Chapter Seventeen Gathering

  For the last time to appreciate the beauty of 'ancient' Liu Yuan, I and Yunyan hand in hand turned around the pavilions and buildings again. As I gradually hugged Yunyan's plump and delicate body, my body trembled with excitement as I touched her hot skin; Yunyan shyly turned her head away, allowing me to muster up the courage for a kiss that landed on the back of her ear.

  "Ah!" Yunyan suddenly shouted loudly.

  I was just about to ask what's wrong when I found that we were only a few steps away from Zhang Zhizhong's office, and the door was still open. "Is it Miss Yunyan?"

  We exchanged a smile and walked into Zhang Zhong's office.

  "Mr. Wen Bai, we're taking our leave!"

  "Are the two of you going to Shanghai?"

  "Yes, Miss Yunyan and I are preparing to get engaged in Shanghai."

  "Ah? Congratulations to both of you! You two are a perfect match, I wish you a hundred years of happiness together!"

  Yunyan's face suddenly turned red with shame, and she quickly ran away.

  "It's rare to see Cloudy Geese Maiden blush!"

  "Me too! Hahaha!"

  After laughing, Zhang Zhizhong asked: "Before leaving, I still want to ask a question that I forgot to ask yesterday?"

  "Welcome, Mr. Wen Bai!"

  "How should we deploy our troops in response to Younger Brother's 'Breaking the Hut'?"

  "Ah!? Mr. Wen Bai, you're really ruthless!"

  "It's a contradictory argument, you can't be at peace without resolving it!"

  "Haha!" I thought for a moment and said: "If the Japanese army attacks our military's defensive urban area, I'm afraid most of the time they will take the simplest approach and use heavy artillery and bombs to flatten it directly. Of course, if our military needs to defend the city and has prepared in advance, the essence of my proposed fortifications is to dig holes, using various forms of small and large holes to resist the Japanese army's heavy firepower. These fortifications can be built in urban areas, and except for being hit by direct fire from heavy weapons, they are also sufficient to withstand a certain scale of conventional attacks. If there is no preparation, then high-quality troops will need to disperse and defend, or even conduct small-scale guerrilla warfare to utilize the city to complete the task of pinning down the Japanese army's attack."

  "Does your 'Song-style craftsmanship' come in handy wherever you go? Even in the city?"

  "Yes, in the war with the Japanese army, our army will be at a disadvantage for a long time, and most combat actions will inevitably focus on defense. Defense is the fundamental way out, only by covering all personnel and equipment, reducing the enemy's heavy casualties to a minimum, can our army have the opportunity to fight with the Japanese bandits with light weapons! Relying on China's population advantage and vast territory, we will persevere until final victory!"

  "Yes! In 1932, we were also in Shanghai. Our elite troops clashed with the Japanese army at close range and had no disadvantage, plus a numerical advantage that was enough to overwhelm the Japanese army; but the 19th Route Army and we were both badly battered by the Japanese heavy artillery and bombs."

  (In fact: In 1932, the 128th Division fought in the Shanghai War. First, the 19th Route Army participated in the battle, and then Zhang Zhizhong led the 5th Army to reinforce it. They had a fierce battle with the Japanese army for a month. Later, due to the enemy's repeated reinforcements, Chiang Kai-shek abandoned the reinforcement and was forced to retreat. In this battle, the Japanese army admitted that they lost three thousand men, and actually lost more than 14,000.)

  "Yes, I've seen the records from back then at the official residence. You had a total of just over 60,000 people and only a few battalions of mountain artillery; The Japanese army, with the support of a powerful fleet, had several thousand naval infantry and land warfare troops, totaling over 10,000 people, but were still being suppressed by you. The entire 9th Division was unable to do anything about it. If it weren't for the reinforcements from the 11th and 14th Divisions and the heavy artillery at the time, Chairman wouldn't have agreed to send more troops, this battle would still be ongoing!"

  Note: In the Japanese military, what we refer to as "Marine Corps" is called "Special Landing Forces", an elite force; troops temporarily formed from naval personnel for ground combat are referred to as "Landing Troops" or "Temporary Landing Troops", a general force with relatively weaker combat effectiveness. The Japanese Army's Motofumi Detachment was composed of the main force and part of the artillery of the 24th Brigade, 12th Division, and arrived in Shanghai on February 7 to participate in the battle.

  "Brother, you don't have to flatter me anymore! In the early stages, it was mainly the 19th Route Army that fought well. Our 5th Army only participated on a small scale in the later stages. What a pity!" Zhang Zhizhong sighed, but it's unclear whether he was sighing about not being able to fight against the Japanese invaders back then or sighing about the final heroic deeds of the 19th Route Army.

  I paused for a moment and said, "The enemy is strong and we are weak. In future wars, most of our troops only need to focus on defense. As for offense? I'm afraid it will be just a small number of elite troops engaging in hit-and-run attacks."

  "Brother Xian is right! The three armies are all in place, and the attack on the concession territory will probably be a rare opportunity for an offensive campaign! I must do it well!"

  Last time you didn't do it well, I hope so. I silently prayed in my heart.

  "Let's go!"

  We headed towards Shanghai, gazing at the beautiful Jiangnan scenery, thousands of miles of green fields and fragrant rice, I fell silent.

  Yunyan actively pulled my hand, and the warmth of her palm gradually infected me. "Zi'an, what are you thinking?"

  "I wonder if we can still see this peaceful Jiangnan?"

  "I can definitely do it!"

  "We can definitely do it!" The little horse in front of us and Lijin also said together!

  Song's Former Residence in Shanghai

  "Older sister!"

  "Hmm, showed up in Nanjing a few times, then disappeared for half a year, still remember me, big sister?"

