Chapter 419: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 429 Commander Yan, You Don't Want the Old Man to Kno

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Lv Muzhi looked at Yan Laoxi before him and deliberately asked, "Commander Yan, the recapture of Taiyuan is imminent, yet you don't look too happy?"

Yan Laoxi coldly sneered; in truth, just like the Eighth Route Army, he was deeply wary of the Central Army represented by Lv Muzhi.

It could even be said that Yan Laoxi feared Lv Muzhi more than the Eighth Route Army!

Because the Eighth Route Army's current strength even far exceeded Yan Laoxi's by a great deal!

Moreover, many of Lv Muzhi's men and the Eighth Route Army were old classmates.

If the old man was determined to deal with Yan Laoxi, what reason would Lv Muzhi have to refuse?

Facing Lv Muzhi's question, Yan Laoxi laughed it off: "Oh, hearing you say you're going to recapture Taiyuan City, I've gotten too excited, my thoughts have drifted back to Taiyuan City."

Lv Muzhi changed the subject and asked, "Commander Yan, Yuncheng has just been liberated; I wonder if you could help by appointing several county magistrates to the surrounding counties to organize local administration?"

Yan Laoxi thought he had misheard, his expression one of astonishment: "Use my men to organize administration on the territory you captured?"

Lv Muzhi nodded and said, "Commander Yan, let's be frank; I have little interest in Shanxi's administration."

"I came here to drive the Japanese devils out."

"I already have Henan South as the rear base for the Youth Corps."

"As for the various places in Shanxi, who serves as county magistrate and who manages grain taxes, I don't want to interfere."

Yan Laoxi stood frozen, his eyes darting quickly, staring at Lv Muzhi half-believingly.

Perhaps Lv Muzhi didn't want to wade into Shanxi's muddy waters because his strength was already very great.

If the Youth Army kept expanding its territory in Shanxi, it would only provoke stronger wariness from the Central Government.

Yan Laoxi probed, "If you don't want Shanxi's territory... then what is the Central Government's attitude?"

Lv Muzhi put down his teacup and continued, "The Japanese haven't been defeated yet; I can represent the Central Government's attitude."

"And returning Yuncheng to the Jinsui Army's hands is my attitude."

"As long as you fully cooperate with me in operations and drive the devils away as soon as possible, you will gain even more benefits."

After hearing this, Yan Laoxi asked, "You are from the Central Government; why do this?"

"Shouldn't you be seizing this opportunity to firmly control the territory in your own hands?"

"Or hand over the territory you captured to the Central Government?"

Lv Muzhi shook his head: "I just don't want internal strife within the Party before the Japanese are driven away."

"If the Central Government's troops rush in to seize territory, I imagine you wouldn't just sit and wait for death, would you?"

"If you clash with the Central Government, it will look ugly and make people laugh; that's not what I want to see."

Yan Laoxi carefully sized up Lv Muzhi; he had dealt with the old man and high officials in the Central Government for over ten years.

Someone as friendly as Lv Muzhi, possessing great strength yet not occupying his territory, was truly rare, making Yan Laoxi unaccustomed to it.

"Since Brother Wei Yue has put it this way, rest assured, my Jinsui Army will certainly follow your lead!"

Lv Muzhi nodded slightly, but the topic suddenly shifted.

"Since we've come this far, I must find out the actual bottom line; Commander Yan, exactly how many men do you have under you now?"

Yan Laoxi's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

Going around in circles, Lv Muzhi's show of friendliness was nothing but a smoke grenade!

Inquiring about his actual strength—ultimately, he had come to scout for the old man!

The establishment Yan Laoxi had previously reported to the Central Government far exceeded his actual strength.

Doing this was also to tell the Central Government that the Jinsui Army's strength was very substantial, so don't harbor any crooked ideas.

Once Lv Muzhi got to the bottom of this with his words, wouldn't the Central Government move against him?!

You must know, whether it was the Japanese Army, the Eighth Route Army, or even Yan Laoxi's Jinsui Army, the old man's mind had always been to swallow everything whole!

It was just that the old man lacked the strength; this time Lv Muzhi came to Shanxi, and in the end, was he still acting as the old man's vanguard to clear out the three parties?!

Yan Laoxi forced his composure and threatened, "Not many: 68 infantry regiments, 6 cavalry regiments, 9 artillery regiments, totaling 150,000 elite troops!"

"Counting it up, that's 50,000 more than your Youth Army!"

After hearing this, Lv Muzhi couldn't help but laugh out loud; this smile made Yan Laoxi even more uneasy.

"150,000? Commander Yan, that might fool reporters, but telling me... isn't that too exaggerated?"

