Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Nanjing, the presidential residence of the puppet Nationalist government.

The conference hall, which once symbolized the highest power of the country, has now been transformed into a magnificent press conference venue.

A huge flag hangs on the backdrop wall of the rostrum.

This is the "Peaceful Nation Building" flag "designed" by the puppet government. On both sides of the flag are the flags of the Wang Jingwei regime and Japan, making it look incongruous and extremely ironic.

Below the stage, hundreds of reporters from the puppet government's mouthpieces, such as the China Daily and the Zhongbao, as well as Japanese media outlets like the Domei and Asahi Shimbun, had already set up their cameras and aimed them at the center of the stage.

in the air.

It was filled with the pungent chemical smell of flashing lights and a fake, artificial perfume scent.

It's three o'clock in the afternoon.

Amidst the emcee's affected and high-pitched announcements, Wang Jingwei, the chairman of the puppet National Government, walked onto the stage with a beaming smile, surrounded by a group of high-ranking puppet government officials.

He was dressed in a sharp white suit today, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore his signature gentle smile.

just.

Behind that smile are wrinkles at the corners of her eyes that are hard to hide.

A fleeting, imperceptible weariness and emptiness crossed the depths of Wang Zhaoming's eyes.

Clearly, his gaze and expression betrayed his inner cowardice beneath his fierce exterior.

He deliberately slowed down his movements as he sat down.

Very elegant, seemingly trying to emulate the demeanor of a true national leader.

flash.

Like a summer night thunderstorm, it instantly engulfed the entire venue.

Wang Zhaoming smiled and waved to the reporters below the stage.

He seemed to be enjoying this long-lost feeling of being the center of attention.

Wang Zhaoming cleared his throat, and speaking slowly into the microphone in his magnetic baritone voice.

"Good afternoon, fellow journalists and guests."

"The reason why Zhaoming has invited you all here today is for a great and joyous occasion that concerns the future of the country and the destiny of the nation!"

He paused deliberately, keeping everyone in suspense.

As my gaze swept over the expectant eyes below the stage, a morbid sense of satisfaction rose within me.

He enjoys the feeling of being in control of the entire scene and the center of attention.

"I'm sure you've all heard about it."

He raised his voice, which carried an barely suppressed excitement, “General Sun Dianying, the commander of the newly formed Fifth Army in Chongqing, has recently understood the situation and the greater good, and has resolutely led his 30,000 soldiers to break away from the erroneous rule of the mountain city and join our great cause of ‘peaceful anti-communist nation-building’!”

The words fell.

As expected, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

The journalists from the puppet government clapped enthusiastically, their facial expressions exaggerated like those of actors on stage.

Meanwhile, several Japanese journalists were sitting in the front row.

He merely clapped his hands a few times as a formality, but a barely perceptible, contemptuous smile appeared on his lips.

in their eyes.

This press conference was nothing more than a farce directed by the Japanese and starring the Wang Jingwei regime as a puppet.

And Wang Zhaoming.

They seemed completely unaware of all of this.

He reveled in the false applause and continued his impassioned speech in his inflammatory tone.

"General Sun's move is a righteous act in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people! It is the will of the people and the trend of the times! It eloquently proves that the Chiang Kai-shek regime in Chongqing has long been abandoned by the people, and its so-called 'fighting to the end' is nothing but the act of a tyrant who disregards the fate of the nation and its people!"

"And us."

Wang Zhaoming slowly stood up, opened his arms as if to embrace the whole world: "The 'peace movement' we advocate is the only right path that can truly rescue China from the quagmire of war and lead us to a bright future of 'Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere'!"

He looked down at the audience, where a reporter from the China Daily, who had been pre-arranged, stood up.

"May I ask Chairman Wang?"

The reporter asked in an almost reverent tone, "What specific arrangements and rewards will the government make for General Sun Dianying's 'return'?"

This problem was exactly what Wang Zhaoming wanted to solve.

He smiled and announced the decision that had been prepared long ago.

"In recognition of General Sun's achievements, the National Government has decided to retain the designation of the 'New Fifth Army' under General Sun Dianying!"

He also appointed General Sun as "Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Henan Pacification Campaign," responsible for "pacifying" the region, "suppressing" the Communist bandits, and making a greater contribution to the lasting peace of East Asia!

After he finished speaking, he led the applause.

The entire venue was once again engulfed in a sea of ​​applause and flashing lights.

However, amidst the commotion, a young reporter sitting in a corner keenly caught a fleeting micro-expression on Wang Zhaoming's face.

On that face with its standard smile, the moment he finished announcing the appointment and the applause began, there was a barely perceptible downward slant at the corner of his mouth.

It was a kind of disdain, even a hint of disgust.

The young reporter's heart skipped a beat.

He got it.

Wang Zhaoming, once a "revolutionary idol," is now the number one traitor.

Perhaps he didn't enjoy the farce as much as he appeared to.

