Chapter 232: Your Stupidity Is Beyond Hope
“Teacher, please hear me out.” Nantian felt his throat dry and tight, struggling to explain, “The original intent of this action was to deal a major blow to the Shanghai smuggling network!”
“Chen Yang, as the Section Chief of Land Transportation, a key figure in the Imperial Transportation Department, committed embezzlement by those in charge, with irrefutable evidence! That account book…”
“Account book? Heh…” Doihara let out a short, piercing cold laugh, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, “The account book handed to you by the loyal and devoted Deputy Section Chief of Land Transportation? Is that right?”
“Perhaps you should listen to this.”
With that, Doihara took out a small gramophone, which seemed to contain a reel of tape.
Nantian Yangzi puzzledly picked up the listening earpiece, and Doihara pressed the play button, from which a voice emerged.
“Your Excellency Sato, the materials have been transported to Mai Gen Road Station, a total of fifty drums of high-grade gasoline, ten military radios, high-grade sulfonamide, and a portion of weapons.”
“Very good, Mr. Chen. This batch of materials was issued by Army Headquarters under the name of ‘special supply’ with a special allocation order!”
“Its true purpose must never be known to others.”
“Rest assured, Your Excellency Sato, I am merely executing the transfer according to the documents! And the recipient…”
“Enough, Mr. Chen, I don’t want to know these things. My task is to provide materials; as for what you do with them, that’s your business.”
“Yes, Your Excellency Sato, it was my impudence.”
The conversation lasted less than ten seconds, but the information revealed within made Nantian Yangzi’s heart tremble.
Zzz, a burst of static sounded, and Nantian’s mind went blank. “Teacher, you mean those materials…”
“Heh.” Doihara sneered coldly, his voice suddenly lowering: “The goods you seized—every drum of Mobil gasoline, every wooden box containing sulfonamide!”
“Their bottoms are all stamped with the steel seal of the Imperial Army Logistics Section’s special allocation! That was personally approved by His Majesty the Emperor’s edict, bypassing foolish bureaucratic procedures, specifically to redeem Colonel Suzuki Kawataro’s ‘ransom’!”
“Because of your recklessness and ignorance, a meticulously designed rescue plan turned into a joke.”
“You not only sabotaged the Royal Family’s plan but also put everyone on the table.”
“The Royal Family, Army Department, Navy Department, Shanghai’s major intelligence agencies—now all are forced to face the incident of Suzuki’s capture.”
“A transaction that could have been silent and without waves has now become the Empire’s joke.”
Nantian instantly felt all the blood in her body freeze.
So, what she intercepted was not evidence at all, but the chips the Royal Family painstakingly wrested from the Army Department to rescue the hostage!
And her action personally destroyed it all! She not only exposed the Royal Family’s rescue plan to the world but also brought shame upon the military personnel.
The blocking battle failed, and during the retreat, he ran in the wrong direction, straight into the enemy’s pursuit squad—this was blatant mockery of the Imperial Army…
“Have you read these remarks in the newspapers?” Doihara sneered: “An idiot colonel who can’t even tell directions actually led a brigade.”
“While those truly capable elites can only carry guns and clash head-on with the enemy.”
“Do you know how terrifying the public opinion this will provoke?”
“You made the Royal Family lose face and dealt a fatal blow to the Army Department’s selection mechanism and credibility.”
“Now,” Doihara’s voice returned to that icy calm, yet carrying a deeper aura of death, “the Army’s old diehards are slamming the table, vowing to take your head to quell the anger of the ‘military flag being tarnished.'”
“The Palace and the halls are full of cold laughs; they are all questioning whether the Special Higher Police Affairs was established specifically to strangle His Majesty’s will.”
Nantian Yangzi lowered her head: “I’m sorry, Teacher, I caused you trouble.”
Doihara shook his head: “Yangzi, I really don’t understand; now it seems your eyes have been blinded by power.”
“With your many years of experience on the intelligence front, how could you not see the problem?”
