Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 121: Severe Punishment
Seeing Bai Chongxi's self-deprecating expression, Su Yaoyang opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Forget it, I'm just a nobody, I shouldn't get involved in the power struggles between the big shots, I should just stick to fighting the Japanese.

As soon as the war ended, he and his wife fled.

After a moment of reflection, Bai Chongxi turned his head and saw Su Yaoyang standing to the side, seemingly oblivious to everything. He felt both amused and annoyed. "Mingxi...may I call you that?"

Su Yaoyang nodded: "Of course... Since you are both my superior and my elder, you can certainly address me as such."

"You don't need to be so careful. What's between me and the Chairman won't involve you. You can rest assured."

Su Yaoyang touched his nose: "Well... with my skinny arms and legs, even if I wanted to get involved, I couldn't afford to."

"Hey kid, where did your courage go when you were standing up to me? Why did you chicken out so quickly?"

"That was just now, and this is now. Things are different now."

"Fine... you're even more cunning than a monkey when you're tangled up with hair, I'm too lazy to talk to you anymore." Bai Chongxi rolled his eyes impatiently.

However, he wasn't really angry. Human nature is inherently selfish, and the reason he and Li Zongren were able to support each other was because of their decades-long friendship that had been forged through life and death.

Su Yaoyang and he had never met before and were not related by blood or marriage, so why should Su Yaoyang open his heart to him?
His current attitude is normal.

After the teasing, Bai Chongxi asked, "Mingxi... do you know why Delin and I asked you to come over today?"

"I don't know," Su Yaoyang replied.

"According to aerial reconnaissance and the internal intelligence we obtained, just yesterday, the Japanese 16th Division, which was originally in the Rizhao area, suddenly headed towards Linyi."

After discussing it with Delin, we both agreed that the 16th Division was coming for Taierzhuang... which means you guys. What are your thoughts?

"Thoughts?" Su Yaoyang gave a wry smile. "What thoughts could I possibly have? Even if I had the greatest abilities, I couldn't handle two divisions."

Bai Chongxi frowned and said, "Kid... stop being so sarcastic. Delin and I called you over here because we wanted to hear your thoughts."

Because your subsequent actions and insights, along with those of the Nanjing Security Regiment, will determine the course of the Battle of Taierzhuang and even the Battle of Xuzhou.

Su Yaoyang smiled wryly and said, "Commander Bai, please don't say that. I'm just a small security regiment leader. I can't bear such a heavy responsibility. But since you asked me to share my thoughts, I'll take the liberty of speaking up."

After saying that, he cleared his throat, "Now, our army and the Japanese 10th Division are locked in a stalemate at Taierzhuang, and it remains to be seen who will give out first."

The key to our army's desire to seize the initiative lies in the 20th Army Corps. As long as the 20th Army Corps can launch the first attack and strike the Japanese 10th Division from the flank and rear, completely defeating or even annihilating the 10th Division, the siege of Taierzhuang will be lifted immediately.

This allowed our army to seize the initiative on the battlefield, enabling us to calmly deploy troops to deal with the Japanese attack.

Bai Chongxi and Li Zongren exchanged a glance, then Bai asked, "So, what do you think is the best way to win the Battle of Xuzhou?"

"We can't win." Su Yaoyang's words surprised the two of them.

Bai Chongxi's face slowly turned cold: "Why... If we could defeat or even annihilate the 10th Division, wouldn't the battlefield situation become much clearer? How could we not win this battle?"

"Because the Japanese army had massive industrial support, they could continuously send troops and weapons to the battlefield, while we could not."

Su Yaoyang explained, "Currently, although we have gathered 600,000 troops in the Xuzhou area, this is already the result of our best efforts."

The Japanese, on the other hand, could rely on their well-established reserve mobilization system to continue recruiting soldiers and allocating resources, continuously sending troops to the Xuzhou battlefield.

If troops continue to be transferred from other war zones, the Japanese would be the happiest, because they are best at conducting large-scale operations with their strong industrial capabilities and mechanized forces.

If both China and Japan were to adopt a posture of decisive battle, deploying all their troops and resources, the consequences of our defeat would be catastrophic. We cannot afford another defeat like the Battle of Shanghai.

Therefore, the wisest course of action would be to defeat or even annihilate the 10th Division stationed at Taierzhuang before the Japanese army could encircle them.

Then, all main forces were withdrawn from Xuzhou, in exchange for time, as Mr. Baili had suggested.

We must adopt the strategy of retreating when the enemy advances, harassing when the enemy camps, attacking when the enemy is exhausted, and pursuing when the enemy retreats. We must slowly wear down the Japanese until they are weakened, even killed!

"it is good!"

Bai Chongxi slammed his hand on the table and shouted his approval, muttering to himself, "When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue. This is a great strategy! Mingxi, you are truly a strategic genius."

"Hey, hey... Jian Gong, don't praise me like that. Someone else was the one who first came up with this method. I'm just repeating what others have said." No matter how thick-skinned Su Yaoyang was, he didn't dare to steal the credit from his teacher, so he quickly waved his hands.

"It doesn't matter who proposed it; what matters is that this method is very instructive for our future combat formations. I must bring it up to the Chairman when I get back."

This suggestion should be adopted as our guiding principle in future operations against Japan, and those units operating behind enemy lines should especially study this method carefully.

Seeing Bai Chongxi's excited expression, Li Zongren could only steer the conversation back on track: "Alright, Jiansheng, let's leave this for later. Right now, let's discuss the pressing issue of how to take down the 10th Division at Taierzhuang."

Bai Chongxi's face darkened at the mention of this issue.

After thinking for a long time, he said, "How about this, Delin, you and I will jointly send a telegram to the Chairman, giving him a detailed report on the current situation, and also explaining how Tang Enbo's hesitation and delay in seizing the opportunity to fight the war."

He was told explicitly that if the 20th Army Corps remained stationary in Zaozhuang, there would be no need to continue the Battle of Xuzhou.

“Fine…” Li Zongren also stood up and snorted coldly: “We brothers sent a joint telegram to the Chairman, and I can’t even mobilize a single corps. So I might as well not take this nominal position of commander-in-chief of the war zone. Let whoever wants to take it take it.”

Furthermore, another telegram was sent to Tang Enbo, informing him that a general offensive must be launched with the main force of the army towards the enemy's rear at Taierzhuang before dawn on April 2nd. Military orders are absolute, and military law is merciless; disobedience that jeopardizes the battle will be severely punished as insubordination!

As Li Zongren read the telegram with an expressionless face, Su Yaoyang clearly saw an undisguised murderous intent in the eyes of this commander who was known for his magnanimity...

(End of this chapter)