Chapter 159: Independent Regiment

After the ceremony ended, the father and son walked side by side toward the waiting car.

"The Jurong Independent Regiment is stationed in Jurong; you depart tonight."

"Understood."

"Also," Li Yuxuan said as he sat in the car, signaling the driver to raise the partition, "your grandfather's memorial day is approaching; before you go, offer an Incense Stick for him."

Li Nian'an was slightly startled and said, "Father is saying…"

"Let everyone know you're going to sweep the tomb," Li Yuxuan said, looking out the window. "A filial son sounds better than a pampered child."

"But the reorganization plan…"

"The reorganization plan was set by you, so you must have the resolve to see it through," Li Yuxuan said. "Remember, in the troops, obeying orders is more important than anything. If someone disobeys, beat them until they submit."

The car rounded a bend, and Li Yuxuan suddenly asked, "Do you know why the Independent Regiment was chosen?"

"Because it's the Fifth Army's spearhead unit, making it a good example for them."

"Not only that," Li Yuxuan shook his head. "The Independent Regiment originated as the Huangpu Training Group. It has now become an all-student force; these people are now company- and platoon‑level officers, and will become your core staff in the future."

Li Nian'an nodded thoughtfully.

"When you reach Jurong, the first task is to visit the wounded. The second is to go to the Mess Hall and eat with the soldiers. The third," Li Yuxuan emphasized, "is to convene all officers at the company level or higher each night, listen to their reports, speak less, listen more."

"Understood."

The car stopped in front of the President's Office. As Li Nian'an was about to get out, Li Yuxuan suddenly grasped his arm. "Remember, you are not only my son, but also raised under the principal's watch. Many are waiting to mock you, and many are waiting to use you to climb higher. Take care of yourself."

In the evening at Jinling Railway Station, the platform was packed with troops heading to the front. Li Nian'an, dressed in woolen uniform, boarded the Special Train under guard. He noticed a few reporters on the opposite side of the platform holding cameras.

"Regiment Commander, should we avoid them?" the Adjutant whispered.

"No need," Li Nian'an adjusted his cap. "Let them shoot."

He deliberately stopped at the carriage door and gave a standard military salute to the send‑off crowd. The flashlights instantly lit up the area.

After the train set off, the Adjutant handed over a Document: "Regiment Commander, Deputy Regiment Commander Wang said when the reorganization will be."

Li Nian'an glanced at the Document and casually tossed it onto the table. "Tell Deputy Regiment Commander Wang that I'm sweeping my grandfather's tomb, and he should temporarily handle all military affairs."

"This…"

"Do as instructed."

Three days later, at the Jurong Independent Regiment garrison, three thousand troops lined up neatly on the morning training ground. Li Nian'an stood on the viewing platform, watching the soldiers recite the Selected Readings of the President's Training Words. The practice both follows tradition and subtly cultivates loyalty.

"Regiment Commander, the Third Battalion Commander requests an audience," Wang Yaowu said softly.

Li Nian'an glanced at his Pocket Watch. "Tell him to wait. I'm heading to the wounded camp first."

The wounded camp was set up in a temple behind the regiment headquarters. Li Nian'an examined the injured one by one, pausing occasionally to ask questions. At the bedside of a severely wounded soldier, he noticed the bandages had turned yellow.

"Chief Medical Officer!"

"Present!"

"Why hasn't the medicine been changed yet?"

"Report, Regiment Commander, the Sulfonamide Powder is out; the quartermaster said…"

Li Nian'an turned to the Adjutant and said, "Take my business card to Jinling Hospital, find Director Smith, and tell him Li Nian'an is borrowing twenty boxes of Sulfonamide Powder, to be repaid double next month."

Murmurs instantly rose in the wounded camp.

Leaving the wounded camp, Li Nian'an went straight to the Mess Hall. It was meal time; he casually picked up a soldier's bowl and scooped a spoonful of vegetables to taste.

"Bring the Supply Officer here."

"Regiment Commander…" the plump Supply Officer huffed as he ran over.

"How much grease is in this dish?"

