Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

"Lord Yun".

Fang Ligong looked at the temporarily stabilized battle line on the map and frowned, asking, "Since we can't advance any further for the time being, does the Mountain City side have any guidance on our next steps?"

Chu Yunfei leaned back in his chair, a helpless wry smile on his face: "Guidance? Of course."

He picked up a telegram that had just been sent from Shancheng and handed it to Fang Ligong.

"See for yourself. Commanders Chen, He, and Xu, including Commander Bai, and even the Chairman himself."

"Their views are highly consistent."

Fang Ligong took the telegram and saw eight large characters written on it.

"Maintain the status quo and wait for the times to change."

"Waiting for a time change?" Fang Ligong asked, puzzled. "Waiting for what time change?"

"Wait."

A hint of sarcasm flashed in Chu Yunfei's eyes: "Wait until the Guadalcanal campaign is over, and until the Americans make decisive progress in the Pacific."

It is clear.

In response to Stilwell's tough stance and Chu Yunfei's advice.

Chang Ruiyuan neither resisted to the end nor argued his case logically.

He chose not to cooperate, chose to give up, and chose to deal with the problem passively.

Chu Yunfei stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the vast sky outside. His voice was filled with deep worry: "Brother Ligong, can you see that?"

"This is the current situation we are facing, and the officials in Chongqing still cannot reflect on their own actions."

"Have they placed their hopes for victory on others?"

"Whether it was relying on Western aid, Soviet aid, or hoping for Soviet or American military intervention."

"This is unacceptable in the first place."

"All aid comes at a price."

"Once we show even the slightest sign of 'passive resistance' on the battlefield."

"Then, those so-called 'allies' will immediately turn their backs on us!"

"At that time, it's possible that they'll cut off our aid, or even put our ancient country on the dinner table after the war!"

"We must and can only rely on ourselves!"

These words struck Fang Ligong and the others deeply, and they agreed wholeheartedly.

Fang Ligong put away the telegram and took out another document from his briefcase, his expression becoming even more solemn: "Lord Yun."

Fang Ligong handed the document to Chu Yunfei, saying, "Take another look at this."

"This is a batch of Japanese propaganda brochures that we recently seized in Hebei, Henan and other places."

"That old fox Okamura Neiji couldn't beat us on the front lines, so he started playing dirty tricks on us from behind."

Chu Yunfei took the document and began to look through it.

Tucked inside the documents were several crudely printed but richly illustrated booklets.

The content is simple and easy to understand, yet highly persuasive.

One of the books depicts a sallow-faced, emaciated Nationalist soldier staring longingly at several bloated officers indulging in debauchery.

The caption reads: "The front lines are in dire straits, while the rear feasts! Your blood and sweat have become their delicacies!"

The other book features a caricature of Chu Yunfei, dressed in a magnificent general's uniform.

Behind them stood the enormous figures of Stalin and Roosevelt, like two puppeteers.

The caption reads: "The so-called 'God of War in the War of Resistance Against Japan' is nothing but a lackey of Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union!"

Fang Ligong said with deep concern, "According to the investigation by the Inspectorate, this kind of thinking has taken root in many newly liberated areas."

"In addition, we did fail to pay military salaries on time some time ago, and the morale of many units, especially those brother units, was very low."

Chu Yunfei didn't speak; he simply flipped through the booklets quietly.

The propaganda offensive is just a bunch of pointless tricks.

They claimed that Chang Ruiyuan was an emperor and was running a dictatorial regime.

They said that Chang Ruiyuan embezzled millions of Nationalist army funds and deposited the money in an American bank.

Even during the Battle of Xuzhou, the Japanese propaganda offensive had already portrayed Chang Ruiyuan as a national leader who had escaped on a special plane.

While the Nationalist army officers disregarded these inflammatory words, the soldiers and civilians below thought otherwise.
When they couldn't get their money, they genuinely suspected that their military pay had been embezzled by Chang Ruiyuan and other high-ranking K-group officials.

Chu Yunfei's consciousness once again sank into the "three-dimensional combat map".

On the map, the blue unit tags representing our own troops have indeed shown varying degrees of decline in their organization stats.

Many combat units have barely maintained an organization rate between 50% and 65%.

Even those loyal troops he once trusted the most.

The morale of the troops was also affected to some extent.

Okamura Yasuji's tactic of "psychological warfare" indeed struck at their weak point.

In terms of public opinion and propaganda, they have not done nearly enough.

Their propaganda was still stuck on grand slogans like "defend the homeland" and "down with Japanese imperialism."

