In fact, when the Sino-Japanese War was fought, when Li Hongzhang signed the "Maguan Treaty" with the Japanese at Maguan, both sides did not dare to fight anymore, whether it was the Qing Dynasty or Japan.
The Qing Dynasty did not dare to fight, but was afraid.
The Japanese did not dare to fight, not because they were afraid of the Qing Dynasty, but because they could not afford to spend it.
Therefore, if Cixi did not admit it, said that she would not surrender anything, said that she would not cut the land and pay compensation, and let the Qing Dynasty continue to fight with Japan, the Qing Dynasty would win, but it would also be very tragic, so tragic that it might cause the Qing Dynasty to collapse early.
The reason why the Qing Dynasty was afraid was that it was afraid of Japan and the great powers, and the second was that it was afraid of the revolutionary groups at home.
The Qing Dynasty was afraid of Japan because they were afraid of the strong guns of the ships displayed by Japan, and they did not expect that after only twenty or thirty years, Japan would have left them behind.
At the same time, the Qing Dynasty did not know the details of Japan, they did not know how long Japan was still consuming energy, at this time Japan in the eyes of the Qing Dynasty can be said to be incredible, everything is possible, it is precisely because of the unknowability of Japan's bottom details that the Qing Dynasty is afraid, so that the Qing Dynasty does not dare to fight.
In the view of the Qing Dynasty, if it is still a "lose" word if it continues to fight, why not buy a "he" word with no money and land?
The Qing Dynasty's fear of the great powers was because since the British had blasted open the door of the Qing Dynasty with an Opium War, the Qing Dynasty could no longer be locked in the house alone and "playing with itself" as before, and the international factor had become a political factor that could not be ignored and uncontrollable affecting the political situation of the Qing Dynasty.
At that time, the great powers were probably also very happy to see the Qing Dynasty and Japan lose both, and then reap the benefits of the fishermen. If the Qing Dynasty and Japan were really defeated, would they still have the strength to resist the further division of the great powers? Apparently not.
Therefore, of course, the Qing Dynasty was more willing to use money and land to buy Japanese concessions.
In addition to being afraid of Japan and the great powers, the Qing government was naturally afraid of the revolutionary groups in China.
Imagine that although the Qing Dynasty and Japan won a crushing victory in the end, the ruling structure of the Qing government would inevitably become fragile as a result, and would the domestic revolutionary groups miss such a good opportunity? After the crushing victory of the Qing Dynasty, I am afraid that the revolutionaries can poke the Qing Dynasty with a single poke.
The rulers of the Qing government were not stupid and could not have imagined this, so if they wanted them to continue fighting, there was basically no possibility of this.
The more the Sino-Japanese War was fought, the more it was afraid not only the Qing Dynasty, but also Japan, which wanted to continue fighting, but did not dare to continue to fight.
From the Meiji Restoration to the Sino-Japanese War, japan actually only passed more than twenty years, that is to say, they only spent more than twenty years to develop their national strength, and their comprehensive national strength did catch up, but it did not mean that they could easily defeat the Qing Dynasty.
In terms of population, Japan could not consume the Qing Dynasty.
In terms of resources, Japan could not consume the Qing Dynasty.
In terms of financial resources, Japan still could not consume the Qing Dynasty.
Therefore, if we really want to fight, the economic structure that Japan has spent more than twenty years to build up may collapse as a result, and the first thing that is chaotic when the economy collapses is japan. After the Qing Dynasty conceded defeat, it could still take out 230 million taels of silver, could it still not come up with money to buy weapons and equipment to continue to fight with Japan? The Qing Dynasty was just scared, but it just didn't know the details of Japan.
In addition, Japan is also afraid that the great powers will come out to stir up trouble when the Qing and Japanese sides are both defeated and injured, and it is not only China that may be divided at that time.
The reason why the Japanese accelerated their progress in the later stages of the negotiations was that the domestic situation was becoming more and more serious, and the economy and resources could not be consumed; the other was that they were worried that the great powers would see the details of Japan and then come out to stir up trouble. Therefore, Japan will show a "wolfing" appearance.
Sure enough, as soon as Japan took the Liaodong Peninsula, Russia could not sit still, and called France and Germany to come out together and make a "three-country intervention and return to Liao", which made Japan spit out Liaodong again.
Therefore, it is not that Japan does not want to eat the Qing Dynasty in one go, but its own size at that time cannot be eaten, otherwise it will be "supported to death" itself.
Whether it was the rulers of the Qing Dynasty or the ruling japanese authorities, their political sense of smell and judgment of the situation would not be bad, and they all knew what the results of continuing to fight would bring.
If the two sides continue to fight, Japan may be defeated because it cannot consume the Qing Dynasty in terms of population, economy and resources, but the victory of the Qing Dynasty will also be matched with its own national left.
No matter how you look at it, the two sides will only lose if they continue to fight.
Therefore, neither the Qing Dynasty nor Japan wanted to see this war continue to be fought, nor would it allow it to continue.