“Or, from beginning to end, you never truly took your opponent seriously.”
“Since you’re treating Chen Yang as an opponent, shouldn’t you fully investigate all his preferences and ways of doing things?”
“But the feeling you give me now is just like an elementary school student.”
“In several confrontations, you haven’t gained the slightest advantage and have been suppressed by him everywhere.”
“In the most recent action, he didn’t even show up and made you personally tear off the fig leaf that no one wanted exposed.”
Nantian Yangzi’s face flushed red and white: “Teacher, it’s my problem.”
“I thought Chen Yang was just a Section Chief of Land Transportation, not skilled in intelligence work.”
“So, I didn’t consider the consequences. I’m sorry.”
“You finally told me the truth.” Doihara sighed: “I’ve reminded you many times not to provoke Chen Yang.”
“This person is far more shrewd and complex than what you see on the surface.”
“Do you really think a Chinese person could weave the logistics network across South China, East China, and Central China just with a few stinky coins?”
“That’s simply ridiculous.”
“Frankly speaking, even the Special Higher Police Affairs cannot determine the exact size of the network in his hands, yet you want to pin an irrefutable charge on him with the simplest reason.”
“Even if this smuggling incident were true, what could you do?”
“Without direct evidence, you can’t touch him at all.”
“And he just used the simplest bait to hook you, using a straight hook—no calculation needed, just certain you’d take the bait.”
“I can’t predict how things will develop next, but to save your life, do three things now.”
“Immediately! Right now! Notify all Shanghai newspapers:”
“First, the Mai Gen Road action was a routine operation by the Imperial Special Higher Police Affairs to crack down on the Shanghai black market smuggling group according to law! All seized materials are illegal circulated goods; no one may speculate on associations, and it is absolutely forbidden to mention any connection to the Communist Party or Colonel Suzuki Kawataro!”
“Second, the Special Higher Police Affairs received an anonymous complaint claiming that Land Transportation Section Chief Chen Yang was seriously corrupt and reselling Imperial materials.”
“After full investigation by the Special Higher Police Affairs, the complaint was confirmed false; this is hereby clarified!”
“Third, all personnel arrested at Mai Gen Road must be immediately escorted back to Special Higher Police Affairs headquarters; they are all felons suspected of stealing Imperial assets, some of whom attempted to resist and escape during escort and have been shot on the spot!”
“Shot?” Nantian’s face slightly flushed: “Teacher, doing this is equivalent to money laundering for Chen Yang.”
“Moreover, if we kill those people, what if the Communist Party flies into a rage and kills Colonel Suzuki…”
Doihara frowned and said unceremoniously: “Yangzi, I suddenly find your stupidity incurable.”
“The key to the whole matter is Suzuki Kawataro.”
“Everything arose because of him; if he dies inexplicably, or dies at the hands of the Communist Party, then everything will resolve itself.”
“The most troublesome is if he appears alive in Shanghai or anywhere in China; that would cause even bigger problems.”
“We can’t kill him ourselves; otherwise, even if the Army Department approves, the Cabinet and His Majesty will be displeased.”
“This is an unsolvable proposition; no matter how we choose, we’ll offend someone.”
“So, the only way is for Suzuki to die at someone else’s hand; then we have reason to extricate ourselves.”
“Otherwise, prepare to be the padding at the bottom of Suzuki’s coffin!”
“Remember, your time is running out!”
Doihara’s words “your time is running out” pierced Nantian Yangzi’s heart like ice laced with poison.
The dead silence in the office was suffocatingly thick; Nantian Yangzi swallowed and slightly bowed: “Teacher, I know what to do.”
“Bang!”
The heavy office door was smashed open by a tremendous force!
Two tower-like guards stood solemnly on either side. Outside, two figures stormed into the room filled with the aura of death, as if carrying a tempest.
The leader had major general stars on his shoulders, a stern face, and eyes sharp as knife edges—he was Staff Officer Abe Mitsuhiro of the Central China Expeditionary Army!