He may also be aware of the "heroes" he is praising.

He was nothing more than a notorious tomb raider and a fickle, opportunistic scoundrel.

Wang Zhaoming probably knew that the enthusiastic applause from the audience was nothing more than a pretentious performance.

But he had no other choice.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue acting.

With one lie after another.

To support his already riddled "peace" dream.

The press conference concluded in an atmosphere of near-frenzy.

Surrounded by the crowd, Wang Zhaoming left with a smile.

just.

The moment he turned around, with his back to the camera.

The delicate, refined mask on Wang Zhaoming's face instantly crumbled.

Instead, there was a deep-seated, indescribable weariness and emptiness.

He knew that he was nothing more than a pawn on someone else's chessboard, a pawn with no control over its own destiny.

One is a clown who performs a "patriotic monologue" on the stage of history.

……

Peking, North China Front Army Headquarters.

Compared to the ecstatic state of the Nanjing puppet government.

Okamura Yasuji was much more cautious and calm about Sun Dianying's "surrender".

As an experienced and shrewd strategist, he never easily believed any "goodwill" from the enemy.

Although the operational plan to specifically target Sun Dianying's troops was personally devised by Okamura Yasuji.

However, achieving the established strategic objectives does not mean that Okamura Yasuji would trust the generals who surrendered to the National Revolutionary Army.

In particular, there were warlords like Sun Dianying, who were known for their fickle nature and opportunism.

"Your Excellency, Commander."

Army Chief of Staff Miyano Michiichi handed over a background investigation report on Sun Dianying, stating, "This man has a long history of misdeeds and is utterly untrustworthy. Should we remain vigilant towards him?"

Okamura Neiji didn't say anything; he simply pushed a document in front of Miyano Michiichi.

That document.

It was a "pledge of allegiance" that Sun Dianying voluntarily offered to the Japanese in order to show his "sincerity".

Its core content.

It concerns how the North China Joint Command used swift and decisive methods to eliminate dissidents.

The entire process of reorganizing Wu Tinglin, the commander of the 15th Army.

among them.

It even included a copy of Chu Yunfei's strongly worded internal telegram. After reading it, Miyano Michiko gasped.

"What ruthless methods!"

"This Chu Yunfei is ruthless not only to outsiders, but even more ruthless to his so-called 'own people'!"

Okamura Neiji nodded, a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashing in his narrow eyes.

Chu Yunfei, who always strives to be the first in every battle and will inevitably have his own loyal followers fight the toughest ones, is the greatest enemy he recognizes.

"Miyano-kun."

He slowly began, "Do you now understand why Sun Dianying surrendered to us?"

Miyano Michi understood in an instant.

"He was terrified by Chu Yunfei!"

"Yes."

Okamura Neiji stood up, walked to the map, and a cat-and-mouse smile appeared on his face.

Whether Sun Dianying's surrender was genuine or not is not important.

"It's important."

Okamura Yasuji pointed heavily at the location of Yamashiro with his baton: "His move provides us with a golden opportunity to divide the forces within the Chinese army!"

"Chu Yunfei's strong rise and iron-fisted military reforms have certainly greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the Chinese army."

"But at the same time, it will inevitably affect the interests of those local warlords, causing them fear and dissatisfaction."

"The stagnation of the offensive in the Fifth War Zone and the return to calm of the previously active Guangxi and Guangdong forces are actually a tacit understanding with us."

"Wu Tinglin was the first, and Sun Dianying was the second."

"I believe that within the Chinese army, there must be a third or fourth 'Wu Tinglin' ​​and 'Sun Dianying' who harbor resentment towards Chu Yunfei and Chang Ruiyuan!"

A schemer's excitement gleamed in Okamura Yasuji's eyes: "What we need to do is not to trust Sun Dianying."

"Instead, we should use him!"

He turned abruptly and issued a new order to Miyano Michiichi and the intelligence department heads present.

"Immediately, order our intelligence department to 'process' and 'package' the document provided by Sun Dianying regarding Chu Yunfei's reorganization of Wu Tinglin!"

"Delete the parts about Wu Tinglin's corruption and crimes, and only keep the content about how Chu Yunfei 'eliminated dissidents' and 'suppressed local armies'!"

"Then."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Through our various channels in the Kuomintang-controlled areas, do everything we can to spread this 'internal document'!"

"I want all the local warlords in China to see what will happen to them if they don't obey Chang Ruiyuan and Chu Yunfei!"

"I want to plant a seed of doubt, fear, and division in their hearts!"

"I want Chu Yunfei, this sharp blade, to be dulled or even broken by his own internal contradictions before he can strike us!"

The Japanese generals present fell silent for a moment.

The so-called psychological warfare and internal division are exactly what they have been doing all along.

However, apart from the good results achieved before and after the Battle of Wuhan.

