Newborn 1927

Chapter 246 Inviting a Wolf into the House

The following day, Yang Jiefang first sent a telegram to Jiang Tingxuan through the military intelligence system. Then, he issued a transfer order, ordering Wang Dali to return to Jinan to serve as commander of the Guards Division, replacing him with Wang Xuncai as deputy commander of the Eighth Division. He also ordered Wang Xunyong, commander of the 17th Regiment of the Sixth Division, to return to Jinan for a report. Yan Donglai, who was leading a special forces team towards Rehe at the time, was also ordered by Yang Jiefang to return to Jinan alone.

A large pile of reports from various military departments and local governments remained, which Yang Jiefang reviewed one by one. Next came arranging new tasks, the first of which was to repair the airport. Through this trip to Suiyuan, he realized that the airport in his jurisdiction had failed to keep pace with development. With the territory expanding, airplanes should be the preferred mode of transportation for future inspections, saving time and ensuring safety.

The Air Force's Second Air Group has been established, and plans are underway to form the Third Air Group. Including naval carrier-based aircraft, the Air Force now possesses over a thousand combat-ready aircraft. Moreover, this number is rapidly increasing.

Yang Jiefang instructed the General Staff and the Air Force to jointly plan and construct permanent military airfields across various locations. These locations included Qinhuangdao, Zhangjiakou, Duolun, Datong, Guihua, Baotou, Wuyuan, Xi'an, and Tianshui. Yang Jiefang demanded that all airfields have runways capable of accommodating heavy aircraft takeoffs and landings. A cooperation agreement had already been signed with Boeing, and aircraft manufacturers were designing and developing heavy bombers and large transport aircraft.

After the air force base was planned, the next step was to arrange the relocation of the Taiyuan Arsenal and the construction of another armored vehicle factory in Baotou. This task was assigned to Kong Zongru, who was tasked with sending someone to Baotou to manage these military industrial enterprises. Yang Jiefang decided that the military industrial enterprises in Baotou would no longer employ foreigners. Based on the research and development directions provided by Yang Jiefang, new armored vehicles and weapons would be independently developed.

Besides military matters, political affairs were also planned and arranged. Over the next few days, Yang Jiefang was constantly busy with meetings, both large and small.

Amidst their busy schedules, Wang Dali, Yan Donglai, Wang Xunyong, and others returned to Jinan one after another. Wang Dali, already aware of his responsibilities, immediately began planning the organizational structure and personnel allocation for the Guards Division.

Yan Donglai returned home for a blind date, arranged by Sheng Fangyi, to meet the Wang siblings. Wang Canzhi had met Yan Donglai while avenging her mother in Shenyang and had a good impression of him. Now, with Sheng Fangyi, the wife of a young commander, acting as matchmaker, Wang Canzhi agreed to the marriage. Wang Yuande, seeing that his sister had taken a liking to Yan Donglai, didn't want to object, lest he provoke her rebellious spirit.

The engagement between Yan Donglai and Wang Canzhi was thus settled. However, it wouldn't be easy for Yan Donglai to actually marry Wang Canzhi. Given the Wang family's status, even if they didn't care about Yan Donglai's background, the traditional betrothal and marriage ceremony would be unavoidable. This process would take at least a year and a half to complete. Yan Donglai had no family left, so he had to ask the Black Widow to handle the wedding arrangements for him. Afterwards, Yan Donglai headed north to Rehe.

Only Wang Xunyong didn't know why he had been summoned back. Yang Jiefang had been too busy these past few days to see him, and Wang Xunyong dared not complain, suppressing his curiosity and waiting patiently. Fortunately, his brother Wang Xuncai, from the same village and clan, was about to get married, so he busied himself helping with the preparations.

After finishing his work, Yang Jiefang finally remembered Wang Xunyong and summoned him. Like Wang Xuncai, Wang Xunyong had followed Yang Jiefang out to work in Doushan Village four years ago. Under Yang Jiefang's careful guidance, he had gradually matured. Just standing there, one could feel the fierce and courageous spirit in his bones.

Yang Jiefang first looked him up and down, then nodded with satisfaction and said, "I heard you're doing a good job as regimental commander, and the troops always get good results in competitions!"

Wang Xunyong was secretly pleased, but on the surface he said very modestly, "It's all thanks to the young commander's excellent teaching! Otherwise, how could a blockhead like me have such abilities?"

Yang Jiefang smiled and said, "As the saying goes, the master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you. Your ability to apply what you've learned is a skill in itself. Since you're showing promise, I'd like to promote you to a mentor position. What do you think? Are you confident you can do a good job?"

Wang Xunyong was overjoyed and puffed out his chest, saying, "Whatever the young commander asks me to do, I will definitely do it well!"

Yang Jiefang then changed the subject, saying, "Fu Zuoyi and his 35th Army in Suiyuan performed well this time, and I plan to formally accept them and reorganize them into the 7th Army. This army currently only has two infantry divisions. I promised Fu Zuoyi that I would help him form a land reclamation brigade. After careful consideration, a brigade is too small, so let's form a land reclamation division! You will be the commander of this land reclamation division!"

