Chapter 3, The War of Resistance, The Grief of a Mother

Director Qian's words must not be taken lightly

Finance Minister Kong Xiangxi primarily explained the reasons for the necessity of counterattacking the Northwest from a financial perspective

The students understand what to do

The provincial governments of the two provinces must effectively grasp the governance of the counties that have not yet fallen, expel personnel dispatched from the Northwest, and do not fear provoking conflict. If necessary, they may arrest or detain individuals from the Northwest, ensuring that not a single inch or a single meter falls into the hands of the Northwest

However, although the Japanese army did not harm the Dai family, the elderly man, who had been bedridden for a long time, lost his last bit of vitality due to the bumps and hardships endured while hiding. Ultimately, he could not hold on and passed away shortly after returning to the Dai family's old residence, which had been burned down by the Japanese army.

The issues in Yunnan must be resolved promptly

Dai Li nodded in understanding and said yes, and just as he was about to exit, he was called back by Jiang.

Due to the identities of Qian Dajun and He Yingqin as prominent figures of the Whampoa Military Academy, in the absence of any comment from another Whampoa leader, Chen Cheng, the words of these two men almost represented the unanimous opinion of all Whampoa military personnel aligned with Chiang Kai-shek

However, Long Yun is still prepared to maintain a balance between the central and northwestern regions

Since Chiang has absorbed all the power of the Kuomintang's political, governmental, and military apparatus, his location has become the true core of the National Government. Consequently, various high-ranking officials must travel between Hunan and Guizhou to await his directives, resulting in a significant waste of valuable transport capacity and time

Jiang Zhongzheng took a few steps inside the room and then instructed Dai Li.

"President, Brother Liangchou's words are not without reason"

I believe that Dai Jiliang has already taken into account the difficulties faced by the central government; otherwise, it would have been quite easy for the Northwest to expel Han Chuzhen (Han Deqin) and establish a provincial government in Jiangsu, wouldn't it

Chen Cheng understood immediately that Jiang was actually unwilling to accept the pressure from the northwest. In a situation where he could not achieve a favorable outcome openly, he hoped to use others to eliminate his adversaries. Thus, he nodded solemnly.

Upon hearing this, those who were previously dissatisfied suddenly broke into smiles, while Yu Youren and others, who were attempting to bridge the gap between both sides, frowned

Dai Jiliang set down the telegram in his hand, wearily rubbed his brow, and let out a deep sigh as he commanded

Dai Li's words brought a look of relief to Jiang Zhongzheng's face, which had been feigning calmness. However, the usually inscrutable Jiang quickly reined in his expression. Dai Li, who caught a glimpse of this scene, dared not show any unusual reaction and continued to report in a composed manner

Moreover, the Japanese are pressing us step by step; will they give us the opportunity to turn against each other?

The land cannot sustain the central army of hundreds of thousands solely relying on Guizhou; therefore, you must immediately work on the local forces in central Yunnan to ensure that the central troops can enter Yunnan without obstruction

He Yingqin's words caused Dai Jitao, Chen Guofu, Zou Lu, Ye Chucang, Zhang Qun, and others to nod frequently. Since the fall of Wuhan and Guangzhou, the actions in the Northwest have been coming one after another, which can be described as a relentless advance.

The fundamental issues at present are twofold: first, to seek international assistance; second, to secure Hunan. These two issues are essentially interdependent; one cannot be addressed without the other. Without military advantage, it is futile to speak anywhere.

The president of the Examination Yuan, Yu Youren, thus represented the party elders such as Ju Zheng who have been sidelined within the party.

Although Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui has some dissatisfaction with the small actions of the Northwest, he does not support tearing the facade with the Northwest at this time

When the territory is in decline, it is precisely the time for a united front against external forces. At this moment, how will the people of the nation perceive it, and how will foreign friends view it

Dai Li was just about to respond, but he did not expect that Jiang actually did not want to hear the specifics

You need to pay attention to communication with the Communist Party, as the current situation is difficult. I hope both sides can continue to uphold the spirit of cooperation from the Northern Expedition period, jointly confronting all aggressors, traitors, and warlord forces

It is imperative to respond seriously, so as to prevent more speculators from following suit

Therefore, the mention of armed conflict should be avoided. Of course, the central government must have its own means of counterattack, and the central government will never recognize the provincial governments established in the northwest.

