The uninvited guest turned out to be Prime Minister Fumima Konoe.

Konoe Bunma was able to enter the palace tea room directly without being announced, obviously the matter was very urgent, otherwise with Konoe Bunma's cultivation, he felt that he would not be so disrespectful.

Sure enough, when Konoe Funma saw the Empress of Heaven and bowed slightly, he said directly: "Your Majesty: The Shina Axe has announced to the outside world that they have captured the commander of the Twelfth Army, Otaka Kamezo, and will hold a public trial at the appropriate time to investigate his responsibility for the war, and will invite envoys and reporters from various countries to observe at that time. ”

Emperor Hirohito knew from the moment Fumima Konoe entered the door that nothing good happened. These ministers, when there are good and happy events, they have to report at the imperial meeting or on occasions with a large number of people, and it is definitely not a good thing to run alone in a panic like this to report it. However, his mind was spinning, and he couldn't have imagined that Prime Minister Konoe Fumima came to report such news.

When Emperor Hirohito had tea with Shouichi or two Terauchi, he drank two taels of sake, and there was still a hint of flushing on his face. At this moment, the flush instantly swelled, the whole face became red and lost, and the eyes seemed to be bloodshot.

Seeing that her husband's face was wrong, Empress Liangzi hurriedly said, "Please cherish your body!" ”

After all, Emperor Hirohito has received a strict education, and since he was a child, he has paid great attention to maintaining imperial etiquette and the mystery of the emperor, and as soon as Empress Ryoko reminded him, he immediately woke up to the fact that the emperor of this empire, the descendant of Amaterasu, and the god who is different from mortals, is impossible to lose his temper, which will make these guys see that the emperor is also an ordinary man.

Emperor Hirohito stabilized his mind for a moment, and the burning sensation on his face gradually disappeared, and then he asked, "When did this happen?" Do the Chief of the General Staff and the Land Minister know? ”

Konoe Fumima originally thought that His Majesty the Emperor must be a thunderous masterpiece, but he didn't expect that His Majesty the Emperor didn't get angry, but just asked these two sentences lightly, and secretly thought in his heart, His Majesty the Emperor is worthy of His Majesty the Emperor, and it is not easy for him to maintain an elegant demeanor and a good mood for such a major and embarrassing matter.

When Konoe was young, he was influenced by his father's Asianist ideas. When he was in college, he also studied Marxism after learning Marxist economics. Later, he became acquainted with the "last patriarch" of Saionji Gongwang, and was influenced by his Anglo-Americanism. Therefore, Konoe Fumima's thinking is very complicated, but no matter how complicated it is, it is unswerving to vigorously promote the war of aggression against China.

The main reason why Konoe Fumima was able to become prime minister was that he welcomed his views that "he pushed away the pacifism of the Anglo-American standard," that "Japan, which is small in size and overpopulated, is expanding outward, and that it is in line with the trend of nature," and that the people of Konoe should "live for themselves in a dignified manner and demand a place of development." In fact, it was his idea of foreign aggression and expansion that catered to the needs of the military and the people. Because of this premise, when the Saionji Gongwang recommended him as the prime minister, everything was logical. However, Saionji Konozomi did not expect that he would also look away, and Konoe Fumima did not inherit his idea of opposing the emperor's personal government. On the contrary, actively acting according to the will of the emperor, the two of them can be regarded as urinating in the same pot.

After Fumima Konoe became prime minister, he did five major things. One is to launch a "general mobilization of the national spirit" campaign to instill in the people fascist ideas such as "serving the country with loyalty" and "conquering the world." Second, in the economy, a planning institute was set up to promote the militarization of the national economy, and laws and regulations such as the "Law on the Control of Important Industries" and the "Law on the Mobilization of the Munitions Industry" were enacted to ensure that the entire national economy served the war. The third is to form a base camp to guide the war, including the prime minister, and guide the entire war of aggression against China. Fourth, the "National General Mobilization Law," a wartime law, was formulated and promulgated, and the book was thoroughly tied to the chariot of the war of aggression against China. Fifth, it issued its first statement on China, declaring that "the empire will not use the national political axe as an opponent in the future," so as to recruit the pro-Japanese faction in the Kuomintang political axe on the one hand, and on the other hand, urge the country to make every effort to strengthen its armaments, reform the domestic system, and conquer China by force as soon as possible.

Seeing that Emperor Hirohito asked two words tepidly, Konoe Fumima hurriedly handed over the transcript of the statement of the National Political Axe and asked His Majesty the Emperor to preview it.

