The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Commander Du would never allow the garrison troops to escape. He risked his life to lure them out. If he let these Japanese garrison troops escape, wouldn't that be a waste of effort?

Commander Du's concerns were well-founded. The Japanese had fought for nearly a year to capture Port Arthur. If the Japanese retreated to their fortresses and resisted stubbornly, even a desperate field army would struggle to capture Port Arthur quickly. Encircling without attacking? That would require preparing for a major offensive and defensive battle against the incoming Japanese reinforcements. Northeast China has a long coastline and borders North Korea, making such a situation difficult to defend against. Northeast China lacks a navy and is constantly under threat from Japanese naval artillery fire. If things go wrong, his troops could be held back, losing the initiative.

So Commander Du did not hesitate at all and immediately shouted loudly: "Bugler, blow the charge! Go to that trumpet and blow the charge so that all the soldiers can hear it. Let the soldiers overcome fatigue and persevere no matter how hard, tiring or difficult it is. Once we capture Lushun, we will have plenty of time to rest. What we need to do next is to attack, attack, and attack again, carrying forward the spirit of not fearing hardship and not fearing death, until the Japanese army is completely wiped out and Lushun is captured."

"Yes."

"Soldiers, order them to take off their Japanese military uniforms. A chaotic battle is about to begin. Wearing Japanese military uniforms can easily lead to accidental injuries. If you don't have any other clothes underneath, you must tie a towel around your waist to distinguish yourself."

""clear."

"Order the artillery, including the captured Japanese gunboats, not to conserve ammunition, but to open fire now, chase the Japanese troops and attack them, and block their retreat. We must destroy the Japanese troops in the field and absolutely not allow these attacking Japanese troops to escape."

"Yes."

"Political Commissar, contact the laborers across the street immediately. The last thing we lack right now is rifles. Distribute weapons to them immediately and ask them to join us in killing the Japs."

"Understood. I'll go right away."

"Before, in order to paralyze the Japanese, we planned to hide the captured Russian soldiers until the last moment to use them as our trump card. Now the opportunity has come. There is no need to hide anymore. Let these captured soldiers go to the battlefield and kill the Japanese."

"Commander, I'm afraid these old Russians won't behave themselves after the war!"

Commander Du nodded, then shook his head and said, "Who are our friends and who are our enemies? This is the primary question of the revolution. Even if they are confirmed to be enemies tomorrow, as long as they are friends today, we must share the benefits that should be given to them. Now Japan is our confirmed enemy, and Tsarist Russia is our future enemy. We still need to unite with Tsarist Russia and unite all the forces that can be united to defeat Japan. Even if we have to fight the Russians in the future, it will be after we have eliminated the Japanese army. Moreover, Port Arthur is now a completely isolated enclave for the Russian army. There is no replenishment of troops or munitions. It is difficult to achieve anything with these prisoners in Port Arthur."

"I'm just worried that these old Russians will take advantage of their familiarity with the terrain to occupy some fortresses and even refuse to leave. That would cause us a lot of losses."

"Then don't give them so many bullets. Just let them charge with bayonets. We can control their logistics, and I don't think they can cause any trouble."

“Okay.” “Ding ding ding!”

The bugle call sounded, suddenly sounding the soldiers' charge. The soldiers were startled for a moment, then immediately became excited. If they were to charge at this time, the only explanation, if not to their own deaths, was that reinforcements had arrived.

Hearing the familiar bugle call, the soldiers' exhausted bodies suddenly seemed to regain strength. When the platoon leaders heard the bugle call, they shouted, "Comrades, reinforcements have arrived. It's time to counterattack. Follow me and kill the devils!"

"Come on!"

“Kill the devils!”

When the bugle call sounded at the Port Arthur train station, Li Hesheng was stunned for a moment, then burst into ecstasy. He immediately shouted, "The people fighting inside the train station are our own people! They are our own people! Haha, charge! Follow me and kill the Japanese! Only by killing all the Japanese can we survive! Kill!"

After Li Hesheng finished shouting, he also rushed towards the Japanese army with his rifle. Now that he knew that the people in Lushun were his comrades and that the charge had been sounded, he naturally knew that this was a good opportunity to stab the Japanese in the back. Together with the comrades who rushed out of Lushun, they could attack from both inside and outside, echoing the inside and outside. Even if these laborers were weak in combat, as long as they disrupted the Japanese army's deployment, tied down the Japanese army's energy and manpower, and made it impossible for the Japanese army to finish off, they could annihilate a large number of Japanese troops in one fell swoop, which would be a great achievement.

