The sun never sets

........The Sichuan Army’s weapons and equipment are very backward, with no mortars, and not many heavy machine guns and cannons, so their army is very flexible and can move quickly on the mountainous terrain......."

Zhao Erhu bit his pencil, thought hard for a while, and continued writing, "...We need more cannons and more shells..."

These sentences are written very smoothly. Every time I write a report, there will be such sentences. More cannons, more shells. When marching, people always complain that the equipment is too heavy, and it is tiring to move it around. After the battle, they will want more heavy firepower. Even if there are not more cannons, a few more heavy machine guns will be good. After leaving the railway line and the river, the army's offensive capability decayed very quickly. Every time he fought, he would struggle with whether to advance lightly or follow the cannons. In Sichuan, a place full of mountains, mobility is often more important than firepower, but the number of Sichuan troops is there...

Unlike Zhao Erhu's various entanglements, the combined fleet's actions were quite decisive and swift. After the connection, Admiral Togo Heihachiro formulated a very bold battle plan to catch Ito Hirobumi and his Japanese People's Party in one fell swoop. Why was such an important matter organized by a naval admiral? What were the marshals doing?

Well, according to Japanese tradition, the superiors can pretend not to know about this matter. If it succeeds, they can come out and pick peaches. If it fails, then Togo Heihachiro can just commit seppuku.

Togo Heihachiro contacted many people, mainly naval commanders, army commanders who were marginalized in the "Taisho Restoration", large landowners whose land was confiscated, chaebols whose property was confiscated, and even sent people to contact the abdicated Emperor Meiji. In Japan, no matter what political activities are carried out, the emperor must be pulled out to endorse them in the end. Togo Heihachiro received support from the British and thought that it would be easy to eliminate Ito Hirobumi's termites, but he also had to ask the emperor to come out and calm things down afterwards.

"beep--"

The battleship was docked in the port of Tokyo. Sailors in neat uniforms lined up in a neat formation on the battleship and began to play the "March of the Battleships". Togo Heihachiro led a group of naval generals down the gangplank. Vice Admiral Kataoka Shichiro stepped forward and saluted Admiral Togo Heihachiro, "Your Excellency, you are finally here!"

Togo Heihachiro returned the military salute with a serious expression, and walked a few steps accompanied by Lieutenant General Kataoka Shichiro. When he saw Akiyama Saneyuki standing nearby, he asked, "Akiyama-kun, how is the weather in Tokyo these days?"

Akiyama Saneyuki looked up and said, "Today the weather is fine and the waves are high!"

This was a codeword that Akiyama Shinji had prepared in advance, indicating that everything was going well. After hearing this, Togo Heihachiro was very satisfied, "Yoshi!" He looked at the sailors around him with live ammunition and was even more satisfied. He was recalled to Tokyo by Yin Tengbo's night raid group: Lu 949, San 6135 Wen to discuss the navy's military preparations. The navy has always been learning from the British Royal Navy. Knowing the strength of the Royal Navy, how could they be willing to work for the Chinese? Ito Hirobumi saw that he could not convince the naval generals in the telegram, and the Minister of the Navy Saigo Tsunemichi and others were unwilling to declare war on Britain, so he recalled the main generals of the Combined Fleet to Tokyo, wanting to convince them personally.

Tokyo was still in turmoil two months ago. The militia and the army supporting Ito Hirobumi fought each other in the city, using heavy machine guns and cannons. The result of the battle ended with the victory of the militia, which was mainly composed of farmers and workers, and army leaders such as Yamagata Aritomo withdrew from politics. When Togo Heihachiro came to Tokyo, the smoke of war had dissipated. Although there were still many people on the streets of Tokyo who looked sad, they were no longer as tense as they were a few months ago. After the war, Japan received many orders from China and received a lot of technology transfer. With the help of Chinese technology, the Yawata Iron and Steel Works was finally put into production smoothly. After suffering one blow after another, Japan's economy has improved.

However, Togo Heihachiro didn't care about these things at all. He was only thinking about getting rid of the evil Ito Hirobumi and getting Japan back on the right track.

Chapter 383: Song of the Taisho Restoration

On the way to the Navy Headquarters, he could see militiamen wearing grey clothes and red armbands on their arms from time to time, and Togo Heihachiro could not help but frown. He knew that these militiamen were called "Red Guards", and "Red Guards" were established in factories, institutions and villages everywhere. The number was incalculable, and it was said that there were 100,000 in Tokyo alone.

