Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 300: Prime Minister Tojo Takehide's Peace Strategies

As the situation in the Japanese-occupied area of ​​Northeast China became increasingly unfavorable to the Kwantung Army, the news spread back to Fuso. At the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda District, Tokyo, at the summons of Emperor Jinto, the four cabinet ministers of the Fuso Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Takehide Tojo, gathered in the Imperial Palace's study.

The Emperor Rendong, who was only about 38 or 39 years old, had sharp features and looked a little fat. With a hint of majesty on his face, he slowly spoke: "Now in China, the Kwantung Army troops occupying Baizhou and Xingzhou in the northeast are retreating step by step under the full-scale attack of the Northern Frontier Government's Northern Expedition Corps. In less than a month, they have lost control of Linzhou. More than 40% of the territory of Baizhou and Xingzhou has also fallen into the control of the Northern Frontier Government."

"What do you think about the war in Northeast China?"

Prime Minister Tojo Takehiro was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, the reason why the Kwantung Army was defeated repeatedly in the Northeast Fuso occupied area is because of the existence of Su Zhengyang and his Northwest Revolutionary Army. Behind them, they have the support of the world's largest arms company, the Peace Company. In terms of military equipment level, they are far ahead of our Kwantung Army."

Army Minister Ito Hirobumi nodded and agreed, saying, "With our domestic air force unable to support the Northeast battlefield, it is now difficult for the Kwantung Army to stop the Northern Expedition Army."

Cabinet Minister Taro Suzuki also expressed his opinion at this time.

"Your Majesty, knowing that we are invincible, why don't we withdraw the Kwantung Army troops in Hakushu and Xingzhou to cities close to military ports such as Shunfeng and Liaokou. With the help of the naval fleet, we should be able to preserve the last territory of the Kwantung Army."

Emperor Rendong frowned, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Baga! Is there no other solution? Once we take the initiative to retreat to the coastal military port city, it means that our great Fuso Empire has voluntarily admitted defeat. Moreover, the mines, steel mills, etc. we have built in Xingzhou and Baizhou will fall into the hands of the Northern Frontier Government. The economic losses and subsequent impacts brought to us are immeasurable."

Suzuki Taro rolled his eyes and spoke again: "Your Majesty, perhaps we can temporarily put aside our own face and ask for peace with the Northern Frontier Government, paying a certain price to keep the Kwantung Army's territory in the Northeast. As far as I know, the current situation in China is not peaceful. The Southern Government is eyeing us covetously in the south, and there are warlords headed by Ma Changfang in the Northern Frontier who are dissatisfied with Su Zhengyang. As long as we temporarily delay the Northern Expedition Corps and wait until the local reinforcements land in the Northeast, we can launch a counterattack. Once the Northern Expedition Corps gives up the Northern Expedition, their attention and energy will be focused on internal issues, and we can wait for an opportunity to act..."

Watching Suzuki Taro talking, Army Minister Ito Hirobumi interrupted him with a grim look on his face.

"Our Fuso Empire Army is the most elite army in Asia. Taking the initiative to ask for peace with the Northern Frontier Government is the greatest shame for the Fuso Army!"

Suzuki Taro responded sharply: "It is your so-called strongest army in Asia that has put us in a passive situation. If you are unwilling to put aside your so-called pride and seek peace, all our decades of hard work in the Northeast will go to waste!"

"We, Fuso, have risen from obscurity to become the leading military power in Asia today, relying on enduring humiliation, surviving in the cracks, and developing steadily. General Ito, if you are unwilling to sue for peace, I would like to hear what solutions you have for solving the current predicament faced by the Kwantung Army?"

Ito Hirobumi fell silent for a moment, speechless. Fuso had built a huge industrial base in the Northeast over the years, and the cost was an astronomical figure that was unimaginable. The importance of the Northeast industrial system to Fuso was self-evident. Once it suffered a devastating blow, the entire Fuso's industrial development would regress by ten years.

"Now, Minamino Tojiro has reached the point where he is helpless. Facing the front of the Northern Expedition Corps, he can only threaten the lives of the local people in Northeast Baizhou. He occupies the last industrial cities, Jiamu City and Songjiang City, and is in a stalemate with the Northern Expedition Corps. Xingzhou is in a mess. Beifan City, which owns the Xingzhou Steel Plant and Xingzhou Iron Mine, fell three days ago and fell into the control of the Northern Frontier Government. If it drags on, the situation will only become more difficult. Let me suffer greater losses."

Listening to Suzuki Taro's endless analysis of the current situation, Emperor Jindong nodded involuntarily.

Just as Taro Suzuki said, the fact is that the Fuso Kwantung Army is no match for the Northern Expedition Corps. The entire Kwantung Army has reached a critical moment of life and death. If they continue to fight, all the foundations established by Fuso in the Northeast will be lost.

At this time, Prime Minister Tojo Takehido, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up: "Su Zhengyang is a bastard. Because his father Su Yuting died at the hands of our Fuso, he is extremely hostile to the Fuso Empire. Now that there is a chance to inflict heavy damage on Fuso, he will probably hold on to this opportunity and will not easily compromise. According to the intelligence information sent back from China, this person is ruthless and decisive, and has an extremely arrogant personality. If he wants to negotiate with the Northern Frontier Government, Su Zhengyang is an obstacle that we cannot bypass."

Suzuki Taro said disdainfully: "There is an old saying in China, 'All the people in the world come for profit, and all the people in the world go for profit. Su Zhengyang is vigorously developing industry in the northwest. In order to obtain the support of the Peace Company, I don't know how much it will cost secretly. The funding gap of the Northwest Revolutionary Army is completely a bottomless black hole. As long as we are willing to offer a price that is attractive enough to make him excited, I believe that for the sake of long-term interests, Su Zhengyang will definitely be willing to negotiate."

After hours of discussion, the Fuso leadership headed by Emperor Jinto finally decided to send people to negotiate with the Northern Frontier Government and Su Zhengyang. Even if it came at a certain price, it was acceptable. Of course, Fuso also made second-hand preparations. Once the negotiations broke down, the main force of the Kwantung Army would withdraw to the coastal area of ​​Hakushu and, with the help of the naval fleet, hold on to the last territory.

Fuso must not be completely driven out of the Northeast by the Northern Expedition Army. This is also Fuso’s last bottom line.

The person in charge of the negotiations was Miura Uchie, the cabinet minister and deputy of Suzuki Taro, who had met Su Zhengyang briefly in Shanghai.

After hearing the news, Miura Uchie was almost so angry that he cursed. Miura Uchie, who had conducted in-depth negotiations with Su Zhengyang, understood better than anyone that at the negotiation table, Su Zhengyang was a completely unreasonable tough guy. Once he took the initiative, Su Zhengyang would definitely let you know what it meant to be unreasonable.

At this time in China, as the victory reports from the northeast battlefield continued to be transmitted back to Beilong City, the people throughout China were overjoyed, and they all looked forward to the Northern Expedition Corps taking back the territory that originally belonged to China. As long as Su Zhengyang accomplished this feat, his prestige in the entire northern border and even in China would be unmatched.