Li Hesheng's charge with the laborers was truly timely and well-timed, and it was the last straw that broke the camel's back. The Japanese army had just received the order to retreat, and faced with the counterattack of the field army inside the train station, they were in a state of confusion. Although the Japanese army completely despised the laborers' fighting power, their firepower was not strong, and they had no way to completely overwhelm the laborers in a short period of time, block the laborers' attack, and crush their resistance. The laborers did not need to kill or injure many Japanese soldiers at all, they only needed to delay the time and slow down the Japanese army's retreat, which was still no problem.

Just as the Japanese army was at a loss as to how to advance or retreat, the field army's artillery opened fire at full force. The rumbling sound of shells exploding echoed through the Japanese ranks, scattering blood and flesh, causing heavy casualties. The cannons on the warships were particularly powerful, like a demon. Each shot would create a massive crater, and a large number of Japanese soldiers would fall to the ground, never to stand up again.

Shibayama Yahachi felt desolate at this moment, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He no longer had any hope of luck, he knew it was over, everything was over.

He now realized how foolish his original order was. He turned the garrison troops in the fortress into an offensive field army. Was this a simple change in the nature of the army? No, it was an act of sending the army to its death. He had ruined the entire Lushun army! He had handed Lushun over to the enemy!

At this moment, Shibayama Yahachi suddenly found that he seemed to be unable to do anything. He could only watch the development of the situation quietly, hoping for a miracle to happen and for Amaterasu to appear.

Unfortunately, Amaterasu could only take care of Japan's affairs, not China's. The reinforcements who came by train started shooting at the Japanese army from the windows. They jumped off the train before the train was stable. They didn't even have time to organize the troops, and they directly chased the Japanese army and started to attack.

Everyone knew that time was running out and more precious than gold. They heard the bugle call from the train station and watched the Japanese soldiers running. They knew now was their chance to strike hard. The more Japanese they eliminated in the field battle, the easier it would be to storm the enemy. Chasing and annihilating the enemy was always better than storming the enemy. This was something all the soldiers understood.

The battlefield was ablaze with shouts and cries of battle, the cries of gunfire echoing everywhere, and the fighting was everywhere. What had been a defensive battle had turned into a pursuit, with the defenses breached and the counterattack swiftly followed. Everything was a drama, so intense that it left the audience unable to react. Therefore, in war, one must always be realistic and adapt to changing circumstances. Fortunately, there were laborers blocking the way on one side and fresh troops pursuing and intercepting them on the other. Otherwise, with Commander Du's exhausted division, even if they had known the Japanese were retreating, they would have been forced to watch them retreat.

The fresh troops who had gotten off the train had already eaten and drunk their fill, and were still quite energetic, at least in much better condition than the Japanese. The cavalry commander, upon seeing the Japanese army's situation, immediately declared, "Now is the time to chase them down and slaughter them."

After saying this, he began to direct his soldiers to pursue the Japanese troops while rapidly interspersing, dividing and encircling them, cutting the Japanese into isolated groups. The field army then concentrated its superior forces to quickly annihilate them. Most of the Japanese troops knew they couldn't retreat, so they could only turn their guns and desperately block the attacking field army.

This is a life-and-death war. Lives are lost at every moment, and human life is the least valuable at this moment.

Chapter 524: Second Update

Killings were all he saw, and Shibayama Yahachi only then realized that combat squads could actually fight like this! He saw the field army that was charging up deploying slightly awkward infantry squad and platoon tactics, but the soldiers were very skilled in aiming, shooting, ejecting shells and reloading, with soldiers and squads taking turns to provide cover and attacking quickly, with each unit working as one, leaving no blind spots.

At the back, the cannons were bayonets fixed, firing at the Japanese at close range. The small cannons were even running behind the troops, firing shells at the front of the troops to provide fire cover, clearing the way for the infantry and also helping the infantry to attack. Many soldiers immediately used grenades to greet the Japanese soldiers after approaching them, blowing them up and leaving them with no way to escape.

As an opponent, Shibayama Yahachi still felt that the enemy army was very capable. Just when Shibayama Yahachi was a little fascinated by it, suddenly, a loud explosion was heard in the distance. Shibayama Yahachi heard the direction of the explosion and was shocked. Suddenly, he realized something and looked around. As expected, the Empire's heavy artillery unit was discovered and hit, and the shells exploded.

