Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Chapter 1216 Terauchi Hisashi 1 He's scared!

"Where does he think he's putting me, the army commander, in?"

Terauchi Hisaichi's tone turned stern again, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes: "He wants to sideline the entire North China Area Army Headquarters, to sideline me as the Area Army Commander, and to establish his own independent regime, becoming a local tyrant in North China, monopolizing power and all the benefits!"

Did he really think that with his petty actions in Kyoto and the few reports he submitted, he could deceive everyone and seize control of the North China Provisional Government? He was utterly delusional!

Zhou Zhengqing replied softly, his tone calm but with a hint of profound insight: "All major decisions of these puppet regimes are subject to the orders of Japanese intelligence agencies and their dispatched advisors. This is the typical model of the Japanese army's control over puppet regimes and the core of its strategy of using Chinese to control Chinese."

However, Kita Seiichi's actions clearly indicate that he wanted to completely monopolize this control in his own hands and monopolize the regulatory power and economic benefits of the pseudo-government.

This undoubtedly threatened the interests of too many people and directly challenged your authority, Commander. No wonder everyone is ostracizing him, and no wonder you are so dissatisfied with him.

He was well aware that Kita Seiichi's actions not only infringed upon the interests of the battlefield faction generals, but also directly challenged Terauchi Hisaichi's authority.

Terauchi Hisaichi was the supreme commander of the North China Area Army and the supreme ruler of North China, controlling all power in the region.

Kita Seiichi's attempt to monopolize the supervisory and guiding power of the puppet government was undoubtedly a path to his own demise.

If Kita Seiichi hadn't controlled a vast intelligence network and special agents, and if there hadn't been some seemingly distant connections behind him, he probably would have been killed by Terauchi Hisaichi long ago.

“That’s right.” Terauchi Hisaichi sneered, his tone tinged with disdain and anger: “Although later, under my pressure and the opposition of other generals, he had to make some compromises. Nominally, the relevant matters needed to be approved by the Army Headquarters and required coordination and cooperation from various departments.”

However, in practice, he still seized power and acted arbitrarily by taking advantage of the special nature of the intelligence agency and the advisors he had placed within the puppet government.

He made all the decisions himself, completely disregarding the army headquarters and other departments.

"Don't think I don't know how much he's profited and how much he's lined his own pockets."

Terauchi Hisaichi's tone carried a hint of cold sarcasm: "A large portion of the financial allocations, material distributions, land plundering, and wealth extorted from the Chinese people by the Empire to the provisional government was appropriated by his secret service and stuffed into his own pockets."

He purchased a large amount of real estate and farmland in Beiping (Beijing), and amassed countless antiques and treasures; he possessed even more valuable items than I, the commander of an army corps.

Perhaps realizing he had gone too far and revealed too much emotion, Terauchi Hisaichi added, "I don't need his little bit of filial piety, nor do I care about the meager sums he squeezed from those traitors, and I don't covet the wealth he plundered from the people."

What I care about is his attitude, his ambition, and his arrogant and domineering way of taking control.

If such a person is not punished and allowed to continue, he will sooner or later become a hidden danger to the empire's rule in North China and will sooner or later ruin our great cause.

Therefore, within the North China Front Army, he was constrained at every turn and isolated without any support.

If it weren't for the seemingly unreliable connections he had behind the scenes, this intelligence chief should have been replaced long ago.

The room fell silent again, with only the faint sound of the wind outside the window, mixed with the subtle sound of ice cubes slowly melting in the glass, which was particularly clear in the quiet room.

The wall lamp cast a soft, warm light, filtering through the amber-colored liquor and casting dappled shadows on the table. Yet, it did nothing to dispel the chill permeating the room, nor could it conceal the cold calculations in the hearts of the two individuals.

Zhou Zhengqing slowly swirled the remaining wine in his glass. The amber liquid spun gently, reflecting his deep, unfathomable eyes, as well as the unspoken calculations and considerations in his heart. Beneath that calm expression lay a well-thought-out determination and composure.

Zhou Zhengqing gently stroked the inside of the wine glass with his fingertips, the cool touch spreading along his fingertips, making his thoughts clearer.

Looking at Terauchi Hisaichi, who was still furious and sharp-tongued, he felt no emotion, but rather a profound clarity.

Terauchi Hisaichi's outburst of anger in front of him today, his undisguised complaints about Kita Seiichi, and his frank discussion of the power struggles within the North China Area Army, are, in essence, nothing more than a gesture, a blatant declaration.

Terauchi Hisaichi was telling him that Beiping was his territory, his backyard, and that all power in North China should be under his control.

Kita Seiichi's ambition and arrogance crossed his bottom line, giving him an excellent opportunity to demonstrate his authority in front of himself, the military police commander.

He both complained and expressed his dissatisfaction, while subtly drawing a line, telling himself that the affairs of Beiping were none of anyone else's business, including himself, the commander of the military police headquarters.

Zhou Zhengqing chuckled softly to himself. Terauchi Hisaichi was scared!

They didn't even dare to state their own attitude explicitly, but could only express it by mentioning Kita Seiichi's situation.

What was that saying again...? Outwardly fierce but inwardly weak.

He was worried that his trip to Beiping would elevate the military police's power to the same level as the North China Area Army Headquarters, allowing them to completely control the city.

No wonder Terauchi Hisaichi was in such a hurry to establish a puppet government... It seems that his own military police headquarters was indeed putting a lot of pressure on him.

This was exactly what Zhou Zhengqing wanted. He had never thought of going to Beiping during Terauchi Hisaichi's term to compete with the commander of the North China Area Army for control of the city.

Terauchi Hisaichi's power and his stronghold in North China are obvious. If he were to act rashly, it would only result in mutual destruction and ultimately be a loss that would disrupt his overall plans.

Zhou Zhengqing has been warned by the Emperor to remain calm and stable, so he only wants to make steady progress and would never do something so difficult and thankless.

Moreover, the fact that Terauchi Hisaichi spoke so openly about the distribution of power and complained about Kita Seiichi's greed and arrogance in front of him today says it all.

Terauchi Hisaichi had long regarded Beiping as his own possession, a backyard that no one else was allowed to touch. This thought was openly displayed without any attempt to conceal it.

Since the other party has already made their stance clear and drawn a line, he naturally wouldn't provoke them. Going with the flow and fulfilling Terauchi Hisaichi's "desire for control" is, for him, the wisest choice.