Chapter 56: The Turbulent Four Years (Part 1) Fei Ku Wang

  Just after the New Year's Day in 1928, Chiang Kai-shek hastened to resume his identity as the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army and reopened the curtain of warlord battles. In June 1927, Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi presided over the "Oriental Conference" in Japan and formulated the "Outline of China Policy" (also known as the Tanaka Memorial), which established the aggressive guideline of "separating Manchuria from mainland China, making it a separate region under Japanese influence". Although the Japanese army had been cooperating with the Fengtian warlord Zhang Zuolin, as time went on and Zhang repeatedly refused to sign traitorous treaties with Japan, Japan began to regard Zhang as a thorn in their side and an obstacle to their plan of splitting China.

  "Hachigoro, Zhang Zuolin this bandit, is really too ungrateful. Our great Japanese Empire supported him to be emperor, but he refused. It's like trying to prop up a lump of mud that can't be propped up." Ishiwara Kanji stormed into Tōjō Hideki's office, threw down his hat and sat down.

  Tsuchihashi Shōji stood up with a nonchalant smile, personally pouring a cup of water for Ishihara Kanji and saying: "Ishihara-san, there's no need to get angry over one Chinese person. Without our help, Zhang Zuolin will soon collapse."

  "I've already seen through him," Ishihara said with a faint smile. "Even if he can't hold on, he won't bow his head to us. I think the only way is to remove this stumbling block."

  Tōyama Kanken, lifting his teacup, took a sip of tea and said slowly: "Although getting rid of Zhang Zuolin is in the interest of our Great Japanese Empire, it's not the right time yet." Seeing Ishiwara Kanji's puzzled expression, Tōyama explained: "The Chinese are a nation that loves internal strife. Their energy and resources are all consumed by internal wars. Since the First Sino-Japanese War, Emperor Meiji has been adjusting national policies to conquer China, encouraging childbirth. However, no matter how hard we try, our population is far less than that of the Chinese."

  Ishihara Kanji immediately reacted, his mouth slightly curled up, revealing his terrifying smile, and said: "Tōyama Kiyoharu, what you said is absolutely right. Zhang Zuolin is now a weapon in our hands. As long as he keeps fighting them, we'll keep him. If he retreats, it's not too late to get rid of him."

  In April 1928, under the joint attack of Chiang, Feng, Yan and Gui's four major group armies, the entire line of the Fengtian Army collapsed. Upon learning this news, Ishiwara Kanji, Tōjō Hideki and Itagaki Seishirō immediately gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

  "Lin, your country is quite lively now." Just as the afternoon class had ended, Lin Aofeng walked out of the classroom when Johns quickly caught up from behind, hooked his shoulder and joked.

  Lin Aofeng furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Johns with a slanted head. Johns took out a stack of paper from the book and handed it to Lin Aofeng, saying: "This is what I got through connections, you'll understand once you take a look."

  Lin Aofeng took the thing handed over by Johns with a puzzled expression and examined it carefully. After about half an hour, Lin Aofeng spoke up: "Johns, thank you!"

  "We're friends, you don't have to be so polite." Then John's tone shifted as he asked, "Did you see anything from inside?"

  Lin Ao-feng replied: "The Japanese devils are going to make a move against Zhang Zuolin."

  "Why?!" John's curious eyes looked at Lin Ao Feng and asked.

  Lin Ao Feng replied calmly: "Benefits!"

  "Profit?!" John muttered to himself. Lin Ao Feng continued, "Yes! Profit! China's Northeast, also known as Manchuria in the Japanese monkey's mouth, has rich mineral resources. Japan is an island nation, everything they have relies on imports. They urgently need to obtain the resources of the Northeast to arm their troops. And Zhang Zuolin is a stone blocking their way, if they don't move him away, they can't implement their subsequent plans."

  "Sly Japanese monkeys!" Johns cursed and said, "Don't pretend to be a big shot without capital. Wait and see how I'll deal with them next time."

  At this time, Lin Ao Feng seemed calm on the surface, but his heart was turbulent. Because Lin Ao Feng knew that Japan would soon launch a comprehensive invasion of China to eliminate the increasingly obvious contradictions and their ambition to dominate the world.

  In May, the Nationalist army broke through the Fengtian Army's defense line and pressed close to Beijing and Tianjin. Japan feared that the war would spread to Manchuria, so on one hand it increased its troops in Qingdao, threatening the Southern Army's northern advance; on the other hand, according to the decision of the "Eastern Conference", it put pressure on Zhang Zuolin, forcing him to agree to their demands and leave Beijing early.

  On the 13th evening, Japanese special envoy Kijuro Shidehara arrived in Beiping. Without resting, he rushed to Zhang Zuolin's official residence.

  "General, Japanese special envoy Yoshizawa has arrived. He wants to see you." Upon hearing the guard's report, Zhang Zuolin snorted and said: "I don't have time to fool around with him today, tell him to scram!"

  "Yes!" The guard responded and walked out of Zhang Zuolin's study, saying to Fangze: "Your Excellency, please go back! The commander is not free to see you today."

  "What?! " Fang Zhe's face changed, and he stood still for a moment before saying: "Tell General Zhang that I will come to visit again tomorrow. I hope General Zhang will see me then." After speaking, Fang Zhe turned around and got into his car, leaving Zhang Zuolin's mansion.

  "Has he left?!" Fang Ze had just walked out, Zhang Zuolin followed him out of the study room, looking at the car that had already disappeared at the intersection, and asked: "What did he say?!"

