Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

In my opinion, Chapter 1096 is of extremely great significance.

Jinwei paused slightly, allowing this basic judgment to settle, before precisely turning his attention to Takasaki Takuto: "And what Takuto-kun did in Harbin and Tianjin, regardless of whether he had clear and complete theoretical guidance, its actual effect precisely provided the Empire with a new and highly inspiring approach and practical model."

I would summarize it into three points: using Chinese to control Chinese, dividing and governing them, and guiding them with benefits.

These three may overlap, but their essence is interconnected.

"I would like to hear the details." The Emperor's interest was fully piqued, and he tapped his fingers lightly on his knee, urging the Emperor on.

"First, and most importantly, is the strategy of 'using Chinese to control Chinese'."

Near the end of the text, he spoke eloquently and logically: "Takuto-kun formed a 'Security Brigade' composed of Chinese people who had surrendered or been captured."

They made contact with deeply entrenched leaders of the Green Gang in Tianjin, as well as Chinese merchants with vast smuggling networks and underground influence, and even reached some kind of tacit understanding.

Furthermore, tolerating the existence of certain non-core or temporarily ineffective resistance organizations within certain limits, or allowing informal contact... All these seemingly contradictory and risky actions, in essence, are aimed at drawing a portion of the Chinese people, whether out of fear, self-interest, or simply the desire for survival, into, or partially into, the ruling order we have established, and establishing a "symbiotic relationship of interests" with them, whether close or loose.

His eyes gleamed with analytical insight: "Let the Chinese manage the Chinese, let the Chinese deal with the Chinese, let the Chinese handle those tedious, dirty, and easily inflamed specific matters."

An empire only needs to control supreme decision-making power, military power, and the most crucial power of resource allocation.

This approach is far more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective than having Imperial soldiers and officials handle everything personally!

Your Majesty, consider this: those security guards, those local Chinese thugs who cooperate with us, in order to protect their hard-won status, privileges, and even lives, and in order to get a share of the pie from the Empire, they are often more zealous and ruthless than the Imperial soldiers in suppressing their compatriots and cracking down on non-cooperators.

Why? Because they have no way out. They understand the local situation better than we do, and they are more afraid of losing everything they have, or even being purged by their own people.

This is a superior strategy of using someone else's strength against them, a tactic that has existed since ancient times, and Tuorenjun has employed it quite skillfully... with self-awareness.

"Secondly, it is 'divide and rule'." Jinwei continued to analyze in depth, showing his profound insight as a politician: "Your Majesty noticed that Takuto-kun did not contact all Chinese resistance forces, nor did he treat all 'collaborators' equally."

He was selective; he severely cracked down on certain groups that were determined to resist Japan, such as those who openly resisted Japan.

However, for other individuals with complex backgrounds who may be inclined to self-preservation or seek personal gain, they are approached, lured, or even given limited "cooperation."

This is by no means aimless, nor is it simply rebellion.

The brilliance of this move lies in its success in creating rifts, suspicion, division, and fragmentation within the Chinese community, between the resistance forces and potential "collaborators," and even between different resistance factions.

As the text neared its end, the speaker leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more serious: "They will suspect each other, wondering who has been bribed by the Empire."

Who is secretly colluding? Who are the true resisters, and who are the fence-sitters who are wavering and indecisive?

Once such suspicion arises, it spreads like poison, making it difficult for them to establish a solid, mutually trusting united front of resistance.

We can even proactively exploit this division by using intelligence operations, spreading rumors, and promising benefits to incite them to fight each other and deplete each other's strength.

Tuo Renjun's seemingly chaotic and contradictory behavior involves both high-pressure crackdowns and secret contacts.

In reality, it is like an intricately woven, invisible net, the purpose of which is to divide, disintegrate, and ultimately devour the Chinese people's resistance network and will.

This requires extremely keen political judgment and a precise understanding of human weaknesses.

"Finally, and this is what I personally admire most, and what I believe to be the most far-sighted point," said Ayako Kikka, her voice tinged with undisguised admiration.

It seems that Tuoren is intentionally or unintentionally trying a form of rule that is "guided by profit" or, in other words, "rule-based exploitation".

His Majesty previously mentioned that he mostly used fines, confiscation of property, and forced labor to punish those who violated his regulations, whether they were Japanese or Chinese, rather than resorting to capital punishment or indiscriminate massacres.

In my opinion, this is of great significance!

According to a summary report and data analysis recently received by the Cabinet from the South Manchuria Railway Bureau's Investigation Department, consulates in various regions, and some trading companies, although imperial merchants, expatriates, and even some garrison officers and soldiers have many complaints about the strict law enforcement of the military police under Takuto-kun's command, which they believe undermines the "privileges" and "conveniences" that imperial subjects should enjoy in China.

But if we set aside these emotional complaints and objectively examine the data, we will discover a thought-provoking phenomenon.

As the text nears its end, the tone shifts to a calm statement: "In areas where the military police have been in control for a longer period or have had a stronger influence, such as Harbin, Tianjin, and the surrounding areas of Beiping, where their reach extends, the security, economic order, and efficiency of municipal management are significantly better than most other cities in Manchukuo under the direct control of the Empire."

It performed much better than some North China cities where military control was directly exercised by the army, often using more brutal and simplistic methods.

As the article neared its end, it specifically listed: "In terms of public security, the incidence of open robberies, murders, and large-scale riots has significantly decreased, and the city appears 'orderly' at least during the day."

On the economic front, business activities, including the operations of Japanese trading companies, are conducted within a framework that, while stringent, is relatively clear and governed by rules.

While merchants did have to pay heavy taxes and face various fines, they also reduced the endless and arbitrary extortion and apportionment from various Japanese troops, ronin groups, and even officials of the puppet regime that had been prevalent before. The uncertainty and risk of their business operations were actually reduced.

The flow of materials, especially the control and movement of strategic materials related to war, appears to be more "orderly" and "efficient," even though this efficiency is based on exploitation.

These observations have even been corroborated by diplomats and businessmen from some Western countries, such as Britain and France, who, while criticizing the methods employed, have had to acknowledge that the "order" in the areas under their control is relatively good.