been preliminarily processed by lower-level departments, but in the end, the Minister of Defense still has to review them personally and sign them before they can take effect.
Even if Wang Chongshan didn't need to think too much about all these documents, just reading them once and then signing off on whether to reject or approve them would still require a lot of effort.
Listening to Wang Chongshan's dissatisfaction and complaints, the lieutenant colonel's secretary cleverly said, "Before you returned, these documents were all submitted to the head of state for personal review. Is that necessary?"
"No need! I'll continue approving. It's just a matter of signing and reviewing!" Wang Chongshan didn't wait for his secretary to finish speaking before quickly burying his head in approving the documents.
What a joke! He's just venting. If he really abandoned his post and sent the documents to the presidential palace, Zhao Yan would probably skin Wang Chongshan alive!
Wang Chongshan spent the entire afternoon buried in piles of documents, his pen practically smoking from writing. The documents that had to be sent to the Minister of National Defense's office for his signature all concerned changes at least at the division level or above.
Some documents can be read and simply marked "read" or "approved," but others require extensive instructions to explain what you are dissatisfied with and how to revise them.
Sometimes the content to be reviewed is even more than the content of the documents and reports, so it is necessary to write it out clearly and plainly!
This is Zhao Yanli's rule: everything must be based on data and results. He forbids any fancy writing in official documents, and even more so, he forbids any vague or ambiguous statements.
Whether it's a report or an instruction, it must be written clearly and concisely, stating exactly what it is. It should either be approved or rejected, and the reasons and subsequent improvement instructions must be clearly stated regardless of whether it is approved or rejected.
Zhao Yan liked to use phrases like "it's possible in principle" or "it's not possible in theory" to fool outsiders, but he strictly prohibited it internally.
In short, it's fine to fool outsiders, but if you fool your own people, I'll get you. Fraudsters can fool others, but they absolutely cannot deceive their own people.
All documents are recorded and kept on file from submission to approval. Whether something succeeds or fails, a review of the documents afterwards reveals who took the credit and who took the blame.
Despite his constant complaints and strong dislike for office work, Wang Chongshan is extremely serious when he gets down to business. He carefully reads every document before approving it, and if he encounters a document he doesn't understand or isn't sure about, he'll set it aside to ponder later or even have it discussed in a meeting.
Every signature and approval is made with great care. After all, if things go well, everyone is happy, but if problems arise, none of the people who signed the document at each level can escape responsibility.
Whether in political or military affairs, Zhao Yan has always been strict and disciplined since the Changsha Uprising. He never talks about anti-corruption, clean governance, or efficient politics, but he always puts it into practice in his documents.
Military and political documents, regardless of whether they are major or minor, must be documented in writing or reported for every official matter. No matter what the matter is, someone at each level must sign it.
The absence of official documents is a serious violation, and everything must be clearly written down in plain language to facilitate accountability or reward later.
This system has already shown initial results, significantly reducing instances of shifting blame and vying for credit. After all, written agreements are the most reliable.
If you don't have documents and signatures, no matter who you are, no department at any level will pay you any attention.
After a busy afternoon, Wang Chongshan began to miss the arduous conditions at the front-line command headquarters. Although the conditions were tough, there was no mental anguish. If he had known that the Minister of National Defense would have to deal with so many things, he would have preferred to be a front-line commander.
Many countries in later generations had civilian defense ministers, probably because regular military personnel couldn't stand so many paperwork and meetings.
The Ministry of National Defense is still in the exploratory reform stage. It has transformed from the former Ministry of War of the Qing Dynasty into the current Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China. Many institutions are at a loss and everyone is struggling to explore and then slowly making improvements.
As the first Minister of National Defense, Wang Chongshan naturally bore the brunt of the responsibility. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility.
"Minister, the logistics department's compensation office has sent over a list of the fallen. We request your approval!"
It was almost time to leave work, and Wang Chongshan's stomach was growling with hunger. Just as he was about to get up and go to the cafeteria, his secretary ran over and delivered a document.
