20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 809 Banquet
As dusk settles, the Nantie Hotel comes into view.

The banquet hall was packed with guests, and the soft, soothing music could not drown out the laughter and joy of the guests.

No matter how difficult the times may be, it cannot stop high-ranking officials and nobles from indulging in pleasure.

On the contrary, the closer one gets to the point of impending doom, the stronger the desire to enjoy life becomes.

Everyone was raising their glasses in a hearty drink, especially the wealthy and powerful men of Fengtian.

Besides wealthy merchants, those attending the banquet included government officials, compradors from foreign firms, foreign journalists, employees of the South China Railway Company, and a few officers from independent garrison units.

People came and went, socializing and discussing matters of national importance concerning the safety of the people of Fengtian...

Kawada Shinpei, deputy captain of the Second Battalion of the Nanchang Railway Independent Garrison stationed in Fengtian, with the rank of major in the army, was responsible for guarding the stations around Fengtian, ensuring the safety of freight at the Nanchang Railway warehouse, and also for investigating the movements of the Fengtian Army in Beidaying.

This man was short and stocky, with a neat mustache on his upper lip that he trimmed daily, making it look like a fake mustache that had been glued on.

He was very popular at the banquet.

Because he was in charge of security at the South Railway Warehouse, he was frequently flattered and fawned over by the wealthy and powerful people of Fengtian, and even Miss Huang, who was by his side, seemed to have become a remarkable person.

Many wealthy gentlemen were genuinely afraid of the Japanese, so they resorted to having their wives try to get close to Miss Huang, not for any other reason than to ensure the safety of their property.

As a result, whether the wives liked it or not, they were forced to lower themselves and fawn over Miss Huang.

Miss Huang's vanity was greatly satisfied, and when she spoke, she couldn't help but adopt an affected tone, and she never looked people in the eye.

Actually, it's not uncommon for socialites like her to hook up with Japanese men in Fengtian's world of fame and fortune.

After all, the officers and soldiers of the Kwantung Army were far from their homeland and stationed in Manchuria for many years. They would inevitably experience loneliness and solitude, and thus some romantic escapades and fleeting encounters were unavoidable.

Miss Huang is just one of the best among them, which makes her stand out.

However, although she longed to be Japanese, in the eyes of the Japanese, she was always a foreigner, and could only be a foreigner, a lowly and despicable plaything.

Whenever Kawada Shinpei met with his compatriots, he would subconsciously try to get rid of them, as if he were afraid of being ridiculed by them and wanted to avoid them at all costs.

As luck would have it, a few Japanese officers were standing by the window chatting with wine glasses in hand. When they saw the two of them pass by, they raised their hands and called out, "Kawada-kun, please come over here for a moment!"

Kawada Shinpei nodded, dismissed Miss Huang as usual, and then quickly walked over.

The Japanese officers by the window were not of high rank; only one staff officer from the headquarters was his equal.

As soon as Kawada Shinpei walked over, the group asked in unison:

"Did you hear that?"

"What did you hear?"

Shinpei Kawada was completely bewildered.

During the day, he was always overseeing the guarding of the South Railway warehouse, and only returned to attend the banquet after dark.

The staff officer looked around, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, "The military and the cabinet have reached an agreement. Starting today, we will begin to fully support the Fengtian clique in suppressing the rebellion."

“Oh, I already heard about it last night!” Kawada Shinpei said with a relaxed smile, not at all surprised. “It was expected. Why make it so mysterious? The Fengtian Army has completely disintegrated. Zhang Yuting has no reason to refuse our proposal. If he refuses, we will directly take over Fengtian. This matter is not up to him to decide.”

"Yes, it's obvious! Guo Jun has the support of the Reds. If he were to take charge of Fengtian, the Soviets would definitely infiltrate quickly, and the military would never agree to it!"

"This matter should have been decided long ago. If it weren't for those old fogies in the cabinet being so timid and hesitant, why would it have dragged on until now?"

