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

Chapter 951: Cutting off the retreat and beating the dog

Not long after Zhuo Mingxuan left, in the Osaka front-line command post, Liu Chengxu was standing in front of a huge strategic map, his eyes sharp and his brows furrowed, as if he was thinking about some important decision.

The phone on the table suddenly rang, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey, Lao Chen, how's the situation at the front?"

Chen Tong's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Commander Liu, we have successfully taken over the Nara area as planned, and morale is currently high. Next, I have ordered the troops to split into two groups, one to go straight to Shiga, and the other to launch an offensive towards the Mie area. It is expected that within three days, we can completely control these two areas and completely cut off Kyoto's retreat route to the Kanto area."

Liu Chengxu smiled with satisfaction when he heard this. He knew Chen Tong's combat ability very well and was not surprised. "Old Chen, I always trust you to do things. In this way, we have set up a trap for the Fuso royal family in Kyoto. They have no way out on land."

"Yes, Commander." Chen Tong's voice revealed a hint of excitement. "Not only that, we have also completed our deployment at sea. The Third Fleet in the North Sea has formed a tight blockade. It is almost impossible for the Fuso royal family to withdraw to Kanto from the sea. Now, they can't escape even if they have wings."

Liu Chengxu nodded. Although the other party couldn't see, his words were full of praise: "Very good, Lao Chen, you did a great job. I also have good news to tell you. My letter has been successfully delivered to Kyoto. This letter will make the Fuso royal family members completely frightened. They should be eager to find an opportunity to retreat to Kanto, and we will just shut the door and beat the dog and catch them all in one fell swoop."

Chen Tong also laughed on the other end of the phone, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice: "Commander, your move is really brilliant. Once the Fuso royal family is taken down, it means that they have lost their last symbol and cohesion. This is undoubtedly a huge blow to the entire Fuso and will greatly accelerate their demise."

"Yes, this is our goal." Liu Chengxu's tone was full of unquestionable determination. "Once the Fuso royal family falls, those resistance forces that still have hope will quickly collapse. At that time, the entire Fuso will fall into our hands. This..."

"Old Chen, we must be absolutely sure." Liu Chengxu's voice came from the phone, "Although the blockades on land and sea have been properly arranged, the air force cannot be ignored. We must ensure that the Fuso royal family cannot use any air means to transfer."

On the other end of the phone, Chen Tong obviously realized this, and his voice immediately became serious: "Commander, you are right. I have arranged for the patrol planes of the Air Force to conduct 24-hour uninterrupted patrols to ensure that there are no suspicious flying units over Kyoto. At the same time, I will strictly control all land routes from Kyoto to the Kanto region. Whether it is roads or railways, they will be firmly controlled by our troops."

Liu Chengxu nodded. Although the other party couldn't see it, his tone was full of praise: "Very good, Lao Chen, your deployment is very comprehensive. However, we also have to consider one point, that is, the Fuso royal family may take some extreme measures, such as using some secret passages for transfer. Therefore, we must remain highly vigilant and not relax at all."

Chen Tong also agreed on the other end of the phone: "Commander, I understand what you mean. I have ordered the troops to check all suspicious locations around Kyoto, including those possible secret passages. At the same time, I have also strengthened intelligence gathering to ensure that we can grasp the movements of the Fuso royal family as soon as possible."

The two discussed every detail in depth, from troop deployment to combat strategy, from logistics support to communications, and made careful arrangements for every link. As the discussion deepened, their plan gradually improved, and every detail was considered just right.

Inside the Imperial Palace, a gloomy atmosphere enveloped the entire palace. The flickering candlelight shone in front of the dragon bed, illuminating the tired and weathered face of Emperor Ninto.

His face was an extremely unhealthy red, his eyes were sunken, and every breath he took seemed extremely difficult, as if even the air was filled with heaviness and despair. Tojo Takehide, the prime minister in military uniform, was standing in front of the dragon couch with a solemn expression.

"Your Majesty, the current situation is extremely serious." Tojo Takehiro's voice was low and powerful, and every word hit Emperor Jindong's heart like a hammer. "The long-range firepower of the Chinese army is already able to threaten the safety of Kyoto. Our defense line is under unprecedented pressure."

Emperor Rendong frowned, and every breath was accompanied by a violent cough, as if even speaking had become extremely difficult. "Is the situation... really that bad?" His voice was weak and trembling, and a trace of worry that was difficult to conceal flashed in his eyes.

Tojo Yuei nodded heavily: "Yes, Your Majesty. The Chinese army has not only formed a powerful offensive on land, but also deployed a strict blockade on the sea. We must prepare for the worst."

Emperor Rendong closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if he was gathering all his strength: "So... the transfer of the royal family... is inevitable?"

Tojo Takehiro nodded solemnly: "Yes, Your Majesty. I have made proper arrangements to ensure that the royal family can be safely transferred to the Kanto region. There are our loyal people and solid defenses there, which can provide temporary shelter for the royal family."

However, Emperor Jindong shook his head, his eyes flashing with determination: "No, I can't leave. I am already dying. Instead of fleeing, I'd rather stay in Kyoto and live and die with my people. I can't let my people see me, the emperor, running away from the battlefield. Otherwise, their morale will inevitably be extremely low, and they may even lose the will to resist."

Upon hearing this, Tojo Yuei showed a hint of admiration on his face, but more of it was worry: "But, Your Majesty, your health condition no longer allows you to continue to bear such pressure. Once you fall, it will be a fatal blow to the morale of the entire Fuso."

Emperor Jindong slowly opened his eyes. "I am well aware of my physical condition, but I know even more clearly that as the emperor, I have the responsibility to stay here and stand with my people. You...you go and make the arrangements, but I will stay in Kyoto until the last moment."

Tojo Yuhide bowed deeply, his voice choking with sobs: "Yes, Your Majesty. I will do my best to arrange everything to ensure the safety of the royal family members and also ensure that your wishes can be realized."