Chapter 510

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Under Lv Muzhi's presiding, grain continued to concentrate in Henan.

Pinghan Railway, Longhai Railway, Panding Railway—everywhere were trains fully loaded with grain.

Zhongnan State also transported grain to Kunming, Nanning, and other places via railway, then continued sending it to Henan via road and railway, in exchange for Lv Muzhi's arms support.

Shanxi's millet, Hebei and Shandong's wheat, and Zhongnan State's rice all gathered in Zhengzhou one after another; after being counted and registered, they were distributed to grain warehouses in various county cities for dispersed storage.

The entire Henan had become a giant granary.

In the eyes of various powers, this practice drew different opinions.

The Japanese Army was especially nervous.

Before troops move, supplies go first.

Lv Muzhi's practice of hoarding grain on a large scale seemed like he was preparing to launch a major war.

The Kwantung Army stationed in Xia Guo and the China Expeditionary Army were both very nervous; they did not know a great famine would come to Lv Muzhi's jurisdiction, only knowing the other side was sharpening weapons and feeding horses.

Therefore, the Kwantung Army sent reinforcements toward Shanhaiguan multiple times and held major Kwantung Army exercises to intimidate the Youth Army stationed in the Pingjin Area.

The Xia Expeditionary Force even sent warships up the Yangtze River, cooperating with the army to conduct military exercises one after another in Jinling, Shanghai, and other places, to deal with possible attacks.

However, Lv Muzhi knew well that he could not strike at the Japanese Army within the country now.

Once famine arrived, tens of millions of refugees would be produced.

In the situation where people were about to starve to death, to put it bluntly, refugees were like thieves and bandits, dealing a huge blow to order within the jurisdiction, and he himself would not have enough energy and grain for a counterattack.

Even the Japanese Army might take this opportunity to recklessly move out and actively launch an attack on the Youth Army.

In the eyes of the Central Government of Xia Guo, Lv Muzhi's practice was undoubtedly high treason.

In the old man's eyes, Lv Muzhi had only prophesied a great famine before crazily starting to gather grain in Henan.

Not only did he gather grain, but in the name of imminent famine, he stopped paying grain taxes to the Central Government.

Hankou, the President's Official Residence.

"This subordinate has investigated. Henan indeed suffered a drought last year, but the common people still stored some grain."

"They can completely hold on until spring wheat is harvested in May or June." Tang Enbo reported his investigation results to the old man.

After hearing this, the old man thought for a while.

He had not failed to consider that the spring wheat planted might suffer disaster again.

If spring wheat suffered disaster, famine would indeed descend upon Henan.

But in the old man's view, Lv Muzhi's actions resembled another kind of behavior:

"Hoard grain, delay proclaiming kingship..." the old man slowly spat out these words.

Tang Enbo trembled in fright—did this mean Lv Muzhi wanted to completely turn hostile using this pretext?

If the old man had this idea, then he, Tang Enbo, would not have to be the first to go fight the Youth Army?

"I think Lv Wei Yue does not have this intention; you are overthinking it. He is merely preparing for the possible famine." Tang Enbo comforted him.

The old man snorted coldly: "These are troubled times; I've been busy lately with the Xia Expeditionary Force, negotiating with the British day and night, too busy to free myself."

"Lv Wei Yue happened to return to the country at this time; he wants to take advantage of this opening. The so-called great famine in Henan is nothing but an excuse for him to hoard grain and expand his army."

"Look, the Japanese are fighting everywhere, Americans and British are all stepping in, and I've organized the Central Expeditionary Army—the international counter-invasion situation is looking great."

"But Lv Wei Yue happens to keep his troops motionless; his mind is not on the Southern Army, so it must be on domestic affairs."

Tang Enbo didn't know what to do; he certainly didn't want to pour oil on the fire.

He was now a major general under the old man; if war broke out, he'd have to be the first to go up.

To make him fight the Youth Army—whether he could win aside, even if they fought, his reputation wouldn't be good; he might as well go fight the Japanese!

