Holy Roman Empire

The true situation was far more severe than what the ordinary people saw. To ensure the successful completion of the agreement, the Meiji Government even ordered the withdrawal of the army. Yamagata Aritomo's domestic defense plan had not yet begun to be implemented when it was prematurely terminated. The Meiji Government, known as the pinnacle of Japan's thousand-year history, was no ordinary contender. There were unstable factors within the country, which everyone understood well. Given that the army's involvement in the Russian embassy case was so evident, it was natural not to leave them in Tokyo to cause more chaos. The excuses were ready-made—the breakdown in relations with Russia and the tense border situation necessitated the deployment of troops there. Politicians, adept at moral coercion, played a game far beyond what the youthful members of the army's Radical faction could compare with. "As a soldier who does not even protect his own home and country, how can one dare call oneself a patriot?" It was the Meiji Government now; Japan had not yet gone mad, and the army was also far from the madness of the Showa era. Military orders were as solid as mountains; no matter how tumultuous the civilian uproar, the army could only pack up and head to the frontline. The more influential the Radical faction was within a unit, the sooner they were sent aboard the ships. Conversely, the "stable type" Fourth Division was left till the last. Despite the many jokes about the Fourth Division in later times, it was this unit that was reliable at crucial moments. During the Southwest War, the Fourth Division earned an award personally presented by Emperor Meiji for its outstanding achievements and was the only unit in the Japanese Army to receive such an honor. The Fourth Division was particularly favored by the Japanese Government not only for their fierce combat prowess but most importantly because they were sufficiently "disciplined." Perhaps due to cultural traditions, this unit from Osaka had been different from other Japanese military units since its establishment. The Japanese Army was heavily influenced by Bushido and militaristic ideology, with most commanders advocating that soldiers should possess the spirit to die bravely. A typical example was "Nogi Maresuke"; his actions during the Russo-Japanese War, in any other country, would have led to a court-martial, yet he was revered as the "God of War." In this societal backdrop, the Fourth Division, which disliked blind recklessness and preferred using their brains during combat, appeared very unconventional. Being unconventional was already frowned upon, and if such a unit also enjoyed upper-level favoritism, it was even less tolerable. The emergence of nicknames like "Merchant Division" and "Waste Division" was inevitable. These were minor issues; in the end, the Fourth Division stayed behind to handle aftermath duties, maintaining domestic stability alongside the Marine Corps, the Gendarme, and the police, while also supervising the boarding of allied troops. Clearly, this was not a desirable task. However, there was no choice—the sort of task that offended people could only be handled by the unconventional Fourth Division. Radicalism was rampant in the army; apart from the relatively rational Fourth Division, other units were more fanatic than the next. Certainly, the task could not be handed over to the Marine Corps. If the Navy were to supervise, it would probably cause a total mental breakdown within the army—it was disrespectful to even consider such a thing. ... Walking on the street, Colonel Saito could distinctly feel the unusual stares, an extremely unpleasant sensation, as if they had committed some heinous crime. A young officer came forward and reported, "Colonel, this is a troublemaker we've just arrested." Scanning the unfortunate ones who had been caught, Colonel Saito frowned. Without exception, the majority of those captured were students. Each held his head high, strutting arrogantly, as if they had achieved something great, resembling triumphant roosters unconcerned with the world around them. One didn't need to think too hard to know that this was just another group of naive youths led astray. Normal people, when captured, even if they didn't immediately claim injustice, would at least be frightened and desperately seek ways to exonerate themselves. Where would they find the audacity? "Well done, Mr. Uemura. Take them away and guard them well; leave the rest to the government to deal with!" Similar scenarios had become all too common recently, and Colonel Saito had lost the interest in arguing with them. It was useless, trying to persuade a group of young people, untouched by societal harshness, was too difficult. In some sense, the civilian fervor was a bitter fruit of seeds sown by the Japanese Government itself. The tradition of usurping authority was not innate. The root cause of all this was the aftereffects of Westernization. Blindly copying Western systems, the good, the bad, the suitable and the unsuitable were all indiscriminately adopted. "Leaving Asia to join Europe" was not just a slogan but had been put into concrete action. The Japanese Army was most enthusiastic, adopting France as its model in their establishment of a new military. Unlike the well-informed French, the Japanese people, who had