However, their stubbornness has provoked dissatisfaction among others

Dai Jiliang snatched the telegram and quickly scanned through it, reading ten lines at a glance. The telegram was lengthy, and the content was very detailed, clearly outlining the background and consequences.

How much do you know about the situation on Vice President Wang's side

You all go back first, gathering here with me, does that mean the War of Resistance has been won

The old lady just passed away last night

Resignation

It was then that Chiang Kai-shek allowed Chen Cheng, who was waiting outside, to enter

The lower-ranking officers and soldiers of the Japanese army were particularly frustrated by the repeated setbacks suffered by the North China Army and the Third Division at the hands of the Northwest Army, and hoped to boost the morale of the restless troops by destroying Dai Jiliang's hometown

Chiang Kai-shek could not afford to provoke the Northwest and thus sought to target the softer targets. However, he could not act against the Guangxi clique, which he was currently relying on, so he could only set his sights on Yunnan, whose main forces were stationed outside.

President, the opportunistic actions in the Northwest have reached an unprecedented level of audacity, and our comrades within the party can no longer tolerate this situation

He Yingqin, the Minister of the Military Affairs Commission, specifically flew in from Guiyang. Once hailed as the foremost figure under Chiang Kai-shek, he boldly offered his candid advice despite the presence of party elders around him

Song Cheng hurriedly grabbed a military coat and draped it over Dai Jiliang, who silently allowed Song Cheng to arrange him until he, like a puppet, got into the car, at which point he finally came to his senses

At this point, Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand

Deputy Minister of Military Training Lu Zhonglin let out a cold laugh. Due to Song Zheyuan's dismissal, a portion of Song's troops harbored ambitions of returning under the command of the old general Feng Yuxiang. With this confidence, the recent defection of generals has been quite active. However, Sun Lianzhong's troops would rather defect to the Northwest than to Feng, shattering Feng Yuxiang's fantasies once again. Therefore, with new grievances added to old ones, Lu Zhonglin naturally would not speak favorably of the Northwest.

Prepare the carriage, take me back, and inform the lady and the second master

The President of the Legislative Yuan, Sun Ke, is the legitimate son of Sun Yat-sen. Although he had a long-standing strained relationship with his stepmother, during this period he was influenced by leftist figures of the Kuomintang such as Song Qingling and He Xiangning, advocating for national unity to weather the difficult times. Therefore, he, who had always been seen as a mere figurehead, spoke up on this occasion.

Just as the various factions of the Kuomintang in Changsha were racking their brains to deal with the follow-up measures in the Northwest, Dai Jiliang received the most unwelcome report.

In the first half of the sentence, Jiang did not pay any attention, but as soon as international friends were mentioned, Jiang's brows twitched, clearly indicating that it struck a nerve with him

The present situation is fraught with internal and external troubles

Fortunately, shortly after the Japanese army mobilized, the communications office in Yangzhou relayed the news back to Gaoyou. The eldest brother, Dai Botang, who remained in their hometown to care for their elderly mother, personally arranged for her to board a boat and be sent across to the west side of Gaoyou Lake to take refuge

Currently, the areas that the central government can control are limited to most parts of Hunan, Guizhou, and Jiangxi provinces, as well as the exhausted regions of southern Anhui, northern Jiangsu, western Zhejiang, and western Fujian. The financial and material resources have reached an extremely precarious state. If at this time the financial resources of Hubei and Anhui provinces continue to flow towards the northwest, it is feared that the Ministry of Finance will not even be able to formulate the budget for the 28th year of the Republic.

If we say that the initial division of Sichuan, which set up the provinces of East Sichuan and West Sichuan, arbitrarily took away several counties from the surrounding provinces of Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou without threatening the fundamental interests of the National Government, then the subsequent private appointments of provincial governors in Hubei and Anhui, as well as the acceptance of military leaders such as Shang Zhen, Sun Lianzhong, and Liu Heding, have overtly and covertly touched the nerves of various factions within the Kuomintang and crossed the bottom line of the Jiang faction. This is why we now see various groups coming here to demand an explanation from Jiang.

