Chapter 540: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Class One Chapter 550 We Will Meet at the Foot of Mount Fuji

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

After the Jinling campaign ended, Lv Muzhi also dispatched Zhang Fei from within the country, bringing one army's equipment and personnel overseas to participate in the Malaya Campaign.

However, by the time Zhang Fei had turned things around over several months and finally arrived at the Southeast Asia Theater Command, the Malaya Campaign had basically already entered its final stages, and he didn't even get to join in the excitement.

Because the Americans had already seized sea control.

Lv Muzhi then launched a ground offensive against the Malay Peninsula, quickly compressing Terauchi Hisaichi's forces onto the small island of Singapore.

To continue attacking Singapore, they would need to cross the Johor Strait.

Yet Lv Muzhi stopped again, the reason being insufficient surface warships to transport landing forces.

British General Mountbatten kept urging Lv Muzhi to cross the Johor Strait and take Singapore.

"The Malaya Campaign was also dragged out back then, delaying and delaying without taking action."

"Now that you've finally taken Malaya with great difficulty, why not pursue the victory and forcibly land on Singapore with American help?!"

"You wouldn't be thinking of keeping the enemy alive to preserve your own importance, would you?!"

In response to Mountbatten's questioning, Lv Muzhi directly stated he planned to have the British serve as the main force landing on the Singapore fortress.

Only then did Mountbatten back down, and he stopped urging Lv Muzhi to send the Youth Army to land on Singapore.

Singapore, personally garrisoned by Southern Army Commander General Terauchi Hisaichi, was a sea fortress once built and operated by the British.

However, the British were disappointing back then, directly handing over the Singapore fortress to Yamashita Tomoyuki with both hands.

The Japanese subsequently further fortified this sea fortress; the desperate devils would certainly fight to the death.

If Lv Muzhi launched a landing battle, even with American naval support, casualties would likely number in the thousands.

Lv Muzhi didn't want any more of his subordinates to be sacrificed; this war had already sacrificed too many people.

Even without taking Singapore, this war was about to welcome victory imminently.

The Japanese could hold on no longer; their Emperor would soon announce surrender, and the Japanese Army on Singapore would surrender as well.

Lv Muzhi didn't need to use Youth Army blood to win extra honor for himself; Youth Army soldiers should not fall on the eve of victory.

Although the Americans also hoped the Youth Army would actively take the initiative to launch an offensive against Singapore, putting a perfect period on the Southeast Asia Theater's war.

Still, Lv Muzhi remained unmoved, refusing a forced landing on Singapore on the grounds of troop attrition and the need to transfer troops from within the country for reinforcement.

After Zhang Fei's Youth Third Army arrived at the Theater Command, Lv Muzhi again refused a forced assault on Singapore, citing insufficient troop supplies.

Because Terauchi Hisaichi and over ten thousand Japanese troops existed on this small island of Singapore, the Southeast Asia Theater still had the necessity to exist, and Lv Muzhi also needed to fulfill his duties as Theater Commander.

Besides transferring Zhang Fei's Youth Third Army from within the country to the Southeast Asia Theater to bolster theater strength.

Lv Muzhi also transferred Chu Yunfei's Guerrilla Corps to Xia Guo's Southwest, tasking them with escorting Southwest industrial support to Zhongnan State.

Additionally, Li Guang, the Unity Party leader on the Malay Peninsula, also met with Lv Muzhi.

Li Guang was likewise a Yixin Society Senior Elder, a local overseas Chinese in Malaya, and knew Lv Muzhi's true identity.

He had led his guerrilla unit operating on the Malay Peninsula for over a decade, enjoyed very high prestige within the Unity Party, and now meeting with Lv Muzhi, the two conversed very happily.

Although due to the ocean barrier, the Youth Army could not go to Indonesia.

But Lv Muzhi learned that the local Unity Party in Indonesia, led by Su Hong, relying on a massive population, had developed a large number of guerrilla units, achieved self-liberation, drove both the Japanese and the Dutch out of Indonesia, established a provisional government, and echoed the Zhongnan State's Unity Party from afar.

For a time, throughout Southeast Asia, except for the American colony of the Philippines, Unity Party members were everywhere.

This matter likewise aroused American vigilance and embarrassment.

The Americans neither wanted those old colonial powers to return to colonize, nor did they want the Unity Party to grow too large......

However, the great war had not yet ended; out of the need to dismember Britain and France, the Americans did not take measures against the Unity Party.

On the eve of the Japanese surrender, the Old Man held consultations with Lv Muzhi to discuss Xia Guo's postwar order.

The Old Man considered himself the orthodox; now that he had returned inside Jinling City, naturally he was unwilling to let go.

In the sunny fifth month, before the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, standing under the "The World Belongs to the Public" plaque, Lv Muzhi and the Old Man met for the last time.

"Wei Yue, the war is about to end; what are your plans for the future?" the Old Man asked indirectly.

Lv Muzhi understood the Old Man's thoughts and simply said: "Lay down my armor and return to the fields, leave the Xia Guo military world."

"Twenty years of military service; I am truly a bit tired."

