Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Handan Frontline, North China Joint Command.

When the 40th Army sent a report that "the traitor Sun Dianying has been successfully captured, and the puppet division commanders Yang Keyou and Zhang Xike have been killed in the chaos of battle."

An uncontrollable cheer erupted throughout the command center.

"Good! Well played!"

"These traitorous dogs who have forgotten their ancestors deserve this fate!"

The staff officers were overjoyed, their nerves, which had been on edge for days, were finally relaxed.

At that moment, I felt extremely relaxed.

In the operations conference room, Chu Yunfei and several core generals were also invigorated.

"Lord Yun".

Zhang Dayun's cigarette had long since gone out, but he forgot to throw it away. Looking at the telegram, he couldn't contain his excitement: "That fickle scoundrel Sun Dianying, from issuing a nationwide telegram denouncing him to capturing him alive, it took less than a month. This battle was truly inspiring!"

"I believe that the destruction of Sun Dianying was no less significant than our defeat of a Japanese division on the main battlefield!"

"This will be a devastating blow to the morale and psychology of the Japanese-affiliated army units that are still observing or have even defected to the Japanese!"

As he spoke, Zhang Dayun turned to look at Chu Yunfei and asked, "Lord Yun, this matter has a huge impact."

"Should we immediately report this victory to the General Staff?"

Chu Yunfei nodded, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, which disappeared without a trace a moment later.

"Of course we should report it."

"but."

Chu Yunfei added earnestly, "While informing the General Headquarters, this message should also be sent in the name of the Command Headquarters to the First, Second, Fifth, and Eighth War Zones, so that all the officers are aware of this matter."

"in addition."

Chu Yunfei looked at Zhao Pengcheng beside him: "Pengcheng, you immediately arrange for the military press corps to write a news article about this matter as quickly as possible, add photos, and publish it in newspapers across the country!"

"We must make sure that all the people across the country know as soon as possible that we have captured Sun Dianying, that traitorous dog."

This arrangement left Zhang Dayun somewhat puzzled.

In his view, such a great achievement should be reported directly to the Chairman, and the combat troops could just wait to receive their reward.

Why go through all that trouble to notify other war zones?

They even want to make it known "to the whole country"?
Isn't this a bit too troublesome?

Chu Yunfei seemed to have seen through his thoughts.

He gestured for Zhang Dayun to sit down.

Then Chu Yunfei slowly revealed the worries deep in his heart.

"Da Yun".

"Lord Yun".

Chu Yunfei's voice turned low and serious: "You don't think that capturing Sun Dianying is the end of the matter, do you?"

Zhang Dayun was puzzled, his eyes filled with doubt.

The suspects have been apprehended; the next step is to execute them after the trial.

Is there any room for maneuver in this matter?

Once the news gets out, these traitors and puppet troops should all be aware of it.

Chu Yunfei sighed and said, word by word, "I'm worried that the Chairman will choose to let Sun Dianying go."

"what?"

This conjecture left everyone present in disbelief.

"Isn't this possible?"

Zhang Dayun was the first to speak: "Sun Dianying is a notorious traitor who betrayed his country and surrendered to the enemy. The evidence is conclusive, and the whole nation should condemn him. How could Chairman Chiang Kai-shek possibly let him go?"

Chu Yunfei gave a wry smile and shook his head: "You guys are still underestimating the Chairman."

"You should know the full name of the newly formed Fifth Army and what position Sun Dianying held, right?"

Zhang Dayun nodded slowly: "The newly formed Fifth Army of the Peaceful National Construction Army, the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Henan 'Communist Suppression' Army?"

Chu Yunfei nodded and continued, "In the Chairman's mind, 'traitors' are sometimes not as terrible as 'internal troubles'."

“Sun Dianying still had more than 20,000 surrendered soldiers under his command.”

“In the Chairman’s view, these people are forces that can be ‘influenced’ and ‘co-opted’.”

"Instead of scattering them, it's better to keep Sun Dianying, this 'lackey,' so that he can continue to watch over this group for us."

