Age of Rebirth

Amidst the unstoppable artillery fire, Prince Zairen fled back to Tokyo in a hurry with the personnel of the Home Defense Area Command Headquarters, gasping for breath. He asked the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Yamaguchi, to redeploy and retreat to the defense area of ​​the Tokyo urban area, and arrange for a temporary commander The position of the Ministry, to support the overall situation, I took a car, took a few guards, and rushed to the palace like flying, to meet my emperor's brother and discuss countermeasures.

Low-key, very low-key convoy, driving on the streets of Tokyo, you can see soldiers marching in a panic everywhere, and Tokyo citizens rushing like the sky is falling, the whole city is filled with fear, chaos, and despair In an atmosphere of helplessness, the independent division of China invaded the mainland of the empire, after several bloody battles, and now it is overwhelming with soldiers, destroying the backbone of the empire. Seeing this, a burst of despair rose in Prince Zairen's heart.

In Yuren's palace, there was also an atmosphere of panic. As soon as Prince Zairen's car arrived, he smelled this atmosphere, which made him very annoying. The lieutenant general rushed up to greet you, and said: "His Royal Highness, His Majesty the Emperor is waiting for you in the bedroom, please follow me!"

Prince Zairen remained silent, walking closely behind the chief guard of Asakawa, but he knew very well in his heart that his elder brother, the emperor, now had grass growing in the shoe shell, and his feet were desolate. In an instant, a sense of sacred mission rose in his heart.

In the empty bedroom, Yuren pushed everyone away, like ants on a hot pot, restless, seeing Zairen coming in, his eyes lit up.Then it dimmed, and coughed violently.

I have been busy on the front line.For about a few months, I didn't see myself, the emperor's elder brother who lives in the palace.The change was so great that even Prince Zairen was shocked. He lost a lot of weight, and his small body, which was already thin, became even more frail. His face, which was already rarely pale, was covered with a thick layer of redness. Sallow, dull eyesight, after coughing.There was a morbid flush.

"Brother Huang, your body...?" Prince Zairen asked with concern, feeling sad in his heart.

"It doesn't matter!" Yu Ren interrupted Zai Ren's words, and said: "It's just a small problem, Zai Ren, I know you came back to see me, I just want to ask you a word, you have to answer truthfully, how long can Tokyo hold on? In the end Can you hold it?

"Emperor brother. According to my younger brother's judgment, Tokyo can hold on for at least one and a half years!" Prince Zairen replied with a sigh, but he knew very well that most of the elements were comforting his elder brother the emperor.How many days Tokyo can hold on depends on Tang Qiuli, the China devil outside the city, to be sure.Once the Chinese Independent Division attacked the city, Tokyo held on for six months.Already the limit.

"What about after one and a half years?" Hirohito asked, staring at Zairen with his long and narrow eyes.The eyes are complex, which contains disbelief, more hope and a little bit of confusion.

"This..." Zai Ren was at a loss for words, and he didn't know how to answer. He was also at a loss, even desperate, about the future and destiny of the Great Japanese Empire. It's just a wave of courage, but he doesn't know if courage without capital can change the fate of the empire.

"I understand!" Hirohito said painfully: "Zairen, before you return to Tokyo, I have already talked with several important members of the base camp, Minister of the Army Kouichi Minai, Minister of the Navy Nagano Shuzan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kagesa Akiaki, etc. People have discussed that when necessary, the empire can seek peace from that China devil, Tang Qiuli, so as to maintain the last bit of blood of the empire, I want to hear your opinion?"

Probably because he spoke too quickly, there was another violent cough, and Hirohito's face flushed.

"Seek peace?" Prince Zairen's thoughts were blank for a moment, and then a heart-piercing pain hit his heart. At this time, if he really wants peace, the Great Japanese Empire will pay a heavy price. The people in China said However, "Alliance under the city!" It was a summation under pressure at gunpoint.

As if in a lifetime, or more than [-] years ago, the Great Japanese Empire signed the "Treaty of Shimonoseki" with the Qing government at that time, which laid the foundation for the rise of the empire. It was a typical "coalition under the castle." More than forty years later, it was the turn of the empire to sue for peace under the guns of the Chinese people. Feng Shui took turns. What the Chinese people said was true!

Zai Ren's heart was so gloomy that there was no light at all. He was too aware of the price to be paid for the "coalition under the city", but he still asked in a hoarse voice: "Brother Emperor, what price is the empire going to pay to get away with the Chinese devil Tang Qiuli?" Sue for peace?"

"Ceded Hokkaido, Kyushu Island and Shikoku Island, the Hawaiian Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and all the overseas islands of the empire to the Chinese as long-standing colonies!" Hirohito said with the same painful cheek twitching: "The empire only retains Honshu Island One place, as a place to recuperate, at the same time, cancel the imperial army, keep only a certain number of policemen, and compensate military expenses equivalent to 300 million taels of gold!"

