Newborn 1927

In the blink of an eye, Hu Hanmin had been detained for over a month, and the confrontation between Nanjing and Guangdong was escalating. The Guangdong side showed no sign of backing down and actively united various anti-Chiang Kai-shek factions, intending to re-establish a Nationalist government in Guangzhou to confront the Nanjing Nationalist government. At this point, President Chiang Kai-shek was in a difficult position; Hu Hanmin had become a hot potato—releasing him was problematic, but keeping him was equally problematic.

Although Yang Jiefang did not publicly state his position, his actions spoke volumes. Under these circumstances, Yang Yongtai came to Jinan again. Yang Jiefang could not avoid him and had no choice but to meet with him when he had time.

Yang Yongtai had dealt with Yang Jiefang many times and was very familiar with his character. Without beating around the bush, he said directly, "Commander, I hope that you will continue to support the Central Committee in this incident. If you have any conditions, please feel free to make them, and the Central Committee will do its best to meet them."

Yang Jiefang countered, "How do you expect me to support the Central Committee?"

Yang Yongtai replied, "Immediately sever all ties with Guangdong and Guangxi. What they can give, we can not only give, but also give more."

Yang Jiefang said, "My business dealings with Guangdong and Guangxi are just normal trade relations and have nothing to do with this incident."

Yang Yongtai immediately said, "How about we make a deal? You can resell the weapons you were planning to sell to the Guangdong and Guangxi armies to us!"

Yang Jiefang shook his head and said, "A person cannot stand without integrity. How can a deal that has been agreed upon be changed so easily? Please forgive me for not being able to agree to your terms!"

Yang Yongtai added, "The Commander-in-Chief also wants to establish several Shandong-equipped divisions and is willing to pay a high price to purchase weapons and equipment from the Junior Commander. However, the delivery date must be before that of Guangdong and Guangxi."

Yang Jiefang shook his head again and said, "Our production is limited, and we don't have any extra weapons to sell. I'm afraid I won't be able to make money from the Commander-in-Chief's high price."

Yang Yongtai quickly said, "Commander, since your arsenal's production capacity is insufficient, why not transfer some of the weapons production to Hanyang!"

Yang Jiefang replied, “This back-and-forth is too troublesome. As you probably know, the Taiyuan Arsenal is being relocated. Once it moves to Baotou, its production capacity will increase significantly. It will only take a year or two, so we're not in a hurry. We'll wait patiently. Once our production increases, if the Commander-in-Chief still wants to purchase weapons produced by us, I will definitely supply them in sufficient quantities.”

Yang Yongtai said, "Could we make a deal to prioritize the supply of the Central Army?"

Yang Jiefang replied, "There has to be a first-come, first-served order, right? I can't do anything about it!"

Yang Yongtai frowned inwardly, sensing the situation was getting tricky. Yang Jiefang was now powerful enough that there was little left to sway him. Yang Yongtai had no choice but to try another tactic, saying, "Young Commander, the Commander-in-Chief can turn a blind eye to the Northwest's affairs. Please, Young Commander, don't interfere in the South's affairs either! Is that alright?"

Yang Jiefang laughed and said, "Mr. Yang, as you know, I am not a member of the Kuomintang. I have absolutely no interest in the presidency of the Kuomintang. I have no objection to whoever comes to power among those party elders. Let me put it this way: you two can do whatever you want, fight however you want! I will stay out of it. However, I want to develop purely commercial trade in the South, and I ask that you not interfere! As for the military and political affairs in the Northwest, I estimate that the Commander-in-Chief is too busy to attend to them at the moment, so it wouldn't hurt for me to look after them for a few days!"

Yang Yongtai was quite helpless. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yang Jiefang's territory would inevitably expand further. Don't be fooled by his current apparent lack of interest in the position; once he wanted it, no one could stop him! He knew that compromising with Yang Jiefang was tantamount to drinking poison to quench his thirst, but he had no choice. Otherwise, the presidency wouldn't even last until now, and would fall into someone else's hands.

After seeing Yang Yongtai off, Yang Jiefang immediately drafted a telegram and sent it to Wang Xuncai. The content was very simple: Go all out and do it boldly!

Wang Xuncai hastily married before the Lunar New Year, and after the New Year, he bid farewell to his new wife and went to Tianshui to serve as the deputy commander of the Eighth Division. He was going to the Eighth Division to do something big, so naturally he wouldn't stay in Tianshui. After discussing with Ji Xingwen, it was decided that Wang Xuncai would lead the 32nd Infantry Regiment, the Cavalry Regiment, and a reinforced tank company to Lanzhou.

There were originally two factions in Lanzhou. Ma Hongbin was the newly appointed acting chairman of Gansu Province, but his Provisional 7th Division was not stationed in Lanzhou. The defense of Lanzhou was handled by Lei Zhongtian's newly formed 8th Division. President Chiang Kai-shek's plan was to use the Ma family's forces to control Gansu, while using Lei Zhongtian to restrain Ma Hongbin. This predetermined that the situation in Lanzhou would be somewhat complex from the beginning.