Wang Chongshan was furious: "Is this ever going to end? What is the logistics department doing? They even send me a list of the dead? Do they expect me to approve how much food each company gets from now on?"
"What are they doing? Do they think I'm a water-cooled heavy machine gun? I'm air-cooled, I need to breathe too!"
The secretary looked troubled: "Minister, this list of fallen soldiers is very special. The logistics department says it's difficult to process and you have to review it personally."
Wang Chongshan immediately became curious: "Bring it here, let me see. Could it be that some division commander has been killed in action?"
Upon seeing the document, Wang Chongshan was stunned. He carefully rubbed his eyes and looked at it again, then his expression turned solemn.
This is a report document of a company-level list of casualties. The company was almost entirely wiped out in the defensive operations on the front line. They certainly had merit and were very outstanding, but in the brutal fighting between China and Japan on the Korean Peninsula, it was common for entire companies or even entire battalions to be wiped out.
Both sides suffered similar fates, but the Japanese army fared even worse. Some of their entire divisions were wiped out, and quite a few of them were. The National Defense Army also experienced instances of entire units being annihilated during the war, but at most, these were only at the battalion or company level.
This list of fallen soldiers contains 144 names. In theory, the compensation office can approve the follow-up actions and provide land rewards according to regulations.
After all, Zhao Yan made a promise; the national treasury had run out of silver and could only give land.
The names on this list were quite unusual. Of the 144 names, 137 were all surnamed Chen. The National Defense Army never assigned units according to surnames. The only possibility was that these 140-plus fallen soldiers came from the same place.
The instructions from the pension office were simple: they couldn't handle it. They had contacted the government of the place of origin of the soldiers, and the reply from there was simple: these soldiers all came from one village, and more than 90% of the able-bodied men in that village had died in battle this time.
The land for the Ministry of National Defense's compensation payments is all located in other places. You're asking the remaining elderly, weak, women, and children to travel thousands of miles to other places to receive the land that will compensate them for their compensation payments. This isn't compensation; this is outrageous!
Wang Chongshan's hands trembled slightly as he held the list document. After a long while, he looked up at his secretary and asked with a glimmer of hope, "Is this the only one?"
The secretary shook his head, then took out a thick stack from his briefcase: "There are many more. The soldiers on these lists were killed in battle from entire villages or even entire towns. Most of them came from the central and southwestern regions."
These regions and provinces rushed to support the revolution in 1906, joining the revolutionary army in Hunan. However, due to organizational structure and military funding, these people were assigned to the construction corps according to their place of origin.
Because it was infrastructure construction and road building, no one paid attention to these things at the time. No one expected that a major war would break out later. The infrastructure corps was ordered to go north and was incorporated into combat units. There was no time to integrate them, so…
"So the whole village of children died in battle? They didn't even leave any offerings for the family?" Wang Chongshan took the thick stack of names of the fallen, looking at each of the seventeen or eighteen-year-olds on it, all of them now just cold names and a string of birth dates, dates of death, and places of death.
A single line of text and data in a simple document encapsulates a person's entire life from beginning to end.
For Wang Chongshan, who is 44 years old this year, these soldiers are about the same age as his sons. Although it is said that a kind heart cannot command an army, Wang Chongshan was still deeply moved after seeing these densely packed names.
Wang Chongshan put down the list, lit a cigarette, and slowly asked, "What are their families' requests? Tell us, and we will do everything we can to meet them."
The secretary said with a complicated expression, "We've already sent people to inquire. None of the family members want to leave their homeland. They've chosen to give up their pensions and only ask for tax exemption. They say they can support themselves and that their deaths for the country were worthwhile."
They also wanted to know more about where and how their child died, hoping to receive a proper burial.
Wang Chongshan slammed his hand on the table and said, "How can this be allowed? Their abandonment of the pensions is a disgrace to our National Defense Army! I will talk to the head of state about this. Even if it means losing my life, I will fight for the children the treatment they deserve."
