Chapter 72: Order From The Military And Political Department
After a day of fierce fighting, soldiers from both Chinese and Japanese sides withdrew back to their respective positions, just like two ferocious beasts that had fought all day, each returning to their lair to lick their wounds, rest, regain their strength, and wait for the even more brutal slaughter the next day.
After several days of fierce fighting, most of the St. Paul’s Church buildings had been bombed down, leaving only the main church, which had been bombed down for the most part, and a few small houses still standing stubbornly.
In a certain hidden underground command post, Su Yaoyang was using a bayonet to pry open a can of Spam luncheon meat, the congealed pork fat gleaming with a ghastly white light under the kerosene lamp.
He picked up a pair of chopsticks, clamped a piece of luncheon meat, and put it into his mouth, a greasy taste rushing straight to his taste buds.
At this moment, Su Yaoyang suddenly understood that phrase often said by American soldiers in later generations: God bless, make Spam luncheon meat disappear.
However, Su Yaoyang didn’t dare to say this in front of his own soldiers and officers. He clearly remembered the happy smiles on the soldiers’ faces when they first ate Spam luncheon meat.
For the National Revolutionary Army soldiers who had long lacked nutrition and couldn’t eat meat even once a year, Spam luncheon meat was the most delicious food in the world.
Just as Su Yaoyang was looking helplessly at the greasy luncheon meat in front of him, Li Gaoyuan walked in.
“Regiment commander… someone outside is looking for you.”
“Someone looking for me?” Su Yaoyang was slightly stunned.
“It’s people from above.” Li Gaoyuan stretched out his finger and pointed to the ceiling.
Su Yaoyang immediately understood. He pushed away the luncheon meat in front of him and said helplessly, “Let them come in.”
Soon, two figures wrapped in black capes bent down and walked into this basement through the rubble everywhere. Behind them followed two fully armed security regiment soldiers, the blue sky and white sun emblem on their steel helmets gleaming with a cold light under the lamp.
The one standing on the left was a slightly plump middle-aged man with a face full of smiles, as if he could say “congratulations on your wealth” at any moment. If you said he was a merchant, no one would doubt it.
The one standing behind was completely different, with a stern expression matched with a pair of sunglasses, plus an arrogance emanating from his bones. Anyone could tell that this guy’s identity and status were definitely not simple.
“Regiment commander, this is the deputy station chief of the Military Statistics Bureau Nanjing Station, Xu Shixiang. This is Major Chen Shijie from the Military and Political Affairs Department.” Li Gaoyuan introduced from the side.
Su Yaoyang nodded slightly to the two, “As the old saying goes, no visit without a reason. You two risking crossing the Japanese blockade line to come to us must mean you have important matters, right?”
Xu Shixiang smiled and cupped his hands to Su Yaoyang: “Regiment Commander Su, I’ve heard so much about you. You probably don’t know yet, but your battle achievements and name have spread to Chongqing to Chairman Jiang.”
Chairman Jiang was greatly impressed by your deeds and said you are a pillar of the party and the country. Therefore, Minister He of the Military and Political Affairs Department specially sent Officer Chen and me here, and brought your appointment letter.
Su Yaoyang said impassively: “Oh… tell me more?”
Xu Shixiang took out a kraft paper bag from his briefcase and handed it to him: “Minister He intends to give your unit the establishment of a Provisional Nanjing Security Regiment and incorporate your unit into the sequence of the 74th Army.”
As he spoke, Su Yaoyang took out a document from the kraft paper bag that read 《Provisional Nanjing Security Regiment Establishment Table》.
Su Yaoyang just glanced at it and felt a cold laugh in his heart. The Military and Political Affairs Department was treating him like a fool.
During the War of Resistance, the National Revolutionary Army’s establishment system was complex and chaotic, with regular central armies and local armies, as well as a large number of temporarily organized “newly formed,” “provisional,” “supplementary,” and other numbered troops. These designations reflected the wartime characteristics of troop replenishment, factional struggles, and resource allocation in the National Revolutionary Army.