After the Central Plains War ended, construction began on the railway from Tianshui to Lanzhou. The railway construction was again entrusted to Liu Xijiu and Guan Xiangying; Yang Jiefang had no intention of letting the two return to Jinan.

At this time, Wang Xuncai led his troops into Lanzhou, and neither Ma Hongbin nor Lei Zhongtian dared to openly oppose him. Wang Xuncai ordered the cavalry regiment to garrison outside the city, while he led the 32nd Infantry Regiment and a tank company into Lanzhou. Over the years, he had learned a great deal from Yang Jiefang, and was not just good at fighting. Yang Jiefang had once taught him that the most effective way to break the political structure of a region was to suppress one faction and win over another, then make them work for him. After careful consideration, Wang Xuncai made his decision—to win over Ma Hongbin and suppress Lei Zhongtian.

Ma Hongbin is a good man. During his tenure in Ningxia, he was well-liked by the people and unlike other warlords who levied exorbitant taxes. He is worth winning over, but one should not be too proactive, otherwise one will easily become controlled by him.

As for Lei Zhongtian, just consider that he spent 100,000 silver dollars to bribe his way into a division commander position, and you'll know his ambitions were grand. In fact, when the Central Plains War ended, even Tong Lingge, who remained in Guanzhong, chose to join the People's Liberation Army; Lei Zhongtian originally had the same opportunity. But he understood the PLA; although the pay and equipment were good, that wasn't what he wanted. What he wanted was to become a warlord ruling a region.

Chinese people always value a just cause for their actions. Wang Xuncai, a newcomer and the center of attention, needed a legitimate reason to take action against Lei Zhongtian. After observing for a while, Wang Xuncai discovered that Lei Zhongtian's troops, like other warlord armies, had extremely poor discipline. In Lanzhou, forced buying and selling, and freeloading were commonplace for Lei Zhongtian's men.

Wang Xuncai quickly came up with an idea. He ordered more than a dozen copies of the ten rules of discipline formulated by Yang Jiefang to be copied and posted throughout the city. He also sent people to announce in public: "Anyone wearing military uniform who violates these ten rules of discipline will be dealt with according to military discipline. No matter which unit they come from or what their rank is, they will all be treated the same." He also dispatched a large number of troops, broken into smaller units, to patrol various parts of the city.

Lei Zhongtian's men had no regard for the discipline of the People's Liberation Army. They continued as usual, doing whatever they pleased. The result was predictable: that very afternoon, more than a dozen men were apprehended by PLA patrols. Among them were those who forced purchases, those who refused to pay for meals, and those who harassed women—the list goes on. While the individual incidents weren't particularly serious, the impact was extremely negative.

Wang Xun ordered his men to lock up those who had violated military discipline, waiting for Lei Zhongtian to come knocking. But Lei Zhongtian never showed up. Moreover, from the next day onwards, it became difficult to see any of Lei Zhongtian's soldiers on the streets. Upon inquiring, he learned that Lei Zhongtian had strictly ordered his subordinates not to leave the area except when on duty. Clearly, Lei Zhongtian hadn't fallen for the trick; he knew the People's Liberation Army was not to be trifled with and chose to yield.

Wang Xun only confined those who violated discipline for a few days before releasing them. He continued to send troops to patrol the streets daily to enforce military discipline. However, Lei Zhongtian's troops no longer showed themselves easily, making it harder to arrest anyone. The patrols also apprehended some petty thieves, significantly improving the security situation in Lanzhou.

The People's Liberation Army already had a good reputation, and this further enhanced it. Only then did Wang Xuncai visit Ma Hongbin at the provincial government. Ma Hongbin received him very politely. Upon meeting, Wang Xuncai immediately explained his purpose: "Chairman Ma, my unit is stationed in Lanzhou under the orders of the junior commander. Please forgive us if we have caused any disturbance to the local area!"

Ma Hongbin smiled and said, "Commander Wang, your army immediately rectified military discipline upon arriving in Lanzhou, transforming the city's appearance. How could that be considered a disturbance? To be honest, I've only just arrived in Lanzhou to serve as acting provincial governor. Gansu is not like the inland regions. It's a place where various ethnic groups live together, each with their own territory, making the situation complex! To maintain local stability, we'll inevitably need your help in the future. I hope Commander Wang will lend us your full support then!"

Wang Xuncai said, "The young commander once said that the reason why China is poor and weak and at the mercy of others is that the military and political orders in various places are not unified, making it like a heap of loose sand. The young commander is a genius and is determined to revitalize China. To revitalize China, the first thing to do is to unify the military and political orders of the whole country. Although Chairman Ma is the acting provincial chairman, he should also do his best to unify the political orders of the province. But to unify the political orders, the military orders must be unified first. My unit is stationed in Lanzhou, and it is my duty to unify the military orders of the province. Once my unit has unified the military orders of the province, I will definitely support Chairman Ma in unifying the political orders of the province. At that time, the word 'acting' should be removed."

Ma Hongbin understood the implication in his words and immediately said, "If we could unify the military and political orders of the entire province, that would be wonderful! But I don't know how to implement it in practice?"

