Chapter 76: Second Northern Expedition I

Time flowed like the river outside Jinling City, silently passing through the winter of 1927. When the first spring breeze of February 1928 brushed the glazed tiles of the President's Office, Li Yuxuan stood before Principal Jiang again, the frost on his uniform not yet gone.

"Jingxing, after this battle you will be the commander‑in‑chief of the Fifth Group Army," Principal Jiang's voice came through the wafting tea aroma, carrying unquestionable certainty. The map on the desk was spread out, the Northern Expedition route circled in red pencil resembled a burning fire snake, stretching from Jinling all the way to the North China Plain.

Li Yuxuan snapped to attention, his army boots striking the ground with a crisp clack: "Yes, Young Master! I will not disgrace the mission!" He stared at the markings on the map, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the place names "Jinan" and "Tianjin"—key points of the Second Northern Expedition and the battlefields he would soon step onto.

Principal Jiang lifted his teacup, his gaze falling on the rank insignia on Li Yuxuan's shoulder: "Now is the time to test the Fifth Army's capability. In April we will officially deploy, beginning the Second Northern Expedition." He looked up at Li Yuxuan, his eyes filled with expectation and scrutiny, "Are you confident, Jingxing?"

"Confident, Young Master!" Li Yuxuan's voice rang out, his chest surging with long‑suppressed hot blood. From the formation of the Fifth Army to now, nearly four months of honing and over tens of millions of dollars of investment, it would finally be put to the test on the battlefield.

"Alright, go ahead." Principal Jiang waved his hand, then lowered his head again to study the map, "Have your men get ready; provisions, ammunition—report any shortages directly to the Logistics Department."

Inside the Fifth Army's command tent, the charcoal brazier blazed brightly, yet could not dispel the tension in the air. Guderian was using a compass to measure distances on the map, Rommel was writing armored unit advance parameters on the blackboard, and Manstein sat in the corner, his fingertips lightly tapping the table as if devising a defensive plan.

"Li, how's it going?" Seeing Li Yuxuan enter, Rommel was the first to set down his chalk, his blue‑gray eyes flashing with excitement—nothing is more alluring to a battle‑hungry soldier than actual combat.

"The Chairman has issued the order, in April we will officially mobilize for the Second Northern Expedition," Li Yuxuan walked to the map, extended his hand and pointed to the area north of Nanjing, "Our Fifth Army will be incorporated into the First Group Army, objective—unify the whole nation."

"Good!" Guderian slammed the table hard, the compass even jolted and jumped, "Then we'll arrange the operation plan right now! I suggest the armored units take the vanguard, break through from Xuzhou, thrust straight to Jinan, using blitzkrieg to tear open the defenses!"

"Why the hurry?" Manstein said leisurely, "The terrain in Huabei is complex, the enemy has Japanese‑backed armored trains; a rash thrust would only be costly. I think we should first have infantry clear the flanks, then let the tanks advance steadily."

The two exchanged words, and the tent's atmosphere instantly heated up. Li Yuxuan smiled, raised his hand to signal quiet: "Alright, bring the men."

"Here, Chairman!" the Adjutant replied, entering.

"Notify all division commanders, regiment commanders, and all members of the German Consultant Group, to report immediately to the command tent for a meeting to discuss the operation plan for the Second Northern Expedition."

"Yes, Chairman!"

An hour later, the tent was already packed. Division commanders Du Yuming, Hu Zhongnan, Song Xilian and others sat in the front rows, behind them were over thirty regiment commanders, while members of the German Consultant Group occupied the long table on the other side. The flames in the charcoal brazier crackled, reflecting the solemnity and anticipation on everyone's faces.

Li Yuxuan walked to the map, lifted his command baton and pointed to the North China Plain: "Everyone, in April our Fifth Army will follow the Chairman's First Group Army to commence the Second Northern Expedition. The objective is clear—crush the remnants of Wu Peifu's forces and the warlord factions of Zhang Zuolin, seize Pingjin, and achieve national unification. Now, we will discuss the specific operational routes and tactical deployments."

As soon as the words fell, the tent erupted into a heated uproar.

