Chapter 461: Nanko: We Must Continue Expanding

Stilwell quickened his pace forward, raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, his tone as gentle as possible, trying to mediate the present clash: "Hey, everyone, calm down, all of you, calm down."

"We are now the Anti-Fascist Alliance, our common enemy is the Japanese Army; we must not let a small disagreement damage our harmony and affect our joint combat plans."

He spoke while covertly glowering at Shi Misi, signaling him not to speak out of turn again.

Stilwell also knew that Shi Misi's actions were too reckless; Jiang Anguo's statements were factual, the British's performance on the Myanmar battlefield was indeed disgraceful, and now leaping out to oppose Chen Jiageng's founding of a state was undoubtedly self‑inflicted trouble.

Stilwell understood that he had to balance the contradictions among the various forces.

On one side stood the illustrious, hard‑line Huaxia Expeditionary Force; on the other, the arrogant, self‑important British unwilling to relinquish colonial interests; and also the newly founded, popular Nanyang Chinese.

If the mediation fails, it will not only affect the Allied Forces' internal unity, but may also disrupt the entire Myanmar battlefield deployment, even affecting the overall anti‑fascist war.

But Stilwell also knew his position in Myanmar was already extremely awkward; earlier command mistakes on the battlefield had already stripped him of part of his authority, and mediating this conflict was far from easy.

Stilwell looked at Jiang Anguo, his tone softened a bit: "General Jiang, I understand your dissatisfaction; the British's performance on the Myanmar battlefield indeed has shortcomings, and I will report this to London. However, Mr. Chen's state‑founding is indeed too sudden; please reconsider to avoid sparking larger contradictions."

In truth, Stilwell also despised the British, but his words represented the United States' stance.

Therefore he would never publicly criticize the British.

Stilwell also knew Chen Jiageng, but was not very familiar with him.

Jiang Anguo glanced at Stilwell, his tone even: "General Stilwell, I have already said that the Nanyang Chinese founding a state is their own matter; our Expeditionary Force has no authority to intervene. Moreover, Mr. Chen's action is to safeguard the future of the Nanyang Chinese, to better cooperate with us against the Japanese Army—what's wrong with that? As for the British's discontent, let them go speak with Mr. Chen themselves."

Shi Misi, seeing this, still wanted to retort, but Stilwell's stern gaze silenced him.

Stilwell inhaled deeply, a trace of helplessness on his face; he knew Jiang Anguo's stance was firm, and asking him to stop Chen Jiageng's state‑founding was impossible.

This sudden clash seemed like unreasonable British obstruction, but in fact it was a collision between colonial forces and Chinese resistance; and he could only struggle within it, trying his best to preserve a surface peace, yet he knew deep down this contradiction would not be quelled so easily.

Jiang Anguo chuckled to himself: Do the British now have troops in Myanmar? Yes!

As for where, inside a Japanese prisoner‑of‑war camp, the British troops that withdrew to India were directly encircled by the Japanese rd Division.

That is also one reason why Jiang Anguo dared to let Chen Jiageng found a state in Myanmar at this moment.

Of course, the war will end sooner or later, and the British will eventually return to this land.

But, when that time truly arrives!

Myanmar then will no longer be at the British's discretion!

On the other side, Chen Jiageng on the high platform had already regained his composure.

The fervor and surge he announced the state‑founding with earlier gradually settled, replaced by a weighty steadiness.

He stood atop the platform, watching the dense, cheering crowd below, while shouts and blessings rose and fell around him.

It was a welcome he had never experienced, unprecedented; on each unfamiliar face were reverence and hope, and in each pair of eyes flickered aspirations for the future.

Chen Jiageng knew in his heart that he did not know any of the people below.

They might be overseas Chinese from Singapore, or Javanese Chinese who had come here, or Huaxia descendants rooted in Myanmar for generations.

Yet just a few simple conversations, a few sincere greetings.

He could clearly hear that these people bore Huaxia's blood, carried Huaxia's sentiment in their hearts, were undeniably Huaxia's children, compatriots yearning to break free from oppression and have their own homeland.

Under the orderly guidance of Guard Company soldiers, Chen Jiageng descended the platform, passed through the cheering crowd, and walked step by step toward Jiang Anguo a short distance away.

Along the way, Chinese civilians stepped aside, gazing at him with reverent eyes, softly calling "Mr. Chen," their tone full of trust and expectation.

Chen Jiageng gave a slight nod, his expression solemn, each step unusually heavy.

He knew that from the moment he announced the state‑founding, he had shouldered the fate of millions of Nanyang Chinese; this responsibility was as heavy as Mount Tai.

Reaching Jiang Anguo, Chen Jiageng halted, his gaze fixed on the young general before him, his eyes full of complexity and doubt.

The Jiang Anguo before him, though young, was strategic and bold; from dispatching rescuers to facilitating the Nanyang Chinese's state‑founding, each step was precise and steadfast, leaving this weathered elder unable to see through him.

After a moment of silence, Chen Jiageng could no longer restrain his doubts, his tone solemn and urgent: "Anguo, what exactly are you planning? Be honest and tell me!"

Jiang Anguo looked at the doubt and gravity in Chen Jiageng's eyes; the sharpness on his face gradually faded, replaced by sincerity and resolve.

He bowed slightly, his tone sincere: "Mr. Chen, what plans could I have? My plans have always been simple: to help the Nanyang Chinese secure their own territory in Southeast Asia, a home of their own, never again to be oppressed by outsiders, never again to scrape by in a cramped niche."

Hearing this, Chen Jiageng let out a soft sigh, a trace of fatigue and helplessness on his face, and said slowly: "But, Anguo, this isn't easy, truly not easy."

He lifted his gaze toward the distance, his voice full of world‑worn sorrow, beginning to analyze the hardships of state‑founding: "You only see our cheers today, but you haven't seen the suffering behind us, the myriad obstacles the founding path must face."

"First, the external pressure," Chen Jiageng's tone grew heavier, "the British will never be satisfied; Myanmar is a British colony, and our founding a state here is undoubtedly a slap to their face. They will surely ally with the Dutch, even collude with the Japanese, seeking every way to suppress and encircle us."

"And the Americans, who appear neutral but are actually ambitious; they will never allow us to rise in Southeast Asia, and will inevitably sabotage us covertly, hindering our development."

Before the Americans became involved in this war, they were merely spectators; Chen Jiageng knew well that the Americans are merchants, selling large amounts of strategic resources to the Japanese during the war.

Chen Jiageng paused, then continued: "Furthermore, it is our own strength. Although the Nanyang Chinese are numerous, they are scattered across regions; the state has just been founded, its foundations unstable, lacking a unified army, sufficient weapons and equipment, and a complete administrative system. Our people have long suffered oppression, most lacking combat experience; even with resolve to resist, facing well‑armed colonizers and the Japanese Army, great sacrifices are inevitable."

Jiang Anguo smiled, "Mr. Chen, you need not worry about the army. The unit over at Dongzhi, Regiment Commander Song Mengqin, you should have already met; from the moment the Nanyang Democratic Federation Republic was established, that unit was renamed the Nanko First Infantry Regiment."

Chen Jiageng looked at Jiang Anguo in disbelief, feeling as if everything had been arranged by the young man before him.

"You're serious!" Chen Jiageng asked.

"Of course it's true; this land cannot be taken by words alone—only by real guns and knives in a fight can we become its masters," Jiang Anguo said.