Chapter 229: Going With The Flow
Yan Xishan’s private study in Kunnanpo
The furnishings in the study were very simple: an elmwood desk, a few chairs, and a huge map of SX Province hanging on the wall.
In stark contrast to the tense busyness at the front lines and Taiyuan, a deep and oppressive silence permeated here.
Second War Zone Lieutenant General Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Sixth Army Group Commander Yang Aiyuan pushed the door open hurriedly. He stood tall and straight, saluting a standard military salute to the gaunt old man sitting at the desk.
“Commander Yan, you wanted to see me?”
Yan Xishan, this warlord who had dominated the land of Shanxi for decades, slowly raised his head. He was wearing a gray cotton robe, sported his signature Ren Dan mustache, and his eyes were cloudy, yet occasionally flashed with a gleam of shrewdness.
He had just put down the brush in his hand. On the rice paper on the desk was the character “endure” with ink not yet dry, its strokes penetrating the back of the paper.
“Ah… Xingru, you’ve come.”
Yan Xishan’s voice was somewhat hoarse as he stood up from his seat, his movements slightly sluggish.
He pointed with his finger to the sofa nearby, an old-fashioned sofa covered with coarse cloth. 「Have a seat.」
After Yang Aiyuan sat down as instructed, Yan Xishan did not speak immediately. Instead, he picked up the teacup on the desk and slowly blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface, as if organizing his thoughts. The sound of wind outside the cave dwelling made the silence here even deeper.
“You’ve heard about what’s happening in Xinxian, right?” Yan Xishan finally spoke, his tone flat, showing no emotion.
Yang Aiyuan immediately straightened his back and replied: “Yes, Commander. We just received intelligence that Su Yaoyang’s Shanxi Militia launched a general offensive against the Japanese 24th Division, unprecedented in scale. It’s said they’ve already broken through the Japanese main position.”
“Mm.”
Yan Xishan nodded, set down the teacup with a light “clink,” turned around, paced to the huge map with his hands behind his back, and fixed his gaze on the area between Xinxian and Taiyuan, remaining silent for a long time.
Suddenly, he let out a long sigh.
“Xingru!” He turned his head, looking at his trusted general with eyes full of worry. “In this battle, whether the Japanese win or that Su Yaoyang wins, it brings no benefit at all to our Jin-Sui Army.”
Hearing this, Yang Aiyuan’s face showed clear astonishment. In his view, as fellow Chinese, striking hard at the Japanese invaders should be a good thing. Why did the commander hold such a negative view?
“Commander, what do you mean? Su Yaoyang’s forces heavily damaging the Japanese invaders is ultimately beneficial to the overall war effort in Shanxi…”
Yan Xishan shook his head, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.
“Beneficial? Beneficial in what way?”
He asked rhetorically, “If the Japanese win, they will surely intensify their efforts, and our Jin-Sui Army’s room to survive will only be squeezed smaller.
But if that Su Yaoyang wins… think about it. He’s already strong in troops and horses, with elite forces under him. After this great victory, his prestige will soar to the heavens. At that point, in this Shanxi, whether it will be surnamed Su or Yan will be hard to say!”
These words were like a basin of cold water poured over Yang Aiyuan’s head. He instantly understood Yan Xishan’s deeper concerns.
Yan Xishan sat back down in his chair, lightly tapping the desk with his fingers, and slowly said: “So, for this battle, the best outcome would be a draw. If they fight to mutual exhaustion, we’ll have a chance to breathe. If possible, I want to send someone to mediate, hoping both sides can cease fire and make peace…”
Upon hearing this, Yang Aiyuan immediately shook his head: “Commander, I’m afraid that’s impossible. Both sides have now fought in earnest, with deep blood feuds. They won’t stop until there’s a decisive victory. Our mediation won’t be heeded by either side.”
“Sigh…” Yan Xishan sighed again, seemingly knowing this idea was unrealistic. The cave dwelling fell silent once more.
Moments later, Yan Xishan spoke again. He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and asked: “Xingru, tell me, after this battle is over, do we have any way to transfer part of Su Yaoyang’s Shanxi Militia out of Shanxi?”
Yang Aiyuan frowned, thought carefully for a moment, and still shook his head: “Probably very difficult. The Shanxi Militia is Su Yaoyang’s foundation; he absolutely won’t easily leave Shanxi.
Moreover, nominally, he falls under our Second War Zone’s command, so we have no reason to transfer him elsewhere.”
Just as Yang Aiyuan thought this matter had no solution, a sly, fox-like smile suddenly appeared on Yan Xishan’s face.
“No, Xingru, it’s not impossible.”
He picked up the teacup, took another sip, and said unhurriedly: “Have you forgotten? That Su Yaoyang isn’t solely under my Second War Zone.”
He extended one finger, pointed in the air, and his gaze sharpened: “According to our latest intelligence, the Japanese are determined to capture Yichang in Hubei and will definitely make a big move soon. And Yichang falls under whose jurisdiction?”
“Fifth War Zone, Commander-in-Chief Li Zongren.” Yang Aiyuan answered instinctively.