"As for the specific purpose of this unit, you should be familiar with it: it is specifically used to create friction."

His words enlightened everyone present.

They finally understood why Chu Yunfei had made such a big fuss.

Chu Yunfei wanted to use public opinion and the attitudes of other war zone generals to create a huge and irreversible "public opinion" and "military morale".

Did the puppet army restore order?

Yes, provided it's during peacetime.

Once on the battlefield, even after losing, they still want to set things right.

There are no doors.

"But what would happen to these surrendered puppet troops if Sun Dianying hadn't offered them amnesty?"

"As for those surrendered soldiers..."

A more far-sighted vision gleamed in Chu Yunfei's eyes: "Arrange for people to conduct rigorous screening and investigation of them."

"Among them, the most heinous traitors who have aroused great public indignation will all be handed over to the military court for severe punishment without exception!"

"And those were just ordinary soldiers who were caught up in the chaos and whose crimes were relatively minor."

Chu Yunfei paused, his voice tinged with helplessness: "I will give them a chance to atone for their sins."

"I will break them up and integrate them into various supplementary units that are undergoing retraining, so that they can receive further education and training."

"It's true that soldiers get fed, but it depends on whose food they get. Can you eat the food given to the Japanese devils?"

"I want them to know what military honor is and what national righteousness is."

Historically, these puppet troops had virtually no possibility of 'defection on the battlefield'.

They have absolutely no sense of honor.

There are only those who surrender after defeat and become puppet troops again; I've never heard of any unit turning against its own side on the battlefield.

Unlike during the Liberation War, when there were many KMT veterans who turned against their own side on the battlefield.

Especially the Central Plains battlefield.

"Lord Yun, do you mean we can train and cultivate them as new recruits with some basic skills?"

"Then let them join the field troops and use the blood of the Japanese to wash away their own stains?"

Chu Yunfei nodded slowly: "That's right. If these people are given a second chance, the vast majority of them will cherish it, because they are ordinary soldiers who never had the opportunity to choose whether or not to become traitors."

In less than a month, from the Nationalist army to traitors to prisoners of war, even those who wanted to break away from the ranks and escape were captured.

They didn't have many opportunities or much time.

With manpower shortages at present, extraordinary measures are needed in extraordinary times.

Having said this.

Chu Yunfei then changed the subject to another matter: "By the way..."

"How many Japanese prisoners were captured this time?"

A staff officer immediately reported, "Sir, you know the habits of our Flying Tigers unit."

"So you mean there weren't any prisoners?"

Staff Officer Zhao nodded slowly: "Yes, but other units reported capturing quite a few Japanese prisoners, totaling more than a hundred."

Chu Yunfei nodded: "Very good. According to our old rules, register all these people, separate and screen them, and properly resettle them. Those without any skills will be sent directly to the mining areas in Shanxi for labor reform."

A cold smile curled at the corner of Chu Yunfei's lips: "Tell them that this is an 'honor' bestowed upon them by His Majesty the Heavenly Locust."

"Let them atone for the war crimes they committed in China with their own sweat and blood."

"if."

"They can still work for 20 years and survive, even with 12 hours of intense work every day."

"Then I, Chu Yunfei, will be magnanimous and let them off the hook, giving them a quick death."

A merciful general cannot command an army; being kind to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.

Chu Yunfei implemented this principle more thoroughly than anyone else.

After these Japanese devils were sent to Shanxi.

The heads of each mine will fund the auction.

On average, a Japanese soldier earned about two thousand Japanese currency, but for these capitalists...

In a time when the buying and selling of people is prohibited, as long as these Japanese devils don't die, they will certainly be able to produce labor value far exceeding two thousand national currency.

To put it another way, if one could survive for twenty years under the exploitation of capitalists during the Republic of China era...

Chu Yunfei would absolutely not dare to let this little Japanese devil go.

This bastard is incredibly resilient; who knows what he might do next?
-

Meanwhile, in the mountain city, in the headquarters conference room.

A high-level internal meeting concerning the fate of Sun Dianying is underway.

