Chapter 211: Situation
“Mr. Wang”
“Get out!”
“Mr. Wang”
“Scram!”
Wang Ni was betrayed, and in raging fury, the vice president’s dignity instantly emerged, truly having an imposing presence.
Peace talks are a major matter; as long as the military department has not ordered the abandonment of peace talks, killing this group of people in front of him, none of the Japanese present would dare to offend Wang Ni.
Miura Jiro, a major general, could only endure being scolded, kowtowing and saying: “Please calm your mood, we will come to pay respects later.”
The Japanese retreated, Wang Ni exhaled a long breath harshly, his face still somber.
He did not speak, but his subordinates had words to say.
With family members here, everyone heard what Wang and the Japanese said; now the Japanese want to go back on their word, with futures uncertain, naturally there would be some discussion and cursing.
“These Japanese have no credit at all!”
“The devils are truly not good things!”
“What’s the use of cursing? Think about what to do next is the right path. If the Japanese negotiate with Old Jiang and it succeeds, what do we do? Won’t we be dragged off by Old Jiang to be shot!”
“How could peace talks possibly happen? Mr. Wang said it, Old Jiang’s personality makes it impossible for him to negotiate with the Japanese.”
“That’s what is said, but Old Jiang’s character is insidious, cunning, and viciously ruthless—you all know that. If I were Old Jiang, I’d tell the Japanese, kill a few Wang Faction people as a show of sincerity, then sit at the negotiation table to talk; whether it succeeds or not is another matter. If you were Japanese, wouldn’t you be willing to try?
For Old Jiang, seeing the Japanese kill us, wouldn’t that greatly please him?”
These words terrified several people; the women chattered anxiously to each other.
“Then we shouldn’t have come to Shanghai, let’s leave instead. Now our lives are in others’ hands; whether we live or die is just a word from others?”
“Yeah, don’t rent in the concession anymore. We’re still okay in the British American Concession for now, but if we return to the Japanese Occupied Area, will the Japanese directly detain us and not let us out?”
“That’s too scary; the Japanese probably wouldn’t do that. With Mr. Wang’s status here, history has never said anyone dared to kill negotiation personnel of this level. Look, Old Jiang doesn’t like the Communist Party, but Zhou Gong at No. 50 Zengjiayan still works there, right?”
“That’s because they cooperated between Kuomintang and Communist; we’re different.”
“All of you shut up!” Minister Zhou suddenly roared angrily, his fierce gaze sweeping over everyone. “This is a hospital, not a theater. If you want to be long-tongued women, go home to do it!
You know nothing and just complain. Do you understand what Mr. Wang was saying to the Japanese? That’s negotiation! That’s a game of strategy!
Do you think we’re the weak side?
Mr. Wang clearly told the other side that Old Jiang absolutely will not sincerely negotiate with them!
If the Japanese still don’t recognize this, we’ll leave, and they won’t even have the plan of using Chinese to control Chinese, ending up empty-handed on both sides!
This is applying pressure, forcing the Japanese!
They can’t even figure out who holds the initiative. If the Japanese killed you lot, just like you are, you’d wet yourselves at the negotiation table after being intimidated, and others would devour you without leaving even bone scraps!
Useless!”
Idiots!
What are you looking at, long-tongued women!”
One curse for the subordinates, one for the women.
Minister Zhou’s authority was even greater; the women didn’t dare retort at all.
A few words stabilized the chaotic and uneasy crowd.
“Don’t stay here anymore; seeing you annoys me. Those without family injured, all leave! For those with family injured, leave only one, the rest all leave! Mocun, pay attention to the guard matter.”
Ding Mocun responded, “Alright, leave it to me.”
“Then where do we go?” a woman asked.
Minister Zhou glared, “Back to your own homes! Didn’t we buy you houses? Still need to ask?”
“But there was a gunfight and deaths there just now; can we stay in a hotel?”
“They’re your colleagues’ family members; are you afraid of ghosts? And they didn’t die in your house!
