Prologue

  July 1937, Presidential Palace in Nanjing.

  A middle-aged general at the door of Chiang Kai-shek's office stretched out his hand and gently knocked on the door.

  Inside the door sounded Chiang's unique Zhejiang Fenghua accent.

  "Come on in."

  The military man who is as honest as his words in Nanjing is probably Chen Cheng alone.

  Chen Cheng pushed open the door and walked into Chiang's office. He found Chiang standing in front of a huge map of China, his back to him, without even turning his head. The recent battles had indeed made people anxious.

  Chen Cheng stood at attention and saluted, shouting: "Principal is well, returned from inspection tour, specially came to report the situation."

  Chiang Kai-shek turned half his body and beckoned Chen Cheng to come forward to the map, saying: "Tell me what you have understood so far."

  Chen Cheng took the command baton next to the map and said, "Now the Japanese army has deployed its main force in the Pingjin area south of Changxin Village to Duliuzhen, with 8 divisions of Japanese troops in this area. Heavy artillery and aircraft are all available."

  Chiang Kai-shek interrupted Chen Cheng and said: "Zixiu, you have been with me for many years, and I still trust you more on military matters."

  Chen Cheng understood Chiang Kai-shek. Knowing that Chiang was getting impatient, he stopped and quietly waited for Chiang to ask questions.

  The two men fell silent for a moment before Chiang asked, "I just want to know one thing: can North China be defended?"

  Chen Cheng's baton in his hand dropped down stiffly.

  "Can't hold on." Chen Cheng replied succinctly.

  Chiang Kai-shek fell silent for a moment, then sighed and said: "It seems that the Japanese want to learn from Kublai Khan!"

  The principal saw it. Chen Cheng echoed:

  Chiang Kai-shek turned around and motioned for Chen Cheng to sit down. He continued, "Anyone who has studied Chinese history knows that when foreign invaders invade China, they must face a problem - the strategic depth of China. Kublai Khan went straight to Sichuan, while Dorgon used the strategy of sowing discord. How could the Japanese not think of this? If I hadn't thought of it, I wouldn't have been the principal of Huangpu for several years."

  Chen Cheng smiled and said, "The principal is right."

  Chiang Kai-shek sighed and said, "We have already lost in terms of strategy. Since the mid-Meiji period, Japan has been plotting against us. They fought Russia and occupied Korea. The Tanaka Memorial clearly states: 'In order to conquer China, we must first conquer Manchuria and Mongolia. In order to conquer the world, we must first conquer China.'"

  Chiang paused here on purpose and returned from history to the present reality before his eyes.

  "If the Japanese have pierced our deep defense, then we will face a situation of being attacked from both front and back. Perhaps in three months, we really will be facing national subjugation."

  Chiang Kai-shek said that as a soldier, he couldn't sit still. Chen Cheng suddenly stood up and said: "Principal, we Huangpu soldiers will fight to the last man and never let you be humiliated."

  Chiang Kai-shek looked at Chen Cheng with satisfaction and signaled him to sit down. His tone was much softer. "Chen, at this critical moment for the nation, you can't have any hidden thoughts or reservations. I don't believe you don't have any ideas."

  Chen Cheng picked up the tea on the table, took a sip and said: "Principal, then I'll speak directly.

  "It wasn't just a matter of being attacked from the front and back, but from all four sides. At that time, our navy and army found it difficult to stop the Japanese landing in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Then we would have to face enemies coming from four directions: North China, Shanghai, the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and Guangzhou."

  Chiang Kai-shek listened to Chen Cheng's introduction and couldn't help but interject, "At that time we will have to learn from Sun Hao."

  Chen Cheng heard Jiang Kai joking and followed by saying: "Sun Hao can't be learned, we learn Sun Hao will be poked in the back by Chinese people."

  Chiang Kai-shek burst out laughing after hearing this. He said, "Zi Xiu has really grown up and learned to use indirect tactics. The Japanese have already made their intentions clear. Their conditions for negotiations are too high. We can only fight on. Don't worry, speak your mind!"

  Chen Cheng secretly sighed. The principal was still only concerned about his own power and position, and it was said that the Japanese negotiation conditions this time were most unacceptable to the principal, asking him to step down. However, as a general who had been promoted by Chiang Kai-shek himself, he could only do his best and follow fate.

  "My idea is to take advantage of the contradictions within Japan and try to change Japan's strategic intentions."

  Chiang Kai-shek looked at Chen Cheng with surprise, perhaps this idea was too novel.

  He nodded and motioned for Chen Cheng to continue speaking.

  "Japan domestically is not a monolith. For example, the Japanese army and navy have contradictions. Especially in my North China region, the Kwantung Army and the Japanese Navy's landing force in Shanghai have huge differences in attitude towards Japan's military strategy. This time, the Japanese cabinet was unaware of the North China incident, mainly because a series of generals from the Kwantung Army took unauthorized action. Later, as the war results continued to expand, the Kwantung Army gained the upper hand. However, the Japanese Navy General Staff's opinion on the Kwantung Army became even greater."

  Chiang Kai-shek nodded, and every day he would glance over the intelligence reports on his desk. He had a general understanding of the situation in Japan.

