Chapter 117: Withdrawal

In the deep autumn of September at the Jinling Presidential Office, the principal was reviewing documents when Qian Dajun rushed in, forgetting even to knock on the door.

"Principal, Principal! Emergency military report!" he said, the telegram in his hand trembling continuously, "Fifth Army... the Fifth Army is in full-scale combat with the Japanese in Liaoxi!"

"What did you say?" The principal snapped his head up, the blue pencil in his hand snapping with a "pop." He rose slowly, his gaze blazing as he stared at the reporting officer, his voice suddenly rising: "Didn't I tell them not to resist? Moreover, Jingxing has already returned, hasn't he? Why are they fighting again?"

"Subordinate... I don't know..." Qian Dajun stammered, cold sweat streaming down, "The frontline reports say that Du and Ming's unit has been locked in fierce battle with the Japanese 2nd Division on the outskirts of Jinzhou for three days..."

"Damn it!" The principal slammed his palm on the table, shaking the teacup into a jittery hop, "Don't you understand? Isn't I trying to negotiate with Japan through diplomatic channels? Didn't I say I don't want a local clash to expand the war and jeopardize the core strategy of internal stability? Jingxing, you misunderstand me!"

He paced back and forth in the office, his shoes thudding heavily on the floor. "No way, Jingxing is incompetent; it looks like the time has come for me to step forward." He stopped abruptly and barked at Qian Dajun, "Go inform the Fifth Army, order the Fifth Army to withdraw immediately!"

When the news reached Li Yuxuan, who was in a meeting at the Military Affairs Department, he flipped the conference table on the spot.

"What? Withdraw?" Li Yuxuan grabbed the messenger's collar, "Did the principal really say that?"

"Absolutely certain... the order has already been issued..."

Li Yuxuan said nothing more, snatched up the keys and bolted outside. The car sped down Jinling streets, running through several red lights, heading straight for the President's Office.

"Principal, Army Commander Li requests an audience," Qian Dajun reported cautiously.

"Damn it, make him leave!" the principal shouted in anger, "My Fifth Army has lost over 50,000 people in the Northeast... those are all Huangpu Elite... I funded them with real gold and silver!"

Before the words finished, Li Yuxuan had already pushed past the guards and rushed in. His uniform was disheveled, his collar undone, bloodshot eyes.

"Young Master, we cannot withdraw!" Li Yuxuan shouted almost.

The principal let out a cold laugh, leisurely smoothing his cuffs: "Jingxing, Jingxing, are you going to let all my years of painstaking effort go down the drain?"

"Painstaking effort?" Li Yuxuan waved his arms passionately, "Right now thirty million compatriots in the Northeast are struggling under the Japanese Invaders' iron hooves, Young Master, and you are here talking about painstaking effort?"

"What do you know!" the principal snapped around, his finger stabbing heavily into the Military Map, "The bandit trouble in Jiangxi has grown huge; if we go to full-scale war with Japan now, Republicanism will surely seize the chance to expand. Then we'd be trapped internally and externally, the nation doomed!"

Li Yuxuan stood his ground: "But Young Master, the Japanese have already reached our doorstep! We fought well in Jinzhou, Du and Ming's forces..."

"Fought well?" the principal cut him off, snatching a battle report from the table and hurling it, "In three days the casualties total fifty thousand! Is that what you call fighting well? Those are our most elite troops!"

"That's because our equipment is too poor!" Li Yuxuan argued, "If we had enough heavy artillery, if we had enough aircraft..."

"If we had? If?" the principal mimicked his tone, "Jingxing, you have led troops before, you should know war is a test of national strength! Can our current national strength match Japan's?"

Li Yuxuan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "Young Master, I'm not saying we should go to total war. But the Liaoxi corridor is our last barrier; if we abandon it, the Japanese can surge straight in..."

"So we have to throw all our remaining elite into it?" the principal walked to the window, looking at the parasol trees outside, "Jingxing, you must understand, we need time now. Time! Once we eradicate the bandit trouble and straighten out internal affairs, then..."

"By then the Northeast will already be Japan's pocket!" Li Yuxuan said with anguish, "Young Master, do you remember when we studied in Japan? Do you recall the Jinan Tragedy? Do you remember those compatriots who were slaughtered? The Japanese are insatiably greedy; if you cede the Northeast today, tomorrow they'll take Huabei!"

The principal suddenly turned, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "So you intend to defy my order?"

"I'm not defying an order; I'm doing this for the country!"

The two exchanged words, their dispute growing ever more heated. The principal repeatedly emphasized the strategic consideration of "Stability Inside Before Dealing with External," while Li Yuxuan insisted on "National Righteousness Above All." The office atmosphere was so tense it seemed ready to ignite.

The argument lasted over half an hour, and finally Li Yuxuan, furious, kicked the door; the mahogany door let out a huge bang.

"You will regret this, Young Master!" Li Yuxuan shouted, not looking back as he rushed out of the President's Office.

Qian Dajun asked cautiously, "Principal, Army Commander Li..."

The principal waved his hand, a wry smile appearing, "No need to worry, just smooth things over later. Has the Fifth Army started withdrawing now?"

"We just received news from Liao Yaoxiang that the Fifth Army 8th Regiment is moving unimpeded, evacuating as planned."

"Fine," the principal massaged his temples, "Let them withdraw from the Northeast as quickly as possible. Remember, preserve strength; do not entangle with the Japanese."

Qian Dajun saluted and withdrew, while the principal stood alone before the Military Map, silent for a long while. He had never not wanted to fight the Japanese to the death, but as a nation's leader he must weigh the whole picture. The telephone on the desk rang suddenly; it was Foreign Minister Wang Zhengting reporting on the League of Nations Mediation's progress.

"Tell them we are restraining them," the principal said into the phone, "Hope the International Community can uphold justice..."

After hanging up, he looked at the patch of Black Land on the map that was about to fall, sighing softly, "Jingxing, Jingxing, do you think I don't feel pain? But... sigh..."

Outside the window, the lights of Jinling City flickered on one after another.