Chapter 694: Isolated Island

Fujita Yoshimasa was dead; this was the news Wang Yan heard from Iwai Eiichi half a month later.

The losses suffered in the Third War Zone this time were too great. The military commanders on the front lines scrambled to shift the blame, and Fujita Yoshimasa's head happened to be the perfect fit for the chopping block. It was said that a solemn seppuku ceremony was held in Nanjing. After two cuts—one horizontal and one vertical—the *kaishakunin*, played by a master of kendo, struck the neck with extreme precision, leaving only skin and flesh connected. Fujita Yoshimasa became a model of one who dared to take responsibility, filled with the spirit of the samurai, and was praised throughout the Japanese military.

What the common soldiers saw was a Major General, a general of such lofty status, committing seppuku with great samurai spirit. But those at a certain level, those with some brains, saw that Fujita Yoshimasa had died as a scapegoat. It was to brainwash and inspire those at the lower levels, and to serve as a warning to those in the middle and upper ranks.

Fujita Yoshimasa likely did not want to commit seppuku, but he had no choice...

The newly appointed Chief of the Special High Police was an Army Colonel who had come over from Nanjing, named Kitagawa Kosuke. He had originally been the Chief of the Nanjing Special High Police with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; this time, he had been promoted by one rank and came to Shanghai to take office—a proper promotion.

Wang Yan had met this Kitagawa Kosuke; he was a man with ideas and ambition. This was normal; after all, having reached this level, it was impossible not to have ideas or ambition. They were all thorough militarists.

Under this Kitagawa Kosuke, Ming Lou's situation was still considered alright. The first thing Kitagawa Kosuke did upon taking office was to investigate the previous "Dead Man Plan," wanting to understand the cause and effect of the matter. Because of Wang Yan's intervention, unnecessary trouble had been eliminated and hidden dangers removed, so Ming Lou naturally passed the test. Moreover, Ming Lou had also defected to Iwai Eiichi, and the people he had befriended were not few, so there was still plenty of room for maneuver.

Ming Jing's situation was also quite good, mainly because many of the Ming family's businesses were now tied to Wang Yan's businesses, making her movements much safer. Additionally, because of the previous matter involving Ming Tai, Ming Lou had already revealed his identity to Ming Jing, and he would also intervene in matters Ming Jing participated in. Compared to Ming Jing, Ming Lou was clearly more careful, cautious, and resourceful; having his help was the main reason for the safety of Ming Jing's operations.

Otherwise, even if she borrowed Wang Yan's signboard, it would be useless if she showed any flaws; if they were to be arrested, they would be arrested.

Yu Manli had, of course, moved into the Wang Tianyue Gongguan, but that was all it was—moving in; registering anything was impossible. But even so, this significantly raised Yu Manli's status, because she was the only woman in so many years to have moved into Wang Yan's home. Some tabloid papers published the news, which even caused a certain degree of influence in the Shanghai Bund.

The reason those people dared to publish Wang Yan's private life was mainly because Wang Yan was different from other gangsters and tycoons; he didn't put on airs, had a great sense of entertainment, and didn't care about such things at all.

Of course, this was also because people at this time really didn't have that much leisure time; they would just chat about it occasionally, treating it as a bit of fun, and that was that. Moreover, information wasn't exactly explosive, and many people didn't pay attention to Wang Laoban's life.

This was different from the situation decades later; the same event, under the fermentation of the internet, would become overwhelming. Even if many people still didn't know, there would still be many who did. The order of magnitude and the influence were both different. If it were really in the realistic internet era, Wang Yan would absolutely not allow himself to be exposed too much in the public eye. This was a very simple principle: why walk in silk robes at night? Less attention meant less trouble.

In ancient times, merchants held wealth but dared not wear fine clothing in front of others; they could only secretly have it made and then admire themselves in the mirror inside their rooms. Although he wasn't that simple, what he held could really only be seen by himself alone, slowly released outward. Under the spotlight, how slowly would he have to move to get things done? It was still better to keep a low profile.

However, although Yu Manli moved into the Wang Tianyue Gongguan, it still didn't hinder Wang Yan from going out to indulge in debauchery; it was basically the same as before. Not to mention whether Yu Manli had any thoughts on the matter, her body wouldn't allow it. Moreover, she knew herself; for someone like her, being able to have today was already a blessing...