It was over, Barbie Q, everything was over. Shibayama Yahachi was a little numb and withdrew his mind. He had finally given up hope. Lushun was really going to be lost in his hands.

Shibayama Yahachi then ordered his men to write a report to the country, detailing the events and his own handling of the situation. He then explained that the Japanese army had too many new recruits, severely diluting its combat effectiveness, and suggested that the country should train elite troops instead of blindly expanding its military. Shibayama Yahachi further detailed the infantry squad and platoon tactics he had observed, arguing that the Imperial Army's tactics were seriously outdated and needed to be changed.

It was only because Shibayama Yahachi felt that he had lost all hope and felt relaxed that he dared to speak ill of the Japanese Army. If there was any hope, who would want to offend the Army?

Finally, he reported what he had seen and heard, and learned that this was a group of Qing people who spoke Chinese. He also said that this force was very problematic and that the situation must be investigated...

After finishing the report, Shibayama Yahachi added the information previously sent by Dalian and sent it to the Japanese headquarters, and then he waited for the decision of fate.

Japan, Tokyo, Japanese military headquarters.

After the enemy appeared in Jinzhou and Dalian, although the headquarters had prepared for the worst, no one dared to believe it after receiving Shibayama Yahachi's telegram.

How could one believe this? The Empire had taken almost a year to capture Lushun, yet it was taken in such a short time. Were the Imperial soldiers so weak in combat? Or was the enemy's combat effectiveness beyond their imagination? None of these were true. Even if Jinzhou and Dalian fell, they should have had no problem defending Lushun for more than half a year! But the truth was so cruel that it was completely unbelievable!

After reading the telegram, Kodama Gentaro, the seventh Army Chief of Staff, who had returned to Japan to report on his duties, was so angry that his whole body was shaking, veins on his forehead bulged, and his temples were throbbing in a shocking way. He gritted his teeth and said, "Bakayarō! Shibayama Yahachi has betrayed the country and is a great sinner to our empire."

Kodama Gentarō was well aware of how difficult it was to capture Port Arthur. Nogi Maresuke's three failed assaults on the fortress resulted in over 5.9 Japanese casualties. Even after Kodama Gentarō himself reached Port Arthur and used artillery to capture Hill 203, he was only able to force the Russians to surrender after killing the city's defense commander, a feat that took another month.

More importantly, the loss of Port Arthur would mean the complete loss of the war that the Empire had fought so hard for, and the Japanese troops on the front lines would be in dire straits. Kodama Gentarō was a man of understanding. He knew the Empire could not afford such a result. Shibayama Yahachi's easy loss of Port Arthur was unthinkable to Kodama Gentarō, as was the dire consequences. It would be an unbearable blow to the Empire.

Kodama Gentarō was so angry that his head, liver, and lungs ached. The loss of Port Arthur was an unbearable blow to him. Suddenly, he fell to his knees, like a golden mountain or a jade pillar, and then he slammed his head against the ground and remained motionless.

The Army Chief of Staff, Kodama Gentarō, died of a cerebral hemorrhage due to anger. His death was so silent and calm.

This is not surprising. In history, Kodama Gentarō was the one who proposed to expand the army because Yamagata Aritomo was afraid after the Russo-Japanese War. He always felt that the Tsar would come back for revenge, so he proposed to expand the army from the existing 17 divisions to 25 in peacetime, and to reach 50 divisions in wartime, the same as Tsarist Russia.

However, Chief of the General Staff, Kodama Gentarō, firmly opposed this idea. His reasoning was simple: Japan lacked the national strength to maintain 25 divisions. With debts from the Russo-Japanese War still uncertain, how could the money be raised to support so many troops? Therefore, Kodama Gentarō proposed adding two divisions, adding the Imperial Guards Division, for a total of 20, doubling the number to 40 in wartime. This would barely be enough.

However, Army Minister Terauchi Masayoshi firmly opposed Kodama Gentarō's plan. During the argument, Kodama Gentarō died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 55. Although his death was premature, the old Japanese soldier deserved to die anyway, and this death was a relief for him.

