nucmednet Chapter 676: Fuso on Guard
Chapter 676: Fuso on Guard
In Fusang Kyoto, the heart of this ancient and solemn city, the Imperial Palace stands majestically, and the golden glazed tiles shine with a sacred and indifferent light in the sunset. The palace walls are deep, as if isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, and only the low conversations coming from the palace reveal an unusual atmosphere.
In the hall, the candlelight flickered, illuminating faces that were either solemn or indignant. Emperor Rendong sat on the throne, wearing an elaborate and gorgeous twelve-chapter-patterned imperial robe. The golden dragon pattern was faintly visible in the dim light, but it could not hide his burning anger at the moment. On the long table in front of him, there were several pieces of paper that had been torn into pieces by anger. They were gifts from Su Zhengyang.
Emperor Jindong's chest rose and fell violently, and every breath seemed to echo like thunder. His face was as livid as the sky before a storm. His eyes were wide open, and there was a blazing fire in his eyes, as if he wanted to turn all his dissatisfaction and resentment into substance and devour everything in front of him. His eyes were sharp and cold, sweeping across the ministers standing below, especially Tojo Takehiro, who stood on his left with a gloomy face, and Suzuki Taro, who stood on his right with a frown on his face.
Tojo Takehiro, wearing a neat military uniform, with the golden star emblem on his shoulder straps flickering in the dim light, clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms, but he still couldn't hide the rage in his heart. He knew very well that this sudden humiliation was not only an offense to the emperor personally, but also a provocation to the entire Fuso Empire, which made the fire of war in his heart burn more and more fiercely.
Taro Suzuki, who is usually calm, could not hide his anxiety at this moment.
The hall was filled with an extremely oppressive atmosphere. It seemed as if everyone's heartbeats and angry breathing could be heard in the air. Emperor Rendong finally couldn't hold back his anger. He stood up suddenly and said in a low and majestic voice: "Damn it! Damn Su Zhengyang! How dare he treat Fuso so lightly? What's even more hateful is that China dared to declare war on us. It's a huge joke! Fuso has been the overlord of the sea since ancient times. How could it have suffered such humiliation?"
As the emperor rebuked, the ministers lowered their heads one after another, not daring to look directly into his angry gaze, but their hearts were also filled with complex emotions - a vow of loyalty to the emperor and deep concern about the future situation.
Tojo Yuhide slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with wisdom and calmness. He took a step forward, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Majesty, although anger can inspire people, the current situation is no longer controlled by emotions. China's military strength has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, and its modern equipment and technology are enough to attract global attention. We can no longer look at China with the old eyes, we must face up to the fact of its rise."
He paused, looked around at everyone present, and continued, "At present, the tension between the two countries is like a fully drawn bowstring, ready to explode at any moment. The dark cloud of war looms over us, and when war is inevitable, we must be fully prepared. Strengthening the defense of major ports is the foundation of protecting the country's gateway; at the same time, we must mobilize the Asian Sea Fleet and the Pacific Fleet and deploy them in Fuso's territorial waters to intercept any possible maritime threats from China, especially to prevent them from launching landing operations."
Upon hearing this, Suzuki Taro immediately nodded in agreement: "Prime Minister Tojo is right. Your Majesty, since war is inevitable, we have no choice but to face the challenge, show the bravery of the Fuso samurai on the battlefield, and fight the Chinese. At this time, retreating will only make the enemy more arrogant. Only by resolutely resisting can we maintain the dignity and territorial integrity of our Fuso Empire."
At this time, representatives of the pro-war faction, Ito Hirobumi and Hashimoto Nagakiyo, also stepped forward with resolute expressions and unyielding fighting spirit burning in their eyes.
Ito Hirobumi, a sophisticated politician, spoke in a sonorous and powerful voice: "Your Majesty, the people of Fuso have been known for their bravery and fighting skills since ancient times. Facing the provocation of China, how can we sit idly by? I am willing to lead us to defend the country to the death, be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, and compete with China!"
Hashimoto Nagaki even volunteered directly: "Your Majesty, please grant us the order to go to war! Our Fuso Navy officers and men have been ready for battle. We will set sail at the command and compete with the Chinese Navy on the vast ocean. We swear to keep the enemy out of our country and defend every inch of Fuso!"
Inside the hall, the atmosphere became more tense and exciting, and everyone's heart was filled with loyalty to Fuso and desire for victory.
Emperor Jindong looked at these loyal ministers in front of him. Although he was very reluctant to face the war, the reality forced him to make a decision. He nodded slowly, his voice low and solemn: "Okay! Since all the nobles have made this decision, I will not hesitate any more. Send an order immediately to strengthen national defense and prepare for war. Let the whole world see that the might of my Fuso Empire will not tolerate any provocation!"
Following the order of Emperor Jindong, the Fuso Empire quickly entered a state of full war preparedness. The entire country was like a sophisticated machine, with all parts starting to operate at high speed and military mobilization being carried out in full swing.
On Kyushu Island, the air was filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere. Eight well-equipped and well-trained Class A divisions, as well as four equally important Class B divisions, quickly assembled like eight steel dragons and began to march towards the core area of Kyushu Island. Every soldier in these troops had been strictly screened, and every commander had rich combat experience. They were the essence of the Fuso Empire's military strength.
Wherever the army passed, the logistics support personnel were already busy ensuring that every troop had adequate supplies.
The coastline of Kyushu Island was even more bustling. In order to cope with the possible landing of China, the Fuso military made careful plans and decided to focus its defense on major ports, especially the strategically important Nagasaki Port.
Here, 350,000 troops were already on full alert, and together with the newly added 250,000 elite coalition forces, they built an impenetrable line of defense. Position fortifications, defensive trenches, minefields, barbed wire... layer upon layer of defense lines, impenetrable, and unprecedented in scale.
At the same time, a more ambitious military deployment was quietly underway outside Fuso's territorial waters. Admiral Koga Ryukata, commander of the Pacific Fleet, was in charge of the operation. He knew the importance of naval warfare to this campaign, so he gathered all the elite forces of the First, Second, and Third Fleets of the Pacific at all costs.
The four aircraft carriers, like four huge sea beasts, stood proudly in the fleet. They were not only the fleet's mobile fortresses, but also the key to determining the outcome of a naval battle. In addition, there were countless large and small battleships, cruisers, destroyers and other warships, densely packed on the sea level, like a sea of steel, which was spectacular.
Koga Ryukata stood on the deck of the flagship, holding a telescope and scanning the sea in the distance with a sharp gaze. He knew that this battle was not only about the honor and future of the Fuso Empire, but also about the fate of the entire nation. Therefore, he had to be cautious and make sure that every order was accurately conveyed and every tactic was perfectly executed. Under his command, the entire Pacific Fleet began to deploy its formation in an orderly manner, setting up an impenetrable sea defense line, vowing to intercept the Chinese Navy outside the country.