Tokyo.
Not far from Miyagi, Kantaro Suzuki's mansion was illuminated with bright lights. From time to time, luxury cars stopped at the door, and well-dressed officials, military officers and nobles stepped out of the cars.
Hayashi Fuichiro and a young woman in kimonos stood side by side by the door, smiling and bowing to the guests, and kept saying polite words such as thanking them for coming.
When the guests saw this scene, they stopped and greeted the two of them kindly. Some even patted the Viscount's shoulders affectionately, as if to encourage him. The atmosphere was extremely harmonious.
As guests entered one after another, the number of cars gradually decreased. The young woman took out a handkerchief from her belt and reached out to wipe the sweat from Fuichiro Hayashi's forehead, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"Ichiro, thank you for your hard work."
While wiping his sweat, the woman whispered in a friendly tone. It was obvious that she had a very close relationship with Hayashi Fuichiro, otherwise she would not have made such a move.
Hayashi Fuichiro's eyes were also full of love when he looked at the other party. He shook his head gently: "Mariko, Mr. Suzuki, this is to let me get in touch with more people, which is a good thing.
There may have been some changes in the Ministry of Finance and even the cabinet recently. My father and your grandfather decided to help me take another step forward. To achieve this goal, we need the help of many people. "
The young woman he called Mariko turned red and whispered in a weak voice: "I understand, Ichiro, and you shouldn't call me Grandpa Suzuki-dono..."
As soon as he said this, Hayashi Fuichiro immediately patted his head to apologize: "Oh, Mariko, you are right. It was me who made a mistake. It was not Mr. Suzuki, but my grandfather who was right."
As they spoke, the two of them looked at each other and smiled, feeling quite like a husband and a wife, a man and a concubine. As the warm night wind blew by, the air was filled with the sour smell of love.
The guards and servants of the Suzuki family looked at the unattractive viscount and sighed in their hearts, what a lucky guy to be able to marry the most beautiful daughter of the Suzuki family.
Yes, the reason why the Suzuki family is so lively today is that they are holding an engagement party between Kantaro Suzuki's granddaughter Mariko Suzuki and the heir to the Hayashi family, Ichiro Hayashi.
One is Tian Locust's closest minister, the apple of the navy admiral's eye, and the other is the imperial earl, the legitimate son of the former chairman of the Manchuria Railway. Naturally, the news of the marriage between the two parties cannot be ignored.
The military, cabinet, business community, nobles, and even the Locust Family all sent people to congratulate the two families on their engagement. If the situation in the Far East had not been tense, the scene would have been even more grand.
Hayashi Fuichiro whispered a few words of love to Suzuki Sonoko, and then looked at the street lights in the distance and became stunned. It was really a trick of the world that he actually married the most beautiful flower among Tokyo's high-end families.
When he was captured by the intelligence agencies of the Republic of China in Ningbo, how could he have imagined that he would be where he is today, the Chief of the Imperial Cabinet of the Ministry of Finance, the son-in-law of the Suzuki family, and the future political star of the empire.
All this was thanks to Deputy Director Zuo. During the ominous incident, if the other party hadn't asked him to protect Kantaro Suzuki, thus forming a romantic relationship, it would have been impossible for him to marry Mariko Suzuki.
The most valuable thing for a person is self-awareness. He has been tempered in the officialdom of intrigues for a long time, and Lin Fuichiro still knows how much he has.
Even though Suzuki Kantaro has not joined the cabinet, he has many connections in the military and cabinet, and is closely related to the Locust House. The Linfu family is just one of many nobles, so this marriage is really a high-profile one.
So why should he be loyal to Tian Locust? Just like his father, who managed the Manchuria Railway for the empire for so many years, he got nothing except the title of an empty earl.
On the contrary, he only gave some information to the military commander and got such great benefits. Everyone knew how to choose. It was not that he was disloyal, but that the people of the Republic of China gave too much.
Thinking of the latest task assigned by Zuo Jun a few days ago, Fuichiro Hayashi licked his lips excitedly. If he could complete it smoothly, he would definitely gain a lot...
"Ichiro, a guest is here."
Just when Hayashi Fuichiro was thinking about bitterness and sweetness, Suzuki Mariko next to him whispered a reminder. When he heard the words, he looked up and saw two Japanese cars slowly stopping in front of them.
Immediately afterwards, a European and a short man handed the driver a few bills and got out of the car, striding towards Hayashi Fuichiro and Suzuki Sonoko, with smiles on their faces.
Hayashi Fuichiro's eyes suddenly lit up when he saw the visitor, and he bowed slightly: "Welcome, Mr. Sorge, Ozaki-kun. Mariko and I are very happy that these two famous reporters have arrived."
"Haha, Mr. Lin Fu, I wish you and Miss Yuanzi will always be together."
Ozaki smiled and said auspicious words, and then made way for Sorge. Sorge, in accordance with the custom of participating in German engagements, handed a bouquet of flowers to Hayashi Fuichiro.
To be honest, they did not expect that they would be invited to the banquet. You must know that in the eyes of the upper class, reporters represent trouble, and few people are willing to invite reporters to similar parties.