The militiamen carried the Lee Enfield and marched in formation, singing the Song of the Taisho Restoration, "The waves are stirring in the Miluo Abyss, and the clouds are flying around the peak of Wushan. In this dark and turbid world, I stand alone, with my righteous indignation burning and my blood boiling. The rich and powerful only know how to be proud of their family background, but there are really few people who care about the country. The wealthy only know how to boast about their wealth, but how can they care about the country?"

A worker ran over and stuffed flyers to passers-by and sailors. Another person wanted to stuff flyers to Togo Heihachiro and his men, but the general glared at him, and he got scared and immediately bent down, "Smith Marseille!"

However, this man did not dare to give leaflets to the generals, but he had the courage to give them to the sailors. "You are the navy, right? The navy is the backbone of Japan. Please take a good look at these leaflets! Please!"

"The wise see the country in decline and march to war, while the fools still dance in the world

.

Order, chaos, rise and fall seem like a dream, and the world is like a game of chess.

In the new year of the Taisho Restoration, men united for justice.

There are millions of soldiers in my heart, and when I die, thousands of cherry blossoms will scatter."

The militiamen had gone far away, but the singing was still loud.

Togo Heihachiro had a gloomy face, and before he could say anything, Vice Admiral Kataoka Shichiro stood up and shouted angrily: "Throw away all the leaflets! We are the navy, not the army!"

Officers at all levels reprimanded the sailors, and the sailors reluctantly threw away the leaflets. Many people thought the leaflets were well written and the cartoons were interesting. However, the military has a strict hierarchy. The superiors have given orders, and the subordinates have to obey them. Otherwise, they are often beaten in public, and some even lose their lives.

When he arrived at the entrance of the Navy Headquarters, Togo Heihachiro discovered that another group of militiamen with red armbands were passing by, still singing the damn "Song of the Taisho Restoration."

"I have passed through the rotten corpses, and my body is floating like a cloud.

Worrying about the country, we stand up and move forward; this is when men begin to sing.

The sky was furious and the earth was shaking, with an extraordinary rumbling sound.

Those who sleep forever will not be able to sleep, Japan will wake up today."

He quickened his pace, walked into the Navy Ministry, and angrily said: "What kind of monster did Ito Hirobumi release? How much effort will it take to... Marshal!"

Saigo Tsungmichi stood at the door of the office and said with a smile: "Togo, you are finally here!"

Togo Heihachiro bowed and said, "I was delayed on the way by something, so I am late. Please forgive me, Marshal."

"It's good that you're here. Prime Minister Ito wants to abide by the East Asian Security Treaty, which is a headache for us. You should talk to him about the navy issue. We are not China and cannot resist the British Empire."

Togo Heihachiro said respectfully: "I will talk to Prime Minister Ito!"

Togo Heihachiro emphasized the word "speak", but Saigo Tsunemichi pretended not to hear him. He smiled and said, "But before that, let's discuss it with the navy first. Yamamoto will be here soon, so let's talk about the Kaiser Wilhelm class first."

The navy is the guarantee of Japan's security. Although the domestic situation was in a mess, Yamamoto Gonbei was still very concerned about the naval trends in the world. The Germans proposed the concept of "super dreadnought" after the "dreadnought", which really surprised the Japanese. The displacement of battleships suddenly jumped from 16,000 to 35,000 tons. Japan really couldn't keep up.

Togo Heihachiro had also heard about the "Super Fearless" incident, so he nodded and said, "I will come to listen to the Marshal's advice after I have arranged everything."

Yamamoto Gonbei, like Togo Heihachiro, was also an admiral. The relationship between the two was like that between Yamagata Aritomo and Oyama Iwao, one was responsible for the construction of the army, and the other was responsible for the actual command. Yamamoto Gonbei was the father of the navy, and his status was higher than Togo Heihachiro.

In the Navy Ministry's room, Saigo Tsunemichi and Togo Heihachiro were talking. On the street outside, the militia's singing became louder and louder.

"Look at the clouds hanging over the sky, and hear the roaring waves in the four seas.