  "Isn't it busy with business? The committee members are also keeping a close eye on it."

  "Is this Miss Yunyan? How pretty she is!" The elder sister-in-law came out to smooth things over.

  "This is my elder sister! This is my elder brother's wife! This is my second elder brother's wife!"

  After a brief introduction, Yunyan, dressed as a gentle lady, blushed and was instantly swept away by them.

  "Third brother is coming with me." The big brother led me into his office, from head to toe and then from toe back to head.

  "Big brother! Can you please not look at me? I'm embarrassed!"

  The second brother of Yi laughed loudly!

  "Let me take a closer look, is it really my third brother?"

  "Look who's like Third Brother! Hahaha!"

  "You're making a fortune on Wall Street, which is your forte, and barely pass as a professional in business, how can you also make waves in the military?"

  "Ten years ago, where was there still a place for the chairman of the committee to mix?"

  "Hahaha!"

  "Don't say that, Second Brother-in-law's strategic vision is still quite good! The way he uses people and gathers their hearts is very clever. Otherwise, how could he become the chairman of the committee? Otherwise, how could Wang Zongming and Feng Huanzhang get to where they are today?"

  "Not bad! Third brother has really grown up! Big brother is no match for you!"

  "Everyone has their own strengths, and older brother is a master of finance and economics."

  "What's the use of being a financial master? Big brother, I'm not trying to rebel against your sister's husband, but I want to do something for the country in the field of finance and economics, to fulfill my ambitions. But at over 40 years old, I'm still just doing someone else's bidding! And on top of that, I'd be saddled with the infamy of swallowing up the nation's financial industry!"

  "Big brother, don't be so pessimistic! Big brother is still in his prime years, with a bright future ahead!"

  "What did you say?"

  "Hundreds of miles, Mr. Geng Guang and others, including General Connors, all believe that within two years the Japanese army will inevitably provoke again, and continue to nibble at our China. Whether in Pingjin or Shanghai, we have no room for retreat, and the result can only be a full-scale outbreak of war, with China and Japan engaging in a life-and-death struggle to gamble on national destiny!"

  "I've also heard that this will be a severe blow to China's economy, and finance may even collapse! Although I've started preparing, I'm afraid it's just barely better than nothing. Take a look! These are the preparations and implementation."

  From the depths of memory, I recall one by one the financial and economic conditions that had actually collapsed during the War of Resistance Against Japan, looking at the item-by-item financial measures written by my elder brother.

  "When the time comes, I'm afraid you'll have to rely on your elder brother to go out and seek foreign aid!"

  "Running outside for help?"

  "Yes! The all-out war of resistance has begun, and our limited economic reserves will be depleted in less than a year; for the long-term war of resistance, we can rely on overseas Chinese for a short period, and then on loans and assistance from major powers such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and even Russia."

  "Third brother!?"

  I continued to compile, "According to Bai Li's analysis, Germany is also like Japan in Europe, making a fortune again and again. Once the leader makes a move, the European war will break out within three or four years; at that time, the world will be in chaos, regardless of who wins, there will always be losers. We'll strike first, taking advantage of their peacefulness to borrow more, haha!"

  "Third brother, you're trying to welch on your debt!"

  "Don't say anything that would shame our country! Hehe! As long as the loan is not excessive, since there are losers, we can always make a profit."

  "Have you guys discussed who will be the loser?"

  "Discussed, the first one is France!"

  "Europe's First Superpower?"

  "That's just past glory, in less than two years, I'll definitely lose a one-on-one match with Yuan Shou."

  "Big brother! Third brother is right! Otherwise, why would the French spend a huge amount of money to build the Maginot Line?"

  "Britain and France are now like one family, if Britain sends troops to help like in World War I, there will still be fighting!"

  "Britain? How many troops can Britain send to fight on the European continent now?"

  "Three or four battalions should be available, right? Big brother?"

  "I'm afraid it's not that many?"

  "Second Brother, are you willing to make a bet? Once Europe starts fighting, I bet that Britain will not send more than 10 divisions of troops within three months!"

  "You can't be serious? I don't dare bet on it! Who doesn't know that you're a high-ranking advisor to the Military Commission behind your back?"

  "Hahaha!"

  (In stark contrast to the dozens of divisions of British Expeditionary Force that were quickly deployed to the European continent at the beginning of World War I, the first batch of troops of the British Expeditionary Force at the beginning of World War II had only a pitifully small number of 4 infantry divisions and 1 armored brigade.)

  "If Britain 'helps' in this way, France will indeed collapse! Big brother, why don't we take the opportunity to borrow more from France now?"

  "Of course, since France is going bankrupt, if we borrow French francs and return them as francs, we'll make a huge profit!"

  "I really miss Dad's horse lending and returning with Mark back then!"

  "Don't forget to exchange the borrowed francs for dollars as soon as possible!"

  "Great! Who's next?"

  "It's hard to guess next, Germany? Russia? Or the UK? But one thing is for sure, the final winner must be the US, and it will definitely be a big winner!"

  "Russia has deep contradictions with Japan in the Far East and Northeast, and should be our main object of borrowing and foreign aid at the beginning of the war; Britain has significant economic interests in the Yangtze River Valley and is also an object that can be borrowed from at the beginning of the war, but the supply of materials is not as convenient as Russia's. Financial assistance is still possible. Russia? Third brother, do you think Chairman will reconcile with Russia?"

  "It's definitely going to happen. There has never been friendship between countries, only interests. And besides, the 'crown prince' is still working in Russia!"

  A gentle knock at the door interrupted our conversation as the old butler announced, "Young master, the second and third young ladies have arrived."

  "Let's talk about it later! It's rare for all of us brothers and sisters to gather together!"