Time came to 1941, a year destined to be unusual.

According to the historical progression, this was already the middle stage of the War of Resistance Against Japan. By now, the protracted war had been debated clearly. Japan could not resolve the two parties in the short term and disintegrate the Chinese people's spirit of resistance. And the two parties, likewise, had no way to drive Japan out of China in the short term.

Moreover, from another perspective, the fertile lands of eastern China had all fallen, and Japan's idea of moving west to attack the hilly and mountainous regions was actually not that strong. But by now, the war was not something they could stop just because they wanted to. They wanted to consolidate their current gains, but the two parties wouldn't agree; if you don't come out to fight me, I will go over to fight you—China must be fought out.

In fact, by this point, the War of Resistance Against Japan was not something that could be stopped just because one wanted to, even if the high-level officials of both parties collectively denied it. Because from the start of the war until now, China had paid too much, and there was no longer any room for maneuver. There were always people shouting with wide-eyed anger, bulging veins, and hoarse voices. There were always people shedding their blood and sacrificing their lives—every inch of mountain and river was worth an inch of blood.

However, the thoughts of rulers were always different. Ever since Qin Shi Huang unified the world and called himself Emperor, there had only been one master of China in name. The reason it was said to be "in name" was because beneath it were complex relationships involving the central government, local regions, powerful families, scholars, landlords, and parties, etc. For some people, the only thing the Emperor controlled was the imperial palace surrounded by those high walls.

However, this had nothing to do with those things; it was just an extension. Although the Kuomintang had many factions within it, from top to bottom, many people were very displeased with the Communist Party. If one mountain could not tolerate two tigers, how could one country tolerate two masters? Within the Kuomintang, the theory of "pacifying the interior before resisting the exterior" had never disappeared, and the Bald Head had always been executing it this way—from the previous warlord infighting to the previous fighting against the Communist Party, and then to the first anti-communist campaign that had occurred earlier, during the opportunity of foreign invasion, with Yan Xishan acting as the vanguard.

Now that the Communist Party had penicillin in hand, they were earning money faster than a printing press could print it, and all kinds of supplies were gradually becoming abundant. Even though the United States had successfully developed penicillin and started selling it, the world today was fighting everywhere, which had no impact on the Communist Party. Just by relying on this one antibiotic, the Communist Party was making a fortune.

Such a situation had long since caught the eye of the Bald Head, so the second anti-communist campaign was also long in the brewing. Just last year, the Kuomintang wanted to drive the troops led by the Communist Party to the north of the Yellow River and collude with the Japanese to attack and eliminate the main force of the Communist Party. The struggle had been going on, but it was still not ideal.

Regarding this matter, Wang Yan had also long since provided intelligence. Moreover, the Communist Party's intelligence system was already very strong, and other channels had also learned a lot of news. But this was war; intelligence was ultimately only auxiliary, not to mention the disparity between the two sides, which was already a disadvantage.

The matter that had been bustling for a long time, the storm that had been brewing for a long time, finally broke out not long after entering 1941.

On January 8th, the major newspapers reported entirely on Third War Zone Commander Gu Zhutong and his subordinate, Third Group Army Regional Commander Shangguan Yunxiang, leading over 80,000 men from seven divisions to surround and attack the New Fourth Army of over 9,000 men led by Ye Weixun in Maolin, Jing County, Xuancheng City, located in the mountainous region of southern Anhui.

Once the news came out, the whole country was in an uproar; this was something no one had expected. At this time of foreign enemies at the front, the loss of territory, and the nation in peril, the Kuomintang actually dared to launch such a large-scale civil war. Immediately, people from all walks of life began to spray the Kuomintang with criticism, and the Communist Party issued various solemn protests and ran around to resolve the problem.

The development of the matter was very fast; 80,000 people fighting 10,000, and it was a prepared encirclement battle, and it was a war of hot weapons and artillery; it was basically impossible to turn the tables. Finally, after seven days and nights of bloody battle, outnumbered and out of ammunition and food, they were nearly wiped out. New Fourth Army Commander Ye Weixun was detained during negotiations, and Deputy Commander Xiang Ying, Chief of Staff Zhou Zikun, and Political Department Director Yuan Guoping were all harmed by traitors.