not experienced various ideological storms, were inevitably led astray. Taking shortcuts is a common human nature, and nations, being made up of people, are inevitably influenced. Under the guiding principle of "learn only the most advanced," the Japanese Army encountered "military nationalist ideologies" in Paris that could enhance military capabilities in the short term, and later found a practical model in Prussia. Needless to say, they copied it. Perhaps feeling that pure "military nationalism" was not enough, the Japanese Army infused uniquely characteristic samurai spirit into their modernization process. The Fourth Division was less affected because its soldiers mostly came from the commercially vibrant Osaka, having broader horizons and more insights. The same rationale applied to the Navy as well. With more knowledge, they tended to view issues in a less one-sided manner. Just as with this intervention incident by the envoy, the radical faction of the Army even shouted the slogan "not shying away from war," while the more experienced and prudent faction thought of settling matters swiftly. Clearly, Colonel Saito was more conservative in his thinking and he regarded the actions of the naive youths as "fools rush in where angels fear to tread." "Not shying away from war" might sound easy, but if war were to break out, did Japan have the capability to sustain one? It was not that Colonel Saito was undervaluing himself, the reality was just that the power gap was too vast. Having personally participated in the Philippine War and witnessed the combat ability of the French mercenaries, he deeply recognized the gap between the Japanese Army and the world's top armies. If the Army could not compare, the gap with the Navy was even greater. The Spanish Navy did not employ mercenaries. Based on the collected intelligence, the Spanish Navy had long been decrepit; its tactics outdated, morale low, and officers and men fearing death... Yet, it was this seemingly decrepit Spanish Navy that, through actual actions, made various Japanese sectors recognize what the "Century's Navy" was. There was no way around it, those tightly guarded secrets were not something the British would share. Details and experience could only be accumulated over time. After being duped and suffering losses enough times, the necessary experience and lessons would naturally be learned. At dusk, having finished a day's work, Colonel Saito was now fervently writing, summarizing the day's work. In any era and any country, capturing people invariably required writing a report. Only by clarifying the causes and effects could the subsequent legal personnel properly handle the matter. "Ding ling ling, ding ling ling..." The telephone on the desk rang, and Colonel Saito Junichiro reluctantly set down his pen and adjusted his emotions for a few seconds before politely replying, "This is Junichiro Saito. May I know who is speaking?" "This is the Joint Investigation Team of the Russian Embassy case, ordering your department to deliver all detained individuals to the east gate tomorrow morning..." In contrast to Colonel Saito's politeness, the reply from the other end of the phone was much more arrogant. Not only did the speaker not introduce themselves, but they also didn't bother with any niceties, speaking purely in a commanding tone. There was no choice, under someone else's roof, one has to bow their head. Nowadays, Europeans act superior wherever they go, and given that the Japanese Government had previously cheated them in the embassy case, they naturally had no good attitude left. It wasn't just him, a mid-level military officer, even the high ranks of the Japanese Government weren't treated with the respect they deserved by the investigation team. The tone of the speaker was irritating, yet Colonel Saito couldn't afford to be irate and hurriedly explained, "Your Excellency, we have only captured common rioters, who have nothing to do with the Russian Embassy case..." Regardless, there must be no connection. Saito wasn't fond of these naive youngsters, but that didn't mean he could stand by and watch these "patriots" die. There was no way around it. Ordinary people, once handed over and investigated, still might come out, but for these naive young ones, it definitely would be a one-way trip. Ignorance is bliss, just a slight cheat or provocation, and these people would dare to take responsibility. Not everything is suitable to stand out as a leader. The Russian Embassy case had blown up to such an extent that now, no matter how many were involved, if you dared admit it, they dared to kill. These naive young ones might seem useless now, but they are indeed Japan's future. People grow, being naive now doesn't mean they will be in the future. To protect these patriots, recently Colonel Saito had been handing over mostly hoodlums as suspects. In his view, these people were anyway social parasites, might as well recycle the waste, taking them out to vent the Envoy's irritation. Indeed, to many Japanese, the recent forcefulness of the Envoy was meant to "vent their anger" and simultaneously humiliate the Japanese Empire. Trace the murderer? With the Japanese Government as the local authority exhausting all resources and still unable to find the secret perpetrator, could the newcomer Envoy manage it? If the real instigators couldn't be