However, they neglected to go deep into the grassroots, to care about the most genuine thoughts and confusions of every soldier and every civilian.

After years of indoctrination by the Japanese puppet regime, many ordinary people have even come to believe the Japanese's so-called "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" nonsense.

This is quite disadvantageous for their upcoming operations.

"Brother Ligong."

Chu Yunfei put down the brochure in his hand, a resolute glint in his eyes: "This incident has served as a wake-up call for us."

"War is not just about fighting on the battlefield, but also about winning hearts and minds."

"We must immediately establish our own, and even stronger, public opinion front in the liberated areas!"

Qian Bojun and the others also strongly agreed: "That's right, we can't let those sons of bitches of Japanese devils take control of the discourse."

"We should think of ways to balance the relationship between the military and the local authorities. Many of our colleagues have messed up the relationship between the two sides. It's true that they are the military, but they are more like bandits. How can this be allowed?"

Chu Yunfei walked to the map and was anxiously thinking of a solution.

“In Shanxi and Shaanxi, we are currently implementing a ‘grain-based’ system. In theory, this year’s tax revenue should be quite sufficient. However, the shortage of various resources in the rear, coupled with the devaluation of the legal tender, has led to this situation.”

It has already begun to have a comprehensive impact on our North China region.

As a result, many supplies in Shanxi Province became scarce.

If this continues, the people's hearts will surely be in turmoil.

We need to let the people see hope for victory in the war, and while they see this hope, we must also let them have expectations for life.

The war was won.

Basically, the more they fight, the poorer they become.

Throughout world history, there has never been a country that became richer while fighting such a devastating war.

During local wars, economic conditions often experience a brief period of prosperity, which is due to the expansion of military production capacity or the presence of financial support from third countries.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Yunfei turned to Fang Ligong and the others, and issued a series of orders in an unquestionable tone.

"First, I am determined to learn from the Soviet Union's wartime experience and promote the system of requisitioning surplus grain, collecting all surplus grain while each household retains basic rations and seeds."

"Second, adopt a centralized distribution system to centrally distribute the corresponding production and living resources in each village and town to strengthen the connection with the people."

"Third, we should contact Yan'an and send people there to learn from their experience and study their battlefield propaganda teams. Our previous shadow puppet show tour was very good, and this experience is worth promoting. The students at Changzhi Art School have been studying for several years, and it's time for them to contribute their own strength."

"Brother Ligong, didn't Commander Yan spend a lot of money to get some kind of movie projection equipment before?"

Fang Ligong paused for a moment, then slowly nodded: "I heard from the Chief of Staff that Commander Yan wanted to look at some foreign gadgets when he had nothing to do."

"Tell Commander Yan to stop looking at this. Borrow it and set up a battlefield film projection team so the brothers can relax."

"And now that we have cameras, let's try to buy some."

"Your Excellency... what is this?" Qian Bojun and the others were greatly puzzled: "This thing must be quite expensive, right? I heard reporters mention it before."

"It's expensive, but we want to make our own movies, to make our own heroes!"

"Old Bian is actually quite suitable for publicity, but his studies in Hengyang are not over yet, and I don't know when he will come back."

Chu Yunfei sent many people to this class of Army General Officers.

Zhuo Tianyu will be in the next episode.

Just to clarify, this "Army General Officer Class" is not the same as the "Lu" in "Huang, Zhe, Lu, Yi" (referring to the four major military academies in China). It simply means that various local factions went to the Army University for further studies, and Chang Ruiyuan would not consider this as a qualification.

"We should not only film the officers, but also the ordinary soldiers who truly sacrificed for their country on the battlefield!"

"Ideally, the battlefield should be recorded in real time. Didn't an American journalist film the Battle of Taierzhuang before?"

"We must do everything we can to let the stories of these heroes reach every newly liberated town and even the largest villages!"

"Let all the people see who the true backbone of this country is!"

"Great! I'm sure a lot of people will be interested in seeing this novel thing."

"If the opportunity arises, we might be able to make a large-scale purchase. The officers and soldiers in the army do need some recreational activities after long periods of combat."

"Of course, we cannot be confined to new forms of publicity; traditional print media also need to keep up."

“Special personnel were dispatched to establish corresponding newspapers and to conduct war propaganda. In addition, all negative news about the country and the army was published with caution.”

"Lastly, and most importantly."

Chu Yunfei's voice became extremely solemn: "Establish the 'North China Military-Civilian Relations Coordination Office'!"

"Starting today, the North China Joint Command will station 'military-civilian coordinators' in each of its locations."

