Chapter 277: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 277: Things of the Past

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Many of those present were Whampoa clique members; seeing this scene, they all felt a mix of frustration and disappointment.

The old man gritted his teeth, hands behind his back, watching Sun Yuanlang kneeling below.

Han Fuqu watched Sun Yuanlang kneeling on the ground, feeling deeply contemptuous; instead, he struggled hard to break free from the military police's hands and straightened his back in the chair: "Let go! I won't run, and I won't run! I want to see how you plan to deal with this Whampoa direct-lineage member!"

"Take them down and execute them all!" Seeing the atmosphere had been whipped up to this point, the old man waved his hand and directly ordered them all shot.

Twentieth Army Group Commander Tang Enbo had previously received a telegram from Hu Gongnan asking him to speak a few good words for Sun Yuanlang, after all they were both Whampoa clique.

"In my opinion, both of these men should be severely punished; whether shot or imprisoned, it must go through a military tribunal. Shooting them now is inappropriate; it's better to lock them up first." Tang Enbo spoke cautiously, wanting to detain Sun Yuanlang first, and then have the Whampoa students jointly plead for mercy later.

The old man's heart softened a bit; Sun Yuanlang had followed him on southern and northern campaigns for over a decade.

Han Fuqu saw through the scheme: "Hah! If you detain him first, there's a lot of scheming inside.

If I, Han Fuqu, fall into the Central Government's hands at this critical juncture, no one will plead for me, and it would be useless anyway; but what about him, Sun Yuanlang? You Whampoa students have great influence now; who knows, there might be some powerful connections to plead for him."

Everyone present, look well: direct-lineage members can receive differential treatment on the battlefield; what about me, a Second-Class General? Don't I still have to meekly submit to the law?!"

Everyone remained silent.

This Han Fuqu now cared about nothing; his own death didn't matter; anyway, he just had to drag Sun Yuanlang down to hell with him.

The old man looked at Lv Muzhi: "Wei Yue, Sun Yuanlang was previously under your Ninth Group Army; how do you plan to deal with him?"

Lv Muzhi didn't even look at Sun Yuanlang, saying: "I warned Sun Yuanlang during the Battle of Songhu that whenever deserters appeared, regardless of rank, they would be dealt with by military law; the military law for dealing with deserters is execution by firing squad."

Moreover, even Commander Tang died in Jinling; if Sun Yuanlang is not killed, how can I face him?"

Other Whampoa clique officers all looked at Lv Muzhi, thinking they were all classmates, juniors and seniors; how could he be so ungrateful for old ties.

Thirty-Sixth Division Commander Song Xilian stood up to support Lv Muzhi: "Sun Yuanlang's deserter behavior happened more than once; all of this has been verified; the law cannot show mercy......"

The old man clenched his fist: "My resolve does not change; both shot together, right here in Kaifeng; kill them, to offer a sacrifice to the flag for the Fifth War Zone!"

"Drag them down first; after the meeting ends, all officers must attend the execution scene!"

Tang Enbo shrank his head and dared not speak again.

The old man continued: "I have always been clear about rewards and punishments; those who should be punished have been punished; those who should be rewarded should also be rewarded."

He Yingqin heard this and stood up.

Looking at everyone, he said: "Now announcing the Ministry of Military Administration's promotion order: promoting the originally ranked Lieutenant General of the Army Lv Muzhi to Second-Class General of the Army; this order takes effect immediately!"

Two officers in uniform walked in carrying trays; the trays held gleaming Army General collar tabs.

"Commander Lu, please." A young officer asked Lv Muzhi to stand up, then removed his original Lieutenant General collar tab with two gold stars, and replaced it with a Second-Class General collar tab with three gold stars.

He Yingqin added: "Wei Yue fills Han Fuqu's vacancy; a general should be held by the capable; those without ability and even without virtue should step down as soon as possible."

The old man nodded at Lv Muzhi; the latter gave a heavy salute to the platform.

"The Ninth Group Army will be reorganized within the Fifth War Zone; Wei Yue will continue to serve as Commander of the Ninth Group Army; the group army's main force will be the Youth First Army and Second Army; other troops are being coordinated by the Ministry of Military Administration; at the same time, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth War Zone will also be concurrently held by Wei Yue!"