The Old Man didn't believe it, patting Lv Muzhi's hand: "Wei Yue, don't joke; a pillar of the state like you, how could I bear to let you go!"

"I'm serious." Lv Muzhi said seriously.

The Old Man simply sat on the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum steps, pointing at Lv Muzhi and laughing: "I don't believe it."

"The two of us have come this far, and I've found you rarely speak the truth......"

Lv Muzhi also sat on the steps: "You're the same......"

"But this time I'm telling the truth; the day the Japanese withdraw from Xia Guo is the day I retire from active service."

Hearing Lv Muzhi's repeated promises, the Old Man was both shocked and delighted: "Is this true?"

"I heard you made large-scale investments in Zhongnan State's industry; could it be?!"

Lv Muzhi nodded: "I only wish to be a wealthy landlord; the country is too chaotic, I will abandon the military for commerce, go to the South Seas and become a business tycoon."

The Old Man was overjoyed in his heart; the worries of years were finally resolved at this moment.

He had originally thought there would be a fierce contest with Lv Muzhi, never expecting the crisis would be resolved so easily.

Still, the Old Man cautiously asked: "Then what about the Youth Army?"

"After you leave, who will the Youth Army be handed over to for governance?"

The Old Man was wary of Lv Muzhi; the core of his wariness was the Youth Army.

With Lv Muzhi gone, who will tame the Youth Army? They may not obey the old man and the Central Government's instructions.

The old man does not wish for such an army to continue to exist.

If three or two troublemakers join forces, it will truly be enough for the old man to drink a pot.

Currently, Xia Guo still has 150,000 regularly established Youth Army troops, among them Qiu Qingquan and Liao Yaoxiang's 100,000 Youth Army in North China, Chu Yunfei's 50,000 Youth Army in the Southwest.

The remaining 250,000 Youth Army are all in the Southeast Asia Theater's Burma, Thailand, Malaya, Zhongnan State and other places.

Lv Muzhi said: "The Americans have proposed a plan: after the war ends, each major victorious country can implement garrison occupation in Japan; the Americans will dispatch 600,000 troops to garrison Japan. You know this, right?"

The old man nodded: "The Americans have already sent a note; I can also garrison 50,000 in Japan, however... I feel there's no benefit in that."

The old man's willingness to garrison is not strong; Lv Muzhi understands this in his heart.

In the old man's thinking, rather than sending 50,000 Central Army to Japanese territory, it would be better used on the domestic war.

Yet Lv Muzhi said: "After the war ends, I will have Qiu Qingquan and Liao Yaoxiang lead 100,000 Youth Army to garrison Japan, also saving you the worry that the Youth Army might become a hidden danger to the Central Government."

This actually suited the old man's wishes: sending Qiu Qingquan and Liao Yaoxiang, these two absolute main forces of the Youth Army, to the Japanese island nation — the whip is too short to reach, and there's no fear of them becoming a hidden danger to the Central Government.

"Then what about the remaining Youth Army? Especially the Youth Army in Southeast Asia — they will be a hidden danger after returning home." The old man asked.

"Since the war has already ended, I will organize the Southeast Asia Theater's Youth Army to retire, announce the cancellation of Xia Guo Youth Army's designation, and let them return to Xia Guo as civilians."

"Really?" The old man confirmed.

Lv Muzhi stood up from the steps: "I can only promise this much; I cannot give additional guarantees."

Having spoken, Lv Muzhi walked down along the steps, preparing to leave Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.

The old man realized Lv Muzhi's words this time should be true; thinking that they might rarely meet again in the future, he hurriedly stood up from the steps leaning on his cane.

"Wei Yue, do you have any suggestions, or warnings, for me, for the Central Government?" The old man called out to Lv Muzhi.

Lv Muzhi turned back, his eyes equally puzzled: "I don't know; to tell the truth, I really don't know."

"If you need suggestions, you might as well look back at those four characters."

The old man looked back; beneath the bright, flashing blue glazed tiles, were precisely those four characters "All Under Heaven Is For The Public" hanging high.

By the time the old man turned back again, Lv Muzhi had already gradually receded into the distance.

——————

Lv Muzhi came to Beiping again, conveying his decision to Qiu Qingquan and Liao Yaoxiang.

Qiu Qingquan was quite at a loss: "Go to Japan to garrison..."

Liao Yaoxiang sighed: "The Central Government cannot accommodate us; the world is so big, yet there is actually no place for the Youth Army to stand!"

Lv Muzhi said: "Exercising victor's rights, your garrison in Japan is also glorious."

"Throughout all dynasties, Xia Guo's army has never set foot on Japan; it was always the Japanese running to Xia Guo to repeatedly create incidents."

"Now, you can finally represent Xia Guo, leading your army onto Japanese soil."

Qiu Qingquan said with deep regret: "Lu Commander, after you leave the army, will we meet again?"

Lv Muzhi nodded: "Stay there properly for a few years, avoid the limelight; no need to return home if there's nothing going on."

"Before the situation stabilizes, your families can be entrusted to me to look after."

"Trust me; in the not-too-distant future, we will meet at the foot of Mount Fuji."