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

Soon, knocking, shouting, and the terrified cries of unscrupulous merchants echoed through the streets and alleys of Fuzhou.

Boxes of silver dollars, gold bars, and land deeds were moved out of the deep courtyards, loaded onto flatbed carts, and transported in a grand procession to a temporary warehouse in the west of the city, amidst the astonished yet gratified gazes of the common people.

It wasn't just Committee Member Chen who took action; underground party members who had temporarily gone into hiding due to the White Terror also came out to operate again.

With the support of the military, they began to mobilize and promote their cause among labor unions in various industries, mediate labor-management relations, and crack down on illegal businesses.

The political officers in the ranks also temporarily put aside their military work and went deep into various parts of the city to spread revolutionary policies.

Using the slogan of heading north to resist Japan, they mobilized patriotic youths to join the army and fight against the Japanese by having Japanese expatriates who had been arrested testify.

Just as Fuzhou was bustling with life and thriving, several violent explosions suddenly came from the east of the city.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The loud noise shattered the morning tranquility, and even the ground trembled.

People who had just stepped out of their homes instinctively crouched down in the streets and alleys. Some screamed and ran back into their houses, while others hid in corners with their children in their arms.

The Red Army soldiers who were still sleeping under the eaves were awakened almost at the same moment, and one by one they instinctively grabbed the guns next to them.

"What's that noise?"

"It looks like it's coming from the direction of the port! Naval guns!"

On the streets in the east of the city, Red Army soldiers on patrol were scrambling to find cover and evacuate.

The screams and cries of the people mingled together, and Fuzhou, which had just begun to recover a little, was plunged back into panic.

After the explosion, two plumes of black smoke rose from the direction of the distant residential area. People were crying out in the ruins, while others were digging through the rubble.

During this round of firing by the Nationalist army, two shells did not land on the position, but instead landed in the densely populated streets and alleys with civilian houses.

Behind a house in the east of the city, Le Shaohua was looking towards the port through binoculars.

A slight smile played on his lips, a glint of excitement in his eyes, as he called out to a propaganda officer beside him carrying a camera:

"Quick! Go take pictures! Kuomintang warships have fired on the downtown area—this is breaking news!"

The propaganda officer hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran.

In Le Shaohua's view, the Red Army is currently in a strong position, and it would not be difficult to obtain a humiliating treaty.

Since the task is not difficult, let's make it a little more challenging.

Zhou Zeyuan has taken all the limelight, so what's the point of having him as the political commissar?

In the captain's observation room of the warship at the mouth of the Ma River, Jiang Dingwen held up his binoculars, staring intently at the column of smoke rising ahead.

His facial muscles trembled uncontrollably as he pointed at the naval captain and began to berate him: "You were allowed to shell the Red Army! Who gave you permission to shell residential areas?!"

The naval captain shrank back, a hint of grievance on his face: "Sir, the recoil of the naval gun is great, so some deviation is normal. I told you that."

"What did you say? What did you say?" Jiang Dingwen's eyes widened, spitting almost onto the other man's face. "Did you say there would be an accidental shot hitting a residential area? You are fully responsible for this accidental shooting!"

The naval captain opened his mouth, wanting to say something in his defense, but when he saw Jiang Dingwen's face, which was so dark it looked like ink could be squeezed out, he swallowed his words back.

Just then, the cabin door was pushed open, and Wang Jingjiu, deputy commander of the 87th Division, strode in.

He glanced at the atmosphere in the room and reported softly, "Commander, the observation post has confirmed that this was just a feint by the Red Army; they did not launch a real offensive."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dingwen's expression turned even more unpleasant.

These words were like a slap in the face, landing squarely on his cheek.

Taking such a huge risk to fire the cannon, just to deal with a feint attack?

How embarrassing, so incredibly embarrassing.

Of course, the embarrassment is secondary. The political problems that result are what truly worry him.

Since the Fujian Incident, the government's control over the hearts and minds of the people of Fuzhou has not been stable. Now, with this latest incident, the people of central Fujian are likely to become even more alienated.

The people have a sense of justice; when the Red Army entered the city, they did not commit any offenses.

As the government's army, the National Revolutionary Army had the responsibility to defend the territory and protect the people. However, after its defeat, it opened fire on the city, showing no regard for the lives of the people.

The contrast between the two is so stark that if this news gets out, the Nationalist government will lose all face.

He already had the fault of losing cities and territories, and now he's embroiled in political problems. Will the Chairman hold him accountable?

These thoughts were like a tangled mess, leaving him in a state of utter confusion.

Silence fell over the observation room. Only the crashing of waves against the hull and the faint, sporadic gunshots in the distance sounded particularly jarring in the stillness.

Just then, the hatch was pushed open again. Gu Baoyu, the chief of staff of the 87th Division, walked in with a strange expression.

"Sir, the Red Army has sent an envoy who wants to...discuss the issue of order in Fuzhou."

Jiang Dingwen paused for a second.

Enraged, he smashed the binoculars in his hand. The brass-plated tube slammed onto the armored floor with a sharp crack.

"This is outrageous!" Jiang Dingwen gritted his teeth, enunciating each word clearly. "What do you mean by 'order issue'? Is the war over? How dare they treat their Nationalist army like nothing!"

He paced back and forth in the cramped observation room, his chest heaving. But after the burning anger reached its peak, it gradually cooled down.

He stopped, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.

Then he said in a deep voice, "Please invite him up. Remember to be polite and don't let anyone underestimate the dignity of our National Army."

Le Shaohua straightened his collar and followed Gu Baoyu through the ranks of sailors on the deck into the captain's observation room.

The hatch closed behind him with a dull metallic clang.

The room was not large, with a rectangular iron table in the center and a nautical chart on the table.

Jiang Dingwen sat in the main seat, his expression having returned to calm.

Wang Jingjiu stood to his left, arms crossed, his gaze unfriendly.

Gu Baoyu then led Le Shaohua to sit down on the chair opposite him.

"What is your name? What is your position? Can you represent the Red Army?" Jiang Dingwen asked directly, his tone authoritative.

Le Shaohua calmly took off his hat and placed it on the table, the five-pointed star facing Jiang Dingwen:

"My name is Zhang Kuiguang, Deputy Director of the Political Department of the 7th Army Corps. I am here on full behalf of Army Corps Commander Zhou Zeyuan. All my words and promises are in black and white and are guaranteed to be effective."

Jiang Dingwen narrowed his eyes slightly but remained silent.

Le Shaohua tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Ding's tattoo. In an instant, Zhou Zeyuan, the brat who had infuriated him, came to mind.

His tone unconsciously carried a hint of amusement: "You must be Jiang Dingwen, the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Route Army? I was merely commanding the front-line troops and making a small joke, yet you ordered an artillery barrage. Such decisiveness and swiftness truly make you worthy of being a fierce general of the National Revolutionary Army."

Jiang Dingwen's eyes were so venomous they looked like they wanted to kill.

This bastard tricked me.

That shelling, with two shells landing in the residential area, exposed political issues, revealed the public's sentiment, and left an indelible stain on his face as the commander-in-chief.

And all of this was caused by a feint attack by this smiling guy on the other side.

Le Shaohua felt a surge of secret pleasure; no wonder Zhou Zeyuan always spoke in such a sarcastic tone.

The feeling of kicking a cripple's limp leg is so satisfying!