Nanjing, The Imperial Administrative Region of Jiangsu
"Rhetoric, rhetoric, and more rhetoric!" exclaimed the emperor," Do they really think that taking Japan's largest city and invading a province for the purpose of forced modernization and opening of markets is going to cover up the fact that Japan is being chewed up into a mere puppet?"
The small chamber where the Shiwen was resting remained silent as the Imperial Cabinet waited for Prime Minister Cao Pei's response.
"Your Majesty, I do understand that a defense of Japan is a forward defense of China," the prime minister ventured," But please do consider that even if our nation intervenes, our might alone might only just drag this war into a long stalemate. The Chinese people, having just underwent violent dynastic overthrow, are adamantly unwilling to enter a protracted war so soon after such a traumatic event."
The emperor sighed as he stood up and pulled on his robes. The Prime Minister was right. China was a nation was a long and proud history, but it wasn't really renowned for its military advances than its scientific, economic, and cultural ones. China's wars often resulted in the nation being sapped of political will to continue, hundreds of thousands of innocents dying for a cause that ultimately was unreachable. The Wars of Resistance against the Mongol and Manchu invasions, as glorious and heroic as they may be, were disasters for the nation, and the Federation knew well that China needed serious reform and change to be able to confidently face the world by itself. The military may be strong, but who knew how long it would be before the next epidemic, flood, or economic vagary ruined the war effort.
Cao Pei fell in step behind the emperor as the cabinet left the room and strolled towards the emperor's office.
"Your Majesty, I believe that a negotiation of terms regarding Japan is the safest solution as of now," he said," In meantime, we should deploy advisors, send supplies, and send a token force to symbolically show that China stands with Japan against Russia. If Korea actually does what it says, then Japan has no need to fear a loss of sovereignty to Korea. It is Russia that we must worry about."
As Shiwen sat down, he nodded towards the prime minister.
"Very well, I will assent to diplomacy for now. But I want the military ready in case we have war. And also, do please tell the Korean government that London is a ridiculous choice for a summit. And don't include the reasons why. They know perfectly well why we wouldn't agree to it."
Official Communique of the Imperial Federation of China
Sender: The Imperial Federation of China and Her Allies, Office of the Prime Minister Cao Pei
Receiver: The Russian Empire, Empire of Korea, the Empire of the Rising Sun
Topic: Responding to Korean Communique
Honorable Sirs,
As the sole democratic government in East Asia, the People and Government of the Chinese Federation cannot but fail to fathom as to why the sovereignty of Japan has been violated in such martial a manner. While the opening of trade and the end of the Shogunate's stranglehold on Japanese foreign policy is concurrent with Federation goals, the need for and use of military force to achieve such ends is groundless and utterly unnecessary.
To add insult to injury, the cession of Japanese territory in northern Japan in the quest for such goals continues to cause the Universal People to question the moral and righteous standing of the Korean and Russian positions. The Congress of Celestial Wisdom, reflective of the Universal People's opinion, thus cannot find assent with the idea that the invasion of Japan is for strengthening the people of Asia against the transgressions of the Western powers. Rather than forcing change from the outside, the Japanese government should reform from the inside, by the sheer martial will of the Japanese people if necessary. This current war is thus distracting the Japanese people and their culture from the self-strengthening programs vital for the defense of East Asia against Western imperialism, weakening our entire shared culture and unity.
By the will of the Universal People and the Celestial Throne, it should be clear that the Government of the Chinese Federation shall declare its affinity with the Empire of the Rising Sun in opposing Russian expansionism, or any other colonial construct, in the Japanese archipelago. We also do wish to inform His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Jeongjo of the Korean Nation, that his proposal for a summit based in London has been politely turned down by Celestial Throne as not neutral enough. The Government of the Chinese Federation would thus propose a summit either in the Japanese imperial capital of Kyoto or the Australian city of Sydney.
