Next, Toyoichi Nakamura reported Gao Zongwu's activities in Hong Kong in detail to the three Ken Inuyo. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

With Chiang Kai-shek's approval and the sword of Shang Fang, in February, Gao Zongwu finally flew out of Hankou, which had suffocated him, and arrived in Hong Kong, where he was re-energized.

Gao Zongwu first opened a "Zongji Foreign Company" in Hong Kong as a cover, and after a little arrangement, he immediately transferred to Shanghai, which was occupied by the Japanese army, in an attempt to communicate with Japan as soon as possible.

As soon as Gao Zongwu settled in Shanghai, he got in touch with Shigeharu Matsumoto, director of the Shanghai branch of the Japanese Allied News Agency.

Matsumoto was the brainchild of Japanese Prime Minister Fumiro Konoe, and the intelligence community regarded him as Konoe's personal representative to China, a heavyweight.

Matsumoto had a friendship with Gao Zongwu's teacher when he was a student at the Imperial University of Japan, and he had known Gao Zongwu for a long time.

Gao Zongwu eagerly asked Matsumoto Shigeharu about the Konoe cabinet's statement that "the National Government will not be an opponent", and how long could he hold out? When will the door to negotiations be reopened?

Matsumoto told Gao Zongwu that the occupation of Nanjing had driven the Japanese crazy, and this was an important reason, and the current diplomatic impasse could not be opened!

Just when Gao Zongwu was at a loss, his subordinate Dong Daoning, who had been absent for several months, appeared in front of him.

Dong Daoning's experience is quite legendary, he was born in China, grew up in Japan, and usually always calls himself a "Japanese Chinese".

Gao Zongwu sent Dong Daoning to Shanghai for activities, but no progress was made, and with the assistance of Xi Yixian, who had just resigned from his post as a "Manchurian Railway" and specialized in spy activities, he went to Japan very rashly as if he were returning to his hometown, and got on the line with the head of the China Section of the Japanese General Staff Headquarters, Kage Sazhen Akira.

In his personal name, Ying Zuo Zhenzhao wrote two ambiguously worded letters, asking Dong Daoning to bring them to He Yingqin and Zhang Qun, his old classmates at the Japanese non-commissioned officer school.

Kagesa Zhenzhao's letter greatly excited Gao Zongwu, and he seemed to catch a glimmer of hope to break the deadlock.

Gao Zongwu flew back to Hankow from Hong Kong with the results of his first attack, handed over the letter from Kage Zuo Zhenzhao to the chamber and presented it directly to Chiang Kai-shek.

Subsequently, Chiang Kai-shek secretly summoned Gao Zongwu.

After Chiang Kai-shek summoned him, Gao Zongwu flew from Hankou to Hong Kong for the second time, and Xi Yixian had already rushed from Shanghai to Hong Kong to wait.

After the two met, Gao Zongwu told Xi Yixian that Chiang Kai-shek had read the letter from Ying Zuo Zhenzhao and expressed the following opinion:

"Sending a letter to the enemy general is tantamount to handing over the life of a samurai to the enemy general, expressing deep respect for his sincerity and courage, Northeast China and Inner Mongolia can be left for negotiation at another day, Hebei and Chahar must be absolutely returned to China, Japan should respect the integrity of China's territorial sovereignty south of the Great Wall, and if the above intention is accepted by you, an armistice will be held first, and then peace negotiations will be conducted on this basis."

General Xi Yixian was skeptical, feeling that the above opinions did not seem to be said by Chiang Kai-shek himself, but more like Gao Zongwu's answer in Chiang Kai-shek's tone with his own self-confidence and courage.

Despite his suspicions, Nishi quickly returned to Tokyo and delivered the message to the Japanese General Staff Headquarters.

At this time, the Japanese army was in its prime, and the Japanese military insisted on forcing the Nationalist Government to surrender by force, and did not give any response to Nishi's message.

Without a clear answer, Gao Zongwu, who was conceited, flew back to Hankou full of frustration and reported that what had happened was slim.

At this time, news came of the reshuffle of the Japanese Konoe cabinet, and Kazunari Ugaki, who advocated not expanding the situation at the time of the Lugou Bridge Incident, became foreign minister.

This made Chiang Kai-shek smell a hint of "peace", and the old Chiang sent a congratulatory telegram to Ugaki Kazuni in the name of Zhang Qun, vice president of the Executive Yuan.

On the one hand, Gao Zongwu was ordered to fly to Hong Kong immediately and once again sent a message to the Japanese side, telling the Japanese side that the Central Army of the Nationalist Government still had one million arms, and even if it was no longer imported, it would still be enough for two years, and even if the Japanese army captured Wuhan, there would be no internal changes.

Chiang Kai-shek's intention was to show strength to Japan and urge Japan to take the initiative to sue for peace in order to gain favor with the Nationalist Government.

