Chapter 194: Sorry, You’re A Woman
Year 27 of the Republic, December.
Kuomintang former Vice President, National Assembly President Mr. Wang and his main followers Mr. Chen, Mr. Zhou and others, under the pretext of “going to Kunming for a speech,” fled Chongqing, via Kunming Airport, and flew to Hanoi in French Indochina at that time.
This defection was the ultimate result of the Wang Group long advocating “peaceful save the nation,” opposing the War of Resistance, and secretly negotiating peace with Japan.
In Hanoi, Mr. Wang had further contact with the negotiation team led by Imai Takeo from the Japanese side, and finally decided to publicly issue a statement responding to the third statement on China issued by Japanese Prime Minister Konoe, that is, the Konoe Three Principles.
On December 29, 1938, Wang Jingwei through his adopted son in Hong Kong, Kuomintang Central Propaganda Department special commissioner, Hong Kong《 South China Daily》 president Lin Baisheng, published a telegram draft addressed to the Kuomintang Central Executive and Supervisory Committee on the《 South China Daily》.
According to the rhyme code substitution of Chinese telegrams at that time, “twenty-ninth day” was substituted as “yan,” hence historically known as the “Yan Telegram.”
As soon as this report was issued, it immediately caused an uproar within China.
In Shanghai, Shanghai University and the Labor Union actively prepared plans for strikes, class boycotts, and large-scale marches.
Japan’s major intelligence agencies simultaneously received orders to closely monitor the development of the situation and prepare to arrest the ringleaders at any time.
Shanghai, Special Higher Police Affairs
The atmosphere here was even more oppressive and heavy than in Kagesa Shinzhao’s office. No windows, the walls seemed specially made with excellent sound absorption, as if even the passage of time was slowed down.
The air was filled with the smell of old books, paper and ink, and aged tea.
Dohihara wore a traditional kimono, sitting behind a large red sandalwood desk, like an old dragon lurking deep in its lair, seemingly calm yet emanating an awe-inspiring pressure.
“Knock knock knock.” A knock on the door sounded, and Dohihara seemed to know who it was, raised his head and said flatly: “Come in.”
Nantian Yangzi pushed open the office door and walked to the desk.
At this time, she had changed into a crisp Special Higher Police Affairs uniform, trying to cover up the weakness of her body not yet fully recovered and the inner trauma left by the Chongqing experience.
She deliberately straightened her back, chin slightly raised, eyes burning with a flame mixing relief of surviving the catastrophe, unwillingness, and even more intense ambition.
Her surviving the destructive bombing and city-wide manhunt and returning to Shanghai alive was itself seen by her as proof of ability and luck, capital for seeking higher status.
“Teacher.” Nantian Yangzi bowed deeply, her voice slightly hoarse from excitement but full of strength,
“I’m back.” She did not describe in detail the brush with death, as that would seem like begging for pity; what she needed to show was the result and resilience.
Dohihara slowly raised his head, those deep-set yet still sharp eyes peering at her through the reading glasses lenses, his face expressionless, just nodding slightly: “Mm, you’ve had a hard time. Back is good.”
His tone was flat, impossible to tell if it was approval or merely stating a fact. Regarding everything that happened in Chongqing, he obviously already knew more details through other channels than Nantian herself.
Nantian Yangzi took a deep breath, knowing that facing Dohihara, any beating around the bush was superfluous.
“Teacher, in this Chongqing action, though it ultimately did not fully succeed, this subordinate penetrated deep into the tiger’s den, once controlled core figures of the Chinese military, diverted a great deal of their energy, and in desperation proved absolute loyalty to the Empire and adaptability!”
Dohihara frowned: “Yangzi, what are you trying to say?”
Nantian Yangzi said solemnly: “Homeland news came that Kagesa wants to reorganize the China Affairs Section in the name of Military Affairs Section Chief.”
“Your Excellency Nanjiro sent me a telegram that the General Staff Department plans to have Shibayama Kenshiro lead the Hankou Take Agency, Wachi Eiji lead the North China Ran Agency, Your Excellency Kagesa lead the Shanghai Ume Agency, and the Fujian-Zhejiang Region Kiku Agency currently has no confirmed personnel.”
“I hope to get Teacher’s recommendation to take charge of the Kiku Agency.”
After speaking, she bowed deeply again, her heart pounding wildly from expectation and tension. She believed that with her “loyalty” to the Empire, plus recommendation from a giant like Dohihara, it was not impossible.
The room fell into a long silence. Only the almost inaudible “tap… tap” of Dohihara’s fingers lightly tapping the desktop.
Finally, Dohihara slowly spoke, his voice still steady, yet like a basin of ice water extinguishing all of Nantian Yangzi’s fantasies: “Yangzi, your ability, especially your determination and… courage, I have always known.”
He changed tone, his voice becoming as hard and realistic as steel: “However, the position of Kiku Agency Head is not something you can attain. This has nothing to do with your ability or loyalty.”
