nucmednet Chapter 233 Suspicion
Chapter 233 Suspicion
The first person brought in for identification was Ito Hirobumi, who was detained immediately when he came to discuss surrendering.
"Your Majesty!" Upon seeing Mutsuhito's family, Ito Hirobumi knelt down before them with a thud, weeping bitterly!
Although he had expected it, he still couldn't help but feel grief upon seeing Mutsuhito captured. His wise lord, whom he had served, had met such an end. Ito Hirobumi was overcome with sorrow and wept bitterly.
The Muk-Ren family couldn't help but shed tears!
"Now you know how to cry! Too late! You tiny Japan, without my China, where would you be today?"
"You should have been grateful and served me with care. Instead, you harbored malicious intentions and took advantage of China's weakness to frequently harass us. Such a beastly nation deserves to be destroyed and its people exterminated!"
"Guards, take them away and keep a close watch on them," Shen Daowu said with disgust.
Shen Lian was overjoyed to receive news that Tokyo had been captured and the Emperor and his family had been taken prisoner.
Once the Emperor is captured, the rest of the war will be much simpler!
On November 21, the Battle of Tokyo ended. The new army annihilated more than 80,000 Japanese soldiers and captured 230,000, as well as the Emperor and his family.
As for the number of Japanese civilians injured or killed in Tokyo, there are no detailed statistics, but it is estimated to be tens of thousands.
Shen Lian's convoy arrived in a grand procession at the gates of Tokyo. At the city gate, a group of officers and soldiers came to greet him.
"General! Your Highness!" The officials bowed as Shen Lian alighted from the carriage.
"Well done! You all worked hard! You are all heroes of the country." Shen Lian smiled and nodded.
"It's all thanks to the commander's skillful command; we were merely following orders!" the officers said modestly. They were all deeply excited about this achievement of conquering new territories and subjugating other countries.
"Don't be modest, the credit is yours! Alright! Let's go into the city!" Shen Lian waved his hand, glancing at the dilapidated city walls.
The convoy started again, escorted by a group of officers. The large contingent slowly drove into the city through the south gate of Tokyo.
After more than half a month of fierce fighting, Tokyo was also severely damaged. Everywhere was ruins, and terrified Japanese civilians knelt along the streets. They didn't know how this new conqueror would treat them.
The convoy arrived in front of the palace, and Shen Lian got out of the car and walked in without any hesitation. A group of officers followed behind.
The entire palace is like a large park, with quite nice scenery. The architecture is ancient and the buildings are hundreds of years old. It's just a bit too small.
The main hall of the imperial palace, the Zichen Hall, is only about 200 meters wide and seven or eight meters high. It pales in comparison to the Forbidden City in China.
Unlike the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, the throne of the Japanese Emperor is simply a wooden chair with a backrest, without any carved dragons or phoenixes, only some gold leaf inlaid at the joints and protruding parts.
There was only a pavilion with a canopy on top of the throne. The entire pavilion was supported by eight round pillars, and the top was decorated with nine mythical birds and phoenixes of various sizes.
A painted phoenix stands atop the pavilion, and curtains adorn the eight pillars, their lacquer paintings vibrant and resplendent. It does have a touch of imperial atmosphere.
"That's so petty!" Shen Lian plopped down in his chair, saying dismissively. He had thought the Japanese Emperor's throne was similar to the one in the Forbidden City!
"How can tiny Japan compare to our Celestial Empire!" The officers stood below, looking around with disdain.
"Now that we have taken Tokyo and captured the Emperor, immediately send telegrams to all parts of Japan, ordering them to lay down their arms and surrender."
"The General Staff issued a public notice to reassure the people of the city. Furthermore, the military police were immediately organized to patrol day and night. Our soldiers are not allowed to leave their camps without orders. Anyone who violates the law will be severely punished!"
"Yes!" the staff officers replied immediately.
These past two days, compared to the mercenaries, the auxiliary troops have done quite a few nasty things in the city, but Shen Lian pretended not to know.
Now that he's entered the city, he naturally wants to reinstate military discipline.
"The army will rest for three days before being assigned tasks to raid various parts of Japan! The General Staff and the Logistics Department should prepare all kinds of supplies so that the soldiers can have a few good meals."
"Yes, sir!" The officers accepted their orders and dispersed.
As his status rose, Shen Lian noticed that people around him became much more cautious when speaking to him, and the intimacy of the past was gone. He couldn't do anything about it; people these days were too fixated on class distinctions.
News of the army's capture of Tokyo and the taking of the Japanese Emperor and his family back home caused a nationwide uproar, with people in major cities cheering and celebrating. The sound of firecrackers crackling and popping filled the air.
That was so satisfying! Our nation has been weak for too long, and in recent decades it has been repeatedly bullied by the world's powers. We've grown accustomed to hearing about defeats, ceding territory, and paying reparations.
People eagerly anticipated Shen Lian's campaign against Japan. Every issue of the Shandong Daily was snapped up, and as the war progressed smoothly, everyone awaited news of a great victory.
At this moment, good news finally arrived! In people's hearts, now that the enemy's capital had been breached and their emperor captured, the war was about to end.
Students from various universities took to the streets in protest, carrying large banners to celebrate Japan's resounding victory.
The ordinary people were all smiles, and their voices were louder.
Foreigners in China watched the cheering crowds with indifference. After this resounding victory, they noticed that these usually cautious Chinese people now unconsciously stood taller.
Standing before them again, I felt less afraid than before and much more confident.
All of this was brought about by that young man, who injected a powerful new force into this lifeless, aging empire.
It brought the people of this empire back to life! Most of the foreigners didn't feel too good about it.
The envoys from various countries contacted each other frequently, attempting to restrict Shen Lian's development. However, the different positions of these countries, coupled with their inherent infighting, made it difficult for them to reach a consensus.
"Good, good, excellent!" In the Forbidden City, Empress Dowager Cixi was overjoyed upon receiving the news!
"Issue an edict ordering Prince Qi to return to the capital as soon as possible and bring back the Japanese Emperor and his high-ranking officials. I intend to present the captives to the Imperial Ancestral Temple!"
Empress Dowager Cixi never imagined that this day would come in her lifetime. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes, and she quickly picked up a handkerchief to wipe them away.
"Your Majesty, this great victory is indeed cause for celebration! However, Shen Lian is already the Prince of Qi and has rendered meritorious service in destroying a kingdom. How should the court reward him?"
“Shen Lian commands a large army and his prestige has greatly increased. Locally, people only know Shen Lian and not the imperial court! I urge the Empress Dowager to make plans as soon as possible,” Tie Liang stepped forward and said.
"Moreover, news from the British indicates that Shen Lian harbors rebellious intentions. He has not only moved into the Japanese Imperial Palace but has also sat on the throne of the Japanese Emperor. This is a grave act of disrespect and usurpation."