"Their mission is to resolve any potential conflicts and disputes between soldiers and civilians!"

"We want the people to know that the current National Revolutionary Army is no different from any warlord army in the past!"

"We are the armed forces of the nation, the military force of the people, and the people's own army."

"We must not only defend the country, but also protect the peaceful lives of every ordinary citizen."

"At the same time, we must also publicize the relevant conscription policies, implement the household registration management system, and ensure that all eligible young people register for military service so that they can be recruited into the army later."

Fang Ligong nodded secretly.

The surplus grain requisition system maximizes the current war potential of North China and improves problems such as arrears in military pay.

If the rationing system is implemented reasonably and properly, it can make the most of all available resources.

As for the subsequent series of propaganda policies, they can more effectively counter Japan's "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" propaganda, allowing the people to unite more closely with the forces of justice.

After the meeting, Qian Bojun and others were the first to return to their posts.

When no one was around, Fang Ligong approached Chu Yunfei and advised, "Lord Yun, shouldn't we reconsider the policy of requisitioning surplus grain before promoting it?"

“Brother Ligong, I understand your concerns, but these are extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures. If we hesitate and are timid, how are we any different from those gentlemen of the mountain city?”

Chu Yunfei patted Fang Ligong on the shoulder, as if admonishing him and encouraging him: "Brother Ligong, we are young people and we cannot be burdened by the deep-seated problems within the K Party. If we want to do something for the country and the people, we must 'go beyond the bounds'."

"Therefore, even if it attracts some controversy, it doesn't matter."

"What you say is absolutely right, Master Yun."

Thinking of this, Chu Yunfei joked, "As long as I don't go to the meeting in Shancheng, what methods can the officials there use against me? I'm not Han Fuqu!"

The two exchanged a smile and walked out of the conference room.

Upon hearing the news that the meeting had ended, Zhao Pengcheng waited outside even earlier.

Seeing Chu Yunfei stride over, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Master Yun, the press conference has concluded successfully. As you instructed, I have made a bold statement on your behalf, mocking Okamura Yasuji as nothing more than a long-distance runner."

Chu Yunfei smiled and nodded: "Make the arrangements. We'll head back to Wutai tomorrow to meet with Commander Yan."

"Yes!"
-

The car moved slowly along the rugged mountain road.

Outside the window, the majestic yet desolate autumn scenery of Mount Wutai unfolds, with layers of forests ablaze with color, and the mountains ablaze with crimson. However...

The temperature in Wutai Mountain was very low in autumn, so low that Chu Yunfei had to wrap himself in a military overcoat.

Chu Yunfei leaned back in the back seat and closed his eyes to rest.

There was not a trace of leisure or inclination to appreciate the scenery in my heart.

"Lord Yun, we're almost there..."

"Um"

……

Xiantong Temple, Abbot's Zen Monastery.

It's still that elegant meditation room, and still that ancient Bodhi tree.

Yan Xishan, dressed in simple cloth, sat cross-legged on a futon, slowly brewing a pot of tea.

His face held a detached calm, as if he had truly seen through the illusions of the world and was no longer concerned with worldly affairs.

When Chu Yunfei, dressed in military uniform, carrying the dust of battle and a fierce aura, entered this Zen temple.

These two completely different temperaments create a wonderful and harmonious contrast.

"Yunfei, you're here."

Yan Xishan opened his eyes, gave him a gentle smile, and beckoned, "Come, sit down and try my newly brewed tea."

Chu Yunfei gave a standard military salute, and then, as instructed, sat down cross-legged opposite Yan Xishan.

There was no excessive small talk, nor any deliberate flattery.

The two sat quietly facing each other, like chess friends who were of different ages.

Yan Xishan poured him a cup of tea.

The tea has a refreshing aroma with a hint of wild sweetness.

"I've thought about what happened down the mountain very carefully."

Yan Xishan slowly spoke, breaking the silence: "You did very well."

"Although we always say that we should be in sync with the mountain city, the mountain city's so-called waiting for the situation to change is essentially a passive war."

I believe that Chang Ruiyuan's plan was to preserve his strength for a civil war after the war.

However, the collapse of the Nationalist government's finances is also a fact, and you need to be mindful of this, as Chongqing is very likely to reduce its aid shipments.

Chu Yunfei nodded: "I have such concerns, which is why I came to visit Lord Yan."

"Just as you said, Yunfei, none of the aid provided by these foreigners is truly selfless and free."

If we fail to recognize their wolfish ambitions and their sole purpose of seizing power, we could very well plunge the country back into the era of warlordism.

