African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 571: Chapter 249: Diverting the Disaster Eastward

Kade still decided to heed the advice of the East African National Defense Security Bureau, as the local response he received was to pay attention to safety, which essentially meant he should consider the Defense Security Bureau’s judgment.

Kade tapped his fingers on the table, thought for a moment, and decided that it was better to be cautious. He summoned his assistant: ”Yuri, go recruit some mercenaries. We need to strengthen the embassy’s security. Remember, no locals!”

”Mr. Kade, do you mean anyone except Japanese?”

”Yes, but be more stringent in the selection. We don’t want someone to break down when faced with a tough situation. We can offer a higher salary for the short term.”

”No problem, just wait for my good news!” Yuri said and then went to the docks to see if there were any sailors looking to earn some extra money.

While East Africa was strengthening the security of its embassy, there were indeed people looking to cause trouble for the East African Embassy, but it wasn’t the Japanese government - it was a group of young students.

”Mr. Matsushita, this time the Germans went too far, bullying with their power. We must show them our colors!” Higashimoto Tanaka said through gritted teeth.

”Mr. Higashimoto Tanaka, don’t let hatred blind you. The matter with East Africa will naturally be handled by the government. We are just a group of students, so it’s better not to cause trouble for the country, and also don’t make things difficult for Mr. Matsushita,” said club member Gui Er Teng Hall rationally.

”Gui Er Teng Hall, you bastard, are you scared by the Germans? You’re disgracing the great Japanese Empire. A true samurai should not lose his dignity and must be brave to sacrifice for the empire.”

”Haha, you brainless brute. Are you planning to assault the East African embassy? If you die, you die, but when East Africa follows up, do you know how much trouble it will cause the empire!”

”The government is full of incompetents. Remember how your father’s position was replaced by a noble’s relative a while ago? These people in power are the real trouble for the great Japanese Empire and His Majesty the Emperor. Therefore, I believe that relying on the government is worse than us, the Three High Self-study Club, to awaken the sleeping citizens.”

The two were at an impasse when the president of the Edo Three High School Self-study Club, Matsushita, slammed the table fiercely and said sternly, ”Enough! Do you even see me as your president? If you want to argue, do it outside. Don’t disgrace our Edo Boys’ Third High School Self-study Club.”

Seeing the president angry, the two finally stopped. They glared at each other with annoyance and then said to the president, ”Yes, sorry for the trouble.”

Matsushita, satisfied with his subordinates’ behavior, then spoke, ”The German insult to our great Japanese Empire cannot be easily ignored. We must make them pay the price, especially as this matter concerns the issue of the Senkaku Islands’ ownership!”

Matsushita’s words made Higashimoto Tanaka, who advocated causing trouble for East Africa, feel proud. He glanced at Gui Er Teng Hall triumphantly, as if he had won.

Of course, Matsushita noticed this. He smiled faintly, clearly satisfied, then changed the subject: ”Of course, what Gui Er Teng Hall said makes sense. We are students after all, and should focus on our studies, while political matters should be left to the state.”

These words made Gui Er Teng Hall feel satisfied, but it essentially repeated their earlier conversation, leaving the problem unresolved.

”President, what do you think we should do?”

Matsushita: ”Of course we should get involved. From both a national and personal perspective, I think this is an opportunity. However, we must be strategic. We shouldn’t lead the charge; we should find a scapegoat.”

”President, what do you mean? Since when do patriots use scapegoats?”

”Fool! We are insignificant. If we lead, we might succeed, but who will protect us? Also, Mr. Higashimoto Tanaka, I understand your personal ambitions, which are nothing to be ashamed of. If successful in this action, you could indeed become a respected person in Japan, but you must be ready to bear the consequences.”

After pouring himself a cup of tea, Matsushita continued, ”We can let this opportunity go to the First High School, but our people should not instigate it. Instead, we should let the Second High School students do it. Regardless of who leads, we should support it. The first position benefits the most, but the risk is also the highest. The second position risks being implicated, while the third position allows for both profits and fame, without government retribution.”

...

Thus began the Edo student movement,

led by Edo City’s First High School, students from over a dozen schools marched outside the East African Embassy.

”Boycott the aggressors, get out of Japan!”

”East Africans, get out!”

”Boycott...” Initially wanting to say German goods, but it seemed like East Africa wasn’t Germany, and East Africa didn’t export many products to Japan anyway.

East Africa exported quite a few goods to Japan, but regular people didn’t recognize or encounter them. For instance, rice. At this time, it was mostly sold in bulk, weighed by the amount, and store labels didn’t write ”East African rice,” instead selling it as tropical rice.

Kade angrily looked at the Edo students outside the gate holding banners and protest signs and asked the person behind him, ”What is the Japanese police doing? Just letting these troublemakers make a mess in the embassy area!”

The embassy district where the East African Embassy was located didn’t house only East Africa; there were other embassies as well. The Japanese government was clearly playing with fire; any incident could offend other nations.

The crowd grew larger, and the entire street where the embassy was located became overcrowded. The large iron gate of the East African Embassy was groaning under the pressure.

”Quickly get people to hold the gate. Don’t let them break it! Also, alert the security section. If anyone breaks in, hit them hard! We must stop them.”

Other national embassies on the street seemed to be enjoying the show because the banners previously held by the Edo students targeted East Africa, so they didn’t want to interfere.

In a corner, the East African National Defense Security Bureau’s personnel started assigning actions.

”This is a great opportunity. We’ll go in and incite the crowd, but don’t wave East Africa’s flag. Many are just here to join the excitement. You need to stir their emotions and lead them to different embassies. Don’t target students, preferably those who can’t recognize any national flags. Stay sharp; if it looks bad, withdraw quickly, don’t get yourselves caught!”

Then the Defense Security Bureau staff squeezed into the crowd. Karl reached an embassy, and now the whole street was overcrowded and chaotic. Karl realized he was in front of the British Embassy, and its gates had long been closed.

There seemed to be no opportunity, reminiscent of a previous similar incident. Clearly, they had learned from experience. Karl moved to find a new target.

”Huh?” Karl noticed the Russian Embassy’s gates were open, and he spotted one of his teammates. The two exchanged a glance.

”This is it, everyone rush in! Long live the Emperor!” Karl shouted.

”What?” Passersby were still unclear about the situation when Karl, hidden in the crowd, pushed forward. It was a packed situation, and people didn’t know who was pushing.

However, with the cheer of ”Long live the Emperor!” Japanese citizens didn’t feel the need to think critically, and many didn’t even recognize national flags - times were not like the future.

Under the East African National Defense Security Bureau’s plan, a massive crowd of ignorant people flooded into the Russian Embassy, and more followed.

If you’ve ever queued, you know instinctively to follow those ahead. Coupled with the deliberate loud misleading by the East African National Defense Security Bureau, many were led into the Russian Embassy, leaving the Russian staff dumbfounded.

But it was too late. The mindless crowd, upon entering the Russian Embassy, didn’t know what to do. Some simply started pilfering, and with these leading, others gained confidence and began looting too.

With so many people, it would be hard for the police to catch the thieves, so the enraged Edo public wreaked havoc inside the Russian Embassy. Some even took advantage to kick the Russian staff, who were white, and the besieged Russians were beaten nearly to death.