Chang Ruiyuan sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm and revealing no emotion. However, the heavy atmosphere in the conference room showed that the supreme leader's inner world was not as calm as he appeared on the surface.

Army Commander-in-Chief He Jingzhi was the first to express his views.

His views were full of pragmatic political considerations: "Chairman, Sun Dianying is a man who is extremely wicked and fickle."

"But he still has an army of more than 20,000 men under his command."

“Although these people are a mob, they can be transformed into a force for our resistance against Japan.”

“I think we might as well adopt a strategy of ‘appeasement’ towards him.”

“As long as he is truly committed to turning over a new leaf, we can temporarily retain his unit number and let him atone for his crimes through meritorious service.”

"In this way, we can not only incorporate an army without bloodshed, but also achieve the effect of spending a fortune to acquire a horse's bones."

"We can use this to send a signal to all the locust-fighting forces that are still hesitating and watching."

"As long as they realize their mistakes and turn back, the Party and the State will give them a way out. This will have an immeasurable effect on shaking the very foundation of the Locust Army's existence."

"If we reject his attempt to correct the wrongs and leave these collaborators without hope, then we will be facing a group of enemies who are more afraid of Japan's defeat than the Japanese themselves."

He Yingqin's words were very reasonable and well-reasoned.

"Strive for the majority and crack down on the minority."

This is a common tactic used in political struggles.

Xu Cichen, the Minister of the General Staff, nodded noncommittally, indicating his support for all of the Chairman's decisions.

however.

Zhang Zhizhong, the political chief who usually presents himself as a peacemaker, surprisingly disagreed with He Jingzhi this time: "I cannot agree with what Chief He said."

Chen Cixiu was startled, but remained outwardly calm.

Before he could even speak, someone had already spoken up for him.

Zhang Wenbai's voice remained gentle, but his attitude was exceptionally resolute.

"I believe that Sun Dianying must not be allowed to live!"

Zhang Wenbai stood up and looked intently at Chang Ruiyuan: "First of all, Chief Advisor Chu Yunfei has already issued a nationwide telegram in the name of the North China Joint Command, denouncing his crime of treason."

Today, the people across the country are outraged, and all major war zones are responding in kind.

If we were to turn around and try to "appease" him at this time, where would that leave the prestige of the central government?
Where does this leave the dignity of Chu's chief advisor and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in North China?

"Secondly."

Zhang Wenbai's tone became even more serious, "Those so-called 'co-opted soldiers,' from the moment they put on their 'co-opted' uniforms and began working for the Japanese, they became enemies of the nation and the people!"

"What we need from the enemy is not to 'win them over,' but to completely annihilate them!"

"We are no longer the impoverished and weak China we were at the beginning of the War of Resistance! We have proven our strength to the world with a series of brilliant victories in North China and on the subcontinent!"

"We have enough power to use our own fists to shatter these insidious wounds!"

"Chairman, I believe there is absolutely no need to try to win over these faithless opportunists!"

Zhang Zhizhong's words were resounding and righteous.

Even Chen Cixiu, who had always disagreed with him on political matters, couldn't help but cast an approving glance at him.

A brief silence fell over the meeting room.

Chang Ruiyuan listened quietly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

He too was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

On the one hand, he felt genuinely gratified by the strength of the National Revolutionary Army.

The great victory at Pyinmana, and the counter-offensive in Handan.

This allowed him to stand tall in recent international diplomacy, and both Churchill and Stalin had to show him more respect and courtesy when they spoke with him.

This feeling was incredibly pleasurable for him.

On the other hand, the rapid development of the Nationalist army in North China, especially the troops influenced by Chu Yunfei, made him feel uneasy.

After all, politics is about people.

So many people were not placed in key positions.

It's impossible for Chang Ruiyuan not to panic.

Although he always said that after the revolution was victorious, he would retire from the military and return to his hometown of Fenghua to study and write.

But deep down, he truly couldn't let go of the supreme power he held.

He is very clear.

He Yingqin's "pacification" strategy was actually more "profitable" politically.

but.

