Chapter 12: The Principal's Esteem (Part 2)

  Everyone knows that Principal Chiang has two major advantages, one is loving talent, and the other is extremely emphasizing localism. Therefore, among the high-ranking generals in the National Army, those from Fenghua are the most numerous. However, although there are many generals from Fenghua, few of them can really fight, and even fewer can be called "able to conquer and good at fighting"!

  But now, this embarrassing situation seems to be about to become history. Principal Jiang has enough reason to believe that this little guy, Yue Weihan, can absolutely hold up a sky for the Fuzhou generals!

  Wang Shihe easily sensed the change in Principal Jiang's emotions and continued: "Yue Weihan is from Yue Lin Town, and the Yue family is a prominent family in the local area. Yue Weihan's grandfather, Old Master Yue, was once the mayor of Yue Lin Town during the early years of the Republic. Moreover, Yue Weihan has four elder brothers, all of whom were admitted to either the Baoding Military Academy or the Whampoa Military Academy."

  "Really?" Principal Jiang's expression changed slightly as he said, "Fenghua actually has such a family!?"

  Madam Chiang was also aroused by curiosity, and urged Wang Shih-ho to continue saying: "Shih-ho, you go on with your story."

  Wang Shihe nodded and continued: "Yue Weihan, the eldest brother, graduated from Baoding Military Academy and was a trusted general of Feng Yuxiang. He died in battle in Xuzhou during the Central Plains War. The second brother, Yue Weihua, was a graduate of Huangpu's second class and died in battle in Meizhou during the Second Eastern Campaign. The third brother, Yue Weimin, was a graduate of Huangpu's third class and died in battle in Wuchang during the Northern Expedition. The fourth brother, Yue Weiguo, was a graduate of Huangpu's sixth class and died in battle on the Jiangxi anti-communist front line in 1934."

  "My goodness!?" Madame Chiang's face turned pale in an instant, covering her mouth and exclaiming, "All four brothers were killed in battle?"

  "An entire family of loyal martyrs, truly an entire family of loyal martyrs!" Principal Jiang's face inexplicably flushed with a rare red glow, and he walked back and forth in the study with his hands behind his back for several steps before suddenly stopping and turning to Wang Shihe, "Immediately send a telegram to Gu Zhuotong, have this Yue Weihan transferred to Nanjing right away, and also bring along the more than 40 remnants he brought back from Baoshan to Nanjing. Oh, wait a minute, you still need to call over the people from the Confidential Department of the Third Division, I'll dictate the telegram myself."

  Without waiting for Wang Shihe to respond, Principal Jiang spoke at an extremely fast pace: "Also, immediately call Zhang Zhizhong and let some of the students from the 12th term of the Central Military Academy who have excellent grades graduate early. I want to use these students along with the more than 40 wounded soldiers that Yue Weihan brought back from Baoshan as the backbone to formally establish the 7th Regiment of the 3rd Brigade of the Instructional Headquarters."

  Wang Shihe was stunned as soon as he heard it, and Mrs. Jiang beside him also advised with concern: "Commander, Yue Weihan has not graduated from the Central Military Academy for two years, and his military rank is only a senior captain and battalion commander. You suddenly promoted him to the high position of Colonel and Commander of the 7th Regiment of the Teaching Corps of the Central Military Academy, I'm afraid it's hard for people to accept."

  "Who dares to disobey?!?" Principal Jiang slammed his hand on the table and said, "If anyone can also shoot down a Japanese general and lead their troops out of the encirclement of hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers, even if he's just a junior second lieutenant, I'll immediately help him form the 8th Regiment of the Instruction Corps and make him the regiment commander!"

  Wang Shihe felt a chill run down his spine. He had already sensed the killing intent in Principal Jiang's tone, and immediately turned around to leave.

  Madam Chiang pursed her lips and said no more, but the promotion of Yue Weihan to Colonel and commander of the Seventh Regiment of the Training Corps, although contrary to usual practice, would greatly boost the morale of the Chinese troops in their fight against the Japanese invaders. And considering Yue's achievements on the battlefield at Shanghai, he was indeed worthy of such an extraordinary promotion!

  …………

  Songhu Frontline, Headquarters of the 98th Division of the National Army.

  Today, the Japanese 3rd Division on the north shore of Wanting rarely did not launch a ground attack. Perhaps it was because the defeat of the 18th Infantry Regiment had dampened the morale of the 3rd Division, or perhaps the Japanese were accumulating strength and brewing a new round of attacks. In short, today the little devils on the north shore were very honest and didn't take the initiative to provoke the National Army on the south shore at all.