However, Chiang Kai-shek did not wish to completely tear off the facade, thus he shifted the tone of the conversation.

The crowd retreated awkwardly, leaving only the Minister of the Political Department, Chen Cheng, who had not spoken earlier, to be retained by the guards. However, Jiang did not meet with him immediately; instead, he summoned the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau, Dai Li.

It seems that the Northwest has already determined that we must take into account domestic and international public opinion, and thus they dare not retaliate openly, which is why they are so unrestrained.

Of course, this issue is still secondary

Come here!

Zegang, please inform Chief of Staff Zhang, Deputy Chief of Staff Xu, and Chairman E that I appreciate their hard work over the next two days. I will arrive on time to take over the shift the day after tomorrow

Thus, a portion of the First Division of the garrison in Yangzhou disregarded the private agreement between the Japanese military intelligence and the Northwest, and dispatched several infantry battalions to launch an attack along the Gaoyou line

Concerning the survival of the Party and the nation, you are personally in charge of overseeing it

The meaning of the President has been understood by the subordinates. I will immediately speak with Deputy Minister Zhou after I return. The New 4th Army should not remain in the unoccupied areas of southern Anhui and western Zhejiang for development; they should be urged to actively advance into enemy territory, moving towards northern Anhui, northern Jiangsu, and the Su-Xu-Lu region.

Engaging in conflict with the Northwest is a matter that brings pain to friends and joy to enemies; thus, the central authority should not easily provoke and provide grounds for criticism.

I personally agree with the words of Minister He and Director Qian. In today's context where central authority is diminishing, it is essential to use strong measures to deter those in the middle. Only in this way can we ensure the authority of the central government

"President, Minister He's words are indeed correct; we can no longer endure and must retaliate immediately"

Jiang's words relieved half of the people, but caused the other half to frown even more tightly

You must also keep a close watch on Vice President Wang's actions; these individuals are more likely to cause failure than to achieve success. Do not allow their so-called peace movement to become a tool for external forces to attack the government

The actions in the Northwest have certainly undermined the authority of the government, but ultimately, it is Japan that poses the primary threat

After listening to the person speak for a long time, Jiang finally spoke up

Urgent telegram from Gaoyou, Junz座

However, today's situation seems somewhat different, as members of the Supreme Defense Council, who exercise the powers of the Central Political Committee, have gathered unexpectedly, clearly indicating that significant events are taking place

The Japanese army is advancing towards Yueyang and other areas, effectively severing communication between the central command and the troops north of the Yangtze River. At this time, it is not unreasonable to establish provincial governments in the northwest under the pretext of facilitating command.

Master Yan, what kind of enchantment have you consumed from Dai Jiliang? Dai Jiliang's severing of the connection between Su and Wan signifies that Han Deqin's forces have become isolated. Moreover, Dai Jiliang has always favored stabilizing one area before plotting in another. Therefore, not intervening in Jiangsu is merely akin to boiling a frog in warm water; it is not a consideration for the central government at all

The principal, Guangxi has already made a resolution to continue supporting the principal in the fight against the war

Director Tang Shengzhi of the Military Law Enforcement General Directorate let out a cold laugh, as he naturally remembered the old grievances from the Northwest that had been plotted against him, and thus he was keen to incite a major clash between the two former enemies.

Although the National Government's various departments that were originally based in Wuhan had successively relocated to Guiyang after the fall of Wuhan, due to the cramped urban layout of Guiyang, its remote geographical location, and poor transportation conditions, Chiang Kai-shek himself did not immediately go to Guiyang to assume office; his executive headquarters remained temporarily in the city of Changsha

Everyone was left speechless, yet Jiang continued to speak according to his own line of thought

Dai Li immediately made a solemn promise, but when he finally managed to retreat outside, he realized that he was already drenched in cold sweat

Director Qian Dajun of the Aviation Committee appeared particularly indignant. It is important to note that Jiang was the towering tree he relied upon. Now, the Northwest intends to collaborate with the Japanese to fell this great tree; how could he possibly remain calm? "I propose that we first strip Shang Zhen and Sun Lianzhong of their military ranks and unit designations in the name of the rebel forces, and then send troops north to Tongzi. I do not believe that the few divisions in the Eastern Sichuan region of the Northwest can withstand the central army."