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Chapter 1529 The Big Fish Eats Little Fish Theory

[Date]

Several days after Japan announced its surrender, the Japanese troops in the Republic of China, Manchukuo, and Korea surrendered one after another, with only the Japanese troops in Rabaul still putting up a stubborn resistance.

Kuribayashi Tadamichi, who succeeded Imamura Hitoshi, did not disappoint Sajuro. He led more than 100,000 Japanese troops, relying on the island's strong fortifications and the food provided in advance by Shimizu Trading Company, to fight fiercely against the Australian and New Zealand troops and refused to surrender.

It is said that this old Japanese devil still wants to fight a guerrilla war, but the outcome of Rabaul will not affect the overall situation; only Australia and New Zealand will suffer.

For this war that did not belong to them, the two countries sent about 100 million troops to Africa and Southeast Asia. Under Zuo Zhong’s careful planning and guidance, these troops were attacked by Japan and Germany in turn and suffered heavy losses, which led to a near-complete shortage of young men in Australia and New Zealand.

In the Republic of China era, the air of victory had not yet completely dissipated, and the streets of the mountain city were once again under heavy guard. There were checkpoints and fully armed soldiers everywhere in and around the city, and a large number of secret agents were mixed in with the crowd.

But the people of the mountain city were not uneasy because the negotiations that would determine the future of the country and the nation were about to begin, and everyone was waiting for the results.

Whether the two parties would fight or make peace was a matter of concern not only to various sectors of the Republic of China, but also to the Americans, who dispatched journalists and delegations for international oversight.

That morning, a welcoming party led by Chief Zhang, the Minister of the Political Department of the National Government Military Affairs Committee, stood by the airport runway, waiting for the plane flying from the northwest to the mountain city.

The scorching sun shone on the cement track, making everyone sweat profusely. Commander Zhang straightened his meticulously fastened military uniform buttons, turned his head and asked in a low voice.

"Shenzhong, are the security arrangements for the venue and along the route all in place? This meeting is of great importance, and we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes."

Wearing a lieutenant general's uniform, Zuo Zhong's lips moved slightly: "Please rest assured, sir. I have dispatched my most elite personnel to various parts of the city for vigilance. Once any suspicious persons are discovered, they will be arrested immediately."

"As for the venue, we conducted multiple rounds of inspections three days ago, and the service personnel and security guards also conducted multiple rounds of checks. So far, we have not found anything suspicious."

Commander Zhang nodded, feeling slightly relieved. He trusted Zuo Zhong's abilities.

During the Battle of Shanghai, it was the enemy who led the Kuomintang secret agents to guide the army in launching the attack, which caused great casualties to the Japanese troops.

In the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, it was the enemy's clever deployment that led the Japanese and the Red Russians into a fierce battle, giving the Khmer Rouge army a chance to catch their breath; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

After a pause, Commander Zhang suddenly asked, "Shenzhong, do you think this negotiation will yield results?"

Zuo Zhong stood there stunned, clearly not expecting Commander Zhang to ask him this question, but he quickly recovered and chose to tell the truth.

"Sir, I believe that the negotiations are unlikely to yield a satisfactory result."

In front of his old superior, Zuo Zhong did not hide his thoughts, which was also a way of expressing his stance. Some things cannot be done half-heartedly; one must be firm in one's attitude.

Commander Zhang raised an eyebrow and uttered a soft "Oh," saying, "Tell me your reasons. I'd like to hear the opinion of an intelligence expert like yourself."

"Sir, you flatter me." Zuo Zhong appeared very humble, then leaned closer to the other party and began to analyze in a low voice.

"The biggest difference between the two parties lies in the military. The leader hopes that there can only be one army in the country. The Northwest Army must be reorganized and downsized and placed under the unified command of the Military Commission. The underground party will never accept this condition."

"Having experienced what happened back then, the Northwest must know the importance of having an army in their hands. Surrendering their guns is tantamount to political suicide. I don't think they are unaware of this."

Commander Zhang looked solemn. In 1927 and the years that followed, he led troops to fight against the underground party four times, but he did not participate in any specific battles. He advocated resolving the conflict between the two parties through reform and non-violent means.