"That's what they say, but even if the cabinet holds them back, the Kwantung Government is probably prepared to take over by force. Intellectuals are bad for the country. If we wait until they make up their minds, the war will probably be over by then."

"That's not necessarily true. It's always good to drag things out. Ideally, Guo Jun and Feng Jun should both be severely weakened, and then we can step in and make the final decision."

"The transfer order has been drafted," the staff officer said. "The 10th Division stationed around Liaoyang is rapidly assembling and is expected to move to Fengtian in the next two days. The troops stationed on the peninsula are also preparing to come to support us via the Anfeng Railway. Troops from the mainland are also being sent to Kwantung Province. Before the main force arrives, the independent garrison will assist Zhang Yuting in consolidating the defenses of Fengtian."

Kawada Shinpei scoffed, "Guo Maochen is only good at fighting the Fengtian Army. With his meager strength, does the military really need to make such a big fuss?"

"Using this as an excuse!" the staff officer laughed. "The military is just looking for a reason to send reinforcements to Manchuria. Guo's rebellion against Fengtian provides an excellent opportunity!"

"That's true!"

Kawada Shinpei smiled and then raised his glass with everyone in celebration.

When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits—this internal strife within the Fengtian clique was destined from the very beginning for only the Japanese to profit without any loss.

The staff officer took a sip of champagne and then said, "The headquarters has issued an order that during the period of assisting in the city's defense, we should focus on collecting intelligence, finding out the strength and weaknesses of the Fengtian Army, and at the same time be responsible for investigating the armed forces of the civilians. The specific operation should be carried out by the military and the police in cooperation, and we must ensure intelligence sharing."

"Nanjing Railway Investigation Department?"

"It's not just the South Railway Investigation Department, but also the Police Department, the Fengtian Special Service Agency, local militias, and of course our Independent Garrison. Intelligence from all parties must be shared in real time."

Upon hearing this, Kawada Shinpei couldn't help but frown inwardly.

He was well aware that although these organizations and groups were all Japanese compatriots, there was no clear subordinate relationship between them, and they even often had some open and covert struggles.

In other words, it is by no means easy to bring these organizations together and create a harmonious and collaborative environment.

Throughout the entire nation of Japan, the only person with such prestige, besides the Emperor, is the hidden mastermind behind the scenes—Mitsuru Toyama!

This person is the top advisor of the Black Dragon Society and the spiritual totem of most right-wing groups in Japan. His disciples are spread throughout the military, political and business circles. He can be regarded as the glue that holds the Japanese military, cabinet, financial groups and ronin together. Although he does not hold any official position, he can influence the major military and national plans at any time.

Mitsuru Toyama and Ryohei Uchida are the core leaders of the Black Dragon Society.

They are adept at inciting public opinion, putting pressure on the cabinet, and using civilian groups as vanguards to coordinate with the military's actions.

If successful, it would bring prosperity to the empire; if it failed, all blame would be shifted to civilian groups, ensuring the empire would be spared public condemnation both domestically and internationally.

From the First Sino-Japanese War to the Russo-Japanese War, whenever there was turmoil in the three northeastern provinces, the Black Dragon Society and its predecessors were deeply involved, like a lingering shadow.

This time, Guo Jun's rebellion against Fengtian was naturally accompanied by their own clandestine antics.

Kawada Shinpei shrugged and said with a wry smile, "In that case, let's hope we can have a pleasant working relationship with them!"

Unexpectedly, no sooner had he finished speaking than Takeda Shin strode over.

He seemed to have just arrived at the Nantetsu Hotel. As soon as he entered the banquet hall, he went straight to Kawada Shinpei with a hint of displeasure on his face.

"Kawada!"

At a shout, Kawada Shinpei turned around and saw Takeda Shin's angry expression. Somewhat puzzled, he asked, "Old classmate, why are you only arriving now?"

Takeda Shin did not respond immediately, but looked around at the officers around Kawada Shinpei and nodded impatiently.

Seeing his expression, the others wisely turned and left, leaving the two of them alone by the window to talk.