Chu Yunfei calmly took a sip of tea: "Lord Yan, people can make mistakes, but they cannot refuse to correct them."

Yan Xishan looked at him, a complex expression flashing in his cloudy eyes.

There was appreciation, relief, and also a touch of indescribable regret.

"Ugh"

Old Yan sighed deeply, as if to release all the pent-up frustration in his chest: "Seeing you like this, I was just thinking..."

"If only we old guys could have been like you back then, with less selfishness and more public spirit."

"Perhaps, our country wouldn't have ended up like this today."

His voice carried a deep, unforgettable regret.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei's heart stirred. He realized that the old man in front of him wanted to tell him more than just sentiments.

as predicted.

After Yan Xishan put down his teacup.

His gaze also began to drift into the distance, as if he were recalling a past he did not want to be touched upon.

"Yunfei".

Yan Laoxi slowly began to speak: "Everyone says that on September 18th, it was that brat Zhang Hanqing who didn't fire a single shot and lost the three northeastern provinces, making him a sinner for all time."

"Yes, he is guilty."

"but."

Yan Xishan's voice became low and hoarse: "It was not only the authorities, not only Zhang Hanqing and Chang Ruiyuan, but also us who truly pushed Northeast China into the arms of the Japanese."

"Yan Baichuan! Wang Zhaoming! And Li Delin, Feng Yuxiang, and Chen Jitang."

"It is we, the criminals who disregarded the nation and its people in our struggle for power and profit with Chang Ruiyuan!"

Chu Yunfei's heart sank. He knew that Yan Xishan was about to uncover the darkest corner of the "Central Plains War" and the "September 18 Incident".

This period of history is rarely mentioned in compulsory education; it is only briefly mentioned.

The September 18 Incident revealed the dirty and ugly aspects of the actions of all parties involved.

It can be said that everyone in the group is a villain, and it's impossible to look at them closely.

"then."

Yan Xishan's voice sounded like a dream: "We are unwilling to accept the defeat in the Central Plains War and intend to unite with the help of the Japanese to oppose Chang Ruiyuan's rule."

"They sent someone to find me a few months before the September 18 Incident."

"They told me."

Yan Xishan's voice began to tremble slightly: "In Guangzhou, Chen Jitang and his group have already sent representatives to Japan. They are willing to sell out the interests of Northeast China in exchange for Japan's so-called 'support and sympathy' for their 'anti-Chiang' cause!"

"They even set up a so-called 'Northern Military and Political Affairs Committee' in Tianjin to contact us through this channel!"

"Me back then."

Yan Xishan's face showed a pained expression: "He was blinded by power."

"I think this is our best chance to bring down Chang Ruiyuan."

"I judged at the time that as long as Zhang Hanqing's backyard in Northeast China was on fire, he would definitely send troops back to reinforce it."

"At that time, we will be able to take the opportunity to defeat the Northeast Army inside the Great Wall."

"None of us saw through the Japanese's blatantly obvious wolfish ambitions!"

"result."

Yan Laoxi closed his eyes in anguish: "As a result, Chang Ruiyuan's main force was tied down in the south, while the main force of the Northeast Army was all inside the Great Wall."

"And so we watched helplessly as the Japanese occupied our rich black soil without lifting a finger."

"Thirty million compatriots, almost overnight, became slaves of a conquered nation..."

At this point, the old man, who had spent his life navigating the political arena, could no longer hold back, and two streams of turbid tears silently slid down from the corners of his wrinkled eyes.

"I, Yan Baichuan, am a sinner in history," Yan Laoxi said, choking back tears. "I shouldn't have valued that little bit of power so much. I shouldn't have disregarded the nation and its people for the sake of power and profit."

"It is we who have caused such a disaster, resulting in the suffering of the people and the loss of our rights and the disgrace of our nation!"

Chu Yunfei listened quietly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Chang Ruiyuan, who kicked the Jin Army and the Northwest Army, punched the Guangxi and Guangdong cliques, and vigorously integrated the Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan cliques, was indeed much more capable than these warlords; otherwise, he would not have been able to achieve a formal unification.

However, during the September 18 Incident, the Nationalist government was already facing a serious fiscal deficit, and the floods in the Yangtze and Huai River basins further depleted one-sixth of its fiscal revenue.

Shi Yousan's anti-Chiang Kai-shek and anti-Zhang Yixin campaign tied down a significant portion of the Northeast Army's forces.