Once adopted, it will inevitably lead to a direct conflict with young military leaders like Chu Yunfei.

The morale of the troops will also be affected.

He could not and dared not allow the vast majority of generals to have opinions against him at this time.

In fact, throughout Chang Ruiyuan's life, his greatest strengths lay in "forbearance" and "balance." He knew this.

It's far too early to confront Chu Yunfei.

Before the group could reach a final decision...

The office door creaked open.

Zhu Peiji, the chief attendant, rushed in excitedly, even ecstatically, without even knocking.

"Reporting to the Chairman!"

His voice was distorted with excitement.

Chang Ruiyuan frowned, about to reprimand him.

The next second, he saw Zhu Peiji, who was desperately trying to wink at him.

A thought struck him, and he waved his hand at the crowd: "You all, continue your discussion."

then.

He gestured for Zhu Peiji to come to his side.

Zhu Peiji strode forward, lowered his voice, and leaned close to Chang Ruiyuan's ear, quickly reporting a piece of news that made his heart almost stop beating, in a volume that only the two of them could hear.

"Chairman, we have just received an urgent secret telegram from North China."

"The main force of the Japanese army disengaged from all lines last night, seemingly due to a rout caused by the fierce attack!"

"Sun Dianying was surrounded and annihilated, and 10,000 people were captured."

"Sun Dianying himself has been captured alive by Ma Fawu's 40th Army!"

"Our armies across North China are launching a full-scale pursuit with overwhelming force!"

"boom--!"

Chang Ruiyuan felt as if a bomb had been detonated in his mind.

He suddenly stood up from his chair.

The movement was so violent that it even knocked over the teacup behind him.

He grabbed Zhu Peiji's arm, stared intently at him, his eyes filled with unbelievable ecstasy.

"really?"

"Absolutely true!"

After getting a positive answer.

Chang Ruiyuan felt an immense, unparalleled joy erupt from his chest, like a volcano.

Don't blame him for losing his composure.

After all, this battle was fought in a very rushed manner.

Even Chu Yunfei, in his secret telegram to him, expressed that he was not confident of winning this battle.

Just do your best.

Both the First and Fifth Theater Commands are carrying out wartime readiness adjustments, which will inevitably affect the combat effectiveness of the troops.

In addition, many of these combat troops have not received a proper supply of weapons and ammunition for more than half a year.

In many places, military and civilian salaries were even more than three months in arrears.

The fact that such troops were still sent to the battlefield was purely due to the simple patriotism of the grassroots officers and soldiers of the National Revolutionary Army.

Instead of giving Chang Ruiyuan face.

Chang Ruiyuan was well aware of this.

This war has turned out like this.

It's probably mostly due to strong command skills and the soldiers' willingness to risk their lives.

Chang Ruiyuan released Zhu Peiji and paced back and forth, muttering repeatedly, "Good, good!"

All his previous worries and anxieties.

At this moment, everything was completely overwhelmed by this glorious victory!
Isn't winning a battle more important than anything else?
Sun Dianying has been captured alive?

What's the point of discussing that?!

"Chairman, what has happened!"

Chang Ruiyuan turned around abruptly, facing the ministers in the conference room who were still in shock and confusion. With a wave of his hand and in an unquestionable tone, he made the final decision: "No need to discuss this further!"

"The traitor Sun Dianying has betrayed his country and defected to the enemy. His crimes are heinous. He shall be executed in public by the North China Joint Command as a warning to others!"

"Give me the order!"

"A nationwide telegram! Commendation to all soldiers in North China!"

A fierce flame burned in Chang Ruiyuan's eyes: "Well fought!"

A debate that could have triggered a huge political upheaval.

And so, with an absolute military victory, the dust settled.

Having won all the battles, the newly formed Fifth Army of the Wang Jingwei regime has been defeated, annihilated, and even captured more than 10,000 people.

What's the point of continuing the discussion then?

They're just worthless objects; they're not worth wasting too much of the time of these important figures.

At Chang Ruiyuan's prompting, Zhu Peiji slowly recounted this great victory.

