Chapter 57: Daily Trifles 2

The moisture of the Yangtze River hung thick, permeating every corner of the Bazhong Governor's Mansion. Li Yuxuan sat behind the desk, his fingertips silently tapping the spread-open official documents—tax ledgers submitted by each county, the vacancies circled in red ink glaring like wounds.

"Director," Huang Wei stood before the desk, the dossier in his hands soaked through with sweat, "the implementation of the New Deal in the counties is being obstructed. Yang Sheng, Liu Xiang, and the others pay lip service, but down below, the Lijinju continues its exorbitant levies. The people are full of complaints, but they dare not speak out."

Li Yuxuan looked up, his knuckles rapping two crisp sounds on the rosewood desktop: "How many times have I said it? Address me by my title during work hours."

"Yes, Provincial Chairman." Huang Wei quickly corrected himself, yet still couldn't hide his anxiety, "If we drag this out any longer, the policies we set earlier—rent reduction and establishing schools—I'm afraid they'll become dead letters."

"Ha." Li Yuxuan let out a cold laugh, rose, and walked to the window. Outside, the Yangtze was swelling, its murky waves crashing against the embankment with an overwhelming force. "Back in Jinling, I didn't have the power to change those messes. Now that I'm in Badong, you're telling me I don't have the power to straighten out these Local Warlords? Then what was the point of my coming here?"

He turned around, a cold glint in his eyes: "Tell those warlords that the policies I've set must be posted in every county within three days. Anyone who dares deceive their superiors or conceal the truth, anyone who wants to play emperor in their own territory—"

He paused, reaching down to press the holster at his waist. The faint rustle of leather was especially clear in the quiet room: "Don't blame me if my blade doesn't have eyes."

Huang Wei's heart jolted, and he quickly replied, "Yes, Provincial Chairman! I'll arrange it immediately!"

"Wait." Li Yuxuan called him back, "The weapons I had you procure from Germany and the United States—what's the progress?"

"They're being dispatched." Huang Wei answered promptly, "The Mauser Rifles from Germany have already shipped, traveling the Yangtze River route. They should reach Yichang by next month. The Browning Heavy Machine Guns from the United States are a bit tricky—the arms dealers there want to raise the price. I've already had our office in the US negotiate."

"Money isn't the issue." Li Yuxuan waved his hand, "Tell them they can raise the price, but they must guarantee quality. If they dare send second-hand goods, I'll dismantle their foreign firms."

"Yes!" Huang Wei finally turned and withdrew, his steps noticeably lighter than when he came in.

In the side hall of the Governor's Mansion, Hu Zhongnan was craning his neck toward the door. Seeing Huang Wei come out, he quickly approached: "How did it go, Wuwo? What did the Director say?"

Huang Wei repeated Li Yuxuan's words, then emphasized at the end: "The Provincial Chairman said his policies must be carried out. Anyone who dares deceive their superiors or conceal the truth will find the army at their doorstep before long."

"Did the Director really say that?" Hu Zhongnan's eyes lit up, and he clenched his fists, "It's about time we showed these warlords what's what! Last time I went to Enshi for an inspection, Liu Xiang's men actually dared to seize our grain convoy—it's outright rebellion!"

"The Provincial Chairman knows what he's doing." Huang Wei lowered his voice, "By the way, the Chairman also urged the supplies from the US and Germany to be sent as soon as possible."

"Good! I'll send a telegram right away!" Hu Zhongnan turned and strode off, his steps brisk—he had long been eager to swap out their gear. The rifles in the hands of the Third Division's brothers were still the Old Sleeve Tubes from the Northern Expedition; they were long overdue for replacement.

Meanwhile, in the Bazhong County Government Back Hall, several warlords in silk mandarin jackets were gathered together. The bird's nest soup on the octagonal table had nearly gone cold. Liu Xiang slammed his teacup heavily onto the table, splashing tea everywhere: "Don't tell me—that Li Yuxuan, just a bookboy by origin, who tagged along behind the Chairman for a few years, now dares to meddle in our Badong affairs? Does he really think he's the emperor of heaven?"

A warlord with a handlebar mustache beside him sighed, "Ah, there's no helping it. He's got the Third Division in his hands, after all—that's the Chairman's own elite. We local troops can't possibly come out ahead in a head-on clash."

