Republic of China: German-equipped divisions massacred as warlords guarded the nation's borders

Chapter 110 Reigning Supreme in Shanghai!

Early spring, 1925, Shanghai.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the thin mist and fell upon the ravaged sea outside Wusongkou.

Large swaths of oil, wood chips, and twisted metal debris floated on the sea surface.

Occasionally, one can see one or two corpses dressed in Japanese naval uniforms, rising and falling with the waves.

This was the once invincible Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Empire.

This is how it looks now.

On the shore.

The entire Shanghai Bund.

crazy.

……

"Extra number! Extra number!!!"

As dawn broke, the newsboys, like rabbits released from their cages, rushed onto Nanjing Road carrying thick stacks of newspapers.

"General Chen annihilated the Japanese fleet! A 20,000-ton battleship was reduced to scrap metal! The enemy commander was killed on the spot!"

"Breaking News! The Japanese have knelt down! Even raising the white flag is no use!"

The newspapers were sold out within a minute.

Then, the news spread like wildfire throughout Shanghai.

Factory horns sounded loudly along both banks of the Suzhou Creek.

Shops on Nanjing Road spontaneously hung up red cloth and firecrackers.

The crackling sound of firecrackers rang out from all directions, just like during the Chinese New Year.

No.

It's ten times more lively than Chinese New Year.

Tens of thousands of citizens poured out of their homes and onto the streets.

They were all calling out the same name.

"Marshal Chen! Long live Marshal Chen!"

"Well done! Well done!"

The Bund was packed with people.

An old man was so excited that he knelt down and kowtowed in the direction of Wusongkou.

"Good heavens... finally, we've found a tough nut to crack..."

Young students stood on the curb, waving newspapers in their hands, their voices hoarse from shouting.

"A national hero! This is a true national hero!"

A female worker put the eggs she had saved up for half a month into a basket and insisted on stuffing them into the hands of a passing Chen family army soldier.

"You've worked hard! Commander, you've worked hard!"

The soldier, with red eyes, gave a standard military salute.

The whole of Shanghai.

Boiling.

……

Longhua Road.

Chen Mansion.

Chen Zijun sat in the leather chair in the study, holding a cup of coffee that had gone cold.

He didn't sleep all night.

But there was no sign of fatigue in his eyes.

There was only a clear, cold calm.

Shen Li pushed open the door and walked in.

His military boots were still covered in mud, clearly indicating that he had just returned from the front lines.

"Young Marshal," a rare smile appeared on Shen Li's face, "you heard what's happening outside, right?"

Chen Zijun put down his coffee cup and hummed in agreement.

"The Bund was already packed with people. Workers, students, and vendors all took to the streets. Even the Chinese police officers in the French Concession secretly hung up red ribbons."

Shen Li sat down opposite the desk and took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"Uncle Yang has sent over the final battle results statistics."

He unfolded the paper and read aloud:

"Sunk two battleships—Yamashiro and Hyuga. Sunk one heavy cruiser—Furutaka. Sunk two light cruisers—Kuma and Abukuma. Sunk eleven destroyers. Damaged and sank several transport ships and gunboats. Shot down ninety-six aircraft."

"The enemy killed—including Rear Admiral Yamaguchi Tamon, the fleet commander—approximately 11,000 men."

Shen Li put down the paper and took a deep breath.

"What about our own casualties?" Chen Zijun asked.

"Seventeen dead. Thirty-nine wounded. All were injured by concrete fragments from the first hit by enemy ships at Wusongkou No. 1 Fortress."

Seventeen to eleven thousand.

This number, if placed in any military history textbook, would be enough to leave everyone speechless.

Chen Zijun remained silent for a moment.

"Have the logistics department provide each family of the fallen brothers with a pension of five hundred silver dollars. All the wounded should be sent to the hospital in Qingdi; do not neglect a single one."

"It's already arranged." Shen Li nodded.

"There's one more thing."

"explain."

"A line of foreign cars has already been parked outside the mansion."

Chen Zijun raised an eyebrow.

"Barton from England brought a whole carload of Scotch whisky and a formal letter of apology. The American consul, Cunningham, delivered a brand-new Ford and a letter of intent for trade cooperation. The French also came, with three cases of Lafite and a bronze clock."

Shen Li shook his head as he finished speaking.

"Yesterday they were calling us barbarians. Today they're bringing gifts and kowtowing."

Chen Zijun's lips twitched slightly.

"Foreigners only ever show their backbone when they are weaker than themselves."

"So, are we going to see these people?"

"Tell them to wait at the door. I'll finish this coffee."

Shen Li's lips curled into a smirk, thinking to himself, "Young Marshal, this coffee has been cold for ages and you still haven't gotten a new one."

But he understands.

Making foreigners wait at the door is itself a statement of attitude.

……

Just then.

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Mo Lanzhi pushed open the door and walked in.

She was holding a sealed telegram in her hand.

"Young Marshal, you're from the South."

Chen Zijun took the telegram and tore open the seal.

I glanced at it.

His expression finally changed slightly.

Not surprised.

It was a meaningful, cold laugh.

"Read it to Shen Li."

Mo Lanzhi cleared her throat.

"Special telegram from the National Revolutionary Government. In view of General Chen Zijun's outstanding achievements in leading his troops to resist foreign aggression, Chen Zijun is hereby formally appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of the Five Southeast Provinces, awarded the rank of General, and in charge of the military and political affairs of the five provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian. It is hoped that Commander-in-Chief Chen will prioritize the greater good of the nation and the people, unite as one, and jointly resist foreign aggression."

Shen Li was stunned for two seconds after hearing this.

Then he laughed.

"Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of the Five Southeast Provinces? General?"

"Is Chiang Kai-shek terrified?"

Chen Zijun leaned back in his chair and tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

"He's not scared. He's become shrewd."

"We've given you the title and acknowledged the territory. What's he after?"

Shen Li was taken aback.

Chen Zijun raised his head, his gaze falling on the huge map of China on the wall of the study.

"His plan was to keep me in the southeast and prevent me from looking south. This way, he could free up his resources to eliminate other warlords, dominate the south, and then launch a northern expedition to unify the country."

"Once he has consolidated the south and commands hundreds of thousands of troops..."

Chen Zijun's voice became very soft.

"This rank of general is really hard to accept."

Shen Li's smile vanished.

"So what should we do? Answer it or not?"

"catch."

Chen Zijun stood up.

"Once a title is given, it's mine. Does he want to take it back?"

"That depends on whether he has the ability."

He walked to the window and opened it.

Outside the window, the sounds of firecrackers and cheers drifted from afar.

The morning sun over Shanghai shone on his face.