69novels Chapter 217 The Veteran's War Acumen
Chapter 217 The Veteran's War Acumen
"If the tent is dirty, no matter how loud the Young Marshal's cannons are, the people will only think that the warlord is extorting money. Only when the tent is clean will the sound of cannons become a sign of confidence."
Mo Huixin said softly, then paused and continued.
"Tell all newspapers that tomorrow's front page should not mention that Chen Jiajun bought a ship."
Her voice was soft.
"It gave the Chinese people a sense of pride."
Fujian Provincial Government, Telegraph Office.
The telegraph machine kept clicking away.
Yang Yanzhao stood by the window, holding a teacup in his hand, but didn't drink a single drop of tea.
Then he bent down and read the brief report, his eyes suddenly darkening.
"Outside the mouth of the Minjiang River, a Japanese destroyer was hit by a torpedo."
"The Zhen Dong warship dares to attack as soon as it sets sail? The young marshal's audacity is truly outrageous."
He laid the brief report on the map.
The mouth of the Minjiang River.
Ponytail.
Xiamen.
The Japanese concession.
Several lines suddenly connected together.
"The opportunity has arrived."
Yang Yanzhao's gaze fell on Xiamen.
"After Japan suffered a loss at the mouth of the Min River, its consulate in Xiamen and the armed forces in the concessions will inevitably be busy receiving information, protecting radio stations, and waiting for orders from the Taiwan Strait. At this time, they are most afraid of the Fujian Provincial Government taking action."
"Take over the Japanese concession in Xiamen!"
"If Shanghai has taken over, why can't Xiamen?"
Yang Yanzhao's voice was very steady.
"Chen's army has already left a warning message at sea, stating that Japan has crossed the line and provoked us. We in Fujian must also abide by the rules on land. We have deployed the newly formed First Division of the National Defense Army to the outskirts of the Xiamen concession under the pretext of maintaining order, protecting overseas Chinese, and blockading arms depots."
He tapped his fingers on the teacup.
"If the Japanese open fire..."
Yang Yanzhao's eyes turned cold.
"That would be even better."
Yang Yanzhao said, "They crossed the line at sea, and they fired first on land. If the Young Marshal wants evidence, we will give him evidence. In the end, it won't be Fujian that wants to take action against the Japanese concession; it will be the Japanese concession that will hand over the knife."
The staff officers in the telegraph room fell silent.
That's a harsh statement.
But not in a brutal way.
Each step has a name.
Every cut has a receipt.
He truly deserves to be called the "Little Zhuge Liang" of the Anhui clique!
"Can the First Division hold them off?"
Yang Yanzhao raised his hand and pointed to the troop markers on the edge of the map.
"Although the First Division is newly formed, its core members were trained by Chen Jiajun's army. The light machine gun, mortar, and armored vehicle companies are all in place. They are still lacking in experience for fighting tough battles, but they are enough to suppress the foreign concessions."
After a moment of silence, Li Mingyuan nodded and answered seriously.
"You're going yourself?"
"Yes, I'll go myself."
Yang Yanzhao picked up his military cap.
"This unit has been training for so long, we need to let them know that the new army in Fujian is not just good at standing guard and reading telegrams."
He turned to the messenger.
"Order that the newly formed 1st Division of the Fujian National Defense Army assemble immediately. The armored vehicle company will go first, followed by the mortar battalion. All troops are prohibited from looting, disturbing civilians, or firing the first shot."
The messenger stood at attention.
"yes!"
Yang Yanzhao added another sentence.
"But if the Japanese armed forces open fire, immediately neutralize their firing positions."
Li Mingyuan watched him walk quickly out of the telegraph room and suddenly felt that the winds in Fujian had changed.
At sea, the Zhen Dong warship's cannons hadn't even truly roared yet.
On land, the roads outside the Japanese concession in Xiamen were already being trampled by the boots of the Fujian New Army.
On the bridge of the light cruiser Zhen Dong, the sea breeze stung people's faces.
Chen Zijun stood beside the nautical chart table, squinting as he looked at the Fujian telegram that Shen Li handed him.
"Young Marshal, an urgent telegram from Governor Yang."
Shen Li kept his voice very steady.
"The newly formed First Division of the Fujian National Defense Army has advanced towards the outskirts of the Japanese concession in Xiamen. The stated reasons for the blockade are to maintain order, protect overseas Chinese, and seal off arms depots. Governor Yang requests confirmation of the battle report's wording."