But that's not what he thought. Recalling the bloody events of the past, he sighed deeply and became even more pessimistic about the prospects of the negotiations.

Zuo Zhong continued, "Furthermore, based on our assessment of the propaganda narrative in the Northwest, the other side is likely to demand that the Nationalist government recognize the actual control areas established during the War of Resistance."

"For example, its so-called liberated area regimes, local governments, and mass organizations allowed the underground party to exist and operate legally throughout the country, etc."

"I think this is absolutely impossible. At most, the leader will acknowledge the pre-war administrative divisions. The so-called liberated areas can be temporarily not accepted, but the officials must be appointed by the central government."

"Because once we agree to all of the Northwest's demands, it would be tantamount to acknowledging the legitimacy of the Northwest's rebellion. This is a fundamental conflict, and I don't think the officials of the National Government would agree to it."

Commander Zhang nodded secretly, satisfied with Zuo Zhong's political sensitivity. The aforementioned issues concerned the legitimacy of the Nationalist government and could not be ambiguous.

Next, Zuo Chong mentioned the third point of contention: "The final issue is whether to unify first and then democratize, or to democratize first and then unify."

Zuo Zhong didn't say much about this conflict. As a soldier, he shouldn't and couldn't interfere in politics. Getting too involved would only lead him to make a fatal mistake like Lao Dai.

There was also something he and Commander Zhang both knew about, but they hadn't said anything.

—The Kuomintang army has already seized transportation lines and major cities in various regions. As soon as American aid arrives, the civil war could break out at any time.

Under such circumstances, the Nationalist government would only delay the outbreak of war and expand its own power. It would be impossible for it to agree to the substantive demands of the Northwest, as that would be aiding the enemy.

At this moment, two black dots appeared on the horizon. The underground party's guests had finally arrived. Commander Zhang composed himself, smiled, and looked up at the sky.

Thirty minutes later, the convoy carrying the welcoming party and personnel from the Northwest drove out of the airport. The guards on the roadside gave a rifle salute in unison, creating a spectacular scene.

In the middle of the convoy, a black Packard three-row armored limousine stood out.

This car was a gift from the US government to the Nationalist government. It was spacious, with three seats in the back and a row of rear-facing seats in the middle for entourage and guards. The car was packed at the moment. The top leader of the Northwest was seated on the right side of the back row, with Zuo Chong facing him. The other seats were occupied by Northwest staff. Director Zhang's car followed behind.

The Northwest leader, enjoying the soft touch of the calfskin sofa beneath him, joked with Zuo Zhong, who was on the opposite guard seat.

"Mr. Zuo, I'm sorry to have troubled you with your trip to Chongqing. I think it would be better to arrange a few rickshaws for the rest of the trip. We country bumpkins aren't used to riding in these fancy cars."

"Hahaha……"

Hearing the leader's self-deprecating remark, everyone burst into laughter, and the car was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Zuo Zhong was excited, but he smiled and replied, "Sir, you're too kind. The leader attaches great importance to your safety, which is why he specially allocated an armored car."

The Northwest leader waved his hand, his face relaxed: "Who would assassinate a leisurely person like me? Minister Wei is overthinking it."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zhong maintained his smile and did not reply. If the other party was a carefree person, then what was this person? A clown?

The convoy sped along the highway through the city, blocking all traffic along the way. Many residents of the mountain town stood on tiptoe, peering over the guards to see the highway.

At an intersection, a young man shook his Palomino suit and had his cronies push through the crowd, trying to get to the front. The people being pushed got into a heated argument with the group.

"Damn it, get out of here! Do you even know who our young master is?" The sycophant glared at the commoners, hurling insults at them.

The people of the mountain town had fiery tempers and, seeing this, were not to be outdone. They immediately started hurling insults at each other, and the scene quickly descended into chaos. Guards arrived to stop the commotion.

"What are you doing! Get out of here!"

The guards raised their rifle butts to drive the crowd away, preparing to arrest the troublemakers. However, a sycophant stepped forward and mentioned the name of a gang leader. The guards looked embarrassed, and the people involved cursed even louder.