Although Emperor Hirohito pretended to be calm, he actually had the intention of killing people in his heart. Come to think of it, a few days ago, Otaka Kamezo also accepted his summons and vowed to him to completely eliminate Shandong's Tsuhachi Road and restore public order in Shandong. Now it's good, the ass of the tail turtle hides the position of the commander of the 12th Army has not yet warmed up, and he has become a prisoner of the Chinese, which makes the Great Empire lose face in front of the world powers!

Emperor Hirohito took a very light view of the life and death of Otaka Kamizo himself, and what he never forgot was the face of the Great Empire. Therefore, one of the things he often says is that the key is not what we do, but what the world powers think of what we do.

After reading the transcript of the telegram, Emperor Hirohito's face had already turned from flushed to pale, and he asked lightly: "Do the chief of the general staff and the prime minister know about this?" ”

Konoe Funma hurriedly reported: "The Chief of the General Staff and the Minister of Land are waiting outside the Matsuno Pavilion for His Majesty's urgent summons. ”

Emperor Hirohito glanced at Empress Yoshiko, thought for a moment, and said, "Then summon me at Matsuno Pavilion." ”

After saying that, Emperor Hirohito got up and left, and when he was about to reach the door, he turned to Terauchi Shouichi and said: "Earl Terauchi participated in the summons, I almost forgot, your commander of the North China Front is not exempt, this is all your business, how can you not let you participate?" ”

From the moment he heard Prime Minister Konoe Fumima say that Odaka Kamizo was captured, Terauchi knew that he was going to be unlucky again, and he kept cursing the damn Otaka Kamizo in his heart. This time, when he heard His Majesty the Emperor call him to participate in the summons, and his tone was not good, he had to follow Konoe Funma out of the tea room in a gloomy manner.

After arriving at Matsunokaku, Emperor Hirohito summoned the Chief of the General Staff, Prince Zaihito Miyaji, and the Minister of the Land, Sugimoto.

Prince Zaihito of Kanin Palace, worthy of being the chief of the General Staff, brought all the telegrams from Lieutenant General Naosaburo Okabe, chief of staff of the North China Front, and Major General Kobayashi Asaburo, chief of staff of the 12th Army, and prepared to present them to His Majesty the Emperor.

Terauchi Shouichi had already figured it out at this time, after all, he was still the commander of the North China Front, although he didn't want to go back to North China again, and he didn't want to face Liu Yimin, the killing god, but now that this kind of emergency happened, he couldn't hide if he wanted to. There is no way, who made him so unlucky? If I knew this, it would have been better to delay it in Germany for a few more days, or not to come to Jin this morning, pretend to be sick at home for a few days, and avoid the limelight. It's too late to say anything now, so you have to pick up your spirits and deal with the things in front of you, but don't be careless, provoke His Majesty the Emperor in anger, and bring unwarranted disasters to yourself and your family. Therefore, as soon as Emperor Hirohito finished reading the telegram, Terauchi Shouichi asked for permission to read it.

This is not a tea room, Empress Ryoko is not there, and Emperor Hirohito's mentality is not as stable as just now, and the anger in his heart is surging up in waves. Hearing that Terauchi Shouichi wanted to read the telegram, Emperor Hirohito directly threw the telegram in his face, and the words in his tone were filled with endless mockery and resentment: "Earl Terauchi, Terauchi General, look, look, look at how capable your North China Front is, and the commanders of the army have all been captured." Hum! ”

Terauchi Shouichi didn't care about looking at the emperor's face, nor did he care about tasting the hatred in the emperor's words, so he picked up the telegram and read it carefully one by one without saying a word.

It may be that seeing Terauchi Shouichi's good attitude, or perhaps he thought of Terauchi Shouichi's recent visit to Europe, and the establishment of the Twelfth Army and the appointment of Otaka Kamezo as the commander of the army, he was really not to blame for this matter, so Emperor Hirohito stopped paying attention to Terauchi Shouichi, who was concentrating on reading the telegram, and began to ask Konoe Fumima, Prince Kanin Miyazahito, and Sugisugi Moto, how to deal with the capture of Otaka Kamezo.

Konoe Fumima's attitude is very resolute, he must be rescued and returned to Otaka Kamizo, a dignified imperial lieutenant general and army commander, how can he accept the trial of the Chinese political axe? That would be too great a blow to the people's hearts and minds of the people and the army of the empire, and the empire would lose face in the international community, and in the future, all countries in the world might think that the army was a second- or third-rate army, and there was nothing to be afraid of. It may also cause a chain reaction that will fuel the ambitions of the Soviets and threaten the security of Manchuria.

