nucmednet Chapter 811: A Fool's Dream
Chapter 811: A Fool's Dream
In the conference room, with Su Zhengyang's sneer, the atmosphere suddenly became tense to the extreme.
He stood up suddenly, and his movements were so swift that it seemed as if he wanted to vent all the anger that had been pent up in his heart for a long time.
He dropped the teacup in his hand to the ground, and it instantly broke into countless pieces. With a crisp cracking sound, it scattered all over the ground, just like the fantasy of peace that was about to be shattered in the negotiation.
Su Zhengyang's eyes were like torches, penetrating the barriers of time and space, as if he had returned to that turbulent era. He said in a low and powerful voice: "Nearly half a century ago, the corrupt Shuiqing Empire signed the humiliating Liaodong Treaty with Fusang in humiliation. That once fertile land, along with endless wealth and dignity, was ceded to the greedy invaders. The indemnity alone exceeded 200 million taels of silver, and this did not include the interest generated by the installments, as well as a series of silver taels that Fusang called "garrison expenses" and other fictitious names."
His words were full of indignation.
"Five years later, the Shuiqing government was once again forced to sign the Liuwan Treaty. The indemnity of 30 million taels of silver was undoubtedly a double blow to the country's fiscal revenue of only million taels of silver a year at the time. Converted to today, Fuso has taken at least billion oceans in indemnity from the Shuiqing Empire, not including the countless gold and silver treasures you seized when you invaded the six provinces in the northeast."
Speaking of this, Su Zhengyang's voice trembled slightly.
"Now, history seems to have played a joke on you, Fusang, and you have fallen into the same situation. However, facing the former victims, you are only willing to pay a mere 200 million oceans in compensation. This is simply a mockery of history and a blasphemy against justice!"
His eyes swept across Fujita Teru and Suzuki Taro, and there was both anger and disappointment in his eyes.
"Fusang, do you still remember the people who were displaced by the war? Do you still remember the dignity and freedom that were ruthlessly trampled upon? Now, you are trying to use this meager compensation to erase the sins of the past. It is simply a foolish dream!"
The meeting room fell into silence again, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from the window, which seemed to tell of this unbearable history. Fujita Teru and Suzuki Taro looked at each other, speechless, knowing that this negotiation was much more difficult than they had imagined.
Before Suzuki Taro could finish his words, he was completely interrupted by Su Zhengyang's sudden anger.
He tried to continue to defend himself, but facing Su Zhengyang's cold eyes, his voice trembled involuntarily. "Fuso has invested too much money in the war, and the domestic finances are already overwhelmed. Two hundred million is really the limit of what we can bear."
He gritted his teeth and tried to make his words sound more sincere, but he could not hide his helplessness and despair.
Su Zhengyang sneered, and his laughter was full of disdain and ridicule.
"It's a fool's dream, and it's a joke." He said slowly, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Suzuki Taro's heart.
"Two hundred million dollars? Do you think this can calm China's anger? Or do you think this two hundred million dollars is enough to make up for the damage and losses you have caused to China? I tell you, this is not even enough to pay for the strategic weapons we used to destroy the Kumamoto Fortress!"
Suzuki Taro's face turned pale upon hearing this. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms, but he still managed not to lose his temper. He took a deep breath and tried to defend himself again: "The fault of the war cannot be entirely attributed to Fuso. After our Kwantung Army was defeated, we completely withdrew from China. It was China itself that chose to cross the ocean and ignite the flames of war in Fuso. How can the price paid for this be put on our heads?"
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Su Zhengyang took out a cigarette and lit it in an almost joking manner. He took a deep breath, and his eyes became deeper and more unpredictable as the smoke lingered. Then, he raised his hand and flicked the cigarette butt accurately into the teacup in front of Suzuki Taro. The teacup was originally empty, but now a wisp of green smoke rose because of the sudden spark.
"Mr. Suzuki, you don't seem to have recognized the reality." Su Zhengyang said calmly, "Now, Fuso, as the defeated, is begging for mercy and peace from China. You have no right to bargain here. Remember, history is written by the victors, and you are the only one who needs to accept the reality now."
Su Zhengyang's words were like a heavy hammer, not only shattering the silence in the conference room, but also deeply shocking Suzuki Taro's heart. He never thought that one day he would stand in such a position, facing the strong negotiator of a country that they had once oppressed as a defeated person.
The humiliation and feeling of powerlessness came like a tide, almost drowning him.
He clenched his teeth, his eyes flashing with reluctance and anger, but more of a kind of despair of being powerless to change. He knew clearly that, as Su Zhengyang said, at this moment, they were like a wild dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy after being defeated, and had no qualifications to have an equal dialogue with China.
This realization cut through his self-esteem and pride like a sharp blade, causing him unprecedented pain.
However, despite his burning anger, Suzuki Taro did not dare to show it at all, as he knew that any impulse at this moment would only make the situation worse.
He could only suppress his anger and responded in the calmest possible tone: "President Su Zhengyang, we understand your position and emotions. But please believe that the Fuso government sincerely hopes to reach a peace agreement with China. We are willing to meet your country's requirements within a reasonable range."
But Su Zhengyang was obviously not satisfied with this answer.
He sneered, his smile full of disdain and indifference. "I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense." He said resolutely, "Now, I will make a request, and you just need to answer whether you can accept it. If you can accept it, then we can talk; if you can't accept it, then we will continue the war. It's that simple!"
As he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the entire conference room dropped to freezing point again. Su Zhengyang's eyes revealed an unquestionable determination, as if he had already made plans for the worst.
Suzuki Taro and Fujita Teru looked at each other with mixed feelings. They knew that the direction of the negotiations was completely in the hands of China, and all they could do was to try their best to get some favorable conditions and fight for a glimmer of hope for Fuso's future.
Taro Suzuki and Teru Fujita exchanged helplessness in a brief eye contact.
Suzuki Taro took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner turmoil. He knew that every word and every action at this moment was related to the future of Fuso. He gritted his teeth and spoke slowly:
"Of course, President Su, we fully understand and respect your request. Our Fuso government has always been sincere in seeking peace and is willing to conduct sincere negotiations with China. However, I must also frankly point out that any request should be within a reasonable and acceptable range. Excessive conditions are not only difficult for the Fuso people to accept, but are also likely to trigger new conflicts and disputes, which is a result that the people of both countries do not want to see."
At this point, Suzuki Taro paused slightly, staring at Su Zhengyang, trying to catch a sign of relaxation from his expression. However, Su Zhengyang's face still maintained that cold and resolute expression, as if Suzuki Taro's words did not stir any ripples in his heart.