newbobooks Chapter 260 Anglo-Japanese Conspiracy
Chapter 260 Anglo-Japanese Conspiracy
The first rays of dawn were breaking.
Shanghai, Chen Mansion Study.
Chen Zijun stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a freshly made cup of hot coffee.
Outside the window, the thick fog over the Huangpu River is gradually dissipating.
On the river, several patrol boats flying the flags of the Chen Family Army were slowly passing by.
Before Chen Zijun, a pale blue illusory panel, visible only to himself, was shimmering with a faint light.
That string of numbers representing the system's funds is ticking at a rate of 1.5 pounds per second!
Every jump in the numbers represents a surge in the strength of Chen Jiajun's army!
"Knock knock knock".
A crisp knock on the door broke the tranquility of the study.
"Enter."
Chen Zijun didn't turn around, and simply uttered a single word.
The door opened, and a series of light footsteps could be heard.
Mo Lanzhi walked in carrying a small tray, a gentle smile on her face.
Today she wore a well-tailored dark green silk cheongsam that perfectly accentuated her shapely figure.
"Young master, the commotion along the canal yesterday scared the man in the north half to death."
Mo Lanzhi walked to the table, put down several official documents, and her eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons.
"Oh?"
Chen Zijun turned around, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"That guy up north, how many cups did he smash last night?"
Mo Lanzhi smiled and said softly:
"I heard from our sources in Nanjing that Principal Chang flew into a rage at the camp last night, smashing three of his beloved blue-and-white porcelain teacups! He berated you, young master, for your lack of martial virtue, saying that you have openly provoked war and disrupted peace."
Chen Zijun sneered, picked up his coffee, and took a sip:
"No martial ethics?"
"Zhang Shizong's scoundrels have already tied their horses to my telephone pole, and he still wants to talk to me about martial ethics?"
"These days, having a strong gun is the only virtue!"
"Besides, he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army of the National Revolutionary Government, while Zhang Shizong was the Commander-in-Chief of the Zhili-Shandong Allied Army of the Fengtian clique. Shouldn't they be mortal enemies? I started the war and wiped out an entire division and a mixed brigade of the enemy. He should be happy!"
Mo Lanzhi, the ruthless head of the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai, was now meekly bowing her head, her eyes filled with admiration.
"Young master is right. When Uncle Zang's thirty-six heavy cannons fired yesterday, all the compradors and tycoons in Jiangsu and Zhejiang were terrified."
"Last night they lined up to deposit money at Sister Huixin's Southeast Central Bank, afraid that if they were too slow, the young marshal's cannonballs would fall on their heads."
Upon hearing her younger sister mention her, Mo Huixin, who had just entered the room and was standing to the side, handed over an account book as she spoke.
"Young Master, this is the tally before midnight last night. The amount of voluntarily paid back taxes and deposited cash alone amounts to a full 2.6 million pounds!"
"And that doesn't even include the golden land deeds they sent."
Chen Zijun took the account book, glanced at it, and burst into laughter:
"Truth lies only within the range of cannon fire!"
"These spineless cowards, if we don't teach them a lesson they'll really think they're the foreigners' precious servants."
"Sister Huixin, now that this money has been deposited in the central bank, no one is allowed to touch it without permission."
Mo Huixin replied softly:
"I understand."
"Young Marshal, when the cannons roar, gold pours in. Shouldn't our heavy industrial park workers, and Uncle Zang's artillery brigade, also...?"
Chen Zijun waved his hand and said decisively:
"Pay! Pay double wages to everyone! After the success of the Xinhai Revolution, there was a so-called revolutionary reward, but it was just talk. Let's pay it under the guise of making up for the Xinhai Revolution reward..."
"Well, that's what happens when we have the title of the National Revolutionary Government..."
"The heavy industrial park is issuing an extra month's bonus this month, and the artillery brigade is giving each soldier an extra ten yuan in cash!"
"Tell them that as long as the cannons are well-made and there's plenty of ammunition, we have plenty of dollars!"
Mo Huixin's heart trembled. With such boldness, which warlord in the world could compare to the young master?
"I'll make the arrangements right away and transfer the funds this afternoon."
Chen Zijun nodded, then looked out the window again.
"Open the cannons, and truth will fall to the ground."
"I shattered the foreigners' direct intervention with a single shot. Now, they probably only have the assassination route left in the gutter."
"Go and fetch Shen Li. Tell him to move the guard battalion's sentries three miles further out. Oh, and Sister Lanzhi, take this opportunity to do another thorough search of Shanghai and the foreign concessions!"