Konoe Fumima is a Bunchen and Prime Minister, and he thinks about political influence. Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Palace and Shanshan Yuan considered to determine the true intentions of the Eighth Route Army and ensure the safety of Jiaoji Road. Therefore, after listening to Konoe Fumima's words, Prince Zaihito of the Kanin Palace played: "Your Majesty, Your Excellency the Prime Minister's opinion is very correct, Odaka Kamizo must be rescued." However, the most urgent task at the moment was to immediately determine the operational direction of the 108th Division and the 33rd Division, whether to concentrate in Weixian or withdraw to Jinan or Qingdao. The stakes are big, and it involves the question of whether Jiaoji Road is lost. The ministers did not dare to be self-indulgent, and implored His Majesty to make a holy judgment. ”

Lu Xiangshan Shanyuan is the first person to shout out the destruction of China in three months, and he is also a representative of the theory of quick victory. This old devil, who usually looks ignorant, is actually a guy with a very resolute will to invade China. Not to mention the destruction of China in three months, it has already become a laughing stock. Now seeing that the victory of the Wuhan Raiders is imminent, Liu Yimin stabbed him in Shandong, how can he not be annoyed and ashamed?

Shanshanyuan knelt down on his legs and reported to the office: "Your Majesty, at present, the army is conducting the Wuhan Raid and the Guangzhou Raid, and the two battlefields are progressing smoothly. Under normal circumstances, Wuhan would fall into the hands of the army within two days. It will also take a few days to take Guangzhou. Now that Liu Yimin is launching an offensive in Shandong, he has seized the opportunity that the army's elite divisions cannot withdraw from the front lines in Wuhan and Guangzhou, and has hit the weakest part of the central Shandong region. In particular, Liu Yimin's capture of Odaka Kamizo was bound to stimulate the will of Chiang Kai-shek's troops on the Wuhan front and the Guangzhou front to resist, and it might affect the course of the two strategic battles. Considering the ministers, Liu Yimin's ministry has always been a problem for the henchmen of the Great Empire, and it must be completely cut off. But now is not the time, the capture of Wuhan and Guangzhou is more important than the elimination of Liu Yimin. Therefore, it should be taken on the defensive in Shandong. The problem now is that the commander of the North China Front, General Terauchi Shouichi, is not in the army, the commander of the Second Army, Ogaka Kamizo, has fallen into the hands of the enemy, and the Shandong garrison has lost its unified command, so it is easy for Liu Yimin to break through each of them. General Terauchi Shouichi should be immediately assigned to return to Beiping quickly, and at the same time the commander of the 12th Army should be appointed to command the troops in North China. ”

Emperor Hirohito asked coldly: "When the Wuhan Raiders were launched, didn't the army report that Liu Yimin's troops had gone to Wuhan?" Why did Otaka Kamizo have an accident, and you judged that Liu Yimin's troops launched an offensive in Shandong? Doesn't the loss of several county towns on Jiaoji Road mean that Liu Yimin's army has returned to Shandong, and there must not be many army garrisons in those counties, could it be that Liu Yimin's remnants left in Shandong did it? I remember that you deployed strong troops on the front line of Xuzhou and built a blockade line. Could it be that the army's blockade line is all paper paste? ”

Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Palace replied stubbornly: "Your Majesty, Liu Yimin's army is essentially a rogue army, similar to bandits, accustomed to deception. ”

Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Hirohito slapped the table and rebuked: "Unconscious! Are there still few warriors of the imperial army who died under Liu Yimin? Do you dare to say that Liu Yimin's troops are bandits, and that bandits can defeat the well-equipped and well-trained army divisions? With an idea like yours, commanding an army in battle will inevitably underestimate the enemy, and how can it be justified in being invincible? ”

Prince Zairen's gray beard trembled, and the beads of sweat on his forehead were dense, but what he wanted to say had to be said. As soon as the emperor's reprimand was over, Prince Zaihito of the Idle Yuan Palace continued: "Although there is no time when Liu Yimin's troops sneaked back to Shandong, the offensive launched by the Eighth Route Army in Shandong shows that they mobilized many troops and launched offensives in several areas at the same time. That's not all, the capture of the tail high turtle and the sneak attack on Xuzhou Airport are all the usual methods of Liu Yimin's department. In the entire Chinese army, only Liu Yimin's department can do this, he has trained aviation troops, and only he will fly the planes back from the airport. Other Chinese troops have secretly attacked the airfield, usually blowing up the plane. Your Majesty, please be aware of it. ”

