allonlinenovel Chapter 1162 General Temple Has Done His Duties
Chapter 1162 General Temple Has Done His Duties
As he spoke, Daiki Naoki added a touch of exaggerated amazement to his tone: "Especially that palace, I was shocked when I first saw it, it's so huge!"
Interestingly, throughout his speech, Daiki Naoki never addressed Takuto directly as he used to, but instead addressed him as "Young Master Takuto" repeatedly, speaking with both ease and respect.
The intention to change his tune was actually not hidden very well.
Firstly, Terauchi Hisaichi was his direct superior. If he continued to casually call Zhou Zhengqing "Takuto" like before, wouldn't he be just like Terauchi Hisaichi? This was a major taboo in the workplace, and he absolutely dared not commit it.
Secondly, and more importantly, Zhou Zhengqing's power has skyrocketed these days. Although the other party was indeed his subordinate, things are different now. He no longer has the confidence or the right to call him by his name.
Therefore, the fawning tone in that address of "Young Master Tuoren" was almost overflowing from the words themselves, impossible to hide.
As he spoke, he unconsciously bent his back slightly, keeping it taut, yet deliberately softening the curve of his shoulders, showing respect without being overly humble.
His smile was carefully crafted, with the curve of his lips just right—neither obsequious nor glaring, yet conveying his warmth clearly.
His eyes and brows exuded a deliberately flattering familiarity, and even his gaze softened slightly as he stared intently at Zhou Zhengqing, observing the other's reaction.
This deliberate change in address was never a casual remark, but rather a precise signal of flattery delivered after he had repeatedly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. It showed respect, made his attitude clear, and perfectly measured his own position.
"General Da Hui, you're too kind." Zhou Zhengqing nodded slightly, his gaze lingering briefly on Da Hui before turning to another lieutenant general standing next to Da Hui Naoki, a man he had never seen before.
Upon seeing this, Terauchi Hisaichi smiled and introduced, "Come, Takuto, let me introduce you." He then pointed to the lieutenant general and said, "This is Lieutenant General Nishio Hisazo, commander of the Second Army of the North China Area Army."
Nishio Toshizo immediately bowed respectfully: "General Takasaki, you must be tired from your long journey. Welcome to Beiping."
Zhou Zhengqing smiled and replied, "Thank you for your kindness."
At that moment, a figure dressed in a major general's uniform quickly approached; it was none other than Kita Seiichi.
His face was plastered with an overly enthusiastic smile, and his steps were hurried, even trying to get closer to Zhou Zhengqing before Okabe Naosaburo could.
Before he could even stand still, Okabe Naosaburo subtly stepped to the side, blocking him from Zhou Zhengqing, completely ignoring Kita Seiichi beside him.
Kita Seiichi's smile froze for a moment, his steps faltered, and his bowing gesture awkwardly stopped in mid-air.
He subconsciously looked at Terauchi Hisaichi, only to find that Terauchi Hisaichi was focused on talking to Zhou Zhengqing, as if he hadn't noticed his presence at all.
The lieutenant generals and major generals around him exchanged pleasantries with Zhou Zhengqing. When their eyes swept over him, they either looked at him with a hint of indifference or simply ignored him. That deliberate aloofness was like a bucket of cold water poured over Kita Seiichi's head.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and put on a fawning smile again. He took a half step back and waited for the others to finish exchanging pleasantries with Zhou Zhengqing before hurriedly stepping forward. He bowed lower than all the other generals before him, almost touching the ground, and his tone was full of humility: "Commander Takasaki, I am Kita Seiichi, the Minister of the Special Service Department of the North China Area Army. I welcome your arrival!"
Your presence in Beiping is a great honor for our department, and it adds even more glory to the establishment ceremony of the puppet government!
Zhou Zhengqing's gaze fell on him, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.
The Kita Seiichi before me was completely different from the ruthless and decisive figure I had heard about, the one who had the final say in the intelligence system.
His forehead still seemed to be covered with fine beads of sweat, probably from when he rushed forward. In addition to awe, there was also a hint of ingratiation in his eyes.
Before Zhou Zhengqing could respond, Wang Kemin, dressed in a sharp suit with his hair slicked back, quickly squeezed to the front, bowed deeply, and said in Japanese with a heavy Beijing accent, "Commander Takasaki, I am Wang Kemin, representing the Preparatory Committee of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China, and I warmly welcome your arrival!"
Zhou Zhengqing glanced at Wang Kemin with a hint of contempt in his eyes, but did not show it. He simply nodded slightly without saying anything more.
He felt it was unnecessary to say even a single word to these traitors.
Tang Erhe followed closely behind, dressed in a traditional long robe and mandarin jacket, with a fake smile on his face: "Commander Takasaki, I have long admired your name."
The establishment of this puppet government is entirely due to the strong support of the Empire, and even more so to the care of the Commander.
We will certainly fulfill our duties and contribute all our strength to realizing the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere"!
"Hmm," Zhou Zhengqing responded calmly.
He deliberately gave Tang Erhe an extra response compared to when he treated Wang Kemin. Sure enough, Wang Kemin's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously turned his head to glance at Tang Erhe, his eyes filled with displeasure.
Zhou Zhengqing sneered inwardly. These traitors, even when trying to curry favor with the Japanese, couldn't resist their jealousy and rivalry. How laughable.
After exchanging pleasantries with several senior officers, including Naoki Daie, and exchanging pleasantries with Toshizo Nishio, whom he was meeting for the first time, Hisaichi Terauchi stepped forward and said, "Takuto, you must be tired from your journey. I have arranged a hotel for you to rest. Go and rest for a while, and I will treat you to a welcome dinner tonight."
Zhou Zhengqing nodded in agreement: "Thank you for your trouble, General."
Terauchi Hisaichi immediately waved his hand, and the arranged convoy slowly drove to the platform.
Just as Zhou Zhengqing was about to walk towards his car, Kita Seiichi suddenly strode forward, getting ahead of the driver and guards, and ran straight to the passenger side of Zhou Zhengqing's car. He personally reached out and opened the back door, carefully placing his other hand above the door to prevent Zhou Zhengqing from bumping his head when he bent down to get in. His movements were skillful and humble.
This move stunned everyone present.
Kita Seiichi is, after all, a major general. Now, he is personally opening car doors and shielding car roofs for others. This is undoubtedly an extremely humble form of flattery.
Terauchi Hisaichi was also somewhat surprised. He frowned slightly, then relaxed and stepped forward, saying, "Kita-kun, there's no need to go to such trouble. Just have the driver come."
There was a subtle, almost imperceptible distance in his tone.
The surrounding generals also showed strange expressions.
Naosaburo Okabe slightly curled his lips, his eyes filled with disdain, while Naoki Daike remained expressionless, his gaze lingering briefly on Seiichi Kita before shifting away, his indifference even greater than before.
Clearly, Kita Seiichi's attempt to curry favor not only failed to gain him approval, but also made these core generals of the North China Area Army look down on him even more.
As a spy chief, he already faced considerable disdain in the military, and now he was met with even more contempt.