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

Outside the Yangtze River estuary.

A white passenger ship flying the flag of the Nationalist government is sailing northwards through the waves.

The sea breeze on the deck was fierce, making the flags flutter loudly.

In first class, Mr. Sun Yun leaned back in a leather chair, holding a battle report that he had just copied onto telegram paper.

He has already watched it three times.

"The entire Fujian region has been pacified. Eleven thousand garrison troops have been incorporated into the army. Over eight thousand rifles have been captured..."

As he read this, he suddenly slammed the newspaper onto the coffee table.

Then he threw his head back and laughed three times.

"Hahaha!"

Ms. Song, who was standing next to her, was startled.

Mr. Sun Yun has been in poor health for many years, and it is rare to see him laugh so heartily.

"gentlemen?"

Mr. Sun Yun stopped laughing, but the joy in his eyes and brows was impossible to hide.

"Look at this Chen Zijun." He pointed at the telegram paper with his finger. "I've only been gone from Shanghai for a few days, and he's already swallowed up Fujian."

Ms. Song cautiously continued, "Sir, I'm afraid Guangdong might have some concerns, after all, they've done a lot of work with Fujian..."

"Ideas?" Mr. Sun Yun waved his hand.

"What are your thoughts? The entire southern base camp fought the Northern Expedition for three years and still couldn't even figure out Guangdong. Chen Zijun, in less than half a year, fought his way from Shanghai to Nanjing, and from Nanjing to Fuzhou. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Anhui, and Fujian—five provinces—were won through sheer hard work, one bullet at a time."

He stood up and walked to the porthole.

Outside the window was the grey-blue sea, and in the distance a row of cargo ships moved slowly in the morning mist.

"I've found the right person to entrust Southeast China to."

His tone suddenly became heavier.

"With this sharp weapon guarding our gates in the southeast, the great powers will be more wary, and we will have fewer worries about our future northern expedition."

He paused for a few seconds.

"Send a telegram to Guangzhou. Tell the Central Executive Committee that I am aware of the situation in Fujian. Chen Zijun is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Southeast Army, whom I appointed. He has the authority to handle all military and political affairs in the Southeast. No one may obstruct him."

The attendant acknowledged the order and left.

Mr. Sun Yun sat back down in his chair.

He looked at the telegram in his hand, and the smile on his lips slowly faded.

Instead, there is a deep, wistful look that is unique to the elderly.

Chen Zijun is indeed a skilled fighter.

But a 23-year-old man holding military and political power in five provinces was expanding his power too rapidly...

He sighed silently to himself.

"I hope he can stay true to his original aspirations."

……

Guangzhou.

base camp.

night.

Chiang Kai-shek's office was brightly lit.

He stood in front of a huge military map, his hands behind his back, staring intently at the area in East China marked in red on the map.

Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shanghai!

Now, Fujian has been added to the list.

Five red patches joined together, like a pool of blood spread across the map.

And at the heart of this pool of "blood" is Shanghai.

Chen Zijun's lair.

Chiang Kai-shek's fingers trembled slightly.

After graduating from military academy, he followed Mr. Sun in his campaigns. The Northern Expedition had been in preparation for three years, and they were still arguing with Chen Jingming's Guangdong Army in Guangdong.

And what about Chen Zijun?

A year ago, he was just a spoiled rich kid from the Shanghai Garrison Command.

Now, he is the ruler of five provinces.

Arsenals, shipyards, armored units, German equipment...

Chiang Kai-shek's temples throbbed whenever he thought about these things.

"Snap—"

He slammed his hand on the table.

The teacup on the table was knocked over, and tea was spilled all over the table.

"Someone come here!"

The adjutant outside pushed the door open and came in.

"headmaster."

Chiang Kai-shek did not turn around.

"Have you read the report that Cheng Shaowen wrote after he came back?"

"I've seen it."

Tell me about it.

The adjutant swallowed hard.

