Chapter Twenty-Five: Xi'an

  Indeed, the wheels of history cannot be changed by my butterfly-like agitation. Although Zhang Xueliang, Yang Hucheng and their subordinates were moved by my plan, the meeting was still dull and lifeless, with only Old Chiang and a few sycophants putting on a show. As soon as the meeting ended, Zhang Xueliang asked to speak with the Chairman alone. Seeing that there was nothing more to be done, I hastily went to greet Bai Chongxi: "Mr. Bai is in good health, I presume?"

  "It's been a month since we last met, and Xiao An, you're even more like a renowned scholar now!"

  "Nobody is better than Mr. Bei!"

  "Hahaha!"

  "Where does the teacher live?"

  "I'm going to Xi'an and staying at the Xijing Hotel; where is my younger brother staying?"

  "I don't know." I found Qian Dajun in the crowd: "Director Qian, does Chairman still have something to do? How will you arrange me?"

  "Brother, the chairman has never said to look for you; brother can stay here or go live in the city, someone from the yamen will make arrangements."

  "So I went to town with Mr. Bai."

  "Please!"

  It turned out that as a famous gentleman, wherever he went, there was always a warm welcome. Jiang Baili surprisingly had an officer from Zhang Xueliang's guard troops to escort him in a special car, and outside the car, two of Zhang's guards stood on the running board to protect him.

  A bumpy ride with nothing to say, after a fairly sumptuous dinner.

  "Zi'an, what do you think are the chances of success if your battle plan for Shaanbei is carried out seriously?"

  "Annihilating the enemy army is not something I dare say, but defeating them and driving them north into the desert has a 70% chance of success."

  "The enemy's main force has now gathered in northern Shaanxi, with a total of 50,000 to 60,000 troops. The 2nd column was sent to Xinjiang by you, and the 5th and 7th cavalry divisions were also sent to form a cavalry army. In fact, there are only 5 or 6 columns for the main attack. If the enemy uses half of its main force against one of our columns, we may not be able to guarantee victory. Why do you say that we have a 70% chance of winning?"

  "Don't scare me?" I pretended to be afraid, "Obviously it was the Chairman who ordered the 1st Army to Xinjiang, how did it become that I gave the order?"

  "Hahaha!"

  "As for why I'm confident, it's because of this." I took out two pieces of paper.

  Jiang Baili took it and looked at it: "New draft of military combat merit evaluation regulations? Hmm, general merits and demerits are evaluated by the number of captured weapons and equipment? And there's elimination of the last place? Brother Xian, you actually came up with this?"

  General merits, with one quick gun as a unit, damage is not affected, scattered and calculated according to the fold; old-style firearms calculation draft; handguns are calculated in the same way as quick guns; twenty rounds are calculated at twice the value; light machine guns are calculated at five times the value; heavy machine guns are calculated at ten times the value; grenade launchers are calculated at three times the value; light howitzers are calculated at five times the value. Captured weapons merits belong to the affiliated unit, and the unit distributes the merits.

  Other meritorious deeds, officers who issue orders to die and complete them successfully, and units that do so, will have their merits calculated according to the original regulations. However, if an officer has no merit but issues such an order, it will be deducted. After verification and confirmation of enemy prisoners of war, merits will be calculated according to the original regulations.

  "Zi An, you've thought this through carefully, but if you really carry it out, I'm afraid you'll become the target of public criticism!"

  "The sky has fallen, but there's still the Chairman to rely on. What am I afraid of? Besides, it's not like the Chairman would let me lead the troops anyway. And in any case, the capable military officers will definitely support him."

  "Haha! You're really not afraid! What's this other one?"

  Loss calculation and deduction method. Loss is calculated based on the loss of weapons and equipment, with the same unit and method as above. Meritorious service is deducted first, followed by residual calculation, and finally eliminated from the bottom.

  "Zi'an, you're absolutely ruthless! From now on, how many people will dare not to execute orders seriously? How many people can still exaggerate their military achievements?"

  Our conversation was interrupted, and Zhang Xueliang, looking very worried, arrived in a flurry of dust.

  "I apologize, Mr. Bai Li and Brother Zi An, for being rude to you both who have traveled from afar!"

  I hastily stood up to greet Zhang Xueliang: "Vice Commander Zhang!"

  Jiang Baili asked leisurely: "Han Ying, just back from the Chairman's place? You must be tired! Haven't had dinner yet?"

  "Not busy, I've eaten some snacks in the car. I came over specifically to ask for your advice." Zhang Xueliang looked straight at me and asked word by word: "How can we defeat Japan?"

  I turned to look at Jiang Baili, but unexpectedly, Jiang Baili said again: "It doesn't matter, just say it directly."

  The result was that I spat out a mouthful of tea! Jiang Baili burst into loud laughter, leaving Zhang Xueliang bewildered; Baili laughed and told the story of when I first met Falkenhausen, and Zhang Xueliang couldn't help but laugh too. "Zi'an, I didn't know you had such an experience, hahaha, it's really a laugh that dispels all worries!"

  After finishing his tea, Chang Hsueh-liang asked again: "Tzu-an, I've heard you have many new ideas. I'd like to know, how can we defeat the Japanese?"

