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 road 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, and Odaka Kamizo must be rescued. However, the most urgent task at the moment is to immediately determine the operational direction of the 1st and 33rd Divisions, whether to concentrate in Weixian or withdraw to Jinan. 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 Nanchang Raiders is imminent, Jiang Qiang stabbed him in Shandong, how can he not be annoyed and ashamed?

Shanshanyuan knelt down on his legs and reported to work: Your Majesty, at present, the army is conducting a strategic battle in Nanchang, and the two battlefields are progressing smoothly. Under normal circumstances, Nanchang would fall into the hands of the Great Japanese Army within two days. It will also take a few days to take Guangzhou. Now Jiang Qiang is launching an offensive in Shandong, which is to seize the opportunity that the army's elite divisions cannot withdraw from the Nanchang and Guangzhou fronts, and hit the weakest part of the central Lu region. In particular, the Jiaodong Group Army Department captured Otaka Kamizo.

It will inevitably stimulate the will of the Nanjing government troops on the Nanchang front and the Guangzhou front to resist, and may affect the course of the two strategic battles. The ministers considered that Jiang Qiangbu was always a problem for the henchmen of the Great Japanese Empire, and it must be completely cut off. But now is not the time, the capture of Nanchang and Guangzhou is more important than the elimination of Jiang Qiang. 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 to the enemy, and the Shandong garrison has lost its unified command, so it is easy for the Jiaodong Group Army 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 Raid was launched, didn't the army report that Jiang Qiang's troops had been in Jiaodong? Why did Otaka Kamizo have an accident, and you judged that Jiang Qiang's troops launched an offensive in Shandong? Doesn't the loss of several county towns on Jiaoji Road mean that Jiang Qiang's army is fighting the whole of Shandong, and there must not be many army garrisons in those counties, could it be that Jiang Qiang'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, Jiang Qiangbu is essentially a rogue army, similar to bandits, and is used to deception.

Before he finished speaking, Emperor Hirohito slapped the table and reprimanded: Are there still few imperial warriors who died under Jiang Qiang? Do you dare to say that Jiang Qiang's troops are bandits, and that bandits can defeat the well-equipped and well-trained Japanese 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 Jiang Qiang's troops are not yet ready to attack the whole of Shandong, the offensive launched by the Jiaodong Group Army in Shandong shows that they have mobilized many troops to launch an offensive in several areas at the same time. That's not all, capturing the tail high turtle hide, this is Jiang Qiang's usual method. In the entire Chinese army, only Jiang Qiangbu can do this, he has trained aviation troops, and only he will fly the planes at the airport back. Other Chinese troops have secretly attacked the airfield, usually blowing up the plane. Your Majesty, please be aware of it.

Emperor Hirohito sighed and said slowly: So. What did he want to do? Do you want to capture Jinan again or do you want to attack the 1st Division? What do you think?

Shanshan Motoko: The ministers and others believed that the handling of Lieutenant General Naosaburo Gangbe, chief of staff of the North China Front, was more appropriate. The most urgent task at the moment is to quickly order the 1st and 33rd Divisions to move closer and build a strong defensive line to resist the attack of Jiang Qiang's troops. As long as the two divisions can hold out until the end of the Nanchang battle, they can transfer elite divisions to return to help and encircle and annihilate Jiangqiang's main force. If necessary, send the navy to transfer the Qingdao garrison and overseas Chinese to Tianjin. Without the defenders, if Jiang Qiang dares to occupy Qingdao, we can mobilize a large number of fighters to blow Qingdao into ruins and bury Jiang Qiang's army 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 Sugi Sugimoto's deployment was similar, and there was no better way to do it himself, Emperor Hirohito asked: What about 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 Jiang Qiang's troops and ensure the safety of the 1st and 33rd Divisions. 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, the plot of the government of China to try him out of place could not be allowed to succeed.

Konoe Wenma listened to it, and finally understood it, feeling that the chief of the general staff and Lu Xiang were afraid of Jiang Qiang, and they didn't want to save Tail Turtle Hide. In this case, the military does not have to come forward, and the government can only take the lead. This humiliating thing was originally done by the arrogant army, but how can it be done if the government has to face the people's questions and foreign ridicule?

