Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 356 Going Home
"Do it yourself?"

The deputy chief of staff felt more frightened today than in the past few years.

Feeling a throbbing sensation in his temples, he raised his hand and gestured for him to stop.

"Commander Su, Brother Su, I'm begging you, can you please shut up for a while?"

Do you know how many casualties the 129th Division suffered in the past two weeks?

How many key veterans were lost in each unit? How many experienced veteran squad leaders and platoon leaders were lost? How many company and battalion-level units were decimated or scattered?
Brother Su, it's not that I don't want to fight, but the reality is what it is!

His voice carried a sense of helplessness: "Without at least six months to allow the troops to lick their wounds, replenish their ranks with new recruits, and rebuild their morale and fighting strength, we simply have no way to engage in large-scale battles with the Japanese."

"If we really have to face the elite Japanese troops, what will we use to fight?"

Besides, as you said, we're currently in a stalemate. Since it's a stalemate, we shouldn't be too proactive in trying to break the deadlock.

What we should do now is conserve our strength. It won't be too late to counterattack after the Japanese have been weakened to a certain extent. Don't you agree?

He paused briefly, softening his overly agitated tone, and glanced at the silent Division Commander Liu and Brigade Commander Chen.

"Besides, Commander Su, didn't you just quote 'On Protracted War'?"

"Stalemate phase! What is the essence of the stalemate phase?" He stared sharply at Su Yaoyang. "It's the dynamic balance of power between the enemy and ourselves! It's a war of attrition! It's the phase where we hold off the enemy, wear them down, and utilize the vast space behind enemy lines to build up our strength!"

The deputy chief of staff's words were agreed upon by Division Commander Liu and Brigade Commander Chen; the Eighth Route Army's current strength was still too weak.

This "weakness" does not refer to the number of people, but rather to the quality and combat effectiveness of the weapons, equipment, and troops.

War is not just about numbers; the most important factors are weaponry, the quality of the troops, and their fighting spirit.

Otherwise, if it were just a matter of numbers, the scandal of a Japanese battalion chasing a Nationalist division during the War of Resistance against Japan would not have occurred.

Although the 129th Division captured a large amount of weapons and equipment during the Battle of Taiyuan, it will take time to convert these things into combat power, which is why the deputy chief of staff just said those words.

But Pi Ruoyu was not happy and couldn't help but interject, "Sir, in my opinion, there is no truly static phase on the battlefield."

The so-called 'stalemate' means that we must take the initiative to hold on and maintain our hold.

Otherwise, the enemy will be locked in a stalemate, and we will be at a disadvantage.

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere inside the tent became tense.

Brigade Commander Chen said unhappily, "Chief of Staff Pi is mistaken. What we should do now is not to rush and recklessly break this strategic situation that is advantageous to us through attrition."

Instead, we must continue to grind the enemy down like a millstone, gradually depleting its manpower, equipment, and morale.

He emphasized his words, his gaze fixed on Su Yaoyang, "We must seize the time and desperately gather our strength."

To reorganize local government, mobilize the people, expand the armed forces, and develop production.

When most of the Japanese forces have been exhausted, and when their strength truly begins its irreversible decline, then…

At this point, he waved his hand forcefully:

"Then we can launch a thunderous counter-offensive and achieve victory in one fell swoop! Wouldn't that be a natural and efficient approach? Commander Su, we've been fighting this war for quite some time now, don't you think... that makes sense?"

Is there any merit to what Brigade Commander Chen said?
That's incredibly reasonable. It's well-organized, with a clear understanding of the relative strengths of both sides in reality, adherence to the strategic requirements of the theory of protracted war, and an implicit understanding of the objective laws governing the relative strengths of the enemy and ourselves.

After hearing this, even the deputy chief of staff and Division Commander Liu nodded repeatedly.

But Su Yaoyang had his own plans. He slowly shook his head and said, "Commander Chen, I admit that what you said makes a lot of sense."

I know that although we won this battle, our strength is still insufficient compared to the entire Japanese army.

But some things can't be calculated that way. If we have to wait until everything is ready before we do anything, then what's the difference between us and machines?

The biggest difference between us humans and other animals and plants is that we possess the most genuine emotions, and these emotions cannot be simply described by a comparison of strengths.

The sooner we liberate Shanxi, the sooner the people of Shanxi can escape the clutches of the Japanese invaders.

Even if we can't immediately liberate Shanxi, as long as we can eliminate one more Japanese soldier, we can save more people; as long as we can save one more family on the verge of collapse, our sacrifice will be worthwhile. What do you say?

