No. 1, Iron Lion Alley, Beiping.
It was the former seat of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Navy in the late Qing Dynasty, the General (separate) Government Office, the State Council and the Beiyang Executive Government of the Republic of China. After the Lugou Bridge Incident, it became the headquarters of the Japanese North China Front.
There were often Japanese officers riding in cars with ointment flags or riding tall horses, running rampant nearby as if no one else was around. The people around them suffered greatly, but they dared not speak out in anger.
Most of these Japanese soldiers were transferred from the Korean colony and the mainland. It was their first time to station in such a prosperous city. They spent all day hanging out in high-end restaurants and entertainment venues, enjoying themselves.
The top Japanese military leaders are happy to see this happen. In the words of Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Juichi, the warriors of Tian Locust are qualified to taste the taste of victory.
After 226, this old aristocrat who suppressed the remnants of the Imperial Dao Sect with Iron Bowl and purged the army was the most determined military (separatist) nationalist.
A few days after occupying North China, this man first ordered his troops to make a surprise attack on Jicheng and defeated the local troops. Then he ordered the fifth division to land in Daocheng and capture these two important towns. Shandong province fell under the control of the Japanese North China Front. under.
The other side was not satisfied with this and continued to order the army to advance. The ultimate goal was to launch the Battle of Xucheng to connect the north and south battlefields, open up the Jinpu Railway line, and then pursue the Chinese defenders along the Longhai Line. Finally, the Japanese armies in North China and Central China met in Jiangcheng.
In order to realize his idea, the staff of the North China Front Army worked day and night, cooperating with the intelligence personnel of the newly established Front Army's Secret Service Department to formulate specific attack plans.
Preparation for modern war is by no means a game that can be completed by one or two military geniuses at the spur of the moment. It requires the support of professionals and professional knowledge.
The battlefield and surrounding natural conditions, geographical location, area, population, resources, transportation, terrain, hydrology, weather, etc. must all be taken into consideration.
The person responsible for this important task is a left-wing man named Otsuki. Unlike the rudeness shown by ordinary Japanese army officers, the man who came from a noble family looks more like a scholar.
At eight o'clock every morning, Otsuki would set out from the residence arranged by the front army and walk ten minutes to a Western restaurant for dinner. His experience of studying at the Bundeswehr Command College in Germany had Westernized his lifestyle.
It is worth mentioning that this school was founded in Berlin in 1810 and was the first school in the world to train staff officers. All its presidents are somewhat famous.
——For example, Clausewitz who wrote "On War", and Count Gerhard von Scharnhorst, the founder of the Prussian General Staff.
Speaking of Dayue, after breakfast, he would take a special car and return to his office in Tieshihutong before nine o'clock to start a day of staff work, studying how to defeat the Guo army at the minimum cost.
Of course, as a gentleman with good living habits, he will go to Japanese restaurants and coffee shops around the headquarters twice to kill time at 11 noon and 3 pm.
Until six o'clock in the evening, while other staff members were still working, Otsuki handed over the results of the day's work and took a special car back to his residence again to enjoy the fruits of the family chef's work.
During this period, six agents from the Front Army's Secret Service were divided into two shifts to protect him at all times to prevent national intelligence agents from threatening his safety or instigating rebellion.
Therefore, within the Japanese North China Front Army Headquarters, Otsuki has the nickname "Sixth Division". He accepts this and is proud of it. After all, not everyone is qualified to enjoy this level of security.
At noon that day, as usual, Mr. Sixth Guard looked at his watch at his desk, got up, walked to the clothes rack, picked up his military cap, put on his short cloak and walked out of the office.
Outside the door, two short but extremely strong agents were sitting on both sides of the door. Upon seeing this, they immediately followed Da Yue, one after another, and looked at the staff coming and going vigilantly.
While saying hello and bowing along the way, the three of them arrived at the main entrance of the headquarters. The driver in the distance slowly drove the car to a stop, got out of the car and opened the door for the other party.
"Thank you."
Otsuki said thank you softly, lowered his head and got into the back seat of the car. The difference between aristocrats and nouveau riche is that in the absence of conflicts of interest, a good education makes them more gentle.
On the other side, when they heard Otsuki speaking in a tone that treated a close friend, even though it was not the first time they heard it, the driver and the two bodyguards were still deeply moved by this courtesy and corporal attitude.
Soon, the car drove out of the headquarters gate and drove west along Di'anmen Street. Finally, it stopped outside the door of a Japanese-style izakaya with the word "Matsuya" written on it. The waiter who had been waiting for a long time hurried forward to greet him.
Facing the slightly flattering waiter, Otsuki frowned and waved his hand, then strode towards the usual private room accompanied by the guards, thinking about something in his mind.
After entering the private room and sitting cross-legged on the tatami, he said to the proprietress who came to serve tea as usual, then closed his eyes and enjoyed this rare peace.
"Hai."
The proprietress in kimono didn't talk nonsense, she whispered back in a discerning voice, held the tray at her feet, gently opened the door and went to the kitchen to prepare.
At the same time, two agents stood behind Da Yue and the other stood outside the house, quietly monitoring every move of the people in the store.
More than ten minutes later, several maids filed in and placed exquisite dishes on the table, among which a plate of raw fish was particularly conspicuous.
"Qiaodou sack, Lord Otsuki."