"Why the hell not!" Liu Xiang slammed the table, rattling the teacups, "Everywhere else, royal power doesn't reach the countryside. Why is Badong the exception? The Chairman had to send some greenhorn to boss us around—he doesn't see us as his own people!"

"Can you beat his Third Division?" the mustached warlord countered, a note of helplessness in his voice.

Liu Xiang choked, his face turning bright red: "No... but we can't just take it lying down either!"

"Some things are better left as thoughts," another fat warlord said slowly, "Besides, Li Yuxuan is expanding his army in a big way right now. Haven't you heard? The Third Division is a division in name only—it actually has over eighty thousand men now, more than all of us combined. They've even got a Heavy Artillery Regiment. He didn't come here to be Provincial Chairman; he came to station troops."

Liu Xiang's eyes darted, then he suddenly slapped his thigh: "No, I can't swallow this! He's expanding his army—I don't believe the Chairman doesn't know! I'll send a telegram to Jinling right now and file a complaint against him!"

In the office of the Jinling Presidential Office, Jiang Ruiyuan was staring blankly at a map when he suddenly heard his Adjutant call out "Chairman." Looking up, he saw the man holding a telegram with a grim expression.

"Motherfucker, what is Jingxing up to now?" Jiang Ruiyuan asked irritably. He'd been driven crazy by the northern warfront lately, and hearing it was news from Badong made his temples throb.

"Chairman, take a look at this." The Adjutant handed over the telegram, "The warlords in Badong have lodged a complaint with you, saying Chairman Li is massively expanding his army there and threatening to use force, saying... saying he'll cut down anyone who doesn't obey."

Jiang Ruiyuan scanned the telegram, his face growing darker. He abruptly threw it onto the desk: "This Jingxing! He's getting more lawless by the day! I sent him to Badong to stabilize the situation, and instead he expands the army? What does he think he's doing?"

The Adjutant kept his head down, not daring to speak. After a long moment, he asked quietly, "Then, Chairman, about this matter... should we send someone to investigate?"

Jiang Ruiyuan paced the room twice, then suddenly stopped and cursed, "Write a telegram and scold Jingxing! Tell him to rein it in and not to stir up Badong into chaos!"

"Just... just a scolding?" The Adjutant was stunned. He'd thought the Chairman would at least remove Li Yuxuan from his post, or at least recall him to Jinling for a reprimand.

"Motherfucker, I've already scolded Jingxing—what more do the Badong warlords want?" Jiang Ruiyuan shot him a glare, a hint of protectiveness in his tone, "I know exactly what those warlords are like. Every one of them hoards troops and acts independently—they've needed a crackdown for a long time. Jingxing was a bit hasty, but his direction was right."

He paused, then added, "Tell Jingxing he can expand the army, but he has to report the accounts to me. Don't make things difficult for me in the council. And if he really needs to use force, give me a heads-up first. Don't cause any deaths—it'll look bad."

The Adjutant finally understood and quickly replied, "Yes! I'll draft the Document immediately!"

Watching the Adjutant's retreating back, Jiang Ruiyuan walked to the window and gazed at the distant Zijin Mountain, letting out a soft sigh. Jingxing's temperament was still the same as when he was a child—once he set his mind on something, nine oxen couldn't pull him back. But... he stroked his chin, a faint, barely perceptible smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

At that moment, back at the Bazhong Governor's Mansion, Li Yuxuan stood before a map, his fingertip tracing over the location of Enshi. Huang Wei knocked and entered, handing him a telegram: "Provincial Chairman, a message from Jinling."

Li Yuxuan unfolded it and read. It was filled with Jiang Ruiyuan's signature Fenghua cursing—"Motherfucker," "rein it in," "don't cause me trouble"—yet between the lines, there was no mention of removing him from office. Instead, at the end, it added, "If you're short on military supplies, report it to the Ministry of Finance."

He couldn't help but smile, tossing the telegram onto the desk: It seems the Young Master still trusts me.

Outside the window, the Yangtze River still rolled eastward with an unstoppable momentum. Li Yuxuan knew that the game in Badong had only just begun. But he wasn't afraid—with a gun in hand, brothers at his back, and confidence in his heart, even if it were a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, he would charge right in.