Stay wherever you like, up to you; pay for your own accommodation, hire your own guards! If the Military Statistics Bureau comes knocking and you die, don’t blame anyone, Madame Wang.”
“Mm.”
“Sorry to trouble you; we’ll watch here.”
Minister Zhou didn’t give her an extra glance, but Chen Biqun understood; at this time, she needed to take the lead to stabilize people’s hearts.
She was very bold, “Alright, leave it to me. Come on, everyone go back.”
With Madame Wang taking the lead, the people began to disperse, and the scene quickly quieted down, achieving control.
“Sit for a bit.”
Minister Zhou patted Wang’s back.
“Not sitting.” Wang Ni walked forward a few steps, away from the crowd, standing with hands behind his back.
Frowning, he asked Minister Zhou, “What do you think of the Japanese’s statement?”
Just a few deaths; not to mention subordinates’ family members, even his own family at this time point, he still had to continue doing what needed to be done.
The important thing is still the negotiation.
Minister Zhou said: “The Japanese are just being foolish. Although Japan’s military strength crushes Chongqing now, the advance speed is not as fast as they imagined.
The slow military progress has led to domestic political instability; Konoe’s downfall is proof enough. The Japanese are full of internal contradictions now, and their economy is a complete mess.
Wanting to negotiate with Old Jiang, hoping Old Jiang can reach an agreement with them, is not strange. If it really succeeds, all troops freed from the China battlefield could target other East Asia islands, develop the economy—that would indeed be much faster than negotiating with us.
But this is just some childish people having unrealistic expectations of future uncertainty.
Same as that Japanese Army Minister Tojo who proposed conquering China in three months—arrogant, wanting quick success, eager for results.
I think the ones proposing this are political novices. The Japanese Military Department relies on advanced weapons and industry; their war capabilities do crush China.
But in politics, this bunch from the Japanese Military Department aren’t fit to shine Chinese people’s shoes; they’re terminally stupid.
This plan is doomed to fail; sooner or later they’ll come begging us. Without us, using Chinese to control Chinese won’t work.”
Wang Ni sneered and nodded; on this point, his view aligned perfectly with Minister Zhou’s.
This conclusion was based on understanding Old Jiang and the Chongqing situation.
“Next, what do you think the Japanese reaction will be?”
“Just wait. Since they’re bound to fail, let them try; why should we panic? Stay in Shanghai and have some fun, treat it like a vacation.”
“We’re fine, but look at those people just now, making fools of themselves, scared to death.” Wang Ni coldly swept his gaze over them.
Minister Zhou sneered, “Scared by the Japanese’s theory of Chongqing’s collapse; their mentality is truly poor.”
Thinking, he said softly: “Good timing; we can use this to observe these people’s reactions and eliminate unstable factors.”
Wang Ni nodded, scanned around, spotted Gu Yansheng, thought and asked: “Earlier during the talk with the Japanese, Ding Mocun and Gu Yansheng both heard it. Do you think they’ll be unsettled?”
It was simple; Minister Zhou turned and called: “Yansheng, come here.”
“Okay.” Gu Yansheng left his seat, walked over, and said: “Mr. Wang, Minister Zhou, the secretary just called me; the coffins are prepared. Since they were bought temporarily, sizes are standard, but quality is good; hope the family members understand. Also, other funeral items are being rushed; should all be ready by tomorrow.”
People died, the Military Statistics Bureau killed them; Gu Yansheng as temporary butler had to help with aftermath, busy handling bodies up and down—hard work, no choice.
“Hard work; if usable, that’s fine, don’t demand more.” Minister Zhou nodded. “You heard the Japanese’s statement earlier; what do you think?”
“It won’t succeed.” Gu Yansheng said calmly.
Minister Zhou waited, found that was the entire answer, slightly taken aback.
“That’s it? Just that one sentence?”
“Yeah, what else should I say?” Gu Yansheng looked puzzled, even showing a confused expression.
Minister Zhou and Wang Wang exchanged a glance, couldn’t help chuckling. “How are you so certain? The Japanese say Chongqing officials all want peace talks now; you think Old Jiang won’t negotiate?”