  "My intention is to deploy a large number of troops to Shanghai. Show the Japanese that we are determined to drive them out of Shanghai. The Japanese are being arrogant, especially at this time their naval landing force will not retreat, if they do, their Navy Minister would lose face in the cabinet meeting. Then there's only one option left, which is to reinforce our troops towards Shanghai, currently Japan can only mobilize its North China troops. This way the Kwantung Army will have to slow down its attack on the north front. We can at least gain three months of time, move our national capital and heavy industry to the west, rely on the natural barrier of the 800-mile Qinling Mountains, and lean on our British allies. Trade space for time."

  Chiang Kai-shek stared at Chen Cheng with his eyes and said, "Zixiu, if someone else told me this, I would scold him away now. But you have been my most trusted person since Huangpu days, so I want to ask you, how many troops do you need to realize your strategic idea?"

  Chen Cheng also did his homework and said: "Four hundred thousand. With a large army approaching, the Japanese will mobilize three million people to Shanghai within a month. Too few, no pressure!"

  Chiang Kai-shek leaned back on the sofa and asked: "And then?"

  Chen Cheng said: "Then when the Japanese occupied Shanghai, we retreated and our main force shifted to Xuzhou and Changsha."

  "Handing Nanjing over to the Japanese."

  Chen Cheng said: "Nanjing can be defended, but in the end it still cannot be held. It would be better to set its strategic goal as consuming the enemy's strength."

  "Good grief! You're treating Nanjing like a piece of cake! With it, the Japanese will have no reason to carry out their previous strategy."

  When Chiang heard this, Chen Cheng vaguely felt Chiang's dissatisfaction and hastily explained: "Principal, I remember you said that when a general is on the battlefield, he should think about how to win, everything else is secondary."

  Chiang smiled and said, "I didn't say it that way at the time. What I meant was that a surgeon performing an operation on the operating table should treat the patient as if he were dead in some sense, so that he can fully utilize his skills."

  Chiang smiled. Chen Cheng knew that his task was already 90% complete, so he lowered his head and started drinking tea. After a few minutes, Chiang asked again: "Disheng, if you were the commander of this Shanghai operation, which troops would you mobilize?"

  Chen Cheng knew that this was the crucial point as soon as he heard these words.

  "Zhang Zhongzhong's division, Zhang Fakui's division, Liu Jianxu's division. These are all going to be deployed at the first opportunity."

  Chen Cheng stopped here. Knowing Chiang Kai-shek's taste, Chen Cheng had to grasp his meaning before continuing or not speaking.

  Chiang Kai-shek sighed and said: "Xiu, you want to use this one battle to avenge the blood of my Central Army! We've put all our family property on the line."

  "Principal, this is also an unavoidable thing. Shanghai and Nanjing are originally the territory of our Central Army. We should take the lead in fighting, it's a matter of course."

  Chiang Kai-shek stood up and walked to the window, waving his hand to pull open the curtains.

  "Feng Yuxiang scolded me for not resisting Japan, this time I will show him how I resist Japan. Xiubing you go and prepare. This time we'll put everything on the line, you must give me a commanding position. Only by handing these things over to you can I be at ease. Alright, you go draft a detailed plan and come back. Then we'll talk again. You go busy yourself!"

  Chen Chengteng suddenly stood up from the sofa and said: "I will definitely not disappoint the principal's expectations."

  Chen Cheng turned around and left. Standing at the door, he was sweating profusely. He thought to himself that he had been too impulsive earlier. It's likely that Jiang had similar plans in mind all along. Today, asking himself was just a way of binding himself to this war chariot to protect his own troops. His mind is deep and unpredictable.

  Chen Cheng waited until he had regained his composure before leaving Chiang's office.

  Chen Cheng left, and Chiang Kai-shek turned around alone and walked to the front of the map. He smiled and said: "Liu Xiang, Liu Xiang. In those years, I helped you become the king of Sichuan, but when we were fighting against the Communists, you stabbed me in the back. Today, old and new accounts will be settled together. Let you know that if I can make you the king of Sichuan, I can also make you have nothing."

  "Transform it. Transform it." Just as the words fell, a secretary-like person walked in from outside the door.

  Chiang continued: "You go and prepare to hold a meeting in Lushan, with the highest standards. Send telegrams to the big bosses of each region. Say that I, Chiang so-and-so, am in Lushan discussing with everyone the next steps for resisting Japan."

  "The drafts of telegrams for Gui, Dian and especially Chuan troops should be personally prepared by you, after which they will be submitted to me for review."

  Jiang had no other instructions for the visitor, so he closed the door and retreated. He went to the secretariat to pick up a telegram and began to read it.

  "We used to fight internal wars, which is extremely shameful for the country and nation. Today's War of Resistance against Japan is to protect our land and defend our country, shedding blood and making sacrifices, this is the heavenly duty that we soldiers should fulfill. Our Sichuan Army cannot disappoint the expectations of our parents and fellow villagers, we must shed all our hot blood to fight for the glory of our country." - Signed by Yang Sen, Commander of the 20th Army of the National Revolutionary Army.

  Even the secretary of Chiang's style sighed: "I don't know if the Sichuan army can get through this time. The equipment is lagging behind, and in the end, it may not be defeated by the Japanese but by its own people."