  The guard replied: "He said he would come again tomorrow and hoped that General you would meet him then."

  "Damn it!" Zhang Zuolin cursed and said, "Tomorrow when he comes, tell him that the battle in the front line has been intense these past few days, I'm busy." After hesitating for a moment, he continued, "Let him come over on the evening of the 17th!"

  "Yes!" The guard responded with one voice.

  Time flies, and May 17th has arrived. In the evening, Zhang Zuolin had just finished dinner when Fang Zeyu came. Zhang Zuolin took Fang Zeyu into the study, and before they could even sit down, Fang Zeyu, who had been holding his breath for several days, spoke first: "General Zhang, now that the situation is as it is, in order to prevent the war from affecting Beijing and Tianjin, I think it would be best for you to withdraw your troops back to Manchuria to maintain peace and order there. This would be a win-win strategy for both the Chinese people and the Fengtian faction."

  "Hmph!" Zhang Zuolin said displeased: "A foolproof plan. I think you want me to be your gatekeeper! This matter will not be mentioned again."

  Fang Zhe saw Zhang Zuolin refusing to surrender and sneered, pressing him step by step: "General Zhang, can you defeat the Northern Expedition Army?!"

  Zhang Zuolin seemed to have been prepared, and with a slight smile, he said: "This doesn't need your concern! Even if we can't beat them, I can still lead the troops out of the pass."

  "I'm afraid you won't be able to go back!" Fang Ze said with a tone that was both threatening and intimidating.

  Zhang Zuolin glanced at Fang Ze, took a puff of his dry tobacco pipe and said: "The area outside the pass is our home, if you want to go back, just go back, what's wrong with that?!"

  Feeling the aura emanating from Zhang Zuolin, Fang Zeyu's eyebrows furrowed unintentionally, thinking to himself: "Sly bandit, it seems that gentle means won't work, only tough measures will do!" With this thought, Fang Zeyu gritted his teeth and took out the warning statement from the Japanese government regarding the Manchurian issue, handing it over to Zhang Zuolin while claiming that Zhang Zongchang's troops had killed dozens of overseas Chinese in Jinan, demanding that Zhang Zuolin take responsibility. Enraged, Zhang Zuolin threw down Fang Zeyu and left the study room.

  "De Lin (Li Zongren's courtesy name), Zhang Zuolin is having a tough time now!" Looking at the ultimatum issued by the Japanese, Bai Chongxi smiled and said to Li Zongren beside him.

  Li Zongren sighed deeply and said: "Zhang Zuolin's days are not easy, our days are not easy either. The Fengtian Army is powerful, Chiang Kai-shek promised us great benefits to win us over and unite against him. Now that the Fengtian Army has been defeated, if my prediction is correct, as soon as the Fengtian Army returns to Northeast China, Chiang Kai-shek will immediately turn his guns on us and use every means to deal with us, we must be prepared!"

  Bai Chongxi, who had always looked down on Chiang Kai-shek, smiled and comforted Li Zongren with a nonchalant tone: "De Lin, are you thinking too much?! Even if old Chiang takes action against us, he won't gain anything. Even if our Seventh Army can't withstand Chiang's forces, we have millions of Guangxi brethren behind us. If it really comes down to a fight, who knows who will win or lose?!"

  On June 2, Zhang Zuolin issued a statement to withdraw from Beijing. The Japanese agents hiding around Zhang Zuolin also started their secret assassination operation. Zhang Zuolin, who thought he could return safely to the Northeast and continue his addiction as the Grand Marshal, never expected that he had already entered the death trap carefully set by Kawamoto Kozo, the senior staff officer of the Japanese Kwantung Army.

  On the night of June 3, when Zhang Zuolin's special train was about to leave Beijing Station, his secretary walked into Consul General Hayashi Kichiro's office with a telegram he had just received and bowed: "Your Excellency, an urgent telegram from Beiping!"

  Hayashi Kijuro handed over the telegram and said to Kawabata Taika on the other side: "Kawabata, your prey has arrived. I don't know if you're ready?!"

  Kawamoto smiled and replied, "I have placed thirty bags of high explosives and a pair of heavily armed stormtroopers under the bridge near Huanggutun Railway Station, one and a half kilometers from Mukden. Even if Zhang Zuolin is powerful, he will not be able to escape this time."

  "Let's go west!" Lin Kujirō's eyes lit up, and he said: "Then I'll congratulate you in advance here, this time again making a great contribution to the Great Japanese Empire."

  One night without words, the next morning. The Japanese Consul General in Mukden, Lin Junliang, who had been excited all night, got up early and climbed onto the roof with a telescope to gaze at the Sankyo Bridge. At 5:23, when Zhang Zuolin's special train entered the intersection of the Beijing-Fengtian Railway and the South Manchurian Railway at Sankyo Bridge, Lieutenant Colonel Teiichi Itō of the Japanese Kwantung Army pressed the detonator button, and with a loud explosion, one of the granite piers in the middle of Sankyo Bridge was blown open. The steel rails on the bridge were bent and twisted, thrown into the air, and Zhang Zuolin's special carriage was left with only its chassis remaining. Wu Junsheng was blown to pieces, his head pierced by a large iron nail, and he died instantly; Zhang Zuolin was blown more than three meters away, his throat torn open; Japanese advisor Ito was covered in blood, clutching his head and screaming; Colonel Wen Shoushan was buried under the wreckage; Zhou Dawen's hand was blown apart; Sixth Madame's toes were blown off; Mo Dehui was also injured.