In the imperial capital, Prime Minister Xue Xiyue, as usual, got up at half past six in the morning, had breakfast, and after reviewing some official documents that had been backlogged last night, he went out at half past eight in the morning to attend the discussion of several important bills in the parliament. The Prime Minister is also the leader of the majority party in Parliament, so he cannot be absent from important events in Parliament.

The Imperial Parliament, located next to the Imperial Monument to the south of the Imperial Palace, is a huge courtyard-style building. Prime Minister Chang Siu-ting built this house after reshuffling the parliament. In addition to all the supporting facilities, the biggest landmark of the House is the huge Council Chamber in the middle. The chamber is semi-circular in shape, indicating that the members in all directions have an equal position, and in the middle is the rostrum, which is mainly used by those who preside over the activities of the council, and in front of the rostrum is a podium where any member in need can come and give a speech. The entire chamber can accommodate more than 500 members of parliament at the same time to discuss national affairs, and if necessary, the seats can be expanded, but it will be a little more crowded.

Normally, Xue Xiyue would follow a fixed route to the House of Representatives, but in times of war, the Prime Minister's travel route to the House of Representatives will be changed, and the Marine Corps Colonel in charge of the Prime Minister's security will temporarily determine a route and tell the driver and other security staff ten minutes before the trip. In addition, Prime Minister Xue Xiyue's car was replaced by an armored car, and there were several escort vehicles for Marine Corps officers and men. The security work is very thorough. If it is said that the assassination of the head of state of a country in peacetime can only lead to war. Then in times of war, the assassination of the head of a country will lead to a temporary chaos in the country. Therefore, ensuring the safety of the first place became the primary duty of the Imperial Marine Guards Battalion, and all their work was to protect the Prime Minister.

As soon as he walked to the door, Xue Xiyue suddenly remembered that there was an important document forgotten in the office, he stopped, and then turned around to go back to get the document. However, the secretary who came out with him stopped the prime minister. Obviously, the secretary wanted the prime minister to go to the House first. He took the document and sent it to the Prime Minister.

Just as Xue Xiyue nodded in agreement, suddenly the car parked next to the trail exploded. Xue Xiyue was only more than ten steps away from the car, and the huge explosion shock wave immediately threw the prime minister and everyone around him. Before the explosion had dissipated, the marines stationed at the Prime Minister's Office immediately took action, and at the same time, the news of the Prime Minister's assassination spread quickly.

When Nie Renfeng of the Zhoushan Naval Headquarters received the news. It's been two hours since it happened. Nie Renfeng couldn't believe it at first, but immediately realized how serious the matter was when the imperial head met the assassination. If Xue Xiyue falls, then the empire will be in crisis for the time being. However, Nie Renfeng didn't know what the situation was at that time.

Fifteen minutes later, Admiral Gan Yongxing received another telegram with details of the Prime Minister's assassination. Of course, this is top-secret information. None of this will be announced until the prime minister's situation is confirmed, and until the need for a new prime minister is determined. However, secrecy is only a matter of a few days, and the incident at the site of the big explosion in the Prime Minister's Office cannot be concealed, and if the Prime Minister is too seriously injured. And if you can't take care of the country's affairs personally, then the news will spread quickly.

"The bomb weighed at least twenty pounds, and it should have been made of yellow explosives." Gan Yongxing gave the multi-page report to Nie Renfeng, "The relevant departments are already investigating, and the preliminary suspicion is that there are spies in the Prime Minister's Office." The Marines inspect the prime minister's vehicles every day, and there are three vehicles in total, which are changed from time to time, and only a few people know which car the prime minister will be riding in that day. Also, it is not easy to bring explosives into the Prime Minister's Office. However, it cannot be ruled out that the bomb was planted by outsiders. The car that exploded. Three days ago, it underwent a repair and left the Prime Minister's Office. ”

That is to say. Still unable to confirm the cause of the attack on the Prime Minister? ”

Gan Yongxing nodded. "The investigation won't take much time, though. Several suspects have been initially identified, with the Prime Minister's secretary being the most suspicious, when the Prime Minister was about to return to his study to get a document, but the secretary stopped him, and if the Prime Minister was able to leave, the explosion would not have hurt him. ”

"What happened to the Prime Minister?" Nie Renfeng frowned, he was most concerned about Xue Xiyue's situation.

