The people of Manchuria do not look up to me personally, but to the Emperor of the Great Qing. If this title is abolished, we will surely lose their support.
“'Then please ask Emperor Xuantong to set off as soon as possible. He must arrive in Manchuria by the 16th no matter what. We can discuss the details once we reach Shenyang. Yoshida will arrange the departure.' He congratulated me on my safe journey as respectfully as when he arrived, bowed, and then took his leave."
Puyi said: "After that, I held an imperial conference at Jingyuan. During this meeting, Chen Baochen and Zheng Xiaoxu engaged in a fierce debate. Chen said: 'The overall situation is still unsettled. Rash actions will do more harm than good. Luo Zhenyu’s move to welcome Your Majesty is overly hasty. Isn’t the idea of setting off now also rash?' Zheng said: 'That was then, this is now. If we miss this opportunity, we will lose the enthusiasm of our foreign allies and the support of our own people. Failing to adapt to the times is not prudence.'"
The occupation of Northeast China became a fait accompli
"Chen: 'Even if the Japanese military is enthusiastic, the Japanese cabinet has no such intention yet. This is not a game. His Majesty should think carefully before deciding.' Zheng: 'The Japanese cabinet is not worth mentioning. The Japanese military has the authority to make direct reports to the Emperor. Thinking again and again will lead to nothing.' Chen: 'When I say think carefully, I mean for His Majesty to think carefully, not you!' Zheng: 'Think carefully, think carefully. If the Japanese install Puyi, where will that leave us as His Majesty’s subjects?'"
"Chen: 'Whether Puyi succeeds or fails, he is still just Puyi. But if Your Majesty steps forward, you must succeed. If you fail, where will that leave Your Majesty? How can you face our ancestors?' Zheng: 'We are already at the end of our rope. Once we cross into Manchuria, we will restore our ancestral legacy and no longer have to worry about livelihood. What is there to feel guilty about toward our ancestors?' Chen: 'You have your plans, your ambitions. Whatever success or failure you achieve is utterly worthless... I did not express my stance at the meeting, but in my heart, I felt that Chen Baochen was loyal and commendable, though somewhat pedantic."
Thereafter, the Japanese were eager to turn the occupation of the Northeast into a fait accompli to avoid international intervention and public criticism. After much deliberation, they concluded that they must take an effective and drastic measure to abduct Puyi. As a result, a series of terrorist incidents occurred in Tianjin and at Jingyuan, making it impossible for Puyi to live in peace.
On November 11, 1931, Puyi left Tianjin without informing Chen Baochen and other loyalists, taking only Zheng Xiaoxu and his son Zheng Chui. They secretly crossed the Baihe River, exited Dagukou, arrived at Yingkou, and checked into the Duicui Pavilion Hot Spring Hotel. From then on, their movements were restricted by the Japanese military, and they had to follow the orders of Colonel Sakurai. A week later, they moved to Lushun and stayed at the Yamato Hotel, where their movements were even more tightly controlled than at Duicui Pavilion. At this point, Puyi felt even more anxious and uneasy, knowing that his fate was entirely in the hands of the Japanese.
He recalled in his memoirs: "At that time, what occupied my mind was not how many people in the Northeast had died, nor how the Japanese intended to rule this colony, how many troops they would station, or what minerals they would extract. I didn’t care about any of that. All I cared about was restoring the monarchy and having them recognize me as the Emperor. If it weren’t for this, why would I have come all this way? If I am not the Emperor, what meaning is there for me to exist in this world? When the elderly Chen Baochen came to Lushun at the age of eighty, he repeatedly said to me: 'If you do not restore the throne to uphold the legitimate lineage, how can you face the spirits of our ancestors!' I hated Doihara and Sakurai to death in my heart..."
The old minister Chen Baochen went to Lushun purely to offer advice, not to seek favor. Later, Puyi heeded Chen Baochen’s advice and presented Sakurai with twelve conditions, each emphasizing the 'legitimate lineage.' Soon after, Puyi held talks with Sakurai. An excerpt of their conversation is as follows:
Sakurai said: "The name of this new country will be 'Manchukuo,' with its capital in Changchun. Therefore, Changchun will be renamed Xinjing. This country will consist of five major ethnic groups: Manchu, Han, Mongolian, Japanese, and Korean. The Japanese have invested decades of effort in the Northeast. Their legal and political status will naturally be the same as that of the other ethnic groups—for example, they can also serve as officials in the new country..."
Before the interpreter Nakajima could finish translating, Sakurai took out the Manchurian-Mongolian People's Declaration and the five-colored flag of Manchukuo and placed them on the sofa table in front of me. I was so angry my lungs felt ready to burst. My hand trembling, I pushed the pile of items aside and asked, 'What kind of country is this? Is this the restoration of the Great Qing Empire?' "'Of course, this is not a restoration of the Great Qing Empire. This is a new country. The Northeast Administrative Committee passed a resolution unanimously supporting you as the head of the new country—that is, the 'Chief Executive.'"
Hearing the words 'Your Excellency' come from Sakurai’s mouth, I felt the blood rush to my face. This was the first time I had heard the Japanese address me this way. The titles 'Emperor Xuantong' or 'Your Majesty' had already been taken away from me by them. How could this be tolerated? I was so agitated I could hardly sit still and exclaimed loudly, 'Without a proper title, words lack authority. Without proper words, deeds cannot succeed. The people of Manchuria do not look up to me personally, but to the Emperor of the Great Qing. If this title is abolished, we will surely lose their support. This issue must be reconsidered by the Kwantung Army.'"
Non-republican system: the Chief Executive system
"'The people of Manchukuo have chosen you as the head of the new country. This reflects the will of the people and is also agreed upon by the Kwantung Army.' 'But Japan is also an imperial system with an emperor. Why does the Kwantung Army agree to establish a republican system?' 'If Your Excellency believes the republican system is inappropriate, we won’t use that term. It is not a republic now—it is the Chief Executive system.' 'I am very grateful for your country’s enthusiastic assistance, but everything else is negotiable. However, I cannot accept this Chief Executive system. The title of Emperor is a legacy left by my ancestors. If I give it up, it would be disloyal and unfilial.'"
"'The so-called Chief Executive is just a transitional role. Once the parliament is established, I believe a constitutional monarchy will surely be passed. Therefore, the current Chief Executive is merely a transitional arrangement.' 'Parliaments are no good. Besides, the Emperor of the Great Qing was not appointed by any parliament either.' We argued back and forth but could never reach an agreement. In the end, Sakurai packed up his briefcase, signaling he no longer wished to continue the discussion. His tone remained unchanged, but his face turned even paler, his smile vanished, and the respectful 'Emperor Xuantong' he had used earlier reverted to 'Your Excellency.' 'Your Excellency, please consider it further. Let’s talk tomorrow.' He said coldly, then took his leave. (To be continued)"