Chapter 255: Northern Talks
Minister Zhou said nothing about this, just raised his hand to look at his watch, then tapped the watch cover with his finger, and shot a glance at Wang Kemin to signal him.
Wang Kemin couldn’t understand it at all, frowning tightly, “What’s wrong, do you want me to see you off for the last time?”
“Hahahaha.” Minister Zhou couldn’t help but laugh, shook his head and said: “I mean hurry up, this is the Embassy District, people will come soon.”
As soon as he finished speaking, from the open room, the sound of a vehicle horn came from outside the building.
Not long after, gendarmes escorted Saburo Kudo up the stairs, during which Wang Kemin shouted excitedly, but didn’t dare to fire at all.
“Put away your guns, Mr. Wang, you sent troops to surround the hotel and pointed guns at Mr. Wang, what do you want to do?” Saburo Kudo sided with them as soon as he came up.
But Wang Kemin didn’t understand, “Consul Kudo, you came just in time, these people actually instructed Agent Headquarters people to smash my shop and injure my son! Does Japan care about this or not! If you don’t, I’ll arrest them for investigation according to the law!”
“Beating your son, is there such a thing?” Saburo Kudo frowned and glanced at the Wang Faction people.
Gu Yansheng snorted, “How is that possible?”
Saburo Kudo nodded, turned to look at Wang Kemin, “They say no, Mr. Wang, I don’t think Mr. Wang would send people to beat your son, don’t take private revenge.”
“Me taking private revenge?!” Wang Kemin widened his eyes, “Damn it, they beat my son, burned my shop, Consul Kudo you come up and accuse me right away?”
Wang Kemin just couldn’t understand, he’d been in Beiping for so long, and had dealt with Saburo Kudo quite a few times, why did Saburo Kudo side with an outsider right away?
His butt was blooming, twisted to where?
“Mr. Wang!” Saburo Kudo changed his expression and shouted sternly: “Establishing the Wang Government is the Empire’s major strategy, Mr. Wang comes to Beiping, you don’t welcome or negotiate, I can consider you busy with official business, but you dare to send troops in directly to Mr. Wang’s lodgings without discussion, and point guns at Mr. Wang, are you not taking the Empire’s strategy seriously?”
The more aggrieved Wang Kemin felt, the more intense his anger, he pointed with his hand, “If it wasn’t them beating my son, would I be idle enough to send troops here? They beat my son, should it just go unpunished? Can’t I come to take revenge?”
“Yes!” Saburo Kudo didn’t hesitate, “Beaten in vain!”
Wang Kemin was so shocked his eyes nearly popped out, could words like that come from a person’s mouth?
Dazed.
Saburo Kudo wasn’t dazed, his face stern as he said: “Mr. Wang, don’t think my words are harsh, but this is the fact, you probably have no evidence, you can’t prove it was Mr. Wang’s people, I’ll step back, even if it was Mr. Wang’s people, that’s private business between you, but establishing the Wang Government, merging North China and Central China, that’s the Empire’s strategy, that’s official business!
Official business, private business, can’t you tell which is more important?
If you had contacted from the beginning, gone to pick up with me, would there be this today?
If you’re dissatisfied, you can complain to the Military Department, complain to the North China Army, request a third-party investigation, compensation for your son, no problem.
But before that, do you want to sit down and talk about the merger, you need to give a conclusion, if you don’t talk, I’ll report to the Cabinet that you don’t want to talk, then you can leave now.”
After speaking, Saburo Kudo stepped aside.
“Talk, of course we talk! How can we not talk about the Empire’s strategy?”
Wang Kemin’s anger was at its peak, his voice a bit loud, “Want to talk then talk, right here, you want to merge, fine, I give up my title, North China respects you as Chairman Wang.
But North China affairs you can’t interfere in at all, the new government’s policies we in North China won’t recognize, conditions laid out, accept if you can, if not go home early!”
After speaking, he turned to look at Saburo Kudo.
“Mr. Kudo, no need to pressure me with the Cabinet, since I can sit steady in this position, that proves the North China Army recognizes my ability.
Now North China’s battles are at a critical moment, against anti-Japanese forces in the area, especially the Eighth Route Army, conduct uninterrupted sweeps, not giving them any breathing time!
The newly arrived Lieutenant General Tada Jun held a meeting yesterday explicitly instructing larger-scale winter sweeps against Eighth Route Army bases in places like Jin-Cha-Ji!
