Chapter 252: The Dagger Revealed At The End Of The Scheme
“Your Excellency Sato, I really don’t understand what Headquarters means by this arrangement?”
Chen Yang respectfully placed the internal notice from his hand on the table, “A Transportation Department, besides the normal Minister and Deputy Minister, now needs to add another Deputy Minister position to increase cumbersome procedures. This isn’t creating trouble for ourselves.”
“Minister Chen, watch your words. This is the Logistics Department, not your Transportation Department’s Land Transport Section.”
Sato reminded: “Since Headquarters has arranged it this way, they must have their reasons.”
“Mr. Chen, what you need now is not to question Headquarters’ decision, but to do your own job well.”
“Frankly speaking, I have always doubted the South Manchuria Railway’s transportation ability.”
“Since the establishment of the joint department for Southern Transportation, various efficiencies and material distribution progress have far surpassed the North.”
“At this time, handing over transportation dominance to the South Manchuria Railway would make all our efforts a joke.”
“So, you must prove to everyone that we certainly have the ability and strength to manage transportation matters well.”
“As for having one more Deputy Minister, that won’t pose any threat to you.”
Chen Yang slightly bowed: “Your Excellency Sato has considered it very correctly. I indeed should not only care about my own position and power; serving the Empire is the ultimate purpose.”
“I’m just afraid that this Yoshida Hirohiro will bring certain obstacles to our current work.”
“No obstacles, and none will appear.” Sato sat back and said coldly: “His power won’t affect you. As for the Kagesa you mentioned.”
“The General Staff Office is already arranging it…”
Chen Yang’s gaze instantly sharpened, “Your Excellency’s meaning?”
“Since you don’t want him to interfere with your work, I’ll help out.”
Sato slowly said: “The General Staff Office plans to recommend him to replace Harada Kumakichi and take the position of Chief Military Advisor of the New Government’s military advisor group.”
“Once Mr. Wang arrives in Shanghai, Kagesa will go with him.”
“Also, Colonel Haruki-kun’s appointment letter has come down. Have him do his job properly during this time and make sure no one catches any handles on him.”
“Otherwise, not even immortals can save him…”
“Hai,” Chen Yang slightly bowed: “I will properly warn him.”
The conversation soon came to an end. While Ozaki Hidemitsu was meticulously preparing the southward “discussion meeting,” Sato Buntai and Chen Yang were secretly plotting countermeasures against the South Manchuria Railway, and various forces were silently weighing options between Xinjing and Shanghai!
An urgent telegram from the northern border, wrapped in blood and fire, like a thunderbolt from the nine heavens, brazenly struck into this muddy water!
Showa 14（1939）May 28, Outer Mongolian cavalry troops crossed the Khalkh River and clashed with Manchukuo garrison forces.
The long-brewing conflict in the Nomonhan area finally escalated into an unprecedented border campaign!
The news spread, shocking the world.
Exactly the same timing as in history, but with slight differences. Originally, it was the Japanese Army that provoked, followed by escalation of the battle.
This time, however, the Outer Mongolian cavalry seemed prepared in advance and struck first.
Regardless of the reason, history remained unchanged, and the battle arrived as scheduled…
Inside Kwantung Army Headquarters, the generals who had been troubled by internal power infighting instantly turned all their attention to that vast and desolate grassland in the North.
Orders from General Headquarters came one after another, requiring the Kwantung Army to “inflict heavy damage on the enemy” and “demonstrate the Imperial Army’s military might.”
Massive demands for troops, equipment, and materials flew to the Logistics Department like snowflakes.
Pressure, like a tangible iceberg, crushed all ingenious calculations and schemes.
Ume Agency, Kagesa office.
That confession about Aoki Tomoshige that triggered Ozaki Hidemitsu’s “discussion meeting” invitation letter was now, in Kagesa’s eyes, nothing more than irrelevant waste paper.
Standing before a huge map of Manchuria, Kagesa’s finger pressed firmly on the Nomonhan location, his face terribly grim.
“Order!” He turned abruptly, his voice hoarse yet carrying an unquestionable resolve, “All internal investigations, personnel disputes, all suspended…”
“All resources of the Ume Agency immediately shift to fully ensuring intelligence support and logistics channel safety for the Nomonhan Front!”
“Contact the Special Higher Police Affairs and No. 76, strictly investigate all enemy elements that might exploit this opportunity to create chaos and sabotage transportation! Tell Li Qun, now is not the time for infighting. If frontline materials have issues due to their negligence, I’ll shoot him myself!”
Expeditionary Army Logistics Department, Sato Buntai office.
The “Wedge” plan he had just instructed Chen Yang on seemed so pale and powerless in the face of war’s absolute priority.
