funbook-pk Chapter 1045 Let's have a proper talk.
Chapter 1045 Let's have a proper talk.
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko was not tall and was somewhat thin. His face was etched with deep wrinkles, and his narrow eyes were slightly narrowed as he scanned the empty and heavily guarded dock. His gaze revealed a worldly weariness and a hawk-like sharpness.
Despite his efforts to maintain the dignified demeanor of a member of the royal family, the lingering gloom between his brows revealed his recent setbacks in Japanese domestic politics.
He slightly raised his right hand, which was wearing a white glove, as if to block the cold wind from his face, but then stopped in mid-air and finally just gently straightened the collar of his coat that had been ruffled by the wind.
"Your Highness, why don't we go directly to Nanjing, but instead stop here first?" an accompanying adjutant couldn't help but ask in a low voice, his tone filled with a mixture of confusion and urgency.
The heavy losses suffered by the Central China Expeditionary Army in Nanjing had already spread throughout the military headquarters. The primary task of this mission should have been to rush to the front line as soon as possible to stabilize the situation.
Upon hearing this, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko's lips curled into a barely perceptible cold smile.
He didn't answer immediately, but slowly took out a pack of "Golden Bat" cigarettes from his coat pocket, took one out, and skillfully lit it.
The lighter's flame flickered in the cold wind, illuminating his finely lined face.
After taking a deep breath, he spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice hoarse and low, as if talking to himself or instructing his subordinates: "Nanjing? It is indeed a mess there, but the root of the problem may not be in Nanjing."
He exhaled a string of smoke rings, watching them dissipate quickly in the cold air.
"Takuto Takasaki... that kid is now in charge in Tianjin."
If we don't first "negotiate" with him to clarify things, even if we get to Nanjing, we probably won't be able to solve the fundamental problem.
That kid's personality is exactly the same as his father, Takasaki Motonori, when he was young—very stubborn, and he also holds real power in the military police.
If he sabotages us behind our backs, even with extraordinary abilities, we'll find it impossible to move an inch in Central China.
When the name "Takasaki Motonori" was mentioned, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko's eyes flickered slightly, revealing a complex and unfathomable meaning.
He turned to his adjutant, a slightly self-deprecating smile appearing on his face: "Speaking of which, about what happened in 1936... I risked offending the Emperor for the sake of those young officers of the Imperial Way Faction, and was ultimately stripped of my imperial status. In the end, it was all because of that bastard Takasaki Motonori."
He was strategizing behind the scenes, while I foolishly rushed to the front to plead for the young officers... Haha." He shook his head, his tone tinged with reminiscence and unspeakable resentment.
"Now that the military has finally suffered a great loss in Central China, the Emperor has finally remembered to send me, a 'useless person,' to clean up the mess."
This is a great opportunity to turn things around... So, as an elder, I must first go and meet His Majesty's son-in-law, Takasaki Motonori's son, and have a proper "talk."
"Tell him to give me face and stop acting like a child. The bigger picture is what matters."
These words, which involved royal secrets and factional struggles, made the surrounding attendants turn pale, and they all lowered their heads, remaining silent as if trembling with fear.
The bloodshed and sensitivity of the February 26 Incident remain a taboo subject that the imperial military and political circles dare not easily touch.
No one dared to respond; only the howling sea wind rustled the hems of their clothes.
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko didn't seem to expect a response either.
He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his hard leather boots, as if to shatter some unpleasant memories along with it.
Then, he straightened his military cap and said in a deep voice, "Let's go to the Japanese concession in Tianjin. Let's meet this young Takasaki-kun first."
As the group disembarked, three black sedans were already waiting.
The car body reflected a cold, hard luster in the dim light, and the small Rising Sun Flag hanging in front of the car fluttered in the sea breeze.
The drivers, all dressed in military police uniforms, immediately opened the car doors and bowed in unison as Prince Yasuhiko approached.
The convoy slowly drove away from the port, through the dock area piled with goods and containers, and into the streets of Tianjin.
It was already dark, but there were still quite a few pedestrians on the streets, and occasionally Chinese vendors could be seen hawking their wares along the way. The shops along the street were also brightly lit.
"Tianjin seems to have pretty good public security," Prince Jiuyan said casually, gazing out the window.
The adjutant cautiously replied, "Yes, Your Highness, I have investigated. Tianjin is currently under the absolute control of the military police, although underground resistance activities have never ceased."
Overall, the security situation is very good. However...
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko turned to look at his adjutant and said with a smile, "Are you trying to say that the military police are greedy and take advantage of every opportunity?"
"Uh, Your Highness, the letters of complaint received by the Cabinet could fill an entire room... It's already surpassed those from Harbin... Some in the Cabinet are privately complaining that wherever General Takasaki goes, that place becomes a nightmare for the people of the Empire... a veritable hell on earth..."
"Haha, that's an interesting way to put it..."
The adjutant cautiously spoke up: "Your Highness, isn't General Takasaki's approach a bit too ruthless? After all, they are all citizens of the Empire. Can't he be a little more accommodating?"
I've heard that the military police treat the people of the Empire even more harshly than the Chinese...
"An iron fist?" Prince Asaka scoffed. "Those people should be thankful that the kid's father is different..."
If Takasaki Motonori were in that position in the military police, he would probably be considered "tyrannical."
As he spoke, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko glanced at the street scene passing by outside the window: "That kid isn't entirely useless when he relies on robbery-like methods; at least, he can scare people."
As the convoy crossed the border between the French and Japanese concessions, the scene suddenly changed.
The streets have become clean and orderly, with Japanese lanterns hanging along the roadside, shop signs written in Japanese, and occasionally you can see women in kimonos hurrying by.
This place feels like a Japanese town transplanted onto Chinese soil, a stark contrast to the Chinese urban area we just passed through.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Night fell, enveloping the Japanese concession in Tianjin.
The heavily guarded Western-style villa in the heart of Miyajima Street housed the headquarters of the Japanese military police, which resembled a lurking behemoth.
Inside the villa, the luxurious study stands in stark contrast to the cold winter outside the window.
The fireplace flames flickered, and the pine wood crackled.
Zhou Zhengqing, dressed in a dark green silk kimono, sank into a velvet sofa, toying with a tulip glass filled with amber brandy.
His gaze occasionally swept across to the other side, where Prince Jingren, dressed in a well-fitting dark gray British suit, stood with an elegant posture, and the usual gentle smile on his lips appeared somewhat unpredictable in the flickering firelight.
Jingren gently swirled his wine glass, breaking the silence, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing tomorrow's weather: