Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

Chapter 176 Zhang Xiaoliu's Multiple Choice Question

The railway at Liutiaohu could be straightened after it was bent, but Zhang Xiaoliu only had one choice. This time, even with a hint, he still made the same choice: no resistance. The main force retreated again and again, withdrawing back into the pass!
History, in the end, continues to move forward along its original trajectory.

With the nation in crisis, the people and media across the country called for unity to jointly resist foreign enemies, and the two sides of the Kuomintang's "Nanjing-Guangdong standoff" could no longer continue to move forward according to their own wishes. The volatile confrontation began to ease.
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Dividing line —
The September 18 Incident occurred as expected, which was a significant blow to Chen Jiehua. Although he had anticipated it, he was still disappointed. All his long-term efforts had ultimately been in vain.

One evening in late September 1931 (the 20th year of the Republic of China), Chen Jiehua contacted Zhang Xiaoliu's hotline via radio at home. He initially intended to interrogate him, but ultimately decided to ask in a conversational tone:

"Brother Hanqing, I've already reminded you. The Kwantung Army has less than 20,000 men, while you have over 200,000. Why don't you resist?"

"The Chairman ordered no resistance; those bastards in the South only want to wear down my Northeast Army."

"Besides, I don't really trust you; I only trust my own intuition."

"You don't believe me? Why is that?"

"If you were already certain that the Kwantung Army was going to really fight, why didn't you advise my 11 troops who had entered the pass to go back?"

"Let them go back, and you and Shi Yousan will have a very difficult time fighting! Then the situation will become even more chaotic!"

"That's just your side of the story."

"I am more familiar with him than with you and Honjo Shigeru, but I know nothing about you."

"We've been so open with each other, how could I possibly make you think I know nothing about you?"

"I don't understand the Fengtian incident. Although you explained it, and although I allowed the Japanese Navy to search the headquarters as you requested, I still believe that you represent the Japanese Navy. Perhaps you have no ill intentions towards me, and you just want to provoke a conflict between the Navy and the Army. As for the deeper purpose, I can't see through it."

"Why is this again?"

"I haven't seen any meaningful results."

“Mystery is the unknown. Your actions are unconventional and far-fetched, making it impossible to determine Brother Aoki’s allegiance.”

"The open-text telegram incident is shrouded in mystery, and Yang Dengying in Beiping is even more perplexing."

This is ridiculous. Even if the open-text telegram incident is shrouded in mystery, whether Yang Dengying is in the Kuomintang Party Affairs Investigation Department or has another identity, it is not a reason for you not to trust him.
And the silver dollar robbery incident wasn't the outcome I wanted either.
Chen Jiehua could only understand this misunderstanding by the powerful corrective force of history; there was no other explanation.

"So, it seems I don't want Gao Shuguang and Guan Yuheng either?"

"We can no longer contact Gao Shuguang; he has made his own choice. Lao Guan has already followed your instructions, leading his troops in a feigned defection from the Northeast Army, and is retreating towards Rehe Province. Once he reaches a safe place, he will contact you."

"What's going on here? If they don't trust me anymore, why are they still willing to hand over Guan Yuheng's troops to me?"

"Consider it my way of thanking you for helping me back then. At the same time, I also want to leave myself an out and see how far you, the mysterious one, will go."

At least it wasn't all for naught; Guan Yuheng's troops were still usable, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. As for Zhang Shaoshuai, we could only bid each other farewell, knowing our paths would diverge.

History remains the same.

That is to say, he knew about several things that were about to happen, one of which was the Songhu Incident in Shanghai, which was orchestrated by Yoshiko Kawashima.

Secondly, the Military Intelligence Bureau is about to make its debut, and the Special Higher Police (THD) is about to arrive in Shanghai.

Late at night, Chen Jiehua sat on the rooftop of his Shanghai home, gazing at the night sky, his mind a jumble of thoughts. It was time to reorganize his makeshift team.

First, there was the Northeast. After the Kwantung Army completed its occupation of the Northeast, it immediately became arrogant and demanded that the Navy's "Aoki Pharmacy Co., Ltd." prohibit the sale of any medicines to the people of the Northeast!
What's the point of opening a large pharmacy? Shibayama Masashi reported to headquarters: What to do? Should they stay or leave?

At this point, even the Wakatsuki Reijiro cabinet could not persuade the Kwantung Army to stop, and the younger officers in the Army Ministry were extremely excited. At this point, it was useless for anyone to come.

The Army Ministry and the General Staff took a hard line. After multiple communications with the Navy General Staff, they decided to exchange army pharmacies in East China and pharmacies in Northeast China in equal numbers.

This was another bolt from the blue for Chen Jiehua. The large pharmacy's dual network of overt and covert operations, which he had worked so hard to build, was handed over to the Kwantung Army and the Fengtian authorities.

How are we going to deliver medicine to our comrades now? The comrades in Northeast China are already in a precarious situation; won't this make things even more difficult? We won't even be able to buy emergency medicine anymore!
This must be another of the insidious schemes of the Doihara bedbugs!
The swap is really cunning. The Navy pharmacy is being moved from the economically weak Northeast to the economically prosperous East China, and it's a one-for-one exchange. It's definitely a win for the Navy. The bigwigs at headquarters have all agreed, and the Marines in the Northeast have also agreed. If you, Aoki, object, then you have something to hide!

Chen Jiehua could only urgently contact the section chief by telegram, informing the headquarters of the transaction and reminding the comrades of the Northeast Special Branch and the troops on the front line of the Northeast Anti-Japanese War to stockpile more wound medicine.

If the pharmacy's network is lost, the delivery line will naturally disappear as well.

We still haven't been able to contact Guan Yuheng's troops who retreated to Rehe. Where are you? This is really worrying.

Old Zhao withdrew ahead of time, leaving only Qing Teng Liu and one unconfirmed Qing Teng Qi in Northeast China, both under Doihara's nose, making it difficult to stockpile medicine in advance.

You're a stink bug, I'll let you win half the game for now.

This was indeed Doihara's wicked scheme. The ronin of the Ijuin family caused great losses to the Kwantung Army and the Fengtian Agency, but Ijuin Seiki was eventually captured. After interrogation, it was discovered that the Navy was behind it!

Ijuin Seiki's family still includes his father and second uncle, plus the old subordinates of the former Ijuin, so their power is not weak. Ishihara Kanji believes that it is better to avoid trouble at this time and not to provoke the Navy any further. Ijuin Seiki, that little bastard, cannot be killed and should be sent back to his country with courtesy.

Kenji Doihara could only vent his anger on the Navy, preventing them from selling medicine!
After discussing it, the three-person group decided to take a loss first, stabilize the Northeast, and swallow the spoils that were already in their grasp. They could take North China and East China later.

This message was passed from Qing Tengqi to Zhu Huiwu, and then Zhu Huiwu forwarded it to him.

Chen Jiehua sent a telegram to Ozaki Hotsumi in Japan: Find Ijuin Seiki as soon as possible and tell him that Commander Aoki greatly admired his righteous act of avenging his comrades in Northeast China and invited him to lead a team back to Shanghai.

Such an unexpected storyline, it would be a shame not to make good use of it! The Kagoshima people, the Shimazu retainers, a large group of ruthless ronin, with family power behind them, are naturally high-quality cannon fodder.

(End of this chapter)