found, then they had to arrest the organizers and participants of the protest on that day. "Colonel Saito, please recognize the severity of the problem. Whether there is a connection, or who is the murderer, the investigation team decides, not for you to overstep your duties to judge." The bullish voice not only quenched Colonel Saito's enthusiasm but also revealed the speaker's identity. Seeing that communication had failed, Colonel Saito coldly replied, "Mr. Okada, don't forget your status. Serving foreigners and harming your own compatriots, there will be retribution one day." This world never lacks traitors, and Japan is no exception. The government itself thinks about leaving Asia and joining Europe; naturally, there are even more who want to become ordinary foreigners. If it's just about wanting to be a foreigner, it's just a personal choice, not really a big deal, far from being a traitor. The annoying thing is, these guys "eat from the bowl but turn around and stab their mother in the back." The Envoy needs to investigate the Russian Embassy case, and clearly, they don't have enough people for that; that's when those familiar with the Japanese situation, the traitors, come into play. Opportunity to be seen differently by the master is rare, and this Russian Embassy case is obviously the best stage for these traitors. The envoy team had long drawn the pie. Once they successfully handled the Russian embassy case, various embassies would recruit from among those who had performed well—a batch of enthusiastic individuals familiar with Japanese society. For many, this was a golden opportunity to climb to the skies. They could not only smooth their way into citizenship but also secure a position as official diplomatic personnel. One mustn't underestimate the appeal of this seemingly modest staff identity. It could draw the Japanese traitors like flies to honey, concealing substantial hidden benefits behind it. Not only did it facilitate the role of being a comprador intermediary, but more importantly, it enabled social climbing, allowing direct entry into Japanese high society. Okada was among the best, utilizing his keen and discerning talent in the Russian embassy case investigation, where he played a significant role. Though he hadn't snagged any big fish, he had netted a whole basket of smaller ones, greatly endearing him to the envoy team. His talent was rare, and already several countries had extended their olive branches to him. He had not yet made a choice, for Okada was waiting for an even better opportunity. Indeed, ordinary European nations no longer captured Okada's interest—he aimed to join either Britain or Shinra. Britain held the biggest market share in Japan, and aligning with the British could bring substantial economic returns. As a rising power, Shinra had not yet deeply penetrated the Japanese market and held a smaller trade share, but its future potential was enormous. Another significant reason was that joining Shinra yielded a higher probability of becoming a "daimyo" (nobility), though Britain also had its titles of nobility, they were merely honorary. Despite not yet having received a formal invitation from the embassies of the two nations, Okada was confident in himself. The investigation of the Russian embassy case had just started, and he had already distinguished himself from competitors, earning praise from the envoy team. Okada, who considered himself superior, became sullen after his identity was exposed. "Colonel Saito, you needn't worry about my affairs. Better to focus on your own duties first! Your response is so intense, could it be that you're also involved in the Russian embassy case?" Perhaps the speaker meant no harm, but the listener took note. In any case, Colonel Saito was startled, having experienced first-hand Okada's aptitude for pinning labels on others. At this stage, anyone linked to the Russian embassy case was doomed to a tragic end. Up to now, many key figures from the Japanese military and political spheres had suffered undue disasters for the faults of their children or grandchildren. Although guilt by association wasn't a common practice in the European world, the Japanese Government couldn't stand idly by! Harakiri might be too extreme, but early retirement was obligatory. Those implicated would run into misfortune, not to mention those directly involved. If undiscovered, well and good, but once exposed, they would await the judgment of the international court. "Okada-san, you can be careless with eating, but not with words. It's best not to make such jokes. Otherwise, people might assume your handling of the case involves fabricating charges and framing scapegoats, which would be unfortunate." Losing the battle but not the war, Colonel Saito also adopted a reckless stance. Since he wasn't involved in the Russian embassy case, he wasn't afraid of being investigated. As a mid-ranking officer in the Japanese Army, even if someone tried to frame him, the military wouldn't allow it. If it truly stirred up trouble, although he would be unlucky, the other party would gain no advantage either. The envoy team needed dogs to assist with the investigation, not dogs that caused trouble everywhere. Once Okada lost the trust of the envoy team and was no longer offered protection, being a double-dealer, he would promptly end up a drowned corpse in Tokyo Bay.