Chapter 99: After the Jiang‑Feng Battle

Outside Heze on May 23, 1929, smoke and gunpowder blotted out the sun. Sun Liangcheng stood behind the sandbag of the forward position, watching the Central Army surge in like a tide. The Mauser Pistol in his hand was already scorching hot, and the bloodstains on his uniform had long dried black.

"Division Commander, the right wing has collapsed!" the messenger soldier scrambled over, his face full of terror, "Chen Diaoyuan's tank is coming!"

Sun Liangcheng looked up and saw thick smoke on the right side of the position; dozens of tanks rolled over the trench, their tracks still clinging to the severed limbs of fallen soldiers. He drew a deep breath, leapt onto higher ground, and shouted hoarsely:

"Brothers! The Yellow River is behind us; we have no retreat! If we lose today, the Northwest Army will be disbanded! For the Commander-in-Chief, for the fallen brothers, kill!"

The remaining Northwest Army soldiers let out beast‑like roars, raised their bayonets and launched a counter‑charge. In an instant, shouts, gunfire, and screams rang to the heavens.

However, the gap in strength could not be bridged by courage. Backed by artillery and air support, the Central Army crushed the Northwest Army's defenses with overwhelming firepower. A reconnaissance aircraft circled above the position, periodically dropping bombs that sparked bursts of flame.

At the Kaifeng front, Ji Hongchang slammed his fist into the earthen wall of the command post when he received the telegram of Han Fuju's betrayal, blood trickling down his fingers.

"That bastard Han Fuju! The Commander-in-Chief treated him like a son, and he dares to betray!" Ji Hongchang's eyes reddened, his voice hoarse, "Relay to all brigades: immediately contract the line and retreat toward Luoyang!"

But the troops' morale had already shattered; orders could not halt the retreat. Many units began to withdraw on their own, and officers brandishing guns could not stop the flood of collapse.

At the old Yellow River crossing, chaos peaked. Thousands of Northwest Army stragglers gathered on the bank, scrambling for the few remaining ferries. Gunfire, cries, and curses mingled, forming an apocalyptic scene.

Old boatman Li Lao Han's rickety wooden boat had shuttled back and forth more than a dozen times, its hull covered in handprints from soldiers who had seized it. This time, over twenty wounded men crowded aboard, and the river water rose to the level of the gunwale.

"Chief, we really can't board any more! The boat will sink!" Li Lao Han knelt at the bow, bowing and kowtowing to the soldiers still trying to climb aboard.

A blood‑smeared officer raised his gun at Li Lao Han: "You old bastard, if you don't launch the boat I'll kill you! Today I must cross the river!"

At that moment, a shrill howl rang from the sky. The Central Army's artillery spotted the crossing, and a barrage of dense fire instantly swept the riverbank.

"Boom!"

A shell struck Li Lao Han's small boat dead on. Wood splinters rained down, severed limbs were hurled into the air, and the Yellow River water instantly turned scarlet. In his final moments, Li Lao Han seemed to see his hometown's wheat fields, where there was no war, only the joy of a bountiful harvest.

The crossing became a slaughterhouse. Soldiers who couldn't swim flailed in the river, and even those who could were dragged under by heavy gear. Central Army machine‑gunners on the opposite bank continued sweeping fire at the surface, and blood formed shocking red ribbons across the Yellow River.

On May 27, Feng Yuxiang, in profound disappointment, penned a resignation telegram. Inside Shendu Headquarters, he chose his words carefully, pausing several times with his brush.

"Since joining the Revolution, I, Feng Yuxiang, have always taken national unification and ethnic rejuvenation as my duty. Now internal party strife continues, the troops are divided, which is no blessing for the nation. To prevent further bloodshed, I voluntarily resign; all Northwest Army civil affairs shall be left to the generals to manage…"

Writing this, the famed "Christian General" could not help but weep. He recalled the soldiers who died on the battlefield, the heroic ambition of the Northern Expedition, and the betrayals of Han Fuju and Shi Yousan, the commanders he had personally promoted.

After the telegram was sent, Feng Yuxiang took only eight personal guards and quietly ascended Huashan. After settling at Yuntai Guan, he stood on Huashan's northern peak, overlooking the vast land below.

"Commander-in-Chief, why so despondent?" the Detachment Leader handed him a coat, "We still have Liu Yufen, Song Zheyuan and other loyal brave generals; given time, we can regroup."

Feng Yuxiang shook his head and sighed, "You don't understand. The betrayals of Han Fuju and Shi Yousan are not personal treachery but a microcosm of the era. In the face of money and power, ideals and loyalty become so fragile."

In the distance, the Yellow River stretched like a ribbon, the sunset like blood. Feng Yuxiang recalled his own gallantry in the Zhifu War, the grandeur of the Wuyuan oath ceremony, now all turned to fleeting smoke.

The news reached Yuxi, and Zhang Zizhong, who was consolidating the remnants, wept aloud. He gathered his troops in a valley, stood on a large boulder, and his voice choked as he spoke:

"Brothers! The Commander-in-Chief has resigned, but we must survive. Today's shame will be avenged someday! Remember today, remember the fallen brothers, remember those who betrayed us!"

The remaining soldiers raised their weapons and let out earth‑shaking roars: "Avenge! Avenge! Avenge!"

At the same time, in the Jinling President's Office, the Chairman smugly said to Li Yuxuan, "Jingxing, you see? This is the fate of those who oppose me."

Li Yuxuan frowned slightly, "Young Master, this just easily provokes panic among other factions, perhaps…"

"Enough," the Chairman interrupted, "You wanted the Arms Factory, right? I voted for it."

Li Yuxuan's eyes lit up, but he quickly regained composure, "Thank you, Young Master. However, we aim to build not just an Arms Factory, but the foundation of the defense industry. The German Advisor suggests we should simultaneously develop steel, machinery, chemicals and other supporting sectors."

The Chairman nodded approvingly, "We'll do as you say. But remember, this must be carried out in secret, without others noticing."

"Understood," Li Yuxuan saluted and withdrew.

Leaving the President's Office, Li Yuxuan gazed at the myriad lights of Jinling City, his heart a swirl of emotions. He was thrilled by the prospect of building a defense industry, yet pained by the bloodshed of civil war. He knew Huaxia now stood at a crossroads: endless internal conflict on one side, hostile powers looming externally on the other. All he could do was seize the moment and forge a sword of self‑preservation for this troubled homeland.

As night deepened, the Yangtze River flowed silently eastward, carrying away the day's clamor and the traces of countless lives.