After saying this, he bowed and withdrew. Immediately afterward, shouts and orders came from below, and a squad of Japanese soldiers quickly rushed to the scene of the incident.
Seeing everyone on high alert, Shimizu Hidetoshi frowned and turned to Ning Zhiheng, saying, "Fujiwara-kun, it seems we're being a bit too optimistic about the situation back home. East China should be the region we control the most, so why is it so tense there?"
Ning Zhiheng spread his hands and said helplessly, "Our military strength is too small. Even if we conquer territory, we can't really control it. At most, we can only hold a few major cities. This place is still okay. Further south, it's all within the sphere of influence of the Chinese army. We've been struggling for several years, but in the end, we've achieved very little. We can only accept this situation. To be honest, if the southward advance plan starts and a large number of troops are transferred south, resulting in a weak defense, the situation will be even worse!"
After listening to Ning Zhiheng's words, Shimizu Hidetoshi said no more. The full-scale war between China and Japan had caused Japan's national strength to decline rapidly, and this was becoming increasingly apparent.
Soon news came from the front that landmines had been planted at the location where the railway tracks were damaged. When the armored vehicle rushed to the scene, it triggered the landmines. However, because the armored vehicle was well protected, it was only shaken off the tracks and there were no other casualties.
The Japanese army is now searching for enemy traces in the vicinity and has begun repairing the railway, so it is estimated that it will be delayed for some time before the railway can be opened to traffic.
Ning Zhiheng judged that this must have been an attack targeting the delegation, but the Japanese defenses were so tight that no damage was caused. It seemed that the trip to Nanjing would definitely be full of ups and downs, and he had to be careful not to be accidentally injured again.
Once the troops stationed in Zhenjiang arrived, the group, under heavy guard, finally set off again and arrived safely in Nanjing after dark.
Because of the delay of several hours, the Nanjing side had been waiting anxiously, frantically inquiring about the news, as if they were ants on a hot pan. The key members of the delegation were all prominent figures, and if anything went wrong, it would definitely be a major political earthquake, and the local military generals in charge of security affairs would be implicated and held accountable.
Fortunately, everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they finally saw the military train arrive at the train station. The group, led by military officers, went forward to greet it, and Uehara Junpei was among them.
Shimizu Hidetoshi and others, along with Ning Zhiheng, got off the train, exchanged greetings, and left the station together to rest at the Japanese Consulate General in Nanjing.
Since it was already late, after exchanging pleasantries for a while, the Japanese Consul General in Nanjing, Hori Koichi, invited everyone to a welcome banquet for the delegation the following evening.
The crowd naturally dared not delay and readily agreed before taking their leave.
Ning Zhiheng also took his leave with the others. He and Uehara Junpei rode in the same car back to their residence. In the car, Uehara Junpei carefully inquired about everything concerning the delegation from Ning Zhiheng, making sure he had a clear understanding before he felt at ease.
At this moment, he couldn't help but sigh softly, "Actually, I already know about what happened at the Imperial Conference. The Expeditionary Army has also received orders from the General Headquarters. It is estimated that the Southern Advance Plan will be launched before the end of the year. At that time, some troops will be transferred to the coastal areas of South China to stand by and participate in the operation to attack Southeast Asia. We don't have much time left!"
At this point, he suddenly remembered something and added, "Your chamber of commerce in Hong Kong needs to make arrangements as soon as possible. Hong Kong is a key target area for attacks, and if we don't handle it well, the losses will be huge!"
Ning Zhiheng nodded in agreement and said, "I had anticipated this as well, and we will make arrangements in advance. However, we don't have many troops on the front lines to begin with. If too many troops are transferred, and the Chinese army takes the opportunity to counterattack, will we be able to handle it?"
“That is indeed a problem!” Uehara Junpei nodded slightly in agreement. “A few days ago, the high command of the dispatched army discussed it and felt that if the southward advance plan was launched ahead of schedule, we should weaken the strength of the Chinese army before redeploying troops. This would serve two purposes: first, to deter the other side, and second, to reduce the pressure during future confrontations.”
Ning Zhiheng was taken aback upon hearing this, and blurted out, "Another new combat mission?"
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