“Exactly!” A gleam flashed in Yan Xishan’s eyes. “That Su Yaoyang’s personal friendship with Li Delin and Bai Jian Sheng is famous throughout the land! Even at his wedding, the chief witnesses were Li and Bai! That’s a huge favor, isn’t it?”
Yang Aiyuan’s eyes lit up instantly; he understood Yan Xishan’s intent.
Yan Xishan leaned back in his chair, a smile of successful scheming on his face, and summed up methodically: “As long as we ‘inadvertently’ leak the intelligence about the Japanese imminent fierce attack on Yichang to Chongqing, and then through our connections in the Fifth War Zone, give it a little push…
At that time, if Li Delin personally asks Su Yaoyang for aid, given their friendship and the favors owed, he absolutely cannot refuse.
Then, even if he doesn’t want to go, he’ll have to draw the most elite troops from his precious Shanxi Militia to fight in Hubei.
In this way, won’t Su Yaoyang’s strength in Shanxi be greatly weakened?
“This could work?” Yang Aiyuan still felt this scheme was too fanciful, almost like a pipe dream.
But upon second thought, carefully pondering the key points, he felt that Yan Xishan’s method, though insidious, seemed logically flawless.
Using public opinion to elevate Su Yaoyang to a moral high ground, then leveraging his personal ties with Li Zongren for moral blackmail to force him to send troops for aid… This interlocking scheme was indeed the kind of ploy his old superior could devise.
“Why not?” Yan Xishan stroked his signature Ren Dan mustache, smiled smugly, his eyes gleaming with deep calculation. “Just watch. I’ve already had someone add fuel to the fire for him, to help him gain some fame…”
Yan Xishan indeed put words into action.
In the short one or two hours while he and Yang Aiyuan were plotting in the Kunnanpo cave dwelling, a wave of public opinion he had secretly promoted had already swept through the entire Nationalist-controlled areas.
From the wartime capital Chongqing to Kunming, Guilin, Xi’an… all major cities not yet fallen saw extra editions of newspapers flying like snowflakes into streets and alleys.
《Dagong Daily》’s front-page headline screamed in shocking bold black characters: “Nationalist Army Victorious! Shanxi Militia Launches Thunderous Counterattack, Annihilating Japanese Ace Division Across the Board!”
《Central Daily》 was even more direct: “Shanxi Lion Roars in Fury, Artillery Washes the Ground, Xinxian Japanese Littered with Corpses!”
《Youth Daily》 rarely issued praise: “Victory Report! Our Shanxi Anti-Japanese Forces Launch Preemptive Strike, Delivering Annihilating Blow to Japanese 24th Division!”
In just half a day, this news exploded across the nation!
What especially made the people seethe with excitement and disbelief were the shockingly clear photos on the newspapers, sourced from who knows where!
One photo was clearly taken from high altitude. It showed countless shell explosion smoke pillars merging into a forest of death on the Japanese positions. The once sturdy fortifications and trenches looked like biscuits gnawed by a giant beast—crumbled and broken. The entire image was filled with a destructive, shocking sense of power!
In an instant, the nation was abuzz!
The people, suppressed too long under the Japanese iron hooves, seemed to see the dawn of victory.
In teahouses and on streets, countless people waved newspapers, spreading the news excitedly, shouting “Long live the Chinese nation,” with many even weeping for joy.
However, this was merely the first wave of impact.
Immediately after, the second wave—even more explosive—was quickly published by other media.
An even more shocking photo appeared on the front pages of major newspapers—a panoramic view of an airport. The photo showed rows upon rows of sleek, powerful fighters and bombers emblazoned with the blue sky white sun emblem, densely packed on runways and aprons. A rough count showed over a hundred aircraft! In scale and modernity, even the Central Army had never had such a large air force.
Below the photo was a detailed report listing the “Shanxi Flying Squadron” under the Shanxi Militia, which in the past year or so had achieved glorious results in air combat with Japanese aviation, downing numerous Japanese planes, to the point where Japanese Army Air Force in Shanxi skies was practically rendered “nonexistent”!
At this, public opinion was utterly in uproar!
If the previous artillery photo was “shocking,” this airbase photo was “terrifying”!
No one could have imagined that a nominally local armed force had quietly developed such a massive, battle-proven modern air force right under everyone’s noses!
Now, it wasn’t just ordinary people who were alarmed.
As Yan Xishan’s invisible net spread nationwide via radio and newspapers, in Hubei a thousand miles away, in the Fifth War Zone Commander-in-Chief Headquarters, two top chess masters of Chinese military circles looked at this chessboard with meaningful expressions.
Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi, the two giants of the Gui Clique, sat facing each other. On the table before them was also a freshly airlifted from Chongqing, ink-still-wet 《Dagong Daily》. The photo of the Shanxi Militia airbase dominated the page.
“Jiansheng!” Li Zongren spoke first, pointing at the photo, his tone full of emotion and surprise. “Who would’ve thought? In this year or so, that kid Mingxi has quietly made such a big splash! Even having an air force of this scale—we really underestimated him.”