Do you know how heavy the North China government’s tasks are?
I shoulder the burden of procuring supplies, not daring to slack for a moment, that’s because I’m familiar with North China, familiar with every area’s person in charge in North China, I can procure supplies, if they came, can they?
Can they cooperate well with North China Army operations?
If operations fail, who takes responsibility?
Still talking to me, you go talk to the North China Army first!”
Wang Kemin swept his gaze over the crowd, waved his hand and strode away, “Let’s go!”
After his people left completely, Saburo Kudo smiled slightly: “Mr. Wang, Mr. Gu, the help I can give is up to here, North China’s situation is indeed quite complex, heavy combat tasks, so the North China Army leans toward stability.”
“Thank you, Consul Kudo, sorry for the trouble.” Gu Yansheng thanked him.
“Mm, think of other ways, like contacting the North China Army, farewell.” Saburo Kudo nodded.
“Farewell.” Gu Yansheng saw him off.
Back in the room, Wang Ni and Minister Zhou were sitting on the sofa looking troubled, obviously thinking of countermeasures.
Forcing Wang Kemin to meet was achieved, very smoothly.
But Wang Kemin’s demands were also very realistic, in front of the North China Army was a Wang Kemin familiar with North China who could cooperate in combat, why would these newcomers get support from North China Japanese Army.
This situation was hard to resolve.
Minister Zhou thought for a while and said: “I think meeting Tada Jun wouldn’t mean much, what do you think?”
Wang Ni let out a deep breath, slapped the armrest, “No need to meet, what to say when meeting? Just eat and chat, we’re not familiar with people, can’t come up with anything valuable for the Japanese.”
“Any other ways to solve this?” Minister Zhou simply got up and paced, “What about you two, any clever ideas?”
Ding Mocun’s eyes flashed: “There are ways, old but not dead is a thief, this old thief so hot-tempered, what if he suddenly gets some illness, bedridden? Even dies?”
Minister Zhou frowned, “Killing falls to the lower level, if things blow up, hard to explain to the Japanese side.”
Beating is beating, killing is killing, natures too different.
“Yansheng, any ideas, speak up?” Minister Zhou looked over.
“Mm” Gu Yansheng rubbed his temple and thought, “Starting from the North China Army, we really have no chance, I think two paths.
First, simply follow Wang Kemin’s words, first agree to his conditions, nominally under Mr. Wang, actually he manages, get the new government started first.
Then step by step take back the power in his hands.
As long as we have the name, actually I think the rest is just a matter of time.”
Minister Zhou and Wang Ni exchanged glances, “This way, Mr. Wang has to endure some grievance.”
Even if Wang Kemin agrees, privately he’ll be rumored equal to Nanjing.
But Wang Ni didn’t think that far, thinking Minister Zhou meant power size as time issue.
“Endure temporary anger isn’t much, is there a second?”
“Yes.” Gu Yansheng nodded, “Second method is find someone who can pressure the North China Army to step in and promote this.”
“Itagaki?” Minister Zhou interjected: “From current situation, Japanese Imperial General Headquarters actually knows North China Army’s problems, so wants us to merge ourselves for unified government, they don’t want to handle this conflict, Itagaki has that mindset.
And Itagaki was Minister of the Army then, now just a Chief of Staff, he may not help.”
“I know, but if Wang Kemin types do really well enough, why do Japanese want Mr. Wang to come out and start this new government? Since merging, proves in Japan’s military and political circles, definitely a group supports this idea, not just Itagaki, we can borrow force to fight force.”
“You’re right, there is such a group, but the one who proposed this then was Konoe Fumimaro, he’s down now, hard to say his influence on the army, as for other Cabinet ministers.”
Minister Zhou shook his head: “Their influence on the army is even worse, down are down, unrelated unrelated, left with Imai Takeo and Kagesa Sadaki.
Imai Takeo you know is a fence-sitter, can peace talk with Chongqing, talk with us too, Kagesa Sadaki, after all just a Colonel, position far below North China Army’s Lieutenant General Commander, I think he has no say.”
A Vice President with such poor standing, even making Gu Yansheng very troubled.
Ideas all out, no connections at all, even a clever woman can’t cook without rice, can’t make him use Ministry of Foreign Affairs relations, probably even Hase Jinagawa doesn’t have that much face.
Wang Kemin likes dealing with Eighth Route Army, Gu Yansheng is here, must make him uncomfortable somehow.