"Already in first aid, the prime minister was hit by more than a dozen fragments, and the injuries were very serious. However, the news has now been blocked, and the Minister of the Interior, Jong Han Chin, has temporarily replaced the post of Prime Minister. As for the specific situation of Prime Minister Xue Xiyue, we will probably not know until tomorrow, and now we can only pray that the prime minister will be safe and sound. ”

Nie Renfeng nodded, and stopped talking.

According to the Imperial Constitution, if the Imperial Prime Minister dies unexpectedly in times of war, or if he is unable to conduct government affairs for other reasons, the Imperial Minister of the Interior (Interior Minister) will replace the Prime Minister. Before Prime Minister Zhang Shaoting, there was also the post of deputy prime minister, but it was later removed, and the interior minister became a veritable deputy prime minister, and later the interior minister was changed to the interior minister, and in fact, its status did not change much.

It was an accident that the empire had a Minister of the Interior, who had little power in peacetime (the prime minister's main job was to be in charge of internal affairs) and who had the position of replacing the prime minister in wartime. There is no shortage of assassinations in the history of the empire, and if there is no one who can immediately stand up and continue to perform the duties of the prime minister, then the prime minister will be in chaos as long as there is an accident. Maybe in peacetime it is not a big problem, and another prime minister can be elected through parliament, but in wartime, it is a big problem, and an empire in chaos will not be able to win the war.

The problem lies with the Home Secretary. Zong Hanqin is not a soldier, he is a pure politician, a politician who has risen from the grassroots. He came from a humble background and had no background. Such people. Can you lead the empire to victory? Perhaps, at that time, it was not only Nie Renfeng who had such doubts, but I am afraid that all the emperors and people had such doubts. What the empire needs is a strong leader, not a politician who plays the political card!

Two days later, Zong Hanqin was officially appointed acting prime minister of the imperial cabinet. This is also a very surprising thing. If Xue Xiyue can continue to be in power, then Zong Hanqin should still be the Minister of the Interior, on the contrary. Then Zong Hanqin should be the prime minister. This "acting prime minister" has never appeared in the history of the empire.

The situation in Xue Xiyue has also been made public, and the bomb did not kill the prime minister. It was only the Prime Minister who was seriously injured, and this serious injury prevented the Prime Minister from continuing to fulfill his obligations. Perhaps, the Prime Minister will get better one day, and maybe the Prime Minister will never get better in the future. This is also why there is an "acting prime minister". Zong Hanqin did not intend to take advantage of this opportunity to come to power, he only accepted the position of "acting prime minister", indicating that after Xue Xiyue recovered, he would still return the power of the empire to Xue Xiyue.

The assassination of the prime minister has been almost investigated. Secretary to the Prime Minister. Several others were interrogated. Subsequently, the results of the interrogation were announced, and it was the prime minister's secretary who communicated with Japanese spies and planted a bomb in the prime minister's car. This result was announced by Zong Hanqin, and as for whether it is the true situation, no one can say clearly.

As soon as the news of the assassination of the Imperial Prime Minister was made public, there was an immediate commotion in the Empire, but it was very fast. Riotous acts of sabotage were suppressed. Then the propaganda apparatus of the empire was mobilized, and all the spearheads were directed at Japan. Through the overwhelming publicity, Japan has become a demonic country. The anger of the emperor ** people exploded, and the hatred of the emperor ** people also burned.

It was also at this time that Xue Xiyue met on the third day of the assassination. Acting Prime Minister Jonghan Khin announced the "Imperial Emergency Mobilization Act", the empire entered a state of emergency, and curfews began in all major cities. The bill promulgated a series of internal security policies of the Empire, requiring local governments and local garrisons to comprehensively strengthen the investigation of enemy spies and saboteurs, and calling on all military and civilians of the Empire to take action to vent hatred and anger on the enemy.

