Chapter 93: Jiang–Gui War 1

In Jinling on January 21, 1929, the chill had not yet faded. At the dock, a German cargo ship was making its final departure preparations. Li Yuxuan stood on the shore, shaking hands with several German friends to say goodbye.

"Li, farewell," Rommel squeezed Li Yuxuan's hand firmly, "I hope that when we meet next, we will see a stronger Huaxia."

Li Yuxuan smiled and nodded: "Thank you, friends and seniors, for your help over these years. Huaxia's path to building its army could not have succeeded without your contributions."

As the whistle sounded long, the cargo ship slowly left the dock. Li Yuxuan watched the ship's silhouette recede, feeling a flood of emotions. These German friends had not only brought advanced military ideas, but more importantly helped establish a complete military education system. Yet, with the Northern Expedition concluded, the stay or departure of foreign friends had become a pawn in the power games of the various factions.

"Chairman, the Chairman summons you," Secretary Dai Yunong's voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

"Fine, I'm going right away," Li Yuxuan smoothed his clothes and turned toward the President's Office.

In the Chairman's office, the charcoal brazier burned brightly. Seeing Li Yuxuan push the door open, the Young Master, rarely smiling, waved at him.

"Jingxing's arrival is timely," the Chairman said, pointing to the military map on the wall, "Come take a look at this."

On the map, different colors marked the territories of each faction. The most striking was the area controlled by the Gui faction—a stretch from Yuzhang through Sanxiang to Jingchu, like a long snake spanning Huaxia's interior.

"The Gui faction is now at the height of its power," the Chairman tapped the map with a pointer, "Li Zongren is stationed in Jiangcheng, Bai Chongxi garrisons Yanjing, Huang Shaohong controls Yuzhang. The three locations coordinate, commanding a force of two hundred thousand troops."

Li Yuxuan examined the map closely, his brows slightly furrowed: "I heard they also incorporated Tang Shengzi's former troops?"

"It's more than incorporation," the Chairman sneered, "It's a total takeover. After Tang Shengzi retired, his forces in Sanxiang almost entirely transferred unchanged to the Gui faction. Now the Gui faction controls Lianghu and Guangxi, forming a complete secessionist belt."

He turned toward the desk, took out a document and handed it to Li Yuxuan: "This is the latest intelligence. The Gui faction not only expands militarily, but also implements its own political system in the Lianghu region, essentially a state within a state."

Li Yuxuan flipped through the document quickly, growing increasingly alarmed. The Gui faction in Lianghu appoints its own officials, levies taxes, issues currency, virtually nullifying the Jinling government's authority in the area.

"What worries me most," the Chairman lowered his voice, "is that they are secretly dealing with Guangdong's Chen Jitang and Yunnan's Long Yundou. If these regional powers unite..."

He did not finish the sentence, but Li Yuxuan already grasped the seriousness. If the southern provinces form an alliance, the recently achieved formal unity would become merely nominal.

"Do you know why the Gui faction can expand so rapidly?" the Chairman suddenly asked.

Li Yuxuan thought for a moment: "During the Northern Expedition, the Gui faction fought bravely and earned great honors. Moreover, they are adept at seizing the moment, always making the right choices at critical times."

"Not only that," the Chairman shook his head, "More importantly, they have a complete cadre system. The Gui faction emphasizes cultivating local talent; within their controlled areas, about eighty percent of officials above the county level are from Yuzhang. This hometown camaraderie makes them especially united."

He stood and paced the room: "In contrast, we, though holding central power, are riddled with internal factions. Wang Zhaoming's Reorganizationist Faction, Sun Ke's Crown Prince Faction, and those of the Western Hills Conference Faction are constantly contemplating power sharing."

Li Yuxuan nodded silently. He had heard of these conditions before, but hearing the Young Master state them directly made the gravity of the situation feel even more severe.

"Then what advantages do we have?" Li Yuxuan asked.

"The support of the Jiangzhe financial conglomerates and the previously dispersed Fifth Army," the Chairman halted, "That is our greatest confidence. Without money and troops, nothing can be accomplished. Though the Gui faction's territory is large, Lianghu has been economically devastated by years of war; they need continual outward expansion to fund their army."

He walked to the window, gazing at the gloomy sky outside: "What worries me most now is that the Gui faction might ally with the north's Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xisan. If a north‑south pincer forms, we will be very passive."

"So we must strike first?" Li Yuxuan immediately grasped the Young Master's intention.

"Exactly," the Chairman turned, his gaze sharp, "But we cannot resort to open warfare. Launching a civil war right after the Northern Expedition would turn public opinion against us."

In the next two hours, the two delved deeply into countermeasures. The Chairman clearly had prepared, presenting a complete "Reduce Fiefs" plan.

"First, we must curb them economically," the Chairman produced a document, "I have already tasked Song Ziwen with drafting a scheme to impose trade restrictions on Lianghu, especially on the flow of military supplies."

"Second, we must politically divide and weaken them," he continued, "The Gui faction is not monolithic. Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and Huang Shaohong have internal conflicts. We can exploit this."

Li Yuxuan raised a question: "But would this force them into a desperate, reckless move?"

"Thus timing and proportion are crucial," the Chairman said meaningfully, "We must strike at a moment they least expect, and be swift, precise, and ruthless."

He walked to the map, pointing at Jiangcheng, and said, "Li Zongren now controls Lianghu under the title of Chairman of the Jiangcheng Political Sub‑Council. We can start here, invoking 'Military‑Political Separation' to demand the dissolution of all local political sub‑councils."

Li Yuxuan instantly grasped the cleverness of the strategy. Demanding the dissolution of political sub‑councils under the banner of "Unified Orders" is legally sound, yet it strikes directly at the Gui faction's political lifeline.

"What if the Gui faction defies the order?"

"Then that gives us a reason to take up arms," the Chairman laughed, "However, I believe Li Zongren won't be that foolish. He will likely appear to comply while resisting covertly. Then we will press him step by step."