Chapter 153: The Future of the Northwest Army

Yuan Shouqian restrained his smile, his tone flat yet bearing undeniable coldness: "So what? At seven or seventy, in the chessboard they're all just pieces. The difference is that this piece is very useful right now."

Dai Li added, his tone even carrying a hint of "as expected": "Come to think of it, we really should thank Yang Hucheng. If the Director hadn't set his sights on this chunk of Northwest Army's fatty meat, wanting to swallow it relatively smoothly, then just for his rebellion, wiping out his entire clan wouldn't be excessive. That we can let a trace of his bloodline survive is already the Director's special favor; it's the destiny of his Yang family."

Huang Wei only felt a tightness in his chest; he tried to change the subject, genuinely caring about the troops' practical gains: "So… this chunk of Northwest Army's fatty meat, how does the Director plan to divide it? Is it to be directly incorporated into our 18th Army and the Fifth Army?"

Dai Li gave Huang Wei a look that said "you're still too naive", a slight curl at the corner of his mouth, with a hint of mockery: "Brother, how could the Director possibly clutch the entire Northwest Army in his own hands? That would make him a second Yang Hucheng, or even more conspicuous than Yang Hucheng. Over in Jinling, Minister He, Officer Chen, and so many factional eyes are watching. The Director has long negotiated with them: the Northwest Army, just us few, together with certain forces on the Nanjing side that need handling, will be 'divided and devoured'. The manner of eating must be proper, the speed swift, we must both strengthen ourselves and avoid giving anyone a foothold to accuse us of factionalism, overreach, or an unmanageable tail."

Huang Wei watched the two of them discuss casually how to carve up an army of tens of thousands, as if slicing a slab of pork on a cutting board, and he could no longer sit still. He felt like a brute who had stumbled into a meticulously calculated chess game, the surrounding air thick with suffocating scheming. He sprang to his feet, speaking in a coarse, hoarse voice: "I… I have some matters, I must take my leave." Without waiting for a response, he fled the room as if escaping, his whole body uneasy.

Yuan Shouqian and Dai Li watched Huang Wei's somewhat disheveled back, exchanged a smile, and in that smile lay a lofty comprehension and a barely perceptible hint of contempt.

A moment later, Li Yuxuan's office

Li Yuxuan was bent over reviewing documents when he heard footsteps, not looking up: "Accompany me? Weren't you supposed to go discuss the specific plan for requisitioning the Northwest Army with Yu Nong, Shouqian, and the others? How did you come back so quickly?"

Huang Wei stood at the desk, his hands unconsciously rubbing together, unwilling to meet Li Yuxuan's probing gaze, muttering vaguely: "Director… I… I think they… they are scheming too deeply, too… too insidious. My head aches just listening; I can't outplay them."

Li Yuxuan, hearing this, paused his grip on the pen, lifted his head, and looked at the loyal subordinate before him with a hint of astonishment. He was momentarily stunned, then, seeing Huang Wei's mix of grievance and slight resentment, thought briefly and understood—when Yuan and Dai were discussing those unmentionable power tactics, they neither avoided Huang Wei nor intended to involve this 'straight shooter' in the core scheming, deliberately or not keeping him out of that circle.

Li Yuxuan understood, even chuckling slightly. He set the pen down, leaned his body back against the chair, his fingers lightly tapping the smooth rosewood tabletop. He needed a loyal commander like Huang Wei, but did not expect, and rather did not wish, for him to become too entangled in the upper echelons' filthy political deals and power allocations. A commander whose mind is overly complicated can sometimes be less useful than a pure executor.

He pondered briefly, a trace of understanding and reassurance appearing on his face: "Enough. Everyone has their strengths; yours lie in commanding troops and fighting battles. These tedious interpersonal entanglements and profit connections are indeed not your desire nor your forte."

He paused, then decided: "Since that's the case, let Shouqian and Yu Nong handle the specific matters of requisitioning and reorganizing the Northwest Army. You, return to your own duties. The troops are being continuously redeployed, the logistics lines are stretching long, a major operation is imminent, countless details, no room for any slip. You, take charge of our assets; I'll hand the entire logistics to you. Ensure ammunition and food supplies are ample, and transport runs smoothly."

Huang Wei's eyes lit up instantly. Being put in charge of tangible supplies, vehicles, warehouses was far more exhilarating than puzzling over the hearts and ghosts of people! He straightened his back sharply, with a "snap" he stood at attention, his face radiant, and answered in a loud voice: "Yes, Director! Rest assured, Director, Huang Wei guarantees the mission will be completed! Not a single bullet nor a grain of rice will be lacking for the frontline soldiers!"

Watching Huang Wei's relieved, spirited departure, Li Yuxuan gently shook his head, a complex smile tugging at his mouth—within that smile lay a mix of understanding, disdain, and hidden calculation. Such a loyal warrior is ultimately fit only to command on the battlefield; he could never grasp the blade glints and sword shadows of the power arena that never appear in plain sight.

He picked up his pen again, his fingertips grazing the cold barrel, his gaze landing on the analysis report in the corner of the desk detailing the personalities and backgrounds of the Northwest Army's departmental commanders. The densely packed marginalia, the red‑ink circles marking "greedy for wealth", "overly suspicious", "nostalgic", "linked to that side", were the results of the covert inquiries he had dispatched in recent days.

His gaze grew increasingly deep and icy, like a frozen pool. Yuan Shouqian and Dai Yunong thought they could divide the Northwest Army without cost? How naive. These tens of thousands of troops have never been a piece of easily shareable fatty meat. He had already marked the pieces' destinations in the report: the nostalgic commanders would be bound with Yang Hucheng's young son; the greedy would be bought with funds raised from overseas Chinese donations; the suspicious would be provoked into internal strife by using a borrowed knife; those linked to that side would simply be let go.

The pen tip pressed heavily beside the name "Ma Hongkui", the ink spreading like a droplet of blood seeping out.