When Nogi Maresuke arrived at the base camp after receiving the news, he was overwhelmed with grief upon hearing the news of Kodama Gentarō's death. However, he ignored his grief and picked up the telegram to read it. After reading it, he was stunned into silence. Then, tears and blood streamed from the eyes of this "iron-clad" man, and he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot. If the officer next to him hadn't supported him, he might have suffered a concussion and become an idiot.

It's no wonder that bastard Nogi Maresuke suffered so much. You have to remember that when he led his troops to attack Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War, he was hoping to replicate his success during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 by taking Port Arthur in one fell swoop. Of course, he also played a role in the Port Arthur Massacre. During the war against Russia, his second son died beside the 203rd Gaodi in Port Arthur, and his eldest son died in Jinzhou. And what about the tens of thousands of soldiers who died or were injured? It was a deserved punishment. The Russians were a way of avenging the deaths of those who died in Port Arthur during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

But what about now? That bastard Shibayama Yahachi actually told him that Port Arthur was so simple and easy to hand over to others. How could the arrogant bastard Nogi Maresuke accept this? How could Nogi Maresuke get over this? It would be good if he didn't suffocate to death. It would be good if he got some internal injuries and bled a little. This would also prove that Nogi Maresuke couldn't die and was not loyal enough!

The loss of Port Arthur was like a bombshell—it exploded among the Japanese high command, leaving them panicked, dizzy, and dazed. The death of two high-ranking army officers, one ill, sowed a shadow over the entire high command, creating a sense of foreboding.

Soon, there was a big noise in the headquarters conference room. Among them were Japanese Army Minister Terauchi Masayoshi, Army General Oku Yasutsugu, Army Education Director General Nishi Hirojiro and others. These people dominated the entire Japanese army.

In the Japanese Army, the Army Minister, the Army Chief of Staff, and the Inspector General of Education were the three highest-ranking officers, a triumvirate of equals. The Army Minister, as one of the five cabinet ministers, held a slightly higher position. With the sudden death of Kodama Gentarō, the Chief of Staff was naturally lost.

Nishi Hirojiro, who had participated in the Russo-Japanese War and had just been promoted to general and then director of army education, was the first to roar: "Port Arthur had a complete garrison, but it was captured in a day, and the cost of our capture was so great, this is unimaginable. This is simply a great shame and humiliation for the Empire of Japan, and it will inevitably become a laughing stock for the Europeans and Americans. We must send troops immediately to retake Port Arthur. Only in this way can we save the face of the empire..."

Nishi Hirojiro's proposal was immediately approved by the majority of those present. Regardless of their inner thoughts, retaking Port Arthur was politically correct and naturally supported. Of course, some officers were eager to dispatch the troops immediately so they could achieve military merit. After all, not long ago, a large number of Japanese military personnel were promoted to generals and lieutenant generals, including Nishi Hirojiro, who was a role model.

Terauchi Masayoshi was a military strategist. Although he participated in and commanded the Russo-Japanese War in Japan, he did not personally go to the battlefield. Therefore, he was more rational. However, he could not directly deny sending troops, so he immediately said: "The key issue now is to find out what kind of organization this "Fifth Field Army" is and where it came from? How many troops are there? What is its combat effectiveness? We also need to find out what is happening in Northeast China now. If these issues are not clarified, it is not advisable to blindly send troops..."

Nishi Hirojiro immediately retorted bluntly, "Your Excellency, the Imperial Warriors have repeatedly defeated the Russian army and driven them out of South Manchuria. How can the warriors of the Great Japanese Empire be defeated by the Chinese? The Chinese were able to capture Port Arthur through a surprise attack and cunning tactics. If the Imperial soldiers had been prepared, even 200,000 Chinese soldiers would not have been able to capture Port Arthur."

Terauchi Masaki frowned upon hearing this, and he also felt that there was nothing wrong with what he said. The truth should be just as Nishi Hiroshi said. This was just an accident, a coincidence, a deliberate conspiracy.

Terauchi Masaki had fought in the Sino-Japanese War and naturally knew what Chinese soldiers looked like, which was what puzzled him. What exactly was this "Fifth Field Army" and where did it come from? Regardless, he had to figure this out before he could send troops.

"There's a saying in China: 'Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle.' We don't even understand China's situation, so how can we possibly win?"

Upon hearing this, Nishi Hirojiro was immediately displeased and shouted, "China? That word is outdated. Give me two divisions, and I can sweep away all the Chinese forces in South Manchuria. Even reaching the Chinese capital will be no problem, making them regret provoking the Empire of Japan forever."