Only after everyone had gone far away did Takeda Shin loosen his tie and ask in a stiff tone, "Kawada, do you still consider me an old classmate?" "What's wrong?" Kawada Shinpei frowned, racking his brains for a moment. "Is it because of that businessman surnamed Chen? His wife made some inappropriate remarks last night, so I had them kicked out. You wouldn't be so upset with me over something so trivial, would you?"

Takeda Shin shook his head, but asked, "I want to ask you, what exactly is going on with the Jiang family?"

"The Jiang family? Are they the gang leaders in Fengtian City?"

"Who else could it be?"

"What's up with him?"

"Kawata, are you playing dumb with me, or do you really not know?"

Kawada Shinpei was getting impatient. He waved his hand and said, "I've been busy supervising the Nantetsu warehouse since last night. How could I have time to deal with those thugs?"

Takeda Shin squinted, his voice unusually low and suspicious: "I heard this morning that the Jiang family suffered heavy losses last night. Several gangs killed many of their people and all ran to the Nantetsu warehouse. You didn't know about this?"

Kawada Shinpei shook his head and said, "I'm only responsible for supervision. As long as the goods in the Nanchong Railway warehouse are safe, other matters are none of my concern. Besides, there are quite a few Chinese loading and unloading workers in the Nanchong Railway warehouse. There are more than a dozen warehouses. I can't possibly supervise each one, can I?"

"Don't try to fob me off with this nonsense!" Takeda Shin suddenly snapped. "I know the situation of the gangs in Fengtian. No one could have caused such a huge loss to the Jiang family unless our people were deeply involved. You asked me to help you circulate a batch of those Type 26 revolvers that were phased out during the autumn exercises this year without the help of the military governor's office. Who did you give those guns to?"

"Takeda, your share of the profits is already quite substantial, why bother asking about these things?"

"Is it Saito Rokuro from the police station?"

Kawada Shinpei didn't speak, turned to look out the window, and drank the rest of the wine in his glass in one gulp, neither admitting nor denying it.

In fact, the Independent Garrison and the Oriental Police Department have quite a history, because the earliest batch of Oriental police officers were actually retired officers of the Independent Garrison. So, although the two agencies performed their respective duties, their personal exchanges never ceased.

Seeing this, Takeda Shin nodded and snorted, "Then it seems to be him!"

"So what if it's him?" Kawada Shinpei retorted. "Takeda, didn't you say that the Jiang family has always been unwilling to serve you, and you've long wanted to find an opportunity to teach them a lesson? Now that the opportunity has come, why aren't you happy?"

"What I need is balance, not imbalance!"

"Hey, I really don't understand you. Why do you value a thug so much?"

"Jiang Lianheng is no ordinary gang leader. He has managed to maintain his position in Fengtian for more than a decade. He must have some extraordinary abilities!"

"so what?"

Kawada Shinpei said dismissively, "We can easily crush his arrogance by simply lifting a finger and supporting anyone. If he's unwilling to cooperate, we can find someone else to cooperate with. He'll regret it eventually!"

“That’s different!” Takeda Shin said. “The gang leader you forcibly support will definitely have a much smaller influence, and may even backfire, making those Chinese people more resistant to our arrangements. The gang leader you forcibly recruit will definitely not have more influence than Jiang Lianheng!”

“Takeda, you think too highly of him.”

"It's not that I value him highly, but the empire wants to stabilize Manchuria and must use Chinese to control Chinese. This is the established strategy. Whether it's merchants, nobles, or high-ranking officials, they are all people we need to win over."

Takeda Nobu's words sounded very dignified.

In fact, he may not have been without selfish motives.

The open and covert struggles between people have no distinction of nationality or ethnicity.

Jiang Lianheng has always been a key figure whom Takeda Shin has been keen to win over, and he has been given a very high priority.