"And why don't you tell them that they want to know about the experiences and locations of the deaths of their relatives?"
The secretary said, "The death notification forms are all in a standardized format; they only include the name and unit number, with very little other information."
Wang Chongshan was furious: "Then change it. All participating troops at all levels must change it. All officers must personally write detailed death notices by hand. As long as it does not involve classified information, write it clearly for me."
"They've already lost their lives, we can't let them go like this without knowing why!"
"The remains of fallen soldiers must be buried in the ground, with a grave mound and a tombstone, and inscriptions must be made. Cremation of fallen soldiers' remains is not allowed to save trouble."
These days, Chinese people believe in the importance of burial for peace. Cremation is only done as a last resort. Given the right conditions, no one wants to be burned to ashes. Instead, they would prefer to lie in a coffin and be buried in the ground, ideally with a tombstone.
The conditions of frontline combat make it impossible to transport soldiers' remains back to their homeland, let alone send them back for burial, unless there are refrigerated carriages available.
"Green hills everywhere bury loyal bones, why need a horse's hide to wrap the corpse for return? We must properly bury the remains of fallen soldiers, even if they are buried in a foreign land, they must be given the proper burial!"
Wang Chongshan had no time to eat. He grabbed the list of the dead, got up, and left his office to head to the presidential palace. Ultimately, the president had to make the final decision on this matter.
Chapter 132 Fiscal Reform
When Wang Chongshan arrived at the Imperial Study, Zhao Yan was sipping a bowl of boiled cabbage soup while reading official documents. Zhao Yan's meals had become increasingly bland lately.
Due to health reasons, the government canteen near the imperial kitchen specially cooked Sichuan cuisine for Zhao Yan, because Sichuan cuisine is relatively light and has enough energy and nutrition. Yes, you heard right, Sichuan cuisine is light.
In the minds of most people, Sichuan cuisine is characterized by its heavy oil and spiciness, but that's what ordinary people crave. Authentic Sichuan cuisine rarely features heavy oil and spiciness. There's a saying that "non-spicy Sichuan cuisine" is the most authentic, but it's also a delicacy that ordinary people simply can't afford.
Zhao Yan didn't know how much silver each meal sent to his study cost, but he felt that it tasted very good, so he never changed it.
The dishes on the desk—sweet braised pork belly, chicken tofu, steamed catfish, and chicken slices with egg white—are all quite ordinary and inexpensive, yet they look very simple and seem inexpensive.
Zhao Yan repeatedly instructed that the government canteen must be frugal and strictly control the allocation of food expenses, but no matter how frugal it was, it was other people's business. Zhao Yan still ate the most expensive, best, and healthiest food, and no one dared to cut back on Zhao Yan's food standards.
"Old Wang, what brings you here? Did you come here right at mealtime to freeload?" Zhao Yan was a little surprised to see Wang Chongshan arrive. He knew all about the Ministry of National Defense and was curious why this guy had time to visit him.
There are only a handful of people who can get directly to your study without being notified, and Wang Chongshan is one of them.
Wang Chongshan glanced at the food on the desk, swallowed hard, and cursed the damn government canteen for its discriminatory treatment of people. He said that every time he ate, he was always served big pot dishes with hardly any oil or water!
Wang Chongshan shifted his gaze and saw that Zhao Yan was still working even while eating. He couldn't bear it and said, "Your Excellency, please eat first, and we can talk after you finish eating."
Zhao Yan put down his bowl and gestured for Wang Chongshan to sit down: "Let's talk about business first. There's no rush to eat. The Ministry of National Defense is more important. If something is making you hesitate, it must be a big deal. Let me take a look."
Wang Chongshan sat down opposite Zhao Yan, somewhat awkwardly took out the document and handed it to Zhao Yan: "It's not a big deal, but it's quite special, so you'll have to make the decision."
"Here's another set of chopsticks and a bowl. You can eat first, I'll take a look at the documents." Zhao Yan took the documents and began to read them carefully.