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

On the banks of the Qujiang River stands a hexagonal stone pavilion. The pavilion faces the river, and the pillars on all four sides are whitened by the river wind. It is unknown which dynasty it was built in.

At this moment, four people are seated in the pavilion.

The three men were dressed in gray Red Army uniforms, while the other man was dressed as a merchant, wearing a blue long gown and a wide-brimmed hat.

He held a blue and white porcelain teacup in his hand, but his eyes kept sweeping across the faces of the three people opposite him.

In the distance, the Qujiang Wharf was bustling with activity. Cargo ships were gathered, their masts like a forest, and dockworkers carried sacks and moved up and down the gangplanks.

After the Red Army took over Quzhou, order was quickly restored in the city, the docks were reopened, and merchant ships came and went more frequently than before the war.

"Mr. Zhang, you've come all this way. What big business deal do you want to discuss with us?" Zhou Zeyuan, sitting in the main seat, picked up his teacup.

Sitting opposite him, Zhang Yifu quickly put down his teacup, cupped his hands in greeting, and was about to speak when his gaze involuntarily lingered on Zhou Zeyuan's face for a few more seconds.

I never expected that a young man in his early twenties could become the commander-in-chief.

This is a big shot on par with their Commander-in-Chief Wei and Commander-in-Chief Jiang.

Their intelligence chief, Dai Yunong, isn't even a general yet, while the man in front of them has practically reached the pinnacle of generalship.

As for myself...

Let's not even talk about it. After all these years, I'm still just a gofer. It's true what they say, comparisons are odious.

He quickly composed himself and said, "Commander-in-Chief Zhou, Corps Commander Xun, Chief of Staff Su, I have come here on behalf of Division Commander Xia's family to ransom someone."

He observed the expressions of the three men opposite him and continued, "If your army is willing to show leniency, the Xia family is willing to spend its entire fortune, offering 300,000 silver dollars, to secure Commander Xia's freedom."

"At the same time, Madam Xia made a promise on behalf of the commander that he would try his best to avoid missions involving the Red Army in the future, and would go north to the North China front, no longer being an enemy of the Red Army. We hope that your army can reunite this mother and son and continue their family happiness."

Su Yu sat to the side, holding a notebook in her hand, and was taking notes quickly with her head down.

His pen scratched across the paper as he jotted down the key points of the conversation.

After listening, Xun Huaizhou did not rush to express his opinion, but first glanced at Zhou Zeyuan.

Seeing that he didn't intend to speak, he continued, "Three hundred thousand silver dollars is not a small amount, but we don't lack silver dollars."

"If your conditions are limited to exchanging something we have plenty for a high-ranking prisoner, then this matter will be very difficult to resolve."

Zhang Yifu's smile froze slightly. Just as he was about to say something, Zhou Zeyuan preemptively put down his teacup, making a crisp clinking sound.

"Grandma Xia's longing for her son is understandable. But if we understand her, who will understand us?"

"In the end, Xia Chuzhong was our enemy. His 98th Division caused us heavy casualties in the battle to attack the Central Soviet Area."

"His family members are the enemy's families. Do you think we should pity the enemy's families, or should we pity our own comrades?"

Zhang Yifu paused for a moment, then quickly adjusted his words: "If your army is not short of money, then would it be feasible to exchange people for people? Your party has always been people-oriented and values ​​its comrades extremely."

"If we can demonstrate our sincerity in this regard, I wonder if we can grant Commander Xia and his captured Nationalist soldiers their freedom?"

This was also his strategy. If he could redeem the person by spending money, not only would Dai Yunong be happy, but even the principal might treat him differently.

However, it now appears that these young leaders of the Red Army are not easy to deal with.

Su Yu looked up, her pen hovering over the paper, and added, "That's right. Negotiation is all about equality, exchanging people for people; that's what makes it fair."

Seeing that his attitude had softened, Zhang Yifu was delighted and quickly pressed his advantage: "We are holding tens of thousands of political prisoners and your party members in custody. Therefore, I propose that the hostages be exchanged, one for one, which would be the fairest option."

Zhou Zeyuan sneered: "You're dreaming. You want to exchange some non-combat personnel for your veterans and officers."

Zhang Yifu's heart sank.

But Zhou Zeyuan changed the subject: "However, considering that the National Revolutionary Army is also an important force in the War of Resistance against Japan, I can consider making an exception. But there is one condition you must agree to."

Zhang Yifu quickly replied, "Please speak."

"Stop encircling our main force. You can open a gap and let our army move north. We also guarantee that after the army moves north, it will immediately head to the North China front and will not stay on your territory."

Zhang Yifu broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and it took him a long time to squeeze out a sentence: "Commander-in-Chief Zhou... I am just a businessman. I cannot make decisions on such important military and national affairs."

Zhou Zeyuan nodded, his tone calm: "I know you can't make the decision. You can ask someone who can. Just tell them that if this condition is agreed to, everything else is negotiable; if this condition is not agreed to, nothing else is negotiable."

Zhang Yifu's expression also turned cold. He sat up straight, his tone carrying a restrained yet firm edge:

"Commander-in-Chief Zhou, our army has a million strong soldiers. The Generalissimo is kind-hearted and compassionate towards his soldiers, which is why he ordered Commander-in-Chief Liu not to launch an attack for the time being. Otherwise, with a single order, Quzhou City would have been turned into a sea of ​​fire in an instant. If the negotiations break down, I think this brief peace will not last long."

Zhou Zeyuan's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "Your principal can't see the situation clearly, and still thinks victory is in his grasp."

"As for you... never mind, I can't be bothered to talk to you. You're just a pawn, it's normal that you can't see the bigger picture."

"However, we both know that once the hostage exchange is completed, the battle will begin immediately."

Knowing that the first round of negotiations had broken down, Zhang Yifu decisively stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Commander-in-Chief Zhou, farewell."

He turned and strode out of the pavilion, walking along the riverbank toward the dock. His steps were hurried, and he didn't even straighten his hat, which had been blown askew by the wind.

After his figure disappeared behind the cargo piles at the dock, Xun Huaizhou spoke: "Zeyuan, as far as I know, let alone that person in Nanchang, he won't agree to this condition. Even if he did, the other high-ranking members of the Kuomintang wouldn't agree."

Su Yu closed her notebook and continued, "I guess this is one of your tactics for asking for exorbitant prices—first you make a huge demand, and then…"

"No," Zhou Zeyuan interrupted him, shaking his head. "I rarely use the tactic of asking for the moon and then settling for less. If the situation weren't so special, the negotiations would have continued. I would have used a few rounds of verbal exchanges to probe his bottom line, and then the negotiations would have been quickly concluded."

"But given the current situation, we absolutely cannot do that; politically, it's not feasible."