After his words, the deputy chief of staff and Brigade Commander Chen fell silent.

Of course, their silence did not mean they thought they were wrong.

In fact, neither side is wrong; they all share the same goal. The only difference lies in the different methods they use to achieve it.

Brigade Commander Chen rubbed the bridge of his nose, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Logically speaking, although the Shanxi militia had fought alongside them, they were not subordinate to each other, and they had no right to interfere with the Shanxi militia's actions. However, through these battles, they were deeply impressed by the Shanxi militia's strong fighting capabilities and excellent equipment.

It can be said that the Shanxi militia has unknowingly grown into an indispensable and powerful armed force within Shanxi Province.

Since the rise of the Shanxi militia, the situation of anti-Japanese armed forces throughout Shanxi has changed dramatically.

With the Shanxi militia taking the lead and withstanding most of the pressure from the First Army, the local armed forces, which had been struggling to breathe under the pressure of the Japanese army, found that the pressure had been greatly reduced.

Furthermore, they discovered that although the Shanxi militia was powerful, they did not seem to have much ambition, nor did they try to seize territory everywhere. Instead, they were content to stay within their own small territory. Who wouldn't like such a friend?

This is also why the deputy chief of staff and brigade commander Chen took turns persuading Su Yaoyang after seeing that he not only had no intention of giving up, but also wanted to continue fighting the First Army to the death.

While there was certainly an element of camaraderie involved, the most important factor was that if the Shanxi militia were to suffer a defeat or even be wiped out by the Japanese, the Japanese army would inevitably turn its attention to the Eighth Route Army's base in the Wutai Mountain area.

This is also what they are most worried about.

Just then, a young staff officer hurriedly lifted the tent flap and rushed in, his boots making a "thud" sound on the muddy ground, breaking the frozen silence.

"report!"

The staff officer stood at attention and saluted, his voice urgent: "Commander Yan, urgent telegram!" He unfolded the telegram paper in his hand and read quickly: "We are delighted to hear that your unit, in conjunction with the Eighth Route Army, has inflicted a crushing defeat on the elite 27th Division of the Japanese invaders at Panlong Ridge, boosting our military prestige and morale. This is a glorious victory rarely seen since the start of the War of Resistance! We are greatly encouraged by this news and have immediately submitted a report to the Chairman in Chongqing to request commendation for you all."

At this point, the staff officer paused slightly, a strange expression appearing on his face, as if he found it difficult to speak the rest. He cleared his throat before continuing, "However... however, the war situation is rapidly changing, and defenses in various parts of Shanxi are weak. The Japanese invaders may take the opportunity to launch a counterattack. For the sake of the overall situation, we hope that your unit... we hope that your unit will immediately... return to its original defense zone after the war to consolidate its position and not linger."

"Return to the original defense zone immediately?"

"Do you hope we will not linger?"

As soon as the staff officer finished speaking, the tent fell silent for a moment, and then...

"Hey!" Brigade Commander Chen couldn't help but let out a strange sound that was both angry and amused. He squinted his eyes and curled up a mocking smile. "Listen to this, listen to this, what do you mean by 'use people when they're needed, discard them when they're not'?"
"Old Yan really taught us a lesson today. The blood from Panlong Ridge hasn't even cooled down yet, and he's already in a hurry to kick us out?"

He slammed the ammunition box down, making the map on the table jump.

The deputy chief of staff chuckled, shook his head helplessly, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and looked sharp as a knife: "The congratulatory telegram is real, the request for commendation is real, but this urging... hehe, the implied meaning is crystal clear."

Commander Yan is afraid that we'll use our great victory as leverage to linger under Taiyuan's nose and refuse to leave, thus affecting his 'safety' and 'situation'! He deliberately emphasized the words "safety" and "situation," his words dripping with sarcasm.

.

Unlike Brigade Commander Chen, Su Yaoyang wasn't as agitated; he merely shook his head slightly, as if he had already expected this. He turned his gaze to Pi Ruoyu beside him, his tone calm yet carrying a final confirmation: "Old Pi, has the promised payment from Commander Yan... been settled?"

Pi Ruoyu nodded immediately and answered crisply, "Commander, rest assured, the money has been received in full, counted correctly, and deposited into our account."

"Okay!" Upon hearing this, Su Yaoyang stretched out his arms and legs in a very unladylike manner, his joints seemingly cracking softly. The fatigue from the days of battle seemed to have been mostly relieved at this moment.

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, his tone filled with undisguised elation and eagerness to return home: "As long as we have the money, that's all that matters. Since Commander Yan has already 'urged' us to leave, why should we stay here and bother everyone?"