"I think we should break through from Lunan!" Third Division Commander Du Yuming stood up first, pointing to the location of Teng County on the map, "This is a weak point in the enemy's line; I will lead an armored regiment to tear a gap here, and we can reach Jinan within a month!"

"No way!" Fifth Division Commander Song Xilian immediately retorted, "Lunan is mountainous, tanks can't operate there! I think we should advance along the Jinpu Railway, rely on the rail line for supplies, and proceed steadily."

"Steady and steady? By the time we reach Jinan, they'll have already repaired the defenses!" a young regiment commander couldn't help shouting, "We now have aircraft, tanks, and carrier support; we can land directly at Dagukou from the sea, seize Zhang Zuolin's stronghold, and save a lot of trouble!"

"What do you know?" Deputy Division Commander Fan Hanjie glared at him, "Dagukou has Japanese warships; a rash landing would spark an international dispute! The Chairman emphasized that this Northern Expedition must 'avoid diplomatic conflicts'!"

The tent instantly turned into a clamor. Those advocating a rapid assault pounded the table, saying "With equipment, we should fight fast," while the proponents of a steady advance argued logically, "Huabei is not the Southern Direction; the terrain is very complex," and someone suggested dividing forces for a pincer, but was rebuffed, "Dispersed troops are easily defeated one by one."

Members of the German Consultant Group also joined the discussion. Guderian insisted on his armored cluster theory: "Concentrate all tanks and mechanized infantry into a fist, creating depth on the plains; this is the fastest way to victory."

Manstein shook his head: "The enemy will use cities for defense. I suggest first using artillery to destroy fortifications, then let infantry clear the remnants, with tanks providing cover—don't forget, although your opponent is poorly equipped, they know the terrain; you cannot underestimate them."

Rommel then drew a circuitous route on the blackboard: "I think we can dispatch a rapid reaction force, cross the Central Hebei Plain, thrust straight into the enemy's rear, cut off their supply lines, and the front will collapse on its own."

Li Yuxuan listened quietly, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop. He watched the arguing officers and the heated discussion among the German advisors, and suddenly the scene felt familiar—just like back at the Huangpu Military Academy's tactics class, a group of fervent youths arguing red‑faced over a tactical detail.

"Everyone, quiet down." He finally spoke, his voice low yet instantly drowning out all debate. The tent fell silent at once, everyone's gaze fixed on him.

Li Yuxuan lifted his command baton, struck the map firmly: "Debate is good, but remember, our goal is unified—victory." He surveyed the room, his tone steady and powerful, "From now on, each division shall submit detailed operation plans; we will consolidate and discuss them in three days. The German Consultant Group is responsible for drafting coordinated plans for armor, air force, and navy, especially the use of the carrier Saratoga, which must be flawless."

He paused, his gaze sharpening: "We deploy in April, leaving two months to prepare. I want you to think through every possible problem—ammunition resupply, casualty evacuation, communications with allied forces… any single detail that goes wrong could cause our brothers to die in vain."

The tent was deathly quiet, only the occasional crackle of sparks from the charcoal brazier. The officers' excitement gradually faded, replaced by the solemn weight typical of soldiers— they understood that after this meeting, the Fifth Army would step onto the real battlefield, and the sweat shed on the Training Ground and the expensive equipment purchased would face the harshest test amid artillery fire.

Li Yuxuan looked at them, suddenly recalling how the Fifth Army looked when it was first formed months ago. Back then the soldiers were still fiddling with old rifles, the officers still bickering over provisions, and now they possessed the confidence to challenge the world.

"Meeting adjourned." He waved his hand, turned toward the map, and his fingertip landed again on the location of "Pingjin".

Spring breezes slipped through the tent's cracks, rustling the map's corners and stirring the flame in his eyes. The Second Northern Expedition, unifying the nation—this dream coveted by countless soldiers will receive its final push in his hands, and once the expedition is complete, it will be time to prepare for the Anti‑Japanese struggle.

Outside the tent, the soldiers' training shouts remained loud, but this time the sounds carried an added edge of sword‑drawn, bow‑stretched resolve.