This was the "Southern Anhui Incident," the second anti-communist climax of the Kuomintang.

This matter lasted until March, and after various parties maneuvered and various open and secret struggles, it was considered over. However, Ye Weixun was not released and remained imprisoned.

He wrote a modern poem, selected for language textbooks decades later, titled "Prison Song."

"The door for people to enter and exit is locked tight, the hole for dogs to crawl out is wide open, a voice shouts loudly: Crawl out, I give you freedom! I yearn for freedom, but I also know deeply—how can a human body crawl out of a dog's hole! I can only wait for that day—when the raging fire beneath the earth surges, burning this living coffin and me together, I should attain eternal life in the raging fire and hot blood."

How can a human body crawl out of a dog's hole?

The spirit is eternal.

The world situation was chaotic; once the machine of war was started, it could not be easily stopped.

Germany was punching and kicking the noble lords of Europe, conquering vast lands. And they formulated Operation Barbarossa, launching an attack on the Soviet Union in June.

Because of resource issues, Japan had long been coveting Southeast Asia. Moreover, Southeast Asia's geographical location was very important; occupying Southeast Asia could cut off the two important land transportation lines for the US, Britain, and other countries to aid China—the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway and the Burma Road—and could also move west into the Indian Ocean to threaten India and meet with the German army in the Middle East, while moving south could conquer Australia and dominate the Western Pacific.

In this way, by joining forces with Germany, they could divide the world and create a vast empire.

Carrying this beautiful imagination, the fanatical and radical militarist government, the Army General who had just taken office not long ago but had planned for a long time, the Cabinet Prime Minister, the future number one Japanese war criminal, Tojo Hideki, led the militarist cabinet, driving Japan, this high-speed, unstoppable machine of war, to air-raid the US naval and air base at Zhenzhugang.

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This action completely shattered the US plan of staying out of the war and making a fortune while seeking various interests, forcing them to participate in the war, and thus the Pacific War broke out.

These major international events were originally irrelevant to Wang Yan, but synchronized with the Japanese sneak attack on Zhenzhugang, in the early morning, the British gunboat anchored in the Huangpu River "scuttled itself," and the American gunboat surrendered. The Japanese navy landed from the Bund and gradually pushed inward. In the morning, all bridges on Suzhou Creek were blocked, allowing only the Japanese army to pass through these bridges from Hongkou into the International Settlement; the Japanese navy and army took over the central and western districts of the International Settlement respectively. At the same time, they began to arrest the foreigners from various countries staying in the International Settlement and the Municipal Council, detaining them in concentration camps.

Such a major event, of course, could not be without Wang Yan.

At 6:00 AM, Wang Yan, dressed in a leather coat, stepping on big leather boots, and wearing a hat, sat at the intersection of Foch Road, at a specially set-up table filled with all kinds of breakfast, eating breakfast in big mouthfuls.

Looking at the dense crowd blocked outside the French Concession by wooden fences, his ears filled with all kinds of noise, Liu Yitong, who came running over, really couldn't imagine that Wang Yan would still have the heart to eat breakfast at such a time. He irritably scratched his head and sat on the stool: "I say, are we really just blocking like this?"

"What's the use of you saying that? That has to be said by the French!"

Wang Yan took a sip of white porridge, picked up a *xiaolongbao* and stuffed it into his mouth, then got a piece of pickled vegetable, peeling a tea egg in his hand, and looked at the scene across the street not far away, shaking his head and laughing, "You don't know yet, do you?"

"Know what?"

"Just yesterday, Japan dispatched more than 300 aircraft and more than 50 warships to sneak attack the US naval base in Hawaii in the Pacific, air-raiding the warships and airport twice back and forth. The US military was caught off guard, and the main force of the Pacific Fleet was almost completely destroyed. They not only entered our International Settlement here but also sent troops to attack Hong Kong."

"What?" Liu Yitong was shocked and stood up, then hurriedly steadied the stool, sat back down, and asked with wide eyes, "What do the Japanese want to do?"

Wang Yan stuffed the peeled egg into his mouth and mumbled: "What else can they do? Of course, it's for Southeast Asia. Japan has been coveting the colonies of Britain, France, and other countries there for a long time. They defeated the United States, dominated the Pacific, and blockaded Southeast Asia; isn't it just to do whatever they want?"