Designations like “provisional” were mostly used for temporary emergency troops, usually pieced together from remnants of battered units, new recruits from the rear, or local security teams, with tasks often to fill gaps in the defensive line or carry out secondary missions.
To put it bluntly, this kind of unit was disposable consumables. Once used up, if the unit wasn’t completely wiped out, the establishment would generally be revoked anyway—after all, it was only “provisional.”
What annoyed Su Yaoyang the most was that provisional was one thing, but adding “security regiment” after provisional was clearly bullying.
On one hand praising my battle achievements, yet unwilling to give even a formal designation—clearly wanting to freeload.
Seeing Su Yaoyang silent, Major Chen in the yellow woolen military uniform unlocked his briefcase, and a thick stack of fabi smashed onto the ammunition box, stirring up dust. Su Yaoyang noticed the blue stamp of the Central Bank on the bill-binding paper strips.
After placing the briefcase on the table, Major Chen spoke.
“Your unit has fought bloody battles for a whole ten days. Chairman Jiang is very appreciative. These 100,000 fabi are a small reward from the Military and Political Affairs Department to you and your unit’s soldiers. But after all, you are just a self-formed miscellaneous unit without even a regular designation. The higher-ups are doing this for your own good. Incorporating you into the 74th Army sequence is also a last resort.”
The major’s Fujian accent was like metal scraping glass, sharp and grating. “I know Regiment Commander Su may feel unwilling, but war requires looking at the big picture. Shanghai is lost, Nanjing is also… Regiment Commander Su is a smart man. Surely you can consider the overall situation.”
“Boom…”
The cellar suddenly shook violently. A muffled sound of bricks and stones collapsing came from above, and a stray bullet from who knows where landed near the cellar.
The violent explosion shook the cellar with flying dust, and the kerosene lamp also swayed precariously in the explosion.
Su Yaoyang steadied the shaking kerosene lamp, the firelight shrinking to a pinpoint in his pupils—he remembered the scene Xu Dapeng described to him at the Xiaguan Wharf:
On the huge ferry, trucks were parked one after another, loaded with boxes of antiques, paintings, and gold, silver, and valuables of high officials and dignitaries.
While on the wharf, it was crowded with desperate routed soldiers and civilians.
“Tell Minister He for me.” He grabbed the fabi and stuffed it back into the briefcase, saying word by word: “Su and the thousands of brothers in the New Security Regiment are not doormats for you high officials and dignitaries, nor will we let you dispose of us at will.
If you want to treat us as cannon fodder, he doesn’t have that qualification yet!”
“You…”
Major Chen’s expression instantly became serious. He narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze shooting straight at Su Yaoyang, while Su Yaoyang returned a calm look.
At this time, Major Chen dropped his earlier arrogance of looking down through his nostrils and slowly asked: “Regiment Commander Su, are you really going to do this?”
“Is there a problem?” Su Yaoyang’s answer was equally firm. “The last order the Security Regiment received was personally given by General Tang Shengzhi before his withdrawal… hold Nanjing to the death.”
“Good… very good…”
Major Chen stared hard at Su Yaoyang for a good while before nodding. “Good… I want to see how Regiment Commander Su holds Nanjing to the death. Goodbye!”
“Farewell, no need to see you off.”
Amid a heavy sound of footsteps, Major Chen and Xu Shixiang were escorted away from the basement.
The basement was silent for a long time before Li Gaoyuan said helplessly.
“Regiment commander, although this order from the Military and Political Affairs Department is bastardly, you didn’t need to offend him like this. Especially Officer He, whose influence spans the entire army. If you really offend him, it will be very difficult for you to develop in the military.”
“Difficult my ass.” Su Yaoyang snorted lightly. “I don’t even know if I can survive tomorrow. Do I need to fear this and that?”
