Chapter 207: Partition
“The idea of building Greater East Asia came from their cabinet themselves, the strategy of using Chinese to control Chinese also came from them themselves, the Japanese now have many problems in their own country, without our help, do they still think they can take down all of East Asia and drive out the British and Americans? What a pipe dream!”
Minister Zhou stood up to soothe him, “Don’t be hasty first, I don’t think this matter is that simple, as for saying the Japanese don’t want to negotiate, I don’t think that’s entirely the case.
Japan’s navy, army, and air force are all bogged down on the Chinese battlefield right now, their resources are blockaded, and things aren’t going well in their country either.
Only by seeking peace and quickly ending the war can they pull their military force out from the Chinese battlefield.
So I believe they do want to negotiate, this is the general trend.”
“Then why are they still making small moves against us?” Mr. Wang asked, glaring in confusion.
“It may not be their true intention.” Minister Zhou shook his head, hands behind his back, and said: “From the actions, both matters are being operated by Imai Takeo, and the sequence is negotiation first, bank second.
So can we assume that Imai Takeo initially intended to conduct negotiations, which also fits our judgment of the overall situation.
And during this period or recently, something else happened that caused Imai Takeo to change strategy.”
“What could have happened?”
“Konoe stepping down?”
Konoe Fumimaro was the Japanese Prime Minister at the time of Mr. Wang’s defection, and the telegram Mr. Wang issued in Hanoi was in response to Konoe’s statement on the East Asia situation.
After the two exchanged glances, Konoe turned around and led the Japanese Cabinet in a total resignation, that is, stepping down.
Mr. Wang and Minister Zhou exchanged looks, then slowly sat down, “If you put it that way, it’s indeed possible, the current Prime Minister of the Japanese Cabinet is Hiranuma.”
“Hiranuma Kiichirō.”
“Right, meaning the Japanese Cabinet now has differing opinions, so it led to a change in Imai Takeo’s strategy?”
Minister Zhou nodded, “One guess, a very likely guess, it’s just that we still don’t know exactly what he wants to do right now.”
“Will they not want to negotiate?” Mr. Wang asked uncertainly.
“Probably not, this is the general trend.” Minister Zhou shook his head.
“I have a rough guess about this matter.” Gu Yansheng spoke up.
The two looked over.
Mr. Wang asked expectantly: “You say.”
Gu Yansheng nodded, “Right now we can only analyze the Japanese purpose from this matter, my perspective is different from yours, setting aside the negotiation, this is just a matter of Japanese opening a bank and issuing new military scrip, nothing more than the previous two times using the name military scrip, which failed.
Now changing to the name Huaxing Bond full of Chinese style, using Chinese people, hoping to give Chinese a sense of familiarity, to increase citizens’ acceptance, right?”
The two nodded.
Gu Yansheng continued: “Then this matter gets interesting, a bank opened in Shanghai, why not cooperate with the city government, but cooperate with the Nanjing Reform Government, management is troublesome, relationships are not good, isn’t this superfluous for the Japanese?”
“Because the city government failed twice before?” Mr. Wang replied instinctively.
Gu Yansheng shook his head, “To be precise, it was the Shanghai Gendarmerie Headquarters that failed, not the city government, does Mr. Wang still remember, we just said earlier, the cause of this matter was people from Luo Junqiang hearing it from people in the Greater East Asia Ministry.
It was people from the Greater East Asia Ministry who mediated the conflict between Japanese enterprises and the Military Department, leading to this money, and the Greater East Asia Ministry is right in Shanghai.
If they really want to open a bank, if the Shanghai Gendarmerie Headquarters can’t do it, why doesn’t the Greater East Asia Ministry, as a participant, open it themselves, if the Gendarmerie Headquarters can’t, there’s still the Navy Headquarters, they should be able to, right?
For the Vice Admiral of the Greater East Asia Ministry, this can even count as family.”
Mr. Wang asked, “So what do you mean?”
Meaning your reaction is very slow “My meaning is, the person leading this matter is not Imai Takeo, but people from the Central China Expeditionary Force Headquarters stationed in Nanjing intervening.
Why not the city government, precisely because different regions, this is internal strife.
So this matter specifies people from Nanjing to do it, and only they can suppress the Greater East Asia Ministry in terms of force, and only they can get the Military Department to put out this money.”
