Chapter 140: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 140: The Japanese and Hans (Supplement for November

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Matsui Iwane, hearing Commander Gu Qingchuan of the Navy boast so boldly, immediately cast aside his prejudices and praised, "The Army and Navy are brothers born of the same root! I believe that on the Songhu Battlefield, this brotherly bond will be tempered by the flames of war into something even purer!"

Gu Qingchuan nodded. "Commander Matsui Iwane, it is lunchtime. The accompanying Army officers may stay aboard the Mutsu Battleship to enjoy lunch!"

Matsui Iwane did not decline. Looking toward the two division commanders behind him and the several accompanying regimental commanders, he said, "Since that is the case, our Army will not stand on ceremony!"

As everyone entered the officers' mess of the Navy's Mutsu Battleship, the Navy and Army general officers did not find anything strange about it.

It was rather some of the Army regimental commanders below who were moved by the Navy's rations—not that they had never eaten such food, but they had not expected that, as fellow military men, the Navy's food would be so good.

Even a colonel regimental commander of that rank, having just passed through the ordinary sailors' mess, felt the Navy's food was exceptionally abundant.

In their astonishment, they completely failed to notice a foreigner seated at the table; had Lv Muzhi been there, he would have discovered that the foreigner was William of the Hans State.

Matsui Iwane first discovered William of the Hans State, though he did not know him, and asked Gu Qingchuan, "Who is this?"

Gu Qingchuan introduced, "We have already initiated diplomatic negotiations with the Hans State. Hans weapons have caused enormous casualties to Emperor Chuo's soldiers, and the diplomatic negotiations have made some progress. This Mr. William is the Hans State's representative stationed in Xia Guo, and I specially invited him here."

After hearing what the Japanese sailor translated, William looked at everyone, stood up, and nodded slightly.

Upon hearing this, the Army's regimental commanders knew this William was the one responsible for selling weapons and production lines to Lv Muzhi, and they were furious.

Colonel Cangyong Chengzhi of the Sixth Regiment, a victim under Lv Muzhi's command, shouted loudly, "Damn these Hans people! Selling so many lethal weapons to Lv Muzhi—has the Hans State forgotten its friendship with our country?!"

"Exactly, they are simply a bunch of bastards, two-faced fellows, and they still have not severed ties with Xia Guo!" Colonel Ying Sen Xiao also cursed.

After hearing what the regimental commanders said, the Navy translator trimmed the head and tail, removing the unpleasant parts, and conveyed to William: "Has the Hans State forgotten its friendship with our country? Weapon exports should be stopped immediately."

William frowned. "Are you sure? They said so much—how does it become just one sentence by the time it reaches you?"

The Japanese translator smiled awkwardly and offered no explanation.

William adjusted his collar and said, "You all need to understand: it is not only my Hans State that has supported Xia Guo. You cannot see a single M35 Steel Helmet and think we are supporting this war behind the scenes! In fact, countries such as the United States, Czechoslovakia, and Gaul Rooster all have a hand in this. I absolutely will not agree to such a claim!"

Matsui Iwane said, "The results of the diplomatic negotiations between our country and the Hans State have already come out. The Hans State has agreed to gradually terminate its military contracts with Xia Guo. I assume you know this?"

William nodded. "Of course. I and the Advisor Group all know, but the military contracts have not been formally terminated. Moreover, we have not formally established an alliance."

Gu Qingchuan said, "Mr. William, your country will soon learn that Japan will be your powerful ally in the Far East. Once the alliance is achieved, we will strike heavily at the old hairy ones!"

Of course, we also ask you to support our country's military action to occupy Xia Guo!

William spread his hands and shook his head. "I am loyal to my own country and obey the Leader's orders. Currently, my duty is to remain in Xia Guo. I do not understand what you want me to do by finding me through various connections?"

Gu Qingchuan hurriedly stated his true purpose: "Mr. William, I would like to ask—what exactly is the state of Xia Guo's military-industrial production? Are your General Purpose Machine Guns and Lv Muzhi's tank, code-named 38T, imported or produced domestically? And what is the output?"

After hearing this, William pouted and shook his head. "No comment."

The Japanese translator conveyed the four words "no comment."

Regimental Commander Cangyong Chengzhi flew into a rage and cursed: "Bastard, you want to use us to restrain the old hairy ones while also letting Xia Guo restrain us? You are simply a bunch of bastards!"

William stood up, obviously angry. "Japanese Army officers are so impolite! I can still understand those two words, 'bastard'! Goodbye!"

Gu Qingchuan hurriedly reached out and pulled at William. "Mr. William, for the sake of our Navy's face, stay and finish lunch before you go. We have fine sake here."

"Even if we establish a formal alliance, I cannot reveal the military secrets I know to you. This is what I have guaranteed to Xia Guo."

William left a single sentence and then left on his own from the Japanese Mutsu Battleship.

Commander Gu Qingchuan of the Navy glared at Regimental Commander Cangyong Chengzhi of the Army's Sixth Regiment and cursed, "Damn fellow, I kindly invited you all to dinner, and you ruined it all!"

Matsui Iwane was somewhat embarrassed, but still forced himself to remain calm and said, "Forget it. We should clearly recognize that there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. The Hans State also does not want our hands to reach too far into Xia Guo. Besides dealing with the old hairy ones, everything else must still be strived for by ourselves!"

Division Commander Fujita Susumu of the Third Division also said, "That's right. Since the Hans State is unwilling to help, our Navy and Army must still be more united!"

Seeing this, Gu Qingchuan had no choice and merely said, "I received news from home that the Navy needs to increase its fiscal budget next year. I hope General Matsui Iwane can report this upward. The Army officials must not obstruct it. Only then will there be true unity."

Matsui Iwane sighed. So this was blackmail. The prices of these naval guns were clearly marked, and the domestic military budget was limited. If the Navy increased, whose budget would decrease? Hard to guess!

"Forget it, forget it. Unity is important. I will report upward." Matsui Iwane said helplessly.

Inside the officers' mess, dish after dish began to be served.

The Army regimental commanders looked at the fried fish cutlets, tempura, and sashimi before them, and were dumbfounded: So the budget was all spent on this.

Gu Qingchuan smiled. "For fleet operations at sea, especially battleships, logistical supply naturally takes priority. These are standard meals provisioned according to Navy long-range navigation standards. I hope they suit your tastes."

In the afternoon, the Japanese three high-altitude balloons slowly rose, ten warships sailed to the Yangtze River Estuary, and more than twenty fighters took off.

Although the Luodian Position was far away, the Japanese fleet still had to fulfill its promise to the Army.

Taking advantage of the daytime, using high-altitude balloons to direct naval gunfire, with fighters escorting, they launched a high-intensity bombardment on the Fifteenth Group Army's Luodian Position.