"In his report, Staff Officer Cheng said... Chen Zijun's Chen Family Army's equipment level far exceeded our expectations. They had standard German-made rifles, MG34 heavy machine guns, 105mm howitzers, and even armored units. What's even more frightening is that they have their own military industrial system, their own steel mill, and the Jiangnan Shipyard is even building destroyers for them..."

"That's enough," Chiang Kai-shek interrupted him.

The office was silent for a few seconds.

"Do you know what I fear most?" Chiang Kai-shek's voice was so deep it seemed to come from underground.

The adjutant dared not speak.

"What I fear most is not how many soldiers or how many guns he has."

Chiang Kai-shek turned around.

His face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

"What I fear is that he has a complete industrial system. He can manufacture guns, produce medicine, and build ships himself. If you give him three years, he can create another country within a country in the southeast."

He walked to the table and took a sealed brown envelope from the drawer.

"I can't confront him directly. Mr. Sun is protecting him, so I can't touch him."

"But as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army of the National Revolutionary Army, I must do something for the cause of national unification!"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"But I know where his Achilles' heel is."

He pushed the envelope in front of his adjutant.

"The reason he could act with impunity among the foreign powers was because of sulfonamides, but the formula for sulfonamides was in the hands of a woman named Cao Qingdi. The blueprints for the destroyers were at the Jiangnan Shipyard."

"Send people to Shanghai. The most elite men. Enter as merchants, not through the train station, but by inland waterways."

His voice turned cold and resolute.

"We have two objectives. First, to find a way to obtain the production formula for sulfonamides. Second, to find out the technical details of the warship at the Jiangnan Shipyard."

"If we can't get the blueprints, that's fine, but at least we need to find out their progress and production capacity."

The adjutant took the envelope, his hands trembling slightly.

"Principal... what if Chen Zijun finds out..."

"If you find them, cut your losses." Chiang Kai-shek's expression remained unchanged. "Our people don't exist."

The adjutant lowered his head.

"Yes."

……

three days later.

Shanghai. French Concession.

It was evening.

A rickshaw stopped in front of a small hotel at the end of Avenue Joffre.

Three men got out of the car.

They were all sharp-looking men around thirty years old. They wore ordinary gray long gowns and top hats, and each carried an inconspicuous leather suitcase.

He speaks Mandarin with a Cantonese accent.

The leader entered the hotel and registered his name at the front desk.

"Guangzhou Hongxing Trading Company. They've come to Shanghai to discuss cotton yarn business."

The receptionist handed me the room key with a smile.

The three people went up to the second floor and closed the door.

What they didn't know was—

The moment they disembarked from the inland river dock, an old man selling peanuts on the dock looked up.

The old man's gaze lingered on the three people for less than two seconds before he lowered his head again to continue peeling peanuts.

Ten minutes later.

Second floor of the Military Intelligence Bureau, Longhua Road Garrison Command.

Su Guiying was wearing a black cheongsam and sitting behind her desk.

There are three photos on the table.

The photo shows three men in gray long gowns. The angle of the photo is from above, obviously taken from a high place above the dock warehouse.

Su Guiying tapped the table lightly with her fingernails.

"From Guangzhou." Her voice was devoid of any emotion.

The intelligence officer beside her nodded. "Sister Gui, our people have been following them all the way. They didn't go through the train station; they specifically took the inland waterway. Their method was very professional; they changed boats twice. But we spotted them at the mouth of the Suzhou River."

Su Guiying picked up one of the photos and looked at it for a few seconds.

"The leader has calluses on his right index finger."

"Yes. Gun Cocoon."

Su Guiying put the photo down.

A cold smile curved at the corner of his lips.

"Interesting. The 'cotton yarn merchant' from Guangzhou has calluses on his hands from gun use."

She stood up and walked to the window.

The plane trees outside the window cast deep shadows in the twilight.

"Keep a close watch. Don't alert them. I'll report to Director Mo once they reveal their intentions."

She turned around.

"I want to see what Principal Chang in Guangzhou is trying to steal from our young marshal."