The agent behind Otsuki bowed deeply, then took out a cloth bag, took out some small glass bottles and silver probes, and checked all the dishes.
Da Yue watched this scene and kept smiling, not caring at all. A gentleman does not stand behind a dangerous wall. They are now in a country full of hostility, and no one can be too careful.
After confirming that the food was not poisonous, the agent put away the testing tools and once again bent aside and stepped aside, slightly sideways away from the dining table so as not to disturb the other person's meal.
Oyue tapped his chin lightly, picked up Kuaizi, picked up a piece of fish, and put it into his mouth. The sweet, crispy texture made him smile unconsciously.
Although it is not as good as at home, when you can eat such fresh fish in an inland city during the war, what can you expect?
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, he, who usually didn't eat much, finished the whole plate of fish and even other dishes.
There was nothing left on the entire table, which made the maid who came to clear the dishes cover her mouth in surprise. She accidentally knocked over the water bottle in her hand, and the water suddenly flowed onto Otsuki's military pants.
"How rude."
The maid panicked and spoke in Japanese. She knelt down and touched her head to the ground. She held up a handkerchief with both hands and her whole body was trembling slightly. She was afraid that her mistake would lead to death.
With a calm appearance and an angry heart, Otsuki pretended to be free and easy. She took the handkerchief and wiped the water stains, but it was still not enough. She used up the military-issued toilet paper in her briefcase before giving up.
After looking at the mark on his pants, he smiled bitterly, took out a banknote and put it on the table, stood up and left the restaurant with a sullen face.
After getting in the car, Dayue shook her head in shame. For an imperial aristocrat, eating should be like what Academician Su said. Eat when you are hungry and stop before you are full. You should not be so greedy for food and drink.
The agents didn't know what the noble man was thinking. Seeing his movements, they thought he was uncomfortable and quickly asked if he needed to go to the hospital.
The other party is the only person who has mastered all combat plans, and has the important task of reporting to the commander and the highest level. Nothing can happen.
Otsuki, who didn't know how to explain to them what a gentleman is, had a hint of contempt in his eyes and casually said a few words to the driver to drive.
The moment the car started, he accidentally caught a glimpse of the maid just standing at the door of the hotel, bowing deeply, and then turned her face expressionlessly.
The dignified leader of the Locust Army would make people laugh if he embarrassed a timid woman, but as for this restaurant, he won't be coming again for the time being, so let the landlady handle it.
With a grunt, a burst of black smoke came out of the rear of the car and quickly left. On the second floor of a teahouse in the distance, someone glanced at his watch, picked up the teacup and took a sip.
That afternoon.
Dayue, who was scribbling on the topographic map of the Xucheng area and the troop establishment list, suddenly felt a sharp cramp in his lower abdomen, and an indescribable smell spurted out.
Mr. Zuo looked solemn. He put down his drawing pencil and opened the window while holding his breath. After a few seconds of silence, he walked into the bathroom and sat on the toilet. His stern expression gradually became relaxed and comfortable.
At this time, the two agents outside the door seemed to hear a strange sound, but neither of them went in. Instead, they looked at each other awkwardly and quietly moved their feet to the side.
Diarrhea is almost inevitable when eating raw fish in this cold weather. Lord Oyue is a person with a good face, so it is best for them not to show up at this time.
I don't know how long it took, but after the sound of water flushing, Otsuki walked out of the bathroom with her head held high, tightened her arm belt tightly, and strode back to her desk, ready to continue handling official duties.
Unfortunately, before he could pick up the pen, his stomach started to churn again, which made him curse secretly, picked up the documents on the table and ran into the toilet at a sprint speed.
There was no way, obviously the handymen in the headquarters made some small mistakes in the preparation of toilet paper. Maybe they didn't expect that someone would eat a whole plate of fish.
But it was impossible for Otsuki to take the initiative to ask for toilet paper. The restraint of the nobleman and his status as an officer did not support him from doing such a thing.
Just like this, when he went into the room, the documents on the table became thinner and thinner. He could only spend the afternoon tea time in the toilet every day.
Until it was getting dark, Da Yue, who was already exhausted, slumped in a chair, and with difficulty picked up the phone and ordered the staff department to mimeograph all the military plans for today again.
As for the reason, there is no reason. In the Japanese army, orders from superiors only need to be carried out, no reason is needed. Even if a commander suddenly loses his temper, he must obey it.
After hanging up the phone, he stood up on the chair, straightened his collar and clothes, locked the confidential documents into the safe, walked out of the office and took the car back to his residence with his legs weak.
The night was getting darker and darker, and the office building gradually became quiet. The guard on duty opened Otsuki's office and watched a handyman wearing the rank of private enter the room.
Not long after, the handyman pinched his nose and, with a pale face, carried a bamboo basket and dumped a large amount of waste paper into the garbage truck, and walked towards the next office without looking back.
Come and try it quickly. 】
Amidst the creaking sound of the cart, bits and pieces of waste paper were recycled, and finally put into several sacks and piled up in the backyard of the headquarters without anyone paying attention.
Waiting until dawn, under the watchful eyes of a pair of eyes, a truck full of garbage passed by the car carrying Da Yue and moved towards Yu Yuju's scrap collection station.
(To be continued....I went to attend the Overseas Chinese New Year Gala)