"According to, according to the standard, it's…"

"From today onward, my food standard will be the same as the soldiers'," Li Nian'an scanned the Mess Hall. "If I see such meals again, you will all go to the front line."

At that moment, Wang Yaowu hurried over: "Regiment Commander, the Third Battalion Commander is still waiting."

"Send him to the conference room."

In the regiment headquarters conference room, the Third Battalion Commander, a stern‑faced man, entered and shouted, "Regiment Commander! I really can't understand why you disassembled our battalion's Heavy Machine Gun company!"

Li Nian'an, still looking at the map, didn't look up. "Finished?"

"Finished!"

"Good." Li Nian'an finally raised his head. "Deputy Regiment Commander Wang, notify the whole regiment; there will be a tactical exercise this afternoon. Third Battalion Commander, your battalion will take the main attack."

The Third Battalion Commander was stunned: "Regiment Commander, this…"

"What, you don't dare?"

"Dare! Why not dare!"

The afternoon exercise unfolded in the mountainous terrain outside the garrison. Li Nian'an personally commanded the defenders, mapping the Third Battalion's attack routes with crystal clarity. Whenever the Third Battalion tried to mass heavy firepower, they were met with precise strikes.

When the exercise ended, the Third Battalion Commander, covered in mud and panting, came to the viewing platform: "Regiment Commander, I… I surrender."

Li Nian'an finally set down his binoculars. "Do you now know why the Heavy Machine Gun company was disbanded?"

"Understood! Dispersed deployment, mobile support…"

"Go back and write a self‑critique; tomorrow I want to see a new deployment plan."

Meanwhile, late at night, Li Yuxuan at the Jinling Military Commission was reviewing documents when an attendant delivered a secret report. He opened it and found detailed information on the Independent Regiment from the past few days.

Seeing his son's handling of the Third Battalion Commander, he gave a slight nod. But when he read the part about "borrowing medicine," his brows furrowed.

"Nonsense!" he slammed the secret report onto the desk. "A dignified regiment commander borrowing medicine from foreigners—what a disgrace!"

After a moment's thought, he picked up the phone. "Connect me to the quartermaster. Is this Director Li? Tomorrow morning, send thirty boxes of Sulfonamide Powder to the Independent Regiment. Yes, under the name of the Military Commission."

He hung up and dialed another number. "Put me through to Deputy Regiment Commander Wang of the Independent Regiment."

At the Jurong regiment headquarters, Wang Yaowu finished the call and hurried into Li Nian'an's office. "Regiment Commander, we just received a call from the Military Commission; tomorrow they'll deliver thirty boxes of Sulfonamide Powder to us."

Li Nian'an, still looking at the map, didn't look up. "Understood."

"Also... your father asked me to tell you, from now on just say directly if you're short of anything, don't borrow goods privately."

Li Nian'an's mouth twitched slightly: "Tell the supply department, we'll take the medicines, but we need a borrowing slip."

"This..."

"Do it."

After Wang Yaowu left, Li Nian'an finally set down the red and blue pencils and rubbed his temples. Outside the window, soldiers were conducting night drills, and the chant echoed through the valley.

He picked up the phone: "Contact the Artillery Company. Tomorrow we have live‑fire shooting; I want to see the effect of the covering fire."

A week later, at Jinling Li Gongguan, Li Yuxuan looked at the training report delivered by the Independent Regiment, and finally a smile appeared on his face. The report showed that the regiment's shooting accuracy had increased by twelve percentage points, and the tactical coordination time had been reduced by one third.

The aide officer handed over another list: "This is the borrowing slip sent by the Independent Regiment, stating it's for returning the medicines."

Li Yuxuan took it and saw that the list detailed the Independent Regiment's self‑raised supplies: Food (200 dan), 3,000 pairs of military shoes, and even a damaged mortar, but the repayment date was 1951.

"That stubborn kid..." Li Yuxuan shook his head and said to the aide officer, "Convert these items into cash and allocate them to the Independent Regiment as special funds. Tell Nian'an, say it was my instruction: Mercy doesn't command troops, but you must love the soldiers as your own children."

After the aide officer left, Li Yuxuan walked to the window, lit a cigarette, and smoked slowly.