Chapter 3: Gold‑Thread Glasses

The Expeditionary Force went abroad; that was to fight the Japanese.

It is said to be a hundred‑thousand‑strong Expeditionary Force, but Jiang Anguo estimates the number may have reached 110,000; the Fifth Army alone already exceeds 50,000, and even the Senary Army and the 66th Army, even if each were smaller, should still be around 30,000, let alone that this is an overseas campaign.

It's a matter of prestige; the troop strength won't be lacking.

The Expeditionary Force's command structure is indeed chaotic, but even so, the Expeditionary Force could still engage the Japanese Army in Myanmar with back‑and‑forth battles.

Especially the record of the 200th Division is truly commendable.

But the British Army repeatedly, again and again, abandons the Chinese Army; it's truly detestable.

Not only that, a large portion of the material the United States supplies to China is taken by the British, sent back home, or given to the British forces in North Africa.

For the British, the home islands and North Africa are the most important.

Myanmar can be abandoned.

Before the Japanese Army entered Myanmar, or before it launched the Southeast Asia war, the British had already been notified that no supplies were to be allowed into China, and the British acted accordingly.

Because at that time the Japanese Army had already cut the China‑Vietnam supply line, China had to rely on international aid: one route was Soviet material, the other was the China‑Myanmar Road.

The British are not good people, never have been; they can even sell their own allies.

After the Japanese Army began its offensive against British Malaya, the British panicked and therefore signed the "Joint Defense of the Yunnan‑Myanmar Road Agreement" with China.

The British's weapons and equipment are no worse than the Japanese's; they believed the Southeast Asian jungle was unsuitable for tank warfare, yet the Japanese Douding tank happened to appear in the rainforest.

The British Army's fighting will is truly poor; among them are Indian troops, Australian troops, and the British's own forces.

In terms of numbers they also far exceed the Japanese; the forces in Myanmar and Singapore number at least 180,000, and even 180,000 pigs wouldn't fail that quickly.

Are the British afraid of tanks? No.

It's the "ding‑dang", the "ding‑dang" bicycle.

The Tiger of Malaya, Xia Shan Feng Wen, defeated the British Army with a bicycle.

The British Army offered no resistance; on January 31, 1942, just fifty‑five days after the war began, the Japanese Army had already occupied the Malay Peninsula.

This led to, in mid‑February, the British Army agreeing to let the Expeditionary Force enter Myanmar; before that, the British had not consented, believing it would harm their own interests.

And from the end of January to mid‑February, what were the British doing during those half a month?

Negotiations, indeed, just negotiations.

The British wanted to abandon their rights in the Malay Peninsula to guarantee the safety of Myanmar and India; these two colonies are far too important to the British.

It could even be said to be the British aristocracy's last fallback.

Fifteen days is enough to finish a negotiation, but they ran into the most greedy Japanese; in less than two months I had already occupied such a vast territory, yet they still wanted to negotiate—it's like a dream. They immediately dispatched troops from Thailand into Myanmar.

They successively occupied Moulmein and Yangon, and only then did the British abandon their illusion.

But the time left for the Expeditionary Force was not much; troops can't just start fighting as soon as they arrive—that's impossible—but the two months from last year until now were enough to build permanent fortifications, completely missing the optimal window.

In the end they had to turn each set‑piece battle into a defensive battle.

These are China's most elite troops, yet they paid with their lives for a bunch of hypocritical gentlemen.

After writing three Brocade Bags, Jiang Anguo suddenly felt like Zhuge Liang; but can it truly change anything?

If Dai Anlan hadn't seen it and still trusted the British, what would happen? If the Expeditionary Force still goes through Wild Man Mountain, would the losses still be so severe?

He does not know.

Xiao Si, standing by Jiang Anguo, said, "Young Master, who are these you wrote for?"

Xiao Si can read the characters and feels the Young Master is very mysterious; previously he was meek, but now seems somewhat unrecognizable.

"Here, look at that man on a big horse, the person beside him holding an M1 submachine gun—clearly a high‑ranking officer," Jiang Anguo had actually already spotted the other party, wearing a pair of gold‑thread glasses and a telescope slung over his chest.

That look indicates a regimental‑level or higher officer; whether he can meet Dai Anlan or not, they have to try.

It just feels somewhat familiar, but they don't know where they've seen him before.

"Xiao Si, let's go, we'll head over."

Jiang Anguo, with Xiao Si, pushed through the crowd—truly a sea of people—as Tengchong and nearby residents came to bid farewell to the Expeditionary Force.

It was hard to squeeze through the crowd.

In fact that person also saw Jiang Anguo approaching; the guard tried to step forward to block, but Jiang stopped him.

The glasses‑wearing officer bore no rank insignia, making it hard to determine his position.

Jiang Anguo stepped forward another step and rendered a military salute.

"Good day, officer."

The person nodded and said, "Hello, what business do you have?"

His tone wasn't abrupt, indicating communication was possible; they believe handing the matter to him shouldn't be a problem.

Jiang Anguo gave a brief introduction, "Officer, I am the Supplementary Battalion Commander of the 200th Division, Jiang Anguo. I fell off a horse a while back and was bedridden for a month; I only woke up today, and the main force had already departed ten days ago. I can no longer reach our Division Commander."

The person looked at Jiang Anguo's complexion; he indeed seemed unwell, his lips pale, and evidently believed Jiang's story.

Jiang Anguo produced three Brocade Bags, "Officer, I have written three letters here; if you see our division commander, could you give these three letters to him? They are very important to the Expeditionary Force."

The glasses‑wearing officer casually took the three cloth bags; he naturally also saw the characters on them: Tong, Ping, Ye.

"Alright," the glasses officer began to say.

"Officer, command headquarters—HQ."

Upon hearing that, Jiang Anguo knew it was unsuitable to stay, and he left with Xiao Si.

"Officer, which division is Xiao Si's unit?" Jiang Anguo asked Xiao Si, hoping for an answer.

"Young Master, they are the newly formed 22nd Division."

"Liao Yaoxiang."

Jiang Anguo finally realized who the man before him was—it was Liao Yaoxiang, who was about to mount his horse; Jiang Anguo shouted loudly back.

"General, do not enter Wild Man Mountain under any circumstances."

General Liao Yaoxiang also heard the voice, turned to glance—a strange person—but Liao also took note in his heart; he did not know what Wild Man Mountain was.

Looking at the three cloth bags in my hand, could these be Brocade Bags? Otherwise, before giving them to Dai Anlan, I should open them myself and take a look.

One of the cloth bags had a Ye (wild) written on it; could it be Wild Man Mountain?

In the end, Liao Yaoxiang did not open the three Brocade Bags; sometimes, reputation is extremely important.