He invested a great deal of patience in Jiang Lianheng because he believed that Jiang Lianheng had enough prestige to influence the business community and public opinion in Fengtian. As long as he successfully took over the Jiang family, he would directly control the largest gang in Fengtian, and he would have a reliable helper in the future, whether it was to gather intelligence or carry out assassinations.

Of course, all of this is on the premise that the Jiang family's strength has not been damaged; otherwise, the Jiang family would have no value to be used.

As he put in more and more effort, Takeda Shin could accept other gangs checking the Jiang family's development, but he could never accept the Jiang family's collapse.

The reason is obvious—whoever provides support benefits!

If Takeda Nobunaga successfully wins over Jiang Lianheng, then the intelligence information obtained by the Jiang family will definitely be reported to him in a timely manner.

Similarly, if Qin Huaimeng were to become the head of the Japanese police force after receiving support from the Japanese police department, he would naturally report the intelligence he obtains to Saito Rokuro and Kawada Shinpei in a timely manner, rather than Takeda Shin.

As a result, based solely on rumors circulating in Fengtian City, the intelligence capabilities of the South Railway Investigation Department will gradually fall behind those of the Japanese Police Department.

This will directly affect Takeda Shin's personal interests and may even cause the Black Dragon Society's higher-ups to doubt his business capabilities.

Although the three of them, and the three organizations they belonged to, shared the same objective—to help the empire monopolize Manchuria and Mongolia and conquer China—this did not prevent the various intelligence agencies from vying for fame and profit.

Out of personal motives, Takeda Shin did not want to see the Jiang family fall, at least not until he found a more suitable candidate.

Kawada Shinpei, on the other hand, didn't care.

He came from a military background and didn't take those secret societies seriously at all.

In his view, when the imperial army marched into the Far East, the inferior Chinese had only two fates—the obedient could live, and the traitors would die.

After all, if the Manchus could do it, the Yamato people could certainly do it too.

Takeda Shin knew him inside and out and was too lazy to argue with him. He just said regretfully, "Last night was the perfect opportunity for me to win over Jiang Lianheng, but now it has been ruined by you bunch of idiots!"

Kawada Shinpei pursed his lips and said, "Takeda, you're still so arrogant, always thinking others are inferior to you. But your approach isn't necessarily right, and others' approaches aren't necessarily wrong. As for which approach is better, I think you shouldn't rush to conclusions!"

"Think what you will, but recently, the higher-ups have been requiring us to share intelligence with all parties."

"Of course!"

"So, stop causing me trouble, especially that Saito Rokuro!" Takeda Shin's face was extremely gloomy. "Don't doubt my abilities. When I was doing intelligence work, you weren't even in the Far East yet! Don't forget, I can report directly to the old man!"

Shinpei Kawada was stunned.

He knew the resources and influence that "old man" had in both the military and political circles. Not to mention a detective captain like Saito Rokuro, even an army major like himself was an insignificant nobody in front of the core members of the Black Dragon Society. Therefore, he dared not offend him rashly.

Although the two were classmates and close friends, at this point, Kawada Shinpei could only nod slightly and say, "Okay, I understand!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion broke out in the banquet hall.

Following the sound, Takeda Shin looked down and saw Jiang Lianheng leading Zhuang Shuning down the stairs, dressed in formal attire for the banquet, smiling and greeting other gentry near the entrance.

The situation is different from the past. News of the Jiang family's kiln being vandalized by robbers has spread quickly, but the extent of the losses is still uncertain.

Therefore, the way people looked at him was slightly different. Rather than worry, it was more like suspicion—doubt that after last night's riot, the Jiang family was still the same Jiang family.

However, Jiang Lianheng appeared quite relaxed, even somewhat nonchalant, as if the Jiang family had only lost two silver dollars the previous night, a loss of the smallest amount, not worth mentioning at all.

Seeing his reaction, everyone was inexplicably relieved.

As Jiang Lianheng made pleasantries and compliments, he walked into the banquet hall. Suddenly, he caught sight of Takeda Shin out of the corner of his eye, and quickly went over to him, his smile becoming even more friendly...

(End of this chapter)