Later, as the Nationalist army achieved victory after victory,

The number of Nationalist troops willing to surrender is decreasing.

Besides the local battlefields where they have the upper hand, there may also be Nationalist generals with ambiguous attitudes.

In North China, even those who came from legitimate, non-military units, now part of the Central Army's affiliated combat forces, were ignored by everyone.

"The offensive of public opinion, like water dripping on stone, needs time to ferment. To accelerate this process, a decisive and powerful military victory with a strong demonstration effect is needed as the most powerful catalyst."

"The seeds of psychological warfare will be sown as the plan unfolds."

Okamura Neiji's hand slowly swept across the huge battle map: "But to make it sprout quickly, we need the blood of Chinese soldiers as the best fertilizer."

He turned his gaze to his chief of staff, Miyano Michiichi.

"Miyano-kun, where should we choose as the target for our next military operation?"

Miyano Michiichi had already planned ahead.

He stepped forward and pointed his baton precisely at the map.

“Commander, I believe our next target should be him—Pang Bingxun.”

As soon as the name came out.

The several operations staff officers present were slightly taken aback.

Pang Bingxun.

This name is not unfamiliar to the veterans of the North China Front Army.

"Pang Bingxun?"

One staff officer couldn't help but ask, "Is that the 'Eastern Lion' who severely damaged our 5th Division in the Battle of Xuzhou and the Battle of Linyi?"

"Yes, that's him."

Miyano Michiichi's lips curled into a cold smile: "Precisely because he was once a 'lion,' the shock that will be brought about when we turn him into a corpse will be enormous."

He began to elaborate on his reasons in detail, clearly and logically.

"First, from a strategic perspective."

He used his baton to draw a circle around Pang Bingxun's defense zone: "His troops, like a nail, are firmly wedged into the junction of our occupied area and the First and Second War Zones."

Although the number of troops was small, it severely affected the mobilization of our troops in the north and south and the transportation of supplies.

"Removing this thorn in our side will make our entire North China defense line more secure and unimpeded."

"Secondly, and most importantly."

Miyano Michiichi's tone became meaningful: "According to reliable information from our intelligence department, this former 'Oriental Lion' has long since fallen out of favor."

"In the Battle of Linyi, his 40th Army was almost decimated, but after the battle, the mountain city authorities did not give him the replenishment and rewards he deserved."

"On the contrary, because he was not a direct descendant of Huangpu, he was ostracized and neglected in every way."

"As far as we know, the so-called Commander-in-Chief of the 24th Army Group and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Hebei-Chahar War Zone are just fancy titles."

"Therefore, in the past two years, Pang Bingxun mainly adopted measures of fearing and avoiding war in our army's campaigns and pacification efforts."

"They used so-called 'guerrilla warfare' to divide their forces and contain me, and occasionally carried out raids."

He glanced at the intelligence summary in his hand: "Pang Bingxun's main force, the 40th Army, still maintains a strength of only about 10,000 men. Its equipment is outdated and its ammunition is in short supply."

There weren't even any decent fortifications within its defense zone.

They were never equipped with any heavy weapons.

You could say he was an 'old dog' abandoned on the battlefield by the mountain city forces.

These words made all the Japanese generals present show knowing expressions.

Okamura Neiji nodded, signaling him to continue.

“Therefore, Your Excellency,” Miyano Michiichi’s eyes gleamed with a hunter’s excitement, “I believe that launching a decisive blow against Pang Bingxun’s forces will achieve three goals at once!”

"First, from a military perspective, we can easily remove this thorn in our side and restore communication between the North and the South."

"Secondly, from a political perspective, we can use Pang Bingxun's downfall to confirm the 'propaganda' we are about to spread! We can tell all the local warlords: Look! This is the fate of being abandoned by the mountain city! Even former anti-Japanese heroes cannot escape this calamity!"

"Third, psychologically, crushing a former 'hero' is far more devastating to the morale of the Chinese army than annihilating an ordinary unit!"

Miyano Michiichi's plan can be described as ruthless and vicious, with every move aimed at winning hearts and minds.

Okamura Neiji smiled with satisfaction after hearing this.

He walked to the map and carefully examined Pang Bingxun's defense zone and the surrounding troop deployments.

After a long while, he slowly nodded.

"Yoshi."

"Miyano-kun, your suggestion is excellent."

"Let's use this 'Eastern Lion' as a sacrificial offering for our new offensive!"

He turned around abruptly, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Order!"

"The 9th Division, in conjunction with the 7th Independent Mixed Brigade, shall immediately and secretly assemble in Pang Bingxun's defense zone!"

"I'm giving you five days to prepare!"

"Five days from now, I demand that you launch a full-scale attack with overwhelming force!"

"The code name for this operation will be—'Lion Hunt' (狮狩り)!"

All the Japanese officers present bowed their heads in unison and respectfully replied, "Yes, sir!" (End of Chapter)