"Brother!" Prince Zairen shouted angrily, "The price paid by the empire is too great. Once the peace is made on this condition, the empire will never recover, and the subjects of the empire will be reduced to the rule of the Chinese people for generations! "

"Zairen, besides this, is there any other way for the empire to avoid the fate of subjugation?" Hiroren's tone was much calmer, probably numb from the pain, and said: "Keep a corner of Honshu Island, use To recuperate, endure humiliation, and continue to preserve the blood of the empire, there will be a chance to make a comeback, which is better than destroying the country!"

"Brother Huang, since you and the ministers in the base camp have already made a decision, I can only support you, Brother Huang!" Prince Zairen knew that the elder brother was telling the truth, so he said resolutely and earnestly: " Has the person to be sent to negotiate peace with the devil of China, Tang Qiuli, been determined? My brother is willing to go, and I will bear all the shame and infamy, and I will definitely not shame the name of the emperor's brother! From now on, the empire will still need the emperor's brother Gather people's hearts!"

"Zairen..." Yuren cried out in pain, choked with tears, stepped forward to hold Zairen's hand with tears in his eyes, unable to speak, at this moment, he truly felt the warmth of his blood relatives, for This wise and scheming younger brother, he has always taken precautions against him, and even plays with the emperor's tricks, but at the most critical moment, he is still a real brother!None of those important ministers dared to stand up and take on the heavy responsibility.

"Okay! Okay!" Yuren wiped away his tears and said yes in relief, saying: "I will trouble you and serve as the chief representative of the peace negotiation. However, a strong middleman is needed to guarantee that after the peace negotiation, all the terms All can be implemented, but I can't believe that China devil Tang Qiuli!"

"After discussing with the ministers, I believe that the only way to ensure safety is to invite Hitler, the head of state of Germany, to be the intermediary, to supervise the implementation of the terms of the peace agreement, and to curb the greedy heart of that China devil Tang Qiuli!"

"In my own name, I have sent a telegram to Hitler, asking him to help the empire at a critical moment. It is estimated that in about a week, the Germans will have an attitude. What I am most worried about now is that the Chinese devil can't wait. Launch an attack on Tokyo, once Tokyo falls, it will be too late!"

The general idea was confirmed, and Zai Ren's mind became more flexible. He thought for a while and said, "Please rest assured, brother, I will let Tang Qiuli, the devil of China, know through some channels that the empire is preparing to negotiate peace with him, and that the empire will start a war." The conditions that come out will stop his attempt to attack Tokyo in the short term!"

"Furthermore, according to my younger brother's observations, after capturing Yokohama, Kofu, and Urawa, the Chinese Independent Division troops did not take advantage of the situation to attack Tokyo, but instead stationed their troops in the suburbs of Tokyo. Tang Qiuli probably had this idea too, right? After all, once the Imperial Army in Tokyo Soldiers and citizens resisted desperately with determination, even if Tokyo was captured, the price he would pay would be extremely heavy!"

"Okay!" After listening to Zai Ren's analysis, Hiroren seemed to be greatly relieved, with a long-lost smile on his pale face, he patted Zai Ren on the shoulder, and said expectantly: "Zai Ren, negotiate peace." I will entrust you with the full power of my affairs!"

Yokohama, a place very close to Tokyo, among the ruins, one of the few remaining intact buildings became the frontline headquarters of the independent division. The ruined city that has not been dissipated.

Tang Qiuli was smoking a cigarette, standing on the balcony on the highest floor, looking at the hazy Tokyo in the distance at dusk, a dozen special guards were scattered in different landings, and under their feet, on the streets full of broken bricks and tiles, groups of The Japanese were gathered together, then caught up with the trucks, and under the escort of heavily armed soldiers, they headed for the northwestern part of Honshu Island. The long queue-like convoy rolled up bursts of smoke and dust.

After encircling Tokyo, Tang Qiuli did not allow a single Japanese to stay around Tokyo. Since he had made up his mind to kill Hiroren and Zairen slowly, he had to eliminate all unstable factors. At this moment, Tang Qiuli , it suddenly occurred to his mind how much it would cost to rebuild Yokohama, the whole city was bombed to pieces, it must cost a lot of money, he was very pained.

"It's not worth the loss!" Tang Qiuli shook his head with a wry smile. Tens of thousands of artillery pieces and thousands of planes, two hours of shelling and bombing, did not kill many Japanese soldiers, but bombed Yokohama to pieces.

"Teacher! Why are you here? Let me go upstairs and downstairs so I can find it!" The teacher pointed to the chief of staff Zhao Yuhe and the lieutenant general, holding a telegram in his hand, hurried up, walking away just shouted.

Tang Qiuli interrupted his thoughts, and said with a smile: "Yuhe, what's the important thing? You, the chief of staff, are in a hurry. You can't be the Japanese army retreating into Tokyo. What's new?"

"It's not the division commander. The Japanese army in Tokyo has no abnormal behavior. It's the latest important information obtained by the intelligence department!" Zhao Yuhe said concisely.

(to be continued) (to be continued...)