"The United States is so strong, and the Japanese still dare to look for trouble with them?"

Wang Yan didn't bother with him; wasn't this nonsense? They had already sneak-attacked Zhenzhugang; what was there to say about daring or not?

Liu Yitong smiled awkwardly, also knowing he had asked a nonsense question, and turned to ask: "Then can our French Concession be protected? How much longer can it hold out?"

"Anyway, there's no problem for now; it mainly depends on how Japan and Germany talk over there. I estimate it can hold out for another two or three years, but who knows specifically? Anyway, Iwai Eiichi told me that there is currently no intention to move the French Concession. You don't have to worry; I am now considered to have defected to the Japanese, so whoever the French Concession belongs to has no impact on us brothers. We should be as carefree as we should be."

"Then what about these people? We can't really open fire, can we? That little broken fence can't stop them; if it gets out of control and they rush in, we'll all be trampled into meat paste."

"I'm eating here; if you don't eat, don't affect my appetite." Wang Yan frowned unhappily and looked at the crowded, noisy, and helpless crowd outside the fence again, "The people from the Municipal Council are negotiating with the people from the Japanese consulate; I estimate there will be a result in a while. We certainly can't keep blocking like this, and the Japanese certainly can't really kill them; there's no problem.

However, your worry is also reasonable. How about this, you go and call Gu Zhang Yongcheng; we can't work today, so have him organize a group of people to come over quickly and send hot water and some porridge to these people. Let these people feel at ease, and also take care of the elderly and children."

"I have to say, it still has to be you, Wang Laoban, who is generous."

While speaking, Liu Yitong grabbed a few steamed buns and turned to run off to make a phone call...

Wang Yan had people go and tell those people opposite, while he continued to eat breakfast.

He had been called up by a phone call at 5:00 AM, and then hurriedly contacted others by phone, urgently coming to the border area where the wind was blowing. He was now the Chinese person with the highest rank among the French Concession police; even though the other detectives, captains, and so on were all from other police stations and had foreign superiors, he actually controlled the leadership power of the Chinese police. It was mainly because when he spoke, no one dared not to listen. So the current work was presided over by him.

Besides the Chinese police, there were also other Western police present, but these foreigners were used to being lazy, and they all had the Chinese in front; they were afraid of encountering a rush and being trampled to death alive.

The Japanese, of course, couldn't not kill; when they landed and pushed forward, they opened fire. This caused many people to be frightened; some hid in their houses trembling, while others hurriedly packed their belongings and ran away. They found that there was no movement in the French Concession, so naturally, they ran for their lives into the French Concession.

Before organizing the interception, many people had already run into the French Concession. The ones here now were the ones who ran slowly. At first, they were very anxious, and some even clamored, but they were caught by the police and beaten half to death, and the Japanese army also arrived, holding guns and standing behind them to block them, not letting them run around. Only then was the situation controlled bit by bit.

Gu Zhang Yongcheng's action was fast; after waiting for less than half an hour, someone drove a car over, organized manpower to distribute hot water to the people opposite, and boiled white porridge on the spot, which greatly relieved the panic of these people.

Of course, the police who were exhausted were not treated poorly; Wang Yan spent money like water, asking nearby breakfast shops to come and send food. These people were part of the foundation of his, Wang Mou's, dominance in the French Concession, so naturally, they ate well; differential treatment still had to be done, spending money to win people's hearts; he often did such small favors.

He finished breakfast and strolled around to inspect. Although he said he wasn't afraid of problems, if a problem really occurred, it would be enough for him to suffer, so he had to be careful.

After eating and drinking his fill, every time he went to a place, he personally held a loudspeaker to shout and appease these frightened masses. Not to mention that he already had great credibility among the working masses, he also provided hot water and white porridge for free; those who ate his food had to listen to him for a few words.

Just like this, appeasing all the way, time passed slowly, and by 9:00 AM, a foreigner found him and asked him to remove the fence, without needing to restrict the entry of others.

Clearly, this had already been negotiated with the Japanese.

Thus, without the International Settlement to accompany it, the French Concession completely became an isolated island. Among the many people who poured in, how many were truly the masses, and how many were lone heroes, no one knew.

But what could be expected was that the struggle situation in the French Concession in the future would become even more severe... ===== CHAPTER 695 =====