Chapter 12: The Principal's Esteem (Part 1)

  Behind the lieutenant general of that country's army were several major generals.

  Yue Weihan could guess with his toes that this lieutenant general was probably Xia Zhongyu, the commander of the 98th Division of the National Army. As for the few major generals behind him, it's likely that they were either the chief of staff or the brigade commanders.

  Just as a young general was about to go forward and call out the door, he was stopped by that central general.

  "That general waved his hand and said: 'Chief of Staff, don't worry, we'll just wait here until they wake up.'"

  Yue Weihan, however, did not dare to slack off. He immediately pushed the door open and ran quickly to the front of the Central General, then gave a standard military salute and said loudly: "Central General, I am Yue Weihan, Captain of the First Regiment of the Second Brigade of the National Revolutionary Army's Central Military Academy's Instructional Corps, reporting for duty! Please instruct me!"

  "Captain, take a short rest."

  "Teaching Second Regiment?" The major who had just wanted to knock on the door frowned and asked, "Isn't the Second Teaching Regiment already withdrawn to Hengyang for reorganization? How are you still staying in the Songhu battle field, and how can you be with the brothers of the 3rd battalion?"

  "This... " Yue Weihan suddenly became tongue-tied, this matter was indeed mysterious and couldn't be explained clearly.

  Just as Yue Weihan was at a loss, Cao Xinglong rushed out of the barracks in time and reported loudly: "Report to the commander, Officer Yue is the one our battalion rescued on the way to Bao Mountain. The medical soldier said that Officer Yue's head had been severely hit before, so he lost his previous memory, and even forgot who he was, so the battalion commander kept him."

  "That young general asked again: 'Since he has already lost his memory, how did you confirm his identity?'"

  "Chief of Staff!" The lieutenant general's face showed a hint of displeasure, and he frowned to stop the major from further questioning.

  That lieutenant did not dare to ask more, and the lieutenant colonel then turned to Cao Xinglong and said: "Lieutenant, if I'm not mistaken, you should be the platoon leader of Yao Changqing's guard squad?"

  Cao Xinglong suddenly puffed out his chest and replied: "Reporting to you, sir, I am the platoon leader of the 3rd Battalion's Guard Platoon."

  "Alright, alright!" Xia Zhongyu nodded and asked, "Where is your battalion commander? Where is Yao Changqing?"

  Cao Xinglong's expression suddenly turned gloomy upon hearing this, and he replied in a low voice: "I'll report back to the commander, but General Zuo has already fallen in battle."

  "What? Yao Changqing has died in battle? When did this happen? During the breakout to the south?" Xia Zhongyu had expected as much, but hearing the news still filled him with great regret.

  This truly fulfilled the old saying, "Heavenly jealousy of outstanding talents!" Yao Changqing was able to rise up and counterattack in the desperate situation of being besieged on Treasure Mountain, and even gave a great blow to the Japanese devils, killing a Japanese general and commander of a division. Such bravery, such strategic thinking, such courage, is he just a tiger-like general?

  It can be imagined that if Yao Changqing could come back alive, Chiang Kai-shek, who was both sentimental and extremely factional, would definitely bypass the war zone commander's office and even the group army headquarters to issue a direct appointment order. With Yao Changqing's meritorious service in Baoshan County, being promoted to colonel and regiment commander would be the minimum, and he might even be directly promoted to major general and division commander!

  However, Yao Changqing did not return alive, which cannot help but make people sigh with regret.

  Cao Xinglong said gloomily: "As early as the third day after we entered Baoshan, the camp was seriously injured in a counterattack. Two days later, the little devils had been attacking Baoshan for a long time without success. In a fit of rage, they fired a large number of poison gas shells into the city. When we evacuated our brothers and returned to the command center, the camp... "

  "Alas..." Xia Zhongyu couldn't help but clench his fist and sigh.

  Chief of Staff Huang Mei Wu suddenly said, "No, no, Cao Pai Zhang, you said that after the 3rd Battalion entered Baoshan for two days, Yao Ying Zhang was seriously injured? And didn't even last two days before sacrificing himself for the country?"

  Cao Xinglong asked dully: "Master, what's wrong with this?"

  Huang Mei Wudao: "Since Yao Changchang was seriously injured two days after the 3rd Regiment entered Baoshan, who was in charge of commanding the regiment afterwards? On the morning of the 4th, who led the troops to launch a surprise attack on the forward base of the Japanese 3rd Division?"

  Xia Zhongyu's expression beside him also became serious immediately, this question was indeed related to something big!

  If Yao Changqing had been seriously injured early on, then the one who led the 3rd Battalion to hold Baoshan firmly, heavily wounded the Japanese enemy and killed Lieutenant General Teng Tianjin, Commander of the 3rd Division, would have been someone else. Who would that person be? And in the 3rd Battalion, apart from Yao Changqing, there seemed to be no other officers who graduated from Huangpu Military Academy, could it be...

  In an instant, Xia Zhongyu's gaze turned to Yue Weihan beside him.

  Yue Weihan, being the captain of the Central Military Academy's Training Regiment, was naturally a graduate of Whampoa and only those military officers who graduated from Whampoa could have achieved such an earth-shaking feat!