"Yes, young master."
Mo Lanzhi bowed slightly and withdrew.
……
at the same time.
The underground chamber of the British Consulate General in the Shanghai International Settlement.
The room was dimly lit, with only an old round table and a yellowish lamp. The air was thick with the pungent smell of cigars and a damp, musty odor.
Sir Barton, the British Consul-General, sat grimly in his chair. A newly translated military telegram lay before him, his fingers tapping anxiously on the table. Opposite him sat a short man with a sinister gaze.
The man was dressed in a sharp suit, but sitting there he looked like a venomous snake ready to bite at any moment.
Head of the Special Higher Police Section of Japan, Hideo Inoue.
"Sir Baldon, what's your decision?"
Inoue Hideo spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and unpleasant, like fingernails scratching through sheet metal.
Barton took a deep drag on his cigar and exhaled the smoke into Inoue Hideo's face:
"Commander Inoue, Chen Zijun has smashed thirty-six 150mm heavy artillery pieces along the canal."
"The Zhili-Shandong allied forces, numbering over 10,000, were physically wiped out by him in half an hour."
"We have completely failed in our efforts to exert direct military pressure."
"It is not in our interest for the British Empire's warships to sail into the inland waterways and engage in a direct confrontation with its heavy artillery."
Inoue Hideo gave a cold laugh and leaned forward slightly:
"The Empire expected that we couldn't win on the main battlefield."
"Chen Zijun is a monster; the arsenal under his command has completed the closed loop of heavy industry."
"If we allow this to continue, there will be no place for our two countries in the entire Far East!"
Bardon's expression changed, and he said with some annoyance:
"So what do you want?"
"Does this mean the British Empire should declare war directly?"
"The gentlemen of Downing Street will absolutely not agree!"
A cruel glint flashed in Inoue Hideo's eyes as he lowered his voice and said:
"No, there is no need to declare war."
"No matter how powerful a monster is, it's still just a human being."
"Once he dies, his German-equipped divisions and arsenals will immediately crumble, swallowed up by his subordinates, by Mr. Chang, and even by his father, leaving not a trace!"
Bardon's pupils contracted sharply, and the cigar in his hand trembled.
"You want to physically eliminate him?"
"You're insane!"
"Chen Zijun's security is even tighter than that of your Emperor!"
"His car is a custom-made, German-engineered armored vehicle; even a hand grenade can't penetrate it!"
"Besides, how many times have your Japanese Empire and that Principal Chang in Nanjing plotted this? Have they succeeded?"
Hideo Inoue grinned, revealing a set of yellowed teeth:
"An armored vehicle?"
"Sir Baldon, in this world, there is no armor that is absolutely impenetrable."
"The Empire has activated the 'Throat Cut' special operations team."
"This time, it was the Empire's top sniper who made the move."
"They were equipped with the German 13.2mm large-caliber anti-tank rifle, the Mauser M1918."
Baldon frowned and stared intently at him:
"Even if you have weapons, how will you get them into Shanghai?"
"Chen Zijun's men have set up checkpoints on the outskirts of the concession, preventing any suspicious items from entering!"
Hideo Inoue smiled slightly and pointed to the top of his head:
"That's why I've come to see you today."
"The customs commissioner of Jianghai has always been under the control of you British."
"With just a word from Sir Barton, those 'diplomatic pouches' can enter the concession without inspection."
"Isn't that right?"
Bardon's fingers tightened, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.
Forcibly seizing customs duties was something Chen Zijun had always wanted to do, and it also touched upon Britain's core interests.
However, if they could use the Japanese to get rid of Chen Zijun, it would definitely be a worthwhile deal for Britain.
"How powerful were those weapons?"
After a long silence, Baldon finally spoke slowly.
Hideo Inoue stood up, slightly straightened his suit, and a crazed glint flashed in his eyes:
"The armor-piercing incendiary shells imported from Germany are more powerful than you can imagine."
"Don't even mention bulletproof cars."
"Even if Chen Zijun had tank plates welded onto his body, he still couldn't withstand this shot!"
"Your country's tanks must have experienced the full force of this anti-tank rifle on the European battlefield!"
"He will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jiangnan Arsenal three days later."
That will be his last stage.
Hideo Inoue turned around and walked towards the door.
The instant he opened the door, he turned back and gave a cold laugh:
"Sir Baldon, I entrust the diplomatic pouch for tomorrow to you."
"You'll thank me when Chen Zijun's brains spill out."
The door slowly closed, and the secret room returned to deathly silence.