Although everyone was shocked, they subconsciously felt that this seemed to make sense.

However, another equally thorny problem then presented itself to the General Staff.

"Chairman."

Minister of Military Affairs Chen Cixiu, looking at Chang Ruiyuan who had just calmed down, raised a new issue at the opportune moment: "What should be done with the more than 10,000 prisoners of war under Sun Dianying?"

This issue is equally sensitive.

More than 10,000, although they were puppet troops.

But after all, they were young men who had received some military training.

In this era of extreme manpower shortage, this is a considerable "asset".

Chen Cixiu was appointed as the newly appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the South China Joint Command.

Naturally, they wanted to secure some "benefits" for their new territory.

"Chairman."

Seeing that Chang Ruiyuan was looking at him, he immediately suggested, "Currently, the Third, Sixth, Fourth, and Ninth War Zones under the jurisdiction of our South China Joint Command have suffered heavy casualties in previous battles, and manpower has been in short supply."

"Many units are short by more than half. Do you think it's possible to send these 10,000-plus captured soldiers to Hubei and hand them over to the various war zones for replenishment?"

In order to increase the persuasiveness of their proposal.

Chen Cixiu added a reason: "Moreover, most of these soldiers are from the north. Transferring them to the south, which is called 'using northerners in the south,' will not only prevent them from running away back to their hometowns, but also make it easier for us to manage and reform them in a unified manner."

have to say.

Chen Cixiu's proposal was made from the perspective of the South China Joint Command.

All of these seem reasonable and beyond reproach.

Chang Ruiyuan was quite tempted after hearing this.

He naturally hoped to add this fresh force to the South China theater, which he could directly control, rather than leaving it in Chu Yunfei's already "excessively" strong North China theater.

However, he did not immediately express his opinion.

No matter how reasonable it may seem, it is still based on the position of the South China Joint Command.

The most crucial point is one that Chen Cixiu deliberately omitted.

These were prisoners of war, captured on the battlefield in North China.

To put it bluntly, this battle had absolutely nothing to do with the South China Joint Command.

Even if it was a support operation, it was a support operation of the Fifth Theater Command and had nothing to do with South China.

"Um"

Chang Ruiyuan pondered for a moment and made a seemingly "fair" decision: "Ci Xiu's suggestion is certainly acceptable. However, we should also listen to Yun Fei's opinion from the front lines."

"Immediately send a telegram to Yunfei to ask for his opinion on this matter."

……

noon the next day.

When Chu Yunfei saw the telegram from Shancheng seeking opinions, a knowing, cold smile crept onto his lips.

From the moment the South China Joint Command was established, Chu Yunfei knew that the Chairman was once again playing his old tricks of "balancing" and "checks and balances" with him.

Fang Ligong, standing to the side, frowned deeply: "General Yun, hasn't Chief of Staff Chen gone a bit too far?"

Chu Yunfei chuckled lightly: "The more polite he is to us, the more dangerous it is for us. But he has no chance of taking the spoils from us."

Chu Yunfei immediately picked up the pen beside him and personally drafted a reply telegram.

Use a method that combines reasoning with emotion.

She politely but firmly rejected Chen Cixiu's "kind offer".

In the telegram, Chu Yunfei first reported to the Chairman his detailed plan, which he had prepared in advance, on how to "re-educate," "re-train," and "replenish" these captured soldiers.

Its core idea.

These people, though they served as puppet troops, are still our compatriots in essence.

Moreover, they had been a puppet army for less than a month, so they had virtually no time to commit atrocities.

They cannot simply be treated as ordinary prisoners of war.

We must not treat them as cannon fodder to be sacrificed at any time.

We should give them a chance to atone for their sins, a chance to start anew, and a chance to serve their country loyally.

These words, spoken in a grand and righteous manner, occupy the moral high ground.

It leaves no suitable reason for anyone who wants to refute it.

Immediately afterwards, Chu Yunfei changed the subject and began to complain about being poor.

In the latter part of the telegram, he gave a detailed "report" to the Chairman in an extremely somber tone.

