Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 1090 Imperial Wise Tiger

Nine in the morning, Cabinet Office.

"Please come in." Watanabe Motoyasu said tiredly.

Cheng Yu Anxun walked into the office with steady steps. Although he was over 60 years old, his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle. This old man, known as the "Wise Tiger of the Empire", had helped the empire resolve crises many times at critical moments.

"Mr. Cheng," Watanabe Motoyasu stood up, "Kyoto is facing internal and external troubles now, I really..."

"Sit down and talk." Cheng Yu Anxun interrupted him, his voice steady, "Time is running out, I'll just tell you the solution."

Watanabe Motoyasu immediately sat down and listened carefully.

"First," Cheng Yu Anxun raised a finger, "the city defense forces must be mobilized. The city's reserve forces and the Public Security Bureau alone cannot control the situation. But please note that only one-third of the troops can be mobilized, and the rest must defend the city."

“Second,” he continued, “the students must not be touched. Once we do this, the situation will immediately deteriorate. We must use a soothing approach to let them know that we are seriously considering their demands.”

Watanabe Motoyasu nodded repeatedly.

"Third, gangs and samurai must be severely suppressed. These people are just taking advantage of the situation to rob people. Being lenient to them is cruel to the people."

"Fourth, and most importantly," Cheng Yu'anxun's voice became more serious, "convene a general meeting immediately and personally distribute pensions to the workers who died in the march. At the same time, distribute food to their families to appease their emotions."

“As for the responsibility,” he sneered, “just find a scapegoat. For example, a senior executive of Pu Yu who has already passed away.”

Watanabe Motoyasu's eyes lit up: "Mr. Cheng means..."

"The dead are the best scapegoats," Cheng Yu Anxun stood up, "They can no longer defend themselves. Just say that it was Pu Yu's people who acted on their own and caused this tragedy. This will not only calm the public anger, but also eliminate your political enemies."

Watanabe Motoyasu took a deep breath. This plan not only preserved most of the military strength, but also stabilized the people's hearts. As expected of the wise tiger of the empire, he came up with the best solution in just a few minutes.

"Thank you for your advice, Mr. Cheng," he stood up and bowed solemnly, "I'll arrange it right away."

"Remember," Cheng Yu Anxun walked to the door and turned back to say, "Stabilizing the people's hearts is more important than anything else. Otherwise, no matter how strong the city defense is, it will not be able to defend a city that has lost the hearts of the people."

Watanabe Motoyasu looked at Cheng Yu Anxun's departing back and felt a glimmer of hope for the first time.

9:15 am, Cabinet Office.

"Execute immediately!" Watanabe Motoyasu's voice regained its majesty.

He picked up the phone and first called the city defense headquarters: "Order the Changyu Division to enter the city immediately and suppress the riots as quickly as possible. Remember, be ruthless to the gangs and samurai, but never get close to the Emperor's Palace and student gathering areas."

After hanging up the phone, he turned to the aide who was waiting beside him and said, "Go and ask Foreign Minister Inoue Shinichi to come over."

A few minutes later, Inoue Shinichi walked into the office.

"Mr. Inoue," Watanabe Motoyasu said seriously, "you should go to the Imperial Palace immediately and appease those students. Tell them that the government is seriously considering their demands and will come up with a reasonable solution. The key is to stabilize the two student leaders, Naoko and Kawamura."

"I understand." Inoue Shin nodded.

Watanabe Motoyasu picked up the phone again: "Connect to the relief department."

"Hello, this is Watanabe. Mobilize all the relief supplies immediately, and lead the team to distribute food and pensions to the workers' families. Each household must be given at least one month's rations, and the pension must not be less than 2000 yen."

He paused and said, "Remember, let them feel the sincerity of the government."

The secretary came in and said, "Master Watanabe, the public meeting at ten o'clock is ready."

"Very good." Watanabe Motoyasu stood up and straightened his military uniform.

"This meeting is extremely important," he said to himself. "We must let the people of Kyoto understand that this tragedy is entirely Pu Yu's personal behavior and has nothing to do with the government. We will not only severely punish the perpetrators, but also provide the maximum compensation to the families of the victims."

He looked at his watch. It was already half past nine.

"Pass on my orders," he strode to the door, "all media must be present. I want everyone in Kyoto to hear the government's attitude. In addition, let the Changyu Division speed up. The main riot area must be controlled before I have a meeting."

Watanabe Motoyasu knew that the next meeting would determine the direction of the situation in Kyoto. He had to use the most perfect performance to stabilize this turbulent city.

In the distance, in the morning light, one could already see the Changyu Division's troops rapidly advancing into the city, the roar of armored vehicles echoing through the streets.

9:30 in the morning, outside the Cabinet Office.

Cheng Yu'an walked down the stairs slowly, the morning light shining on his slightly hunched back.

"Teacher!" Abe Jian walked up quickly and bowed respectfully, "The car is ready."

The two got into the car, and Abe Ken couldn't help but say, "Although the teacher is no longer working in the government, the whole of Fuso cannot do without you. You see, even a powerful figure like Lord Watanabe still has to ask you for advice when encountering major issues."

Cheng Yu'an looked out the window for a long time before he sighed: "The methods I just mentioned to Watanabe are just stopgap measures."

"A stopgap measure?" Abe was stunned. "But these measures can indeed stabilize the situation in Kyoto."

"Stable?" Cheng Yu Anxun smiled bitterly, "That's only temporary."

He turned his head, his eyes deep: "The empire has been completely defeated."

"Teacher!" Abe was shocked, "How can you say that?"

"Militarily," Cheng Yu Anxun raised his fingers and counted one by one, "our equipment is far behind China. In terms of technology, the results of their research institutes in one year are equivalent to our ten years. Economically, our economic system, which was built on plunder, has long been completely crushed by China's industrial system."

Abe's face turned pale.

"We are already defeated," Cheng Yu Anxun said with deep fatigue, "We should find a way to leave Kyoto as soon as possible."

"Leave...leave Kyoto?" Abe was completely stunned. "But teacher, haven't you always been making plans for the empire?"

"It is precisely because I see it clearly," Cheng Yu Anxun closed his eyes, "that I know that everything is irreversible. The advice I gave Watanabe today is just to delay the death of the empire."

The car drove slowly through a devastated street, and faint gunshots were heard in the distance.

Abe Ken looked at his respected teacher and for the first time saw deep helplessness and despair on the face of this "Imperial Wise Tiger".

And this despair frightened him more than any riot in Kyoto.