  "Of course, it's Captain Yue." Cao Xinglong turned his head to look at Yue Weihan and said without hesitation, "After the regiment commander was injured, he handed over our 3 battalions to Captain Yue. Since then, Captain Yue has been leading the brothers in fighting against the little devils."

  Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu both showed inexplicable shock on their faces, but the two people's shock had an essential difference. Xia Zhongyu was shocked with a hint of surprise, while Huang Meiwu was shocked with deep suspicion. Apparently, he did not think that Yue Weihan possessed such ability.

  "Alright, Cao Pai Zhang, let's not mention this for now." Xia Zhong Yu was shocked and quickly regained his composure, then turned to Yue Wei Han and said, "Yue younger brother, since you are the acting battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, please gather all the brothers. The commanding officer has arrived and is waiting to meet with them."

  Yue Weihan responded promptly and immediately turned around to enter the barracks to wake up his brothers.

  When Xia Zhongyu actually called Yue Weihan "Yue Lao Di", Huang Meiwu beside him couldn't help but pause for a moment.

  But soon, the chief of staff who was also from Huangpu came to his senses. Although Yue Weihan is now just a captain and battalion commander, with his achievements in killing Teng Tianjin and blowing up the advance base of the Japanese 3rd Division, being promoted to lieutenant colonel and regiment commander is the minimum, and even directly promoting him to colonel and division commander is possible.

  At this time, Huang Mei Wu also didn't want to investigate Yue Wei Han's past anymore. He turned his head and shouted: "Xia Xiao Wei!"

  The captain of the guard company, Xia Xiaowei, hastily stepped forward and replied: "Yes!"

  "Huang Mei Wudao: 'That, didn't a neurosurgeon who just returned from studying abroad in the US come to the field hospital? You arrange for him to come to the division headquarters at noon and take a look at Commander Yue's head injury. Although this temporary amnesia doesn't affect his daily life or commanding battles, it's still not good that he can't remember his past experiences. What do you think, Division Commander?'"

  Xia Zhongyu looked at Huang Meiwu with some surprise and nodded in agreement: "Right, let's go by my car! Hurry up and come back!"

  Master's order, Xia Xiaowei naturally did not dare to slack off. He immediately left the yard and got into Xia Zhongyu's special car, which sped away in a cloud of smoke.

  …………

  Nanjing, Presidential Palace.

  Principal Chiang was taking a nap in his study when he was suddenly awakened by the sound of light footsteps. He got up to see that it was his wife, holding several telegrams and walking in with a joyful expression. Although his wife looked very happy, Principal Chiang had been in a bad mood lately. He calmly asked: "Wife, is there some news from America?"

  Madam Chiang did not answer, but walked over to the bed and sat down with a plop. "Ta-ling," she said happily, "Ku Chu-t'ung has just sent a telegram."

  "What's Gu Zhu Tong?" Principal Jiang's face suddenly turned gloomy and he said irritably, "Don't show it to me, I don't want to see his telegram!"

  "General Chiang, we just received a telegram from General Tu and General Kuo saying that the 31st Army led by Yao Tsung-chin has broken through the siege at Shih-pao-shan Mountain, and what's more, they broke through the Japanese army's front line!"

  "What?" Madam Chiang's face changed color and she asked, "Is this true?"

  "Of course it's true." Madam Chiang said, handing over several telegrams to Principal Chiang, smiling and saying, "In terms of ability, Gu Zhu is somewhat lacking, but letting him deceive you, I'm afraid he doesn't have the guts for that?"

  Principal Chiang read the two telegrams in front of him at a rapid pace, and then said with great emotion: "I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect that the troops stationed on Baobao Mountain could break through the siege by themselves! And they even broke through from the front! During the breakout, they actually captured one Japanese armored vehicle and three cars."

  "Then after breaking through the encirclement, we also cooperated with the 98th Division to annihilate the remaining enemy on the south bank of the Yangtze River."

  "Good, good, good! Really good!" Principal Jiang nodded repeatedly and praised, "If the party's army can be like this battalion, what's to fear about those insignificant Eastern clowns?"

  Madam Chiang also said, "Yes, this regiment was indeed good, but unfortunately most of them sacrificed themselves. Only 42 people broke out, and their regiment commander Yao Changqing also died for the country. However, the acting regiment commander later was also very good, Dalin, Gu Zhuangtong's telegram also mentioned that he is your student from Whampoa Military Academy, Class 10."

  "Is it Wei Han?" Principal Jiang had also finished reading the last telegram sent by Gu Zhu, and after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly became excited, turned his head and shouted, "Wang Shihe!"

  The Imperial Guard Commander Wang Shih-he rushed into the study room and stood at attention, saying: "Yes!"

  "Don't be too polite." Principal Jiang waved his hand and handed the last telegram to Wang Shihe, saying, "You go to the Third Department immediately to verify the identity of this Yue Weihan."

  "Yes." Wang Shihe took orders and left.

  The leader gave the order, and Servant San Chu presented a rare high efficiency once again. In less than the time it took to eat a meal, Wang Shihe returned to the study with detailed information and reported: "Your Excellency, Madam, I have investigated clearly that this Yue Weihan is indeed an officer of the 10th Infantry Corps of the Central Military Academy, and he is also from Fenghua!"

  "Oh, still from Fenghua?" Principal Jiang's eyes lit up instantly.