In this Handan-Anqing Campaign, the troops in North China suffered heavy casualties.

"...In this battle, Ma Fawu's troops defended Anyang and fought to the death for their country, suffering over 8,000 casualties, some of whom were seriously injured..."

"...Chi Fengcheng's troops, fighting alongside the Eastern Expeditionary Column, also suffered a tremendous loss of nearly six thousand men..."

"The North China Joint Command's directly subordinate Eastern Expeditionary Column suffered over 8,600 casualties, with 6,700 killed."

"...Although Chen Changjie's unit was a reserve force, it engaged in several fierce battles with the 5th Division during the pursuit. As of now, reports indicate that over a thousand casualties have been received..."

Of course, these numbers.

In order to achieve his goal, Chu Yunfei "artistically" exaggerated some things.

For example, the actual number of casualties in Ma Fawu's troops was less than 5,000, and the total number of casualties in the Eastern Expeditionary Column was less than 4,000.

But, that's not important.

The important thing is the core message he conveyed.

The combat units in North China were also severely weakened in this battle and urgently needed replenishment!

At the end of the telegram, Chu Yunfei made a "request" to the Chairman in a "pleading" tone that he simply could not refuse.

"Chairman, the soldiers of the above-mentioned units sacrificed their lives for the country. Their loyalty is commendable and their feelings are pitiful. However, since most of the units are collateral branches, it has always been difficult to provide for their families."

"Yunfei, I earnestly request that the Chairman grant a special sum of compensation to comfort the loyal souls and reassure the morale of the troops."

At the end of the telegram, Chu Yunfei thoughtfully wrote down the estimated compensation amount: over 89 million yuan in national currency.
Upon seeing this, Chang Ruiyuan, far away in the mountain city, felt a dull ache in his temples again.

He knew that Chu Yunfei was putting him in a difficult position!
Ask him to allocate the money?

Where there is money, inflation in the mountain city is becoming uncontrollable, and the Nationalist government is so poor that it has started killing officials.

With two of the three major taxes gone, the nation's strength was depleted and its people exhausted.

Where did Chang Ruiyuan get the money?
Even if you have money.

This "leader" of the Nationalist government would never allocate money to these "ragtag troops" that he wanted to suppress anyway.

Just as Chang Ruiyuan had predicted.

He was just struggling with how to refuse Chu Yunfei's "compensation request".

Chu Yunfei's next telegram arrived shortly afterward.

The content was also about "sharing the Chairman's burdens." He first apologized, saying that he was reckless and hadn't thought much about it or intended to share the Chairman's burdens.

Yunfei knew all too well that the national treasury was in dire straits and that the Chairman's position was not easy.

"If the central government has any difficulties in providing relief, Yunfei is willing to find a solution in North China on his own."

"I humbly request that the Chairman hand over the more than 10,000 surrendered soldiers under Sun Dianying to the North China authorities for unified handling."

"Yunfei, we must transform them into a powerful anti-Japanese force to make up for the losses of other units."

"In this way, we can solve the problem of replenishing troops and also save the national treasury a lot of money. It's a win-win situation, and I hope the Chairman will approve it."

Seeing this, Chang Ruiyuan was completely speechless.

What else could he say?
The North China Joint Command even paved all the steps for him and said all the words for him.

If he insists on transferring those 10,000-plus captured soldiers to South China...

Then he would have to pay compensation and solve the problem of soldiers in North China.

In addition, there was also the concern about whether the Japanese army could withstand a counterattack in North China.

"Ugh"

Chang Ruiyuan put down the telegram and waved wearily at Chen Cixiu, who was still full of expectation beside him.

"Cixiu, you see, Yunfei is still facing quite a bit of difficulty."

Chen Cixiu was about to say something when Chang Ruiyuan waved his hand to interrupt him.

He paused, as if making up his mind.

Finally, Chang Ruiyuan had no choice but to make the final decision: "Let them handle it themselves."

"But Chairman..."

"I understand what you mean, Cixiu. Leave it to me, you can lead the troops with peace of mind."

"Yes, Chairman." (End of Chapter)