Konoe Fumima hurriedly reported: Your Majesty, the minister cannot agree with the opinions of His Royal Highness the Prince and Lord Lu Xiang. The 1st and 33rd Divisions should be mobilized to pursue Jiang Qiang'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 Nanchang and Guangzhou, can't the exploits of capturing Nanchang and Guangzhou offset the capture of a tail-high Kamizo? The Jiaodong Army can capture one of our lieutenant generals, and we can kill and capture their division commanders and commanders in the future, and bring them back to Japan for trial

Shanshan Yuan was even more straightforward, and said directly: Prime Minister, now it is the Jiaodong Group Army Headquarters that is launching an offensive, and it is very likely that the rescue of Odaka Kamizo will fall into Jiang Qiang's trap. At that time, if the 1st and 33rd Divisions had problems again, 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 Otaka Kamizo captured by the Route Army, it must be a lie made up by the Route Army, and a stand-in was found to pretend to be Lieutenant General Otaka 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 Jiaodong Army? It seems that not only the combat effectiveness of the road army must be re-evaluated, but also how many real results can be achieved in the Nanchang and Guangzhou strategic battles. The Wuhan Raiders have been fought for so long and spent huge sums of military spending, and until now, I have not heard any report from the army that a division commander of the Nanjing government has been captured. 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 Moto know Konoe Fumima's thoughts, and change himself to convince the prime minister to see that several ministers have finished speaking, and then Emperor Hirohito said: The army should pay close attention to the implementation of the Nanchang Raid and the Guangzhou Raid, as long as Nanchang and Guangzhou are taken, the chairman 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 Shou was still concentrating on reading the telegram, so he said: Earl Terauchi, did you hear what I said? Terauchi Shou had actually read the telegram several times, and he had a plan in his heart. Listening to 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 Terauchi Shou, who had a big head and a short figure, for a long time, before he said: Aiqing, talk about your opinion.

Terauchi Shou is an incomparable invader in North China, but in the palace of the invader's base camp, 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 Jiang Qiang's Jiaodong Group Army, and they don't study it enough, so they will have their current mistakes. After receiving the telegram, he immediately ordered the 1st and 33rd Divisions to move closer, intending to form a heavy group to resist the attack of the road army. But they were all wrong, at least without serious analysis and judgment. I estimate that at this moment, the first division may no longer exist, at least the division commander, Lieutenant General Xia Yuan Xiongmi, has also fallen into the hands of Jiang Qiang. Let the 33rd Division move closer to the 1st Division, that is, send sheep into the tiger's mouth.

Terauchi Shou's words were undoubtedly a thunderclap, and the bombed Matsuno Pavilion was shaking. 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 it really come to this point? Aiqing continued, I'm fine. Terauchi Shou continued: Your Majesty, the minister judged that when the main force of the army went south to pursue Jiang Qiang's main force, Jiang Qiang repeated his old tricks, and the golden cicada broke out of his shell, and led the army heavy army group to the Yellow River with a force to camouflage the main force, but the large army quietly returned to the vicinity of Jinan. At that time, let him take advantage of the loophole. Jiang Qiang himself is good and bold. In the middle of this, the former commander of the Second Army, Lieutenant General Dongjuergong Tsukihiko Wang, was attacked, and it should have been Jiang Qiang's small special forces unit that did it. During this time, the army and navy concentrated on launching the Wuhan Raid Battle, no one paid attention to his Jiaodong Group Army, and Jiang Qiang was good at camouflage and concealment. You must know that the anti-aircraft firepower of Jiang Qiang's department is the most powerful in the Chinese army. At that time, the Jiaodong Group Army Air Force ran out of ammunition after completing the sneak attack, and it was the most weak.

Terauchi Shoumasa said that he did not look at the emperor's face when he was in Xingtou, and then said: Now, the Nanchang 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 Nanchang Raid Battle, and all the elites of the imperial army and navy have left Shandong, and it is impossible to return to Shandong. Jiang Qiang took a fancy to this point before making a move.

This point, Prince Zaihito and Sugi Sugimoto of the Kanin Palace just said that Emperor Hirohito didn't want to be verbose, and waved his hand to let the temple Shou choose to say it urgently.

Terauchi Shou glanced at Emperor Hirohito, and saw that he was listening intently to what he had to say, knowing that he would not be held accountable any longer, on the contrary, His Majesty the Emperor's trust in him had taken another step. Only then did he add a little dry lips with his tongue, and continued: Your Majesty, the matter is clear, he wants to capture the entire 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 Shou talk about the affairs of the First Division, and couldn't help but remind him that he should hurry up and talk about the war 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.

Terauchi Shouichi then said about the war in Luzhong: Your Majesty, Jiang Qiang's department has a particularly elite small army, and what he is best at is camouflage and sneak attacks. From the beginning of Jiang Qiang's establishment of troops, this small army was his pioneer. From the capture of Taiyuan and the seizure of military factory equipment during the battle with the Japanese Army, the attack on Fengtai and the Haiguang Temple in Tianjin, this small army opened the way. There is a detail here, that is, Odaka Kamizo's decision to go to Weixian to command the operation was only decided at night and set off early the next morning, and very few people knew this information, and it was only known to a very small number of people in the headquarters of the 12th Army and the headquarters of the 1st Division, and the information could never be leaked. The Weixian airfield was actually out of service, and it was absolutely impossible for the Jiaodong 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 15th Wing in Fangzi, and if it is a sneak attack by a large force of the Road Army, it will definitely not escape the eyes of the 15th Wing. If a small force sneaks up, there is no need to mobilize the 1st and 33rd Divisions to pursue it. It is obvious that Jiang Qiang's troops attacked Fangzi, and then attacked the county seat of Weixian, and found a telegram that Otaka Kamizo was about to arrive at Twenty Lipu Airport at the headquarters of Xia Yuan Xiong Mi, so he waited to capture Otaka Kamizo alive at Twenty Lipu Airport. What's even more odious is that Jiang Qiang must have commanded the mobilization of troops under the disguise of Lieutenant General Yuan Xiongmi. Therefore, don't say that it is impossible for Otaka Kamizo to be rescued, and even the first division is probably wiped out now.

