Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Chapter 1091 What a coincidence!

"How audacious he is, haven't we had enough of that lately?" The Emperor interrupted him with a half-smile, his tone more sarcastic yet sharper: "He even dared to storm the temporary command of the Central China Expeditionary Army, secretly arrest Matsui Iwane, and trample the face of the lieutenant general commander underfoot."

He dared to use the lives of tens of thousands of imperial soldiers as bargaining chips in his game.

In comparison, what earth-shattering event was it for him to take advantage of the darkness, on his own turf, to devour a few boxes of "ownerless goods" that might have been "destroyed in the war" or "missing" on paper?

The Emperor gently shook his head, his tone unreadable, neither praising nor scolding: "I think he's a born gambler, a shark that smells blood."

Whenever he sees something valuable, he can't help but touch it, taste it, and only feel at ease when he has it in his arms.

This greed and audacity are quite reminiscent of your younger self, Yuande.

Near the end, Wen stood with his eyes downcast, seemingly lost in meditation, even his breathing was slow and gentle.

But his mind was clear as a mirror.

This matter was not a top secret among the upper echelons of the army and some insiders in the Imperial Household Ministry.

After swallowing this bitter pill, Ishihara Kanji reportedly ended up writing a vague and ambiguous report, characterizing the incident as "an attack by unidentified armed men, loss of treasures, and the complete annihilation of the guard team," swallowing his pride and suffering in silence.

His Majesty the Emperor's reaction to the matter was quite subtle. He neither confirmed nor denied it, neither investigated it further nor publicly appeased Ishihara, as if he were simply letting it go and sending Ishihara away to the Kwantung Army with a wry smile.

Only now, in this private tea room, has the old story been brought up again, and in such a playful way.

The Emperor looked at Takasaki Motonori's awkward, fidgety appearance, scratching his head and fidgeting, and his ambiguous smile deepened.

He suddenly waved his hand, the gesture casual, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Alright, Yuande, I'll make myself clear today." The Emperor's tone remained unhurried, but with less teasing and more seriousness, even carrying a hint of parental helplessness mixed with the determination to establish rules, like a parent dealing with a naughty child: "I have given my approval to Princess Yuko's marriage."

My daughter, whom I have loved since childhood, and I cherish her happiness dearly.

"That kid Takuto has the ability and the means. Although he acts eccentrically, if he's properly guided, he might very well become a pillar of the empire and a good match for Yuko."

Takasaki Motonori immediately straightened his back, pricked up his ears, and the embarrassment on his face was instantly replaced by focus, making him look like an old fox who had heard the movement of its prey.

"However," the Emperor changed his tone, his gaze sharp as lightning, "he wants to marry my daughter into your Takasaki family smoothly and with dignity, fine. I have only one condition..."

The air in the tea room seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

"The things he secretly swallowed," the Emperor said, speaking softly, "return them to me intact, quietly, and without missing a single item, and hand them over to the person in charge of this matter at the Imperial Household Ministry."

Remember, exactly as it was, not a single bit less.

He paused briefly, allowing the weight of his words to settle.

"Those items were specifically requested by the Imperial Family. They represent not only their artistic or historical value, but also my dignity and the prestige of the Imperial Family." The Emperor's tone grew heavier, carrying a sense of earnestness.

"If word gets out that he used such underhanded methods to steal something, what will outsiders think? They'll say that something the royal family wanted was snatched away by a mere subject, my son-in-law!"

They'll say that I, the Emperor, can't even protect the items I specifically requested! Yuan De, tell me, where is the dignity of the imperial family?

Where will I put my face now?

Takasaki Motonori opened his mouth, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

His instinct was to defend his son, to find various reasons: perhaps it was a mistake, perhaps his subordinates acted on their own, perhaps the item was indeed stolen by a third party and then "accidentally" acquired by Tuo Ren... Even, in that instant, the shrewd thought of bargaining flashed through his mind—could he offer something else as compensation?

Or should we return only a portion?

But when he met the Emperor's seemingly calm, yet unfathomable and unquestionable gaze, all his words were stuck in his throat.

In the end, he could only manage a bitter smile that was worse than crying, rubbing his hands together, his tone full of helplessness at his son's lack of ambition and shame at his failure to raise him properly.

"Your Majesty... you're right, this brat is utterly lawless!"

But... but since he dared to take it, given his greedy and ruthless nature, he probably already hid it in some secret, hidden warehouse, or... he might have already disposed of it secretly, converting it into gold bars, cash, or his shady business capital.

Getting him to regurgitate it exactly as it was... that's practically impossible.

This kid's a glutton, he only takes in and never lets go. If you want him to spit out meat that's already in his mouth, you'd have to break a few teeth... I can't control him!"

"Difficult?" The Emperor snorted softly through his nose, his voice revealing little anger but rather a knowing "as expected" tone.

He then sighed again, a sigh that was quite complex, containing helplessness at the younger generation's reckless behavior, understanding of Takasaki Motonori's "complaining about poverty" act, and even a subtle appreciation for Takasaki Takuto's unbridled "daring." Although this appreciation could never be spoken aloud.

"Yuande, I'll be frank with you today." The Emperor leaned back against the comfortable backrest of the Imperial Pavilion, his posture seemingly more relaxed, but his gaze remained sharp: "I don't really value those few ancient paintings from the Song and Yuan dynasties, that set of Tang dynasty porcelain, or that jade watermelon that Empress Dowager Cixi supposedly kept by her pillow when she slept."

No matter how many treasures China possesses, to the Japanese Imperial Family, they are more like icing on the cake, symbols of war spoils, and cultural embellishments.

What I truly care about is the matter itself. The way he did it was far too undiscreet, too unrefined, and showed utter disregard for the authority and rules of the royal family!

The Emperor's voice rose slightly, carrying the unquestionable tone of a long-time ruler: "He plotted to bring down Kiyoshi Katsuki. Although his methods were ruthless and his actions were intense, almost like a coup, at least there was a reason for it. It was the result of infighting and factional struggles within the North China Area Army. It was also Kiyoshi Katsuki's own doing, taking action against his own people in order to slow down Matsui Iwane's progress!"

Takuto's actions against Kiyoshi Kazuki can be loosely attributed to "eliminating scum in the army and rectifying military discipline."

Although I disliked the method, I acquiesced to the result.

His attempt to intercept the royal treasures was riddled with flaws!

As I just said, the timing, location, and people involved are all coincidentally outrageous! What kind of coincidence could there be in the world?

Anyone with a modicum of sense, anyone who knows the inside story, would suspect the Tianjin Military Police Headquarters was behind it, and that suspicion would fall on Takasaki Takuto! What do you call that?