The chaos here caught Gui Youguang's attention. He strode over, asked about the situation, and then gave orders to Xiao Kai and his entourage.

"Arrest him and interrogate him severely! You bastard, how dare you cause trouble in a place like this? I'll show you what it means to be unforgiving under the law!"

Gui Youguang waved his right hand, and several junior agents, disregarding any secret society leaders, swarmed forward and pinned Xiao Kai and his men to the ground, while the onlookers cheered loudly.

This scene was witnessed by the passing convoy. A staff member sitting next to the Northwest leader frowned and protested to Zuo Zhong.

"Mr. Zuo, is it not against the spirit of the rule of law that your side is arresting people indiscriminately?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zhong's eyes flashed with anger. Whose belt wasn't fastened properly, revealing such a thing? Talking about the rule of law with this kind of spoiled brat, is this the legendary saint?
He said with a forced smile, "Really? But according to my observation, it's that young master dressed in Palermo who's causing trouble. It seems this friend is quite sympathetic to the petty bourgeoisie."

Kid, your future is ruined!
Upon hearing Zuo Zhong's words, all the Northwest staff members on the bus were startled, and the speaker turned pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

The Northwest leader suddenly laughed and said, "It's good that Mr. Zuo cares about the people, which is in line with our policy, but it's better to be cautious in the process."

"Damn, is the big boss doing this on purpose? What do you mean by 'in line with your policies'?" Zuo Zhong quickly patted someone's butt.

"Sir, you flatter me. I am simply understanding the spirit of the leader and carrying on the legacy of the late President."

Zuo Chong first stated his position, otherwise his words would have been interpreted as endorsement of Northwest ideology, which would have been a death sentence. Then his tone gradually became more impassioned.

"Throughout China's millennia-long history, it has always been a situation where big fish eat small fish and small fish eat shrimp. This situation is difficult to change, and the government has always attached great importance to this matter."

"The late President mentioned in the 'National Reconstruction Strategy' and 'National Reconstruction Outline' that the current unrest in the Republic of China is mostly caused by injustice, and the leader has repeatedly taught us to care about the well-being of the lower classes."

"If my men had handled this matter impartially and arrested both parties, the people would have suspected us of favoritism. Now that negotiations are imminent, it is not advisable to create unnecessary complications. I have no choice but to ask that gentleman to do so."

Zuo Zhong spoke with a straight face, saying things he himself didn't believe, but he couldn't help but say them. He was certain that the conversation they had just had would be delivered to the official residence today.

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking leader took out a cigarette, struck a match, and lit it for the other person. The high-ranking leader nodded in acknowledgment, then smiled and shook his head.

"I don't quite agree with what Mr. Zuo said. It's a natural law that big fish eat small fish and small fish eat shrimp. So why can't we let big fish and small fish eat aquatic plants? It's never good for them to eat meat."

"The Zuo Zhuan says, 'Those who eat meat are base and cannot plan for the long term.' Although this does not refer to the problems of the Republic of China at that time, it still has reference value. What do you think, Mr. Zuo?"

Zuo Chong smiled back and said with a double meaning, "What the superior said makes some sense, but meat-eaters are meat-eaters, and it is extremely difficult to change them."

The top leader from the Northwest took a drag of his cigarette, the smoke gradually blurring his and Zuo Zhong's vision. After finishing the cigarette, the leader stubbed it out and said firmly, "Even if it's difficult to change, we must change it!"

These words brought a pang of bitterness to Zuo Zhong's heart, but all his emotions ultimately turned into a sigh.

As they spoke, the convoy drove into Guiyuan, a place in the bustling downtown area of ​​the mountain city. This place was originally the residence of Commander Zhang, but now Commander Zhang has given it to the Northwest Negotiation Team as their lodging.

That evening, someone looked at the report on the table and said to his servant with satisfaction, "Shen Zhong's theory of 'big fish eat small fish and small fish eat shrimp' is well said."

"Our comrades should have this spirit of being neither humble nor arrogant when dealing with the Northwest. We should not only make achievements in military affairs, but also confront each other ideologically."