Following closely was a man in his thirties, dressed in a plain Imperial senior civilian uniform, his hair neatly tied, his eyes exuding wisdom.
This man was Director Nakamura Isao of the Southern China Association!
Nakamura Isao held a narrow wooden box wrapped in purple silk, walking calmly yet with an intangible pressure.
A flicker of barely perceptible astonishment flashed in Doihara’s eyes, quickly covered by a deep, unfathomable shadow.
His gaze passed over Nantian beside him and locked dead on the wooden box in Nakamura Isao’s hands, symbolizing the Royal Family’s will.
“Staff Officer Abe, Director Nakamura, how do you two have time to come to my place?” Doihara forced a mild smile.
“What joke is General Doihara making? It’s office hours; do you think we’d come to your Special Higher Police Affairs for tea if we had nothing to do?” Abe Mitsuhiro’s opening words carried a choking tone.
“This isn’t thanks to your most favored student, Section Chief Nantian.”
Doihara frowned: “Chief of Staff Abe seems dissatisfied with our Special Higher Police Affairs.”
“How dare I be dissatisfied, General Doihara!” Abe Mitsuhiro’s voice boomed, without pleasantries, straight to the point: “Army General Staff Office’s highest emergency top secret edict, His Majesty the Emperor’s imperial order: immediately cease all inappropriate external releases and internal purges regarding the Suzuki Kawataro incident!”
“Cease?” A flame of anger ignited deep in Doihara’s eyes. “Staff Officer Abe, do you know what you’re interfering with?”
“The Special Higher Police Affairs’ actions caused irreparable losses to the Empire! This stain must be immediately and thoroughly cleared by its creator!”
“Stain?” Abe Mitsuhiro stepped forward, his gaze unyieldingly locking onto Doihara: “General! The real stain is needlessly exposing the Empire’s core power structure to public scrutiny!”
“The Mai Gen Road action and the newspapers’ clamor are already the greatest failure! Continuing purges and silencing will only deepen the wound and delight our enemies!”
He abruptly pointed at the wooden box in Nakamura Isao’s hands: “In the current situation, any purges or special actions targeting Suzuki are no longer ways to solve the problem!”
“One hour ago, the Royal Family and Army General Staff Office, based on the final mediation of His Majesty the Emperor’s imperial front meeting, reached a resolution on the fate of Lord Suzuki Kawataro!”
“Suzuki will be escorted back to the homeland by an Army Military Police special detachment. Upon return, he will face public trial by the Empire’s highest military tribunal! Charged with ‘gross dereliction of duty during combat, causing major losses to his unit,’ sentenced to three years imprisonment! Execute immediately!”
This decision struck like thunder! Nantian jerked her head up, her eyes bursting with incredulous light. Suzuki… back home to prison?
Doihara was slightly stunned, his expression finally showing real change. “Three years imprisonment? On dereliction charge? Absurd!”
“Director Nakamura, can His Majesty the Emperor tolerate the envoy representing the Royal Family in secret negotiations bearing such a ‘fitting’ charge and becoming a prisoner? This is absolutely not His will!”
The shadow-silent Nakamura Isao slowly raised his head.
“Your Excellency Doihara,”
“His Majesty the Emperor deeply regrets Suzuki Kawataro’s personal ordeal. His Majesty understands and supports the Army Department’s necessary resolve to uphold its honor and discipline.”
“His Majesty, with benevolence, decrees: three years’ light punishment is both chastisement for Suzuki’s faults and a period for him to reflect and continue serving the Empire in the future.”
“This is the telegram just received from the General Staff Office, and also a copy of today’s imperial front decree document.”
“His Majesty has approved Suzuki, in his active Army capacity, to undergo the highest military trial process by the Army General Staff Office. This is His Majesty’s sacred intent after balancing all parties’ concerns!”
“Your Excellency Doihara, you should understand the purpose of His Majesty’s action; the great cause of the Imperial Kingdom lies in the grand enterprise, not in one person’s gains or losses in honor.”