What he needed now was not a “man of his own” balancing things inside the South Manchuria Railway, but an “executor” who could ensure thousands of tons of ammunition, fuel, medicine, food continuously transported to the North without halt!
The Nomonhan Incident has begun! The primary task now, the only task, is to ensure all transportation lines to the North remain unimpeded!
All resources within the South Manchuria Railway must unconditionally prioritize military needs scheduling!
As a competent Logistics Minister, Sato Buntai naturally understood priorities and knew that at such a critical moment, no one could make an issue of transportation.
Thus, he immediately called the Transportation Department Minister’s Office: “Oshima-kun, I grant you the authority to act on your own judgment. Anyone hindering or delaying transportation, regardless of background or identity, can be dealt with first and reported later! Efficiency! I want efficiency! Understood?!”
Inside the office, Oshima said nothing, immediately saluted, his face showing unprecedented gravity and “resolve,” into the phone: “Hai! This subordinate guarantees with his life that the Transportation Department will do its utmost to ensure the Empire’s bloodline flows smoothly!”
Xinjing, Ozaki Hidemitsu’s lodging.
Ozaki Hidemitsu looked at the battle report in his hand and let out a long sigh.
His meticulously planned “discussion meeting” aimed at balancing all parties and maintaining stability had, in the face of war’s iron hooves, missed the best timing.
He immediately sent a telegram to Tokyo, stating the situation. For now, the only option was to suggest accelerating the “discussion meeting” to enable full cooperation between both sides, with everything prioritizing the warfare.
Upon receiving the reply, he immediately wired Nakamura Isao.
“Mr. Nakamura, the situation has changed abruptly. The top priority now is ensuring transportation. Deploy the discussion meeting plan as quickly as possible.”
“Be extremely careful with methods to avoid discontent from the Southern Transportation Department, giving them reason to slack off.”
“Yes, yes,” Ozaki Hidemitsu switched the phone to the other hand: “You go to Shanghai first to arrange everything. I’ll follow with Your Excellency Nishio.”
“Rest assured, we will provide strong support to the South Manchuria Railway.”
Shanghai, Deputy Minister of Southern Transportation Department office.
It was already late at night, but Chen Yang was woken by a phone call. By now, he had put on the empty title of “Deputy Minister of Transportation,” but heavier was the war cloud and transportation heavy responsibility pressing on everyone’s heads.
He looked at the newly hung huge South Manchuria Railway network map on the wall, his gaze sharp.
The outbreak of Nomonhan disrupted everything and also gave him an unprecedented stage and cover.
Under the highest order of “everything for the front line,” many operations that originally needed caution and elaborate disguise could now be carried out more boldly and efficiently under the banner of “military priority.”
Back in the office, Chen Yang turned on the desk lamp, pulled out the work log, and swiftly issued a series of clear and decisive orders to the material warehouse, adjusting boxcar scheduling, planning optimal routes, coordinating interfaces, demonstrating astonishing control.
Everyone was awed by this new Deputy Minister’s thunderous efficiency.
Only Chen Yang himself knew he was using this war chaos and granted power to do even more blatant things, such as accelerating material consumption and swapping for ore, oil, and other resources.
Some special “materials,” mixed in the vast military trains, flowed to where they truly belonged—possibly the northern Anhui base area, or the harsh Taihang Mountains.
Some key information would also quietly pass through this war-spawned transportation artery.
The artillery fire of Nomonhan reddened the northern sky.
And thousands of miles away in the glamorous foreign concession, another smokeless but equally crucial war was gradually unfolding…
Time came to Year 27 of the Republic, June!
Shanghai, Chongguangtang.
This Japanese-style building in Hongkou had now become a silent battlefield for contending forces.
Although the Nomonhan war was thousands of miles away, the heavy pressure it brought made every participant in this meeting look grave.
In the meeting room, a redwood long table was placed in the center. Ozaki Hidemitsu, representing the cabinet, sat in the main seat, wearing a dark kimono, his expression solemn, striving to maintain detachment and authority.
To his left sat Nakamura Isao, representing the South Manchuria Railway. His eyes were calm, but his tightly pursed lips revealed inner tension.
To the right was Major General Sato Buntai of the Expeditionary Army Logistics Department, in a crisp military uniform, face ashen, not concealing his impatience and toughness.
Sitting slightly below Sato was Kagesa Shinzhao of the Ume Agency. He remained grim, but now more of a lurking, scrutinizing coldness.
On the other side, Transportation Department Minister Oshima Kenjiro brought his two Deputy Ministers, Yoshida and Chen Yang, sitting in the corner. A Transportation Department Deputy Minister seemed high-ranking, but here held no position.
