On the eve of the fall of Liaodong, he led his troops in a remonstrance against the young marshal.

"If Zhang Xueming really has the Nanjing government backing him,"

Inukai Tsuyoshi's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, making a steady tapping sound.

"That means the empire will no longer be facing a local warlord, but the entire China."

"With 300,000 Northeast Army troops, the Nanjing government's Central Army, and the potential intervention of Britain and the United States, the scale of this battle was beyond the control of the Kwantung Army."

"Gentlemen, the empire is gambling with its fate; every decision must be made with utmost care."

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

Nanjiro opened his mouth as if to say something, but Inukai Tsuyoshi waved his hand, signaling him not to speak yet.

Inukai Tsuyoshi turned his head and his gaze fell on a person who had been silent at the very end of the conference table.

The man was wearing a dark gray suit with a neatly tied tie. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, and behind the lenses were long, narrow, and cold eyes, like a snake crouching in a corner waiting for its prey.

"Doihara-kun".

Inukai Tsuyoshi called his name, "You are the head of the Special Higher Police, and the intelligence network in China is in your hands."

"Tell me, did Zhang Xueming actually have a Nanjing government behind him?"

Kenji Doihara stood up from his chair.

He picked up a thick folder in front of him with both hands and opened the first page.

He was one of the most mysterious and feared figures in the Imperial Army's intelligence system, having been infiltrating China since the First Sino-Japanese War.

He speaks fluent Mandarin more fluently than most Chinese people, and his understanding and infiltration of Chinese politics even surpasses his understanding of his own country's politics.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister, gentlemen."

Kenji Doihara's voice was low and deep. "Based on the intelligence network of the Special Higher Police in Nanjing, Beiping, Fengtian, and Nanchang, I can say with certainty that the Nanjing government would never support Zhang Xueming."

"There are two pieces of evidence."

He held up one finger:

"First, the Chairman's current focus is entirely on the encirclement and suppression in Jiangxi."

"According to telegrams intercepted by the Nanchang intelligence station, he sent no fewer than ten telegrams to the front lines within a week. The contents were all about the allocation of the encirclement and suppression forces and tactical adjustments, with not a single word mentioning the Northeast."

"His strategic priorities are very clear: internal affairs first, then external affairs. He will never send troops north before he has completely resolved the domestic conflicts."

He extended his second finger:

"Secondly, Fengtian."

"According to our intelligence agents planted within the Northeast Army, Zhang Xueming publicly executed Zhang Jinghui at a military and political meeting yesterday afternoon, and then used force to coerce other veterans into making statements."

"Zhang Zuoxiang, Wan Fulin and others did not genuinely support him; they were forced to submit when a gun was pointed at their heads."

"The Northeast Army is now in disarray, and it is only Zhang Xueming who is keeping it in check with his iron fist."

"How could the Nanjing government possibly support someone like that?"

"What the Chairman disliked most was this kind of uncontrollable soldier. In his eyes, Zhang Xueming was more dangerous than Li Zongren."

"Li Zongren at least played by the rules, but Zhang Xueming did not play by the rules at all."

"Would Chiang Kai-shek dare to employ someone who dared to execute veterans in a meeting room, in front of all the veterans of the Northeast Army?"

He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, the lenses reflecting the light from the chandelier, obscuring the expression in his eyes.

"The conclusion is clear."

Kenji Doihara said firmly:

"Zhang Xueming's behavior was isolated and was a typical example of a mutiny by the underlings."

"He kidnapped Zhang Xueliang, subdued the veterans of the Northeast Army, and then unilaterally sent a telegram to the Empire."

"The Nanjing government will not only not support him, but is actually trying to bring him down."

"Now is the best time for the Empire to resolve the Manchurian problem in one fell swoop."

"If we miss this window of opportunity, and wait until the Nanjing government adjusts its strategy, or new variables emerge within the Northeast Army, the situation will become complicated again."

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly changed.

The rage on Nanjiro's face was replaced by an almost fanatical excitement, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards, revealing two rows of teeth stained yellow with tobacco.

Ōsumi's expression didn't change much, but his eyes clearly brightened.

Inukai Tsuyoshi remained silent for a long time.

He rubbed his thumbs together faster and faster, his cloudy old eyes fixed on the Asahi Shimbun extra edition on the table.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

During the First Sino-Japanese War, he stood on the deck of a warship and watched the flagship Long be sunk. During the Russo-Japanese War, he worked overtime at the General Staff Headquarters until late at night to verify casualty figures.

Every time the empire gambled, it won; every time, its territory expanded.

But with each successful gamble, the empire faces an even larger wave of adversaries.

After the Qing Dynasty came Russia, after Russia came Germany, and after Germany came Britain and the United States.

Now, even a twenty-five-year-old brat dares to send a telegram to the empire.

"Since there is no Nanjing government."

Inukai Tsuyoshi finally spoke, his voice icy, each word dripping with a knife-like chill: "Then there's nothing to hesitate about."

