Chapter 131: Why’d You Come Messing With Me?
“Let the Transportation Department take the blame, will that work??” Ootani Unshichi said hesitantly.
Suzuhara Shingo said with great confidence: “Commander Your Excellency, this matter was originally caused by transportation problems.”
“As a frontline transportation unit, the Southern Transportation Department having such an incident happen, and them stepping forward to coordinate with the Navy Department, is also reasonable.”
“Moreover, now Commander Matsuura of the 106th Division is leading his troops in a fierce assault on Tianjia Town. If you don’t handle it well, aren’t you afraid that Commander Matsuura will take his samurai sword and have a samurai duel with you.”
Ootani Unshichi’s pupils contracted slightly, thinking of Matsuura Junroku’s unreasonable temperament, a chill involuntarily ran down the back of his neck.
“Alright, alright, I’ll have Miura step forward and hand the case over to Minister Oshima.”
“Suzuhara, thanks for your reminder.”
Southern Transportation Department.
Oshima Kenjiro looked at the “Mai Gen Road Train Station Shooting Incident Investigation Report” sent by the Gendarmerie Headquarters, his face twisted as he was unable to speak.
Shameless, ah.
To think of using the Transportation Department to take the blame for such a public order incident, does Commander Ootani have any bottom line left.
Chief of Staff Miura Saburo, who came to deliver the documents, said confidently: This matter was caused by transportation problems, and moreover, both sides in the firefight were Imperial soldiers.
Theoretically, it does not fall under public order, so after repeated consideration, the Gendarmerie Headquarters has decided to transfer the case to the Transportation Department for handling.
Damn it, even when passing the buck, they shouldn’t do it like this, this is not even pretending anymore.
Knock knock knock, a knock on the door sounded, Secretary Tanaka Koji pushed open the door and said: “Minister Oshima, Lieutenant Colonel Akutagawa from the Naval Investigation Department wants to inquire about the Transportation Department’s investigation results regarding the Navy transportation team.”
“Investigation results?” Oshima Kenjiro looked at the report in his hand, momentarily not knowing how to reply.
“Go tell Lieutenant Colonel Akutagawa that I’ve already reported the matter to General Sato.”
“If there’s anything, have the Navy Department people communicate with Your Excellency Sato.”
Tanaka Koji was slightly stunned, his gaze toward Oshima Kenjiro clearly showing something off.
This guy is probably an idiot, actually pushing this matter to his superior to take the blame.
At a glance, he’s not cut out for being an official. At a time like this, even dragging it out without handling it is better than letting the superior step forward.
Once there’s a clear stance from above, he can handle it then.
A subordinate without even the courage to take the black pot, how can you expect the superior to promote you.
“Don’t space out, go quickly.” Oshima Kenjiro impatiently urged.
Tanaka Koji was instantly speechless, slightly bowed, and quickly walked out of the office.
Shanghai, Central China Expeditionary Army Logistics Department.
On a sweltering July afternoon, the atmosphere inside the room was even more stifling than the weather outside.
On the wall behind the Logistics Department hung a military map of the Wuhan area, with the Yangtze River and its tributaries marked in prominent red lines. Various transportation plan tables and telegrams were scattered on the table.
Army Logistics Department Minister Major General Sato Buntai was sweating in his soil-yellow military uniform, with the wind discipline button undone..
He paced back and forth in the narrow meeting room, finally stopping abruptly in front of the huge map, his finger jabbing hard at the location marked “Tianjia Town Fortress,” which was an important gateway for the Yangtze River into Wuhan and currently the place where the Imperial Army and Blue Camp forces were fighting to the death.
“Yamaki! What the hell is your Navy up to!” Sato’s voice was hoarse from anger and anxiety, “
The 106th Division is about to be dragged down in the mountainous area south of Jiujiang! Ammunition depleted, wounded can’t be transported down! We urgently need the supply fleet allocated from Hankou, which should have departed three days ago, why is it still held at the wharf?”
Sitting at the other end of the meeting table was Colonel Yamaki Kenichi, Logistics Department Minister of the Naval Marine Headquarters, dressed in a neat dark blue naval military uniform, maintaining a straight posture even in the stifling hot room.
His face was stern, his sharp gaze sweeping over Sato, his finger lightly tapping a telegram stamped “Secret” on the desktop.
The Naval Marine Headquarters’ establishment was far inferior to the Central China Expeditionary Army; they commanded the Third, Seventh, and Ninth Fleets.
Total forces equivalent to two Army divisions plus one mixed brigade, about seventy thousand men.
The commander was Lieutenant General Hasegawa Sei, and the main person in charge of the Logistics Department was this Colonel Yamaki Kenichi in front of them.
“Your Excellency Sato, please mind your words.” Yamaki’s voice was not loud, but carried the Navy’s characteristic coldness and unquestionability, “Detention?”
“Your description is not very accurate; this should be wartime control.”
“I must remind you, the Yangtze River waterway is not your Army’s back garden. Enemy air force is active, landmine threats are huge, our warships need to prioritize their own safety and passage of important military materials.”
“Own safety? Important military materials?” Sato turned abruptly, slamming a fist on the table, causing the tea cup to jump,
“Your Navy’s precious gunboats and transport ships carry only your own fuel and artillery shells.”
“What about our Army soldiers bleeding and sacrificing on the front lines?”