General Okubo knew that arguing like this was pointless, so he interrupted, "Let's first discuss what to do with Commander-in-Chief Oyama Iwao and his men. Without sufficient logistical supplies, Lucia will not let go of such a good opportunity. Once the Imperial soldiers' bullets and shells are exhausted, the soldiers on the front lines will be in danger. If Lucia attacks, they will be slaughtered by Lucia..."

Chapter 525: Third update, please vote!

What the old devil Ao Baogong raised is indeed a problem, and it is also the most fatal problem at present, but how to solve this problem is a bigger problem. Without a railway, alone in deep, with no support, surrounded by enemies on all sides, this is a matter of life and death!

There are certainly ways to solve the problem, such as withdrawing troops or making peace with Russia. But can such words be said in Japan? Can such things be done? If the news of someone saying such words were leaked, they would probably be punished by God at any time, and it would also become a handle for political opponents to attack. Therefore, in Japan, persistence and radicalism are politically correct. Compromise and concession will be punished by God.

General Oku Yasutaka raised a problem the military couldn't solve, a problem Japan couldn't solve with its current strength. Since concessions and compromises weren't an option, the only option was to overdraw national strength. So, Nishi Hirojiro slammed the table and said, "More troops, we must. If Port Arthur isn't in our hands, then we can attack from Korea. China has no army capable of stopping us. We only need to send two divisions to solve the problem."

Terauchi Masaki ignored Nishi Hirojiro and turned to Fukushima Yasumasa, the intelligence chief known as the "Father of Japanese Intelligence Stations," and asked, "Fukushima-kun, how much do you know about the Fifth Field Army?"

Upon hearing the question, Fukushima Yasunari immediately said, "Do you, Lord Terauchi, still remember the Chinese militia that Russia suffered a series of defeats in Northeast China? Russia initially encircled and suppressed this group, but these people escaped the encirclement and slaughtered Russians everywhere. This incident was quite a big deal at the time, and this group even fought a regular battle with the Russian army..."

Fukushima Yasumasa's reminder reminded many present that this incident had indeed occurred. Many had mocked Russia, saying that this force had once caused Russia considerable humiliation. The Russians, fearing the possibility of being killed, were forced to halt their campaign. While there was no public handshake or peace, the matter was indeed resolved. Of course, whether there were hidden secrets or deals involved was unknown.

Fukushima Yasumasa was only speculating, but the more he spoke, the more convinced he was that this was the force. Damn, I have to say this old devil, Fukushima Yasumasa, is truly remarkable. As expected of someone who knows five languages, his IQ is truly exceptional, and his guesses are incredibly accurate.

But then again, there were only a few major forces in the Northeast. Fukushima Yasumasa knew better than anyone what the Qing army was like. And it now seemed that the only one that had the strength to compete with the great powers and dared to face the battle head-on was the militia that had appeared in Wujiabaozi.

"Baga, if you knew about this force, why didn't you have any information about it before?"

"Hey, Mr. Terauchi, before the Russo-Japanese War, this group received our support and was willing to join us in fighting against the Russo-Japanese. They did attack the Russo-Japanese army several times. But not long ago, this group of militia suddenly disappeared. Now it seems that they are plotting to attack Port Arthur."

"Baga, the Chinese are so cunning."

""ocean!"

"So what's the situation with this force now?"

This question was a very good one. Fukushima Yasushige himself was also confused. Yes, what exactly is going on with this force? Everything is shrouded in mystery. Who the hell knows?

Who would have thought that a slightly larger ant would suddenly turn into a towering giant when it reappeared? Even if the original ant was a bit larger, it was still something that could be crushed to death at any time. Who would pay special attention to such an insignificant ant?

"Mr. Terauchi, in three days, we can thoroughly investigate this force..."

Now that this force has been exposed, it will be very easy to investigate. Fukushima Yasumasa is even confident that he can find out the truth within one to two days. He said that three days is just to give himself a buffer time.

"Yoshi, we must hurry and find out as soon as possible. Also, we must find out exactly what happened in Northeast China, what the situation is, and how many enemy troops there are... Otherwise, we will be in a very passive position."

"Hi!"

After listening to the conversation, Nishihiro immediately said, "What should we do now? Should we wait for three days in vain? Should we abandon Port Arthur? That was a naval port that the Empire had captured at great cost to itself!"

"That's Lucia's naval base."