Everyone in the conference hall began to applaud, and the applause continued for a long time.

Everyone in the conference hall began to applaud, and the applause continued for a long time.

After the meeting ended, the old man kept Lv Muzhi behind.

"You delivered Han Fuqu; well done."

Lv Muzhi said: "This is all what I should do; Han Fuqu wanted to sabotage the overall situation of the War of Resistance; I cannot stand by and do nothing."

The old man nodded: "I heard many rumors unfavorable to you; now it seems they were all deliberate slander against you; I have already promoted you to General of the Army; you know what this means."

"Yes! It shows the Central Government still trusts me!"

"Correct! Absorbing the Tax Police General Corps into the Youth Army weakened Song Zhiwen's power; delivering the double-hearted Han Fuqu to me stabilized the situation of the War of Resistance; not hesitating to conflict with Hu Gongnan to arrest Sun Yuanlang also upheld the Central Government's honor......

These are all things I wanted to do; others want to pull you down from your horse, but I see it all clearly; do your job well in the Fifth War Zone!"

Outside the execution ground of Kaifeng City, a group of high-ranking officers surrounded to watch the execution of Sun Yuanlang and Han Fuqu.

The old man did not attend in person, perhaps unable to bear it; the scene was handed over to He Yingqin to preside over.

Before a newly built earth platform, a dense crowd of Fifth War Zone high-ranking officers ordered to attend the execution stood.

He Yingqin, in full military dress, accompanied by several officers, slowly walked to the earth platform, unfolded the document in his hand and read: "By emergency ruling of the military tribunal: Former Commander of the Eighty-Eighth Division of the Ninth Group Army, Lieutenant General Sun Yuanlang, during the Jinling Defense Battle, feared the enemy in the face of battle, left his post without authorization, hid and fled, seriously violating military discipline;

Former Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth War Zone, Commander of the Third Group Army Han Fuqu, ordered to defend Shandong, timid before battle, fired not a single shot, successively abandoned the strategic strongholds of Jinan and Taian, causing the entire war zone to fall into a passive position, with grave responsibility;

Both men violated the crime of 'disobeying orders and unauthorized retreat'; the evidence is conclusive; both are sentenced to death, to be executed immediately, to purify military discipline and warn others!"

After the reading was finished, He Yingqin closed the document, walked up to the two men, and asked: "Gentlemen, before your end, do you have any words to say?"

Han Fuqu beside him, however, kept his neck stiff, a mocking cold smile on his face, and said defiantly: "Hypocrisy! Old man has fallen today, but old man just won't submit!"

Sun Yuanlang's face was ashen, his whole body trembling like a fallen leaf in the wind.

Hearing the question, still weeping with tears and snot flowing, he begged He Yingqin: "Instructor He! The old Whampoa ties, all the things of the past, have you truly forgotten them?!"

He Yingqin furrowed his brow, a flicker of pain and regret in his eyes: "The past... you say you still have the face to mention the past!

During the Northern Expedition, you should have been sanctioned at the Battle of Nanchang; and you still mention the past to me?!"

Lv Muzhi watched Sun Yuanlang make a spectacle of himself in public, stepped forward and cursed: "Sun Yuanlang, as a soldier, even if you must die, you should straighten your back; don't you even understand why you are dying?!

Don't disgrace the face of Whampoa soldiers!"

Sun Yuanlang was stunned by the shout, slowly straightened his back, finally abandoned his illusions, and decided to face death calmly.

He Yingqin asked: "Anything else to say?"

Sun Yuanlang shook his head: "Nothing more to say; please proceed quickly!"

He Yingqin sighed: "Go in peace; the Central Government will take care of your family."

Then he stepped back, no longer looking at the two, and nodded to the Executioner.

Sun Yuanlang and Han Fuqu were escorted by the Military Police as they turned around, facing the slope.

In the final moment, he looked up toward the gray sky and let out a cry that was both weeping and laughter: "Hahaha! I, Sun Yuanlang... should have died in Nanchang City in Republic of China Year 16! To have survived to Republic of China Year 27... worth it! Worth it!"

Bang! Bang!

Two shots, clean and neat.