“Aren’t their food, medicine, ammunition important?!”
“People are dying every day in the Tianjia Town direction; without supplies, how to hold the fortress?”
“Should the soldiers use bayonets to block the China forces’ artillery shells?”
Yamaki Kenichi’s expression did not soften at all: “Sato, you’re too emotional. The Yangtze is the Empire Navy’s lifeline and must be scheduled orderly.”
“Moreover, the transport fleet is too large-scale, highly visible target, extremely susceptible to air raids or landmine attacks.”
“Once lost, not only your Army’s materials are done for, but the escorting Imperial Navy warships will also suffer losses. Can you bear that responsibility?”
“Responsibility? Heh…” Sato let out a short, sarcasm-filled cold laugh, rushing a few steps to Yamaki, almost face-to-face, spittle flying.
“Colonel Yamaki! This is not the time to shirk responsibility! The Wuhan Battle concerns the overall situation of the Imperial Holy War!”
“The Army’s every inch of land seized on the front lines cannot be without supplies! Your Navy shrinks back on the relatively safe river surface, using ‘risk’ and ‘control’ as excuses to choke our throats! You’re preserving strength, delaying the battle!”
Yamaki Kenichi suddenly stood up, his height nearly one meter seventy-six, while Sato Buntai’s height was less than one meter sixty; this brought an oppressive feeling that instantly countered Sato.
“Preserving strength? Delaying the battle? Your Excellency Sato, I must remind you, you are a general; without any evidence, please watch your words!”
“Frankly speaking, without the Empire Navy controlling the Yangtze River waterway, your Army couldn’t even reach Hankou.”
“Have you forgotten the sacrifice of Navy naval guns bombarding the river defense fortresses for you? Every ship bombed and sunk by enemy planes or damaged by landmines is an Empire Navy loss.”
“We know the waterway dangers better than anyone; that’s why we must be cautious. Your Army only sees your immediate needs and doesn’t understand the complexity and risks of overall waterway transportation scheduling!”
“Cautious? Cautious to the point of letting frontline soldiers go hungry, holding empty guns to their deaths?!” Sato Buntai pointed at the mountainous area south of Jiujiang on the map, his voice trembling from extreme anger..
“Look here! The 106th Division’s soldiers are gnawing grass roots! Wounded are dying in agony without medicine! Your Navy’s ‘caution’ is filled with our Army soldiers’ blood. This Yangtze River is not for your Navy to monopolize!”
“Bastard!” Yamaki’s face turned iron blue, hand pressing on the hilt of his military saber at his waist, his gaze fiercely intimidating, “This is slander against the Navy! It’s sabotaging Army-Navy collaboration!”
“Slander? Everything I said is fact!” Sato’s eyes also turned red, hand likewise pressing on his sword hilt. The air in the meeting room seemed to freeze, filled with gunpowder smell, swords drawn and bows bent, on the verge of erupting into fiercer conflict.
“Enough.” A short voice rang out, a figure appearing at the office door.
A yellow sash from the right shoulder to the chest button was enough to prove the person’s identity.
“Chief of Staff Kawabe,” Sato Buntai saluted the newcomer.
“Yamaki, I heard your soldiers at Mai Gen Road Train Station shot and killed quite a few wounded evacuating from the Jiujiang direction?” Chief of Staff Kawabe’s voice was not heavy, but full of accusatory tone.
Yamaki Kenichi was just a colonel in the Naval Marine Headquarters, but facing Chief of Staff Kawabe, he was not intimidated at all.
“Chief of Staff Kawabe, I came here precisely for this matter.” Yamaki Kenichi said respectfully: “After our investigation, the firefight incident at Mai Gen Road Train Station was completely an accident.”
“It was caused by your Army Logistics Department’s wounded trying to forcibly take medicine that the Navy Department was sending to the front lines.”
“I was just about to discuss this with Your Excellency Sato, but he preemptively challenged me on the grounds that the Navy Transportation Department was not cooperating with the Army Logistics Department’s operation plan.”
“Chief of Staff Kawabe, I believe his actions are likely to cause rifts in our cooperation.”
Sato Buntai sneered: “Colonel Yamaki means your Navy Department used our Transportation Department’s railway to transport materials, killed our people, and says we’re in the wrong?”
Yamaki Kenichi was slightly stunned, hurriedly explaining: “General Sato, Chief of Staff Kawabe, I didn’t say that.”
“Indeed, the Navy has its own transport fleet, but we also need to calculate transportation costs. Mobilizing the fleet for just this bit of materials is too much ado about nothing.”
“Moreover, every bit of Empire resources is seized back with warriors’ lives and cannot be wasted lightly.”
Sato Buntai mocked: “Colonel Yamaki speaks nicely, but I haven’t seen you being particularly resource-saving.”
Yamaki Kenichi’s expression changed slightly, but before he could speak, Chief of Staff Kawabe waved his hand and slowly said: “Alright, Commander Ootani has already sent over the report on the whole matter.”
“I’ve discussed it with Your Excellency Hasegawa; this incident will be treated as accidental friendly fire.”
“Yamaki, you can take your people back, but I still need to remind you.”
“You wanting to transport supplies through the Army’s transportation lines, we have no objection, but please follow the rules.”
“All material allocations handled by the Southern Transportation Department; I don’t want to see Navy and Army shooting at each other again.”
