Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

Zhou Zeyuan noticed this and chuckled, "Old Su, just say what you have to say. We're all comrades, so feel free to speak your mind."

Su Yu raised his head, his gaze lingering on Zhou Zeyuan's face for a moment before shifting away. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Actually, I have an idea, but I don't know if it's appropriate."

"If there's anything wrong, just say it," Zhou Zeyuan said.

Su Yu began, "Our Seventh Red Army Corps has a deep connection with the Fujian-Zhejiang-Jiangxi Soviet Area. The predecessor of the Nineteenth Red Division was the Eleventh Red Army, which was formed by merging the Tenth Red Army with some Central Army units."

"If we use the designation of the 11th Red Army, and use the old designation directly, it will have historical significance, and the soldiers will be more likely to accept it."

After he finished speaking, the cave was quiet for two or three seconds.

Zhou Zeyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, a sudden realization flashing through his mind.

Now he understood why Su Yu had been hesitant.

The 11th Red Army had a deep connection with the 7th Red Army Corps, but had almost no connection with itself or the 7th Red Division.

If this designation is actually used, then the designations of the Red Seventh Army Corps, which includes the Red Tenth Army and the Red Eleventh Army, would be coherent and impressive.

But anyone with a discerning eye can see that the entire legion's historical origins are completely tied to the Fujian-Zhejiang-Jiangxi Soviet Area.

Zhou Zeyuan and the Red Seventh Division personnel he had personally trained inevitably felt marginalized.

That's incredibly thoughtful.

Zhou Zeyuan sighed inwardly.

Old Su has had a really tough time these past few years; this cautious nature has become an ingrained habit.

He didn't hesitate, nor did he show the slightest hesitation; he simply smiled magnanimously.

"If that's the case, then I suggest that the third army be designated as the 12th Red Army."

"The reason is simple: the predecessor of the 12th Red Army was a local force in western Fujian. Now it is used to carry on the local armed forces in eastern and northern Fujian, which can be described as a passing on of the torch."

He spoke these words casually, as if he were discussing something utterly ordinary.

Many people present were unaware of the deeper meaning hidden in this question and answer.

Numbers and factions, history and identity—all those complex thoughts are nothing more than a name to them.

But Yu Qiubai, sitting in the main seat, saw through it all.

He sighed inwardly, "Amazing, truly amazing."

If he were in that situation, Yu Qiubai wouldn't dare say he could be so open-minded.

This is no longer just a matter of personal honor or disgrace; it involves the real interests and honor of the group.

Forget about people who know nothing; someone as insightful as Zhou Zeyuan must understand the implications better than anyone else, yet he can make concessions for the greater good without hesitation.

It is not uncommon to find talented individuals at a young age, but a resilient character and a broad vision truly require time and experience to cultivate.

"Actually, some local units have also used the designation of the 12th Army, but it doesn't matter. It's common for the designations of the central government and local units to overlap."

Yu Qiubai calmly withdrew his thoughts, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "The 10th Red Army, the 11th Red Army, the 12th Red Army—easy to remember and pleasant to hear. What are your opinions, comrades?"

Everyone present agreed.

Seeing that no one objected, Yu Qiubai continued, "Now that the unit designations have been finalized, I think the central government will respect the local opinions. I just wonder, what is the actual situation of the three armies now?"

Su Yu continued, "The newly established divisions of the 11th and 12th Red Armies have been basically fully staffed, with each army having more than 20,000 men."

"In addition, with the arrival of another batch of smuggled arms, we have received a long-awaited replenishment of artillery shells. The 77mm field guns we acquired from Fuzhou earlier have been organized into a field artillery company and placed under the command of the field artillery battalion."

"In this way, the mountain artillery battalion has fourteen cannons and the field artillery battalion has twelve cannons, for a total of twenty-six cannons, and there is plenty of ammunition."

"The General Staff's idea was that the mountain artillery battalion, being mobile and flexible, would be placed under the command of the 11th Red Army; while the field artillery battalion, with its powerful firepower but being too cumbersome, would be assigned to the 12th Red Army for use in interior defense operations."

Yu Qiubai nodded, a satisfied look on his face: "Very good. I've also recently learned about the situation on the Red Tenth Army's side."

"After absorbing some militia, the 7th and 19th Red Divisions were restored to their peak. They also transferred some outstanding officers and grassroots cadres to the newly established 21st Red Division."

At this point, he turned his gaze to Zhou Zeyuan: "Zeyuan, the 'complaint campaign' you launched has been very effective."

"In the past few days, more than 5,000 Kuomintang prisoners of war have joined the Red Tenth Army. The total number of Red Tenth Army soldiers has now reached 25,000."

"They recently took the initiative and recovered Dexing County and Wuyuan County to the north, reconnecting with the Anhui-Jiangxi base area and opening up a channel for development into southern Anhui. The situation is very promising."

Yu Qiubai spoke in a light tone with a smile on his face, but the key figures present did not show a corresponding relaxed expression.

After a moment of silence, Su Yu spoke: "I'm afraid that's not the case."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the cave suddenly became tense.

The smiles on everyone's faces faded, and they all looked at Su Yu in unison.

Zhou Zeyuan sat to the side, a thoughtful glint in his eyes, and continued the conversation:

"Comrade Huaizhou must have sensed something, which is why he shifted the focus of development to the north."

"If he were confident, he could easily move south and take over the old revolutionary base areas such as Hengfeng and Yiyang along the Zhejiang-Jiangxi border. Those areas are economically developed and have a large population, making them much more attractive."

"But he chose to avoid the limelight, which shows that the situation along the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Railway was already quite serious, and the National Army must have mobilized a large number of troops."

Su Yu nodded and continued, "We've been cutting off the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Railway for a week now. Has the central government given any instructions?"

Yu Qiubai waved his hand, his tone quite resolute: "That's not important. I think what we should value most is how to win the battle."

"The central government needs us to help alleviate their pressure, but how exactly to alleviate it is up to us to take initiative. The central government is thousands of miles away, and its understanding of the front lines may not be better than ours."

Zhou Zeyuan, however, keenly sensed the deeper meaning in her words: "Comrade Qiubai, has the Central Committee issued some new instructions?"

Yu Qiubai glanced at him, his gaze filled with admiration: "Hmph, you really have a keen eye, kid."

"The Central Committee hopes that the Northern Expeditionary Force for the War of Resistance Against Japan can win another victory soon, in any direction. But the momentum must be great."

Before anyone could react, Yu Qiubai continued, "I stopped them. That kind of thinking is too hasty."

"Even I, a layman, know that the soldiers desperately need rest after a long battle. How can we rush into battle with their exhausted bodies? Besides, the three armies have only just been formed, and the personnel relationships haven't been sorted out yet. How can we send them to the front lines to fight?"