It was also at this time that Tan Renhao learned that Xue Xiyue had been assassinated. At that time, he was discussing with Lei Shaoqing and others what method could be used to drag the Japanese Combined Fleet over the western Pacific and prevent it from going south. When the communications staff sent the news of the assassination of the prime minister. Everyone wondered if they had misheard. Ten minutes later. Another staff officer sent a telegram from the command of the Navy. Now, Tan Renhao no longer doubts the assassination of the prime minister. And they also know that they have to do something for the prime minister lying on the hospital bed and for the angry emperor.

"It seems that the principal is also very angry." After reading the telegram, Lei Shaoqing said, "The Japanese are really short-circuited in their brains, do they mean that the assassination of Prime Minister Xue Xiyue will end the war?" ”

Tan Renhao nodded. "Perhaps, there were still people who doubted whether the empire could hold out to the end, and some people still doubted whether this war should or should not be fought. Now, no one will doubt these two issues anymore. In the past few years when Prime Minister Xue Xiyue has been in power, the empire's economy has begun to improve, and the lives of the people of the empire have also improved a lot. Prime Minister Xue Xiyue is very loved, and the assassination of the prime minister by the Japanese actually inspired the will of the emperor and the people to war in disguise. ”

"So, should we do that?"

Tan Renhao glanced at the telegram, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.

"It's just crazy, to use a fleet to achieve a political goal?" Lei Shaoqing almost jumped up.

"What's not to do?" Tan Renhao glanced at Lei Shaoqing, "If this political goal can finally inspire the military and civilians of the whole empire to fight bravely, then even if the loss of ten fleets is worth it." Now the question is that we have to get the job done, and the fleet has to return safely. ”

Lei Shaoqing smiled bitterly and shook his head, he felt that the order given by the Navy Command was crazy, and Tan Renhao's idea was even crazier. The more he thought about it, the more Lei Shaoqing felt that this was simply taking a risk with tens of thousands of naval officers.

The next day, Liao Hanxiang came to Ryukyu Island. As soon as he got off the plane, he went straight to the headquarters of Task Force 1. Today, the 1st Task Force Headquarters is temporarily located in the port of Naha, where the former Fifth Fleet Headquarters was located. Most of the time, Tan Renhao stayed on the flagship.

"Marshal Nie Renfeng has approved this plan, or rather, Acting Prime Minister Zong Hanqin has also approved this plan." Liao Hanxiang didn't talk nonsense, "The question now is, how do we complete this operation, and what is the situation on your side?" ”

"The vast majority of officers and men, at least the staff officers of the fleet, thought it was a crazy operation." Tan Renhao didn't talk nonsense, "However, I have thought about it comprehensively, if the 'Osprey' is used to carry out the bombing mission, there is still a possibility, and the final trouble is the problem of the fleet retreating." If the Japanese Combined Fleet were to go north at this time, we would face an extremely severe test. ”

"The Japanese Combined Fleet has returned to the Truk base, and even if it goes north now, it will take several days." Liao Hanxiang's pace was fast, "We are also fully monitoring the whereabouts of the Japanese Combined Fleet. As long as we can launch an attack before the return of the Japanese Combined Fleet, we will have a better chance of success. ”

"Then we have to hurry up with all the time."

Liao Hanxiang stopped, his gaze stayed on Tan Renhao for a few seconds, and then said, "Then, let's start doing it now, mobilize all the personnel of the fleet, and let everyone take action." ”

Tan Renhao nodded, and on the same day, he arranged the specific tasks.

The busiest are not the officers and men of the fleet, but the service personnel of the aviation forces. That evening, a group of engineers and technicians of naval aviation also arrived in Naha, and they soon joined the operation of modifying the Osprey bomber. Then, one squadron of Osprey bombers from the aircraft carrier was transferred to Kadena Airport, where the site was more spacious and more suitable for conversion work.

Three days later, a telegram arrived at the port of Naha, and Liao Hanxiang asked Tan Renhao to lead the fleet to set off. This telegram was about the whereabouts of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and Tan Renhao did not hesitate, and in the evening of the same day, he left the port with the First Task Force, which had already been ready to set off, and sailed into the dark sea. War does not allow them to wait, and the enemy will not give them time to wait.