However, Chiang Kai-shek never expected that although Gao Zongwu was a diplomat, he was full of the habit of a free intellectual, and he was never a character who was willing to act according to orders and wait for dispatches, and always liked to act according to his own ideas and ingenuity.

When Gao Zongwu went to Hong Kong twice, he was not satisfied with being Chiang Kai-shek's mouthpiece, but took the initiative to seek a way to break the deadlock with the Japanese side.

Since the start of the Sino-Japanese war, Gao Zongwu has always believed that "Mr. Jiang is cold and Mr. Wang is warm", and he has long been obedient to Wang Jingwei in his heart.

Gao Zongwu revealed to Matsumoto Shigeharu and Nishi Yoshiken that there was a "pacifist" force centered on Wang Jingwei in Hankow, and they were growing.

Gao Zongwu also made an appointment with the Japanese personnel to participate in the "peace movement" together, and called Nishi Yoshiken Taro, Dong Daoning Jiro, Nishi Yoshiken's assistant Yoshio Ito Saburo, Takasho Takeshi Shiro, and Matsumoto Shigeharu Goro.

Gao Zongwu returned to Hankou twice, and spent a lot of time conspiring with Wang Jingwei and Zhou Fohai to achieve "peace" while waiting for Chiang Kai-shek's summons.

On the eve of Chiang Kai-shek's dispatch of Gao Zongwu to Hong Kong, the extremely pessimistic Zhou Fohai became anxious and advised Gao Zongwu not to pass on the word through others anymore, and simply went directly to Japan to contact him.

Gao Zongwu flew from Hankou to Hong Kong for the third time, and this time, he completely exceeded Chiang Kai-shek's arrangement and went according to his own ideas.

At the Repulse Bay Hotel in Hong Kong, Gao Zongwu, Yoshiaki Nishi, and Toyoichi Nakamura, consul general of the Japanese Consulate General in Hong Kong, sat down and discussed, putting forward a dangerous idea to break the Sino-Japanese deadlock.

That is, to introduce Wang Jingwei and make it a medium for peace between Chiang Kai-shek and Japan.

Subsequently, Gao Zongwu held talks with Matsumoto Shigeharu, who arrived in Hong Kong, and told him the two points dictated by Chiang Kai-shek.

Gao Zongwu opened his heart to Matsumoto Shigeharu and expressed his full vision in a fanciful tone.

As soon as Japan's troop withdrawal statement was issued, Wang Ching-wei immediately responded by sending a "peaceful" telegram to the whole country.

As soon as Wang Jingwei's telegram was announced, the miscellaneous armies in various localities, such as Long Yun in Yunnan, generals in Guangdong and Sichuan, and Yan Xishan in Shanxi, would respond from all sides, so that Wang Jingwei's "peace movement" would evolve into a nationwide movement.

After listening to Gao Zongwu's high-minded talk, both Nishi Yoshiken and Matsumoto Shigeharu lost no time in encouraging him to go directly to Tokyo and realize the above plan in one fell swoop.

However, the Tokyo side did not immediately agree to let Gao Zongwu go to Tokyo, and for the sake of prudence, the Japanese side sent a special delegation composed of Ken Inukai, Takeo Imai, and Akira Kagesa to Hong Kong to once again examine the truth of what Gao Zongwu said.

After Ken Inukai and his entourage arrived in Hong Kong, they immediately asked Toyoichi Nakamura to give a banquet to Gao Zongwu in the name of the Japanese Consulate in Hong Kong.

The three of them had to inspect Gao Zongwu alone.

However, through contact, a disagreement arose between Takeo Imai and Akira Kagesa.

Inuyoken's inner thoughts were actually to support Takeo Imai's opinion and let Wang Jingwei negotiate peace with the Japanese side on behalf of the Nationalist Government, but Kagesazhen and Toyoichi Nakamura were skeptical of Taka Sotake.

"Since everyone disagrees, let Gao Zongwu go to Tokyo for a while." Inuyangjian picked up the coffee cup and slowly took a few sips of coffee and said.

"Inukai-kun, the difference of opinion is a difference, but I still agree, let Gao Zongwu go to Tokyo first, so that we can further observe the reaction of the national government." Kagesa Zhenzhao actually did not object to Gao Zongwu going to Japan.

Ying Zuo Zhenzhao just thought that the Japanese could not take Wang Jingwei as a negotiation opponent, and that they had to be strong in negotiations, and the best opponent was Lao Jiang himself.

"I also agree, let Gao Zongwu go to Tokyo first." Toyoichi Nakamura said.

"Imai-kun, what do you think?" Inukai Ken looked at Takeo Imai and asked.

"I agree to let Gao Zongwu go to Japan." Takeo Imai replied.

"Alright then, Nakamura-kun will inform Gao Zongwu as soon as possible, and say that we welcome him to Tokyo."

Inukai Ken saw that at this point when Gao Zongwu went to Tokyo, everyone basically agreed on the same opinion, so he made a final decision.