Upon hearing this answer, Nishi Hirojiro immediately became furious. "Then what did we gain from this war? No land, no compensation, nothing at all. Yet, in this war with Russia, the Empire spent over a billion yen on military expenditures and suffered nearly 100,000 casualties. We also incurred a huge debt. Why is this happening? How can we face those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country..."

"It's not that we didn't gain anything. At least we ensured the security of North Korea. Moreover, our war achievements were simply stolen by the Chinese through conspiracy."

After hearing this, everyone fell silent. Things returned to the starting point. The Chinese, everything was the fault of this group of Chinese.

Nishi Hirojiro stood up suddenly and said: "I only need two divisions. No matter what forces there are in China, I can wipe them out completely. The Empire has paid too much for this war. We absolutely cannot let it go like this. Even if I die, I will make China pay a sufficient price. I don't want to suffer this humiliation even if I die..."

This is the literal truth. Even if Japan wanted to cut its losses, it couldn't. Losing all its capital is a minor matter, but borrowing money to support others in the war is simply insufferable. The harvest has been plucked, and this matter will inevitably become an international laughing stock. Giving so much to the enemy for nothing, while gaining nothing, is simply infuriating. Making the despicable Chinese laugh is a minor matter, but making them look at the empire as if it were a fool is a major one. Who the hell can stand this?

Just as the discussion in the conference room was getting louder and louder, the door of the conference room was pushed open. An officer walked up to Terauchi Masatake and said, "Your Excellency, Minister Terauchi, an emergency meeting is being called. His Majesty requests that you come to the front of the hall to discuss the matter."

Terauchi Masaki nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll leave now." He then stood up and said, "I'll go see His Majesty now. I believe His Majesty has made a decision. You all should go ahead and do your work. I'll give you news later."

When Terauchi Masayoshi arrived, many cabinet members had already arrived. Terauchi Masayoshi rolled his eyes and saw that Prime Minister Katsura Taro, Foreign Minister Komura Jutaro, Cabinet Finance Minister Tsugaku Arasuke, and Maritime Minister Yamamoto Gonbei had all arrived. He knew that the level of this meeting was extremely high, but he did not expect that all five ministers would be there.

The Japanese cabinet has many members, but once the five ministers reach a consensus, they can represent the cabinet's opinion. This is the five-minister meeting of the Japanese cabinet. Therefore, in times of emergency, Japan often directly convenes a five-minister meeting to discuss and make decisions. The meeting convened by Emperor Meiji this time was obviously a meeting to decide the fate of the empire.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Emperor Meiji coughed and said, "Gentlemen, now everyone is clear about the situation on the front line. Do you have any countermeasures?"

Seeing no one speak, Terauchi Masaki immediately said, "Your Majesty, the attack on the front lines was carried out by Chinese forces. They plotted to seize Port Arthur from Russia, and have already caused tens of thousands of casualties among Imperial soldiers. The Army is willing to lead five divisions to land in Korea, sweep across Northeast China, teach China a lesson it will never forget, retake Port Arthur, and force China to cede territory and pay compensation."

Terauchi Masaki immediately reiterated Nishi Hirojiro's words, increasing the required troops from two divisions to three with a single word. The Army Department refused to concede defeat and expressed its willingness to continue the war. As for the ultimate course of action, it was none of their business; they simply needed to ensure political correctness.

Chapter 526:

This field army action not only plucked Japanese peaches, but also slapped the face of the Empire of Japan. Naturally, the Japanese high-ranking officials also hoped to send troops to wipe out the Chinese army.

But there are so many difficulties!

Otherwise, this meeting would not have been held. The most important thing is that Japan has not yet tasted any benefits from invading Northeast China. It is very uncomfortable to continue investing without any benefits.

The most upset person right now was undoubtedly Japanese Prime Minister Katsura Taro. The Imperial Japanese Army had finally driven the Russian army out of South Manchuria and had just won the Battle of Tsushima, nearly annihilating the Russian expeditionary force. This was the result of his leadership as Prime Minister, proving the myth of the yellow race's victory over the white race. This was his crowning moment. Naturally, he was in high spirits, and the people of the Empire were also excited. Everyone grabbed their knives and forks, ready to plunder and devour the spoils of war left by the Tsarist Russia. But the sudden attack of the "Fifth Field Army," a stab in the back, and a conspiracy to capture Port Arthur, was like a powerful club that struck Katsura Taro on the head, leaving him dizzy and unprepared. It was like a rod being poked in the ass of the Imperial Japanese Empire. The pain was indescribable.

