The banquet proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere. After the food was cleared away, everyone continued to chat, which was a time for them to connect with each other.
Yingzuo Yushu had been waiting for this moment. He stepped forward and gestured to Ning Zhiheng. Ning Zhiheng did not dare to delay, and the two sat down facing each other.
Kagesa Hiroki smiled kindly and said, "I had long heard of Fujiwara-kun's great name from Uehara-kun, and seeing him today, I can confirm that he truly lives up to the reputation. Fujiwara-kun has an elegant demeanor and is a handsome man. He is indeed a member of the Fujiwara family!"
Ning Zhiheng feigned surprise and said, "General Yingzuo is on good terms with my uncle? That's incredibly rude of me, please take good care of me."
Ning Zhiheng readily accepted Yingzuo Yushu's overtures. Since the two belonged to the same camp and had no conflict of interest, they should naturally support each other.
Kagesa Yuki was very satisfied with Ning Zhiheng's attitude. This member of the Fujiwara family was not as reserved and arrogant as he had imagined. He was very humble and polite throughout the banquet. His speech and manners made those who talked with him feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze. He showed enough eloquence and cultivation. It was hard to imagine that he was originally a member of a collateral branch of the Fujiwara family. No wonder the Duke of Fujiwara made an exception and treated him as a direct descendant, presenting him with a sword in public as a sign of honor.
He now truly envies Uehara Junpei, who was able to forge a good relationship with him during his downfall. Now, thanks to this, he has actually established a connection with the Fujiwara family, which is equivalent to gaining strong support from the top power class in Japan. Now, everyone in the Central China Expeditionary Army secretly looks up to him and tries to befriend him.
Before coming to Shanghai this time, Kagesa Hiroki had a special talk with Uehara Junpei, and now it seems that it was indeed necessary.
Kagesa Hiroki lowered his voice and said, "Fujiwara-kun, we're on the same side, so let's get straight to the point. I came to Shanghai this time on the orders of the Central China Area Army. My purpose, of course, is to seize the opportunity to take back the power to form a new National Government and further control the actual power of the new government. However, this is a very difficult task, and I really need Fujiwara-kun's help."
Ning Zhiheng rolled his eyes, pondered for a moment, and smiled slightly, saying, "General Yingzuo, you have the support of the Central China side behind you, isn't that enough? As you know, my background makes it difficult for me to clearly state my position."
Kagesa Hiroki quickly said, "Fujiwara-kun, you're overthinking it. I didn't mean for the Fujiwara family to stand up and support me. To be honest, in the headquarters, our Huazhong forces don't have the upper hand. As things stand, there's not much I need to do. I just hope that in the game with General Tsuchihara, you and your friends won't become obstacles for me."
Kagesa Hiroki didn't ask for much; he was clearly more rational than Tsuchihara Keiji and knew better how to get along with Ning Zhiheng.
Ning Zhiheng no longer hesitated. He had always been wary of Tsuchihara Keiji. This man had too much power and prestige, and was too shrewd. Staying in Shanghai would be too much of a threat to him. It would be best to force him to leave Shanghai.
Kagesa Hiroki is different. His influence in the intelligence community is far less than that of Tsuchihara Keiji, and he currently lacks sufficient power. His relationship with me is also relatively close. If he were to take charge of the work in Shanghai, my life would be easier.
Moreover, he only asked himself not to side with the opponent, which Ning Zhiheng certainly had no problem with. He smiled and agreed, "General Yingzuo, you are too kind. I can guarantee that my friends and I will never hinder any of your plans. On the contrary, I am willing to provide the general with some financial support without stating any political stance."
"Okay, it's a deal!" Kagesa Yuuki happily slapped the armrest of the sofa; things were going more smoothly than he had imagined.
Ning Zhiheng was also delighted. With the support of the Central China authorities, Yingzuo Yushu would become the most powerful figure in the Central China region. In the future, the entire Wang puppet government would be under his control, and even someone like Wang Tianhai would have to obey him. If such a person could be brought into his smuggling kingdom and become one of the beneficiaries, it would be of great help to his smuggling plan.
Ning Zhiheng continued, "I have a Mulan Academy in Shanghai, which has become a very influential clubhouse among our overseas Chinese. If the general is interested, you can meet with me and my friends there more often and exchange ideas."
“Great, that’s wonderful!” Kagesa Hiroki readily agreed. These high-ranking Japanese officials were all highly educated and enjoyed this kind of affected elegance.
Ning Zhiheng spoke again, "By the way, there is one more thing I would like to trouble you with, General."
Please speak frankly!
“The former mayor of Shanghai, Su Yue, is also a friend of mine. Some time ago, General Tsuchiya forced him to resign, and it was I who did the work. In fact, he has been very capable in his work over the past two years. Now that the new government has been established, I would like to arrange a new position for him. I hope the general will consider it.”
Ning Zhiheng had promised Su Yue a position in the new government, and now that Ying Zuo Yushu had taken over the job, it was a good opportunity to bring it up.
“Okay, of course, no problem. Do you have any specific requirements?” Kageyama Yuuki immediately nodded in agreement. For him, this was just a small favor.
“There are no specific requirements. Many of Su Yue’s businesses are in Shanghai, and he is not one of Mr. Wang’s people, so he doesn’t want to get involved. He just hopes to find a suitable position in Shanghai.”
Su Yue was very clear about his own position. Wang Tianhai had many trusted confidants around him, and just settling these people would be a troublesome matter. Even if he rushed over to curry favor, it would be too late. Besides, the puppet government was backed by the Japanese. As long as he followed and relied on his Japanese friends, he could still get a good position without going through so much trouble.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