Gu Yansheng thought hard, suddenly, really recalled something, perked up and said, “There’s one person I think we can try.”
“Who?” Minister Zhou’s eyes sharp.
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Kenji Doihara.”
“Doihara, oh how did we forget him!” Minister Zhou flashed annoyance, soon laughed, looked at Wang Ni, “Don’t say, really don’t say, Doihara really might step in for us, and very likely.”
“He indeed might.” Wang Ni also perked up.
“You know him?” Gu Yansheng asked surprised.
“Of course, when luring us, it was Doihara who made the connection, Kagesa’s China agent special committee, was Doihara who arranged its establishment, in other words, he was the first responsible for our new government establishment.
This agent head has real skills, Chongqing investigated Japanese agents, many were sent by him, without his people, how contact us in Chongqing then?
Later don’t know why, he was transferred, for a while heard he went to army as Commander?”
“Yes, went as Commander, I think we really can find him, position suitable, Doihara is Lieutenant General! Can speak up.” Minister Zhou settled it.
Ding Mocun added, “About Doihara being transferred, I know a bit, we investigated it then.”
“What reason?” Minister Zhou and Wang Ni really curious.
Ding Mocun smiled: “Stalin assassination matter, have you two heard?”
“Last year’s thing.” Minister Zhou glanced at Wang Ni, suddenly realized, “Time matches Doihara’s transfer to North China!”
“No wonder, suddenly let Kagesa take charge.” Wang Ni also suddenly understood with emotion, “Turns out sent Doihara to execute the assassinate Stalin plan, Doihara’s ideas really bold.”
Of course result was failure.
Just a small interlude.
Minister Zhou looked at Gu Yansheng and said: “Yansheng, impressive, you actually thought of him, he’s in North China, or maybe Manchuria.”
“This I don’t know.” Gu Yansheng shook his head and smiled, “I remembered, Kudo told me, Japanese originally wanted not Wang Kemin, but Wu Peifu, Wu Peifu unwilling, then to Wang Kemin.
Importantly, Wu Peifu this candidate was recommended by Kenji Doihara, so I think Kenji Doihara quite cares about North China matters, and has some right to speak.”
“He definitely cares.” Minister Zhou smiled, “North China after all is overflow from Northeast, Doihara rose in Kwantung Army, Kwantung Army is core faction in Military Department, North China this land directly relates to Northeast’s economic operations, with Kwantung Army’s strength, impossible not to care.
Mocun, do you know where Doihara is now?”
“This… probably a bit hard, I’ll inquire.” Ding Mocun how hard, Doihara’s whereabouts, how could he know.
Can’t count on Beiping No.76 team members either, Lieutenant General’s whereabouts, still Japan’s spy king, if they knew, Doihara long dead by Military Statistics Bureau.
“Forget it.” Minister Zhou interrupted, “Yansheng, why not ask the consulate?”
“Good, I’ll ask, should be ok.” Gu Yansheng went over, picked up the telephone on the table and called the consulate.
Minister Zhou had to lecture a bit, “Mocun, Beiping’s intelligence system needs tightening, send more people, other areas under our control are fine, not just No.76 one pair of eyes, but such areas, we have only this one pair of eyes, absolutely can’t go blind.”
“Yes, I’ll arrange soon.” Ding Mocun responded.
Gu Yansheng put down the phone and came over.
“Inquired, Mongolia’s Nomonhan battle, Kwantung Army lost face, all Kwantung Army generals who planned and provoked this war received punishment.
And for the intelligence system head who didn’t get Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact intel in advance, Kenji Doihara compounded the error, he led troops in battle and lost, didn’t get intel, so stripped of First Army Commander position, now just a idle military staff officer position idling, person in Beiping retiring, address also gotten.”
“Great!” Minister Zhou didn’t underestimate Doihara for being relieved of duty, “Then what wait? We go visit.”
Wang Ni puzzled asked: “So urgent, he one who erred and punished by Military Department, can still move Tada Jun?”
“Try it.” Minister Zhou smiled, “I think intelligence people can’t judge by temporary success or failure, like Doihara who responsible for intelligence system for years, either dead or will definitely comeback.
And things he grasps definitely many, whether rise or not not up to Military Department people.”
This made reason, Doihara habit of sending spies, maybe even in Japanese army itself, has his various disciples.
“Then let’s go, we go meet Lieutenant General Doihara.”