Time pointed to nine o’clock, and the meeting was opened by Ozaki Hidemitsu.
“Gentlemen,” his voice steady, “The Nomonhan warfare has begun, and the Imperial Holy War has entered a critical phase.”
“All previous internal disputes are useless to the overall situation and harmful to the front line.”
“Today, by order of the cabinet, I summon you all not to investigate the past, but to clarify responsibilities, unblock channels, and ensure all resources are used by frontline soldiers. This is the current highest and only task!”
With just a few short sentences, he set the tone for the meeting as “wartime priority, shelve disputes.”
As soon as Ozaki Hidemitsu finished speaking, Sato Buntai impatiently waved his fingers, tapping the desktop: “Mr. Ozaki is absolutely right! Frontline soldiers are bleeding; logistics is the lifeline!”
“On behalf of the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, I demand that from now on, all transportation lines related to military needs in Manchuria, North China, and Central China implement military priority control!”
“The South Manchuria Railway must unconditionally obey Military Department scheduling instructions. All boxcars, ports, warehouse resources must prioritize and fully support military needs!”
“Any delay, any discount, is betrayal of the front line!”
Nakamura Isao immediately followed up, his tone mild but stance firm: “General Sato, ensuring military needs is the South Manchuria Railway’s bounden duty, as it was in the past, and even more so now.”
“But ‘military priority control’ is not simply piling on orders. Transportation is a precise system requiring professional scheduling, reasonable planning, and smooth linkage of all segments.”
“If the existing processes are completely disrupted and transportation rules ignored, it will likely backfire, causing greater chaos and congestion.”
“What the South Manchuria Railway hopes for is, on the basis of the Military Department clearly specifying priorities and demand volumes, to leverage our professional abilities to formulate the optimal transportation plan and maximize efficiency.”
He was fighting for the South Manchuria Railway’s autonomous operational space, opposing the Military Department’s crude takeover.
“Professional? Efficiency?” Sato Buntai sneered, “Mr. Nakamura, it’s precisely because of your South Manchuria Railway’s so-called ‘professionalism’ and internal wrangling that led to all the previous problems! This is an extraordinary period requiring extraordinary measures! What we need is absolute obedience and execution!”
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Ozaki Hidemitsu timely said: “General Sato’s urgency is understandable, and Mr. Nakamura’s professional considerations are reasonable. I believe the key is to establish an efficient coordination mechanism, rather than simple power substitution!”
Kagesa Shinzhao slowly raised his head, voice low and deep: “Ensuring transportation safety and efficiency is the Ume Agency’s duty.”
“Whether it’s slacking or sabotage possibly within the South Manchuria Railway, or infiltration by external enemy forces, I will take responsibility for cleaning it up.”
These words responded to the Military Department’s needs while serving as an intangible warning and pressure on the South Manchuria Railway.
Although not directly addressing the power allocation issue, emphasizing his role as “supervisor” and “cleaner-up,” the tough attitude made everyone wary.
Ozaki Hidemitsu nodded, steering the topic to the core: “In that case, I propose that I, representing the cabinet, serve as chief coordinator. The Military Department is responsible for proposing a prioritized transportation demand list!”
“Yoshida-kun and Minister Chen of the South Manchuria Railway are responsible for formulating efficient transportation execution plans based on the list, with daily scheduling authority. The Ume Agency handles full security and discipline supervision. Major disputes are adjudicated jointly by the coordination headquarters and reported to Tokyo for filing.”
This was a typical compromise scheme, attempting to incorporate all parties into a framework of mutual checks.
Sato Buntai frowned tightly, clearly dissatisfied that the South Manchuria Railway retained “daily scheduling authority,” but with Ozaki Hidemitsu representing the cabinet and immense Nomonhan pressure, he could not fully oppose.
Nakamura Isao realized this might be the best outcome the South Manchuria Railway could secure now, at least preserving the core of operations.
Kagesa Shinzhao neither approved nor objected, tacitly accepting the arrangement.
All arrangements seemed complete, but at that moment, a discordant voice suddenly rose from the corner.
“Mr. Ozaki, I have one more question. If the South Manchuria Railway and Southern Transportation Department are to collaborate, a leader is still needed. I want to know who you currently favor to lead…”
Yoshida Hirohiro’s gaze fixed tightly on Oshima and Chen Yang, “I suggest that I take charge…”
YOHO, what makes you think so? Showing your true colors at last?
【To reiterate, the author is recovering okay and knows to work within limits. After all, the author took out a loan for this surgery and wants to pay it off soon, so will try to write as much as possible within capacity, take leave if unable to. Um, by the way, seeking some gifts, monthly tickets, etc.!】
