Some major events in history often start from very small things.
The origin of World War I was because a Serbian assassin assassinated the crown prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The assassin suddenly backed down when he was able to kill for the first time and went to a cafe to drink coffee.
Unexpectedly, the carriage that the unlucky prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was riding in got lost in the city, and ended up in front of this cafe by accident.
The assassin suddenly felt that this was the call of God. This time he did not flinch. He went out and pointed the revolver at the prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, pulled the trigger, and fired all the bullets in the gun.
The explosives of World War I were ignited.
Major turning points in history are often caused by chance, but looking back, this chance has an inevitability.
However, every step of the Shanghai Incident on January 28 was not due to this inevitable accident, but an absolute necessity.
Like the Dewang Autonomous Incident in Inner Mongolia, the Huanggutun bombing that killed Marshal Zhang, and the September 18th Incident, the Shanghai Incident was a historical necessity that was carefully planned by the Japanese army and formed step by step.
Since the Nationalist Government learned of the Japanese plan, all intelligence agencies of the Shanghai party, government and military have also stepped up surveillance of all Japanese in Shanghai, especially some notorious Japanese right-wing extremist organizations.
The Nationalist Government issued an internal order that the situation in Shanghai was tense and that any signs of trouble involving the Japanese must be stopped immediately.
However, they still underestimated the cunningness of Yoshiko Kawashima and Tanaka Takayoshi, the military attaché of the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai. The actions they planned perfectly evaded the eyes and ears of Shanghai's intelligence agencies.
The fight took place in the most unlikely place.
On the afternoon of January 18, 1932, two monks from the Japanese Lotus Sect and three followers of the Lotus Sect came to the Sanyou Industrial Society General Factory on Mayushan Road in Huajie, East District, Shanghai Public Settlement to watch the workers' volunteer army drill on the premises.
These five Japanese suddenly rushed to the drill site like crazy, insulted and beat the workers' volunteers.
Just as they rushed into the factory, a dozen unidentified people wearing Sanyou Industrial Co.'s clothing sneaked in.
The cadres of the Workers' Volunteer Army immediately realized that the Japanese were provoking trouble, and they restrained their comrades to only defend themselves and not attack.
Something strange happened soon. A dozen people who had infiltrated into the workers' volunteer army suddenly attacked two monks and three believers.
After a while, two of the five Japanese fell to the ground. One was killed immediately and the other was seriously injured.
Chinese police officers patrolling nearby rushed to the scene of the incident and separated the two parties.
The patrolmen also heard that the Japanese were going to cause trouble recently, so they were very alert and took control of the situation when they arrived at the scene.
The seriously injured were sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. The police on the scene asked about the cause of the incident. The workers' volunteers insisted that they did not attack the Japanese, but that a dozen unknown people sneaked in and attacked the five people.
The other three Japanese insisted that they were attacked by members of the Workers’ Volunteer Army, and both sides insisted on their own version of events.
The patrol detective couldn't figure out the truth of the incident for a while, but he was Chinese after all, so he naturally believed in the words of his compatriots. So he just dispersed the two parties and said that the matter would be reported to his superiors, who would decide how to deal with it.
When Lu Ming received An Gonggen's call, it was already past four o'clock in the afternoon. When he heard An Gonggen's report, he immediately realized that the Japanese porcelain operation had begun.
Touching porcelain is not new now. It was once popular in the 1930s. The most incompetent hooligans on the streets of Shanghai used this trick to blackmail foreign tourists.
They often carry cracked porcelain bowls, cups, etc. in their arms, and then deliberately bump into foreign tourists when the crowd is crowded or when tourists are on their way.
His feet were unstable and he fell onto the road. The porcelain in his arms was all broken into pieces.
These hooligans were not one person, but a group. They swarmed up, stopped foreign tourists, and demanded compensation.
The damaged porcelain was either Song porcelain or official kiln from the Ming Dynasty. Anyway, it was a family heirloom and priceless.
Foreign tourists in Shanghai had a black eye, and in order to settle the matter, they had no choice but to accept the blackmail and spend all their money, not even their clothes.