Wang Xuncai replied, "Commander Ma, you emphasize the separation of military and political power. The reason is obvious to everyone: once local military and political power are concentrated in one person's hands, it will inevitably lead to a situation of regional separatism, and then there will be no way to talk about substantive unification. Can Chairman Ma set an example by relinquishing his military power and focusing on political affairs?" The implication was that Ma Hongbin should hand over command of the Provisional Seventh Division.

Ma Hongbin hesitated. In this chaotic world, the army was the foundation of survival. Once he lost military power, it was uncertain whether he could retain his current position. If he didn't hand over the Provisional 7th Division, he would have to prepare to face the People's Liberation Army's military strike. Wang Xun's visit today wasn't for discussion; to be precise, it was to deliver a notice.

After some thought, Ma Hongbin said, "The Provisional 7th Division is currently stationed in Liangzhou, Ganzhou, and Suzhou. I wonder what arrangements the young commander plans to make?" Before becoming the acting governor of Gansu Province, Ma Hongbin was the commander of the Provisional 7th Division and the border defense commander of Liangzhou, Ganzhou, and Suzhou.

Wang Xuncai said, "If Chairman Ma is willing, the Provisional 7th Division can be reorganized into the People's Liberation Army and merged with our unit to form a separate division. The treatment of officers and soldiers at all levels will be the same as that of the People's Liberation Army. As long as they are loyal to their duties and have outstanding abilities, they will not be treated differently in future promotions."

Ma Hongbin nodded and said, "This is a matter of great importance, and I don't know if the brothers below can accept it. Let me write a letter to Suzhou first to communicate with the brothers below, and then reply to Commander Wang, is that alright?"

Wang Xuncai replied, "That's only right. Please convey this to all the brothers, Chairman Ma! The whole world has witnessed the young commander's character and integrity. He will not mistreat any of his men. Such a person is worthy of our following!"

Ma Hongbin agreed, saying, "During the severe drought in Guanzhong, the young commander spared no effort in providing relief to millions of disaster victims. We all saw his righteous deeds and know them well. I believe those brothers will make a wise choice."

Wang Xuncai continued, "Correspondence takes a lot of time, and I can't just wait here. My troops will take over the defense of Lanzhou soon. Chairman Ma won't object, will he?"

Ma Hongbin tactfully said, "From now on, Commander Wang will make his own decisions on military matters within Gansu Province, and I will no longer interfere."

Having said all that, Wang Xun had nothing more to say. Upon returning, he immediately ordered his troops to take over the defenses of Lanzhou by force.

So, squads of soldiers, fully armed, marched out of the camp to take over their respective areas. Of particular interest was the assignment of the city gates. When a group of People's Liberation Army soldiers arrived at the city gate, the guards initially assumed they were leaving the city and didn't intend to stop them.

The platoon leader leading the team walked straight to the guard line of the soldiers defending the city and shouted loudly, "My unit has been ordered to take over the defense of this city gate. Please withdraw immediately!"

The guards were taken aback. An officer rushed out and shouted, "What? You want to take over the city gate? Who gave you orders?"

The PLA platoon leader replied, "My unit is under orders from the junior commander to enter Lanzhou and is now taking over the city's defenses. What? You're unwilling to relinquish the city gates?"

The officer opposite him, a company commander, roared, "I'm stationed in Lanzhou on orders from the Commander-in-Chief. Why should I hand over the city's defenses to you?"

The PLA platoon leader's lips curled into a slight smile. He pointed behind him and said, "With that—"

With a rumbling sound, two tanks slowly approached, one after the other. Seeing the steel monster before them and the dark gun barrels overhead, the company commander's face immediately fell. The unknown is always the most terrifying; they truly dared not confront such a thing.

The company commander gritted his teeth and said, "Don't push us too far!"

The PLA platoon leader said with a half-smile, "Don't be so naive!"

Although unwilling, Lei Zhongtian had no choice but to withdraw from the city gate and return to his military camp.

After Wang Xuncai took over the defense of Lanzhou, he did not lower his guard and had people secretly monitor Lei Zhongtian's troops. At this point, Lei Zhongtian did not compromise, clearly lying low and waiting for an opportunity. He was currently holding the title of commander of the newly formed Eighth Division, and without a suitable reason, Wang Xuncai should not take action against him for the time being.

Wang Xuncai was naturally not content with controlling only the city of Lanzhou. He set aside the Hexi Corridor for the time being, focusing instead on controlling eastern and southern Gansu. He ordered the 32nd Infantry Regiment to keep watch over the newly formed 8th Division in Lanzhou. He commanded the cavalry regiment to launch a preemptive strike under the guise of bandit suppression, incorporating local armed forces. Those willing to submit were reorganized into security forces; those unwilling were to be eliminated as bandits. These local armed forces dared not confront the People's Liberation Army; even their feigned submission only resulted in their reorganization.

Yang Jiefang already had a well-established plan for reorganizing local armed forces. He boldly promoted some impoverished farmers and herdsmen from the lower classes; those with poor character or bad habits were dismissed; and those with particularly egregious conduct were even imprisoned. The method he used was still to win over some and suppress others, resulting in a major reshuffling of local forces.