"Bear with it. The Japanese have been very active lately; Japanese troop movements in Jinling and Shanghai are frequent. I'm organizing defense right now. Plus, most of our resources and generals are concentrated in the Central Expeditionary Army—distant water can't put out a nearby fire. Clashing with Lv Wei Yue now is the worst strategy."

Tang Enbo's words made a nameless anger rise in the old man's heart.

"I see now—you, Tang Enbo, want to be an ostrich, thinking that if you bury your head in the dirt, Lv Wei Yue won't lay a hand on you?"

"In my eyes, Lv Wei Yue is no different from Li Zongren and his ilk—the number three enemy after the Japanese Army and the Eighth Route Army!"

Tang Enbo was very embarrassed, thinking the old man had too many enemies; this could exhaust his subordinates to death.

However, the old man was just venting.

He changed the subject: "There's no good way to deal with Lv Wei Yue now. If he wants to hoard grain, we'll insist on collecting the grain taxes due to the Central Government from him, and send Liu Zhi to sound out Lv Wei Yue's bottom."

Tang Enbo asked curiously: "What if a great famine really breaks out in Henan?"

The old man thought for a moment: "Hmph, if a great famine can destroy the Youth Army, I won't go soft."

Hearing this, Tang Enbo looked at the old man with a face full of surprise.

The old man hurriedly changed his words: "If a famine really happens, it shouldn't be Lv Wei Yue who conducts relief; it should be handled by central government personnel sent to preside."

"Lv Wei Yue keeps saying he has no territorial separatism and no intention of contending with the Central Government for power."

"But the famine hasn't even started, and he's already conducting high-profile relief—isn't this trying to win over the people's hearts? How is it different from rebellion?"

"This kid is still too tender; do you think I can't see through it?"

Just then, an attendant walked in and said: "Minister Song is here."

The old man hurriedly said: "It seems there's progress on the Expeditionary Force entering Burma; quickly invite him in."

Compared with intelligence that Lv Muzhi was suspected of hoarding grain for self-preservation, the old man was equally concerned about the Expeditionary Force entering Burma.

The Burma Road was now the only foreign transport route Xia Guo could rely on; American supplies could only be transported to Xia Guo via this road.

One hundred thousand Expeditionary Force troops entered Burma to keep this Road safe.

But the British repeatedly obstructed the Expeditionary Force's advance into Burma, dragging it out again and again, and the Burma Road was now in grave danger.

Minister Song entered, looked at Tang Enbo sitting on the sofa, and handed the documents to the old man.

"Received a report from the United Kingdom side: Yamashita Tomoyuki's forces are advancing with godlike speed, surrounding Governor Smith's eighty thousand British troops under Percival on the island of Singapore."

"The Japanese Army's 33rd Division has entered Burma and is attacking Rangoon; Governor Smith is commanding his subordinates in desperate resistance."

After Song Zhiwen finished speaking, the old man shook his head.

"Desperate resistance? The British Army's cause is lost!"

"Have they agreed to let the Expeditionary Force enter Burma?"

Song Zhiwen shook his head: "Three hours ago, I already suggested to Governor Smith that the Expeditionary Force enter Burma, but it was refused."

After hearing this, Tang Enbo was speechless: "Following this situation, the British cannot stop the Japanese."

"By the time they agree to let the Expeditionary Force enter Burma, the situation will already be beyond recovery, and the Burma Road... probably cannot be kept."

Song Zhiwen said: "I went to see Du Yuming; he suggested the Army forcibly advance into Burma, in case the British Army collapses and brings the situation to an irrecoverable state."

The old man shook his head firmly: "No, no, the United Kingdom is our ally, Burma is their colony; without their consent, we absolutely cannot forcibly bring our troops into Burma."

"Still that sentence: wait for the British to speak up themselves."

Song Zhiwen nodded, taking responsibility for diplomacy himself, while military operations were left to the old man to decide.

However, Song Zhiwen had also heard about Lv Muzhi hoarding grain in Henan, and asked: "I heard Lv Wei Yue is hoarding grain in Henan, Commander Tang, what exactly is going on?"