The opportunity for reform has arrived, and a storm is sweeping across Japan overnight.

A destitute man between heaven and earth, lost and not knowing where to go.

Of all those who have boasted of their splendor in this world, whose tall buildings can still be seen?"

Soon, Yamamoto Gonbei came over, but Saigo Tsugumichi deliberately avoided him. The specific matters were left to the people below to handle, and as the marshal, Saigo Tsugumichi only needed to acknowledge it afterwards. Regardless of success or failure, he could remain invincible. This was Japanese political science, and it was also the secret of Saigo Tsugumichi's unshakable position in the officialdom.

"Dongxiang, have you arranged everything?"

"It's ready! Two thousand sailors have been deployed to various key positions. There are another three thousand on board, which adds up to a total of five thousand troops, all equipped with British weapons."

Yamamoto Gonbei shook his head. "The number is still too small! There are 100,000 Red Guards in Tokyo alone! Even if they are equipped with Maxims and field artillery, 5,000 people cannot defeat 100,000!"

"Marshal Yamagata Aritomo has agreed to come out and take charge of the situation, and we also have warships!" Togo Heihachiro clenched his fists and said murderously, "If there are any who resist, we will blow them to pieces!"

Yamamoto Gonbei twisted his beard and said with satisfaction: "It's good that you have this awareness. Many people will definitely die tonight! Tokyo City may also suffer some losses, but for the sake of the Great Japanese Empire, all this is worth it!"

"exactly!"

"Then let's do it, Togo! The army's idiot has already done it once, this time it's our navy's turn!"

The two men discussed for a long time in the office of the Navy Ministry, and made detailed arrangements as to who would be sent to attack the Imperial Palace, who would be sent to occupy the newspaper office and telegraph room, who would occupy the Army Ministry, and so on.

Halfway through the conversation, Togo Heihachiro stood up and opened the window, and then the sound of singing floated in from the window.

“Fame and fortune are but traces in dreams, but sincerity will never fade away.

Life is all about letting go of one’s emotions, who can comment on success or failure?

After reciting the song of Li Sao, this heroic and tragic song ends today.

With swords at our waists, we can clear the bloody seas."

Humph, Togo Heihachiro snorted coldly, frowned and closed the window again, becoming more and more dissatisfied with the things that Ito Hirobumi had tinkered with.

Hongonbei smiled and said, "You sang well. With the sharp swords on our waists, we can clear the blood from the sea! Togo, today we will see whether the swords on our waists are sharp!"

Chapter 384 Heading to the Port

The Taisho Restoration overthrew the feudal politics and fully introduced the political system of neighboring China, but the conservative forces were still strong, and there were never a lack of counterattacks. Ito Hirobumi strengthened his control over the army and exiled many opponents to Hokkaido and even Siberia. A large number of Russians in Siberia fled back to Europe, and many fields and houses were abandoned. The Grand Duchy of Siberia has vast land, but the population has always been small. Now a large number of Russians have fled back to Europe, and the decline of the Grand Duchy of Siberia is inevitable.

Then the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans came to fill the gap left by the Russians. The Grand Duchy of Siberia was in the Outer Northeast, and people could freeze to death in the winter. Not many good families were willing to immigrate there, so criminals were the best source of immigrants. Chairman Lin liked to exile all kinds of criminals to the border areas of the country, and Ito Hirobumi followed suit and also exiled some stubborn opponents.

At first, the opponents were exiled to Hokkaido, which was the Ainu Principality under Japan. Later, they were simply sent to Siberia, which was farther away from Japan and had a more hostile environment, making it a more suitable place for exile than Hokkaido.

However, there are still many opposing forces. In order to stabilize the situation, Ito had to make many compromises, and the elimination of opponents was not so thorough. Now that he has the upper hand, he does not need to be too radical, just gradually eliminate them, he does not need to rush. This gives those who are interested an opportunity to take advantage of it.

"Boom boom boom", the military boots stepped on the floor, making a dull sound, and the soldiers hurriedly came and went. Togo Heihachiro, who was in charge of the Navy Ministry, kept issuing orders, and one unit after another entered the designated position fully armed. Togo Heihachiro did not plan to stay in the Navy Ministry. It was enough to have Yamamoto Gonbei in charge here. He was going to the battleship "Izumo" to command the Combined Fleet. Not everyone could make up their minds to bombard Tokyo. If he was not there, the generals of the navy might not dare to use the main guns of the battleships to turn Tokyo into purgatory.