This method of touching porcelain did not originate in the Republic of China. According to historical documents, it existed in large numbers at least in the middle of the Qing Dynasty. Based on this, it can be inferred that the Ming Dynasty must also have existed. As for the older period, there is no documentary evidence, so we dare not make any conclusions.
Although this method is shameless and low-level, it is extremely effective. It is also the best way for scoundrels to bully the weak. As long as humans still exist, this kind of ploy will probably not die out, and will continue to be updated in new ways, making it difficult to guard against.
After hearing the news, Lu Ming felt not heavy, but a sense of relief. The incident finally happened, indicating that the previous information was accurate. It was only at this time that he could be convinced that Muto's information was true.
"The Japanese's porcelain operation has begun." He came to Kang Ze's office and said.
"Really? When did it happen?" Kang Ze stood up.
"It just happened not long ago at the Huajie Sanyou Industrial Headquarters in the public concession. Five Japanese people got into trouble and one died and the other was seriously injured." Lu Ming said concisely.
Kang Ze stood there in a daze for a long time before sighing: "I still couldn't prevent this from happening."
Lu Ming sneered and said: "As long as the Japanese deliberately stir up trouble, this kind of thing is bound to happen, and we can't stop it."
He heard An Gonggen say that those who attacked the two monks and three believers seemed to be Japanese, but it was impossible to confirm that these people mysteriously disappeared quickly after the incident.
An Gonggen rushed to the scene as soon as he got the news and saw Yu Ying'er and several Manchurian agents nearby.
"It can be concluded that this is a porcelain trick written, directed and performed by the Japanese." An Gonggen finally came to this conclusion on the phone.
However, An Gonggen found no trace of Yoshiko Kawashima at the scene. It is estimated that she was hiding in the Japanese Consulate General and conducting remote control.
"The Japanese are so ruthless. In order to achieve the goal of fighting against porcelain, they actually killed their own people." Lu Ming sighed.
"It's a pity that the perpetrator could not be caught, nor could it be proven that this was an act of self-mutilation by the Japanese," Kang Ze said angrily.
"The gangsters are well prepared and will definitely not be caught by us. They are all well-trained agents. Those Chinese patrolmen are no match for them." Lu Ming said calmly.
All this had been expected by him, and when it would happen was just a matter of time.
"What should we do? We can't just sit idly by." Kang Ze was a little confused.
Kang Ze knew in his heart that an unprecedented historical event was about to happen in Shanghai, but he didn't know what to do.
"There is no good way to strengthen surveillance on the Japanese's movements to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. But we may not be able to do even this. Kawashima Yoshiko is causing trouble in the public concession just to avoid our surveillance." Lu Ming said with a bitter smile.
All law enforcement departments and intelligence departments in Shanghai have no law enforcement power in each concession. This is a blind spot.
However, the Shanghai government is responsible for this death and injury case that occurred in the public concession because one of the parties involved in the incident was Chinese.
However, because the cadres of the Sanyou General Social Workers' Volunteer Army restrained their comrades, the effect of the Japanese's "porcelain" operation was not obvious.
But after all, the death of a Japanese is not a small matter, whether it is a big deal or a small matter.
Kang Ze immediately reported the Japanese porcelain incident to the head office, and half an hour later, a call back from the head office arrived.
The Songhu Garrison Command has also reported to the Ministry of National Defense. The situation described is roughly similar to the report from the Blue Clothes Club. The Chairman is convening an emergency meeting of the Military Committee to discuss countermeasures.
The headquarters ordered the Blue Clothes Club to pay close attention to the situation, especially every move of the Japanese Marine Corps, and provide the latest intelligence to Nanjing in a timely manner.
After receiving a reply from the headquarters, Kang Ze asked Lu Ming: "Should we hold an emergency meeting of intelligence cadres now?"
Lu Ming paused and replied: "I have discussed it with An Gonggen. At six o'clock tonight, he will send someone to send all the intelligence observed at the incident site and the Japanese Concession. Let's just hold an intelligence cadre meeting at six o'clock.
.”
Kang Ze took a look at his watch and sent his adjutant down to inform relevant personnel to have a meeting in the conference room on the second floor at six o'clock.