Emperor Hirohito said "hmm" at this time, and said slowly: "In this way, the position is that Liu Yimin has returned to Shandong. What did he want to do? Do you want to capture Qingdao again or do you want to attack the 1st 08th Division? What do you think? ”

Shanshan Yuan played: "The ministers and others think that the handling of Lieutenant General Naosaburo Gangbe, chief of staff of the North China Front Army, is more appropriate. The top priority at the moment is to quickly order the 108th Division and the 33rd Division to move closer and build a strong defense line to resist the attack of Liu Yimin's troops. As long as the two divisions can hold out until the end of the Wuhan war, they can transfer elite divisions to return to help and encircle and annihilate Liu Yiming's cooking force. As for Qingdao, it has been looted by Liu Yimin, and although construction has begun again, it is basically still a burden of poverty. If necessary, send the navy to transfer the Qingdao garrison and overseas Chinese to Tianjin. Without the defenders, if Liu Yimin dares to occupy Qingdao, we can mobilize a large number of fighters to blow Qingdao into ruins and bury Liu Yimin in Qingdao. ”

When Shanshan Yuan said this, there was a trace of hatred between his teeth, and Emperor Hirohito couldn't help but shudder.

Hearing that Sugimoto's deployment was similar, and there was no better way to do it himself, Emperor Hirohito asked, "What about the Takaka Kamezo?" Shall he be judged by the people of China? ”

Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Gong played: "Your Majesty, the key now is to consider how to repel the attack of Liu Yimin's troops and ensure the safety of the 108th Division and the 33rd Division. Of course, Ozaka Kamezo has to be rescued, but it can be carefully planned and considered in the long run. We can even use the power of agents to find the future detention place of Otaka Kamizo and try to rescue him. If it really can't be done, I will inform him and let him commit suicide and martyrdom. Anyway, he can't let the plot of the political axe of China try him successfully. ”

Konoe Bunma listened to it, and finally understood, feeling that the chief of the general staff and Lu Xiang were afraid of the Eighth Route Army, and they didn't want to save Ozaka Kamezo. In this case, the military does not have to come forward, and can only be pushed by the political axe. This humiliating thing was originally done by the arrogant army, but how can it be done if the political axe has to face the people's questions and foreign ridicule?

Konoe Funma hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty, the minister cannot agree with the opinions of His Royal Highness the Prince and Lord Lu Xiang. The 108th Division and the 33rd Division should be mobilized to pursue Liu Yimin's troops who attacked Odaka Kamizo and rescue Otaka Kamizo. Otherwise, the Cabinet cannot be held accountable for the matter, and the Army is asked to explain it to the people of various countries and at home. ”

Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Gong rolled his eyes: "Prime Minister, the army is about to take Wuhan and Guangzhou, can't the exploits of capturing Wuhan and Guangzhou offset the capture of a Tail Turtle Zang?" The Eighth Route Army can capture one of our lieutenant generals, and we can kill and capture their division commanders and commanders in the future, and bring back the trial! ”

Shanshan Yuan was even more straightforward and said directly: "Prime Minister, now it is Liu Yimin's department of the Eighth Route Army that is launching an offensive, and it is very likely that the rescue of Odaka Kamizo will fall into Liu Yimin's trap." At that time, if the 108th Division or the 33rd Division had another problem, the result would be even more terrible. The Army was preparing to issue a statement announcing that Lieutenant General Otaka Kamezo had died of illness and that the commander of the 12th Army had sent someone else to take over. As for the Odaka Kamizo captured by the Eighth Route Army, it must be a lie made up by the Eighth Route Army, and a stand-in was found to pretend to be Lieutenant General Ogaka Kamezo. ”

Konoe Fumima felt a pang of sadness in his heart when he heard this. When did the Minister of War, who had always shouted for the conquest of China by force, become so afraid of the Eighth Route Army? It seems that not only the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army must be re-evaluated, but also how many real results can be achieved in the Wuhan and Guangzhou strategic battles. The Wuhan Raiders have been fought for so long and spent a huge amount of military spending, and until now, I have not heard the army report on the capture of a division commander of Chiang Kai-shek. The original idea was to settle China through the Wuhan Raiders, but now it seems that this idea may be difficult to realize.

Fumima Konoe made up his mind to seize the time to report to His Majesty the Emperor separately and revise his war policy against China. Report to the Emperor by the way, and kick this arrogant guy out of the War Department. He also figured out this kind of strategy of covering his ears and stealing the bell, and he really didn't know how to write the word shame.

Where can Shanshan Yuan know Konoe Funma's thoughts, and persuade the prime minister by himself!