This light royal decision made Doihara’s pupils contract sharply.
Almost without much thought, he understood His Majesty’s intent!
This was the result of mutual compromise; the Army wanted to act against Suzuki to wash away the Army’s failure shame.
But the Royal Family wanted to save Suzuki.
Originally just under-the-table behavior, but because of Nantian, the under-table matters were brought to the table.
This created a dilemma; whether Suzuki lived or died, only one side’s conditions could be satisfied.
Since consensus couldn’t be reached, negotiation was the only way, finding a balance point both could concede.
And now was the result after negotiation: the Royal Family’s surface “concession” of Suzuki’s three years in prison, in exchange for the Emperor’s endorsement of the Army Department’s core strategic demands.
That was, the Emperor permitting the Army Department to execute the north advancement plan.
Abe Mitsuhiro revealed the final trump card, his voice resolute and ironclad, no room for maneuver: “General Doihara, His Majesty the Emperor is highly concerned about the controversy triggered by this incident.”
“His Majesty clearly states: rather than endless face disputes in the occupied areas, better to direct the nation’s strength toward a more decisive direction!”
“The ‘North Advancement Strategic Plan’ fully promoted by the Army General Staff Office has this morning received His Majesty the Emperor’s final approval!”
“Imperial approval is issued! The first batch of three Kwantung Army main divisions and attached heavy units will immediately assemble at the Manchu-Soviet border! Target—sever the Siberian Railway artery!”
North advancement!
A complex emotion surged in Doihara’s heart.
Perhaps this was the core! The Army Department sacrificed Suzuki’s individual fate in exchange for the royal clan’s full support of the massive expansion plan!
The Royal Family temporarily swallowed the shame, exchanging for an appearance of internal “unity”! Suzuki became the Empire’s war chariot’s drive northward…
Best justification.
“I see…” Doihara’s voice returned to its previous depth, slightly nodding: “His Majesty the Emperor is wise, seeing the big picture. The Army Department’s resolve is admirable.”
“Section Chief Nantian, did you hear? Suzuki Kawataro has been adjudicated by the highest military tribunal as a ‘dereliction prisoner.'”
“The people in your hands no longer have value.”
Nantian slightly bowed: “I will handle it.”
Abe Mitsuhiro raised his hand: “Wait, Section Chief Nantian, I don’t care about others, but hand over that Muyun.”
“The mess was caused by your Special Higher Police Affairs, so naturally, you solve it.”
“I don’t want to know your decisions or what methods you’ll use.”
“In short, three days from now, I want to see Suzuki at Huishan Wharf.”
“Farewell.”
With that, Abe Mitsuhiro gave Nakamura Isao a look, and the two left the office one after the other.
A trace of annoyance flashed in Doihara’s eyes; after a moment, he looked at Nantian: “Yangzi, do as Mr. Abe says.”
“Return the materials to that Communist Party member; within three days, bring Suzuki back.”
“Yes.”
Shanghai, night, Moonlight Sand.
In the top private room deep within the Moonlight Sand Club.
The door tightly shut, isolating the outer strings, pipes, and songbirds.
The air was filled with the scent of top-grade agarwood, mixed with the crispness of Japanese sake and the unique peat of Scotch whiskey.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling window was Shanghai’s brilliant lights, dotted stars, prosperity revealing a touch of desolation.
Abe Mitsuhiro had removed his military jacket, wearing only a neatly ironed white shirt, collar casually unbuttoned.
His hawk-like sharp eyes now appeared somewhat depressed and complex under the dim, ambiguous lights.
He held no alcohol, only a cup of long-cooled tea.
“Mr. Chen, your prediction was completely correct; the homeland side indeed sentenced Suzuki to imprisonment.” Abe Mitsuhiro took a sip of tea and said softly: “How did you know the Special Higher Police Affairs wanted to silence him?”
Chen Yang poured himself a cup of tea, then refilled Abe Mitsuhiro’s.