"Akiyama-kun, come with me!"

Togo Heihachiro changed his mind at the last minute and decided to let Akiyama Saneyuki escort him to the port. Akiyama Saneyuki was stunned and said hesitantly: "The lower officer is ready to go to Sakuradamon."

"No rush, revenge is like tasting fine wine, you have to take your time!"

Togo Heihachiro was in high spirits. "First we need to get rid of Ito's men, and then we can move on to the final chapter of the music!"

Akiyama Saneyuki had no choice but to agree. He called up his troops and asked the officers and soldiers to line up in the open space outside the Navy Department. The officers and soldiers all had white strips tied on their right arms and looked very nervous. After Togo Heihachiro came out of the office, he was very satisfied with the speed of the sailors' assembly. "Yoshi, Akiyama-kun is very good at training troops. I think these marines are no worse than the regular divisions of the army!"

"Your Excellency is too kind. Our heavy firepower equipment is still insufficient and cannot compare with the newly formed First Division." Akiyama Saneyuki said with a tense face, "Your Excellency, please get on the horse!"

The First Division was the strongest unit under Ito Hirobumi's command. Most of the officers and soldiers were veterans who had participated in the war. Some of them were prisoners of war released by the People's Party. They accepted the transformation of the People's Party and firmly supported Prime Minister Ito and the Japanese People's Party. Previously, the Shikoku region was somewhat unstable, and Ito Hirobumi sent the First Division to suppress it. Now in Tokyo, there are only those militia organizations called "Red Guards".

Togo Heihachiro got on his horse and headed for the port under the escort of Akiyama Saneyuki and another general. Halfway through the journey, they suddenly heard gunshots in the distance. Togo Heihachiro was startled, reined in his horse, and asked, "Why is there a fight now?"

The plan was to start at nine o'clock in the evening, and it was only a little after seven or eight o'clock. Akiyama Saneyuki said loudly, "Maybe there was an accident! Your Excellency, do you want to return to the Navy Ministry?"

The gunfire gradually became more intense, and even Maxim's roar could be heard. Togo Heihachiro said decisively: "No, we will go and join the combined fleet!"

The battleships of the Combined Fleet were the strongest force near Tokyo. Any resistance was futile in front of the battleships' main guns. Although there was an accident now, Heihachiro Togo believed that as long as the Combined Fleet was still there, everything would be fine.

"Hai!" Akiyama Shinji ordered loudly: "Yamazaki, you lead the way in front, everyone else, speed up!"

The soldiers nervously quickened their pace and headed towards the port at high speed. Seeing the sailors' quick actions, Togo Heihachiro once again thought that after the matter was over, he could let Akiyama Saneyuki control part of the army. The current Navy Minister Saigo Tsunemichi used to be from the army, and he could control the navy from the army, so the navy could do the same. With the example of Saigo Tsunemichi and others, it is not unreasonable to select some generals from the navy to go to the army department. Those who do not plan for eternity are not worthy of planning for the moment. Togo Heihachiro was a ruthless general on the battlefield, but he was not lacking in wisdom. After the navy launched the attack, he was already thinking about how to deal with the next situation.

When they were only a few blocks from the port, the team suddenly stopped.

Come down. Togo Heihachiro was awakened from his thoughts, and Akiyama Shinyuki beside him shouted: "What's going on?"

After a round of questions and answers, a sailor ran over and shouted, "Major General, it's Genryusai's First Squadron. They've blocked the road and said it's curfew time and no one is allowed to pass!"

The First Squadron is an organization under the Red Guards. Although it has a small number of people, it is well-equipped and has many veterans from the army, so it has strong combat effectiveness.

"Asshole! That's their army's business, what does it have to do with our navy?" Akiyama Saneyuki saluted Togo Heihachiro, "Sir, please allow me to negotiate with Genryusai."

Togo Heihachiro looked at the hundreds of sailors around him, then looked at the First Squadron that had put up barricades and blocked the street with two heavy machine guns. He thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Akiyama-kun, go negotiate, and the rest of you get ready for battle!"

