Hearing the distant gunfire abruptly cease, Ning Zhiheng turned and returned to his room. Something important must have happened, but whether it was a problem with one of their own personnel was unknown, and he couldn't make a judgment.
This isn't Shanghai, it's not his territory, so even with Ning Zhiheng's status, he wouldn't have access to much information.
He pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out. He could only go back to his room to rest, thinking that everything would be clear tomorrow. He decided to remain calm and see how things went.
Nothing more was said that night. Early the next morning, Kagesa Hiroki invited Ning Zhiheng downstairs for breakfast. Watching his subordinates busily making arrangements, he smiled and said to Ning Zhiheng, "This morning, a tripartite meeting will be held. The heads of various forces and high-ranking officials from North China will gather here. By the way, there will be a brief opening ceremony before the meeting. If you are interested, Fujiwara-kun, you can attend. Major General Mitani and Colonel Morioka will also be there. If you have time, you can chat with them."
Ning Zhiheng was taken aback. This meeting was not supposed to be public before, but now they were going to hold an opening ceremony. It seemed that the Japanese were not planning to keep a low profile.
“That’s perfect. I was just thinking of watching the excitement today, and it would be good to sit down and chat with Mr. Mitani and the others,” Ning Zhiheng agreed immediately.
The local forces in Qingdao have always treated Ning Zhiheng very well. After the last banquet, Ning Zhiheng got along well with them and had been looking for an opportunity to make their acquaintances. Today was a good opportunity.
Seeing Ning Zhiheng's quick agreement, Kagesa Yuuki's eyes flashed, and he continued, "By the way, didn't Fujiwara-kun go out to see the seaside scenery yesterday? What did you think of the scenery in Qingdao?"
Ning Zhiheng nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and said with great interest, "It's much better than I expected. This is indeed a great place. If it weren't for the timing, the scenery would be even better. I'm thinking of coming back in the summer to stay longer and have a good rest."
"Haha, it seems my introduction was correct. I've been to Qingdao many times. The scenery is beautiful and pleasant. It's a pity that I always pass by in a hurry. I hope I can accompany Fujiwara-kun to visit here for a few days in the future."
The two chatted with great interest. Ning Zhiheng could tell that Yingzuo Yuki was in a very good mood today and was very enthusiastic about talking. He couldn't help but think about what happened last night and wondered if there was any connection between the two.
Ning Zhiheng was erudite and eloquent. Following Ying Zuo Yushu's lead, the two chatted happily until a staff member came to invite Ying Zuo Yushu, at which point Ying Zuo Yushu got up and left.
At nine o'clock, personnel from the other two hotels entered the lobby one after another, along with several intelligence officers specifically responsible for translation, including He Siming.
Before long, Major General Mitani, the garrison commander, Colonel Morioka, the military police commander, Colonel Kita of the Xingya Institute, and many other local powerful figures arrived.
They met with Ning Zhiheng one by one, and everyone sat together in the hall, talking quietly to each other, waiting for the meeting to begin.
However, Ning Zhiheng noticed that there were quite a few people attending the opening ceremony this time. Representatives from almost all the various delegations participated, including a large number of people from Japan. The scene was quite impressive.
At 9:30, the meeting started on time, and some reporters with the character "兴" (prosperity) hanging on their arms entered, including Hidemi Matsudaira.
Kagesa Hiroki, as the host, spoke first, followed by Tsuchihara Keiji. These two spoke for quite a while, taking more than thirty minutes in total. Then came the speeches from the three leaders. Kagesa Hiroki looked at his watch; it was already 10:30. Only then did he stand up and announce that the meeting was officially in session.
After Ning Zhiheng, Major General Mitani, and others finished observing the ceremony, they got up and left the conference hall. The reporters also left. The doors of the conference hall were closed, leaving the main negotiators inside, where the real game of strategy began.
Ning Zhiheng, Major General Mitani, and other attendees were led to the East Living Room, a small space set up as a tea room, perfect for a lounge where they could chat with friends.
The waiters served fragrant tea, and Ning Zhiheng and the others chatted and laughed, getting closer to each other. In particular, Mitani Kazuhiko was extremely enthusiastic towards Ning Zhiheng, and Ning Zhiheng also made a point of befriending him. Before long, they were talking about everything.
As the two were having a pleasant conversation, Ning Zhiheng casually asked, "Mr. Mitani, wasn't this supposed to be a secret meeting? Why is it such a big affair? Do you know why?"
Mitani Kazuhiko paused for a moment, then spread his hands and said, "I don't know the specific reason either, but I only received a notification from General Tsuchihara of the Special Higher Police early yesterday morning, requesting that our garrison participate in the opening ceremony this morning."
I spoke with Colonel Morioka and Colonel Kita; they both received the notification this morning. Previously, they only instructed a few departments to handle security, not to attend the ceremony. Fujiwara-kun, don't you know why either?
Ning Zhiheng's heart skipped a beat. There must be something wrong with this opening ceremony. The garrison received the notification from Tsuchihara Keiji in the early morning, the military police and other departments received the notification in the morning, and as for himself, he only received the invitation from Kagesa Hiroki this morning. In other words, Kagesa Hiroki and Tsuchihara Keiji had discussed it and added the participants to the ceremony at the last minute. It's possible that even the opening ceremony was added at the last minute, and it was delayed by nearly an hour. What were they doing this for?
Ning Zhiheng also looked puzzled and replied, "I didn't receive any prior notice. I knew the hotel would be in chaos today. I originally planned to go out and sightsee, but this morning General Yingzuo suddenly invited me to attend the ceremony. I couldn't refuse, so I agreed to come and join the fun. It's really strange..."
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