Chapter 79

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

In the division headquarters office, Liu Zhi smoked a cigarette and looked at Lv Muzhi. "How is the morale of your regiment's soldiers? While our army wins victory after victory, no unit can afford to be careless. You must guard against pride and impetuosity!"

Lv Muzhi understood Liu Zhi was joking. After a month on campaign, all the hard battles had been fought by others; the Principal's direct-line First Army had been sitting on the bench in the rear.

"Division Commander Liu is joking again. Poor morale among the soldiers is a common situation in both the First Division and the Second Division."

"Haha, there's nothing to be done. Tang Shengzhi's Eighth Army are Hunan natives; the Fourth and Seventh Armies entered Hunan two months before us and know the situation better. It's only right we serve as the reserve force. Most importantly, Tang Shengzhi is the Frontline Commander-in-Chief..."

Lv Muzhi calculated that the timing for opening the Jiangxi battlefield was nearly right. He had to urge Liu Zhi to seek an opportunity for battle; they couldn't stay here forever sitting on the bench.

"Commissioner Liu really knows how to console himself, but you should still think of what the Principal thinks." Lv Muzhi advised.

Upon hearing mention of the Principal, Liu Zhi put down his cigarette. "What do you mean?"

"I bet the Principal is now as if sitting on pins and needles!"

Liu Zhi rolled his eyes. "They're all brother units. What is the Principal nervous about? Muzi, you're exaggerating. You've gone too far."

"Tsk! Commissioner Liu, why be so cautious? There's no one else here. Tang Shengzhi, without permission, appointed himself Governor of Hunan Province, and his Eighth Army has won many military achievements on the Northern Expedition battlefield. As for the Fourth and Seventh Armies, which one isn't showing off? Only the Principal's First Army has been sitting on the bench in the rear. Their limelight threatens to overshadow the Principal's."

Liu Zhi smiled. "You do see things clearly. The Principal has indeed been anxious lately. Although the Northern Expedition Commander-in-Chief is the Principal, the Frontline Commander-in-Chief is Tang Shengzhi. The battles in Hunan and Hubei are mostly presided over by Frontline Commander-in-Chief Tang Shengzhi."

"Let me let you in on a secret: this fellow Tang Shengzhi is fast becoming a major threat to the Principal. In this great undertaking of the Northern Expedition, his prestige has already overshadowed the Principal's."

"The Principal rose through the army, but our First Army has achieved nothing in the Northern Expedition's military operations and can't get involved in the Hunan and Hubei battles. The Principal is already preparing to open the Jiangxi battlefield, to direct Jiangxi's military affairs and raise his own military prestige! However..." Liu Zhi paused.

Lv Muzhi directly finished Liu Zhi's sentence for him. "However, from a military standpoint, opening the Jiangxi battlefield now is not the best timing."

"Exactly. It would be best to wait until Hubei is captured before advancing into Jiangxi; that would be steadier." Liu Zhi stroked his chin.

"The Principal is not considering the military feasibility of advancing into Jiangxi, but rather from a political angle, using military achievements to raise his own prestige. Once the Principal gives the order, we must execute it. At that time, Commissioner Liu, how will you decide?" Lv Muzhi countered.

"Naturally, we obey the Principal's orders. Whatever the Principal says, we soldiers do." Liu Zhi said as a matter of course.

"Even so, when the time comes, Commissioner Liu must strive to secure the qualification for our Second Division to march to the Jiangxi battlefield. The soldiers' morale is poor now; they cannot continue sitting on the bench in the rear."

Liu Zhi asked doubtfully, "Our First Army has only two divisions participating in the Northern Expedition. Surely the Principal wouldn't send only one division?"

"Very likely. After all, the Second, Third, and Sixth Armies are held in reserve for the Jiangxi battlefield. These three armies can be commanded by the Principal. Our direct-line First Army will very likely send only one division to Jiangxi to make an appearance, leaving the other division to continue serving as the reserve force, to show the Principal's support for Tang Shengzhi and make a show of it."

Liu Zhi exhaled a long breath and said with his head down, "If that's the case, the division sent out will absolutely be Wang Bolin's First Division. The Principal has always wanted to give him a chance to redeem himself. I'm afraid we'll have to keep sitting on the bench."

Seeing Liu Zhi wanted to live a peaceful life again, Lv Muzhi grew anxious. If the commander did nothing, how could he himself rise in rank?

"Commissioner Liu, within the Principal's direct-line forces, let me rank them for you. Commissioner He Yingqin is first; after Wang Bolin fled from Danshui City, he ranks second; you are third... Don't you want to take another step forward?"

"Cough! Cough!!" Liu Zhi choked on his own smoke. "What are you saying, Muzi? Wang Bolin is also a senior veteran in the army."

"Judging by Wang Bolin's military talent at the Battle of Danshui during the Eastern Expedition, he is actually not as good as you. I dare to assert that Wang Bolin will surely suffer another setback on the Jiangxi battlefield. If our Second Division is present then and turns the tide, in the Principal's direct-line forces thereafter, apart from Commissioner He, it will be you, Commissioner Liu, and there will no longer be a place for Wang Bolin."

Liu Zhi did not answer, remaining silent for a long while. His cigarette had nearly burned to his fingers before he took a fierce drag and blew out a large smoke ring. "Fine!"

What Lv Muzhi and Liu Zhi discussed indeed played out in reality.

As the Northern Expedition's Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Armies approached the walls of Wuchang City, the Principal decided to assemble the First, Second, Third, and Sixth Armies to enter the Jiangxi battlefield and capture the provincial capital, Nanchang.

This was not entirely from a political angle, because Sun Chuanfang had already sent reinforcements to Jiangxi, and the Beiyang Army's reinforcements had arrived at Jiujiang. At this time, they had to go to Jiangxi to fight regardless, which happened to suit the Principal's wishes.

Regarding the arrangement of the direct-line First Army, the Principal indeed arranged for Wang Bolin's First Division to enter Jiangxi to fight, while Liu Zhi's Second Division continued to sit on the bench.

This time, Liu Zhi did not go along with the Principal's wishes. With his troops eager for battle, he requested to join the Jiangxi battlefield alongside the First Division.

"Zifu (Liu Zhi), if your Second Division leaves, who will serve as the reserve force? There must always be a reserve force during operations." The Principal asked very unhappily.

Liu Zhi plucked up his courage and produced a long scroll of a battle petition. "Reporting to the Principal, the reserve force can be coordinated from elsewhere, but my entire Second Division requests to fight in Jiangxi. Here are the thumbprints of all officers and men of my Second Division, as well as the handwritten signatures of officers above platoon leader!"

The Principal stood up, stunned. It was all red thumbprints. He took a deep breath—this was just what he liked. "Good! The Second Division has such determination. Why worry that Jiangxi cannot be pacified?"

"Pass on my orders! The troops attacking Jiangxi shall have the First and Second Divisions as the Left Route Army, the Sixth Army as the Center Route Army, and the Second and Third Armies as the Right Wing Army. Recapture Nanchang City in one stroke!"

"What about the reserve force?"

"You need not worry about that. The Northern Expedition Headquarters has several directly subordinate supplementary regiments. I'll transfer them over to serve as the reserve force. You and Wang Bolin, once you go, must bring glory to my First Army!"

"Yes!"

"By the way, command of the Left Route Army is given to Wang Bolin. You two cooperate well!"