Upon hearing the name "Reclamation Division Chief," Wang Xunyong sensed something was amiss and asked疑惑地问道, "Commander, what does this Reclamation Division Chief do?"

Yang Jiefang replied, “Of course, the reclamation division commanders are responsible for reclamation, border defense, and farming. Didn’t you farm back home? Isn’t this your old profession? However, times are changing, and we should keep up with the times. You don’t need to use hoes to clear land. I will provide you with enough tractors. Using tractors to clear land will save time and effort, and it will be faster. Your Doushan Village has a large population but little land, and there is a shortage of arable land. Go back and ask around. If anyone is willing to migrate to Suiyuan, I guarantee there will be enough land for them to cultivate.”

Wang Xunyong was dumbfounded, and his face fell. He said, "Little Commander, are you really going to make me go and clear wasteland to farm? Isn't that a bit too much?"

Yang Jiefang's face darkened, and he asked, "What? You're unwilling? Didn't you just say that you would do a good job of whatever I assigned you?"

What could Wang Xunyong say? He could only grit his teeth and admit defeat, saying, "Since the young commander told me to do it, then I'll do it. But how do I recruit these soldiers?"

Yang Jiefang said, “I’ve already planned this. As for officers, I’ll select you from army academies and various units. As for soldiers, it’ll be the same old routine—selecting a group of elites from local security forces. Zhao Changgui has set up a driving school and is training a large number of drivers. I’ll pick a batch of drivers for you. However, you’ll also need to learn how to drive a tractor yourself. Any other questions?”

Wang Xunyong became suspicious. Judging from the origins of the officers and soldiers, they didn't seem to be a unit going to reclaim wasteland. A thought struck him, and he immediately said, "Commander, may I make a request? Would it be alright to transfer Gao Meng to our division as deputy division commander?"

As their names suggest, Wang Xunyong and Gao Meng were equally brave and fierce, both highly regarded by Yang Jiefang. However, the two were not on good terms and were secretly competing with each other, neither willing to concede to the other.

Yang Jiefang smiled and said, "Alright, let him be your deputy division commander. But I must remind you, don't think that just because you're half a rank higher than him, you can put him in a superior position. If he's not happy, I can transfer him away at any time."

Seeing that Yang Jiefang agreed so readily, Wang Xunyong chuckled and said, "Young Commander, tell me the truth. Are we really going to Guihua to reclaim wasteland?" Sending two of his most capable subordinates to reclaim wasteland and farm was clearly not the young commander's style.

Instead of answering, Yang Jiefang asked, "Do you know what Chen Zhongyi is doing now?"

Wang Xunyong replied, "I know a little. I heard that an armored division is being formed in Laiwu."

Yang Jiefang said seriously, "No, he's using a tractor to plow the field!"

Wang Xunyong reacted quickly and shouted, "Don't worry, Commander! I promise I'll learn how to drive a tractor."

After Wang Xunyong left, Yang Jiefang issued an order to Fu Zuoyi to reorganize the troops. The 35th Army was renamed the 7th Army of the People's Liberation Army, while the 72nd and 73rd Divisions retained their original designations for the time being. The brigade-level organization was abolished, and brigade-level officers were reinforced at the division and regimental headquarters, allowing divisions to directly command regiments. Each division comprised four infantry regiments. The original infantry regiment was a pure infantry regiment with a full strength of 1,500 men. Now, a PLA infantry regiment has more than 3,000 men and is equipped with a large number of machine guns and artillery. Therefore, the number of men in each regiment of the 7th Army needs to be increased, and its firepower needs to be further strengthened.

Yang Jiefang had already made preparations for all of this. Following his orders, the armed forces department selected soldiers with good military skills from the security teams of various counties and sent them to Jinan in batches. After further assessment and political vetting, they would be assigned to units such as the Guards Division, the Reclamation Division, the 72nd Division, the 73rd Division, and the 5th Cavalry Division.

After sending off a group of elite soldiers, the security team recruited another batch of new recruits, subjecting them to rigorous military training in preparation for the next selection. The territory was now quite large, with a large population base, making the selection of tens of thousands of people a relatively easy task. Most of these men were from impoverished farming families, and they were among the biggest beneficiaries of Yang Jiefang's rule, exhibiting relatively high loyalty to him.

On the General Logistics Department's side, Zhao Changgui arranged for a batch of weapons to be transported to Chahar and Suiyuan. Some were used to form the Fourth Cavalry Division for Burigude, and some were used to re-equip Fu Zuoyi's troops. As for the Sixth Army, it had not yet truly pledged allegiance, and the replenishment of personnel and replacement of equipment would only be considered after the reorganization and training were completed.

At this time, the senior class of the Army Academy, after three months of short-term training, had completed their studies. Following an examination, they were granted graduation. Yang Jiefang personally presented graduation certificates to Sun Liangcheng, Zhang Zizhong, and others, and assigned them to various units as officers at the division and regimental levels.