After gaining Japanese support, Chen Jitang in Guangzhou openly opposed Chiang Kai-shek. Subsequently, Wang Zhaoming's reorganization faction, which had conflicts with Chang Ruiyuan, the prince faction to which Sun Ke belonged, Li Delin's New Guangxi Clique, the veteran faction of Gu Yingfen and Xiao Fucheng, and Zou Lu's Xishan Conference faction all arrived in Guangzhou one after another. To elaborate further, Chen Jitang eventually became the de facto King of the South, and he was supported by the Japanese behind the scenes.

The same was true of the New Guangxi Clique; all of its pilots and military advisors were Japanese.

Of course, Feng Yuxiang's instigation of Shi Yousan to oppose Chiang Kai-shek and start the civil war was also a key part of it.

Among them were Northwest Army generals such as Han Fuqu, Zhang Zizhong, and Liu Ruming.

Also included were Jin army generals Yang Aiyuan, Sun Chu, and Shang Zhen.
This is why Feng Yuxiang later spoke so much about resisting Japan.

The fundamental reason why Chang Ruiyuan has never relinquished power.

Chang Ruiyuan was indeed rotten to the core, but this bunch of warlords were even worse and more incompetent.

They often carried the so-called "anti-Japanese" banner, but in reality they colluded with the Japanese.

From Chang Ruiyuan's perspective, before the September 18 Incident,
Chang Ruiyuan already knew that Japan had corresponding plans for invading China.

In July, he discussed with Zhang Xiaoliuzi whether to go to war with Japan. In the same month, Chang Ruiyuan continued to implement the erroneous policy of "pacifying the country before resisting foreign aggression" and mobilized 300,000 troops to encircle and suppress the Red Army.

The third encirclement and suppression operation was not progressing well, and by around August 6, the initiative had been lost.

Therefore, on August 16, Chang Ruiyuan further demanded that Zhang Xueliang not resist and avoid conflict.

In early September, the Red Army won its third counter-encirclement campaign. Chang Ruiyuan's main force was either fighting a civil war or on its way to one.

As for Yan Laoxi in front of Chu Yunfei.

A month before the September 18 Incident, he had already learned of the Japanese plan to invade Northeast China.

After that, he secretly returned to Datong, Shanxi, and then went back to his hometown, Hebian Village, to live in seclusion.

On September 18th, large swathes of territory were lost.

Under the overarching premise of uniting to resist humiliation.

Chang Ruiyuan's policy of prioritizing internal stability over external threats drew opposition from the entire nation.

Public pressure forced Chang Ruiyuan to make peace with the forces that opposed him. Seizing the opportunity, Yan Laoxi was reinstated the following year with the help of Xu Cichen and announced that he would follow Chang Ruiyuan.

since then.

At least on the surface, everything seemed harmonious, and Yan Xishan firmly supported the central government's policies.

Before the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, half of the powerful senior members of K-Corp had opposed Chang Ruiyuan.

In addition, there is internal corruption and a disparity in national strength.

The fact that we were able to hold out until the victory of the War of Resistance was largely thanks to the selfless and courageous martyrs who went before us one after another.

When one thinks of the current Chongqing command's so-called "waiting for the times to change," how is this short-sightedness and selfishness in preserving strength any different from that of the warlords of yesteryear?

He reached out and poured Yan Xishan another cup of tea. "Lord Yan."

Chu Yunfei spoke slowly, his voice carrying a maturity and comfort beyond his years: "What's past is past. Regret is futile, and continuing to regret it won't change anything."

"What we can do now is to take back everything we've lost with our own hands!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Xishan slowly raised his head.

He looked at the young man before him, at those eyes that burned with fierce flames, and in those cloudy eyes, a glimmer of hope rekindled.

He knew he was getting old, and that the young man before him, and the young elites he represented, were the hope for the future of this country.

Yan Laoxi nodded heavily and grasped Chu Yunfei's hand.

"it is good!"

"well said!"

"Yunfei".

His voice carried a solemn tone, as if entrusting a task to someone: "I, Yan Baichuan, admit that I lack the ability, and my physical and mental strength are no longer sufficient. I can only entrust this heavy responsibility of avenging our humiliation to you!"

"As long as I have a breath left."

"My old subordinates and I, along with the entire Shanxi province, will support you without reservation!"

"If you need money, I'll have someone raise it for you. If you need to arrange manpower, you don't need to talk to me."

"Now that we've decided to go all out, let's go all out and make it happen!"

"We must drive those damned Japanese out of China completely!"

"Yes!"

Chu Yunfei stood up and solemnly gave a standard military salute to the old man who had finally put aside all personal grudges and power: "Please rest assured, Commander Yan, Yunfei has come here to demonstrate his resolve." (End of Chapter)