He leaned slightly forward, those eyes that saw through worldly deceptions staring straight at Nantian Yangzi, word by word saying the almost insurmountable obstacle in the then Japanese Empire system: “Because, you are a woman.”
Nantian Yangzi’s body swayed almost imperceptibly, the color draining instantly from her face.
Dohihara as if not seeing her reaction, continued in that factual, irrefutable tone: “Within the Imperial Army, even the entire Empire decision-making level, there has never been, nor will it ever allow, a woman to take charge of such an important external intelligence agency.”
“This is not a question of ability, but rules, tradition, a… barrier that is absolutely impossible to break.”
He even shook his head slightly, as if regretting her “naivety”: “Your value lies in your sharpness and recklessness, like a useful dagger.”
“But taking charge of an agency requires the ability to strategize from behind the scenes, balance all parties, and deal with those rigid male officers who will absolutely not accept a woman leading them… and the identity. This, you are born without.”
“Teacher, I…” Nantian Yangzi tried to argue, her voice trembling from immense disappointment and anger, “I can do better than any man! In Chongqing…”
“Your experience in Chongqing precisely proves your uncontrollability and risk.” Dohihara coldly interrupted her, his tone even carrying a barely perceptible warning,
“Plaintext telegram, hostage-taking, ultimately forcing the Empire to use air force for ‘cleanup’… These, in your view, are proof of merit and ability, but to those who hold appointment power, they are recklessness, loss of control, huge trouble. Not pursuing your responsibility for the loss of important targets and forcing the Empire to use extreme measures is already considering your past merits.”
His words like cold knives precisely dissected all of Nantian Yangzi’s self-perceived merits, turning them into crimes and stains.
Nantian Yangzi completely froze, feeling an unprecedented humiliation and coldness.
Everything she had fought for with her life, in the face of deep-rooted gender bias and bureaucratic system, was so insignificant, even becoming a stumbling block hindering her rise.
All her ambition and pride were lightly shattered by Dohihara at this moment.
“Teacher, don’t forget, you gave me the highest authority, letting me make decisions myself.”
“Moreover, I have completed the mission.”
“Mr. Wang has successfully left Chongqing, this merit should be indisputable.” Nantian still wanted to fight for herself.
“No no no, you have no merit.” Dohihara said solemnly: “All merit belongs to the sacrificed Akainu Squad.”
“Even you were saved by them sacrificing their lives.”
“Yangzi, you must know, your efforts have already been rewarded, an honorary Major position, the title Flower of the Empire, these are affirmations of you.”
“However, I must warn you, you are a woman, in war you can only belong to a subordinate position.”
“If you show any hint of wanting to take charge of an intelligence agency, even ambition.”
“Then, all your previous merits will be erased clean like chalk writing.”
“The Empire will not allow someone like you to sit in that position.”
Dohihara Kenji leaned back into the chair back, waved his hand, as if dismissing a tool no longer useful: “Go back and rest well. At Kagesa Agency Head there, I will explain the situation for you.”
“In the future, there will still be times needing your ‘dagger’ to be unsheathed. As for the Kiku Agency… don’t delusion anymore. This is not the path for you.”
“Why not?” Nantian Yangzi raised her head: “If, I have capital to negotiate with the Army Department people?”
“Teacher, will you help me?”
“Negotiate?” Dohihara sat up straight somewhat surprised: “Yangzi, what capital do you still have? I said, your those merits have already received reward, homeland impossible to give you more awards.”
Nantian Yangzi said solemnly: “Of course I have, Chongqing military deployment map, is that enough?”
Dohihara’s face changed slightly, looking up and down at Nantian Yangzi and said leisurely: “Yangzi, you seem to have changed,”
“You didn’t value power so much before?”
Nantian Yangzi said solemnly: “Teacher, people change, especially after experiencing some things, I need to gain the power of choice, don’t want to be stabbed in the back by my own people from behind into the chest.”
Dohihara suddenly realized: “So, you are blaming Kagesa.”
“Yangzi, I hope you can be more rational, frankly speaking, Kagesa’s decision was not wrong.”
“In that environment, his plan was the best choice.”
“Moreover, haven’t you already escaped?”
“I could escape because I was lucky.” Nantian Yangzi angrily raised her hand, the injury on her right arm making her involuntarily gasp.
“Teacher, I don’t want to become a sacrifice again, please.”
Dohihara let out a long sigh: “Yangzi, you are the one I picked out from one thousand three hundred girls.”
“Do you think I spent so much effort not hoping you could go further?”
“But, do you know what price you have to pay after taking this step?”
“I tell you, once you take that position, even if you make a negligible small mistake, it will be infinitely magnified by others, at that time, the outcome awaiting you”
Dohihara said word by word: “You will become one of the countless Comfort Women Stations, have you thought about such an outcome?”
