Chapter 61: The Turbulent Four Years - 91 (Below) Flying Warehouse Web

  He Yingqin handed over the telegram and passed it to Chen Cheng after reading it from head to toe. Chen Cheng looked at it and then handed it to Dai Li. When Dai Li finished reading the telegram, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his clothes were also drenched with cold sweat. Dai Li quietly took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and said: "Principal, the student is derelict in duty!"

  Chiang Kai-shek glanced at Chen Cheng and He Yingqin, saying: "Junong, this matter cannot be blamed on you. After all, the Northeast is separated from us by Zhang Xueliang."

  "Thank you, Principal, for your understanding! However, this is indeed the student's fault. The student will definitely make up for it!" Dai Li said with his head bowed.

  Chiang Kai-shek smiled slightly and looked at He Yingqin and Chen Cheng, asking: "What do you think about this matter?"

  Chen Cheng said: "Your Excellency, I think this is a rare opportunity to weaken the Northeast Army's strength."

  Chiang Kai-shek's eyes lit up, and he put on a puzzled expression, saying: "Go on."

  "Your Excellency!" Chen Cheng thought for a moment and said: "Zhang Xueliang changed his allegiance and obeyed the government's command. To put it bluntly, it was entirely because of his personal vendetta. If it weren't for the Japanese having killed his father, given the strength of the Northeastern Army, he would never have surrendered to the government..."

  "Wait a minute!" Before Chen Cheng could finish speaking, He Yingqin interrupted: "Regardless of whether Zhang Xueliang is being impulsive or has an ulterior motive. From the moment he publicly announced his change of allegiance, he has shown obedience to the central government. Moreover, in the Central Plains War, if Zhang Xueliang had not intervened at the critical moment, who knows what would have happened? What Guo Songlin is worried about now is that the Northeastern Army is becoming increasingly unmanageable."

  Chen Cheng nodded indomitably and said, "The Northeast Army has three million, while the Central Army, at most, has only five million. The most important thing is that the Central Army's weapons and equipment are basically dependent on imports, while the Northeast Army can be self-sufficient under Zhang Zuolin's careful management. If we don't control them now, what if..."

  "Xiucai (Chen Cheng's courtesy name) still understands my heart!" Chiang Kai-shek muttered to himself, but on the surface, he put on a trusting face and said: "I believe in Hanqing (Zhang Xueliang's courtesy name), he will not betray the Central Government."

  Chen Cheng cried out again: "Your Excellency, one must not have a heart that harms others, but one cannot be without a mind that guards against others! Even if Zhang Xueliang will not betray the Central Government, it is hard to guarantee that he will not be misled by others. Why not take advantage of this opportunity and use the Japanese to cut off the root of the Northeastern Army?"

  He Yingqin hummed softly and said: "Your Excellency, although Cai's words make some sense, after all, the loss is still ours."

  "Principal!" Just as Chen Cheng and He Yingqin were arguing, Dai Li said: "Principal, we are debating here, why not let Zhang Xueliang choose for himself. We can send this telegram to Zhang Xueliang without changing a single word. Let Zhang Xueliang judge for himself. Even if something happens in the future, we will be blameless."

  Chiang Kai-shek hesitated for a moment, looking at Chen Cheng and He Yingqin. Chen Cheng, who understood Chiang's thoughts, spoke up: "Chairman, Yu Nong is right. This is the most suitable plan at present."

  "I also agree with Yunong's plan." He Yingqin hesitated for a moment, then said: "Although Zhang Xueliang will not believe us, we still need to remind him on moral grounds. Even if the Northeast is really occupied by Japan, we can make Zhang Xueliang speechless. At that time, public opinion can also stand on our side, and we will not be passive."

  "General! Urgent telegram from Nanjing!" At dusk, Zhang Xueliang's deputy officer walked into Zhang Xueliang's study with a telegram. Zhang Xueliang put down the book in his hand and took the telegram with a puzzled expression. Suddenly, Zhang Xueliang's face changed, and he said to his deputy officer: "Go and call Li Tiancai!"

  "Yes!" The deputy officer responded and quickly ran out of Zhang Xueliang's study. About half an hour later, Li Tiancai knocked on the door and walked into Zhang Xueliang's study, asking: "Deputy Commander, did you call for me?"

  "Genius, sit down!" After Li Tiancai sat down, Zhang Xueliang handed the telegram to Li Tiancai. Li Tiancai took the telegram and quickly scanned it, saying: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief, forgive me for speaking bluntly! Judging from the details described in the telegram, it is very likely that this is true. Since Old Chiang can remind you at this time, he probably has ulterior motives towards you."

  "Yangmou?!" Zhang Xueliang muttered to himself, deep in thought. Li Tiancai hesitated for a moment before adding: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief, after you took office and changed your allegiance to the central government, you gained a lot of popular support. This time, in the Central Plains War, you helped Chiang Kai-shek achieve his final victory, which further boosted your reputation. Chiang Kai-shek may not be able to deal with you himself, but his advisors will definitely not let you become too powerful..."

  Zhang Xueliang held out his hand to stop Lian Tiancai from continuing, and asked lightly: "Tiancai, be frank! What should I do this time?"

  Li Tiancai took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and said: "It's better to believe it exists than not! Be loose outside but tight inside, let the troops be ready to fight at any time."