Bai Chongxi, known as the “Little Zhuge,” picked up the newspaper and examined the photo closely.
Moments later, he also sighed: “They say a scholar absent for three days should be looked upon with new eyes. This hasn’t even been two years, and the kid has grown to this scale—truly a formidable young man.”
However, after the emotion, both seasoned strategists showed a hint of gravity in their eyes.
Li Zongren set down the newspaper and sighed: “It’s a pity—the first rafter to stick out rots first. He’s too prominent now and has become the object of envy.”
“Who says otherwise.” Bai Chongxi snorted lightly, a worldly smirk on his lips. “Such a large-scale air force with such brilliant results—who wouldn’t be jealous?”
Li Zongren picked up his teacup, took a sip, and a playful smile appeared on his face: “Sigh… Jiansheng, who do you think is behind this?”
“Who else?” Bai Chongxi dismissed it, his tone laced with contempt. “Who but that miser Yan Bai Chuan?
The guy’s no good at anything else, but at scheming, backstabbing, and dirty tricks, he’s an expert! He’s roasting Mingxi over the fire! Just watch—before long, someone in Chongqing will demand to ‘nationalize’ that air force of his!”
“Let them dream on!” Li Zongren scoffed, slamming his teacup on the table.
He said bluntly: “Anyone with such an idea is a book-addled pedant! Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t entertain such stupidity!”
Li Zongren’s words hit the nail on the head.
On the surface, Su Yaoyang’s air force looked formidable, with over a hundred planes enough to tempt any faction. But anyone with basic modern military knowledge knew that owning planes and maintaining a combat-ready air force long-term were entirely different matters.
Planes aren’t like rifles or machine guns that are rugged; toss them on the ground, dent the barrel, hammer it straight, and they can still barely function.
The air force is a thoroughly high-tech, money-burning arm!
An advanced fighter consists of thousands of precision parts; a single failure can impair performance or cause crash and death.
Moreover, planes are extremely delicate machines. Daily maintenance, repairs, and upkeep require large numbers of skilled, experienced ground crew working day and night. Not to mention replacing high-wear parts like engines, landing gear, and avionics.
Without stable parts supply chains and professional logistics, those seemingly invincible planes would soon become immobile scrap due to various failures.
This was exemplified by the three Martin B-10 bombers the Central Air Force bought expensively from Germany years ago. Due to lagging logistics and parts, they broke down after a few flights and were ultimately dismantled, becoming a historical joke.
Bai Chongxi nodded in deep agreement: “Brother Delin is absolutely right. This air force can only maximize its role in Mingxi’s hands. Others taking it would just waste it.”
The two exchanged glances, seeing the same idea in each other’s eyes.
After a moment of silence, the topic naturally turned to the current war situation.
Bai Chongxi’s expression grew serious: “Brother Delin, according to intelligence, the Japanese have been active around Wuhan lately, with unusual troop movements. I judge they are determined to take Yichang. We must prepare early.”
Li Zongren’s brows furrowed tightly. Yichang was the gateway to Sichuan; losing it would have dire consequences.
At that moment, a gleam flashed in Bai Chongxi’s eyes. Looking at the newspaper reporting Su Yaoyang’s victory, he casually suggested:
“Brother Delin, what do you think… Since Mingxi’s troops are so combat-effective and have strong air support, could we… request from Central Command to borrow part of the Shanxi Militia to reinforce our Fifth War Zone? It would boost our chances in the upcoming Yichang defense.”
These words struck at the core of Yan Xishan’s scheme.
However, unlike what Yan Xishan anticipated, Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi were no fools blinded by public opinion and favors. They saw through Yan Xishan’s “open scheme” at a glance, but instead of resisting, they went along with it willingly, stepping into the “trap.”
Because this “trap” perfectly aligned with the Fifth War Zone’s greatest interests!
Li Zongren immediately understood Bai Chongxi’s meaning. He pondered briefly, then slapped his thigh decisively: “Excellent idea! Let’s do it!
Since Yan Bai Chuan is so kind, how could we refuse?
Besides, I reckon after this battle, Mingxi’s Shanxi Militia will be all the rage, a hot commodity in many eyes. Borrowing some of his forces would also silence some mouths—what’s not to like?”
The two acted swiftly, soon sending a telegram to Chongqing requesting to transfer part of the Shanxi Militia’s ground and air forces to the Fifth War Zone.
Their stated reason was impeccably righteous, irrefutable.
Chongqing could use this to check Su Yaoyang while strengthening Yichang’s defenses—what’s not to like? And Su Yaoyang, facing his mentors’ personal plea and the national cause, had no reason to refuse.
A telegram jointly signed by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi was immediately sent from the Fifth War Zone Headquarters straight to Chongqing’s Military and Political Department.
The telegram’s content was concise, requesting to borrow a portion of the Shanxi Militia main force to reinforce the Fifth War Zone against the strong enemy.
The Military and Political Department’s reply came faster than expected.
On the thin telegram paper were just two bold printed characters:
“Approved!”
