Holy Roman Empire

Secrets can't remain hidden forever; what must be revealed will eventually come to light. The prolonged absence of the Russian diplomats soon aroused the suspicion of the Envoy Corps.

Even the Japanese Government is thinking of "leaving Asia to join Europe", it's obvious how serious the adulation of foreigners is.

In such a broad social context, if one cannot buy a few spies, then one does not deserve to be considered a great power.

...

Deep into the night, the Shinra Embassy in Tokyo was ablaze with lights.

The faces of the Envoys attending the meeting were terribly grim; being roused from their sleep in the middle of the night would make anyone displeased.

The perceptive Jose had noticed this, but at the moment he had no time to soothe everyone's wounded hearts.

"Gentlemen, I've called you here in the middle of the night primarily because we've just received dire news: all 47 staff members of the Russian Embassy in Tokyo have perished," he declared.

Upon hearing this shocking news, the British Ambassador Enrique immediately denied it, "That's impossible!

The Japanese Government had assured us that the Russian diplomats had only sustained minor injuries and that there were no fatalities."

Casualties among diplomatic staff do occur, but the annihilation of an entire embassy's personnel is extremely rare in the annals of human history.

Especially since, in a recent private engagement, the Japanese Government had assured Enrique that all Russian diplomatic staff were alive and well.

Jose shook his head, "Sir Enrique, I couldn't believe it when I first received the message, but it is true, and we must confront it.

In fact, before the Russian Embassy was destroyed, they managed to send us a telegram via wireless, but perhaps the attackers came too fast and only half the message was transmitted. Please take a look."

While speaking, he passed the telegram to Ambassador Enrique who was seated in front of him.

The content of the telegram was just a single simple word, but in Enrique's trembling hands, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

There was no choice; the content was simply too astonishing. Enrique didn't believe Jose would fabricate something on this issue; the telegram starkly read "murder".

A single incomplete telegram cannot explain everything, but combined with the reaction of the Japanese Government, it was quite telling.

Whether it was sealing off the scene, preventing diplomats from other countries from examining the site, or blocking meetings with Russian diplomats, all pointed to substantial doubt.

After a brief pause, Jose continued, "We had an agreement with the Russians to communicate weekly, a tradition unbroken for forty years.

Even if, as the Japanese claim, they were psychologically traumatized, they should have still notified us; they couldn't just go silent like this.

You may have also noticed that there were no ambulances among the vehicles that accompanied the Japanese military forces that arrived.

Could it be that the Russian diplomats didn't even have the privilege of being transported by ambulance and had to walk to the hospital for treatment?

I sent people to check the western hospitals near the embassy district, and none of them had received any Russian diplomats as patients.

All these signs indicate that the Japanese Government is lying, and the staff of the Russian Embassy have likely met with misfortune."

Details determine success or failure; despite the Japanese Government's diligent efforts at secrecy, by the time they received the news, everything was already settled.

The Gendarmes handling the scene were not professional fabricators. Moreover, nobody expected the situation to spiral out of control at the outset; they simply thought it was a routine operation to expel troublemakers.

Everything could be explained away, but the biggest loophole was still the "hospitals". Tokyo's top western hospitals were internationally funded, and the principal doctors were mostly foreigners.

The Japanese Government could persuade their citizens to keep the secret, but they couldn't control these foreign bigwigs.

No matter how confidential it was, they couldn't possibly seal off the hospitals and prevent foreign diplomats from entering.

As a diplomat, one may not have many strengths, but a strong mentality is a must. After the initial shock, everyone quickly adjusted and turned their gazes towards Jose and Enrique.

Now that the incident has occurred, what we can do is to actively respond. When such a situation arises, it's time for the dominant nation to step forward, with the others joining in to boost morale.

With the evidence laid before him, Enrique could no longer continue defending the Japanese Government. Even with prior mental preparation, he had not expected the Japanese to play such a high-stakes game.

Deep down, he had made up his mind that such an ally must be discarded after use.

After glancing over the crowd, Enrique apologized, "I'm very sorry, but I need a moment to process this unexpected news.

The issue was first detected by Mr. Jose, so I assume there is already a plan in place."

Relinquishing the initiative, Enrique had no choice. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was public knowledge, and any decision made by Britain at this time would be subject to criticism.

In the past, Britain naturally faced no fear. But now the situation had changed, with the Shinra Empire pressing closer step by step. Any mistake at this moment would be magnified.

Without any modesty, Jose spoke directly, "We can put the aftermath on hold; the most important thing right now is to ensure our own safety.

Having spent so much time in Japan, surely everyone understands how barbaric this country can be. Since they could target the Russian Embassy, no one can guarantee that we won't be next.

When dealing with a group whose thought processes are abnormal, no one knows what they might do next. The best course of action is military deterrence.

I propose we form a United Intervention Group, bring together our Asian forces, and then discuss the aftermath with the Japanese Government."

The cultural differences between East and West were bluntly labeled by Jose as "abnormal brains," and the others felt no discomfort, instead expressing agreement.

Even the British Ambassador, Enrique, thought the Japanese were not thinking straight. However, this did not mean he agreed to form an intervention force.