Seeing that the ministers had finished speaking, Emperor Hirohito said: "The army must hurry up the implementation of the Wuhan Raid and the Guangzhou Raid, as long as Wuhan and Guangzhou are taken, Chiang Kai-shek should surrender." As for Shandong, it can take a defensive position. The Chief of the General Staff is responsible for the specific operational deployment. The commander of the North China Front must immediately return to his post and be responsible for directing the war in North China. The commander of the 12th Army could be replaced by Tani Shofu. ”

After speaking, his eyes swept away, and he saw that Terauchi Shouichi was still concentrating on reading the telegram, so he said: "Earl Terauchi, did you hear what I said?" ”

Terauchi Shouichi had actually read the telegram several times, and he had a plan in his heart. Hearing the emperor's question, he hurriedly knelt down and reported: "Your Majesty, the minister has heard." However, the minister pondered that the war in Shandong had reached the point of extreme danger, and the matter might not be as simple as the judgment of His Royal Highness the Prince and Lord Lu Xiang. ”

Not to mention others, Emperor Hirohito himself is a little strange, could it be that something bigger and more terrible will happen?

Emperor Hirohito's face was cloudy, and he stared at the big-headed, five-short figure Terauchi Shouchi for a long time before he said, "Aiqing, talk about your opinion." ”

Terauchi Shouichi is an invincible invader in North China, but in the palace of the base camp of this invader, he will never dare to make a mistake. Hearing that Emperor Hirohito asked him to speak, he frowned and said: "Otaka Kamizo and Kobayashi Asaburo don't know much about Liu Yimin's department of the Eighth Route Army, and they don't study enough, so they will have their current mistakes." After receiving the telegram, he immediately ordered the 10th 8th Division and the 33rd Division to move closer, intending to form a heavy group to resist the attack of the Eighth Route Army. But they were all wrong, at least without serious analysis and judgment. I estimate that at this moment, the 108th Division may no longer exist, at least the division commander Lieutenant General Xia Yuan Xiong Mi has also fallen into the hands of Liu Yimin. Let the 33rd Division move closer to the 108th Division, that is, send sheep into the tiger's mouth. ”

Terauchi Shouichi's words were undoubtedly a thunderclap, and the bombed Matsuno Pavilion shook.

Emperor Hirohito's face became more and more gloomy, probably because he gritted his teeth too hard, and a trace of blood oozed from the corners of his mouth. provoked several ministers to hurriedly kowtow on the ground, and they didn't forget to talk to His Majesty to calm his anger.

Emperor Hirohito stretched out his fingers to wipe the blood from the corners of his mouth, and said coldly, "Has this really come to this?" Aiqing continued, I'm fine. ”

Terauchi Shouichi continued: "Your Majesty, the minister judged that when the main force of the army went south to pursue Liu Yiming's cooking force, Liu Yimin repeated his old tricks, and the golden cicada broke out of his shell, and led the army heavy army group to the Yangtze River with a force to disguise the main force, but the large army quietly returned to Shandong. At that time, it coincided with the loss of Lianyungang, the main force of the 116th Division was annihilated, and the Xuzhou defense line was not completed, which allowed him to exploit the loophole. Liu Yimin himself was good and courageous, and only after completing the luring of the army to pursue southward did he lead a small force back to Shandong. In the middle of this, the former commander of the Second Army, Lieutenant General Dongjuer Gong Tsuyanwang was attacked in Shuanggou Town, which should have been done by Liu Yimin's small elite troops. During this time, the army and navy concentrated on launching the Wuhan Raid Battle, no one paid attention to his Eighth Route Army instructor, and Liu Yimin was good at camouflage and concealment, so he should have been hiding in the southeast of Shandong and the Taiyi Mountains. This is also the reason why the Eighth Route Army Air Force did not know where to go after the sneak attack on the Longxiang aircraft carrier formation, and they must have gone to Shandong to join Liu Yimin. You must know that the anti-aircraft firepower of Liu Yimin's unit is the most powerful in the Chinese army. At that time, the Eighth Route Army Air Force ran out of ammunition after completing the sneak attack, and they were the most weak, and if they returned to Wuhan or Shaanxi, they would inevitably be discovered by the air force dispatched by the Central China Army and the North China Front Army, and then they would be annihilated. Only the gods fled to the southeast of Shandong unknowingly, the distance was short, and they could also be protected by Liu Yimin's department. Therefore, there was a combat operation in which Liu Yimin's troops attacked Xuzhou Airport, and I analyzed that this was Liu Yimin looking for aviation ammunition and fighters for the Eighth Route Army Air Force. Because the fighters of the Eighth Route Army have all been wiped out in the last battle in which we concentrated on the Shaanxi airfield of the Eighth Route Army, it is likely that they dug hangars in the mountains and retained some of the bombers. I've just figured this out. ”

Emperor Hirohito was already in a calm mood, and when he heard Terauchi Shouichi say that King Tsugahiko of the Higashijuer Palace died at the hands of Liu Yimin and the Eighth Route Army Air Force that attacked the Longxiang fled to Shandong, he couldn't help but reach out and slap it on the table again.

