Chapter 254: Explanation 7

In public (nation and revolutionary ideals): the Northern Expedition was originally a National Revolution to overthrow warlords, unify the nation, and realize the Three Principles of the People. Now the warlords are not completely eliminated, the northern Fengtian Clique still exists, and the revolutionary camp itself must fight among itself? This clashes violently with the modern nation‑building concepts he saw while studying abroad and the patriotic zeal of certain republics (such as the youths he met in Sanxiang) that he somewhat endorses. He feels that turning the blade inward now is tantamount to destroying the Great Wall.

In private (relationship with the principal): the principal is his Young Master, a childhood friend, the leader who bestowed trust and authority upon him. Disobeying would mean a direct challenge to this deep bond, entail major political risk, and could even be seen as a betrayal.

Regarding the army (the fate of the Third Division): the Third Division is the elite force he personally cultivated, the vanguard of the Northern Expedition, a unit of honor. How could he make this iron‑blooded brigade, which fights to overthrow warlords, turn its guns toward former "allied troops" and the populace?

Voice‑over (deep psychological analysis): Li Yuxuan is neither a simple hot‑blooded youth nor a pedantic moralist. He is well‑versed in history and politics. He understands that at the crossroads of history, personal choices are often beyond one's control, yet his inner balance leans toward a simple conviction: a soldier's muzzle should point outward, not inward; a soldier's blood should be shed to defend the nation, not to fuel internal strife. This belief may stem from his German mentor's discourse on the duties of a national army, or from the suffering he witnessed from China's fragmentation.

Act Two: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, heading to Badong.

(Scene: Li Yuxuan stands before a map for a long while, his finger sliding slowly westward from Jinling and finally landing on the Badong area in the middle‑upper reaches of the Yangtze River (referring broadly to the border region of western Hubei and eastern Sichuan).)

Voice‑over: After repeated weighing and inner torment, Li Yuxuan made a decision that seemed abrupt but was actually subtle. He neither publicly disobeyed nor fully carried out the order. He sent a reply to the principal, roughly stating: "Jinling's defensive garrison carries great responsibility, yet I secretly think that the Northern Expedition has not yet achieved complete success. In the upstream Badong region, warlords—namely the forces of Liu Xiang, Yang Shen and their affiliates—have entrenched themselves, posing a serious threat to the central authority and also endangering Jiangcheng's flank. If my division were to withdraw suddenly, they might seize the chance to strike eastward and disrupt the overall situation. I therefore request to lead my unit westward into Badong, employing a combined suppression‑and‑pacification strategy to swiftly secure the area, clear the rear for the central command, and then return to guard the capital region; this would achieve twice the result with half the effort."

(Scene: Animation shows the Third Division rapidly mobilizing, departing the vicinity of Nanjing and advancing upstream along the Jiangxi River. The principal receives the reply and is visibly displeased.)

Voice‑over: The justification sounds lofty: eliminating hidden threats for the nation, consolidating the revolution's rear. It provides the principal with a pretext and gives Li Yuxuan an excuse to step away from the imminent political storm's core. He chose to "avoid battle" — to steer clear of the forthcoming internal clashes that he found repugnant. "Cleansing the Badong warlords" is the overt objective; in reality it is a proactive move of "political self‑avoidance" and "moral risk‑aversion."

Voice‑over: Could the principal fail to see Li Yuxuan's intent? He likely knows it well. Yet he also needs a direct‑line elite like Li Yuxuan to expand actual control zones, and Li Yuxuan's reasoning cannot be easily refuted. Moreover, the principal may be aware of this brother‑in‑arms and top aide's "cleanliness obsession" and "stubbornness"; forcing him to join the Party Purge could trigger unpredictable outcomes (such as mutiny or Li Yuxuan's passive resistance). Consequently, the principal tacitly approved, or at least did not block it. This is a subtle compromise based on deep mutual understanding and need.

Act Three: Badong's sudden upheaval and the reluctant return to the division.

(Scene: The Third Division enters the mountainous Badong region, terrain treacherous. Images of fortified towns occupied by local warlord forces appear.)

Voice‑over: Li Yuxuan leads the Third Division into Badong under the banner of "Northern Expedition vanguard, ordered to cleanse the region." He indeed prepares to use thunderous force to swiftly eliminate or co‑opt the local separatist armed groups that defy central orders, thereby completing the "mission," training his troops, and staying away from trouble.

Voice‑over (with a slight dramatic twist): Yet this is the very drama of history. Before he could act, and even as his army was just beginning to display deterrent force, several major warlord leaders in Badong either were cowed by the Northern Expedition's overwhelming presence or learned that a "Party Purge" was imminent in Jinling and that the Kuomintang Right Wing was about to dominate the political scene. They swiftly changed allegiance, sending envoys to voluntarily submit to the Kuomintang Central Committee (i. e., to Chiang Kai‑shek), expressing willingness to be reorganized and obey leadership.

(Scene: A warlord representative, bearing gifts and a surrender document, bypasses Li Yuxuan's division and heads straight toward Jiangcheng or Jinling, shown in animation.)

Voice‑over: This makes Li Yuxuan's situation extremely awkward. The lofty justification of "suppressing bandits" vanishes instantly—those people have already "surrendered" and become "allied troops." If he forces an attack, his division would act without a cause and could be accused of breaking the united front and inciting local resistance. His "safe harbor" plan collapses before it even begins.

(Scene: Li Yuxuan at the temporary Badong headquarters receives a telegraph reporting the warlord's surrender, shakes his head with a wry smile, then immediately receives a new order from Jiangcheng.)

Voice‑over: Immediately after, a clearer message arrives: the principal's command to Li Yuxuan: since the Badong warlords have pledged allegiance, after proper liaison, promptly redeploy the Third Division back to Jiangcheng or Jinling to stand by for a "more important mission." On April 12, 1927, the principal launched a "Party Purge" coup in Modu. Subsequently, Jiangcheng's Wang also split with the Communists. The KMT‑CCP Cooperation collapsed completely, and a bloody purge began.

(Scene: The Third Division sets out again, this time heading east. The troops' mood is heavy, unlike the lofty spirit of the Northern Expedition.)

Voice‑over: Li Yuxuan knows what the "more important mission" entails. There is no longer any way to avoid it. Carrying a hint of regret for not fully executing the Badong plan, and a heavier weight of the looming situation, he leads his troops eastward. This Badong trip resembles an unfinished "exercise," also a brief externalization and attempted breakout of his inner conflict, but ultimately he is swept back by the era's colossal wave to the edge of the storm's eye.

Act Four: The "Badong Province Governor" amid the turbulent Party Purge.

(Scene: Time stamp—summer‑autumn 1927. Cityscape shows the grim atmosphere of the Party Purge. Li Yuxuan returns to Jiangcheng, witnessing or hearing various events, his expression somber.)

Voice‑over: Back in the Kuomintang‑controlled core area, Li Yuxuan sees firsthand—or deeply feels—the expanding scope and brutality of the Party Purge. This undoubtedly deepens his inner resentment and alienation. Yet he does not voice dissent publicly. His status, his troops, and the reputation he built during the Northern Expedition prevent him from staying out of the fray, let alone openly taking the opposing side.