According to statistics from the General Staff, the total strength of the People's Liberation Army's army, navy, and air force had reached 550,000. Although fewer in number than the Central Army, their combat effectiveness far surpassed that of the Central Army. The generals at all levels, especially those from the Northwest Army who had surrendered, were eager to fight the Central Army again and avenge their previous defeats. In the two Chiang Kai-shek-Feng Shui battles and the Central Plains War, these generals had suffered repeated defeats, yet they persisted, truly determined to fight the Central Army to the bitter end. Yang Jiefang ordered them to return to their posts and train their troops diligently, preparing them for combat at any time. However, Yang Jiefang's focus was not on Nanjing, but on Japan.

Just as Yang Jiefang was looking forward to it, Jiang Tingxuan finally brought him good news: the Japanese government had agreed to lend him the money.

According to Jiang Tingxuan, Ogasawara's report to the Japanese cabinet played a crucial role. In it, he clearly pointed out that a powerful Japan could only gain temporary advantage against a weakened China and could not completely conquer it. Resource-poor Japan would not remain powerful indefinitely, while a vast, populous, and resource-rich China was gradually growing stronger. With this ebb and flow, China's national strength would inevitably surpass Japan's again. If a powerful Japan were to bully a weak China, how would Japan respond when China surpasses it?

In other words, Ogasawara relayed Yang Jiefang's speech to the cabinet that day. At this time, Japan was not arrogant enough to conquer China in three months. In fact, before the September 18 Incident, Japan had no confidence in completely defeating China. Therefore, those pro-China factions chose to ally with China, strictly speaking, with Yang Jiefang. In their view, Yang Jiefang's strength was now no weaker than the central army, but he was still just a local warlord, and such a person was suitable for their investment.

Of course, Japan's investment and loans came with conditions, requiring Yang Jiefang to sign an agreement. This agreement would be brought to China by Ogasawara and given to Yang Jiefang for signature. Yang Jiefang didn't care at all; he had no intention of abiding by any agreement, no matter what it was. However, when Ogasawara personally presented the agreement to Yang Jiefang, Yang Jiefang still reviewed it carefully.

Yang Jiefang was somewhat surprised; the agreement from Japan wasn't as stringent as he had imagined. In summary, it included the following points: 1. Japan would station troops in Yantai and Qingdao, and its warships would have free navigation rights in Chinese waters and inland waterways; 2. The military alliance between China and Japan would be led by the Japanese military, with the Chinese military in a subordinate position; 3. Japanese citizens would enjoy foreign affairs immunity in China; 4. Japan would have the right to build roads and mine in China; 5. China would unilaterally grant tax exemptions to Japanese companies operating in China and to their import and export goods.

After reading it, Yang Jiefang looked up and said, "Mr. Ogasawara, this agreement does not treat China and Japan as equals."

Ogasawara replied, "This is the best agreement I could get. Frankly speaking, true equality must be based on equal strength. You are already very powerful domestically, but not powerful enough to command equal treatment from the world's great powers."

Outsiders perceive Japan as a single, unified entity. In reality, Japan's internal factions were no less numerous than those in China at the time. The infighting between these factions was just as intense. And the final outcome, like in China, was military rule. The landmark event was the February 26 Incident of 1936, launched by young officers in the Japanese army, which resulted in the massacre of the cabinet and propelled Japan down the path of militarism.

Among the younger officers, the most notorious was the Isshikai. Its leader was Okamura Yasuji, and key members included Kawamoto Daisaku, Isogai Rensuke, Itagaki Seishiro, Doihara Kenji, Tojo Hideki, Yamashita Tomoyuki, Okabe Naosaburo, Hashimoto Gun, Nemoto Hiroshi, Ishihara Kanji, Suzuki Teiichi, Muto Akira, and Tanaka Shinichi. Several of these names, as far as Yang Jiefang knew, were major war criminals of the Japanese invasion of China. Doihara Kenji had already been killed by Yang Jiefang, making the conflict between him and the Isshikai irreconcilable. Their primary goal now was to eliminate Yang Jiefang, not to allow him to gain power.

By this time, the Japanese cabinet was finding it increasingly difficult to control these young and ambitious officers. In China, it was common for warlords to expand their power by relying on foreign forces. In fact, it's the same all over the world; political groups frequently use external forces to suppress their internal political rivals. The pro-China faction within the Japanese cabinet also wanted to use Yang Jiefang's influence to counterbalance the young military officers within the country. Through compromise between the cabinet and the military, they agreed to lend Yang Jiefang money, and this secret agreement was formed simultaneously.

Yang Jiefang nodded in agreement and said, "You're right. My demands were excessive." He then signed his name and pushed the agreement in front of Ogasawara.

Ogasawara picked up the agreement and looked at it, saying, "I'll notify the domestic authorities to release the loan later. Jiang-san will sign for the loan on your behalf."

After Ogasawara left, Yang Jiefang immediately sent a telegram to Jiang Tingxuan, instructing him to withdraw the money as soon as possible and transport it back to China. Currently, the Japanese yen is considered a hard currency internationally. With this money, they can happily celebrate the New Year. As for the future, there are only seven months until September 18th; let them revel for a few months first. Then they will definitely know what equal strength means.