He stood up, looked around at everyone, and finally his gaze seemed to pierce through the tent wall, looking towards his distant hometown, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes:
"Pack your things, let's go! I should go back and see my wife and my little brat who just arrived a few days ago! As a father, I haven't even seen my son yet!"

Upon hearing this, most of the resentment and indignation that had been rising in the tent because of Yan Xishan's telegram were dispelled.

The deputy chief of staff, Brigade Commander Chen, Division Commander Liu, and others were initially taken aback, but then their faces lit up with realization and goodwill. After such a great victory, they had almost forgotten that Su Yaoyang, the guy who had just been clamoring to launch another offensive against the Japanese invaders, had actually become a father.

"You good-for-nothing Su Yaoyang!" Brigade Commander Chen laughed and punched him hard on the shoulder. "You won a big battle, got promoted and made a fortune, and your family even had a new addition! You got all the good things by yourself!" In the laughter, the previous unpleasantness seemed to have vanished.

Two days later, in the evening
The car finally came to a screeching halt in front of the familiar courtyard gate.

Su Yaoyang practically jumped out of the car, not even bothering to brush off the dust from his journey, and hurried across the front yard.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the occasional soft sound of water dripping from the icicles hanging under the eaves.

Su Yaoyang walked straight to the sunniest and warmest room in the backyard.

The curtain was made of thick new cotton cloth, which kept out the cold air from outside.

He took a deep breath, as if exhaling all the ferocity and bloodshed from the battlefield, before gently lifting the curtain.

A warm current, mixed with a faint scent of milk, medicine, and clean cotton, rushed towards him and instantly enveloped him.

As soon as I entered the house, I felt that it was warm and cozy inside.

Dressed in casual home clothes, Song Mei sat leaning against the headboard, covered with a thick brocade quilt. Her face still showed some paleness and weakness after childbirth, but her brows radiated an indescribable, gentle, and content glow.

She was holding a small "package" tightly wrapped in a plain-colored, soft swaddling cloth in her arms.

Her eyes were lowered, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath them, and her gaze was so tender it could melt water, as she intently stared at the treasure in her arms.

Xiao Lu, dressed in a plain-colored padded jacket, was sitting on a small stool on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a warm, soft cloth in her hand, carefully wiping a gleaming copper hand warmer.

She heard the curtain rustle, looked up, and saw Su Yaoyang, who was travel-worn and still had traces of gunpowder on his shoulders. She was stunned for a moment, then a smile of surprise and joy bloomed on her face, and her eyes instantly reddened: "Young Master, you...you're back!"

Song Mei looked up abruptly upon hearing the sound.

When she saw that tall figure standing at the door, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Tears welled up in her eyes without warning and silently slid down her pretty cheeks.

Su Yaoyang strode over and hugged Song Mei and Xiao Lu tightly.

He buried his face in Song Mei's soft hair, greedily inhaling the scent of medicine mixed with a faint milky fragrance emanating from her body. This scent brought him more peace of mind than any trophy.

Song Mei's body trembled slightly in his arms, and she buried her face deeply in her husband's broad chest.

At this moment, the baby in the swaddling clothes seemed to be startled by the tight embrace, and let out a few soft whimpers like a kitten, and unconsciously rubbed its little head against the wall.

Su Yaoyang then seemed to wake from a dream, carefully loosening his embrace slightly, lowering his head, and looking at the little life in his wife's arms with an almost pious, clumsy expectation.

Song Mei understood, her eyes reddening, yet she was incredibly proud as she gently lifted a corner of the swaddling clothes, revealing the baby's tiny face.

Her face was rosy and wrinkled, like a ripe peach. Her eyes weren't fully open, just two thin slits covered by thick eyelashes. Her little nose was small and cute, and her tender little mouth, which looked like it could be pinched to release water, was slightly pouting, unconsciously making a sucking motion.

This is his son!
Su Yaoyang felt as if his heart had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand, then suddenly released, and a huge warm current instantly filled his limbs and bones.

An unprecedented, overwhelming tenderness and protectiveness almost overwhelmed him! He held his breath, afraid of disturbing this little angel.

Rough, calloused fingers touched the baby's incredibly delicate cheeks with extreme gentleness and slowness.

“He…” Su Yaoyang looked up and asked Song Mei, “What… is his name?”

Song Mei rolled her eyes at him: "How dare I name him without your father coming back?"

However, I've already given him a nickname, Tongtong.

"Hmm, this name is good, I like it." Su Yaoyang grinned.

(End of this chapter)