Chapter 120: Quarrel
Hearing Bai Chongxi’s words, Su Yaoyang unhesitatingly said: “If that’s the case, our security regiment alone can’t hold out.”
“Mingxi…” Seeing this, Li Zongren feared that Su Yaoyang would anger Bai Chongxi and was about to speak up to smooth things over.
“Delin, let him speak.” Bai Chongxi interrupted him instead, staring intently at Su Yaoyang, “Kid… I know you have some skills and have won a few battles.
But that’s not a reason for you to bargain with your superior. Don’t you know the principle that military orders are as immovable as mountains?”
“Military orders as immovable as mountains?” Su Yaoyang also felt a surge of anger, “General Bai… Of course I know the principle that military orders are as immovable as mountains and military law shows no mercy, but that’s not a reason for blind commands either?
Having a local security regiment hold off a Japanese division is already excessive. Now you want us to hold off the North China Front Army too—what kind of logic is that?
If we don’t make this clear today, even if the case goes all the way to Chairman Jiang, I’ll have something to say!”
Bai Chongxi had a decades-long military career with countless large and small battles. Once he got angry, he was quite intimidating.
But Su Yaoyang wasn’t one to be trifled with. He’d even met big shots from a fifth-level civilization—how could he be afraid of someone bullying him with authority?
Bai Chongxi’s voice wasn’t quiet, but Su Yaoyang’s voice was even louder, to the point that it carried to the nearby operations room, shocking everyone there speechless.
“My goodness… that’s impressive.”
“Whose general is so bold as to stand up to Bai Chongxi, the deputy chief of staff of the Military Affairs Commission and head of the Military Training Department?”
Soon, heads popped out from nearby offices. When they realized the voice came from Li Zongren’s office, everyone quickly shrank back in fright.
Seeing Su Yaoyang dare to talk back, Bai Chongxi laughed instead of getting angry. “Good… very good. In my decades-long military career, this is the first time I’ve seen such a bold young man. Do you think that since I’m not your direct superior, I can’t do anything to you?”
“You got it—that’s exactly it!”
Since the argument had already started, Su Yaoyang went all in. “Let me put it this way: my Nanjing Security Regiment was originally a locally self-built armed organization.
We haven’t taken a single copper coin from the central government or received a single bullet. Everything was prepared by me myself. Up to now, my name isn’t even on the Military and Political Department’s roster.
Even as the deputy chief of staff of the Military Affairs Commission, you have no right to order an ordinary civilian to his death, do you?”
“Hey…”
This time, not only was Li Zongren stunned, but even Bai Chongxi was dumbfounded.
Su Yaoyang didn’t seem wrong. He didn’t even have military registration—he was strictly speaking just an ordinary civilian. No matter how powerful Bai Chongxi was, he couldn’t force a civilian to fight, or he’d lose face if word got out.
“You… you…” Bai Chongxi was speechless for a moment, but then he remembered something and sneered: “You sly Su Yaoyang. Though you’re just an ordinary civilian, that security regiment under your name is indeed a local armed force, right?
According to Republic of China laws, local armed forces are under the leadership of the Military and Political Department and the Staff Department.
Moreover, just a while ago you accepted orders from the Military and Political Department to come under the Fifth War Area’s operational control. You have to acknowledge that, right?”
“I do!” Su Yaoyang admitted straightforwardly.
But he immediately changed tack: “But I’m quitting as security regiment commander. Do whatever you want. Send someone else to take over. I’ll just take my wife and go live somewhere peaceful. That work for you?”
“Hiss…”
Even Li Zongren drew in a sharp breath. This kid was ruthless—he was threatening to quit.
“Nonsense!”
Seeing that he had to step in or the situation would spiral out of control, Li Zongren helplessly shook his head: “Look at yourselves. Do you still have any military bearing?
Jiansheng… even joking with a junior has its limits.
I’ve told you before—this kid is like a stubborn donkey. You have to go along with him.
If you really piss him off and he walks away, who’s going to clean up that mess at Taierzhuang for me?
And you, Mingxi—Jiansheng is your superior no matter what. Even if his joke went too far, that’s no reason for you to disregard hierarchy and challenge your superior.”
“Joke?”
Before Su Yaoyang could react, he saw Bai Chongxi, who had been full of anger moments ago, burst out laughing and shake his head repeatedly: “Delin, you nailed it. Young people these days are something else.”
Then he walked over, patted his shoulder, “Good kid, what a fiery temper. You almost made me lose face.
But as the old saying goes, heroes come from the young. Young people should have youthful vigor. If they were all like us old folks, what would be the point? Isn’t that right, Delin?”
Seeing Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi like this, Su Yaoyang knew Bai Chongxi had been joking with him. He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly while his face flushed red.
Truth be told, half a year ago he was just a fresh college graduate, still with that clear-eyed naivety, when that fifth-level civilization being tossed him into this parallel space.
Though he’d been through a lot in the past half year, when it came to commanding troops, he was far from a match for a Guangxi clique big shot like Bai Chongxi with a lifetime of military experience—not even close.
Thinking about it, it made sense. If Bai Chongxi were really as hot-tempered and unreasonable as he’d seemed, how could he have reached this position?
He quickly saluted Bai Chongxi and said with a red face: “General Jian… I was rude just now. Please be magnanimous and don’t hold it against this junior.”
“Nah… you did the right thing.” Bai Chongxi waved it off nonchalantly: “If it were me being challenged like that, I’d have flipped out long ago.
If a soldier doesn’t have that kind of spirit, what kind of soldier is he? A few days ago, over the 20th Army Group matter, I had a huge argument with the Chairman at a military conference. So I came to Xuzhou to cool off.
Su Yaoyang’s eyes sharpened: “20th Army Group… you mean Tang Enbo… Commander Tang?”
“Who else but him?” Bai Chongxi said irritably.
Li Zongren frowned too, his mouth opening as if to say something, but he held back in the end.
He could hold back, but Bai Chongxi couldn’t. He said coldly: “On the 20th, Delin ordered him to advance quickly to Taierzhuang and join the 31st Division in a pincer attack on the 10th Division, but the guy ignored the orders no matter what Delin said and stayed put in Zaozhuang, treating military orders like a joke.
When I heard about it, I reported it to Chairman Jiang, but he actually defended Tang Enbo. I was so furious I argued with him on the spot, and in a fit of anger, I came here to Delin.
I heard he’s been sleepless for over half a month because of the Xuzhou campaign. At least now I can share some of the burden.”
Su Yaoyang listened dumbfounded. As expected of a big shot—he dared to argue with the Chairman, and crucially, after arguing, he dared to drop everything and come to Xuzhou.