Nonsense; Gu Yansheng, a historian, was naturally certain.
“Whether they negotiate or not isn’t the point; whether it succeeds or not, anyway, I’m not optimistic.”
“Give reasons.” Wang Ni was curious; though Gu Yansheng’s stance was good, it was too brief, too brief to guess why he was so certain.
“Yes, share your view.” Minister Zhou smiled too.
“Alright, I’ll say it.” Gu Yansheng encouraged them. “In my view, officials are two types: one makes decisions for the people, one doesn’t.
As Mr. Wang said, the Huaiyuankou breach killed tens to hundreds of millions; though they died in the flood after, it amounts to Old Jiang killing them.
Human lives are worthless in Old Jiang’s eyes; he’s clearly the latter type.
With so many Chinese, 400 million, what’s there to negotiate? Keep fighting, toward national extinction; kill another 200 million, fight a few years, Japanese domestic economy worsens too, then the turning point arrives.
Britain and America won’t want China to fall to Japan; they’ll inevitably aid China.
Even sending troops isn’t impossible.
Then Britain and America against Japan; the president remains president, Old Jiang keeps his good life—why would he negotiate?
Negotiate with America, not Japan.
There’s precedent on the Songhu Battlefield.
War reasons done; there’s also one from Old Jiang’s own perspective.
That’s America’s attitude.
Now Britain and America are aiding him; if he accepts peace talks with Japan, what about Britain and America?
What will Britain and America think?
First, aid definitely stops; second, do Britain and America really want the war to stop? Using aid as pretext, force Chongqing to sign massive loans—war profiteering is great; unsellable weapons and medicine now sell.
If war stops, first goods unsellable; second, Old Jiang starts repaying debts—no benefit for him at all.
Japanese negotiating too, need to take something back, right?
So Old Jiang impossible to negotiate.”
Wang Wang smiled upon hearing, said to Minister Zhou: “Didn’t expect Yansheng’s vision so broad; we discussed America’s attitude back then, similar to what we thought.”
Minister Zhou smiled at Gu Yansheng: “Exactly; when we came out, we considered these points. All countries want profits from China; Old Jiang survives in the cracks, so he definitely won’t compromise.”
“Calling it survival beautifies him too much; making money is the truth.” Wang Ni rolled his eyes and sneered. “Aid gets sold by him; the four families are greedily insane.
Yansheng, since you think Britain and America will intervene, if they intervene massively, what do you think of the later situation?”
Wang Ni was interested.
Gu Yansheng satisfied him: “I can’t say war situation well, but one thing clear: without Mr. Wang stepping up to raise the flag, in this war, Chinese would suffer terribly.
Nationalist controlled area miserable, Japanese Occupied Area worse.
Japanese superior in military force, needs massive money to maintain, but Japanese economic management is truly poor, so they resort to using Chinese to control Chinese—plainly admitting their own incapability.
Without Mr. Wang, after prolonged war, Japanese find Japanese Occupied Area economy can’t support war, bound to plunder civilians there ruthlessly.
People starving, corpses everywhere the norm.
Japanese Occupied Area urgently needs Mr. Wang to step up—for developing economy, and for Japanese themselves; better Japanese Occupied Area economy, people naturally flee from poor oppressive Nationalist controlled area, public support all to Mr. Wang.
Old Jiang already lost public support; without people too, that position unstable.
Then Britain and America may choose to switch interlocutors; Japanese free from war, overall situation settled.”
Wang Ni accepted the praise happily, feeling very pleased, said to Minister Zhou: “With Yansheng’s level, he can be Minister of Justice; good pick.”
Minister Zhou laughed heartily, “Of course.”
People dying here, and you laugh there?
At the rescue room door, doctor reporting to family members: rescue ineffective.
Seven rescues; two died before hospital; now five rescues, three already declared dead from excessive blood loss on operating table.
Medical skills now truly inadequate; gunshot to chest etc., very hard to save.
Subordinates grieving angrily inside, hearing laughter clenched fists, suddenly turned to see who was laughing—then it was fine.