"Before the Japanese arrived, excluding Fu Zuoyi's Jinsui Army, you held all of Shanxi Province; at most, you actually had only over 100,000 men."

"After so many major battles at Xinkou and Taiyuan, you're now hiding in those mountain gullies in Jin Southwest, and you've conjured up 150,000 men?"

Lv Muzhi stepped closer, lowering his voice: "That's the paper establishment used to swindle military funds from the old man, right? Tell the truth."

"I've always been honest with you before, but you deceive me like this?"

Yan Laoxi spread his hands: "I'm an honest man; I really didn't deceive anyone."

Lv Muzhi helplessly said: "The Central Government originally wanted to send Hu Gongnan to follow behind me, to investigate the empty payroll issue in the Jinsui Army, and by the way sound you out; after all, you've always been rather disobedient."

"It was I who persuaded the old man to prioritize the great cause of resisting Japan, so he didn't move against you."

"Since you're being evasive, forget it; I'll send a telegram to have Hu Gongnan bring his 100,000-plus army into Shanxi!"

Yan Laoxi hurriedly stopped him, grabbing Lv Muzhi's hand: "Wait, wait, Brother Wei Yue, show mercy, show mercy!"

"Once Hu Gongnan comes in, won't he squeeze me out of Shanxi? There might even be conflict, causing bloodshed!"

"The Japanese haven't been driven away yet; can you really bear to see such a tragedy happen?"

Lv Muzhi asked with a smile: "Aren't you claiming to have 150,000 troops? Why fear Hu Gongnan? Hu Gongnan should fear you instead!"

Yan Laoxi's old face flushed red then turned white, and finally he gave an embarrassed dry laugh: "Haha, just kidding just now. The troops under my command actually number around 120,000."

Lv Muzhi still shook his head: "Reduce it some more."

"One hundred thousand! I really can't reduce it any further!" Yan Laoxi said through gritted teeth.

Lv Muzhi stood up and was about to leave.

Yan Laoxi hurriedly grabbed Lv Muzhi's arm.

"Wei Yue... don't go, don't go... why is this?"

Lv Muzhi sighed: "Commander Yan, there isn't a single truthful word in your mouth. Based on my observation during this period, I have a huge question mark about whether you actually have 60,000 men under your command!"

"I want to protect you, after all, you have a foundation in Shanxi, and you are of some use to the Central Government and to me."

"If you still think you have 150,000 men of the Jinsui Army, ignore the Central Government, and don't take the Youth Army seriously, your end probably won't be any better."

Seeing that his old cards had all been exposed, and that Lv Muzhi before him was indeed sincere, Yan Laoxi helplessly said: "To be honest, I have fewer than 50,000 men under my command now."

"Oh?"

This was unexpected by Lv Muzhi.

"How did it become so few people?"

Yan Laoxi shook his head: "Originally, quite a few new troops had been trained, such as the Death-Defying Corps, but as a result, last month, most of them followed the Eighth Route Army up the mountain..."

"But my equipment is not bad, more complete than most Central Army equipment! Most of it is self-made in my own arsenal..."

Hearing this, Lv Muzhi laughed in anger.

At its peak, the Jinsui Army had 300,000 men, but as a result of Fu Zuoyi defecting, plus a series of external influences from the Japanese Army, the Old Man, and the Eighth Route Army...

The Jinsui Army under Yan Laoxi's command now had fewer than 50,000 men left.

This was the matter the Old Man wanted to come investigate himself.

To find out exactly how many men Yan Laoxi actually has under his command now, and whether he still has the capital to be the King of Shanxi.

Under the current circumstances, Lv Muzhi only needed to report the Jinsui Army's weakened situation upward, and then he could continue advancing north to fight the Japanese devils.

And Hu Gongnan would be air-dropped in by the Old Man, and Yan Laoxi and his Jinsui Army would directly exit the stage of history.

Within this, I'm afraid some bloodshed and turmoil would occur again.

However, Lv Muzhi did not intend to report the actual situation of the Jinsui Army to the Central Government.

Hu Gongnan did not belong to any war zone; him entering Shanxi would only help the Central Government seize Yan Laoxi's territory, and would not actively fight the Japanese devils, causing great chaos in the rear.

And with Yan Laoxi's weakness held in his own hands, he could directly command Second War Zone Commander Yan Laoxi, making him follow him more wholeheartedly to fight the Japanese devils.

"Commander Yan, you wouldn't want the Old Man to know that actually you have fewer than 50,000 men under your command, right..."

"No, don't, Wei Yue, absolutely don't let the Old Man come in..."