Terauchi Shouichi said that he didn't look at the emperor's face, and then said: "Now, the Wuhan Raid has reached the last moment, and the Combined Fleet and the Fourth Fleet have gone south to support the 21st Army to launch the Wuhan Raid, and all the elites of the imperial army and navy have left Shandong, and it is impossible to return to Shandong. Liu Yimin took a fancy to this point before he made a move. ”

This point, Prince Zaihito and Sugi Sugi Moto of the Kanin Palace just said that Emperor Hirohito didn't want to be verbose, and waved his hand to let Terauchi Shou pick the most important thing to say.

Shouichi Terauchi glanced at Emperor Hirohito, and when he saw that he was listening intently to himself, he knew that he would not be held accountable again, on the contrary, His Majesty's trust in him had taken another step forward. Only then did he add a little dry lips with his tongue, and continued: "Your Majesty, the matter is clear, Liu Yimin attacked Xuzhou Airport, caught many birds, and used the flock of birds to hit the imperial army fighters. In this way, the imperial army airfield in Shandong is useless, and it will not pose a threat to him, and he will not fight much? I judge that this time, he is trying his best to capture the whole of Shandong in one fell swoop, use Shandong as his base, and continue to confront the imperial army, and the plot is very big. ”

Shanshan Yuan was anxious to listen to Terauchi Shouichi talk about the 108th Division, and couldn't help but remind him that he should hurry up and talk about the battle in Luzhong, the situation on the front line is changing rapidly, and the 12th Army is still waiting for the instructions of the base camp!

Sugimoto's interruption was very rude, and before Terauchi Shou could react, Emperor Hirohito reprimanded him.

Only then did Shouichi Terauchi say about the war in Luzhong: "Your Majesty, Liu Yimin's department has a particularly elite small army, and what it is best at is camouflage and sneak attacks. From the beginning of Liu Yimin's establishment of the army, this small army was his pioneer. From Hunan to Guizhou, Sichuan, and Shaanxi, including the capture of Taiyuan, Tianjin, and Qingdao during the battle with the Great Liberation Army, this small army opened the way. There is a detail here, that is, Odaka Kamezo's decision to go to Weixian to command the operation, but it was decided at night to set off early the next morning, and very few people know this information, only a very small number of people in the headquarters of the 12th Army and the headquarters of the 108th Division know it, and the information will never be leaked. The Weixian airfield was actually out of service, and it was absolutely impossible for the Eighth Route Army to think that the commander of the 12th Army would arrive at the Twenty-Lipu airfield by special plane and wait there for a sneak attack. Moreover, the Twenty Lipu Airport is next to the headquarters of the 10th 5th Wing in Fangzi, and if it is a sneak attack by a large force of the Eighth Route Army, it will definitely not be able to escape the eyes of the 10th 5th Wing. If a small force sneaks up, there is no need to mobilize the 108th Division and the 33rd Division to pursue it. It is obvious that Liu Yimin's department attacked Fangzi, and then attacked the county seat of Weixian, and found a telegram that Ogaka Kamizo was about to arrive at Twenty Lipu Airport at the headquarters of Xiong Mi in Xiayuan, so he waited to capture Ogaka Kamizo alive at Twenty Lipu Airport. What's even more odious is that Liu Yimin must have commanded the mobilization of troops under the disguise of Lieutenant General Yuan Xiong Mi. Therefore, don't say that it is impossible for Otaka Kamizo to be rescued, and even the 108th Division is probably wiped out now. ”

Although this is said to be a first-class economic third-rate politics, these aggressors are not stupid, and they all understand what Terauchi Shouichi said.

Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Gong immediately said: "Your Majesty, the minister is going to take his leave, and he is going to send a report to the 33rd Division, ordering them to immediately stop advancing and put Weixian on combat alert. ”

Emperor Hirohito waved his hand: "Don't be impatient, don't go back to the General Staff, just send a report in the palace." Let the earl of the temple finish speaking, and everyone will listen to it, and then talk about it. Earl Terauchi, you are the commander of the North China Front, and this order is issued by you. I'm waiting here, you go and get back quickly. ”

Shouichi Terauchi immediately got up and followed a palace guard to the confidential room.