Akiyama Saneyuki walked up quickly with two soldiers and loudly negotiated with the First Squadron. He pointed to the Sailor Squadron. The First Squadron in gray looked over here and said something. A few minutes later, Akiyama Saneyuki walked back quickly and said, "Sir, you can pass now."

"Akiyama-kun is familiar with the people from the First Division?"

Akiyama Saneyuki lowered his head and said, "Genryusai learned horse riding from my elder brother, so we have some friendship."

"Yoshi, I see! From now on, Akiyama-kun can rebuild the cavalry of the Empire of Japan."

Chapter 385 It's You

After passing the street guarded by the First Squadron, there was no longer any obstruction on the road to the port. The sailors lit torches and hurried to the warship parked on the dock.

"who?"

Someone shouted in the darkness, "Akiyama-kun, why are you......"

Akiyama Saneyuki shouted, "General Togo is here, why are you blocking the road? Why don't you get out of the way?"

There was some commotion in the darkness, but it soon died down. The same voice from before rang out, "Everyone, make way for General Togo!"

Togo Heihachiro felt a little strange, but he couldn't explain it. He was full of thoughts and had a lot of things to consider. He didn't have time to think too much and boarded the battleship "Izumo". Akiyama Saneyuki said something behind him, and the sailors who followed him were divided into several parts. Some went to other battleships, while Akiyama Saneyuki took his men to board the "Izumo".

The sound of gunfire in Tokyo became louder and louder. Togo Heihachiro entered the captain's command room, looked at the map under the light for a while, and said without looking up: "Bombard the Army Ministry immediately!"

There was a commotion around, but no one stood up to obey the order. Togo Heihachiro once again felt something was wrong, and he raised his head suddenly, "Are you going to disobey orders?"

"But...Sir, that is Tokyo City after all!"

"Bang!" Togo Heihachiro slammed his pen on the table. "Great, our navy has also learned how to disobey orders! Fujino, lock up all these people!"

The strong Colonel Fujino stood up and was about to execute the order, but he heard someone shouting, "Don't move!" Fujino was startled and turned around to see Major General Akiyama Saneyuki. Akiyama Saneyuki took a few steps forward and put his hand on the hilt of the sword, "Everyone, don't move!"

Togo Heihachiro's face turned livid. At this point, everything connected. "I was saying... I never thought you would defect to the Chinese! Have you forgotten how Akiyama Yoshifuru died?"

Fujino's eyes widened when he heard this, and he shouted in disbelief, "Major General, is this true?"

Akiyama Saneyuki reached into his bosom with his left hand and pulled out a roll of yellow silk. "Here is the Emperor's decree. We are acting in compliance with his orders!"

Togo Heihachiro sneered and said, "Have you ever taken the Emperor seriously? Now I remember that you are Takahashi Korekiyo's student. No wonder you betrayed the navy!"

"You are wrong. Akiyama-kun never betrayed the navy. It was you who betrayed the navy and Japan!"

In the darkness, Daikakuya Shishin walked out slowly. He smiled and said to Togo Heihachiro, "General, please do not act rashly! You know, I am a seventh-degree kendo master. Before you can draw your pistol, my sword will pierce your chest."

Togo Heihachiro stopped his little movements. He was silent for a while, then suddenly shouted, "Do it!"

"boom!"

There was a loud explosion in the darkness, and flames shot up into the sky. The violent explosion shattered all the glass within a hundred meters. The sound of women screaming and children crying rang out in the darkness, followed by men cursing and various other sounds. Tokyo City had turned into a battlefield two months ago, and the local residents already had experience in dealing with it. The men in the family brought water tanks, cabinets and other things to hold up the door, and asked their wives to cover the children's mouths. In this chaotic era, the only way to be safe is to be unnoticed.

The streets around Ito Hirobumi's residence were filled with soldiers armed with live ammunition, barbed wire, sandbags, and heavy machine guns, just like field fortifications. The sound of the explosion reached the ears of the Prime Minister, and Ito Hirobumi said with some dissatisfaction: "It's too noisy!"

Lieutenant Nagao Kanji walked in hurriedly, "Prime Minister, Togo Heihachiro went to the port, I'm afraid things have changed, please change the place!"

Ito Hirobumi disapproved

Said: "Even if Togo boarded the battleship, what good would it do? They had no chance in the first place."