Following Shunroku Hata's inspection of the area where the Qing Dynasty was implemented was an honor for the traitors, but for Chen Mingxiang, it was completely a chore. It was not that he was too tired, but he saw that the local people were alive and well.
Being in such a cruel environment makes me feel really uncomfortable.
These areas were divided into many blockade areas by barbed wire fences, bamboo fences, blockade ditches and bunker towers. Entries and exits were subject to interrogation. Japanese and puppet troops, including police and security forces, went directly to ordinary people's homes to rummage through boxes and rob property.
What is even more vicious is that the Japanese army and the Qingxiang Committee purchased grain at a low price. Suzhou was no better than the Shanghai market. The prescribed selling price of rice per stone was 150 yuan in China Reserve Certificates, but now on the market it costs at least 200 yuan in China Reserve Certificates.
You can only buy one stone with a coupon. It is a famous land of plenty, but the people are so hungry that their faces are sallow and their muscles are thin.
Furthermore, in order to support its own finances, the Wang Puppet Government collected talents in Jiangsu Province on a large scale. Before the rural clearance, the burden was about 2.5 yuan per mu of land, but at this time it actually reached 20 yuan per mu.
What comforts Chen Mingxiang is that there is not no good news!
"Ogasawara-kun, you seem a little unhappy. What happened?" He asked casually when he saw Ogasawara Kiyoshi frowning a little.
"The large-scale mopping up plan in the central Hebei region formulated by Commander Okamura got off to a very bad start. The General Headquarters received a message from the North China Command. For three consecutive days, all participating troops reported one after another. Not only did they not find the main force of the underground party's anti-Japanese armed forces,
, but suffered many ambushes and lost many people."
"The underground party base adopted guerrilla tactics, and in such a short period of time, most of the people in the villages and towns were evacuated, and food supplies were also transferred."
"Although the imperial army occupied the county seat, their goal was not achieved. The opponent has retained its effective strength. It is estimated that it will be very difficult to achieve results this time!" Ogasawara Kiyoshi shook his head and said.
The General Headquarters of the Expeditionary Forces also had high hopes for this major sweep. In North China, the anti-Japanese armed forces of the underground party were the most troublesome thing for the imperial army. With tattered weapons, even swords and spears, they actually
After years of stalemate with the imperial army, they still cannot be eliminated.
The most troublesome thing is that every time the main force is used to carry out raids, the opponent hides and plays hide and seek with the imperial army everywhere. When small groups of troops come out to clean up, the opponent will ambush, blow up artillery towers, pull out strongholds, demolish railway tracks, grab supplies, and contain the imperial army.
The large number of troops in the army has made it increasingly difficult to mobilize troops.
Many generals in the mountain city government have prejudices against the armed forces and combat methods of the underground party. The reason is that the underground party does not have the ability to directly engage in large-scale combat with the Japanese army. But the problem is that the armed forces of the underground party have only been developed for a few years.
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Without cities, there would be no resources for industry and commerce. There would be no taxes to pay for military expenses. Weapons and equipment would either be made by oneself or taken from the enemy. It is already quite remarkable to be able to do this.
Without the various bases of the underground party, the entire North China would have become a Japanese-occupied area, and it would not be easy for the Yamashiro government to maintain a strategic stalemate.
"Ogasa-kun, the North China Command has dispatched 36,000 troops this time. The large-scale march will definitely arouse the alert of the other party's intelligence personnel. It is normal to take some precautions in advance."
"Besides, victory or defeat is a common matter for military strategists. As long as they occupy the opponent's base, their basis for survival will be severely damaged. Although the goal was not achieved tactically, strategically it was a victory." Chen Mingxiang said.
"I didn't expect Chen Jun to have some knowledge about the military. Your views are consistent with those of the North China Command. Let me tell you good news. Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief is very satisfied with the Qingxiang work and has decided to continue to support the implementation of the Qingxiang.
Plan, but also to expand the scope of Qingxiang, the third phase will still be carried out in southern Jiangsu, and the number of imperial troops participating in the operation will reach eight brigades." Ogasawara Kiyoshi said.
The so-called Qingxiang work has reduced the living environment of the people in southern Jiangsu below the bottom line. Shunroku Hata was very satisfied with this and instructed Li Shiqun and the Qingxiang Committee to continue operating according to this model. The imperial army's intention was to raise chickens.
Retrieving the eggs does not mean killing the goose to retrieve the eggs, but to make the most fertile area in Jiangsu province a food supply base for Japan to launch a war.
"At the beginning of the rural cleanup work, I thought this work was extremely difficult and felt uneasy about whether it could achieve the predetermined goals. However, through this inspection, the results of the three consecutive rounds of rural cleanup work have been outstanding and exceeded my expectations.
As a role model for all regions, I sincerely express my admiration for the hard-working His Excellency Li Shiqun, Chairman of Jiangsu Province, and the staff of the Qingxiang Committee at all levels!" Shunroku Hata said.
"Thanks to His Excellency Li Shiqun's all-out efforts to overcome all difficulties, the rural clearing work has made unexpected progress and achieved remarkable achievements. The Jinling government should praise and reward him." Lieutenant Colonel Qingqi said.
This was a symposium held in the Provincial Government Auditorium after the inspection. The old Japanese gave Li Shiqun and the Qingxiang Committee high praise. Lieutenant Commander Qingqi naturally had a bias. After the meeting, the big traitor was so happy that he could not keep his mouth shut.
They gathered together, and after Shunroku Hata left, they immediately held a grand celebration party.
But what Hata Shunroku didn't expect was that just after he left Suzhou, Li Shiqun, a highly praised "meritorious figure in the empire," and Chen Mingxiang began to smuggle grain into the Kuomintang-controlled areas.
Ten thousand tons of rice is mainly shipped from Zhenjiang and transported directly to the mountain city along the river, using the freighter of Huatong Trading Company. Six hundred tons of rice is really not much, and it does not look very conspicuous. Chen Mingxiang proposed from his own textile factory
The money came to pay for all the goods.
At this time, the Japanese Navy and the U.S. Navy were engaged in a fierce battle in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the Coral Sea. This was also the first time in world history that an aircraft carrier formation carried out long-distance air combat with carrier-based aircraft.
"Mingxiang, the military police headquarters in Shanghai just sent a telegram. General Kinoshita asked you to return to Shanghai as soon as possible. He said that the ship has completed its mission and will return to Shanghai soon."
"I have ordered people to put the rice, flour, and some corn and soybeans you want on the train and send them to Shanghai. You will be able to pick up the goods when you arrive." Li Shiqun said with a smile.
This time, the profit from ten thousand shi of rice was about 120 yuan per shi of Central Reserve Certificates. Chen Mingxiang got 30% of it, which is 360,000 yuan of Central Reserve Certificates, Qingqi Zhongzuo 20%, and Li Shiqun himself took half, but the Military Command Bureau
When settling with Chen Mingxiang, he had to pay the full amount of two million China Reserve Certificates. Of course, Boss Dai still used the old method of asking Chen Mingxiang to deduct it from the payment.
"Minister, the goods have started to be sent to their respective dealers. It will take about a month to get the money back. At that time, the dividends will be converted into China Reserve coupons and sent to you. I have to come to Suzhou for a few days from time to time to prevent anyone from gossiping.