It took more than an hour to go, and when Terauchi Shouichi returned, Emperor Hirohito, Prime Minister Konoe, Prince Zaihito of Kanin Palace, and Sugi Sugimoto were still sitting there.

Seeing Terauchi Shouichi's solemn face, Emperor Hirohito asked, "Count Terauchi, just now it was just your analysis and judgment, how can you determine that your analysis is correct?" ”

Shouichi Terauchi said: "Your Majesty, it has been confirmed that I have been waiting in the confidential room for a long time, so I used a special password to send a report to the brigade commander, wing commander, and group commander of the 108th Division, asking them to reply immediately. As a result, only one brigade commander of the 25th Brigade who remained in Zhoucun called back, and the others did not reply. It means that they have all been broken or captured. I've ordered Kinoshita to send more planes to reconnoitre, and there will be a telegram soon. ”

At this moment, several aggressors were dumbfounded, one by one, like frosted eggplants, drooping their faces and not saying a word.

After a while, Emperor Hirohito came back to his senses and asked, "How did you deploy it?" ”

Terauchi Shouichi kowtowed his head and reported: "Your Majesty, the minister has ordered the 35th Division stationed in Tai'an to leave a brigade to garrison Tai'an, and the main force will immediately march to Jinan to ensure the safety of Jinan." The 13th Brigade of Reading Mixed Brigade, which was stationed in Dongping, was ordered to withdraw from the Taixi area and return to Tai'an. The Qingdao garrison was ordered to urgently gather its troops and issue weapons to the expatriates in Qingdao to assist in the defense of Qingdao. The 33rd Division was ordered to immediately withdraw to Pingdu County, build fortifications according to the county seat, and make preparations for a long-term hold. ”

When Prince Zairen heard this, he became anxious: "Earl of the temple, didn't you make the 33rd Division a lone army by arranging it like this?" Wouldn't that make the Great Empire lose another division? ”

Terauchi Shouichi hurriedly explained: "Your Royal Highness, there is no way to do this. Now that the 33rd Division has fallen into the encirclement of the Eighth Route Army, to the west is the muzzle of the Eighth Route Army, and it is impossible to withdraw to Qingdao to the east. To the north is Laizhou Bay, and if the Combined Fleet and the Fourth Fleet are there, there is still a glimmer of life to cover them and meet them. Now that the fleet is not there, don't say that they can't run to the beach, even if they do, there are no warships to pick them up, and they can only become ghosts under artillery fire. Not to mention to the south, it was the mountainous base of the Eighth Route Army, and there was only one dead end. Moreover, the 33rd Division is a garrison division, and its combat effectiveness cannot be compared with that of a permanent division, and it has already experienced being defeated by the Eighth Route Army. If they were ordered to retreat, it would give the Eighth Route Army a chance to annihilate them in the movement. Only by ordering them to stick to the spot and rely on the county seat and fortifications could they hold out for a little longer, inflict heavy casualties on the Eighth Route Army, and at the same time gain time for the defense of Jinan and Qingdao. ”

Konoe Fumima has opened his eyes today, and he has truly seen the talents of these field marshals and generals. Listening to what Shouichi Terauchi said, he seemed to know everything well, and couldn't help but sneer: "Your Excellency, General, since you have analyzed the situation so thoroughly and have a countermeasure, why don't you think of a way to help the 33rd Division break through?" That's a man with a whopping 20,000 people! If the war continues like this, let alone occupy China, I am afraid that in the future, it will be difficult for the women of this empire to find a husband. ”

Although Konoe Bunma's tone was not good, what he said was very heavy, and several old devils were out of breath.

Terauchi Shou was stunned for a long time before he opened his mouth and said, "Your Excellency Prime Minister, I am reporting according to the truth. Of course, if the 33rd Division could hold out for a week, they would have a way to live, otherwise, no one would be able to save them. Don't let Tai'an's 35th Division, Jinan Garrison, and Qingdao Garrison go to the rescue, that will only make more strong men die. ”

Konoe Fumima saw that there was a sense of confrontation in Terauchi Shouichi's tone, and he didn't care whether he was rude in front of the emperor, so he raised his head and laughed. After laughing, he said: "The Shina incident was provoked by your army, and the expansion of the situation was also planned by your temple Shouyi. Do you calculate how much war money your North China Front has spent, how many divisions and brigades it has lost, and how many soldiers have been killed in battle? Up to now, not only have you not been able to stabilize the public order in Shandong, but you have also watched the 33rd Division go to death. I ask Your Majesty to hold the Army accountable for its ineffective command and defeat in battle. Otherwise, it will not be possible to account to the population. ”

Whether it is Prince Zaihito of the Idle Courtyard Palace, Sugi Sugimoto, or Shouichi Terauchi, what he is most afraid of is to be held accountable. Otherwise, with the annihilation of the 21st, 8th and 10th Divisions, these guys should apologize one by one.

