Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Almost at the same time that Matsui Iwane stood on the city wall of Nanjing and looked out over the ruins, hundreds of kilometers away at the Huangpu River dock in Shanghai, a sizable and weary fleet arrived.

The Kwantung Army flag flying on the transport ship indicated that the newcomers were fresh troops transferred from Northeast China, the main force of the 4th Division of the Kwantung Army.

The 4th Division was known within the Japanese army as the "Merchant Division" or "Osaka Division" because its soldiers mainly came from the commercially renowned Osaka region. These nicknames were often derogatory.

Unlike the Sendai and Kumamoto divisions, which were known for their "Bushido" spirit and unconditional loyalty, the officers and soldiers of the 4th Division were often described as "shrewd and calculating," "valuing practical interests over empty honors," and "having extremely strong survival skills."

They may be slightly less valiant in direct offensive tactics, but they possess an astonishing talent for logistics, fundraising, and even achieving their goals through "unconventional means."

Division Commander Lieutenant General Matsui was a veteran general nearing sixty years old with extensive experience.

As soon as the ship docked, before the gangplank was even fully in place, Matsui was the first to step off the ship. Unlike other expeditionary commanders who first inspected the troops or listened to local military briefings, he immediately summoned Aoki Takeshige, the head of the Shanghai Special Higher Police Section, who had been waiting at the dock.

After a brief but efficient conversation, a hint of seriousness flashed across General Matsui's face, which quickly turned into decisiveness.

He turned and gave an unexpected order to his chief of staff, Major General Okada Suke, and several key regimental commanders who were following closely behind:

"The troops will temporarily suspend routine rest and recuperation, and the main force will assemble and await orders."

"The special task force will immediately follow me. Objective: the Shanghai Expeditionary Army Headquarters Military Police compound and related residences. Rescue Section Chief Yuta Itai, Chief of Staff Shunsuke Nakamura, and others!"

The order surprised the regimental commanders slightly, but no one raised any objections.

They were well aware that there was a solid and incredibly profitable "special cooperation" channel between the 4th Division and the military police. Through the Tianjin Port and military police transport lines controlled by the military police, the 4th Division was able to use pretexts such as "disposing of war spoils" and "updating equipment" to "exchange" some of the captured or surplus military supplies for scarce consumer goods, foreign exchange, and even gold.

The military police system provided a safe channel for laundering and distributing money.

This kind of binding of interests is far stronger than a simple superior-subordinate relationship or colleague relationship.

Now, the key figure of the other party in the cooperation has been placed under house arrest, which is not only a matter of morality, but also directly infringes on the vital interests of the Fourth Division!

When it comes to their own interests, the “weak” Fourth Division will definitely show everyone what a Class A division is!

The operation was carried out with exceptional speed and efficiency, fully demonstrating the 4th Division's expertise in "non-combat missions".

Matsui personally took charge, using his authority as the division commander and lieutenant general of the Kwantung Army to directly overwhelm the obstruction of the guards at the Shanghai Expeditionary Army headquarters.

Under the pretext of "special investigation by the Kwantung Army," they forcibly entered the place of confinement and quickly located Itai Yudai, Nakamura Shunsuke, and others who had been restricted from their freedom for many days.

When Itai and Nakamura saw that the rescuers were the 4th Division of the Kwantung Army, their expressions changed from surprise and doubt to shock, and finally to a complex excitement.

They knew this was no accident; behind it all must be the powerful military police commander in Tianjin.

After the successful rescue operation, Matsui Mikoto did not stay.

He knew that this matter was of great importance and that it was necessary to unify the pace of action as soon as possible.

That very evening, a secret meeting that would determine the course of events was quietly held in a heavily guarded Japanese military club in Shanghai's Hongkou District.

In addition to Matsui Mikoto and the recently released Itai Yudai and Nakamura Shunsuke, the attendees also included senior commanders or plenipotentiaries from the 101st, 2nd, and 12th Divisions, who arrived almost simultaneously.

These four divisions were all elite or important components of the Kwantung Army. Their southward march was ordered by the General Headquarters to reinforce the Central China battlefield and participate in the occupation of Central China.

However, after listening to Itai and Nakamura's detailed accounts of their house arrest, as well as Matsui Iwane's recent series of accusations against the Central China Expeditionary Army Headquarters, their ostracism, arbitrary actions, and especially their sharp confrontation with the military police system, the atmosphere in the meeting room became unusually tense.

It was authorized by both the top nobleman of the empire, Commander Takasaki Takuto, and the veteran general, General Ueda Kenkichi, commander of the Kwantung Army!

Everyone at this meeting understood what was going on without saying a word!

It was just a formality, or rather, a "rally" before the operation.

The representative of the 2nd Division, a major general known for his bravery, slammed his fist on the table and angrily denounced Matsui Iwane as "arrogant".

The 101st Division, from Tokyo, was well-informed and more sensitive to factional struggles. They recounted how Matsui Iwane had attempted to send his 101st Division to be cannon fodder during the Battle of Shanghai.

The representative of the 12th Division, with a gloomy expression, also vehemently criticized Matsui Iwane.

Most importantly, all the divisions, through their own channels, maintained some degree of connection with the Tianjin Military Police Headquarters, whether through the transfer of benefits or personal favors.

Zhou Zhengqing was like an invisible net, having long since tied the interests of these Kwantung Army units to his own fate.

After intense discussion and deliberation, a consensus gradually formed.

We must not sit idly by and allow Matsui Iwane to dominate Central China. We must take strong measures to curb his arrogance and maintain the balance within the Kwantung Army system and the entire army!

The most direct and effective way to exert pressure at present is to take advantage of the arrival of the main forces of the four major divisions, and with strong military backing, to march straight to Nanjing and flex their muscles against Matsui Iwane, who has just entered the city and has not yet established a firm foothold.

Arrest Matsui Iwane immediately and send him to a military court!

"Our elite troops are deployed, heading straight for Nanjing!" Matsui concluded resolutely. "Our mission is not to conquer cities and seize territory, but to uphold military discipline and defend justice! I hope you will all work together to maintain the integrity of the Imperial Army!"

The meeting ended in an atmosphere of shared hatred and mutual ulterior motives.

A secret telegram was immediately sent from Shanghai, traveling thousands of miles to reach Zhou Zhengqing's desk at the Tianjin Gendarmerie Command.

The telegram was brief and clear: "Commander Takasaki, the fish are in the net and the arrow is on the bowstring. The Fourth Division will advance westward immediately. Wherever our troops are headed, Nanjing can be pacified."

Before the smoke of the fall of Nanjing had even cleared, an even more bizarre and dangerous storm, originating from within the Japanese army, had already taken shape on the coast of the East China Sea and was sweeping toward the ancient city of Jinling, which had just experienced a catastrophe, with astonishing speed.

The wheels of history turned onto a fork in the road here, a road fraught with unknowns and dangers.