  "I know, you go down first!" After sending off Li Tiancai, Zhang Xueliang, who was uneasy in his mind, walked back and forth in the office for two rounds, picked up the phone, and hesitated again: "The Japanese Kwantung Army has only 10,000 people in Northeast China. Even if they mobilize expatriates, there are only 30,000 people. I have 200,000 troops outside the pass. The little devils must not be so stupid as to do something that will lead to their own death." Thinking of this, Zhang Xueliang put down the phone.

  On the evening of September 18, 1931, the restless Japanese invaders could no longer hold back their carefully planned conspiracy. The so-called "railway guard team" blew up the South Manchurian Railway track near Liutiaohu Lake in Shenyang, framing the Chinese army and using this as a pretext to shell Beidaying. On the 19th, after occupying Shenyang, the Japanese army successively occupied Changchun, Jilin and other places. From then on, Japan opened the curtain of its invasion of China.

  "Damn it, Zhang Hanqing is useless! Thirty million troops can't even beat the Japanese!" Chiang Kai-shek cursed in his office after receiving a report on the situation in Northeast China. About half an hour later, Chiang Kai-shek calmed down and looked at his advisor Yang Yongtai, asking: "What should we do next?"

  Yang Yongtai replied, "The current situation is more advantageous than disadvantageous for us! The Northeast Army has lost its foundation in the Northeast, just like a floating water lily without support. We can take this opportunity to divide and disintegrate the Northeast Army. As for the loss of territory, we can ask the League of Nations to intervene and force Japan to return the Northeast to us."

  He Yingqin interjected, "Changqing (Yang Yongtai's courtesy name), it is not wrong to disintegrate the Northeast Army. However, with the loss of national territory, those literati will surely make a big fuss about it. If things go badly, the Communist bandits will stir up trouble again and the students will rise up once more. Moreover, pinning hopes on the League of Nations is likely to end in disappointment."

  Chiang Kai-shek's face suddenly turned cold, staring intently at He Yingqin for a moment before sighing and saying: "This won't do, that won't do. Must we really fight the Japanese?!"

  Zhang Jingjiang, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Your Excellency, there is one person who may have a good strategy. The question is whether you dare to use him."

  Chiang Kai-shek was taken aback for a moment, turned his head to look at Zhang Jingjiang and said: "What you're saying can't be about Jiang Baili, can it?!"

  "It's him! I wonder if you dare to use him?" Zhang Jingjiang asked again.

  "Cough!" Chiang Kai-shek let out a deep sigh, as if he had compromised, and said to Qian Daquan: "Mu Yin, trouble you to go and bring Jiang Baili to me."

  "Yes!" Chiang Kai-shek responded with a single word and left his office.

  "Extra! Extra! The Northeastern Army retreated without a fight, losing the Northeast!"... At this time, the streets were filled with the shouts of newspaper boys, and the September 18th Incident seemed to have grown wings and spread throughout China.

  "Father-in-law, what you were worried about has happened!" Lin Guodong walked up to Cheng Jincheng with a newspaper in hand. Cheng Jincheng took the newspaper and quickly scanned its contents, slamming it onto the table with a furious palm, his face twisted in anger and disappointment, cursing: "Zhou Youwang's indulgence in pleasure brought about the downfall of the Western Zhou dynasty's over 200-year foundation; Yang Guang's collection of beauties from all over the land led to the demise of the Sui dynasty's prosperous reign; now Zhang Xueliang's pursuit of pleasure has brought ruin to the Northeast. What a shame!"

  "Father-in-law, things have already come to this point, don't be angry anymore. It's not worth damaging your health." As he spoke, Lin Guodong took the tea from the servant and handed it to his father-in-law. Just as he was about to say something else, the butler rushed over with a telegram: "Master, young master has sent a telegram from Germany."

  Lin Guodong took the telegram and read it carefully, then handed it to his father-in-law. Cheng Jincheng took the telegram, glanced at it briefly, and his face changed several times before saying: "The little Japanese are really unrelenting! They've just occupied our Northeast, and now they're eyeing Shanghai!"

  "Father-in-law, shall we give Nanjing a heads up?! Let them prepare ahead of time?!" Lin Guodong asked with furrowed brows. Cheng Jincheng thought for a moment before saying: "Let's wait a bit longer! After all, it's still early."

  The matter was put on hold, and at the same time, Jiang Baili was taken to Chiang Kai-shek's office by Qian Daquan. As a renowned educator with many students holding important positions, Chiang Kai-shek did not dare to kill him nor release him, so he kept putting it off until today when Zhang Jingjiang brought up Jiang Baili again, and only then did Chiang Kai-shek find an excuse to summon Jiang Baili to his office. As for what the two Jiangs discussed, no one knows. Near dusk, Chiang Kai-shek personally escorted Jiang Baili out of the office. A day later, Chiang Kai-shek issued a release order.

  "Brother Jin, it's been years since we last met! How is your body?" Jiang Baili suddenly appeared at Lin Gongguan with his wife. Cheng Jincheng, who was chatting with his son-in-law in the living room, saw Jiang Baili and was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said: "I'm still the same old self. How about you?!"

  Jiang Baili smiled and looked himself up and down, saying: "Although I've lost some weight, my body is still not bad."