Shouichi Terauchi didn't want to offend Konoe Fumima, in fact, he couldn't afford to offend either. However, he is definitely not afraid of Konoe Fumima. The Konoe family is a famous nobleman, and the Terauchi family is not far behind. Moreover, there is the entire army standing behind him, where would he be afraid of Konoe Bunma! Now, Konoe Fumima took aim at Terauchi Shouichi, and of course Terauchi Shouichi couldn't sit still, and he immediately retorted: "The Shina Incident is the established national policy of the Daisho Hondai Empire, and it is also the consistent proposition of the Prime Minister. The Army only acted on the orders of His Majesty and the Cabinet. The 21st Division's jade shattering was a tragedy, but it was caused by Lieutenant General Washaki Matsudaira disobeying military orders and acting without authorization, and the responsibility should also be held accountable by Lieutenant General Nishio Toshizo, not me. The jade shattering of the 8th Division is also a tragedy, but it happened under the command of Lieutenant General Tsukihiko of the Higashijur Palace, so should His Excellency the Prime Minister still hold the deceased heroic spirit of the Tashijur Palace Tsukihiko responsible? The jade shattering of the 10th Division is still a tragedy, it also happened under the command of King Tsukihiko of the Dongjuer Palace, you go to him to investigate the responsibility. Besides, the sacrifice of the army was not without reward, Manchuria was included in the pocket of the Great Empire, and the same was true of North China and Central China. Why did the Prime Minister see only the soldiers who had died, but not the grain, cotton, coal, and all kinds of supplies that had been brought back to the empire from Manchuria, from North China, and from Central China? If Your Excellency the Prime Minister is not satisfied with the performance of the North China Front, I may request Your Majesty to remove me from my post as Commander of the North China Front. I am willing to return to China to recuperate. ”

When Konoe Bunma heard this, Shouichi Terauchi is here again, and he is going to pick a son again, this guy doesn't want to apologize for losing the battle, and he still wants to resign and return to China, how can he think so beautifully?

Konoe Funma then said: "It's not impossible for Your Excellency Terauchi to resign, and it's not impossible for the Empire to send the commander of the North China Front. However, resignation is resignation, and accountability is accountability. You can't just lose the battle and walk away! ”

When Shouichi Terauchi arrived at this time, he felt that he had torn off his dough, and his spirit came up: "Prime Minister, the reason why the North China Front has lost consecutive battles is related to the poor support of the political axe. Our tanks were so thinly armored that they were easily destroyed by the artillery fire of the Chinese army. The number of our aircraft is too small to meet the needs of covering infantry operations. When it comes to accountability, I think the first thing to do is to hold the Army accountable for its poor equipment, and the Cabinet should be held accountable for this. ”

Konoe Fumima also began: "Okay, good, good, you said it very well. Aren't you quitting? I also resigned. Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty's approval for the resignation of the Cabinet and the re-election of the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. I can't afford that. ”

This quarrel was too loud, it was a bit like a street gangster and a brawl, and Emperor Hirohito's head was too big to hear. Seeing that Prince Zaihito of the Kanin Palace and Sugi Sugimoto were also going to join the battlefield, if they continued to quarrel, it was likely that it would cause Konoe Fumima to really shake up and the cabinet to disintegrate, so Emperor Hirohito coughed and stopped the quarrel between Konoe Fumima and Terauchi Shouichi.

"In the middle of the war, the prime minister and the army general quarreled endlessly in front of the emperor, what kind of system did it be? Well, the fighting in Wuhan and Guangzhou must end as soon as possible. It is necessary to find a way to rescue the 33rd Division and ensure the safety of Jinan and Qingdao. The specific operational arrangements were to be studied by the Chief of Staff, the Land Minister, and the Commander of the North China Front, and I did not want to hear the news of another division being shattered. When necessary, fighters and troops of the Kwantung Army can be dispatched to provide emergency entry support. The Prime Minister stays, and I have something to consult with you. ”

This emergency summons came to an end in a hurry.

Looking at the backs of Prince Zaihito, Sugi Sugimoto, and Terauchi Toshiichi of the Kanin Palace, Emperor Hirohito felt that it was time to change generals.

(To be continued)