“Simple, the matter blew up too big.”
“That old fox Doihara isn’t one to take the blame; once it blows up, even His Majesty doesn’t know how to decide—would an intelligence agency commander like Doihara wade into this muddy water?”
“What he can do is silence the witnesses, confirming their purpose at Mai Gen Road Train Station was to investigate smuggling.”
“Moreover, by killing Muyun, he wants to enrage the Communist Party, best if they retaliate and directly execute Suzuki, using their hand to settle this.”
Abe Mitsuhiro nodded slightly: “Mr. Chen is right. Sigh, if only his student learned one-third of Doihara’s skills, she wouldn’t have been hooked so easily.”
“But I truly admire Mr. Chen; under pressure from so many forces, you thought of this way to extricate yourself.”
“Now it’s good; His Majesty has a clear edict, and the Army Department got what it deserved.”
“The Navy Department and intelligence agencies got no benefits but no losses either.”
“Things are settled now; everyone saves face—it’s just Section Chief Nantian who suffers.”
“She deserves it.” Chen Yang chuckled lightly: “A woman climbing up isn’t that easy.”
“I just gave her a lesson, to make her understand not to easily trust others.”
“No pies fall from the sky, only traps.”
Abe Mitsuhiro smiled in agreement; Chen Yang set down his teacup: “Mr. Abe suddenly inviting me to Moonlight Sand isn’t just to tell me this news, right?”
“Of course.” Abe Mitsuhiro’s eyes sharpened: “The Empire needs not only samurai blades to tear the bear’s artery on that million-li ice plain! It needs money! Materials! Massive logistics to sustain hundreds of thousands of troops in continuous combat in that desolate realm!”
“Shanghai is the most important blood transfusion port for the Empire’s new lifeline! The materials here, the channels here, the gold and foreign currency flowing here will become the deadliest poison stabbing into the Far East battlefield!”
“We need not only materials, but absolute efficiency!”
He set down his teacup, staring intently at Chen Yang: “The existing ‘cleaners’ are too slow and too dirty! Their actions only attract flies and pollute precious plasma!”
“We believe the Land Transportation Section needs a collaborator like you—clear-headed, deeply resourced, and knowing how to maintain ‘absolute cleanliness’ in chaos.”
Chen Yang frowned slightly: “But the Southern Land Transportation Section’s influence only extends to the four North China provinces; from Beiping to the Siberia Great Railway, that’s all managed by the South Manchuria Railway.”
Abe Mitsuhiro nodded slightly: “I know; the South Manchuria Railway has decided to transfer a new transportation officer to assist the Land Transportation Section in joint north-south transportation matters.”
Chen Yang took a sip of tea: “Mr. Abe means Your Excellency Yasuda Nobuo, current head of the South Manchuria Railway’s Railway Department?”
“Minister Oshima has confirmed with us: he will lead, and we support his transportation plan.”
Abe Mitsuhiro said gravely: “That’s the key problem.”
“Mr. Chen, frankly, we do not trust Yasuda Nobuo’s ability.”
“The War Operations Section analyzed the South Manchuria Railway’s transportation data for the past eighteen months and found their freight throughput and transportation ability only one-third of what you manage in the Land Transportation Section.”
“With such a huge efficiency gap in north-south transportation, we doubt whether Yasuda Nobuo can quickly meet logistics supplies if northern warfare starts.”
“Hm? Mr. Abe, what do you hope I do?” Chen Yang frowned.
Abe Mitsuhiro was silent for a moment, finally stating the purpose of his visit: “Your Excellency Sato has been coordinating with headquarters, hoping you take on the heavy responsibility.”
“You operate, with Yasuda as deputy assisting, to improve northern transportation ability…”
“No, Mr. Abe, you’re joking, right?” Chen Yang smiled bitterly: “You’re asking a Land Transportation Section Chief to command a deputy minister?”
“Even if I’m willing to take this on, do you think South Manchuria Railway’s President Omura will agree to delegate power to me?”
“