Although Japan is a first-class economic third-rate politics, these aggressors are not stupid, Terauchi Shou said, and they all understand.

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 their advance 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.

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

Terauchi Shou: Your Majesty, I have 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 1st 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?

Terauchi Shou kowtowed his head and reported to work: 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 Imperial Army stationed in Dongping was ordered to form a mixed 13th Brigade to withdraw from the Taixi area and return to Tai'an. The Texas garrison was ordered to urgently gather troops and issue weapons to the expatriates in Texas to assist in the defense of Texas. The 33rd Division was ordered to immediately withdraw from Dongping County, build fortifications according to the county seat, and make preparations for long-term holding.

Prince Zairen of Xianyuan Palace became anxious when he heard this: Earl of the temple, didn't you make this arrangement turn the 33rd Division into a lone army? Wouldn't that make the Great Japanese Empire lose another division?

Terauchi Shou hurriedly explained: Your Royal Highness, this is a matter of no choice. Now that the 33rd Division has fallen into the encirclement of the Jiaodong Army, to the west is the muzzle of the Road Army, and it is impossible to withdraw to Texas to the east. 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 had the experience of being defeated by the road 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 a little longer, inflict heavy casualties on the Eighth Route Army, and at the same time gain time for the defense of Jinan and the defense of Texas.

Konoe Fumima has opened his eyes today, and he has truly seen the talents of these field marshals and generals. Listening to what Terauchi Shou 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 way to deal with it, why don't you think of a way to help the 33rd Division break through? That's almost 20,000 strong men in Japan, and if the war continues like this, let alone occupy China, I'm afraid that in the future, it will be difficult for the women of the Great Japanese 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.

The temple lasted 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 Texas Garrison go to the rescue, that will only make more Japanese elite men die.

Konoe Funma saw that there was a sense of confrontation in Terauchi Shou's tone, and he didn't care if 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 Terauchi Shou. 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 20th Division, the 107th Division, and the 5th Division, these guys should also 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 you be afraid of Konoe Fumima Now, Konoe Fumima pointed the finger at Terauchi Shouichi, of course Terauchi Shouichi can't sit still, he immediately retorted: The Shina incident is the established national policy of the Japanese 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 jade shattering of the 20th Division is a tragedy, but it was caused by Lieutenant General Kazuki Kiyoji disobeying military orders and acting without authorization, and the responsibility should also be held accountable by Lieutenant General Nishio Shouzo, not me. The shattering of the jade of the Fifth Division is also a tragedy, but it happened under the command of Lieutenant General Kazuki Kiyoji, should His Excellency the Prime Minister still hold the deceased heroic spirit of Kazuki Kiyoji responsible? The jade shattering of the 107th Division is quite a tragedy, it also happened under the command of King Xiangyue Qingji, 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 Japanese Empire, and the same was true of North and Central China. Why did the Prime Minister see only the soldiers who had died, but not the grain, cotton, coal, and other materials that had been brought back to the Japanese 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 it, Terauchi Shou is here again, and he is going to pick a son again, this guy doesn't want to apologize for his disembowelment after losing the battle, and he still wants to resign and return to China, how can he think so beautifully?

Konoe Fumima then said: It is not impossible for His Excellency Terauchi to resign, and it is not impossible for the Japanese 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 Terauchi Shou arrived at this time, he felt that he had torn off his face, 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 government. 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 Bunma 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 Kanin Miyazaihito and Sugi Sugigen were also going to join the battlefield, if they continued to quarrel, it was likely that Konoe Fumima would really lose his hands and the cabinet would disintegrate, so Emperor Hirohito coughed and stopped the quarrel between Konoe Fumima and Terauchi Totobuki.

During the war, the prime minister and the army general quarreled endlessly in front of the emperor, what kind of system did it become? Well, the fighting in Nanchang and Guangzhou should end as soon as possible. It is necessary to find a way to rescue the 33rd Division and ensure the safety of Jinan and Dezhou. 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 Shou of the Kanin Palace, Emperor Hirohito felt that it was time to change generals.