Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

Chapter 169 Itagaki captured Aoto Nana

Chen Jiehua stayed home all day, reflecting on the gains and losses of this Northeast China campaign. Had his efforts had any positive effect? ​​Or was it that, due to the powerful corrective force of history, he was truly powerless to change its course?

In the afternoon, Chen Jiehua received a secret telegram from the Young Marshal's Mansion in Beiping. The Young Marshal said that he had a good personal relationship with the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army, Honjo Shigeru, and asked if the thing you mentioned would still happen.

Holy crap, now we know the truth! So that's why Zhang Xiaoliu made the wrong choice regarding the September 18 Incident. You just trusted the Japanese because you were on good terms with them? You thought war wouldn't happen?
However, I can't say that, since it seems my current identity is more Japanese than Honjo Shigeru's.

Alas, it’s difficult.

On the evening of June 29, Chen Jiehua emerged from his confusion and reflection and began to prepare to contact each group member one by one, gather information, and assign tasks.

Whether history can be changed or not, and whatever the impact of the silver dollar robbery, time will tell. But time waits for no one, and we still have to do what we need to do.

The first person that comes to mind is Zhao Yiyue, the guy with the longbow. After completing his mission on June 26, he didn't want to pretend for even a minute. He immediately changed his clothes and took the waterway to Chongqing. He's still on a Yangtze River cruise ship now.

Hotsumi Ozaki: The representatives of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China in Guangzhou visited many people, including Inukai Tsuyoshi, president of the Seiyukai, and Toyama Mitsuru, leader of the Black Dragon Society. They also visited the Ministry of the Army and the General Staff Headquarters, but the content of the discussions is unknown. They are currently in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but there has been no substantial progress.

Silver Fox: 1. The U.S. Navy is moving its reconnaissance capabilities from the Atlantic and Caribbean to the Pacific, merging them with existing combat forces in the Pacific to form a fleet deployment covering the entire Pacific region.

2. U.S. Chief of Naval Operations William V. Pratt attempted to push for fleet architecture reform, aiming to shift from the traditional "Mahanian fleet assembly" model centered on battleships to a command structure based on ship type specialization. However, this was opposed by Chief of Naval Operations Stanley and has not yet been implemented.

The United States was truly full of talented people in the early stages of World War II. So early on, people saw the drawbacks of battleship fleets and the advantages of aircraft carrier fleets!

It must be stopped, even if it means delaying it for a few years until the Yamato is completed. If it succeeds then, Japanese naval spies will report back, and the Japanese navy might also change its strategy, switch to carrier battle groups, and abandon the Yamato. In that case, I would truly be a traitor aiding the enemy!

Red Phoenix Returns, Silver Fox Lightning:

1. Under the premise of absolute secrecy, support Stanley at all costs, including but not limited to financial support. We can help Stanley win over allies and stop the fleet reform!
2. Try to use Stanley's help to promote the establishment of a model of a giant battleship battle formation.

3. Promptly inform Japanese naval intelligence of the news that the United States is strengthening its combat formation across the Pacific.

Wagtail: The situation in North China is tense at present. Shi Yousan seems to be planning a coup. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Regarding this matter, you should ask your senior sister. I suspect that several warlords in North China are targets of the Bansai Mansion's activities. Letting you practice your skills is a good idea.

As for the others, Beifeng is still on the warship on its return journey, and Lao Mao Zhao Shiyu is still in the hospital; they can't be counted on.

Regarding the international situation, it would be better to talk to Sorge in person.

The navy needs to keep a close eye on the wind direction and not let them blow it off course. I need to go back every now and then to make my presence felt, otherwise I might easily fall out of favor!

In the Northeast, with Kwantung Army Commander Honjo Shigeru about to arrive, it's clear the September 18th Incident is unavoidable. Zhao Shiyu can no longer easily conduct underground activities, so a way must be found to recall him. But who should be sent?
Dividing line —
On June 30, after receiving an urgent telegram from Seishiro Itagaki, Kenji Doihara rushed back to the Kwantung Army headquarters from the border area between Fengtian and Korea.