This possibility is very high, and fits the facts, Mr. Wang urged, “You continue.”
“But to say this is the idea of the Central China Expeditionary Force Headquarters, that’s not necessarily true.
The Central China Expeditionary Force opening a bank, purpose besides making money, what else can it do?
Imai Takeo’s purpose is to promote the establishment of the new government.
And from the size and importance of these two matters, clearly the importance of establishing the new government far exceeds the Expeditionary Force Headquarters making money.
These two are in conflict again.
Now Imai Takeo is willing to cooperate, even risking the failure of negotiations with you, Mr. Wang, that means we can be sure something even more important has arisen.
Something more important than successfully negotiating with you, after thinking it over, I can only think of one thing.”
Gu Yansheng didn’t continue.
Minister Zhou stared at Gu Yansheng and said gravely: “Conducting peace negotiations with Old Jiang.”
Gu Yansheng nodded, “Right, it can only be that.”
Mr. Wang flew into a rage with a cold snort, “Negotiating with us on one side, and with Old Jiang on the other, what do they take us for? The Japanese still can’t see the situation clearly! If he Old Jiang was willing to take this step, I could have persuaded him long ago, I’ve been saying it for years!
Are these Japanese’s heads full of shit? So naive!
Naively stupid!
Stupidly obvious!”
Gu Yansheng realized this Mr. Wang truly had a big temper, in comparison, Minister Zhou was much calmer.
“This is not the time to get angry.” Minister Zhou reminded: “If the Japanese just want to talk with Chongqing, that’s very unfavorable to us, we’ll become chips on their table, and our value will only drop lower.”
“There’s nothing to worry about!” Wang Ni said loudly: “Old Jiang is stubborn as a mule, he won’t rest until he wipes out the Chinese, until China is destroyed!
On the contrary, with the Japanese here, we really can’t let them continue like this, what does this look like?
This matter must be clarified! The organization negotiates with the Japanese, make them show their attitude!
If they don’t show attitude, then no negotiation with them, negotiate directly with the Japanese Cabinet!
If it works, it works, if not, it doesn’t, if they don’t want to talk, we leave Shanghai!”
“Let’s negotiate first.” Minister Zhou also thought so, and said: “I think we should set a time to negotiate once with Imai Takeo and Kagesa Sadaki, no matter how it goes, next time we negotiate with the Japanese Cabinet.”
“Just do that!”
“Don’t send Gao Zhongwu and Mei Siping, you and I will go personally once, to understand all the matters, see if there’s any oversight.”
At Minister Zhou’s words, Wang Ni looked suspicious, “You think they didn’t report everything?”
“Not entirely.” Minister Zhou shook his head, “The Japanese suddenly having this idea, is there some problem in the negotiations, to be cautious, we still need to check.”
If there’s a problem with the negotiation personnel, that would be a big mess.
“Mm, alright.” Though Wang Ni relied on his status and didn’t want to show up, if it’s the last time, it’s not impossible.
“Then that’s it for now, I’ll set the time as soon as possible.” Minister Zhou stood up and said: “Yansheng, thank you, you investigated this very timely, while we’re in Shanghai, we still need your much help.”
Hearing this, Wang Ni also looked at Gu Yansheng and nodded, when something happens it’s clear, the person Minister Zhou found is indeed good.
Gu Yansheng smiled faintly: “You’re too polite, for the cause of Peaceful Nation Building, this is all I should do.”
Wang Ni didn’t say anything, just patted Gu Yansheng on the shoulder.
“Then we’ll head back first.” Minister Zhou said: “Still need to trouble you to send a car, oh right, help me investigate this matter, see if you can find out how the Japanese are contacting the Chongqing side.”
“That’s not easy.” Gu Yansheng told the truth.
“Understood, check as much as you can.” Minister Zhou nodded, “Then we’ll go first.”
“Okay, by the way.” Gu Yansheng reminded: “After you two go back, it’s best not to discuss related matters in the house.”
“What’s wrong?” Wang Ni asked.
“Afraid of walls having ears, right.” Minister Zhou sneered, “Aren’t the rooms full of people sent by the Japanese?”
Gu Yansheng tsked, “Minister, I’m not just saying walls have ears, are you sure there are definitely no ears in this wall?”
The two men’s expressions changed slightly.