If all nations were to assemble their military forces in Asia, it would be beyond the scope of negotiation to resolve the situation, and Japan could well end up ruined.

France served as a cautionary tale, having once been held in high expectations by Britain. No one anticipated that a partitioned occupation would paralyze France.

Japan was a crucial part of Britain's strategic plan, and its strength could not be compromised before inflicting major damage on the Russians.

"Mr. Jose, you are overestimating the Japanese. Even if the Japanese had the audacity, they wouldn't dare move against us.

Forming an International Allied Force is not something the Japanese warrant. It's enough to dispatch our navies from the Far Eastern region; why cause unnecessary commotion?

As for the incident at the Russian Embassy, we can fully expect the Japanese Government to provide us all with a satisfactory explanation. If they refuse, then we can consider extreme measures."

It wasn't that Enrique intended to belittle the Japanese; at that time, Japan truly wasn't worthy of an international force. The reason was simple: they were too poor. Even with a victory, there wouldn't be enough money to cover the military expenses; committing troops would be a losing proposition.

Of course, being worthy or not wasn't the point. The crux of the matter was Britain's desire to preserve Japan's strength.

The concept of an International Allied Force might sound good, but in reality, it was akin to a gang of robbers. If the Allied Forces were to sweep through Japan, the progress achieved since the Meiji Restoration would be nullified.

In comparison, mobilizing just the Anglo-Austrian navies would result in much less destruction.

The Royal Navy would not make a move, and relying only on the Shinra's Southeast Asian Fleet might at best involve a few bombings at the ports. As long as the Japanese Navy could bear not to leave port, there wouldn't be any serious incidents.

However, all this was predicated on the Japanese Government being wise enough to bow its head when necessary. If they truly angered the various nations, even Britain couldn't cover for them.

"It would naturally be best if we could resolve the dispute peacefully. However, the atrocity at the Russian Embassy must be thoroughly investigated, and all parties involved must be sternly punished. It can't simply be brushed off with a few scapegoats.

The Japanese Government must show enough sincerity to ensure such an incident does not recur in the future,"

Jose said indifferently.

Is that it?

Lift high and drop gently?

Clearly, it couldn't be that simple. Jose seemed to accept the British proposal, but in reality, he was setting conditions.

In any case, it was essential for the Japanese Government to bleed heavily; otherwise, it would be impossible to soothe everyone's wounded spirits.

International politics is ultimately about interests. When interests are aligned, anything can be negotiated.

The main reason for getting involved in the Russian Embassy case was that the Japanese had broken the rules, harming the interests of all diplomatic personnel. Logically and emotionally, everyone had to take a firm stand.

If it were a Russian civilian who had died, most people would have just condemned it briefly and not been deeply moved.

As a diplomat, Enrique was equally infuriated by the Japanese's inappropriate behavior.

Had it not been for strategic necessity, he definitely would not have stood up to speak for the Japanese Government. Now that Shinra had already agreed to make concessions, naturally, he wouldn't continue to fight for the Japanese Government.

After all, there is a price to pay for wrongdoing. Whether it's tracking down the murderer or punishing the Japanese Government, it's both reasonable and appropriate.

If there's no lesson learned at all, there would be a problem. Moreover, Japan had prior offenses in this matter.

Diplomatic personnel had been murdered in Japan before, but this time it was taken too far.

All of us are diplomats, whether it's for national interest or personal safety, we must teach the Japanese Government a serious lesson.

Having completed the task assigned by his country, Enrique once again reverted to his imperialist demeanor, "Of course, justice-minded people around the world cannot tolerate the murderer walking free.

The investigation into the Russian Embassy incident must be led by us, the Japanese Government just needs to cooperate."

...

The envoy group reached a consensus, and a stern joint diplomatic note was produced.

Meetings before the Emperor, rare in the past, had become routine lately, even Emperor Meiji, regardless of his status, often personally participated in discussions.

Foreign Minister Kaoru Inoue, with a grim expression, held a document and said solemnly, "News of the Russian Embassy incident has been leaked, the envoy group has reached a consensus. This is the joint note just received from various countries.

The envoy group demands that we hand over the Russian diplomatic personnel stationed in Tokyo within twenty-four hours; they also request that we send people to protect the scene and wait for the Joint Investigation Team formed by the envoy group to take over the investigation.

During this period, any behavior that might damage the scene, cover up the case, or allow the murderer to escape will be seen as instructed by the Empire.

This warning is not a joke; from the information received from the British, the countries already have plans to form a United Intervention Group.

If our subsequent handling does not satisfy them, they will form an allied force and conduct a military intervention.

The Shinra Navy is already on its way, and the Royal Navy will be mobilized soon, we're running out of time."

The worst-case scenario still occurred. Although everyone had been mentally prepared, the international intervention came much faster than expected.

Especially the military representatives, now they were all as dejected as frosted eggplants, gone was their past fervor.

We're all grown-ups, we comply when we need to comply; standing firm is only when the other countries make verbal threats.