"A 25-year-old young man, though commanding 300,000 troops, without the support of the central government, without a navy, without an air force, wants to rely solely on his courage to challenge the empire..."

He slowly stood up, placing his hands on the table. The moment he straightened his body, the 82-year-old man suddenly seemed 20 years younger, his cloudy old eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

"Then let him know what the wrath of the empire is like."

He turned to face the huge map of East Asia on the wall, picked up a red pen from the table, and marked a big X in the location of Fengtian.

"Nanjiro-kun." He didn't even turn his head.

"Here!" Nanjiro snapped to attention.

「命令本土陆军第3师团、第4师团、第5师团、第9师团、第16师团、第17师团、第18师团即刻进入一级战备状态。」

"All officers and soldiers have their leave canceled, and weapons and ammunition are loaded and ready for deployment."

"Complete preparations for crossing the sea within 48 hours, board the ship at Moji Port and Busan Port, and head to Lushun, Dalian, and Yingkou."

"Hai!"

"Order the 19th and 20th Divisions of the army stationed in Korea..."

Inukai Tsuyoshi drew a thick arrow in red ink on the Yalu River, pointing directly to Fengtian.

"Cross the Yalu River immediately and advance at full speed towards Fengtian along the Anfeng Railway."

"We must arrive at the gates of Fengtian before the various units of the Northeast Army complete their assembly, and join up with the remnants of the 2nd Division."

"Hai!"

"Order the remnants of the 2nd Division of the Kwantung Army and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment to hold Lushun and await reinforcements."

"No unauthorized attacks are permitted, and the Northeast Army must not be given any further opportunity to exploit the situation."

"Hai!"

Inukai Takeshi turned around, his gaze fixed on Okaku Mineo's face.

"Ookado-kun".

Ōkaku Mineo stood up, his snow-white military uniform gleaming coldly under the lamplight:

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister, please speak."

"Order the 1st Carrier Division of the Combined Fleet, the aircraft carriers Akagi and Kaga, to immediately move into attack positions, and all carrier-based attack aircraft to take off with missiles."

"Targets: Fengtian city wall fortifications, Beidaying barracks, Fengtian arsenal, Northeast border defense army headquarters."

"Tell the pilots that the bombing must be precise and intense, and that the defense system of Fengtian City must be reduced to ruins in one wave of attacks."

"I want Zhang Xueming to stand on the still-burning ruins, to watch his city walls collapse piece by piece, and to watch his soldiers be blown to pieces."

"I want him to know what the price is for declaring war on the Empire."

"Hai!"

Ōkaku Mineo raised his right hand, fingers together, to the brim of his hat with a crisp and clean movement. "The 1st Air Squadron guarantees the mission's success."

Inukai Tsuyoshi slammed the red pen on the table, put his hands behind his back, faced the map, remained silent for a moment, and then uttered his last words.

"Tell all participating troops that in this battle, the Empire wants to swallow them whole, not nibble away at them."

"A total of ten divisions, 250,000 troops, and the main force of the combined fleet are all committed."

"If the Northeast Army wants to fight, we'll fight them to the very end."

"Fight until Fengtian City is reduced to ruins, fight until the backbone of the Northeast Army is broken piece by piece, fight until Zhang Xueming's head is hung on the walls of Fengtian City."

"From this day forward, the Empire's rule in Manchuria will not be challenged by anyone."

"Hi!"

All the soldiers stood up at the same time, their boots clattering together in a neat and piercing sound.

Nanjiro was the first to turn around and walk towards the door, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

He had waited too long for this day.

I've been waiting since the day I became Minister of the Army, since the bombing of Zhang Zuolin at Huanggutun, and since the Nakamura Incident. Today, I've finally waited for it.

Ten divisions, 250,000 men, and the main force of the Combined Fleet—this was the Empire's largest overseas military operation since the Russo-Japanese War.

After this battle, Manchuria was no longer Manchuria of China, but Manchuria of the Empire.

Following closely behind, Okabe Mineo took out a silver cigarette case from his pocket as he walked out of the conference room, flicked out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a match.

The firelight illuminated his cold, hard face, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

He had fought naval battles for half his life, from the Tsushima Strait all the way to Qingdao, and he had never felt so exhilarated as he did today.

The bombing of Chinese cities by carrier-based aircraft will be a page in the history of the Imperial Navy.

Kenji Doihara was the last to leave.

He tucked the thick folder under his arm, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and said that he had been planning this war for ten years.

He sent people to instigate the Wanbaoshan Incident, he sent people to fabricate the Nakamura Incident, and he also participated in planning the bombing of the South Manchurian Railway.

Now the fruit is finally ripe.

Inukai Takeshi stood alone by the window and pushed open the heavy iron bars.

A cold wind blew in, making the documents on the table rustle.

"Let the flames of war burn throughout Manchuria, and let China groan under the iron heel of the empire."