Chapter 69: Military Expenses

Outside the Fifth Army's temporary barracks, the once thunderous training drills were torn apart by a burst of noisy clamor. Li Yuxuan had just stepped into the camp when he saw dozens of men in officer uniforms tangled together, hat brims askew, rank insignia torn off, several faces bearing fresh bruises. His brows tightened sharply, and in a deep voice he barked, "Everyone, stop!"

The ruckus halted abruptly, and the fighters and onlookers all turned their heads in unison, their hostile expressions instantly replaced by panic. Li Yuxuan strode to the center of the crowd, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage—upended wooden tables, scattered documents, and a few dark red bloodstains splattered on the ground.

"Speak up," he said, sitting on a nearby horse stall, his tone calm yet icy. "I've only been away a few days, and you're already fighting among yourselves. Do you really think a camp is a vegetable market, letting you run wild?"

Huang Wei hurried forward, his face pleading, "Director, the brothers from phases 3 to 6 got into a clash; it has nothing to do with our phase 1! We were just passing by to watch, we didn't get involved at all."

"Exactly, Chairman," Chen Jincheng of Huangpu's second phase echoed, while smoothing out his crumpled uniform. "Our second‑phase brothers were inventorying weapons; we only came over when we heard the commotion, and we truly didn't lay a hand."

"When allies are in trouble, you remain as immovable as a mountain?" Li Yuxuan slammed the table, the wood ringing with a clang, "They're still your junior brothers; even if you're dissatisfied, can you just stand there and watch them embarrass themselves?"

Huang Wei and Chen Jincheng were left speechless by the question, muttering as they lowered their heads. Officers from phases 1 and 2 around them also turned away, their expressions uneasy.

Li Yuxuan's gaze shifted to the other side, landing on dozens of bruised‑and‑battered young officers. "What's your reason? Your skills on the Training Ground haven't improved, yet you're quite capable of fighting inside the camp!"

Wang Yaowu of phase 3 covered his mouth and stood, his words a little breathy, "Director, during training the soldiers under us were underfed, so they went to another camp to scrounge meals and were driven out. The two sides of soldiers got into a verbal spat, and somehow it turned physical. When we tried to break it up we couldn't stop it, and we got pulled in…"

"What about you?" Li Yuxuan asked, turning to the officers of phases 5 and 6. "Phases 3 and 4 clashed because of hunger; why did you take up arms? It can't be that you're also short on food, right?"

Liao Yaoxiang of phase 6 stuck her neck out, a tear in her chest pocket, "Reply, Chairman, why does phase 5 have more equipment than our phase 6? Both are regiment leaders; their regiment was allocated ten Heavy Machine Guns, while ours has only five! This distribution is truly unfair!"

"I think I've heard you clearly," Li Yuxuan sneered, scanning the room, "You all think the allocation is uneven, and when you can't argue you resort to fighting, right?"

The officers bowed their heads, none daring to respond. The camp was so quiet that the rustle of wind through the tents could be heard, and the previously tense atmosphere now lingered only as a heavy awkwardness.

"Fine, let's eat first," Li Yuxuan stood, dusting himself off, "I'll eat with you all; no one can say I'm giving Special Meals or mistreating anyone, right?"

"Director, you're joking!" Huang Wei waved his hand quickly, forcing a smile, "It's our honor that you can sit at the same table with the brothers."

"We'll resolve each issue one by one," Li Yuxuan ignored the flattery, raising his chin toward Wang Yaowu, "Wang Yaowu, today you go fetch the rice; I want to see what's really behind this meal."

"Yes, Chairman!" Wang Yaowu responded, leading Li Yuxuan toward the mess hall. The other officers hurried after, their earlier anger already dissipated, leaving only nervous anticipation—everyone knew that this Director seemed gentle, but when he got serious, no one could win.

Outside the mess hall a long line had formed, soldiers clutching enamel bowls, eyes fixed on the pot of food. The veteran in charge of the stove caught sight of Li Yuxuan, his hand trembling sharply, and he quickly stood at attention, saluting, "Chairman, greetings!"

"Begin the meal," Li Yuxuan nodded, taking the empty bowl Wang Yaowu handed him, and silently joined the line.

"Meal time—!" Wang Yaowu shouted, lifting the lid of the huge iron pot; inside was fluffy white rice, and beside it a wooden bucket held stewed radish and cabbage, with only a few specks of oil floating.