After reviewing all the materials, Kenji Doihara's first words startled Seishiro Itagaki: "This whole thing is exactly the design of that Joe Aoki. Even if he didn't carry it out personally, his influence is evident everywhere!"

"Doihara-kun, why are you so fixated on Aoki Joe? You can't possibly bring him down. Wouldn't it be better to save your energy for our planned endeavors?"

"No, Itagaki-kun, you misunderstand. I didn't mean to target him. My conclusion is based on my research on him, plus my first instinctive judgment after seeing this information."

"Why do you make this judgment? The Navy has confirmed that on the afternoon of the 20th, Aoki Takashi departed from Miyazaki and returned to Shanghai aboard the Izumo. Shanghai has confirmed that the Izumo arrived in port on the evening of the 21st, and Ms. Fujiwara Mio personally picked him up. He had normal work for the next few days, and on the morning of the 26th, he was still undergoing training at the Marine Corps training ground. The Marine Corps is staff that you personally placed there."

"I know he didn't have time to act personally, but why didn't he order someone else to do it?" "You mean, Chai Shanjun?"

"No, Shibayama-kun didn't have much contact with him, so it couldn't be Shibayama."

"Do you really think it's that Qing Teng Liu?"

"No, Qing Teng Liu has always been within our sights. On the day of the incident, our surveillance personnel confirmed that she was at the Fengtian main store."

"Why not Qing Tengqi? Qing Tengqi left the Aoki family home on the evening of June 8th and left Shanghai that same day, heading straight for Manchuria."

"Here, take a look at this."

"What is this? Qing Tengqi's interrogation record? You've already caught Qing Tengqi?"

"We can't say we caught her, we can only say she was desperate and came here on her own. She's currently with the interrogation department."

“But before you came, we had already sent a telegram to Tokyo to verify. She said she was Toyama Mitsuru’s person. Toyama Mitsuru secretly sent her to the Prince of Bogong’s mansion as a maid. As a result, because she served at that secret meeting, she heard a secret she shouldn’t have heard. The prince wanted to kill her, but the nine maids were saved by the soft-hearted Aoki and went to Shanghai with him.”

"He's soft-hearted?"

“He is indeed soft-hearted. On June 8, or even earlier, Aoki discovered her identity, and after a brief interrogation at his home on the 8th, he released her directly.”

What questions did Aoki ask?

"It's all in the report, see for yourself."

"What kind of question is this? Are you sure Aoki only asked these two questions?"

"Yes, the interrogation department has already used torture. They confirmed that Aoki only asked her if she was working for you, and when she answered no, he released Aoto Nanami immediately."

"It really suits Aoki's style."

"Two were sent to the Communist Party's headquarters in the Republic of China, two to Nanjing, two to North China, and one to Manchuria. Ha, he really knows how to play the game. Judging from this, he really isn't the Chen Jiehua from the Republic of China?"

“I’ve said it long ago that he couldn’t possibly be a spy for the Republic of China, why haven’t you believed me? You’ve been completely misled by Nagatomo Tsugio.”

“No, I only trust my own intuition. Nagatomo’s report has many flaws and illogical points, so I don’t believe it. But the fact that he killed Nagatomo and took the report means that there was something he cared about in Nagatomo’s report.”

"Doihara-kun, stop being so paranoid. We don't have time to listen to your analysis of Aoki Joe. Please get back to the incident of the stolen naval silver coins!"

"Alright, if the leader of Tou Shan confirms that Qing Teng Qi is his man, please hand Qing Teng Qi over to me."

"I can give you the person. But you need to ask the leader of Tou Shan for the person in person."

"Alright, let's continue looking at this case. If it wasn't Aoki Qiao who did it, then which force was it? What was their purpose in doing so? Why go to such great lengths, meticulously planning and transporting the goods, just to frame the Kwantung Army Headquarters?"

(End of this chapter)