  I answered solemnly: "Han Ying, I can only say that China is much weaker than Japan. If Japan were to exert its normal strength, we would certainly lose the country." Seeing Chiang and Zhang's faces change color, I quickly added: "But I don't think Japan will be able to exert its normal national strength now. With the current chaotic situation in Japan, we can completely defend against Japan's attack, drag the war into a long stalemate, and with the changes in the international situation, with the help of our international allies, ultimately recover our territory, defeat Japan, and march towards victory."

  "That's to say you agree with our current tolerance and try to delay the outbreak of war?" Zhang Xueliang asked coldly.

  "In principle it is so, but now whether in North China or in East China, we have already reached the limit of our patience; once Japan again provokes conflict, the Sino-Japanese war will inevitably break out again."

  Zhang Xueliang became excited again, "May I ask, younger brother, how much time is left?"

  I turned my head to look at Jiang Baili, and saw him nodding, "Within a year."

  "Director, will this meeting go all the way?"

  Faced with such a direct question, I couldn't help but hesitate, what to say? I was unable to answer.

  Zhang Xueliang, however, became excited and asked himself: "Zi'an, you dare not say it? I'll say it for you: The Chairman may fight, but at most only once, and then again compromise and cede territory!" After saying this, he rushed out in excitement.

  We exchanged a glance, "Mr. Bai Li, has he always been like this?"

  "Used to be a bit temperamental, but over the past year or so, getting more and more agitated, more and more melancholic, sigh!"

  "Mr. Bai Li, is this what happens every time you tell me 'it's alright, just say it'?"

  "Haha!"

  At night, I fell asleep contentedly in the auxiliary bedroom of the luxurious suite specially prepared for Chiang Kai-shek by Zhang Xueliang. Hehe, I remember that during the Xi'an Incident, more than half of the people who lived in Huaqing Pool in Lintong were killed or injured, and many famous people died; while those stationed at the Xi'an West Guest House were all safe and sound except for a few unlucky ones who tried to escape by taking the road. Since Chiang Kai-shek was fine, I could also be safe and sound.

  The air in the morning is not bad, and next should be Zhang Xueliang's last face-to-face advice, nothing to do with me. So, I took out my youthful travel enthusiasm, inviting Chiang Bai Li to go sightseeing at Xi'an ancient ruins together, Chiang was also quite moved, immediately asked Sun Ming Jiu to borrow a car to tour the scenery of Xi'an, Sun also sent two guards for me, and I also took the opportunity to at least get familiar with them, so that when Director Sun takes action in a few days, he won't bother this small fish like me!

  It's rare to have the opportunity to relive the feeling of 20 years ago! The scenery is completely different from the crowded tourist spots before, and instead, I hear Jiang Baili pointing out the mountains and rivers everywhere, and citing evidence on the side. It's really embarrassing, two lifetimes as a person, not even comparable to what others have learned in one lifetime, ashamed, ashamed!

  Unfortunately, this rare good mood was soon ruined by the arrival of Old Jiang's guards. Looking at the nearby Big Wild Goose Pagoda, I sighed and had to go to Huaqing Pool for training again!

  "The main enemy in our midst at present is the alien class, and we should concentrate our forces to wipe them out; as for Japan, it is an enemy far away from us, whom we will deal with later. If we do not now concentrate our forces to strike at the main enemy in front of us, but instead raise a hue and cry to fight the enemy thousands of miles away, that would be contrary to my policy of 'pacifying the country before repelling the external enemy'. Contrary to this policy is counter-revolution. I will surely overthrow whoever is counter-revolutionary."

  Listening to Old Chiang's loud and stern shouting, I secretly smiled to myself. After listening to Old Chiang's lengthy nonsense, I quickly went to a temporary office nearby to take a stroll and saw that the Western Route Army was advancing smoothly, Ma Bufang didn't send the 5th Division to help and obviously had no intention of fighting to the death like in history, instead letting them pass; while Chen Jitong led the First Army which was far behind, obviously unable to catch up. Hehe, Xinjiang! This game is fun! Looking again at the gradually easing situation on the Chaha'er border, Pingjin and Songhu were also safe and sound. Since everything was fine, I prepared to continue my travel plans.

  "Mr. Zi'an, the Chairman has an invitation for you later."

  I turned around to take a look, and it was Jiang Xiaoxian, the paternal cousin of Old Chiang, the newly appointed head of the third section of the Imperial Guard, one of the two most unfortunate ghosts who died in the Xi'an Incident.

  "Alright, Director Jiang has some free time!"

  "Sorry, I have something to do, goodbye!" He said and ran away. Isn't he just a few years older than me, but a generation younger? Originally wanted to save his life, now can only let him go! Only afraid of implicating Zhang Xueliang in lifelong house arrest!

  "Zi'an, have you gotten used to living in Xijing yet?"

  "Brother-in-law, Zi'an is used to it; what's more, he can get guidance from Mr. Bailing, how fortunate."

  "Zi'an is still a good learner! However, the war is about to break out, you'd better stay by my side!"

  "What? No way! This is the Huaqing Pool, in a few days more than half of the people here will be dead or injured, even Qian Dajun was shot, just you old man are fine, I don't dare to bet on a 50-50 chance!"

  As a result, I still stayed in 'Huaqing Shengjing' because I really couldn't find an excuse to shirk and could only sit and wait for the approaching of December 12th hour by hour.