A soldier at the front muttered a witty remark, but after half a sentence caught sight of Li Yuxuan in the line, froze in fear, and bowed his head to receive his food.

Wang Yaowu, while cooking, said: "One shrimp, pull."

Li Yuxuan carried his own portion, sat on a stone slab, and began eating heartily. The rice was slightly undercooked, the cabbage stewed bitterly, almost without any oil flavor. He glanced at the surrounding soldiers' bowls; most were like his, half‑filled with rice, while the cabbage was heaped.

"The meal doesn't look small; how can anyone be hungry?" he set down his bowl, looking at Wang Yaowu beside him.

Wang Yaowu's face turned sour, "Director, this was prepared extra because we knew you were coming. Normally… normally a meal is just a spoonful of rice, and the vegetables have no visible oil at all; the brothers train heavily, how could they endure that?"

The surrounding soldiers nodded in agreement, "Yes, Chairman, during the last cross‑country run a brother actually fainted from hunger on the road!" "Our regiment's provisions have long been insufficient; every day someone sneaks out to dig wild greens to fill their stomachs!"

Li Yuxuan's expression darkened, and he pushed the unfinished food aside, "Fine, I'll go find the Young Master later; this matter must be resolved."

Inside the President's Office, Jiang Principal frowned thoughtfully at a Bandit Suppression plan, while Qian Dajun reported work beside him.

"How are things over at the Fifth Army?" Jiang Principal massaged his temples, "Nothing much trouble lately, I hope?"

Qian Dajun's face showed unease, hesitantly replying, "Reply, Chairman, this morning we received a report that the officers of the Fifth Army got into a clash and started fighting."

"Training was going well; how did it come to fighting?" Jiang Principal set down his pen, his brows knit, "What exactly happened?"

"It seems to be due to uneven resource allocation," Qian Dajun hurriedly explained, "Some regiments have more equipment, others less, and the brothers feel unfairness. Coupled with food shortages, the soldiers are hungry, and the two sides clashed, pulling the officers in as well."

"Again these troublesome matters!" Jiang Principal waved his hand irritably, "What is Jingxing doing? He can't even handle such a minor issue!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice from outside the door, the Adjutant's, called, "Report—!"

"Speak!" Jiang Principal barked impatiently.

"Chairman Li requests an audience, saying there's an urgent matter to report."

Upon hearing that, Jiang Principal erupted in fury, leapt to his feet, "Send him away! Tell him I'm not here!" As he strode out, he muttered, "Surely he's here to demand money again! This Jingxing is literally an insatiable hole!"

Before the words finished, the office door swung open, and Li Yuxuan stood at the entrance, smiling, a cloth sack in hand, "Young Master, I knew you were here!"

Jiang Principal's steps halted, his face turning ashen as he stared, "What are you here for again?"

"The Fifth Army is short on funds," Li Yuxuan entered, placing the sack on the table; inside were the Fifth Army's logistics reports, "The soldiers are underfed, equipment is mismatched, and at this rate, not only training but the whole unit could collapse."

He spread the report, pointing at the figures, "Look, the food deficit alone is this large, plus ammunition resupply, winter uniform procurement… Young Master, you need to allocate more funds, or the Fifth Army will truly fall apart."

Jiang Principal stared at the dense numbers, his temples throbbing. Pointing at Li Yuxuan, he was so angry he could barely speak, "You… your Fifth Army is a money‑devouring beast! Didn't you just allocate 200,000 dollars a few weeks ago?"

Li Yuxuan seemed oblivious to his anger, continuing, "Young Master, I know the treasury is tight, but the brothers truly struggle. Today I ate at the camp; the rice was undercooked, the vegetables had not a single speck of oil…"

"Enough, enough!" Jiang Principal cut him off, inhaling deeply, "How much do you need?"

Li Yuxuan's eyes lit up, stating a figure, "Not much, allocate 500,000 dollars first, to address the immediate crisis."

"Five hundred thousand?!" Jiang Principal nearly jumped, "Why didn't you go rob it?!"

"Young Master, this is for the Fifth Army, for our foundation," Li Yuxuan stepped forward, his tone sincere, "When the Fifth Army matures, not only fifty thousand but five million can be earned back for you!"

Jiang Principal stared at him for a while, then sighed, turned back into the room, and said, "Wait!"

Li Yuxuan watched his back, a smug smile curling his lips. He knew that this money would soon be in his hands.

Sunlight outside streamed through the glass, falling on the logistics report, as if coating those cold numbers with a warm layer of hope.