Chen Zijun received the telegram.
The paper is very thin.
The words on it looked like rows of nails.
The area outside the boundary marker is sealed off.
The outer perimeter of the dock is under lockdown.
Telephone lines outside the exchange are blocked.
Customs warehouses are under lockdown.
No disturbing the people, no looting, and no firing the first shot.
"Uncle Yang's move was spot on."
Chen Zijun's lips twitched slightly.
Isn't this just a Republican-era version of legally demolishing illegal buildings?
First, present the evidence.
Then block the road again.
Finally, wait for the other person to step on the line themselves.
Seeing his expression, Shen Li asked in a low voice, "What do you want to say back?"
Chen Zijun pressed the telegram onto the nautical chart.
"Give him a reply."
"Please give your instructions, young marshal."
"Wait for a shot outside the boundary marker."
Shen Li paused, his pen poised.
Then I understood.
"Yes."
Chen Zijun looked at the Japanese warships shrouded in black smoke in the distance.
On this side of the sea, the cannons haven't really roared yet.
On land, Yang Yanzhao had already placed his knife at the entrance of the Japanese concession.
This is what you call coordinated land and sea operations.
It's not just about using artillery shells.
Instead, it ensures that every step the enemy takes back is one that falls into the very account book they have written.
Xiamen, outside the Japanese concession.
The morning fog had not yet dissipated.
The bluestone path beside the boundary marker was wet, and when horses trod over it, they splashed up a string of black mud spots.
Soldiers of the newly formed First Division of the Fujian National Defense Army lined up along the street.
The bayonet was not chambered.
Lower the muzzle of the gun.
The line was very straight.
Thirty paces outside the boundary marker, an armored vehicle lay across the middle of the road. Its body was gray-black, and the muzzle of its machine gun was covered with tarpaulin.
Behind them were two Type 75 mountain guns.
Further on, rows of wooden crates belonging to the mortar battalion were unloaded and placed along the street.
The dockworkers stood watching from a distance.
Several veteran shopkeepers from the Xiamen Chamber of Commerce were also peering out from the street corner.
Someone whispered, "Is this really the Fujian New Army?"
A dock worker in a short-sleeved shirt next to him swallowed hard.
"Unlike the soldiers of the past."
"In the past, when those soldiers entered the street, they would first check the shops. Look at this time, they didn't even touch the tobacco stalls."
The old man selling porridge on the street was still holding a spoon in his hand.
He was already prepared to pack up and run away.
But the two new army soldiers simply stood in front of the stall and asked a question.
"Old man, were any Japanese people carrying boxes to the docks over there in the concession last night?"
The old man stood there stunned for a long time.
"Yes, there were. Around midnight, four handcarts went to the back street of the consulate."
The soldier noted it down and gave him two copper coins.
"Payment for the porridge. Two more bowls, for the sentry."
The old man's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
"Sir, you pay for this too?"
The soldier didn't smile.
"Our Chen family army is disciplined and will not take a single needle or thread from the people."
After this news spread, more and more people gathered at the street corner.
It's quiet.
They didn't dare get too close.
But everyone's eyes were fixed on the boundary marker.
That boundary marker has weighed on the hearts of the people of Xiamen for far too long.
That would be a disgrace to the entire Beiyang Army!
The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 was a complete defeat, and even the last breath and backbone of the nation were broken for decades!
When Yang Yanzhao dismounted, the soles of his boots made a very soft sound as they stepped on the wet stone slabs.
Li Mingyuan followed beside him, holding a wallet in his hands.
There were no military orders in the wallet.
It consists of customs documents, warehouse ledgers, trading company pick-up records, and three testimonies.
"Governor, the outer perimeter of the dock has been sealed off."
Li Mingyuan whispered, "The telephone line to the outside was also cut off, but it didn't go into the concession. The customs officers are waiting outside, saying they're just waiting for the seal from our Fujian Provincial Government."
"it is good."
Yang Yanzhao looked up at the gate tower of the foreign concession.
"Today we won't rob them of their money, seize their buildings, or step on their floor tiles."
Li Mingyuan was taken aback.
"Then how do we seal it?"
"The boundary markers are the rules they want to follow."
Yang Yanzhao said calmly, "Then we'll stand outside the boundary marker and lecture them on the rules until they can't breathe..."