vstars Chapter 692: Despair and Fear
Chapter 692: Despair and Fear
In the ancient and solemn Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Fuso, the magnificent palace seemed particularly quiet at the moment, and the air was filled with an extremely depressing atmosphere. Emperor Jindong sat on the throne, his face solemn, and his brows revealed an indescribable worry. His eyes swept across the ministers in the palace, and each of their faces was filled with heaviness and anxiety.
Prime Minister Tojo Takehide stood beside the Emperor, clenched his fists, and tried to control his inner panic. He knew that the successive defeats of the Fuso Navy were not only a heavy blow to Fuso's military strength, but also a fatal blow to the confidence of the people.
Cabinet Minister Taro Suzuki stood side by side with Ito Hirobumi, both of them with frowns, their eyes flashing with deep worry about the situation. Taro Suzuki rubbed his temples from time to time, as if trying to find a clue to relief from this sudden crisis;
Ito Hirobumi pursed his lips, his eyes revealing a determination, as if he was prepared for the worst outcome.
Army General Masaaki Yamamoto and Navy Admiral Nagakiyo Hashimoto, the two generals who once dominated the battlefield, were unusually silent at this moment. Yamamoto Masaaki put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth with heavy steps. There was both unwillingness and helplessness in his eyes. As an army general, he knew that although the army was strong, it would be difficult to deal with China's full-scale attack alone without the support of the navy.
Hashimoto Nagaki was even more frustrated. He was once the pride of the navy, but now he witnessed the navy's successive defeats, which made him feel heartbroken. He lowered his head, clenched his hands into fists, and his nails dug deep into his palms, as if only in this way could he feel a little pain and remind himself to stay awake.
The hall was so quiet that only the breathing and occasional footsteps could be heard. Everyone knew that this crisis had far exceeded their expectations and control. They began to realize that China's strong military strength had crushed Fuso in all aspects.
At this moment, Fuso seemed to be in an unprecedented storm, and they were standing at the forefront of the storm, feeling the biting cold.
In the main hall of the Imperial Palace, time seemed to have frozen, and the air was filled with an indescribable tension and oppression. Emperor Jindong's eyes swept over everyone present one by one, and finally fixed on the face of Prime Minister Tojo Takehide. His voice was heavy and serious: "Now, the Chinese fleet is heading straight for our Nagasaki Port in Kyushu. If we allow them to succeed and land on Kyushu Island, it will be an unprecedented catastrophe for our country. My dear ministers, do you have a good plan to solve this dilemma?"
As soon as the words fell, the hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to speak easily. They knew that intercepting the Chinese fleet at sea was a pipe dream. The other side's powerful naval force, whether in terms of quantity, tonnage or technological level, was far beyond Fuso's reach. This feeling of powerlessness was like a huge rock pressing on everyone's heart, suffocating them.
Prime Minister Tojo Yuhide lowered his head, beads of sweat were faintly visible on his forehead. He tried hard to organize his words, but found that he could not find a word that could inspire people. Cabinet Ministers Suzuki Taro and Ito Hirobumi also frowned and exchanged helpless looks.
Army General Masaaki Yamamoto took a deep breath and tried to break the gloomy atmosphere: "Your Majesty, although our army is willing to defend the country to the death, without the support of the navy, it is difficult for us to compete with China at sea. Perhaps we should consider strengthening defense on land and seek diplomatic means to see if we can ease the situation."
However, his proposal did not receive much response. Admiral Hashimoto Nagaki smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Mr. Yamamoto is right, but our navy is seriously injured and the sea defense line is almost useless. Diplomatic channels? I'm afraid it will not be effective. Su Zhengyang, that madman, is the president of China. Driven by national hatred and family feuds, he will definitely fight us to the death."
Seeing that everyone was at a loss, Emperor Rendong's face gradually turned livid. He slapped the armrest and stood up, his voice full of anger and despair: "You are important ministers of the country, but you are helpless at this time! Are you really going to watch my country fall into the hands of others?!"
The emperor's anger swept through the entire hall like a storm, and everyone fell to their knees, not daring to look directly at his angry face.
Under the Emperor's fury, the atmosphere in the hall almost froze to the extreme. At this moment, Army General Yamamoto Masaaki once again mustered up his courage, stood up straight, and said in a steady and powerful voice: "Your Majesty, please calm down. On Kyushu Island, we have assembled twelve division-level troops, more than 600,000 elite troops. Since we can't compete with China on the sea, it is better to concentrate our forces and defend the inland with all our strength. I believe that with the bravery and determination of our army, we will be able to stop the Chinese army on land."
When Emperor Jindong heard this, his face was still livid, but there was a hint of hesitation in his eyes. He knew that giving up the territorial rights would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Fuso, but facing the powerful naval force of China, this seemed to be the only choice. His clenched fists trembled slightly, as if he was trying his best to suppress the anger and unwillingness in his heart.
Seeing this, Yamamoto Masaaki added cautiously again: "Your Majesty, the commander of the Kyushu Army this time is General Yamashita Tomoyuki, known as the 'Tiger of South Asia'. He is brave and good at fighting, and has extraordinary strategies. He has demonstrated extraordinary command ability in many battles. Not only has he made great achievements against the Chinese army, he is also well-known in South Asian countries. With him leading the army, we may have a chance to compete with China on land."
At this point, Yamamoto Masaaki's tone was more confident and determined. He believed that as long as the advantages of the army could be fully utilized and the terrain and tactics could be used to make up for the shortcomings of the navy, Fuso might still find a ray of hope in this crisis.
After hearing this, Emperor Jindong was silent for a moment. He stared at Yamamoto Masaaki, as if looking for a ray of hope in the other's words. Finally, he nodded slowly, his voice low and firm: "Okay! In this case, I will do as you say. But I want you to remember that this is not only to save my country, but also for those innocent people, for their peace and future. I hope that you can live up to my trust and the expectations of the people!"
As the Emperor finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to relax a little. Everyone looked up, their eyes gleaming with determination, and said in unison: "We are willing to be loyal to the Emperor and Fuso! Fight to the death!"