The Shinra Navy and Royal Navy had been mobilized, and it was no longer just a matter of empty talk. One wrong move, and there was a real possibility of these powers attacking.

Faced with top empires, everyone was aware of the disparity in strength. Just the naval strength alone was enough to tell.

Whether it's the British Far Eastern Fleet or Shinra's Southeast Asian Fleet, they were forces that could easily defeat the Japanese Navy.

Especially the Shinra's Southeast Asian Fleet, which had recently added a "Super Battleship" to its service. Just one ship could take on all of Japan's battleships alone.

It's not that the enemy was too strong; it was mainly that the Japanese Government was too poor. They could only watch Britannia and Shinra play with the naval technology revolution, not even having the courage to get involved.

Not to mention switching to Super Battleships, the Japanese Government couldn't afford even old battleships.

They were still using old ships bought from the British during the Japanese and Spanish war, and navy ships auctioned from France after the European wars.

Even the most advanced battleships will become outdated one day. Undoubtedly, these ships built a decade or two decades ago were now on the verge of obsolescence.

In the face of Dreadnought-class Super Battleships, it was a story of slaughter and being slaughtered; there was simply no confidence to confront them.

Of course, backward is backward, but it depends on who you compare with. Against Britannia and Shinra, two thugs, of course, there's no comparison.

However, in the Asian region, Japan was still firmly the number one naval power, even though there were only two independent countries in Asia now.

Ito Hirobumi: "The British stance has become very clear now, it seems the Russian Embassy case has also touched their bottom line.

We must be cautious in handling this next, otherwise, at this juncture, it could cost the Empire its life.

The Far Eastern Empire is a cautionary tale; our Empire does not have the same deep foundations as them and can't withstand such turmoil.

How is the hunt for the killer going? The Envoys have only given us 24 hours, we can't afford to dawdle."

It was evident that Ito Hirobumi was very fatigued; he had clearly been worrying a great deal recently.

Kitaro Noguchi answered bitterly, "The Gendarme Corps has apprehended the individuals involved in the case, but the results of the interrogation are very pessimistic.

Up to this point, more than two hundred people have insisted it was themselves who orchestrated the plan and that it had nothing to do with anyone else. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

However, no one is able to clarify exactly how it was planned. If the investigative authority is transferred to the envoys, I fear the repercussions will be severe."

Ordinarily, when investigating a case, the problem is not being able to find the culprit. Here, however, they were all racing to come forward and confess.

The issue is that he was looking for the real mastermind behind the scenes, not a few scapegoats to take the fall. If handing over just anyone would resolve the issue, the Japanese Government wouldn't be so troubled.

Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu immediately exclaimed, "With citizens like these, there is no concern that our Imperial nation will not thrive! If only..."

Before Okuma Shigenobu could finish his sentence, Emperor Meiji glared at him. The meaning was quite clear, there's no need for sentimentality right now, what's needed is a way to solve the problem.

The public's patriotic fervor is strong, and their willingness to die for the country is undoubtedly a good thing, but when that patriotism goes overboard, that's also a problem.

Take the current situation, for example, they were being exploited, and they weren't even aware of it.

They were still excited about having killed Russians, not realizing that they had brought Japan to the edge of a cliff.

Driven by fanatical thoughts, they were taking the blame upon themselves, effectively severing all leads.

Now, it's the Japanese Government conducting the self-investigation, so it's still manageable. Once the investigation team formed by the envoys takes over, however, it will be a different story.

Anyone who has confessed, they will definitely count each one, and they will all be sent to the guillotine.

It's not a big deal to take oneself down, but the key is that the envoys will consider it as the Japanese Government using death-row inmates as scapegoats and continue to cling to them.

After calming down, Okuma Shigenobu reorganized his thoughts and said, "Your Majesty, the most important thing now is to retain the investigation rights. As long as we hold the investigation rights, the situation is within our control.

The active involvement of the envoys of various countries is primarily because the embassy case has made them feel threatened; they need a guarantee of safety.

On this point, we can totally satisfy them. For example: increasing the police force in the embassy district, banning any demonstrations from approaching the main streets of the embassy.

Whatever else they need, they can also freely propose. As long as it doesn't touch upon the core interests of the Empire, we can agree to it.

Apart from conceding interests and providing emotional comfort, the Foreign Ministry has prepared a generous gift for each of the envoys, looking for an opportunity to deliver it to them.

As long as the emotions of the envoys of various countries are stabilized, the matters that follow will be easier to handle."

There's no problem, these days the envoys posted abroad all have great power without limit.

The vast majority of international issues are completely handled by these envoys. Only a few require reporting back to their countries to make a decision.

Once these individuals are pacified, it's akin to stabilizing the governments of various countries.

As long as the envoys do not cause trouble, the Japanese Government would only have to face the Russian Empire. Although the power imbalance between them remained, Japan was still sure to protect itself.

Ito Hirobumi shook his head, "Okuma, you're oversimplifying the problem. The European countries regard their embassies extremely seriously, and the Russian Embassy case has already touched everyone's bottom line.

This is not an issue that can be solved by bribing a few envoys; the Empire is likely to suffer heavy losses this time."

...