But now that you are here, you should seize the opportunity to blend in with the guests. Maybe there will be unexpected gains. In this way, one party is interested and the other is enthusiastic, and it is a happy chat.
A few people stood at the door and chatted for a while. Seeing that another guest had arrived, Ozaki and Sorge walked into the Suzuki mansion under the leadership of their servants.
After more than ten minutes, five or six groups of guests were welcomed. Hayashi Fuichiro raised his hand to look at his watch and found that the time was almost up, so he returned to the banquet hall with Suzuki Sonoko.
Since the beginning of comprehensive Westernization in the Meiji period, the clothing, diet, and lifestyle habits of Japan's middle and upper classes have been in line with the aristocrats of Western powers, including banquet patterns.
For example, compared to the rigid and strict Japanese banquets, buffets that allow for free communication and a relaxed atmosphere are more popular among the new generation of Japanese aristocrats, and this engagement is no exception.
In the spacious banquet hall of the Suzuki family, guests wearing suits or kimonos stood together in small groups and talked loudly, holding fine wines shipped from Europe.
Amidst the melodious music, more than a dozen waiters clasped their hands behind their backs, carefully walking around the edge of the crowd, stopping from time to time to add drinks to the passing guests.
In the middle of the hall, a long row of tables is filled with food. There are all kinds of delicacies, but the dishes are different from those in the Meiji era, which was imitating the West.
After the adaptation period of the Taisho era's ideological agitation and the merger of China and the West, Japan's national self-confidence increased during the Showa era, and the buffet also had some elements of its own.
Today's banquet includes traditional salads, cold dishes, desserts, main meals, soups, and juices, as well as several sashimi dishes from Hokkaido fisheries.
Sorge picked up a few slices with tongs and put them on the plate. At that moment, Fuichiro Hayashi and Sonoko Suzuki walked into the door. He and Ozaki asked in low voices amidst the warm applause of the guests.
"How about it, is there any chance?"
Regarding this lackluster question, Ozaki glanced at a small door located in the corner of the banquet hall and the two sturdy guards beside the small door. He raised his glass, touched his lips, and replied calmly.
"No, the guard is very alert, please wait a moment."
After speaking, he walked towards a few middle-level officers who were talking and listened quietly to their conversation. The content of the other party's conversation happened to be related to Nomenkan.
"Kuroteng-kun, in the past two days, the General Staff Headquarters has requested statistics on soldiers and weapons in the mainland and occupied areas. Are there any new changes on the front line? You have just returned from North China. Do you know the specific situation?"
At this time, a lieutenant colonel with the army military badge asked a question to a military police major. The two were probably old acquaintances, and their expression and tone were very casual when they spoke.
The Major named Kurotou first looked at Ozaki, then adjusted his glasses: "Senior, I didn't hear anything happened in the Republic of China. It is very safe there, and many good people are willing to work for the empire."
kindness?
Ozaki was stunned. He was proficient in the idioms of the Republic of China and had never known that being a villain could be used in such a place. However, the two medals hanging on the opponent's chest were very interesting.
A 1931 War Medal and a 1937 Incident Medal, which indicate that the other party participated in two war operations against the government. Considering the other party's military police status, the answer is obvious. This person is a military intelligence officer.
Moreover, he is an intelligence officer who has just performed a mission. Only in this way can a young major from the other side be qualified to attend the banquet. This is a "reward" from the General Staff Headquarters to meritorious officials.
At the same time, a limping short fat man joined the conversation and called himself Nojiri. He arrogantly showed off how many Republic of China civilians and soldiers he had killed in the battle of Shacheng, and patted his chest to ensure that the Republic of China had absolutely no strength to launch an attack on Japan.
The conversation between these people then became more and more sterile. The man named Kurotou even had a quarrel with Nojiri. Ozaki raised his glass and nodded, turned around and left this place of right and wrong.
It didn't take long for the group's voices to get louder and louder. Finally, there were several sounds of breaking glasses, and the originally orderly banquet hall became a mess.
As a half-master, Ichiro Hayashi waved to the surrounding guards with a dark face. Several Suzuki family guards with big muscles and round waists appeared and drove Kurotou and others out.
On such a happy day, let alone a few junior officers, even if the general dares to cause trouble here, the Suzuki and Lin Fu families will teach each other how to behave. Now is not the time for two or six.
Seeing the guards driving away the troublemakers, Hayashi Fuichiro regained his smile and politely motioned for the banquet to continue. Then he whispered to a director of the Military Affairs Bureau of the Army Province who was in charge of personnel transfer in the army, and the other party nodded repeatedly.
Everyone present knew that the future careers of the officers just now were finished. They would either retire from active service or be assigned to the local garrison division. There was no third possibility.
But no one noticed that there was one person missing in the banquet hall at this time, but it was not Ozaki. He walked around in the crowd and finally found a seat next to the small door in the corner and sat down.
On the other side of the hall, Hayashi Fuichiro, who came to talk to the messenger from the Locust Room, turned his head slightly, glanced at the other party across the many guests, and then continued to pat the Locust's horse in an affectionate manner.
(End of chapter)