  Huang Mei Wu looked up at the sky and smiled at Xia Zhong Yu: "Master, it seems that the little devils really didn't make a move today."

  "It goes without saying, that little devil is probably being reprimanded again." Xia Zhongyu smiled and said, "To think about it, the 18th Infantry Regiment had a hard time standing firm on the south bank of Xiangyang, but in the end, they were ruined by this small group of forty or fifty people led by Yue. The new division commander opposite us is probably being scolded by that old devil Matsumoto right now."

  "Haha." Huang Mei Wu also laughed and said, "Let that old devil Matsumoto be forced to commit seppuku instead."

  "You never know, it's possible." Xia Zhongyu nodded repeatedly and said, "If I were Matsui Ishizuka, I wouldn't tolerate such a small group of enemy soldiers making trouble on my turf either! No matter which regiment or division's defense zone had the loophole, the regimental commander and division commander would be shot on the spot, no need to explain."

  "The little devils think they can cause trouble in our 98th Division's defense zone? That's absolutely impossible. Besides, the little devils don't have a talent like Yue Laoxiong among them, haha." As soon as he mentioned Yue Weihan, Huang Mei Wu's laughter suddenly stopped, and he asked, "Commander, do you think the Group Army Headquarters and the War Zone Commander's Office will agree to our detaining people?"

  "Disagreeing is also agreeing! The old man has already detained people and won't let them go, what can they do? " Xia Zhongyu said reluctantly, "If we talk about achievements, our 98th division is not inferior to anyone. If we talk about losses, our 98th division has almost been wiped out. Two brigade commanders have died, one and a half, four regimental commanders have died, five regimental commanders have fallen. Shouldn't we replenish several battalion and regimental commanders?"

  Huang Mei Wu shook his head with a wry smile: "But after all, Brother Yue is from the Central Military Academy's Training Corps. The several remnant brigades of the Training Corps are currently reorganizing in Hengyang with the remnants of the 46th Division. I'm afraid they'll be clamoring for people over there."

  "Even if the heavens were to crack open, I won't let him go!" Xia Zhongyu said coldly. "Unless His Excellency personally intervenes, no one else's words will be of any use!"

  Huang Mei Wu smiled and didn't say anything more, he knew that Xia Zhong Yu had really developed a love for talent and was determined to keep Yue Weihan in the 98th Division and promote him as deputy commander of the 583rd Regiment and commander of the 3rd Battalion.

  "Xia Zhong Yu, you're quite arrogant, aren't you?"

  Before the words had fallen, a sinister voice suddenly rang out outside the command center.

  Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu's faces suddenly changed, they quickly turned their heads to see a large group of National Army generals entering in a line. The first one was slender, with a gloomy face, and on his collar there were three golden arrow badges, but it wasn't the Party's First-Class General, Third War Zone Deputy Commander-in-Chief Gu Zhuotong, who else could it be?

  "Long live the Emperor!"

  "Long live the Emperor!"

  Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu quickly stood at attention and saluted.

  Gu Zhu Tong hummed a sound from his nostrils and said coldly: "Delegate's telegram!"

  Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu suddenly became solemn, lifting their heads and puffing out their chests as much as possible.

  "Never mind." Gu Zhuo waved his hand and said, "This telegram is not for you, go find Captain Yue Weihan instead."

  "Yes." Xia Zhongyu responded and hastily asked Xia Xiaowei to go call Yue Weihan.

  In less than a moment, Yue Weihan was ordered to arrive at the headquarters of the 98th Division, where he saw a gathering of generals and knew that something big must have happened.

  Gu Zhu looked up and down at Yue Weihan for a moment, a rare smile floating on his face, saying: "You are Yue Weihan?"

  "Reporting for duty, sir!" Yue Weihan stood up straight and replied, "I am indeed Yue Weihan, Captain of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Training Brigade, Central Military Academy of the National Revolutionary Army. Please give me your instructions."

  "Good, good, good. Indeed a young hero." Gu Zhu Tong smiled and nodded his head, then pulled out a telegram from his breast pocket and slowly unfolded it with great solemnity. At the same time, he said to Yue Weihan, "Captain Yue, this telegram was dictated by the principal himself and issued by the Third Department. It can be seen that the principal holds you in high esteem."

  As soon as Gu Zhu finished speaking, many generals who followed him, including Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu, changed their expressions.

  Since the relocation and reorganization of the Whampoa Military Academy, Chiang Wen-zheng was still the principal, but he no longer acted as the principal in front of the students. Generally speaking, only the first five batches of students from Whampoa had this honor. In other words, Yue Weihan's weight in Chiang's heart was already enough to be mentioned alongside the first five batches of students from Whampoa, which is really astonishing.