So I heard Katsura Taro directly state his position: "This conspiracy by Northeast China to seize Port Arthur has caused us heavy losses. We must retaliate, otherwise we will suffer heavy losses and will not be able to explain to the people. The Russo-Japanese War not only emptied the treasury of the Empire of Japan, but also owed a lot of foreign debts. Moreover, all the accumulation of the past ten years after the Sino-Japanese War has been consumed. If we cannot gain sufficient benefits from this war, the Empire will face extreme difficulties and may even be unable to recover for a long time, and will be oppressed and enslaved by the European and American devils for a long time..."

As Prime Minister, Katsura Taro was fully aware of Japan's current situation. The unequal treaties signed with the great powers had not yet been abolished, and the shackles still hung firmly on Japan's neck. Japan's industry and economy were in a state of abysmal decline, unable to compare with the established European and American powers, and even worse than Russia. At least Japan's current Yawata Iron and Steel Works only successfully started production last year, and the country's total steel production was a mere 100,000 tons, while Russia's output was close to 3 million tons, completely overwhelming Japan. Without the support of the great powers, Tsarist Russia could have crushed Japan with a single blow.

Japan is currently a country with abnormal development. Its military is indeed quite powerful, with both its army and navy considered world-class. However, why did Japan continue to develop its military so vigorously? Why was it willing to fight like a dog in the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War? One reason was to demonstrate its military strength and remove the shackles imposed by the great powers on Japan. Why did Japan have to annex Korea? It was because it needed to break free from the great powers' control over its empire's resources. The Japanese army's desperate efforts were to tell the great powers that our army is powerful, and if you don't remove the shackles, we will fight you to the death. Ultimately, the great powers were forced to abolish all the unequal treaties with Japan.

When the cabinet ministers heard Katsura Taro's words, they all knew that without the gains gained from the Sino-Japanese War and the accumulation of the following decade, the Empire of Japan was no match for Russia, so they all nodded in agreement. This also showed Katsura Taro's attitude: to fight another war at all costs and to reap sufficient benefits.

After Katsura Taro finished speaking, everyone looked at the Minister of Finance, Zeng Cheng Arasuke. "A cannon shot, and ten thousand taels of gold!" However, before obtaining ten thousand taels of gold, a large amount of gold must be invested first. War requires a huge investment. Especially for an expedition like this, the cost is enormous. Before the troops move, food and fodder must be sent first. Modern warfare requires vast quantities of weapons, ammunition, and supplies, all of which cost money. Without money, there is no war.

After hearing Katsura Taro's words and noticing everyone looking at him, Zeng Cheng Arasuke frowned and said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister, the Empire was able to fight Russia because it received loans from Britain and the United States. Without these loans, the Empire would be penniless and unable to fight. If we want to open a second front, we will need to borrow more from Europe and the United States. However, now that China has conspired to seize Port Arthur, it is unknown whether Europe and the United States will lend us more money."

This was natural. British and American money didn't just come from the wind; lending money required consideration of Japan's ability to repay. The United States and Britain lent money to Japan not only to curb Tsarist Russia's influence in the Pacific, but also because Russia refused to allow American capital to enter Manchuria. The US was unwilling to do so. They lent money to Japan to protect their "Open Door" policy, specifically the interests of railroads and other projects in Manchuria. Once Russia was driven out, Japan could take control of Manchuria, fulfilling its promise and allowing American capital to enter Manchuria. The benefits were clear.

However, the situation in Northeast China has changed. This means that war will break out with local forces in Northeast China. This raises a question: capital is profit-seeking and risk-averse. If Japan cannot calm Northeast China, how can capital enter Northeast China? How can capitalists protect their own interests? Supporting Japan to continue fighting may be a bottomless pit. Who is willing to take such a risk? Or even let the money go to waste?

"Your Excellency, Minister of Finance, we are not the ones who initiated the war. It is the Chinese who have gone too far and attacked us. They have conspired to steal Port Arthur, and thousands of Imperial soldiers have been killed. If we cannot defeat China and avenge our previous humiliation, we will become the laughing stock of the European and American demons. If we do not recapture the railway and send troops to reinforce Northeast China, what will happen to the Imperial soldiers who are confronting Russia?"

"It's that damn problem again."